Olivia

I pretended not to notice Alex dropping some of his cheese toastie on the floor under the table so Peyton and Baz could have a bit. Olivia giggled as their tails tickled our bare feet.

She kept bending under the table to stroked them. She loved Alex's dogs already, I could tell.

After eating our tea, we all pitched in with the loading of the dishwasher, with Peyton and Baz paddling around our feet.

"Can we watch a movie Jack?" Olivia asked.

I smiled, "Go and pick one Olivia."

She ran from the room, leaving Alex and I cleaning up.

"She's so cute." Alex said, wiping the table, letting the crumbs fall on the floor, knowing his dogs would clean them up.

"Yeah, she is."

"Hurry up!" Olivia demanded, appearing from the living room, gasping mine and Alex's hands and pulling us into the living room.

"Oliver and Company?" I questioned, holding the DVD up.

She nodded from her place on the sofa, cuddled against the arm with a blanket up to her chin.

"Ok." I replied, shrugging and putting the disk in the DVD player.

Alex sat next to her and she immediately cuddled up to him.

I skipped my phone out of my pocket and took a quick photo of them both.

He smiled, looking at me and mouthing, "Adorable."

I nodded, turning the lights off and settling down to watch the movie.
*-*-*-*-*-*
We were about halfway through the movie and Olivia had fallen asleep on Alex.

"Alex, I should put her in bed." I said quietly, nodding at Olivia.

He nodded, wrapping his arms around her and getting up without falling over Baz and Peyton, who were lying at his feet.

"Show me where she sleeps." He murmured, carrying her carefully to the bottom of the stairs.

"C'mon then." I said, going up the stairs first and hearing him follow me up.

"In here." I said, pointing into the bedroom next to my own. Alex went in and gently placed her on the unmade bed and pulled the covers up to Olivia's chin.

We went back downstairs quietly, so as not to wake Olivia. Once we were in the kitchen Alex asked why she was so tired.

Opening a beer, I answered, "She had another nightmare yesterday night. I got her back to sleep at around half past four in the morning. So neither of us had much sleep." I smiled ruefully.

"Nightmare?" He questioned, sipping his bottle of beer.

"Yeah, it was about when her house burnt down. She was terrified. She held onto me like I was the only thing able to save her."

He grinned, "Did you, by any chance, sing to her?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

Alex patted me on the shoulder, "I know you better than you know yourself."
*-*-*-*-*-*
After a couple of beers each, we'd decided it would be a good idea to watch a movie - The Hangover Part 3 - which gets us to our current situation.

Alex was lying across me under the blanket, snoring softly. His dogs were curled up next to his feet on the sofa.

I was unable to move, he was on top of me. How to get him off?

I shoved him to the floor, laughing as he woke up, opening his brown eyes and glaring at me.

"Why would you do that?" He asked, getting up off the floor and brushing himself down.

"Cause you were heavy."

"Lies!" Alex said, jumping on me and tickling me.

"Stop it! I give up! Stop it!" I said, struggling to breathe I was laughing so much.

He stopped mercifully, looked me in the eyes for a brief moment and then got off me. He sat next to me.

"I should probably go." He muttered, standing up.

"Not when you've had a few drinks. You're staying here tonight. What sort of best friend would I be if I let you drive now?" I said firmly.

He smiled slightly, "That's true."
*-*-*-*-*-*
"Who's this?" Matt asked curiously.

We had almost finished "Don't Panic" as we'd decided our new record would be called, so Flyzik had dropped it to talk about touring.

"Olivia." I said, smiling and patting her on the shoulder.

"Why have you got a kid?" He asked.

"Because I felt sorry for her and she pretty cool."

Hearing my praise, Olivia piped up, "Jack's great!"

Alex, Zack and Rian laughed.

"Thanks Olivia."

In response she hugged me. I returned the hug.

"Anyway, about touring on Don't Panic Matt? Zack said.
*-*-*-*-*-*
After talking with Matt about touring for a few hours, we had finished for the day.

"Jack, can we go to the park?" Olivia whined, looking up at me as we left the studio.

"Sure." I smiled. She had been good today, colouring while we were talking. Besides, I was willing to bet she had lots of excess energy.

We walked to the park we had gone to yesterday, near the studio. I sat on the bench, watching her go straight to the swings.

"Jack!" She yelled across the empty playground, "Push me!"

I got up, smiling, and went to push her on the swings.

She screamed in delight as I pushed her higher.

"I'm higher than the stars!" Olivia squealed.