Thank you all for your great comments about this and my other stories. We're about to get to some more drama with a little angst (nothing too major), but writing happy Captain Swan and Frozen Jewel seemed to be the call of the day as I was writing this. While I haven't raised the rating on this story, it does begin and end in bed.

He was usually awake before her, staring down with a fondness and affection that she would momentarily forget the creepiness of it. So when the early morning light peeked around the corners of the newly hung curtains, Elsa stealthily snuck a look at her bed companion and smiled. His face was half hidden by the pillow that he always hit with a fist two or three times before suing it. The dark curls of his hair were messily splayed on his head with a few matted to his forehead as the others lifted in the wake of the fan blowing on them in the summer heat. His arm was thrown over her, feet and legs bracing her own as if to hold her back from running away. She wanted to reach out and smooth over the tickly hairs on his face, but she resisted the urge.

"Now who is the creepy stalker?" he mumbled, clearly aware of her staring. Another observation that she couldn't help but have made was the thickness of his accent when he was half asleep.

"It's not creepy or stalkerish when I'm not hiding it," she informed him petulantly. "I'm simply admiring the view in our new bedroom."

The two had moved in just a few days before, leaving them in a comfortable space with more boxes than Elsa knew what to do with in her life. Most of them were hers. As Liam had pointed out, he travelled light. They had picked out mostly new pieces of furniture, leaving hers at the townhome with Anna under the premise that it was a fresh start and her belongings did tend to be a bit girly.

His hooded eyes dropped to look at her all curled up into his embrace, nearly dwarfed by the fact that he was quite a bit taller than she was. He knew exactly what she had been doing, as he spent most mornings doing the same. There was the familiar pink tones to her cheeks and the way her nose twitched when she fought waking up, her hand swatting away blindly at whatever might be trying to interrupt her. He loved the soft sounds she made against his skin and the way she always seemed to appear so surprised to see him there when she did manage to pry her eyes open to the day.

"What time are they coming over?" he grumbled in question when she made it obvious that the kisses and caresses she was peppering across his chest and shoulders were not incidental. "Bloody nuisance of a brother."

Elsa laughed silently at his description, knowing that despite his appreciation for living there in the condo, he did miss his younger brother. The two were forever texting and finding time to see each other to watch matches on television or discuss something or other. Then there were their co-writing sessions. Despite the fact that there were only eight miles separating them, she had seen the elder brother looking down right wistful at something Killian was missing. "You invited them."

"I must have been half mad at the time." The arm that had been draped over her for most of the night as they slept reached out and eventually fished out his phone from under his pants next to the bed. Keeping one arm and hand lost in her hair, he sent his brother a quick message that perhaps brunch should be postponed for lunch. Without waiting for a reply, he dropped the device back into the pile of discarded clothes and turned his attentions back to Elsa.

***AAA***

"This changes nothing," Killian had told her that night when they had finally admitted loving each other. "I have loved you for a while now and it is simply the case that the words are now out in the open."

It was what she had needed to hear since her mind was racing and her pulse thumping wildly at the idea that she was somehow going to have to transform into one of those women who hung on her man's every word. He was right though. His behavior had not changed drastically with the declarations, other than a hurried and yet passionate kiss before Henry returned to find out what was keeping them. It wasn't as though the three words had made her somehow fearless about a future with him or turned her into a wedding planning Mary Margaret.

So she tried not to make it too big of a deal that they were at a grocery store in the morning, sharing a shopping cart and not having to ask each other about food brand preferences as they both dropped items into it. It was such a couple-like domestic thing to do that she might have had a moment of panic that would have sent her for a bottle of wine, her pajamas, and a marathon of action movies on Netflix where people didn't fall in love any more than they killed each other in some mission to save the world. If she had asked, he would have happily joined her and even probably provided popcorn or snacks while her mind tried to forget the incident that had sent her into that state. She both loved him and despised him for it.

"So it looks like wine is not so much out of the question, love," he said, elbows propping him up on the cart as she did mental calculations over which brand and size of cracker was the better bargain. "We've been postponed until lunch."

Her tongue was firmly at the side of her mouth as she tried to do the math that would tell her if the 20 cent difference was actually a savings. "Did he say why?" she asked distractedly, running her finger over the net weight notations on both boxes she had narrowed it down to in her selection process.

"I don't think I care to know, love. The man is clearly appreciating his private time with Elsa. We don't need to picture the itinerary or details." His eyebrows raised with humorous disgust as he pretended to imagine it. "There were enough close calls when he lived with me."

"On both sides," Emma pointed out. "I seem to recall a certain morning when I couldn't find coffee or my pants."

"Completely your fault for that one," he chuckled, shoving the phone back in his pocket. "You got out of bed without me and didn't let me pamper you. I was fully planning on treating you to breakfast in bed when I heard you trying to make conversation with my brother and keep yourself hidden at the same time."

"Okay that was awkward." Emma spun on her heel. "So wine?"

"I thought it was the nice thing to do, but you have another idea?" The summer air was not as hot as it could be, but the morning was already turning rather warm. Henry had complained about it when he had called that morning from a friend's, telling Emma that he was "roasting" without air conditioning. Still a warm location seemed preferable to spending a day with two amorous couples. "Red or white?"

For the life of her she had no idea what the food selections were going to be, other than take out since her last discussion with Elsa had included complaints that she hadn't even started to unpack the kitchen items. "Maybe both?"

Flashing her an amused grin, Killian guided the cart away from where they were standing. "Both it is," he declared.

"You can't control them, can you?" she asked when they passed the mixers and plastic drinkware. "Your eyebrows. I swear those things have minds of their own."

Raising both in an imitation of surprise and shock, he laughed aloud. "I don't know what you mean, Swan."

"You are a real dork sometimes, Killian."

He spun her toward him, almost like they were dancing though she felt too clumsy for that at the moment. "I think you love me, eyebrows and all. In fact, I know you do."

"Do you?" she asked, straining with the effort not to laugh at the childish way that he was grinning at her. His eyes seemed even bluer under the florescent lights of the grocery store and maybe, if she was being honest, the joy of holding her there despite a few stares from other patrons. "And how do you know that?"

"I think I might have heard it someplace."

They were in the midst of determining a brand and year when they heard the footsteps approaching. Maybe it was their own fault for not being as careful as discrete as they could have been, but happiness was a hard emotion to mask. She realized too late that her hands were on his chest and neck and she was still tingling from a kiss that had her feeling both empowered and weak when the footsteps stopped beside them. Not even looking in that direction, she began that sort of sideways scoot to get out of the customer's way, assuming that he or she wanted a bottle of wine that they were blocking. However, there was no movement to follow hers, including Killian's.

"Belle," he said with a shaking confidence. "I didn't even realize you were…"

"My husband likes for us to shop early so we avoid the longer lines." Even standing near Emma, Belle's petite form would have been short, but her ability to balance on incredibly high heels came into play. Her long hair was fluffed and curled perfectly and her smile radiated. "Well, he usually doesn't come along, but there was something he was really wanting. I'm assuming this is…"

"We're visiting my friend and Killian's brother this morning for an early lunch." Emma knew that Belle was unlikely to believe the excuse at just that, but she was nice enough to pretend. While she had not had many dealings with her, she knew the woman to be the nicer of Neal's family members and often a good mediator when there was an issue. "Just trying to pick what we both should bring along."

He moistened his lips and took an ungainly step backwards, nearly falling into a display of wine. "Belle, I can…"

"Explain?" she asked placating him with a little nod. "Don't worry. I'm just giving you a heads up that my husband, your boss, is just around that corner."

Giving them another smile, she turned and teetered off on the heels that made Emma wonder how she could still remain so sweet with such painful accessories. "I guess we better split up for a minute," she hissed under her breath. "I don't think you need to give him any more…"

His hand circled around her wrist and he softly shook his head before she had a chance to pull back. "I told you that I don't care what that man thinks or does so long as you are happy and safe, love. It's a job. If he chooses…It's not as though we have been completely discrete. I see no reason to hide and pretend that we just happened to run into each other here unawares."

"But there is a difference between hiding and flaunting," Emma said warningly. "You don't want…"

"I want you. It is simple as that. If having you in my life doesn't fit in with having a job at Storybrooke Academy then I'll find another career choice that does work." His words were clear, but she couldn't help but have noticed the way that he had seemed to worry at being seen by the librarian.

It wasn't the place to have the conversation, especially with Mr. Gold looming about some place. She shrugged off his assurance and said she was going to go check on something in the deli. "I trust you to get a good wine, okay?"

***AAA***

"It's fun," Elsa protested loudly as Liam suggested for the third time since the other couple had arrived that he was not going to the parade or to watch the fireworks. "Everyone will be there."

"Darling, I'm not sure if you noticed, but I'm British. This ruddy holiday is about gaining your independence from us. I'm not sure it would be appropriate to attend such festivities." Emma wasn't sure if he was joking or not, as Killian was showing no signs of collaborating with his older brother on the matter. "Perhaps we can do something a little less patriotic."

"But I love the Storybrooke parade," she stated petulantly, glancing toward Emma for support. "I thought we could all go together this year." Elsa was not always one for tradition and customs, but this holiday was one that her parents had celebrated with fervor. They would take the girls and several business associates out on a pontoon boat and shoot fireworks until their ears rang from the explosions. That was all after a day of picnics and parades, dance recitals and choral concerts. For three years in a row, Elsa had been Betsy Ross in the children's theater production for the date.

"Maybe we should plan something a little low key this year," Emma suggested to the wary eye of her friend and client. "Maybe cook out some hamburgers and have a few drinks. It doesn't have to be that fancy." She was about to suggest that maybe Killian would be willing to take over the cooking duties with his underestimated talent in that field. That was until Elsa pointed out that the condo was in no condition to host such a thing and Emma's balcony was the size of a postage stamp.

"Perhaps we could hold this event at my place," Killian offered easily. "The deck would make for a great location and we'd be there by the water. Depending on how many revelers we invite, we could go out on the water and enjoy the fireworks from there."

Looking rather offended and huffing indignantly, Liam groused at his brother's offer of hospitality. "You're supposed to be on my side you git."

"When in Rome," Emma sing songed, leaning her shoulder into Killian's and smiling broadly. "I like this idea. We can work on the invitation list while the guys get that curtain hung that you wanted."

"Wait," Liam sputtered with his wine glass held near his mouth. "Not only are Killian and I being subjected to this country's traditions, you're going to invite half the bloody town over to watch us."

"I think you must think there is some odd ritual dance or a sacrifice of some kind," Elsa pursued good naturedly. "We aren't going to make you sing the national anthem naked in a pit of snakes or anything."

***AAA***

It wasn't such a bad event, Liam thought ruefully as he sat on his brother's deck and watched their friends seem to mix and mingle between the wisps of smoke from the grill and the games that some of the younger set were playing. When Killian had first told him that he had passed his exams and applied for certification to become a teacher, the older brother had laughed at the idea. Killian had always been so talented and yet so serious that he had barely ever been childlike himself. To imagine the sometimes somber man in a room with dozens of children each day was not something that came to mind easily. However, there was a natural charm that seemed to come out when he was around them.

From his spot on the smooth wood bench that was built into the deck, he could see his brother and Emma's son, Henry, leaned over some video game that had both of their attention. While anyone could certainly garner the attention of a child by pretending to enjoy the same things, it was clear that there was a mutual respect and admiration between the two. Just the way that Henry looked on with awe as Killian managed to pass through a level that had been particularly troubling to the lad made Liam wonder where on earth his had learned that sort of fatherly attention.

"It isn't such a bad party, is it?" Emma asked, replacing his empty beer bottle with a full one before she sat next to him. "I'd say most people are having a great time."

He nodded, not offering any verbal confirmation to her subtle I told you so. "My brother and your son seem to be quite the pair. I would have never guessed that Killian would become so enthralled with an electronic game. Even as a child he was bit more pragmatic than that."

There was no mistaking the glow on Emma's face as she turned her expression to the two of them. "Yeah, it's nice to see."

"I don't mean to frighten you with this statement, but I could see my brother being one hell of a father," Liam prodded, his elbow digging into Emma's side as she looked a little less surprised than he would have anticipated.

"You may be right on that, but don't get any ideas." She cupped her hand over her eyes to ward off the sun rays from her vision. "So on to more business like matters. How's the new guitarist working for you?"

The one she had found previously had decided that collaborating with a band in Maine while living in Boston was a bit too much. While he had been a good talent and mix of styles, it had not worked as smoothly as they had hoped. Emma assured them that it was not a big deal and set about finding them another member for the band. About a week before she had brought in a man named Jefferson to try out.

"Jefferson seems to be a good bloke," Liam relented. "He's got skills and has already put Will in his place a few times."

"Remind me to come to one of your practices then. I'm dying to see Will taken down a peg or two."

Liam tipped the bottle back and closed his eyes. When he lowered it, Emma was looking at him curiously. "You should really go into law enforcement. You could make a man confess with the looks you give."

"So you're telling me that you feel guilty?" she laughed, her elbow hitting his ribs. "No, I was honestly wondering about you and Elsa."

"Anna has already warned me that if I hurt her…"

"Good," Emma interrupted. "I think that is a very sisterly thing to do. But I was thinking more in terms of this duet for the two of you to record. She said you wanted to write it."

"I thought even you would take a bloody holiday off now and then, Emma."

"You haven't written it yet?"

He fidgeted, his thumb running over a loose corner on the beer label. "I've been trying. But even that brother of mine can't seem to help me find just the right lyrics. Can't blame him though. He's managed to help me with a few things already. Shouldn't say it on account of his humble act when it comes to songwriting, but there are a few you have liked actually."

She had thought she could recognize Killian's voice in some of the lyrics, though she had not wanted to ask. He was sensitive about such things and even more so about his brother's work. "I hope you're going to give him credit."

"As much as he'll accept."

***AAA***

Anna brushed up against her sister and tilted her head toward the mounds of toppings for their burgers and hot dogs. Both girls were sporting slightly pinkish skin from the time in the sun already, though Emma had insisted they wear sun block.

"It seems like a lot," she said, shifting her balance to hold the plate she was carrying, plastic cutlery, and a cup filled with ice. "But it's good to have choices. I mean I have been to some parties before and they gave you mustard. I mean I like mustard, but I need more than that. What about ketchup? What about onions? Can you have a burger without tomato? I don't think so."

Placing a hand under her sister's elbow, Elsa gently steered her sister toward another end of the table. "We're holding up the line."

She nodded her understanding. "Are you angry with me?" she asked just when her sister leaned in to capture one of the olives. "I know you are upset. I mean the timing does kind of suck. You have been working so hard. And I go and do this. You're mad right?"

Having a sister with a mouth like a tornado was exhausting. Still Elsa tried to patiently answer her sister. "I'm not angry. Just disappointed. I mean the album is due out soon. We would be going on tour. I was kind of looking forward to that."

"We could still do some of it. Not every city of course because that would take forever and I don't have that much time. But maybe a few. You know for a month or so. It would be fun."

"Look we haven't even talked to Emma or Regina about this yet. I'm not looking forward to that by the way. Let's see what they say." She resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose to ward off the impending headache. "I am sure it will be fine." She turned from the table, her own appetite waning under the heat and her sister's chatter.

"Elsa," Anna called after her, her run a bit awkward with her hands full and the espadrilles on her feet making her gait strange. As she caught her, Anna whimpered a bit, giving the other woman a sad eyed gaze with her bottom lip protruding. "Aren't you even a little bit excited though? You're going to be an aunt. Aunt Elsa. Doesn't that sound great?"

"It does," the blonde assured her younger sister. "I'm happy for you two. Congratulations."

***AAA***

Emma scanned the horizon for sight of her son who had dove under the water to fetch the Frisbee that Liam had wildly thrown. The waves were gentle around her waist, her arms spreading out to feel the lapping current under her hands. She wished that she had thought to bring her sunglasses as she squinted against the reflection.

"He's fine, love," Killian told her, snaking an around her bare waist and tugging her backwards toward him. "Did I tell you how fetching you look in this bikini?"

She bit her bottom lip as he nuzzled into the juncture between her shoulder and neck. "You might have," she said, reaching behind to nuzzle his damp hair. "I've gotten a few compliments on it. Let's see there was Liam, and Robin, oh and Will, and I think Elsa said she liked the color…" She squealed as he bent them forward, her upper body nearing the water.

"Bloody minx," he crowed. "Well, let me be the first to tell you how delectable you are in red, my love. Can't take my eyes off of you."

They splashed about in the waist deep tide, laughing at the strange game that Henry and Liam seemed to be playing that sent one or the other of them either into ocean or into the dunes to find the wayward disc. Soon enough they had Roland as their searcher, as Robin and Will attempted to give pointers on the two players' technique. Kristoff was at one point lifting the vertically challenged child onto his shoulders to reach the Frisbee from a tree branch while David manned the grill and Mary Margaret and Elsa tried copying a few of the dance moves they had seen on some reality show. Anna and Anastasia were heard over everyone with their laughter as they sat on lounges and sipped iced drinks.

The day was long and filled with much of the same. There was good food that everyone ate up with joking about not counting calories, carbs, or fat. At one point Liam broke out the guitar and most everyone had a go with a favorite song or two. The biggest hit was a duet between Henry and Roland that sent both Emma and Robin scrambling for their cell phones to video the memory. Ruby arrived a bit later than most of the crowd with Graham, who though still in uniform belted out two old tunes with her and even spun her around into a flourishing dip as the crowd clapped, cheered, and whistled. Will had them all swooning as he did his best impression of Tom Cruise in Top Gun. However, one of the funniest moments came when Killian dragged Emma along with him to sing, even at one point using a hot dog bun as a makeshift microphone for the Sonny and Cher classic. That alone sent Mary Margaret laughing so hard that David nearly had to rescue her from falling over the rail of the deck.

While there had never been any formal confirmation of Regina and Robin dating, the dark haired woman's appearance toward the end of the day did not result in any dropped jaws or shock. She merely thanked Killian and Liam for the invitation with quick nods to Emma, Anna, and Elsa before she took a seat next to Robin and got an earful from Roland's take on the day.

Emma tried to ignore the pangs she felt at her son growing up with one of his classmates and her father came by to drop off a fruit salad. Killian had nodded knowingly as she pointed out that Henry had taken his classmate, Violet on a walk along the water's edge just as the sun was starting to fade and turn the sky into a pastel masterpiece. "Did you know?"

"First loves are hard to hide or keep secret."

After the fireworks had been shot and the sun kissed party guests had long left, Henry sprawled out over the end of the bed that had been Liam's for a short while. Emma was sure that his current position was far from comfortable, but she hadn't the heart to wake him up given how soundly he was sleeping. She waved off Killian's protests and set about the living area tidying up from the guests.

"We sort of forced this on you," she told Killian when he told her that it was not necessary for her to do it. "The least I can do is throw some bottles in the recycling bin and make sure there are no water rings on the tables."

There were still occasional booms from neighbors setting off their own fireworks, a few rattling the windows. Still her son slept through it to the amusement of both of them. Coming back in from making one last pass along the deck to ensure there was nothing that would attract any of the area wildlife, she smiled at Killian's easy expression as he gave up the rest of the cleaning to sit in the oversized chair with his long legs stretched out on the ottoman before him.

"What is that look?" she asked. She hoped that the sun she had gotten that day would make it harder for him to notice the way she blushed when he seemed to look at her in that way.

"Just liking the view of you here, love."

She huffed as she approached him, shaking her head slightly. "I've been here a few times before, Killian. It's not as though…"

"I'm well aware." His warm hand circled her wrist. "It's just that you seem more comfortable here tonight. All day truthfully. You aren't flitting around in a state because you are here. You know where things are and how things work. It's like…"

She frowned at the comment, not sure how she should take that. It was true that she was becoming increasingly comfortable there in his small cottage by the water. When Elsa decided that the cocktail she was making needed a dash of honey, Emma had without thought or search laid her hands right upon the substance in the kitchen. That morning she had known that the shirt Killian had planned to wear had yet to be laundered and managed to perform the task before the guests even arrived. When Will had a mishap and landed in the wet sand, she had told him of the tricky way the water temperature would plummet unless he turned the faucet a certain way in the shower. "I guess we have been spending a lot of time here."

"Aye, which I quite enjoy. Your place is lovely, Emma, but it is always beautiful to see you here."

She followed his gentle tug down to his lap, curling into his embrace. His hair was nearly dry, standing at odd angles from his playing around and the way that he would run his fingers through it when he was thinking too hard. Her own hands may have added to that on occasion. His stubble was thicker from not shaving at all that day, a slight rust tint showing through from hours in the sun. It tickled as she ran the pads of her fingers along his strong jawline. "Is that your way of asking me to spend the night?"

His eyes crinkled as the smile broke out across his face. "I may have assumed that you would. The lad is sound asleep and it would be a shame to wake him."

"That's a pretty practical reason," she said stoically. "I mean it is like telling me that I should stay because you bought my favorite kind of pancake mix for breakfast."

He had bought that for her two months earlier and kept his kitchen stocked with items that all three of them liked. "I am nothing if not practical, love. But I'm also aware that you don't usually stay the night with me here when Henry is in your care."

"I think he might be on to us," she said with a grin. "He might have even seen us kiss. I've already called in a therapist to help him recover."

Killian pretended to gasp in horror. "Shocking development."

"Scandalous," she added with a silent laugh. "You know? In all seriousness? He likes you. If we ever had an argument, he'd probably side with you over me. That's how serious this has gotten."

"I do tend to have that effect on people. But for the record, love, I believe Liam would side with you. It is a good thing we don't argue too much."

She sighed, breathing in the scent of the coconut scented sunblock and the clean sweat of a day spent with friends. Nuzzling her face into his chest, she smiled at the comfortable fragrance and realized that she was beginning to associate such things with him. Pulling back, she laughed. "Did you just compare your grown brother with my 12 year old son?"

"Despite their age difference, they are remarkably similar in nature."

Her fingers trailed down to the shirt he wore, drawing nonsense near his collar and over his chest. "Liam said you were helping him write," she said tentatively. Her long lashes swept down as she cast her gaze away from his, knowing that the pain she might see at this revelation was not something she could handle. "He sounded very grateful."

"Aye, he's suffered a bit of writer's block. I just throw some suggestions out there for him."

She didn't mean to correct his statement, though she knew it was more than just suggestions. "I noticed on one of them," she said, broaching the topic carefully. "The woman the song is about…"

"Emma," he said. Unsteadily he lifted her chin to meet his eyes with hers. "Yes, what I have helped him write is inspired by you. I'm not sure that should be such a surprise to you. You do inspire me, love."

She swallowed, almost feeling shy at asking him about this. "The song in Boston…the one he used your lyrics for…We never really talked about that."

It was his turn to look away, closing his eyes toward the dark shadows of the room that offered little to him in this conversation. "I would hope you know how I feel by now and those things I wrote are not a surprise to you any longer, Emma."

"They aren't a surprise, Killian. I am not very good at this, but I guess I wanted to thank you. I know that you didn't want to share those with me or more like you thought I would run when I heard. But hearing them and you saying that I inspire you…well, it's nice to hear."

His brow lifted slightly and his gaze fell on hers with a questioning stillness. "Nice?"

She slapped his chest and shook her head. "You know what I mean," she chided. "You're the writer not me. I just am not used to someone putting me first in anything. And you do it so easily. Sometimes I'm afraid that you're not real."

His kiss for her was soft and gentle as she let out a breath she was holding. Unhurried and lazy, the kiss blossomed as they sat in the dimly lit room with the occasional crackle and boom of the neighboring celebrants. When they broke off the kiss, their foreheads still leaned together and breath mingling in between, he whispered his love for her that she echoed in kind.

"I could share them with you," he said, sounding less secure than the confident man she knew. "It's been a long time since I have done anything like that. Writing with Liam is more of an exercise, but I have spent some time putting my thoughts and feelings about you into words."

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, which she tried to keep in check. He did not need to think she was upset by the idea. "I would like that."

***AAA***

Elsa was much more tired than she wanted to admit as she threw herself onto the bed and silently prayed that her clothing would somehow magically turn into sleepwear. Unfortunately her attempts at sorcery were not successful and it was only with a pout and throwing her legs in the air one at a time that Liam unfastened her sandals and tossed them aside.

"My poor darling," he said as she made a whining noise when her shirt seemed too cumbersome to manage. "You truly are exhausted."

Managing to bob her head up and down, she threw her arms upward and let out her most pleading and helpless cry for assistance. "Please."

He chuckled, his fingers lingering a bit where he revealed her skin before she fell backwards again with her hair splaying out like a golden fan and she managed a weak thanks. "I assure you it is no hardship to undress you, darling."

She smiled up at him as he seemed to pay special attention to her with his fingers caressing and lightly weaving along. "You do realize that there is no reward waiting here, right? I can barely move."

"Well," he said, propping himself on a bent arm and holding his own head up in one hand, "I can honestly say that the sight of you in our bed is reward enough for me, Elsa."

She frowned as his free hand drifted to assist her with the white shorts she had worn over her swimsuit that she had ridden herself of earlier. "Is that code for you watching me and being all creepy?"

"I thought we decided it was not creepy or stalkerish."

She pretended to think as she lifted her hips to assist him. "Okay, not creepy, but do I have to be awake?"

He helped her into one of his shirts that she had already commandeered since they moved in together, pulling back the sheets and even lifting her to placed her in a more comfortable position. Cradling her against him, he expected that she was already sleeping given her even breathing and general lack of response as he dropped a kiss to her head. She still muttered a good night, nearly inaudible since she was burrowed into his chest when she did it.

"Sweet dreams, my love."