#Danny is in the kitchen also bemused with Sam | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

oliverreedmasterass · 1 year

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Words: 4k

Synopsis: Jake insists that everyone should participate in a new drinking game, bets are made, and things almost immediately descend into chaos. You should definitely listen to "Roxanne" by The Police while reading this.

Warnings: drinking (not underage though), language, allusions to being physically ill

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“Who’s ready to get this party started?” Jake whooped as he walked through Sam’s front door, his arms loaded with a crate of Coronas and a Costco-sized bottle of Jack.

“Aren’t we going to the bar?” Sam called from the dining room where he was sitting with Danny, both of them scrolling on their phones.

“Change in plans, Sammy boy!” Jake replied. He dropped the booze on the kitchen counter with a loud clunk and made his way to his brother’s side so he could beam down at him and Danny.

“You freak me out when you’re like this,” Sam looked up at his older brother.

Jake found his hands moving to Sam’s tense shoulders, where he gave them a loving rub. Sam only stiffened at his touch.

“I found a drinking game that we have to try before we set our sights on the bar,” Jake explained to the two. “It’ll be a lot of fun, I promise.”

“The last time you promised we’d have fun, Josh wound up in the emergency room,” Danny murmured just loud enough for Jake to hear.

“It’s not my fault he fell off the hiking trail,” Jake frowned.

“We were hiking it at night ,” Sam cut in. “And he thought he saw a mountain lion.”

“That’s on Josh,” Jake argued. “He should have known there hasn’t been a cougar sighting in Tennessee since the early 1900s.”

“I beg to differ, I saw quite a few cougars last weekend,” Danny joked.

Jake rolled his eyes at his bandmates and wandered over to Sam’s impressive turntable setup in the corner of the room. He grunted and, with an agonizing pop in his knees, squatted down so he was at eye-level with Sam’s album collection.

“It’s got to be here somewhere,” Jake mumbled to himself. Sam was known to be a tad bit over-obsessed with vinyl: over their years of touring, he always made an effort to duck into at least one record store in each town they played. Considering how many shows they had under their belts, he had accumulated enough records that he could probably open his own store if he wanted. The great thing about Sam was, out of the four of them, he had the most extensive taste in music. Sure, he was prone to beeline straight for the jazz section in each shop, but he also made a habit of grabbing things he had never heard of before, or never thought to listen to. Due to that, his record collection spanned across a pretty impressive range, from The Spinners to Amy Winehouse to Iron Maiden. This was why Jake was confident he would find a specific new-wave album.

While Jake sorted through Sam’s albums, Josh let himself inside, wearing his typical white long sleeve shirt and khaki pants combo, his hands unfortunately free of any booze. As he made his way deeper into Sam’s house, he slowed down at the sight of the Coronas and whiskey.

“Are we throwing a rager?” he asked the room. “I thought we were just going to the bar tonight.”

“Jake had a change in plans,” Sam reported to his older brother. “But he won’t tell us what he’s fixing to do.”

“I’m working on it,” Jake called over his shoulder. “One sec.”

Josh, Sam, and Danny watched Jake in a mixture of confusion and interest as he continued to sort through Sam’s stash, growing progressively more disheartened.

“Why don’t you alphabetize these?” he turned back to face Sam.

“I know where all the good ones are, why would I alphabetize them?”

“So I can find this stinking album,” Jake huffed. Sam took a hint and hurried over to Jake, kneeling down so he could scan through his collection.

“What are you looking for?” Sam asked under his breath.

“Outlandos D’Amour?” Jake replied so only Sam could hear. Sam leaned away from Jake for a brief second, shooting him a bemused look.

“I didn’t realize you were a Police fan,” he couldn’t help but poke fun.

“It’s for the drinking game,” Jake tried to explain. “It’ll make sense soon.”

Sam’s eyes danced over the album titles, trying to find what Jake so desperately wanted. Right when it looked like he was about to throw in the towel, Sam’s mouth hung open.

“Oh,” he whispered. “I do have it.”

“I knew you would,” Jake had trouble containing the large grin that was stretching across his lips. He watched in eager anticipation as Sam slid the album out from its spot on the lowest shelf, tucked off to the side. The album cover looked to be in rough shape, as if Sam had used it in an ultimate frisbee competition, but to Jake it was just water off a duck’s back. All that mattered was there were no scratches on the vinyl.

“I’m pretty sure I grabbed this one from a bargain bin in Scottsdale,” Sam remembered. “It was like a buck. I don’t think I would have bought it otherwise.”

“I thought you played bass because Sting is your Messiah,” Jake faked shock.

“Haha,” Sam rolled his eyes. He handed the album over to Jake and stood back upright so he could rejoin Danny and Josh and give them a confused shrug. Jake heard him mutter that he thought Jake was having a midlife crisis 25 years too early or something, but decided not to bite Sam’s head off since he was too focused on getting the music going.

“Grab a drink,” Jake said over his shoulder to the three, making an extra effort to motion back to the drinks he had gone out of his way to bring over. “The harder the booze, the more fun we’re gonna have.”

“I’m playing golf tomorrow,” Danny sounded apologetic as he opened the box of beer. “I need to be clear-headed.”

“I’m going all in, Jake,” Sam countered Danny. “I’m definitely not playing golf tomorrow, and I want to be mentally tapped out if we’re gonna be listening to The Police all night.”

“The Police?” Josh looked confused. “Why would we listen to them?”

“It’s a drinking game,” Jake answered, finally turning around from the record player, which started to blast the first track of the album. He liked the feeling of everyone’s eyes on him as he moved into Sam’s kitchen, grabbed a crystal glass, and joined Sam’s side to pour himself a hearty helping of whiskey. “It’s about the easiest drinking game out there. We’re going to listen to ‘Roxanne’ and, every time Sting says, ‘Roxanne’, you have to take a chug of your drink.”

“How many times does he say ‘Roxanne’?” Josh looked worried.

“If I remember right, a fuck ton,” Danny studied his bottle, as if gauging how much beer he would have to drink through.

“It’s not gonna kill you,” Jake assured Josh. “This is meant to be fun.”

“You see,” Josh begged to differ, “whenever you say that, I always end up feeling like shit for one reason or another. It’s getting to the point where I’m starting to wonder if you pull shit like this just to put me through the wringer.”

“That’s nonsense,” Jake waved him off. “You just have bad luck.”

“Maybe. Considering I’m related to you and all.”

Jake scowled at his brother. They were constantly bickering back and forth like that, trading blows as if they were permanently trapped in a boxing ring, but he knew that Josh didn’t mean it. Their bantering was more a love language than anything else even though, to an outside perspective, it might have come across like they were mortal enemies.

The record moved to the next track and Jake turned his attention away from his twin to address the rest of the room.

“Roxanne is coming up next. Whoever taps out first has to pay for drinks tonight.”

“What if we all make it through the song?” Sam asked. “We’re not exactly new to this whole drinking thing. Hell, Corona is like lemonade to me.”

“Trust me,” Jake assured him, “one of us is definitely not going to make it.”

Just to make things especially interesting, he decided to squint his eyes at Danny to get him on edge. That seemed to do the trick since Danny’s shoulders shot up to his ears as he cradled his bottle.

“I’m good at drinking games,” he stammered. Instead of replying, Jake continued to stare. “I do keg stands all the time,” Danny continued to ramble. “This will be a piece of cake.”

“I say we place bets on who won’t make it,” Jake decided.

“My money’s on Josh,” Danny cut in, still looking like stress was on the brink of eating him alive. “Not me. Don’t waste your money betting against me.”

“Just because you said that, I’m gonna bet against you,” Sam said, reaching into his pocket and fishing a $20 bill out of his wallet to slap on the table. Danny fumbled around and got his own wad of cash from his jacket pocket, which he threw on top of Sam’s.

“You’ve obviously tried this out before,” Josh said as he studied Jake’s face. “And I feel like you weren’t able to do it, so you want us to try it as well and fail so you feel better about yourself.”

Jake was terrified of just how well his brother knew him.

“That’s your interpretation,” Jake attempted to give his best poker face. “I’m gonna bet against all of you.”

“Then I’m betting against you,” Josh quickly retorted, grabbing a post it note from Sam’s kitchen and a pen to scribble “IOU $10” out as his contribution. “I don’t have cash on me,” Josh looked around at his friends to explain.

“How were you gonna pay for drinks at the bar?” Danny asked.

“I was gonna steal some money from Jake.”

Jake shook his head and dropped a neat $100 bill into the money pot.

“Good luck stealing a Benjamin Franklin under my nose.”

“I’ve done it before.”

“Hey, wait a minute,” Jake started to complain at Josh’s confession when the second track faded and the opening chords of ‘Roxanne’ started to pulse around Sam’s house.

“Oh boy,” Sam groaned out. “Here we go.”

Jake readied his drink and looked around at his friends. Danny looked like he was on the brink of passing out from nerves, Sam looked excited, and Josh still seemed like a part of him wasn’t sure he wanted to participate.

I’m gonna drink you losers all under the bus, Jake eagerly thought to himself.

“Roxanne,” Sting crowed from the scratchy record. To Jake’s relief and joy, all of them lifted their drinks to their lips and tipped them back.

“Take a bigger swig than that, Josh,” Jake called to his twin, who had just barely stuck his tongue into his cup of whiskey.

“Hey, no peer pressure,” Josh barked back.

You don’t have to sell your body to the night…

“Roxanne,” Sting sang out again. Jake, with a bright smile, took another drink from his glass and felt the whiskey burn down his throat. He looked around and saw that Sam’s face was twisted in disgust at his own drink, but he still looked determined. To his surprise, Danny was already halfway through his bottle.

“This is doable,” Danny stated with utmost confidence right before Sting launched into his third ‘Roxanne’.

“You’re gonna take that back soon,” Jake told Danny.

You don’t have to put on the red light…

“Roxanne,” Sting sang again, causing all the boys, with the exception of Jake, to flail to bring their drinks back up to their lips.

“Best of luck to you, boys,” Jake raised his glass in a cheer.

“Oh no,” Sam’s face paled as it became increasingly clear that he suddenly remembered how the chorus of ‘Roxanne’ went. Josh glared Jake down and slowly shook his head.

“You evil, evil bastard,” he whispered right as Sting launched into the chorus.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

“Jesus christ,” Sam choked on his drink.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

“Are you okay?” Danny turned to Sam after downing his drink. He held his hand up to smack Sam on the back, but Sam looked at him and rapidly shook his head.

“I’m fine,” he croaked.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

“I don’t know how you made it through that, Sam,” Josh commented as the song entered the next verse. Sam was looking a bit green to the face and, putting his head down in embarrassment, he rushed to the kitchen to fetch himself a glass of water.

“Is that cheating?” Josh asked Jake as they watched Sam gulp down the water and messily wipe at his mouth with the back of his hand.

“He’s drinking more than you are, so I’ll allow it,” Jake replied, motioning down to Josh’s glass, which was still half-full.

“I’m taking a good gulp every time,” Josh protested. Jake observed his glass again and made a clicking noise to disagree.

Danny had managed to drink through two bottles of Corona up to that point and, as Sting sang the verses free of any ‘Roxanne’s, he worked on opening his third bottle. While Sam was focused on his glass of water, Danny used the corner of Sam’s dining room table to pop the cap off.

“You’re going down,” he called over to Jake.

“Yeah, okay buddy,” Jake replied back. He was glad that getting under Danny’s skin had worked as well as it did. While Danny more often than not came across as the level-headed, mature one of the group, once his competitive side was brought to the light, he was like an entirely different person. Jake had learned that the hard way once when he and Danny went mini golfing: let’s just say you should never dare Danny to tee off at the windmill hole and then tell him there’s no way he can bust the golf ball through the windmill’s wooden base.

Sam finished his glass of water and let out a loud burp that nearly made him keel over.

“This is torture,” he moaned.

“You can tap out,” Jake responded, arching his eyebrow in a testing way while motioning towards the $20 bill Sam had deposited on the table.

“I’ll never hear the end of it if I do,” Sam frowned.

“Wanna switch to beer?” Danny asked. Sam looked to Jake to see if he would let him, and Jake gave a slight nod. The kid was trying his best.

“Yes,” Sam quickly said. Just as he got the cap off, Sting was back at it again.

Roxanne, you don’t have to put on the red light…

Everyone got back to it, taking their drinks and looking around at one another to see who was going to drop out first. Sam, obviously feeling guilty about quitting with the whiskey, made a concerted effort to down as much of his beer as he could before Sting got to his next “Roxanne.” Jake was about ready to call Josh out again for not drinking as much as everyone else, but he stopped himself when he saw that Josh was already pouring himself a new glass of whiskey. When the next “Roxanne” came around, Jake decided he needed to catch up to his twin, so he downed the rest of his glass. Was it stupid, considering they were seconds away from the chorus? Absolutely, but Jake needed to win this thing fair and square.

Roxanne (You don't have to put on the red light)

Jake snatched the whiskey off the table and, looking around at his friends with an air of confidence that even he acknowledged was over the top, took a chug straight from the bottle.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

Danny finished his third bottle and hustled to get the next one prepared, but his hands were shaking as he struggled to force the cap off. Sam, looking as if the life was being sucked out of him in real time, motioned to Danny to hand him his bottle and, like a fucking heathen, unscrewed the lid with his teeth, spitting the cap off so it clamored to the floor. Danny took the bottle back from him, looking troubled.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

To Jake’s surprise, Josh was actually drinking him under the bus. It was as if he was meditating while participating in Jake’s drinking game: his face remained stoic and, like a robot, he methodically raised his glass up to his lips at each “Roxanne”, tipped the glass back slightly, and easily swallowed the hard liquor. Then, he let in a deep breath, as if to recenter himself.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

“My head is spinning,” Danny’s guard came down for a split second as he held onto the table for support.

“My world is spinning,” Sam agreed after accidentally knocking all of Danny’s empty bottles onto the floor.

Jake was still feeling good.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

While it was obvious that Sam was going topple over and eliminate himself at any second, Jake set his sights on Josh. Not being the first to tap out wasn’t enough anymore: he needed to outdrink his brother. In that moment, that was all that mattered to Jake.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

“I fucking hate The Police,” Sam sounded on the brink of tears.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

“Their music stinks.”

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

Jake had his drinking down to a rhythm, right on time with the drum beat of the song. He could feel his cheeks flushing a vibrant red from the liquor, but his head remained placid and his stomach calm. He was far past the point where he had had to tap out during most of his attempts the night prior. He continued to watch Josh and, for the life of him, he couldn’t tell if Josh was showing any cracks. The fucker would have to back down at some point.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

Josh had finished his second glass and held a hand out to Jake to pass him the bottle. As much as Jake didn’t want to, he handed it over and Josh took a deep drink from it before giving it back. Jake followed suit.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

“How long is this song?” Danny cried in agony.

“It’s The Police,” Josh calmly explained after finishing his sip from the bottle. “Their music always fades out, so technically a Police song never really ends.”

“I hate you,” Danny turned to Jake. Jake could only shrug.

Roxanne (You don't have to put on the red light)

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Sam gargled from his side of the room. Danny hopped away from him in an attempt to preserve his white sneakers.

“You’re so close, Sammy,” Josh told him. Sam gazed down at his bottle in disdain, but nodded his head.

“I’m doing this for all the people out there who hate The Police,” he slurred.

“There you go,” Danny tried to encourage him.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

It was obvious that Jake and Josh were having a drink off at this point in the song. They stood facing each other, only about a foot and a half away from each other, their eyes locked as they passed the bottle back and forth. Jake made sure to keep his gaze in a narrow squint as an extra step to get under Josh’s skin. It was mildly unsettling that Josh looked back at him with a bored look on his face, like he was daydreaming of being off somewhere else.

Jake was certain that he was sporting the complexion of the Kool Aid man, just based on how hot he felt, but Josh’s cheeks were hardly showing a light rosy color. Jake made a mental note to talk with Josh about how he managed to handle his booze later. He was really starting to feel like, genetically speaking, he had been given the short end of the stick.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

Danny was onto his fifth bottle and, rather than carefully setting his fourth bottle down like he had with his previous ones, he slammed the glass to the ground so it shattered everywhere. Sam let out a small squeak which morphed into a hiccup, causing him to force a hand up to his mouth.

“Oh lord,” he said in between hiccups. “This is a nightmare.”

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

“You’re not finishing this,” Jake told Josh as he watched him take a long drink from the quarter-full bottle. “I’m the whiskey guy in this family. This is my game to win.”

“We’re all getting through this, Jake,” Josh told him. “Whether you like it or not, I’ve been playing this drinking game for years.”

As Josh said that, Jake started to choke on the whiskey he was in the middle of gulping down. Josh watched in wonder as Jake threw the bottle onto the table and started to thump at his back, coughing and gasping while his face somehow managed to turn even more red.

In between his tears, Jake could see that Danny and Sam were watching him with concern. On the contrary, Josh almost seemed to have a twinkle in his eye as he looked down at his twin, who was keeled over and letting out window-rattling coughs.

Roxanne (Put on the red light)

Sam and Danny took their final drinks as the song faded out and, in a shocking rush of adrenaline, Sam let out a loud whoop, which he automatically regretted.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” he excused himself, hustling down the hall.

Josh gulped down almost all of the rest of the bottle, but left a sip for Jake. Jake was still struggling to catch his breath and, in his moment of weakness, the booze had finally caught up to him. He hoped it wasn’t obvious to Danny and Josh just how awful he finally felt. His head felt staticky, his body ablaze, and his stomach was screaming out in protest.

“They said ‘Roxanne’,” Josh told Jake, shaking the bottle down in his face. Jake felt like he was on the brink of blacking out. He let out one last deep cough, finally clearing his throat, and looked at the bottle with a grimace.

While Josh’s expression had remained stoic throughout the entire drinking game, it unleashed into a face of childlike glee as Jake grunted and pushed the bottle away from Josh.

“Can’t do it,” Jake heard himself admitting.

“Oh my god,” Danny said from the other end of the room. “I out-drank Jake Kiszka.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jake waved Danny away. “Mark this day on the calendar or whatever.”

Jake felt his knees buckle and he somehow managed to awkwardly book it to Sam’s couch so he could throw himself on the cushions before he toppled over. With a grunt, he planted his face into the intricate stitches of one of Sam’s decorative pillows.

“How many bottles did you get through? Five?” Jake could hear Josh asking Danny.

“I told you guys, I’m good at drinking.”

“Try it next time with whiskey.”

The toilet in the bathroom down the hall flushed and then the sound of Sam’s bare feet slapping against his wood floor grew louder.

“So we all made it, right?” he asked to the room.

“Jake didn’t,” Josh replied. Jake could hear the beam in Josh’s voice.

“No way,” Sam sounded incredulous.

“Mmrph,” Jake droned from the couch.

“Someone’s paying for all of our drinks tonight,” Josh added.

“The only drink I’m having the rest of tonight is some Pepto Bismol,” Sam replied. “I don’t know why I agreed to do that.”

“That was pretty stupid,” Danny agreed. “I wonder how many times he says ‘Roxanne’ in that song. Wait, I’m gonna look it up.”

“I think it was a tremendous demonstration of determination, strength, and wit,” Josh announced. “A fine evening activity for us all, and an educational one as well. I feel so well-informed about who can handle their booze and who really, really can’t.”

From the couch, with his head still buried in the cushions, Jake lifted a middle finger in Josh’s direction. He was met with Josh’s jovial laugh.

“Twenty-six times,” Danny said to the room. “He sings ‘Roxanne’ twenty-six fucking times. And in three minutes too.”

“Jake,” Sam called to his brother, “that has got to be the stupidest thing you’ve ever made us do.” He thought on his words. “And that’s saying a lot,” he added.

Jake heard footsteps come closer to him and then felt Josh’s warm hand on his shoulder.

“I gotta say, little bro,” his brother cooed down to him, “it’s nice to finally be the one that doesn’t feel like shit.”

Jake could only manage to lift his head for a second to glare at his brother.

#greta van fleet #gvf #gvf fanfiction #jake kiszka #josh kiszka #sam kiszka #danny wagner #fanfic #Spotify

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hearts-hunger · 2 years

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heart to heart || josh kiszka x reader

Read on AO3 | Masterlist

Summary: You and Josh host Thanksgiving at your house, and your little family has more than one surprise in store for this holiday season. || Standalone fic in the Cabin Fever universe

Pairings: Josh Kiszka x Wife!Reader, Jake x Sparrow, Sam x Danny

Genre: Holiday fluff

Word Count: 5.9k | Warnings: talk of pregnancy

A/N: Here you go, besties! The promised Thanksgiving fic! I really enjoyed writing it, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it. It’s also set 10 or 15 years after Cabin Fever, and if you guys like this era of Josh and Baby, I’d be pleased as punch to write more about them and their kiddos. Also, there’s so many John Denver references. I got a little carried away. But! I hope you like it ♡

“You guys, it's Thanksgiving. Not the Great English Baking Show.”

You and Danny both looked over at Josh as he came into the kitchen, amusement and exasperation mingling in your expressions.

“Great British Baking Show,” you corrected, pouring pumpkin pie batter into the crust Danny had gotten ready. “And I don't think you'll be complaining when we start eating the greatest Thanksgiving dinner known to man.”

“Who said I was complaining?” Josh asked, snagging a taste of the batter from the side of the bowl. “I just don’t want you wearing yourselves out.”

He popped his finger in his mouth. “Hey, mama, that’s pretty good.”

You smiled. “I’m glad you like it.” You put the bowl in the sink. “We’re not wearing ourselves out. We’re having a good time, aren’t we, Danny?”

You were having a good time, at least — you were busy making delicious food for your family while Christmas music played on your kitchen speaker; your home was warm and filled with those you loved. You couldn’t imagine a better way to spend Thanksgiving.

Danny grinned. “I’m having a great time,” he agreed. He opened the oven to baste the turkey again. “I love cooking for Thanksgiving.”

Josh smiled and leaned his hip against the counter. “Well, far be it from me to keep you two from whipping up a feast.”

Setting your cooking aside for the moment, you leaned close to your husband and gave him a chaste kiss. You noticed his curls were a little damp with sweat, and you put a hand to his cheek.

“Feeling ok?” you asked.

He looked a little bemused. “Sure.”

“You’re warm.”

His expression cleared. “Oh. Yeah. I was chopping wood for the fireplace before I came in.”

You envisioned your husband swinging the axe into the chopping block, brushing his curls away from his face. You gave him a dreamy smile.

He laughed. “What?”

“Oh, nothing,” you said, though you pressed closer to him. “Is it warm in here, or is it just me?”

He gave you a cheeky smile. “Got you all hot and bothered, huh?”

“Maybe,” you teased.

He kissed you, just deep enough to fan a flame of desire in you without quenching it. “I like it when you blush, Mrs. Kiszka.”

He was rewarded by a rush of heat across your face, and he tenderly kissed your cheek.

You didn’t know how long your husband’s attention might have distracted you from your baking if you hadn’t heard a particularly loud screech come from the back yard. You looked towards the french doors that led to the porch.

“Is that happy screaming or ‘I just fell out of a tree and broke my leg’ screaming?” you asked.

Josh laughed. “Happy screaming, I think. JD’s out there playing with Sam.”

Danny looked out the window above the sink. “Definitely happy screaming,” he assured you. “Sam’s got JD on his shoulders.”

You smiled at the thought. Your son, though named for John Denver — Josh had wanted something kind of eccentric, and you hadn’t minded something sentimental — was often called “little Sammy” for the way he took after his uncle. Both were lanky and shared that same goofy grin, and JD had recently asked you and Josh if he could grow his dark hair out like Uncle Sammy’s.

Danny looked a little wistful as he watched Sam and your little one playing, and you gave his shoulder a playful nudge after you put the pie in the oven.

“Baby fever?” you asked.

Danny smiled. “Maybe.” He gave his partner one last look before turning back to his cooking. “Sam would be a great dad.”

“You both would,” Josh said sweetly. “Have you two been thinking about it? Having kids?”

You and Josh had been the first to get married and the first to start having babies, but Jake and Sparrow were catching up to you. You and Josh had gotten married a few years after you started dating, and Jake and Sparrow’s wedding was the year after. JD had been the first baby; three years later, you and Sparrow were only a few months apart welcoming your daughters, Annie and Jaybird. All three Kiszka kiddos were beloved by their uncles, and Danny was godfather to all of them.

Though Danny and Sam had been together since that week at the cabin so many years ago, they still hadn’t gotten married. You knew they were happy together, and figured they’d just never felt the need to make it official.

Danny considered Josh’s question.

“Not really,” he admitted. “I mean, I think it’s something we both want, but not with both of us still so wrapped up in the band.”

His hand fluttered to his pocket, a little nervous. “But... I have been thinking about something else.”

He pulled a ring from his pocket, a simple gold band that caught the warm light. Both you and Josh gasped, and Danny blushed a little under your delighted smiles.

“Danny!” you gushed. “That’s amazing! When are you asking him?”

He couldn’t keep the smile from his face. “Tonight, I think.”

Josh beamed at his best friend. “Congratulations, man. Now you can be an official Kiszka instead of an honorary one.”

“Or Sam could be a Wagner,” you said.

Danny laughed. “I think we’ll probably hyphenate. That way we can be both.”

You crossed to Danny and gave him a hug. “I’m really happy for you,” you said. “For both of you.”

He held you tight. “Thanks. Me too.”

As he let you go, Jake came into the kitchen with Annie on his hip; Jaybird was right behind him, gunning for Josh. Josh laughed and scooped her up, giving her a goofy kiss on her cheek.

“Uncle Joshy!” she protested with a giggle. “How come you didn’t wanna play Barbies with us?”

“I didn’t know you were playing Barbies,” he said. “Was your daddy playing with you?”

“He sure was,” Jake answered. “Barbie and Ken and everybody are having Thanksgiving in the dream house.”

His gaze caught on the ring Danny still held. “Woah, who’s that for?”

“Who do you think?” you said, giving his arm an excited smack. “Danny’s proposing to Sam tonight.”

Jake gave his friend a broad grin. “Oh yeah? Good for you. It’s about time you made Sammy an honest man.”

Josh let Jaybird down to go outside and play with JD and Sam, but Annie was too fascinated by the ring in Danny’s hand to want to join her.

“Pretty,” she said, keeping one arm around Jake’s neck to keep her steady as she leaned close.

Danny chuckled and gently moved it out of reach. “It is pretty,” he agreed. “But it’s a special present for someone else.”

Annie looked slightly crestfallen, but more than that, she looked embarrassed that she’d asked for something Danny wouldn’t give. She hid her face in Jake’s neck.

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

“Aw, honey,” Danny said with a sympathetic smile. He put the ring back in his pocket and took a different ring off his finger, a faded silver band he’d worn for years.

“Hey, Annie,” he said. She looked over at him, and he offered her the ring.

“A special present for me?” she asked.

He smiled. “Yep, this one’s a special present for you.”

She blushed vividly and took the ring; it was much too big for her tiny fingers, but she wore it just the same.

“Thank you, Uncle Danny,” she said quietly.

He chuckled and brushed her hair back from her face. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

She cuddled close to Jake again, turning the ring round and round on her finger. She perked up when she heard her brother and her cousin outside, and Jake let her down so she could scamper out to the back yard and play.

“She’s got it bad for you, Danny,” Jake said, an amused smile on his face.

Danny smiled. “Not you?”

Jake shook his head. “Nah, we’re best buddies, but she’s definitely got a crush on you.”

Jake, Annie, and Jaybird had been an inseparable trio since the girls were very little; both girls knew they had him wrapped around their fingers, and Jake was pleased to be. You thought it was sweet that Annie had taken a shine to Danny, and knew Danny would be gentle with her.

Danny looked out the window again, softening when he saw Sam playing with both kids.

“You better not break my daughter’s heart,” Josh teased.

Danny laughed. “I’ll do what I can.”

Josh gave Danny’s shoulder a reassuring clap, retrieving a couple beers from the fridge.

“You want one?” he asked you, handing one to Danny and his twin.

You shook your head. “No, thanks.” You looked to Jake. “Where’s your beautiful bride?”

He chuckled. “Taking a beautiful nap,” he said. “She’ll be down after a while.”

The four of you talked and laughed while you and Danny continued cooking, the twins sneaking bites and affectionately being as aggravating as they could be. Eventually, Sam and the kids came through the back door, their faces flushed with cold.

JD ran up to Josh and pulled on the hem of his shirt. “Hey dad, guess what!”

Josh smiled. “What?”

“Uncle Sammy said he’s gonna teach me to play bass!”

“Oh yeah?” Josh asked, brushing JD’s hair back from his face. “Maybe you should ask for a bass for Christmas.”

JD’s eyes widened. “Do you think Santa would bring me a green one like Uncle Sammy’s?”

Josh grinned. “If you’re good.”

Josh looked up and met your eyes, and you smiled at each other. Though you’d done some Christmas shopping, you still had more you wanted to get, and you knew you’d be putting a turquoise bass on the list of presents to buy.

Jaybird asked Danny if she could help him make something, and he set her on the counter with a task appropriate for a four year old. JD wanted to help too, but you knew your energetic and easily distracted son would only be underfoot, and you shooed him out of the kitchen.

“Go wash up,” you said, “and I’ll make you and Uncle Sammy some hot chocolate.”

“Okay, mom!”

He raced up the stairs, jacket and knit cap flying onto the floor as he discarded them. Josh crossed to the foot of the stairs and called up, lightly scolding your son and telling him to come put his things where they were supposed to go.

Sam hoisted Annie onto his hip, and she giggled with delight.

“Little miss Annie told me she got a special present from Uncle Danny,” Sam said, giving his partner a sweet smile.

Annie blushed at the attention and pressed closer to Sam, holding her hand out to show him the ring she’d kept in a tight grasp.

“Pretty,” she said shyly.

“It’s very pretty,” Sam agreed, kissing her forehead. “Too bad I don’t have a pretty ring from Uncle Danny too.”

Sam was obviously teasing, but Danny blushed bright pink. Before he could say anything, Annie cupped her hand over Sam’s ear and whispered something to him.

Sam laughed, the sound warm and affectionate. “Yeah, I really love Uncle Danny too.”

You all chuckled, and Annie gave you all a bashful smile in return.

Sam patted her back to ease her shyness. “Let’s go get washed up so we can have some hot chocolate, okay?”

As they left the kitchen, Josh and JD returned and sat at the table together. Josh listened intently as JD described the games that he and Sam had played outside, his expression amused and affectionate. You knew that not much brought Josh more joy than knowing his brothers and his children were so close, and he was never jealous of their affection for Danny, Sam, or Jake.

“We went out in the woods earlier,” JD said. “We built a fort out of branches and stuff. He’s really good at it, dad.”

Josh smiled. “Uncle Sammy was really good at building forts when we were kids, too,” he said. When you’d found this house, part of what made it so perfect was that the back yard bordered a long swath of forest with a few creeks running through it. Josh had wanted his kids to grow up tramping through the woods like you all had.

Sam came back with Annie and they sat across from Josh and JD, all of them chorusing their thanks to you when you handed out mugs of hot chocolate. Danny helped Jaybird down from the counter so she could join her cousins at the table, smiling at her promise to “come right back” and help him cook some more.

“You’ll have to show me your fort, JD,” Jake said, sitting on the boy’s other side. “Maybe we could find a way to make a cool lookout.”

JD grinned. “Aw, yeah! We can pretend we’re outlaws on the run, and take turns watching out for the sheriff.”

“Daddy’s the sheriff,” Annie piped up.

Josh smiled. “Only if you and Jaybird are gonna be my deputies.” The girls giggled their agreement.

“Well, then me and Uncle Jake and Uncle Sammy are the outlaws,” JD said seriously, instructing his little sister and cousin in the finer arts of make-believe. “You guys gotta try and catch us, okay?”

You smiled as you listened to their conversation continue, Josh, Jake, and Sam contributing just as eagerly as your children were. Danny finished up the last of the dinner preparations so he could go out with the crew to the fort while it was still light out; Sparrow came downstairs, looking a little bashful that she’d taken a nap, but you assured her that you were glad she’d gotten to rest.

“Coffee?” you asked.

She put a hand to her heart. “Please.”

JD and Jaybird dragged Sam back outside to play, and the twins sat in the rocking chairs on the porch so Jake could smoke his pipe. Annie curled up in Josh’s lap so he could rock her while he and Jake talked, and you were thankful for a moment with your friend.

“Jake said you were feeling a little worn out,” you said, sitting at the table with her.

She hummed in agreement. “Yeah, you know we did Thanksgiving with my parents before we came here, and that was...”

“A lot,” you offered, and both of you laughed.

“It was nice,” she said, “but yeah, it was a lot. I’m sorry I haven’t been much help today.”

You reached across the table and took her hand. “You don’t have to apologize. I’m glad you’re here, Sparrow, even if all you end up doing is sleeping.”

She smiled. “I’ve missed you.”

You smiled back and gave her hand an affectionate squeeze. “I’ve missed you too, Sparrow.”

The two of you helped Danny tidy up a little so the kitchen wouldn’t be as much of a wreck after dinner. Sparrow eventually got called out to settle a good-natured debate between the twins, and you couldn’t help but smile at the way Jake hung on her every word even if she was disagreeing with him. You really did believe that all of you had found your perfect partners, and you were so thankful for the way your love stories were unfolding side by side.

As Danny put up the last of the dishes, you thought of how he was planning to propose to Sam, and wondered how to bring up your news that you’d planned to share that night.

“You're awfully quiet,” Danny said after a few minutes. He gave you a sweet smile. “Maybe you should take a nap, too. You know we've still got a whole day of festivities to get through.”

You gave a soft laugh. “Yeah, as much as I love the holidays, they do tend to take it out of you, don’t they?”

You looked up at him. “Not that I'm not happy you're here. I love doing Thanksgiving all together.” It was especially true this year, when the boys had just gotten back from a stint of interviews and concerts at smaller, more intimate venues before they took a break through the new year.

Danny smiled. “Me too. Thanks for hosting us all; I know it can't be easy to have so many people in your house, as much fun as we are.”

“Oh, we're glad to have you,” you said with a wave of your hand. “And the kids love it when you stay over.”

Everybody was staying at your house for a few days, and your little ones had been overjoyed to have a “slumber party” with them. You all lived apart, now; though you'd all lived in Frankenmuth when you were younger and had settled in various places over the years, you and Josh had moved back home to be closer to both sets of grandparents when JD was born. Jake and Sparrow still lived in Nashville, and you stayed near them a few months out of the year when Josh had to be close to the studio. Sam and Danny hadn't decided on anywhere permanent, preferring to travel before they settled down for good.

“Sam was really excited to visit,” Danny said. “He couldn't stop talking about it after you invited us.”

You smiled. “Josh was excited too. He keeps trying to figure out a way to convince all of you to move back up here.”

Danny looked thoughtful. “Maybe we will. It might be nice, once we're married.”

You bit your lip, thinking again about the upcoming proposal.

“I need to talk to you about something,” you said.

His expression turned a little concerned.

“Sure,” he said. “Everything ok?”

“Yeah,” you assured him. “Its actually... well, it's something good.”

When you didn't offer any more, he raised a brow.

“But?”

You sighed. “I'm happy that you're proposing to Sam tonight,” you said. “I'm glad you decided to do it while you're here, that way we can all celebrate the two of you together. But... I'm worried I'll steal your thunder.”

He looked bemused for a moment before his eyes widened.

“Oh my god,” he said, and he couldn't keep an excited smile from his face. “Are you pregnant?”

You couldn't help a bashful smile. “Yeah.”

Before you could say anything else, he laughed and took you in a bear hug.

“That's fantastic! Congratulations!”

You laughed and hugged him back. “Thank you.” It was wonderful to tell someone, and you'd always known your family would be happy about it.

He let you go but still watched your face with a broad smile.

“You're telling everybody tonight?” he asked.

“Well, that was the plan, but if you're going to propose, I don't want to – ”

“No, don't worry about that,” he said quickly. “It'll be great. More to celebrate.”

He looked a little guilty, then. “Unless I should wait, so I don't steal your thunder – ”

You smiled. “No, you won't. You're right, it's just more to celebrate.”

He grinned. “Have you told Josh yet?”

You shook your head. “You're the first person I've told. I have this cute little announcement thing I was going to do, and I wanted you all to be here. You know Josh would've called you all anyway, and now he can gush about it to his heart's content.”

“As he should,” Danny said. He gave you another quick hug.

“I'm really happy for both of you,” he said.

You beamed. “Thank you. I'm really happy too, and I know Josh is going to be over the moon.”

There was another part of it that you hadn't told Danny; you would keep that a secret until you announced it after dinner, and you could barely wait to tell Josh.

JD came in and took Danny by the hand, saying that he was needed to play at the fort; you and Sparrow declined a journey into the woods and volunteered to stay and keep an eye on everything in the oven, both of you secretly glad to get a little downtime while the guys took the kids for a while.

When everyone came together in the dining room for dinner, it was chaos in the best way. Conversations and laughter overlapped as you enjoyed the food you and Danny had prepared, the kids telling you all about their game at the fort with unflagging enthusiasm.

“We were pretty good outlaws,” JD said, “but dad was a really good sheriff. We had to make the fort even better to keep from getting dragged into the jailhouse.”

You met your husband's eyes over the sea of loved ones, and he gave you that smile that still gave you butterflies after all these years. You were so excited to tell him you were pregnant; he had taken to fatherhood like it was what he was always meant to do, and you were so happy and proud to have him as your partner.

When everyone had eaten their fill and the adults were drinking coffee, you sat around the table and said what you were thankful for. JD was thankful that his uncles were here to play with him; Annie and Jaybird, after they’d talked in giggly whispers about it, decided they were thankful for each other and Annie’s Barbies.

“What are you thankful for, mama?” Annie asked.

You glanced at Danny, and he gave you a warm smile. You twisted your fingers in your lap, a fluttery kind of excitement rushing through you, and Josh took your hand in his.

“I'm thankful for our family,” you said, looking around the table at each beloved face: Jake, Sparrow, Sam, Danny, and the little ones. When you met Josh's eyes, you couldn’t help a beaming smile.

You squeezed his hand. “And I'm thankful that we're going to have two new little Kiszkas soon.”

Everyone was quiet for a moment. Then, all together, your family erupted in pandemonium.

“You're pregnant?” Sam and Jake asked together.

“Two?” Danny and Sparrow repeated.

JD and Annie clamored for your attention. “Who, mama, who?”

Josh didn't say anything at first. Then, with the biggest grin, he leaned in and kissed you deeply.

“I love you,” he said, only for you to hear. His face was alight with pride and adoration; for a moment, it was only you and him, and you'd never been more in love with him.

Then everything came rushing back, and you were answering excited questions and repeating that yes, you were in fact pregnant, and yes, it was twins. Sam and Danny were already ribbing Josh about the karmic significance of having twins, who would likely be just as much a handful as he and Jake had been. Jake was passionately defending how much twins were an asset to any family, and he teased Sparrow about trying for twins until she blushed a becoming pink and hushed him with a quick kiss.

Your children came around to stand by you and Josh, asking a hundred questions each.

“We’re getting a new baby?” JD asked, practically jumping up and down with excitement.

“Two new babies,” Josh reminded him. “They’ll be twins.”

“Twins!” Annie repeated. “Like you and Uncle Jakey.”

Josh grinned. “That’s right.”

JD tugged on your sleeve. “What are we gonna name them, mama?” Then, without waiting for an answer – “Do you think it’s gonna be boy twins or girl twins?”

You smiled. “I don’t know, sweetheart. It could be a boy and a girl. We’ll have to go see the doctor and find out.”

Annie looked stricken. “The doctor? Are the new babies sick?”

Josh drew her into his lap and cuddled her. “No, honey, they’re alright. Mama’s alright too. The doctor just makes sure everything’s okay for mama and the new babies.”

Her expression cleared. “Oh. I hope it’s a nice doctor for mama and the babies.”

He smiled. “Me too.”

When you’d answered all their questions, JD and Annie went back to the rest of the family and chattered excitedly about their new babies that mama and daddy were getting them. Sam, Jake, and Sparrow, and Danny indulged them and listened intently, sharing their own excitement for their new nephews or nieces.

Everyone helped clear the table, and as you came into the kitchen, the kids rushed to the french doors.

“It’s snowing!” they said together.

“Can we go play, mama?” JD asked.

You smiled. “Sure, but you have to get bundled up first,” you said. “Otherwise we’re going to have to defrost three little Kiszka popsicles.”

The kids giggled at the idea, and you treasured the sound of their laughter. You helped them dress warmly and weren’t surprised when they asked Sparrow and the boys to join them.

“Will you and daddy come play too?” Annie asked.

You helped her put her mittens on. “In a minute,” you promised. “Me and daddy have to talk for a second, but we’ll be out soon.”

She squealed in delight when Danny put her on his shoulders – “You’re like a giant, Uncle Danny!” – and you smiled as you watched the five of them play in the snow that was already starting to stick to the ground.

Josh joined you at the door, coming up behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Mrs. Kiszka,” he said, pressing a kiss to your neck.

You turned and touched your hand to his cheek. “Happy Thanksgiving, Josh.”

He kissed you, slow and sweet, and you could feel the depth of his admiration and love for you in every brush of his body against yours. You remembered how much you’d loved him when you were young, and wondered what the besotted girl at the cabin would think about your life with Josh now. You’d imagined a lot of things, even before you told him you loved him; now, even your wildest dreams couldn’t compare with the steady love of your sweet husband and the children he’d given you.

“Twins, huh?” he teased, and you could feel his smile.

You grinned. “The world needed another set of Kiskza twins, don’t you think?”

He chuckled. “If they’re anything like me and Jake, we’ll have our hands full.”

You faced him, still held close, and draped your arms around his neck.

“If they’re anything like you and Jake, I’ll be very lucky to be their mama.”

He hugged you close, and you let yourself melt against him.

“I love you,” he said. He pulled back just enough to meet your eyes. “I’m so proud of you. I love how you love our kids; I love that we’re having more kids. I love how you keep our home full of light and happiness. I don’t deserve you, baby.”

You brushed your fingers over his cheek. “Josh,” you said softly, adoringly. He’d only gotten more handsome as he'd gotten older, and you never tired of seeing the lines that joy and laughter had etched into his beloved face.

“You want to know something kind of crazy?” you asked.

He laughed. “Sure.”

You smiled. “The last day at the cabin, when I came downstairs after washing the dishes and listened to you guys play – I was imagining having kids with you.”

“Were you really?” he asked, delighted and amused.

You giggled. “I was daydreaming about what kind of house we would have, and how many kids we would have running around in the yard, and all the kinds of things that people usually aren’t worried about on their very first day of dating someone.”

“Well, it wasn’t our first day of dating,” he said. “I count it from the day we had our first kiss.”

You smiled at the memory, and he watched your face with a gentle gaze.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said tenderly. “And you make beautiful babies. I like that you were thinking about our kids on our second day together.”

“Me too,” you said. “And we do make beautiful babies, don’t we?”

He smiled and kissed you. “Sure do, mama.”

He kissed you for a long while, telling you through his touch how much he loved you. The sounds of little Kiszkas laughing and playing with big Kiszkas outside was a comforting backdrop, and you were so thankful you were all together.

“Are we still going with the John Denver thing?” he asked, both of you catching your breath as he held you close.

You smiled. “Why mess with a good thing, right?” On Jake’s suggestion, you’d named your daughter after a John Denver song since your son was named for him, and you’d figured you would carry on the tradition with your twins.

“What are some names to pick from?” you asked.

Josh looked thoughtful. “Hm... let’s see. There’s Calypso, but that might be a little too eccentric, even for me. There’s Bobbie, Melinda, Casey, Mr. Bojangles – ”

You gave his shoulder a playful smack. “I’m not naming my kid Bojangles.”

Josh grinned. “Why not? It’s got a little bit of a ring to it. Bojangles Kiszka.”

You laughed. “Your mother would kill you if you named her grandbaby Bojangles.”

He chuckled and gave you a chaste kiss. “Okay, no on Bojangles then. How about... Jesse? Or Eli?”

“Or both,” you said.

He beamed at you. “Yeah, or both. For a girl, we could do Molly. Or Isabel. Or both.”

You gave a happy sigh and brushed his curls behind his ear. “I like all of those. We’ll have to wait and see, I guess, and mix and match from there.” You didn’t say, but you knew, somehow, that it was going to be two boys, just like Josh and Jake. You also knew that your little Jesse and Eli, just like JD and Annie, couldn’t have better role models than their dad and his three brothers.

“Speaking of John Denver,” Josh said, pulling you into a slow dance. “The singer, not our son – have I ever sung ‘Heart to Heart’ to you?”

You smiled. “A million times. But sing it to me again.”

He rested his cheek against yours and took your hand in his, his other hand around your waist as he held you close.

“And I know that love is everywhere, always safe, always true,” he sang softly. “My heart to yours, your heart to mine; love is a light that shines from heart to heart.”

You kissed him. “I love you, Josh.”

He rested his forehead against yours. “I love you, baby.”

—

You and Josh joined the rest of your family outside, and you spent a long time playing together in the snow. Sam, as he always had been, was stunningly accurate in a snowball fight; JD begged Sam to teach him, and both of them were delighted when Sparrow proved herself even better than Sam. Josh, Danny, and Jake put their heads together and built a giant snowman, and you, Jaybird, and Annie made snow angels.

When the kids’ exhaustion started to compete with their enthusiasm, you gathered them up and took them inside. Sam started a fire in the living room fireplace, and everyone got warmed up while those of you with little ones got them ready for bed.

“Thanks for playing with us,” JD said with a yawn.

Josh pulled the covers over him and brushed his hair back from his face.

“You're welcome,” he said gently.

JD snuggled against his pillow and leaned into Josh's touch. “I missed you while you were gone, daddy.”

Josh met your eyes. JD hardly ever called him that any more, and you knew Josh had missed it. You also knew that no matter how much he loved playing music, it was always hard for Josh to be away from his children.

Josh brushed his thumb over JD's cheek. “I missed you too, buddy,” he said, and his voice was a little hoarse. “I love you.”

“Love you,” JD mumbled, already falling asleep. Josh kissed his forehead before he rose and followed you to Annie's room.

“Sing me my song, daddy,” Annie said as you got her into her nightgown. When she was dressed and had her teddy bear safely in hand, Josh scooped her up and tucked her into bed.

“Your song, huh?” Josh teased. “And what song would that be?”

She giggled. “Annie's song, silly!”

Josh touched a hand to his forehead. “That's right. I remember.”

He lay next to her and held her close, brushing his fingers through her hair. You took a moment to tidy up her room and put on her nightlight, enjoying the sound of your husband's voice.

“You fill up my senses like a night in the forest, like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain.”

Annie snuggled closer, the lullaby Josh had used since she was a baby already pulling her towards sleep.

“Like a storm in the desert,” Josh sang, gently tapping her button nose. “Like a sleepy blue ocean. You fill up my senses, come fill me again.”

Your little girl was out like a light, and Josh carefully unwound her little arms from him as he got up from her bed. You gave her a kiss, and got a sleepy little “goodnight, mama” in return.

“Night night, sweetheart,” you said softly. When you closed her door behind you, Josh pulled you close.

“Thanks for having babies with me,” he said.

You smiled. “You might change your tune when we're up all night with two infants.”

You felt his smile as he kissed you. “Not a chance.”

You came back downstairs to see Jake and Sparrow looking out the window above the sink, an affectionate smile on both of their faces.

“Come look,” Jake said, gesturing outside. You and Josh squeezed next to them so you could all look out, and you smiled when you saw Danny and Sam walking in the snow together.

“Oh my god, oh my god!” You grabbed Josh's sleeve in excitement as you watched Danny get down on one knee.

You could hear Sam's laugh, all bright and beautiful, and he let Danny put the ring on his finger before he cupped Danny's face and kissed him. Without breaking the kiss, Danny stood and took Sam in his arms, holding him close as the snow fell on both of them.

You, Sparrow, and the twins all cooed at the tender scene, and you welcomed them back inside with cheers and wolf whistles. Danny was glowing with pride and pleasure; you could tell Sam had been crying, but he beamed at you when he showed you all his ring.

“You're looking at the future Mr. Kiszka-Wagner,” he said. He glanced back at Danny and grinned at him. “Well, one of them.”

When you'd given them both a hug, you and Sparrow took Sam's hand and led him to the side while Josh, Jake, and Danny shared a congratulatory round of drinks. Sparrow poured Sam a crown and coke and you wet the corner of a dishcloth in warm water so he could wash his face.

“You two cried when Jake and Josh proposed to you, didn't you?” he asked with a laugh.

Sparrow smiled and handed him his drink. “Yes, we did, and you gotta have a shot too. It’s tradition.”

The tradition had started when Josh had proposed to you, with your permission, from the stage at the Nashville concert of the Strange Horizons tour; a few girls in the pit had given you tissues and a shot of fireball to celebrate. You and Sparrow had had a shot when Jake proposed, and now the tradition lived on with Sam. You remembered the thrill of being proposed to and wearing your ring for the first time, and you knew what Sam must be feeling.

You hugged him again, holding tight. “I'm so happy for both of you, Sam.”

He grinned. “Thanks, kiddo.”

Jake made hot toddies to keep everybody warm, and you all piled into the living room to watch Christmas Vacation as a cosy fire crackled in the grate. Jake and Sparrow snuggled up in the loveseat while Danny and Sam cuddled on one end of the couch; before Josh took his spot next to you, he handed you a mug.

“Earl grey for you, mama bear,” he said, and affectionately tweaked your cheek.

You hadn't gotten through ten minutes of the movie before you heard the tell-tale sound of little feet on the stairs, and none of you were surprised when JD, Annie, and Jaybird peeked their heads around the doorway.

Josh patted your knee. “Your little ones are up, mama.”

You gave an exaggerated gasp. “Little Kiszkas out of bed? Come here, munchkins.”

Delighted that they weren’t in trouble, they scampered into the living room, grinning at being included. Jaybird went to snuggle with her mom and dad, JD cuddled close between you and Josh, and Annie asked if she could go sit with Sam and Danny.

You smiled. “If you ask nicely, I bet you can.”

She crossed to her uncles. “Can I please sit with you?”

Danny smiled and scooped her up to sit between him and Sam. “Of course you can, sweetheart.”

She giggled and curled up between them, and you softened at the tender expression on Sam and Danny’s faces.

“Is this a big kid movie, mama?” JD asked.

You brushed your fingers through his hair. “Sort of, but we'll make an exception tonight. Lean on daddy's shoulder and try to go back to sleep, ok?”

He did as you said, curling up next to Josh, who took the blanket from the back of the couch and put it over him. You knew the little ones would fall back asleep soon, and you enjoyed their closeness.

You looked around at your little family, all warm and happy and snuggled close. You wouldn't have had it any other way.

Josh leaned over JD to give you a chaste kiss.

“Love you, baby.”

You smiled and kissed him back, happier than you had ever been. “Love you too.”