The Song Books (Ghost Bird)

Three

Nathan looked up from the book waiting while the song ended before closing it. He loved the smiles on his girl's faces. Even his sons seemed to understand how rare and amazing the love that their parents had was. Sang sent him a soft smile. The small one that was just for him, the way it had been since they were sixteen.

North reached over into his lap and pulled a sleeping Cullen out of the way so Nate could stand. Gently, for someone with such a temper and with such strong hands North brushed Cullen's hair off his forehead and nodded his head toward the doorway. "I'll put him down Bud," Adam smiled at his father and enjoyed the ability to relax without having to be in parent mode all the time , then curled his arm over his wife's shoulder. "Thanks Vati"

The grandfather clock in the hall, that had run backwards since they had moved in together, announced the time and a herd of Aunts, Uncles, Parents, and Grandparents began gathering the kids moving them toward the bedrooms that they were in for the remainder of the Christmas holiday.

Sang slipped up behind North as he finished zipping Cullen into his Scooby Doo footie pajamas, gently as to not surprise him and make him jump while he was holding Cullen, Sang ran her hand up North's back. "Look at him Baby", Sang leaned her head against North's chest looking at their beautiful grandbaby. "All of our babies are so beautiful." North grunted in agreement sliding his hands out from under the sleeping boy as he snuffled softly sprawling out in his crib.

"I remember Evan sleeping like that." North whispered to her as they watched him sleep. Giggling, Sang nestled back into the strong arms that never failed to make her feel safe. "All of our kids slept like that, except the twin's who couldn't get close enough to each other." North's signature smirk kicked up one side of his mouth thinking about all the photos they had of Sara and Bella with their feet in each other's eyes or hands in the other's mouths.

Creeping out of the room North stopped and looked down at his wife. "I love you Baby." Sang tilted her head up for a kiss pulling him down by his black t-shirt until their lips met. North couldn't help it. Occasionally he looked at her and his whole world stopped, his breath catching in his chest that this woman loved him. Loved all of them and had for over three decades. North pulled her tighter deepening the kiss getting lost in the taste of her.

The sound of a throat clearing pulled them apart and North glared at Aria while she rolled her eyes at catching her parents making out...again, until he noticed Sophia perched on her Aunt's hip in her favorite Little Mermaid Nightgown. Aria jiggled Sophia on her hip. "Go ahead blue bird ask."

Sophia's soft voice made him want to smile. I've been fucking sentimental enough today. No more.

Despite his resolve a small smile quirked his lips as she finished her question. "Opa, Daddy said I could stay up for one more book if it was ok with you and Gran."

North melted. He never had a chance against those soft grey eyes. "Well then let's go. You're Opa is up next anyway." Sophia reached her arms out and Aria let her go as she was pulled against North's chest. Turning away from his wife with another small kiss he took Sophia back towards the Library.

Aria slid her arm around her mother's waist as Sang returned the gesture. "How are you feeling baby?" Aria, despite being slightly taller than her mother rested her head on Sang's shoulder a moment. "Good the morning sickness is finally over but I still can't see a baby bump." Placing a gentle hand on her stomach Sang rubbed in a small circle. "Don't worry Duchess, I didn't show until much later with your brother. It wasn't until the Twins that I started looking pregnant almost immediately."

Victor stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for his wife and daughter, his son in law Lance beside him. Lance nudged his arm and said just loud enough for the women to hear him. "Wow look at these beauties. How about I take the brunette and you make a run for it with the blonde."

Aria rolled her eyes but Sang, who saw Silas behind Lance, grinned as her Superman thumped Aria's husband in the back of the head as he went back into the library. Victor stepped forward taking Aria's hand and kissing her cheek before handing her over to her husband. Then with a smile, his fire eyes a beautiful soft smolder, led his wife into the room where the rest of the family, minus all of the children except Sophia, waited.

North looked up from pulling the black leather journal out of it's spot on the shelf. "The baby monitor's are on right?"

"I'll check." Owen slid over testing each monitor that was labeled with the name of the room it belonged in. Giving a small nod to North he resumed his seat beside Sean and Kota, Lillian and her triplets at their feet leaning up against the couch. North nudged Easton with his foot and grunted waiting for the boy to get out of his chair. With an eye roll he slid over onto the fainting couch next to Evan who grinned waggling his eyebrows at him. Until Easton elbowed him in the stomach making him groan.

Kota's soft "Boys" stopped the too before it could turn into a full blown wrestling match. The number of broken lamps in their home because of the rough housing of their sons had reached the triple digits last year and Kota was tired of listening to Gabriel complain about finding ones that went with the current décor.

North opened the journal before it took them any longer to get settled. The soft melody floating out of the book as his gruff voice started.

"My only North Star..."