No Place Like Us || e.d.

- 13 -

Nikki's POV

"Of course." I smiled.

I'm glad he came around.

We drove back to my house and the kids were awake and running around.

"Mommy." Alissa ran over to me.

"Are you okay?" she looked like she was sweating.

She started balling her eyes out. I picked her up. I knew what it was. It was another nightmare.

"Shh. It's okay. Shh. You're okay." I held her.

Jason ran out.

"Who is this man?" Alissa asked.

"Hey you're the man in the computer." Jason pointed at him. I saw Ethan smiled a little.

"He looks like Uncle Grayson." Alissa giggled.

I set her down and squatted to their level.

"Kids, this is your Daddy."

[ a/n: pls don't think dirty. They're kids. Leave them alone 😩 if you weren't thinking dirty, go you. ]

Their eyes lit up as if they were opening presents on Christmas Day.

"DADDY!" the said simultaneously and ran over and held each of his legs.

He was in even more shock.

"Please say something." I told him.

He looked down at them, "hi guys."

"Did you catch all the bad guys?" Jason asked.

"Were they mean?" Alissa asked.

"Yeah, but I fought them and put them in jail so that they can't be mean to you." he knelt down to their level.

I smiled.

He looked at me, "these are..."

I nodded.

"Do you want anything to eat?" I asked. "I mean we were just at Starbucks but you know."

"Sure."

He picked up Alissa and Jason climbed onto his back.

"Are you gonna live with us now?" Alissa asked.

Ethan looked at me. I didn't have a response to that either.

"We have to wait until the rest of your stuff comes here first and then I'll come live with you. Deal?"

"Okay." she smiled and dug her head into the crevice of his neck.

He set each of them down in a chair.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Do you have cereal?"

"Which kind?"

"Cheerios please."

I got him a bowl of cereal and he started munching. The twins had just woken up and they needed something to eat as well.

"I want cereal like daddy." Jason said.

"Me too."

I grabbed them a small bowl of cereal.

"Can we go to the park today?" Alissa asked.

"Of course." I started doing her hair.

"Can daddy come with us?"

"Yes." I looked at Ethan, "but only if he wants to. He might be busy catching more bad guys."

"I can make time for my two favorite kids in the entire world." he smiled.

"Can you get Jason ready? I still have to do Alissa's hair."

"I'm inexperienced. I'm new at this."

"Quit being extra. Just pretend you're picking out clothes for yourself." I rolled my eyes.

Ethan's POV

"Come on, J. Let's go get you ready for the day." I picked him up.

Okay. What do I have to work with. Tank tops, jeans, basketball shorts, tshirts, pants, long-sleeves. Considering it's a tad breezy, I'll dress him up in basketball shorts and a hoodie.

"Nikki do we have hair gel?"

"It should be in the bathroom."

"Let's go do your hair, buddy." I picked Jason up and sat him on the bathroom counter. I spiked his hair a little.

"Oh wow. I'm impressed." Nikki nodded and picked out clothes for Alissa. She decided on some jeans and a flannel.

"We'll take my mom's car, since yours doesn't have car seats. It's too much of a hassle to move them. Trust me." she started dressing Alissa up. "I'm gonna go get changed now. You can start getting them in their car seats and I'll meet you out there. The keys are on the kitchen counter."

I did as suggested, well, she basically implied it, and brought the kids out to the car. They got a little squirmy so it got a little difficult at times.

Nikki walked out wearing skinny jeans and one of my hoodies. Still such a stunner.

"What..?" she gave me a confused look.

I snapped out of it.

"Nothing."

"Ethan."

"Nothing."

"You're an awful liar."

"You just look amazing." I said.

"Oh. Thanks." she smiled and cleared her throat, "do you need help?"

"Can you buckle Alissa in please?" I asked.

"Are you struggling? Here, watch me. Watch a professional."

"Okay whatever." I rolled my eyes.

She buckled Alissa in and made it look so easy. I tried another three times before I got it.

"Congrats." she said sarcastically.

"Let's just get going to the park." I rolled my eyes.