Four months later....

"I swear to all mighty god that I-"

I let out a loud groan covering Zak's continuous moaning. It was enough for him to poke his head out the wardrobe.

"When did we buy a cow?" He asked.

I tossed a pillow across the bedroom but missed spectacularly. "Stop whining like a little bitch. Your black shirt, the shirt you are looking for is in my part of the wardrobe between a blue dress and the red top."

"Well I can't find it, would it hurt you to colour co-ordinate? I mean damn woman."

I rolled my eyes and walked into the wardrobe pulling the shirt straight out. "There."

"What?! I looked there!" He argued.

"Oh well the fairies put it back before I walked in there.... You don't look." I replied picking up his wet towel and flicking him with it.

A quick yelp from him as he held his boxer covered butt had me running for the hills.

It was okay to play and it was okay to play fight...

But I always punched above my weight and often ended up getting hurt. Not by him, but by my own stupid actions. It was only last week I fell off the bed and hit my head on the bedside cabinet.

Accident prone.

I jumped into the middle of the bed grinning as he stepped out looking at me "We know how this ends... How's your bum?" He asked making me pout.

"Still tender. Asshat."

He grinned "Don't start what you can't finish.."

Yesterday I had taking an interest in slapping his butt to wake him up. It was hard to resist those cheeks, each with a dimple in.

Only he returned the favour and spanked my backside so hard I think his handprint would be there for life.

He tossed the shirt into the case without interest making me sigh. "Are you still sulking?"

"No." He grunted.

So that means yes..

"I don't know why you keep finding places that are at least a day or two worth of travel. You know I hate being away from you and Avari."

"Because I can't organise closer haunts, they are taking time. Besides, you love RV-ing." I replied.

In the last 3 months I had been putting my past experience to good use in finding the crew lockdowns. Jeff still did the majority of it, but I helped with bookings of rooms, rentals, then RV and all the odds and sods.

"And you know I love being home with you and Avari." He repeated. A frown fixed across his face as he stared at the case which had been spilling onto the floor. "Why do you keep sending me away?"

The question and tone took me back, he sounded vulnerable in that moment and it made me look at him in a different light that maybe, he was worried that one day he'd come home and I wouldn't be here?

"Come here." I frowned patting the bed.

He came over sitting beside me, he looked just as annoyed and upset as he did when I gave him the lockdown file the other week.

"What's up?" I asked him softly.

He shrugged "I just wanna be home now, with you, Gracie and pumpkin.."

"And what about work?" I questioned.

"What about it? I'm in a comfortable position to give up."

At that moment I almost choked on the air "No."

He looked over "What? Why?"

"Zak, paranormal investigating is your life, it's what makes you... You. Why would you want to give that up?"

His look gave me the answer family obviously.

"I'm gonna be here when you get back, I always will be.." I stressed. "And if I thought giving it up would make you truly happy then I would say go for it. But I know, a week, or maybe a month down the line, you'll be itching to go again.  And I would never forgive myself if you threw that at me one day in an argument."

"I wouldn't."

"You don't know that. You came into my life, as I came into yours with your job being the main priority, it always has been and I'm okay with that. You knew you were destined for major things, this is it."

"What if I was wrong? What if the major thing was being a proper father?" He asked.

"You can do both. 2 weeks away every month makes the time you spend with Avari even more special. You always say goodnight to her on the phone and always ring first thing."

"It's not the same as being here in person."

"I know that. I also know that you miss us as much as we miss you. There's a reason why we cling to you when you come home.. And I also know you, yourself need time alone, an old soul always does."

"But you are too, that's what brought us together."

I nodded "I know. Babe, it's good for me too."

"I'm just getting homesick before I've even left." He mumbled standing up to pull on his camo pants.

Fastening them up, he slouched back down with a huff.

"You'll be home in no time." I reminded him.

"If you say so." He grunted again.

A wave of black hair caught my eyes as Avari ran in and launched herself at Zak. Grinning he caught her and pulled her small frame into his body.

"Hey pumpkin." He spoke soothing her hair back as she took in his case on the floor.

"Have you got to go to work?" She asked looking up at him.

Zak nodded "I have."

"Okay..."

"Is that okay?" He asked gently.

I looked over at Zak knowing if Avari said no, he would cancel the whole thing in a single heartbeat.

She nodded letting him know that it was okay for him to go. Smiling she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself into his neck.

"I'll miss you daddy." She replied causing my heart to flip around in my chest.

It swelled in my chest to an almost uncomfortable level as I looked at Zak whose eyes were screwed shut holding her tightly, savouring the moment as it was the first time she had called him daddy.

"I'll miss you too darling." He whispered.

I felt the heat in my eyes as tears brewed up. The two loves of my life had a bond that nobody could penetrate. Avari and Zak looked alike and sure as hell acted alike too.

"I have just spoke to granny." Avari informed us sitting back.

"How?" I questioned having not heard the phone.

"She's in the lounge."

I looked at Zak confused "Nobody else is here." He confirmed.

"Granny Bagans is." Avari replied sounding offended.

"Granny Bagans?" Zak questioned.

"Yeah. Your granny, silly." She answered poking his cheek.

"I see. Everything okay?" He asked making her nod.

"She told me that you needed a hug."

"I did. Thank you."

She gasped making us both look at her instantly. "I know!"

"What?" Both myself and Zak asked as she slipped off his lap and raced out the room.

"What was that about?" I asked in time to see Avari running back with Peanut.

Thrusting her hands out, she handed Peanut to Zak.

"What's up with Peanut?" He asked checking him over.

"Granny said you miss us when you go. Take peanut, he can keep you company."

My heart ached at her kindness, it seemed to hit a nerve with Zak too as he looked down with watery eyes.

"But.. But you'll miss Peanut."

She nodded "But I have Gracie and Mommy. You can take Peanut and remember me."

He looked up with a warm smile "I could never forget you. Never."

"So you're taking Peanut?" She asked hopeful.

"Would you feel better if I did?"

She nodded with a grin.

"Then I'll take Peanut. Thank you." He replied kissing her forehead.

"You're welcome."

Avari went to leave the bedroom when she stopped again "But make sure you leave a gap in the zip Daddy, otherwise he can't breathe."

Zak saluted her "I will."

Grinning she ran off to find Gracie leaving me to look over at Zak.

"She called me daddy!" He whispered excitedly.

"I know."

"Twice!"

"How do you feel?" I asked.

"Like I could explode with happiness. Daddy. She called me Daddy." He smiled proudly holding Peanut in his hand.

"Now that is a sign of how much you mean to her.. Handing over Peanut for the week isn't something to be taken lightly."

"Oh I know." He answered stroking the toy wolfs fur. "Mom tell you about her party?"

"The party that we have to attend to as a family because your mom wants a photo of us all together like she has with Meredith. The party that, if I don't attend... She's gonna lynch me?"

He thought for a second playfully "Yeah.. yeah that's the one."

"Your mom has filled me in on the details."

"Awesome. So..." he trailed off.

"So?"

"Wanna help me pack and then we can take Avari to wherever she wants to go?"

"Yes, but I can guarantee you, the only place she will want to be is in that pool."

Zak smiled proudly "My little dolphin. Her swimming is getting good, I might get her into some swimming classes you know?"

"But she knows how to swim?" I replied picking up the contents of his case to fold and pack away properly.

"Yeah, I know that. But with those classes she can learn about survival in the water and all that. I took them when I was younger, they teach you about importance of swimming safely, plus they do games and have big floaties. She will love it. Build that confidence up."

I smiled at him as he explained the ins and outs of a lesson and what he did when Zak paused "What? What have I said?"

"Nothing, its just you've really thought about this, haven't you?"

"That obvious?" He asked rubbing his neck.

"It's not a bad thing. In fact, I love it. That parental side in you." I poked his side making him smile.

"Parent. Me? Weird right? I knew you'd be an amazing mom. Proved me right and then some. Cause you're one in a million."

I scoffed "Sure.. Cause I sucked at keeping her safe the first 5 years."

He frowned "Uh, don't put yourself down. What Avari had was a complex matter Lettie. It has nothing to do with your parenting skills."

"If you say so..."

"And I do." He answered kissing my forehead as I finished up the folding.

"Okay, ready?" I asked as he looked at the case.

"Go on.. what have I missed?"

"Rosary, socks and you've got 2 pairs of boxers for a week? You will also need another two tops and maybe a jacket."

Zak sighed "This is why I need you with me."

I slipped into his wardrobe and found the items before packing them up as Zak called Avari.

She bounced back in the room with the TV remote. And sure enough?

She asked to spend her last few hours with Zak before he went to work...... Swimming.