Counting To The Future 2

1 - Chance - Henry knew he only stood a slight chance. But he would continue to fight for her, however many proposals she may be offered. Until the end.

2 - Touch - He was overwhelmed at the way her hair swished in the wind effortlessly, a cascading waterfall tumbling past her shoulders, catching the light of the sun. He wanted to touch it, touch her face and her hair.

3 - Time - Her whip slashed violently in the air as she brought the thrashing demon down. In the midst of battle, it seemed time itself slowed down as he watched Lottie, like an angel from heaven.

4 - Interested - Charlotte's laugh reverberated in his soul, making his chest expand with longing. If only she was interested. She seemed not to notice the looks he gave her.

5 - Happy - The day she agreed was the best in his life. He was blindingly happy as he kissed her forehead and slid the Branwell ring on her fingers. He felt like the happiest man alive.

6 - Conversation - Henry's face reddened at the current conversation involving himself and his fiancée. He knew it was making Charlotte as uncomfortable as he was, and yet Granville wouldn't relent on the subject of children.

7 - Beautiful - Henry's breath caught in his throat, and he forgot how to exhale. All in that moment, Charlotte had been made Mrs Branwell. She was painfully beautiful in that gold wedding dress, and it made Henry's stomach drop.

8 - Resist - He took Lottie's hand, and somehow, managed to stay on his feet as they awkwardly entered into a slow dance. Her eyes seemed to shine, and Henry couldn't resist locking her lips in a short and sweet kiss as her head leaned in closer to his.

9 - Disappointed - He didn't know what to expect from marriage, but he was disappointed in the on and off relationship between him and his wife. He was sure it would get better with time.

10 - Unexpected - A random and unexpected moment saw Henry kissing the top of her head and holding her tight, for no particular reason. He sighed happily, glad to have been dragged away from the crypt for once.

11 - Thoughts - Henry took Charlotte's hand, observing the trees silently as they strolled across the park. Henry was so glad Charlotte couldn't see into his thoughts: he wanted nothing but to love his wife deeply. Pressure and unrequited love held him back.

12 - Late - It was well past midnight and Henry finally stumbled into their blackened bedroom. He cursed quietly for not getting to bed sooner, and he felt Charlotte's angry and ragged breaths at his late arrival.

13 - Night - He had slept in his laboratory all night. Damn! He hadn't come to bed with Charlotte, and he wished he could make it up to her, but he didn't know how.

14 - Tired - Charlotte looked tired and overwhelmed with the amount of work that was keeping her busy. Henry decided to check on her and held her hand at nighttime.

15 - Empty - Henry woke up, and rolled to the side. It was empty and colder than it had been. He opened his eyes and realised Charlotte had already readied her morning for work.

16 - Skipped - Charlotte caught his waistcoat and fumbled with the buttons, doing them up properly. She smiled at him, and Henry's heart skipped. The only problem was that he wished she was undoing them.

17 - Tight - Fear and dread took over Henry as he saw his wife, knocked to the floor and about to be stepped on by a giant automaton. He raced over to her, yelling her name, as the automaton exploded and he shielded her body with his protectively, holding her tight and weeping at her close death.

18 - Moonlight - Love seared his chest painfully as he saw her, as beautiful, kind, genius, hard-working, loyal and loving as she had been from the first day they had met. She was so much more beautiful in moonlight, if it was even possible.

19 - Destroyed - His look of excitement at his successful invention made him call for Lottie with pure joy. But only minutes later, and he felt ashamed and embarrassed when he stood facing broken fragments lying on her desk, destroyed.

20 - Pleasant - Henry wakes up in a cold sweat, realising that the pleasant dream of watching Charlotte fight with her whip gracefully had turned into a nightmare that left Henry with goosebumps.

21 - Smart - Henry marvelled at her ingenuity and independence, her smart mind and brilliant motive, and wondered how she put up with him as long as she had.

22 - Contact - Charlotte grasped his hand and breathed a sigh of relief as she leant a little bit closer to him. He couldn't remember the last time physical contact with his wife was even thought of.

23 - Young - She was so young. They both were. Henry sometimes had to remind himself of just how young she was, and how much responsibility she beheld. They were only a few years older than Will, Jem and Tessa, and it seemed crazy that they hadn't even lived their life yet. Henry often had to remind himself that he was not an older man.

24 - Guilt - He collapsed onto the table, his head smacking against his workbench to release deserved pain for what he had done and felt so guilty for. Their anniversary...he had completely missed it.

25 - Christmas - The first Christmas in which they knew the truth: Henry confidently and determinedly took his wife's face in his hands and kissed her with every last emotion he beheld.

26 - Inseparable - Now, a day wouldn't go by without some form of displayed affection between the pair of them. They were almost inseparable, and wanted to keep it that way. They made up all the time they had never spent with each other, and Henry could see how happy Charlotte was.

27 - Experience - Charlotte didn't let Henry out of her sight after his near death experience, and Henry didn't mind at all that she was keeping it that way.

28 - Soothing - Henry's arms wrapped round Charlotte's as they laid in bed, his hand stroking her face and soothing her, trying to chase away the nightmares she was having.

29 - Emotions - Henry's face lit up at the sight of his baby son. Joyous mixed emotions spread through him, and it was almost unbearable. Charles Fairchild was adorable, with trademark ginger hair and warm brown eyes. His love for both his son and Charlotte was the most amazing of all emotions he had ever felt.

30 - Affection - Many still thought to contemplate whether Henry Branwell really held any affection for his wife at all. What was seen as a platonic and dutiful relationship to others was definitely false behind locked doors. He guessed he felt it rude to display such deep affections publicly, as anyone would. See, the truth was, Henry knew they were all just jealous. Because he loved Lottie with everything he had, and nothing could be done or said to deny one word of it.