Anne & Jack

"Most of all, you have stepped into the position of being a father to LJ. I'm asking you, would you like to live here permanently? Would you be willing to become a father to LJ and care for her as if she was your own? Would you be willing to care for me in my best of times and in my worst of times?" Will you love me?" Anne had just decided that with those questions, she was asking if Jack would be her new lover and father to her daughter.

"Anne, I have done those things already and am willing to continue to do those for you and her. I have been told that she is a nice baby and has a good father when I have taken her to the grocery store or when I took her to the park that night we crossed the line of siblings and entered the world of lovers." He said as he looked into her eyes.

"I did those things without being asked, I did them without any reservation. I love you Anne and I love LJ. Yes I will. I cannot marry you but I am willing to accept the responsibility of caring for you and her." He paused and thought for a moment, "I know that your biggest fear with this is that, one day someone from the Police Department walking to the front door and telling you that I am dead. It is a big risk for you as you will feel as if you end up without a lover and without a father for your little Jill." Anne nodded her head as that was exactly in her mind too.

"I don't know where I will be in 5 years but I do hope that I will be right here with you on this couch watching another boring episode of the Family Feud." Anne cried at that.

"Thank you Jack, now take me to bed and sleep with me."

That night, they went to bed and shared themselves with one another as something more than star crossed lovers or siblings.

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Christmas day came and everyone met over at the Wilson home to share in eating a nice meal and opened a few presents. Jill could see how Jack was looking at Anne and waited until they were alone to talk to her. They went outside and sat on the front porch.

"So, how goes life at home?" Jill asked.

"That night I left here, we crossed a line and became lovers. Jill I realized that Jack has been with me since Jim died and he has filled every shoe I need except for that one. I asked Jack a few days ago to become my lover and a father to Jill as she grows up. We both know that the best laid plans go to hell but he accepted the responsibility. Now we just have to tell everyone else." Anne said.

"Well I know, funny how we ended up trading positions with our kids as this is what they were dealing with last year." Jill said knowing how hard it was for Amy and Jessica to hide the truth from them.

"Jessica knows." Anne stated as she took a sip from her tea. "When she came to visit for Thanksgiving she instantly saw right through me and knew in her heart. We then got caught kissing by her the next morning. Jessica is ok with it and she is understanding."

"Just a quick question Anne? You are not going to be having anymore babies are you?" Jill asked wondering.

"No, that shipped has sailed. No more babies for me as I'm on birth control." Anne looked at Jill. "I know deep down that Jack would have loved to have kids but I believe he saw LJ as his own from the beginning when he moved in to help. He is a lovely man and will become a great father. I made my Will out back in October and filed it. If something happens to me, LJ will go to Jessica and Jake and Jack gets power of attorney over me. Down the road I may change that but I just have to see how this works out." Jill reached across and held Anne's hand.

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Jack and Anne settled into a life as siblings by day and lovers by night but continued to care for each other and LJ. Anne knew she needed to tell the family their new relationship and decided that this needed to be done sooner than later. She decided to do this at Easter as she could get everybody together at once. But another topic came up before at dinner.

"So Anne, the Chief came by and told me some good news." Mike said spicy up the conversation.

"Oh really, what would that be?"

"They are naming the new Academy Building for the Police Department after Jim." Everyone looked to him with shock. Anne couldn't help but begin to have tears.

"The chief ask me if we all would like to attend. I know it is difficult but he asked. If some of you would prefer to not attend I would understand and relay that to the chief." He said, not knowing how some of them were dealing with his death.

"I'll go; I wouldn't miss it for anything." Jessica said. Jake looked at her and squeezed her hand.

"I believe we should all go; we all were a part of his life." Anne said, knowing that each and everyone one of them had touched his life. LJ was perhaps the only exception as she never got to look into his eyes or see the smile on his face.

"You can tell Chief Roberson that we will be there." Anne replied, settling the issue.

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They finished eating and before Amy left she decided to tell them.

"Everyone! After the death of Jim, Jack came to live with me and LJ to help take care of us. In the time since, we have come to rely upon each other as friends and siblings. I soon came to realize after we shared some things with each other that we were falling in love with one another. Back before Thanksgiving we crossed that line between friends and siblings to becoming something different. I have asked Jack to become my lover and to be a father to LJ as she grows." Anne said as she began to cry. "While our circumstances are different we have come to accept one another as man and wife in a sense. We are asking for your blessings and support for us."

"You got mine mom." Jessica said.

"Ditto" Just about everyone said at the same time.

"Anne, Jack, I can understand how this has happened. I only hope that you both are caring of each other. You can help one another through life and raise Jill together, with our help of course." Mike commented.

"Thank you everyone." Anne was happy at being accepted.

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"Anne, Thank you for coming. I know the loss of Jim has been the hardest on you and your family. I personally put in the request to have this building named after Jim as he showed passion, courage and taught the officers under him how to be better cops and also better people. If you need anything, please call my office." Chief Roberson said to Anne who was at the ceremony to dedicate the new Academy Building in name of Captain Jim Edwards.

"Thank you Chief Roberson. Please do me a favor and keep my brother safe. He has been the biggest help of all as he has moved in to the house and has been willing to become a father to our little girl Jill. I miss Jim with all my heart and I will never find anyone as good to me as he was."

She was stating this, but she had found someone as caring and loving as Jim and that was Jack. She was secretly telling the Chief that Jack was her new love and to not let anything happen to him.

"He is a good pilot and good brother to you Anne. We are lucky to have him Anne."

"Thank you, I had a question. You see, I have made Jack a current legal guardian for Jill by him adopting her and was wondering if he could put her on the city insurance plans and healthcare. You see, I've written into my will that if something should happen to me then custody of her would be given to my kids Jessica and Jake and they would share that responsibility with Jack." Anne asked trying to get Jill covered by city insurance plans which were far superior to her school district insurance rates and premiums. It would also provide the foundation for him to be a legal guardian in every sense of the word that makes a man a father.

"I see, just go on down to the HR department and they will set it up for you. Just bring legal papers stating that he has legal rights to be her guardian as you have given them to him. They should be able to do it with no problem and it will go active on the next open enrollment period." The chief told her.

"Thank you sir." Anne said with a smile.

Chief Roberson dedicated the Academy Building with Anne, and everyone else present. Jessica and Jake were not afraid to show themselves as a couple. They didn't actively show it but stayed together.

Anne looked around and saw how much people truly missed Jim. She knew he would be looking down at them. She hoped that he could only approve of what she was doing. She had taken Jack as her new love in life and had asked him to be a father to Jill.

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A few nights later, Anne and Jack lay in the bed after a passionate night of soft and slow sex. She had a question she wanted to ask.

"Jack?" She said softly.

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you a question?" He turned to face her as they were lying side by side.

"What did Nishi look like?"

The question was sudden and he looked angry. He sat for a moment and then moved to get up and went to the dresser. He grabbed his wallet and moved back to the bed.

"This is what she looked like." He pulled out a photo of her and him on their wedding day. She was beautiful Anne thought. She had short brown hair with an Asian face. She had a pretty smile and was slim in her figure.

"She was cute." Anne said as she looked at it. "Did you want to have children with her?" She asked.

"We talked about it and she would have liked to have children." Jack replied.

"Do you still want children after all these years?" Anne asked.

"Why are you asking me?" Jack asked being curious why she was wondering.

"I'm asking because I know you would be a great father to Jill. I ask because if you want to have a child with me, we could try." She said and Jack had to think before he spoke.

"Anne, while that is a tempting offer. I lost my opportunity when I lost Nishi. I'm getting old and I see Jill as my own child. She may not have my blood but she has yours and you and I share that. In a way she is mine." Jack replied telling her how he saw Jill.

"I just wanted to ask as with me being 40, I only have a few years left before menopause. I would be willing to carry your child if you wanted one." Anne replied.

"I know Anne. I love you and Jill like my own." He kissed her on her head. "Let's get some sleep."

They went to sleep as a couple. One Man and One Woman; not as brother and sister or ships passing in the night. Jack had found a way to love again even if it was Anne. To the world it may be forbidden but to him and Anne it felt peaceful. Peaceful was much more enjoyable than going to a bed alone and filling it with tears of sadness and thoughts of what they once had. The path of life takes many turns and no one knows where they may end up.

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If this story is liked, I may add more to it in the future as the timeline of Jake and Jessica continues on.

Voting and feedback are welcomed.