Same disclaimer applies-Twilight belongs to S.M., but the idea of this story is mine.
Many thanks to my awesome betas and friends - TeamAllTwilight and m0t0b33.
Five years later
"Are you awake?" Edward whispers, not moving.
"Yeah," I answer on the same tone.
"Do you think we could shower? Together?" I can hear the need in his voice.
"We need to be quiet. And quick."
"That's tough when you're involved, baby."
"If you want an orgasm in the next fifteen minutes, you better get your ass in the bathroom," I hiss, already getting out of the bed.
We tiptoe to our own bathroom because the slightest noise can set off the bomb—a.k.a. Sebastian and Phoebe. We have tried again after a few years, which turned out into a little blonde angel. Phoebe is daddy's girl through and through.
The shower turns out very satisfying, but the high crashes as soon as we step into our bedroom. On the bed are the children, feet dangling off the edge, smiles on their faces, looking all too innocent.
Edward ruffles Seb's hair and pinches Phoebe's nose on the way to the closet where he gets dressed.
"So you guys are ready for the big trip?" I ask, holding the bathrobe closer around me as I sit on the edge of the bed.
"Yups!" Seb nods.
I look at Phoebe, waiting for her answer. She was super excited about the trip to the ocean, until last night when Edward told her she can't take Blinky with her. Blinky being a firefly we caught a couple weeks ago. I made sure to make a few tiny holes in the jar's cap so the insect can breathe, but I knew it would die. The thing is that Phoebe hasn't realized it yet, and if we left it at home, we can tell her it ran away…and have Esme throw it away or something.
"Yep," she confirms.
"Good. Let's get dressed then." I take their hands and start walking to the door, but stop in front of the walk-in closet. "Can you bring out my white flowery dress? I'll wear that!" I call for Edward.
"The one with elastic over your boobs?"
I groan, because he always drops forbidden words left and right. "That one!" I confirm, tugging the kids after me.
Half an hour later, they're dressed and downstairs on the couch with Chupa Chups. On my way up the stairs I bump into Spaz who's descending.
"Seb!" I shout. "Has the dog been in your bed…again?"
"Nope!"
"Like hell," I say between my teeth. I head straight to his room, and there's dog hair on his bed sheets—the ones I changed a couple days ago.
Annoyed, I stomp to our room where Edward is shoving last minute stuff in our overflowing suitcase.
"That kid will be the death of me!" I grunt, letting the bathrobe fall off me as I grab the dress Edward put on the bed for me.
"The dog again?" he asks, hoisting the suitcase off the bed.
"Of course. Can you go make sure they don't choke on the lollipops?"
With a kiss on my shoulder, he's gone.
I quickly finish dressing. Palming my face I wonder why did I agree to this madness.
A month ago, Edward suggested we re-visit our honeymoon location.
How that turned out in taking the kids with us…is beyond me. The plan was to leave them with the grandparents. Not happening.
Let's hope I stay sane.
It's not like my man doesn't care, but he tends to allow them to do crazy shit. When they get hurt, he says he thought they were fine. Makes me want to punch him. Hard.
Oh, and to top it all, we've found out just a couple weeks ago that I'm pregnant. Again.
Just like with Phoebe, I made sure it was real and everything. But I can't think back on that unfortunate event. No.
The loud cries coming from downstairs shake me out of my thoughts. Speaking of irresponsible husbands…
I arrive in the living room at the same time as Edward. The bags are in hallway and the front door is open, which makes me realize he's been carrying them to the car—leaving the kids unsupervised.
"What happened, honey?" I ask softly, collecting Phoebe from the floor. "Mommy's here, hon. Show me where you're hurt."
"She threw herself on the floor! Like some drama queen," Seb explains in a matter of fact tone.
I push my daughter away at arm length. "Is that so?"
"He meanie!" She points to her brother.
"Buddy, we talked about upsetting your sister," Edward chides him.
"I didn't do anything bad, Dad! I swear! She wanted to give her lollipop to the dog and I slapped her hand."
"We don't share with the dog," I remind her. "He has his own food."
"But Daddy shawed sanditch."
I giggle at her misspoken words. "You don't have to do what daddy does, just what he says." I ponder that. "Scratch that. Don't listen to daddy."
"Hey!" he protests weakly.
"Are we leaving today?" Seb asks, getting off the couch, grabbing his backpack and starting to the door.
"Yes." Edward puts a hand on his shoulder, leaving together. As much as Phoebe is his little princess, he doesn't say no to some guy time with Seb. They play football and go with the bikes in the park every other weekend. I've learned the hard way not to send Phoebe with them. I made that mistake once and they returned her scratched and with puffy red eyes from crying.
We have girl time while they have guy time, but most of the time Seb is usually a part of me anywhere I go.
Picking my baby girl up, I usher the dog out on the way to the car.
Soon, we're ready to leave. Everyone is strapped to their seat, the dog between the kids, bags of snacks and water on the floor of the car.
Like always, Edward takes his time picking the perfect music, readjusting the chair, making sure all the doors and windows are closed, starting the AC and only then is he's ready to roll.
I guess my hubby is in a romantic mood. There are love songs played at sax. I'm extra sensitive—all thanks to the pregnancy hormones.
He gives me a smirk, taking my hand and kissing it.
The catch of our trip? We're making it a road trip. Theoretically it should be a two day trip, but with two little children…. God only knows.
But we're stopping for a couple of days at Dad's in Philly. Then going down.
The two-hour drive to Dad's is eventless, but I know better than to expect the same quiet on the way to Key West. The second we park, Seb's out of the car. Spaz follows, shaking vigorously.
I round the car and help Phoebe out, while Edward takes our bags.
Sue comes to greet us, all smiles. Once everyone is hugged and kissed, we're led inside where Dad is watching over the yummy smelling food.
"Ah, Sue!" Edward moans.
Jeez. His nose is trained to pick on her paella dish.
She laughs and pats his cheek. "Come with me, sweeties. Let's taste the yummy food," she tells to our kids who immediately follow. "You two go to your room."
"I don't think so," Edward grunts, pushing Seb out of his way then, taking the spoon out of Dad's hand and tasting the paella.
I have to drag my starving man away so we have some food left for lunch. While we unpack only the necessities, Dad and Sue entertain the kids. Because we're alone for a few minutes, we take advantage. When I want to leave the room, he wraps his arms around me from behind, hugging me tightly, kissing up and down my neck.
"I love our children. But fuck if they're not the worst cock-blockers in the world. I need some Bella-time. Let me just hug you for a minute, revel in the quiet—just us."
"Mommy! Look, look, look!"
The door is slammed to the wall, making Edward groan loudly. I pat his hand which is on my stomach.
"What's that, hon?" I ask Seb, eyeing the hand behind him warily. The kid loves to find all kinds of creatures and show them to me.
"Found it near the car. Spaz wanted to eat it." He opens his palm and shows us…a lizard.
It's small and green. I hope it's not poisonous.
"Go put it back outside," I instruct him. "Let him go back to his family."
"I want to keep it!" He looks curiously at the lizard, holding it by the tail. "I'll call it Bean."
"No, Junior. You take the lizard back outside. His parents are looking for him," Edward tells him sternly.
"How do you know that? He was alone when I found him."
"Because he wasn't obedient and left home. What if someone stole you and wanted to keep you?"
"Don't say that!" I hiss, slapping his stomach and crouching to baby boy, brushing his sudden tears away from his cheeks. "Just imagine how worried his family is. Let's go back and find a good spot for him."
"So much for Bella-time," I hear Edward mumbling. I offer him a small smile over my shoulder and mouth, "Tonight." He grins, perking up.
Tonight doesn't work when we end up with both kids between us.
"We're getting a suite at the hotel…and we'll ask for a key for that door. And the key will mysteriously disappear. They'll stay locked in that room until I've had my fill of my wife," Edward tells me quietly in the darkness of the room.
"Dream on. They'll be sleeping with us, and you know it."
"Christ, baby! I need you, only if it's just to feel you close. With the devils between us…I can't."
I stroke Seb's hair, staring at my husband. "Well, apparently we found time cuz I didn't get pregnant by you smiling at me."
"And you know when it happened? Because I don't remember having time for us…besides this morning…"
"Enlighten me," I whisper.
He grins, turning over slowly so not to jostle the kids. "At work. When you came looking for me in the smoke room? Remember? Fuck, it was like the good ol' times."
Gawd.
I feel my face heating up.
I remember how he blocked the door, lifted my skirt and plowed into me from behind. Eventually, my back ended up resting on the door as he rammed into me so fast the door was rattling and we could clearly hear people wondering what was going on.
"Yeah. Fun times."
He leans over our children and kisses my lips. "Night, baby."
"Night."
We settle for the night, our hands linked over the kids' bodies.
*BH*
On our second day at Key West, we're on the beach, sunbathing and creating glorious sandcastles. Sadly, Spaz makes it difficult and after the third attempt, Edward offers to take the kids in the water.
"I'll come with you," I say. "You sit here and take care of our stuff. The least you could do, bad dog," I mutter, pointing to our towel. Spaz lays there, his head on his paws, ears plastered back.
"No wateh!" Phoebe wails loudly, clinging to Edward's leg.
"It's nice, Princess. It's cool and you'll like it."
The closer to the ocean we get, the louder she wails. He picks her up, going straight in the ocean, to show her it's nothing wrong with the water. She loves bath time usually.
"NOO! Daddy! No! Fish bite you! Pih-ah-na!"
By now she's clinging to him, trembling.
I can't help but laugh. "There are no Piranhas here, sweetie," I explain, stopping at the shore with Seb next to me. He's toeing the wet sand, not looking excited about going in, either. "You afraid of the nonexistent fish, too?"
He just shakes his head, not meeting my eyes.
Edward's trying to get Phoebe to settle, but it's difficult.
"He said!" She points to her brother. "Fish eat my feet!"
"Sebastian!" I shout, raising his head to look at him. "Is that so?"
He shrugs one shoulder.
"Buddy, how many times have I told you not to scare her like this?" Edward groans. "Princess, there are no fish that eat humans here. It's just water. Trust me. I wouldn't go in if there were Piranhas."
She looks skeptical, but stops struggling as Edward walks deeper in the ocean, lowering a little. The moment the water touches her legs, she pulls them up. "Cold!"
"It won't be if we just dip. You want that?" he asks, but doesn't wait for her answer. Sadly, he makes a mistake by dipping in the water. She starts shrieking, getting looks from other people.
"See what you've done?" I hiss at Seb.
He looks dejected as Edward strolls out of the water, shushing Phoebe.
"Let's go to the towel." I sigh.
He's not next to me anymore.
"Seb?" I look around and see him in the water. My heart stops when I see a wave crashing over him. "SEB!" I shout, rushing to him.
Jesus Christ.
I collect him from the water, pushing his hair out of his eyes as he coughs.
"What the hell is in your head?" I yell, crashing him to my chest.
He sobs, clinging to me. "I wanted to prove to her it's safe…"
"Well, she's already on the towel with daddy. Don't you ever do such a thing! What if…" A knot forms in my chest.
"I'm sorry, Mommy."
I take him in my arms, walking to the towel, grabbing a dry hand towel from the bag and starting to run it through Seb's hair.
Edward meets my eyes and I can see a hint of panic in them. Great. He saw the kid's stunt.
"He's fine," I mouth to him, turning my attention to my baby boy.
"Moom!" he whines after five minutes of drying and coddling him. But all I can think is him in the water…like that.
"Let me love you, baby. The least you can endure for scaring me to death!"
Eventually, I leave him be. He pulls my tablet from the bag and starts playing something.
"Cap, Seb," I remind him, extracting the sunscreen cream. He's a good sport and allows me to apply the cream on him, too…but because he's too busy killing off zombies or whatever game he's playing there. I swear Edward is worse than him. He can choose some horrible games to have baby boy play.
"Look Mama, Daddy maded pweetty casle fo' me, cuz I's his pwincess!" Phoebe grabs my attention, pointing to the other side of the towel where Edward is finishing up quite a tall sandcastle.
"It is truly beautiful," I tell her, arranging her pink hat.
She beams at me, kissing my cheek, before rushing to her daddy, wrapping her arms around his neck and ducking her head to kiss him too.
"What about your brother?"
I give Edward an incredulous look. Seb scurries away, still latched to the tablet.
"Keep the leech away!"
"Suck it up, Junior. Allow her one kiss, consider it payback for scaring her," Edward calls to him.
"Fine!" Seb groans. "Make it quick." He tilts his cheek to Phoebe. She plants a wet one there, he shudders then turns around.
Ah, I see where six year old Seb stands by not allowing his two year old sister to show him love. She's extra affectionate unlike him. He has his moments, and they're only with me.
Two more chapters left so I'm thinking...one on Friday and one on Sunday. :)
