Chapter 4

"Lauren and Alex, be careful!" Mac called when his four year old daughter and two year old son took off like rockets. They'd jumped out the cab so quick he'd barely been able to call their names. The little girl ran up the snowy white hill with the boy teetering and tottering as fast as he could behind her.

Mac's overprotective, extremely concerned expression dropped for just a second as he watched his children. They were too cute for words. The moment he saw Lauren in the hospital he knew she would look like Jo. Lauren had the same cute little nose, and bright rosy cheeks, and wide but mischievous smile, and she couldn't sit still to save her life. He was already waiting on the day she started school and the first thing she bought were neon colored post-it notes.

Alex definitely took after him; big, brown eyes and small, toothless, smile. Alex followed Lauren around like a lost puppy; the way Mac followed Jo around. He'd do anything for that woman and his kids and Jo knew this well.

Mac turned back to the trunk of the cab as he pulled out the family luggage. He paid the cabbie then hefted the luggage on his shoulders. As he marched up the hill to the cabin, he noticed Lauren making a snow angel; yup, just like her mother.

He'd barely made it to the door with eight bags of luggage. Mac stopped and turned to the snowy field. "Lauren! Alex! Time to come inside."

Lauren and Alex poked their heads up over the hill. "No! I wanna play outside!" Lauren whined. She took off again, running circles in the snow. Alex, a bit perplexed, looked from Mac to Lauren. Eventually he ran off after Lauren, trying to keep up with her quick steps.

Mac sighed and dropped the bags. "Lauren and Alex; get inside now."

Alex stopped and was about to run up to Mac when Lauren shouted, "No!" She ran off again leaving a trail of white puffs from her heavy panting. Alex seemed to shrug and raced after her.

Mac was just about to chase after them when the cabin door creaked open. Out stepped Jo with her hands on her hips and a very pleasant but determined smirk on her face. She took one glance at Lauren and Alex before yelling, "Lauren Grace and Alexander James Taylor! Get in this house right now!"

Lauren stopped dead in her tracks; if she didn't get in that house in five seconds she was gonna be in BIG trouble. In two seconds she'd raced up the hill and darted into the house. She turned to her mom and dad with an innocent smile. Jo didn't even bother to turn around.

She was still waiting for Alex. The poor two year old had barely been keeping up with Lauren and running up a hill, or running at all, was proving difficult. He made it halfway before tripping and landing face first in the snow. Mac dashed from the door and picked him up. He brushed the snow off and held him against his side.

"You all right buddy?" Alex nodded his head and let Mac carry him into the warm cabin.

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.

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After a long day of unpacking and entertaining their three kids, with no television, Mac and Jo were finally in bed. Jo was huddled close with her head on Mac's chest and hand playing with the tiny hairs. Mac had his arm wrapped around her while the other hand gently stroked her cheek.

"What are we going to do with your kids?" Mac asked jokingly.

"Oh, now they're my kids? So you get to spoil them while I get to reprimand. That's totally fair."

"Yeah, I did all the work so I get the easy job."

Jo slapped his chest. "Yes, because giving birth is so easy…"

She giggled and he chuckled, then he brought her chin up and fit his lips into hers. They could feel each other smile into the kiss and Jo pulled back giggling and blushing.

"I love you," Mac said as he kissed her again.

Jo smiled and ran her fingers down his chest. She was going to say it; she finally could, but she couldn't resist torturing him first. Mac looked at her with the biggest, saddest eyes she'd ever seen. He pouted his lip and Jo's heart simply melted. "Stop that…" She said softly. Mac continued to make the face. "Okay, okay! I love you!"

He rolled over atop her and pressed his body against hers. Just as the heat between them intensified and his lips began creeping down her neck, their door creaked open.

"Mommy? Daddy?" Lauren said in her tiny, croaked voice. Mac rolled off of Jo and looked at the door to find Lauren holding her bunny under one arm and Alex's hand in the other. Alex had been staring up at Lauren with his thumb in his mouth until he saw his daddy. The two year old dropped Lauren's hand and stumbled over to Mac. The father lifted him up onto the bed and sat him in his lap.

Seeing she was deserted, Lauren raced up to the bed and climbed into Jo's lap. "Can we sleep with you, mommy?" She asked.

Jo looked over at Mac who mouthed, 'That's what I was trying to do…' She bit her lip and playfully hit his arm. "Yeah, sweetheart," Jo said.

Lauren pulled back the covers and climbed underneath next to Jo. Alex did the same and nearly disappeared under the covers. Mac chuckled and he and Jo settled beneath the blanket. They rested their heads in their palms as they faced each other.

"We have some beautiful kids…" Mac whispered.

"Aren't we missing one?" Jo asked jokingly, knowing the last one would somehow sense this family moment and come running into the room.

"How come no one told me it was 'sleep in mom and dad's bed' night?" Ellie said at the door.

"Speak of the devil," Jo said.

"Hey, I'm the only well behaved one in this family." The seventeen year old joked as she climbed onto the bed. The movement awakened Lauren who nearly shrieked when she saw Ellie. Lauren jumped into her arms and tackled her. Ellie lifted Lauren into the air pretending she was a plane.

"Alright, come on, bed time guys," Mac said. He pulled back the covers and Ellie and Lauren climbed in. "Good night ladies…" He bent down and kissed them on the forehead.

"G'night daddy…" Lauren and Ellie said as they pecked each of his cheeks.

They easily fell asleep after awhile, leaving Mac and Jo gazing at each other in the dim light. Jo smiled at him seeing the still flirtatious look on his face. He reached across his three children and took Jo's hand and rubbed it gently with his thumb.

"Next time we come to Vermont, we come alone…" He said with a wink.

Jo giggled. "Don't you think we have enough kids as it is?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Mac asked half confused.

Jo leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You know what happens in Vermont, doesn't stay in Vermont."

The End

A/N: hope you liked this epilogue! sorry it was so short, i couldn't really think of much for this part. i just had a really fluffy idea! hopefully i'll have another story up for you guys soon!