After Headlines

8: Date Night

" I'm coming in!" Ben announced as he walked through the front door of the apartment, nurf gun in hand. He blindly closed the door behind him. Blindfolded hide and go seek, a game they played often in the Burrage/ Bachmann/ Cook household.

JoJo watched him from on top of the cupboards as he blindly navigated the apartment.

" Oh shit." He ran into a chair. She clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.

He continued on, using his nurf gun to find his way through the house.

oOOo

" You did not win!" Josh argued.

" I totally won!" JoJo laughed.

" No."

" Yes!"

" Children!" Bexley and Natalie called at the same time.

" Sorry." Josh and JoJo both quieted down.

" Do y'all wanna go to the park?" Sky asked.

" Sure." JoJo was already halfway out the door.

" Oh, okay." Natalie stood to follow her lead.

Ben quickly caught up with his better half, placing their fingers together.

" Hey." He swung their hands between them.

" Hi." JoJo beamed.

" Do you wanna do something tonight?" He asked.

" Hmm, what are you implying?" She asked suggestively.

" Not what you're thinking." He chuckled.

" Oh." She laughed.

" I was thinking, dinner and a movie. The whole shebang." He offered.

" I'm down." She smiled.

" Good. Cause I already made our reservations." He grinned.

" Oh? Wanna enlighten me on where we're going?"

" Nope." He winked, running off.

oOOo

" So where are y'all going?" Cara asked as she, Bexley, and Natalie sat across JoJo's bed. They all watched as JoJo searched through her closet.

" Not sure, someone's being CRYPTIC!" She raised her voice towards the end, hoping the sound would travel far enough for Ben to hear.

" Love you too!" He called back.

" Okay, so do I actually wear a dress or can I wear shorts?" JoJo asked.

" Hold on." Bexley hopped off the bed, sticking her head out the door.

" BENJAMIN!"

" Yeah mom?"

" Should JoJo wear shorts or a deess?" She called.

" She looks wonderful in anything!" He shouted back.

" Correct answer but not helpful." Bexley sighed, disappearing down the hallway. She returned a moment later.

" Okay, high waisted shorts, cute crop top, and your black Keds." She said.

" Gotcha." JoJo disappeared into her closet again. She quickly got changed while the others went back to the living room. The four guys were trying to decide which musical was better: Chicago or Cats. Actually, it wasn't a decision. Josh just really thought it was.

" Okay, ready to go!" JoJo came down the hall. Ben took a moment to admire her before responding.

" Okay, let's go!" He grabbed her hand, leading her towards the door.

" BRING HER HOME BEFORE 10:00 YOUNG MAN!" Josh called obnoxiously.

" You're my brother, not my dad!" JoJo called.

" Seriously though, text me if you guys are planning on being out late." Bexley said.

" Will do!" Ben pulled her out the door.

" Where are we going?" JoJo laughed as they walked out of the apartment building hand in hand.

" You'll see." He smirked.

They talked about whatever as JoJo let him lead her through the city.

They stopped in front of a building that JoJo knew all too well.

" This is where I made my Broadway debut." JoJo turned to Ben. He simply flashed her a grin, leading her inside.

The house was dark but, after enough time spent in a theatre, they could navigate in the dark.

" What's going on?" She gripped his hand. On cue, the stage lights snapped on. A table sat in the middle of the stage with a basket sitting on top of it.

" Ben?" She whispered as he lead her onstage.

" Suprise." He kissed her cheek.

" Let's see, it's not my birthday, it's not my birthday, it's not our anniversary. What did you do?" She laughed as he pulled out the seat for her.

" Well, it was today, five years ago, that I found out we'd have a new girl joining the cast. Little did I know then, was that I'd fall madly in love with that girl." He smiled cheekily, sitting across from her.

" I love you." She grinned.

" I love you too." He chuckled, opening the picnic basket.

" Your favorite." He pulled out a box with spaghetti from JoJo's favorite restaurant down the road from the apartment.

" You're the best." She laughed as he also pulled out a package of Hershey's chocolate bars.

" I try." He smiled.

" How on earth did you swing this?" JoJo asked as she dug into the pasta.

" Let's go with magic and knowing a few people." He replied.

" Fair enough." She laughed.

" You know," JoJo said after a moment of silence," This is the first date date we've gone on since....six months ago?"

" Well, we've gone on dates." He smiled.

" You know what I mean."

" Nice dates." He nodded.

" Yeah."

They talked of whatever came to mind before they got a call from Bexley.

" Hey Bex, what's up?" Ben asked, his mouth still partially full.

" Really?"

" No, that's great."

" Yeah, we can definitely do that."

" Will do. Bye" Ben hung up the phone.

" What was that all about?" JoJo asked.

" Her and Josh just got a call from the foster care agency, apparently there's a little girl who they'd like to place with them but us and Cara need to take a few classes and get background checks done." Ben explained.

" That's so exciting." JoJo grinned.

" Yeah. I hope that kid likes musicals." Ben laughed.

" For her sake, yeah. Should we head home now?" JoJo finished the rest of her pasta.

" Not yet." Ben stood, turning on the radio next to him. Carrying The Banner began to blast through the speakers.

" Think you can keep up?" Ben asked.

" You're on."