Beauty and Transcendency

January 3, 1984

"Hey baby." Henry's voice came from the living room. Elizabeth found him reclining on the couch, feet propped up on the coffee table. She plopped down next to him, curling her feel under her body and leaning against his chest. He slung his arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer. "How did your exam go?"

"It was okay. I think I'll pass," she joked. He smiled, but his eyes were distant.

She lifted her head up and kissed just under his jaw. "What are you thinking about, baby?"

"You." He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You're so… beautiful," he said, incapable of better words to describe her. She blushed.

"Thanks, handsome." She straddled him, pushing Henry further back against the cushions. He quirked an eyebrow, the corners of his lips twitching into a smile, possibly amused.

"Got a plan?"

"I'm working on one," she said and brought his lips to her. They started out slowly, but their kisses quickly gained intensity. Elizabeth couldn't help but to smile against his mouth because something felt so right about kissing him. When they broke apart for air, Henry's glasses were slightly askew and behind them hazel eyes that twinkled with a mix of admiration, love, and lust. It was the same look he always gave her before initiating a playful kiss. Right on cue, he pulled her face back to his and their lips met in a frenzy. She let out a muffled yelp and pushed him away suddenly.

"Wait! Ow!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Your glasses are caught in my hair." Henry gingerly removed his glasses so not to cause her any further pain. After a few moments of detangling, his glasses were free, and he placed them on the coffee table to prevent any further issues. To Henry's relief, the awkward snafu seemed to have no effect on the mood. He started to apologize, but they both burst into laughter. Without missing a beat, Elizabeth pulled his face back to her's to pick up where they left off. She softly ran her tongue along his lips, testing the waters. Henry immediately returned the favor, his tongue playing with hers. Eventually, she needed air and broke the kiss. Henry took advantage of the moment and took her bottom lip between his teeth and tugged. She couldn't contain the soft moan that escaped her mouth. Elizabeth blushed, embarrassed at the sound that betrayed the pleasures of her body. She felt his grip tighten on her waist to stay in PG territory. She smiled inwardly at his restraint, knowing that he would never do something she wasn't comfortable with. For some reason she would never really understand, his unwillingness to push her only made her want him more. He made her feel safe even when they were wandering dangerously closer to each others' hearts. Henry's lips left hers, and he kissed her chin and along her define, yet feminine, jaw. When he reached the hinge of her jaw, he kissed a trail up the side of her face to just under her ear. There he paused to catch his breath and whisper, "I love you." The gravelly tone of his voice made her shiver.

"I love you too." Elizabeth placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him so she could look into his eyes. "Henry?"

"Are you okay?" he asked, the concern evident in his voice.

"Yes! I'm fine. I'm more than fine. I'm good, actually. I just... I want to go further," she said shyly. They had been dating for six months now, and it was high time that they took their relationship to the next step. Elizabeth trusted him more than anything, and she so desperately wanted them more than anything.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure."

June 16, 2017

They made their way into the bedroom, making sure to close the door behind them. Their lips met again with a soft intensity. Without pulling away from the kiss, Elizabeth carefully undid the buttons of his shirt and pushed the fabric off his shoulders. She trailed her fingers down his chest along his sternum and caressed his abs. Henry's hands were still resting on her hips, and she could feel the reluctance and uncertainty in his touch.

"I'm okay," Elizabeth insisted. "Really." He cupped her face in his hands and looked at her very seriously.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" he asked.

"Yes." She took a small step, closing the remaining gap between them. He pulled her into a tight embrace, his body encircling hers. Elizabeth melted into his warmth, his touch, desperate to escape the memories of Andrada. When Henry's hand rested on her rear, she inhaled sharply. He froze in place and was about to pull away when she simply smiled and whispered her consent. His touch was surprising, yes, but it wasn't unwelcome. She didn't feel filthy or violated, instead she felt alive with a fiery passion. His touch always felt so right, so pleasurable.

Judging by the hardness pressed against her belly, Henry felt the same. She nipped at his throat, urging him onward. She swept her hair out of the way so that he could undo the zipper of her dress. Elizabeth shimmied out of the dress and stood in front of him in only her undergarments. They didn't match, and they most certainly were not part of her lacy collection that was specifically for seducing her husband. He didn't seem to care.

He kissed her eagerly and urgently, and Elizabeth returned them with equal fervor. Her hands found their way to his belt and unlatched the buckle, and Henry in turned kicked off his pants, shoes, and socks. He undid the clasp of her bra and tossed the garments aside. They stood in front of one another, panting and clad only in underwear. Henry smirked and pulled her hips towards his, grinding against her. She dragged her tongue and teeth along his exposed clavicles earning her a groan. He trailed his fingers up her ribs and to her breasts, stroking the soft skin and leaving a trail of goosebumps behind them, her breasts tingling in response to the pleasure. Elizabeth let her head loll back and her eyes shut, content to let Henry take the lead for a little while. He kissed down her neck, carefully sucking her skin not hard enough to bruise but enough to make her heartbeat flutter. With the kids in their respective bedrooms, she made a minimal effort in containing her sighs of content. When reached the base of her neck he sucked on the base of her throat just between her two perfectly sculpted collarbones.

"Henry." Her voice was low and breathy, somewhere between a whisper and a moan. He tousled her blonde tresses and watched as a stray lock fell to frame her cheekbones. Elizabeth bit her swollen lip, and her cheeks flushed under Henry's smoldering gaze.

She squealed when he picked her up and dropped her onto the bed, the physical display of strength every bit as exhilarating and loving as ever before. She lied back along the pillows smiling, shy and flirty at the same time. Henry grinned and dropped his boxers. He climbed on the bed and hovered over her. Elizabeth pulled him down for another kiss and let herself relax into his touch.

April 14, 1989

Henry shifted off of her body but continued to kiss her, supporting his weight on his left elbow. His right hand slipped under the waistband of her underwear, and she took her cue to wriggle out of her panties. Elizabeth felt his hand slide up the inside of her thigh, closer and closer to her throbbing center. When he finally reached her wetness, she quivered at the much-wanted contact. He dragged one finger through her wetness and up to her clit. She had to tear herself away from his lips to let out a gasp as his finger lightly brushed over her. He continued to tease her with his feather light fingers that ghosted over her thighs and center. Without warning, Henry pressed down on her clit a little bit harder. Elizabeth cried out in pleasure. She grabbed at the sheets, desperate to anchor herself to something. He kept her on the edge of desire, always leaving her wanting more but not begging. The sweet torture dragged on and on as Elizabeth writhed against his hand until she blindly grabbed at his hand, her fingers brushing over the cool metal of his brand-new wedding band.

"Henry, I need you."

November 3, 2001

"Promise you'll tell me if it hurts?" he asked as he stroked his hand across her forehead.

"I promise." Elizabeth gave him a smile in reassurance.

"And you tell me if you need me to stop or slow down?" His worry for her was sweet, but she was getting impatient.

"Honey, the doctor said it was fine after four to six weeks, and it's been seven. I was fine the first two times with the girls after five weeks. We need this. Pleeeeease, babe, I'm horny," she begged.

"Okay. I just don't want to—"

"If you don't hurry up the baby will start crying or Stevie or Noodle will have a nightmare before we get to the good part."

"Okay, okay calm down. You know, nothing good comes if we rush it. Romantic sex is all about taking your time and enjoying the—"

"Henry!" She rolled her eyes, exasperated. She gripped him firmly, eliciting a groan from him, and guided him to her entrance.

March 3, 1991

He sank into her body slowly, giving her time to adjust to his size. Elizabeth enjoyed the sensation of her muscles stretching to their limit as he sheathed himself within her. For the first time since his deployment, she felt safe and secure. She felt utterly complete and full of love.

"I'm really glad you're back," she whispered. She felt her eyes well with tears of gratitude. Henry cupped her cheek in his hand and brushed a stray tear away with his thumb.

"Me too." He dipped down to kiss her, pressing their bodies as close together as possible. When he pulled back, Henry looked deep into her eyes with desire and adoration. She wrapped her legs around his waist and forced their hips together. He began to move, and Elizabeth sighed softly in content as the world went hazy.

April 27, 2016

His thrusts were slow and deliberate, making every rock of his hips as pleasurable as possible. The way he handled her body was so sweet and full of love it brought tears to her eyes when she remembered how far apart they had become in the past few months.

"What's wrong?" Henry's brow furrowed, a cross between worry and concentration.

"It's just that I was so worried about us, and now here we are and..." She shuddered because even though their marriage may be going through a rough patch, their sex life had not been affected in anyway. "It feels so good."

He threaded his fingers between hers and pressed their hands on the bed. He didn't say anything, but Elizabeth understood. They were together, forever, no matter what. Henry trailed kisses along her throat, occasionally nipping at her skin affectionately. She whimpered softly, urging him to pick up the pace. The tenderness of earlier was replaced by heated passion and desperation.

"Baby," he panted, "are you close?"

"God yes, Henry please I—" the rest of her sentence was lost in a moan when his thumb pressed on her clit. Each thrust was harder and deeper than the last, his tempo becoming erratic as their orgasms neared. Elizabeth came first, her thighs trembling as they tightened around his waist. She cried out in ecstasy as her mind was flooded with unadulterated bliss. Henry followed shortly after, finding his release somewhere deep inside her with a throaty growl. She could feel him throbbing inside of her as the muscles of her belly fluttered, a familiar heat spreading through her limbs. The subtle, almost synchronized pulsing of their bodies was a reminder that they were one and that nothing could come between them.

November 19, 2017

They shared a shaky kiss, and then another firmer, but just as tender, kiss. Henry smiled down at her softly, brushing strands of hair back from her damp temple. He let out an exhausted sigh and relaxed his weight onto her body.

Elizabeth tapped his shoulder. "Um... Babe? Could you get up for a second?" She shifted uncomfortably beneath him. "It's just you know I don't like it when..."

"Yeah." He pulled out of her, and she couldn't stop the shiver that ran through her body at the loss of contact. Henry placed a kiss on her cheek before rolling off of her and reaching for the tissue box. Elizabeth got out of bed and began the awkward, naked waddle-jog to the bathroom. She heard Henry snicker from behind her.

"Hush, you," she muttered.

"It's cute, babe."

She remerged from the bathroom a few minutes later to find that Henry had already put on his boxers and changed the sheets. Elizabeth put on a clean pair of panties and pulled on her husband's shirt that had been tossed aside earlier that evening. She crawled into bed next to Henry and snuggled close to him. He turned off the lamp on his nightstand and draped his arm over her waist, pulling her flush to his body.

"You were right," she mumbled, eyes already closed.

"Hmm?"

"About the beauty and transcendency thing... you were right." He chuckled, a low throaty sound that made her feel warm inside. He kissed the crown of her head.

"Elizabeth?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

I don't know how I feel about this, but I'll just leave this here. I might rewrite it later, but I just wanted to post it before tonight's episode.

Please review! Let me know what you think!