Turn Back Time

Chapter 2 - Paradise

The silk drapes of the large canopy bed gently rippled in the warm, tropical breeze, giving the illusion that the fabric was dancing in the twilight as the last remnants of sun cast a beautiful purple glow over the miles of stunning island coastline. The crystal clear water surrounded the lone, overwater bungalow on all sides as it jutted out at the end of a long pier, the waves gently lapping at the wooden stilts beneath.

In the aftermath of the showdown at DuPage, Kate had promptly requested an extended leave of absence so that she could spend some much needed time at home with her surprisingly resilient daughter and unsurprisingly suspended husband. While Kate had expected a certain amount of clinginess from Alexis, what she hadn't necessarily anticipated was Hank being steadfast in his refusal to let either of them out of his sight for more than a few minutes at a time. The first few days had been rocky for both of them, the nightmares keeping them awake at night and the subsequent hours of daylight were spent practically joined at the hip but, eventually, they had fallen into a comfortable rhythm of life away from the district.

In the few weeks they had been at home, Alexis had added 'hi' and 'mama' to her slowly expanding vocabulary and had taken to zooming around the house using the toy shopping cart Erin had bought her for Christmas to keep herself upright. She had rammed the pink and grey plastic cart into every object imaginable, her favourite being an unsuspecting Hank's shins as he perched on the sofa trying to catch the last few minutes of the Blackhawks game in peace.

When Erin had initially suggested that they put Hank's suspension to good use and decompress on their long overdue honeymoon, they had both balked at the idea of leaving the country merely weeks after their daughter had been kidnapped. But after a lengthy discussion and some logistical compromises, they had agreed to leave Alexis in the care of her godmother for five days rather than the ten they had initially planned, providing that somebody within the unit had eyes on her at all times.

And, for the last few days, they had been in paradise.

"I have a question."

Kate peered down the length of her body to where Hank was sprawled between her thighs, his cheek pressed to her stomach while her fingertips alternated between tracing obscure patterns across his naked back and carding softly through his hair. As much as they were both missing Alexis, it had been utter bliss to spend some time reconnecting after a difficult few weeks and it wasn't until they touched down in Bora Bora did they realise just how much they had desperately needed it.

"We've been here, what, three days?"

Kate hummed in response, her eyes catching his when he shifted his weight to his elbows, chin still resting on the soft curve of her stomach just above her navel.

"Wonder if I've put a baby inside you yet?" He growled, a sexy smirk spreading across his face as he began peppering featherlight kisses along the smooth expanse of tanned, toned flesh, the pads of his thumbs skating over her ribs as he cradled her waist in his hands.

"Wow, subtle as ever." She snorted, watching him intently as he traced his lips down the centre of her stomach, pausing briefly to kiss a circle around her bellybutton before continuing his path south towards the waistband of the soft sleep shorts she had thrown on after her shower.

Their first day on the island, Kate had wandered out on the deck to find Hank chest-deep in the stunning infinity pool, his forearms braced on the white marble as he pensively looked out over the ocean. Slowly wading through the cool, crystal waters, she closed the distance between then until she was close enough to watch the tiny droplets of water trickle over his damp skin, the sun already enhancing the smattering of freckles across his shoulders. He didn't startle when she banded her arms around his chest, placing a soft kiss to the nape of his neck as she pressed her naked torso tight against the length of his spine.