Life wasn't perfect, but it never had been, so the couple didn't expect that. Life in reality hadn't been as easy as they'd hoped, so on JC's advice they decided to give couples theripy a try. From day one their theripist, Ellen, told them that they're issue was more simplistic than they thought. They didn't need extensive theripy, because they were in love, they wanted to stay together. What they really needed to do, was forgive eachother, and let the past, taking what they learned with them.

"Your each going to tell the other what you feel they did, how you feel. And the other people, if they feel it's valid, is going to apologise. If you don't agree, say so and why. Emerald, why don't you go first. Tell Justin how you fell. What hurt you," Ellen swivled her chair to look at the young woman.

Emerald bit her lip and played with her thumbs.

"Alright," she said, "It hurt me that you used to tell me how much you loved me, but then you weren't there. I felt like I wasn't important to you anymore, like you didn't need me around. And as a woman and your wife and our children's mother that hurt me alot."

Justin nodded.

"I'm sorry. That won't happen again, I promise."

"Justin, what about you?"

He took a deep breath. He never really told her how he felt about it all. He wanted to keep everything about her, make sure that she was alright.

"It upset me when you didn't come to me. I'm your husband, I'm your partner in life you should know that you can tell me anything. When you were hurting but you didn't tell me, it made me feel like you didn't trust me. You didn't tell me how you felt, you didn't tell me about the pills, and you didn't tell me about the papers. All of that did damage, all of that hurt."

"I'm really sorry Justin," she whispered.

"So Emerald," Ellen spoke, "Do your forgive Justin?"

"Yes."

"Justin do you forgive Emerald?"

"Yeah."

The woman leaned back in her chair with a smile.

"Okay then."

~*~*~*~

The couple walked hand in hand through the lobby towards the doors. The tension is gone, now replaced with uncertainty. They knew that they had forgiven the other, but how did they know that the other had forgiven then? They could have just been saying it.

"Did you mean it?" Emerald spoke, looking down at her boots.

"Mean what?"

"That your forgive me? Cause it's okay if you didn't."

She continued walked, but when she moved to take a second step, she felt a tug on her hand and realized he had stopped.

"Did I say I forgive you?" he asked.

She nodded. He pulled on her hand till she came closer, then he puts his arms around her, holding her close.

"Hey, guess what," he whispered.

"What?"

"It's our anniversay, it's our anniversary. Made for you and me," he sang.

Emerald smiled against his chest at the mention.

"Tell your supervisor you're leaving early today, and I'm willing to pay for the rest of your day girl. Do you know what today is? I know girl. It's our anniversary, made for you and me."

Emerald lifted her head and looked at him.

"What do you wanna do?"

"I think that we should go to the store and get some chocolate ice cream, some strawberries, whipped cream, caramel sauce and sprinkles. Then go to the mall and get you a bikini-."

"I was thinking more along the lines of something with the kids," she interupted.

"Or something with the kids. The kids are almost as much fun."

She giggled and motioned for him to follow.

"Faliz Navidad."

"Em?"

"Faliz Navidad."

Justin leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Ahem. Em?"

"Faliz Navidad la la la la la la la la la la."

"Em."

"I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas!"

"Emerald!" he stood behind her.

She spun around, an embarassed grin on her face.

"As much as I'd love to stand here and watch you shake your groove thang, you need to get ready so we can go. We don't wanna keep the baby out too late."

She nodded and turned back to her mirror.

They'd decided to go to a local bowling alley, something suggested by Isaiah. It's been awhile since they had a Timberlake family outing, and the baby had never been before. Mike accompanied them to a place down the street in the local shopping mall. They picked an alley all the way at the end and got bowlingballs for the kids.

"I'll be back there," Mike pointed to the videogame room, "Scream like a girl if anything happens."

"Shut up," Justin muttered waving him off.

Emerald picked up Angel with one hand, a light bowling ball with the other. She set the ball down then Angel and knelt behind her. Placing Angel's tiny hands on the ball, she pushed and the ball started down the alley. Angel giggled and clapped happily. The ball stopped about halfway down and Justin hit it with his ball, the result being a strike. Angel bounced happily from her place on the floor at the noise the pins made as they fell. Justin walked over to standher as his lips met the place where her shoulder turned into her neck.

"Mama," Angel cooed from her place under a chair.

"Yep, she's Mama and I'm Daddy. Can you say Dada?"

The baby smiled.

"Say Dada. Say Dada."

"Dadadadadadadada," she replied.

"Yay!" he picked her up and swung her around before kissing her puggy cheek.

"Dad, look!" Isaiah called before sending his ball down the alley, knockin over all but one pin.

"That's awesome lil' man," Justin set the baby back on the floor and moved to stand next to his wife.

"Happy to be married to me for another year?" he dropped his arm around her shoulder.

"I supposed," he looked down at her sharply, "I'm only kidding. Ofcourse I am."

"Good," he kissed the top of her head.

"Baby, do something for me."

"Anything."

"Say that you'll stay this way forever? That you'll never change. Don't move, don't breath, don't change, don't leave me. Promise me that you'll stay, we'll stay this way."

Justin looked as his children as Isaiah helped Neveah bowl, and then back as his wife's adoring face and smiled at the idea of forever and forever with them and no one else. He kissed her lips and leaned his cheek on her head.

"I promise we'll be this way forever."

Love be still Love be sweet Dont you dare Change a thing I want to photograph you with my mind To feel how I feel now all the time

Say that you'll stay Forever this way Forever and forever That we'll never have to change Don't move Don't breathe Don't change Don't leave And promise me Say you'll stay We'll stay This way

I get afraid Dont think ahead Let's just stay This way in bed Feels so good inside your arms Home is everywhere you are

Don't move Don't breathe Don't change Don't leave Promise me We'll always be This kind, this sweet This good to me Promise me We'll always be

Say that you'll stay Forever this way Forever and forever That we'll never have to change Don't move Don't breathe Don't change Don't leave And promise me Say you'll stay We'll stay This way