Naptime

Relena tried her best to concentrate on the document in front of her, but such a feat was impossible under the gaze of those deep blue eyes. He was watching, smiling, giggling. And in spite of herself, she could not resist watching him in return. Putting down the paperwork, she stood, stretched her exhausted body and walked to the crib where here one-year old son continued to refuse to nap.

"What am I going to do with you?" She smiled as he raised his arms up, begging to be held. She knew he needed to stay in the crib. He had to nap. However, those deep, Prussian pools, so like his father's, pled with her defiantly. With practiced ease, she picked him up, cradled him close and was rewarded by one of the crooked smiles he had also inherited from his father.

"You really do need to nap, you know? I can't get my work done if you don't." She playfully poked his belly. He cooed up at her and his tiny fist wrapped her finger.

"You miss your daddy, don't you?" As if in answer, little Aiden fussed. Relena's heart ached. Heero had been gone nearly a week on the recognizance mission. Their son hadn't slept well since… and neither had she.

"He will be home before you know it. In the meantime, you need to sleep, little mister." She began to half-rock, half-bounce him in a soothing motion known to mothers and aunts as she hummed a soft lullaby. His eyes continued to droop, shut, open and droop again on repeat. She smiled and gently caressed his cheek with the back of one finger.

She felt the gaze of someone watching and looked up to see the same Prussian blue eyes of that of her son watching her from the door frame. Her husband had come home: jacket slung over his shoulder, white t-shirt and slacks as rumpled and unruly as his chocolate hair. The look in his eyes, however, made her knees weak.

"Heero!" She called softly, trying not to disturb their nearly-sleeping son. He smiled that charming, crooked smile and made his way into the room. His lips met hers in a sweet, lingering kiss that left her wanting more.

"Naptime?" It was an observation, not a question. She offered him an exhausted smile.

"Your son refuses to go to sleep no matter what I do."

"Is that so?" She nodded. Their son opened his eyes and, upon seeing his father, smiled wide and held out his chubby little hands.

"He missed you." Heero's lips curved to another small smile and took their son onto his arms, cradling him. Almost instantly, the infant's eyes closed and he snuggled into Heero's shirt as sleep claimed him. Heero gently laid their son back in the crib, covered him with the blanket and brushed a hand lovingly over the child's mop of chocolate hair.

"You're amazing." Heero's eyes widened a bit, his brow raised.

"Look who's talking." He grinned.

"Not this again." She smiled as amusement sparkled in his eyes. He crossed his arms casually and leaned against the crib.

"You're tired." He frowned.

"Well, he hasn't taken a nap for me since you left."

"I'm sorry." There was so much guilt in that one word. She immediately felt her stomach sink.

"Oh, no, Heero! Please!" She closed the distance between them and cupped his face in her hands. "I didn't mean to guilt you." His eyes locked with hers and the emotion she saw there was staggering.

"Relena, I-"

"You are loved, Heero. You are so loved. By me. By our son." She smiled up at him, trying to convey just how much she meant it. "You are an amazing father. That's why he misses you. He loves his daddy… and so do I…" Heero leaned down until his forehead rested on hers.

"Relena…" he breathed out her name like a gentle prayer.

"But you know…" she began, an ornery grin forming."He isn't the only one who missed you." Heero, clearly catching her meaning, returned her grin.

"Oh yeah?" His voice was gruff and husky as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "I missed you too." She could feel the evidence of his statement pressing against her. "Should I show you how much?" He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her neck. She stifled a moan.

"Let me turn on the baby monitor, and I'm all yours." The smile that formed on his lips nearly turned her legs to jelly. She flipped the 'on' switch and turned to face him. He held out his hand and she took it, letting him lead the way to the Celebration of his return.