Chapter one
Matt woke up to find that Emily was no longer in bed with him. He sighed, and rose up, his eyes caught the alarm clock. 'Why was she up before six' he thought. He climbed out of bed, and stumbled slightly into the living room, while attempting to wipe the rest of the sleep from his eyes. His eyes immediately coming in contact with the woman in question. She was sitting on the couch, she was surrounded by three seperate photo albums, her face red, her eyes puffy. He sighed, and knew exactly why she was awake, and apparently crying.
"Honey," Matt said, his heart breaking for her.
For the last four years she had spent everyday with they're five children, and today was the first day of school for them. The triplets were starting Kindergarden, which Matt felt incredibly sorry for the poor man or woman that had to teach them. While the Twins were starting pre-school, Matt once again felt sorry for those poor teachers too.
"It's just, they grew up so...so...fast," Emily said, as more tears came from her eyes.
"I know baby," Matt said, sitting down next to Emily wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
"I'm just looking through the photo albums," Emily said, sliding the one in her lap, in between the two of them, so they could both look.
The first picture was from Christmas the year earlier. It was the group of friends, with all five children, all squished together. Matt and Emily standing together, each holding one of the twins, while Cheryl held Kelly. Frank had ahold of Zack, while Duff and Lia gushed over Matty who had some sort of food all over his face.
Matt smiled at the picture, both him and Emily had never been one's for the holidays but after the triplets were born, they became fast learners. Now every year, they look forward to Christmas parties at the office, hanging out with the gang while trying to keep five little bodies out of every little thing they could get into.
The next couple of pictures were from the same event. The first one was Cheryl, Lia, and Emily with Kelly and Gracie, having what appeared to be a girl moment. The next one was Matt, Duff, and Frank with Zack, Daniel, and Matty, having what appeared to be a guy moment, with all three boys shoving some sort of food in the guy's faces.
The next picture was one of just Matt and Emily, holding hands, with Matt's arm protectively around Emily's shoulders. Both having huge smiles on they're faces, probably laughing at something one of the kids was doing. The next picture was one of Matt and Emily with the children. Daniel and Gracie occopying the laps of the couple, while Zack, Kelly, and Matty filed in around them.
Emily shut the photo album as a fresh batch of tears fell from her eyes. Matt sat the three photo albums on the floor below them, and pulled Emily closer into his arms.
"I know it's hard babe, and I know that your not gonna know what to do with the free time," Matt said, in a hushed tone, trying to calm her.
"Matt, I'll go stir crazy here alone," Emily said, her voice more calm then she seemed.
"Let me see if I can fix this little problem," Matt said, as he got up from the couch, and grabbed his cell and moved into the bedroom.
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"Okay, if you want, I have something lined up to keep you busy during the days," Matt said, reemerging from the bedroom.
Emily didn't know if she was supposed to be scared of what he had just done, or be thankful.
"Okay, what's that?" Emily asked, almost willing to do anything, even if it meant all day shopping sprees with her mother.
"Cheryl has an opening, teaching the new class of negotiators. She's been asking if you would be willing to come back when the kids started school. I didn't know what to tell her, so I called her and told her you might be interested," Matt said.
Emily didn't know whether to cry or to thank Matt. She knew she didn't want to go back to being a negotiator, having one negotiator in the family was enough. The kids needed one stable parent, who was there constantly. Teaching, she could do in her sleep.
"Thank you so much," Emily said, planting a kiss on his lips.
"I guess that's a yes then," Matt said, kissing her back.
"Yep," Emily said, as a big smiled crossed her face.
"Your gonna be Cheryl's new favorite person," Matt said.
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An Hour Later
"Matt do you wanna feed the dogs or the cats?" Emily asked, after getting dressed.
"Do you really have to ask?" Matt asked.
"I guess not," Emily said.
Matt had grown to tolorate the two very large dogs, but like them, he didn't. He did however grow incredibly close to the two cats that inhabitated the house.
"Rex, Simba," Emily called the dogs after stepping outside.
Rex was now fully grown and almost two years old. When he stood up he was almost two inches taller than Matt. Simba though, was almost a year old, and was taller and much larger than Rex. Simba was a mutt as well, being part Sibrian Husky, and part some other incredibly large sized dog. Since they had gotten a dog for the triplets, they felt inclined to get one for the twins as well.
"Salem, Snowflake," Matt called.
They had one black cat, with a big white spot on his head, and a white cat with black paws. They were the two weirdest looking cat's Matt had ever laid eyes on but they were incredibly nice, and so much smaller than the two horses outside.
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Half an Hour Later
"I WANT TO TAKE SNOWFLAKE," Kelly all but screamed.
Matt shook his head, they had dealt with this the year before, when the triplets started pre-school.
"You cannot take a cat to school with you," Emily said, almost too tired to argue with the small girl.
"I want too," Kelly said, her arms folded across her chest.
Matt had long since given up trying to argue with Kelly. He had yet to actually win an arguement with her.
"Kelly Rose Flannery, I do not care, you cannot take a cat with you to school," Emily screamed back at her, clearly fusterated.
Matt chuckled lightly, Kelly was definately her mother's daughter.
"What are you laughing at, help me here," Emily said.
"Your mother's right, you cannot take a cat with you," Matt said, standing firmly behind Emily, trying to show Kelly that this was the end of the discussion.
"Mommy, if Kelly can take Snowflake, then I'm taking Salem," Gracie said from behind her.
Emily shook her head, out of the five children, all of them but two had inhertated her intelligence.
"No Gracie, because Kelly isn't taking Snowflake," Emily said.
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Half an Hour Later
Emily rushed all the kids to the car.
"Matthew Ryan Flannery, get out here. It's already twenty till eight, the kids are gonna be late," Emily screamed back into the house for her husband.
"I'm coming," Matt said, walking out fully decked out in his FBI attire.
Both of them climbed into the front seat of the SUV, as Emily pulled out of the driveway.
"Mr. and Mrs. Flannery, so nice to see you again," Janet said, as they entered the pre-school with Daniel and Gracie.
"Yes, we're sorry for burdening you again," Matt said, half jokingly.
"Ah, you must be Daniel and Jennifer Flannery," Janet said, to the two small children.
"My name is Gracie," Gracie said, srunching up her nose.
"Oh I'm sorry, hello Gracie," Janet said.
"Okay, well we gotta go, give mommy and daddy a hug," Emily said, bending down.
Daniel and Gracie, quickly hugged both of they're parents before running off to play.
"I assume you'll be here to pick them up," Janet said.
"Actually I'm starting work today, but the nanny will pick them up. Her name is Eryn," Emily said, scribbling down Eryn's cell number, along with her's and Matt's in the case of an emerency.
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"You must be Mr. and Mrs. Flannery," a tall blond woman said standing in front of them.
"Yes, and this is Zackery, Matthew, and Kelly," Emily said, gesturing to the three children beside her.
"Okay, well, class begins in a couple of minutes, I'll show them to the class. I'm assuming one of you will pick up the children?" the woman asked.
"Our nanny Eryn will be by to pick them up," Emily said, scribbling down the same information for this woman as well.
"Okay give mommy and daddy a hug," Emily said, bending down.
The triplets gave quick hugs to their parents before truding off with the woman.
"It's gonna be a long day," Emily said, standing back up.