The bed felt smaller, and I felt squished. Blake's huge body shared the single bed with my own. I rub my eyes to get the sleep out as the sun shone through the window.

"Morning" I jumped at his voice, thinking he was sleeping.

"Morning, I thought you were sleeping" I wrap my arms around him, moving back so he can get on the bed more.

"Mom had to run out. Emergency call from work, she woke me up. Have to get Lucas ready for school soon and find a babysitter for Chris on short notice"

It was only six in the morning, so it gave Blake and me some time to just lie there. Blake had moved Chris to his own bed and he was still soundly asleep.

"Jackie, I know our relationship doesn't exactly have a steady pace. You don't regret it, do you?" Blake asks, hugging me tighter

"No definitely not. I know what I want in life; a life with you and Chris. Why do you ask?"

He chuckles at my response "Good, 'Cuz I want the same. I've been looking into different housings on campus. There's family housing. Would you be ok to live with me?" I look at him, amazed at his preparedness.

"Ok? Blake, I want to. I'd be more than happy" I look up at him, so he knew how sincere I was. "Now come on, we all have to get ready." That just seemed like a formality as I was quite enjoying being with him right now,

"Just a little longer, please?" There was that little puppy again, holding me. I, too, hold him. With every moment I spent with him, I realized how lucky I was to have him. Someone who never once lets me doubt anything in life. Someone who was always prepared for anything that I threw at him. "Did you end up doing your homework yesterday?"

I groan, hiding my face in his chest. "Come on. Get up, Jackie!" He sits up but I keep a hold on to his waist, placing my cheek against his back. He places a hand over mine and sits there for a moment, tracing his finger over what was now a scar of that horrific night. I feel him take a deep breath, grabbing my hands and placing them over his shoulders and lifting me on his back, carrying me out of the room and into his.

He grabs a fresh pair of his sweats, placing them in between my hands and walking out, dropping me in front of the bathroom. "Hurry up, go shower, change your clothes. Then start working on your homework!" He orders me, making me pout at him. I'm sure one day of no homework would be fine. His body looked way too inviting to be doing anything but cuddling him.

He leans down, kissing me. I almost fall back as my back leans against the door, opening it. Blake grabs me before I could, making us both laugh at what could have happened. "Ok, hurry up now!" He turns me around and pushes me into the bathroom, slapping my butt lightly and closing the door quickly before he could earn my glare.

Instead, I smiled, looking at the clothes in my hand, thinking back to all the interactions I've had with his family. They never made me feel like an outsider. I always felt like I was a part of them every time I visited. I had only hoped that my future house would hold the same atmosphere.

I tied my hair in a towel, walking out of the bathroom and making my way back to Chris's room to grab my phone. It was almost seven. I run to Blake's room to see Lucas still sleeping. I walk over, shaking him.

"Lucas, wake up! You're going to be late" I try to wake him up. He just stirred in his sleep. After many tries, he finally woke up. Grumpy, might I add.

"I'm not sleeping with Blake next time! He kept hugging me last night and kept calling me your name in his sleep!" A laugh escaped my lips as he stomped his feet out of the room.

I was sitting on the counter, homework in front of me as I tried to finish the questions while eating breakfast, my hair still tied up in a towel. Chris was also up now, and he sat with Lucas across from me, both of them eating their cereal.

"Lucas, your bus is going to be here! Hurry up!" Blake yells from the stairs as he brought all our backpacks down, which made Lucas chug down the milk and run to his brother.

"Mama, I want to go to school too!" Chris copies Lucas by trying to chug down the milk, getting a milk-stache.

Only then did I realize there was that to think about as well. Chris was about three. When was his birthday...? Regardless, he would have to start kindergarten. I made a mental note to look into schools for Chris. I would also have to plan my courses around his school timing "Just wait one more year, bubba" I smiled at him, focusing back on my homework.

"Ok, Lucas is off to school. And I couldn't find a babysitter for Chris" Blake takes a seat beside me, taking a bite out of my plate. The water dripping from his hair and onto my homework.

"Do you not know how to dry your hair after a shower?" He looked at me before following my eyes down to my now wet homework. He mumbles a sorry before taking the end of my towel and quickly drying his hair with it. "You think we can take him to school then? Because I have a test in English, second period, that I can't miss."

"Yeah, I have a test in physics, third period. I guess we'll have to"

--

Chris walked with us around school the whole day and it was actually cute. He was winning all of the girls' hearts, except a certain witch he didn't like (his words, not mine). From the moment we entered school, we had marched right over to Ms. Pine's office telling her about the situation. She had said it was alright since it was not a daily occurrence but had asked Chris to stay in the office with her.

Chris being the good little boy he was, agreed, and we were finally able to see him at lunch. Lunch was a wonderful time as the four of us, plus Chris, sat and ate together. I was finally able to let Caden and Lottie know I would be attending university with them.

Once the bell rang to end lunch, Blake and I walked Chris back to the office to drop him off; that's when his stubbornness kicked in. He pleaded to not leave him alone. Although most adults disagreed with our decision, saying we should make him learn some independence, Blake and I decided against it, asking Ms. Pine if she could let him tag along with us for the last two classes. Thankfully, she agreed.

Blake went off alone to his third period, physics, to give his test and Chris tagged along with me. We all got back together in our fourth period, the class we had first met Chris in, Family studies.

The moment I walked in with Chris, the whole class was quick to bombard him.

"Chris! It's good to see you again, Lil man!" One of the guys gave him a fist bump, while another girl squished his cheeks "Aw, you look like you've gotten even cuter!"

"Jackie, can I hold him?" Pam asks me, to which I smile at her politeness. "Ask Chris" I respond.

Without actually responding and loving being the center of attention, Chris raises his arms and walks over to Pam, to which she giggles.

"Chris, I'm Pam. Do you remember me?" She smiled her sunshine smile down at him.

"Pam Wam!" Chris tries to joke with her. "Mama, can I sit with Pam Wam?" The class turned to me, not being used to Chris referring to me as his mother. "Sure, if she's ok with it"

"Okay with it? Chris is going to be my buddy!" She takes him over to her seat and grabs a seat from the back, placing it beside hers for Chris.

As I take my seat, Blake rushes in, scanning his eyes around the room. Lottie and Caden behind him. He smiles once his eyes land on me but quickly frowns at seeing me alone. I gesture over to Pam and watch his face light up again.

He really did love Chris more than anything in this world. He runs in, picking Chris up and kissing him. Much to both our surprise, Chris pushes him away "Daddy, not now! I'm at school!"

The four of us roared in laughter, the rest of the class catching on soon enough. Mr. Philip finally walked in, urging us to take our seats. Blake sulked as he sat behind me, wanting to have spent his class time with Chris.

Mr. Philip called out all of our names going down the attendance. He was about to put the list away but stopped, looking up at the little boy sitting beside Pam, smiling at him "Chris?" He called out.

I snapped my head towards him. "yes?" He asked sweetly. "Is there a Chris here?" Mr. Philip called out again.

"You're supposed to raise your hand and say here" Pam quietly told him. The biggest smile on my baby's face appeared, lighting up the whole room as he raised his hand and yelled out "Here", I couldn't stop my own smile that crept on my face.

As Mr. Philip started his class, the speaker turned on, Ms. Pine voice coming through "Could Jaqueline West please come down to the office, Jaqueline West down to the office please. Thank you" I turned to Lottie giving her a questioning look, getting up, as everyone else turned to me. Lottie shrugged her shoulders at me, as she mirrored my expression

"Can I come too?" Chris piped up, getting up from beside Pam and walking over to me.

"No, she has to go alone, Chris. How about you stay with me?" Blake grabs Chris as I walk out, thankfully Chris didn't fuss over it.