Ruby awoke in the early hours to Peter's cries for his feeding. She thought nothing of it at first, her body going through the motions in the familiar space. As her senses sharpened, she remembered all that had passed the day before, and she smiled and held Peter tighter. They could have been miles away in a dank, crowded wagon—or, more likely, trying to make a bed of the hard ground.

Another wave of happiness washed over her, warming her from tip to toes despite the darkness of the room. And while she was grateful for the shelter of the cabin, there was something else that made her heart rejoice within her.

Peter settled quickly, his eyes fluttering closed as she rocked him, pulling her nightdress up before wrapping him in his blanket. She laid him gently in the cradle by her bed and rocked him for a few moments to ensure he was asleep. Then, she bit her lip, unable to keep herself from following through on a delicious idea.

With a final glance over the bedroom to ensure her sons—her sons!—were both asleep, Ruby slipped out of the bedroom, propping the door open so she could keep an ear out for any trouble. She padded her way around the kitchen table, feeling her way along the hard edge, before she came to the curtained room at the back of the cabin.

There wasn't enough light to see by, and she had to feel her way to the cot. Her hand landed on a wool blanket, a lump underneath that Ruby decided must be her husband's leg. She ran her hand along the bed until she felt the edge of the blanket, and she pulled it back and climbed into the cot. She cringed as it squeaked under her weight.

"Hmm?" Archie muttered, his confusion evident at being woken in the middle of the night.

Ruby grinned to herself in the darkness. Her heart began to pound, and a thrill ran up her spine as she backed into him, pressing her body up against his, the heat of him a delicious contrast to the chill of the cabin. "Sh-h-h, it's just me," she whispered, her voice pitched far higher than normal.

"Mmm," Archie murmured, wrapping one arm around her, and Ruby lifted herself up slightly so he could reach under her to hold her tight. She stretched, pressing herself flush against him, and she all but giggled in delight as he buried his face in her hair. She couldn't help but wonder if he'd be half so brazen if he was aware of himself. That they needed to be as close as possible to both fit on the makeshift bed was the furthest thing from their minds—the practical benefit of being so close a fortunate accident.

She held her breath, hearing his breathing even out as he dozed off, and she grinned to herself again. For a little while, she was too excited to fall asleep, and she simply basked in the heat of his body and being safely wrapped in his arms with nothing between them but their thin nightshirts.

She hugged his arm to her chest, her muscles relaxed against him as if by memory. She'd craved this kind of physical intimacy for so long, it was like a balm to a deep ache that had become a part of her, finally melting away. Now that she knew Archie wanted her as much as she wanted him in every kind of way, it was like she had finally found the missing piece of herself, his line of music that was created to join hers, a beautiful melody brought to completion. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, overwhelmed by the life that was finally hers.

Ruby awoke to a shrill cry.

"Ma! Pa!"

She bolted upright, panic seizing her, and her only thought was to close the distance between her and August, barely aware of Archie shifting on the mattress behind her.

Before she could call out, the boy threw back the curtain. "Pa! Mama's gone!"

"August!" Ruby cried, throwing her arms around him, her heart breaking at the sight of sheer panic in his eyes. "It's okay, I'm right here."

For a fraction of a moment, he froze, until recognition thawed his limbs and he threw his arms around her, squeezing for dear life.

"Sh-h-h-h, Sweetheart, I'm right here," she cooed, cupping the back of his head and stroking his hair, her chest tight to see him so upset. Archie hurried over and crouched down beside them. He placed his hand on the boy's back and began to rub.

After a few moments, August pulled back. Ruby squeezed his arm as they knelt in front of each other, and she brushed his hair out of his face and wiped his eyes.

"Mama," he breathed, his features softening as his eyes flitted over her face, as if taking her in.

"Yeah," Ruby said, her eyes welling up to hear him call her that. "I promise, I'll always be right here—I'm not going anywhere."

Slowly, a grin spread across his face, and he threw his arms around her neck. She laughed and hugged him back, her heart a whole mess of emotions as a couple of stray tears tumbled down her cheeks. She glanced over at Archie, noticing his own eyes welling up as he smiled back at her.

A sudden wail sounded from the bedroom, and Archie placed his hand on her shoulder before he stood up. "I'll get him," he assured her, and she nodded, her hands still full with August. Archie grabbed his glasses from the windowsill before he hurried across the cabin and disappeared into the bedroom.

Ruby leaned back on the balls of her feet as August pulled away from their embrace, and he wiped at his eyes with the back of his hands. She swallowed the lump in her throat, the boy of ten looking much younger as he tried his best to collect himself. She kept her grip tight on his arms, though whether to assure him or herself, she wasn't sure.

"I didn't see you in your bed," he explained, dropping his gaze. He shrugged and looked up. "I didn't know where you were."

"I'm sorry," Ruby replied. "I was just here with your pa." She felt her cheeks warm at the thought of sharing Archie's bed, and she said no more. They would just have to figure out their sleeping arrangements sooner rather than later, it seemed.

With one last hug, mother and son stood up as Archie joined them with baby Peter in his arms.

"I think his older brother gave him a bit of a scare," Archie said with a chuckle. The baby's cries faded to a few whimpers as his father bounced him gently. The sight warmed Ruby through, and for the countless time, she felt a lump of emotion rise in her throat, amazed at how close she had come to leaving all of this behind.

Though the sun had barely crested the horizon, it was clear that the entire Hopper family was awake for the day. With Peter quieting in Archie's arms, Ruby set to work lighting the stove and hearth while August dressed to prepare for his chores.

"If you can get us some eggs now, I can make scrambled eggs for breakfast," Ruby called to him as he put his shoes on.

He nodded as he tied up the final lace. He paused after he swung open the door and looked at Archie with a frown. "Aren't you comin', Pa?"

Archie came up beside Ruby at the stove, his gaze fixed on August. "I'll be out soon," he replied with a nod. "You worry about your own chores, there."

August let out a groan and shut the door, leaving Ruby and Archie to share knowing looks. Ruby couldn't help but let a giggle escape.

Then, her features relaxed and the familiar warmth bloomed in her chest as Archie held her gaze. Her hands stilled mid-action, one hand gripping the handle to the coffee pot as Archie leaned close.

"Good morning, wife," he murmured, his eyes bright with adoration.

"Good morning, husband," she murmured back, leaning into him as if drawn by gravity. Her chest fluttered and she closed her eyes before her lips connected with his, sending sparks shooting to her core. They lingered in the kiss before pulling back, and Ruby slowly opened her eyes.

Peter began to fuss, so Archie shifted him to his side and began bouncing in place. Ruby grinned and turned her focus back to the coffee pot in front of her, boiling the water and grinding the coffee beans. The burst of aroma filled her senses, though she was already riding on adrenaline after such a start to the day.

"So, I wasn't just dreaming last night, was I? You actually came to my bed?"

Ruby laughed as she worked, her eyes on her hands as Archie bounced the baby beside her. "Well, it was more like early morning, but yes—I did." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him shift Peter to his shoulder, turning slightly so the boy could have a good view of his mama.

"I… I liked it."

Ruby looked over and met his gaze, her heart flipping to see how his laugh lines crinkled his eyes as he smiled at her. "Me, too."

With the coffee beans ground and the water boiling, Ruby reached out to take Peter from Archie, revelling in the extended touch between them as their hands brushed. Ruby realized that they were still both in their nightclothes, and she felt a blush creep across her cheeks as she snuck a look at Archie.

"I-I should probably go change," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Ruby bit her lip and nodded, not brazen enough to protest as she lifted Peter up and pressed her cheek to his, watching Archie disappear behind his curtain. She felt caught in the pull between herself and Archie, the desire that sparked under her skin when they were close, and the part of her that warned for caution. This was all so new.

Besides, the demands of family life were still very much at the forefront, and she quickly had to turn her attention to preparing breakfast for her boys and getting herself in a modest state. Still, despite the normality of their day, Ruby was bursting with a new energy, and she was determined to cherish every mundane detail.

Even when that meant changing Peter's diapers and soaking them in a pail for laundry day.

There was a bit more of excitement, however, when Archie caught Ruby alone while she was making dinner. August was still outside and Peter was napping in his cradle when Archie came in from some task or another. Ruby turned towards him and beamed, elbows deep in flour as she rolled the pastry for a meat pie.

"Hey," he greeted with a grin, sending the butterflies in her chest to flight for the countless time.

"Hello," she chirped, watching him take his hat off and hang it up before slowing closing the distance between them.

She brushed the flour off of her hands on her apron and turned to face him. She could see the hesitancy in his features as he reached out and paused before taking her hands in his, making her heart melt all the more. She loved how dainty her hands felt wrapped in his grip.

"I was wondering," he began, taking a step closer so her skirts brushed his trousers, "if—well, if you wanted to—if you're ready to adjust our sleeping arrangements." Ruby thought she could see a faint blush colour his cheeks and ears.

Ruby chuckled and took a small step towards him, their hands clasped on either side and her knees touching his. She forced her expression to remain serious, however, despite the lightness in her chest. "That sounds wise," she replied with a firm nod. "I'd hate to cause another upset, but I'd also hate to have to spend another night in a cold bed."

A smile slowly spread across Archie's features. "I would hate that, too," he murmured, his eyes crinkled behind the frames of his spectacles. Then, his features dropped. "I mean, not that I want to rush anything—we can still… take things slowly."

Ruby grinned. "Uh huh," she breathed, her eyes dancing as she tilted her chin up and edged her lips closer to his.

"Pa! What are you doing?"

Ruby and Archie both jumped a mile and spun around to see an unimpressed ten-year-old in the doorway, his hands on his hips as he shot an accusatory glare. "You said you'd be five minutes."

"I was j-just making sure Miss Ru—your ma had everything taken care of for supper," Archie stuttered before he shuffled August back outside. At the same time, Peter began to fuss in the bedroom, signaling the end of his nap—and the end of any alone time Ruby might have had with Archie.

She managed to throw him a smile before he disappeared out the main door with one son before she tended to the needs of the other.

Being a newlywed was entirely different this time around.

Archie finally got around to packing up the cot back into the lean-to after supper. Ruby marvelled at the amount of space in the back corner of the cabin, though it was barely a few feet. She also couldn't believe that Archie and August had actually slept in the lean-to when she'd first arrived back in September. It looked uninhabitable, now crammed with tools and equipment that hadn't quite made their way back to the new barn.

Ruby stood in the doorway to the lean-to as Archie shoved the folded-up skeleton of the cot into a nook by the wall. He emerged from the space and put his arm around her, and she pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

"I think I can safely say that your, uh, sleeping arrangements have vastly improved," she teased, earning herself a squeeze.

"I couldn't agree more, Mrs. Hopper," Archie replied, and the words sent a thrill through her.

Mrs. Hopper.

August, however, was less pleased with the arrangements. "All four of us are gonna sleep in there?" he asked, jumping up from his seat in front of the fire when his parents reminded him it was time for bed.

"'Going to'," Archie corrected, his expression firm, "and yes."

"But Pa, there's not enough beds."

Ruby pursed her lips, more than happy to let Archie take the lead on the issue.

Archie took a step towards August and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Well, Son, you see—now that your ma and I are, well, your ma and pa, we are going to be sharing the main bed now."

"Don't you want your own bed like you've been doing?"

Archie shook his head, and Ruby was almost certain she saw mischief in his eyes that he fought hard to suppress. "No, August. I'm very certain that I don't. It's just… what mas and pas do."

"But why would you want to share a bed in the middle of summer when you can have your own bed?" he replied, his tone holding more than a hint of a whine.

"I'm afraid that's all the explanation you're going to get," Archie said, and—though he appeared perfectly calm—Ruby could tell by the slightly higher pitch in his voice that he was starting to get annoyed. She bit her lip to keep from smiling.

August seemed to pick up on the tone, too, and easily gave way to the gentle push his father gave him towards the bedroom while Archie threw Ruby a look over his shoulder.

That night passed much in the same way as one before—with kisses both shy and slightly exploring—though with one change. Having had so little sleep the night before, Ruby and Archie were far less willing to stay up so late, which may have been greatly aided by the fact that they did not have to part for the night. Ruby did appreciate, however, that Archie left her to the privacy of the bedroom to change while he did the same in the corner of the cabin that had up until now been his own room. She felt silly, but they still found themselves navigating the new dynamic between them.

She jumped when a knock sounded at the bedroom door, and she chuckled to herself. She crossed the room, throwing a glance to the baby in the cradle and August in his bed, as if they could sense the presence of another person about to enter. Ruby held her breath before she opened the door, for in a way, it marked another big change.

This would be the first time that the bedroom would also be Archie's since she'd arrived.

"Can I come in?" Archie asked from the other side, barely audible through the wood.

"Of course!" Ruby said, her cheeks flushing as if she'd been caught in her daydream.

The door swung open to reveal Archie and his smile, which she could just make out by the small flame of the lantern that sat on the bedside table.

"Hello," Ruby murmured, dipping her gaze as she took his hand.

"Hello," he murmured back, his smile widening to deepen his dimples and crinkle his eyes.

She led him to the foot of the bed, where they parted briefly, making their way to either side. Ruby took her side that was near the middle of the room with Peter's cradle while Archie walked around to the side that had very little room between the bed and the wall.

Ruby felt her cheeks flush as she pulled the quilts back and climbed into bed. Archie did the same—a seemingly ordinary motion—but Ruby's chest fluttered as the weight of him settled on the mattress beside her.

She reclined against the pillows and turned on her side to face Archie, holding herself up against the pull of his weight. They were mere inches apart, and Ruby could swear she could feel the charge between their skin, as if sparks would crack in the air between them like lightning strikes between clouds in a storm. And yet, she wasn't quite ready to give in to his gravity, to tumble over the edge and be consumed completely. Not quite yet.

Archie propped himself up on his elbow, holding himself over her slightly, while they both silently looked at each other. Ruby kept her hands close to her stomach, clasped together, unsure of what to do.

"I, uh… should we blow the lamp out?" Archie asked.

Ruby let out a nervous giggle. "Of course." She flipped over to her other side and lifted herself up to lean over to the table, grateful for a moment to collect herself, hidden from Archie's gaze. She cupped her hand around the side of the glass and blew, extinguishing the flame from the wick, sending up a curl of smoke to gently rise in the now-darkened room.

She turned back around, her eyes adjusting to the lack of light as she searched for Archie's features.

"Hey," he murmured. "Would you, um—could you put my glasses on the table, please?" He took them off and folded them up before handing them to Ruby, their fingers brushing as she took them before she turned around once more.

"Sorry," he murmured after she turned back. "That's the last request, I promise."

"No, it's fine," she assured him, lowering herself onto her pillow and letting her gaze linger over his every feature, no longer hidden. He always looked more different than she expected without his spectacles, and the intimacy made her heart beat faster. No longer shielded, she could let her gaze roam over her favourite features—his eyes, bright and full of tenderness, and framed by laugh lines that deepened when he smiled to match his dimples. A vulnerability only meant for her.

Archie's large frame filled much of the bed, and Ruby was highly aware of their proximity as she balanced herself to keep from rolling into him, aware of where each of her limbs were placed and delighting in the warmth coming from his body so close to hers. She held her breath, wondering what to do next, or who would make the first move. She couldn't deny she was tired, but every fibre in her buzzed in anticipation of this newness.

"I—are you comfortable? Um, how did you want to do this?" Archie asked, and Ruby smiled at the care in his voice—along with the slight nervousness.

"Just like this is fine," she assured him. He settled down on the bed, lying on his pillow to face her, and Ruby let herself relax into him, her body rolling slightly into his.

She held her breath as he brought one hand up her arm, resting on top of the quilt, and gently trailed it down from her shoulder to her elbow and back up again. The touch alone sent shivers through her, and she bit her lip.

"Are you cold?" he asked softly.

Ruby shook her head. "No, no." She licked her lips as she tried to find the words to voice even a fraction of what her body and heart were telling her. "This is nice," she finally said.

"Mmhmm," he breathed. After a pause, he brought his hand up to her cheek and traced her jaw. Slowly, he trailed his fingers to her chin and tipped it upwards, bringing her lips to his. Ruby closed her eyes as she savoured the taste of his kiss, her heart full as warmth flooded her body to the tips of her toes.

"Good night," he whispered after pulling back.

"Good night," she replied, unable to keep a grin from spreading.

She took one of his hands in hers and pressed it to her chest as she curled into his middle and closed her eyes. She breathed in deeply, her head light at the scent of him and the pressure of his arm around her, the feeling of being surrounded by him. She quickly drifted off to sleep to the sound of his even breathing, a lullaby that promised she was finally safe.

The next thing Ruby knew, she was waking to Peter's fussing beside her. She blinked the sleep from her eyes as her mind took a few moments to recognize her surroundings. The view was the same, but something was different.

She grinned as she realized Archie's arms were around her and his head was resting on the back of her neck.

Slowly, she moved to entangle herself from his embrace, almost giddy with this new scene of domesticity. Peter's cries began to grow, and Ruby slipped from Archie's grasp, despite the groan that rose from him as he reached for her.

"There, there, Precious," Ruby murmured as she leaned over the cradle. She scooped the baby up, eager to soothe his cries before he woke up his big brother or his pa. Ruby threw a glance to the bed in front of her to see August turn away, half asleep aside from the huff of protest at being disturbed.

Peter's whimpers stopped once he made contact, and Ruby beamed down at him in her arms.

"Is everything alright?" a raspy voice asked behind her, and Ruby threw a look over her shoulder to see Archie opening his eyes.

"Go back to sleep," she whispered, though she didn't feel as sorry as she should have when he sat up behind her.

"Ummhmm," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

Ruby delighted in his presence behind her, the warmth of him as he rubbed her back while Peter contentedly sucked. Though she'd gone through these motions countless times, a lump rose in her throat as she realized she now had someone to share these moments with—someone who cherished them as much as she did.

Now fed, Peter was returned to his cradle and tucked in snugly before Ruby adjusted her nightdress. She fell back into her husband's arms as he wrapped them around her chest and kissed her ear, and they lay down together, both quick to give into the happy weight of sleep.