A/N: Thank you for the reviews! You'll be pleased to know I've just about finished this story, on paper at least. I'll try to get it all typed up over the next few days and I'll post as I go. I should add that it might get a little more adult from here on in. Nothing too graphic but some violence and steaminess! :-D
o-xxx-o
She'd taken her time with the chores in the hope that playtime with Samantha would make him more relaxed but as she slipped on her coat and said goodbye he grabbed her arm. He gave her a smile but she could see the tension in his face and eyes.
"Don't be too long."
"I won't. I'll just let Levi do his business and then I'll come straight back."
"Promise"
"I promise." She bent down to kiss his forehead but at the last second he angled his head up so she got his lips instead. The kiss was tender but desperate at the same time. "I'll be back before you miss me."
"I already miss you." Reluctantly he let her go, his hand sliding down her arm, fingers trailing along the back of her hand until only their fingertips were touching. "I'll be waiting."
o-xxx-o
Unfortunately, the Golden Retriever had been in one of his leaf sniffing moods so the walk had taken far longer than she'd planned. In the end she'd had to pull him away garnering a few hostile looks from the other dog owners in the park but she was too worried about Jack being alone to care.
Her fears were unfounded though as when she returned he was stretched out, eyes closed, with Samantha fast asleep on his chest. Checking her watch she saw it was past the little girl's nap time but on impulse, decided to let her stay where she was. About to turn around and leave the room, she stopped when Jack reached out to her and opened his eyes. "I'm not asleep."
Sue went to join him, sitting on the arm of the couch and absently playing with his hair.
"I'm guessing its nap time." He whispered stroking his daughter's cheek tenderly.
"You guessed right." He sat up slowly so as not to wake her. "I'll put her to bed."
"No, let me... please."
"You don't have to ask, she's your daughter too."
While she waited for him to come back, she started to pick up the toys from the floor and put them in the wicker basket and then gave Levi some much welcomed fussing. As she straightened up she felt Jack's arms slide around her, his lips warm against her neck. Turning in his embrace she smiled lovingly but it faded when she saw the sadness in his eyes, she caressed his face with her fingers.
"What's wrong?"
"I've missed so much" he sighed wistfully.
In an attempt to lighten the mood she tried to inject a little humour into the conversation. "...but, you skipped to the good part. Let's see... you missed the morning sickness." She grimaced. "The sight of your wife turning into a whale" She pushed out her stomach and puffed her cheeks to emphasise the point. "Labour, definitely not my finest hour... Well, closer to fourteen actually," she amended. "...And, the smell of baby sick... All-in-all I'd say you did pretty well."
Rather than cheer him up he became even more upset. "And I'd willingly give up two more years of my life just to have those memories."
Sue touched her fingers to his lips. "Jack, never say that. You'll have the chance to experience all those things."
"Promise..." he whispered hoarsely.
Sue frowned at his constant use of the word and vaguely wondered who had let him down so badly that he felt so insecure. "I promise."
"Thank you." He captured her mouth in another long and passionate kiss, his tongue dancing with hers as he pulled her closer to him, his hand sliding down and resting on her lower back and pressing her hard against him. Without another word, they returned to the bedroom.
o-xxx-o
Even in her sleep she could feel him watching her and she sat up, rubbing her eyes and scanning the room until she located him sitting in the armchair by the window. "Jack, are you okay? You should have woken me."
"I'm fine." He tried to reassure her but his eyes betrayed him.
"Jack..." Slipping from the bed, she wrapped the sheet around her before traversing the room to join him. "You're not okay, what is it?"
"Bad dreams," he confessed unhappily and pulled her down onto his lap, holding on to her with trembling hands.
Sue kissed his lips softly and rested her head on his shoulder, stroking his bare chest until she felt him calm down. "Do you want to talk?"
"No, just sit here with me, please."
She snuggled in closer, one arm sliding round his back as the other continued to caress him softly and after a while he loosened his grip on her and she opened her eyes to look at him. "Better?"
"Much, thank you." He kissed the top of her head and reluctantly let her go when she tried to stand.
"I need to get Samantha up or she won't sleep tonight." He was loath to break contact with her, his touch lingering until she was out of reach.
o-xxx-o