Sandcastles
Disclaimer: Sadly I own neither Saving Hope nor Daniel Gillies
Pairing: Joel & Alex (or if you prefer Alex & Joel)
Rating: M
Summary: Alex & Joel and their children take a trip to New Zealand
Alex Reid was rushing around the house trying to make sure everything was ready for the trip to visit Joel's parents in Auckland New Zealand. They had to leave for the airport in an hour or they'd miss the flight. She had to make sure the kids' suitcases were packed; she had to make sure her suitcase was packed; she had to remember to bring her passport.
I think I'd rather have an eight hour surgery than trying to get two excited kids ready for a seventeen hour flight.
She zipped up her suitcase with a sigh and took one final look around the bedroom. She envied Joel, her husband; the seasoned traveler had been ready for hours. He was outside building a snowman with their four-year-old son Luke, while nine-month old Charlotte cooed happily from her playpen.
Alex picked up the suitcases and slung her oversized purse over her arm before picking up her infant daughter and heading downstairs.
"Ready to go on our trip Charlotte?" She asked, motioning out the window for Joel and Luke to come inside.
"Trip…Trip Trip!" Charlotte shouted, smiling and reaching out to grab a strand of her mother's long dark hair that had come loose from its ponytail.
A moment later, Luke walked inside. Despite the fact that he was bundled up against the winter cold, his cheeks were bright red from playing outdoors. Joel was right behind him, and he stopped just as soon as he walked in the front door, greeting both his wife and daughter with a kiss.
"Did you see our snowman, Mommy? Isn't it awesome?"
"Yeah, it was awesome, buddy. How about I make you and Daddy some hot chocolate before we leave for the airport?"
Luke smiled at his mother, "With five marshmallows?"
Alex nodded, smiling back at her son, "Of course. Why don't you go upstairs and make sure you didn't forget to pack anything. And when you come back down you can put them in yourself okay?"
Luke took off his coat, hat and gloves, and ran upstairs while Alex took down two mugs and the container of hot cocoa mix.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to give him all that sugar before the flight?" Joel asked, coming up beside her and taking Charlotte from her arm so she'd have both hands free.
Alex laughed, "Probably not. But it'll give me something to do with my hands besides check the luggage again. I keep thinking I'm forgetting something." She said, opening the refrigerator and pulling out the half-gallon of milk.
Joel smiled, "They do have stores in Auckland you know. If we forgot anything, we can just pick it up when we get there."
He watched as his wife poured the milk into a mug and put it in the microwave, drumming her fingers nervously on the countertop as she did so.
She's so adorable when she's nervous.
"Joel, I'm not talking about forgetting a swimsuit or a toothbrush. What if I forget my passport? Or what if one of the kids gets scared going through security…"
Joel laid his free hand on her arm, stilling her nervous movements, "Alex, your passport is in your purse right where you left it." He took a step closer to her so she could feel his warm breath against her ear as he spoke. "Everything's going to be fine."
She closed her eyes, letting the sound of his voice calm her nerves. "By this time tomorrow, we'll be relaxing on the beach. I'll be drinking a beer from Speights and feeding you Whittaker's chocolate."
It was Alex's turn to smile, "You promise?"
Joel nodded, giving her a long passionate kiss. "I promise."
Suddenly Charlotte began to laugh, calling out, "Daddy kiss Mommy…Daddy kiss Mommy…"
Joel looked down at his daughter and smiled, "That right, angel. I did kiss Mommy because I love her very much. Just like I love you."
As if to prove he lifted the baby in the air and blew a raspberry on her belly making her squeal with laughter.
The microwave beeped just as Luke came back downstairs. "I have everything Mommy." He called as he came to sit down at the kitchen table eyeing the mug as his mother took it out of the microwave and stirred in a spoonful of cocoa mix.
"Can I put the marshmallows in now?" Luke asked, looking expectantly at Alex.
"Yes, you can buddy." Joel answered opening the cabinet above his head, pulling out the bag of marshmallows and handing it to his son.
"Charlotte want marsh!" The baby said, reaching out to grab the bag of marshmallows from her brother's grasp.
Alex extended her hand to block her daughter's reach, "No, Charlotte. Don't take those from your brother like that. What do you say?"
Charlotte looked at Luke and said, "Charlotte want marsh, please."
Luke shrugged his shoulders, took a marshmallow from the bag and handed it to his little sister, "Here," He said, before turning his attention back to his cocoa.
"Thank you, Luke." Charlotte called across the kitchen to her brother.
"You're welcome." Luke mumbled, without looking at her.
Joel shifted Charlotte in his arms and checked his watch, "Luke finish your drink, mate. We've got to get going soon. And make sure you go potty before we leave."
Luke nodded, "Okay Daddy. I will."
"Good on you, mate." Joel said, turning to Alex, "How about I change her, and you load up the car?"
"Sounds good." Alex replied, giving him a quick kiss before slipping on her coat and heading out the door with her purse and the luggage."
Fifteen minutes, they were all in the car headed to the airport. It would've been cheaper to take a cab, but since the accident with Charlie, cabs made Alex nervous.
And it seems like she's nervous enough already.
"Hey, are you all right? Joel asked, taking her hand tightly in his.
Alex nodded, "Yeah, I've just never been on a flight this long before."
Alex Reid is afraid of flying?
Joel smiled, "Dr. Reid after all this time you still manage to surprise me."
It was her turn to smile, "The feeling's mutual, Dr. Goran." She replied, her fingers brushing lightly against his neck in a simple gesture of affection.
"So what's our plan once we get there?" She asked looking in the mirror to check on the kids.
"In no particular order, we'll check into the hotel, tuck the kids in, and make love, sleep, and shower, visit my mother, visit my father, and go to the beach." Joel said, his eyes never leaving the road as he drove.
"Can we make love on the beach?" Alex whispered in his ear.
"Yes ma'am." Joel replied, leaning over and kissing the skin between her neck and shoulder.
They made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Joel took Luke to the bathroom once more before they got on the plane. And Alex went to the ladies' room and changed the baby.
Alex made sure Luke had plenty of books and toys on the plane so he wouldn't be bored. Luke sat between his parents, while Alex held Charlotte in her lap. Luke loved looking out the window and pointing at everything he saw.
Alex and Joel looked at each other and smiled at the expression of pure, childlike innocence and joy on their son's face.
Halfway through the flight, Luke was fast asleep and Alex rested her head on her husband's shoulder. "It'll be okay you know."
"What will?" He asked quietly, running his fingers through her dark hair.
"Seeing your dad." She whispered, bringing his hand to her lips and kissing it.
My beautiful perceptive wife.
"I know it will, "He answered softly, "Because you'll be with me."
Alex smiled, "Hey, would you take Charlotte while I go to the bathroom?"
Joel nodded, and took the sleeping baby from her arms. "If you and I were alone, we'd be joining the mile high club right now, Reid.
She hit him playfully in the shoulder that she'd been resting her head on just a few minutes before, "Don't tempt me." She said, turning and heading in the opposite direction toward the restroom.
"Wouldn't dream of it," He called after her, "Hurry back."
He never got tired of watching Alex Reid walk away.
Of course he never got tired of watching her come back to him either.
She woke to Joel's voice in her ear, "Alex, we're landing." She blinked, and then stirred, looking first at her son, still asleep in the window seat, and her daughter sleeping in her husband's arms.
"We're going to have to get a cab from the airport to the hotel." He said, and she nodded, "It'll be okay because you'll be with me."
"Always," He whispered, kissing her forehead.
They were all exhausted by the time they reached the hotel. Alex tucked Luke into the bedroom of the adjoining suite that her husband had booked. And she put the baby down in the crib that he'd requested in advance. Then she snuggled close to Joel on the queen-sized bed.
"I love you." She whispered, drifting off to sleep.
"I love you too, Alex." He mumbled, sleepily, wrapping his arms more tightly around her body.
"Juice, Daddy. Charlotte want juice!"
"Shh…okay angel…hold on. Don't shout you'll wake up Mommy." Joel whispered pouring a glass of orange juice into his daughter's sippy cup. He passed the cup across the table to where Charlotte was sitting.
Alex slowly opened her eyes and savored the sight of her family having breakfast together. Luke was seated next to his father pouring far too much syrup on his French toast.
"Whoa, that's enough syrup, buddy." Luke nodded and put a bite of sausage in his mouth.
Alex laughed, and Joel turned to look in her direction, "Hey, morning," he said, getting up from the table, pouring her a cup of coffee, and crossing the room to kiss her. "How'd you sleep?"
Alex smiled, "Like I'm on vacation with my husband and my kids. How long have you been up?"
Joel shrugged, "A couple hours. Long enough to order us some breakfast and get the kids dressed. I thought I'd let you sleep in."
"Thanks." She said, grasping his hand and pulling him closer to her. "You're welcome," He replied, placing both hands on her shoulders and kissing her once more on the mouth.
"So, I called my mom to let her know we're here and she wants us to come over soon." Joel said, taking a sip of his coffee as Alex got up from the bed and came over to ruffle her son's hair on her way to the bathroom.
"Okay, let me get dressed, and then we'll head over there. And maybe after that we can hit the beach?"
"Yeah!" Luke shouted, pumping his fist in the air as he ate his breakfast. And Charlotte shouted "bea…bea!" between sips of orange juice.
Joel smiled, "The beach it is then."
Alex went into the bathroom and quickly changed into a pair of denim cut off shorts and a bikini top and stepped into her sandals.
I could get used to this weather.
Alex could hear Joel's voice on the phone ordering a rental car, as she brushed her teeth and put up her hair.
Joel hung up the phone and let out an appreciative whistle at her appearance as she stepped out of the bathroom, with her purse over her shoulder.
Alex smiled, as she lifted Charlotte out of the booster seat and into her arms, "Are you guys ready to go see your Grandma Louise?"
Joel was mesmerized by the way she moved about so effortlessly, as if she was floating. Her bikini top left just enough to the imagination and the denim shorts she wore accentuated her long legs.
She looked at him, as if she felt his gaze on her. "What are you looking at?" She asked, shifting the baby in her arms.
"My beautiful wife," Joel answered, picking up his cell phone off the table and putting on his shoes.
Alex smiled at her husband, and then looked at Luke, "C'mon let's go, buddy."
The three of them walked out of the hotel room and down the elevator. Once they were outside in the summer sunlight, Joel pressed the unlock button on the rental car's key ring.
And the keys belonged to a red Lexus.
Alex looked at her husband and they both dissolved into a fit of laughter.
Luke looked at his parents, confused "What's so funny?"
Alex took her son's hand as they walked across the hotel parking lot toward the rental car. "That's just your Daddy buddy. He's hilarious."
Joel drove to his mother's house feeling a boyish sense of excitement. He couldn't wait for Louise to meet Alex and the kids.
She'll love them almost as much as I do.
When he pulled up in front of his childhood home, his mother Louise Goran was already standing out in front of the house to greet him.
Joel stopped the car, killed the engine and removed his seatbelt opening the back passenger for Luke, as he got out and hugged his mother.
"Joel, darling it's lovely to see you. I've missed you. I haven't seen you since before the baby was born. How was your trip?"
Joel smiled at his mother. "I've missed you too, Mom. The trip was long but it always is. Joel glanced at Luke who stood next to the car, suddenly shy about seeing his grandmother.
I've never known him to be shy.
Joel came up beside him smiling, "C'mon buddy say hello to your Grandma Louise."
Louise smiled at her grandson, "Hello Luke, I'm so glad to see you."
"Hi Grandma," Luke said, his shyness forgotten.
Louise put her arm around Luke's small shoulders, "Come inside I just baked some cookies."
Joel hugged his mother, "Just what he needs. More sugar." He mumbled kissing her cheek.
Louise waved her hand nonchalantly at her son, "Oh hush, spoiling my grandchildren is in my job description.
Louise was still smiling as Alex closed the back passenger door and walked toward the house carrying Charlotte in her arms.
Joel put his hand on the small of his wife's back as she came up to stand next to him. His smile his trademark Joel Goran grin, "And of course you know my Alex."
Louise nodded and smiled, "Of course, hello Alex. You look beautiful as always."
At this, Joel smiled, "She does always look beautiful doesn't she?"
Alex rolled her eyes at Joel turning to her mother-in-law instead, "Hi Louise. It's good to see you. Thanks for having us."
Louise put her arm around Alex's shoulder, and the three of them walked up to the front door of the house where Luke was impatiently waiting.
"Oh, don't be silly sweetheart you're always welcome." Louise said, smiling down at her granddaughter nestled in Alex's arms. "And this little angel must be Charlotte."
Joel nodded, "This is our Charlotte Louise," he replied softly, watching as his mother's eyes welled with tears. "Oh Joel…" Louise whispered dabbing her eyes with her sleeve.
Suddenly Charlotte looked up, "No cry Gramma Weeze." She whispered, reaching out her tiny hands toward her grandmother.
Louise smiled and looked at Alex silently asking her permission to hold the baby. Alex nodded and passed her daughter into her grandmother's arms.
Louise gestured to the living room as they entered the house, "You two sit down. I'm going to get those cookies that I promised Luke."
Luke smiled and followed his grandmother into the kitchen shouting, Yeah! Cookies!"
Alex and Joel fell onto the couch with a mutual sigh. "You totally made your mom cry." She said, resting her head on his chest, "Did you mean to do that?"
Joel raised his hands in mock surrender, "No, hey…I had absolutely no idea that she was going to get so emotional."
Alex smiled, "It must run in the family. It's one of the many things I love about you."
"Yeah." He answered noncommittal and suddenly fell silent.
At that moment if Alex mentally kicked herself.
That's what his father always says to him.
He'll take it the wrong way.
She put a hand on his arm, in a gesture of apology, "Joel, baby, I'm sorry." She whispered, "I didn't mean it like that."
He looked at her and smiled, placing his hand on her thigh, "You don't have to apologize Alex. I know exactly how you meant it."
As if to prove his words, he leaned toward her and kissed her lips. It was a kiss full of longing and passion.
Suddenly Charlotte's happy infant voice filled the living room as Louise returned from the kitchen with Luke right behind her carrying a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Somehow Louise managed to balance the baby in her arms and carry a glass of ice tea in each hand.
"Daddy kiss Mommy!" Their daughter shouted happily and Louise cleared her throat, "Are we interrupting?" She asked, handing a glass of iced tea to her son, and setting the other one of the coffee table in front of Alex
Joel pulled away from his wife feeling sheepish, like a teenage boy who'd been caught with a dirty magazine.
"No, Mom…Sorry. We were just…"
Louise nodded and smiled, "Darling I can see perfectly well what you were doing." She said, sitting on the sofa across from her son and daughter in law, breaking off small pieces of cookie and watching carefully as Charlotte put them in her mouth.
Luke wasted no time sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table devouring a cookie and letting the crumbs falling onto the cream colored carpet.
"Watch the crumbs, buddy." Alex told her son. Luke nodded, with his mouth full of cookie. He gave his grandmother an apologetic look.
Louise looked at her grandson and smiled, "Oh he's fine. Don't worry about it. So what are your plans while you're here? Are you going to look in on your father?" Louise asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Yeah, we're meeting him for dinner later. But we were thinking of taking the kids to Maraetai Beach before we go."
Louise smiled, "I have a better idea. Why don't you leave the children here with me while you two go to the beach? And you can come back to get them before dinner."
He's giving me that damn Joel Goran grin. Does he even know what that does to me?
Alex looked from Joel to the kids and back again. "Louise, are you sure? They can be a handful. And they really did want to go to the beach today."
"Don't be silly, Alex. I don't spend enough time with them." Louise looked at both of her grandchildren, "Do you guys want to go to beach or stay here with Grandma?"
"Grandma Weeze!" Charlotte shouted, casting her vote.
Joel glanced at Luke, "What about you, buddy? What do you want to do?"
Luke was silent for a moment, considering the question, "We can go to the beach another day right?"
Joel nodded, "Yeah, we can go anytime you want mate."
Luke smiled, "Okay, then I think I'd rather stay with Grandma."
"Well, I guess that's settled then. Thanks, Mom. Charlotte's diaper bag is in the car. Our dinner reservation's at six but we have to go back to the hotel and change first so we'll probably get them at four-thirty."
Louise nodded, looking at her son. "I don't know why you bothered with a hotel darling. You're more than welcome to stay here."
"We didn't want to disturb you…" Alex said, but Louise touched her hand gently, stopping her. "Alex you're my family. I love having you here."
"Thank you, Louise." Alex replied, smiling.
"You're welcome, dear." Louise answered.
A half hour later Joel and Alex had hugged and kissed the kids, left the diaper bag and both cell phone numbers with Louise, and we on their way to the beach.
"You know, we haven't done this since our honeymoon." Joel said, holding her hand as he drove.
Alex nodded, "Yeah, I know I remember how uncomfortable I was in a swimsuit so soon after Luke was born."
Joel looked at his wife, "You were beautiful. You still are."
Alex just smiled at her husband, "Dr. Goran, do you have any idea how much I love you?"
It was Joel's turn to smile, "I think I've got a pretty good idea, Dr. Reid." He replied, as he parked the car at the beach.
Soon they were running in the surf together, Alex relished in the sensation of the sun warmed sand between her bare toes. She'd kicked off her sandals somewhere between their arrival and the current moment.
She was seated on a towel on the sand with Joel right behind her rubbing sunscreen on her back and shoulders.
"I'm not going to want to go back to winter in Canada, after three weeks here. The sun feels so good." She said, leaning back against Joel and letting him wrap his arms tenderly around her.
So does your skin.
It was soft and slick with sunscreen, and it smelled faintly of coconut.
"I know." He whispered kissing the space between her neck and shoulder. "We needed this trip."
He felt her nod against his shoulder. "Yeah we did. How could you ever leave this place? It's so beautiful."
"So are you." He whispered, his warm breath in her ear making her shiver. "I seem to remember a conversation about making love on the beach."
Alex just smiled, and then Joel was suddenly in front of her gently pushing her onto the warm sand until she was lying on her back.
Joel kissed her on the lips, and then he lavished the same attention on her shoulders, and her neck.
She stared up at him seeing the way he looked at her, as if he were mesmerized. She lost the ability to form any coherent thoughts as his fingers deftly reached behind her back unfastening her bikini top, without letting it fall away completely, he slipped his hand inside the top to caress her breasts.
"Joel…." She whispered, reaching her hands toward his shoulders in an effort to bring him closer to her, grasping the fabric of his shirt and pulling it over his head in the process.
"Alex…" He replied, breathing out the syllables of her name as his lips left a trail of kisses down her body.
Across her ribcage.
Down her stomach.
She cried out when he pressed a warm butterfly kiss inside her belly button. He laughed against her skin at the fact that he could still elicit this kind of reaction from her.
Even though they'd been married nearly four years and had made love countless times, every time felt like the first time.
He watched every expression that crossed her face and listened to every sound that she made as if he were trying to memorize them.
And they were a delight to his eyes and ears every time.
He unbuttoned her denim shorts, letting his hand rest between her legs, until her hips rose off the sand.
"Joel…." She whispered, breathlessly, "I need you, please."
"Yes, ma'am," He whispered, kissing her lips once more, and letting her pull him on top of her until it was hard to tell where he ended and she began.
She fumbled with the button and zipper of his shorts until they slipped over his hips, down his legs, and onto the sand.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as he entered the warm intimate depths of her body.
Being this close to her was like coming home.
He wished he could freeze time and stay here forever.
"Alex, you're incredible. I love you, so much." He captured her earlobe between his teeth and bit down gently.
"I love you too," She whispered, pressing her lips against the mole behind his ear, taking delight in his breathless sigh against her shoulder, as he found his release, her name on his lips.
Seconds later, she gripped his shoulders pulling him even closer, ignoring the grains of sand that were mingled with a thin sheen of sweat and stuck to his skin.
"Oh…God…Joel!"
"I'm here, Alex. I'm right here. Just let go." He whispered kissing her lips and holding her as she surrendered to the ecstasy of her climax.
Afterwards, they lay wrapped in each other's arms on the warm sand, pleasantly spent.
"We should go get the kids" Alex said, after a long moment. And I'm definitely going to need a shower before we meet your father for dinner. I have sand in places where no one should ever have sand."
"Including in your hair." Joel said, laughing as he kissed the top of her head. "So what do you think? 5.1?"
Alex shook her head kissing him. "6.0."