Touché

Chapter 1

8 years later.

"Daddy, wake up"

I roll over, to see my beautiful daughter Fern standing at the edge of my bed. Kensi starts to wake up beside me.

"We're going to be late Daddy" says Fern.  I look at the clock beside the bed. It reads 6:34, "Oh Fern we are just waking up, we are only behind by four minutes, but go on get the twins up, I'll get mummy up". Seriously girl it's Monday! I love her to bits though.

I roll back towards Kensi and give her a kiss.  Every morning I think how lucky I am to have this gorgeous wife, because even after 9 years of being together and having 4 kids, she was still as beautiful as the day I first meet her at the gym. "Come on Kens wakey wakey" I coo at her.

Untangling my self from the bedsheets, I pull Kensi up, kiss her again now that she's a little more awake and then shove her gently towards the bathroom. Pulling on some pants I make my way towards Jason's room.  I take Jason from the crib smiling and cooing at him. Jason and I spend time together in the morning before I go off to work and he usually hangs out with Kensi most of the day. It's our Father-Son time. I get him dressed in the cutest little outfit ever. Sometimes I think that this parent thing has made me mushy.

Once my 2 year old was ready, we went downstairs to get a start on breakfast. Mornings were kind of my time, but evenings were Kensi's, I just could never be sure when I would be home. Plonking Jason in his highchair, I put the coffee on and the bread in the toaster. I got out the lucky charms for Ria, one of my darling 6 year olds, who actually thought lucky charms were lucky and therefore had to eat them everyday. And everyone else was good with toast, except for Kens who probably wanted twinkies.

The kitchen was quickly becoming a circus. Gabe came running down the stairs yelling at Ria that it was her turn to feed the dogs (we had three of Monty's puppies, Monty may he rest in peace). Fern brought down her school bag and put a permission slip in front of me which I read thoroughly and signed. I shouted up the stairs to Kensi that it was breakfast time, and the kids got up to the table.

Over breakfast we discussed this week's roster. Kensi and I did this every Monday with the kids so everyone knew where everyone was. Being Special Agents we knew that this was important especially in an emergency. I was working all week, normal hours unless something came up. Kensi was on part time because she looked after Jason as well. Fern, Ria and Gabe all had school, and Kam was minding them till either Kensi or I got home from work in the evening. Fern had a field trip on Wednesday and Ria had ballet on Saturday. I think that was it for this week. Then I remembered "Kens, we have to talk to Callen about the thing". It was kinda important too.

"Kay, kids brush your teeth and then get your gear and into the car", I said. Off we were going. Kensi snapped Jason into his car seat and the others climbed in. It was sometimes a squeeze but we were both against getting a mini van. First we dropped Jason at Sam and Michelle's, Michelle had agreed to watch him this morning because she was free and Kens and I had to talk to Callen. It was very convenient too because they lived only 2 streets over from us. After that we dropped the kids at school, they went to a private school which happened to cater to a lot of Navy families. And by dropped I mean, parked the car, got the kids out and walked them to class. Fern went by herself but Kens walked Ria and I walked Gabe to their first grade class rooms. We reminded the kids that Kam was picking them up after school.

We meet back at the car. I kissed Kensi and told her I love her always. Then I bent down and kissed over her stomach where our fifth precious one was growing. We had been keeping this one a secret for a while, not even the kids knew.