darker_london | More Happy News (Peter, Aly, Kids) Rating: PG

The second Anna had arrived back home, she'd burst into tears. That afternoon, someone had accidently pushed her over on the playground and her leg now sported an ugly wound running from the knee to the ankle. She'd been fine until she caught sight of her Daddy, however. Then she'd suddenly remembered she was hurt and out came the waterworks. Sometimes it was easy to forget that Anna was an 8 year old girl. And sometimes I was really very easy to remember. "Oh, Sweetheart, what happened?" Peter asked scooping her up and holding her tightly.

"I- I -I- Feeeeeellllllllllll!" Anna said between sobs.

"You fell?" Peter wondered why they hadn't called him. He supposed it was just a skinned knee, but she was obviously traumatised. "On the playground?" Anna nodded into his neck and he smoothed his hand over her back. "Oh my poor angel. It's okay. You're okay now." He paced around with her as Lydia and Caleb passed him, giving Anna sympathetic looks that she didn't see.

"Someone-pushed-meeeee!" Anna sobbed.

"Someone pushed you?!" Peter's voice rose.

"It was an accident." Lydia spoke up, reaching up to grab an apple from the fruitbowl. "His name's Riley and he's new. He's kind of silly and he tripped and fell and pushed Anna too.

Peter nodded his thanks to Lydia. "I see. And the nurse patched you up?" Anna nodded against his shoulder. "That was nice of him." Peter continued to pace the kitchen as Anna's sobs died down. "Do you want me to hold you for a little while, Angel?"

"Bitte, Daddy." Anna said softly. Peter did just that. Cearly she was just in the mood to cling. Poor thing. He walked into the living room where Aly was sitting. He smiled to her and she raised her eyebrows and stood.

"Everything alright?" She said, placing her hand softly on Anna's back.

"Anna had a bit of a fall and now we're pacing. Do you want Aly to kiss you better, Annachen? Mums are very good at that you know. Magic kisses." Anna giggled lightly into Peter's neck and Aly grinned up at him. Peter turned around so Aly could face Anna and then Aly gave her a big kiss on the cheek and then on the leg, where her wound was covered in white bandages.

"There. All kissed better." Aly said with a grin.

"Danke!" Anna said happily. She squirmed in her father's arms and Peter put her down. "I'm going to have an orange!" She said, trotting off to the kitchen.

Peter raised his eyebrows. "You do have magic kisses!"

Aly chuckled. "You already knew that, didn't you?" She neared him and kissed him chastely on the lips.

Peter smiled. "Oh I knew that." He slipped his arms around her and grinned wider at the happy sounds coming from the kitchen as their kids had their afterschool snacks. He rested his face next to hers and sighed contentedly. At least for the moment, he could pretend everything was just fine.

Aly gave him a squeeze and then pulled away. She went to pick up the papers she'd been looking through and Peter watched her, marvelling at the way the late afternoon sunshine lit up her hair. Without realising he was saying anything, he said "Marry me."

Aly froze. Without turning around, she asked, "What?"

"What?!" Peter realised what he'd said. "I..er..."

Aly did turn around then, a look of confusion on her face. But it wasn't bad confusion, Peter was relieved to note. "Did you just ask-"

Peter nodded. "I think so! I..I bought a ring in New York. I wasn't going to do it right away, I just wanted to have it because how often would I be in New York to buy one and...I'm stalling will you marry me."

The look of confusion faded into a huge grin. "Of course I will!" She dropped the papers and gave him a tight squeeze before kissing him again. Sure they'd been together less time than she and William had, but they'd already been through enough to realise their relationship would last. Caleb called Peter Daddy. They were going to have a baby together. And she loved him.

Peter pulled back quickly. "Oh the ring! The ring thing! I totally messed this up!" He grinned awkwardly and then dashed up the stairs. Aly just laughed at him as he took them two by two. When he returned, slightly out of breath, he held up a blue box that could only be from Tiffany&Co. Aly's mouth fell open slightly and she opened the box to reveal an oval cut diamond on a white gold band.

"Peter...it's perfect."

Peter turned red and smiled. "There's...more..." He said as he pulled out more boxes. "I...kind of went mad...see I know you like rubies but I didn't figure you'd want them on a ring you wore all the time, so I got you these..."

Aly slipped the engagement ring onto her finger and then she opened the other boxes as well. They were filled with ruby jewelry. "You're...I'm...you're...I'm so spoiled."

Peter shook his head and he took her into his arms. "No. I love you so much and making you happy makes me happy. Hence the...mad there. The thought of you smiling made what I was dealing with so much better."

Aly didn't even know what to say. Well, except for "I love you too..." which was all he wanted to hear anyway.