Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 22 ||

"Claire honey, why don't you just go to bed and I'll go tell the others that you won't be joining for the rest of the evening" Owen softly suggested to a half-asleep Claire, leaning on his side. She nodded and tried to stand up but her muscles gave out, she barely moved her leg before she let out a frustrated sigh. Owen took a hold of her hands and stood up, dragging her with him. "Come" He said as he unlocked the door and let her to their bedroom. "You go lay down okay, I'll go tell the others that you aren't feeling well and explain it all to Maisie. She must be out of her mind" She nodded at that and let her body give out on top of the bed.

Owen made his way to the dining table where he found the same people that he left there. "What's wrong?" Maisie quickly asked, getting up from her seat. Owen put a hand out to stop the girl from worrying. "Claire isn't feeling very well and I told her to go to sleep, so it's just us for the rest of the night" He told them. Their looks told Owen that they understood. "Why don't we just call it a night and you can go take care of her?" Karen suggested with a soft smile across her face. They eventually agreed on that and went their own ways.

Maisie ran into their bedroom with a worried look on her face, jumped straight on the bed and started asking question after question. "Maisie, she's going to be fine. She probably just needs some sleep so let's go get ready for bed, yea?" Owen said and walked Maisie to the bathroom. Luckily Claire didn't wake up, even tho the girl had rocked the bed like an earthquake. Owen thought she must be so drained than not even the smoke alarm would wake her up.

While they got ready for bed, he couldn't help but worry about Claire. He tried his best to hide it from Maisie and to answer her many questions with the most positive answers he could without lying. Best case scenario, she was just coming down with something and it would be over soon. His mind kept coming up with worst case scenarios. The next one worse than the one before. He eventually got so far that when they were laying in bed, he asked Maisie if she knew any good stories.

Owen woke up and instantly felt a weight on top of him. Looking down his body he found Maisie sound asleep. Usually when she got scared or needed to cuddle, she would crawl on top of Claire, but since she wasn't feeling well, Maisie must have decided that it was best to use Owen as her mattress. He couldn't help but smile, slowly letting his fingers go through her tousled hair. Looking to his side, he found Claire on her side facing him. Still sleeping and looking relatively better than last night. They were going home the next day so hopefully whatever had hit Claire would have worn off by that time. Eventually Owen fell asleep again and when he woke up, both girls were still with him. The only difference was that Maisie was awake. Still on top of him, her legs dangling up in the air behind her. It took him a couple of seconds to realize that she was playing with his growing stubble. Which at this point was closer to a beard, not having really taken the time to shave it off and not wanting to take the time since Claire hadn't commented on it. "Hey kiddo" He chuckled. She started laughing and smiling down at him. "Good morning dad" She said giggling and continued to play with his so-called beard. "You like my beard?" He asked and she nodded and ran her fingers over it. "It feels funny" She giggled. "When will mom wake up?" She asked right after and looked over at her sleeping form, concern covering her face. "I don't know Maisie girl, but let's let her sleep okay" He said and she seemed to understand and nodded.

The two of them eventually made it into the kitchen to find the rest of the house, minus Claire, already present. "Hey guys" Karen greeted them and handed Owen a cup of coffee. "How's aunt Claire?" Zach quickly asked from the dining table and looked over at Owen expectantly, Gray joining his brother with the same look. Owen shrugged and said. "To be honest kid, I do not know. She's still sleeping and I figured it was best to let her" Karen nodded and went to sit with the boys at the table. "Come join us for breakfast" She said and gestured for Maisie to come sit next to her. The girl did exactly that without much consideration. Having grown quite comfortable with Karen in the last couple of days. Almost as quickly as she did with Claire, but then again, they were sisters so it made sense.

Owen came to join as well and they all ate breakfast. An hour went by and Claire hadn't shown. Owen figured that the sickness probably really wore her out. She did look rather bad last night and couldn't even get herself off the floor. Deciding to get his mind off of his worries, he joined in the conversation going on at the table.

Later on, in the day, Claire was still sleeping. Owen had gone to check on her a couple times to make sure she was still breathing. He hadn't told the others that reason but it was all that was running through his mind when he wasn't near her. But every time he went to their bedroom, he found her in another position, even breaths and with the looks of it, nothing to worry about. Leaving a kiss on her forehead before he left each time. Still worried for his girl. He would always worry about her.

As they were eating lunch, Claire suddenly appeared from the hallway, collecting all her hair into a ponytail. She was so silent that no one noticed until she appeared behind Owen and asked. "How long did I sleep?" He turned in his chair to find his girlfriend putting her hands on his shoulders and leaning down to give him a kiss. "Long" He just said after the kiss and she went around the table to sit down. "I'm starving" Claire said. "How are you feeling Claire?" Karen asked, concern clearly showing in her voice. "Oh, I'm fine" She answered and started eating the tower of food she had gathered on her plate.

The rest of the day went by without other worries from Owen than his usual every day worry. She probably just had to sleep it off, he thought. She seemed absolutely fine. The same happy energetic Claire that he had always known.

Later on, in the evening after dinner, Claire was the first one to go to bed and Owen and Maisie went with her. "God I'm tired" Claire said as she stripped off her clothes until she was standing in her underwear. Maisie being Maisie didn't pay attention and did exactly the same before reaching for her PJ. Owen still standing by the door, quite enjoyed the view. Of course, Claire knew that he did and when Maisie was looking in her suitcase for her second PJ. Claire waltzed over to him and reached up behind his neck to pull him down towards her. Letting Claire do whatever she was doing, Owen put a hand on the small of her back and led her hands pull him down. Their lips met and both of them let out a deep sigh of relief, as if the whole day had been leading up to that exact moment. Claire let go of him before she got too carried away, considering Maisie being in the room with them.

All three cuddled up in the bed and let sleep take over.

Got nothing to say really...

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