Will & Tessa \ Wessa

Vampires & A Bath

Will only felt the movement of the fire in the hearth, a dancing orange glow on the edge of his vision.

He was barefoot, and his shirt was completely unbuttoned, open.

He closed his book and rose from the chair. His blue eyes were wide and unfocused with other deep thoughts. 

Tessa and Cecily and Sophie had undergone their own mission, adamant that they'd do this task alone and now Will was gritting his teeth with worry.

He raked a hand through his hair in frustration and was about to head downstairs when the door of the bedroom burst open and Tessa came in.

Will gaped at her.

Tessa was completely disheveled and covered in dirt and blood and she was beaming, smiling.  "Will!"  She began pulling her gloves off and started to rattle off the events of the evening the three of them had just had.

Will caught only a few words as he approached Tessa.

"Vampires... Sophie... Cecily... incredible... brilliant..."

Will nodded, highly amused, his worry ebbing away.

There had been a threat in not knowing what was happening to the three of them, a threat in the silence and sitting and waiting.

But she was fine, they all were...

He undid the buttons on Tessa's jacket and using his fingers he raised her chin gently, Will's sharp eyes roamed slowly over her long neck. There were no vampire bites or battle bruises on her skin and he let out a breath in relief.

"You all did amazing." Will said sincerely.

Tessa's smile broadened.  "You would have been proud!"

"I am always proud of you." He replied.

And as she broke into the second part of her story Will led her to the bathroom.

She was covered in dirt and blood, her hair was matted with it and he undressed her slowly, tossing her stained and torn clothes to the side.

He did it automatically, and although his eyes took in her nakedness, there was nothing sensual in his movements. Will wanted to make sure she was alright, and the sight of the blood on her made him very uneasy.

The bath was full of warm water and as Tessa stepped into the soothing water she caught Will's wrist. "Stay, Will, please."

Tessa sat in the bath and let the water sooth her.

She spoke about the progress they had made with the vampires even after things had gone completely haywire, and Will asked questions: what had transpired, were Cecily and Sophie all right, and he chuckled at some parts of his wife's story.

It seemed Tessa, Sophie and Cecily had made quite the team!

At one point Tessa gave Will her wash cloth, and he knelt by the bath and swept Tessa's hair to the side and wiped away the blood on her neck and shoulders.

He rubbed at her skin gently but firmly with the cloth till the blood washed off.

Tessa savored Will's gentleness and attentiveness.  She had run up the Institute steps, her heart beating at a different rhythm, knowing Will was waiting for her upstairs.

They had only been married a few months and she had never known such happiness.

Tessa was constantly buoyant; impatient when Will wasn't with her - craving him desparately at such times; but above all she was incredibly content, and she was very much in love.

Tessa raised her head. "Will."

He paused, placing his hand on her wet hair. "Yes, Tessa." He was smiling.

"I love you, Will." Tessa raised her lips to his, rising out of the water she ignored the water and soap suds as she wound her arms around Will, pulling him into the bath with her.