After a very slow walk through the large winter lodge I finally got to mine and Ben's bedroom on the first floor. As I did this I smiled that the staff had already decorated the lodge; and they had brought the Christmas tree that we had decorated from Auradon Castle and placed in next to the fire in the lodge.
When I got into our bedroom I slowly but surely walked to our bed before sitting on the edge of the right hand side of the bed. I then pulled off my snow boots, socks and coat off before I threw them over a nearby chair. I then climbed onto the bed and I sighed as my head touched the pillows; I started to feel settled at the fact that I am finally alone with my family. I just hope that Evie and Doug don't cross the line and come looking for me. As that would very awkward; I understand why they want to be close - I just wished that they would understand that me and Ben needed space sometimes.
"MAMMY!" I heard Isabelle call, breaking me out of my train of thought. "WHERE ARE YOU?" she shouted.
"MAMMY!" Edward shouted.
"In here!" I shouted and I smiled as I heard footsteps before Edward and Isabelle appeared in the doorway. When they noticed that I was lying on the bed they grinned before they ran up to the bed, jumped on it and started to crawl towards me.
"Are you tired?" Edward asked as I noticed that the pair of them had also removed their snow boots, socks and coats.
"A little bit Edward" I advised.
"Ok" he nodded.
"Cuddle time!" he exclaimed as Isabelle nodded at this. I then slid into the middle of the bed as Edward snuggled into my right side as Isabelle cuddled into my left. I couldn't help but smile at my perfect two little ones; Edward looked exactly like Ben; however he had my bright purple hair and green striking eyes. Isabelle on the other hand looked exactly like me, however she had Ben's nature. There was a time when I thought that I would never have the life that I do; and now I do I would never change a thing.
"I love you Mammy" Isabelle cooed as she snuggled her face into my chest.
"I love you both so much" I answered before I pressed a kiss on the top of both of their heads.
"I love you too Mammy" Edward replied happily; I opened my mouth to reply to him but cut off when I heard another voice.
"Mal!" Ben shouted and I couldn't help but not the concern in his voice.
"Aha!" I shouted back.
"Do you know where Edward and Isabelle are?" he questioned.
"Quick hide under the covers!" I advised and we all giggled as we climbed under the covers and snuggled tightly together, with them under the covers.
"No" I answered.
"What?" he answered as he quickly ran into the room. "We can't find them" he said in a panic.
"I don't know where they are" I advised coyly and Edward and Isabelle started to giggle.
"Oh I see" Ben said as he grinned when his eyes fell onto where our two mischievous little Beast and Dragon was. "Let's see if I can sniff them out" he said mock seriously, causing Edward and Isabelle to giggle again. "I think I can hear them; but I don't know where they are" Ben said in mock seriousness.
"Ssshhh!" Isabelle told Edward under the covers, and I couldn't help but grin at them.
"What about here?" Ben stated as he quickly threw the curtains back and Edward and Isabelle giggled again. "Darn!" he pouted. "Are they in here?" he joked as he jumped into our on suite bathroom. "No" he laughed. "How about here?" he added as he quickly walked up to our bed and he pulled the covers back.
"Awww" Isabelle cooed sadly as she pouted.
"You found us!" Edward exclaimed.
"Yes I did" Ben laugh as he sat on the edge of the bed and kicked his shoes and socks off, as he had already taken his coat off. "And what are you doing in here?" he questioned.
"Giving Mammy a cuddle" Isabelle answered as she cuddled into me again.
"Can I join?" Ben asked hopefully.
"Yeah!" Edward and Isabelle exclaimed. I then watched as Ben slid in behind Edward and he pulled the covers back over us. We then all cuddled together and I couldn't help but smile at my perfect family.
"Benny take a photo" I muttered.
"Ok" he nodded as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Say Beast" he teased as he extended his arm so he could take a selfie of the four of us.
"BEAST!" we all shouted and he took a couple of photos to commemorate the start of our Christmas holidays and also the special family moment we just had.
After we spent around twenty minutes cuddling, talking and laughing with Edward and Isabelle Ben then took them to go and see his parents so I could have some rest. As he left the room I slowly climbed out of bed and slowly and very carefully changed into my dark purple sleep vest; however trying to get into my dark purple sleep shorts was proving problematic due to my back pain. I started to get annoyed at myself at the fact that I couldn't get them on; and I watched as Ben appeared in the doorway.
"Oh" he muttered as he stepped into the room and quickly closed the door behind him. "I see" he nodded. "Do you need any help?" he offered.
Please?" I stated and I watched as he walked up to me.
"I haven't had to do this for a while" he chuckled as he helped me put both of my feet into the shorts as I held onto him.
"Thanks Ben" I sighed. "Make me sound like an incapable again" I groaned as he pulled my shorts up.
"You know I don't mean it that way" he advised as he stood up straight and my arms dropped from him.
"I know" I replied. "Sorry" I apologised. "I just hate not being able to do anything for myself" I pouted.
"I know baby" he sighed. "Let's get you back to bed; you need your rest" he reminded me.
"Yeah" I nodded. "But cuddle time with you though, right?" I teased as I tilted my head to the side slightly.
"Of course" he grinned as we both walked towards the bed and climbed into bed.
"This is really nice" I sighed as we cuddled together.
"I know" he answered as he snuggled his face into my hair.
"Shame we have to go back" I sighed again.
"Mal play nice" he teased.
"I am playing nice" I advised as I looked up at him. "But you know what I mean" I reminded him. "It's nice to be just us" I added. "And our family" I stated I started to think about the rest of our family downstairs.
"Yes" he advised. "But you are doing a wonderful thing for Evie and Doug" he stated.
"No Ben" I urged as I brushed my nose against his. "WE are doing a wonderful thing for Evie and Doug" I urged. "I'm not doing this on my own; I can't do this without you" I said sadly. I needed Ben to remember that I wasn't doing this on my own – we were doing this as a couple.
"And you won't ever go through anything alone Mal" he advised lovingly before he pressed a kiss against the top of his head.
"I know baby" I smiled at him as he looked down at me. "As you won't go through anything either" I stressed.
"I love you" he grinned.
"I love you too" I returned and I watched as he winked at me before he pressed a brief but loving kiss against my lips. We then cuddled together; and it wasn't long before my eyes started to roll into slumber. But before I fell asleep the last thought on my mind was that it was me and Ben against the world - and this is how it was always going to be.