A Gingerbread Morning
Summary: Getting a gingerbread cookie to Shelagh turns out to be a little trickier than the Turners expected. Set during the upcoming Christmas special!
A/N: This fic was a gift and is dedicated to the lovely Alison! Merry Christmas, Alison from me and our favorite Turner family.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"Ange, no! That one's for mum!" Timothy tried to stop his sister, but it was too late. The head of his carefully decorated gingerbread nurse was gone forever, consumed by the excited toddler.
"Yummy!" she giggled loudly while Timothy begrudgingly began to cut another one from the dough. Shelagh had been so overworked with Teddy and he just wanted to do something extra special for her.
Patrick wandered into the kitchen, holding his slowly waking son. He couldn't help but be drawn by the smells of baking and the sound of his laughing daughter.
"It smells wonderful in here, Tim!" he exclaimed proudly. "You really have been picking things up from your Mum."
"I'm trying." Tim sighed. "But it won't matter if certain people eat it all before Mum wakes up from her nap." Tim shot a glare at his sister who had managed to procure the rest of the gingerbread nurse and was happily munching away.
"Are you pestering your brother, young madame?" Patrick asked with a smile. Angela looked at him and tried to determine if he was actually upset. Deciding that he wasn't, she laughed and held up her cookie for her dad to see. "Oh, I see, you found quite the prize."
"Dad, don't encourage her." Tim scolded. "She's a well-sugared menace."
"She's a child excited for Christmas, Tim. You should've known your cookies weren't safe." Patrick laughed.
"I was going to make one for Ange, but that one was special for Mum and now I have to start over." Tim grumbled. "And I need concentration."
"I think you need some help." Patrick offered. Tim looked at him skeptically. "I'm perfectly capable of rolling cookie dough, thank you very much. Let me just find a place for this one." Teddy looked up at his father as if he knew he was being talked about and Patrick beamed. He couldn't love any of his children more than he did, but somehow he knew he would the next day. He arranged a blanket in Teddy's baby bath and put the littlest Turner safe in his make-shift seat on the counter and rolled up his sleeves.
"Are you sure you can do this?" Tim asked. Patrick simply grabbed a handful of dough in return and went to work. This was one kitchen adventure he really did want to get right.
About an hour later, Patrick walked quietly into the master bedroom. Shelagh was still fast asleep and curled up snuggly in their duvet, which she'd somehow managed to completely cocoon herself in. He didn't want to wake her. He knew how absolutely exhausted she was, but she'd made him promise not to let her sleep the entire afternoon. Plus, he had a surprise for her. He sat on the bed and smiled when she automatically rolled towards him and nuzzled her head into his thigh.
"Shelagh." he whispered as he gently stroked her hair. "Darling, wake up."
"Hmm?" she sleepily murmured. "What time is it?"
"It's only 3, don't worry, you didn't sleep the whole day." he chuckled.
"Oh, Patrick, I'm sorry." she apologized, forcing herself to sit up.
"Don't be." he insisted. "You're exhausted and I love spending time with our children."
"Is that why you're up here alone?" she asked with a grin.
"Cheeky." he chided. "No, I'm up here because I brought you a treat." He proudly presented his own gingerbread creation - a heart shaped cookie with S+P written in icing.
"Oh, Patrick, that's adorable." she beamed. "Have you all been baking?"
"Half of us. Angela's been doing a lot of eating and Teddy's been doing a lot of staring." he laughed. "Tim made you one too, but Angela ate his first attempt and his second attempt broke apart in the oven, so I am the cookie victor today."
"Oh, poor Tim." Shelagh laughed. "Well, the gesture is much appreciated. I didn't know you could bake."
"I am a man of many hidden talents." he smirked.
"If you say so dear." she shook her head.
"Oh I do. I think you'll be thoroughly impressed by my caroling this year." he teased.
"If Sister Julienne lets you join in the caroling, then I'll be impressed." she joked back before leaning in for a kiss. "Merry Christmas, Patrick."
"Merry Christmas, Shelagh."
Merry Christmas, readers!
