It was a rough job this time out. Jefferson hoped that the bandage on his shoulder was hidden well enough by his vest and coat. If his wife knew that he'd been attacked then gods help the men who did it. Just because she was a mother now and had settled down hadn't made her any less of a fighter. She was just…biding her time now or so she claimed.. Woe to the child that ever tormented his daughter and they found out about it. He wasn't sure he'd be able to hold Karenina off the child parents and that was if he didn't get ahold of them first.
It'd been two weeks and he wanted to see his family.
He found his wife and daughter in the field behind the house. Karenina was sitting on a blanket and rocking their daughter, who was asleep in her lap.
Oh it was always such a welcome sight to see them after having to his work. Karenina had all but given up fighting and he tried not to show her how relieved he was. It didn't always remain hidden but she just glared at him when he voiced his relief.
He came up to them and Karenina brightened when she saw him. He knelt down and kissed her, "Miss me?"
"Every day," she replied and tried not to giggle out loud as he playfully nuzzled her neck, "Missed that definitely."
He looked down to his daughter as she started to stir. He smiled radiantly and put his hand on the side of her four year old face, "Hi Grace."
"Papa!" she squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck. He returned the embrace and pulled her into his lap, "Papa, I missed you!"
He kissed his daughter's face, "I missed you too."
Karenina smiled at both of them and rested her hand on the crown of her daughter's head.
Grace scrambled out of his lap and tugged on his hand, "Papa, come on."
He pretended that Grace had the strength to pull him up and he pretended to nearly fall face first in the mud. Grace giggled and continued pulling him.
Jefferson glanced up and frowned when he saw Rumpelstiltskin standing at the edge of the meadow. His heart started racing and he protectively put a hand on his wife's back but she didn't seem to notice that Rumpelstiltskin was watching them from afar. He blinked and the man was gone.
No…it was too soon. He couldn't be coming to collect now.
Grace gave an exaggerate huff to get his attention, "Papa!"
Karenina looked to where he was looking but he was gone. Was it Jefferson's imagination then? "Darling…she hasn't stopped talking about your hiding game that you play together."
He gave his daughter a strained smile and rested his hand on her hair, "I suppose we'll have to play then."
Grace smiled and Karenina grabbed her hand.
"Keep up with our daughter, sweetheart," He said started towards the forest, "I believe that she's part bloodhound. Must've gotten her ability to track from her mother."
"I'll count to twenty before we come find you," she promised.
Jefferson kissed his wife and with a parting look to them, raced through the forest to hide.