Who We've Become

1| Twenty Five Acts

Jolie stood at the bottom of the stairs in the two story penthouse her parents had gifted them as a wedding present. The place had been too big for them then, but they had both liked the layout and the location... not to mention they'd had every intention of one day growing their little family. She didn't ascend the steps, instead simply shouted, leaning forward slightly as though that would carry her voice farther.

"Allison! Cate! Cy! I expect to see all three of you dressed and ready in thirty minutes!"

"Yes mom." Came two replies, one groaned while the other sounded much more awake and chipper.

"Misa!" Still nothing. "Allison, get your brother up." Her oldest groaned again. "I'm not asking." It was a constant battle for Jolie to get her to do as she asked without argument.

"I got him." Cate called down to her mother, the sound of her feet padding toward Misael's room.

Jolie considered stopping her, forcing Allison to do what she'd asked, but instead thanked her middle child, took a breath, and headed down the hall repeating some mantra to herself about picking battles.

"Morning." Rafael smirked when she joined him the kitchen.

"How I let you talk me into three I'll never know." Jolie sighed as she wrapped her arm around him, stealing a sip of his coffee.

"Uh..." his brows squished together, one elevated slightly higher than the other while his face contorted into an expression of mild amusement, "I'm pretty sure that was your idea and if I'm not mistaken, you got exactly what you wanted. Two girls and a boy."

"Can't I just blame you?" Jolie grumbled, moving to the coffee maker to pour herself a cup and top off her husbands.

Rafael chuckled. "You can, but it wont make it true."

"Are you going to be late tonight?"

"Doubtful. I have an arraignment this afternoon, but I'm betting the defense takes a plea." Rafael took the coffee from her, smiling mostly to himself as he brought it to his lips.

"I like this transfer to Manhattan, your commute is so much better and you don't work as late, both of which get you home to me sooner."

"I really doubt the not working late will last."

"I know, but I can enjoy it while it does." She smirked.

"Daddy!" Cate squealed as she entered the kitchen, the first of the three children.

"Hey cariño." Rafael grinned, leaning down to hug her.

"¿Estás tarde? (Are you late?)" Her overly concerned blue eyes locked with his, but in her defense he was usually gone by the time they left for school.

"No," Rafael ran his hand through his daughters hair, "I don't have anything scheduled until this afternoon so I thought I'd spend the morning with my three favorite kids."

Cate ran out of the room. "Allison! Misa! Dad's having breakfast with us!" Her voice rang both up the stairs and back into the kitchen, much like her mother's had earlier. She quickly reappeared, dragging Rafael to sit next to her at the table.

Jolie finished making breakfast as their other two children joined them in the kitchen. The oldest, Allison, looking almost identical to her, blond hair, blue eyes, but all Rafael when it came to personality. Misael, the youngest, who was referred to as both Cy and Misa (Mee-sy) interchangeably, a miniature Rafael with Jolie's interest in math. Then there was Cate, or Catalina, who seemed to be a mixture of both of them, his brown hair, her blue eyes, his quick wit and her empathy.