40 years old

"I had it first!"

"It's mine!"

"Enough!" Tyler sighed, interrupting the children.

The youngest at 5, Emma, crossed her arms and huffed. "Daddy I had it first!"

"No she didn't!" Brayden, the older at 8, argued. "It's mine anyway!"

"Brayden," Tyler said slowly. "It doesn't matter if it's yours. You can share. You weren't playing with it anyway, you just want it because your sister does."

"Give me it!" Emma yelled again, ripping the toy car out of her brother's hands.

Brayden whined, stomping his foot down against the ground. "It's mine!"

"Josh!" Tyler groaned. "I need help!"

Josh entered the living room holding a spatula in one of his hands.

"Brayden, you have plenty of other cars. Why don't you go get them? You and sissy and daddy can play together while I finish dinner."

The boy gasped, loving his other dad's idea. He quickly ran into his bedroom, grabbing the bucket of cars he owned. His feet pounded against the ground as he ran back to Tyler, clearly excited.

"Let's play!"

Emma sat criss-cross next to Tyler, waving her car around in the air and making motor noises with her lips. "My car's flyin' daddy!"

"Cars can't fly, Emma," Brayden said matter-of-factly.

"It's a magic car!"

"She's fine," Tyler interrupted before they could argue anymore.

The three played with their magical flying cars until Josh yelled that dinner was ready. Brayden hopped up, wanting to be the first one seated at the dinner table. Emma waited for Tyler, wanting to hold his hand on the way there.

Emma definitely favored Tyler, but it was alright because Brayden leaned more towards Josh. Josh was his hero. He wanted to be big and strong just like him.

Emma found a best friend in Tyler. He always played dolls and dress-up with her when Josh was busy playing with Brayden.

They all got seated at the dinner table, Emma next to Tyler, Brayden next to Josh, and Tyler and Josh across from each other. The family dug into their meal which consisted of homemade spaghetti and meatballs.

After dinner, they watched a movie until it was time for the kids to go to bed. Tyler usually tucked in Emma, and Josh, Brayden.

"Night, Emma, sweet dreams," Tyler whispered, kissing his daughter's forehead after he tucked her "snug as a bug in a rug" into her covers.

"Night night, daddy," her soft voice replied.

Tyler switched with Josh and entered Brayden's room. He placed a soft kiss on the boy's forehead, who was pretending to already be asleep.

"Night, Brayden, sleep tight."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," the small voice replied, earning a smile from Tyler. He knew he was faking it.

Tyler met Josh in their bedroom, which was across the hallway from the kids'. Both lay in their boxers, limbs tangled together.

"Josh?" Tyler's sweet voice filled the silence of the room.

"Yeah?"

"What's gonna happen when we're old?"

"We're already old," Josh joked, soothing a hand down Tyler's back.

"I mean really old. I'm scared to leave everyone behind. I don't want to die. What if you die before me? I don't want to live without you..."

"Babe," Josh interrupted, still causing butterflies to erupt in the brunette's stomach.

"What?"

"It'll be alright. You'll see your family again. Your grandparents, your parents. You'll meet up with your brothers and sisters when they pass too. And then when Emma and Brayden pass, we'll meet them again."

"What if I don't go to Heaven?"

"Babe," Josh repeated. He laughed, unable to believe what he was hearing. "We'll all go to Heaven, trust me. We've had perfect lives. We're raising a perfect family. You, especially, will go to Heaven. You're so perfect. Anybody who can't see that is blind."

"Thanks," Tyler mumbled, pink hue spreading across his slimmed out cheeks.

"And I think we'll be okay in the end. I think God will take us together."

"Why?"

"Because we're soul mates, after all. We were made for each other. Do you believe in destiny?"

"Of course I do."

"It's our destiny," Josh concluded, feeling the smaller smile against him.

"You're right. You always know how to make me feel better."

"It's cuz I'm so smart," the older teased.

"I know," Tyler agreed, not feeling like arguing. There was already enough of that between the kids.

"Can we go back home when we get old?"

"Home?"

"To Columbus?"

Josh nodded, liking the idea. They weren't too far away, living in Charleston, West Virginia.

"Sure, I like that idea."

"Would we live in a nursing home?"

"Probably. That's sounds good."

"What if the nurses are mean to us?"

"Babe, I won't let them be," Josh chuckled. Tyler nodded, knowing Josh would stick up for them even in old age.

"I'm so lucky," Tyler gushed.

"Why?"

"I have you, and now I have a beautiful family, too. I couldn't have asked for anything greater."

"You're too precious," Josh complimented, pressing a soft kiss against his husband's temple.

"I'm going to bed," Tyler announced after he yawned.

"Goodnight, T. I love you. See you in the morning."

"Night Joshie, I love you too, see you tomorrow."

__A/N__

Only two more chapters left :(