Courtney was lying on the couch, her socked feet propped up. Duncan was sitting next to her feet, and Alex and Daniel were sleeping soundly on the loveseat.

"I'm gonna take them up." Courtney spoke up, her eyes leaving the television screen in front of them.

"I got it." Duncan interrupted, as he pushed Courtney back down on the couch, and went to pick up Alex and Daniel from the chair.

Courtney raised a suspicious eyebrow as to why he was being so nice all of a sudden.

"Mhmm." was all Courtney could mutter before letting her eyes follow Duncan up the stairs with their kids. She couldn't help but let a small smirk spread across her lips.

Courtney's POV

Not long after going up, he came back down. He brushed invisible dust particles from his bottoms before taking a seat back down on the couch.

I briefly glanced at him before averting my eyes to the television.

"Sooo… tell me about yourself. What's been going on in your life lately?" Duncan asked me, trying to form a conversation. Most likely to brush earlier's conflict.

I didn't respond.

"Come on. Something's gotta be going on in your life. Any boyfriends, new jobs, vacations…?" He pressed, gently rubbing my leg.

I smacked his hand away.

"Feisty are we? What are you pregnant?" He asked, pressing even harder.

"Oh nothing really." I responded quickly, becoming quite agitated. "Just single handedly taking care of 4 growing kids every day, 24/7, 30-31 days out of a month for 12 months while their dad is laying on his ass living the good life. Sounds great right?" I spat with sarcasm, fakely smiling.

Duncan chuckled and bowed his head for a moment. "Ha, that card huh?" he said.

"And you'd think after allll these years, a strong woman like you wouldn't still be holding on to the past… And by way more than a thread. Letting it still tear and eat you up. Letting it cause you to put your guards up against me and everyone else who asks questions…" Duncan said, testing his waters. "I guess I get my props because I sure did break. you. down." he finalized.

I turned red in the face, my knuckles turning tan to pale white from squeezing them together with such anger. I snapped my head around the room to see if any of the kids were around. Luckily, they were all upstairs. I couldn't believe the heart this bastard had.

"Look here you bastard! You have not broken me down! I continue to fight, and I will fight until I prove you wrong! You were wrong for what you did to Maddie, Alex, and Ethan! The only one you treated right was Daniel, and you still aren't doing what you could because you decided to be the jackass you were and always will be, and up and left us. I never invited you back. Never gave you a fucking ticket. But every damn weekend, whoop-de-fucking-do, there you are. At the front door for a fucking 8 or so hour visit because your house isn't suitable! What type of shit is that!? A dad should be there for his kids fucking 24/7! And no, I've never cursed like this a day in my life, but Duncan… You-you fucking piss me off! You walk all big and bad, high and mighty, like you own every mother fucking thing. But in the inside, you're just a big pussy. A big, fat pussy! I fucking hate you for walking out on these kids, and I can't tell you that enough! I'm fucking pissed, and I got tired of crying every mother fucking night about a no good piece of shit! I can't fucking deny still loving you, even if I wanted to because I do Duncan! I do! I still love you, but emotionally, physically, mentally…I fucking hate you! It'd be better if you were dead than anything. But what would happen then? I'd get depressed all over again, and live a life of fucking misery because I still love you. And it kills me to know how much I love you, because I don't want to anymore! I don't! And even if I cry my eyes out, and bang my head against the wall a million times, it will not take the pain a-way Duncan!"

By now, I had risen from my seat in anger, face as red as a beet, but those tears I thought would soon perk up in the corner of my eyes never came, luckily. I was getting stronger with this. Or maybe this is what I needed to do. Vent.

"Courtney…" Duncan said to me softly. He moved toward me and grabbed my arms.

I shuddered in his grip.

"I needed it. I needed… that." He said.

"I've went on so many years without answers. I know why I left, I just wanted to know how you felt." he said.

"I don't mean to make you so upset…. but...*sigh* I'm sorry." He ended, as he pulled my body into his arms, and gave me the most bearing hug of my life.

Those tears I thought wouldn't come began to tickle my eyeballs, daring to fall but they didn't.

"D-Duncan. . ." I began, my voice cracking. "I just can't. We can't. I just can't put myself through it again." I said.

Duncan sighed, feeling defeated.

"But I would like to thank you…" I trailed, biting my bottom lip.

"Thank me?" He questioned, giving me a look of confusion.

"I had so much of that bottled up. I wanted to let it out somewhere, with someone. To somebody… to something… But I couldn't. And that… that line you asked… it helped me let it all out… to let it all go. And I want to thank you for that." I explained to him.

For the first time in a long time, that weight I felt over my heart whenever Duncan was around, or I heard his voice or name lifted. For the first time in a long time I was no longer mad at him, or resented him for anything. In this very moment, I was just as carefree as I'd ever been.

I saw Duncan's face noticeably brighten up.

"I've never gotten that closure though Duncan…" I said.

"Well this is all the closure you'll need." He replied, as he leaned in and gave me the most passionate kiss we've ever shared. I returned it, and made sure to deepen it. This was a kiss that would last me forever in my book. Not an "I Want You Back" kiss, but more so of an "Thank You" kiss. It lasted a few seconds.

I let out a satisfied moan when we broke apart. I was satisfied with the closure that I desperately needed, but also was dying inside for more.

We both stared at each other and silence filled the room.

"I don't know if it's just me or do I want to rip your fucking clothes of right here, right now and make love to you like never before?" Duncan said to me with lust filled eyes.

"So much you couldn't even imagine." I admitted, blushing.

"So I guess it's time for you to let me go." I added, looking down at his hands that were wrapped around my slim frame.

"Heh heh… yeah…" Duncan trailed, blushing a bit. He released his hold on me, and dropped his hands to his sides.

"Oh my gosh Duncan." I gasped. "Oh my gosh Duncan, you have that blush." I shrieked.

"What blush?" he asked, turning his lip up.

"That blush. You haven't blushed like that since you met my parents, or had an orgasm." I said, rubbing his cheek and beginning to blush myself.

"Now, I have another one to add to my list." I said.

"N-no I don't! I don't blush when I have orgasms." he defended, turning his face up.

"Yes you do." I said.

"Well… what eve." He said, pouting his lip.

"Jeez, you look so much like Maddie." I said, as I turned away from him and began walking to his couch.

"Well if you wanna talk about my 'orgasm effects', let's put you on the spot. Either you're doing some serious squats or your boyfriend's doing his job." He said to me.

I blushed so hard I swore my face was on fire.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked, placing both her hands on my butt.

"You know what I'm talking about. You're butt doesn't get like that out of thin air. Someone's hittin' that." he said, pointing to my woman hood.

I blushed even deeper (if possible) and furrowed my eyebrows.

"No one's having sex with me!" I shot defensively, lying of course.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Your cakes haven't been that thick since I've hit em'." he said arrogantly.

"Nun-uh. I've just been eating more "soul food" lately. That's all." I weakly lied.

"Mmhmm. Sure you are. That's the saaaame excuse you used to use on your mother when she pointed it out when you were with me." he said.

"N-N-NO it's not! You're lying! You don't remember that! My butt is not getting fatter! It just looks that way because you haven't seen me in a while." I lied.

"So I guess it got like that in 7 days huh? Cus' that's the last time I saw you." he said.

"Okay Duncan. Whatever you say." I scoffed, walking away, no longer desiring to continue the embarrassing conversation with him.

Duncan walked up behind me, and pushed deep into my 'woman-parts' from behind with his hand. I arched my back and moaned.

I quickly moved covered my mouth and smacked him cold-cocked across the face.

"What the fuck Duncan!?"

"You're more sensitive too. Someone's getting laid." he said smirking at me.

I swear if it was possible I would've been burgundy by now. The redness would not leave me face.

"Well maybe I am! But who cares?!" I defended.

"Hey, lucky him." he said, pretending to be nonchalant but anyone who knew Duncan knew he was bothered by it.

"Ugh!" I groaned. "You sure know how to ruin a good moment!"

"That's me for ya babe." He said, a smirk still pried on his face

Regular POV

Duncan and Courtney were stopped mid-conversation by a loud thud, followed by Daniel crying hysterically. Courtney's heart jumped into her throat. She hopped up from her spot on the couch and hopped up the staircase like a professional Olympian. Duncan wasn't too far behind her.

At his door they saw Ethan with his hand over his mouth staring into Daniel's room.

"What did you do?" Duncan snarled, grabbing Ethan's arm.

"I didn't do anything, I swear!" Ethan teared up, afraid.

There Daniel was, laying on the floor crying his heard out.

"Oh my god, baby what happened!?" Courtney cried out as she picked the horrified child up.

Daniel wouldn't answer.

"What did you see!?" Duncan asked Ethan.

"N-Nothing dad!" he shuddered.

Maddison and Alex ran in at the sound of all the commotion.

Courtney cradled her still crying son. "Baby, you have to tell me what's wrong." She tried to soothe, rubbing her hand through his hair.

"I swear if you're lying to me…" Duncan began as he let go of Ethan and began walking over to Courtney and his other son.

"Put him down for a sec Court." Duncan instructed. "Maddz, hand me some tissue would you?" he called out.

Maddie went to do the deed. Alex, half scared to death, trailed behind her.

"What?!" Courtney said. "He's obviously hurt, why would you want me to put him down?" she questioned.

"Just listen to me." Duncan said. And so she did.

Duncan scanned his son's body. Lifting up his shirt, pulling down his pants and searching through his hair. It was when he turned his frail son around that he spotted the big, purple bruise on the back on his leg.

"He's bruised." Duncan stated. "Dani." He started as he lifted his son's head up. "You have to tell us what's wrong or we can't help you. What happened to your leg?" he pressed.

"E-E-E-E…E-Ettie did it." He cried out, pointing to his older brother, Ethan.

"You little-" Duncan began as he started to get up. At that time Maddie hurriedly returned to the room with the toilet paper her father asked for. He wiped his son's face which was now ruby red from crying his heart out, snot messily coming from his nose.

"What did you do!?" Courtney asked Ethan.

"I-I-I didn't mean it!" he yelled, tears now rimming his grey orbs, quite flustered.

"What do you mean you didn't mean it? What did you do? When I asked you said nothing!" Duncan yelled, getting angered at his lying son.

Courtney then removed herself from the floor, her son slowly calming down in Duncan's arms.

"Ethan Michaels, you better tell me what you did this instant or you're going to be in for it." Courtney threatened, coming down directly to her son's eye level.

"I'm soooorryyyyy!" he began to sob. "I was jumping on his bed and-and… he told me to stop but I wouldn't." he said through sobs. "He was just crawling under his bed to get his toy and then I broke it. I broke the bed!" Ethan admitted, cheeks now red.

"And why didn't you tell us this at first?" Duncan asked.

"I-I…I was scared I was going to get in trouble. It was really an accident. I swear." Ethan said.

"Why didn't you stop when he asked you to Ethan?" Courtney questioned.

"I-I-I dunno'…I didn't want to." Ethan responded truthfully.

Ethan was always one for trouble. The hardheaded one. Him and his sister. They both always got into trouble. Very mischievous. Even when they were younger they'd get into everything and cause havoc. Nobody wanted to babysit them. Especially both at the same time. Ethan and Alex never listened. To their parents of course, but other than that, they were two sneaky foxes, just waiting to find something to get into next.

"You didn't want to, huh?" Courtney said. "Well I hope you want to get time out, because you have it." She added.

"Nooo. Noo, noo, noo, nooo. Mooom." Ethan cried, falling to the floor and throwing a tantrum.

"As soon as we leave here, you stay here…and don't come out. Do you understand me?" Courtney directed.

"Aghhhh!" He cried out.

"What was that?" Courtney asked, glaring at him.

"Yes ma'am." He corrected.

"You okay now little man?" Duncan asked his sniffling son.

"Y-yes." Daniel managed out. "Leg, weally huwts." He said, pouting sadly and reaching for the bruised part of his leg.

"I know, I know." Duncan said as he rubbed it for him.

"We need to get him an ice pack." He said to Courtney.

"Are you sure it isn't broken?" Courtney asked worriedly.

"Nah, it's fine. Just some serious bruising." Duncan said. "How'd this happen?" he asked his son.

"I-I was pwaying wit' my Batman and Ethan came and took it fwom me. I told him give it back, but he no listen and he wan on my bed and was jumping wit' it. I wasn't a big boy daddy, I was cwying." He said to his father honestly, looking up at his eyes for his reaction.

"It's okay, now go ahead." Duncan encouraged.

"And I couldn't weach him. I's too short. So I tell him stop but he no stop. And-and, I saw my cool toy under my bed so I went to get it. And when I was awmost out, the bed fell on my weg." He finished pointing to his badly bruised leg, tearing up.

"Aww Dani, it's gonna be alright." Duncan soothed him, bringing his son's head to his chest and rubbing his hair.

"Come on, let's go downstairs." Duncan said as he got up. "You can walk on it right?" Duncan asked.

His son stumbled a bit then walked at a steady pace until he was out of the room. "Good. Come on." He said to his son as he swooped him up into his arms and took him downstairs to the kitchen.

"Is he gonna be okay mom?" Maddie asked worried.

"Yeah, he'll be fine honey." Courtney answered, giving her daughter a kiss on the forehead. Maddie smiled.

"What about Ethan?" Alex asked, concerned for her twin brother.

"Don't you worry about him." Courtney answered as she peered back at Ethan who was standing in his doorway, eyes locked on their conversation. He scurried back into the room at his mother's gaze.

"Oh." Alex said numbly under her breath. She hated when her brother got in trouble.

"Icepack's in the fridge Duncan." Courtney said.

"Duncan opened the freezer with one hand, his young son in the other, thumb in mouth.

"You okay man?" Duncan asked.

"Yeah. I'm uhtay daddy." He replied, thumb still in mouth.

"What'd I tell you about that?" Duncan asked his son as he placed him on the living room's couch.

"Sowwy daddy." Daniel said apologetically as he took his thumb out of his mouth.

Duncan's POV

It was Courtney's fault Dani had adapted to sucking his thumb all the time. It all started off with his pacifier. He sucked his pacifier all the way up until he was two. Took us forever to wean him off the damn thing. Two was just too old to be sucking a pacifier. It was used to shut babies up, not toddlers. I always warned her about how it'd screw his teeth up but she never listened. She let him suck, suck, suck until he couldn't anymore. If it weren't for me he'd probably be still on the damn thing. Every chance I got, I snatched the wretched thing right from his lips. He'd cry of course, but I didn't care. I couldn't have my son sucking a paci' the rest of his life. Courtney hated me for it. "Why can't you just let him be?" she'd nag. I'd ignore her bickering of course and continue to take the pacifiers from my son. So many times that I finally got sick of it and found every single one in the house, car and in bags that I threw them all out and burned them. Courtney? Oh yeah she was peeved. But the habit was seriously getting out of hand. Daniel was to the point where if he didn't have his "binkie", as he would call it, he wouldn't go to sleep. Not only that but throw embarrassing tantrums. And that was anywhere. He didn't care. That's when I had my breakthrough and got rid of 'em all.

Daniel finally realized he wasn't getting any more pacifiers so he took his thumb in instead. He cried of course. Cried for days until he couldn't cry anymore. Got himself sick and all from crying so much, but it was for his own good. No. More. Binkies was my new motto.

Regular POV

Courtney sucked her teeth at Dani popping his thumb from his mouth. Duncan shot her a look. "Problem princess?" he questioned.

"I just don't get your point." She told him, rolling her eyes and folding her arms.

"In?" he questioned.

"Telling him not to suck his thumb. He's not hurting anyone." She said.

"He's hurting himself. Give him a couple years, his teeth will be sticking out his mouth like a monster. I know you've seen those kids. Those kids who top row are poking out. And you know why? Because they take on bad habits such as sucking their thumb or having their parents allow them to suck a pacifier past the time they're supposed to be." He said.

Courtney sighed. "Whatever Duncan."

Dani's eyes went wide as Duncan placed the freezing ice-pack under his son's leg.

"Ahh daddy! It's cold!" he shrieked.

"Is that my son screaming like a girl?" Duncan questioned, raising an eyebrow at his son.

"No, no! Not Dani Michaels." Daniel said, puffing his face out and lifting his chest.

Duncan laughed at the sight. "You're so cute." He said, ruffling his son's hair. Dani gave him a cheesy smile back.

Daniel was soundly sleeping, lying on his father's warm chest. Duncan moved his hand back and forth through Daniel's curly locks.

"Mom, I'm hungry." Alex said, walking into the living room.

"What do you want to eat?" Courtney asked.

"I'm hungry too. How's about we go out to eat?" Duncan chirped in.

Courtney's eyes widened a bit. All of them? Going to dinner together?

"All of us?" Courtney questioned, secretly hoping that maybe, just maybe he'd say no, and that he and the kids were just going.

"Yup." Duncan replied. "You mind?" He asked.

"N-No." Courtney lied through her teeth. "But Dani's so sound asleep. We can stay behind." She added.

With that comment, Duncan instantly knew Courtney was uncomfortable going out as a family to dinner.

"Oh come on Court, don't be like that. It's for the kidssss, remember?" he pressed.

Courtney let out a defeated sigh. Maybe she was being quite selfish. Because of her own problems with Duncan, she didn't want to come together as a family to just simply go out to dinner.

"Oh, alright." She said.

"Yessss!" Duncan said to himself.

"I'll get the kids together. Where do you wanna go?" Courtney asked.

"Doesn't matter. Friday's sound good?" he asked.

"Yeah." Courtney replied.

"Well Friday's is it." Duncan smiled.

Courtney removed herself from her place on the love seat and reached for Daniel.

"Don't worry about him. I got him." Duncan said. Courtney shrugged and held onto Alex's hand, walking up the stairs.

"What are you thinking of as today's colors?" Courtney asked her young daughter.

"Blue!" Alex replied enthusiastically.

"Blue it is." Courtney said as she entered her daughter's room and rummaged through her dresser drawers. She threw out a pretty baby blue butterfly top with white jeans.

"Please, please, pleeease don't ruin your jeans." Courtney begged.

"I won't Mom." Alex smiled.

"Alright. Wash up and get dressed honey." Courtney said to her daughter before exiting the room.

Courtney then walked down the Maddie's room. She saw her daughter's pretty sleeping figure.

"Must've had an exhausting day." Courtney thought to herself.

"Maddie honey, wake up." She said, gently shaking her daughter.

Maddie didn't budge. Waking up Maddie was always a difficult and frustrating task.

"Honey you have to get up. We're going out for dinner." Courtney pleaded.

"DINNER!" Maddie yelled as she hopped right awake.

Food was always the trick. Quite greedy like her father, indeed she was.

Courtney smiled. "Please find a suitable outfit for yourself. It's kind of chilly out so wear jeans."

"Okay." Maddie said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Courtney then left her room to go to Ethan's.

Courtney knocked at his door before entering.

"Ethannn." She said in a sing song tone.

Ethan glanced at his mother, then quickly turned back around, staring out his window, arms folded around his balled up knees.

"Ethan, I hope you're still not mad." Courtney said, beginning to walk over to her clearly upset son.

"I got in trouble for nothing!" he spat, turning away more from his mother that took a place next to him on his bed.

"It wasn't for nothing Ethan. You know exactly what it was for, and you were wrong." She said back.

"I know but, Dad was pretty mad at me." He said sadly, looking into his mother's eyes.

"Aww honey, he's not that upset at you. As a matter of fact, he's not upset at all anymore." Courtney reassured.

"Really?" Ethan said, looking up at his mother with hopeful eyes.

"Yes, really." Courtney said. "You just have to stop being so darn mischievous Ethan. That can get you on a lot of bad people's side." She added.

"Okay." He said in a glum tone.

Courtney hugged her son. "You know both mommy and daddy love you very much, right?" she asked him.

"Yeah." He replied back, finally sharing a smile with his mother.

"Now we're about to go out. I need you to be on your best behavior Ethan. Please. Wash yourself up and your clothes will be on your bed by time you get back." She explained to him.

"Okay!" He said cheerfully as he ran off to the bathroom.

As Courtney was leaving from his room, Duncan was entering it, Daniel in arms.

"Hey mommy." Daniel spoke, smiling happily at her.

"Hey baby, how's that leg doing?" She asked, slightly tickling him.

He let out a giggle, "It's feels a-wot better." Daniel said giving her a thumbs up.

"Tell your mom to get out. We have manly business to tend to." Duncan told his son.

"Get out mommy. Out, out out!" Daniel yelled with his tiny voice. "We have man bin-ess to ten to."

"I was just leaving." Courtney said, a smile on her face from her young son.

Duncan and Daniel shared a laugh as Courtney exited the room.

"Wanna be like daddy today?" He asked his son.

"I aways wanna be like daddy." Daniel answered, clapping his hands.

"C'mon." Duncan told his son as he let him down from his arms.

Duncan picked out a little black t-shirt with the all familiar skull on it with jeans and tiny red converses. He had personally got the shirt made once Daniel was born. He figured he'd grow into it, which he finally did.

Duncan picked up his son and took him to the bathroom for a wipe down before dressing him.

"Everyone ready to go?" Duncan asked.

"All weady." Daniel replied as he lifted his arms up for Duncan to carry him. He got his wish granted as Duncan's strong arms swooped him up.

Courtney looked at him and laughed at the sight. A mini Duncan.

"Smooth." She commented to Duncan as she used her keychain to unlock the car doors as the twins ran to the driveway and to the car happily. She drove a silver Pacifica van; a black BMW 2012 when she was out without the kids. Maddie groaned. Car rides with the twins were always hectic and chaotic. If they weren't fighting with each other, they were irritating her. Purposely.

"Aww, cheer up champ." Duncan said as he quickly picked up his daughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He let her down and she smiled.

They all were settled in the car, Daniel in his car seat, Maddie next to him and the twins in the seats in back of her.

"Ready to go?" Courtney asked her children.

"Yes." They replied in unison.

"Buckled up?" She finally asked.

They replied yes once again and they were all ready for the road.