Title: Story Time
Author's Note: These characters aren't mine. They belong to Dick Wolf and NBC.
Author's Note 2: Christmas Eve/Christmas 2011
Author's Note 3: You guys are the best! Thanks so much for your reviews. Also, if you have a prompt for this story, feel free to leave it in the comments or send it to me on Tumblr.
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"Alright, little mites," Alex says, opening the apartment door one-handedly.
The little boy resting on her hip begins to stir. "We home?" he asks, clinging tighter to Alex.
"We are," Alex says, setting the boy on the ground. She takes off his jacket and sets it over the back of the couch. Her jacket quickly follows.
Back in the kitchen, Calvin sits at the table, half-asleep with his head on his arms. He's thirteen now and quickly becoming all gangly legs and arms. But when Alex looks at him, he's still the little eight-year-old that was too small for his age and answered Olivia's apartment door when Alex knocked on it after her release from Witness Protection.
"Can I have a little help here, Al?" Olivia asks, still attempting to get the jacket off the sleeping girl in her arms.
"Go get the book, Henry," Alex says. She smiles and unzips their daughter's jacket. "Come on, Lizzie," she says, tossing the jackets into the growing pile on the couch. She takes the sleeping four-year-old from Olivia and sets her on the couch. "Story time, Lizzie, wake up."
Henry comes running back into the living room, already dressed in his Christmas pajamas and carrying the book he's been waiting since July to read. "C'mon, Lizzie," he says, climbing on the couch. "it's 'Night 'fore Christmas' time!"
Lizzie sits up groggily. "We is home?"
Henry nods. "We is."
"Story time?"
"Yup."
Alex and Olivia watch their twins communicate, smiling wider than they ever thought possible. Olivia wraps her arm around Alex's waist, and Alex rests her head on Olivia's shoulder.
Henry runs through the living room to the kitchen, book still in his hands, and tugs on Calvin's shirt. "C'mon, Cal," he says, "Mommy said story time." Calvin stands up, following his little brother back to the living room.
Calvin sits in the middle seat of the couch – Lizzie cuddled against his left side, Henry cuddled against his right side – and opens the book. "Twas the night before Christmas…" he trails off, looking toward Alex and Olivia. Olivia gives him a smile and a slight nod and he continues reading.
…
…
"Bedtime, babies," Olivia says as Calvin closes the book.
"Don't wanna, Mama," Lizzie says, cuddling closer to Calvin. "Not sleepy."
"Not babies," Henry adds.
"You sure look sleepy," Alex says.
She's not wrong. Calvin still sits in the middle seat, but now his legs are crossed on the couch and he has a blanket pulled over his lap. Lizzie sits on his leg, her head resting on his shoulder, while Henry lies stretched out on the couch, his feet almost dangling off the edge.
"The faster we go to bed, the faster Santa gets here," Calvin says.
"Santa," the twins exclaim together. They jump up and run to their bedroom, chanting "Santa's coming" the whole time. The whole scene is so cute that Alex doesn't even bother enforcing her no-running-in-the-house rule.
"You too, Cal," Olivia says, ruffling his hair.
"I know," Calvin says. Bidding his goodnights to his moms and siblings, he heads to his room.
"Tomorrow should be interesting," Alex says. Olivia just nods.
…
…
The living room is a disaster. Balled-up wrapping paper is scattered everywhere, empty toy boxes thrown carelessly about, packages of socks and underwear are packed in the corner.
Olivia sighs happily, her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee. Alex walks up behind her and wraps her arms around Olivia's waist. "Thank you," Olivia whispers.
"For what?" Alex asks.
"This," Olivia says, looking into the living room. Alex follows her gaze.
Calvin, Lizzie, and Henry are sitting around the coffee table, each dressed in a new set of matching pajamas. Sorry is set up in the middle of the table, and Calvin is losing badly. Olivia is sure that's because he set up the cards so there will be a tie between Henry and Lizzie.
"I love you," Alex says, placing a kiss on Olivia's cheek.
"Love you more," Olivia responds.
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