This short expands on the birthday episode in s9 (unmarried couple). I wrote this short one-off during the evening of the birthday episode. It blends the birthday episode from s9 and the office scene from s8.

Sweet Birthday Dreams

I look over at Lucas. "Would you carry Jack up to bed while I make up the couch for you?"

"I would love to", says Lucas as he picks his little buddy off the campout blankets on the floor and cuddles him as he walks to the stairs and up to Jack's room.

The sight of Lucas holding my son so sweetly will never fail to melt my heart. How did I get so lucky to find someone who loves us both unconditionally? My little boy will always know about his birth father, but the father of his heart will always be this man who loves and cares for him as his own.

I make up a bed of sorts on the couch. It is entirely too short for Lucas, but he insists on sleeping downstairs. I would have gladly slept on the couch instead, but he wants to be alerted to any unusual noises in or around the house. I am leaving some blankets and pillows on the floor in case he wants to stretch out at some point in the night. Once I am done, I sit down on the couch and wait for him to come downstairs.

Despite the ominous situation looming on the outside, it has been such a lovely evening with just the three of us to celebrate my birthday with sweet and tender moments. Hearing Lucas and Jack sing Happy Birthday together was one of the highlights of my life. Lucas with his deep voice shyly singing was as sweet as my little boy holding the cupcake and singing in his little voice. When Jack ended it with "and many more" I just melted.

After our cupcakes, we ended up camping out on the floor in the living room. Jack wanted his buddy to sleep in his room, but we satisfied him with a campout in the living room until bedtime. Jack soon fell asleep between us, so Lucas and I had time to chat and learn more about each other and our family life growing up. I saw another glimpse of the lonely childhood that Lucas had experienced, and it always makes me feel so protective. But Lucas does not feel bitter about his childhood, he always knew his parents loved him, but as a child, they were busy and often unavailable. He was cared for by a nanny who gave him some of the warmth and affection that he was lacking from his parents. He accepted this as his norm and with hours alone to entertain himself, he developed a love of literature, a keen imagination, and a desire for adventure. He was well-traveled, something he had shared with his parents during the holidays. While his mother admittedly did not find motherhood easy while he was very young, they became very close as he grew older, and they could communicate about their common passion for literature. His father was often absent, but he too grew close to Lucas as he grew into his teenage years, ensuring that Lucas would have the benefit of some of his own life lessons. He imparted the concept of one's soulmate to Lucas as he entered manhood. Lucas revered the love that his parents had for each other; his father had waited for his mother for five years before she agreed to marry him and he promised himself he would wait for The One as well. And he did wait for her, well for me, for many years including those since he met me over three years ago.

He grew up self-reliant, compassionate, and caring and certainly had an affinity for the younger set, wanting to help as he could often empathize with their tender troubles. He was generous not only with his friendship and wealth but with his time. While he found it unproductive to have regrets about his own childhood, he definitely had strong ideas about how he wanted his future family to live. He worked hard to put himself in a position that would allow his family the gift of his time. And he often showed us a peak of what this would look like…. as he did tonight. I could not be loved by a better man, nor could I imagine a better father for my children.

I soon hear his footsteps as he descends the stairs.

"That little boy was so exhausted from the birthday celebration this evening that he barely woke as I put him to bed. He just mumbled that he needed a kiss, and he was out before I kissed him goodnight," Lucas says as he approaches me.

"Thank you, Lucas, you don't know what it means to me that you are so good with him. He loves you so much already." I pat the spot next to me on the couch, "I could stay awhile, and we could talk."

Lucas smiles as he remembers another time that seems so long ago now. "That sounds nice." He says as a nod to that evening in his office; then he sits next to me on the couch. I smile and say, "cozy" as, like him, I make reference to that evening.

"Yes, but only because I am sitting right next to you. It is a bit roomier than my office setee."

"For sitting maybe but not nearly long enough for sleeping. Are you sure you will be, okay? I am leaving some extra blankets for the floor in case you want to stretch out at some point during the night."

"I will be fine. Don't worry about me." He takes my hand like he did that night and gently kisses it. His head is bowed in what looks like a prayer. I feel the flutter as I always do, but then he opens my hand and slowly kisses my palm. I feel more than just a flutter now and meet his eyes as he raises his head to look at me. I can see them dark and shining in the softly lit room. I knew this look and I feel his love warm me to my core.

"Thank you, Elizabeth, for letting me share this wonderful evening with you and Jack. I love you both so much. I was telling you the truth when I said that this is the life I have always wanted. And as much as I don't want our evening to end, I think you better go on up to bed now." As he did that long ago evening, he is urging me to go before we cross any lines. He is here to protect Jack and me from harm, but now he is also trying to protect the two of us from ourselves and the passion we both feel.

I rise to head for the stairs and he stands too, always the gentleman. I walk to the stairs and I am about to start up when I turn to look at him. "I left that night without the kiss I wanted so desperately, and I had to fan myself with a menu outside the door. I suspect that I am going to have to fan myself yet again, but I am not leaving without the kiss this time."

"Elizabeth, I don't think that is a good idea." He steps backward as I approach him, and he is stopped by the back of the couch. He tries to hold me at a distance, but I have lunged at him and thrown my arms around his neck, and pressed myself against him expecting a passionate kiss. But instead, I instantly realize why he is pushing me away. "Elizabeth, I am so sorry." I know he is blushing but can't see it in the dim light.

"Lucas, there is nothing for you to be sorry about. I was the one that insisted against your wishes. So, it is me who should apologize to you. But I won't lie and tell you that I am sorry as it does wonders for my female ego to know that you want me."

"Well, your female ego would get inflated if you knew how much I want you all the time." With a look of longing, he separates us a bit and then lowers his head for a gentle kiss on the lips and then he kisses my forehead. "I think we should say goodnight now."

"All right, perhaps we should. But I think I am ready to discuss the merits of a Fall wedding after all. Perhaps early Fall?"

"And I am prepared to make my case tomorrow. Sweet dreams my love."

"My dreams will be sweet because you will fill them. Goodnight my darling." And I reluctantly leave his arms and go upstairs alone. Someday he will follow me.