Thomas is nuzzling my neck as I slowly wake. It's a new day.
"Morning, baby," he whispers and nips at my earlobe.
Baby. My eyes flutter open and close again quickly. Bright early morning light floods his office, and his hand is softly caressing my breast, gently. Moving down he grasps my hip as he lies behind me, holding me close.
I stretch out beside him, relishing his touch, "Morning."
My eyes flutter open, I roll over and face him. Thomas looks like how I feel. Exhausted. We slept on the floor with his office couch pillows as a mattress. I didn't want to sleep anywhere else except here. With his arms around me.
"How did you sleep?"
I nod, "Okay." I thought I was going to have a nightmare, but I didn't. "You?"
"I don't think I did."
I frown. "What? Why?"
"I waited 'till you slept and then I got scared that something would happen to you while I was asleep. I tried to reassure meself that you were going to be okay, but, by then you had awoken."
He runs a hand through my hair. "I was so scared I'd lost you."
I study him, softening against his lovely hands. "I'm here."
"And I'm thankful." He whispers, leaning in to kiss me. Thomas caresses my face. "If anything ever happened to you, Jade, I-I would-" He shuts his eyes, inhaling.
I kiss him now, running my hand through his hair.
The feeling is mutual, Tommy.
"Hey, I'm here." I brush my nose against his, it seems as though it's something we continuously do to each other during trying times. "I'm here, baby."
His hand moves to my belly, "You both are,"
My heart clenches at him referring to the baby. Oh Thomas, I wrap my arms around him and sigh feeling him hold me a little tighter. We stay like that for a beat until he holds me so dearly, I almost want to tell him again that I'm here.
In our bed, he twists and pulls me down on to the mattress so that I am underneath him. I bring my hands up to cup his beautiful face, and in that moment, I feel his tears.
"What is it?" I whisper, he's crying.
Thomas pauses and searches for the words.
"In that moment of me driving to our home, I thought my world was over. I was brought back to when-" He stops, and purses his lips. "To that day in Birmingham when you were being attacked by Oliver. I thought I lost you then, Jade." He rasps. "I thought I lost the only light in life again yesterday."
I listen to him, imagining if I were in his shoes, how panicked I would have been. I study him now, the way he had studied me when he saw me.
"It seems like my vow to you is of no value. I can't protect you," He whispers, defeated. "I-I try but-"
Again, the tears roll off of his cheeks.
"Thomas, please, don't cry. Nothing will happen to me, and," I wipe away his tears, "And plus, you do protect me. You've protected me from William, from Oliver, you've protected me from Maggie too."
He looms over me, gazing down into my face, and his expression is so pained, still. My words aren't enough for him.
"What more could I ask for? You're such loveable, decent man," I was desperate for him to believe me. "You've protected me from the moment I met you..."
