She was floating...almost flying through the cool night air...arms out stretched and hands catching the wind as it breezed through her open fingers. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the feel of having such freedom. She shook her head slowly so the strands of hair caught on her chin and nose were freed to join the tangles floating around her face and neck. She opened her eyes again and a silent scream caught in her throat as she saw the bus hit the ground in front of her and could almost feel the heat from the explosion.
Abby's eyes flew open and she sat straight up in her bed and clutched her stomach as a cold, clammy fear spread through her. She looked around the darkened room and tried to still the thudding of her heart The other side of the bed was empty. He was gone. Abby waited a moment to settle herself and then pushed the coverlet aside and padded across the hall to Joe's room. Luka wasn't there either. She went to the crib and held her breath as she took in the sight of the sweet little boy spreadeagled on the mattress there. He was zipped into a cozy green sleeper and his blanket was pushed to the end of the crib. Joe's cheeks were flushed as he slept and his mouth was open just a bit. His dark brows slashed across his forehead and the fingers of one hand were wrapped around the small plush frog she had finally managed to replace. They had gone to six toy stores but finally found it at a bookstore. She smiled and pressed a kiss to her finger tips and then touched his cheek.
Her hands were still shaking a bit as she made her way to the staircase and looked downstairs. The only light she could see came from the flashing timer on the microwave. It was three a.m. She made her way down the steps carefully and glanced around. He had pulled the curtains aside and the lights from the street cast an eerie early morning glow to the room. He was leaning back in a chair at the window, looking out the window to the sidewalk below. She made her way carefully to his side and saw the uneaten sandwich that sat on a napkin on the window sill.
"Can't sleep?" she asked quietly. Luka was startled but then smiled and put an arm around her waist. "What are you watching for?" He shook his head and shrugged.
"Nothing," he sighed. "Bad dream?" Abby shrugged and raked her fingers gently through the hair at his neck line.
"At least I woke up before I hit the ground this time," she sighed. Luka shook his head and drew her down into his lap and hugged her close to him. He sighed as she turned to look out the window. He'd been doing that a lot lately. Watching outside for...nothing? She grinned as he pushed her hair aside with his nose and nuzzled the bare curve of her neck with his lips. She giggled softly and cringed a bit as his beard stubble scratched her. Her eyes caught the open box of Christmas decorations nearby. He'd been busy while she'd slept. He'd gotten their holiday things out of their storage area in the basement. She shifted and reached into it to pull out the snow globe she'd packed away last year. She settled back in his arms and shook it They watched the white flecks settle around the winter scene inside and then Luka took it to wind the key on the bottom. They were silent as they listened to the tinkling tune, lost in their own thoughts and memories of a less happy time.
She'd been with Carter when Luka gave her the snow globe as a Secret Santa gift. She hadn't known it was from him when she unwrapped it. It was beautiful. And they'd barely been on speaking terms. But she kept the snow globe. Actually kept it out on a table all year long. She knew where it had come from. She knew the minute he took it from her in Susan's bedroom when she was getting her coat. She knew when he wound the key and heard the music. The words on that song weren't as totally lost on her as he'd thought they were.
It had been the hardest Christmas of his life that year. He was missing his family ...missing Croatia and, more importantly, missing her. It was hard to watch her be with Carter. Hard to hear her insist that she was happy with him. To know that she was going to go home with him. Go to bed with him. He missed her. All of her. And he tried to drown that with work and a bottle. And nearly killed Erin in the process.
Luka's arms tightened slightly around her and Abby turned to look at him as the music wound down. Their eyes met and he smiled slightly.
"I thought we should get a tree soon," he said. "Unless you want to wait till your mother arrives." Her eyes searched his for a moment in the light from the street lamps.
"It's going to be our baby's first Christmas," she said softly as she set the snow globe on the windowsill. She smiled affectionately and kissed him gently. Luka's eyes closed as the kiss deepened and her fingers raked through his hair at the back of his head. Their mouths opened to one another and they savored the togetherness. She smiled a little as she felt his response and then carefully stood up from his lap. She took hand in her's.
"Doing this here would be fun but it makes no sense when we have such a comfortable bed upstairs," she said as she waited for him to stand up. "Think we're getting old?" He grinned and laughed as he shook his head. He glanced back at the window and his smiled faded a bit. She tugged on his hand and their fingers clung together as they made their way up the steps to their bedroom.
They took their time...something they couldn't do very often. Slow, soft kisses tracing from one sensuous spot to another. Clothing discarded one piece at a time. Warm hands molding and massaging and tracing and tickling. Bare limbs wrapped around one another. Tongues and lips meeting and exploring and tasting. Moving together. Watching one another. Reading every expression. Loving one another as only they could. Sighing, snuggling and resting together. Satisfied and sated.
She was floating again. Drifting slowly through soft and whispery clouds of mist. She stretched out her arms and this time her fingers closed around the solid and protective arms of her lover. There was nothing to fear. She sighed happily and let herself slip into deeper sleep.