Chapter 1

I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.

Wait...In this story, I actually created some of them, so I do own them.

Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.

And as for the ones I did create, who they are is up to me, so...

The ride home from the boat was a somber one. In the Martin families, the guys were in one car while the girls were in the other ones. The guys remained fairly stoic on the way home. Ben was trying to be tough while Cody had to keep reminding himself how important his first day on the boat had been. While he was going to miss his kids, he wasn't about to deny them the same opportunity that he had. In the minivan, both ladies had tears in their eyes. While Annie was looking forward to her own bathroom, she liked having Abby around. And Charlie could be counted on as a voice of reason with Ben sometimes. For Bailey, it was having two of her babies leaving the nest. While she had had months to try to get used to it, actually having to leave them at the boat was a different story. When they all got home, Ben and Annie were going to head up to their rooms when Cody stopped them.

"Just because you all have another week before school starts, I want you both to be prepared to start going to be early so you are used to it. And next Saturday, your Mom and I will take you both shopping for everything you need for your first days of middle school."

Both Annie and Ben groaned about having to go to be early, but both just nodded before they headed upstairs. Cody turned and Bailey appeared to be a million miles away.

"Bails?"

Bailey turned to Cody. "Yeah?"

"You okay?"

Bailey sighed. "I don't know. I just didn't think it would be this hard..."

Cody walked over to her and wrapped her up in his arms. "I know. I guess we know how our parents felt now, huh?"

Bailey nodded against Cody's shoulder. "I had no idea. I wonder if they went home and cried like I'm doing now..."

Cody soothingly rubbed her back. "Probably. But they knew then what we know now. We just sent our kids on the adventure of a lifetime. While we will miss them, we have to remember how great of an adventure we had while we did it..."

Bailey pulled back. "You think so?"

Cody smiled at her. "I know so. My first day on the boat changed my life forever. I was meeting people who would play major roles for the rest of my life. I bet Abby and Charlie are too."

Pausing to consider that, Bailey smiled back. "You're right." She paused again and frowned. "I also remember the summer after our sophomore years was the last time I was home for longer than a week at a time. Will that happen to our kids too?"

Cody shrugged. "Maybe so. But if you hadn't come to Boston, I was going to go to Kettlecorn. So, then, it would have been me that hadn't gone home that next summer. The point is, we were living our own lives then and our parents understood that."

Bailey sighed. "Something else we'll have to learn to understand too..."

Cody smiled at her again. "Remember, it wasn't so easy for us. It took me and your Dad being chloroformed and locked in a supply closet for he and I to really get to know each other. I had to prove to him how much I loved you and promise to take care of you."

Bailey shook her head and laughed. "Wow...Did that ever backfire on Barbara and Agnes."

"Sure did. I remember having to hold you back or you would have destroyed Barbara..."

Bailey smiled at him. "Well, no one messes with my feller and gets away with it..."

Cody laughed. "And that included my mother..."

Bailey's eyes went wide and she held her hand up to her face. "Oh my gosh! I did do that, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did...But it worked, because she's told me you aren't just a daughter-in-law to her. She's said you're one of her two daughters."

"Really?"

"Really. So, you see, before that happens to any of our kids, we'll have to meet whoever is in their lives and approve of them like our parents did."

Bailey paused. "I guess so...And I guess one day, we'll probably have four sons and four daughters."

Cody smiled. "Exactly. Besides, while we are going to miss Charlie and Abby, there will be a few perks..."

Bailey just looked at him incredulously. "Like what?"

"Well, for one, our water, electric and grocery bills will be cut by a third..."

"Cody!"

He grinned. "I'm kidding, Sweetheart. But, we will only have two kids we have to keep an eye on. Only two kids to make sure are tucked into their beds before we go to sleep. Only two kids...for us to pawn off on to others for when we want a night for ourselves..."

Bailey laughed. "Okay, that's true."

"And in three years, while others will still have kids in the house, we'll be empty nesters..."

Bailey smiled. "I guess so. Will we know what to do with ourselves when its just us two again?"

"I think so. I mean, we did alright with just the two of us for nine years didn't we?"

"Yeah, we did. Some of my fondest memories are of our senior year, living in New Haven and our penthouse here in Boston. Though, it will be quiet around here..."

Cody grinned. "I don't know about all of that. One, look who our neighbors are. We'll be asked to babysit constantly. And two, without the kids around, I can chase you all around the house without the worry of the kids catching us. I am thinking we replace our hot tub with a smaller, cozier one for two. And I was thinking. You know that empty space we have in our bathroom?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah?"

"Well, what would you think of us building a personal sauna in there. I still remember the one we shared in Phoenix..."

Bailey smiled. "Me too. I would like that..."

"So would I...Hard part is going to wait three years to have it built..."

Bailey grinned. "Who says we have to wait for it?"

Cody just looked at her. "God, I love you..."

"I know you do. Plus, you do start your new position on Monday. It might be good to have us a place where we can both unwind after long days..."

"I know..." Cody paused. "You don't think I'll turn into a Dr. Kelso like chief of medicine, do you?"

Bailey laughed. "Nah. Not yet anyways. You're not that cynical and jaded yet..."

Cody shook his head. "Thanks..."

"I'm kidding. I know you'll do a great job..."

"I hope so. Instead of worrying about one department, I have to worry about the whole hospital now..." He sighed. "And I know how it works. When Dr. Buckley took over, every department head bombarded him with requests to see how he would handle things..."

"You'll do fine. Remember, you have an economics degree from Yale. You've had some of the brightest minds in the country teach you about what to do."

Cody nodded. "You're right. And I'm getting throw in to the deep end. One of my first tasks is to finalize our budget for next year..."

Bailey sighed. "Same here. Fortunately, the board just has to approve it..."

Cody smiled at her. "Look at it this way. You'll have first hand knowledge of what all Tipton Industries has their hands in. It wouldn't surprise me if they had a secret mining operation on the moon or something crazy like that..."

Bailey laughed. "True..."

"More importantly, you can help fight for more funding in areas that are needed..."

"True as well..."

"And if they are making charitable contributions and wanting more write offs, I would be happy to wine and dine you to show you the virtues of Mass General..."

Bailey rolled her eyes. "Cody..."

He grinned. "Sorry. I just know that's one of my new duties now. To secure donations from old donors and find new ones. And every charitable hospital event, I have to be there."

"Oh really? Does that mean I have to attend them as well?"

Cody reached for hand and kissed it. "I hope so. Show people I can do something right because I will have the most beautiful woman on my arm..."

Bailey smiled. "Well, I suppose I can do that..."

Cody paused. "Unfortunately, it might also mean I have to do more traveling and attend more meetings. So, I won't be as home as much as I was or I would like."

"Its okay, Sweetie. I understand. I know it will be a bit of a change, but we'll adapt to it. I mean, during grad school, we were both incredibly busy, but we still found time for each other. And when the kids were newborns, we didn't have a lot of time for each other, but we still found time then too. We'll be okay."

Cody smiled. "Thanks, Bails. I promise you that in a few years, I'll be yours and all yours. I'll be around so much, you'll get sick of me..."

Bailey smiled back. "I seriously doubt that."

"And if I have to go somewhere we've never been, we'll see if you can go with me. I've always loved exploring new places with you."

"Me too. There were a few places we went on our road trip that I'd like to go back and see again. Spend some more time seeing everything..."

"Consider it done. In fact, I'm not supposed to know this yet, but there is a convention in Las Vegas early next year. I'd love to take you and show you the bright lights..."

Bailey laughed. "I think I'd like that...And I admit, ever since you told me about the deep fried Twinkies, I've been curious..."

Cody laughed too. "We'll make a stop. Just don't tell Woody and Addison that though or we'd have to mail some back."

"Good point..."

Cody pulled Bailey back into his arms. "We'll be okay. This is just the next phase of our lives. We adapted to being away at college on our own. We adapted to both of us being in grad school. We adapted to being parents. And if I may say, each time, I think we adapted pretty darn well."

Bailey smiled. "Yeah, we did."

"And its okay to miss Charlie and Abby. We both will. But its not like we are every going to see them again or they are going to get married tomorrow..."

"I know..." She sighed. "I think I'm worried for nothing. I mean...what are the odds that our kids will find their soul mates on the first day on the ship like we did?" Bailey began laughing. "That would just be insane..."

To be Continued...

AN: Okay, this is the parallel story to New Kids on the Boat. I've never done two stories the take place at the same time, so not sure how its going to work. I won't be updating one one day and the other the next. Both will take turns being where the action is, so I will be focusing on that one more than the other. But, at times, the two stories will overlap and at times, merge. We'll see if this works or if it will flop or if it will leave me so confused I don't know what I'm doing. Oh, and Andy Dalton, welcome to Cincinasty. The good news is your hair matches the uniforms. The bad news is you are now a Bengal. Oh, and I will have another surprise posted in a little while.