She's resting in the large freestanding soaking tub, the purple hues of twilight casting shadows across the floor. As he stands in the doorway; monitor in hand; Harry feels the tension of the past months slipping away.

He's where he belongs; with his family.

Already he can feel the difference in being with them this time. There is no rush to be somewhere; no possibility of being called away. All his attention can be focused on Aubrie and on Ruth.

Like their afternoon.

It had been spent in the garden, generally playing with Aubrie and talking about nothing important. Harry had enjoyed the time immensely, doing something he had so far missed out on with his youngest daughter.

Spending more than an hour with her.

The biggest highlight had been Aubrie gripping his fingers tightly with her little hands as she hesitantly tried to walk. She'd spent more time bouncing up and down than anything but it'd been progress all the same. And as the three of them had sat in the garden, Ruth had whispered that it was the first time she'd really tried to walk.

That had meant the world.

Evening tea had been a quiet affair with Aubrie falling asleep even as she fed herself the bits of chicken and vegetables Ruth had set out for her. Zaf had taken Jo; who had arrived with Harry; out and so they'd had the house to themselves. After he'd enjoyed the luxury of preparing her for bed by himself; a quick bath and story.

And now he's standing in the door to the master bath, watching as Ruth soaks in fragrant bubbles, her eyes closed as water laps at her chin.

"I can feel you watching me."

Her voice is soft and he sees the smile playing at her lips as she opens her eyes and lifts her head to look at him.

"After all this time, I can't believe that I'm actually here, with the two of you. It doesn't feel real."

"It is, and you are."

He smiles at this, crossing the room to settle on the closed loo lid next to her. His eyes drift across the foamy water; catching glimpses of her breasts; before reluctantly meeting hers.

Hand lifting from the water, she reaches out towards him. Grinning, he slides their fingers together, letting their joined hands rest on the porcelain.

"Is she asleep?"

He nods at her question, his gaze shifting to their joined hands before meeting hers again. "Didn't even get through a page of that Fairy Tale book you had out."

Seeing his eyes drift from hers to the water again, she grins at his attempt to avoid the temptation of her naked flesh. It's sweet really, the way he tries to behave like a gentleman. There are times she wishes he wouldn't though.

Like tonight.

"We had a long day." she says, eyes meeting his. "Thursday's we walk to the library in town for a new book while Zaf checks in with his; or your; contacts."

"Hmm."

"Harry, just get in the tub."

"What?" He shifts his eyes, meeting her gaze.

"Stand up, get naked, and come in with me. There's plenty of room." she pauses a moment, her eyes sparkling as she looks at him. "Which makes me wonder, what is it with you and tubs big enough for two?"

He's past his wonderment now and has just finished pulling his shirt over his head when he meets her eyes. Dropping it to the floor, his hands move to the buckle of his belt as he toes off his shoes.

"I'm past the age of random pick-up sex."

Her eyebrow lifts as he slides into the tub across from her, fully naked. "You just stripped out of all your clothes in under a minute and you're saying you're past the age of random sex?"

"Random pick-up sex. You have never been; nor will you ever be; random pick-up sex."

"We've slept together a grand total of one time and you're saying it's never been random sex?"

Hands sliding under the water, Harry picks her foot up and starts to rub along the arch, his eyes never leaving hers. As his thumbs press into the ligaments of her ankle, she moans slightly, leaning her head back against the tub.

"I seem to remember," he says softly, eyes never leaving her ankle, "that it wasn't just one time but four."

She blushes, eyes drifting to where his fingers are working away the aches from the mile walk to town and the repeat trip home. His knuckle presses into a particularly tender spot on her instep and she moans, her eyes drifting close.

"Though it won't do my reputation any good, I happen to like relaxing in a hot bath after a ghastly day." Lowering her foot to his thigh, Harry picks up the other and lovingly starts pressing into her ankle again. "And in case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly the smallest man. I need a larger tub."

She's quiet for a few moments, enjoying the feeling of his hands and fingers sliding along her ankles; thumbs digging into the space below the bone, when she feels a long forgotten tightening in her abdomen. Body tensing, her eyes flutter open as she begins to pull her foot away, embarrassment flooding her.

He tightens his grip on her ankle, his palms sliding along her calve muscles. "Relax." he whispers.

"But," she starts, her blush intensifying as she stops pulling away from him but still tense. "I...you...I..."

"I know." he smirks, hands feathering across her leg. Reaching her knee, he slides his hands back down her leg, palm cupping her heel as he lifts her foot to his mouth. Pressing a kiss against the arch, he holds it up as he peeks around it to watch her. "Relax."

"Harry..."

Whatever she's about to say is cut off when he sucks her big toe into his mouth, his fingers pressing deeply into the tissue above the heel bone, twisting to apply more pressure as they move down towards the arch and back up again. Her head falling back, she sinks against the side, body relaxing as he continues his ministrations.

"Jesus." she breathes some time later, her chest rising and falling as she struggles to catch her breath.

Letting her foot fall to his lap, Harry lets his hands continue to slide gently against her soft flesh as he watches her, a satisfied smirk on his face at the orgasm he brought her to without doing anything more than massaging her foot.

"Okay?" he asks, hands stopping by her knees.

"Hmmm. Yes. Do I want to know where you learned that?"

"Probably not." he admits, smiling as her eyes open to meet his.

Grinning, she shakes her head before sliding to her knees to straddle him. Hands on his shoulders, she presses her mouth against his, kissing him passionately as his hands slide to her hips.

AN: And so begins the sequel to 'Sail Away' which truthfully was not next on my list of stories to write but Harrymuse refused to cooperate in writing 'The Game' until he got to at least start his happy life with Ruth and Aubrie. Hopefully now he'll let me work on that as well as this. My goal is to keep this T rated like 'Sail Away' - here's hoping it'll work. If you've a moment, please leave a review and let me know what you think.