Virginia heard the door open and then slam shut and the sound of someone rushing down the hallway. She smiled to herself and opened up the last egg carton on the counter. Wolf was home.

"Virginia!" He burst into the kitchen, his handsome face lit with joy. "Do you know what I saw today, my most succulent sweet?"

She shook her head and turned, pulling glasses out of the cupboard above her head. "I'm sure you'll tell me," she murmured.

He came around the counter and took the glasses out of her hands, setting them down. "What are you doing up? You should be resting!" He placed his hand on her bulging stomach, warming it with his touch. "How is our chap today?"

"He's calm." She leaned forward and kissed him, then pushed his hand away. "Now let me finish this."

"If you're sure you'll be alright?"

"I'm fine, Wolf. I'm pregnant, not crippled."

"I don't want anything to happen to you or our cub," he whined.

Virginia ran her hand through his hair and sighed. He had great hair. "We're both fine. So what did you see today?"

His moody eyes shifted, beaming delightedly again. "I saw a six foot bunny rabbit!"

"Did you? That's nice."

He blinked. "Virginia! A six foot rabbit!"

"Mm-hm."

Wolf tilted his head to the side, perplexed. "Is it not exciting?"

"Was it a real rabbit?"

"Well ... no."

"Then it's not that exciting."

"But it could be! You have much strange magic in your kingdom." He gestured at the television in the living room, visible through the arched entryway. Virginia grinned and re-counted the glasses, nodding her head when it came to a dozen. Wolf still didn't trust the TV, even after almost nine months in her world. He thought it was magical, and, as he'd explained vehemently, one shouldn't mess around with magic.

"Where's Dad?" she asked, suddenly realizing Tony hadn't come bounding in after Wolf.

"Oh, he was parking the car," Wolf said, sniffing the eggs with interest. "What are these for?" He reached out to grab one and she slapped his hand.

"Don't touch." The door opened and shut again with much less enthusiasm. "We're in the kitchen, Dad," she called out, shoving Wolf's hand out of the way. "Don't touch," she repeated.

"Why not?"

"Because we're using them for our Easter eggs."

Tony came in the door and set a bag down on the counter. "Hey sweetheart. We got everything." He glared at Wolf. "No thanks to him, of course. How do you take him shopping? I had to wrestle a pound of meat out of his hands before we left."

Wolf huffed, scratching his temple furiously. "It wasn't that much."

Tony opened his mouth to retort and Virginia quickly intervened, grabbing the bag. "Great! All different kinds of colors, too. Good job, guys." She felt them exchange proud glances and had to hide a laugh. At least they were mostly getting along. Her father had come in last week and was staying with them through the end of the month, helping them pack for their move back to the Nine Kingdoms. They had all decided it would be best if her child was born there, in case he shared some of his father's more unusual traits. She pulled out a bag of foil-wrapped chocolate egg candies and studied both of them. They dipped their heads guiltily, each finding the counter suddenly fascinating. "What is this? I told you not to get any candy."

"But Virginia! They're chocolate!"

"And?"

"And we thought they'd be a good break from the-" He clamped his lips shut and shot Tony a panicked look.

"The what?"

Tony glared at Wolf and shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing, here let me--" he reached for the bag but Virginia snatched it out of his reach. Pulling out two more boxes of Easter Egg decoration kits, her mouth dropped open at what lay underneath. She pulled out the box, the plastic shrieking angrily with her rough handling.

"Cookies! Again?"

Wolf whimpered and scratched his brow. Her father managed to look embarrassed, although his eyes were as much on the cookies as Wolf's.

"This is the third box this week! No more cookies!" She waved the box in the air, cookies sliding over the rough plastic. Both men watched the container carefully, and she had a feeling that if it opened, they would lunge to save the food inside. The image was enough to make her smile and they both instantly relaxed. She rolled her eyes, slamming the box down a little too hard on the counter, pleased to see each man wince. "Honestly," she sighed.

Wolf slid his arm around her and simultaneously pushed the cookies towards Tony, where she couldn't reach it. "But my little chocolate pie, they're Easter bunny cookies! We couldn't resist Easter bunny cookies. With frosting!"

It amazed her, still, how much Wolf loved sweets. She watched her father stuff one in his mouth and hoped that her own son by-passed the hunger gene.

Wolf gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek and poked one of the eggs. "What's wrong with this egg, my quirky Easter chick?"

Virginia quickly explained the tradition of coloring hard-boiled eggs for Easter, interrupted continuously by Wolf's happy gasps. She pulled out an apron and hooked it around his neck, tying him firmly in. She was positive he would need it. Tony took a seat at the table, watching them curiously as Wolf rubbed his hands together. Virginia finished filling each glass with vinegar and plopped the coloring tabs in. Fascinated, Wolf bent down and watched each one hiss until it disappeared.

She took a deep breath, re-checking their supplies mentally. Newspaper spread out to every possible corner? Check. Enough eggs in case Wolf dropped or ate any? Check. Enough different colors and stickers and crayons for Wolf's creativity? Check. Spoons to get the eggs out so Wolf didn't stain his fingers? Check. Satisfied, Virginia took stock of Wolf as he hovered anxiously over their table-turned-egg factory. "Are you ready?"

"Rrrrready!" he shouted, leaping for the eggs.

Three hours later, it looked like the Easter Bunny had hopped into their kitchen clutching his basket of brightly painted eggs -- and promptly exploded.

Wolf was smiling, his fingers stained an ugly brown from the mix of all the colors he'd dipped them into. His hair was mussed and had streaks of orange and green running through it. The apron had long since surrendered and his white shirt showed through splotches of blue and pink and yellow. Several eggs lay on the floor where Wolf had accidentally dropped them in his eagerness. Virginia had to admit that two of them were hers that she'd let go from laughing too hard. For all the mess they had made, she felt intoxicated with joy.

"Dad, why did we ever stop doing this?" she sighed, resting her arms on her belly as the two men started to clean.

Tony gestured at the mess. "This isn't reason enough?"

Wolf stuffed the last rabbit cookie in his mouth and said over his mouthful of food, "But Tone! Think of all the fun we're having!"

The older man grimaced and turned away.

Virginia yawned loudly, tiredness settling over her like a blanket. "Boy, I'm tired, though."

Wolf knelt down swiftly at her side, swallowing the last of the cookie and taking her hands. "Are you all right? You're not too tired, are you? Do you want me to carry you to bed?" He smiled, and it made her skin tingle.

"I'm fine Wolf, really."

"If you're sure? It would be my pleasure, my egg-dying Queen!"

Virginia laughed and held out her arms. "Well if you insist."

"Should I leave?" Her father was watching them blandly.

"No Dad, of course not. Who's going to clean up the mess?" She gave him an innocent look and he grumbled under his breath.

Wolf lifted her carefully, checking every few feet to make sure she was still comfortable. He lay her down on the bed and sat next to her, brushing his stained fingers over her cheek. "I love you, my mate." He kissed her on the forehead and stood to pull the covers up over her.

She grabbed his hand before he could go and held it to her chest. "I love you, too," she whispered. His smile was the last thing she saw before she fell asleep.

Virginia was up first the next morning, and spent the two hours before the men rose hiding Easter eggs and setting up Wolf's surprise. She waited in the kitchen over a mug of steaming tea, impatiently eyeing the clock over the oven. Finally, there was the familiar rustling sounds and the heavy thud of a man running, and Wolf flew into the kitchen.

He ran over, squeezing her warmly and giving her a long, slow kiss.

"Good morning," he growled.

She rested her head on his chest, heart thudding. "Good morning." But even Wolf's kiss wasn't enough to make her forget her surprise. She pushed off and smiled. "And Happy Easter!"

"It's Easter today?" He looked around the kitchen, his face falling. "Where are the eggs? And the candies? You didn't throw them away, did you? I can still smell them."

Virginia led him out into the living room without saying a word, and when she saw the look on his face, she knew she wouldn't have to. His eyes had gone as big as the Easter basket she had sitting on the couch for him.

"What's that?" he whispered.

"It's for you. On Easter, you get an Easter basket filled with goodies." He stepped towards it, and then turned quickly. "But Virginia! I didn't get you anything!" His voice was so heartbroken, she had to hug him tightly.

"That's okay, I don't need one. I had enough bunny cookies to last me a lifetime."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Now go see what's in it!"

He tugged her towards the couch and had her sit before he would even open his basket. The fact that he waited that long made her glow with love. Finally he ripped into it, and she flashed back to Christmas, when he'd approached the treasured presents with equal abandon. She had been glad she hadn't gotten him anything breakable.

Now he pulled out a bag of M&Ms, a solid chocolate Easter bunny that never left his hand, and myriad other treats. Fake plastic grass spilled onto the couch and floor and Virginia suspected some of it got eaten with the JellyBeans Wolf kept finding and shoving into his mouth. A gasp or a sigh or a barely contained whimper of pleasure accompanied his every find.

Finally, he reached the bottom of the basket, and she leaned forward, anxious to see what he would say.

He pulled out a long box, poking the plastic wrap curiously. Four yellow chicks sat in a row within, staring up at him with sugarcoated eyes. "Peeps," he said, reading the side of the box. His brow furrowed and she could see the wheels turning in his head. "Peeps?" He looked up at her.

"They're marshmallow Peeps. The most infamous Easter candy on the market. I thought it was appropriate, you know? You eating Peeps."

He grinned, wolfishly of course, and ripped open the package. "It's about time!" he howled.