I let out a sigh as I raked my hands through Josiah's hair, biting down on my lip with a smile.

It'd been a minute since I'd been woken up so pleasantly.

"Jo," I sighed, leaning my head back as he pulled me closer to him.

"Mommy!"

I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand when I heard Hero's voice.

"Fuck," Jo muttered, against the inside of my thigh.

"H-hi, baby," I greeted, my eyes meeting Hero's small frame.

"Where's Daddy?" He asked, twiddling his thumbs in front of his midsection.

My eyes wide, I dragged my hands down my face. "Uh, he's i-in the bathroom."

I knew the outline of his body under the covers had to be absolutely obvious, considering how thin our comforter was. My biggest fear was that Hero would catch on to that, and then move on to ask so many questions that I did not have the answer to.

"Okay," he said, smiling as he walked into the bathroom.

"Hero!" I yelled, propping myself up on my elbows.

I kneed Jo, making him roll out of bed. He knelt down by the bed, peeking over the mattress.

"Mommy, he's not here," Hero said, "oh, no! Did he fall out of the window?"

"I highly doubt it, sweetheart," I answered, rubbing my hand down my face.

"Gotcha!" Jo yelled, jolting up from his position.

Hero screamed, covering his chest with his hand.

"You scared me!"

Jo chuckled, resting his hands on his hips. "Hey, buddy."

"What's that?"

My eyes went round, again, at the sight of Hero pointing at Jo's rather obvious erection.

"Talk for another time, that's what," Jo said, rubbing his hair as he walked past him.

"Hey," Jo said, peeking out of the closet, "wanna come to work with Daddy?"

"Yes, please," Hero and I both answered, making me giggle.

He grinned at me and Hero clapped his hands. "I love coming to work with you."

"Yeah, I know you do," he said, "I'll ask Fred to bring Henry so you guys can keep each other busy."

"What about Jo?" Hero asked, gripping his hips.

"I was thinking maybe Mom and Fran could hang out with Aunt Lex and Jo today," Jo said.

"Okay," he said, "hey, can Henry and I bring our soccer balls?"

"I'm not sure that soccer balls in the glass building is a good idea," I said, nodding over at Jo.

"Bad ideas make the best stories," Hero said, looking back at me.

I lifted an eyebrow. "And who told you that?"

"Daddy."

Jo buttoned up his shirt, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Go get your clothes on, we'll stop by your favorite for breakfast."

Hero pressed a kiss to my cheek before running out of our bedroom, making me fall on my back. I stretched and sat back up, climbing out of bed.

I wrapped my arms around Jo, rubbing his abdomen. "Have a good day."

"I'm not leaving just yet," he said, grinning at me through the mirror.

"Bad ideas make the best stories?" I muttered, looking up at him.

"It was a bad idea to fuck against that window in Greece," he said, "but hey, it made Fran."

I giggled, resting my head against his back as I pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "I love you."

~*~

"Send it, Hero!" I whisper-yelled, nodding towards Hero.

He laughed and threw the football across Josiah's office, earning Jo's eyes.

I dropped the ball, pointing to Hero. "He did it."

"Hey!" Hero yelled, holding out his arms.

I chuckled and threw him over my shoulder, looking over Jo's shoulder at the phone on his desk.

"Woah, Hero," I said, "your dad's totally sweet talking your mom right now."

Jo clicked off his phone, glancing up at me.

"Hey," I said, "Hero, run into my office with Henry, okay?"

"Okay!" He yelled, and I, confused, watched as he scaled my body and did a backflip off of me.

"What the fuck?" I asked, looking down at Jo.

He rubbed his eyes. "Don't ask."

I chuckled and sat on the edge of his desk, folding my arms over my chest. "I was on the phone with Dad the other night, and he said that he and Adds would be happy to watch the kids if we wanted to take Lena and Lex away."

He leaned back in his chair, nodding. "I'd love to."

"What, is the lack of sex getting to you?" I asked, grinning over at him.

He leaned his head back, smiling. "Funny."

"Hello."

I looked back at the door, smiling at Alexis and Josie.

"My girls," I said, "how are you?"

Alexis pressed a kiss to my lips. "Good. Henry's got to leave, they have piano practice."

"Good luck prying the football away from him," Jo said, peeking over at the boys who were playing in my office.

"Henry, what did I say about balls in Dad's office?" Alexis asked, tilting her head over.

"Dad says balls are in here, anyways," Henry said, resting his hands on his hips.

Alexis looked over at me, making me bite down on my lip with a smile. I cleared my throat, nodding towards Henry. "You've got piano practice."

"Cool!" He said, dropping the football. Hero picked it up and wrapped his arm around Alexis, resting his head against her side.

"Hey, kiddo," she greeted, raking her fingers through his hair.

"Hi," he said, "I'm exhausted."

"And why are you exhausted?" Jo asked, grinning.

He stood up straight, narrowing his eyes. "I've been playing football, Dad. It's a workout."

"Hey, uncle Jo!" Josie yelled, "I drawed you a picture."

"Drew, sweetheart," Alexis corrected, rubbing Hero's back.

"I drew you a picture," she said, placing the picture on Jo's desk. He gasped and pulled her into his lap, knitting his brows together.

"You did this?" He asked, looking over at her.

She shot me a toothy grin. "Yeah! Isn't it good?"

"It's beautiful," He said, "I wish I had your art skills."

"Yeah, you've told me that before," she said.

He chuckled, patting her back. "Alright. Run to Mom, you've got piano practice soon."

"Hey, give Daddy a hug first," I said.

She threw her arms around my legs, grinning up at me. "I love you!"

"And I love you more," I said, "be good for Mommy."

Lex pecked my cheek. "Love you, see you tonight."

"Love you."

I smiled, watching as they walked towards the elevator.

"Best feeling, isn't it?" Jo asked, smiling over at Hero in the other room.

"What?" I asked, looking over at him.

"Being a family man."

I rested my hands in my pockets, nodding. "Yeah."

~*~

"Hey, Hero, look at what I brought you," Benny said, kneeling down with a smile.

"A soccer ball, cool!"

I smiled, watching as Benny stood up.

"Where's Frannie?" He asked, throwing his bag over his shoulder.

"She's in the kitchen with L," I said, leading him into the kitchen.

"Hero, sweetheart, don't kick the ball in the foyer."

"Sorry," Hero yelled, grabbing his ball.

"Nothing to be sorry for, love," Lena said, "just don't do it again, okay? I don't want you to break something and hurt yourself."

Benny rested his elbows on the counter, smiling at Fran. "Hi, sweetie."

"Hi," she greeted, smiling a sweet smile.

"She's so sweet," he whispered, covering his mouth.

Lena smiled back at us. "Benny, how's college treating you?"

"It's still new, that's for sure," he chuckled, looking over at me.

"Jo's jealous of you, he misses his college partying," Lena teased, rubbing my back as she brushed past me.

"I think Jo's gotten really comfortable in his family man life," Benny laughed, his eyes meeting mine.

"He sure has," I said, picking Francesca up.

"For real, though, how's college?" I asked.

"I mean, the full ride was definitely helpful," he said, "I'm just kind of panicking, that's all."

"Why are you panicking?"

"Because it's not where I wanted to go," he said, chewing on his bottom lip.

"I know it wasn't," I said, shooting him a sympathetic smile.

"Got me away from that house, though," he muttered, standing upright.

I clenched my jaw, walking away from him. "Have you gone to see them yet?"

"No," he said, "they don't even know I'm here."

"Ben," Lena said, "as much as Jo and I don't particularly love them, they'd probably like to know you're in town."

Benny's adoptive dad was a businessman, a lot like myself, but completely unfit to be a father. I'd been the one to teach Benny how to shave, how to fight, how to drive.

"I don't really blame you," I muttered, closing the fridge.

I placed Fran on the counter, smiling. "Wanna have a snack?"

"Yeah," she softly said, smiling up at me.

Hero peeked into the kitchen, smiling. "Hi."

"I swear, when the kid hears the fridge open, he finally listens."

Lena giggled and Hero jumped up on the counter, hitting his head on the light.

"Ow," he said, pressing his palm against his forehead.

"Shoot, are you good, kiddo?" Benny asked, grinning up at him.

"Duh," he said.

"Right," Benny said, chuckling.

Lena let out a sigh, smiling. "I love the constant state of terror I live in because of him."

"He's just busy, isn't he?" Benny asked, beaming up at him.

"To say the least," I said, patting the counter, "c'mon. Get down before your mom has a complex."

He jumped down and Lena jumped, placing a hand over her chest. "Hero."

"Mommy, I'm fine," he reassured, smiling up at her.

She watched as he ran into the living room, and Francesca curiously followed, as she always did. She rubbed my back before leaving the kitchen, leaving Benny and I alone.

"Have you met anybody?" I asked.

"Girls? No," he said, "haven't had time."

I lifted an eyebrow. "I'm calling your bluff."

He chuckled. "I've hooked up with people, yeah. Only got two of their names and never spoke to them again."

I turned around, looking at Lena and the kids in the floor. I smiled, resting my hands on my hips. "Well, I promise, it's worth it to make the time."

~*~

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