Escaping Red Room

Chapter Eleven

I woke up with a start, sensing that I was no longer alone. It was a shock to see Clint just coming out of the bathroom.

"Clint, when did you get home?"

"Just a little while I ago. I'm sorry I woke you up."

"No, it's no bother.... I've missed you."

He smiled softly, getting into bed with me. I immediately kissed him, having not seen or heard from him in over a week. It was reassuring knowing that he was okay, and I wasn't alone anymore. I had never really thought I would go through any of what I had, and this whole ordeal was slightly terrifying.

"I've missed you so much, Clint... I didn't know what was going on, or where you were, and it had me scared. I don't want to go through any of this on my own... Not with a baby on the way."

"I'm sorry, Ana. I know this was tough on you. The team knows that I will be staying here for a while. I won't be going back to New York until after you have the baby. That's a promise."

"Thank you, darling. It means a lot, just knowing that you will be here with me." 

I smiled softly, curling into his side as much as I could. It was wonderful having him home, and it was a feeling that I just wanted to keep close to my heart. With Clint by my side, things just felt right. I was still terrified that I wouldn't be able to be a mom, but I wanted to try, more than anything. This was something that I had never dreamed of, and all of it made my head swim. 

"Ana... babe, where are you?"

"Sorry, just got lost in thought, I suppose."

"Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"No, it's okay. I'm just still trying to get my head around all of this. It's going to take some adjusting... and I'm scared."

"Ana, there is no reason for you to be scared. I'm going to be with you though all of this, every step of the way. Our son will be a healthy baby, and you are going to be a wonderful mother."

"Thank you..."

"I love you, Ana. But I know you need some rest. We can talk more in the morning."

"I love you too, Clint."

Sleep came surprisingly easy, now that Clint was with me. I took comfort in having another person sharing my space. I knew that my sleep would be peaceful that night.

                                                            ------------------------------------

I slept for most of the night, peacefully... but sleep comes at a cost most of the time. I never knew what to expect with Clint, and his snoring was hell to my ears. I sighed, throwing the covers off and headed to get dressed. Things were not going as planned, since my other half had returned home. I could scream at how annoying that sound was to me. It hadn't bothered me before, but also I hadn't had to deal with everything I had been, the past month. While I loved the man, I was half considering just making him sleep on the sofa. 

I got dressed, and proceeded to go downstairs. It was around five that morning, and the only other person up at this hour was Laura. She was always up before the sun to make sure that the animals were cared for, and the family had breakfast waiting on them.

"Good morning, Anastasia."

"Good morning, Laura."

She took one good look at me, before pushing a cup of coffee in my direction.

"Rough night?"

"You could say that. Clint arrived a few hours ago, and I haven't been able to sleep since."

"I'm sorry, is there anything that would help?"

"I do not think so... his snoring is awful."

At that comment Laura looked a little surprised. I didn't understand why that would get a reaction out of her.

"That's surprising... Clint usually doesn't snore, unless he's fighting something off. I would keep an eye on him, Ana. If he's getting sick, you don't need to be around him."

"Why?"

"If you catch a cold or the flu, it could be harmful to you and the baby. Just be careful, and keep an eye on him."

"I will do my best."

She nodded, getting herself a cup of coffee, and I made my way to the sofa in the living room. I was too tired and sore to really do anything other that. The baby had started moving more, and honestly, my whole body was hurting. It was nearly impossible to get comfortable, even without having to hear Clint snore. This day was off to a pretty lousy start, and I had the distinct feeling that it was only going to get worse. And boy would I be right.