She could hear them, their little feet padding across the wooden floor, and she smiled to herself.
"Shh, you wake her up."
"Nuh uh, you're going to"
She felt him chuckle at her back, pull her closer to him, his hand splayed across the swell of her belly and she felt the baby move in response. It never ceased to amaze her that every time he would touch her belly, the baby would start dancing like her uterus was the world's smallest nightclub.
"They moved, I think they're waked."
"If you are not both quiet, they vill be, now be still, mein liebchen."
She opened her eyes beneath the covers in time to see the pointed tip of a tail slip beneath and slowly lift the covers from her face, she closed her eyes just in time to feel the cold air of the room rush in and a small hand on her cheek, "Mommy, wake up."
She tried hard not to smile again until she felt a small nose touch hers and a whisper, "Mommy, it's avinersary day."
She began to giggle then, and opened her eyes to see Fen, his head on the pillow, smiling at her. "She's awake!"
"Vat about your papa? Ach, don't climb over her, lieb. Remember der baby."
She lifted Fen over her and set the little three-year old between her and Loki who groaned and pulled the covers over his head as Fen started to laugh and pull them backwards in return.
Grace quickly got out of bed to let them wrestle, smiling at Kurt who stood there holding Madison on his hip. She had the tip of his tail in her hand and was hugging it like a cherished doll.
"If you're not careful, she'll never let that go." Grace held out her hands to Madison who leaned over to her with one hand out, "You've got to let Uncle Kurt have his tail back first."
She shook her head and clung back to him. He smiled and kissed the top of her head, "You should not be lifting so much anyvay. It is getting closer to your time."
Loki had managed to pin Fen down to the mattress so he could get his feet planted on the floor and he stood with Fen clinging to his neck, giggling wildly.
"Happy Anniversary, mein freund. I cannot believe you have been married a year. Vat are your plans for der day?"
"Well, I believe Grace and I had discussed going for a drive north and seeing where we end up. Perhaps get some supper somewhere. We'll be back before midnight. I think you and Kitty will have your hands full with these two maniacs." he held out his hands for Madison who finally relinquished Kurt's tail for her daddy's arms. "Thank you again for offering to watch them and I sincerely hope that you will survive it."
"I vill find plenty for dem to do, trust me. Dis is a school, for heaven's sake."
Loki set Madison down on the floor and Kurt took her hand, "Say goodbye to mama and papa, lieblings. Den ve vill go to der gym and run around like crazy peoples, ja?"
They kissed Fen and Madison goodbye, listening to them babble on to Kurt as they headed down the corridor, then Loki turned to Grace and caught her in a soul searing kiss, his hands on either side of her stomach.
"I cannot wait, in all truth. I wish to hold this baby in my arms right this very minute."
Grace drew her nightgown over her head and looked at her profile in the tall mirror, the curve of her seventh month belly, her rounded hips. Loki came up behind her, cupping her breasts with his hands.
"I never knew the girls would get bigger when I got pregnant." She looked down at his hands, "They're not too big now are they?"
She smiled as he laughed, "Never." She shoved his hands away.
"Come on, let's get dressed and get going while Kurt is still in denial."
She donned the new maternity dress she'd bought last week, and went into the bathroom to brush her hair. "I'll be so glad when we can finally move into one of the family units next month. Piotr promised to help us, did you know that?"
"He did tell me, yes." Loki pulled the v-neck shirt over his head, lifting his hair from out of the collar. Grace, back in the bedroom, watched him. "Your hair is getting long again, are you leaving it like that now?"
"Do you want me to?"
She ran her hand through the long tresses and he shivered, "Ah, for a while until it makes you crazy, then you can cut it."
As they walked into the large garage and grabbed the keys for the company car off the pegboard, Loki stopped. "Did you inform Ororo we were leaving?"
Grace nodded, "Yes I did."
One large stipulation on that day three years ago, besides the threat of the third strike rule if he set foot in Manhattan ever again, had been that they were never to go anywhere outside the compound without the company car which was GPS monitored. They were also to inform Ororo where they were going, when and for how long. Two weeks before, when they had brought Fen and Madison to Rutland to meet up with Sarah and her parents, they had gotten turned around, ending up slightly lost, causing Ororo to call them in a panic to make sure they were alright.
There were few other stipulations, the biggest ones being designed to keep him on the radar at all times, a problem he would never have, the school was his home, his family, he need not stray from there ever again.
"You alright?" Grace had started the car but caught his faraway look.
"I am indeed,"
She put her hand on his leg, "Happy Anniversary."
"Happy Anniversary, my love."