As River lay awake the night before, she had expected the next morning to be a flurry of kids and dogs and sleepy adults trying to make their way to coffee. It ended up the exact opposite; well, aside from the coffee part, for her and Amanda anyway. She woke to giggles and silverware clanking on plates, and Jackson quietly shushing them and chuckling himself.

Sitting up she winced and rubbed at a crick in her neck. The couch was comfortable but it was still a couch. Amanda was still asleep, her back turned. Sleepily wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, she stood up and padded towards the dining room, stomach growling as she detected the salty aroma of bacon.

The kids glanced amongst themselves and a silence fell over them. She eyed them suspiciously and felt herself being watched as she turned into the kitchen. Jamie let out a snicker and Jilly and Stella giggled.

Jackson was standing next to the refrigerator, sandy-blond hair delightfully mussed, a pair of grey sweatpants hanging low on his hips and crisp white t-shirt hugging him in all the right places. He grinned at her from over his coffee cup.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something?" she asked curiously.

"Don't worry, you're safe." He opened a cupboard and took out a mug with a googly-eyed pug on it. "Coffee?" he asked and she nodded.

He poured her a cup and she took it from him, breathing in the nutty aroma and taking a sip, hot liquid scalding her tongue and warming her throat all the way down. She let out a satisfied sigh and leaned against the counter next to him, observing the crowd around the table, who were talking amongst themselves in hushed voices, and glancing towards the living room.

"So fill me in," she said, taking another sip. "What are they up to?"

"Let's just say they have a running war with Amanda." She shot him a look and he laughed, topping off his coffee and blowing on it. "She started it."

"Of course she did." She'd expect nothing less than shenanigans from her best friend. She felt something hot at her back and turned to the counter. A casserole dish sat half empty atop some colorful weaved potholders. Eggs, bacon, peppers, onions, and smothered with cheese. Her mouth watered and she quirked an eyebrow, looking at Jackson.

"Did you make that?"

He smiled and set his coffee cup down on the counter. "Don't look so surprised. Breakfast is my specialty." Scooping into the casserole, he picked up a plate and filled it, handing it over with a fork.

She set her coffee down on the counter and accepted it. "I thought barbecue was your specialty?" she asked, taking a bite of the cheesy breakfast goodness. "Mmm," she wiped at the corner of her mouth.

"I have many talents," he said with a confident smirk.

Her mind went to places that had nothing to do with culinary skills and she stuffed another bite of food in her mouth hastily. Reaching behind her, he picked up his coffee and settled in beside her, the hairs on his arm tickling hers as it brushed against it.

"How's your Mom doing this morning?" she asked carefully, leaning into him slightly as she spoke.

"She's okay." He sipped his coffee. "She's currently enjoying breakfast in bed. I've been ordered to go out and get her every filthy gossip magazine in stock at Nieman's."

River smiled. "At least she's in good spirits."

"Ya, well, you know my Mom. When is she ever not?"

"True," she agreed. She had a hard time picturing Anita without a smile on her face.

The dining room went dead silent. Amanda appeared from around the corner, shoulders hanging low. River about choked on her breakfast and she could see Jackson grin out of the corner of her eye. There was a giant blue eyeball drawn on her forehead in what looked like... eyeliner maybe? And on her cheeks, there was a letter C and letter U, respectively. 

Amanda stuck her hands between them and shoved, separating them to get to the coffee machine. River glanced at her and saw her smiling as she grabbed a mug and filled it. "What's it say this time?" she asked quietly.

"I see you," River sing-songed and the kids let out a laugh.

Amanda spun on her heels and they quieted instantly. She walked slowly back through the kitchen and turned to go into the living room, keeping her eyes trained on the lot of troublemakers the whole time.

"Just remember, I'll be babysitting you ALOT these next few weeks." When she disappeared they all giggled again.

River could imagine the grin on her face and Jackson chuckled, sliding back to reclaim his spot next to her.

"All right," he started, and she noticed his kids snap to attention. "Dishes, then why don't you all head outside for a bit. The sun's callin'."

She watched as all four kids, hers included, happily hopped up from their seats, took turns scraping the tiny remnants of leftover food into the garbage, placed their dishes in the sink, and then filed outside. "Now that's impressive," she commented and he looked at her askance. "It is! They respect you. You've done a good job with them. It shows."

The corner of his mouth quirked up. "Thanks."

Excited yelling and the dogs barking filtered in from the open window and she became aware that she was alone in the room with Jackson, who remained glued to her side. She finished her last bite of casserole and twisted, setting her plate down behind her and picking her coffee back up.

Her phone began jangling in her purse in the living room and she reluctantly pushed away from the counter and hurried in, grabbing it just in time to see a number with a New York area code go to voicemail.