Hey! I'm back with a new chapter and its only been a couple of days! Thanks for all the reviews, 9 reviews for chapter 9! Keep reviewing please, it makes me want to write. Its very inspiring.
Big thanks to Calie for helping me write this, depriving me of sleep, and letting me annoy the hell out of her with my hyperness. I couldn't have done it without her, well maybe I could've, but it wouldn't be this good. Hope my long authors note hasn't stopped from reading the story, although the chapter is quite long. So please please review, thanks. Also I am moving this story from the GG books section to the TV section, just letting you know.
Dan blinked open his eyes and turned so that he was lying on his left side. A smile grew on his face as he watched Caden and Serena sleep contentedly, both snoring slightly. Caden's blonde hair was sticking up on one side as he shifted slightly, a bit of dried drool on his face. Serena on the other hand was looking the same as ever, only asleep.
Dan quietly slipped his way out of the bed, careful not to wake mother and son. Walking downstairs clad in only a t-shirt and flannel pajama bottoms, he pulled out his cell phone.
"Blair?"
"What the hell do you want Cabbage Patch? Its early." Blair's voice crackled through and Dan rolled his eyes, wondering when his nickname would get old.
"Can you pick up Caden's cake? I have to set up some stuff and I don't have time." Dan explained, yawning.
"Fine. What time's the party?"
"Two."
"See you there."
Dan hung up the phone, slipping it into his pocket. He padded into the kitchen, plans to surprise Caden and Serena already forming.
--
Serena wasn't sure if she was awoken by the motion of being rocked up and down or the little boy's voice going, "Momma!! Wake up! Its my birthday!!"
Her eyes opened and in front of her was a bouncing Caden, his hair all messed up and in dinosaur pajamas. "Morning." She stifled a yawn and enveloped Caden in her arms, partly to get him to stop jumping, and partly because she wanted to.
"I'm turning five!" Caden held up all five fingers, a grin stretched ear to ear. "Uncle Chuck said that once I turn five, he doesn't have to pay me when he says bad words anymore."
"Don't listen to him. He still has to pay you." Serena said as the door opened to reveal a tray laden Dan.
"Daddy!!" Caden jumped up from Serena's arms, off the bed and hugged Dan's legs.
"Hey buddy. Happy Birthday!" Dan set the tray on the oak desk where most of Dan's writing took place. He picked up Caden and swung him around. "Are you ready for your party today!?"
"Yes!!" The excitement in Caden's voice seemed endless. "Are those pancakes?" He pointed towards the tray, where the smell was quickly filling up the room.
"Yup! Your favorite! Dinosaur shaped."
Dan set Caden down so he could sit and eat the pancakes. He turned to Serena who was staring at the pancakes hungrily.
"Did you think I forgot you, Serena?" Dan asked, his voice light and happy.
She shook her head, ashamed because that was indeed what she had thought. He motioned for her to wait with one finger and stepped back outside the room. He appeared moments later, another tray in hand. This time it was filled with orange juice, strawberries, and a cheese omelet. "I know its kind of wrong that you get a better breakfast than Caden, but I think you deserve it after all you've put up with." He set the tray on her lap, picking up one of the smaller strawberries and holding it to her lips.
She ate the strawberry, her lips brushing against his fingers for a moment longer than necessary. She smiled at him and he did the same, unconsciously picking up another strawberry.
"Ewwww! You're being all mushy again!" Caden's voice interrupted the moment and they both turned to look at him, their faces red.
"Well that's what people who lo-like each other do, sweetie." Serena fumbled through the sentence, turning even redder still.
"So thats why you have to kiss all the time?" Caden asked, shoving a piece of pancake into his mouth. "Uncle Chuck said that if people don't kiss, they don't feel very good and they need really really really cold showers."
"Uncle Chuck is crazy." Dan muttered, shoving the strawberry into his mouth, and sliding off of the bed. "I'm gonna go change. I don't think that flannel pajama pants are party attire."
--
It was two-thirty and the party was in full swing. From Grandpa Rufus to Uncle Eric, each one of Caden's favorite relatives had arrived. Not to mention of course, all of his friends.
Everything had gone according to plan, the giant green inflatable dinosaur greeted guests on their way in the front door, a large stack of presents sat on the coffee table, just waiting to be opened and the cake was in the freezer, ready to be taken out.
The only thing missing was Nate, Vanessa, and Victorie. "Daddy? Where's Uncle Nate? He promised to be here." Caden asked, looking up at Dan.
"He's gonna be here, Caden. He just called and told me that they're running a little late, but don't worry okay?" Dan ruffled Caden's hair and pushed him lightly towards his friends. "Go have fun, we're going to cut the cake soon."
However, when the time came to cut the cake, Nate, Victorie, and Vanessa were no where to be seen. This time Caden went to Serena, in search of his Uncle. "Momma, where's Uncle Nate?"
"I don't know sweetie." Serena knelt down beside him and picked him up. "Let's go cut the cake okay?"
Caden nodded, the small frown on his face turning into a smile when he saw the cake. Chocolate Ice Cream Fudge Cake.
Dan lit the candles before glancing towards the doors. Serena caught him looking and shot him a worried look. Shrugging, he started to sing.
"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Caden! Happy birthday to you!"
"Make a wish, buddy!"
Caden smiled and closed his eyes. I wish for momma to remember daddy. Oh and for Uncle Nate, Auntie V and Victorie to come.
He blew out the candles, just as the hot green wax was about to drip down onto the cake. Caden looked around for Serena, wondering why she wasn't next to him.
Dan nudged Serena gently and whispered in her ear, "You're supposed to cut the cake with him. It's kind of a tradition, you don't have to if you don't want to."
"I want to." She knelt down next to Caden, taking the hand that was holding the small plastic knife and slicing it down.
"Thank you, momma." Caden pressed a kiss to Serena's cheek before smearing chocolate frosting on her face.
Serena laughed, grabbing a dollop of the chocolate and brushing it on Caden's nose. Everyone around them joined in laughing, the laughter echoing in the house. The front door banged open and Nate stumbled in, clutching his leg and muttering, "Damn leg!"
"Uncle Nate!" Caden exclaimed running towards him, arms outstretched. "You came!"
"Yup and I brou- is that chocolate on your nose?" Nate grunted as he hugged Caden, making his way over to the couch. Everyone out burst out laughing again, this time less engaged for everyone had cake in their mouths.
"Where's Victorie?" Caden asked, taking a plate of cake and shoving it into his mouth.
"In the car. She'll be here in a second." Vanessa and Victorie stumbled in a few seconds later, heading immediately for the cake and the birthday boy.
Dan observed the scene around him before turning to Serena, who was poking at her cake. "Hey."
"Hi." She smiled at him, shyly almost.
"You..uh still have frosting on your face." He pointed towards her cheek where indeed a glob of chocolate frosting still remained.
"Oh." She moved to brush it off, but managed to miss it altogether. "Did I get it?"
Chuckling, Dan shook his head. "Here," he moved towards her, setting his paper plate down. "Let me get it." He took her face in his hands and wiped off the frosting with the pads of thumbs. He pulled away, a long line of frosting on his thumb.
Without thinking anything of it, Serena licked his thumb, wiping it clean of any trace of chocolate that had been there a second ago.
Dan paused, his thumb still at Serena's lips. She smiled at him and leaned closer, whispering, "You have some too." Her face grew closer still. "Riight here." She kissed him, sucking lightly on his top lip and she could taste the remains of the chocolate cake.
He pulled away, laughing. "Did you get it off?"
Serena giggled, her nose scrunching as she shook her head, blonde curls flying.
Dan leaned down towards her. "Well we ought to fix that shouldn't we?" He captured her lips with his, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer. Their tongues swirled around one another's as they soon forgot they were in a crowded room, full of adults and children.
Caden looked around, his curiosity peaked by the sudden silence. He turned around to see Dan and Serena still locked in a kiss. He ran up to them, chocolate frosting still on his face, and tugged on Dan's pants and Serena's skirt. "Momma, daddy! Everyone's staring at you!"
They broke apart laughing, their cheeks flushed. Serena leaned down and picked up Caden, giving him a motherly kiss, half on the lips, half on his cheek. "Mommy was just cleaning daddy's face, darling. He had frosting all over him."
"No he didn't! You had some, but then daddy cleaned it and his face was-"
Serena cut off his rambling, laughing. "Okay, okay smarty. Fine, mommy just wanted to kiss daddy. Is that so bad?"
A smile spread on Caden's face as he shook his head. "Nope. But its kinda mushy."
Serena giggled and set Caden down. "Go finish your cake, you boy genius."
He was about to run off when he ran into Chuck. "Uncle Chuck!! Did you see momma and daddy kiss? It was really mushy, like you said!"
Chuck chuckled as he grabbed a soda from the nearby table. "You're mother's a liar, Caden."
Dan rolled his eyes, cracking open a bottle of water. "No she's not, no she's not. Don't listen to him Caden. Lying isn't good and mommy didn't lie. She was just making up excuses because she wanted to kiss me." The Cheshire Cat grin made its way onto Dan's face. "And that's okay, you know. Us Humphrey men have to learn to deal with that, son. Just go ask grandpa."
Caden smiled and took the napkin Chuck handed him to wipe off his face. "Hmmm, I think I believe daddy." Serena felt a pinch on her butt as Dan joined her on the other side of the counter. "Everyone's always warning me about stuff Uncle Chuck says."
"Well thats because they don't want you exposed to the truth." Chuck smirked, putting a hand on Caden's shoulder. "Come on, lets go get more cake before we open presents." He led Caden away, leaving Dan and Serena in the kitchen alone.
Serena felt Dan's hand sneak down to her butt again and she slapped his arm. "Dan! Stop it you, seriously. We have guests!"
He smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "You're forgetting one thing, Serena. The kitchen counter. I don't think that they are transparent, so therefore anything that goes on below our waists can not be seen by anyone except ourselves."
She smiled and rolled her eyes as he leaned into kiss to cheek. "Now that they can see." She pointed out, her cheek pink where he kissed her.
"Yes, but I don't care if they see that, and neither do you, do you?" Dan pulled her into him so that her back was against his chest and his head was on her shoulder.
Serena felt goosebumps form her arms from being so close to him. She shook her head, biting her lip, half wanting to turn around and kiss him again.
"Well I do!" Blair burst in, a very Chuck-looking smirk etched on her face. "God, you two. I'm surprised Caden hasn't got any brothers or sisters running around to help him celebrate his birthday."
Dan and Serena both turned pink, automatically moving away from each other.
"Blair, don't"
She was cut off by Blair saying, "Okay, I'm kidding, but wow...you two are really quite the couple." When she noticed the blank stares on the couple's faces, she continued, in a softer more sincere tone. "I'm just saying its nice. To see you two like this again. Its been too long."
Dan turned his head to the side, trying to hide the small tears welling up. Blair smiled at him before hugging Serena, who had a tear running down her cheek. "I'm so proud of you S. I've missed you. We all have. Including Caden. He looks really happy today and I'm sure its not only because its his birthday."
"Thanks Blair." Dan said, his voice choked up. "It means a lot to me...us." She pulled away from Serena and nodded at him.
"Momma, are you okay?" They turned around to see Caden standing there, holding a brightly wrapped present and looking worried.
Serena hurriedly wiped the tears from her eyes. "Of course I am. Let's go open your presents okay?"
Caden nodded, letting his mom lead him over to the couch, Dan and Blair trailing behind.
--
Hours later, the house was clean, and the ground was littered with toys of various shapes, sizes and prices. Dan and Serena were sitting on the floor, with Caden between them. "Did you have a good birthday, son?" Dan asked, reaching behind him.
"Yes daddy! Thank you so much for letting me have a party! I got so many cool presents, right momma?"
Serena nodded in agreement as Dan pulled out another wrapped present. "Well this is a special one from mommy and I. We got it for you a long time ago." He handed it to Caden who set down the helicopter he was playing with and ripped it open. Dan met Serena's confused gaze and smiled at her, gesturing for her to look at the present.
It was a professional photograph of the three of them on the beach. They were dressed in white and looked as if they were soaking wet. Serena took one look at it and was transported into another memory.
"Caden! Be careful, okay?" Serena called as he ran out into the ocean with Dan.
"Serena, why don't you come over here?" Dan yelled back, looking adorable alongside Caden.
"Yeah momma! Come here!" Caden joined in, his button down fluttering in the wind.
Smiling, she took off her heels and padded across the sand, holding her dress up. "Okay, I'm here. What now?"
"What? Staring at Caden and I isn't enough?" He joked, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing the top of her head.
Serena giggled, leaning closer to her husband. "We should get pictures taken. This is a perfect day for it."
"We should. Want me to call Lily?"Dan asked, taking Serena's hand and kissing her knuckles.
"Yeah, sure. You and Caden are so handsome right now with your tans, so why not?" Serena hoisted Caden onto her lap, playing with his hair.
"Hey, I remember this!" Caden's voice interrupted Serena's trance like state. "This was when we went to the beach house and momma said that me and daddy looked handsome in our tans. So then grandma came and took pictures of us!"
"That's right buddy." Dan said reaching behind Caden and rubbing Serena's back comfortingly. He gave her a look as if to say that it was more of a present for her than Caden.
"This is the best present ever! It shows everyone the real present I got for my birthday." Caden looked at the picture once again.
"And what's that, baby?"
Caden leaned up and cupped Serena's ear with one small hand. "You, momma."
Those two words whispered in her ear, made tears well up and her heart melt. Dan put an arm around Caden's back, hugging him and kissing the top of his head. "Good boy, darling" Caden beamed up at his daddy while the tears started to flow from Serena's eyes. Hearing Dan call Caden 'darling' broke the dam.
Not wanting Caden to see her break down like this, Serena cast her gaze downward and muttered, "Okay, Caden you just play with your new toys with daddy for a while, okay? Mommy will be back in a bit."
Not one to be tricked, Caden noticed Serena crying and said, "Daddy, momma's crying. You gotta make her feel better. Maybe one of those kisses will make her happy, like before."
Serena smiled at him and stood up, the track of tears slowly stopping. "Trust me Caden. Mommy's happier right now than she's been in a long time. Sometimes people cry when they're really happy, it's okay."
By then Dan had stood up as well, ruffling Caden's blonde hair on the way up. "But lets try one of those kisses anyway, shall we?" Serena smiled at him as he leaned in and kissed her gently before kissing a salty tear, that had remained on her cheek, away. He hugged her as he whispered, "The rest of the photos are on my desk in the study, if you want to look. I didn't want to say anything until-" He paused, licking his lips while thinking of what to say.
Serena nodded, "Yeah, I was about to ask. I want to see them, because...Dan I remember that day. I really do." She smiled at him, before hearing a yawn being emitted from the little five year old who was playing with another toy.
"Go ahead. I'll be here when you get back. Besides someone needs to entertain the birthday boy." He kissed her again, before pulling away and sitting down next to Caden.
She walked towards the study, pushing open the oak door and immediately falling into the plush leather chair that was sitting right by the desk.
Picking up the framed photos, she began to sort slowly through them. A photo of Caden and his father making funny poses towards the camera, and another picture of herself and Dan kissing quickly became her favorites. But what really caught her eye and heart was a family picture. Caden's hair was plastered to his head, Dan looked thoroughly soaked and Serena herself was just as wet as Dan. They were sitting on the rocks, huddled together because of the cold but still they managed to smile at the camera.
She set the photos back down and made her way back out to the living room where Dan sat on the couch with Caden snuggled into his lap fast asleep. The TV was on as well, it was turned to the news and the volume was turned down so that the five year old wouldn't be awaken.
Serena leaned down and placed a kiss on Caden's temple. Dan smiled at her and shuffled a bit over. She sat down, tucking her head into the crook of his neck as he rubbed up and down her arm with his hand. They silently finished watching the news, Dan occasionally squeezing Serena's arm and kissing her hair.
Serena turned to look at him, her emerald eyes shining. She smiled at him and Dan leaned down to kiss her, his lips parted. He pulled back after a few seconds, his eyes meeting hers. Cupping her face with one hand, he leaned down to kiss her again. The kisses quickly became longer and harder. Serena had one leg resting on his, right next to Caden's head.
"This can't be good for my back." She pulled away from him and watched as he slowly moved Caden's head off his knees so that he could stand up. He pulled her off of the couch, wrapping his arms around her waist, tugging her closer.
Putting her arms around his neck, she smashed her lips to his. She broke away from the kiss gasping as he trailed butterfly kisses down her neck. She impatiently brought his lips back to hers, grabbing hold of his hair. She started to walk backwards to find some sort of wall that she could push him against and stepped on one of Caden's newly acquired toy.
Letting out a loud "To the batmobile!!" the toy started vibrating and Caden, disturbed by the noise woke up to see a very guilty look Dan and Serena with swollen lips and disheveled clothes. "Hey momma, daddy! Were you being all mushy again?"
Dan stepped away from Serena, their faces both a nice shade of red. "Come on Caden. Its bed time."
"Ah...do I have to?" Caden asked, his lips cast downward in a pout.
Dan rolled his eyes as he picked up Caden, flipping him upside down. "You need a bath, birthday boy. Come on."
He carried him upstairs, Serena following and giggling the whole way. "Can you get his pajamas?" Dan asked, setting Caden down and running the water for his bath.
"Yeah sure." She walked out of the bathroom and into Caden's room. Opening a drawer, she dug around before finding some pajamas with rockets on them and dinosaur boxers. Picking up a cartoon covered towel along the way, she walked into the bathroom where Caden was freshly bathed and wrapped in a fluffy white towel.
"Hey momma!" Caden smiled broadly at her. "Daddy said that I can get my cast off soon."
"That's right, but you have to be careful not to get it wet." Serena ruffled his damp hair before retreating back to Caden's room. She arranged the throw pillows against the end of the bed on the carpet with all the soft toys that lined them.
Dan and Caden came in a few minutes later, Dan slightly wet. Caden ran towards the bed, bouncing on it before settling down. Dan joined Caden and Serena on the bed, his weight causing the bed to shift.
"Momma?" Caden stopped playing with his teddy bear and looked at Serena. "Do you remember daddy yet?"
Serena pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Not yet, darling. I remember a little. Like that day on the beach in this picture." She fingered the picture that rested on Caden's besides table. "And the day you were born."
"I really really wish you remembered. Even though you and daddy do go around kissing and saying, 'I love you' all the time."
Dan blushed for what seemed like the fiftieth time that night. "Well uh..I..yeah."
"It's okay, I do. I do love you." Serena said, each word coming out slowly but firmly. Dan averted his eyes, and bit his lip.
"Come on little man. Its time to go to sleep, okay?" Dan quickly changed the subject as he lifted the covers up so Caden could slide under.
"Say goodnight to your momma, Caden. Give her a big five year old kiss!" Dan said, smiling as Serena cast a glance his way.
"Daddy? What's a big five year old kiss?" Caden's blonde head was cocked, waiting for an answer. "Are they like the ones you were giving momma when she stepped on my batman toy?"
Dan chuckled as Serena hurriedly stammered out a response "No no no no no sweetheart. Those kind of kisses are only for mommy and daddy, okay? Here." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Now its time to sleep, kay?"
"Okay." Caden sighed as he closed his eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep. When his breathing became even, Dan and Serena crept out of the bed slowly, careful not to disturb him. Both of their hands reached out for the light switch, turning it off. Dan closed the door gently and leaned against it, looking into Serena's eyes.
He took her hand, his thumb brushing gently against her knuckles. "Thank you, Serena."
"For what?"
"Giving our son the best birthday party ever." He brought her hand up and kissed it, sending shivers down her back.
She smiled and her voice was tender as she said, "It was my pleasure, really. I had so much fun, and remembering the day at the beach, I just-"
"I know. It..it's incredible, and I'm so proud of you." He had let go of her hand and was now holding on firmly to each of her hips as he continued. "I just don't want you saying those three words until you really-"
"Dan, I love you. I really do. I know I haven't been back with you for long, but I can tell. The way I feel when I look at you and Caden together, the way I feel when you kiss me, when you say my name; it's love. It really is. Looking at those photos and remembering Caden's birth, I knew. I knew I loved you then. And I love you now. I really really do." Serena grasped his shoulders, wanting him to believe her.
He searched her eyes for even a glimmer of doubt. Finding none, he took her in his arms, pressing her tightly against his chest. "I love you too, Serena. Always and forever." He ducked his head down and kissed her briefly before picking her up and carrying her to their room.
When they got there, he lay her down on the bed and allowed her to pull him down so he was lying beside her. He crushed his lips to hers again, deepening the kiss, his tongue exploring her welcoming mouth. Feeling her grasp his hair made him pull back slightly. "I...we can't sleep in these kind of clothes, you know." He muttered, pulling himself up. "We ought to get changed."
"Okay." She nodded in agreement, heading for the closet. "Should I-?"
Dan shook his head. "I have pajama bottoms out here. I'll just change here."
Returning to the bedroom in an old white t-shirt just long enough to cover her panties, Serena found Dan with his back to her, sitting on the edge of the bed in just his boxers, looking at a photo of him and Serena he kept in his drawer by the bed. She crawled over the bed quietly, giving him a small fright when her cold hands came into contact with his bare arms, and she placed a kiss on his neck.
"Hey" he whispered, looking around at her.
"When was that, I look so young?!" she exclaimed when she saw the photo in Dan's hands.
"Your mother's wedding to Bart… God I loved that yellow dress. You looked amazing that night, Serena."
"Aww well we do look like quite the perfect couple, don't we? We went together did we?"
"Yeah. Yeah it was a um…" wanting to save that story for another night, Dan was relieved when Serena interrupted him as she so loved to do.
"Looks like a good night. Although I don't see how spending a night dancing with you on a dance floor could not be a good night." She leaned in to kiss him.
Smiling and wishing it were true, Dan put the photo down and turned around to face her, taking her face in his hands. "Come here you."
Dan pushed her back onto the bed, and beamed at Serena who couldn't stop giggling. .
"What?"
"Nothing," she managed in between giggles, her hand in front of her mouth.
"No, what is it? Do I still have chocolate frosting on my face?" He began to giggle. At that she laughed even harder, unable to hold it in.
"Serena stop it, what is it?" he shook her head in between his hands.
She managed to compose herself, but chuckled involuntarily as she said "It's just… I think I may have just heard your bedroom voice for the first time." She blushed a little as she took his face in her hands and imitated him melodramatically, "Come here you".
"Okay that's enough" he laughed, pinching her pink cheeks. "And trust me it's not the first time you've heard that" he said suggestively, rolling over and pulling her on top of him.
Her laughter was silenced by his kisses, which became longer and deeper as she lay on top of him, her legs straddling one of his. One of his hands rested under her shirt on the warm skin of Serena's back where it met her panties, the other lost in her golden locks. She held his hair also, and used her other hand to explore his naked upper body.
Serena was surprised at how at-ease she felt with Dan. Whilst she had no doubt that she had loved him, and indeed loved him in this moment, she couldn't help but feel a little astonished at how relaxed she was lying on top of him pressing her body against his and having him feel her exposed skin and panties. She drew back from the kiss and bit her lip seductively, staring him in the eye as she kneeled up straddling his hips and then sat down on his lower stomach. The sensation of her warmth so close to him forced Dan to close his eyes before he reached out and placed his hands on her hips.
Serena smiled and scrunched her nose up adorably as she slowly pulled the white shirt up and over her head, her hair spreading out loosely over her shoulders when it was off. Dan had to blink again as he tried not to stare at the part of her he remembered so vividly but hadn't seen in months. She bit her lip, smiling, as she leaned down and trailed a line of kisses from Dan's chest, up his neck to behind his ear.
Dan emitted an involuntary groan at the feeling of her breasts brushing his chest, and turned his face to capture her lips forcefully. He flipped her over so he was now on top of her, and squeezed her hair as their tongues continued to twirl around one another's.
He pulled back resting his weight on his left arm, and used his right to draw a line from her neck to her breast which he massaged gently. She leaned up for another kiss, her hand on his back pulling him down onto her. Just as her hand slipped under his boxer shorts the two were interrupted.
"DADDY! What are you doing on top of momma? You'll squash her!" A high-pitched voice shouted.
"Caden!" Serena and Dan both yelled as they jolted with shock. The light came on, and Serena looked up, Dan turning around to find their adorable son standing in the doorway.
Caden ran up and climbed onto the bed, a confused look still on his face, and his parents still too startled to do or say anything.
"It's okay momma, here I'll help. Daddy, get off her please" His little hands pushed against Dan's side. Dan and Serena both laughed at Caden's best intentions.
"Hey hey hey, it's okay. Mommy likes it when daddy does that to her, trust me."
"Tell me about it" Serena muttered under her breath as she leaned up in hope of seeing her shirt somewhere.
Dan rolled off Serena, lying next to her but in front of Caden in an attempt to cover Serena from his view. While Serena pulled the sheet up to her neck, Caden asked his daddy for a Superman ride, and ran to jump on Dan's legs. Serena, beginning to feel flustered at the thought of Caden seeing her topless, continued to fumble around with the sheet up over her chest, trying to find her shirt.
"Dan, where's my shirt?"
Dan was lying on his back now, knees up and feet in the air, with Caden lying on his lower legs as if he were flying. Concentrating on not dropping their son, Dan hardly heard Serena's mumbling.
"Pardon, baby?"
"My shirt, you know that I was wearing before, and probably should be wearing now!"
"Ohh right, umm no not sure, is it over on the floor on your side?" He tried to help.
"No I don't get it where could it have gone, maybe-"
"Momma!" Caden looked over at his mom, his hands stretched out in front like Superman. "Why are you so worried about your shirt? It doesn't matter, daddy's not wearing a shirt."
Dan laughed at his son's naivety. "Yeah but girls are different to us aren't they little man that's why they have to wear bras, you know that." Serena smiled, her eyebrows raised at the manly conversation taking place beside her.
"Yeah but it doesn't matter I've seen momma's boobies before it's no big deal!" Serena gasped a little at this, as Dan reached over and pinched her side under the sheet, and mumbled "oh they're a pretty big deal alright!"
"Oh you two are naughty boys" Serena joked, freeing herself from the sheet and grabbing Caden off Dan's legs. She pulled him down and placed him on the bed between her and Dan, growling jokingly at him as she tickled his little pajama-clad body all over. Dan then joined in the fun, wrapping one arm around Serena's bare back and tickling her, and using the other to help tickle their son.
The three giggled in unison, Dan and Serena soon forgetting the disappointment and dissatisfaction they had felt when their son initially interrupted.
"Owwww who was that?!" Serena exclaimed as she felt a fingernail scratch her side. Immediately Dan's thumb found the spot on her skin rubbed it tenderly, while Caden put on the most innocent face he could muster, his hands forming a shrugging "I don't know" position on his sides.
"Well. Firstly I think mommy and I both know how that happened," Dan joked, and laughed as he added, "but I think it's mommy's fault for having no top on."
Finding Serena's shirt curled in a ball under the quilt, Dan pulled her up and said "Come on, arms up!" just as he did to Caden every day. Caden giggled at his mommy being treated like a child, and jumped up to wrap his arms round Serena's neck.
"I'm sorry for hurting you momma, I really am."
"Aww that's okay sweetheart it was just an accident. I know that. Daddy was just teasing." Dan felt a pinch on his leg and wrapped an arm around each of the two people he loved most, leaning in to kiss his wife on the lips.
"Okay you two, it's waaaay past Caden's bedtime. In fact it's probably past mommy and daddy's too. Let's get some sleep.
"Here? Can I sleep with momma and daddy in their bed?"
Not knowing the answer, Serena looked at Dan, her eyebrows furrowed and mouth turning into a smile. Knowing exactly what Serena was thinking, Dan answered for her.
"Of course you can buddy." Serena's smiled broadened as she scrunched her nose and leaned over her son to kiss Dan.
"But no more kissing!" Caden warned abruptly, holding his finger up in front of him as he lay down on the mattress between them.
"But we can still kiss you, right?" Serena teased, leaning over and plastering sloppy kisses all over Caden's face, Dan soon joining in.
"Aahhh stop it!" the adorable little five year old screamed, giggling.
"Okay. We'll stop. Just one more mommy and daddy kiss though, okay?"
"Okay" Caden agreed reluctantly.
Serena chuckled as she placed her hand over Caden's eyes and allowed Dan to take her face in his hands. His lips wrapped around her own and their tongues touched as they kissed into each other all the passion and heat they had been feeling before Caden had entered the room.
Serena let out a tiny involuntary moan at the feeling of Dan sucking on her lower lip and then kissing along her jaw line to her ear. Her hand automatically left Caden's eyes and pulled his head into her, as she bit on his ear seductively.
"Okay. Bed time." Dan whispered.
Her mouth remaining by Dan's ear, Serena reassured him, "I love you."
Dan pulled her face so it was in front of his, pressed their foreheads together as he told her so sincerely "I love you too."
They slowly rubbed their noses against each other before looking down to find their son sleeping ever so peacefully, he'd turned to face Dan and had one hand under his head, the other gripping the quilt.
Dan slowly removed the covers from his own body, and tiptoed around the bed, sliding in behind Serena.
"What are you doing?" she whispered. "I'm not moving him baby he's fast asleep."
"It's okay, I'll fit." Dan reassured her, pulling her back down onto the mattress and allowing her body to stay in its position facing Caden.
Dan matched his body to hers, his legs filling the concave behind hers, as he slid his arm over hers and linked their fingers together.
They fell asleep in this position, Dan's head nestled behind Serena's neck, so whenever he stirred from his sleep he pressed his lips to her neck, loving the feel of her hair against his nose, whispering to her stunning sleeping figure, "I love you, Serena Humphrey."
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