Mark awoke as the morning light streamed into his eye. He was still exhausted. Shifting on the bed to snuggle closer to Jack, his eyes opened in horror. Jack was gone. Sitting up, he glanced around the room and felt his heart sink in fear. The bedroom door was ajar. Slipping from the bed, Mark inched his way out into the hall. He hoped that Jack simply went to get something to drink... Maybe got something to eat. As he passed the kitchen, he bit his lip. Jack wasn't in there. He moved into the living room, seeing Nico snoring across the couch. Jack wasn't here either. Mark saw the baby rockers and his heart twisted. He wanted so badly to see them. At the very least, he had to check on them. One of them was sleeping soundlessly. While the other was missing. Mark's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't imagine this being good. 

Mark began to search the house franticly, until his actions woke the others. Mark was checking the garage as Rosemary asked him curiously. "Mark? What are you doing"? Mark paused from check his mother's car, filling her in quickly. When he finished, Rosemary joined him in searching. Mark only had one place left to check. Rushing to the back door, Mark opened it. Stepping out onto the porch hesitantly, Mark sank down to his knees, asking Jack sweetly. "Babe... What are you doing? Didn't you hear me calling for you?" Jack sat cross-legged on a lawn chair, holding his baby close to his chest. Jack didn't look up at him as he told Mark calmly. "I heard you. I just chose not to answer." Mark hesitantly inched closer on his knees, asking a bit lighter. "Jack? Why are you out here? You should be inside resting."

Jack stroked the cheek of his baby with his finger, answering casually. "She started to cry and I didn't want her to wake anyone up." Mark swallowed, his hands shaking as he raised a hand to touch Jack's knee, pleading softly to him. "Jack... Look at me?" Jack finally looked up from the baby and Mark jerked his hand back from Jack's leg. Jack's eyes had a rippling magenta glow to them. Jack raised an eyebrow at him, asking concerned. "Mark...? Are you ok?" Mark took a shaky breath, before replying cautiously. "How do you feel?" Jack chuckled, shrugging playfully as he said. "I'm fine. Is something wrong?" Mark was going to answer, when Rosemary stumbled out onto the porch with wide eyes. Behind her, Nico leaned against the doorframe, chiming out sleepy and blunt. "Those are some dazzling eyes you have there." Jack gave Nico a perplexed look, before turning his attention back to his baby.

Rosemary raised her hands as a way to keep everyone calm as she said aloud. "Alright. Nobody panic. I think I can fix this." Mark shifted to look at her, snapping back. "How?!" Jack looked up at them all questionably, saying lightly. "What is with all of you today?" Rosemary and Mark hesitated to answer, but Nico stated out boldly. "Love potion number 9 is still in your system. Which now, since you have kids with Mark's genetics... It could cause you to murder them". Both Mark and Rosemary shot fowl looks at Nico, who shrugged back at them, saying sharply. "Don't look at me like that. Someone had to tell him." Jack's arms tightened around his baby, asking them curiously. "What...?" Rosemary was about to say something, when Trey slid past Nico to step out onto the porch.

Trey approached Jack cautiously without a word, causing Jack to protect his baby. Trey placed a calm hand to Jack's cheek, tilting his head up to look into his rippling eyes. After a moment of silence, Trey told the others over his shoulder. "Defiantly the work of number 9. How much of number 9 did he drink?" Mark's mom peeked out of the door, asking Trey with a blush. "Trey? How do you like your coffee?" Trey's expression lightened into a bright smile as he answered her. "Light and sweet. Thank you." Mark's mom grinned, slipping back into the house, before Mark could give her a stern look. He didn't like the idea that his mom was crushing on Trey like a school girl... but that was an issue for another time. Climbing to his feet, he told Trey in a distracted voice. "I don't remember. I poured it into a bottle of alcohol." Rosemary started to nibble her thumb in thought as she mumbled out. "Good thing I smashed it across the floor... I'd hate to think of someone else drinking it."

Trey shrugged, asking them. "Without knowing how much-" Jack suddenly cut him off by saying softly. "Mark and I only had a swig or two at most. Why does that matter?" Trey grinned, slipping his hands into his pockets, upon answering in a calm cool tone. "It matters. See... mixing the potion with too much of something else dilutes it. You could say that it lessens the effects. In this case... You've stumbled onto the antidote." Trey started to walk away, when Rosemary grabbed his arm, asking stunned. "What?! Number 9 doesn't have an antidote." Trey turned to tell her in a warm voice. "Not any traditional antidote. Think about how it works. Number 9 is dangerous because the person has to love you in order for it to work. Otherwise, you loose your ability to love anyone, or anything but that person forever. Now, what is the next stage after finding a love like that?"

Rosemary glanced to the baby in Jack's arms, answering in a low voice. "They create a family." Trey patted her shoulder and continued walking to the door. Trey had only just touched the door, when Mark asked them confused. "What does that mean?" Rosemary chuckled softly, falling back against the railing of the porch as she told Mark happily. "It means that a person naturally grows to love more than one person at a time. Their mentality changes after having kids and starting a family." Jack raised an eyebrow, asking a little unsure. "So...? The only thing stronger than Love potion number 9 is real love?" Trey nodded back at them, adding in. "A person can't just feel one emotion forever. As the heart and mind grows, it accepts more feelings at once and becomes more complicated. Just like life it is always changing and growing into something new. A potion can only keep you in that same state, until you free yourself from it."

Nico smirked to himself, then mumbled out to Rosemary. "You really should write that down in your journal under 'The antidote for love potion number 9.' Just in case." Nico shrugged playfully, while Rosemary nodded excitedly. She removed her journal from her bag and immediately began to write it down. Mark placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, then asked Trey nervously. "Why didn't you tell us that sooner?" Trey crossed his arms, dryly stating out. "My big concern was Jack's recovery. Beyond that... I've been distracted." Mark's mom peeked out just then to hand Trey his coffee, sweetly telling him. "Here you go. Just the way you like it. Now, you were saying? What part of Scotland are you from?" Mark dropped his face into his hand, while Nico and Jack chuckled. Trey sipped his coffee, shoving Nico away from the doorway as he stepped back inside with a smile.

Rosemary finished her writing as the other baby started to cry. Rosemary glance from the baby to Mark, saying with a warm smile. "Mark...? How would you like to hold your son?" Mark's heart jumped for joy as Rosemary walked inside to get him. While they waited, Mark watched Nico walk out onto the lawn. Chica was sitting in the yard now. When she saw him approach, her tail started to wag excitedly. Nico looked up to something as he stopped beside her and dug his hands into his pockets. Mark moved to the railing to get a better look. He was feeling worried about her. Then it made sense and he relaxed. Nico fished out handfuls of dog treats and dropped them to the ground for her, mumbling out to her reluctantly. "There. Now we are even. Don't say that I didn't do you any favors." Chica gobbled up the treats like she knew that Mark was watching. Afterward, she sat down to lean against Nico's leg. Nico hesitated, but eventually put his hand down on her head to scratch behind her ear.

Rosemary joined him at the railing with the baby boy in her arms, whispering to him softly. "I was wondering why he was asking your mom so many questions about dog treats. I've never seen him warm up to any dogs since his incident." Jack chuckled just as softly, telling her. "Chica was a rescue herself. That is probably why she has taken a liking to him. Showing him some love in the only way she knows how." Mark chuckled himself, stating sincerely. "She is a sweetheart. I'm glad she can... help him?" Rosemary nudged Mark's arm lightly, then tenderly slipped the baby into his arms. The baby felt so fragile in his muscular arms, sucking sleepily away on one of his old pacifiers. His mother never threw anything out in the hopes of giving it to his kids later on. Mark felt like time slowed down as he stared at his baby boy. So warm and so soft in his arms. When the baby opened his eyes from a brief moment, Mark smirked to himself. His baby boy had large teddy bear brown eyes. Just like him.

Rosemary pulled out her phone, catching Mark's attention. She didn't aim it on them though. She turned it toward the yard. Mark looked and tapped Jack to show him too. In the yard, Chica was sitting watching a squirrel scurry across the top of the wooden fence, but from this angle it looked like she was simply watching the sunrise. The cutest thing about it... was Nico. He had shifted into a cat and was leaning on her now with his long black tail draped over her long golden tail. It was a beautiful moment. The only thing that made it better was Jack cupping his cheek and coaxing him down into a kiss.

When Jack's stitches had healed enough and both their eye colors were back to normal, it was time for him to go back home. Mark didn't want him to go, but it was inevitable. They had both tried to ignore the fact by not bring it up... Until eventually they had to bring it up. Jack stood in the airport, finding it very difficult to walk away. Mark stood with the babies in the stroller, telling him sweetly. "We discussed this, Jack. Everything will be fine." Jack nodded, shuffling his feet anxiously as he mumbled out mostly to himself. "Ya... but I don't want to be away from them that long. What if they need me?" Mark placed a hand on Jack's neck, pulling him into a tender kiss. Once the kiss was over, Mark told him sweetly in a whisper. "You have to get back to YouTube and get your house ready for when we come visit. We'll take this one step at a time. Ok?"

Jack nodded, pressing his forehead to Mark's as he told him hopefully. "Just be ready to come visit soon. Ok?" Mark nodded, giving him another kiss. Jack hated the idea of having to switch off Sally and Barry... but with their busy YouTube lives and the distance between them... For now, they would just have to make this work. He needed to fully recover before taking care of them on his own. So, for now Mark would care for them. Just like their long distance relationship, they would have to be a long distance family for awhile. It was worth it though. They would make it work. Jack kissed his babies goodbye for now, knowing that they would be coming to visit him for Christmas. They weren't just lovers anymore. They were a family. A family that would endure. The End.  

*Out Now*  Book three; 'Lovers Bubble Brew'