"Make a wish sweetie." Liz said hugging Max.

Jacey shut her eyes. She thought and thought and thought. What did she want? Instantly she knew. Her eyes popped open and she blew out her candles. A huge smile formed across her face.

"Can I open presents now, mommy?" She asked. Liz looked down at her daughter. Her beautiful dark eyes were gazing at Liz, pleading from underneath her eyelids. "Please?"

Liz smiled. "Ask your daddy." She said.

Jacey ran up to Max and threw her arms around his legs. "Can I daddy? Please?" Max ruffled the little girls hair. It fell easily back into place. "I guess." He began. "But you can only open five of them. The rest you get to open after cake."

Jacey knew why she only got to open five. It was her fifth birthday. "Thank you daddy." She said, running to the table. She looked over its contents. Slowly she picked out five gifts. The first was from Max and Liz.

"It's a Barbie!" She squealed. "Astronaut Barbie! I've been wanting her." A short blonde-headed girl and brunette walked over to Jacey.

"Wow!" Said the blonde.

"We can play with this later ok, Logan?" Jacey said. "Jodi can play too."

Logan nodded her head and a smiled crossed the two younger girls face. Michael stepped over and scooped them up in his arms. "Let Jacey open her presents, goofballs." He said, nuzzling his face into each of the girl's necks. They began to laugh.

Jacey opened her other four presents; one from Michael and Maria, one from Alex and Isabel, one from Kyle and Tess and one from Taye.

"Thank you so much." She said slowly. "I can't wait until after cake."

Max reached over and picked his daughter up. He kissed her on the cheek. "Happy birthday princess, I love you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you too, daddy."

Liz cut the cake and everyone had a piece, then Jacey finished opening her presents. After that was done, she, Logan and Jodi disappeared into the house.

Max was sitting next to Liz on one side of the picnic table while Isabel and Alex sat on the other. Tess and Kyle were setting in lawn chairs and Michael and Maria sat snuggled together in a lounge chair. Taye was sitting on the ground.

"I can't believe it's been five years since she was born." Liz said slowly. "It just doesn't seem possible."

"I can't believe Logan and Jodi are already four." Maria said smiling. "Have you guys noticed how much we've all changed? Not physically, but in other ways. I mean, remember when we wouldn't even leave the girls in a room alone?"

The group became quiet. They remembered all too well. "It's over and we don't ever have to worry about it ever again." Max said, sharply. "I took care of that problem. Remember?"

Maria shook her head. She stoop up, kissed Michael and walked towards the house.

"Max." Liz said softly. She hated that he didn't want to talk about the baby they'd lost. If it hadn't been for Maria and Isabel, she'd have gone insane. Talking about the baby had helped her deal with the loss. And when Max had told her he didn't want any more children she was devastated. It was Maria who had helped her through that difficult time. Liz watched as Maria disappeared behind the house.

When she rounded the house, the first thing Maria noticed was Jacey sitting on the porch. She walked slowly over and sat down. She could tell she'd been crying. "Hey Jace." She began. "What's wrong kiddo?"

Jacey looked up. "Oh Aunt Maria my wish didn't come true. I wished really hard and I thought I would get it, but it wasn't there. Is it because I was bad sometimes?"

Maria pulled Jacey onto her lap and slowly began to braid her hair. "What did you wish for?" She asked.

"I don't know if I can tell you. We're not supposed to tell wishes." Jacey sighed.

"Come on, you and I are buddies. We tell each other everything. I pinky swear I won't tell anyone. It'll be our secret." She said secretively.

Jacey smiled. "Ok." She looked around.

"Hold your head still." Maria laughed.

"Sorry." She said giggling. "I didn't know what I wanted at first but then I did. I wanted a baby. A brother or sister, but I didn't get one."

Maria felt her heart catch in her chest. If only Max could hear his daughter. She quickly finished the braid and turned her around. "You are very special," She began. "You know that right?"

Jacey nodded her head.

"Your mommy and daddy love you very much. So do Tess, Isabel, Alex, Michael, Kyle, Taye, Logan, Jodi, and I. Even your grandma's and grandpa's love you very much. You're a very lucky girl." Maria looked away. "But sometimes things happen and you don't get a brother or sister. Not because you are bad, but because that's the plan. Kyle doesn't have any brothers or sisters and he isn't sad. He's happy because he knows that he has enough love that he doesn't need a brother. He'd be happy if he got one, but he doesn't NEED one. Do you understand?"

Jacey looked down at the ground. "It's not my fault." She said, slowly.

"Right, and if your meant to be a big sister you will be." Maria kissed her check. "No wish can make it happen."

"Thank you Aunt Maria." Jacey said, hugging her. She crawled down off of Maria's lap and ran into the house.

"Your brother is just so damn stubborn." Liz said, sitting down beside Maria.

"You hear all that?" She asked.

Liz nodded her head. "Yeah, pretty much. Enough to know how lonely my daughter is. I just wish Max could have heard her."

Maria put her arm around Liz drawing her head to hers. "He'll come around, Liz. He just hasn't dealt with the loss yet."

"It's been four years Maria. I don't think he'll come around. He's firm about not wanting anymore kids." Liz said, her voice half strained.

"Then you'll just have to, um, forget something sometime." Maria grinned. "Like he could stop it then. If Max is anything like Michael his energy source will be too active for him to notice anything different."

"MARIA!" Liz exclaimed.

"Girl you gotta take all measures if you want another kid. You have the power in your hands to control that energy source." Maria laughed. "Use it well."

"And I suppose you control Michael's source too, huh?" Liz laughed.

"Oh hell no, we'd have 20 kids by now if I controlled him." She smiled. "We don't want more kids unless we're married."

"Has he asked you yet?" She asked.

"No, but at least we're living together now. I figure by the time I'm 40 he 'll be ready for marriage."

Liz laughed. "You never know." She said. "Michael has changed."

"But he's till the same old Michael." Mara said.

Liz stood up. "I suppose so." She reached her arms out and pulled Maria up. She hugged her. "Thank you for talking to Jacey."

"I didn't mind at all." Maria said, pulling away.

"Let's get back to the others. Isabel and Alex want to talk about their wedding.