Ewan rarely glanced to the clearing surrounding the warm springs of the glen. Part of him fought the relinquished control of awareness, but he trusted Storm's superior talents. He knew she would feel something out of place in plenty of time for them to take action if necessary. So, he allowed himself to relax. At first it was more a forcing himself to relax, but after a few wild splashes of Kellan's kicking legs, the laughter shared with the family had done the trick.

He stood waist deep in the water, his brown cotton trews thoroughly soaked and the sun warming his bare back and shoulders. Fingers curled about Kellan's waist as the near three year old splashed his efforts in learning to swim. Avery was already making his second climb up the rocks to jump into the pool, waving to be sure his parents were watching.

Storm laughed and half-heartedly tried to cover her face and turn away when Kellan made his wild splashes. The water was warm enough with the sun's heating that she didn't mind. Sitting on her knees, she pulled away the long, damp curls away from her face and looked up to watch the end of Avery's climb. She smiled to him to signal that she was watching, before he leaped into the deeper waters.

The wake from Avery's splash came hurtling toward Ewan and Kellan. Just as he was going to lift Kellan out of the way from possible water inhale, a counter breeze pushed the wake aside. "Hey now. I would not have let you drown." Ewan twisted Kellan up to his shoulder. "No need to use that when there are other ways to deal with a problem." Ewan slid a look to Storm with a question. Was that Kellan or had that been her teasing him?

Storm lifted up her hands innocently, "He tried, and I just gave a bigger push. I have full confidence in your lifting capabilities." She sent him a teasing wink.

Kellan however, enjoyed the exercise, and when Avery came up for air, he laughed, "Again, again!"

"Ah," he nodded and then gave Kellan a look. "Time for floating. Want to float on me or on your own?" The question gave the young boy a pause. Options, options, what option to choose. "Me do." And he tried to flop instantly back.

"Slowly now. Relax. Chin to the sky, tight tummy." A tickle to the little belly made the boy laugh, but Ewan's hand was beneath to help him be buoyant again. "And no using your talent right now. Can later."

Ewan looked back to Storm. "Are you coming in the water, beloved?"

Avery swam up to his brother and father, and went to float on his back and inspect Kellan's process. "I am not sure." Her voice was teasing still, "How do I know that all of my boys will not band together against me? My odds are better on land."

The very idea had him laughing. "As if you could not overwhelm us all, but as it pleases you." Still, he sent a small splash her way. The idea evidently appealed to Avery and from his floating he pounced on Ewan's shoulders, one arm up in a rebel yell like gesture, and climbing Mount Ewan, only pausing once to peer at a new scar on a shoulder, poke at it, and then move on.

Ewan was unable to defend himself keeping a hand on Kellan and submitted himself to the enthusiastic climbing of their eldest. "I think I made a tactical error in mentioning that."

It was another lame attempt to keep the splashes from hitting her. Watching Avery only confirmed her suspicions and she laughed warmly, "Yes, I think you may have." Her grin grew a little.

At last, Avery sat on Ewan's shoulders, arms up in the air, and then gesturing to Storm and signing. *Come in, Mom!* Kellan was done with floating, and trying to climb up as well, pulling on Avery's legs and grunting his frustrations. Ewan was wondering though at Storm's reluctance. He watched her, much like he had watched her while she was fixing the picnic lunch. Something seemed, distant.

"Alright, alright. Time for us to eat." Staring at Storm would not answer it. He would have to wait until later to ask. He began to walk toward the shore, Kellan under one arm and Avery on his shoulders. The oldest boy surprised at the motion, clung to Ewan's chin. "Not so tight, Avery. I will not let you fall."

Storm watched Ewan, and the strength of his body with their children clinging to him. She went to unpacking their picnic, but her cheeks colored and a grin stuck on her face, "Just give it some time, and you will have a third to hold to your leg and balance out the bottom."

He stopped and listened again to her words. Parsing them out, he slowly set Kellan down and Avery followed. Avery sensed something had changed, and he looked from one parent to the other. Kellan was just happily dripping into the picnic basket, partly helpful partly to see what treats were to be had. "Pardon?" Ewan realized he was probably misinterpreting, and always best to get the facts before acting.

Well, Storm would do the acting for him. So she stood and closed the distance between them to give him a hug. She ignored the fact that his body was wet and said gently in his ear, "I am pregnant."

If there were any two emotions more clearly painted across his usually circumspect face it was delight and the concern. "Are you alright?" Even as he asked it, searching her face, he needed to hold her close. Wanted to feel the surety of strength in her body. His arms wrapped around her in a cocooning hug.

"Yes." She needed to reassure him first, before explaining, "Just the normal sickness and lack of energy." Her arms tightened around him, "I wanted to tell you last night, but," she laughed softly, "I fell asleep first."

Avery was still watching his parents with a curious expression. A persistent Kellan however, required direction and attention. So Avery kept the treats away and pulled out Kellan's food instead.

He laughed softly as well. "Better to sleep. My delight is no more diminished for knowing a day later." A touch of her cheek and along her jaw, he gave her a kiss. Then a wicked smile. "Confident the baby is a girl then?" He teased, but if he were honest with himself, that tightness in his chest, that straining hope, a girl would be wonderful. Either boy or girl would be welcome, but if he indulged his hopes in the secrets inside himself a girl would be wonderful to complete their family.

She did not indulge in that kiss as much as she wished, and her grin was lopsided and large, "No, not confident. Hopeful, yes, but even if it is another boy, my heart would soar just the same."

A touch to Avery's head in thanks for his tending to Kellan, Ewan sat down on the blanket. A reach to Storm's hand, he claimed it and urged her to sit in lap, and he did not care what the children thought. He just wanted her as near as could be. "When are you expecting?" It was not like he could count back as if their coupling was so rare.

"End of winter." It didn't take much encouragement for her to settle down into his lap. She could feel Avery's curious look if she gave her surroundings more attention. With her shields up, she didn't need to pay attention to them - they would alert if needed be. For now, Ewan received another warm smile as she reached into the picnic basket to pull out the sandwich she had made for him.

"End of winter," he repeated and took the sandwich out of instinct. There were plans running through his mind. Things that had to be seen to. Alteration of the rooms in the house, new protocols to time when he was away, and ... "Have you told your father?"

"No." She frowned slightly, "I told you that you would be the first to know." Even though she wasn't really hungry, she reached for her own sandwich as well, "I thought I would wait another week or two."