To his credit, now that Johnny had turned serious, he remained quiet, listening carefully to everything Fliss had to say, not even bothering to sip his cocoa while she spoke. He could deny none of what she was telling him, but she needed to know the whole reality of it. "Fliss, if that's what you really want to do, your mother and I will support you, but you should know, being a firefighter isn't easy. It's not all guts and glory. There are gonna be times when it's heartbreaking, when you can't save everyone." Liv had seen him come home downcast often enough to attest to that. "And it can be dangerous, even for someone like you and me."

And in her own turn, Fliss listened to her father, nodding as he explained the darker side of the life she was contemplating. "I do understand," she said quietly. "But ....if I can help just one person, wouldn't that be worth it?"

"I'm not saying you shouldn't do it. I think it's an admirable choice, but I want you to understand what?s involved," he told her, frowning thoughtfully a moment before continuing. "Tell you what. Why don't you come spend a few days at the station' See what it's all about. The clinic, too. You won't be allowed to fight any fires yet, but I'm sure we could find something for you to do, and you'd get to see what?s involved firsthand," he suggested.

"That'd be great." Fliss nodded, her smile brightening as she looked at her father. Her eyes did, however, slide to Liv, who had been conspicuously silent throughout much of this conversation. "Mom?"

Liv met her daughter's gaze solemnly. "I think it's a very brave choice, Fliss," she said softly. "And I think visiting the station and the clinic before you fully commit to your decision is a good idea. But you're still only fifteen. If this is what you are certain you want to do, I will completely support you, but I would like you to stay in school for another year. Study whatever you want to, whatever interests you. Just enjoy learning for a while longer." She glanced at Johnny. "As I say, I'll support whatever decision you make, but I won't let you take this step until you're closer to seventeen. It's far too soon for you to do this professionally, love."

Fliss' expression crumbled. "But Mom ..."

"I agree," Johnny replied, in agreement with Liv. If they were raising their children back home on Earth, Fliss would probably have to wait until she was at least seventeen before she graduated from high school, and even then, there would be a couple more years of training before she'd be certified. "You can't take the fast track on this one, Fliss. Besides, you're only young once. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Enjoy it. What's the rush?"

Fliss fidgeted awkwardly. "But Luc graduates at the end of the semester," she said, trying to plead her case. "What if ....what if he meets someone older and better than me, just because I'm still in school?"

Liv raised her brow. "Then he's not worthy of you," she said simply. "And I don't believe for a minute that he would ever behave like that."

"And Luc is almost seventeen," Johnny pointed out, though it didn't seem that was going to make her feel any better. He sighed, exchanging a knowing, parental glance at Fliss. He couldn't see the future and didn't know if Fliss and Lucas would stay together or not. They were both young, and things could change, but from what he knew of Lucas, he didn't think Fliss had much to worry about. "And what if you meet someone else because he's not in school?" he countered.

"Oh, come on, be serious, Dad."

Liv had to look away to hide her smile at Fliss' instantaneous answer.

"There's no one like Luc," Fliss informed her parents firmly. "I love him, why would I even think about looking at someone else?"

"But apparently, you don't know him or trust him enough to think he'd say the same about you," Johnny pointed out further, hoping he made his point. "So, how much of this is about what you want to do with your life and how much of it is about Lucas?" he asked pointedly.

Fliss' eyes narrowed at that comment on her relationship. "What, I'm not allowed to make decisions about the rest of my life just because you don't think I'm old enough?" she demanded, silenced as Liv raised her hand.

"Think very carefully about what you're about to say, young lady," her mother warned her. "Your father made a good point, and asked you a valid question. If you're feeling defensive about answering it, then you need to think this over some more, not snap at the people who love you for asking awkward questions."

Fliss subsided, glowering at her cup. "That's not fair," she muttered.

"It has nothing to do with your age, Fliss," Johnny replied, hoping he didn't sound like he was lecturing. "I didn't meet your mom until I was in my twenties. I think you and Lucas are very lucky to have the relationship you do. What I'm asking is, shouldn't you be giving him the benefit of the doubt' What if he asked his mom the same thing you're asking us" It's not just about love, Fliss. It's about trust, too," he pointed out as gently as he could. "So, I'll ask you again ....Is this about what you want to do with your life, or is it about Lucas?"

Fidgeting, Fliss scowled at her cocoa a moment longer, and slowly, her expression cleared. "It is what I want to do," she admitted in a tiny voice. "That's not going to change. I love Luc, and I know he loves me, but ....how do I compare to girls his age" I'm scared of losing him. It's not like I think he would, but ....oh, I don't know. I don't want to be left behind."

"Sweetheart, two years might seem like a lot now, but believe me, when you're twenty-eight and he's thirty, it's gonna seem like nothing," Johnny told her with a warm smile, reaching to give her hand a soft squeeze. "And like I said before, if this is what you really want, we'll support you, but finish your schooling first. In the meantime, you can visit the station and the clinic and get a peek behind the scenes."

"You know Aunt Lucy's two years older than Uncle Steve, right?" Liv offered with a faint smile, reaching over herself to tuck Fliss' golden hair back behind her ear. "Age really doesn't matter so much when you're an adult. But you're going to change a lot in the next few years, and so will Luc. Because you're both still growing and becoming adults. If, when you hit twenty-one, you decide you want to marry him, then go for it. But right now" Just enjoy being a teenager, sweetheart. One more year at school, that's all we're asking for."

Fliss sighed, acceding reluctantly to the common sense that was being spoon-fed to her. "Fine," she said without much grace. "I won't change my mind, but fine. School until next June. And then we talk about it again, right?"

"Well, not if you count the years when he was frozen," Johnny pointed out with a smirk. "Then he's old enough to be your Grampa." He gave her hand another squeeze, his smile softening with obvious affection for their oldest. "If it's meant to be, nothing will break you apart. If it's not meant to be, then it's better to find out sooner rather than later," he told her. "Like me and your Aunt Lucy," he added with a chuckle. "That was never gonna work, but when I met your mom, I just knew."

"We could always lock the door," he suggested with an impish grin. Having four children - three of them under the age of ten - was certainly a challenge when it came to their love life, and yet, neither was complaining.

"Not a chance," she laughed, rising to her feet to set the cups in the sink to soak until morning. "You're just going to have to risk being pounced from behind by an overexcited six-year-old again."

"So long as it's not while we're, you know ..." he said, waggling his brows meaningfully, allowing her to fill in the blanks. He didn't mind being pounced so much once it was morning, but it was a little awkward when he and Liv were interrupted while they were having a moment.

She giggled, flicking the light off as she reached for his hand. "I really couldn't say," she teased him affectionately. "Maybe you should demonstrate this ....you know. Just to be sure I understand you."

"Hmm, maybe I should," he teased her, goosing her playfully as she flicked off the light before dashing around her toward the stairs. "Last one to bed is a rotten egg!" he called back.

Liv's laugh followed him up the stairs, waiting for what had to happen. The inevitable thump as Bella crashed off Fliss' bed and scurried out onto the dark landing to intercept Johnny made her grin as she started up the stairs. "Shhh! No waking the smalls!"

"Shhh," he echoed Liv's scolding, leaning down to scritch the dog between the ears, effectively countermanding the scolding with that reward. "Yes, yes, it's nice to see you, too, Bella!" he whispered with a fond smile as she happily licked her master's face. Though she mostly belonged to Fliss now, she'd been the first orphan they'd adopted.

Of course, the little interlude with Bella meant that Johnny was the rotten egg - Liv got to the bedroom before Bella abandoned him to go back to Fliss' room and curl up with her favorite teenager. It sounded as though Lir was in with Alex again; the splashing suggested that Alex's fish tank was going to be short a few fish by morning.

It didn't much matter since there was no reward for being first or last, no matter what Johnny had said. Once Bella wandered off and he had joined Liv in the bedroom, he shut the door behind him, and the giggling ensued.

In her bedroom, Fliss grunted as Bella leaped up onto her bed once again, blinking up at the ceiling as she heard the giggling start up from her parents' bedroom.

"Oh gods," she muttered, rubbing Bella's ears. "If I ever get that gooey in public over Luc, Bells, you have my permission to bite my ass."

The beautiful dog licked her fingers, settling down to sleep as Fliss grinned to herself in the darkness, reaching for her ear plugs. Embarrassing or not, she did have a happy little family.