These were the loneliest moments of them all, the hour between night and dawn as the sky slowly began to lighten. The moments between sleeping and dreaming he was there and fully waking and realizing that he wasn't. These were the moments when you would lay still, tears spilling as you missed him so much it physically hurt.
There was a week left, that was all. Seven days until he would be home, beside you, where he belonged. Three months was too long for him to be away, too long for you to not be able to reach out and touch him. Talking to him through the computer screen every day, the time difference meaning you could watch him begin to nod off, sleepy eyes beginning to close as his words slurred, wasn't enough.
You weren't going to get any sleep now, and laying in the too empty bed was only going to make matters worse. Stumbling through the still-dark flat in your underwear you understood that every room was just as empty as the bedroom, but somehow less lonely. Plus there was tea.
The kettle boiled and you glared at the noise it made, irrationally loathing it and every other inanimate object within view. Flicking off the element angrily you shoved the kettle aside, honestly not even wanting tea, just wanting to occupy yourself.
"Were ye goin tae make one fer me?"
You shrieked, spinning around at the counter to see Jack standing there, looking exhausted. He was there, in front of you, all six feet of sleepy, probably grumpy Scot. Not on a screen, or through a speaker. There within touching distance. Looking at you. Biting his lip.
The distance between you was closed in a moment as you met in the middle of the kitchen, colliding with the man you loved, your legs wrapped around his waist, his mouth crashing down on yours. Where normally he kissed you purposefully, now there was no finesse, lips mashing, teeth gnashing as you crashed into the counter sending your tea cup falling with a crash.
Pure need drove you, drove you both. Jack's hips ground against yours as you tore at one another's clothing. He stumbled toward the bedroom, grunting when your teeth found his neck.
"Need ye. Righ now." he muttered, dropping you backwards onto the bed.
He was on you in a moment, hand splayed across your neck holding your head still. His hips shifted as he pushed inside you smoothly, your toes curling into the sheets as he filled you.
You were both home.
It had started to rain, they greyness outside keeping the room dark, even as the sun rose. You lay on Jack, stretched out on top of him, his legs tangled with yours. Your arms were crossed on his chest, head resting on them as you stared up at him. His fingers traced patterns on your bare back, running through your hair as he smiled softly down at you.
"Hi baby." he whispered.
"Hey handsome." you smiled back at him, moving one arm so you could run a finger down the length of his nose.
"Did ye miss me?"
"Only when I was breathing."
He tugged you up his body, pressing his lips to your forehead and wrapping his arms tightly around your back.
"I missed ye too. Especially this." his fingers tickled your sides making you giggle and squirm.
"Quit it!" you laughed.
He smirked, palms rubbing up and down your back. He pushed his head back into the pillow with a sigh, holding you tight against his chest.
"God, I'm so glad tae be home wi' ye. I couldna sleep without ye, luv."
"Me either, I missed you kicking me in your sleep."
"Yeah but ye love me anyway."
"I guess. You're lucky you're cute."
"Hmmm," he murmured into your hair. "I'm no haf bad in the sack either."
"There's my Jack, full of yourself."
"Actually luv, it was you who was full o me a few minutes ago, and I didna hear any complaints."
"Who said I was complaining?"
Jack chuckled, shifting you both so you lay on your sides facing each other. He kept his arms tight around you, fingers dancing over your skin, your leg slung over his. Your hand grazed over him from hip to chest, coming to rest over his heart, fingers tangling in the roughness of his dark hair.
You could feel your eyelids drooping as Jack's breath slowed, his fingers ceasing their glide as he drifted off to sleep. Watching him for as long as you could you took in every detail of his face, from random beauty marks and freckles to his pouty bottom lip, his blonde eyelashes against his cheeks to his absolutely perfect nose.
Snuggling your face into his shoulder you let his deep, even breaths lull you into slumber, the emptiness you'd felt when you awake gone, replaced by such a feeling of warmth and comfort as you'd never felt before.
Your last thought as you fell into deep sleep was that you were home, finally.
Forever.
