((Contains references to adult material.))

With the majority of the children in the treehouse for a sleepover, and Lucy and Steve playing host to the visiting Natasha and Colin, today had been the perfect day for the adult Storms to get a few things settled. Like giving Lucas their permission to propose to Fliss, only to discover that he had already proposed to her, and that she was wearing the ring he had given her. That had been a bit of a surprise, but a good one. And Liv had one more surprise for Johnny.

Today was the last session with the healers, and she'd waved him away to go and bath Bess while she was busy being made as good as new. Three long weeks of convalescence were finally over, and with a last hour under Rebecca's skilled and magical touch, Liv was looking forward to giving Johnny a lovely surprise. As he finished up with Bess, his wife tentatively took her first steps since she'd been attacked, trying not to laugh out loud at how easy it felt, how painless it was. She brushed her long hair - restored by Rebecca's magic because that uneven shave had been doing far more harm than good - and made her way on bare feet to Bess' bedroom, where the toddler was gurgling her way through making it difficult for Johnny to get her pajamas on her.

Liv smiled at the wrestling match, looking forward to taking her turn again soon. "I could be wrong, but one of these days, she's going to win."

Thankfully, Johnny was not holding Bess off the ground or he might have dropped her, startled as he was by Liv's voice as she joined him. He knew she'd been slowly recovering, but he had not expected her to join him so soon. It had, after all, only been a few weeks. "Liv!" he exclaimed, scooping baby Bess up into his arms and turning to face her, clearly startled. "What are you doing" Are you okay?"

Liv's smile was bright, if a little disbelieving. "I'm ....I'm fine," she told him, her voice half a laugh. "Honestly. I'm absolutely fine!" She let herself laugh again, moving to wrap her arms around him and Bess tenderly. "I'm all better."

"Livvie, your hair!" Johnny exclaimed in a hushed gasp of breath, obviously surprised to find her with a full head of hair again. Though the loss of hair might not have been life-threatening, it had been a constant reminder of how Hydra had almost taken her away from them. "Oh my God, baby, you're walking ....and talking ....and your hair!" he repeated, laughing happily along with her.

"I know!" Liv squeezed him fondly, brushing a kiss against Bess' cheek as the toddler giggled with them, utterly unaware of what was so special about her mother being up and about and looking normal. Her hand gently cradled Johnny's cheek. "I'm back," she promised him. "And I'll take it easy for a little while, I promise."

"Oh my God, baby ....You look-you look amazing!" he told her, knowing he was gushing, but hardly caring. There were all alone, after all, except for Bess, and there was no reason to hide his enthusiasm. There were tears in his eyes as he pulled her close, Liv in one arm and Bess in the other. "I was so worried," he whispered, his voice breaking.

"I know," she whispered back to him, hugging close to press her cheek to his. "And I'm sorry you had to go through all that, baby. But I'm back, and it's never going to happen again."

"No, it sure as hell isn't!" Johnny agreed. Not because Liv was never going to visit New York again, but because as far as they knew, they had pushed Hydra back at least a few decades. "I love you, baby." He kissed her again, this time on the lips, with Bess lunging toward Liv to do the same. Johnny laughed. "See" Bess feels the same!"

"I love you back," Liv murmured into his kiss, giggling as Bess planted a kiss of her own onto her mother's lips. "And you!" she declared, lifting Bess out of Johnny's arms to cuddle her close. "Oh, I've missed being able to do this."

"Aw, Livvie," Johnny whispered, his voice breaking again and tears of relief actually streaming down his face. He just couldn't help himself. He scrubbed the tears from his face as she relieved him of Bess, laughing at himself. "Sorry!" he said, glad the kids were there to see him.

"They're all in the treehouse tonight," she told him. "I was thinking of surprising them with breakfast in the morning - what do you think?" It would certainly be a surprise to see her walking about; a good way to wake up, perhaps.

"I think that's a great idea!" he said, with a happy smile. "Shall we tuck the munchkin into bed" I want to make sure you're real!" he told her, though he didn't want to push her too fast or too far.

"Well, it's bedtime, isn't it?" Liv looked into Bess' sleepy eyes with a fond smile. "I think that sounds like a wonderful idea." Hoisting the toddler a little closer on her hip, she squeezed Johnny about the waist a moment longer before moving over to the cot.

Johnny followed her to the bed, so that he could help tuck Bess in and give her a good-night kiss, but he let Liv do most of it, since he had a feeling she'd been badly missing the nightly routines with their children.

It felt like an eternity since she'd been able to see even one of her children to bed, and Liv couldn't help taking her time over it, stroking her fingers against Bess' blonde hair as the little girl sank into sleep in front of them. When she straightened, it was to tuck her arm about Johnny's waist. "Is Bella in the treehouse with Beast and the kids?"

"Yeah," Johnny said, tucking his arms around her to hold her close and lowering his voice so they wouldn't wake Bess. "Lir's in the pool. I think he's kinda lonely," he said, with a frown, though there wasn't much they could do about it. "I think Jasper is out there with him," he said, though how a cat and a dragon were friends was beyond him.

"We need to work out how to house him," Liv mused. "I don't think he's ever going to go wild, Johnny. He loves Alex too much to leave."

"I know, but ..." Johnny trailed off, with a glance at Bess, before taking Liv's hand to lead her from the room, so they could talk without waking her. "He's so big!" he said, as he pulled Bess' door halfway closed.

"He's not even half-grown yet, Johnny," she pointed out, pausing to look out through the window on the landing. Lir was half in his little shed now, one foreleg outstretched as Jasper apparently scratched his own head on the dragon's claws. "Alex would tell us if he was unhappy."

"I guess," Johnny admitted, feeling a strange tug of affection for the water dragon, who had snuck home with them in Fliss' backpack one day a few years ago from a shop in the Marketplace. "Do you think Sol could permanently shrink him or something?"

"Johnny, how would you like it if someone shrunk you because they thought you might be a little big?" Liv asked her husband gently. "It would be cruel. We'll work something out, I'm sure. We should just talk to Alex about it."

"Yeah, I guess," Johnny agreed again, with a worried frown. One way or other, they'd work it out, but he knew how attached Alex and Lir had become over the years. It wasn't something they were going to solve tonight, at any rate.

She smiled, leaning into him affectionately. "I get to sleep in our bed tonight," she reminded him with a flicker of mischief in her eyes. "It's been a while."

"Are you planning on just sleeping?" he asked, mirroring that mischievous gleam in his own eyes. He didn't much care if all they did was snuggle, so long as they were together and she was well again. "Oh, Liv," he said, pulling her into his arms again. "I've been so worried. You can't imagine how happy I am that you're okay." Actually, she probably could. There had been plenty of nights when he'd gone out to help the Avengers or the fire brigade and she'd worried if he would come home safely.

"I think the children we have need us to be consistent with them," she told him softly. "They know that another baby doesn't mean they won't be loved. But I think adding another child, especially one with needs like theirs, might be too much for all of us. We have a responsibility to our own family first, Johnny."

"Do you think it's irresponsible to want another?" he asked, that frown deepening. He wouldn't lie and tell her he didn't want a big family, but how big" Bess was going on three years old now, still little but hardly a baby. He knew they had to stop somewhere, but he wasn't sure their little family was complete yet.

"I think we can manage one or two more," she said, still soft as she stroked his cheek. "And the children will want to help more this time. They know what to do."

"I guess we've decided then," he told her, finding comfort and reassurance in that simple touch. He smiled, but the smile was tempered with just a little sadness. "I've been so lost without you, Liv," he confessed, though that wasn't entirely true. He'd managed well enough with the help of family and friends, but he knew a part of himself had been lost while Liv was recovering, and that piece had been her.

"I'm so proud of you, darling," she murmured to him, kissing his brow tenderly. "Even feeling lost, you never broke. You're a good man, Johnny, and a wonderful father. I'm privileged to be your wife."

He would have shaken his head, if his head wasn't settled so comfortably on the pillow. "You bring out the best in me, Liv," he told her, giving her all the credit for the man he'd become. "I thank God every day for you and our kids," he confessed quietly. He'd never claimed to be a very religious or spiritual person, but he knew someone up there had smiled on him when they'd put Liv in his path.

"Are you asking for a heavenly experience, baby?" she asked in a mischievous tone, rolling him to his back to loom over him with wicked eyes and teasing hands already at work.

Johnny beamed a grin at her, his body quickly reacting to her ministrations. "I feel like I die and go to heaven every time we make love, Liv," he told her in a soft voice. "Are you sure you're up for another go?" he asked, not wanting to tire her out, but eager to increase the odds of her getting pregnant.

"Oh, I've got a little while in me yet," she promised, leaning down to catch his lips with hers. And why not' She might be a little sleepy tomorrow, but she would be Mum again, walking and laughing and playing with the children who had missed her almost as much as Johnny had. Tonight was all about him, and she couldn't see any problem with missing out on a little sleep for the sake of that.

Besides, he wasn't afraid to help with the kids and the chores and was just as likely to spoil her, until she told him to stop, but for now, it was just about them. As much as he adored their children, this love story had started with him and Liv, and that was eventually the way it would end.

But not for many, many years yet, and not until they were surrounded by grandchildren and perhaps even great-grandchildren. They still had a life to live together, a family to raise together, and they would do it together, no matter what came.

"You know what?" he asked, once they were sated for the second time that evening - and after he'd made sure he'd let her know without a doubt just how much he adored her. "The kids are almost done with school. Why don't we take a vacation?"

Definitely sated this time, Liv cuddled into his side as he spoke. "Where do you recommend?" she asked curiously, although the answer came almost immediately, making her giggle. "Disney."

"Nah," he replied, snuggling her close, now that he'd caught his breath again, his heart slowing to a more normal pace. "I was thinking about the beach. Just you and me and the kids and the sand and surf." And Bella and Beast and Lir and Jasper and probably Lucas, by extension, if he and Fliss could get away for a few days. This coming from a man who had once detested water was saying a lot.

"Mmm ..." Liv breathed out slowly, smiling at this thought. "I think I know just the place." Because being a P.A. to someone who knew the De Lucas came with quite a few perks these days.

"Where's that?" he asked, a little sleepily now that they'd sated themselves for a second time. He'd been thinking about King's Cove, but it was probably too busy this time of year, and he wasn't too familiar with other beach destinations.

"Liba," she murmured. "Tropical island here on Rhy'Din. It's lovely, apparently."

"Oh," Johnny replied, both brows arching upwards. He hadn't thought of that. "Will the kids get bored?" he asked, though he suspected they'd have enough to do with building sandcastles and chasing the waves.

"It's not an abandoned island," she laughed, nudging him affectionately. "There's a resort and a few towns. I'm sure I'll be able to arrange a few activities for them. We probably won't be able to take the animals with us, though."

"Not even Lir?" Johnny asked with a frown. He wasn't sure how Alex would feel about separating from his pet dragon even for a short vacation, or vice versa.

She sighed thoughtfully. "I can make a few inquiries," she offered. "Find out if there's a way to take our menagerie with us. They may not be very happy about having a dragon on the island unless we can guarantee good behavior."

"Lir is a big baby. The worst he could do is squirt someone," Johnny argued, though he could understand how other people might be a little frightened by the dragon. "He's like a water version of-of ..." He snapped his fingers as he tried to remember something. "What was the name of the dragon in Pete's Dragon?"

"God, I hated that film," Liv laughed, tilting her head back to look up at him. "Elliot." That memory of hers never let her down, even when she despised what she was remembering, it seemed.

"Yeah, that's it!" he declared with a laugh. "But the kids liked it," he reminded her with a further grin. There wasn't much the kids didn't like and they made it a point not to watch anything that was too depressing.

"Darling, our children will like anything if you're enthusiastic about it," she reminded him in amusement. "Do you remember the spinach deception?"

Johnny chuckled. "What's not to like about spinach?" Now, brussel sprouts - that was another matter. "You know, when I was growing up, Sue was always so serious. I always thought if I ever had kids, I would try to make things fun."