Pictures that tell 1000 words

Bonus chapter - The Reunion

A/N Hey people! First of all, I hope you're all doing okay and that the world of the never ending lockdown is keeping you and your families safe! Now secondly, I can guarantee a few of you might be wondering what the bloomin heck I am doing back on this story. Well the other day I was bored as anything and decided to re-read this story all the way through as not gonna lie it's one of my favourite things I've ever done. And as I was reading I remembered how much joy this story gave me to write and to many of you who were kind enough to read it. So in a small bid to lift my own and everyone else's spirits I have decided to come back on here for one more chapter. It's been over six months now since I finished this story but still I love it so much, so here we go this is a small bonus chapter for pictures that tell 1000 words, ENJOY!

20th December 2034

Joe sat back comfortably, a small sigh escaping his lips as the gentle sound of snoring coincided with the gentle hum of the engine that propelled them through the air. The soft subtle notes of movement gently swaying the brunette into a calm, welcomed state of sleep.

Joe had done the flight from Heathrow to Perth and back again somewhere close to fifty odd times in his life. He had been doing long haul flights for work and for pleasure for as long as he could remember. Yet no matter how many times he did this particular flight, the brunette found it nigh on impossible to get any kind of decent sleep when he had his seven year old son sat next to him. The constant questions, fidgeting, and restlessness the little boy did relating to his father becoming not only increasingly tired and stressed, yet increasingly worried that the people around them on the plane would lose their chill with the bubbly and excitable young boy who wanted nothing more than to get off the plane and run around with his cousins.

It had been the same thing every winter for the past 13 years of Joe's life. First with his little girl who refused to sleep on the plane unless she was sat upon either his, or his wife's lap - resulting in the two of them having to take shifts to look after Lily whilst the other one slept. 24 hours of pass the parcel with a fidgety, sometimes crying little girl who slowly but surely drove the two of them mad. And after seven years, once they had got the hang of it, Joe and Dianne suddenly found themselves with another squirmy little baby to take care of, and one who - despite their hopes that he wouldn't be - was just as bad, if not worse than his big sister.

"Daddy." A small voice came from down beside his right-hand-side as if on cue. Looking down Joe stole a glance at the little boy sat in the seat next to him. A blanket resting gently over his legs which dangled off the edge of his seat, his little feet not quite touching the floor.

"Yeah?" Joe whispered softly in return, hoping not to wake up any of the sleeping passengers who were sat near the two of them, what with the time technically being somewhere close to three o'clock in the morning back home in England.

"Daddy I can't sleep." Alex mewed softly, a clear sense of tiredness cloaking his features. His big blue eyes puffy as they held onto the bags of delirium under his sapphire stare. The uncharacteristic lack of a small dimple imbedded into his right cheek as a small, sad frown hovered over his lips, and the overall mess of his blonde hair which had been ruffled by the hood of his jumper as he squirmed around in agitation, all being tell signs he hadn't slept a wink.

"I know monkey but you need to try for me okay." Joe cooed softly as he ran a hand through his sons unruly hair, hoping to flatten it a bit.

"I have tried!" Alex responded with a small whine.

"Shh, shh, shh, you need to be quiet for me okay Alex." Joe pleaded as he saw the subtle side eye he was given by an elderly gentleman sitting the row in front of him, one to the left. "People are sleeping so we need to whisper."