"Alright," Jack smiled. "Are we ready?"

"I think so," Catherine nodded, sitting Lotte on her lap.

The baby squirmed a bit as Jack cleaned her ears and marked where the earrings would go. He instructed for Catherine to hold Lotte's head still and she complied.

"No," Lotte mumbled, trying to push Jack away.

"It's alright, Sweetheart," Jack cooed softly. "I'm giving you pretty earrings."

That seemed to calm Lotte down, giving Jack enough time to pierce her right ear.

As most young children, Lotte cried and squirmed.

"Matt, it looks adorable," Catherine gasped.

"Mhm," Matt hummed distractedly, playing a game on his phone with Logan.

Cath rolled her eyes and held her daughter still as Jack pierced her other ear.

"All done," Jack grinned. "I hope she doesn't hate me too much."

"She'll get over it," Catherine chuckled, holding her crying daughter close. "Thanks, Jack."

"No problem," he smiled. "I'll see you for your appointment next week, right?"

Catherine nodded.

"How does he do everything?" Matt muttered. "It's insane. There's gotta be laws."

Jack chuckled. "Not on helping people."

Logan turned his head to Catherine and outstretched his arms. "Mama."

Cath sighed and picked him up, situating both children comfortably. "Alright, Matt. Let's go before my arms fall off."

—————

Catherine set Logan down and went over to the crib, laying her sleeping daughter down gently. She turned her head to see her son walking slowly toward her. "Oh my goodness," she whispered. "Matt! Matt, come here quickly!"

Matt rushed into the room just in time to see Logan take a few more steps and steady himself by holding onto Cath's leg. "Did he just-"

"I walk," Logan grinned.

Catherine picked up her son and kissed his cheek. "I'm so proud of you."

—————

"Josh, can you take Amelia today?"

"I have work, but I suppose," Josh shrugged.

"Just- just be careful with her?" Mari said worriedly. "I want to get something's from Dad's."

"I promise, she'll be safe," Josh assured, kissing his wife's cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," Mari smiled. "See you later, Hon. Dad has some of Mel's stuff...I wanted to get it."

"Alright," Josh nodded. "I'll take Amelia to work."

"She has a doctor's appointment later," Mari noted. "Don't forget."

"She always has doctor's appointments," Josh sighed.

"I know, Babe," Mari sighed. "But it is what it is. Let's just hope nothing comes up."

Josh nodded. "Alright. I'll see you later, Honey."

Mari went to her father's house and opened a few boxes in the attic. "Come on, Josh," she laughed sadly, flipping through an old year book. "Where are you?"

Among the boxes, she found her sister's cell phone.

"Guess you'll have to wait, high school Josh," she chuckled.

How did Mel get his yearbook anyway?

Mari turned on the phone and guessed a few passwords.

MUSIC

STEELE02

With a small frown she made one last attempt.

ISAACTAYLOR

The phone's home screen flashed open.

"Do I know my sister or what?" She smiled sadly.vSlowly, she seemed drawn to the camera roll.
Pictures of Matt were expected. Of their life.

Mari's eyes brimmed with tears as in between every picture of Matt was one of a young, starry eyed Josh. She soon stumbled across a video and pressed play.
"Hey, Darling," Mel's warm voice softly whispered, "I wanted you to see this. It's Daddy's last time performing before he knows about you."

The camera panned upward to a slightly unfocused video of the stage.

"You will curse the day you did not do," Matt sang, "all that that Phan-"

Fire shot up from the stage as he raised his hands to the sky.

Mel's screaming filled the microphone.

"Oh my god," Mari whispered. "Mel was pregnant."

The recording ended abruptly, Mari's past self shown at the corner of the screen as she rushed to calm Mel down.

"Hey," Cath texted Mari. "Do you have a minute? Matt and I got into a fight."

"Again?" Mari typed back with a sigh.

"It was big this time," Cath typed. "Logan burned himself and I said it was no big deal and he went ballistic."

"Is Logan okay?"

"He's fine! He just touched the pot on the stove when I had my back turned."

"Sorry. I had to ask. Look, I found Mel's phone and a video of Matt's accident. As it turns out, Mel was pregnant."

"What?!"

"I-I don't know what to say or do," Mari admitted tearfully. "She was going to be so happy and then...I should have seen it coming, Cath. Somehow I should have stopped it."

"It's not your fault, Mari," Catherine texted. "Don't blame yourself."

"I know," Mari typed slowly. "But still. After the accident, Cath, it's no wonder he's scared of his children getting burned."

"I didn't even think about that," Cath texted, tears welling in her eyes. "God, how could I be so stupid?!"

"You're not stupid. You just weren't there. Be glad you weren't. It was a horror, Cath."

"Could you maybe send me the video?" Catherine typed hesitantly.

"Why would you do that to yourself, Cath?" Mari asked. "You know it's bad. Do you really need to see it?

"I'm already crying, Mari. What's it going to hurt?"

"I guess," Mari gave in, sending the video. "Don't watch it unless you're certain you want to."

—————

Catherine gave a sigh and sat down on the bed. Hesitantly, she pressed play. Not even ten seconds in, she stopped the video, burying her face in her hands.

Logan came into the room and put a hand on her knee. "Mama no cry."

"I can't help it, Sweetheart."

"Dada make Mama cry?"

"In a matter of speaking," Catherine sighed.

Logan's face furled in a frown. "No more."

"No more what?" Catherine laughed softly through tears.

"No more!" Logan exclaimed, stomping his foot and wailing loudly.

"Shh. It's alright. I'm okay, see?...How did you get out of your crib?" Catherine asked with a furrowed brow.

"I climb," Logan smiled proudly.

"You really are my kid," Cath chuckled, picking up her son. She walked into the nursery and picked up Lotte as well. "Let's watch Phantom of the Opera."

"Yay," Logan grinned.

"No!" Lotte yelled. "No, no, no!"

"What do you want to watch?" Catherine sighed.

"Dora!" Lotte shrieked happily

Logan frowned.

"Okay," Catherine shrugged. She whispered to Logan, "We can watch Phantom later."

He nodded in reply, still pouting.

—————

Matt entered the apartment with a sigh.

"Matt," Catherine said softly, "can we talk?"

"What's there to talk about?" Matt asked icily.

Catherine moved over, tears welling in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around her husband and cried, "Honey, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said any of that. I'm so so sorry. I'm such an idiot. Matt, please forgive me."

Matt's eyes softened as he wrapped his arms around her. "I just...need some time, Cath."

"I know," she sighed. "Just know that I'm really sorry."

"I know," Matt smiled, kissing her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too," Catherine smiled softly, kissing his cheek. "I...I understand that you were worried about Logan. It's just- you can't get visibly worried in front of kids. You have to stay calm to keep them calm. I didn't want him to freak out."

"I know," Matt sighed. "I-I just don't want him feeling that kind of pain. Ever."

Catherine nodded. "I don't either. Listen, can we just put this all behind us?"

"Of course," Matt sighed. "But I don't want him in the kitchen while the stove's on for at least a year."

"I can't promise that, but I can promise that I'll keep him away from the stove when it's on. He is my child, though, so it's likely he'll find another way to hurt himself."

"Speaking of the kids," Matt said awkwardly, "do you think we're not paying Lotte enough attention?"

"I think maybe we could spend more time with her," Catherine nodded.

Lotte sat on the couch, her little arms folded as she pouted.

Catherine picked her up. "Hi, Sweetheart."

"Hmph."

"What's wrong?" Cath cooed softly.

"You don't love me," Lotte pouted.

"Sweetheart, that's not true. Daddy and I love you very much."

"Not true," Lotte yelped.

"Yes it is," Catherine chuckled.

Lotte buried her face in the curve of Cath's neck. "Promise?"

"I promise," Catherine smiled.

"Logan gets more attention," Lotte huffed in perfect English.

"I'm sorry, Honey. I promise that we'll start paying you more attention," Catherine nodded, pressing her forehead against Lotte's. "Sound good?"

"Yeah," Lotte smiled.

"Now, Daddy and I have something to tell you and your brother."

"We do?" Matt frowned.

"The new baby," Catherine mouthed.

"No," Lotte said, her mouth falling open.

"I didn't say anything," Catherine chuckled.

"I saw you!" Lotte shrieked, wiggling down.

"You loud," Logan hissed.

"You stupid," Lotte shot back.

"That's enough!" Catherine snapped. "Where did you even learn that?"

"Lying Delilah," Logan yelled at Lotte.

"Logan, did you just make a Phantom reference?" Cath chuckled. "I'm so proud."

"Is that where you've been learning this?!" Matt asked, raising his eyebrows is shock.

"Um...no," Logan replied with a cheesy grin.

"Cath?!" Matt exclaimed.

"Yes?"

Matt's eyes narrowed. "I thought we had agreed, Catherine, that we were going to wait."

"Yeah, sorry," Catherine laughed nervously.

Matt's eyes were angrier than Cath had ever seen them. But he said nothing to her. "Come on, Lotte," he whispered softly. "Let's go have a little talk, alright?"

Catherine her daughter down and waited until they went into the bedroom before giving a nervous sigh. "This is not good."

"Where's honeybee?" Logan asked, casually picking at his toes.

"Hm?" Catherine hummed.

"Honey," Logan repeated. "I want honey."

"When have you ever had honey?" Catherine chuckled.

"Honeybee," Logan pouted, pointing to her phone.

Catherine shrugged and handed the phone over, burying her face in her hands. "God, I'm an idiot. He's never gonna speak to me again."

Logan swiped through until he found a photo of Amy in a bumblebee onesie. "Honey," he said with a soft smile.

Catherine looked up and smiled softly. "You two are going to be best friends, aren't you?"

Logan grinned. "Like you and Daddy."

Catherine nodded slowly. "Best friends," she repeated to herself thoughtfully.

"Is Daddy mad?"

"I'm afraid so," Catherine sighed.

"I sorry," Logan frowned.

"It's not your fault, Sweetheart," Catherine chuckled nervously. "I shouldn't have gone against your father. I was a blasted idiot. I'd say that's about par for the course, eh?"

Logan shrugged. "Daddy get mad e-easy."

"I suppose," Catherine sighed. "God, my head hurts."

"Mama okay?" Logan asked, his eyes just like his father's.

"No," Catherine whimpered.

Matt came out and gave Cath a funny little smile.

"No more Phantom," Lotte said softly.

"I know you taught her that," Catherine sighed, coughing lightly. "Listen, I'm going to lay down for a bit. I don't feel so good."

—————

"Josh," Mari said, leaning against the wall, "did you love her?"

"Yes," Josh nodded, "but then I met you."

Mari gave a little smile.

Josh looked at his toes and dug them into the carpet. "Were you and Carter engaged?"

"No," Mari sighed. "I was still in love with you."

Josh frowned a bit. "Were you engaged to Jeremy?"

"No. I've only ever been engaged to you."

"Oh," Josh said slowly.

Was she lying to him? How could he know? Why lie if it was in the past?

Mari put a hand to his cheek. "Isaac Taylor, I've only ever truly loved you."

Josh blushed red. "I doubt that. I'm hardly half the man either of them were."

"That's not true. I picked you for a reason. I love you," Mari smiled. "More than anything."

"Nah," Josh teased, "I don't believe you."

Mari kissed him tenderly. "Believe it."

—————

"We go!" Logan yelped. "Honey's house!"

Catherine moaned and pulled the sheets further over her shoulders. "Go without me."

"Mommy, come!" Lotte exclaimed, jumping on the bed.

"Mommy's sick," Catherine sighed. "Go find Daddy."

—————

Matt came out of the bathroom, clean shaven and smiling. "Ready guys?" He whispered. "Don't wake Mommy up."

"Mommy sick," Logan pouted.

"I know. Let her sleep," Matt sighed. "Do you have your coat, Little Lotte?"

"That from Phantom," Logan said with a little smirk.

"Let's go," Matt nodded.

"Wait," Logan muttered, running into his parents' bedroom. "Mama?"

"Yes, Sweetheart?" Catherine sighed, sitting up.

Logan scrambled onto the bed and gave his mother's cheek a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too, Sweetheart," Cath smiled softly.

"Come on, Logan," Matt called from the other room.

"Bye, Mommy," Logan grinned, hopping off the bed and running to his father.

Matt left with the kids, not even bothering to say goodbye to his wife.

—————

Cath slowly got out of bed and went to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water and drank it quickly. She began to walk back to the bedroom when she felt faint and braced herself against the wall. "Help," she whimpered weakly before passing out and falling to the floor.

—————

"Catherine!" Carlos called with a grin, entering the apartment. His smile vanished once he saw the limp figure laying on the floor just outside the kitchen. He immediately ran to her and frantically searched for a pulse, breathing a sigh of relief once he found one.

He gently lifted his cousin into his arms and brought her to the bed, laying her down gently. "Catherine?" He sighed.

After a few minutes, she began to stir and immediately started crying. "He hates me," she sobbed. "I knew it. I've made too many mistakes and now he hates me."

"Shh. Who hates you?" Carlos asked softly.

"Matt," Catherine sniffled.

"That's not true," Carlos sighed. "Cath, do you remember what happened?"

"I...I went to the kitchen for water. I felt faint so I stood against the wall. The next thing I knew, I was falling forward. I blacked out before I hit the ground."

"Okay," Carlos said nervously. "I'm going to call Jack and have him come check on you."

Catherine nodded weakly.

—————

"They get along so well together," Josh observed.

"I'm glad that they like Amy," Matt nodded. His phone began to ring and he answered it. "Hey, Carlos. What's up?"

"Matt, don't freak out," Carlos said slowly.

"What happened?"

"Catherine had a little accident. She's fine. I called Jack and he assured that she'll be okay."

Josh gave Matt a concerned glance. "I'll watch the twins. You go."

Matt nodded and ran out the door.