Family

by Evendale

This is a fix-it rewrite of Nairobi asking Sergio to father her child - because BOY did canon need to be rewritten here. This time, Sergio actually talks to Raquel, and they make a decision together. Contains a healthy dose of Serquel fluff & smut, because we need it after s4 :')

"Will you be the father of my child?"

He looked at her, stunned, sure he must have misunderstood her. "Pardon?"

She stood up, a pleading look in her eyes. "I have to get good genes, the genetic combination is very important."

He could only stare at her, and she smiled at him.

"I look at you in class, and I think… what a brilliant man, and so honorable, so sensitive, so handsome."

He had to avert his eyes, feeling extremely uncomfortable as she went on.

"You have ideals. And I believe in what you want to do."

"Look", he said carefully, "that's a very flattering perception… Honorable… that's one way to look at it. But this is impossible."

"Impossible is pulling off a heist in the Bank of Spain. I'm not asking you to be a father if you don't want to be. What I'm asking for is a donation, so I can do things differently." She gave him the most appealing look. "No strings attached."

"Nairobi", he said, pushing up his glasses, trying to find the best way to phrase this. "I set up the heist at the Royal Mint in memory of my father. And this one for my brother, I'm… I'm not the kind of person who doesn't form attachments. I couldn't stop thinking about it, not a single day of my life, if I had a child somewhere in the world."

He hated the look she was giving him, so disappointed.

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry."

Then she looked up at him and raised an accusing finger.

"You are the one who built this family. And you taught us to look out for one another."

He felt flustered by her tone. "But what you're asking from me is…"

"What I'm asking is the same thing! Because in a family, you help each other without question. Because it would make someone happy. Because you'd risk your lives for each other. You have your plan, right?" She was getting upset now, and it hurt him. "I have a plan, too. You've taught me that we should help each other, because that's who we are."

He felt so confused as she walked away. Did she have a point? Was he being selfish, not helping her? He knew one thing, though: he couldn't make this decision alone.

"Agata", he said, and she stopped and turned back to him. "It's not that I don't want to help you, but this is a very big thing you're asking."

"You've asked bigger things of us", she argued. "I've done some fucked up shit for you without asking."

"I know", he said, "I've asked you to take big risks. So I want to give your request serious consideration."

Her face lit up. "You'll consider it?"

"I will. But I have to talk to Raquel first."

"Why? It's your sperm."

"Raquel and I are in a committed relationship, Nairobi, we make big decisions together."

"Oh, right."

"This isn't a decision I can make either quickly or on my own. Please give me some time to think about it and talk it over with my partner."

"Of course", she nodded eagerly. "Yes, take your time."

…

He found Raquel in their bedroom, sitting cross-legged on the bed, surrounded by a mess of papers. She had to memorize all the technical details of the plan in case they had to activate Plan Paris, so she spent much of her free time studying, messing up Sergio's carefully constructed files in the process. He automatically started sorting through the pages and putting them in the right order again as he sat down next to her.

"Raquel…"

"Mmm?" she said, not taking her eyes off the drawing she was studying.

"We need to talk."

She didn't look up. "Can it wait half an hour or so?"

"Not… not really."

Now she glanced up, and as she saw his face, she immediately put the drawing down.

"What's wrong?"

He shifted uncomfortably, realizing he had no idea how to begin.

"Well… Nairobi came to me and she asked me something… uhm… it was more of a request, really…"

From the blank look on her face, he could see that she had no idea of the magnitude of the thing. He felt like he should prepare her a bit before springing it on her.

"It's… it's a big request."

"Alright", she frowned. "What did she ask?"

He pushed his glasses up his nose and swallowed hard. Maybe he should ease her into it a bit.

"You see, she told me she wants to start a family. Be a mother again."

Raquel smiled. "That's nice."

"Uh, I suppose, yes. The thing is, she doesn't have a… a partner, currently."

He glanced at her to see if she would realize by herself where he was going with this, but clearly she didn't. He steeled himself and blurted out:

"So she asked me if I would be the father of her child."

Her eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"I know."

"Are you joking?"

"No."

"Are you sure that's what she said?"

"Very sure."

She blinked. "I'm going to need a moment to process this."

"Of course", he nodded, then waited quietly as she stared into the middle distance.

"Why did she ask you?" she asked him finally. "She knows you're in a relationship."

He cleared his throat, embarrassed. "She said she thinks I have good genetic material. She… uhm… she said I'm a genius and… and she called me handsome and honorable."

She gave him an amused look. "And you feel flattered, of course."

"Well…", he admitted, coloring, "It is rather flattering that she would ask me, of all people."

Suddenly her eyes opened wide in alarm. "Wait, what did you say when she asked you?"

He frowned. "That I need time to consider and talk to you, of course."

She looked only a little relieved. "But you didn't say no outright? You're actually considering this?"

"I… I feel like I owe her that, at least."

"Why?"

"She made some compelling arguments", he mumbled.

"Care to share them?"

"She pointed out that she's taken big risks for me in the past, and I owe her for that."

She gave this some thought. "Do you, though?"

"Well, there's no denying she risked her life in the Mint."

"But do you owe her for that? She didn't walk away from that heist with nothing – she did a job and she got paid accordingly. She didn't participate in the operation just to do you a favor. So I agree that maybe you owe her some gratitude, but a child? That's a big leap, Sergio."

"She also pointed out that we're a family, and we should help each other", he said rather helplessly. He felt like this was a strong argument.

"Would you say creating an actual human being falls within the bounds of what would reasonably be considered 'helping'?"

"Still, Raquel… She's family and it would make her happy. How do I say no to that?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "I see your dilemma, I do. But Sergio, have you thought this through?"

"No", he admitted. "I just haven't had the time yet."

"There are so many implications to consider", she said. "First of all, weren't you sick as a child? Aren't you afraid you might pass that illness on?"

He stared at her. Of course – why hadn't he thought of that immediately? That should have been his first thought when Nairobi mentioned his 'good genetic material'.

"Yes", he said. "I do worry about that."

"I thought so", she nodded. "That's definitely something you should mention to her before you make any decisions."

"I agree."

"Then secondly", she continued, "there's a lot of practical matters to consider. Would you be involved in the raising of this child?"

"I… I don't know", he said. "She said I didn't have to be. No strings attached."

"Would you be okay with that, though?" she said, regarding him attentively. "I don't think you're the kind of person who wouldn't care to know his own child."

"I don't know…" he hesitated. "This is not something I've ever considered before."

"Having a child is a big thing", she said softly. "There would be a person in the world who would be a part of you. When they grow up, they will probably want to know you. Would you be okay with not being involved with them at all?"

"No", he sighed. "I would hate that. I would feel responsible, I would think about it all the time. You're right, I would want to know my child."

She nodded. "That's what I thought. So the logical consequence of that would be that Nairobi would have to come live close to us so you could help her raise this child." She gave him a careful look. "Is this something you would want?"

He took off his glasses and rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"I don't know, Raquel, I feel like I need time to think about what that would entail."

"Let me tell you what that would look like", she said, keeping her voice carefully neutral. "If you want to act responsibly towards this child, the child and Nairobi would become your family."

He stared at her. "But… I already have a family."

She nodded. "Yes. You would have two families, and you'd have to share your time and attention between them."

"How would you feel about that?"

She gave him a sober look. "Sergio, how would you feel if I chose, right now, to have a baby with another man?"

He felt a sudden, sharp stab of nausea. It would be such a big event in her life, and it would kill him that he couldn't really share it with her. "Honestly? I'm… I'm not sure I could stand that."

She nodded. "So I hope you understand why I'm not exactly wildly enthusiastic about this idea. However, I would support you if this were something you reallywanted. But Sergio… do you really want this?"

He suddenly saw things clearly. What if he had to share her with another family? It just wasn't right.

"No", he said quietly. "You're right, this is not something I want. I love Nairobi like a sister, but I don't want to start a family with her. My family is with you, it's something I share with you alone and I don't want it any other way."

The relief in her eyes was so clear that it suddenly hit him how much she'd dreaded that he would decide the other way. And yet she hadn't tried to impose anything on him, she'd calmly talked things through and let him make his own decision. He took her hand and caressed it with his thumb.

"I can't believe you would have supported me if I'd said yes", he said softly. "You're so wonderful."

"I want you to be happy", she said. "But I think this would be a situation that would cause everyone grief in the end."

"You really think so?"

"I do. It would be more or less as if you and Nairobi were divorced, and while that's a situation you learn to live with if you have to, it's never an ideal situation and I wouldn't choose it willingly. I wouldn't bring a child in the world under those circumstances."

He sighed. "I suppose I'll have to tell her no. I'm… I'm not sure how to do that."

"Let's tell her together", she said gently. "This should have been a conversation between the three of us right from the start, anyway."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Because this decision affects me too, Sergio. If you wanted to be involved in the life of this child, it would be at our house a lot of the time and I would take care of it too." Her voice got a slight edge. "Really, Nairobi shouldn't have asked you this without me, she knows we're in a serious relationship."

"I wasn't aware there was an accepted etiquette surrounding a request for sperm donation", he said.

She laughed. "Well, there is! You're my boyfriend, the unspoken implication is that, if you were going to have a child, it would be with me, not some other woman."

She saw his face and quickly amended: "I know we haven't talked about that yet, I'm just saying that's the expectation. And imagine if you did this: if you wanted to take your responsibility, you would be there for her through it all, right? The doctor's visits, the ultrasounds, the birth,… It's a very intimate process to go through with someone who isn't your partner. It wouldn't be easy for your actual partner if you created that kind of bond with another woman."

He nodded. "Yes, I see what you mean." Then he glanced at her. "Are you… are you angry at Nairobi for not including you?"

She frowned. "Well… I'm a little annoyed, but I can understand her. As far as I know, she's never been in a committed relationship like we are. She probably can't imagine what that's like, she doesn't realize that it means you make decisions like this together."

Sergio felt a stab of pity, and he gripped her hand tighter in his.

"Raquel, I feel so sorry for her. She just wants what we have, you and I. I know what that's like now, and I fully understand that she wants it too. Our family has made me so happy… I wish I could do the same for Nairobi."

"I know", she said gently, squeezing his hand in return. "But she can still have a child without you. There's plenty of sperm in the world – it doesn't have to come from a man who's in a relationship."

Then she quickly amended, her eyes sparkling: "Not that yours isn't the best, of course. I'm sure it is and I understand that she wants it."

He chuckled, then turned more serious again.

"Well… shall we go tell her?"

"Yes", she sighed. "No sense in leaving her hanging."

…

Nairobi was out in the courtyard, alone, reading in the sun. As they approached her, she took one look at their faces and said:

"It's a no, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so", Raquel said.

They drew up two chairs next to Nairobi's and sat down.

"Why?" Nairobi asked.

"I can't have a child somewhere in the world without being involved, Nairobi", Sergio said. "I just can't."

"Then be involved!"

"That would mean a serious commitment", Sergio said quietly. "I have to prioritize the family I already have. It wouldn't be fair to Raquel otherwise."

Nairobi turned to Raquel. "So it's you who's saying no?"

"No", Sergio quickly intervened. "This is my decision. Creating a child is such a big decision, Nairobi. It's something you should only do if you really want it. And… I'm very sorry but… I don't really want it."

Nairobi looked upset. "It doesn't seem right that you get to deny me my family."

"You need to know that my genes don't come without risk", Sergio said. "I was very ill as a child. Any child I have may inherit that illness."

"That's not a guarantee, though?"

"No", Sergio said. "But do you want to risk it?"

"But you got better", Nairobi said stubbornly. "You're fine now. And we could afford the best medical care in the world."

"Nairobi", he said quietly. "I wouldn't want any child to go through what I went through."

She sighed. "But you're a genius. I want my child to be smart and handsome."

He saw Raquel throw him an appreciative look and he couldn't help but be a little flattered. However…

"Is that really the most important thing about a child? Besides, there's no guarantee that attractive or intelligent parents will have attractive or intelligent children. There's only an increased likelihood."

Raquel smiled. "And let me tell you, Nairobi: you will love your child no matter what."

Nairobi sighed. "I suppose. I just want to give my child the best chances in life."

"But you don't need the Professor to do that", Raquel said gently. "There are other men."

"Like who?"

"Have you considered Helsinki?" Raquel suggested. "He's your best friend."

"Helsi?" Nairobi said.

"I think Helsinki would be a good choice", Raquel nodded. "He's kind and caring, he would be a good father. He's also the logical choice: you already live together, you're already a family, he could easily help you raise the child. He's not in a relationship. And on top of that, he's gay, so he won't be able to have children without a surrogate. As long as he wants children, this looks like the perfect solution to me."

"I hadn't thought of it that way…", Nairobi mused.

Raquel considered her for a moment. "You love Helsinki, don't you?"

Nairobi hesitated, then nodded. "I do."

"Then there must be plenty of things about him that you like. Don't you think he would be the obvious choice?"

Nairobi was silent for a while, and they let her think. Then she looked up and nodded.

"Alright. I'll ask Helsi."

Sergio felt a surge of relief. "Good. I think this is a solution that could make everybody happy."

Raquel and Sergio got up to leave, but Nairobi called after them.

"Lisbon!"

Raquel turned back to her to see her looking rather uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry for asking him without you there. It was a bit of an impulsive moment, I didn't stop to think, but of course it would affect you too."

"Thank you", Raquel nodded.

"Are we alright?"

"Yes", Raquel smiled. "We're alright."

…

Later that evening, after the dinner with Manila and the welders was over, Raquel was talking to Monica as they walked past Tokyo's room and a voice from inside called out to her.

"Lisbon!"

She walked into the room with Monica to see Nairobi sit on Tokyo's bed, her eyes shining.

"He said yes! Helsinki said yes!"

Raquel smiled broadly. "That's amazing, Nairobi, congratulations!"

"What's going on?" Monica asked.

"I'm going to have a baby!"

"What, now?"

"No, no, after this is all over. Helsinki agreed to be the father."

"We have to celebrate!" Tokyo called out. "I'm going to be an aunt!"

They put on music and got some drinks, then danced around in Tokyo's room until they were all breathless with laughter and a little drunk. When they got tired, they fell on Tokyo's bed and Raquel, Monica and Nairobi shared pregnancy stories while Tokyo shuddered and swore she would never. Raquel privately thought that Tokyo had the right idea – she couldn't imagine her with a child.

…

It was rather late by the time Raquel went back to the room she shared with Sergio. He was already in bed, reading, and he looked up as she entered.

"There you are", he said. "Where have you been?"

"Celebrating", she said. "Helsinki said yes."

His face broke into a delighted smile. "That's great news!"

"It is", she nodded. "Now you don't have to feel guilty."

"I have to admit that it's a relief, yes."

She undressed and put on the t-shirt she used to sleep in, then slipped between the sheets and pushed him down into the pillows.

"So…", she smiled as she came to lie on top of him. "Looks like I made the right choice, huh?"

He smiled back and wrapped his arms around her. "In what way?"

"By choosing you", she said, giving him a fond look and stroking his beard. "Even other women want your babies, because you're so smart and kind and handsome…"

He grinned. "Can I get that in writing?"

"Sure", she murmured, kissing his neck, "I'll even have it calligraphed, framed and hung above our bed at home if you want."

He laughed. "Are you drunk?"

"A little", she smiled. "Is that a problem?"

"That depends", he said, letting his hands drift down her back. "Are you going to fall asleep in a minute?"

"No", she said, pressing herself closer to him. "I don't think I am."

"Good", he rumbled, letting his hands drift even further down, but then she pressed her lips against his neck and sucked.

"Hey – hey!" he protested. "What are you doing?"

She looked up with a mischievous grin. "Marking my territory. Make the next woman think twice before asking you for sperm."

He laughingly tried to push her away. "Raquel, I have to teach in the morning, in front of everyone! I can't walk around with a hickeylike a teenager!"

"Would you prefer a bite mark?"

"No!" he exclaimed, shaking with laughter. "You're not allowed to bite me!"

"I'm sometimes allowed to bite you", she murmured in his ear.

He grinned. "Under those circumstances, yes. But you're not allowed to brand me like a horse!"

"You'll barely feel a thing", she said, then nipped at his throat with her teeth.

"No – no!" he yelled, rolling over so he was on top of her now, pressing her down.

"Get off me", she laughed, putting up a half-hearted struggle.

"So you can bite me?" he snorted. "Not a chance."

"I won't", she said. "I promise. Now let me go."

He gave her a stern look. "Will you be good?"

"No", she said, little lights of laughter dancing in her eyes. "But I'll be bad in the way you like it."

He couldn't keep up his stern expression as his face broke into a grin. "God, you're priceless when you're a little drunk."

Then he bent his head and brought his lips close to hers. "So… you'll be bad the way I like it? I like the sound of that."

"I think you'll like the feel of it even better."

He brushed his lips against hers, and she lifted her face to kiss him back, opening her mouth slightly to flick her tongue against his lips.

"Hmm", he murmured, his eyes warm. "But is it safe to let you go?"

"Only one way to find out."

"Am I willing to risk it?"

"I think you should…"

"Well yes, you would say that, you just want to bite me again."

"True", she grinned. "But only authorized biting this time."

He considered her. "Where?"

She lifted her head and nibbled at his earlobe, making him shiver. "Oh… that's nice."

"If you get off me I'll do something even nicer."

He grinned in anticipation, then rolled off her to lie on his back again.

"Ah", she sighed in satisfaction as she came to lie on top of him again. "Much better."

He hummed his agreement as she slipped her hand inside his pajama pants, then he closed his eyes with a sigh as she started stroking him.

"If you can't go around impregnating other women", she murmured in his ear, "I suppose I should compensate for that in some way."

He laughed quietly. "Yes, I do feel a desperate urge to prove my virility now."

"I thought you might", she smiled, her eyes sparkling. She closed her fingers around him and he gasped. "Hmm, you certainly feel very manly to me…"

Then she reached a little lower to cup his balls, and he groaned softly as she touched him.

"How's your top-notch genetic material doing?" she teased him, and he laughed again.

"You're never going to let this go, are you?"

"Oh no", she grinned. "What woman would, if she had such a fine breeding specimen all to herself? A true-blood stallion like you?"

They looked at each other for a moment, then burst out laughing. She withdrew her hand as he twined his fingers in her hair and pulled her face down, and they kept laughing as they kissed each other. Then she pulled back and looked at him with shining eyes.

"You really are a fine specimen though."

He grinned. "I've never gotten so many compliments in my life. I'm not sure if I should feel flattered or objectified."

She rolled her eyes. "I know, women, right? Only interested in one thing. Only ever thinking about babies."

He gave her a long look, then asked softly: "Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Thinking about babies."

"Oh", she said, catching on to his shift in mood. "I don't know. We haven't talked about it."

"After today, though, I feel like we should."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. But not right now – after the heist is over. Who knows what might happen… Let's not tempt fate."

"Agreed", he said. "This isn't the right time."

She smiled and pressed herself closer to him. "But that doesn't mean we can't practice… you know, just in case."

"Right", he grinned. "Because we usually never practice."

She raised her eyebrows. "Are you complaining? Would you like to practice less?"

"God no", he murmured, his hands sneaking underneath her t-shirt to stroke her bare skin. Then he grinned again. "Besides… you can't keep your hands off me anyway. Which is only logical, since I'm so smart and handsome and honorable…"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know, you've been flattered entirely too much today."

"How about we even things out?" he smiled.

"How?"

He brushed her hair back and whispered in her ear:

"You're beautiful, Raquel."

"Hmm", she said, mollified, suppressing a smile. "What else have you got?"

"You're kind and sweet and lovely."

"Keep talking", she said, as her fingers deftly unbuttoned his pajamas.

"You're funny and quick and you know what you want and I love that."

She was kissing her way down his chest now, and he sighed in contentment.

"I love how smart you are", he whispered. "I love how you challenge me."

"Take off your pants", she said, and he obeyed her eagerly, then fell back into the pillows, biting his lip in anticipation.

She cocked her head. "Anything else you want to say to me?"

"Yes", he said quickly. "I love your softness, and your grace. I love how generous you are."

"Good answer", she smiled, then he gasped as she closed her mouth over him.

"Oh, Raquel…"

She withdrew and raised an eyebrow at him, and he hastened to continue.

"I love how playful you are, I love how much levity you've brought into my life."

She applied her tongue in the way he liked it, and he moaned.

"Oh! And I love it when you do that."

He twined his fingers into her hair and his breathing quickened as she moved up and down on him, but he was careful to keep talking, though it was increasingly difficult to form coherent thoughts.

"You're… you're so good, Raquel, I… I can't express how good that feels."

She added her hands: one hand closing around him just below her lips, the other massaging his balls, and he was beyond words now. All he could do was close his eyes tightly and surrender to her. She handled him expertly, exerting just the pressure he liked, moving in the way she knew drove him mad. And sure enough, after only a few minutes, he gasped:

"Stop… stop! I don't want it to be over yet."

She quickly withdrew and sat back to smile at him as he tried to catch his breath, a blissful look on his face.

"Oh, you're incredible", he whispered, then he turned his eyes on her. "Please take that t-shirt off, let me see you, you're so beautiful."

Her smile broadened. "You sure know how to get a woman to take off her clothes."

She pulled the t-shirt over her head and straddled him, and his gaze softened as it moved down her body.

"I love looking at you when you're on top of me", he murmured. "You're so lovely."

She was smiling as she stroked him. "Ready to go again?"

"Yes please", he breathed, then groaned softly as she lifted her hips and sank down on him.

She took him in as deep as she could, then stopped moving and lightly tapped his chest.

"You're not talking. Are you running out of things to say?"

"With you?" he whispered. "Never."

He put his hands on her hips and sighed with pleasure as she started moving.

"Oh, I love how you feel around me, so soft and warm…" His hands started stroking her hips and thighs. "I love how smooth your skin is… I… oh! I love, love, love the way you move."

She tilted her hips and he gasped. "Yes! Just like that!"

"What else do you love?" she murmured, her fingers caressing his chest and stomach.

"I love feeling you close to me", he said softly, catching her wrist and pulling her down. "I love to have you in my arms."

He wrapped one arm around her waist, his other hand in her hair.

"I love kissing you", he murmured against her lips, then he pressed his mouth against hers, softly, sweetly. They sank into the kiss for several long, breathless moments, and when they broke apart, he drew her head down so he could whisper in her ear:

"And I love it when you come for me. Touch yourself."

She smiled and slipped a hand between them, then closed her eyes with a soft 'oh!'

"I love to hear you moan", he said, stroking her back as her hips and fingers started moving in a steady rhythm. They were both breathing fast, but he was careful to keep a tight rein on himself so he wouldn't come first, pressing soft kisses to her cheek, her neck, her ear. Soon she started trembling, and he bucked his hips to take her deeper, making her utter a sharp moan with every thrust, then she suddenly tensed and buried her face against his shoulder to stifle her cries as wave after wave of pleasure rushed through her, leaving her weak and breathless on his chest. He held her and stroked her hair as she recovered, while he murmured in her ear:

"I love to feel you come when I'm inside you, Raquel. You have no idea how sexy you are…"

She hummed happily, then looked up at him with a smile. "Alright, your turn."

He groaned as she started moving again, but he didn't stop talking.

"I… I love it when you're on top of me… I love to feel your skin against mine… I love your hands on me."

She was riding him hard now and he was gasping, feeling the pressure inside him build until it was almost unbearable.

"I love how you're everything at once", he breathed, "I love how you're soft and strong, I love how you're sweet and fierce, I love… I love you, Raquel. I love you so much."

"I love you too", she whispered in his ear, and the next moment he was seeing fireworks with his eyes closed, his arms tightening around her as the feeling swept him away, as she sank down on him again and again – yes, yes, yes – so good… Then he shuddered and relaxed, tingling, out of breath… happy.

She moved to get off him, but he wouldn't let her go.

"Stay here", he said softly. "Stay close to me."

"Alright", she smiled, and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Then she regarded him for a moment.

"Did you mean all of that?"

"All of what?"

"All of the things you said."

He gave her a warm look. "Of course. Every word."

She gave him a radiant smile and kissed him again. He sighed when they broke apart.

"What a surreal day", he said, shaking his head.

"Yes", she agreed. "It was rather odd."

She thoughtfully stroked his beard, her expression turning more serious.

"Thank you for saying no", she murmured. "I'm glad you're still all mine in that regard."

"I'm all yours in every regard", he said softly. "And you don't even have to mark me for that – I'll gladly tell any woman who comes near me."

She gave him a sweet smile and kissed him. "Good. Then I won't have to murder anyone."

He laughed and kissed her back for several long moments.

Then she rested her head on his chest and he hugged her tight.

"Raquel", he murmured softly. "You know you're it, right? You're the only one for me. Now and forever. You're my family."

She sighed happily and cuddled closer. "That's very convenient, because you're the only one for me too."

He smiled and kissed her hair, and soon her breathing deepened and she was asleep on his chest. He didn't move, he didn't try to shift her, he just reveled in her nearness as he gently caressed her back, staring dreamily up at the ceiling.