Restless Freedom

Rose: Ravenscode; My Escape

Nicholas: Hedley; Wild

Nicholas woke with a start. His heart was pounding in his chest as memories from the nightmare left him gasping for breath. The silver fox threw his legs over the side of the bed and rushed to his son's room, taking a relieved breath seeing Nicky still sleeping soundly in his bed. He paced back to his room shaking his head, and stopped at the bedroom window. He stuck his arm up and leaned against his forearm as he looked across the yard, wondering if this was the right thing to do again. He felt restless and anxious with everything that had happened and still couldn't escape the guilt he carried for all of it. He nearly jerked away as a soft furry paw curled around the front of his chest. Rose looked up at him with concern as he mustered a fake smile. "I'll come back to bed soon. I just need a minute to get settled." The vixen nodded and gave him a quick peck before she crawled back to bed. He stood there for a while and shook his head as he caught sight of a vehicle parked at the corner.

Nicholas narrowed his eyes and let out a low growl as Earl opened the door and stood at the side of his car, tossing the fox a small wave. The Weasel threw several paw gestures as he ground his teeth together. 'Left the Den today? Just checkin on yous, John.' The silver fox let his lips curl up before he stuck his paw against the window, flipping him off. Earl threw his head back laughing before he got into his car and drove away.

Nicholas went through the house and checked all the doors and windows again. The fox sighed as he got back to the top of the stairs, knowing he wasn't going to get back to sleep anytime soon. He made his way down the hall, checking on his son and mate one more time before he grabbed the attic stairs and pulled them down. He stepped up and looked around, curling his brow at the sewing machine that still sat in the corner next to the bed Cassie had called hers. The house was eerily silent as he looked around and sat at the desk she had used as he picked up a pencil and the paper that sat under the old machine…

Rose rolled over in the bed and sat up, curling her brow as she pawed at an empty spot next to her. She slipped out of bed and grabbed a robe she pulled over her shoulders as she stepped into the hallway. A quick glance and she saw her son still sleeping soundly as she shook her head. She stepped around the corner of the hall and squinted at the light pouring from the attic stairs before she climbed them and poked her head through the floor.

The Vixen stood at the top of the stairs and looked over Nicholas' shoulder, cupping a paw over her mouth as she caught her breath. The silver fox was so entwined in what he was doing he didn't even hear her as she whimpered. She walked around him and stopped at his side, grabbing his paw as it raced around the paper. Several pictures of her brothers, her mother and father together, Adam and the park laid out over the desk as his eyes snapped to her.

Nicholas stopped and looked up at her as his eyes crested over. She pulled his paw from the paper and he dropped the pencil as she placed it on her cheek and closed her eyes. The vixen looked back at him smiling as she held her paws up. "Don't look back, Nicholas. If you want to remember, then remember the good things and leave everything else to the past." He let his eyes fall and close as she gathered the papers he had been sketching on. She pulled several sheets and ruffled them in front of him as he opened his eyes. He grabbed them as she lifted her head and paws. "Come with me."

Rose stuck the others in a drawer and grabbed his paw pulling him down the stairs. He left the drawings she had given him on the table next to their door as he let his head drop and turned his eyes to her again. The vixen cupped his face and pulled his eyes to hers before she pressed her lips to his and wrapped her arms around his neck. Nicholas closed his eyes as she ran her paws along his muzzle and over his head. His eyes opened as she lifted her paws and his brow rose as she signed right in front of his eyes. "Stay here, right here with me. I need you. Nicky needs you." His eyes closed again as her paws folded his ears back. The silver fox let his head roll as she ran her muzzle under his jaw, until she had reached a point where his muzzle tipped forward and he wrapped his jaw around her throat rumbling as he lifted her from the floor. One of his paws slammed against the wall as his hips jet forward. Rose had snagged the strap in his pants and yanked it causing them to fall around his ankles. In the heat of the moment, he nearly missed what was happening as her back pressed to the wall. His fingers curled and cut across the wall as she slid over him and he closed his eyes as she wrapped her paws around his neck. Five years they had been married and when he opened his eyes, her eyes were glued to him. Watching his face and every expression he made as her paws stayed close to his throat. Nicholas curled his lip up growling as he thrust forward again. The only sound she made was a slight yelp as his eyes opened on her again.

She was listening. Her paws stayed on his shoulders close to his throat as he rumbled, and growled. Even when her breathing picked up and he knew she was falling over the edge, her eyes stayed with him. Her thighs wrapped around his waist and tightened as her paws clamped over his shoulders. Without a word, with every movement she made he felt her reassurance, her love, her acceptance of him and all the things that had happened. Complete forgiveness and unconditional love. Telling him she would always be there. Nicholas pressed closer as her head turned. The silver fox grabbed her paw and pulled it away from her mouth as he set his muzzle against her throat and growled. He pushed his head into her neck, rolling his scent through her fur as she arched her back.

He held one paw under her as he shoved off the wall and stood, before grabbing her shoulder as her head dropped back to his eyes. They locked into a passionate kiss as he laid her on the bed and wrapped her fingers in his. Rose had pulled her other paw away and had it on his throat again as he started a low-pitched wine. The vixen urged him on as she tightened her thighs and pulled him closer as her legs wrapped around him. The silver fox kept his head close to hers as he clamped his jaw tight. The vixen was huffing as he reached the point where it was getting difficult to move. Nicholas growled as he reached the threshold and Rose's eyes flew open as he locked his jaw around her throat, letting her hear all the sounds he was making when he locked into her.

He leaned up panting and looked down at her before their heads were pressed together. Neither said a word as he let his weight down on her and rolled over on the bed with her in his arms. There was no need to say anything when they both knew they were where they were supposed to be, knowing they would find their way with each other. They laid in each other's arms as Nicholas ran his thumb along her cheek. Rose rumbled lightly as she pressed herself against his body and he joined her as their tails flipped over each other. He curled around her as his head rested over hers, each of them still trying to get closer to the other as they held on with everything they had. The last waking thought as his mind began to fade with his mate in his arms;

My son will love, learn, and live. I'll make sure he knows how to Think Like A Fox….