Baby Brooke was now 2 weeks old and Ian and Skye had fully settled into their new leading roles as doting parents.
With San Diego Comic-Con only days away, the pair were mentally and physically preparing for what would be a serious onslaught when the news of the shows cancellation went public.
Not only that, it was also the one year anniversary of the car crash, and both Ian and Skye had been in strange moods all day.
Skye had woken that morning to the feeling of Ian's arms wrapped even more tightly around her than usual. At her attempt to move the reaction she got was Ian squeezing her to him and yawning the words, "just a little bit longer. I'm not ready to let go of you yet."
For the rest of the day the couple went about their daily business, that business mainly being Brooke duty. They didn't really talk about the significance of the day, they had no need to. It was the lingering glances, extra kisses and love felt hugs at random points of the day that gave away the fact it was on their minds.
That night, after putting Brooke to bed, Ian and Skye were both exhausted, the pair of them practically collapsing into bed. It was a total 360 to how they'd spent that same night just one year previously.
In the early hours Skye felt Ian's weight leave the bed. He had gotten up slowly and quietly and walked over to Brooks crib. Initially they'd tried having her sleep in her nursery, but quickly discovered she only slept soundly when in the room with them. Yep, she had her Mom and Dad wrapped around her tiny finger.
Skye heard Ian gently pick Brooke up, the baby girl fussing a little bit until Ian sat down in the corner rocking chair with her. Skye started to roll over to ask if Brooke needed a feed, but then she heard Ian's low, soft voice and stopped in her tracks.
"Hey my sweet little Brooke," he whispered to the newborn in the dark. "Is my baby girl gonna be a night owl like her Daddy?" With that question Skye heard Brooke coo almost in response to Ian's question. Listening to him to talk to her made Skye's heart sing and she couldn't bring herself to interrupt, just laying there listening as Ian continued to talk to their little one.
Minutes passed and Brooke fussed a little more, Ian then bargaining with her as her squeaky voice grew louder. "Okay, baby girl. Let's make a deal," he offered as he rocked her gently. "How about you be okay with Daddy for a little bit tonight, yeah? Let your beautiful Mom sleep for a little while longer."
Hearing Ian talk about her when he thought she was fast asleep was new to Skye, new and beautiful. As open as they were as a couple, there was always things you'd never say to each other. Things you'd always keep tucked away inside.
"Your Mom over there," Ian gestured towards Skye "asleep" on the bed, "she is the most amazing woman I have ever met. Brooke, you don't know how lucky you are that she is your Mom."
Skye felt a tear slide down her cheek as Brooke's cry rose slightly. "I'll tell you, you get your sweet stubbornness from her," he said with a chuckle as he tried to calm the baby down. "You're lucky you don't have your Daddy's looks either. Your Momma's a stunner," he whispered to her. "When you grow up, you'll look just like her, so no dating until..." he thought for a moment, "well until ever," he said decisively. Skye chuckled silently to herself, trying not to give away the fact that she was listening. Ian had become a typically protective Father.
"You know, this very night last year I was sitting in a hospital being told that Mommy might never wake up, that I might never see her again. If I'd lost your Mommy that day I don't know what I would have done. I wouldn't have her, I wouldn't have you. You have no idea how much you mean to us munchkin, how much you symbolise."
Hearing the soft, slow breathing of the baby, Skye knew that Brooke had fallen back off to sleep. After Ian's words she doubted she'd be so lucky. She was wide awake now.
Gently and quietly Ian rose from the chair and slowly placed Brooke back in her crib. Once she was settled and sound he gave her a feather like peck on the forehead and then made his way back to bed.
Skye felt Ian's weight dip on the mattress, his warm body snuggling up close to her as he settled underneath the quilt. Wrapping his arms around Skye's waist and burying his face in her neck, he kissed it sweetly. At this gesture Skye couldn't maintain her fake sleep anymore. Sighing and turning to look at him, her lips met his slowly, the pair proceeding to explore the familiarity of the each other.
Reluctantly Ian pulled away after a couple of minutes, and looked into Skye's eyes as she smiled tiredly up at him, "you heard every word, didn't you?" he asked with a fake irritated look on his face, the mischievous grin on his lips giving him away.
"Maybe," Skye said before kissing him sweetly. "I love you, you know," she added, her fingers stroking the side of his face as their eyes were fixed on one another through the dark.
"I know you do Princess. I love you too."
Placing her head into the crook of Ian's neck, the couple quickly became entwined. Ian was clinging on to his wife for dear life, his whole body shivering as it dawned on him how far they'd come.
"What would have happened?" Ian whispered into Skye's hair.
"What do you mean?"
"If you'd died. If you'd not woken up. What would have happened to me?"
Ian was staring at Skye so forcefully that she could almost feel his eyes burning into her. It was like he was committing her to his memory, taking in every detail of the woman laying at his side.
"Baby, you never have to worry about that. I'm here. We're here. We're married and have a beautiful baby. Just focus on what is and not what might have been. We got through it."
Tears sprang to Skye's eyes as she talked to Ian, trying with all of her might to quash his inner turmoil. She hated the far away looks she caught from him throughout that day. She knew what he was thinking. He was picturing her in a coma, broken and battered. He had to see her now. Focus on that moment.
"Look how far we've come? You, me and Brooke. You're all I've ever wanted. This is what I fought for. This is what I came back for." Skye got up on her knees, leaning over Ian to try and make him see sense. "I don't want to live in the past. I want to focus on the here and now. Just us and our baby."
"You're right. Of course you are. I'm just being an emotional idiot," Ian grinned widely, not wasting anytime before pulling Skye back down to the bed and wrapping himself around her.
"Yeah Somerhalder you are. A loving, sexy, perfect idiot."