There was a loud crackle of thunder outside their window.
It was Christmas Eve, and in the few days, since their kiss, Missy hadn't seen or heard from Wade.
She felt terrible…but knew that she had had no other choice…
Wade didn't want her…or Emily…and sooner or later he would realise that….and they would be alone again….just like they always were.
As much as it broke her heart to even think that…she knew it was true.
"It's ok sweetie," said Missy gently, strutting over to her daughter on her high heels, coming to stroke the top of her little head.
It had been raining for two days now, a thunderstorm building. And tonight heavy raindrops had lashed against the windows, and thunder and lightning had tolled for the past few hours.
Emily, who hated loud noises, was currently sat on their couch in her fluffy white jammies, cowering behind a cushion.
Missy pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
"Shhhhh, baby," she uttered as Emily let out a frightened whimper.
"Wil Santy Claws be able to get fru da stowm?" said the little girl in a quiet voice, looking up at Missy, her wide, green eyes, petrified.
"Of course he will," smiled Missy comfortingly. "Hey, how about we watch a Christmas movie, yeah?"
She wanted to do anything to take the toddler's mind off the noise outside.
Emily gave a nod, and Missy flicked through the TV channels, quickly finally finding a Disney movie for the two of them to watch together.
It was late and way past Em's bedtime, but Missy knew that the toddler would never be able to sleep through all this, not right now at least.
Missy took a seat on the couch and Emily immediately scooted over to her Mom, clambering up onto her lap.
But the pair had barely got through two minutes of the cheesy movie when all over a sudden the lights above their head began to flicker.
Emily gave a tiny cry.
"Shhhh, it's ok…" said Missy gently.
But she had spoken to soon, as the pair of them were suddenly plunged into darkness, the TV flickering off too.
Missy made to get to her feet to try and grab for her phone but before she could do so, the power came back on and the a pair of them jumped as the loud chorus of a song came blaring across the TV screen.
Missy placed a hand to her heart before turning down the volume slightly.
"It wen dark, Mommy," said Emily, looking up at her mother a little concerned.
But Missy forced a smile.
"Yeah but it didn't last long, did it, baby?" said Missy, giving Emily a cuddle.
She felt so sorry for the little girl, Christmas was supposed to be a time for warmth and family, but here she was frightened and nervy.
Once upon a time Missy had imagined that their Christmases would be full of light, and magic, and laughter….their big suburban house full of people…lovely smells wafting in from the kitchen…drinking eggnog by the fire…but life just didn't work that way….not for them at least…
There was another loud clap of thunder, causing Emily to suddenly let out a scream, bursting into tears and hiding her face in Missy's blouse.
It was just then that the power went off again, the whole room pitch black for a second or two, before the lights finally flickered back on.
Emily wailed into Missy's shirt, terrified of the noise.
"It's ok, it's ok," said Missy pulling Emily into her, cradling her tiny warm body like she used to do when she was a baby. "Mommy's here."
She rubbed comforting circles on the toddler's back, just as there suddenly came a loud knock on the front door, causing them both to jump in fright.
Missy glanced over into the hallway, biting her lip worriedly.
It was 8pm on Christmas eve, who was calling around at this hour?
She eased the sobbing girl gently off her and got to her feet, heading over towards the door.
But her question was, of course, answered, as she tugged open the door to find Wade Wilson standing on the other side.
There he was, in a black t-shirt emblazoned with two large cartoon thumbs and the words 'This girl loves Christmas', jeans and a black hooded sweater, but across his face was a look of deep concern.
"Hey…I…uh….." murmured Wade slowly, as if distracted by her for the slightest of moments. He seemed to shake himself. "….I just wanted to check you guys were ok…with the power going out and everything…."
Missy's heart pounded in her chest. Had he really just come over to see if they were ok?
She remembered the last time she had laid eyes on him, just after they had broken from their kiss…how she had felt….how she never wanted it to end…
She gave the smallest of gulps…
But before Missy could answer him, tell him that they were fine, a tiny figure waddled past her on chubby legs, little butt wriggling as she did so.
"Waydee," came Emily's voice with a tiny sniffle, running towards him. "I scawed!"
The merc, without being asked, swept the little girl instantly up into his arms, cuddling her close.
He wiped at her red and wet cheek with his thumb.
"Awww, Em-bear, you're not scared are you? Not of a little thunder and lightning?" he asked, giving her a gentle smile, the corners of his eyes wrinkling as he did so. But at that second, an ear-shattering clap of thunder rumbled from above, causing Wade to look skyward. "On second thoughts , yeah maybe it does kinda give you the heebie-jeebies…"
Missy looked at him giving a half smile, as Emily raised her little head looking Wade direct in the eye.
"Waydee, shtay tonighh?" she said, her chubby little fingers toying with the drawstring on his hoodie.
Wade glanced at Missy for a second, his eyes a little uncertain.
"I…uh…" he began, obviously not wanting for Missy to feel uncomfortable.
But Missy took a steadying breath.
"You should come in for some homemade cookies," she uttered quickly, as Wade stopped, blinking at her.
Missy and Emily had made a tiny batch of cholate chip cookies earlier. Ok, admittedly about eighty percent of them had burned, but they could just eat the good ones.
"Cukies," nodded Emily, pressing a sloppy kiss to Wade's stubbly cheek. She had all but forgotten her tears, Wade distracting her just enough.
He instantly beamed.
"Cookies sound…great," he said cheerily, looking first at Emily then back over towards Missy who was smiling and watching the pair of them, with so much love in her heart.
He really was amazing with her and Missy had never known the little girl to take to anyone so quickly. She adored him.
The caramel-haired woman hurriedly lowered her eyes and headed back into her apartment as Wade followed, Emily happy in his arms.
The three of them were silent for a moment, the only sound that could be heard was Emily squishing Wade's cheeks in her tiny paws.
Missy wandered into the kitchen just as the lights above flickered once more.
"So we've got cookies, milk….or some juice," said Missy a little embarrassed, wishing she had some more adult drinks in the house. This is what being a Mom did to you….
"Milk and cookies…now you're talking my language," said Wade grinning and following her as Emily grabbed at his ears, no longer paying any attention to the light flickering above her head. "But aren't you supposed to saving them for Santa?…I heard he's a big fan."
"Naw…" said Emily shaking her head and giving a giggle as Wade tickled her tiny sides. "…Waydee hav cukie, not Santy. Waydee, shtay tonighh."
Missy reddened, busying herself with pouring out an ice cold glass of milk for the three of them and placing some of the better-looking cookies on a plate. For that moment she couldn't turn around and face him, her heart beginning to pound within her ribcage, hard and fast.
She knew how she felt…and all of this…it was hurting her so so much…
"Come on you two," she said after a short inward sigh. She flashed them a forced smile. "Milk and cookies and we can finish watching the Muppet's Christmas Carol before you go to bed."
Wade cocked a cheeky eyebrow at her.
"You gonna tuck me in as well, Mama-Bear?" he said, flashing her a slightly devious, yet award-winning smile.
Missy shot him a smirk, rolling her eyes in his direction, but ignored his comment, merely strutting past him, feeling his gaze on her the entire time.
Fifteen minutes later and the movie was over, but all three of them were grinning and laughing, the milk and cookies half drunk and devoured.
Wade was sat on one side of the couch, as Emily wrestled with him, trying to climb up onto his shoulder, her little butt in the air.
Missy was laughing warmly, staring at the pair, as Wade would grab the excited Emily around the middle and drag her back down to his lap as she protested, giggling as she did so.
This was more skin to the Christmases Missy had dreamed of having….ones filled with happiness and warmth….and food and laughter…..
She blushed as Wade caught her eye.
He really had made their lives just that little bit better hadn't he?
Missy could help the butterflies that danced around inside her stomach at that moment.
Suddenly Emily let out an enormous yawn.
"Oh, well its looks like someone needs to go to bed?" said Wade, giving her tummy a little squeeze as she burst into fits of giggles.
"Naw," she protested, trying to squirm from his grasp, slipping from the couch and running to Missy who was sat, slender legs crossed, on the armchair beside them.
Missy picked the little girl up, smiling.
"I think Wade is right," she said tickling the tiny toddler herself. "I think someone needs to go to bed, because Santa won't visit if you're awake, y'know."
Emily, put her finger into her mouth, staring up at Missy, before giving a nod.
"Okway…"
"Ok then…" said Missy happily, getting to her feet and taking Emily with her. "Let's go pick a story. But you wanna say goodnight to Wade first, wish him a happy Christmas?"
Missy paused beside the merc, smiling down at him.
Emily instantly made grabby hands for Wade and Missy leant down, so that the little girl could press yet another sloppy kiss to his cheek.
"Nigh, Waydee. Mewwy Cwismash…I wuv you," said Emily all of sudden in the most precious voice imaginable.
Missy almost saw Wade's heart melt right then and there.
He paused looking at the brown haired little girl or a long moment, before running his thumb down her chubby pink cheek.
"Night, Em-Bear," he said in just the softest voice, as Missy pulled Emily upright once more and walked her into the bedroom.
She bit at her lip.
All this….Wade….she knew how she felt about him..
Plopping the little girl gently down onto her tiny bed covered in unicorns, she tucked her in, before coming to sit down beside her, her back propped up against the wall.
"Shall Mommy read The Night before Christmas?" she asked stroking the little girls hair.
But Emily stared up at Missy, her little mouth agape, and the tiniest of concerned looks across her features.
"Wil Waydee be here in tha mornin?" she asked out of the blue, in a quiet little voice.
Missy tilted her head at her daughter, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
She wasn't sure about that question.
…..she wanted him to be…
Missy gave a small sigh, to herself, before flipping open the pages of the book and beginning to read. She would ignore that question. For now at least…
"T'was the night before Christmas-"
It only took five minutes for Emily to drift off into a comfortable sleep, dreaming of sugarplums and candy canes…
Missy tucked her long caramel hair behind her ear and pressed one last gentle kiss to her sleeping daughter.
She really did love her, with all her heart.
Missy took one more look at her, before heading out of Emily's room and tugging the door closed behind her with a quiet snap.
Getting some of her daughters gifts from Santa out of the hallway closet, Missy placed them neatly under the tree before heading back into the living room.
Here she saw that Wade was now standing at her bookshelf, staring at a small framed photograph.
"Hey," she said in a voice barely louder than a whisper, as Wade instantly turned to face her.
The hint of a smile lingering on his face.
"Geez, I think she's fucking tiny now," he said pointing back at the picture. "I can't even imagine how small she was back then."
The picture in question was a photograph of Missy and Emily taken back when Emily was just a few days old. Missy was cradling her sleeping daughter in her arms lovingly.
But there were other memories that came with that photograph….memories of happy days….days before it was just the two of them, alone in this world…
"Yeah, she was a gorgeous baby," said Missy chewing on her bottom lip.
Wade shot her a smile, taking a step towards her.
"Yeah, well…she takes after her Mom…"
For once there was no hint of cheekiness or flirting in his tone…
And there was something almost sad within his gaze…
Missy's heart hammered inside her chest and those butterflies reared their heads once again…
Her breathing almost instantly became shallow in her throat as she stared at him, her green eyes locked with his chocolate ones.
She knew just how much he cared for her…she could see it in his eyes… and Missy knew how much her stomach did backflips every time she saw him…how her heart seemed to race when Emily mentioned his name…how last Friday, getting dressed up like that…it had all been for him…
"Wade-" she started, just as Wade spoke over her.
"Missy-"
Both of them paused for a second, before Wade took one more step closer to her, their eyes never leaving one another's.
Wade, right at this moment, was barely an inch or two away from her.
His eyes seemed to search her face, as if trying to see into her very soul.
Missy let out a shuddering breath, as Wade titled his head, his face lingering near to hers.
"…You realise I'm crazy about you, right?" he said all of a sudden, shaking his head, his tone earnest and his eyes wide. "Both of you."
Missy stopped.
In fact, the whole world stopped.
As if it was just the two of them…forever….
And before Missy could utter a word….Wade had kissed her…
…and she had kissed him back.
She truly wanted this…more than she could say.
Heat rising in the two of them, as their lips moved against the other's hungrily.
Missy pressed her body into him, her hands coming up to rest upon his chest, as his snaked around her waist.
She wanted him…a warmth growing inside her…
She slipped the hooded-sweater from his shoulders, before grasping his t-shirt and pulling him towards her.
She knew her apartment by heart and knew what room was directly behind her.
Right now she needed him.
Missy tugged her lips from him momentarily, her eyes dark and her gaze needy.
But he merely stared back at her longingly, his lips making for hers once more.
Missy didn't resist him…
Allowing him to capture her mouth again.
She backed up, undoing her silk blouse button by button….and catching, as his mouth parted from hers and he watched her remove her shirt excruciatingly slowly.
He gave a growl of approval, his eyes dark and wanting, and, in a flash, Wade had grasped Missy's thighs and lifted her.
Her legs wrapped themselves around his waist as he carried her to the bedroom, her mouth still on hers possessively.
He tasted like candy apples and chocolate chip cookies…and right then Missy couldn't help herself.
As they reached her darkened room, he dropped Missy down onto the mattress, hovering above her slightly as he pulled his shirt over his head.
His body beneath, was firm, hard, broad….and she traced a line down his chest with her fingernails, as he leaned over her, his lips brushing hers…
A rumble of thunder clattered above their heads and rain lashed at the windows but right then neither of them seemed to care, both to wrapped up in one another.
Wade wanted her and she wanted Wade and they were going to take in every inch of the other…
Wade pressed gentle kisses to her jawline, neck and collarbone as she pushed the pencil skirt from her slender hips.
All she had on now was a matching set of black lacy underwear. She caught Wade glance down at her body, giving another small growl of approval, as her fingers fumbled with his belt buckle.
Another streak of lightening forked through the sky, mere miles above their heads but neither of them were paying any attention to that.
Cool tongues soothing hot skin…hands and fingers entwined….bodies arched and aching for the others' touch…
Right now…..there was nothing else in the world on their minds but each other…
Thanks to Legolas Girl 31, dancindonna, petite-yoyo, Momochan77, jonstar1034 and AngiMK for reviewing.
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