A/N: I apologize for the long wait for an update. My creative mind has been bogged down by school and I'm finding it harder to come up with chapter ideas, but I'm determined to see this story through. If you have any ideas of things you'd like to see, feel free to leave it in a review or PM me. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoy the unadulterated family fluff this chapter has to offer.
As always, I do not own any of the content or characters of CM.
"Keely! Ethan's here!" Andrew called from downstairs. Keely smiled as I straightened the last strand of her hair. She looked stunning, make-up already done and dress on.
"Alright, pretty lady. You're all set." I said, placing my hands on her shoulders as I met her eyes in the mirror.
Keely ran her hands over her hair before standing from her stool and enveloping me in a hug. "It's perfect! Thanks, mom!"
In the time since Keely had started calling me mom, I'd largely gotten used to the term, but every now and then it felt like the first time all over again, creating butterflies in my stomach. This was one of those times and I choked up as we parted. "Always. Now come on, let's get downstairs before your dad starts interrogating Ethan."
Keely frowned slightly. "But dad likes Ethan."
"True, but now Ethan is taking his baby girl to her first dance."
Keely's eyes widened and she hurriedly grabbed her shoes and purse, making me laugh at her sudden rush. "Slow down," I chuckled. "I'll go downstairs and make sure your dad is behaving. Put on your jewelry and your finishing touches and we'll see you downstairs in a moment."
Keely nodded and I went downstairs, finding Andrew and Ethan in the entryway along with his parents, Steve and Lana. "Ethan, you look very handsome," I greeted. He was wearing a black suit with a maroon tie to match the colors of the flowers on Keely's dress.
"Thank you, Mrs. M," Ethan smiled.
As I turned to greet Steve and Lana, Stella decided to make her presence known, toddling into the entryway with her signature growl. Ethan laughed and crouched down. "Well hello, little miss Stella." Stella growled again and held up her arms to Ethan. He picked her up and bounced her in his arms. "Are you a tiger?"
"That's new," Lana chuckled as Stella growled again.
"That's been her latest trick for about a week now," I informed. Lana and I smiled as we watched Ethan and Stella interact. He was good with little kids.
When we heard movement from the stairs a minute later, I took Stella from Ethan and watched the smile on his face grow as Keely rounded the corner to the entryway.
"You look beautiful," he whispered, kissing her cheek.
"Thank you," Keely blushed, returning the gesture and pulling him in for a hug.
"Alright, you two. Do you want to do photos in front of the fireplace or outside?" Andrew asked.
"Backyard? By the pine trees?" Keely suggested, looking to Ethan for confirmation.
"That's fine with me," he nodded. Taking her hand, the two led the way outside. Steve and Lana followed, with Andrew and I pulling up the rear after grabbing the camera.
The kids were a good sport about photos, never grumbling as we asked them to pose. Stella ran around in the backyard until Keely scooped her up for a sibling picture, playfully kicking Ethan out of the way before soothing over his feigned hurt with a peck on the lips. Lana pushed me into the next photo and I slid in beside my girls, wrapping one arm around Keely as we smiled at Andrew. I could see the emotion in his eyes as he took the photo and mouthed the words I love you to him after I heard the camera shutter.
We shuffled around for a few more photo match ups, making sure Andrew and Keely got a photo together and Steve and Lana got photos with Ethan. Finally, Keely looked at Andrew and said, "Ok, dad. We really got to go now. Ethan has to be there early to meet with the student council and we want to get dinner first."
Andrew nodded and we headed back inside, Ethan and Keely once again leading the way. The couple laughed and whispered quietly to each other, Keely looping her arm with Ethan's and leaning her head on his shoulder. "Maybe I'll see if they need another chaperone. Surely the administration wouldn't say no to having an FBI agent there," Andrew mumbled as we walked up the stairs to the porch.
I bumped his shoulder admonishingly, reminding him that they were good kids and to leave them alone. Andrew frowned slightly as we walked in the back slider, looking to Stella who was chewing on her fist in my arms. "You're never going to grow up, right Stell?" A small smile graced his face when she took her hand from her mouth and smiled at her father. Andrew took her from my arms and Stella snuggled into his chest. "My little star," Andrew sighed as he tilted his head, resting his cheek atop Stella's head.
Keely grabbed her purse and phone as Ethan talked to Steve. "Andrew already told me that Keely's curfew is 11:30pm so I expect you home by midnight. And I trust you but I don't trust everyone else at that dance, so be careful driving home." Steve said as he handed over the keys and some cash to Ethan.
"Have fun, sweetheart," Lana said, kissing Ethan's cheek before she turned and enveloped Keely in a hug. "You look beautiful. Keep him in check tonight, huh?" Lana joked, nodding her head towards her son.
"Oh, I will," Keely laughed, shooting Ethan a smile. She turned towards Andrew and I then, giving me a hug first.
"Be safe and smart, but most importantly, have fun. I love you, sweet girl." I said, kissing her cheek before she moved towards Andrew.
"I love you, dad," she said, wrapping her arms around both him and Stella before leaning in and whispering something in his ear that had Andrew chuckling and glancing my way.
Curious what was said, I made a mental note to ask Andrew later, but smiled as I watched them do their signature pinky twist. Andrew pushed Keely towards Ethan then and we all followed them outside. Ethan, ever the gentleman, opened the car door for Keely before rounding the hood to the driver's side. Andrew and I chatted with Steve and Lana for a few minutes after the kids left, reminiscing about how much they had grown and lamenting how few years we had left with them at home. Lana and Steve eventually bid us farewell, needing to go pick up their younger son from a friend's house and get him home for dinner.
Andrew and I moved inside, starting our own dinner prep. I set Stella in her highchair and set about prepping her dinner while Andrew pulled out ingredients for ours.
"So, what did Keely tell you earlier?" I asked, twisting open an apple and avocado puree pouch for Stella to start with while I made her some eggs.
"Oh just that I shouldn't worry because a certain former, and I quote, badass FBI agent has been teaching her self-defense," Andrew smirked, tossing some veggies in the skillet.
"She wanted to surprise you. We've been doing lessons in the basement anytime you have a late night at work. You're not mad, right?" I asked, biting my lip.
"On the contrary, I'm really glad she's doing some lessons with you," he assured, pecking my cheek. We finished prepping dinner in comfortable silence, then sat down on each side of Stella's high chair and took turns feeding her while munching on our own food.
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"So, what was Emily Prentiss like on prom night?" Andrew asked as we sunk into the couch, each with a glass of wine in hand.
"I never went." I answered honestly, though the look on Andrew's face told me he didn't believe it. "Really, I didn't. Prom wasn't a thing in Italy and when I got to the states I kind of just… stuck to myself," I shrugged.
Andrew frowned before pulling out his phone. A second later, music started playing over the speakers and Andrew set his wine glass down, reaching out a hand as he stood. I couldn't help but smile as I set my glass aside and took his hand, letting him pull me up and into his arms. Settling against him with ease, I wrapped one arm around his shoulder, the other still in his grasp, and laid my cheek against his shoulder, pressing my nose into the crook of his neck and inhaling the woodsy scent of his cologne.
One song flowed into a second and the two of us simply swayed along to the beat. When the third song ended, I pulled away just enough to look up into his eyes and whisper I love you, drawing a bright smile from him before he leaned down and pressed our lips together in a kiss that warmed me to my toes. It was one of those perfect moments that I wished I could stay in forever. Slow dancing in front of the fireplace with the man I loved, one daughter asleep upstairs and the other out at her first high school prom.