A/N: Henri= Ahn-ri

Work Text:

"Papaaaaaaaa."

Ansell groaned, rolling over.

Belle chuckled sleepily from the other side of their bed. "They're coming." She said into her pillow, listening to the slapping of little feet coming down the hall from the brightly painted nursery. The sound a distinct addition to the pattering of spring rain on the windows. "There's no escape."

"Another hour would have been nice." Her husband sighed, grabbing his linen breeches and tugging them on before sitting up and pulling back his hair. Through the dim stormy light trickling in through the drapes of their modest house, he smiled down at Belle.

"What?" She yawned, still curled in her spot and enjoying all of the quilts keeping away the chilly morning air.

Reaching down, he gently pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. Able to still get lost in her eyes after all their years together. "Just enjoying the calm before the storm. Two very small storms to be more precise, one of them rather loud and dramatic."

"I wonder who he gets that from." She sleepily kissed his fingers.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He ignored the raised eyebrow. "Do you need to sleep in a bit, Darling? It is Sunday after all. No school, the sh-" He suggested, unable to continue as the door opened with a click of the latch and the children wandered in.

"Paaaaapaaaaa." The youngest of their clan, all of twelve months, called out rather dramatically. Throwing his arms outward towards his father, he toddled with haste into the room in just his diaper.

"Bernard, why do you always take off your gown?" Ansell chuckled, reaching over the side of the bed and scooping up his fat bellied boy. "Hm? Aren't you cold you silly boy?" Kissing the crop of fluffy brown hair, he couldn't help but smile as Bernard settled into his lap and played with his hair and beard. Jabbering all the while, telling his papa all sorts of things, though his papa couldn't understand most of it. "Good morning to you too, Mon Petit. Busy day in store for us I see."

"Maman?"

Belle lifted her head up and smiled warmly to the soon to be four-year-old crawling on his knees over to her. "Good morning, Henri." Reaching out, she helped him lay down next to her, getting a kiss on her cheek for the effort.

"Maman, are you tired?" Henri Alexander asked sweetly, giggling as she brushed the chestnut brown hair out of his eyes and tickled his chin.

"Yes, Papa's going to make breakfast while I sleep in a little." Watching his eyes wander down from her face, she pushed the covers back and watched his gentle hands go to feel her growing belly. "Here," guiding a little palm to the right spot, she watched her eldest's brow knit to the tumbles and stretches of their future youngest. His fingers spreading out, smart brown eyes processing the fact that his mother was growing a sibling.

"That's a lot of kicking, Maman." Henri exclaimed rather seriously.

"It is." Belle exhaled tiredly, running her palm up and down the length of her stomach. Listening to the sounds of Bernard getting tickled on the other side of the bed, a weary smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as Ansell hauled the boy up to his face to kiss and nibble on him.

"Do you think it's a sister?" He asked, eyes still glued to the spot hidden by her nightgown.

Ansell sighed wistfully at the thought, wincing when he caught a whiff of his youngest's diaper. "Alright, you. Let's go clean you up and get you fed."

"Num, num, nummmm." Bernard agreed.

"I don't know." Belle was a well aware what of Henri wanted, as well as what Ansell wanted with their newest member of the family. Her husband had been hoping for a little girl ever since she had told him Henri was on the way. And while he treasured their sons and loved them with all this heart, she knew he quietly, achingly wanted a daughter.

"Bernard is so loud." her eldest told her with a hint of annoyance.

His father laughed lightly as the weight of his feet made the floorboards groan. "That's an understatement."

"PAPA, NUM NUM?" Their toddler asked, big wet brown eyes gazing up at him. With his older brother more quiet, thoughtful, and prone to painting with Grandpapa in his studio, Bernard's grand entrance had been a bit of an adjustment.

"If it's a girl she could be loud too." His mother reminded Henri. "But I need to try to sleep some more."

"Okay, Maman." He closed his eyes as she drew his head in and kissed his forehead. "I'll help Papa with breakfast."

He was such a good helper, her sweet little Henri. "As soon as I get some rest we'll find something to do while it's raining out." His mother reassured, watching as Ansell assisted Henri out of bed and nudged him towards the door.

With a squirming, prattling Bernard tucked under an arm, he bent down. "Anything specific for breakfast?" letting the boy loose, the baby went rushing off to harass his brother as he knelt. Taking the time to help his wife roll onto her other side, plucking his pillows from his side of the bed and using them to give her support.

"We still have those pastries from yesterday. One of those with some tea, please?" She looked appreciatively up at him. So doting was her husband, and with their third child on the way, an expert. Well aware of the aches and pains that came with pregnancy, as well knowing when it was best to give her space.

"Of course, Darling." Reaching down, he rubbed the spot where his son or daughter was steadily growing. No more had been their last talk. Three was plenty, especially when Bernard had the energy of two. "You know, maybe you should take your sabbatical early." He watched her face fall into a half-awake scowl. "It's just this one's been troublesome, Darling. You've been exhausted after classes, and you know father and I don't mind taking over more with the boys."

"Can we fight about it later?" She suggested, slipping a hand over his own, his gentle ministrations helping settle their feisty little one. "I still have three months."

"I'll hold you to it." Dipping down he kissed his wife, cupping her face while being well aware it was an argument he wouldn't win. "I love you."

"I love you too." she squeezed his hand. "Thank you for being such a good father."

"Thank you for making me one." He whispered, brushing his nose against her own.

"Bernard!" Henri's voice cried out from the nursery.

Ansell rolled his eyes and got up, much to his wife's amusement. Hurrying off to see what had been upended, and what Papa needed to do to set things straight.

-Fin-

A/N: Whaaaat. This is canon for Never A Happily Ever After? Yes, yes it is. Ansell and Belle and Henri and Bernard (bless him) and... well... You guys can't have everything. Patience. But, this was a warm up piece a few weeks ago and I thought it would be appropriate for today. I would also consider this taking place somewhere before the epilogue of NAHEA. I hope you enjoy it.

Kudos, Bookmarks, and Comments are all appreciated. I don't know what exactly I can answer/give away with questions since this thing is riddled with little spoilers and threads to more spoilers, but you're more than welcome to ask.

And to all the Dads, guys who stepped in when there wasn't a dad, gals who stepped in when there wasn't a dad, to the cat dads, the dog dads, the assorted pet dads, to the dads who lost their kids and are still dads, and the dads who are waiting for their kids to arrive, Happy Father's Day.