There were kids of all ages running everywhere screaming happily. The outfits their parents had put them in were wasted on them because they couldn't care less how pretty or clean or even expensive they were. Rolling around on the grass, jumping up and down, spilling food all over themselves. It was a happy day in deed. Especially for the birthday duo. They might never remember it but the pictures would tell it all.

Jonathan sat in his car trying to gather the courage to go in. This time it wouldn't be easy to sneak in like last time because they were expecting him. Everyone had to be on the lookout. He also couldn't go back because he'd promised Jennifer he would be here. That woman hadn't stopped hounding him ever since she found out the truth. He'd tried to tell her she was crazy but she wouldn't budge. Then he'd gone and called her Jenna because he was so nervous. There was no denying it any more after that. He'd also told her that it was up to her to tell whoever she wanted. Now that the secret was out, there was no need to keep pretending. She'd appointed herself the intermediary, keeping him up to date with whatever was going on.

Jere had gone a whole month without talking to his/ their father. His silence was justified but it didn't make him feel any better. He'd understood the reasons that led to him being separated from his family. Oscar had put Daniel in a difficult position. It took guts to give away your child, especially when it was under duress. Which is why he hadn't come back. He had no intention of creating a rift between those two. But sometimes things happened for a reason. Or maybe he just wanted to be back. After all wasn't he the one who'd told Jennifer his real name? If he hadn't opened his mouth he would still be Jonathan, the Lone Wolf.

A knock on his window snapped him out of his thoughts. Chloe or was it Zoe? - he couldn't tell them apart - was there motioning for him to open the window. "Uh hey" God. This was going to be an awkward day. How was he to talk to anyone if he didn't know how or where to start? Hey. It's me Jonathan. I mean Justin. And you are?

"Get out before they see you"

"Before who sees me?"

"Everyone. Hurry"

The second he opened the door, she was tagging on his hand to pull him out. He complied going along with her just to see where they were going. She snuck him into the house and up the stairs without anyone seeing them. If she wanted to, she'd make a good agent. "In here" it was her room judging from all the pink decor. The color was blinding not to mention the frilly lace sheets, which made him cringe. "You really are our brother. Aren't you?" at his confusion she sat on the bed patting the space beside her. "You have this expression that dad and Jere always have when they come in here. These days they stop at the door saying they can't handle all the girlie stuff going on."

"Sorry. It's just all this pink" he gestured with his hand. "Even a color blind man would protest."

She giggled "Just between the two of us, I do it to keep everyone out. I'm color blind so I had Zoe pick out the brightest one. I'm Chloe btw. I used to have short hair, which is how everyone could tell us apart but I let my hair grow out because I wanted to confuse everyone. Only mom can tell us apart now. Dad pretends to know who is who but he always confuses us and we let him keep thinking he's right. It's really funny. I'm sure that if Marina and Mark weren't boy and girl, he wouldn't know who is who"

Jonathan sat there, content to listen to her talk. It was calming to know he didn't have to try when it came to her. She talked about everything and nothing. School, Zoe, Jenna, Jere, the other kids they'd adopted who according to her was absurd because you couldn't just start raising seven kids all at once. She was quite the chatter box and funny. He found himself laughing at the outrageous stories she told him about their childhood and the mischief that seemed to follow them everywhere. She was charming and his sister. It only sunk in then. That the Lone Wolf wasn't alone anymore. He had two sisters, seven nieces and nephews, a sister in law and step mother on top of his family. That realization was a bit overwhelming.

"Chloe are you in here? Jenna is freaking out because he's not....." Zoe stopped at the door her jaw having dropped to the floor.

"Close your mouth before you end up catching flies." Chloe admonished her sister. She had been right of course. If one wasn't sitting beside him, he wouldn't know who was who.

"I.... Sorry" she seemed to pull herself together then walked towards them, stretching her hand out. "I'm Zoe"

Jonathan shook it. But before he could speak Chloe beat him to it. "And he's our other brother. I call dibs by the way."

"What do you mean you call dibs?"

"I saw him first so he's mine." turning to him she said "This means that you have to side with me every single time. Jere does that all the time with Zoe"

"No he doesn't" Zoe defended but her statement lacked conviction. "Anyway let's go. Jenna is freaking out thinking you bailed. She's tried to call you like a hundred times but you weren't picking up."

He looked around searching for his phone "I must have left my phone in my car"

"No problem. Let's get you downstairs before Jenna loses it. Or Jere. I don't know who will crack first" he stood up ready to face them. If Chloe could keep talking, he would be just fine.

"It's showtime" Chloe said dramatically, easing up the tension building inside him and making them all laugh. They both slipped their hands in his and he couldn't help but feel like a lamb being led to the slaughter house. His heart started beating wildly as they approached the living room, where everyone was. Could he do this? Fit in with them? Did he want to fit in? He already had his own life. One that he was determined to live alone because he'd given up on ever reconnecting with any of them. He'd convinced himself that he was fine, being alone. But he wasn't really fine. He wanted to laugh with them, make jokes, tease each other, Just be comfortable around them. "Relax. I'll do the talking" Chloe murmured and he had never been so grateful in his entire life.

"Thank you" he said just as Jennifer spotted them.

"Jonathan..."

"Justin" Chloe corrected with a touch of irritation in her voice.

"Sorry your highness" she bowed sarcastically then turned back to him. "Justin you finally made it"

"Yeah. Chloe had stashed him in her room all this time. Can you believe her?" Zoe asked incredulously.

"Excuse me if I wanted him all to myself before you guys got your hands on him." she grinned up at him and Jonathan nearly melted. So that's how it felt like to have a sister look up to you. 

"Move aside then. It's our turn" Jennifer tried to push her aside but she wouldn't budge.

"How are you Jennifer?" he asked.

"I'm fine Jona.... Justin. Sorry it's going to take me a while before I can get used to calling you Justin"

"It's okay. I don't mind being called Jonathan"

"Great." not having anything else to say, she started rocking back on her heels. He understood her dilemma. How do you introduce someone to their own family? Hi father in law. This is your son, you know, the one you gave away. And Jere, this is your brother. Remember him? Awkward family reunion right there. They'd make a great TV show. Man he couldn't wait for Thanksgiving. He was racking his brain trying to look for something to say when Jere saved him the trouble.

"Can we talk?"

"Yes" one person at time would be so much better. Promising Chloe he would be right back, he followed Jeremiah to a door that led to the study. From his tense body language, Jonathan could tell he was angry so he closer the door behind him and waited. Slowly Jere turned to face him, raised his fist then punched him. He could have easily avoided it but he suspected his brother needed to do that. "Wow. Thanks for the warm welcome Jere" he said wiping blood from his split lip.

"You could have come back" he spat. "You could have come back at any time, especially after that bastard had died."

"Jere...."

"No. I will forgive you for not wanting to come back because of what dad did. I will forgive you for wanting my wife. I will forgive you for everything except one thing. Letting mom die believing that you were dead. I won't forgive you for that Justin"

"It's not as easy as you think"

"I don't care how hard it was. You could have come back but you didn't. It's that simple." he said pushing him away from the door to leave. Jonathan sighed. Just because everyone else had accepted him didn't mean Jere had to. Fixing their relationship would take time. Moving towards the one of the chairs facing the large mahogany desk, he sat down needing to be alone for a while. Jere had been right. He could have come back - he did come back but it was too late. She was already gone. He'd attended the funeral wearing a disguise then left when it was over. By then he had been preparing to be Jonathan Blackwell. Reuniting with his family hadn't been his first priority at that moment. He'd figured since they'd lived for so long without him, a few more years wouldn't matter. Problem was, he hadn't known it would take so many years before he had the chance to see them again.

"He'll come around when he stops being angry." Daniel. Jonathan stilled, not moving a muscle. He heard Daniel sigh and move forward but he must have thought otherwise because he stopped. "It was you that day in the bar. Wasn't it?"

He remembered that day as if it was yesterday. Coincidentally, they'd ended up in Rome. It was his first trip as Jonathan and he was walking by when he'd seen him go into the pub. Curiosity made him follow Daniel in. He sat in a corner and watched as the man got drunk. When he was sure he  wouldn't be recognized, he approached him. At first Daniel had blinked, as if he'd known who he was. But then he'd called him Jere and proceeded to ask for forgiveness. Until then, it hadn't crossed his mind that the people left behind were suffering too. He let Daniel cry, drink and cry some more then took him back to his hotel where he tucked him in. He'd spent half the night reevaluating his decisions, wondering if staying away had been the right thing to do. But as always, it was too late to turn back. So with a heavy sigh, he'd left, never to look back again.

"Yes. It was me"

"For a long time I thought it had been a dream. One that didn't make sense because Jeremiah couldn't have been there. Until I saw you at the party. I realized that it hadn't been a dream. I was talking to my son, Just not Jere" he sighed heavily then asked "Is there something I can do to make this right? I know it's too late to try and fix it but I hope you'll let me make it right someday."

"I don't hate you. I understand what you did and why you did it" he said but he still couldn't get himself to face his own father.

"Thank you. That is all I can ask for" then he was gone, closing the door gently.

This wasn't how he'd pictured it all going down, but it was a start. Everything else will fall into place with time.

*****************************************

I did mention this was an epilogue-ish

I hope you liked Jon's story. The idea of him being Jeremiah's brother was always there from the beginning, before I even started a good person. At one point, I wanted to include him in a good person and create a love triangle between him and Jere and Jenna but decided last minute that it was too cliché. So there you have it. If you liked a good person and a good man then you're guaranteed to like a good agent and a good mother.

And since I'm so nice and a little wicked, I'll leave you guys with some teasers.

Thank you for reading and voting and commenting. I appreciate you guys so much. 💋 💋