The cold air hits everyone a little harder than they expected it to the very moment that they set foot outside of the airport. Harry surprised Mary and Ember a few weeks ago with a mini vacation to Sweden and they've finally made it. He figured that everyone needed a little break and that Sweden would be perfect because it's beautiful and calm and maybe it would help Mary get back into photography.

She'd told him how she missed it and how she wants to get back into it, and he thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to give her some time to rekindle what she loves and to get away from work for a little while.

In Ember's case, she gets to experience another part of the world and a different culture and Harry thinks that it's incredibly important because she'll learn some things and she won't feel like they're trying to keep her in her home town forever.

"It's cold!"

Harry and Mary laugh, "Of course it is! It's not summer over here!"

Mary knew that this would happen because Ember protested when she tried to get her to wear warmer clothes, so she brought her a heavy coat in their carry on. She helps Ember into the sleeves as Harry tries to get them a cab to their hotel.

"See, mother knows best." She kisses Ember's cheek to let her know that she isn't scolding her, "Don't worry, I packed your warm clothes after you ran downstairs to see Harry."

Harry chuckles lightly as he finally catches a cab driver's attention. Ember's adorable and he loves that Mary took the time to correct her bad decision without upsetting her in the process. She's such a good mother and he absolutely adores that about her, especially because he wants to have children in the future and he's hoping to have them with her.

Ember looks down at her feet shyly, "Thank you, mom."

"You're very welcome, sweetheart."

A few silent minutes pass, the only sound around them being the sound of cars driving by and people exiting the airport. They're all cold except Ember because her mother made sure to get her a coat that was perfect for the weather and the clothes that she's wearing underneath. Mary's holding Harry's free hand and leaning into him in an attempt to warm up a little as they wait.

He's a little irritated that none of the cabs have stopped for them, but he doesn't voice it because one finally pulls up before he loses his patience. Mary lets go of his hand and starts to help him with their bags as Ember eagerly jumps into the back seat, but he stops her as soon as she starts because she's really cold and they only have a few bags.

"Hey, I've got it. You're freezing, warm up a little bit."

Mary looks at him with slightly pouted lips, "Are you sure?"

Harry smiles and gently takes the two bags from Mary's hands, "Positive."

Mary returns his smile and mumbles a soft, "Okay."

Before she steps into the car, he kisses her cheek and smiles as the blush rises in her cheeks. Mary doesn't blush a lot, but she does when he catches her by surprise with random gestures and loving kisses.

She's what he's been looking for since he got over Kate and he really wants to show her that he's in it for the long hall and that he's the guy that she's seen and the guy that he appears to be. He's not putting on a show for her and he really wants her to see that.

He can't really feel his hands by the time that he makes it into the backseat, but that's okay because the heat from Mary's hand and the heat from the vent will warm them up considerably quickly.

Mary's already told the driver the hotel address and they're on the road seconds after Harry settles into his seat. She's already holding his hand and he loves it because she isn't so afraid of letting Ember see some of the affection between them. She's never said so herself, but he knows that she was wary of it in the beginning because all of it was new to her and Ember and she didn't want to shove another man in her father's place or make her feel that way.

It's nice to see how much they've all grown and the progress that everyone's made with their own self happiness and it's really nice to know that he's a part of it too.

They've only been in the car for about five minutes when Ember breaks the cozy silence that they've all drifted into unconsciously.

"Are we going to eat soon? I'm hungry."

There's a slight pout to her lips as she looks between her mother and Harry. None of them have eaten very much since they got on the plane back home and she's really starting to feel it now that she's ran out of things to snack on.

Mary's really not sure what Harry's plans are for the evening, so she gives him a bit of a questioning glance to let him know that she doesn't want to ruin anything if he's already planned something for dinner.

Harry smiles in return, "Well, that's up to you. We can go somewhere to eat after we check into the hotel, or we can order something from room service and relax a little. What would you prefer?"

Ember's eyes light up, "Room service?"

Mary laughs a little because he's just gotten himself into something big with Ember, she's never been to a hotel and she will take full advantage of anything that she can, especially now that he's said that she's allowed to order room service.

"Yes, room service! Have you ever had room service before?"

Ember shakes her head and Mary fills in for her, "She's never been to a hotel before, so this is her first time."

Harry widens his eyes purposely and opens his mouth in shock, "You've never been to a hotel!?"

Ember shakes her head, her smile shy even though her eyes are still bright. "Nope!"

"Well, then I'll have to make sure that you get the full hotel experience. After we get to the room, I'll show you around and then you can order whatever you want from room service! Does that sound good to you?"

Mary's thumb traces lightly over his index finger as Ember nods in agreement with Harry's idea. She kisses his cheek and rests her head on his shoulder because the jet lag has started to creep up on her. Harry gives her hand a gentle squeeze as if he's saying thank you and a soft smile graces her lips.

The remainder of the cab ride is pretty quiet save for the gentle hum of the radio up front and gentle hum of the heat rushing out of the vents. Harry really likes it though because it's a comfortable silence and watching the sights flash by from outside the window is something wonderful. Mary wants to look with him, but it's been a long time since she's been on a plane and the jetlag is taking its hold on her a little firmer than she'd like, so she settles with brief glances every now and then when she blinks hard to keep herself awake.

Sweden is beautiful, but she isn't awake enough to enjoy it properly just yet. Ember's in much better shape than she is, despite being incredibly tired, she's wide awake. Everything is so new to her and she's caught up in the shapes of the buildings and the people in the street. She's never been anywhere except Alaska when she visits her grandparents in the winter and she's loving every single second of their small vacation so far.

The car pulls to a stop and she grins as she turns around to face Harry and her mother. Mary's almost asleep and Harry smiles as he gently shakes her shoulder. "Marigold, it's time to wake up sweetheart."

Mary sighs softly and rubs her eyes, she hadn't intended to actually fall asleep and it's harder than she thought it would be to open her eyes. Ember giggles softly and pokes her mother's cheek. "Wake up mom!"

She raises her hands in defense, the corners of her lips lifting in a small smile, "I'm up! I'm up!"

Harry chuckles as he helps her out of the cab, "Someone needs a nap."

Mary rolls her eyes and Ember laughs. They're all tired but the two of them also slept on the plane at some point. Mary can't sleep in moving vehicles or airplanes, so she was awake for the entire flight, reading her book and listening to music. She's not cranky though because she knows that he's just joking and that he's tired too.

This time he lets her help him with the bags, but only because he's got to have a hand to get his ID and his card to check in and pay for the room. Ember's bouncing on her toes and looking around with wide eyes because the hotel that they're staying in is really nice. She's never been to one before, but she can tell that it's a nice one because everything is polished and sparkly and it smells nice. And, she can tell because of the way that her mother is looking around as well.

Harry won't tell Mary how much he's spending and she feels guilty because she knows that it's big number and she knows that teacher salaries aren't that great. But, she doesn't say anything because he's in a good mood and she doesn't want to possibly ruin that. Maybe she'll ask him to let her split it with him after Ember goes to bed.

The lady at the front desk takes quite a bit of time to check them in, but after about ten minutes they've got their room keys and they're free to go up and relax. Ember pushes all of the buttons in the elevator because no one else is in there with them and Harry laughs because of how awake she is and how much fun she's having already.

Eventually, the slow ascent comes to an end and they make it into their room. Ember's surprised to see that there are two beds and she's overjoyed when Mary tells her that she can pick the one that she wants. She wasn't expecting to get an entire bed that big to herself because she usually shares one with her mom when they go somewhere, but she's elated because it's huge and it's incredibly soft.

Harry and Mary put some things away in the drawers before Harry turns to Ember with a bright smile. "Alright, it's time for your grand tour, are you ready?"

Ember hops down from the bed with a bright smile, "Yes!"

Mary's pulling her hair down from her ponytail and thinking about taking a shower when Harry pops his head through the open door way, "I'm going to take Ember down to see the pool and the hot tub, we'll be back in a little bit. Do you think that you'll be up to eat something when we get back?"

She hums as she runs her fingers through her hair, "Yeah, I'm going to take a quick shower to wake up a little bit because I'm starving and it will only be worse if I go to bed without food. If she wants to go in the hot tub you can come back up and take her in, she's never been in one of those either and I don't mind."

Harry's smile holds a touch of cheekiness, "We can do that tomorrow when we're not half dead from jet lag. It wouldn't be the same without you."

Mary doesn't bother to hide her smile as she rolls her eyes, "Of course. Have fun, don't let her jump into any water in her clothes!"

He steps in and kisses her cheek briefly, "Promise. Enjoy your shower, sweetheart."

Harry and Ember disappear into the hall and Mary smiles to herself because he's so wonderful. He always goes over the top for Ember and he spoils her to death and now he's taken them on a little vacation just because he wanted to.

She loves him more than she should after only a couple of months, and she knows that part of it is because she's been lonely for so long, but she does genuinely love him even though it sounds a little crazy.

It's weird because she didn't think that she could love another man the same way that she loved Alec, but she can and it's such a wonderful feeling to love someone and have that love returned. And it's so different loving Harry, she doesn't feel pressured at all and loving him feels free, like there's nothing in the world that's holding her down and she's free to float up in the clouds.

Mary gets lost in her thoughts and the warm water and she's in the shower a little longer than she planned to be. By the time that she steps out and changes into her warmer pajamas, Harry and Ember are already back and they're coloring on one of the beds while they wait for her.

"I see that you two are having fun. Have you ordered dinner yet?"

Ember looks up from her page with a smile, "No, I told Harry that we had to wait for you."

Mary raises an eyebrow and Harry adds, "She did. I told her that I know what you'd like, but she insisted that we wait so that's what we did."

"Thank you, Emmy. That's very sweet of you,"

Harry does know what she likes and it would have been more than alright for them to order food, but she appreciates that Ember wanted to wait for her and it's incredibly cute.

They already know what they want and Mary discreetly tells Harry to order her whatever he thought that she'd like earlier because she's not really in the mood to read the little menu and debate about which meal would taste better.

Ember's far too caught up in her coloring to really pay attention to their conversation so she doesn't notice that her mother doesn't even have the menu for more than a few seconds. Surprisingly, it doesn't take very long for someone to come knocking on the door with a cart full of food.

Mary's still surprised that Ember is awake, but she's sure that she'll fall asleep a little after she eats because it is late and the jet lag is starting to seep back in. And she's right, a few minutes after Ember's done eating, she climbs into bed and passes out.

She and Harry are still up, but they're on the verge of sleep and the warmth of the sheets isn't exactly keeping them awake. Harry switches off the light and sinks down into the covers, cuddling close to Mary because he likes cuddling with her and a little extra warmth won't hurt.

"Have I ever told you how amazing you are?"

Harry chuckles lightly and pulls the covers up a little higher, "No, but thank you. I think you're quite amazing yourself."

Mary smiles in the darkness and scoots a little closer to him, "Now that Ember's asleep, can we talk?"

He's a little worried because whenever someone says 'can we talk' the outcome usually isn't a very great one. But things are great between them and he's certain that this isn't going to be a negative talk or a 'I want to break up with you' talk because Mary wouldn't have come on this little vacation with him if it was. "Of course we can talk! What do you want to talk about?"

"Well, first I want to split the cost of this with you. I know that it's already cost you a small fortune and I don't want you to spend all of your savings on us."

Again, he laughs softly, "I've got a good amount saved Mary, this isn't eating it all away, I promise. You can help if you want to, but I've already paid for the room, all that's left is whatever we do while we're here. And what else would I spend it on?"

Mary starts to trace patterns on his arm to keep herself awake because there are a few other things that she wants to talk to him about that don't involve their little getaway. "Okay, then I'll cover the rest of the trip. Unless you want to buy something for Ember yourself, you can do that if you want to because I know it means a lot to you and it means a lot to her. As to what you should spend your savings on, spend it on something for you, like a nice car or a new phone. Or, maybe sometime in the future, buy an engagement ring, a house, a nice wedding. Make it special, you'll have plenty of time to spend with me and Ember."

She's still too far away for his liking and he reaches for her and pulls her closer to that he can hold her for now. Mary tosses and turns in her sleep so he can't hold her all night, but that's okay, just being close to her is enough for him.

"An engagement ring? Mary, are you trying to give me a clue?"

Mary laughs a little louder than she intends to and stays silent for a moment to make sure that her laughter didn't wake Ember up. Once she's sure that her daughter is still asleep, she answers his question. "No, it's way too early for that! We've only been seeing each other for a few months! Eventually though, if that's where you're planning to go with this relationship—with us—then yes, it's a hint for later on. I don't know where you're at with us right now, if you just want to see if things work out or if you already plan on staying with me and eventually getting married and that's one of the things that I'd like to talk about."

"Mary, I'm in this for the long haul, I've told you that before. Of course I want to end up marrying you sometime in the future! I want to be there for you and I want to be there for Ember, getting married is something that I've wanted for a while and I do want to marry you when we're ready for that. I just don't want to push you and rush things between us because I know that the prospect of getting that serious scares you because of what happened with Alec. I want you to be comfortable and I want you to know that I really do mean it when I say that I love you and that I want to be with you for the rest of my life."

She drops her gaze because what he's just said has her all giddy and a little nervous. He's right about her being afraid of huge commitments, especially marriage, but she really likes that he knows without her having to tell him and she loves how he takes that into account in terms of where they are in their relationship.

"I want that to happen to. There's one more question that I have that kind of relates to that. I know that you love kids, but do you want any of your own? And if you do, how many and when?"

Now she meets his eyes and he smiles softly, "I most definitely want kids of my own, but if you don't want them, that's okay because I love Ember like she's my daughter anyway. Two would be nice, just so we could try for a boy and a girl, but one is alright too. When doesn't matter to me, I just want to have one before I can't have any at all. Do you want to have any more children?"

Mary's thought about that question a lot. She wants to have children, she really does, but she's afraid that if she does the same thing will happen again and that child might not have a father like they should. She knows that her relationship with Alec was unique to him, but she can't help being wary of other men because of it because he wasn't bad when they first got together and he wasn't bad when they first got married.

Having a child is so wonderful and she would love to have another one, but she's not sure that she won't let her troubled thoughts win and keep her from having another baby.

"I want to, but I'm scared to. I told you the reasoning at the shelter a few months ago, I'm not sure that I can get past that, but I'm hoping that you can help with that because I do really want to have another baby someday."

Some of her hair is falling in her face and Harry smiles as he brushes it back so that it sits behind her ear, "It's okay to be afraid, I'm afraid too. As long as we're open about it, I think it'll be okay. Let's just take our time right now and enjoy life as it is, we can worry about babies and getting married when the time comes."

Mary smiles and kisses the bottom of his jaw, "Sounds like a plan."