(I rewatched DAYS OF THUNDER for the first time in years and fell in love again. I love this movie. It's so fun... But I was a little sad we don't get more of Rowdy with his wife Jennie or that we get anything with him and his kids. And I found it shitty that we didn't get to see if Jennie even went with her husband to the hospital... And then I thought maybe she didn't really know because I can see Rowdy do that to spare her, but she finds out anyway and now he feels like an asshole...

So I decided to write what I think went down after he got home from his surgery! And I don't know if I'll do a second chapter or not with the kids. We'll see. Either way, enjoy!)

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So Glad You Made It

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She clung to him, nails digging into his chest and face buried in his shoulder. He stroked the back of her head as his face buried in her hair, taking in her natural scent with the damn cherry blossom shit she liked to use for bodywash and the slightest hint of her herbal tea shampoo.

God... He really was a class A jackass. He closed his eyes and fought down tears, feeling Jennie heave against him, her tears soaking into his simple cotton shirt. He'd hurt her. His stubborn pride... He just couldn't do it. He couldn't admit to her where Cole was taking him, what he was doing... And then the damn doctors had called and told her right as he was going in for surgery. He had told them to not let anyone in... He hadn't wanted to have her see him like that, all wrapped up. Especially not with the girls...

"Where are the kids?" he rasped, his voice scratchy from trying not to cry like a damn pussy wimp.

"At Benny's," she whispered and he fought back a groan.

Great. Jennie's brother was a Ben was a real stuck-up prick who was a lawyer and had tried to talk Jennie outta marrying him when they'd first gotten engaged. Needless to say the guy wasn't his biggest fan. His wife was well enough. Kind of a dumb ditz, but nice at least... Why couldn't she had taken her to Joni? He liked Joni. Woman was a mad pool player and whenever they came over, she'd show him the recording of his races and ask him questions or call him a dumbass for pulling some move or other.

"Why didn't ya take 'em to yer sisters?" he murmured.

"She's on vacation with that new guy of hers, remember? She asked us to watch her house," Jennie said, sounding puzzled and tilting her head up to try and look at him.

He held her closer, preventing her from seeing the frown on his face. No... He hadn't remembered. Fuckin Christ how much had he forgotton while that pressure had been building on his brain? 'Hell, that's an easy one to forget. What's your name, or has that slipped your mind too?' Fuckin' Cole.

"Right," he croaked out, his throat constricting and he swallowed thickly.

Jennie sniffed and he knew she was wiping at her face as she removed a hand from his chest and he opened his eyes slowly and stared forward above her head, eyes landing on a picture of Dakota and Harmony - his girls - playing tag with their brother Rebel and their lab Jet... His kids. He may have never seen them again... The last time they'd seen him, he and Jennie had been fighting because his fuckin head had been killing him and he'd locked himself in the billboard room away from all of them.

"Why didn't you just say something?" she asked, her voice just barely above a whisper.

"Cause ya married a class A, prideful jackass, Jen," he sighed and couldn't help but smile as he heard her choke out a laugh through her pain.

Jennie pulled back, meeting his gaze. She reached up and cupped his face and he leaned into her touch, unable to fully meet her gaze with all the pain and tears he saw. She stroked his cheek and he reached up and cupped her face, brushing away her tears, unable to stand that he'd been the one to do this. He'd never made her cry. Not like this... And it tore him up.

He reached up and took her hand from his face, placing a kiss on the knuckles and meeting her watery-eyed gaze. She whimpered but smiled sadly at him and he reached up and grabbed the back of her head, pulling her to him, his mouth finding hers and kissing her slowly, evenly, making sure she could feel and get every last feeling - every apology he had - in this one kiss.

He never claimed to be good at words. Hell he was just a smart ass redneck who loved racing, fishing, playing pool, and watching old cartoons on Sarurday with the kids. He wasn't a man of words. His family grew up on actions speak louder... This was how he could tell her, how he could hope she understood.

She met his kiss and her fingers slid up into his hair and he tangled his in hers, deepening the kiss, keeping her close, slowly increasing the pressure and nudging for entrance with his tongue. She granted his wishes, and he took in her taste, their tongues and breath mingling and swirling together.

"Rowdy," she moaned his name like a prayer and he bit back a groan, his heart swelling.

She nipped at his bottom lip and a low, sensual growl errupted from deep within as he pushed her back, both stumbling, mouths staying locked until they somehow made it back to the bed where he'd found her sleeping with his favorite shirt.

"Jen," he growled against her mouth as she dragged him down onto the bed with her.

The intensity increased as he pinned her beneath him, his teeth biting at her lower lip and sucking on it, releasing and going for her jawlin, kissing down to the pulse of her neck. He took in her scent, tasting her skin. Even after ten years she never stopped tasting so sweet like their first time.

And in that moment he let her know that. He took her over and over again, not stopping until she was too tired to move. It was like their honeymoon all over again. Hands grabbing and exploring like they'd never touched before, tasting and exploring every inch of one another. He could feel they needed this, needed to feel one another again. Needed to absorb one another like they hadn't in a long time.

And when it was all done, both covered in sweat and curled around each other, Rowdy stared up at the ceiling, his arm wrapped around his amazing woman and thinking he was Goddamn lucky to be here... And that he fucking owed Cole big time... Little fucker.

Rowdy turned and pulled Jennie to his chest, spooning her and burrying his face in her sweaty hair and sighing. Tomorrow they'd go pick up the girls and his boy and he'd do whatever they wanted. He owed his kids that much.

His eyes drooped and he snuggled closer to Jennie before closing his eyes, letting sleep take over and his body get its much needed rest.

R & R Plz