Marissa opened her eyes to the distant sound of an alarm clock, only it sounded further away than she was expecting.
The sight in front of her surprised her as well. Instead of the ringlets of brown curls she was getting used to waking up beside, there was a mop of white blonde hair on the pillow in front of her. There was also a surprisingly heavy weight pushing against her back, pinning her to the bed. It took her sleep-addled brain a few moments to remember where she was. She had come through to the kid's room to get AJ and Gabby settled down after Miranda's nightmare. She must have fallen asleep on AJ's bed.
She reached out a finger and poked the body in front of her.
"Wake up AJ. It's six o'clock. Time to get up."
She also reached behind her to shake the little girl awake who had decided to use her back as a pillow.
"Come on Gabby, wakey-wakey!"
Her calls were greeted by two unhappy moans. But Gabby at least rolled off her back enough to allow her to sit up.
"Come on AJ." Marissa said shaking him a bit more firmly. "We need to get up or we will miss our flight! Go grab a shower it will help you wake up."
AJ gave a low mumble as he rolled out of bed which might have been a 'Yes mom'.
Marissa then turned over to see Gabby sprawled out on the other side of the bed.
"Come on little lady. You too."
"No." snapped Gabby, rolling over and burying her head in the pillow. "Don't wanna!"
Marissa rubbed the little girl's back. So this is what cranky Gabby looked like. Bianca had warned her.
"You can have a couple more minutes but that is all." said Marissa, getting up to help AJ turn on the shower. She grabbed a wash bag from the side as she left AJ to step into the warm spray.
She had heard the alarm clock in the neighbouring room being switch off a moment ago so Bianca and Miranda must also be awake.
Marissa found a sleepy looking Bianca and Miranda sat side by side in bed.
"Morning." she said with a smile.
Bianca returned a bleary eyed grin.
"Morning."
"Hey Miranda, are you feeling better now?" Marissa asked the little girl who was sitting there sleepily rubbing her eyes.
Miranda looked to her mommy for a moment and then turned back, silently nodding her head.
"I'm glad." said Marissa giving her a relieved smile, but then she quickly changed track. They had a lot to do this morning if they were going to be ready to leave at seven o'clock. "Right, we need to get up! AJ is in the shower through there so if you use ours Miranda, and then mommy can start her exercises."
"All right." said Miranda taking her wash bag from Marissa's hands and sliding off the bed, looking a lot perkier than the last time she'd seem her. Whatever Bianca had told her must have done the trick.
"Do you want a hand with the shower?" Marissa called.
"I've got it!" Miranda replied.
When the little girl had disappeared into the bathroom Marissa climbed onto the warm spot on the bed the child had just vacated. Bianca smiled and leant closer. Neither woman wanted to miss their good morning kiss. Marissa closed the gap and softly kissed Bianca's waiting lips before closing her eyes and resting her forehead against her girlfriend's.
"So much for making the most of Paris." she said with a sigh.
A mischievous smile spread across Bianca's lips.
"Then we shall just have to make the most of our first night back home."
"Mmm." sighed Marissa in agreement as Bianca tipped her head to return a longer, lingering kiss.
Marissa lost herself for a moment, but then quickly returned to her senses.
"This isn't getting us up and ready." she said, retreating from the bed. "You need to start your exercises. I'll go get Gabby up to be your counter."
"Yes marm." said Bianca playfully, pulling into a full morning stretch before sliding out from under the bed covers.
Marissa stepped back into the kid's room to find the youngest Montgomery just as she had left her, face down on the mattress.
She gave the little girl a shake.
"Come on Gabby, you have to come and do the counting for mommy."
Gabby just whined into the pillow and didn't move.
"Gabby." warned Marissa, a sterner tone edge to her voice now.
"No!" the little girl stubbornly replied.
"You are going to let you mommy do her exercises without you?" Marissa asked, adding a hint of disbelief to her voice in a hope that it would draw Gabby out.
Gabby groaned again, but this time she rolled over.
"I'm sleepy." she moaned.
"I know." said Marissa helping the little girl sit up.
Just then AJ appeared from the bathroom already dressed.
"I'm done." he said.
"Already." said Marissa, then she looked down at the sleepy Gabby. "Well in that case we have a change of plans. AJ can you got through and help Bianca with her exercises. Make sure she does those stretches properly, you know how she likes to cheat." Marissa then turned to address Gabby. "And you and me little lady are going to grab a shower and hopefully that will wake us both up."
Gabby just looked up at Marissa wearing a large pout.
…
Bianca had just started her warm up stretches when AJ walked in.
"Morning Binks." he said, followed by a big yawn. "Mommy sent me to help. She's taking Gabby to the shower."
"Morning buddy." said Bianca giving the little boy a grin.
Even as she spoke there was a loud scream from the neighbouring room.
"No, I don't wanna!"
"Gabby please get up." came Marissa's exasperated reply. "Where is the little Angel I know and love?"
There was more wailing and the muffled pounding of fists on the floor.
"Young lady, you are going in that shower even if I have to carry you."
The scream got louder for just a moment as Marissa clearly carried out her threat, but then it was muffled by the sound of a closing door and a distant whoosh of water.
Bianca felt guilty about leaving Marissa to cope with the cranky Gabby monster, but she was also glad the Marissa could cope. Her girlfriend seemed to know exactly how to deal with any problem that came up in their family. Their family… it had such a beautiful ring to it. Bianca's eyes drifted back to the little boy who was watching her patiently; the little boy that was also now a part of her family too.
"So you are here to count?" she asked.
"And to see you do it properly." he said and very serious expression on his face as he took a seat in the chair opposite the bed.
"You and your mom won't let me get away with anything, will you?"
"That because we really love you and we want you get better!"
Bianca gave AJ a wide grin.
"That good Bud, because I love you too."
AJ gave her a very proud and happy smile in return.
….