Heartbeats || H.S. [ONGOING]

{thirty-seven}

"I'm glad you're taking this flight with me this time, Harry," Niko said, intertwining her arm through his as they waited at the gate to board their airplane at LAX to head back to the east coast.

"Me too, baby. You have no idea," Harry chuckled.

"That was the hardest goodbye I ever had to say," she told him honestly, thinking back two summers ago to the heartbreaking goodbye in that very airport. She wouldn't see him again for nearly two years.

"I used to think of that day and just cry. Every time I thought of you, I remembered how sad your eyes were the last time I looked into them," Harry confessed. His words tore her apart because she saw the same sadness in his.

"We're here together now," she breathed, resting her head against his arm.

"Forever," he added, kissing the top of her head.

...

Harry had a car pick him and Niko up from Newark airport, bringing them back to his house. It had been a long flight, but he was honestly so anxious to see his kids. He couldn't remember the last time he had been away from them this long. Actually, he didn't think he had ever been away from them this long. Not in their whole lives.

Having them away at Julia's on her weekends had been extremely hard on him in the beginning. All the loneliness, it was agony. But now he had Niko to soothe that sting.

"Do you mind if we go get the kids right now?" Harry asked once they brought their luggage up to his bedroom.

"No, of course I don't mind. I miss them," she told him honestly with a happy smile on her lips.

Harry smiled brightly before he pressed a passionate kiss to her lips. He loved her so much.

"Okay," he said with a nod.

Harry held Niko's hand the entire drive to his mum's rental home. It was only five minutes away, but he didn't want to stop touching her.

"Come on, love," Harry coaxed as he opened the passenger door for her once he parked in the driveway.

His mum and Daniel both greeted them at the door, happy to see them, asking questions about their week away. There was so much they needed to tell them, but he wanted to be able to do it right.

"Daddy!" Avery shrieked as she ran toward her father from the living room.

"Baby angel!" He exclaimed, holding out his arms as she leapt into them.

"Dad!" Jackson exclaimed as he ran up, hugging his father's waist.

"Jacky! God, I missed you guys so much!" Harry gushed, hugging both of his children.

"We missed you too!" Jackson told his dad.

"Every night Avery asked, 'when is Daddy coming home'," Anne said with a smile, looking on at her son and her grandkids.

"I missed you, Daddy," Avery told her father.

"Oh, baby. I missed you so much," Harry said, squeezing her into another hug.

"Hi, Niko," Jackson said with a smile, walking over to give her a hug.

"Hi, Jacks! I missed you," she said, hugging him back.

"I missed you too," he said, pulling back to send her another smile.

"Niko!" Avery screeched as if she just realized she was in the room. She had her blinders on, only being able to focus on her daddy.

Harry let the seven-year-old jump into Niko's arms from his, causing Niko to laugh out loud.

"Be careful, Ave," Harry told her, thinking about the baby taking shape in Niko's belly.