Moira sat by the window, waiting. She'd sent Kurt out for groceries a few hours ago, and hopefully he'd be home soon so she could start dinner. Being a typical teenager, he didn't always do exactly what was asked of him. For the most part, he was a good kid, but he had his moments of rebellion and she hoped today wasn't one of those days. The girls were upstairs doing their homework and the hour was growing later and everyone would be demanding food soon. She just needed a few onions and some butter.

Were she able to, it would have been a very quick trip. In and out. But it had been a good year since she'd left the house by herself. She simply wouldn't do it anymore. If her husband was around, people tended to leave her alone, but when she ventured outside on her own, they were cruel. The persecution she faced daily simply for being human from the people of Genosha was sometimes too much. She realized the irony, and developed an understanding of how mutants were treated in the human world.

She never opened up to Azazel about it. If she did, she knew he'd want them to leave, and she couldn't do that to her children. They had so much here, their lives were good. It was important to her they were safe and happy, more important than her own happiness. Their happiness was her happiness.

Although she would be more happy if she saw her husband more often. Within the last year, Azazel's work with Magneto seemed to triple. There were weeks he was never around, and once he was gone an entire month. She hated it, this was not the initial deal they'd made. But again, seeing her children thrive made her wary to say anything. She was prepared to at very least get them through their teens here, through their school years, and then see what could be next.

"Hey Mom?" Moira looked up to see her youngest at the stairs. "When's dinner?"

"Soon, Cyn," she replied, standing up. The girl had grown so much. No longer her baby. She'd be ten next year. All her children were grown. Christine was twelve, on the verge of becoming a teen, and Kurt was 16, a perfectly afflicted teenager. "I'm waiting for your brother to bring back some stuff."

The girl sighed and walked to her. "He always takes forever. If he's such a good teleporter it should take like, five minutes!"

"I know," Moira pulled the girl close to her and gave her a little kiss on the head. "Did you finish your homework?"

The girl nodded. "Can I go outside?"

"Sure," Moira let her go and the child ran to the backyard. A couple minutes later, Christine came bounding down the stairs.

"I'm done with my homework, I'm going to go to Linda's house!" she called.

"Hold on!" Moira rushed to meet her at the door. "We're going to have dinner soon, aren't you going to stay?"

"I'll have dinner at Linda's," Christine told her.

Moira crossed her arms. "It's a school night, Chrissy."

Christine rolled her eyes. "I'll be home by 8."

Moira sighed. "Alright, fine." The girl all but ran out the door. It felt like everyone was constantly running in different directions in her family. Sometimes she found herself dreaming about the time when they were younger, and they operated as a single family unit. When all they needed were each other.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar sound of a teleport in the other room. She rushed over. "Kurt, what took so-" she paused in admonishing her son when she took in her husband, removing his coat. She rushed forward and threw her arms around him. "I thought you wouldn't be back til next week!"

"Wasn't supposed to," he told her. "Snuck away for night. Need to be back tomorrow." He pulled her in close. "Couldn't go one more minute without seeing moya koroleva."

She smiled and leaned in for a kiss. They held onto each other tightly as they did, he parting only to raise a brow. "We make most of night, da?"

"Wait," she sighed. "I have to make dinner for the kids."

He looked around. "Where are they?"

"Christine is at Linda's, and Kurt went to get some things for dinner. Cynthia is outside," she told him. He dug in one of his pockets and came up with some bills, throwing them on the table. He let go of Moira to move to the back door, leaning out to find his daughter.

"Cyn!" he called. The girl looked over from the swing set. "I leave money on table. When Kurt come home, order pizza." He turned back to Moira and grabbed onto her. "Now, we have night to selves." He leaned in to nuzzle her neck and teleported them to their bedroom.

~&Q~

She had no idea when Kurt or Christine came home, no idea if they'd eaten. They hadn't bothered their parents, which meant they'd most definitely taken care of themselves. The night had been spent in each others' arms, a place they sadly were not able to be as often as they wanted. Moira's head lay on her love's chest, his heartbeat ringing in her ears. She'd long enjoyed listening to it, hearing the life of the man who she'd promised hers to. It was the familiar rhythm she knew from when they were much younger, and would be the rhythm she'd know when they were much older. She couldn't help but smile, imagining them as an old couple, in the same position. Grey and wrinkled, but still as in love as the first time they'd been together.

She rose up a bit, resting her chin on him so she could take in his face. The years seemed to be catching up with him, the grey from his side burns now creeping to his temple. The lines in his face were deeper, and he'd taken to growing a full goatee. He'd cut his hair short again a few years back, though now it seemed shorter than it had ever been. She knew she had changed too. Once or twice she'd found a grey hair of her own, and the lines in her face didn't disappear the way they used to. Regardless of the changes, they still found each other irresistible, and that was all that mattered.

Azazel shifted, and Moira moved off him. After a groan, his eyes opened and he looked to her with a yawn. "What is time?"

She turned to the clock. "Almost 6 am. The kids will be getting up for school in an hour."

He sighed and sat up, turning to place his feet on the floor. "I have to get back."

"Not yet," Moira sat up as well and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his back. "Stay a bit longer."

"Can't," he told her, and turned to face her. "Need to be back. Don't want to be missed."

"I hate this," she frowned. "I hate you being gone all the time. Can't we talk with Erik? This is getting ridiculous."

Azazel shrugged. "I do not like either. But is part of deal. If we stay, I work."

Moira's shoulders slumped. There was the rub. If they wanted to stay, they had to get used to this. It just seemed unfair. Every month, he seemed to spend more time away.

Her husband smirked and cupped her cheek with his hand. "Miss you every second I am away," he leaned in for a kiss. "Think of you and children all the time. Keep you close to my heart." He stood up and searched for his clothing, getting dressed. Moira laid back in the bed, watching him.

"Things have just changed so much," she said.

"Children are growing up," he agreed as he pulled his pants on. "Soon will be just us." He leaned over her with a smile. "We'll never get out of bed." He kissed her.

She smiled back. "Don't rush it," she told him. "They're still young. I want them to stay young a bit longer."

He nodded and pulled away, grabbing his shirt. They were silent as he finished dressing, then he leaned in for one last kiss. "Will be home next week, koroleva. Promise."

Moira sighed as he pulled away. A week without him. Today was the first time she'd seen him in two. It was too much. He gave a small smile and left the room. She knew he was checking in on the kids before he left. She heard his teleportation signature from the hallway and knew he was gone. Hopefully, he'd be back within the next week. Though, really, who knew?

She sighed and rolled over in bed. This wasn't what she'd wanted from their lives. But it was all for the children. As she closed her eyes, trying to get maybe a bit more sleep, the alarm went off. Time to get them ready for school.

~&Q~

It begins! I have had to deal with my computer falling apart between the last fic and this one, and almost lost it! But happily, my data was able to be restored!

I've been struggling with this one quite a bit, and was going to hold off on posting, but am thinking perhaps feedback from you all will help.

Enjoy! And, of course, review away!