Author's Note: Welcome to my currently untitled Alexis and Rafe story. I wish to preface this story by giving credit where credit is due. The characters Dash, Ellery and Rafe all belong to chezchuckles (who is an AMAZING author, and you should all most definitely go check out!). She was kind enough to let me borrow her characters for my own use. I have taken the characters in a slightly different direction than she has in her stories (mine mainly differs from Everything That Glitters if you are familiar with her work).
Just to quickly clarify, Alexis's three children are Joanna (8 years old), Emelia and Jim (5 years old) and Martha (3 years old). Dashiel and Ellery are Alexis's siblings (Beckett and Castle's kids) and they are 15 and 12 respectively.
Alexis wakes with sun streaming onto her face, and stretches with a sleepy grin on her face. She rolls over slowly to face her husband, and is greeted by a beaming three year old.
"Oh hey there little one. What are you doing here?"
She reaches out to tickle the little girl. Martha giggles, and crawls closer to her mother.
"So when did you get here Miss Martha?"
"Lonely. Me miss Mummy."
Alexis doesn't think her smile can get any wider. She cannot imagine a better way to begin her Saturday morning.
"Well then I think we should have a cuddle. But we have to be very quiet, Daddy got home very late from work last night.
Martha nods knowingly, her soul older than that of her body. Alexis lays back down, pulling Martha into her arms. Her eyes close as she listens to the sound of Rafe's light snoring and her daughter's happy little sighs.
It's the first Saturday in months that they're all free, and she can't ever remember being so excited for a family day. Faintly she can hear the TV in the lounge room, so she assumes either Joanna or Jim is awake. They're both early risers, following the path her own little brother took. Thanks to her parents experience with Dash, Jo and Jim are able to amuse themselves in the hours before the sun rises. It benefits Emelia more than anyone else, as she is no longer being dragged out of bed by her brother at six am; desperate for a play mate. Emi is just like Alexis' little sister Ellery, who would sleep all day if she was allowed to.
Alexis is shaken from her thoughts when two bodies clamber onto the bed.
"Morning Mummy!" Joanna says cheerfully, looking immensely relieved.
"Hi there pumpkin. Is something wrong with the TV?"
"No, the TV is good. Jim and I thought Martha might be awake so we went to see if she wanted to join us. When we couldn't find her, I needed to make sure she was ok, so we went searching. And here she is!"
Alexis swells with pride. Her daughter has such a kind heart. Her Papa says it's in the name, as her namesake was exactly the same.
"What a wonderful big sister you are Jo," Alexis says, the praise causing the young girls cheeks to flush. "I think you two should join Martha and Daddy and I for a cuddle."
"But we has to shush!" Martha chimes in with a whisper.
"That's right little one. Daddy is asleep right now."
Joanna wiggles her way between Martha and Rafe, and Martha reaches out to hold her sisters hand. Alexis rolls into her back, wrapping her arm around Jim to stop him from falling out of the bed.
"How are you my man?"
"Good Mumma," Jim murmurs, before burying his head into her side.
Alexis sighs. Her quiet little boy. The two men in a house full of four girls are 'strong and silent' according to her Dad. Jim is much happier to let Emi do the talking for both of them, which she certainly does! That girl will talk to anyone who pauses near her for even a second.
She quickly loses track of time; her eyes closed and her body relaxed. She hears a voice coming from their bedroom door.
"You guys stayed in bed longer than me. That never happens!"
Alexis lifts her head to see Emelia standing in the doorway. Her hair is a mess of curls and she's smiling sleepily.
"Come on in my Emi-bear," Alexis murmurs, lifting the cover to let her into the bed.
"Ahh," Alexis sighs as Emelia makes herself comfortable next to Jim. "All better, all my pumpkins are here."
Emi laughs, and pokes Jim until he begins to stir. She leans in, starts whispering in his ear. He murmurs back unintelligibly, grinning.
Alexis smiles. She loves their beautiful twin language. Their bond is incredible. She looks over at the clock on her bedside table. 10:30 am, the kids would be hungry.
"Who wants breakfast munchkins?"
With that, Rafe sits up.
"Did I hear someone say breakfast? Because, I think I might be able to organise something."
The kids laugh, and they all slowly climb out of bed. Today is going to be a great day.