𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝘼𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 | 𝙋𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖

xxx. Think of Me Waking

Charlotte rolled over in bed and cuddled into her husband's side, pulling the sheets over her shoulders. "Good morning," she mumbled.

"Good morning," Erik replied, draping his arm over her side and pulling her close. "You sound so tired, my love. Did you not sleep well after we got to bed? I felt you moving a lot."

"Your child has figured out that kicking is the perfect way to disturb my sleep," Charlotte sighed.

Erik laughed quietly, then gave her a kiss. "And you're only three months along? This is certainly setting up to be a different experience entirely."

"Wonderful," Charlotte groaned. "I'm going to go wake up Gustave."

"Okay. I'll be here," Erik said as he pulled the bed sheets up to his chin and rolled onto his side.

Charlotte kissed his cheek and slid out of bed, pulling on her dressing gown as she walked out of the room. Quickly, she shut the door and stepped into Angelina's room, smiling at the sight of the two children as she approached and gently took the baby in her arms.

Gustave stirred when she did and immediately let out a groan. "I can't feel my legs," he said quietly.

Charlotte laid Angelina in her crib before kneeling down and kissing her son's forehead. "That's because you slept on the floor with your sister all night," she whispered.

"All night?" he asked, rubbing his face.

"Yes, dear," Charlotte chuckled. "Why don't you come lay in bed with your father and I?"

Gustave nodded and got to his feet, wincing when he did. "My feet are tingling," he said with a pained laugh.

"Let me carry you," Charlotte said softly.

"You don't have to. I don't want you to hurt yourself or the baby..." Gustave began, only to pause and frown as he processed his own words. "I sound like Papa."

"Quite," Charlotte giggled, kissing his cheek. "Just let me carry you. It's only the next room."

Gustave nodded and boosted himself up into his mother's arms, letting her carry him into the master bedroom and gently set him down on the bed. "Thank you," he whispered.

"You're welcome," Charlotte whispered back with a smile as she slipped her robe off, then crawled into bed bedside him.

"Did Gustave wake up?" Erik asked, still half-asleep with his back turned to his wife, completely oblivious to his son's presence.

"Yes and no. Angelina is fast asleep in her crib, though."

"Good. We get to keep sleeping."

Charlotte couldn't help but giggle, leaning over Gustave to kiss her husband's cheek. "You're cute."

"Thank you. I do try," Erik replied, his eyes still closed.

"Go back to sleep, my dear," Charlotte said softly.

Erik rolled over with a sigh, but frowned a bit when he noticed Gustave laying beside him. "There's a third person in this bed now," he remarked.

"So you've noticed," Charlotte replied with a chuckle.

"How did you sleep, Gustave? You seemed comfortable last night on the floor," Erik said, moving his hand to brush the stray hair out of the boy's face. "Though I can't imagine your legs feel very good right about now."

Gustave merely moaned in reply, shoving his face in the pillow under his head.

"He's very tired," Charlotte chuckled, kissing the boy's cheek.