Birthday Wishes

[Stefan Archer]

Stefan could hardly believe that their twins were turning one, they had grown so much in the last year, it had been incredible the first time with Branson, but now their little family was less than little. Three little kids running about the place, Branson was turning four in the next year, his little daughters were one as of today. Stefan had never imagined the peace and joy that children would bring him, but there it was. Admittedly the last year had been difficult, but it wasn't a difficult that he couldn't handle. Branson had acted out a little when the twins had been born, unsure of his place now that there were other kids, but he was protective over them, and he was helpful to them. Their bond was great. His little Archer children. Stefan kept waiting for something to happen, for some disaster to follow them, but there was nothing. He had Kate, they were good, and he had a beautiful set of children with whom he shared a close bond. Stefan had taken the time off for this weekend celebration. A little gathering of himself, his kids, and Kate's twin with her partner, a few other kids had been invited just so his daughters got the opportunity to play with others. He had invited his cousins to attend, but they'd probably be around late. Both unable to take them time out during the bulk of the party, much to their dismay, but Stefan was still happy.

The librarian had spent the morning decorating with Branson, holding him up so that he could put the banner against the wall, so that he could place other decorations around the place. He had left Kate mostly to deal with the twins as he prepared the house, while she did other bits and pieces. The house was sufficiently baby proofed, but with muggle and magical means. Overall, he just smiled at the work he'd done, and gave Branson a happy high five for the completed work. He walked to where Kate was and lifted little Rose into his arms, kissing her on her head. "Hey, that's the house decorated, Branson was a little star in helping out," he glanced down at the boy with a warm expression, "We had fun didn't we?" he smiled at the expression, "Any last bits to be done? Or are we good to go?" Stefan asked, wanting to make sure there weren't any last pieces that needed down before people began arriving. He knew it would be perfect, that they would have fun, even if the twins didn't entirely understand what was happening, or why. Definitely since Rose in his arms was tugging lightly at the strands of his beard and making nonsensical sentences. He smiled at her and kissed her forehead, "Folk will be arriving soon, did your sister give a specific time for when she and her partner would arrive?"
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[Kate Archer]

Kate couldn't get over how fast life had passed her by. It only seemed like yesterday she was heading off to travel the world. Her days at Hogwarts seemed like a distant blip in her past. Now here she was, mother of three beautiful children, a teacher married to the best husband in the world and on the cusp of turning thirty. She had been out in the real world for twelve years, almost as long as she had been in school. It sometimes scared her how quickly in hindsight everything passed her by. Even in the last four years it seemed like a blur. The last year had been particularly challenging , trying to manage three children never mind the fact two were infant twins and one was a toddler. However, these had also been the best years of her life. Branson had turned into such a caring and kind young boy and her two little girls were growing so fast. They really were the little family now. Kate had been a little surprised when she discovered she was pregnant with twins. In the past the gene had usually skipped a generation but she had been lucky enough to birth two gorgeous little souls - Rose and Aurora. They had been a handful, especially since poor little Branson didn't really know what to do with himself when they arrived but now of course he was their extremely protective older brother. Kate had received a lengthy maternity leave which had been essential as she wouldn't have been able to juggle work and the kids at the beginning. As it was the last year had taken a toll on her mentally but with Stefan's support and help she had been able to deal with the obstacles thrown her way. Now they were celebrating the twin's first birthday and Kate was proud of her family for coming through.

They were throwing together a small little shindig for their two daughters. It would be a nice opportunity for everyone to get together and for the kids to have some fun and play with children their own age. Stefan had very kindly taken off time off work to be around for the weekend which Kate appreciated greatly. Although she had a handle on taking care of their children, sometimes she could start to feel overwhelmed with the amount of time and effort she spent taking care of them. Despite this she was indeed incredibly happy and wouldn't have anything any other way. Stefan and Branson had spent most of the morning decorating the house while she had prepared most of the food. With the help of magic she had managed to juggle a slightly cranky Aurora , a perfectly content Rose as well as prepare food for a bunch of crazy young children as well as the adults. Although Kate had never been much of a cook, since becoming a mother she had garnered an interest in cooking meals for the young ones and she had developed a real love for the pastime. She had had put together a vast collection of goodies and finger food, most of which was ready. She smiled when Stefan entered the kitchen and picked Rose up. She loved to see how close a bond he had with the children and how involved he was. All three of them, especially Branson adored their father and there was nothing Kate loved more than seeing Stefan interacting with the three. "You two are fantastic" she grinned, bending down and giving Branson a kiss on the forehead "Our little star" she cooed giving him a quick hug. She stood up and gave Stefan a peck on the cheek "I bet Branson did all the hard work"She teased before having a quick look into the oven to check nothing was burning. She then turned as she heard the whimpering of her little pet "Someone's not happy to be turning one today"she exclaimed picking up Aurora and jiggling her slightly to try and settle her. "No, I think that's everything. The food is almost ready and the house is decorated. All we have to do now is wait"She sighed contentedly. Birthdays had always been such a big occasion in the Moon household, she wanted to make sure the tradition continued. She giggled as Rose began tugging at Stefan's beard. It was amazing what parents were willing to go through to ensure their babies smiled. "I gave her a rough time to arrive so I'm sure she'll be here in a few minutes"She answered sitting a settled Aurora back in her chair. She was looking forward to seeing her sister. It had been some time since they had met. "Why don't we take a quick picture while we're waiting?"She suggested. Kate loved documenting the children's lives and the moving aspects of the pictures made it all more exciting.

 

[Sara Moon]

How could the twins be turning one? How, conceivably, could life move so quickly? Sara felt as though she hadn't seen her sister in an age, she was so constantly busy with work, and since she'd moved in with Mason they'd settled into quite a comfortable routine, one she felt kept them safe and happy, but one she sometimes thought excluded others. She loved Mason Talarico more than she'd thought possible, but sometimes she wondered if she neglected the other people in her life. Still, every time she met with Kate it felt almost as though no time had passed. Family ties were funny that way. So, she'd dressed in a simple blue dress, one she didn't mind getting covered in bits of crayon or play doh, and secretly looked forward to seeing Mason with the children. Sara had always loved kids, and was aware more than ever of her own time window. She wanted a family, maybe not just yet, but the seed had been planted in her mind. Upon arriving at the home of the Moon-Archers, these thoughts continued to occupy her mind as she glanced up at Mason, a smile breaking across her face. She was excited as she knocked on the door.

In her arms she held a box, containing two little matching cardigans; tiny, miniature cardigans with "Rose" and "Aurora" embroidered along the side. Sara had been gifted a similar one as a child, and had thought it might be a cute present for the two adorable little girls. The thought that Kate had three children both terrified and thrilled her. "I can't believe it's already been a year since the twins were born." She was glad that at least one of the Moons had twins. To have a twin was a special kind of bond, one that couldn't really be replicated. Your entire life was lived alongside this other person, a person who knew you more intimately than any other on Earth. Kate had been there through everything, and vice versa. There had been times when perhaps their closeness hadn't been entirely positive, but when push came to shove, she knew they could always count on each other. All of it was ahead of Rose and Aurora. With two wrapped parcels in hand, she waited for the door to swing open, glancing up at Mason from time to time, and hoping that someday they would host a similar event.

 

[Mason Talarico]

Being an Auror had a way of impacting other aspects of one's life. Mason and Sara worked hard on ensuring that it had minimal impact on their relationship, well as minimal as possible considering they worked together. And it really was quite the effort. His siblings often teased him, comparing what he did to penciling Sara into his schedule, but he hoped she appreciated the effort more than his brothers seemed to, knowing that he was making a concerted effort to give her his time rather than heading into the office where there were countless things to handle. Really, she was much better company than whatever awaited him at the office. That same effort didn't always apply to heading home and seeing his own family and he had the feeling the same was true for Sara since so much of their time was really their time, time spent only in each other's company. So today's outing a rarity for the pair, but Mason had to admit that he was enjoying seeing Sara in a dress and the excitement on her face at the prospect of seeing her sister.

"Time flies faster than a Nimbus" he agreed as they waited at the door. Mason had admired the place on his way up the walk, pleased that it was so far from other dwellings and open enough to see any threat that might come. It was smart. Mason didn't know Kate or Stefan very well, and he was looking forward to the opportunity to spend some time with them. Sara loved them both, and that meant Mason wanted to as well. He loved the woman standing beside him, more and more each day. Patting the gray cardigan he'd thrown on, Mason did a quick mental check to make sure he had all the names down. Branson. Aurora. Rose. Stefan. Kate. He was happy that he'd managed to recall them all today with out any real effort. Moving his attention back to Sara, Mason couldn't help but wonder if they'd one day host a similar event. Hopefully, not with twins, but Mason, who had once laughed at the idea of marrying again, had an engagement ring under heavy warding in one of his desk drawers, and the thought of children wasn't quite as frightening as it had once been to him. "You look beautiful today, Sara" he whispered as he leaned closer for a second.

 

[Stefan Archer]

Watching Kate deal with a fussing Aurora was interesting, he had never figured his love for someone could go grow so much and yet each day it seemed to grow for her. There was nothing in his mind which even remotely indicated that such love could run low. However, he was just happy to have this time with her, as they prepared for the small celebration, not a quiet moment, such things just didn’t exist with three children, but just a moment for all of them. Enjoying and basking in the family that they had created. He shifted his hold of Rose slightly, as Kate thanked Branson for his hard work before giving him a peck on the check. He chuckled at the comment, "Of course, certainly he was the one in charge," the boy had grown to have a little of a stubborn streak, much like both his parents, which was in equal parts adorable and frustrating, but he knew that they were handling it as well as they possibly could. He glanced back at Aurora and gave a soft smile, someone would perk up eventually he was sure. Babies were often just tired or in need of a little more attention, he was sure she would settle, and certainly Kate was managing fine in dealing with it. Now with two, it was all about working in tandem, making sure everything was done, but never having one person do more than the other.

Stefan nodded along with Kate's answer and smiled softly at the mention of a picture, "Yeah, that would be great," He quickly fetched the camera, and brought it back over, using a quick bit of magic to hold it up in front of them and frame the picture well. He made sure everyone was in it, before seeing if Kate was ready, "Alright, say cheese," he joked lightly, while taking the picture, not ignoring Branson's loud exclamation of cheese. It was just as he kissed Kate on the cheek, that the door bell rang, and Branson raced off to go answer, "I'll assume that's them," Stefan joked, "I'll go make sure he doesn't scare them both away with his excitement," Stefan smiled fondly at her and Aurora before wandering down the hall behind Branson, and just being a little behind him as the boy opened the door widely. He spotted Sara first of the two, knowing that the older man next to her had to be the partner. He placed a hand on the back of Branson's head, "Sara! It's so good to see you," he told her with a brightness to his tone. "Come on in, Branson is practically vibrating from all his eagerness to give you a massive hug, as is little Rose here," he bounced the baby a little, getting a little giggle from her, "And this must be Mason, right?" Stefan moved his hand from Branson and held it out to the other man, "Come on in, Kate's just in the kitchen," He motioned for them to come in.
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[Kate Archer]

Kate smiled fondly at Branson. You could clearly see how he was their son and not just by his looks. He was stubborn, caring and incredibly loving. He created a wonderful dynamic in the family that Kate loved. She was certain once the two girls grew older this would change once more and Kate was looking forward to this. Twins were certainly a handful and she had learned to appreciate how much work she and her siblings must have been for her parents. But there was also the fun in learning and while she sometimes wondered was she really getting the mothering thing right as long as her family was happy and healthy she didn't really mind. Kate finally managed to settle Aurora by softly singing a nursery rhyme as Stefan set up the camera. She wanted her little dote to be smiling in the picture. She laughed out loud as the picture was taken at Branson's loud exclamation. He never failed to make her laugh.

"Just on time"She answered smiling back at her husband before heading into the kitchen to sort the food. She gently laid her daughter down in her chair so Kate could get the remaining food out of the oven. Thankfully everything seemed edible and not burnt to a crisp. She couldn't wait to see her sister and Mason, everyone had so much catching up to do! She heard the door open so she quickly sorted the food onto the table before taking off her apron. Aurora seemed to be in an altogether better mood which took some weight off Kate's shoulders. She didn't want anyone upset on their birthday. She quietly sang a little tune to her child as she picked her up once more. Just as she had her in her arms she heard Branson run into the kitchen "Be careful pet" She admonished but with a smile as he ran and wrapped his arms around her legs. As she looked back up she was greeted by her sister and Mason. "Welcome to you both, I'm so glad ye could make it today! Sara it really has been too long and Mason it's so lovely to meet you"

 

[Sara Moon]

Mason's compliment prompted a smile as Sara waited for the door to open, eager to see her family. As the door swung open and she saw her nephew, Sara was immediately crouched down to swoop him up. "Ahh, how's the little man?" Laughing she hugged her nephew before returning him to his feet. "Stefan Archer as I live and breathe, it' so good to see you! Oh and here's one of the birthday girls! Hiya!" Sara was lost to adult company almost immediately, remembering to turn and smile at her partner; "This is Stefan; Mason, Stefan. Stefan, please refrain from embarrassing stories, of which I know you have many." Particular outfits stood our for one. Planting a kiss on her niece's head, and carefully hugging her brother-in-law, she practically skipped into the kitchen in search of Kate.

The sight of her sister was a happy one. "Kit Kat, motherhood thrice becomes you, you're a vision." Placing the boxes on an empty table, she grinned; "We have prezzies for my niblings, hello beautiful," another kiss landed on a baby's fore head as she leaned around the child to hug her sister warmly. "And you're not forgotten Mister." Kneeling, she pulled out her wand and summoned the little gift she'd brought for Branson. It was a snitch; enchanted to move slowly, at a pace which a child could match, she'd also added a charm to avoid objects so he wouldn't go crashing into anything valuable. "Now, you must be very careful with this, it's special because it's going to stay away from all your Mammy and Daddy's things." She winked at her sister. It was basically a ball, but the design was pretty. Standing, she looked back at the baby; "This is Aurora yes? How on Earth did Mam and Dad tell us apart, and they're looking to be more alike than we were. Oh God they're growing so much too. You too little man!" Smiling down at her nephew she couldn't believe how time had flown. The twins were beautiful, it was nice to have more in the family. There'd been a few years when she and Kate had been very similar, but they'd never been identical, and had aged very differently. Realising she'd once again failed to introduce the man she loved, she laughed and returned to his side, "Mason, this is my twin, Kate. Kate, Mason. No pressure love, but Kate's my better half." A smile stole over her face at the thought of Mason meeting the Archers; she didn't think there were two people whose opinions mattered more to her.

 

[Mason Talarico]

As a little boy opened the door, abounding in excitement, Mason took a deep breath. He'd seen Kate from afar, during one of his times going to the hospital to check on Sara, but they'd never had an actual conversation. And he'd never met Kate's partner. Mason was not nervous but he understood the importance of today, knowing that the bond between the three, and in particular, the bond between the twins was an important one. Shaking Stefan's hand, Mason entered the home, trying to recall what it was that Sara had told him Stefan did for a living. He knew it had something to do with the school, though he wasn't a professor. As he stepped into the house and with Sara running off to greet her sister, Mason turned to the other man with a grin. "Please don't refrain. I'd love to hear them all" he said, just loud enough so hopefully Sara would hear even though she was heading to the kitchen.

"This must be Branson" the Head Auror said as he kneeled down so he could be eye level with the young boy. He had nephews and nieces of his own, so he wasn't entirely awkward around children, though it was clear that he didn't have any. Straightening, Mason followed behind the crowd as they headed for the kitchen. Sara's twin greeted him kindly and he returned the greeting. "The pleasure is mine" he stated with a smile, listening to the quick banter between the two women. Mason wasn't sure he'd agree with Sara on that, but he returned a polite smile. "You have a very nice home" he added, looking first to Kate and then to Stefan. Seeing Sara up next to her contemporaries, it was one of those times where their age difference was more apparent to the Auror who had well over a decade on the trio.

 

[Stefan Archer]

Stefan smiled warmly at Sara and her partner, the fact he was a little older than Stefan had thought he would be put the librarian a little on edge, but he pushed down those feelings, feelings that had no place existing at this event. After all, Sara had great taste in people, so this man had to be great too. As far as Stefan knew he was also a fairly important person. He laughed lightly, "We'll see how the day goes then," he replied, he would never tell stories that Sara didn't want him to, but he knew it was light hearted conversation and therefore better to just go with it. He returned the half hug to Sara before watching her go off to see her sister. Stefan nodded, watching the older man bend down to his son, his son greeted the man in the way that toddlers tended to, with a barely coherent sentence, but it was clear Branson was a rather confident child, unafraid of most new faces. "You've got to hold out your hand Branson, like I showed you," Stefan spoke with warmth to his son, urging him to put out his hand to shake Mason's hand. But the moment was short, and Branson was already racing off to find his mother and his aunt.

Stefan closed the front door behind them both and followed into the kitchen, where Sara was greeting the other birthday girl and giving a little present to Branson who gleefully took it, a loud thank you accompanying it despite his position at Kate's legs. "You are determined to make him a little quidditch player aren't you," he joked with Sara as he looked at the gift, "He'll take after his mama alright," Stefan knew that it was a dangerous sport and of course he didn't particularly want Branson to be playing it, but he knew the boy already liked it and this would certainly help his interest in the sport grow. He glanced between the two young babies, they had grown so much in just a year, beginning to look a little different from one another, little personalities, the time just flew. He could tell a little more which was which now, "It's getting easier to tell them apart now," he told Sara with a small smile. He was pleased to have Sara round and pleased to have met her partner, "Thanks, we've put a lot of work into it, haven't we Kate? Though keeping it tidy now with three children is increasingly difficult even with magic" He smiled in thanks, they had both taken a lot of time to make the place home and it was every inch of that. Barely a wall of the house was without a picture of their growing family. Of them younger, of their children. Everything in it had been picked out by them, for this house.

"Can I get you both a drink?" he asked them readjusting his hold on Rose, so that he could do it "We don't have any alcoholic drinks but plenty of other things,". He could tell already as Branson chased the snitch around the kitchen, that this gift was going have them both running around after him, making sure he didn't hurt himself. But, it was magically avoiding more things so that would be helpful, "What do you do Mason?" Stefan asked lightly, wanting to get to know the other man whom Sara was dating.
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[Kate Archer]

Kate scoffed "You're too kind sister" a smiling gracing her face. Sara was looking fantastic and for that Kate was relieved. She still remembered that time when she got the call that her twin was in hospital. It seemed so long ago now but at the time Kate had never been so afraid for her sister. She was happy that she was back to her normal self and that she had found someone she would hopefully like to spend the rest of her life with. Kate did worry for the work both her sister and partner were involved in but she admired them all the same, it must be a particularly tough and tricky job but she felt safer knowing that people who worked as hard as Sara and Mason were in charge of ensuring their safety. Of course her twin didn't have as much time for family but Kate often told Branson how Sara was off protecting them and sometimes that was more important then coming over to play. Thankfully he didn't seem to be expressing too much of an interest in that profession, Kate didn't know if she could cope with her son being an auror. Of course she would be proud, like with Sara but she didn't know if her nerves would cope. "You're looking gorgeous yourself, as always"she told her sister as she returned her hug. "You're too good" she replied before seeing the gift Branson was being given. "Sara!"She admonished before bursting out laughing. Oh they were going to have fun with this present. "Might dust off my own broom, have a family game"She winked at Stefan, grinning knowing full well she'd never get him on one.

Kate kissed her daughter and looked at her lovingly "Yes, it's much easier now but I really don't know how we did at the beginning though they're certainly developing different personalities" she said looking up and smiling at her husband.She turned to Mason "Yes we have , it's perfect for us, thank you Mason". She had seen Mason in passing while Sara was at hospital but she was glad they were finally getting to properly meet. Kate had every trust in Sara's judgement so she was looking forward to seeing them interact and getting to know Mason better. "The amount of times Stefan and I have nearly tripped over the kids' toys is ridiculous"She grinned. " I'll take Rose love"Kate offered walking towards Stefan so he would have two free hands to get the drinks. Kate's job was more or less done with all the food on the table. Now it was time to entertain the guests, though she would probably have to chase after Branson in a moment, he was running wildly around the house. She wasn't too worried however kids were remarkable resilient and tough - Branson was no different.

 

[Sara Moon]

Sara couldn't help smiling as Mason's voice called after her. Kate and Stefan were probably the most important people in her life, barring the man she'd brought to meet them of course. While she loved her parents and her other siblings, Kate and Stefan were a constant. They were the people she knew she could rely on, the people for whom she would drop everything in a heartbeat if they needed her. That extended, in fact magnified, when it came to their children. "I am absolutely determined, what are aunts for if not to be a bad influence, hey Branson?" laughing she watched as he took off. "Oh Lord what have I done?" Turning to her sister her grin widened. "I can adapt the charm if you'd like it to move more slowly." The thought of a family game was lovely, "Well, between you and I, Ryan and Star, and these three, we'll have a full Quidditch team in a couple of years." She knew Stefan wasn't a Quidditch man. Realising she was quite neglecting Mason, she crossed over to him, placing a hand on his chest, "You know, I was briefly considering trying to go pro with Quidditch, we'd never have met, but then that was in the dark ages." The Dark Ages were what Sara liked to call the period of about a year where she'd thought her failure to achieve a high enough grade in Herbology would prevent her from becoming an auror, the career she'd dreamt of since she'd first come to Hogwarts.

Stefan's offer of a drink was a welcome one, "Any form of juice will do me Stefan, if there's apple or orange or anything. Thank you. Meanwhile.. I should probably do some damage control." She exited the room with a laugh, following the sound of her nephew. She probably should've gotten him a stationary gift. "Branson!" she laughed as she found him, "The key with seeking, is to move slower than the snitch until you need to move fast, you've gotta stay calm little man, I was a seeker in school and if you go mad, you'll never catch him, look" She'd moved down to his height at this point, and taking a second to watch the path of the snitch she moved only her hand, allowing it to fly straight into her palm. Standing back up, she decided to leave him to his play, tossing the snitch back into the air and winking as she returned to the adults. It was odd always to think of children growing up aware of magic. To her, it had been a revelation and yet to Kate and Stefan's three kids, magic would be a given.

 

[Mason Talarico]

It was easy to see the warmth in the house as he followed Stefan towards the kitchen where everyone seemed to be gathering. Mason was fine to stand back and simply observe, watching the twins in action together for the first time as they spoke and managed the other set of twins, the birthday girls. Mason let out a chuckle as Stefan spoke about the difficulties in keeping the home neat. He'd heard similarly from his brothers who also had children. "I'm sure" he added, wishing he had more to add to the conversation. As Stefan posed a question to him, Mason was fairly relieved that the younger man didn't seem to recognize him. He'd been successful in keeping the Aurors out of the papers over the past few months. "I'm an Auror, just like Sara" he replied. "And I hear you work in the school?" he asked.

The two women continued conversing, the topic turning to quidditch. Wrapping an arm around Sara's waist as she drifted over, Mason listened to her admission and raised his eyebrows. She mentioned the 'dark she's every now and then. He still wasn't sure he understood the full extent of how dark things had gotten for her , but he knew it had been bad. "Lucky for me, you got through the dark ages then. You probably would have made a good quidditch player though. You're good at everything." Just listening in, it was easy to see how comfortable they all were with each other which made perfect sense. They'd grown up together, gone to school together, and lived life together. "Water will be fine " he replied. As Sara stepped away, Mason was eager to continue getting to know her family. "Are you planning on having any more children?" he asked. Three seemed a good number. It was the size of his own family, and he'd always enjoyed having a brother on either side.

 

[Stefan Archer]

Stefan handed Rose to Kate, smiling softly at them both as he did so, happy at what he'd been able to create with her in these children they shared, but of course his attention was more focused on ensuring that at least some of his attention was on his son currently chasing the gift that Sara had bought for him. He would be nervous by the idea of his child playing quidditch, but he knew he would never limit his child in the same his father had limited him in just about everything, being the one who had caused all the damage with little regard for his life. He nodded at Mason, "I do, I work in the library, it's a quiet job," he told the man, remembering that he'd heard from Kate about what Sara's partner had done, but he couldn't help but be impressed by it and a little shy by it. This man was clearly an exceedingly talented man, and Stefan couldn't help the slight brush of jealousy which quickly faded away as he stared at his loving wife and family, and knowing that he was the happiest he'd ever been in his life. Plus, he seemed to be exactly Sara's speed and that was good enough for him. As long as Sara was happy, he was sure that all was good.

Stefan nodded at both of them as they said which drinks they would want, and he turned to the fridge to get them, grabbing glasses from their cupboards. He laughed lightly at the question Mason posed looking towards Kate for a moment, "Only Branson was really planned," he said, "Rose and Aurora were a lovely surprise, as for more, we'll see?" the man hadn't thought about more children, it had seemed absurd with all they currently had to think about bringing more children into the family, but he'd never say no to more children, there were many sleepless nights and countless problems, but he had to admit being a parent wasn't nearly as hard as he had feared it might be. He had kate by his side and together they managed quite well. He was never left wishing they hadn't or feeling too out of depth, no more than usual. He loved his children, and seeing Branson grow was an absolute delight. It was just amazing. Seeing the twins grow and have their own little personalities was as exciting, "Should I even return the question, or is a little early for the children discussion?" Stefan tentatively asked with a little smile, holding out the water for Mason, and placing the juice for Sara down for when she came back into the room.
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