echolls_cursed | Happy Birthday to Me

Jack had been collecting the comics pages from various newspapers for a while and so when he walked in with packages they were wrapped with the colorful paper. Joe got up and ran to him babbling about her train and he bent down to kiss her. Then he whispered in her ear and gave her a box and she took it to Logan.

"Ha-birday, Dada!" she said, thrusting the box at him. Jack beamed from where he stood, holding another package.

"Shit, it's my birthday?" Logan replied, looking shocked for a moment, then softening when he noticed the disappointment on Joe's face.

"Aww, Thanks princess," he said quietly. "Come on, you can help me open it," he said, letting her hold the gift as he pulled her down onto his lap and then offered Jack a smile.

"If I'd remembered I would have gotten us a sitter," he said, patting the floor beside him so Jack would sit as well.

"It's all arranged. Savannah will be here after dinner to get Joe for the night," Jack replied. Joe was busy pulling at the paper, pleased with ripping bits off at a time. A picture was slowly revealed, a child's coloring that was abstracts circles and scribbles of various sizes, all put into a hand made frame.

"I make!" she declared, shoving it at Logan.

Logan was grinning at Jack's words, but it faded into something sweeter as he took the picture.

"It's perfect, Joe," he said softly, kissing the top of her head. "Where should we put it?" he asked her.

Joe seemed to think about it, then took the picture and wandered over to the handcrafted coffee table.

"Here," she declared simply, looking pleased and then returning to her trains.

Jack smiled at the pair of him. Just looking at them both filled him with love beyond reason.

"And this one's from me," he said, handing Logan the box he'd been saving ever since January when it had appeared with his name on it. Inside were two matching bands. They weren't the rough, island crafted things they wore now, there were two proper matching wedding bands set with small diamonds. He knew Logan would be surprised- he just hoped he liked them.

Logan peeled off the wrapping and opened the box- looking stunned once he saw what was inside.

"How?" he asked quietly, pulling them out of the box to look them over. "Jack, they're beautiful."

"Christmas present. I've been hiding them from you all year. I was sure you'd found them once, but you didn't say anything so I kept my mouth shut. I'm pretty sure they're sized for us. If you, you know, would want to wear something more permanent," he said softly.

Logan nodded, then gently caught Jack's hand.

"Let me put yours on for you," he said, that hint of a romantic soul slipping out as it so often did- No matter how much he tried to hide it.

Jack was touched and he nodded. "This one's the one that fits me," he said as he carefully worked his wedding ring off his finger so Logan could put the new one in place.

"...Then I want to do yours," he added softly.

Logan nodded a little, hiding a hint of a smile by ducking his head as he slowly slipped the new ring into place.

"It suits you," he said softly.

"I really liked them when I opened the box back in January," he replied, admiring the ring for a moment before plucking the other from the box for Logan.

"Now your turn," he said. It was funny but he felt just a touch of the nerves he'd felt so long ago on their wedding day.

Letting Jack take his hand, Logan felt that familiar tug he'd felt when they'd first decided to do this. He remembered their first meeting, the first time they shared a bed, the first time they'd uttered the 'l' word.

He remembered it all, and he couldn't help but wonder how he'd gotten so lucky.

"I love you," he said quietly. "I love you more than I've ever loved anything or anyone. I meant it when I said I wanted to spend forever with you."

Jack smiled and leaned in, catching hold of Logan's face and kissing him deeply. He got lost in it. Too lost. He only broke it when there was a shriek from the little girl that had a tight hold on the leg of his pants as she demanded attention, too.

"More of that later," he said softly, dipping down to catch Joe and swing her up to eye level.

"What do you think, Princess? Should we take Daddy to dinner?" he asked, then looked at Logan. "They're cooking pizza for you at the Winchester, and I bought a cake from the bakery. There's no party, just us, but I thought it should be special."

"Pizza? Really?" Logan asked, lighting up and looking like the boy he'd been when he'd first found himself on the island.

"Pee-a!" Joe said happily, even though Logan was fairly sure the little girl had never even seen pizza before.

"I haven't been there since- You know. Since Neil left," he admitted as his smile faltered.

"I know. I knew it might be bittersweet, but...pizza. They have a brick oven and real sausage and ham and stuff from the garden. It'll be good," he promised, coaxing Logan a bit with a smile and a touch.

"Pee-a!" Joe said again, leaning so far forward to grab Logan that Jack nearly dropped her.

Logan reached to catch her, laughing as he held on and lay down on his back, holding her up in the air.

"Pizza does sound pretty amazing. ...Thanks, Jack."

"Tanks," Joe echoed between giggles.

"I'm happy to do it. You're birthday only comes once a year," he replied, leaving the two to play on the floor as he went to their little bathroom for a minute. When he emerged again he was drying his hands on the towel.

"We can go whenever you're hungry," he said.

"You ready for dinner, Princess?" he asked, lowering her and giving her a tickle.

Joe squealed, nodding and giggling.

"Yeah, let's go," Logan said, putting her down and getting to his feet so he could kiss Jack soundly.

"Though I'm more excited for dessert," he whispered.

"Mmm, me too," Jack purred. He couldn't help but let his mind wander for a moment and it made him smile, a little darker, a little more predatory.

As usual, it took a bit of time to actually get out the door since they had to change Joe and collect her bag and then the walk, though it wasn't far, was punctuated with squeals and pointing and they meandered along the path looking at birds and flowers and monkeys up in the trees.

"You know," Jack said as they reached the Winchester, "The only train she'll ever see is the toy one and maybe the small one that's here in the wintertime sometimes. She's missing out on a big steam engine. Shame."

"Forget steam engines. We're never going to buy her first car or teach her to drive," Logan replied, frowning a little to himself.

"I hate all the things she'll miss. I mean, I'll never get to rent her a limo for prom... Though I guess we still get to threaten her first boyfriend with bodily harm. That's something."

Without thinking, He found himself holding Jack's hand as they walked.

"Yeah...but you know, she's going to have her own ideas of how the world works. Not ours. Not the worlds we came from. I was talking to Savannah about the kids. The ones born here like Matthew and Mack and Flo and they just have a completely different idea of how things are. It's weird, but sometimes I think it might be better for them," he said.

"Yeah, maybe," Logan agreed.

Dinner was nice, and 'pee-a' was a big hit with Joe, who happily chomped down a slice and squealed with glee at the sight of cake.

Logan, for his part, enjoyed a couple of beers as well, feeling full and spoiled as they made their way home.

"You might be shit out of luck, Captain. I might just pass out in the hammock and sleep for three days," Logan laughed.

"My hammock," Joe announced her head against Logan's shoulder as she tried desperately not to fall asleep.

"I wonder if Savannah will be at the house when we get home," Jack said, hoping that she was. He had a feeling Joe would be well asleep before the young woman got her back to her hut for the night.

"Missa-vana," Joe said, perking up just a little, then dropping her head back to Logan's shoulder.

Sure enough, Savannah was waiting on the porch, petting Dulcita and Niner as the competed for her attention. She smiled at them and Joe was eager to go with her as soon as she saw her.

Logan passed the sleepy little girl over with a smile, watching how she lit up as Savannah held her.

He wondered how long it would be before she realized they had the same smile.

"Thanks for taking her," he said, offering a small smile as he leaned slightly against Jack.

"Oh! Of course, Logan. It's my birthday present I guess. I didn't bring anything else," Savannah laughed. She shouldered the bag and made sure she had a good grip on Joe, then got the little girl to wave goodnight to them and started off down the path.

"Alone at last," Jack said, sliding his arms around Logan's waist from behind and nuzzling the back of his neck.

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