Things had been going along fairly well for everyone. The twins were getting bigger. Everyone had settled into their classes. There had been nothing to upset Thor's rule. Edwin had been talking about coming to stay with Lyra and Rory for an extended period as a trial run. The plans for Billy and Teddy's bonding were coming along well. It was all smooth sailing and there was very little to report.
I was alone with Zac and the twins when Rose and Paul knocked on the door. It was a rare moment. Normally our family group stayed in at least pairs of adults, and that would have been true now, but Bruce had gone to ask about getting food sent up and Wanda had felt a call from Billy about some fashion choice and she had gone to help him out, saying she'd be back shortly.
I wasn't worried. It wasn't like I'd never been alone before and I was in the palace with guards at the door. I was as safe as I'd ever been and just enjoying the time with my infant children and my youngest grandson. I sat on the floor beside the babies as they lay under their play gym cooing and trying to reach the toys over their heads. The Vulparev were out on the balcony eating and Zak was watching cartoons. It was calm and felt normal. It was nice to have that even if it was just briefly.
A guard stepped in, reminding me that no matter how normal I felt, I really wasn't. "My lady, Princess Rose is here to see you," he announced.
"Thank you, send her in," I said, thinking about how I'd have preferred it if she had just come straight in herself.
He stepped out and Rose, Paul, Ziggy, and Anna came in. Ziggy went and flopped on the couch next to Zak while Anna beelined for me. I held out my arms to her and she threw herself in them. "Grandma," she said.
"Hey, princess," I said, squeezing her tight. "Why aren't you in school?"
"Lunchtime, Grandma," Anna said, in her best world-weary voice, as she pulled back and crawled over to the babies.
I laughed. "I'm sorry. I forgot."
"You all alone, mommy?" Rose said, sitting down on the floor beside me as Paul took a seat on the couch. Rose still called me mommy a lot, particularly when she was feeling very affectionate, which was also a lot. "That's not like my dads."
I laughed. "Bruce should be back with food soon. And Daj shouldn't be too far away."
"Oh good," Rose said, picking up Thour and bouncing her on her knee. "I was worried for a second there."
"You'd have thought I didn't spend almost ten years completely on my own," I teased. "Now I always need an escort."
Rose bumped me. "Hey, I can't help that I've grown up seeing you guys travel in packs."
"Grandma, where's the foxes?" Anna asked.
"They're on the balcony," I said. "You can let them in if you want."
She got up and ran over to the balcony door, throwing it open. Icy and Inky ran inside making happy little chittering sounds. They dashed to the twins and when they seemed happy the babies were fine they went and sniffed everyone else and ran back over to Anna deciding she was the one who was most likely to play with them. Zak jumped off the couch and toddled over to Anna giggling. "Wanna pway," he said.
"Okay, Zakky," Anna said. "Let's get their toys."
The two kids went off together with the Vulparev on their heels to the drawer we kept the pet toys in.
"How come I was the one lucky enough to get the visit?" I asked. "Don't you all usually have lunch as a group in the banquet hall?"
"That or we need a break and go back to our own places and have something set up," Paul said.
"Which reminds me," Rose said. "I miss cooking so much. Do you think I can have a kitchen put in?"
"You might want to go to the kitchens here and try something out there first," I said. "The food is different here. The way they cook it is different. You might need to be shown. But I know for a fact that Magnus would be delighted to teach you."
"That's a really good idea," Paul said, stroking the back of Rose's neck.
She leaned back into his touch and hummed softly. "Yeah, it would be nice to do some cooking with Mags. He's really talented."
Bruce came in wheeling a cart piled high with food and stopped in his tracks, a huge smile breaking out on his face. "Rosie! Paul! To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Grandpa!" Anna and Ziggy said at once, Ziggy jumping down off the couch and running to Bruce, as Anna abandoned her game with the Vulparev and charged at Bruce.
They both slammed into his legs and he lifted them both, one in each hand, and held them up over his head as they squealed with delight. "Little ones!" Bruce cheered. "I'm so happy to see you!"
Paul came over to take over pushing the cart. "Are we going to eat here or in the dining room?" he asked.
"Here, please," I said. "The babies are happy on the floor and I'd like to stay with them."
"Can I get you a plate, mommy?" Sarah asked.
"Yes, please," I said. "That's really nice of you."
"Don't worry, I can get you both one," Paul interjected. "Are you both happy with a random selection?"
We both agreed we were and as Paul began filling plates and Bruce sat down with the twins perched on his shoulders, Rose got to the reason they'd come.
"So we've been thinking," Rose said, as she put Thour back down with her brother. "We want to do the bonding too. I mean, I don't want to lose Paul obviously."
"Oh that's great news," I said, rubbing Rose's back. "Daj is going to love helping you pick out a dress."
Rose laughed. "I know she will. But..." she said and looked back at Paul. "We already did the wedding and it was big and wonderful and I was the sole focus of everyone's attention. We don't want to steal the spotlight from Billy and Teddy. We were wondering if there was a way to do it... smaller?"
I grimaced. "I'm not sure, Rosie," I said. "I think given who you are, and just the process needed for the magic to work, it's going to be big. But -" I paused and looked over at Bruce. "- I think we could maybe keep it under wraps? Have things planned and then after the boys have their ceremony you can announce yours and have it a couple of months later. That way you won't steal their thunder and because it will be just one and then another - people might not get quite as hyped up."
"I think that would work," Bruce agreed. "We'll have to run the idea past Thor and Loki though."
"I don't know if I like the idea of keeping it a secret from everyone," Rose frowned.
"I mean it's up to you, honey," I said. "If you don't like being a total secret you could tell Billy and Teddy what you just told us. And then just rather than announce it to everyone, go 'oh yeah, we'll be bonding so that I don't lose Paul. No big deal.' And we'll just make sure the preparations happen behind the scenes so as not to steal the thunder."
"Yeah, I like that better," Rose agreed. "Then I don't have to lie to them."
Paul handed me a plate and the Vulparev raced over in the hopes I'd feed them some people-food, something I was a very soft touch about. Icy did a flying leap over the babies, while Inky jumped, landing on Nova's tummy before bouncing over to me.
Nova burst into laughter.
Neither of the babies had laughed yet and the sound of the baby giggles was like music. They were pure and innocent and full of complete joy. I put down my plate on the coffee table and leaned over him. "Oh my goodness, Nova! Was that funny? Did your Inky bounce on you?"
He squeaked and kicked his feet and I looked back at Bruce. "You heard that too, right?"
"I did!" Bruce said. "Oh wow, I have missed the sound of baby laughter. It just gets you right here, doesn't it?" He added, tapping his chest above his heart.
Zak toddled over and plopped down next to his infant aunt and uncle. "Nova, Nova!" He said excitedly, tickling the baby's tummy. Nova squeaked and laughed again which made Zak laugh too.
'Wanda!' I sent. "Wanda you have to get the others here now!'
'Coming!' I felt pressed back at me. 'Oh god, I hope I don't miss it.'
"Hey, Zakky, Nova thinks you're so funny," Bruce said. "He loves you so much. Do you think you can get Thour to laugh too?"
"I twy," Zak said, quickly crawling around to Thour. He tickled her tummy and then lifted her t-shirt and blew a raspberry on it.
Thour burst out laughing and kicked her feet excitedly, which made Nova laugh again. "Oh my goodness," I said, clapping my hands over my mouth. "I love that sound so much."
"Oh god, mom," Rose said. "It's making me all clucky."
"Oh my god," I said. "More grandkids? Yes, please!"
"Maybe we should be thinking of the bonding before we start planning more kids, honey," Paul teased.
The door burst open and Wanda practically flew inside. "Did I miss it?"
"No," I giggled. "I don't think so."
Before the door closed, Steve caught it and he, Bucky, and Sam spilled inside. "They're laughing?" Bucky asked.
"Yes," I said. "Zakky, get them to laugh again."
Zak blew another raspberry on Thour's tummy and she cracked up laughing again, flailing her limbs and setting off Nova too.
"Oh my god," Sam said as the small group gathered around them. "That sound is the best sound ever."
Very quickly the others arrived too, first Clint and Nat, then Tony and Thor, and everyone gathered around to hear our children's first laughter. The sound of their laughter was something I think we all needed. Things hadn't been easy with their arrival and now I was feeling better and they were laughing. It felt almost poetic. The best part was we were all together for this milestone and we would be for all of them.