Father Figure (Tom Hiddleston Fanfiction)

Chapter 2: Daddy's Wake Up Call

TOM'S P.O.V

"I love you too", I replied to Clara. Even though we have been together for more than a decade, those words will never get boring. I walked to the bathroom to get ready. All I could think about was the guilt that sat in the pit of my stomach. Like Clara said, this isn't the first time I'm leaving her and the kids for a few months to do what I love. The last time I did was about 2 years ago which felt like forever ago. But now its different.

I've been getting more jobs around the UK and not far from home ever since the kids came along. I'm very thankful for it. I didn't want to be one of those parents who were always away working instead of being there for my kids. I want to always be able to let them know that I will always be there for them. I have always had the fear where when I come back home after a week of being in a neighbouring country, my kids wouldn't open up to me anymore. And I feel that fear in my gut now. And its not a week in a neighbouring country like Ireland, its a solid 3 months or so in Los Angeles.

I tried not to think about it too much and decided to listen to Clara's words. She was right and that comforted me a little. Maybe a hot shower could calm me down and make me feel better.

CLARA'S P.O.V

I watched my husband make his way to the bathroom. It's not like I haven't seen that before, it's just that I won't be seeing that for a while. I felt happy for Tom that he could continue his career as an actor with a family but I also felt bad that he feels guilty about leaving us. I was an actor, just like Tom was before we had the kids. When I found out I was pregnant with my firstborn, I made the decision to make my family a priority and my acting career a choice.

Tom was a little guilty that he could continue unlike me, but then realized that it was my choice. I still do some acting here and there, but i always made sure that I work around my kids schedule, and not the other way around. It was still a little early to wake the kids up for school, so I decided to just relax on the bed for a bit. I felt my eyelids getting heavier, but I couldn't fight it.

TOM'S P.O.V

I got dressed and packed up all my toiletries and made sure everything i needed was in my luggage. I'm glad that when we got this house, there was a walk in closet connected to the bathroom, so everything was made easier. I made my way back into our bedroom, and my heart sunk when I saw my wife's sleeping figure on our bed. I instantly felt guilty for having her to wake up early for me. I walked over to the bed and placed a kiss on her forehead. I glanced to the clock on the wall. 6.30AM.

The time that the clock displayed was all too familiar. It was the time when either Clara or myself would wake the kids up for school. I decided to let Clara sleep in for a bit while I wake the kids up. This is after all the last time I will get to do so before I go off for 3 months. I walked along the hallway to make my way to our son, our firstborn, Lucas Alexander Hiddleston. Lucas was born 9 years ago, a year after my marriage to Clara. He reminds me of my younger self, and it seems that he has inherited my genes; blonde curly hair, blue eyes, sharp facial features,he is lean and I was told, a heart breaker. I opened the room to his door gently and flicked the light switch on.

It always marvels me how much of a heavy sleeper my son was. The light clearly had no effect on my sleeping son. I chuckled as I saw my little man bundled up in his blankets like a burrito. I made my way to his bed and sat on the edge of it "Wakey wakey Luke its time to get up", I shook his shoulder a softly. His eyes slowly fluttered open and his eyebrows furrowed. I smiled down at him and said "Good morning buddy", while ruffling his hair. "Morning Dad", he said to me with a smile. But his smile left as fast as it came. "Dad, are you leaving for Los Angeles today?" He asked with a frown forming on his face. It broke my heart that I had to say what I said " Yes I am. For quite some time actually. Luke buddy could you make a promise to daddy?" He nodded while sitting up and rubbing his eyes "Watch out for your mom and your sister for me while I'm gone".

What my son replied made me warm and fuzzy inside "I promise you man to man I'll look after them, as closely as you've done" he said impersonating Capt. Nicholls. "Lucas Hiddleston did you just quote me?" "Indeed I did, Sir"

he laughed and so did I. "Come on soldier you've got to get ready for school". He got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom he shared with his sister, while I made my way to my little princess's room.

Harper Marie Hiddleston was born 6 years ago, 3 years after Lucas. She is a spitting image of her mother; blonde wavy hair, sparkling green eyes and sharp facial features. I can already anticipate the attention she will be getting from boys in a few years. I opened the door to her room, and looked inside to see my daughter sleeping soundly with the help of her nightlight. I didn't want to flick the light switch on suddenly as she is a light sleeper like her mother and would wake up in a panic state. I walked over to her bed and sat on the edge of it, like how I did in the other room. I shook her awake lightly and said "Wakey wakey Harp time to get up". Her eyes instantly fluttered, and she looked at me with a sad expression.

It hurt me to see my kids sad, and wished that they would never have to feel sadness. " Daddy you're leaving", she said while making her way onto my lap. I pulled her into my embrace and held her against my chest, feeling her sling onto my shirt with her tiny hands. "Don't go" she said a little louder than a whisper. It broke my heart to see my little angel like this " I don't want to darling and I'm very sorry. But if I don't go, who else is going to be Loki?" She looked up at me and smiled a little before saying "I'll miss you daddy. And your bedtime stories. And your hugs. And your jokes. And and and" " And you're going to be late for school if you don't get ready now!" I said playfully while tickling her. She giggled and said "Alright Daddy Alright! I'm going". I stopped tickling her, kissed the top of her head and let her make her way to the bathroom.

I went back to my bedroom and went to Clara's side of the bed and kneeled beside it. I swept the hair of her head, accidentally waking her up. "Hello there Darling" "Hey Tom" She instinctively looked to the clock and panicked when it read a quarter to 7. Sensing her anxiousness, I said " Hey its okay. Calm down. I've already woken them up." She sighed in relief and replied "Thank you Tom. You're the best." She pecked me on my lips and I smiled while kissing her. "What?" She said with a giggle "Aren't I always the best?" "Oh you're full of it Tom! Now move over my family needs to be fed and I need to get ready" she said while laughing.