Valentine Morning

by Kindra King

Catherine wakes up snuggled in Vincent's arms. It's chilly in their chamber, but the quilts are cozy warm, so she snuggles closer to the body behind her.

Those strong arms tighten around her and she smiles when she feels Vincent nuzzling the back of her neck, nipping at her shoulder.

Vincent's head snaps up just as a whimper is heard across the room. Jacob needs a change. Catherine chuckles softly, takes Vincent's hand and presses a kiss to the palm. When she moves to get up, a soft growl rumbles against her ear and vibrates against her back as her husband pulls her tighter to him and curls a heavy muscled leg over hers.

Catherine twists to face him, cradles that gorgeously unique face in her hands and presses her mouth to his. After several long moments, she pulls back, breathless and starry-eyed. Equally breathless, Vincent collapses back against the quilts, his teeth flashing in a wide grin. Catherine slaps him playfully on his broad, furred chest and slips from the bed. She has her feet in slippers and a thick robe wrapped around her in swift, fluid movements and steps quickly across the chamber to their son.

After a quick change, Catherine dresses the baby in a darling footed onesie designed to look like the Tenderheart Carebear, light brown with a big red heart over his belly - a birthday gift from Jenny. Jacob kicks and giggles when she tickles her fingers over the heart. She lifts him to her shoulder and cuddles him close, stroking her cheek over his silky hair and breathing in his wonderful baby smell.

A glance back at Vincent makes her breath catch and her heart skip. He is sitting up at the edge of the bed, clothed only in a pair of thick gray sweatpants. His head is bowed low and the waves of his hair fall forward to hide his face. His shoulders are hunched forward and his arms are braced tightly against the mattress to hold himself up.

"Vincent?" Catherine calls softly as she steps back to stand in front of him. She smoothes a hand over his head, carding her fingers through his hair.

Vincent's arms wrap around her and he presses his face against her belly, just holding her for a long while.

"Can you tell me?" Catherine asks. Jacob is content against her shoulder, not at all disturbed by what he may be feeling from his father through the Bond, so she is not worried, but she is curious.

Vincent looks up at her and shakes his head, but speaks anyway. "Catherine, I see you with our son. Our son. My heart is too full for words."

Catherine's eyes mist and she slides her hand down to cup his cheek. She nudges and gestures for him to lie back on the bed. When he does, she curls up close and tucks her face against his neck, Jacob nestled between them. The baby gurgles happily, staring at his tiny hands in fascination, waving them, tangling them together, then gnawing at them.

Catherine shifts her feet under the quilts to weave them between Vincent's larger ones and knows that this moment, this precious circle of three hearts, is the greatest declaration of love she could have ever dreamed of for Valentine's Day.