"I miss the old apartment," Lotte pouted.

"W-we've been living here f-for t-two years, Lotte," Logan sighed. "Get o-over it."

"I miss the old apartment too," Catherine sighed, peeking her head in the doorway. "But the penthouse has a lovely view, doesn't it?"

"I guess," Lotte shrugged. "Do we have to go to preschool?"

"Yes, you do," Catherine nodded. "Come on, let's go."

Lotte ran off to go say goodbye to Matt.

Logan huffed and cleaned up her toys for her. "I d-don't want change."

Catherine scooped him up into her arms. "I know, Sweetheart," she sighed. "But you'll do well at school. You're super smart and I love you for it."

"I'm n-not smart," Logan said firmly.

"Yes, you are," Catherine chuckled. "Now, it's time to go to school. Ready?"

Logan nodded reluctantly. "Ready."

Catherine drove the twins to the preschool. "Have a great first day. I'll see you soon," she smiled, kissing their foreheads.

After making sure they were okay, Catherine got in her car and returned home. "Hey, Matt?"

"Yeah," he said, looking the opposite way.

"Something wrong, Hon?"

"I feel like I've lost them," Matt laughed shamefully.

"You haven't lost them. They'll be back in a couple hours," Catherine smiled softly. "Why don't we spend some time with Lizzy?"

"Right," Matt said with a sigh. "Lizzy."

"She's so quiet. It scares me sometimes."

"I'm thankful," Matt moaned. "It's the first time we've had some quiet in years."

"I don't know," Cath sighed. "It's weird."

"We'll have to wait and see," Matt nodded.

Catherine wrapped her arms around his waist. "How about we let Lizzy play by herself, and you and I can spend some time together?"

"Nah. When we had the twins, we spent every moment with them. I want her to get just as much attention."

"Lizzy," Catherine sighed, "come here."

"Yes, Mommy?" Lizzy smiled, peeking her head around the door.

"Daddy and I want to spend time with you."

"I'm hungry," Lizzy sighed.

"What do you want for lunch?" Catherine chuckled, lifting up her daughter.

"Samwitch."

"Got it," Catherine laughed, kissing Lizzy's cheek before setting her down. "I'll make it now."

"Okay," Lizzy grinned.

"Come here, kiddo," Matt chuckled, sweeping her up.

Lizzy wrapped her arms around her father's neck. "Hi Daddy," she smiled, kissing his cheek.

"Hi, baby. How's my little girl?"

"Good," she grinned. "Where did Lotte and Logan go?"

"Out for awhile to school," Matt smiled.

Lizzy frowned for a minute, trying to remember what her mother taught her the night before. "Are you and Mommy going to have another baby?"

"Where's that question coming from?" Matt chuckled.

"Mommy," Lizzy shrugged.

"Oh?" Matt asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you?"

"I think you're enough for me, kid," Matt smiled. "I'm not as young as I used to be."

"Sorry, Mommy," Lizzy yelled.

"Well, we tried," Catherine chuckled from the kitchen.

Matt gave a frown. "Do we need to have a talk, Cath?"

"A talk about what? Not sending our daughter to do my bidding?" She laughed from the doorway.

"Indeed."

"I figured she'd have better success. Guess I was wrong. She's useless," Cath teased.

"Hey," Lizzy chuckled.

"You sit and play for a minute. I'm going to talk to Mommy," Matt nodded, setting his daughter on the floor and entering the kitchen.

"Do we have a clean knife?" Catherine sighed.

"Do you want more children?" Matt frowned, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'm not opposed to it," Catherine shrugged. "But I know that you're okay with the three we have. I'm good with that too."

"I just don't think we're in a position mentally or economically to handle that right now," Matt sighed.

"That's fine," Catherine chuckled. "I've already got my hands full with the twins going to school."

"I mean Lizzy's perfect...another one might be terrifying," Matt chuckled.

"Possibly," Catherine laughed. "Lotte's already loud enough for all three of them."

"That's for sure," Matt chuckled.

—————

"Lotte!" Amy shrieked.

"Hi Amy," Lotte grinned.

"Shluce shox?" Amy asked with a grin.    

Josh chuckled. "She wants to know if you want a juice box."

Lotte nodded.

Logan frowned. "Shluce shox?" He thought to himself. "This is the girl that I like?"

"I'm hungry," Amy sighed.

"Me t-too," Logan nodded.

"We've got lasagna in the fridge," Josh nodded.

"Okay," Amy grinned. She noticed that Logan looked sad and asked what was wrong.

"N-nothing," he shrugged.

"You don't like lasagna?"

"I-I do. I j-just hate s-s-school."

"School isn't fun?"

"Kids are m-mean," Logan pouted.

"I suppose," Amy smiled innocently. "You want the bean colored bowl or the red one?"

"Y-you choose."

Amy held out her arms and Josh scooped her up. "Daddy, don't forget-"

"Green bowl with pink spoon. I know, kid, I know," Josh chuckled.

Lotte frowned. "What happened at school?" She signed to her brother.

"Nothing," he signed back.

"What's wrong?" She signed frustratedly.

"I'll tell you later."

"Charlotte, you want food?" Josh asked.

"Sure," she shrugged before hugging her brother. "I love you."

"I l-love you too," he sighed.

"What did I miss?" Amy frowned.

"Nothing," Lotte sighed. "Can we go play now?"

"I guess," Amy shrugged.

—————

Catherine went to pick up the twins from Mari and Josh's, and as soon as they arrived home, Lotte ran into the music room to see her father.

Meanwhile, Logan went in his room and sat on his bed, silent tears running down his little cheeks.

Catherine knocked on the doorframe. "Hey, kid. What's wrong?"

Logan quickly wiped his eyes. "N-nothing."

"Come on," Catherine sighed, sitting down on the bed and pulling him onto her lap. "What happened?"

Logan buried his face in his mother's shirt. "T-they s-said I t-t-talk funny," he sobbed.

Catherine gently wrapped her arms around him. "It's alright, Sweetheart," she cooed softly. "They don't know what they're talking about."

"T-they said- they said-" Logan tried to finish, but only gasps came out.

"Hey," Catherine said comfortingly, "it's going to be alright. Shh. Calm down, Sweetheart."

Logan buried his face further into her shirt.

"I know what'll make you feel better," Catherine nodded, pulling her phone out of her pocket. She laid down with her son on top of her and put on Phantom of the Opera.

Logan gave a small, weak smile.

—————

Amy climbed onto the couch, her brow knit in a frown.

"What's wrong?" Josh asked softly.

"What if Mommy didn't-"

"What, dear?"

"What if she doesn't come back?"

"Why would you even think about that, Darling?" Josh frowned.

"Because I went to the ice cream store and I lost my spinkles. So if I lost spinkles, I could lose Mommy. Or you. And I didn't get spinkles back. We had to pay more. So if I lost you, I'd have to pay more, but I don't have any money!"

Josh chuckled at his daughter's innocence. "You won't lose me and you won't lose Mommy," he said firmly.

"I-if I can't buy you back, though...would you be mad? Would you still love me?"

"I'll always love you, kid," Josh sighed, pulling Amy in close. "Amelia Melody Taylor, there is nothing in this world that could make me not love you."

"What if I was a parrot?" Amy giggled. "Would you love a parrot?!"

"Yes," Josh grinned.

"A parrot?!" Amy exclaimed. "You're silly. What if I was...a blob fish?!"

"I would love you even then."

"Gross," Amy said, wrinkling her nose. "You'd kiss a blob fish?!"

"If it was you," Josh laughed. "If it were some other guy's blob fish, I'd chuck it out the window."

Amy's eyes widened in horror. "Daddy, you wouldn't!"

"I'm joking, Princess," Josh chuckled.

"Oh, alright," Amy sighed. "When will Mommy be home? When will Logan and Lotte come again? Why was he sad today? Why does he wear those blue things on his ears? Can I have a snack?"

"Mommy will be home in soon. I'm taking you to see Logan and Lotte tomorrow. I don't know why he was sad. He can't hear well, and those 'blue things' help him to hear. And yes, you can have a snack."

Mari stood in the doorframe, stupefied. "How can you do that?"

"Mommy!" Amy yelped in glee, bouncing to her feet.

"How can I do what?" Josh grinned.

"Answer all her questions like that," Mari stammered.

"How was work? What's for dinner? Logan's funny. What's your favorite joke, Mommy? Uncle Matt said Daddy's a joke. What's that mean? He's not, is he? I think he's funny. Was he always funny? Am I funny?"

"Yes, you're definitely something," Mari chuckled, lifting up her daughter.

"Mommy," Amy whispered in her ear with a small sigh, "Daddy says he's never leaving. I don't have to be worried anymore."

"I told you," Mari whispered back.

"Do you think my bad dreams will stop now?"

Mari nodded. "Let's go out for dinner."

"Out!" Amy squealed in delight. "Where?!"

"I was thinking to a certain set of twins' house," Mari grinned. "Catherine invited us over. She even said that Amy could spend the night."

"She's a bit young to be away from us, don't you think?" Josh frowned.

"It's Matt and Catherine," Mari chuckled. "I trust them."

"I do too, but-"

"I'd be there...alone?" Amy asked slowly.

"Not alone. Logan and Lotte would be there and so would Uncle Matt and Aunt Cath," Mari shrugged. "You don't have to, if you don't want to."

"I don't know," Amy said nervously.

"How about we bring your stuff and you can decide later?"

"Alright," Amy nodded.

—————

"Hey, Matt, can we talk?" Cath sighed.

Matt shut the Ugly Duckling book and looked up with a smile, kissing Lizzy's forehead. "What's up?"

Catherine told Lizzy to go play with the twins before sitting down. "Logan was made fun of today."

Matt's eyes flashed with dangerous vigor. "What?"

"Poor thing cried his eyes out," Catherine sighed. "I invited Josh and Mari over for dinner because I knew that seeing Amy would cheer him up."

"Alright...what next, then? Do we talk to a teacher, or what?"

Catherine scoffed. "They don't do anything."

"Well, I can't beat up a four-year-old," Matt sighed.

"No, certainly not," Cath chuckled. "I suppose that the only thing we can do is remind him that there's nothing wrong with him."

"He shouldn't have to go through that," Matt mumbled.

"I know," Catherine sighed.

"Well, at least Amy can cheer him up. We can try to talk to the teacher. They'll do enough to keep the problem at bay for the present."

"I'll see what I can do," Catherine shrugged. "By the way, I let him watch Phantom. I know that you don't really want them watching that, but it was the only thing that could cheer him up."

"I'll let it slide, just this once," Matt chuckled.

"Thank you," Cath smiled. "Now, the Taylors will be here at any minute."

"Oh," Matt sighed. "I feel so bad for that kid."

"I know," Catherine frowned, wrapping her arms around his waist. "But at least I can sympathize with him."

"Oh, I meant Amy," Matt mumbled. "But Logan too."

"Why do you feel bad for Amy?"

Matt frowned. "Mari didn't tell you?"

"Are we talking about the nightmares or something else?" Catherine questioned with a furrowed brow.

"She's too small for her age," Matt moaned, closing his eyed and putting a hand to his head. "They're foreseeing...complications, going forward."

"That was a given from the minute she was born."

"Yes, but not like this, Cath," Matt sighed. "This is more than taking a few vitamins. They're talking about constant exhaustion when she grows, learning disabilities when she gets into school-"

"Mommy! She's trying to bite me!" Lotte yelped from the kitchen.

Catherine chuckled. "I knew it was a bad idea to leave them alone."

"Lizzy, leave your sister alone!" Matt yelled with a laugh.

"She started it!"

"I did not!" Lotte shrieked.

There was a knock on the front door.

"Look, Amy's here!" Matt yelped.

Lotte ran to the door as her mother opened it. "Amy!" She grinned.

"Hi," Amy said with a little sigh.

Lizzy pouted. "She never pays me attention."

Logan wrapped his arms around his little sister.

"Hi Logan," Amy said, walking inside. "Are you feeling better?"

"A little," he shrugged.

"Alright," Amy sighed, hugging Lotte. "How are you feeling, Lotte?"

"Great," she grinned. "What about you?"

Amy gave another little sigh and headed for the couch.

"What did you do?" Logan signed.

"Nothing," Lotte signed back indignantly.

"What are they doing?" Matt whispered.

"I taught them sign language," Catherine chuckled.

"When?" Matt frowned in surprise. "Has Logan's hearing deteriorated again?"

"No," Catherine shrugged. "I just thought it would be a fun thing for the three of us."

"Oh," Matt said softly. "I miss a lot when I'm at work, don't I?"

"At home too. Lotte and I have had many conversations in sign language about Gerard Butler being hot," Cath grinned.

"I swear, Cath, somedays-" Matt grumbled, walking past her. "How you holding up, Taylor?"

"Best I can," Josh smiled weakly. "It's good to see you, Maraca Boy."

"I loathe everyone," Matt moaned.

"Come on," Josh chuckled. "I'm only joking. The twins giving you a hard time again?'

"Nah, just the wife," Matt sighed.

"I wouldn't know how that feels." Josh winked with a laugh.

Mari punched his arm softly. "Say that again, Isaac Taylor, and see how it ends. I dare you."

"Like you could do me any harm," Josh smirked.

"I shot a man back in Chicago," Mari joked. "You don't know what I am capable of."

"What are you talking about?!" Josh laughed loudly. He put his hands behind his back and sauntered over, leaning over slightly and whispering in her ear, "Don't threaten me, Mari. I have a power over you, yet."

Mari wrapped her arms around his neck. "You wish," she smirked.

Josh pulled away just enough so that she wouldn't have any contact with him whatsoever. "How was the twins' first day, Matt?"

"Logan was made fun of. Lotte had fun, as far as I've heard," he sighed.

"What four-year-old do I have to beat up?" Josh asked before he leaned over and whispered darkly, "I got my crossbow at home still-"

"No way," Matt chuckled.

"Yes way. Now, what's this kid's name, and where does he live?"

"I don't know. And you can't murder a four-year-old."

"I'm not gonna murder em. Just rough em up a bit," Josh said with a cocky smile.

Mari crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "I'm totally gonna make him pay for this later."

"I'll help," Catherine chuckled.

"How's Amy, though?" Matt asked in concern. "Really?"

Josh looked over at his daughter. "She's starting to feel it now. It's going to be hard."

"Poor kid," Matt sighed.

"She looks like Mel when she makes that face," Josh said quietly so only Matt could hear.

"She does," Matt chuckled sadly.

—————

"I'm bored," Lizzy sighed.

"Then go do something," Lotte shrugged.

Lizzy gave a little smirk before running off. "Bet you can't catch me!"

"I bet I can," Lotte laughed, running after her sister.

"Daddy says only boring people get bored," Amy sighed.

"Ouch," Logan chuckled.

"Max misses you," Amy said with a soft smile.

"Wow, she's beautiful," Logan thought to himself.

Amy tucked her blonde hair behind her ears. "He gets sad when I leave."

"I know the f-feeling," Logan mumbled. "W-w-when are you g-going to start preschool w-with us?"

"He's the best boy I know. He's soft and handsome and funny. He tried to eat peanut butter last night," Amy said, trying to change the subject.

"You're pretty," Logan grinned.

"Thank you?" Amy said, staring blankly. "And then we played Mario. Max beat me. I don't know how. He's a dog, after all. But he's got talent within him man simply doesn't posses. That's what my daddy says. What's that mean?"

Logan shrugged silently.

"I wish I could play tag," Amy huffed.

"I've done it. It's b-boring," Logan sighed.

"You're just saying that so I don't feel bad."

"N-no. You r-run around, s-slap y-your sister, and t-that's it."

"I wish I had a sister."

"Take L-Lizzy," Logan begged.

"Amy," Josh called, "come here for a minute."

Amy moaned in annoyance, but complied.

"Remember that work trip Daddy has next week?" Josh asked, biting his lip.

Amy nodded silently.

"It's not next week, baby. It's tomorrow. So...if you want, we can put tradition aside and you can spend the night here, or we can have our adventure per usual at home with a little improvising."

Amy wrapped her arms around his leg. "Don't leave."

"Believe me," Josh said, looking to Mari with teary eyes, "I don't want to. But I don't get a choice."

"I want to spend time with you," Amy pouted.

"I know, peanut. And soon as I get back, we'll spend a me and you day. Just us. I promise."

"Okay," Amy sighed.

"And I swear, we'll have our adventure as usual next time. The biggest one yet. Cardboard cities and planes and race cars. The whole shebang."

"What?" Cath laughed.

"He spends the whole night before he leaves doing whatever she wants," Mari said with a soft smile. "Last time, he didn't shave for a week and they played shaggy bear. This time was supposed to be superheroes."

"So that's why you came to work with a beard," Matt chuckled.

Mari gave a little laugh. "I liked it, but he insisted it be gone."

Lotte ran over and tugged on her mother's leg. "I'm hungry."

"Is everyone ready to eat?" Catherine sighed with a small smile.

"I guess so," Amy whimpered.

"I made your favorite, Amy," Cath grinned.

"Pizza with peeps?!" Amy asked hopefully.

"Yep," Catherine nodded.

"Really!?"

"Of course."

"Yes!" Josh grinned.

"Oh, Cath, please say you didn't," Mari moaned.

"Oh, I did," Catherine smirked. "But I made the rest of chicken pot pie."

"Thank you," Mari mouthed silently.

Cath chuckled. "Come on. Let's eat."

Josh took a look around the table as everyone sat down and gave a bright smile. "I hope things stay like this forever," he said softly. "I love all of you dearly. Let's dig in."