It was late when he got home. The moon was almost fully across the sky as the front door creaked open and the sound of footsteps echoed through the house. She heard him as he opened the door to their bedroom and tossed his cloak on the rack sighing,barely taking notice of the woman in his bed. He gasped suddenly as he realized she was not asleep.
"What are you doing up? Its late." He exclaimed sitting on the edge of his side of the bed,removing his shoes. She smiled and lay her book down on what was left of her lap her pregnancy getting the way of most things these days.
"I was reading. I couldn't sleep until I knew you were home safely." She removed her glasses and leaned over kissing him gently on the cheek. Tom sighed and put his hand over hers.
"Well now I am home and now you can go to sleep. It is much too late for you to be up worrying about me. I still have some work to do," she was about to protest when he silenced her, "but I will be in bed in an hour or so. So please go to sleep." She nodded, not wishing to argue with him and put the book on the bed side table along with her glasses. Tom stood up from his perch on the edge of the bed as she threw the blankets over her shoulders in the cool summer air and blew out the light before snuggling down further into feather pillows. He walked out of the room, ignoring the door to his study and heading straight for the new room which would soon house their first child. The room was an oval shape with light blue covering the walls. He had recently told the others that he was expecting his first child, he hoped for a boy. But Sirena assured him a girl it would be. And for the first time in his life he became worried. A boy he could handle. A boy could be taught his ways and be like him but a girl. A girl had to be like her. He couldn't bare turning her mind to his work. How would he raise her? What would they talk about? He had no idea and, being a man of many many words it was difficult for him to comprehend not being able to speak to her. He stood in the door way of this room for along time. Everything was perfect for the childs arrival. he could have it no other way. This was to be their first, perhaps only, he mused, and found himself sitting in the rocking chair, every nursery had one and his would be no different. He had to be very careful now. Not only for his own safety but for his children. When the child was born it would be immediately brought to Dumbledore's attention. The list at Hogwart's would make sure of it. He only hoped that the list would have Sirena's last name and not his as they were not married...but hadn't his name shown up as Riddle..? No matter, Dumbledore could do nothing as no one really knew it was him behind that mask. He had not set his plans in motion yet. Soon would be the time. His child would be alive to see his great triumph. He had promised to make this world safe for all wizards. No longer would they hide away from muggles. He sighed and rocked gently back and forth in the chair. He didn't know if it was right to have children now, now of all times. It was dangerous and he needed time to make it perfect. He would be a good father, he told himself. He had always been an over achiever...could one be an over achiever concerning children? He didn't know for sure. Fear set in. It was the same fear that had filled him the first day. What if it didn't like him? It was an infantile thought but it filled him suddenly.
"Tom?" Sirena appeared in the doorway leaning on the wall for support. His eyes looked up at her immediatly.
"I thought I told you to go to sleep." He sighed rising and helping her to the rocking chair. Sitting her down gently and laid his hands on her shoulders. He knew she hadn't been sleeping well since she got pregnant and it worried him.
"I went to get a glass of water and saw the door cracked open. Are you all right?" He kneeled down next to her chair. Her hands stroking his hair, searching his eyes for answers to questions she dare not ask.
"I'm worried. I excel at everything I do. But I question my parenting skill." Tom sighed and laid his head on the handle of the chair.
"I think you will make a wonderful father, Tom. We already know how not to act, right? And there is no way to get rid of me." She smiled at him and lifted his head to show him there was nothing to fear.
" Yes, your right." He gave the answer half heartedly.
" Now its time for bed, I think." He helped her out of the chair before she could protest and led her to bed climbing in on his side as she settled herself down on her side facing him.
"Tom, Are you scared?"
"Whatever would give you that idea?" he muttered curling up facing her on his side.
" I just want to know if your as scared as I am. I know its going to be difficult and I really have no idea what to expect. I just know that we'll be so happy when its all over." Tom quirked a brow.
"How can you be sure that we'll be happy." She took his hand and settled it on her stomache the baby inside giving a nudge.
"Thats how I know, because she only moves like that when your around." He smiled contently. He kissed her forehead gently and watched her as she closed her eyes and fell into a much needed sleep. Her words were enough to calm him. The baby would be the same. They were what kept him human. They were what made him vulnerable and if anyone ever came between them....but that would never happen, he would never let it happen.
"What are you doing up? Its late." He exclaimed sitting on the edge of his side of the bed,removing his shoes. She smiled and lay her book down on what was left of her lap her pregnancy getting the way of most things these days.
"I was reading. I couldn't sleep until I knew you were home safely." She removed her glasses and leaned over kissing him gently on the cheek. Tom sighed and put his hand over hers.
"Well now I am home and now you can go to sleep. It is much too late for you to be up worrying about me. I still have some work to do," she was about to protest when he silenced her, "but I will be in bed in an hour or so. So please go to sleep." She nodded, not wishing to argue with him and put the book on the bed side table along with her glasses. Tom stood up from his perch on the edge of the bed as she threw the blankets over her shoulders in the cool summer air and blew out the light before snuggling down further into feather pillows. He walked out of the room, ignoring the door to his study and heading straight for the new room which would soon house their first child. The room was an oval shape with light blue covering the walls. He had recently told the others that he was expecting his first child, he hoped for a boy. But Sirena assured him a girl it would be. And for the first time in his life he became worried. A boy he could handle. A boy could be taught his ways and be like him but a girl. A girl had to be like her. He couldn't bare turning her mind to his work. How would he raise her? What would they talk about? He had no idea and, being a man of many many words it was difficult for him to comprehend not being able to speak to her. He stood in the door way of this room for along time. Everything was perfect for the childs arrival. he could have it no other way. This was to be their first, perhaps only, he mused, and found himself sitting in the rocking chair, every nursery had one and his would be no different. He had to be very careful now. Not only for his own safety but for his children. When the child was born it would be immediately brought to Dumbledore's attention. The list at Hogwart's would make sure of it. He only hoped that the list would have Sirena's last name and not his as they were not married...but hadn't his name shown up as Riddle..? No matter, Dumbledore could do nothing as no one really knew it was him behind that mask. He had not set his plans in motion yet. Soon would be the time. His child would be alive to see his great triumph. He had promised to make this world safe for all wizards. No longer would they hide away from muggles. He sighed and rocked gently back and forth in the chair. He didn't know if it was right to have children now, now of all times. It was dangerous and he needed time to make it perfect. He would be a good father, he told himself. He had always been an over achiever...could one be an over achiever concerning children? He didn't know for sure. Fear set in. It was the same fear that had filled him the first day. What if it didn't like him? It was an infantile thought but it filled him suddenly.
"Tom?" Sirena appeared in the doorway leaning on the wall for support. His eyes looked up at her immediatly.
"I thought I told you to go to sleep." He sighed rising and helping her to the rocking chair. Sitting her down gently and laid his hands on her shoulders. He knew she hadn't been sleeping well since she got pregnant and it worried him.
"I went to get a glass of water and saw the door cracked open. Are you all right?" He kneeled down next to her chair. Her hands stroking his hair, searching his eyes for answers to questions she dare not ask.
"I'm worried. I excel at everything I do. But I question my parenting skill." Tom sighed and laid his head on the handle of the chair.
"I think you will make a wonderful father, Tom. We already know how not to act, right? And there is no way to get rid of me." She smiled at him and lifted his head to show him there was nothing to fear.
" Yes, your right." He gave the answer half heartedly.
" Now its time for bed, I think." He helped her out of the chair before she could protest and led her to bed climbing in on his side as she settled herself down on her side facing him.
"Tom, Are you scared?"
"Whatever would give you that idea?" he muttered curling up facing her on his side.
" I just want to know if your as scared as I am. I know its going to be difficult and I really have no idea what to expect. I just know that we'll be so happy when its all over." Tom quirked a brow.
"How can you be sure that we'll be happy." She took his hand and settled it on her stomache the baby inside giving a nudge.
"Thats how I know, because she only moves like that when your around." He smiled contently. He kissed her forehead gently and watched her as she closed her eyes and fell into a much needed sleep. Her words were enough to calm him. The baby would be the same. They were what kept him human. They were what made him vulnerable and if anyone ever came between them....but that would never happen, he would never let it happen.