First Snow

She had just laid down a moment on the couch, having spent the better part of the morning trying to piece their new apartment together. The intention hadn't been to doze off, but with Tom running an errand to the hardware store to grab the tools he needed to fix the bookshelf that had taken a hard hit during the move and Agnes down for a nap, it had gone so quiet in their new little home. It was freezing outside and apparently the couch was just comfy and warm enough it made closing her eyes dangerous.

Liz jerked awake at the sound of the front door opening and blinked rapidly, trying to clear the unexpected sleep from her eyes as her husband shuffled in, grinning like crazy. Somehow his smile only broadened as he seemed to put together that she'd been sleeping, and she tried to think of what could possibly have put him in such a good mood when nothing that was supposed to have been done while he was at the store had actually gotten done. "Hey."

"Hey," he greeted back, his voice just as cheerful as his expression. "Is Agnes sleeping?"

"Yeah," she answered hesitantly, unsure where he was going with the question. Slowly she sat up as he put the bags he had brought in down and started to toe off his boots. She watched him and it suddenly clicked that his boots had something in them. "Is that snow?"

Tom beamed. "C'mon. We can't let her miss her first snow."

Liz couldn't quite swallow the laugh as she watched him almost bounce into the living room and she stood, reaching out to him and catching his hand. He paused, her fingers wrapped around his wrist, and the smile reaching his eyes. Apparently the result of spending one's childhood as anything but a child resulted in moments like these. Not that that was new, but it was entertaining to watch her husband, a man that was capable of truly dangerous things, light up at the thought of their daughter's first snow. Leave it to Tom for that to become the most important part of the day.

"You're right," she breathed at last, her smile tugging her lips a little wider. "Let's go get her bundled up."

They had worked so hard to get her on a schedule, and the move hadn't made it any easier. Granted, neither would waking her up in the middle of her nap, but Liz was starting to think it was well worth it. Agnes didn't even fuss as her daddy scooped her up, speaking lowly with her as he did. Liz leaned against the doorframe and watched him bounce her, make faces for her until she laughed, and finally start getting her bundled. After a long moment he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "What?"

"You," she answered softly. "I love you."

He grinned and picked their daughter up and held her close to him. "Love you too. Both of you."

She offered to take Agnes as he tugged his boots back on and he took her as Liz slipped into her coat, grabbing her cell phone for the camera. Hudson danced at their feet, unwilling to be left behind.

The snow was still coming down outside, sticking well to the grass and starting to leave traces on the sidewalks as well. Liz breathed it in, feeling the cold air rush into her lungs. It was refreshing and she found her daughter's eyes wide and curious as she focused on the snowflakes falling around them. Liz barely glanced up in time to see Tom snapping a photo with her phone and he grinned and winked at her. "Thief," she teased.

"Hey, I'm happy to switch the camera for the kid," he answered with a wide, almost mischievous grin.

"And open myself up to getting pegged with a snowball? No thank you."

Tom feigned a hurt expression, scooping a handful of snow from the grass. "It's not for you. It's just to give Agnes a better look." He held the half-formed snowball up for their daughter who poked at it curiously.

Liz roll her eyes good naturedly. "You know your innocent act doesn't work on me. I know you too well."

Her husband just grinned at her. "You still haven't forgiven me for that? I mean, to be fair, you gave just as good as you got and… oh wait. You started that snowball fight."

She had. She had actually forgotten that, but she had started the snowball fight all those years ago. The snow had just kept coming down and kept coming down that winter, and when they had both finally made it inside, drenched from the admittedly fun snowball fight that they had had, the power had shut off, leaving them in three days of freezing cold and darkness. The food had gone bad in the fridge and the power had been out straight through Christmas. Granted, it had turned into one of the best Christmases they had ever had together, and it had started with a snowball fight in front of their little apartment as newlyweds. Liz would have been more than happy to repeat it, but with Agnes at least one parent needed to be dry to carry her, and Tom wouldn't dare launch a snowball war with their little girl in Liz's arms.

Agnes started squirming, reaching for her father. "Traitor," Liz murmured and kissed her chubby cheek.

Tom grinned and pulled Agnes' cap down better over her ears. "Your mamma doesn't trust me, kiddo." He leaned in and Liz smiled as he pressed a kiss to her lips. "I promise not to peg you with a snowball," he promised softly. "Okay?"

She weighed the words for a moment. "Okay."

"Believe me?"

"Mostly."

"You promise the same?"

"Absolutely not," she answered lightly and Agnes started squirming again. After a moment and the threat of the waterworks starting, Liz passed their daughter over and Tom shifted her so he could wrap an arm around Liz too. She settled in, a soft breath escaping her.

"We need to get her back in," Tom murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"Mm," she responded and leaned a little more. "It's peaceful." She heard a small sound of affirmation from him and risked moving just enough to look up at him. Things could have turned out so differently with just one decision or another. Somehow, though, they'd found a way to put and keep their family together. Even with everything they'd been through, it was worth it for this. "I'm glad we made it."

She heard him chuckle and pull her closer, knowing exactly what she meant. "Me too. C'mon. Let's go make sure the electricity's still on."

Liz nodded, taking one last look at the falling snow before moving towards the door with them. There would be many firsts to come. First words, first steps, and so much more, but that day had been Agnes' first snow, and it had been just as it should be. The three of them were safe and together and happy.

Notes: I completely blame this little plot bunny on the AskAgnesKeen RP'er over on Tumblr who mentioned her mommy and daddy taking her out to see the snow the other day. I just couldn't shake the adorable image and this is what came of it.