Epilogue
(5 years later)
Thranduil sat at the island counter, feeding his infant son in his highchair a small jar of "organic" apple sauce from the Farmer's Market (much to his insistence even though Ayla tried to argue that store bought was just as good). Aedan would take the tiny spoonful of mashed apples and as soon as his mouth closed nearly half would ooz out from the corners of his mouth and Thranduil would have to scrape them up with the spoon and try to get it all back into the boy's mouth. Aedan would then laugh and slap his chubby hands on the countertop, thinking it was all a game and Thranduil would smile and wipe the boy's chin with a cloth.
Aedan was nine months old now, healthy and growing bigger every day. He had a head of fine blonde hair that was slowly darkening and big silvery eyes. His skin was soft and fair and his cheeks fat and rosy. Whenever he smiled he would show off his baby teeth that he enjoyed to test them out on anything, including his father's fingers.
Luna came down the stairs; her brown hair tied up in a ponytail and was dressed up in her newest party dress with a pink cardigan over it. Thranduil set the spoon into the small jar and turned to pick up his daughter, letting her sit on his lap and planted a kiss to her temple.
"Is your Naneth ready?" he asked her in Sindarin.
"Yes, Ada." Luna replied. Thranduil only spoke to his children in Sindarin, feeling it was important for them to know the language of their people and Ayla didn't disagree since they would be speaking English once they started school and that's all they heard outside of home. Ayla came downstairs a few minutes later, dressed up in a fine evening gown of midnight blue. Ayla looked up at her husband as she approached, smiling at him and planting a kiss to his cheek.
"You look beautiful." Thranduil said.
"Well, I try." Ayla said, moving around her husband to their son, kissing the top of his head.
"Are you ready?" Thranduil asked.
"I am," Ayla replied, wiping Aedan's mouth with the burp rag before undoing his bib. Thranduil stood up and grabbed his jacket from the countertop.
"Luna, go get your jacket along with your brother's." Thranduil instructed. Luna nodded, going to the living room where her mother had dropped the jackets on the sofa from earlier.
"Tonight will be your first party, Aedan!" Ayla said as she picked up her boy, feeling his weight in her arms. "Oof! You are getting heavier. Luna, get the door."
Thranduil smiled, knowing how lucky he was to have his family as he followed them out the door.
xxxxx
Having booked the restaurant at the top of the Space Needle for a private party celebrating Mereth Nuin Giliath, Ayla arrived with her family, happily greeting her dear friends who traveled to Seattle from overseas. Thranduil parked the stroller off to the side and picked up Aedan, introducing the newest addition to the family to the rest of the party. Luna had already gone off to play with the other children who had been brought along while the adults mingled. Pamela arrived with her son Henry, since she was Ayla's best friend it automatically made her part of the family. Plus she had charmed Haldir rather quickly at the last party, and in a span of a year he had moved to Seattle and is now living with Pamela and her son.
The wine and champaign was already being poured freely amongst the guests and everyone freely picking away at the feast that had been prepared. Legolas and Tauriel were the last to arrive to the party, Luna immediately running up to her big brother as he scooped her up into his arms with a big grin on his face. He greeted his father and Ayla, and kissed the top of his baby brother's head before greeting the rest of the partygoers. Tauriel hugged Ayla in greeting and giving Thranduil a polite nod of her head in his direction.
The party was merry and going well into the night. Kwenthrith and Arlen announced that they were expecting, giving everyone another reason to drink some more as they congratulated the couple. As the hour became late guests began to slowly leave for the night. Ayla hugged her friends, careful not to wake Aedan who was fast asleep in her arms before putting him in his stroller. She gave Legolas a kiss on the cheek before turning away to the elevators, pushing the stroller with a sleeping Aedan followed closely behind by Thranduil carrying their sleeping daughter in his arms.
xxxxx
Ayla and Thranduil tucked their children in for the night. Ayla kissed her children on the forehead and tucking their favorite stuffed toy with them. Standing in the doorway to look back one last time, Ayla smiled fondly at her children and felt Thranduil standing close behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"How did I get so lucky?" she asked quietly.
"It all began when you woke up in Middle Earth."