Author's Note: Once again I'm not too sure what I think about this - I'm still gaining confidence while writing for this gorgeous ship - so I would be so grateful if you would let me know what you thought of this one-shot with a review! Thank you all for your kind words on my other one-shot too, they were much appreciated! Please enjoy :)

Jean couldn't prevent the smile from spreading across her lips when she was stood at the stove in the kitchen one evening, her gaze fixed on the cocoa that she was stirring in the saucepan as she poured in a little more milk and continued to listen to Lucien read to their three-year-old daughter while he cuddled on the couch with her. Before she had set about making cocoa she had specifically told her husband that he was allowed to read Lynette one bedtime story and then take her upstairs to bed, but it was obvious to her that the two of them had moved on to their second bedtime story now.

If she didn't adore them both as much as she did, she imagined she would be a little frustrated.

It was a few minutes later when she finished making the cocoa and poured the sweet-smelling liquid into two mugs, her heart swelling with love for Lucien and their daughter when she approached the sitting area. She stood in silence for a time, just watching the two of them cuddle. Lynette was sitting on his knee, her head cushioned on his chest as her dark curls framed her face and she sucked on her thumb. Lucien's arm was wrapped around her waist to balance her, his hand resting on her side as his cheek was pressed against her forehead and he kept his voice soft as he read the words on the page.

When she saw her little girl's eyes drift closed for a moment before Lynette shook her head to wake herself up a little, Jean knew that she needed to go and put her to bed. 'That's enough stories for one night.' She said as she entered the sitting area, Lynette and Lucien looking up at her while she walked over to them. 'Come to mummy, sweetheart.' She extended her arms to her daughter after lowering herself down so that she was level with her, Lynette wrapping her arms around her neck with a yawn.

She allowed her to press her face into the side of her neck as she returned to her original height, her hand running up and down her back through her nightgown as she balanced her on her hip. 'Cocoa's on the counter.' She told her husband, smiling when Lucien set down their little girl's book before he rose from the couch and rested his hand on her hip. He then feathered a kiss against her cheek, her heart swelling with love for him as he stroked both her and their daughter's curls. 'I won't be long.'

She then left a chaste kiss on his lips before carrying Lynette out of the sitting room and up to bed.

It was around ten minutes later when she returned and headed for the kitchen to get her cocoa, her lips curling up into a loving smile when she approached the sitting area and Lucien held his hand out to her. Slipping her own into it when she was in close enough proximity to do so, she let Lucien ease her down into his lap before he laced his arms around her middle and nuzzled a kiss onto the side of her head. 'Still just as gorgeous as you were on the day we met.' He whispered into her ear, causing her to blush as she lifted her mug of cocoa to her lips and took a slow sip of it. 'I love you.' He sighed.

'I love you too.' She reassured him as she rested her free hand on the side of his neck before leaning in to kiss his lips, her thumb grazing the underside of his jaw as their lips moved over one another's with the ease of old lovers. He allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder once they had parted, his hand settling on her hip through her skirt. 'I don't know why I bother telling you to read her one story; you never listen to me.' She teased, pressing a kiss into the side of his neck while they chuckled together.

'We have a very persuasive three-year-old.' He told her.

'No,' She smirked, gazing up into his eyes, 'Our three-year-old has a Daddy who is too easy to win over.'

'That too.' He caressed her waist through her blouse, his eyes filled with love for her.

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence then, Jean still sipping at her cocoa while listening to the sound of the rain beating against the windowpane. 'What are you thinking about?' She heard her husband ask after a time, a sigh escaping her as she sat up in his lap and looked into his eyes again.

'Do - do you ever wish that you and I had met earlier?' She raised her brow.

'Sometimes.' He admitted with a nod. 'Why?'

'I've just been thinking about what things would be like now if we had met when we were younger.' She said. 'If we had, I imagine we would have had a number of children and more years together. I don't want you to misunderstand me; I love you and you make me the happiest woman living every single day, it's just that sometimes I wish we had started a life together sooner.' She cast her gaze down at the dark liquid in her mug, lifting it to his own when she could feel him stroking her cheek.

He ran the backs of his fingers across her skin for a few moments as he gazed into her eyes, a small smile on his lips. 'I know what you mean.' He reassured her. 'There are times when I wish that we had met a little sooner - like when I think about how we aren't going to have as many years together as we would have if we had met before the war, but then I think to myself...if we had met before the war, things wouldn't exactly be the same as they are now.' He saw a slight crease form on Jean's forehead.

After kissing it away he tightened his hold of her, holding her closer. 'If we had met before you and Christopher had married and before I had married Mei Lin then we wouldn't have known what it felt like to lose someone. I feel that - since you and I have both suffered losses - we appreciate another a little more and we know how important it is not to waste a single second that we have together.' His wife gave a slow nod as she smiled. 'I don't care that we didn't meet sooner; I don't care that you and I weren't one another's first love, because all I care about now is making you the happiest woman alive.'

Jean set her mug down on the table in front of her before lacing her arms around Lucien's neck, her gaze falling to his lips for a moment before she leaned in and kissed his lower lip. Their kisses were slow and soft for a time, her fingers teasing the hairs at the nape of his neck as his hands stroked her back through her blouse. She traced the seam of his lower lip with her tongue when he brought her closer, however, smiling as she deepened their kiss when he sighed in contentment against her lips.

Their tongues danced with ease as she threaded her fingers through his hair, his hands on her waist as he held her flush against him and revelled in the way that her nose grazed his cheek with each kiss she gave him. All too soon, however, the need for air grew too intense and Jean gave her husband's lower lip a nip to bring their kiss to an end, Lucien leaning his forehead against hers as they held each other.

'You've made me the happiest woman alive from the moment you asked me to be your wife.' She told him, stroking his beard when she met his gaze. 'I know that we have our arguments which get a little out of hand sometimes, but we always manage to work things out in the end. You mean the world to me, Lucien, and nothing is ever going to change that.' A surge of warmth coursed through her veins when her husband pressed his lips to her forehead, her arms tightening around his neck as she smiled.

'Jean Blake, you are an absolute wonder.' He whispered.

'So I've been told.' She hummed, tucking a strand of hair back behind her ear as she slipped out of his lap. 'Come on,' She extended her hand to him, 'I feel like having an early night tonight, if I'm honest.'

Lucien slipped his hand into hers before rising from the couch and pulling her close. 'The perfect end,' He caught her in a long kiss, 'to a perfect night.' He then took her hand in his once again before he led her out of their sitting room and up the staircase to their bedroom to continue their perfect evening.

Author's Note: Thank you all for taking the time to read this one-shot and please review! See you all next time :)