[JULIAN]

"We'll take good care of them!" Kelly called out as we drove out of their driveway. I winced at the sound of Clover crying and spots barking from within the house. I watched the house worriedly; Clover really didn't like anyone to carry here but me and Zeus.

"She'll be fine. Kelly's literally a baby whisperer, and Spots is there to keep her company," Zeus said, taking my hand in his and he drove off.

"I'm sure you're right," I said biting my lip. "But we've never left Clover by herself."

Zeus rolled his eyes sighing. "She's not by herself, she's with T and Kelly. Look at the bright side, she even has a little playmate," Zeus said referring to T's baby boy. He was a month or two older than Clover and Clover was just three months old.

"I don't see what you mean by a playmate, the both of them can barely sit upright, not to talk of play with each other," I argued, fumbling with the car's radio. Zeus just chuckled.

He drove for a while before slowing down at the emergence of the local recreation center. I took in the air, staring at the building as we drove into the complex.

"Where we met," I heard Zeus say as he pulled the gear on park. I didn't say anything, just let the wonderful memories invade me one after the other. We haven't been here for a while due to the trouble we've been having.

"Julian, are you crying?" Zeus asked, in a low voice as he took my hand in his. I sniffed, rubbing my eyes with the back of my free hand as I shook my head. Why does Zeus always know the right things to do?

"I can remember the look on your face when I passed the ball—"

"Shut up." I interrupted, turning to give him a weak smile. Zeus pouted in mock offense before letting go of my hand and opening the car. We headed out to the volleyball court with the borrowed volleyball form the supply shack.

We played for a while, passing the ball to each other over the net until Zeus eventually got stoned right in the chest.

"Damn Jules!" he groaned as I laughed from the other side of the net. He frowned at me and then smiled evilly before throwing the ball right at me. I jumped out of its way just in time before looking towards Zeus who was giving me a wickedly childlike smile.

I smiled back at him, going over the next to his side of the field before throwing my body at him in a hug. He stumbled a little, trying to adjusting his center of gravity to support both of us, but we just collapsed on the floor like the giggling mess we were.

"Jules..." he trailed, brushing my hair from my face before giving me a full mouth kiss. I whimpered, taking his face in mine as I adjusted our positions so I was straddling him in the grass. We didn't care who was watching, we just kissed, enjoying the feel of each other's lips. We only stopped when we ran out of breath, then we played some more then left.

I was grinning like an idiot when he pulled up at the park we usually visited with spots. We got a couple of sandwiches and two cups of smoothies from a food stand and took a walk hand in hand. It felt so wonderful not worry about who saw us now, it felt so good feeling Zeus warm hand in mine. We walked some more before going to seat under 'our tree'. The one facing the pond that occasionally had ducks Spots always tried to pin down.

We sat on the grass next snuggling up against each other, my head on Zeus' shoulder as I nibbled my sandwich and Zeus feed his to the ducks. We left there around early noon, heading back to pick up Clover and spots.

"Thanks," I said as we pulled up in T and Kelly's driveway.

"For what?" Zeus asked, unlocking the car. I smiled taking his hand.

"For a wonderful outing," I said, feeling the heat creep to my checks. Zeus hummed nodding slightly before getting out of the car.

"Thanks for having them, hope they weren't much of a bother?" I thanked stretching my hands out to receive Clover. I'd felt horribly distressed not having her for these few hours.

"Of course not... Woah!" Kelly gasped in surprise as she made way for the Dalmatian dog to run out the door. Spots barked and ran around Zeus' legs as he got to him. Zeus laughed, bending down to pet the dog.

"Okay, I confess the dog was a problem," Kelly said, brushing back her brown curls. I laughed wholeheartedly, looking down at Clover. She was gripping my shirt and looking wide-eyed up at me.

"Julian!" I heard Zeus say accompanied by a horn. I looked over at the car. Zeus was already settled and Spots was clawing at the backseat window glass with his paws.

"Coming!" I said, turning to thank Kelly before heading for the car. I got in and Zeus started driving off.

"Stop by the drive-in supermarket I think we're out of bread," I said, strapping myself and Clover. Clover was wiggling and making baby noises as she puffed her checks experimentally. I smiled, getting some tissue from the pigeonhole to dab at her dribbling mouth.

"Oh, we're not heading home, " Zeus said in a matter of fact tone as he continued to drive. I looked around, noticing it wasn't the route we that home — it wasn't the route we took anywhere.

"Where are we going?" I asked, turning to him with a look of confusion. He smiled, muttering, 'You'll see.' I turned back to observe the route through the window. I couldn't understand where Zeus was taking us. If it were part of the date wouldn't we have left Clover and Spots behind?

I raised my brow at the 'welcome to Maywood' sign. What? I gave Zeus a suspicious look and he just smiled. We drove around for a bit as I took in my childhood city. A lot of things were still the same, but there were some new houses and newly renovated ones. I smiled as we passed my favorite ice cream parlor form high school.

The roads became a lot more familiar, and so did the area. My eyes widened in shock as I realized what Zeus was doing.

"Zeus, I'm not ready for this. Turn back, please?" I begged as I watched my childhood home become clearer between the trees.

"No, this was an eight-mile journey and we're going to rip from it," he said, slowing down as we got closer to the house. I turned away feeling defeated, Taking one of Clover's little hands for mental support. I felt my heart pound in my chest as Zeus pulled the car to a stop.

"Give it a chance," Zeus muttered, reaching out to run his hand through my hair. I looked into his green eyes, scared out of my pants of what he was about to compel me to do. He smiled at me, the little group of freckles around his nose shone with the late noon sun. I bit my lip nodding. Zeus was right. I had to face them sooner or later.

We got down from the car after a few minutes. I was shielding Clover from the rays with a comforter and Zeus freeing Spots from the back seat.

"Come on," Zeus said, taking my free hand in his as we approached the stairs with Spots leading the way. For once in his life spots was quite, maybe feeling the importance of the whole situation. Zeus brought his hand to press the doorbell. Once, twice, before there was a small 'coming!' from the other end.

My heart swelled in my chest making me feel like I was about to suffocate. I could vividly recognize the voice of my mother. The guilty feeling it inflicted whenever she scolded me for taking the chocolate out of the fridge without her permission as a small child, and the bored yet glad feeling it gave me when she'd pulled me aside to speak to her privately as a teenager. I sniffed at the feeling of my eyes burning. I didn't think I could miss my mother so much.

I almost jumped at the sound of the door unlocking. The door opened soon after to reveal my mother.

"How can I..." she trailed before she finally got a good look at me and I at her. Her blue eyes I had inherited were wide with shock. Her blonde hair already had white strips running across it, she was smaller than me. Short, if you compare her to Zeus. She didn't say anything, just looked at us with a mixed look of what looked like surprise and happiness.

"Mum..." I trailed, trying to start a conversation.

"Julian! God, I thought I was the one imagining things!" she gasped, making all the guards I'd try to put up crash as I cried like a baby.

"Julian... You guys should come in. Festus honey, our son's home! Lillian your brother's here!" My mum screamed into the house as she ushered us into the living room. We sat down in the familiar cream sofas from my childhood, and that just triggered another stream of tears.

"Don't go anywhere! I'm going to get the rest!" my mother chirped as she left the living room still in her 'good cook' apron.

I felt Clover dab at my face with her fisted hands. I cried, even more, accepting her comforting gesture. Zeus slipped his hand into mine, entwining our fingers together.

"Everything's going to be okay," he said, looking over at the blank TV screen. I looked over at his teary eyes, taking in his appearance. His hair was in a neat ponytail, he looked calm and that was enough to calm me too.

"Julian," I heard a more mature version of the memory my sister's voice say. I looked up to find Lillian staring at me as if she'd seen a ghost. She was wearing a paint-stained overall, an indication that she'd been working when we called in.

"Lillian..." I trailed as I watched a familiar male figure walk up behind her. My father was giving me an equally disbelieving look. His eyes moved from me to Zeus, to Clover and back to me.

"I can't believe it! You're back!" he said, walking past Lillian and towards me. I could see he wasn't as he moved towards us with a lowered pace, his full grey hair of four years ago was now balding significantly at the sides.

"My son," he said, hugging me tightly as he got to me. I hugged him with my free hand feeling the tears take their toll on me again. Clover began to cry, making dad back off a bit.

"Look at her! Can I hold her?" he asked as I passed her to him. I felt warmed as he smiled ear to ear, tickling Clover's nose until she was no longer bawling but laughing.

I watched as Lillian approached Zeus, giving him a formal handshake. I looked up towards my big sister, almost expecting her to come up with one corky remark but she just smiled at me before ruffling my hair.

"Having kids already, eh?" she said, bending over to give me a side hug. I blushed about wanting to tell her she was mistaken but she moved away, heading towards dad to fawn over the baby as well.

"Wait, all of you! I haven't carried my grandchild yet!" I heard my mother say dramatically as she waltzed into the room and towards Lillian and dad, her apron gone, and she was in a fresh shirt. I blushed at their assumption. I felt Zeus squeeze my hand making me calm down a bit.

"Wow, pretty dog," my sister said, coming over to Spots who had tucked himself at the corner of the sofa. She bent down patting his head. Spots let out his tongue in pleasure as my mother continued to fawn over Clover.

"I'd like to know the name of my son in law," my mum said, approaching us with a smile. She was holding Clover to her chest in a warm hug.

"Actually—"

"We're not married yet," Zeus said, cutting me off. My mother's mouth went in a small 'oh' before it returned to a smile. I turned to face Zeus in confusion. What did he mean yet?

"I wanted to do this in the presence of you guys so..." Zeus trialed, giving me an odd look before getting down on the floor on one knee. My heart pounded in my chest. I could feel everybody watching us, even spots.

"Will you marry me, Julian Andrews? I decided to make the move considering I'd rot to a corpse before you considered it," Zeus said, taking out a simple band from the breast pocket of his long-sleeved shirt. I just stared at him not knowing what to say, why was he making me feel like this? Damn...

"I won't bother you if you say no..." Zeus trailed looking at the floor as he shifted slightly.

"Yes..." I muttered not sure of myself.

"Think it out Jules, Just know I'll never give you a divorce if you say yes," Zeus said, looking up at me. I searched my mind for any reason in the world to say no, and I didn't find any. I mean, all Zeus has ever been was sweet, protective and caring. I'd doubt he'd ever hurt a hair on my head intentionally. Besides, I loved him, and I loved his baby. Damn, everyone he holds dear has a special place in my heart.

"Yes," I repeated more clearly this time stretching my hand out for Zeus to slip the ring on. I heard my sister clap, my mother cry, and my dad's words calming her down.

"God grieves, I can plan a wedding before I die!" My mother bawled, placing her head on my father's chest. My sister gave my mum a confused look.

"What the hell! I'm going to get married before you die!" My sister said, making Zeus chuckle as he sat next to me.

"I'd like to give you the benefit of the doubt honey, but at the rate you keep on rejecting men, I might be in my grave before you even decide to date one," My mum said, sniffling as she rubbed her eyes dry. The whole room fell into a fit of laughter, definitely not pleasing my sister.

We talked over wine and cake. Zeus being bombarded with questions I'd helped him answer. Apart from the fake bad cop expression, my mum put on when she'd questioned Zeus she'd seemed to really like him. My dad's ears had perked up when he'd heard Zeus had an interest in architecture and they got into a nice discussion.

Spots was being fed bits of cake from Lillian. I smiled she'd really loved animals as a kid. Clover was dozing off on my mother's breast as she as my mum listened and added to the conversation once in a while.

Everyone soon grew tired and started getting ready for bed.

"I guess we have to leave," Zeus said, checking his watch. I looked up at the living room clock. It was already past eight in the night, and I wasn't sure if we would make it on time.

"Nonsense, it's already too late, you can stay over for one night, can't you?" My mum asked, getting up her sofa with a sleeping Clover in her arms.

"I guess," Zeus said making my mum smile.

"We can fix up the two guest rooms, I'll have an old crib from the attic brought down and prepared for Clover in one of them," She said, snuggling Clover close. I could see my mother was already quite taken by her.

"Um, two rooms?" Zeus asked, confused. My mother laughed catching his drift.

"Now, now; an engaged couple shouldn't be that close to each other till the wedding night," My mother said, making me go a bright red. Zeus looked at her as if she was the antichrist. He looked at me with an expectant gaze, as if he was expecting me to change her mind. I didn't say anything, just nodded to my mother's wording in agreement.

We were placed in two different rooms, side by side, I and Clover in one room and Zeus by himself in the other.

I was putting Clover to bed when Zeus walked in.

"It's not fair, why does she get to stay here?" Zeus groaned as he walked into the room, giving me a devastated look. I looked towards him with a little smile. His long dark hair was loose from its ponytail and flowing around him, he was wearing a borrowed night robe, and his brows were twisted in a frown. It's just one night. I don't know what he's getting so worked up about.

"She's not the one getting married to me Zu, and it's just one night we'll be snuggling together at home by tomorrow," I said as I covered Clover with a blanket. She sneezed, wrinkling her nose a bit before going calm again. Zeus looked over at her differently now.

"Is she okay?" he asked, walking up to me.

"Yeah, the crib's just a little bit dusty. They cleaned it out, but I guess it didn't go off thoroughly," I said, running my hand through Clover's curls. She yawned turning away from my hand. I felt Zeus' hand take hold of my free one was we watched her in silence.

"I love you," Zeus muttered. I blushed at the statement, not saying anything. We stayed like this for a while before Zeus spoke up.

"What do you think sounds better Julian Darcanius, or Zeus Andrews?" Zeus asked out of the blue. I wrinkled my nose at the way the names went together. They weren't too bad, but they were admiringly bad.

"None, but if I had to choose it'll be Julian Darcanius," I said, giving his hand a light squeeze. Zeus wrinkled his brows in concentration before grinning.

"What about Julian Andrews Darcanius, and Zeus Andrews Darcanius?" Zeus asked giving me an expectant look.

"That could work..." I trailed, looking over at him. He looked unbelievably handsome in a robe. I leaned in, pecking his cheek.

"I thought engaged couples don't get to do things 'in that way'," Zeus said, imitating my mother. I laughed, kissing him full on the lips.

"These are just innocent kisses," I mumbled, kissing him again.

"I don't know about you, but they're stirring not so innocent thoughts in my head," Zeus said, making me laugh. We shared a few more kisses together before I shooed him out of the room. I smiled closing the door behind him. I couldn't really believe I was going to get married and have a daughter of my own in a span of a few months.

Zeus is indeed the best thing that has ever happened to me.