He woke up feeling cold, his face buried deep into the soft pillow, his eyes still closed. His first instinct wasn't to grab the covers that was strewn halfway across his body, instead, his hand had stretched out to his side, searching for a familiar warmth but was greeted by the same coldness. He could hear the sound of a running shower from the bathroom, he frowned, and opened his heavy eyes with slight difficulty, and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. He sighed and climbed out from bed, his palms rubbing his face to wake himself up, as he headed towards the bathroom. "Morning!", he greeted loudly as he stepped into the bathroom, his lips curving up into a small smile. He grabbed a clean towel and wrapped it around his waist.

"Morning!", a muffled sound echoed from inside the shower. "I bought you a new shaver."

"What? You don't like my beard?", he hollered back, as he observed his face in the mirror. For the past few months, he had been growing a beard. It was a silly challenge with Luis, they were competing against each other, comparing who could outlast who without shaving the beard off and finally his best friend had caved in yesterday, leaving Scott the winner. His beard was bushy and it covered half of his face, making him look older than he really was.

The sound of the shower stopped, and Hope peeked out. "I think it's time you graduated from the beard Scott.", she frowned slightly. It was too much for her liking. "Could you please pass me the towel?"

"Come on, you can come out, it's only me.", he turned to look at her, who was looking all pink and sweet-smelling from the shower. God, she's beautiful. They had been married for a few years, and yet he couldn't stop marvelling at her beauty. "It's not like I've never seen you without any clothes on before.", he mischievously wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She glared at him, her lips pursed.

Not wanting to suffer from her wrath, he kept his mouth shut and did as he was told, but not before wrapping his arms around her waist, a goofy smile plastered on his face. She couldn't help but giggle as he dipped his head down slightly and gave her a kiss. Her slightly parted lips met his, and she kissed him back. He responded passionately, inhaling in her shampoo and shower cream while she knotted her fists at the towel around his waist, pulling him harder against her. He was about to take his towel off when she pulled away from him, and patted his cheek. "You really need to shave. It's getting in the way.", she bit her lip, trying to suppress a smile. "And thanks.", she took the towel from him and gave him a flirtatious glance, wrapped herself in it and walked out the bathroom.

He looked at her with disbelief. She was such a tease.

"Scott?", she called out to him from the bedroom.

"Yeah?", once again, he had turned to the mirror, ready to shave.

"When you're done can you please check on Hailey? She was still asleep when I saw her."

"Sure. I'll get her."

"Is dad finally going to shave his beard?", Cassie asked as soon as she saw Hope entering the kitchen. She was standing in front of the stove, pouring batter into a pan, making pancakes for breakfast. It was the summer break, and she had come to stay with her father and Hope for the week.

"Yes he's in the process of doing that, hopefully.", a laugh escaped from Hope, as she walked to her stepdaughter's side and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Honestly, he looks like a homeless man with the beard.", the younger girl giggled.

"I couldn't agree more. And it's getting uncomfortable when we kiss---", she stopped herself halfway, a pink blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Hope!", Cassie gasped, disgusted. She didn't really need to know the details.

She laughed, ignoring the young girl's reaction. "You need help?"

"No I got it.", her face blossomed into a wide smile, resembling her father's, as she skilfully flipped over a pancake on the pan.

"You're good at this.", she was impressed.

"It's just practice, especially when you have a dad who loves pancakes.", she remarked. She remembered the times when she and her father would make pancakes together every time she came over.

Hope wrapped her arm around Cassie's shoulder, and lightly kissed the side of her hair. "Thank you so much for making breakfast sweetheart. You've been a great help this week." A few days ago, she and Scott were away for a mission and they had left their daughter under Cassie and Maggie's care. She was amazed at how fast Cassie had grown into a beautiful young lady over the past five years. She remembered that she used to have to bend over to kiss her head and now her stepdaughter was almost as tall as her.

"It's no big deal. It's always great to spend time with Hailey.", she loved her little sister to bits. "What's taking dad so long anyway?"

"I told him to get Hailey, she should be up by now."

"Hey cookie.", he cooed as he stepped inside the bedroom. Their eleven month old daughter was already sitting up in her cot, babbling on her own. She had beautiful clear green eyes just like her parents, but what he loved the most was that she had inherited her mother's dimples, which delighted Scott when he noticed it the day she was born. "Good morning.", he carried her out from the cot and kissed her cheek. She took one look at him, thoroughly confused, and without a warning, her face had scrunched up and she started to cry. "Hey, what's wrong? It's daddy...", he was perplexed at her behaviour. "Come on cookie, don't cry.", he stroked her hair gently as he tried to comfort her. She shook her head and continued to cry, big fat tears trailed down her pink cheeks, her chubby hands flailing, trying to push his face away.

Her cries had echoed downstairs. Hope and Cassie looked at each other, puzzled. "What in the world...", Hope mumbled and walked towards the bottom of the staircase. "Is everything alright Scott?", she yelled from below. Their daughter rarely had such cries. In fact, they felt that she was an easy baby to care of, only crying when she needed to nurse.

He came out from the room, with his struggling, wailing daughter in his arms, and walked down the stairs. "Everything's under control?", he shrugged and smiled sheepishly.

"What did you do?", she narrowed her eyes, her eyebrows raised, judgemental.

"I didn't do anything. She saw me and started crying!", his eyes widened innocently, and that's when it struck him, his daughter might have not recognise him without his beard. Hope frowned, staring at Scott, and she realised that he was clean-shaven, his cheeks pink and soft, looking a few years younger. Suddenly, she erupted with laughter, making sense of the hilarious situation. "Are you seriously laughing right now?", he rolled his eyes, slightly annoyed, their daughter still moving violently in his arms. She had now resolved to sobs, her face smudged with tears and red from crying. As soon as she saw Hope, she started to babble and extend her hands out immediately, wanting her mother's embrace.

"Come here.", her expression gentle as she took her from Scott's arms and cuddled her. "It's alright, it's just daddy.", she gently wiped her tears away and kissed her forehead. She walked to the kitchen, holding Hailey close to her, with her husband following closely behind.

Cassie, who had just finished making breakfast had turned around and glanced at her father who was looking solemn, walking in the kitchen. "Dad! You look so much better now!", she exclaimed.

"Thanks peanut. But your little sister thinks otherwise.", he touched his now smooth face.

"What? Why?"

"You'll see why.", Hope smirked and looked at Hailey. She sat down on stool at the kitchen table. "It's just daddy sweetheart. You know it's him.", she murmured to her softly, caressing her cheek. Hailey looked at her, and smiled a little and babbled, comforted by her mother's touch. Scott slumped on the stool next to his wife, looking gloomy. Still not wanting to give up, he nuzzled close to his daughter but she pushed his cheek away again. A faint flicker of hurt reflected in his eyes. "I'm hurt cookie, how can you do this to daddy?", he pouted, and looked at her with sad puppy dog eyes.

"Oh." Realising the situation, Cassie burst into a fit of giggles. "She doesn't like you without the beard dad.", she covered her mouth, trying to stop herself from laughing too much.

"Thank you for stating the obvious peanut.", he replied, slightly frustrated. "I don't recall you having any problem with me shaving my beard off back then.", he sighed.

Hope chuckled. "Who's this strange man with your daddy's voice?", she whispered to her daughter and glanced at Scott, clearly teasing him.

"Not funny.", he commented and held his daughter's hand and kissed it. "It's daddy. I'm your favourite.", he reached his hands out, wanting to carry her. She just cling on to her mother, refusing to let go. Her sobs had stopped and now she had buried her head into Hope's shoulder, occasionally taking a peek at her father. "I know you're looking at me.", he tickled her cheek, his face a lopsided smile. She turned away.

Hope couldn't help but laughed again. "This is silly.", she shook her head, amused with her daughter's behaviour and Scott's reaction.

"Here's something to cheer you up dad.", Cassie was still grinning away, as she placed a plate of pancakes in front of him, covered with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and blueberries.

"Thanks.", he smiled. He poked a blueberry with a fork, when Hailey turned to look at him again. "Blueberry? I know they're your favourite.", he offered. Her gaze went from him, and fell onto the plate of pancakes. "You're hungry aren't you?", he cooed at her while he dangled a smashed blueberry in front of her, tempting her. He popped it into his mouth. She stared at him, her tongue slightly licking her lips, as she put her fist into her mouth.

"I think someone's hungry.", Hope smiled. "Why don't you ask daddy for a blueberry?", she whispered to her daughter.

Once again, Scott held out a blueberry in front of her, luring her. Her green eyes twinkled brightly, she hesitated initially, but eventually she stretched out her hand, grabbing the blueberry and putting it inside her mouth. She looked at her father again, wanting more. "Why don't you let me carry you first, before I feed you some more?", he bopped her nose, and proceeded to tickle her. She giggled, warming up to him, her demeanour relaxed. "Come here cookie.", he clapped his hands, and reached his hands out, grabbing her torso and taking her from Hope's arms into his. He placed her on his lap and kissed her cheek. "See, daddy's cheeks are so soft now.", he kissed her again. She continued to giggle and grabbed his face, while he took her hands in his, rubbing her palms on his face.

Hope beamed, as she observed their heartwarming interaction endearingly. She wouldn't trade this happiness for the world. "See, nothing to worry about.", she leaned forwards, intending to kiss the side of his head, but he had tilted his head to face her, her kiss landing on his lips instead.

"I knew she would come around.", his tone cocky. "Right? Right? You love me, don't you. Daddy's your favourite.", he kissed Hailey's hair while she was focused at picking the blueberries with her hands.

Hope laughed at his child-like behaviour. "You're my favourite too.", she looked at him lovingly.

"Maybe the two of you can stop being lovey dovey in front of me.", Cassie spoke out, squinting her eyes.

"You sound like Hank, peanut. Don't you want a kiss too? I know you do. Come here.", he motioned for her to come over.

"No I don't dad. I'm fifteen years old, when are you going to stop calling me peanut?", she argued.

"I will never stop calling you peanut, no matter how old you are.", he stated plainly.

"Dad...", she whined.

Hope looked at her family fondly, smiling broadly from ear to ear, forever grateful that her father had brought Scott into their lives.