[Modern Family] Ch: 137 [The Honeymoon Diaries] (Patreon)

AN: This takes care of the Honeymoon part. Time for Christmas, The Planet of the Apes release and Narnia 2 shooting.

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[December 15, 2012] [Gstaad, Switzerland]

By the following afternoon, Haley had discovered that the Swiss countryside looked even prettier once they left the village behind.

Their driver had taken them through the snow-covered roads beyond Gstaad, passing scattered wooden chalets and fields surrounded by pine forests before eventually stopping beside a small stable in a quiet valley. A horse-drawn sleigh waited near the entrance, with two beautiful horses standing patiently in their harnesses while the guide prepared everything for their ride.

Haley was already reaching for the car door before Jack had finished speaking to their driver. He followed her outside, keeping a hand near her back as she crossed the packed snow toward the horses. She spent several minutes admiring them, running her gloved hand along one horse's neck after the guide assured her it was perfectly friendly.

Once she'd satisfied her curiosity, Jack helped her climb into the sleigh and settled beside her. The guide tucked thick wool blankets around their legs, making sure Haley was comfortable before taking his place at the front.

The horses started moving a moment later, their harness bells ringing gently through the valley as the sleigh glided over the snow.

Haley leaned against Jack almost immediately, slipping one hand beneath the blanket to rest on his thigh while his arm settled around her shoulders. The trail wound between white fields and tall pine trees, occasionally passing isolated chalets with smoke rising from their chimneys. 

For a while, Haley simply enjoyed the scenery, occasionally pointing toward a particularly beautiful chalet or a group of trees covered in fresh snow. Jack followed her gaze whenever she found something interesting, although he was spending just as much time watching his wife enjoy herself.

"This is so romantic," she eventually murmured, turning toward him with a smile.

"Yeah, it is." Jack adjusted the blanket around her legs.

Haley studied him for a moment before asking whether he'd arranged the ride before their wedding. When he admitted that he'd booked it the day after they'd decided on Switzerland, she rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek and settled comfortably against his shoulder again.

About halfway through their journey, the sleigh reached a particularly beautiful stretch of the valley, with an uninterrupted view of the mountains rising behind the snowy fields. Haley immediately wanted photographs, so Jack asked the guide whether they could stop for a few minutes.

He climbed down first and helped her onto the snow, keeping hold of her hand until she was standing comfortably beside him. After taking several photographs of the landscape and the horses, they positioned themselves beside the sleigh with the mountains behind them.

Haley wrapped both arms around his waist and tilted her face toward his, leaving Jack to hold the camera at a suitable angle.

"Okay, kiss me."

Jack happily obliged, leaning down to capture her lips just as a few snowflakes drifted between them and the camera.

The resulting photograph showed them kissing beneath the pale afternoon sky, with the horses waiting patiently behind their shoulders and the snowy mountains filling the background.

Haley examined the picture on the small screen, immediately declaring that it deserved a place on their bedroom wall. Jack agreed, although he insisted on taking a few more photographs before they returned to the sleigh and continued their ride through the valley.

The following morning, they went beyond Gstaad again, this time visiting the nearby village of Saanen.

The village was quieter than Haley had expected, with traditional wooden buildings lining its streets and Christmas decorations hanging outside several shops. Snow rested along the rooftops and window ledges, giving the entire place the appearance of something she'd normally expect to find on a Christmas card.

They wandered through the village at a leisurely pace, occasionally stopping whenever Haley spotted a particularly beautiful building or an interesting decoration. She'd initially insisted on photographing nearly every chalet they passed, although Jack eventually persuaded her to hand over the camera so he could take a few pictures of her instead.

One photograph showed Haley standing beside a wooden fence with the mountains behind her, smiling warmly while one hand rested over her growing stomach. Another captured her laughing as a tiny snowball struck the side of her boot.

Jack had barely lowered the camera when she bent down, gathered a handful of snow, and attacked. Her snowball struck the front of his coat, leaving a white patch against the dark fabric.

He looked down at the evidence before turning toward her. "Mrs. Preston, are you declaring war?"

"You started it!" Haley protested, already retreating a few steps as he bent toward the snow.

The moment Jack gathered enough for another snowball, she pointed dramatically toward her stomach and announced that attacking a pregnant woman would violate international law.

Jack stared at her for a second before reluctantly dropping the snow.

"Unbelievable. You've discovered diplomatic immunity."

Haley laughed at his expression and walked back toward him, brushing the remaining snow from his gloves before pulling him down for a kiss. Apparently, the conflict had been resolved to her complete satisfaction.

They continued exploring Saanen afterward, visiting little shops and examining the Christmas decorations displayed in their windows. Whenever Haley grew tired, they stopped somewhere warm for a drink and rested until she felt ready to continue. Jack was in no particular hurry, and Haley seemed perfectly content spending the afternoon wandering around with her hand tucked into his.

On December 17, Jack arranged a cable-car ride that would give them a panoramic view of the surrounding Alps. Haley had been excited about the idea ever since he'd mentioned it, although she hadn't quite anticipated how spectacular the scenery would become once their cabin began climbing away from the lower station.

She stood beside the window, holding the railing while Jack kept an arm around her waist. As they ascended, the buildings below gradually shrank, and the forests covering the lower slopes gave way to broad stretches of untouched snow. Beyond them, mountain peaks rose in every direction.

Haley couldn't seem to decide which window deserved her attention.

Every few moments, she noticed another view and immediately directed Jack toward it. He dutifully followed her gaze, occasionally pointing out something she'd missed while making sure she kept her balance whenever the cabin moved.

By the time they reached the upper station, she'd already taken enough photographs to fill a small album.

They followed a cleared path toward a panoramic terrace overlooking the mountains, choosing a level section where Haley could stand comfortably without worrying about the snow. Jack positioned their camera while she adjusted her hat and attempted to straighten the loose strands of hair escaping around her face.

Unfortunately, the mountain wind had other plans.

Every time she managed to arrange her hair, another gust immediately ruined her efforts. After her third unsuccessful attempt, she abandoned the struggle and looked toward Jack with an exasperated expression.

"Just take the picture before I get my ass frozen."

Jack took several, including one that caught her laughing at her own predicament, before joining her for another photograph against the mountains.

They remained outside long enough to admire the surrounding peaks and watch the skiers moving along the slopes below. Once Haley began feeling cold, they headed into the mountain restaurant, where they found a table overlooking the snow-covered landscape.

Lunch passed comfortably, with Haley spending almost as much time watching the skiers through the windows as she did eating. Their movements fascinated her, particularly the way experienced skiers maneuvered down the steeper sections of the mountain.

She eventually announced that she wanted to learn how to ski the next time they visited Switzerland.

Jack glanced meaningfully toward her stomach. "Next time, when these two aren't traveling inside you."

"Obviously, Honey. I'm not completely crazy. It's not like we're gonna have another kid next year."

On December 18, they traded the mountains for the lakeside scenery of Montreux.

Their journey began aboard a scenic train that carried them through snowy valleys and picturesque villages before the landscape gradually opened toward Lake Geneva. Haley spent much of the ride watching through the windows, occasionally leaning across Jack to point out something that had caught her attention.

Jack had brought the camera along, and between the two of them, they managed to capture plenty of photographs before reaching their destination.

Montreux was considerably busier than the villages they'd explored during the previous days. Christmas decorations filled the streets around the lakeside promenade, while rows of wooden market stalls displayed everything from handmade ornaments and chocolates to knitted clothing and holiday pastries.

Haley fell in love with the Christmas market almost immediately.

She moved between the stalls with Jack beside her, examining decorations, admiring handmade gifts, and occasionally asking him to photograph something particularly pretty. The lake stretched beyond the market, its waters reflecting the pale winter sky, while Christmas lights hung across the walkways overhead.

Before long, Jack found himself carrying several shopping bags containing ornaments, a knitted Christmas stocking, and two small stuffed reindeer that Haley had decided would be perfect for the twins.

She then spotted a small teddy bear sitting beside it.

"This one's different," she explained, placing the bear into his hands.

Jack bought it without further argument, having already learned that reasoning with his wife about adorable baby merchandise rarely accomplished anything.

They spent the next few hours exploring the market and walking along the promenade, stopping frequently to take photographs beside the lake and admire the elaborate Christmas displays.

By late afternoon, Haley had developed a particular interest in the pastries being sold at several stalls.

One chocolate-filled pastry caught her attention immediately, and she spent several minutes examining the display while they waited for their turn. Unfortunately, the customer standing ahead of them purchased the last one.

Haley watched the pastry disappear into a paper bag, her disappointment becoming increasingly obvious when she looked at the empty tray.

Jack noticed her expression and gently took her hand, promising that they'd find something similar elsewhere.

That apparently wasn't quite enough.

She'd been looking forward to that particular pastry, and the realization that it was gone brought unexpected tears to her eyes. Jack took her toward a nearby bench, helped her sit comfortably, and assured her that he would find another bakery.

It took him less than ten minutes to return with a warm chocolate-filled pastry that looked remarkably similar to the original.

Haley took it with both hands, still looking slightly miserable, but her expression changed as soon as she took her first bite. She managed to swallow before her eyes filled with tears again.

Jack sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, wondering whether the pastry had somehow disappointed her too.

Instead, Haley looked at him with damp eyes and explained that she was crying because he'd actually gone looking for it.

He kissed her forehead, keeping her tucked against his side.

"Sweetheart, I would've crossed the entire town for a pastry... Just for you."

That finally made her laugh, although she still needed a moment to wipe her cheeks before continuing to eat.

The remaining days of their honeymoon passed with a pleasant mixture of sightseeing, shopping, and leisurely drives through the Swiss countryside.

Their final full day in Switzerland arrived on December 23.

Rather than arranging another excursion, they decided to spend the day enjoying Gstaad itself. They revisited several of their favorite shops, wandered along the decorated streets, and stopped to admire the Christmas displays they'd grown familiar with during their stay.

Haley took another collection of photographs, determined to preserve as much of the village's Christmas atmosphere as possible. Jack appeared in plenty of them, sometimes standing beside her and occasionally finding himself recruited to hold shopping bags while she adjusted the camera.

They enjoyed their final dinner at a restaurant overlooking the snowy village, taking their time over the meal while the lights of Gstaad glowed beneath the darkening sky.

Later that evening, Haley stood on the balcony of their hotel suite, in warm clothing as she admired the village for what would be the last time during their honeymoon.

Jack joined her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his hands comfortably over her stomach. She covered them with her own, leaning back against him while they watched the lights scattered across the snowy landscape.

"I'm going to miss this place," she murmured.

Jack kissed her cheek and promised that they'd return someday.

Haley tilted her head toward him. "With the twins?"

"Definitely. I think they'd love it here."

The thought brought a smile to her face, and she remained in his arms for a little longer before they finally went inside.

The following morning, December 24, their honeymoon officially came to an end.

After checking out of The Alpina Gstaad, they watched the hotel staff help load their luggage and purchases into the car. 

Haley took one last look toward the hotel before settling into the car beside Jack.

The drive toward the airport gave her another opportunity to admire the countryside, and she spent much of the journey looking through the window as familiar mountain scenery passed outside. Occasionally, she pointed out somewhere they'd visited during the previous days, reminding Jack of a photograph they'd taken or something funny that had happened.

Their private jet was already waiting when they arrived.

While the crew took care of the luggage and secured their shopping bags and gifts aboard, Jack helped Haley climb the aircraft stairs. She settled into her seat shortly afterward, relieved to be somewhere warm and comfortable after the morning's activities.

Once they were airborne, she spent some time looking through the photographs they'd taken during the honeymoon. There were hundreds of them now, from the sleigh ride and snowy villages to the mountain terrace and Christmas market in Montreux.

She lingered particularly long over their photograph beside the horse-drawn sleigh, smiling at the sight of them kissing with the mountains behind them.

Jack leaned closer to examine the picture with her, and they spent a few more minutes looking through their favorites before Haley finally put the camera aside.

The long journey eventually caught up with her. She shifted closer to Jack, resting her head against his shoulder, and fell asleep while he wrapped an arm around her.

She remained asleep for several hours, occasionally stirring to adjust her position before settling comfortably against him again.

By the time their plane finally landed in California, it was Christmas Eve.

Jack helped Haley down the aircraft stairs, keeping hold of her hand as they stepped onto the tarmac. The familiar warmth of California immediately felt different after more than a week surrounded by snow and freezing mountain air.

Haley smiled as she looked around, pleased to have returned home despite how much she'd enjoyed Switzerland.

"Okay, Switzerland was amazing, but I really missed home."

They walked toward their waiting car. With their honeymoon behind them and Christmas only a day away, he was already looking forward to spending the holiday with their family.

"Ready for our first Christmas as husband and wife?" He asked.

Haley looked up at him, smiling as she rested a hand over her stomach. "And our last Christmas before we have two babies."

Jack leaned down and kissed her forehead, keeping her close for another moment.

"Then we'd better make it a good one."