Eight months later. . .

Standing in the middle of the room that was decorated with spaceships and stars, Fred wiped a tear from her eye. It wasn't fair. The noise of the TV drifted from downstairs as she wiped another tear, then started as she heard the noise from behind her. Turning, she found her husband there, smiling as he cradled their month-old daughter, Michelle, in his arms. Catching, sight of the tears on her face, he quickly came to her, handing her their baby and kissing the tears away.

"I know it's hard, but just think, it only comes once a year."

Laughing, softly, Fred wiped the remainder of the tears away.

"I'm being silly, I know. I don't know why it upsets me so much."

Grinning, Wesley sighed as the doorbell rang.

"Ready?"

Nodding, she followed him down the stairs, baby in arms, though decided she was going to let him answer the door, and veered off towards the kitchen. Listening as Wesley led their guests out to the pool area, Fred smiled at how silly she was being earlier.

"I really do have to stop being so emotional about these things."

Smiling to the baby in the swing, she continued.

"I mean, one day you'll be turning eight."

Hearing the swinging kitchen door open from behind her, she turned expecting Wesley, but instead was met by two children, who were eyeing the platter of food before them like it was lost pirate gold.

"Cake!"

Both exclaiming this at the same time, they looked to their mother excitedly to see if she would give them a piece early.

"No luck, you two. Now, carry those two trays out and go swim."

Smiling as they whined, Fred continued chopping carrots, but turned when she heard the door swinging again.

"I told you two no cake until the party starts."

She turned, grinning, and was met with none other than the birthday boy, himself, wrapped in a towel.

"Oh, sorry Spencer, sweetheart. Your brother and sister were after your birthday cake."

Looking to it, he nodded, then looked back at her then down at the towel wrapped around him. Noticing this, Fred, bent down in front of him.

"Are you worried about your scar, honey?"

Nodding, he pulled the towel tighter, and a surge of anger toward his biological father swept through Fred. It wasn't fair that her son had had to go through that.

"Want to know a secret?"

Again, nodding, he looked into her soft brown eyes with his intense brownish-greenish ones, and leaned in for her to tell him.

"I think that scar only adds to how utterly adorable you are, and I'm willing to bet Susan will too."

Smiling and blushing as she said this, Spencer nodded, which Fred knew mentioning his little girlfriend would make him do.

"Ya really think so?"

He asked, the smile never leaving his face.

"I know so."

Fred replied, clearing a patch of hair off his forehead and giving him a kiss, knowing that in a few years time he would hate it if she did this to him.

"Now, go greet your guests."

Smiling as she watched him run past Wesley and out the back door towards the pool area, Fred stood and again began chopping the carrots with a little more vigor. She hoped that man stayed behind bars forever.

Coming from behind and putting his arms around her, Wesley leaned on her shoulder and looked down at their daughter and then at the violent manner with which his wife was attacking the vegetables.

"Fred, love, he can't hurt Spencer anymore."

Sighing, she turned.

"I'm afraid he still is. I mean, Spencer will bear that scar for the rest of his life, Wes. Can you imagine how he would feel if he knew that man was his real father? His own father shot him!"

"He doesn't though, and he never will."

Knowing this statement was true because they had resolved never to tell their son this information for his protection, they both looked out the back window, into the pool area where Spencer was now talking with a girl his age. Catching them, he stopped, smiled and waved to them. Waving back, they forgot their previous conversation and carried more food outside.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Staring at the cement floor of his prison, Greg felt the overwhelming sense of gloom again. He could be sitting in Central Park right now, watching his son chasing the ducks or buying the kid a hot dog. However, the wasn't the reality.

The reality was that he had been caught and was sitting in a cell at a maximum security prison right now. It wasn't quite the future he had planned when he has stolen his son from the hospital. The idea seemed absurd. Stealing his own son. He didn't consider that stealing.

Of course, the state of California did and had tacked five years onto his sentence. He wouldn't be seeing his son at all until the kid was in high school. That is, if the state decided that was okay. Never mind that he didn't have a chance of custody. That had been made clear by Wolfram and Hart, Spencer's new parents' law firm.

His adoptive father had even visited Greg in prison a couple months ago. Told him Spencer was okay, the stitches had healed, that it had taken almost a month in the hospital. They didn't understand that it was an accident.

The man had also mentioned that if he ever came near Spencer again, it would be the last thing he did. He didn't understand the bond between father and son. Greg was never going to give up, and he had all the time he needed to think about a way to get his son back.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Laying on the couch between his older brother and sister, Spencer rubbed his stomach. Cake. Ice cream. Pizza. He didn't know if he could eat anymore, though that didn't mean he wouldn't be willing to try. Just as he thought this, his parents came into the living room, smiling to the three of them.

"Bedtime, guys."

Sitting up, Spencer held his arms out for one of his parents to lift them into their arms. He was too tired and stuffed to make it up the stairs that night. Since he was the birthday boy, Wesley complied and carried him to the bathroom followed by Jamie and Chris. Allowing them to brush their teeth, the adults followed them into their bedrooms as they finished, tucking them in and turning on the night light.

Being the worst brusher of the three, Spencer had to repeat the task twice until he passed Fred's inspection.

Lifting him again, Wesley carried the little boy into the room decorated with spaceships and stars and gently laid him in bed as Fred pulled back the blankets. Tucking his son in, Wesley turned the night light on then exited the room to give his wife a moment alone with the boy.

"So, you're eight now. Do you feel any different?"

"Not really."

"Not really? No?"

Shaking his head, Spencer smiled as his mom tickled him gently.

"Did you like your party?"

Nodding he sat up in bed, sleepiness forgotten for a moment.

"It was amazing! I can't believe you got me a telescope! How did you and Dad know?"

Smiling Fred shrugged. It may have been because that's all he talked about, or maybe because Chris and Jamie had gone shopping with her. Either way, it made her happy that he loved it so much. He had even made Wesley promise to build it the next day and look at stars with him.

"Hey, Mom?"

"Yes, Spencer?"

"I'm glad I found the best Mom and Dad in the world."

Looking up at her seriously, he broke out into a smile.

"Well, I'm glad, too."

Kissing his forehead and snuggling the blankets around him, Fred stood.

"Get some sleep, and when you wake up in the morning, your Dad and you can start the telescope."

Not needing to tell him twice, Fred watched as he drifted. She had a full house with two girls and two boys, and she was sure by the way Wesley couldn't keep his hands off of her they'd have more. She looked forward to it though. She had always wanted a big family.

Joining Wesley in their bedroom, she crawled under the covers with him, kissing his cheek.

"We're the best Mom and Dad and the world, you know?"

"Really?"

"Uh-huh."

"Hm. I do hope they all feel that way when they're teenagers."

Slapping his chest playfully, Fred frowned.

"Let's worry about that when we get there. For now, they're still my babies that let me cuddle and tend to them."

Smiling at this, Wesley nodded and closed his eyes.

"As you wish."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Aw. . .cute. That's the end of this story, but there may be a sequel depending on feedback. Sorry it took so long to update. I'm back now, though.