The alarm clock vibrated with the morning announcer’s overly excited voice. A stray hand reached over and nearly knocked it off of the bed stand in the effort to turn it off. Leeteuk sat up on the edge of the bed and stretched. He looked beside him when his wife groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore the sunlight that was streaming in through the windows. He walked into the bathroom and got ready for the day. When he walked out, Heechul was still curled up in the bed, the duvet pulled tightly around her so that only a tuft of pitch black hair was seen amidst the white blanket. He knew she did that just to show off that she could; even if it was just for the time being. He most certainly wasn’t going to take away that comfort.

He walked out of the room and down the stairs to the room under the landing. He opened the door and the small light that was next to it. The small bodies that were wrapped up in the blankets turned over in response to the sudden light. Just like their mother. Leeteuk thought, rolling his eyes. Heechul’s habits were easily picked up, especially by the twins.

“Okay, you two, time to get up. School today.”

Siwon rolled over to look at his father.

“I don’t want to.” He pouted. Yep. Definitely his mother.

“Well you have to.” Leeteuk walked over and pulled the covers back, turning his son so that he wouldn’t be able to curl back up. He did the same thing with the other twin, Ryewook. She had a calmer reaction to the wake-up call than her brother. Yes, she was a daddy’s girl.

He ruffled their hair before walking out and leaving them to get ready for the day once he knew they would do so.

“Breakfast in five minutes.” When he heard a resounding “yes sir”, he closed the door behind him and headed into the kitchen to start breakfast.

After three years of marriage, the couple had decided that it was time for them to start a family. It had become impossible for Heechul to have children of her own due to the injury she had received so they opted for adoption. They had gone to the nearest orphanage and inquired about the process. They were given a packet of information and possible children. They had seen the names of the twins and known that they were the ones and within the year they had a set of twins in their car on the way home. Siwon and Ryewook had been theirs for almost two years now making them 7 years old.

Heechul was standing against the counter when he reached the doorway sipping a steaming cup of coffee, while staring off into space. Leeteuk leaned against the frame and watched her, the left side of his mouth turned up in a half smile, showing the dimple in his cheek. She was wearing his shirt that she grabbed out of the dryer and a pair of sweats. She had done nothing with her hair except throw it up in a clip and kept it out of her face with a headband. Her glasses donned her face, fogging slightly from the steam coming off of the coffee. They stayed like that for a moment before Heechul realized that her husband was there. She looked at him slightly startled then shrugged it off when she saw his expression.

“Creeper face alert.” She smirked when he pushed off of the wall and walked towards her.

“Good morning sleeping beauty.” Leeteuk said, wrapping his arms around her waist. Heechul put her coffee on the counter next to her and smiled.

“Good morning.” She rested her hands on his chest and allowed him to place a kiss on her lips. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes I did. Thank you.” Leeteuk placed another kiss on her forehead and backed away to get the kids’ breakfasts ready for when they came into the kitchen. It wasn’t another two minutes before two sets of little feet began making their way slowly towards them. They sat down right as their father placed two bowls of cereal and toast in front of them and began to eat with a tired daze.

“You two stayed up last night didn’t you?” Heechul asked, eyeing their tired faces with the observation skills only a mother could possess. Siwon met his mother’s eye but looked away quickly when he saw her expression. Ryewook said nothing but stared at her bowl. The only time she moved was to give her dad a look that said help.

“I told you not to.” She leaned forward against the island in front of them. “Now you see what happens when you don’t listen to Mommy and Daddy?” They nodded. “Alright. So we’re going to listen from now on. Deal?” They nodded again and finished their breakfast. By the time they were finished the kitchen had gone from quiet to noisy with the voices of two children who had just fully woken up. They spent the rest of their breakfast time talking about what they had planned for school that day.

“So, what are your plans for today, my love?” Leeteuk asked once the twins had gone to finish getting ready for school. He had helped her put the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher and they were finishing off their coffee together.

“Well, I’m going to clean this place up a little bit first. It’s been a week since we’ve done any vacuuming and it’s starting to show.” Heechul looked around at her house and shook her head. She had always been able to keep a clean house. Especially during the first three years of their marriage. But ever since the twins came into their lives, the house just fell by the wayside.

Crayons and papers were strewn all over the table where they did their homework every day. Kid’s films were the only things filling the TV cabinet. The only rooms that Heechul and Leeteuk had to themselves were the upstairs rooms. One side was their offices: Heechul’s library with a large desk to the side for Leeteuk’s things. She had moved her worn couch from the apartment into the room. To the other side of the upstairs landing was their bedroom and even that wasn’t so much their own anymore. Every once in a while they would hear little feet on the stairs and a little fame would come into the room and crawl into bed followed by the other set of feet following close behind. It wasn’t like they minded either. The twins meant everything to them.

“Then I’m probably going to try to get another chapter or two finished. I know you’re wanting to get the publication out within the next couple of months.” Heechul added.

“Yeah, that would be nice.” He smiled and kissed her forehead. Little tapping could be heard coming down the hall at a fast pace in a race to the front door. “Hey! Be careful!” he leaned out the door to the kitchen shouting.

“Alright sweetie. I’ll see you tonight.”

“See you. Oh don’t forget we’ve got Donghae and Eunhyuk coming over tonight.” Heechul said after him.

“Got it. I’ll drop by and pick up something for dinner then. Donghae’s eating for two now isn’t she?” Leeteuk asked. His wife nodded with a proud smile. “Well then I’ll pick up extra. I’ll see you when I get home honey. I love you.”

“I love you too.” He kissed her quickly and ran out the door after the twins.

Heechul climbed the stairs after making sure the doors were securely locked and settled into her library. She hadn’t moved from her spot when she heard the downstairs door close followed by heavy footfalls leading to the kitchen. Leeteuk had come home. Small footsteps and voices came up the stairs to the landing. Siwon and Ryewook burst into the library to find their mother lounged out on the couch, a large hardback book in her hands.

“MOMMY!” They shouted as they ran and jumped onto the sofa next to her. Lola, who had gotten past the point of fearing for her life whenever the children came around, jumped from her position next to her master and curled up in the windowsill a few feet away just in time to keep from being squashed.

“Well, hello.” Heechul closed the book and set it on the table beside her. She adjusted herself so that they could all sit comfortably. “How was school today?”

The twins proceeded to tell their mother about their day at school. It being Friday, they both got treats from the prize basket for good behavior and received congratulations from their parents. Siwon especially found this idea of a prize for good behavior exhilarating. After a while, Leeteuk came up the stairs.

“Alright you two. Time to let Mommy get ready. Aunt Donghae and Uncle Eunhyuk are coming over tonight for dinner. Go wash up and get ready.”

“YAY! Uncle Eunhyuk and Aunt Donghae are coming!” they shrieked and ran to do as they were told.

“Hello.” Leeteuk said, turning to his wife.

“Hello.” She answered, tilting her head to accept a kiss. “How was work?”

“It was work. I’m just glad it’s Friday.”

“I’m right there with you. I’m ready to have everyone home again.” Heechul said. She sighed, putting her book in its proper spot in the stack next to the couch. Leeteuk noticed her struggle to get up and offered his hand in assistance. She gratefully accepted.

“Are you taking that medicine the doctor prescribed? You know it hurts worse this time of year.” He asked.

“Yeah, I know. And no, I haven’t been taking it. I will though.”

“Good. I don’t like seeing you in pain like that.” Though in his mind, nothing could ever be worse than seeing the woman who he had always seen as and would describe as fierce in the state of near death that she was those years ago. It was an image he wanted nothing more than to forget but could do nothing to make that possible.

This time, he looked at her as if she were that exact same girl that she was before any of this had happened: the eccentric woman with a personality as colorful and eclectic as her clothing and a fire in her eyes that nothing could ever extinguish. He smiled at the thought and leaned down to kiss her. She gladly responded, returning the gesture. When they broke apart, he took her hand and led her down the stairs, walking forward into their lives with their family. There was no other way for them to go. But then again, what more could they want?

********

And after a year, it is complete!!! :D hope you enjoyed it and that it was worth the wait! Let me know what you think. Check out my other stories as well. Thanks for your time and have fun!!! :D