Moonflower- A Lunar Chronicles Fanfiction

Chapter 5

"Awoooooo!" howled Winter.
"Awoooooo!" Howled the Kesley children in return before falling into a fit of giggles. Winter giggled happily with them before stepping through the door. Jacin followed her in with Solstice in his arms. She was fast asleep, and Winter couldn't help admiring the little girl when she slept. She was the embodiment of Winter's fantasy of having a real family, and every time she looked at the baby's face her heart rippled with joy.
"Now remember," Scarlet said, clearly anxious. "Bedtime is 8:30 for all of them, but they should start getting ready by 8. They're allowed two books before bed. Keep an eye on Luc. We keep hiding the cookie jar, but for some reason he always seems to find it. Fitz may fall asleep early. That's fine, just put him to bed..."
"Anything else?" Winter heard Jacin say after a few more minutes. She had started to fall asleep listening to all of Scarlet's rules, but luckily Jacin, ever the obedient guard and lover of rules, had been listening the whole time.
Wolf rounded the corner in his dress shirt and tie looking almost put together except for the untamable mop of hair on his head. "That's plenty for them to try and remember Scarlet. It's time we get going or we might be late,"
Scarlet sighed and nodded before grabbing her purse from the table and taking Wolf's arm. "If anything happens comm me right away. We can be back here in fifteen minutes or less," Scarlet finished. Winter and Jacin walked to the door with them in the children.
"Be good for Winter and Jacin," Scarlet instructed her children. Maha nodded obediently. Luc's mouth curved up in half smile, reminding Winter to her dismay of the havoc causing Carswell Thorne. Fitz cooed in Winter's arms. Scarlet took that as good enough and opened the door.
Winter waved at Wolf and Scarlet as they walked toward the hover. "Have a good time you two!" She called. "And happy anniversary!"
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Winter leaped from the lumpy couch to the armchair, and held on tight as it wobbled. Luckily it didn't fall over and deposit her into the treacherous lava below. Maha giggled and waited for Winter to jump to the rocking chair, a task only for the most skilled. Luc was nowhere to be found. Winter leapt again aiming for the rickety rocking chair. She caught hold to the chair's back and held on for dear life as it shook violently. To her horror the chair began to tip over and she began to feel the heat of the molten rock below her. She braced herself for the burning.
A strong arm reached out and caught Winter before she could sink into the lava. He was standing on the carpet in front of her, and slowly Winter's illusion of bubbling red magma dissolved into the floor of Scarlet's farm house. Winter sighed and looked up at her savior.
"Winter what are you doing?" Jacin asked very irritated. "And where is Luc?"
"Well, I was just showing Maha how best to avoid lava by jumping on furniture of course. It's a very helpful skill. Luc's just over there on the other..." She said glancing up at the armchair she had started on. Luc was nowhere to be found.
Jacin released an exasperated breath before heading to the kitchen. Winter followed close behind.
"He probably went looking for the cookies again," Maha said, and Winter and Jacin exchanged worried glances. This was a rule they had both heard.
They found their way into the kitchen, and there was Luc. He was sitting on top of the refrigerator, the cabinet three cabinets down was wide open. In Luc's hand was a jar of peanut butter cookies half empty. He screeched at being found, but it seemed he could not figure out how to get down from his perch.
Jacin reached up and took hold of Luc lowering him down onto a chair at the kitchen table. Then, with a look of apology in her eye, Winter pried the jar from his grip. Luc cried and cried. His screeching was so loud that it woke Fitz and Solstice who had been sleeping upstairs. Maha frowned and covered her ears as three little ones screamed at the top of their lungs. Winter fought the urge to cover her own ears. She nodded to Jacin who went upstairs to quiet the babies.
Winter was left with Luc. She picked up the toddler and rocked him in her arms. Then she sang her wolf son, though very softly. When she whisper-howled Luc's cries became quieter and quieter until he was whisper-howling with her. Soon he was better, and Winter put him back down.
Then, taking Maha and Luc's hand she said, "How about we start getting ready for bed. I'm just dying to see what kinds of stories you have for me to read." She swung their arms back and forth as they skipped up the stairs.
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"And then the prince took Snow White back to his palace and they were married. The evil queen was never heard from again, and Snow White remained fairest in the land. And they all lived happily ever after. The end," read Winter before closing the book.
Luc clapped his hands and smiled, but Maha frowned a little. "Why does the prince always have to save the princess? I think there should be a story where the princess saves the prince,"
Winter nodded in agreement, "And the princess should get saved by a doctor every once in a while. I said the same thing when my father used to ready to me. Maybe you should write a story Maha where it happens just how we want it to,"
Maha nodded happily, "I will. Someday I will write the best story ever, and all the princesses with save the princes at least once. And maybe even the doctor will save the princess,"
Winter grinned. "I would love to read that story Maha," she said.
Later Jacin and Winter sat in the living room watching the netscreen. Winter laid her head on Jacin's shoulder and was drifting toward dreams before his voice shook her awake.
"You always wanted the doctor to save the princess?" He asked.
"Mhmm," murmured Winter, "Because you were going to be a doctor,"
Jacin smiled, it was small as they all were, but it made Winter's heart leap all the same.