If you're all sat there thinking: "I swear I've seen this before", you have. This is a recreation of my old "Alfred Family Chronicles" story. The storyline is the same but I am more in a position to dedicate myself to this story and to update frequently. My writing has also improved since the last time I wrote this story and I thought that due to that I would re-write this story and make it as incredible as possible for you all. I hope you all enjoy this and please leave me a review! Thank you! x
'Stay awake, don't rest your head. Don't lie down upon your bed,' Mary sang gently as she was sat on the edge of her daughter's bed one evening and she ran the tips of her fingers through her soft brown hair as her eyes started to droop and she nuzzled her nose into her pillow. 'While the moon drifts in the skies, stay awake don't close your eyes.' She shushed Martha's gentle whimpers as another tear scrolled down her porcelain cheek in the aftermath of her nightmare, wiping it away slowly with the pad of her thumb before she leaned down to kiss her smooth temple. 'Though the world is fast asleep; though your pillow is soft and deep...you're not sleepy as you seem, stay awake, don't nod and dream.' Finally, when Mary reached the second verse of the song that she'd sang to every child she had been placed with before marrying Bert seven years ago, her beautiful three-year-old was sound asleep with her hand resting beside her head and her handkerchief peeking out from beneath her pillow. 'Goodnight, my darling.' Mary whispered softly before pressing a delicate kiss into her dark hair.
Once she was certain that Martha was content and that she would finally be able to sleep through the night she blew out the candle that stood on the bedside table before standing from the bed, casting a final glance down at the precious little girl that never failed to get her heart racing, and making her way out of the bedroom before closing the door lightly behind her and heading downstairs to the sitting room. 'We have one very tired little girl.' She giggled gently as the exhaustion was clear in her own eyes when her gaze fell upon her husband as he was reclined on the settee, her deep red lips curling up into a loving smile when he extended his hand out to her as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. She slowly began to make her way across the sitting room towards him then before he lowered her down into his lap and she curled up instinctively, laying her head upon his chest as one of his strong arms wound around her slim waist and he brought his free hand up to stroke her silky brown hair. She couldn't prevent the loving sigh from escaping her lips as he kissed her head lingeringly.
'I love you, Mary Alfred.' He hummed gently into her hair as he breathed in her natural perfume and sighed deeply in satisfaction as it had the same effect on him that it had always done. 'So much.'
She slowly lifted her head to gaze into her husbands eyes before cupping the sides of his neck gently in her dainty hands and tracing the sharpness of his jaw with her thumbs. 'I love you too, Bert Alfred.' She leaned in for a slow kiss before tugging lightly upon his lower lip with her teeth as she drew back and pressing her forehead against his, grazing the tip of her nose sleepily against his. 'You and the gorgeous little girl we've created who is now sleeping peacefully upstairs.' Bert chuckled affectionately as he brushed a loose strand of chocolate brown hair back beneath her ear, allowing her to snuggle against him once more and rest her head upon his chest once more. 'You don't have any regrets, do you? I mean about the life we've pursued together?' She asked as she toyed with the buttons on his shirt. 'I know my powers can be rather overwhelming sometimes and I know that we won't know if Martha's inherited them for a few years yet, but I don't want you to ever-' Bert shushed lovingly into her ear as he laced his fingers with hers and stroked his thumb tenderly over her wedding ring.
He then brought her perfectly dainty hand to his lips and kissed the back of her palm before she looked up at him from where her cheek lay pressed against his collarbone through his shirt, her ice-blue eyes glistening with uncertainty. Bringing his strong hand up to her cheek he gazed deeply into her eyes, a gentle whimper escaping her as she nuzzled into his palm and he lowered his head to capture her lower lip in a long and delicate kiss. 'I couldn't 'ave any regrets.' He breathed as he was practically cradling her in his arms, her loving gaze locked firmly with his. 'No man could regret loving as I 'ave loved you, Mary. Your powers are just one of the reasons why I love you and it's the thing that 'ad me so drawn to you when we were children. Even if Martha 'as in'erited your powers, I'll still love 'er just as much as I do now, and if she 'asn't it won't change 'ow I feel about 'er. She's my baby girl, Mary, and you're my wife. You both mean more to me than anything else in the world, ain't that the truth?' They let their gazes remain locked for several long seconds before she cupped the side of his neck in her palm and guided him into a warm kiss, sighing against his lips when he parted hers and their tongues began a slow dance. She sat up once they had parted with a soft smack and slid her arms around his neck.
'How about a cup of tea before bed?' She asked softly as he ran his large hand along the curve of her spine through her nightgown and she teased the dark hair at the nape of his neck with her fingertips. She then pressed her lips to his cheek in the softest of kisses before slipping from his lap and patting her hair down as she made her way out of the sitting room. It wasn't long until she was stood at the kitchen counter with two teacups sat in front of her, a deep sigh escaping her when she couldn't resist the urge to snap her fingers in order for the small jar of sugar cubes to fly over to her. As she carefully placed one in each cup she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist from behind before a lingering kiss was pressed to the back of her head. 'Sometimes I wish I was normal.' She admitted tearfully as Bert snuggled up against her back and his chin came to rest upon her shoulder as she placed some tea-leaves into the teapot followed by the hot water. 'I feel as though my powers control me and I'm not free to make my own decisions, Bert, there's hardly anything I can do for myself!'
She was then turned around to face her husband, his arms wrapping back around her waist as he brought her close and she lay her soft hands upon his chest. 'I want to ask you something.' He sighed against the silky skin of her forehead as he drew warm circles into her lower back with the palms of his hands. 'Do you remember that winter's evening 'bout three years back? When you and I were up in our bedroom with the doctor and I was sat 'olding your 'and because you told the doctor that you needed me next to you whilst you were 'aving Martha?' She nodded silently with a slight furrow in her brow, her hands running slowly along his chest as he smiled down at her. 'You didn't use your powers that night, did you? Everything that 'appened that night was out of your own strength and bravery. Your powers din't even come into question, love.' She cuddled against him with a tearful smile then before he pressed a tender kiss to the top of her chocolate brown hair and he ran his hands along her back through the thin material of her nightgown, Bert revelling in the way she snuggled up to him.
'Thank you.' She murmured sleepily into his chest, her hands resting upon his sides as she drew back to look into his perfect face. 'What would I ever do without you?'
'Well 'opefully,' He tapped the tip of her nose softly and she released a delicate giggle. 'You never 'ave to worry 'bout that again because I ain't letting you get away from me so easily anymore. Now, we ought'a get this tea drank so that we can get to bed. I love snuggling with you, you know I do, but you also know 'ow Martha loves climbing into bed with us before the sun even 'as chance to rise in the morning.' Mary rose up onto her tiptoes then and brushed her lips softly against his once again before placing the teapot and teacups onto a tray and following Bert into the sitting room, a blissful smile upon her cherry red lips.
Bert watched carefully over his wife that evening as she lay beside him in their marital bed and her dainty hand lay upon the centre of his chest as he stroked the side of her face soothingly, her head cushioned upon his shoulder as her thick dark eyelashes fluttered delicately and her red lips were slightly parted as her chest rose and fell perfectly in time with her steady breathing. Bert was unable to refrain from pressing a warm kiss to her forehead. Every time he measured her height for her at the same time that Martha insisted he measure hers, it always read: 'Practically Perfect in Every Way.'
He never could argue with the measuring tape, because in his eyes his wife was the most perfect woman in all the earth.
Author's Note: Please review!