A response to CTMSundays prompt: bedtime. I decided to twist it by looking yp bedtime related phrases resulting in Bedtime Cape (A sheet or blanket that one tosses around their back and holds onto while running around the house screaming "I have my bedtime cape on."). As a result this fic was born…and then twisted itself once more.

'Shelagh come here. Sit down love.' Patrick cried exasperated as his petite wife ran past him once more at a rather alarming speed.

'No I'm quite alright as I am thank you darling. Don't you think I look good? I feel good!' She grinned at him from the opposite side of the room.

'You look incredibly ravishing. But what on earth are you doing?'

'I have my bedtime cape on.' She said, as if that in and of itself explained the current situation. He had come home in the early hours of the morning after a particularly difficult breech birth expecting to collapse straight into bed and curl up against his slumbering wife. The tranquillity she exuded whilst sleeping never ceased to amaze and calm him. Even after the most harrowing of days he drew strength and peace of mind from embracing her. The thought of once more tapping from the endless pool of her wonder had been the only thing keeping him sane during the past 14 hours. Instead he had opened the front door to find Shelagh sliding down the barristers in her (technically his) night shirt which was tucked into her delightfully delicate panties with a blanket tied around her neck to form a cape like structure. He suddenly noticed the empty whisky bottle lying on the dining table. Shelagh was drunk! And surprisingly stable footed and clearly spoken. A memory came to him of her revealing to him that, as a result of her somewhat troubled teenager years, she had developed a startlingly level head whilst intoxicated.

'I can see that. Why do you have a cape on?'

'Because I'm a superhero silly.' She giggled at his confusion. Of course she was a superhero. What else could she be? Patrick could be so dense sometimes. She thought as she spun so that the material flared out around her.

'Ah. And to what do I owe the pleasure Superwoman? And may I ask what you've done with my wife?'

'Your wife is safe sir I assure you, although she is currently very much wanting to tear that hideous jumper of yours off and ravish you on the sofa. Would you like that Doctor? Would you like me to ravish you? Or would you prefer to have your way with me? It doesn't have to be the sofa you know. I'm sure we can make full use of the kitchen table and counters or the bathroom…somehow-you'll have to give me a minute to work out the logistics.' Shelagh grinned lecherously, desire suddenly igniting in her eyes. Taken off guard by the sudden change in the direction and tone of the conversation Patrick could not help but let out a groan at the words pouring from the vision in front of him, his mind unable to resist conjuring up images of such events as she described. His wife evidently sensed his distracted state of mind as he suddenly felt himself being pushed onto the sofa. Grinning further she began to dance seductively before him, hands wandering over her body in the most erotic, and unshelagh like, display he had ever seen.

'Darling-'

'Shhh. Let me dance me for you, you gorgeously delicious man.' Part of his brain was screaming at him to stop her in her tracks before she did something she may regret the next morning and yet he couldn't find strength to halt her. Slowly she began to unbutton her shirt until it was closed only at the navel. She slid her hands up to the blanket at her neck and started to untie it but found it much tighter than she had imagined. She began to tug at it roughly, eager to continue onwards with her plan of seduction. Absorbed in her efforts she did not notice that her feet were getting increasingly tangled in the pooled blanket dangling onto the floor. With an almighty yank she lurched forwards but found her feet unable to move with her which resulted in her falling face first into her husband's embrace.

'Would you like some help with that knot Superwoman?'

'Yes please.'

'I'll help on one condition. You go up to bed to sleep as soon as it is done.' He said, finally shaken from the trance he had fallen into.

'Do you not want to make love to me? Don't you find me attractive anymore? Is it because of my scar?' She frowned, her bravado suddenly falling victim to the vulnerability that had been plaguing her since her diagnosis.

'Of course I still find you attractive. You are the most beautiful, most desirable, sexiest woman I have ever seen. And your scar is beautiful my love, it reminds me how strong you are, how lucky I am that you are alive and of the journey it took for us to be together. Okay? So do you agree? You'll go to bed?' He asked as he feathered kisses across her eyelids, cheeks, nose before finally capturing her lips in a tender kiss.

'I agree. So long as you promise to make love to me, on the sofa, tomorrow.' She grinned, desire rising once more.

'Okay.'

'You promise?'

'I promise.' Patrick smiled as he undid the tricky knot that had only gotten tighter as Shelagh had pulled on it. 'There you go. You're free. Now let's go to sleep. But first let's get you some water and lay out some aspirin for tomorrow morning. I know you drank a lot of whisky without hangover back in Scotland but you're not a teenager anymore.'

'Yes dear.' She yawned snuggling into his side.

'Good morning Superwoman.' Patrick grinned as Shelagh slunk into the kitchen timidly.

'Oh no. That wasn't a horrible horrible dream was it?'

'No.' She groaned, slumping into one of the kitchen chairs with a thump.

'I thought not.'

'My love. What happened last night?' He asked leaning across the table to take her hands in his.

'Tim was out at Colin's house for the weekend and you were gone at the delivery and I hadn't seen you in 40 hours. I should have been due my cycle 3 days ago and it brought home the fact that I wouldn't have a child to keep me company when my boys were out. I tried reading and listening to music, watching TV, cleaning, cooking but nothing could distract me. So I turned to my old friend whiskey. I was then reading one of Timothy's comics when the idea to dress up as a superhero presented itself. I'm sorry Patrick. What must you think of me?' She hid her head in her arms, unable to look her husband in the eye. She shuddered to imagine the disappointed look on his face. To her surprise she heard the unmistakable sound of him laughing, shocked she looked up to see him shaking with barely suppressed cackles. 'Patrick? Please don't laugh at me.'

'I'm sorry my love. I was just remembering something. How much do you actually remember from last night?'

'I remember bits and pieces. Mostly from when you got home I think, before that point I had no one to talk to so I have no relational knowledge.'

'Do you remember trying to seduce me?' He grinned.

'...not a lot of it. What did I do?'

'Tried to striptease but you got tangled in your cape and fell onto the sofa. This was after you began seductively dancing for me.'

'Oh.'

'Shelagh look at me.' He crouched next to her chair. 'I don't judge you badly for last night. Far from it. I've never been more in love with you. Seeing you so carefree was wonderful. I always knew you had a playful side hidden and I'm honoured that I got to see it. Though in future I would prefer you don't attempt to slide down the barristers or jump off of furniture whilst drunk. Especially if you are alone in the house. You were lucky to not injure yourself last night. I'm sorry you've been so lonely. It's just been so busy with the sudden influx of polio vaccinations.'

'It'd be pretty stupid of me to complain about polio vaccinations.' She smiled, relieved that her husband did not resent her for her stupid, drunken behaviour. She really was a lucky woman to have him for her husband.

'Indeed. But I'm still sorry. Dr Jansen has stepped in to take up the slack with that. I've taken the rest of the weekend off. Tim's not back until tomorrow. Do you have any suggestions for how we could spend the time Mrs Turner.'

'Why yes Dr Turner I do. If I recall you made a promise to Superwoman last night.' She lit up as the memory suddenly popped into her head.

'And a gentleman always fulfils his promise.' He grinned knowingly at her.

'Oh darling. Gentlemanly conduct was not what Superwoman was thinking of.' She purred as she wrapped her arms around his neck

'Maybe Superwoman could help show me then.' He smirked.

'I'm sure that can be arranged.'

FIN