"How are you feeling about going back to school?" Anne asked Nikki a few days later as the two women were sitting on the sofa, Harry upstairs with the twins where he was changing one of their nappies.
"I don't want to go" Nikki shook her head as she stroked Artemis, the little cat laying on her lap "It makes me feel sick just thinking about having to leave them, I know I have to but it's horrible"
"I know" Anne chuckled and nodded as Nikki ran one hand through her hair and leant her elbow on the arm of the sofa, looking down at Artemis with an upset look on her face "It won't be for that long will it? Your longest day is what? Five hours?"
"Hmm" Nikki replied, nodding her head once "It's just the thought that I can't just get up and come home to them. When I'm out normally like if I'm shopping at the supermarket and I've left them with Harry I know that I can go home quickly but at school I have to stay for a certain amount of time"
"You'll get used to it" Anne assured her and Nikki shrugged, still not looking at the older woman "It's only because you've never left them for this amount of time before, and every day as well. You're not there for long other days are you?"
"No. Mondays are the longest days; we finish before lunch every other day"
"See, it's not that bad"
"I suppose" Nikki murmured and continued to stroke Artemis, the small cat purring loudly on her lap, her eyes closed in contentment as Nikki scratched the top of her head.
"What are you doing for New Year?"
"We might go to the park for fireworks" Nikki told the older woman, turning slightly on the sofa and curling one leg under the other, Artemis shifting on her lap before settling down again. "We were going to Richmond park for the large display but we thought that the noises would be too loud for the twins, well for Gabriel" she shrugged and Anne nodded "At least at the park down the road we can come home whenever we want and don't have to wait for transport. We might even stay in if it's too cold, we can see the fireworks from the windows"
"You don't mind not going out?"
"No" Nikki chuckled and shook her head, stretching slightly as she did so and dislodging Artemis once again, the cat letting out a loud meow and stretching before jumping off Nikki's lap and walking over to lay in front of the blazing fire. "I'd much rather stay in with my boys. What are you doing?"
"Some friends of mine have asked me around for the evening and some fireworks"
"They're both all clean"
Nikki looked over the back of the sofa when she heard Harry's voice and she smiled at him as he walked over and leant down to press a kiss to her lips.
"And asleep"
"They won't be for long, they're due a feed" Nikki replied and glanced at the time before looking back at her lover who nodded and sat himself down on the armchair.
"I heard you're going out on New Years to get amazingly drunk and then hung-over the next morning" Anne told her son who just scoffed as Nikki giggled.
"Yep, that's what we're both doing" Harry told her as he reached down and picked up Eos who was attempting to climb his leg. He placed the female cat on his lap and stroked her head gently, Eos purring loudly as she settled down on his lap and closed her eyes "We're just having a quiet night in aren't we sweetheart?"
"Hmm"
"Or going to the fireworks, whichever takes our fancy"
"Come on my darling" Nikki sighed as she reached into Gabriel's cot and picked up the crying baby, kissing him on the forehead as she walked over to the rocking chair by the window and sat down, quickly freeing one of her breasts from her bra and top she offered it to the baby who quickly began to suckle in earnest, Nikki chuckling at his enthusiasm. "Shall mummy and daddy take you and your brother to see the fireworks at the weekend? We're still deciding on whether to take you both or not"
Nikki looked up as Harry walked into the room and she smiled at him, shifting Gabriel into a more comfortable position for both of them as she did so.
"Mum's gone home" Harry told his lover who nodded and looked up at him "Are we taking them to see the fireworks or not?"
"I don't know, they're still too young to appreciate them and I don't want Gabriel to be frightened by the loud noises" Nikki frowned and Harry nodded in understanding, leaning on the edge of Donovan's cot and smiling down at the youngest twin "And it's going to be at midnight so they're probably going to be asleep anyway, they normally are"
"I suppose we could just watch them from the window if we wanted to" Harry replied and Nikki nodded "We'll take them next year and there will be more fireworks between now and then anyway. I've booked a restaurant for New Year's Eve for all of us"
"Really? Which one?"
"Our one" Harry smiled at his lover who grinned at him, he pushed away from the cot and walked over to her, leaning down and kissing her gently on the lips, Nikki responding eagerly to him before breaking away when Donovan let out a cough from the cot and then began to cry. "And our boys of course, I'm sure they'll appreciate the fine cuisine of the place" he chuckled and Nikki giggled as he pushed the side of the cot down slightly and reached in to pick up Donovan "Hey little man, are you hungry? You're going to have to wait for mummy to finish feeding your brother if you want her"
"He won't be long" Nikki told Harry who just nodded, Donovan calming down at bit when he felt his father's warm presence and his heartbeat as Harry moved the baby to cradle him against his chest. "You can burp him while I feed Donny"
"Okay" Harry nodded, looking up at his lover and smiling at her "I was hoping that you'll wear that green dress when we go for the meal"
"I'm sure you would" Nikki smirked at him, stroking Gabriel's light blonde hair as she spoke to him "The fact that it's low cut at the front and the back does nothing to influence that"
"Of course not" Harry replied in a mock offended voice and Nikki scoffed quietly "Okay so maybe it does but you also look very gorgeous in it"
"I haven't worn that once since before I was pregnant" Nikki then told him with a small shrug "It might not fit any more"
"Nikki it will fit" Harry rolled his eyes "And if it doesn't then it will just give you an opportunity to go out shopping won't it?"
"I suppose it will" Nikki smirked as Gabriel pushed away from her and let out a small grunt as he coughed slightly. "Swap"
"It still fits" Nikki told Harry later on as she stood in front of the tall mirror in their bedroom wearing the bottle green dress that they had been discussing half an hour earlier in the nursery.
"What does?" Harry asked absentmindedly as he walked into the bedroom from the bathroom, a grin spreading over his face when he saw his lover "Wow, you look beautiful" he breathed and Nikki blushed as she looked away from him and back to the mirror.
"It fits better around the chest as well" Nikki added as she ran her hands down her stomach and then turned back to Harry who was staring at her with a loving look on his face as though he didn't see her looking back at him. He then glanced up at her face and grinned sheepishly when he saw the amused look on her face.
"You..just..." Harry shook his head and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist as Nikki looked back in the mirror, kissing her exposed neck gently as he did so. "You're perfect"
Nikki smiled slightly and leant her head back so it was resting on Harry's shoulder, he ran his hands over her hips and she shivered slightly, hearing Harry chuckle quietly into her neck before he moved away and pulled her back into him even more.
"Harry I'm far from perfect"
"No you're not" Harry shook his head and nuzzled her neck gently, pressing soft kisses to her skin as he did so. Nikki closed her eyes and let out a contented sigh as she did so, reaching up and burying one hand in his hair.
"Are you wearing a suit?"
"Of course"
"Good, you look even more handsome in that suit"
"I always look handsome" Harry smirked and Nikki giggled, turning in his arms and wrapping her arms around his neck as her lover placed his hands back on her hips. He then looked down at the dress again, his smile growing as he stole a sneaky kiss from Nikki and made her giggle again, her cheeks reddening slightly as Harry chuckled. "And you always look beautiful"
"I doubt that very much"
"Don't" Harry shook his head, reaching up to stroke her face gently with one hand and making her look at him, her deep brown eyes staring into his own green ones that their boys had inherited from him. "You are so beautiful Nikki"
Nikki's blush grew and she smiled at her lover who smiled back at her and pressed a kiss to her lips.