vegas | H.S.

b o n u s c h a p t e r # 3

Riley popped up, rubbing her eyes and dragging her feet to wake up her baby sister, Sasha. "I'll go get Sha and Logan, and meet you downstairs."

They sprung into the Christmas spirit, fetching the entire family and surprising their parents with a jump to their mattress. They immediately yawned and greeted their offspring. "Merry Christmas, my beautiful loves," Vegas sung as she clutched her arms around her children. "Ready to open all of your presents?"

"Yes!" They all exclaimed at the same time, clapping and cheering at a high volume.

"Okay! Wait for Daddy and I downstairs! Mummy has to get Logan!"

Their scattering footsteps left the room in a rush, leaving the pair alone again in comfortable silence. Vegas simpered at her sleepy husband, who only got little over six hours, and scooted closer to his figure. He yawned like a cat, stopping when she was hugging his torso. She was glad to be in his warmth, and safety. He was the only person who understood how busy their nights would be, and the pressure that impedes on them every moment they go outside of the palace.

"Hmm, I have more gifts for you. Don't think the necklace was all there was," Harry exhaled, wrapping his arms around his wife protectively.

"Harry, what are you thinking? You didn't spend too much, did you?" She warned him with her eyebrows contracted together. He simply shrugged his shoulders, and removed himself from the mattress to stretch and brush his teeth in the bathroom without any further clues. She followed suit after grabbing Logan from her crib, traveling to see the rest of her anxious children awaiting them. "Baby, be honest with me please. Don't tell me you went over and beyond!"

"Shhhh..." His long finger pressed to her lips. "Let us watch our children glow with happiness from presents we've given them. You can scold me later." Harry coddled his youngest daughter in his arms, scooping her up and providing her with a warm smile as he marched down the staircase.

She complied, huffing and stomping to meet the four little bodies surrounded the tree and the pile of wrapped goodies.

"Mummy! Daddy! Can we start already?" Riley leaped beside her sister as giddiness flowed through her veins at an accelerating rate.

"Yes, go ahead. Let's start with Logan first, since she's the youngest."

While the children devoured the gift accumulation, Vegas couldn't help but glare at her husband's distracted form. She wondered what he could of gotten her, despite her wishes to not spend too money on her. She wanted to focus on the children first before worrying about their already solid marriage. Logan played with her mother's curls while she was in heavy thought, burning metaphorical holes into his skin from staring for long periods of time. The living room was filled with screams and squeals of thanks from each child, hugging each parents and layering kisses to their cheeks.

Harry suddenly rose from the floor to dust his pants off, clearing his throat and lifting Logan from Vegas' hold. "It's time for your gifts. Are you ready?" He asked, knowing it'll only cause more curiosity and anger inside of her. He dug into his pocket, pulling out a minuscule remote. His thumb sunk into the buttons to reveal a sound. A melody floated through speakers, and Vegas couldn't help but go insane.

"Once in a lifetime, it's just right. We make no mistakes." Her ears picked up a voice that sounded familiar, spotting Liam emerging from the kitchen's revolving door. He was dressed in Christmas pajamas, and his favorite beanie he wouldn't dare to sale. "Not even a landslide or a riptide could take it all away."