Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 10 ||

Sound asleep on the couch, with a cozy blanket snuggled all the way up under her chin. Maisie shot up, into a sitting position after being awoken. By what she was yet to find out, but in the meantime, she tried to calm herself. Then a scream erupted from the other room. Maisie ran like her life depended on it, knowing that it was Claire, that the scream came from. Entering the bedroom, she found Owen holding his precious Claire close to him. Comforting her with calming and reassuring words, being whispered into her ear. Claire was shaking and slowly rocking back and forth. Maisie could hear her quick breaths, when she walked closer.

Owen noticed Maisie in the room and reached a hand out, gesturing for her to come closer. "It's okay Maisie, Claire had a nightmare. I'm just trying to calm her down so we can go back to sleep" Owen said, as he rubbed Maisie's back after she had sat down. Claire looked up slowly, tears running down her cheeks and red locks sticking to her skin. "I'm so sorry sweetie, for waking you" Claire said with a shaky voice, reaching a hand out to reassure the girl that everything was alright. Maisie took it and placed her other on top and squeezed. "It's not your fault" Maisie told Claire with an understanding smile. She scooted closer and reached up to wrap her small arms around Claire. They started rocking back and forth slightly and Claire's breathing seemed to calm down.

Owen watched the two find comfort in each other's embrace. It was funny how they already seemed like a little family, how Claire and Maisie in this position, looked like mom and daughter. He wouldn't deny that it was a beautiful sight, he hoped would never come to an end.

"Can I sleep in here with you?" Maisie asked with a tilted head. Clare reached for her hand again and gave it a squeeze. "That would be nice" Claire told her, as she stroked some hair out of Maisie's face. They gave each other a smile, before all three of them went back to sleep.

All three of them woke up to the sound of a phone ringing. Claire was the first to be aware of what was happening and quickly reached for her phone as she recognized the ringtone. "Claire" She simply said, in a sleepy voice, rubbing her eyes. Both Owen and Maisie were sitting up and were slightly leaning against each other, trying not to fall asleep.

Claire was looking out in the room, very concentrated on what was being said on the phone. Nodding here and there and a few yes and I understand came from Claire while being fed up with information.

After having hung up the phone she turned to look at the two people in the bed beside her. "Who was it Claire?" Owen asked concerned with his hand on Maisie's back. Her look just as questioning as Owen's. "It was em...the state, child service, whatever they want to call themselves. Maisie's case is being moved up, because of everything else. They just want to close all Lockwood and Mills cases as quickly as possible. And Maisie is on that list" Claire said in a low and exhausted voice. "When is it then?" Owen asked. Claire sighed before answering. "Tomorrow, in the city. I don't know if that's good or bad. They said that I am to appear in court, because I am up for custody. They also said to bring Maisie, I don't know about you Owen" She finished and pushed her body towards Owen, because she was in much need of a hug. He welcomed her and placed a kiss to her hair, before Maisie pushed her way towards Claire to give her a hug herself.

"Don't worry Claire. If they take me away, I'm going to break out and come find you" Maisie said in her most serious tone and Owen couldn't help but laugh a little at that. Claire let out a small laugh as well before placing a hand on Maisie's head to pull her closer so she could leave a kiss in her hair.

"How about some food" Owen asked to which both girls nodded.

"I can't imagine it, not going our way, you should try to relax a bit Claire" Owen told the anxious mess sitting in front of him. She let out a sigh and nodded. "You never know what they might find" Claire told him. He looked at her questioning as if there was something she hadn't told him, something he should know. She saw the way he looked at her and smiled as she shook her head slightly. "Don't worry, I'm not keeping any secrets" She said.

He reached across the table and took her hand in his to give it a squeeze. She gave him an appreciative smile and squeezed back. "Hey what if we spend the day at the lake?" He asked the girls. "The lake" Claire stated. "Is there a lake here?" She then asked to which he nodded. "It's around a 10-minute walk that way" He said and pointed behind them. "What do you think Maisie?" Claire asked the girl who smiled up at her and nodded. "I wouldn't mind" She told Claire. "Alright, let's pack some stuff and get going, shall we" Owen said before standing up and making his way to the bedroom.

Half an hour later, they were on their way to the lake. Claire's hand in Owen's walking down a shallow path. Maisie was walking a few steps in front of them looking around the area and admiring the nature. Claire walked closer to Owen and he let go of her hand to put his arm around her. She relaxed into him and put her own arm around his waist.

They sat down at the rocks surrounding the lake, to relax. Maisie was slowly making her way to the water, careful of her footing so she wouldn't fall face first. She sat down by the edge and ran her fingers through the water slowly. "Is it cold?" Owen asked her when he noticed her, carefully taking in the feeling of the water. Maisie looked up behind her. "Not really" She said. "You can jump in if you feel like it" Claire told her and smiled. Maisie looked at Claire then back at the water, then back at Claire. A little unsure of what she wanted. If she had to be honest, she did want to go in the water, but she wanted Claire with her.

Claire must have sensed it because the next thing Maisie knew, Claire was on her way down pulling her shirt over her head. Maisie smiled and did the same, leaving her in a tank top and Claire in a bra. Claire honestly didn't care. Owen had seen her naked for god sake, multiple times and Maisie was 10 and didn't seem to care either. She just smiled and looked up at Owen. "Aren't you coming?" Maisie asked him. He let out a laugh. "Do you want me to?" He simply asked and Claire waved her hand at him to come down. "Yea come on" Maisie told him, before slowly making her way into the water.

Owen walked down the Claire who was still standing, watching over Maisie. He leaned in and whispered. "You look good" before pulling his own shirt over his head and throwing it in the now growing pile of clothes. Claire looked over at him and smirked. "So do you" She whispered back, leaning up to peck his lips, before making her way to Maisie.

Alright so I'm going to Greece for a week, well when this chapter comes out, I'm already there.

This doesn't mean there won't be updates, it just means that I'm giving you a warning that they might be further apart if it turns out I get busy.

Maybe it's boring as hell and there will be no difference, who knows?

:D