The view was absolutely amazing. The sky seemed never-ending above the water, hills looking as if they had just grown overnight, filled with lush greens and beautiful flowers. It was the house that I had always dreamed of having, including a view of miles and miles of what seemed to be endless sky. Of course, the beautiful body of water that sat nestled at the bottom of the property didn't hurt, either.

"The original owners are anxious to sell; they've got a home in Manhattan waiting on them," Diane, the realtor that JC had actually bought his home in LA from stated, she stepping up beside me, JC on the other, Kira nestled in a sling and sleeping soundly. "They didn't want to part with this home, since it's away from the city and has a lot of quiet, but with their daughter in ABC, they wanted to relocate and be closer."

"No problems in the house? No basement flooding, no rodent problems?" JC turned his head, studying my face as he asked Diane what we had both been wondering. This house was too good too be true.

Diane shook her head. "No, the house is only a few years old, so everything is brand new and top-of-the-line, too. All steel appliances, marble counters, the works. The master bedroom was the main focus, since it would be the two of them mainly here while their girls were off at school." She gestured behind her as we both turned to look back inside at the living room that we had just exited, "the husband was an architect, retired after injuring himself in a car accident. He designed the house himself and had his company build it. It's sturdy, private and all that the three of you would need to escape reality. He wanted a view of the hills, of the canyon, of the lake - he got all three. The house is French-Country styled and though it is big, it's very warm and welcoming."

"It is," I said softly, looking up at JC as he smiled, his hand sliding gently across the small of my back to my waist, gripping me tightly as he pulled me close. "It's very beautiful."

"And I know you, Lily, were looking at the wrap-around porch in the back; it's perfect for those summer days when all you want to do is sit in the shade and watch Kira and your future child or children play ..."

JC grinned, "it is promising."

"I'll let you two look around once more," she smiled, "I'm going to go ahead and call the couple and see what they have decided on for price."

JC and I both nodded, watching as Diane walked through the glass doors and into the living room, showing herself out to the front of the house. We stood there in silence, now both looking out at the lake in front of us. "So what do you think?" JC put his chin to the top of my head, hand supporting Kira's bottom through the sling. "It is private and away from everything we've ever wanted to be away from."

"It's far from LA though," I said softly, he raising an eyebrow in confusion as I continued, "do you really want to drive that far to get to a studio?"

"Who says I have to go anywhere for a studio," he asked, giving me a smile as he gestured behind us, "that guest house, I could make into a studio. It's large enough to put two studios in there. I'm not worried about that; I want to know what you think."

"The master bedroom has a promising future," I said softly, his eyes twinkling at my hinting, "and there's enough room for whoever may just drop by ..."

"Six bedrooms is a lot."

"I don't plan on having five kids," I said, shaking my head as he laughed. "Maybe three -"

"Three is good," he nodded, "I'm one of three."

"And I am one of five," I chuckled, shaking my head, "I'm not letting Kira have that kind of sibling rivalry. Especially since it was all girls. I don't want to put you through what my parents went through. I don't want to go through what my parents went through with five girls, all close in age, all fighting for bathrooms, clothes, make-up -"

"Argh, I hope I get a boy out of this three kid deal," he laughed as I pushed him gently, "even out the raging estrogen that is bound to happen with a teenaged girl or girls and their mother."

"You think you're so funny ..."

He grinned, leaning forward and kissing me gently before taking my hand and tugging him to follow. "What do you say, Mrs. Chasez? Let's take another look around."

I nodded, following him in. "I can already tell you that I want it."

"Me too," he said softly, we both stopping and looking at the high ceiling in the foyer, "this is how I want my life to be. This is where I want it to be."

"Agreed," I smiled, closing my eyes and inhaling deeply, the scent of room freshener entering my senses, it one of pumpkin spice or something with the fall scent. "I have already fell in love with this place."

"Let's go look at the bedrooms again," he suggested as I nodded, we going towards the staircase, it one that went straight up and then veered off to the right onto a long hallway where all the bedrooms, bathrooms and study rested. "It already feels like home."

"Anywhere can be home to me," I said, he turning to look at me with a smile, "anywhere is home with family."

He grinned. "And you say I'm the cheesy one."

"You are."

He chuckled, opening up the door to the master bedroom, we both grinning widely as we took it in. Skylights, high ceilings, a sitting room, a large master bath, complete with a whirlpool tub; it was all my dream. Looking at him, it looked like he was looking at Kira for the first time: his eyes wide with wonder, excitement, love. I was beginning to wonder if he loved the room more than me.

"Of all the things I see in here," he said softly, voice low, "I can only imagine you up against that wall," he murmured, gesturing towards the wall closest to the bathroom. "And then having a repeat of the hotel in that bath - safe in the privacy of our own home ... tucked away."

And then he had to go and say that and get my words all thrown back in my mouth, along with my foot.

"You're so dirty," I laughed, stepping into the bedroom next to ours, it smaller, though it had a walk-in closet. "Kira would forever love us and I'd forever hate that she'd have more clothes and shoes than I did at her age."

"That's it, we have to get this house," he laughed, "that closet is big enough for our daughter, we have get this house!"

"Funny, Joshua, funny," I murmured, giving him a smirk as he rocking back and forth on his heels, giving me a wide smile before tending to Kira, who was slowly waking from her mid-morning nap. "But really, what do you think?"

"I think," he said softly, popping the backend of her binkie in his mouth as he lifted her out of her sling, laying her gently against his chest as he gave her the pacifier and then resting her on his shoulder, "that this house was ours the moment we pulled into the drive."

"So we're going to make an offer?"

He nodded. "We're going to make an offer."

I grinned, walking towards him and kissing him. "Are you sure? We can stay in LA as long as you want ..."

"If you're not happy, I'm not happy," he reassured, "if you're not safe, I'm not sticking around there. If I feel as if you and Kira might have something happen to you while I'm gone, then I'm not going to be satisfied and at all comfortable leaving you behind when I have to leave and you can't. This house is hours away from LA, away from the paparazzi, away from wandering eyes. I'm wondering how I'm going to be able to take myself away from it when I have to fly to New York, to Japan with you girls here."

"JC?"

He turned his head, looking on as Diane made her way up the stairs, a smile on her face. "What do you think?"

I accepted Kira from him, grinning as her eyes brightened at the sight of me, looking at Diane and then back at JC who had started a tangent on how beautiful the house was. It still amazed me to wonder how I had gotten here, how I had gotten the one thing, no, make that the two things I had ever wanted, a husband and a baby in less than a year. Less than a year ago, I had been depressing myself, thinking I would never have it, I would never be able to hold my own baby in my arms, to kiss the man I loved and yet, here I am, holding my nearly two month old and looking at my husband. Husband.

And it had to be the last person I would ever think of holding that title.

It was a good thing to not expect it, though; I mean, seriously? Had I somehow known that JC was the man I was going to marry and have babies with, the relationship between us would have ended before it even began. I get antsy when I realize things, strained when I know something will happen. I couldn't lose him, I wouldn't lose him and I refused to. I loved him. Had I known that a year ago just how much, maybe it would have been different if I had not screwed things up like I normally did. Maybe we'd have a real wedding; but then, Kira wouldn't be here. Or would she?

I could question it all I wanted, it still wouldn't give me the life I had now. The caring husband who would uproot his entire life in LA and move to Blackhawk, California, just so his wife and daughter were safe; that his wife had a piece of mind, knowing that she didn't have to worry about photographers getting into her face, startling her and maybe harming her baby herself. A husband that loved her more than she ever imagined; he a total cheese when he spoke romantically to her ... but she wouldn't change a thing.

Then there was Kira. The one thing I never had to see to know I loved more than my own life. She was barely covered in a full head of hair now, it still chocolate, but it was definitely coming in wavy, which I was grateful for. Her eyes had already began to lighten (again, thank you, God) and she had started to slowly creep into a personality that was none other than JC. She was observant, serious and quiet; she was rarely cranky unless she was tired or hungry (ah, yes, a true Chasez) and I knew as soon as the time came when JC would go away and it would be just she and I, those moments when he would come back home, I would be non-existant. She would, and already was a daddy's girl. His eyes lit up when he saw her, when she would give him a smile, tighten her fingers around his lone one; he already planned getting a video monitor so he'd be able to see her at all hours of the night if need be. He was every bit of protective father that I had expected him to be; even more so.

"So you're putting an offer down?"

I shook from my thoughts, looking at JC as he nodded, looking at me with a wide smile and then back at Diane. "We definitely want this house, Diane; you have to get this for us."

She grinned, "Well, so far, you have it. If the owners accept your offer, then all we have to do is the closing paperwork and they can move on and you can move in. It shouldn't take more than a few days."

"Great," he smiled, extending his hand to shake hers, "thank you so much."

She grinned. "It was my pleasure. I'll lock up behind you."

He nodded, extending his hand to mine as I slipped it into his hand, he squeezing excitedly as we went down the stairs and out the door. "This is going to be a good thing," he grinned, looking up at the sky and exhaling, "a really good thing."

"I hope so," I said, returning his smile as he looked at me, taking Kira from my arms and opening up the backseat without saying a word. Had I said something wrong? I didn't think I had, didn't really see 'I hope so' as something wrong, just ... hopeful. I had just opened my mouth to speak when he turned, eyes settled on me like a predator surveying it's prey and I froze. I swear, fifty years from now, if he still has the ability to quiet me with just that look, I'd be in a lot of trouble.

He was quick to move, quiet to hear as his hands reached for my face, cupping my jaw gently. "We're doing this because we know it's going to be better for us," he said softly as I nodded, holding onto his wrists gently, "I promised you that I'd never let anything get inbetween us and I am taking the oath to the grave. You and Kira are the two most important things in my life and I sure as hell will not let something, some rumor, some falsified report ... some people get in between us. You are my responsibility, she is my responsibility -"

"I don't want to be your responsibility, Jace -"

"The moment you told me you loved me, you became it," he said softly, "it is my responsibility to keep you safe, to keep you happy. To love you. God, help me with keeping you sane ..." He trailed off, cracking a smile as I shook my head in disbelief, "but I love you. I really, truly do. If this is what I have to do to keep you away from photographers, paparazzi; to keep Kira safe, then I'm going to go through hell and high water to make sure that it occurs. What is going on with the tabloids, with that e-mail, we have to deal with it. But we'll deal with it the best way we know how: together. The rumors aren't true, we are married, we love each other and that's how it's going to be for the rest of our lives."

"It better be," I said softly as he smiled, "or I will be the one sending you to your grave. Early."

Without saying another word, he leaned forward, kissing me on the lips deeply. "This house is going to be ours. This is going to work. Stop worrying."

I nodded, watching as he walked over to the passenger side door and opened it, letting me get in before shutting it and walking around the front of the car to his side. If only I could stop worrying. If only I could have the positive thoughts running through my mind like he had been.

"I want to know who sent that e-mail, Rob."

I lay on the bed of our room, feeding Kira and watching as JC sat at the computer chair, leaning backward with the cell phone to his ear. He had been on the phone with Rob for less than ten minutes and the discussion had already turned negative; Rob didn't think it was in our best interest to move, while JC didn't think it was in his best interest to butt in on that decision in our lives. Then, it turned to this.

"I don't give a damn how you have to find out who sent it, but you will! They threatened my career! If I don't have my career, what the hell am I supposed to fall back on, huh? I have a family to support -"

I frowned, watching as his eyebrows knitted in anger. Oh, this couldn't be good. Rob must have unhinged his jaw and put both feet and his hands in his mouth that time.

"I make enough money?! I make enough money?! This isn't what I'm talking about, Rob! I don't want to be known as some sort of failure to my children, to Lily! I pulled her into this however long ago and I intend to keep her head above water! Yes, it might have been an arranged whatever, but it ended up being the best damn decision in my life! I'm happier than I have ever been and I found love in the last place I expected it! And no, don't even start saying 'I told you so', because, Rob, I had already started to fall for her before this whole idea of yours came into effect! I want you to find out who sent me the God damn e-mail and give them hell. Send out a fucking statement, quote me right now, stating that I have never, nor will I ever, make a mockery of marriage. I take it very seriously and I will never, ever come out from a marriage stating that I had done it for show. This marriage is real and it will continue to be real until Lily gets sick of me, which I hope she doesn't ..." He looked at me as I laughed, shaking my head at him. "Just find out who fucking e-mailed that to me and find out how they got my personal e-mail address."

I cringed when he hung up, throwing the phone onto the desk with an exasperated sigh. "You all right?"

"I just ... I don't know what to do about this. It may have been initially true, but you and I both know that it ended up being something more than that, more than anyone expected ..."

I nodded, patting the spot next to me as he got up, crawling on his hands and knees to the place I had motioned for him to come to, lying on his side and watching me as I bottle fed Kira. "As long as you and I know that, who cares what the world thinks?"

"I don't," he said, sighing deeply, "I just feel like this is something I need to worry about. Something about this isn't right. Something about this whole scenerio, this whole e-mail thing has got me scratching my head in wonder. I'm suddenly questioning Rob on everything."

" ... Really?"

He nodded, lifting his hand up and running his fingers across the top of Kira's forehead. "I just ... something is irking me about him all of a sudden and I know you're not supposed to question your manager, especially if he's supposed to be one of your closest friends, but suddenly, I am."

"I'm sure it has nothing to do with him."

"I wish I was that sure."

"Why do you suddenly think it's him? Why are you suddenly irked by him?"

"Well, one ... everytime he finds something out, suddenly it's in the tabloids; two, this entire thing was his idea anyway and now that he's gotten it where he had wanted it, he's trying to ruin it; three, he doesn't believe moving is going to change anything. He thinks us being here will keep the paparazzi happy and they'll slowly die off with this. I don't know, I just have this gut feeling."

"Then you have to trust your gut," I said softly, he raising an eyebrow at my response, "just, keep him close, check him out and see what his intentions are. I still don't think you need to worry about him, but it'd be better to know than to question it."

"Yeah," he said softly, pulling himself up into a sitting position as he took Kira from me, holding her up gently and patting her back, waiting for her to burp. "I don't want to talk about it now," he said softly, "I'm tired from all that house hunting, tired from this day ... I just want to lay here with you and forget anything that has happened that has annoyed me recently."

I smiled faintly as he finally got her to burp, her eyes heavy as he put her in the bassinet next to his side of the bed, he crawling back into bed and pulling the covers over the two of us, my body tucked against his while his arm wrapped around my waist, holding tightly to my hand. "It will be all right," I said softly as he nodded against my shoulder, placing a gentle kiss there and lifting himself to look down at my face, "it really will."

"I know," he said, voice quiet as he reached for the bedside lamp and shut it off. He pressed his mouth against mine, it warm as I felt him melt against me, the entire weight of the last few weeks weighing heavily on him. "I love you," he said finally, pulling away from our kiss and studying my gaze, "I'm not going to let anything or anyone tear us apart. Never forget that."