Tippy’s note: After the Home series, I took a writing break. Not entirely by choice. Shit has been busy outside of my Tumblr life. Anyway, I have been trying to get back into my writing slowly. This was an idea I had for a fic for a while and I finally made it a thing. Having other fanfics that you are stalled on that should be released sooner helps. The fic takes place after Liam and Halle have been married for a while. Hope you like it.
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The busy streets of Paris in the day became a ghost town at night. After midnight is the perfect time to think of ghosts and the past, which was what Halle and Liam were doing as they walked along the Seine hand in hand.
The first time they were there, it was during a turbulent time in their relationship. They loved each other deeply, but the obstacles between them nearly ripped them to shreds. Liam was still engaged to Madeleine. Halle was still steeped in scandal and more than done being the other woman. On top of that, they just found out that Bastien helped Penelope frame her.
This time around was much happier. Halle and Liam have weathered the storm and have been married for 4 years. While their marriage had its trials, they were still as in love with each other now as they were then. Just as lustful too.
The pair stopped their stroll when Liam felt the overwhelming need to kiss his wife. Halle quickly returned and deepened the kiss.
Tonight, they were not the King and Queen of Cordonia. They were also not “Mama and Papa.” Halle and Liam were just lovers in bliss. The twins Zuri and Kaliah were sound asleep in their beds and with the nanny. The kingdom will be fine. They were going to be as carefree as they can be.
Liam led Halle to one of the pillars and then trailed kisses along her neck, focusing on her favorite place that made her knees weak. She gasped. Her moan was cut short when he kissed her lips.
“I definitely remember this part of the trip.” Halle murmured in his mouth.
“We were rudely interrupted by a tour boat last time,” Liam replied in between kisses.
She pressed closer, whispering in his ear, “There are no tour boats this time.”
He gasped mockingly, feigning scandalization. “And you say that I am the one that likes public displays.”
“Does that mean you are gonna stop?”
He pressed her up against one of the pillars on the bridge and kissed her roughly. She moaned into his mouth. Liam grabbed Halle’s thighs and she wrapped them around his waist, grinding her pelvis against him. As their kissing became more passionate, a shriek came from behind them. They turned to see an older couple hastily walking away from them.
The older man shouted, “Baisez dans votre chambre à coucher, vous pervers!” He looked back at the couple with disdain.
Halle and Liam snickered at being caught once again as if they were teenagers. He rested his forehead on hers and caressed her face. She pulled him closer for one last peck on the lips before they continued walking.
“Look, Liam,” she said pointing to the bridge.
They reached the part of the Seine where lovers would place locks to symbolize the kind of love where you are willing to throw away the key. The French Government was still cutting the locks and removing them, but that hasn’t made anyone let go of the tradition.
“We almost put a lock up four years ago,” Liam said.
“I remember that.”
He sighed, “Shame we didn’t put up our lock then.”
Halle grinned, “How would you feel if I told you I had the lock now?”
Liam looked at her, raising one of his thick eyebrows. She didn’t respond to his look. Instead, she searched her purse until she pulled out the lock and key that her then illicit lover gave her four years ago. His small eyes grew when he saw it.
“You kept it? After all this time?” Liam asked as he marveled over the lock, thinking about that night so long ago.
He was ready to give up everything that night to be with Halle. At the time, it seemed that abdicating and running away with her was the only way they could be together in peace. Thankfully, they chose to stay and fight for the happily ever after.
“After all this time,” he repeated.
“Yes. You gave it to me, and I thought maybe one day, there may be a time where we can hang it up.”
He smiled at her. His smile made her smile. “Let us hang it now.”
Halle nodded.
“What should we write on it?” Liam asked.
“You should write our initials, L + H.”
She gave her husband the key and using the edge he carved their first initials onto the back of the lock. Halle looked over his shoulder inspecting his handiwork.
“What do you think, my love?” His eyes shined with mirth.
“It’s nice, but it’s missing something.” She paused, “It’s not just the two of us anymore. We have Zuri and Kaliah.”
He nodded and added the children’s initials under theirs.
“There. Now, where should we hang it?”
“You’re forgetting someone.”
Liam thought for a moment before realizing, “Right. I should add Chance.”
He carved a “C” next to the children’s initials. Halle decided not to point out that Chance’s full name is Chance the Rapper Berry-Beaumont-Rys and all of his initials should be used.
“That’s everyone,” he said as he held the lock away from him. The light from the lampposts flickered against the lock as Liam positioned it into better lighting to admire the letters. She looked along with him, a thoughtful gaze on her face.
“Hmmm,” she said narrowing her eyes “Not quite. You’re missing someone.”
“Who am I forgetting?”
Halle held out her hand for the lock and key, and her husband returned them. After Liam did, she carved something into the back. Her carving took a little longer.
“Now, that’s everyone,” she said with a flourish when she finished.
Liam took the lock and looked at their self-made engraving. He read the initials to himself.
L + H
Z, K, C
Then he read Halle’s addition.
+1, 4/2019
His eyes grew wide once again, and he looked up at his wife in awe.
“You mean?”
Halle nodded struggling to contain her grin. “I’m pregnant.”
Liam embraced her, swinging her around.
“We’re having another baby.”
“Easy there big boy,” she said patting his shoulder. He placed her down gently. “The nausea is starting to pick up again.”
“We are going to have another baby!” Liam shouted into the night sky.
He cupped her face in his hands, kissing her then he pulled away, holding her at arm’s length. His happy demeanor now somewhat tempered.
“How do you feel?” He asked. His mind flashed to when Halle told him she was pregnant the first time. “I remember last time–”
“Last time was different,” she said holding both of his hands in her own. “I was scared then. I’ve been around the mom/queen block for a bit now. I’m ready and excited now.”
He hugged her tighter, whispering against her temple “this is the best anniversary yet.”
“We have only been married 4 years. Let’s not peak too early.”
Liam chuckled.
“Let’s hang the lock before we forget about it in all of the celebration for our upcoming addition.”
The couple found a place on the bridge by a memorable landmark so they can check to see if it’s still there next year. Together they closed the lock, the click adding finality to the moment. Afterward, Halle and Liam sat in the same spot along the river as they did four years ago. This time instead of drinking champagne and eating fromage, they laid in each other’s arms while Halle enthusiastically showed Liam clips from her first sonogram for this pregnancy.