Something indistinct teases her senses, and Malia stirs beneath a tangle of warm blankets. Their bed is warm and incredibly comfortable, and something within it smells just delectable. She hums contentedly, as she reaches out beneath the blanket to bring the source of it closer. Her eyes flutter open as she realizes that she's alone in the middle of their bed, with her face pressed greedily into Stiles' pillow. She lifts her head and squints around the dimly lit room.

His clothes are gone from the floor. The bathroom door is slightly ajar, but it's empty. He hasn't been gone long though. She can still taste the damp air from his shower. And traces of his shampoo and aftershave still linger in the air. Distantly, she hears the clatter of pots and pans and the low rumble of voices in the kitchen She flops back onto her pillows and stretches languidly.

She lingers there comfortably for a few minutes and enjoys the familiar sounds of home. Feet shuffling in the kitchen. The steady drip of the coffeemaker. Bacon sizzling in the pan on the stove. The patter of Obi's feet on the hardwood floor. Tate babbling and jangling his toys. The sleep roughened timbre of Stiles' voice as he chats quietly with Rory. The little girl's laughter floats up the stairs, and her heart swells.

She remembers doing this as a child, laying in bed on Saturday mornings and listening to the sound of her parents chatting in the kitchen, knowing that it wouldn't be long before her little sister Lindsay would come giggling up the stairs to wake her. After the accident she never thought she would get to have this again. To be a part of a family.

She allows herself for a moment to remember the sweet sound of her mom's voice, and the sight of Lindsay's pigtails bobbing as she moved. But only a moment before throwing off her covers and rolling out of bed. She reclaims her flannel pyjamas from the floor. She shrugs them back on and combs her fingers through her hair, before padding barefoot down the stairs.

Obi barks and wags his tail rushing to meet her at the foot of the stairs. Malia scratches between his ears, "Hey, buddy," she says, fondly.

"MAL!" Rory cries, as she jumps down off the kitchen counter where she had been sitting helping Stiles stir something in a mixing bowl. The little girl crashes into her, hugging her fiercely.

Malia chuckles, ruffling the girl's wild black curls, "Hi, short-stuff."

"We're making you waffles!" she says, as she pulls back. Malia smirks at the smudge of flour on the girl's noise.

"I never would have guessed," she teased. Rory grabs her hand and tugs her into the kitchen.

As Malia steps up to the counter, Stiles wraps an arm around her middle and presses a lingering kiss to her temple, "Mornin', baby."

She leans into him, grinning stupidly. She's never thought of herself as the kind of girl that would go weak in the knees over a few sweet words. Much less the type of person that would tolerate cutesy pet names. But there's just something about the rough timbre of his voice when he calls her baby that warms her all the way to her toes.

When he leans away Malia rises up on her toes and gives him a slow, gentle kiss.

"Yuck, mushy stuff." Rory whines.

Malia pulls away from Stiles and raises an eyebrow at the little girl, "Don't worry, Rory I saved some for you."

The little girl lets out a little yip of surprise as Malia darts down and blows a raspberry on her cheek. Rory giggles and stumbles backward, brushing off her cheek.

"Ew, you slimed me!" Malia lets out a silvery laugh and ruffles the girl's hair.

Rory stuck out her tongue playfully in response. "Why don't you go see if there's something in my jacket pocket, you little monster."

"You brought me something?"

Malia shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know you'll have to go check." Rory giggles and dashes for the front door and Malia smirks at the little girl's excitement. She reminds her so much of how Lindsay used to be.

Malia turns back toward her husband and grins when he holds out a cup of coffee to her. Malia takes the mug from him with a warm, "Thank you," her eyes flitting over him none to subtly as she takes a sip. He's already dressed for work in a red and blue plaid dress shirt and dark blue tie, with his sheriff's deputy badge clipped onto his belt. She really likes that shirt on him because it brings out his big brown eyes.

Malia sets down her mug on the counter and grabs a handful of Stiles' shirt, pulling him down for a kiss. Stiles hums in the back of his throat and hooks an arm around her middle, tugging her closer. Malia chuckles into his mouth as they bump noses, and her hands slid up his chest to grip his face as she kisses him thoroughly.

"Hmm, I missed you." He mumbles against her lips, as they breakaway to catch their breath.

Malia laces her arms around his neck and and leans in to nuzzle against his ear, "So nice to be appreciated." She whispers playfully in his ear.