Juan's body was exhausted in a good way.  After two and a half hours of running around and shooting after each other, Juan could proudly say that he was the victor.  "My ass is so sore from getting it kicked," he over exaggerated as Terry dragged her feet behind him.  A concoction of red, blue and yellow tainted her blond hair and pale skin.  She was pouting after getting her ass handed to her.

"Shut your Latin trap," she sneered, bumping him out of the way to pry open his refrigerator.  "I think you cheated."

"Ha!" Juan jeered.  He snickered as he watched her sift through the fridge's contents before grabbing a canned ginger ale.  She tossed him one before grabbing one of her own.

"I'll spank that ass the next time," she promised, groaning as she slumped ungracefully into a hardwood chair.  The cushion felt like heaven against her sore butt cheek.  It was as if Juan had purposefully targeted her backside after she threatened him before their departure.  The back of her thighs were on fire.  They probably would have welts by tonight.

"Just admit that paint ball is not your strong suit.  Now, if you had said put put, I would have lost horribly.  Golf isn't interesting to me at all."

"I'll remember that for the next time," Terry nodded thoughtfully.  Usually she would kick Tyler's ass in almost everything athletic.  He would get her back with anything artistic.  She never had the attention span for music or painting or even poetry....

Juan thoughtfully regarded Terry.  He wondered sometimes why she spent more time meddling in other's affairs than her own.  He knew that she had a complicated relationship of her own to take care of, but she was too busy running away to handle it.  Any fool could see that she was in love.  "Terry."

"What?"  She straightened her back with a groan then proceeded to rub her ass in an unladylike manner.  It was quite comical.

"Why are you still single?"

"I work too much," she quipped with a shrug.

Juan snorted, "my ass," he muttered before finally taking a sip of his ginger ale. 

"Technically its complicated, but riddle me this, Juan."  She sat up even straighter than before, piercing him with her blue eyes.  "Why won't you talk to Kat?  You can't say that you lost her number because it hasn't changed.  Even if you did, Kit is ready and waiting for you to come see her.  She's too afraid to come here because the last time she found you, she thought you had overdosed on sleeping pills."

Juan groaned, shifting uncomfortably on his feet.  "I didn't overdose, she just caught me at a rough time."

Terry snorted.  "She was scared shit less, Juan.  We all were after you closed yourself off from us."

"I know. I know," he agreed.  His fingers ran through his thick locks as he huffed a sigh of regret.

"I think what we need to do tonight is to give Kit and Cole a visit.  They have invited me to dinner tonight and I would love it if you came with me."  She could tell that he was about to protest.  She jumped to her feet shaking her head.  "Look, dinner is at eight.  I'm coming back at seven-thirty to get you.  I'm not asking.  As your nosy, meddlesome friend, I'm calling an intervention," she told him before storming out.

Juan grunted in frustration.  He wasn't ready to see Kit.  He loved her, but she was so similar to Kat that at times it made his heart clench in regret.  Their crooked smiles and quirky mannerisms were not missed to him.  He didn't want to see the sympathy in her eyes either or receive any pity.  He grumbled his way up the stairs to take a shower.  He ate a late, small lunch and decided to catch up on his emails.  He wasn't a fan of clearing out the junk, but someone had to do it.  He was a nervous wreck by the time Terry returned to pick him up.

He left the house and locked up the door before Terry could drag him out.  He wanted to pretend to be upset, but when she pulled up in her new, white Bentley, he mewled in appreciation.  "When did you get this new baby?" he asked, his fingers caressed the fresh paint as he nodded slowly.

"Paws off my baby," Terry told him.  "Hop in before we're late."  She waited for him to buckle up before reversing out of the drive way.  "Juan, I'm sorry about the way I acted this evening.  I shouldn't have pushed myself on you the way I did."

Juan shrugged his burly shoulders as he leaned back in his seat.  "If you didn't push, I probably would never have gotten around to it," he confessed.  He cleared his throat as he became uncomfortable.  "I'm scared," he almost whispered.

"Oh Juan," Terry cooed.  She pulled off into the median to focus her attention on him.  "Why?  Talk to me.  Stop shutting us out."

Juan shifted in his seat, his fingers tapping nervously against the door frame.  "I miss her like crazy, Terry.  I don't know if I'm ready to sit around and pretend like I'm okay, because I'm not okay.  I think about her everyday.  I wonder if she's moved on, if she still thinks about me, if she even still wants me..."

"Juan," she touched his hand in understanding and reached to wipe away a shed tear.  "It's going to be okay.  This isn't the end of the world.  Kat has not gone a million years out of your reach.  She's still human.  We're all human.  It's okay to grieve the loss of a loved one, but Kat isn't dead.  You made the decision to let her live out her dream even though it hurt you like hell to do it."

"Yea," Juan agreed on a cynical laugh.

"But it's going to be all right.  Like the old adage says, if you love something, set it free.  If it comes back, it was meant to be.  She'll be back eventually and if you're meant to be together, nothing is going to stop you.  All right?"

He nodded his head as he looked out the window.  "Yea.  Thanks."

"I'm here for you.  We're all here for you, Juan.  Now, we're going to Kit's place and we're going to have a great dinner and we're going to talk and get along like we did before Kat left.  You can do this.  We all love you.  I love you."

"I love you too."

The remaining drive to Kit's place was calming. They talked about music, about upcoming movies, and then fought over which release would make the most amount of money.  The nice, warm wind created a great ambience they carried with them inside of Kit and Cole's new home. The house was two stories with burgundy colored panels and white shingles. The outside decor had a rustic feel, they were the only house in the neighborhood with cactus plants and ripened prickle pears. Kit was busily directing Cole to retrieve a few pears, holding off their two year old toddler Kasi who insisted on helping her father hold the studded fruits while their dog Yang ran about wildly, barking and wagging his tail.

When she heard the car drawing closer and then watched it pull into the driveway, she squealed in delight causing Terry to display a huge grin on her face. "Aunnie Terr," she mispronounced in her baby voice.

Kit's face was a mixture of surprise and sheer love when she saw Juan exit the Bentley. Kasi went to Terry while she rushed to Juan to engulf him in a genuine hug. She held him tightly like a hug from Grandma that sent warmth flooding your whole body. "Juan, I've missed you so much. Hi baby."

Juan laughed as they rocked to and fro, exchanging welcoming glances with Cole who also wore a big smile on his face. "Hey Cole, how are you doing?"

"Fabulous, come on inside and let's leave the girls to hug themselves to death," he teased his wife who had yet to release Juan. Kit finally did let go, tiptoeing to ruffle his hair.

"Daddi, why you leafing me?" Kasi asked, wiggling out of Terry's hold to run after her father.

"Don't leave me," Terry called, chasing after her while Yang excitedly yipped and followed behind.

Kit looked at the scene before her then to Juan and shrugged her shoulders. "Come on, it looks like I need to fatten you up. You've lost so much weight...I see you didn't stop working out though," she said as an afterthought, poking and prodding his arm. "How are you, Juan?"

"I'm good," he responded quickly. He nodded his head for emphasis, pushing back his hair which he now realized was much longer than normal.

"No, Juan, how are you?" Kit gently laid a hand on his arm, waiting for a real answer while he fidgeted about nervously.

"I'm doing much better. It was pretty rough for a while, but I'm starting to get back to my old self again," he finally confessed.

Kit hugged him once more glad that he had decided to trust her with his vulnerability. "Well, I missed you and I was worried about you, but I'm glad that you're here." They turned about, arm in arm, heading towards the entrance. "Juan, you were sexy before, but what's going on with the hair and the beard? Whose panties are you trying to drop?"

"All of them," Cole chimed in, tossing a clean kitchen towel at his face. "Here is mine!"

Everyone instantly broke into laughter, convening about the island counter in the kitchen. Cole whipped up some cherry banana smoothies for everyone while Kit burned the needles off of the prickle pear. She peeled them, slicing them into a fruit salad which she then refrigerated. Dinner was almost finished, the lasagna was in the oven with homemade garlic bread and dessert was very simple. A fruit salad with homemade whipped cream.

"Everything smells so good," Terry whined, holding her stomach dramatically. Kasi returned with her favorite barbie and a show car. It was a 1957 pale green Thunderbird that was still in good shape considering her age. She tossed the toys on the counter before Juan then ran off to find some more with Yang happily following along.

"It's time for show and tell," Kit told him with a smile. Her daughter did it to her close relatives and those she considered relatives. Everyone knew that she was fond of Juan--he was in fact a kid magnet which the ladies would definitely love. Any time he would visit, even on the very rare occasions, she would follow him with her eyes and eventually began crawling after him once she became mobile. She returned shortly with her tea set and several pretty hair bows.

Juan couldn't hide the chortle he released watching her try to climb up on the stool with her hands full. He lifted her easily, kissing her temple and feeling the caress of her silky, loose curls. Kasi wasted no time pointing to her toys and prized possessions. She babbled on happily as if Juan could understand her perfectly. He played into it well, nodding his head vigorously, asking questions, laughing when she laughed and interacting with the objects. At the end of their conversation, she kissed him on the cheek then wiggled down his body to run off and play with Yang right in tow.

"Dinner is ready."

"Really? Since when?" Juan was shocked that the time had passed so quickly. He helped Kit set the table, pushing his hair out of his face in frustration.

"I need to cut this thing," he mumble to himself.

A unanimous "No!" resounded in the kitchen and he jumped in surprise almost dropping the wine glasses.

"Long hair looks good on you. Live a little, try something different," Terry told him, gently pushing him towards the dining room.

With the table now set, they carried in the dishes and eagerly sat down in preparation to eat. Kit blessed the food and began serving the lasagna and breadsticks. Kasi was busily arguing with her father as to why she did not want to eat the lasagna, shoving her parmesan garlic breadstick in her mouth instead and chewing as if he was no longer talking to her while Yang barked furiously until Kit directed him to his full food bowl.

"Kasi, it's full of cheese," Cole bribed, holding up a fork of lasagna dripping with cheesy goodness as proof.

"Cheez?" Kasi repeated with a stuffed mouth. She looked at her mother then back to her father. "Cheez?"

"Cheese," Cole confirmed, nodding his head with a serious look on his face knowing he had gotten her right where he wanted her. He leaned over kissing her ruddy cheeks and high-fived Kit when Kasi swallowed the bread and opened her mouth for lasagna.

"She's getting to the picky stage and she's only two," Kit explained. "I never had this much trouble with Yang."

Juan snorted, watching the dog finish swallowing his food before returning to his post by Kasi's side. "Don't let those big brown eyes and that angelic face get to you. You look at her long and hard and tell her to eat her food.

"Explain to me again how well this works on Caleb?" Terry asked with a sneaky grin. Juan was practically putty in his godson's hands. When he and his twin sisters were in the room, Juan was a living toy. They followed him everywhere, begging him to play with them or read them a story. He always gave in even when he told them no repeatedly.

"Oh shut it," he told her, wiping his mouth before he sipped some of his red wine. He enjoyed their playful banter. By the time dinner was winding down, Juan was kicking himself for staying away so long. He hated people seeing him at his lowest, Kit and Cole were no different. They were some of his best friends, but he hated appearing weak.

"I'm sorry for staying away," he told them while they were in the process of clearing the table. "I'll do better." He watched their dog sniff around the kitchen after spending dinner under the table in hopes of scraps which Kit did not withhold from him.

"You don't have to apologize. We all have our bad days," Cole told him. He placed a supportive hand on his shoulder, squeezing it before following his wife into the kitchen. Kit took Kasi upstairs to give her a bath. By the time they finished it was as if they both had bathed.  She changed into one of Cole's oversized t-shirts enjoying the smell of him all over her. She wrestled her naked daughter into pyjamas after lathering her with baby lotion and powder. She awed at her little diaper butt then shook herself out of it. It was time for them to be more strict with Kasi's potty training.

Cole told her to leave the diaper off, but the last time they had done that, their daughter had pissed all over the floor, peeing and running away while they ran after her yelling for her to stop. Their child was a wild thing like her aunt. She missed her sister.  Every time they spoke she would ask Kat when she would be coming home and Kat never really could give a clear answer. It was understandable, she was a model with engagements stretching into next year and the years following. She really missed her big, little sister.

"You're finished?" Cole asked, standing to his feet to hold his daughter. They often took turns putting her to bed. She was a handful, but was more calm with one on one sessions.

"Daddi, chomil," Kasi requested with a smile.

"How do you ask for chocolate milk?" Cole deciphered, rolling his eyes. He blamed his parents. They had visited from Canada and had hooked their granddaughter on the chocolatey goodness. It was like crack cocaine to the two year old.

"May I peese ha soo chomil?" Kasi tried again, scrunching her face in an effort to concentrate on being polite.

Juan laughed, unable to look away from how adorable she was. "Kit, she is the perfect blend of the two of you. Your brown eyes, Cole's smile and dark features."

"Oh please, that little booger is all Cole when you look at her," she told them as they carried their wine glasses into the living room to sit down. Yang positioned himself at her feet, waiting expectantly for some ear rubs before settling on the floor.  "He swears she gets her pout from me, but I don't see it," Kit continued.  "What I do see is her broad forehead which she also got from her daddy, her jet black hair she got from her daddy, her darn baby six pack which should be illegal, also from her daddy."

Both Terry and Juan laughed shaking their head. "You're so stupid."

"I'm serious. Even her little booty she gets from my mom and her crazy personality is definitely a mixture of Terry and Kat. I don't think she took anything from me. I wanted her to at least smile like me, but Cole had to take everything," Kit pouted.

Terry rolled her eyes, "You can always have another one and try again. Twice the charm."

Kit's eyes bulged as she shook her head energetically. "I need a break after this one. Don't get me wrong, I love Kasi and after I found out I was pregnant I swore that I wouldn't be one of those first time parents, and in my defense I haven't...my parents on the other hand act like those first time grandparents--spoiling her rotten. But I'm not ready for another baby yet, maybe in another year or so when I can wrap my head around being a wife and a mother. It all happened so fast. Not that I regret any of it, but Cole and I will have more time to have beautiful babies."

"I want more nieces and nephews," Terry whined.

"You also have Yang," Kit told her, inclining her head towards her dog who now had his head tilted to the side after hearing his name. He wagged his tail over towards them, laying on his back for a much appreciated belly rub before running up the stairs to put himself to bed.

"You're at that age where you can have your own," Juan told her, nudging her side with his elbow while rolling his eyes at Kit's statement.

"Oh bite me," she quipped, sipping her wine before slapping him with a pillow.

Cole returned an hour later looking exhausted. "That little girl has so much energy," he told them.

"Well, you did give her chocolate milk," Juan reminded him.

"I can't say no to those brown eyes," Cole confessed as if lost in thought. "You know Kasi, even though she is a good girl, never really gets in trouble, but two days ago Kit and I had to spank her."

"Oh no!" Terry gasped dramatically. "So, I spank my nieces and nephews all of the time..only when necessary that is. Sometimes they know that they're cute and they try to use it against you. Discipline is natural. If you don't do it within reason, you're setting your child up to not respect themselves or authority."

Everyone looked at her shocked. Terry was the wild child, but when she really opened her mouth, she had a lot of good things to say. "But, it was still hard. I know we needed to do it, but when she turned up her little face at us and cried, it made me feel guilty."

"Don't be guilty. She has to learn that bad choices come with serious consequences," Terry told the couple with Juan nodding in approval.

"I have a friend back in Venezuela who is a prosecutor," he began, changing positions on the sofa. "We used to go out and drink and he would vent to me about some of his cases. He had one guy who beat his girlfriend to death. During the trial my friend learned that the guy's parents would always bail him out of trouble. Every time he got arrested for something, they would pay his way out to the point where he felt above the law. Do you know that his parents went bankrupt trying to get his name acquitted? So, not only did his parents lose their son, but they lost their fortune because of their inability to make him understand the grave consequences of his actions."

"Damn that's messed up," Cole murmured, feeling the guilt lift from his shoulders.

"I know it's a heavy story, but it's all true. The guy had a long list of criminal and domestic offenses and was put to death. So, understanding right from wrong, knowing your limits and being respectful, those are all a small margin of the life lessons a person learns from the conscious age of a toddler. You set the tone for the type of person your child will become."

"It's classic nature vs nurture in the beginning. Once they become of consenting age, it's up to them to take the rest of the journey on their own even if you're still there to lend a helping hand," Terry told them.

"Can I make a confession," Kit asked, spinning her wineglass about nervously.

"Yea."

"I actually cried. I went into the bathroom and cried because I felt like a bad mother."

"You're not. Now, what she did, did you and Cole tell her repeatedly not to do it?"

"Of course. She was climbing up the opposite side of the banister and we had warned her of the dangers. She fell, luckily from the third step, no serious injuries, but she was shaken up about it. I didn't know if it was too extreme to spank her after she had fallen. It felt a little unfair."

"Life isn't about what's fair or what's not," Juan told them. "If you told her about what could happen and she said that she understood but went back to do it again and got injured, you have to grow some tough skin. Children will push the boundaries, but you also have to distinguish between anger and discipline. Now, did you spank her out of anger?"

"God no!"

"Definitely not!" Both Cole and Kit answered immediately.

"Then you're both just experiencing what every parent feels the first time they have to tear their kids' little legs up," Juan told them. "I'm a firm believer in spare the rod, spoil the child. My mother and father had fourteen children. They made sure to teach us the right way to go and we never got into any serious trouble. I mean we snuck out of the house from time to time to play with friends or skipped school, but our grades stayed up and we did what we had to do to get ourselves into good schools and make something of ourselves."

"Long story short," Terry told them after a brief pause. "You're both not horrible parents. That won't be the first or the last time you'll have to spank her. You both did the right thing. You're not bad parents."

"Aw, you guys, group hug," Kit called already standing to her feet and pulling Cole with her. Juan groaned while Terry clapped enthusiastically and grabbed him along. They hugged, Juan squeezing tightly then laughing as they pulled apart.

"I really missed this," Cole confessed. "Thanks for coming, man. I've missed you."

"Yea, yea, yea, dude, I know. I missed me too." He checked his watch, whistling at the late hour. "Terry, I have to work tomorrow."

"I know, I know, I was just about to tell them we were leaving."

They exchanged hugs and kisses, promising to call each other more and set another dinner date. Cole and Kit accompanied their friends to the door, laughing at Cole's Mike Tyson impersonation and slapping him on the arm while Juan tried to stop his laughter long enough to open the door.  He quickly sobered up at the image before him, his smile slowly draining from his eyes.

"Kat."

"Looks like you guys were having too much fun without me. Missed me?"