Above All Else

Chapter Twelve

                 

"He's standing!" I nearly scream with joy, holding my hands out in front of me as if that will magically keep Alexander still. "Henry, he's going to stand!"

"He hasn't even crawled yet!" I hear him yell from far away. I smile, wide.

"Baby, if you could wait one second, Daddy would be so happy. Hold on," I murmur gently.

Alexander grins slightly, his green eyes alight with excitement as he grasps the play pin, pulling himself up shakily.

"Henry! Hurry!"

Henry nearly misses the door from running so fast, still closing a towel around his waist. He's soaked. "I'm here, I'm here."

I laugh, excitedly looking back to Alexander as he shuffles his feet slightly, making inarticulate noises. I move closer, noticing he's going to fall back. I press my hands to his back, making his descent to the ground more graceful.

He immediately tries standing again. I look at Henry, who's smiling wider.

"Baby, we've got a quick learner here," he says, as Alex pulls himself back up.

...

My fingers lazily drift through Henry's soft locks. His arms are crossed over my thighs, his chin against his skin. His gaze is directed towards the window, calmly. There is no rush to move or sleep or eat.

His head moves only so he can press his lips to my skin. I smile to myself, looking up at the chandelier above us.

"Do you remember when we were in Kensington... we had just met and I asked you to sing for me? We were sitting like this."

I smile slowly. "Yes..."

"I hate that you don't sing enough."

"I sing plenty."

"To yourself?"

I laugh. "Yes, to myself. And Alexander. He endures it as well."

"I'd like to endure it more too."

"Yeah?"

He turns his head my way, grinning cheekily. "Yeah. The Etta James one."

I blink before I laugh. "You're hilarious, Henry," I utter, sarcastically.

He chuckles, pressing his hands into the mattress. He doesn't stop until his face is inches from mine. "Hysterical."

"Mad."

"For you," he says, kissing me then. My body instinctively gravitates to him, even as he pulls back. "Sing for me."

"No way."

"Come on."

"Henry, I'll embarrass myself."

He shakes his head, smirking. "Not possible. You are the best goddamn singer I've ever heard."

"Oh my god," I utter, rolling my eyes. He laughs, happily.

"It's true!"

"Hogwash," I say and his eyes widen.

"Oh god, not that one."

"What? It's British slang! You should be happy I'm learning."

He chuckles. "Anything but that one."

"Hogwash. Hogwash," I say. "Hog-wash."

He clasps my face, and his mouth ceases my teasing. His tongue, a skillful thing enters my mouth as his hand descends to my neck, pulling me closer.

"I fell in love with you the day I heard you sing, Mia," he says, against my lips. I open my eyes, looking into his soft green eyes. I feel his thumb running gently over the curve of my throat. "I remember hearing your song start in the box I was in and not twenty seconds in, I had sent for a rose. I had to meet you."

I smile. "And I had no idea who you were," I hum, blushing.

"I had intended to leave but something made me find you again."

"And you asked me to just drive with you."

He laughs. "I was surprised you said yes."

"Were you?" I smile, remembering our first kiss. "You were pretty persuasive."

"I would have done anything to get you to go with me. I asked you to go with completely dishonorable intentions. But... I woke up and you were there. And something changed."

"What changed?" I ask, softly, wanting to know more.

His smile is small. "Well, I imagined more nights like the one we had, many nights. I don't know how to describe it... I felt changed."

"I'm glad for it."

"You still are?" he asks. "Even after everything that's happened? The seperations, the exiles and moving from place to place... giving up The Fountain?"

I nod, kissing him gently. "I honestly wouldn't change a thing. We have what we do now because of our struggles... Because we fought for this."

Pleased with my answer, his lips press to mine gentle at first but quickly, our hands are everywhere, touching and exploring with need.

"Don't think you're off the hook," he says and I laugh, gasping as his lips descend to my throat.

A/N: Short, but will be a double update day. xx