After months of filings and court visits, Emily and Aaron were finally divorced. The brunette man had finally taken up his now ex-wife's suggestion and had began to go to parenting therapy sessions with her, his mood effectively calming and an understanding beginning to form about Emily and Dave's relationship. Nothing was the same after Billy and Rebecca, and they both needed to move on. To be happy again, and the author did that for her.

Brushing her grown out bangs away from her face, the mother of four hung up the phone. "Dave?"

The author looked up from the newspaper, watching as his girlfriend set the phone back into its holder on their kitchen counter. "Hey babe."

Emily huffed as she sat down beside the older man. "That was Aaron."

"Good news or bad news?"

The brunette gently shook her head, staring at the paper that was in her boyfriend's hand. "Pretty good actually." Biting her lip, Emily's eyes connected with Dave's. "He wanted to know if it was alright that he pick up the girls tomorrow in the company of a miss Beth Clemmons."

Dave's eyebrows shot up. "A girlfriend?"

"A girlfriend," the mother nodded.

The author set his paper down on the coffee table and took the younger woman's hand in his. "You ok with this?"

Emily's lips pursed slightly as she shook her head, her eyes looking down to their clasped hands. "I'm pretty ok with it. I mean I've moved on, he should too." She gave a shrug. "Just feels a little soon with everything he's been feeling."

"All that matters is that this woman would be a good influence on the twins."

Smiling to the older man, Emily scooted closer. "And makes him happy."

The author shrugged. "That too." Pulling his girlfriend closer to him, he looked around their freshly furnished living room. "Does it look the way you wanted it to?"

Emily nodded her head, her hand holding tight onto his. "Exactly," she grinned. Turning to her boyfriend, the mother of four pressed a long kiss to his lips. "I can't believe we're really here," she gushed. "We're living together."

"We are." Dave let his lips linger just a bit longer before backing away, looking into his girlfriend's eyes. "Too fast?"

The younger woman immediately began to shake her head, holding the author close. "Not at all," she dismissed. "Just the perfect speed, really." Hearing a slight jingle, Emily looked up to see her two little girls running into the living room, their fists curled around strings of bells used for the Christmas tree. "Now what are you two doing?"

Rylee grinned to her mother, holding out the thick string. "Here mommy!"

"Why thank you Ry," the brunette cooed. "And what about you Immy? Can mommy have the bells?"

The blond pouted. "I like bells."

Emily bit back her laugh at the cute expression on her daughter's face. "Well ya' know what? I like bells too, and I think maybe we should share them."

Imogen bit her plump little lip before handing over the string. "Here mommy."

"Thank you baby," she grinned.

Dave laughed as he bent down, hiking the oldest girl onto his hip. "You didn't want to give that up, did you Immy?"

The seventeen month old pouted, shaking her head as her mother's boyfriend stood from the couch. "No dada."

Emily shook her head in disbelief as she picked up her other daughter from the ground. "I thought we were sharing, Immy."

"No!"

The author looked to his girlfriend after he helped the little girl into her highchair. "Got a little temper tantrum brewing."

Emily rolled her eyes, sitting Rylee just beside her sister in her red and purple highchair. "If we just leave her to herself for a few minutes she'll be fine." Taking the strings of bells, she walked back across the living room.

Lifting a brow, Dave looked to the younger woman. "Where did they get those anyway? Christmas isn't for five months."

Feeling her cheeks immediately grow pink, the mother of four bit her lip, looking to the older man as he made his way towards her. "You remember the other night?" Her eyes darkening, Emily grinned wickedly. "I had begged to try something different, so you tied me up with these," she said, holding up the bells, "and kept a..." Emily quickly shook her head. "You kept a toy in me, and if I moved then you heard a bell. If you heard a bell," she grinned, catching the glint in his eye, "I got punished."

Dave nodded as the memory began to come back to him, and he drew his girlfriend closer, holding her body right against his. "I believe I do remember that." He leaned forward, sharing a kiss with the younger woman. "We should try that one again."

"Oh we definitely will," she laughed.

The pair pulled apart at the sound of the doorbell, Emily grasping the author's hand so they could make their way to the door. "Aaron's early."

Dave held his girlfriend's hand tight as they started out of the living room. "Don't be mean to Beth, Emily. She might be good for him."

"I wasn't going to be mean!"

"Emily."

The brunette shrugged. "I was going to be a little mean." Emily just shook her head, smiling at the sound of her two little girls laughing. "But Billy and Rebecca would have wanted this." Her dark eyes turned to the older man. "Right?"

Seeing his girlfriend's eyes filled with confusion, the author brought her into a hug. "They would have wanted what was best for you to, and that was getting divorced and moving on."

"Right," Emily nodded, tears coming to her eyes at the thought of her children. "Ok, no being mean," she reminded herself.

Dave smiled. "Just think about the kids, ok? How they would respond to her."

The mother of four grinned, letting her boyfriend lead her to the front door. "The kids include Michael too, you know that."

Hearing that soft whisper into his ear, the older man gave a gentle nod. "And I thank you for that." He pressed a quick kiss to her temple before reaching for the doorknob. "Alright let's get this show on the road."

Emily sent a quiet prayer up to all the children above before she nodded her head, smiling as Dave opened the door. "Let's."