Let's Get the Mood Right

Pacing in their bedroom just irked her more. Miranda sat on the edge of the bed and took deep breaths. She was waiting for her husband, Ben, to come home. Usually, she'd have taken a shower and be journaling or watching TV, but she was furious. Seeing him early with a bandage wrapped around his hand had both scared her and pissed her off. Moving to the chair in the corner of the room, she scrolled through emails, deleting some forcefully and responding to others curtly. Tuck came to the doorway. "Ma?"

"Yes, baby?" She asked focusing her attention on the sixteen-year-old.

"Um, my homework is done and I wondering if I could go to the Y." Her face must have illustrated her confusion. "They're having twilight basketball games."

"Do you need a ride?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Dre is coming to get me. And then we're going back to his apartment."

"Ohhh, so what you meant to ask was could you spend the night at Andre's house?"

Tuck closed one eye and smiled. "Yes. Please?"

Miranda smiled. "Take your phone and make sure you have your charger and text me when you get to the Y and then to Andre's apartment or you will see me."

Tuck walked into the room, laughing, and hugged her. "Thanks." The doorbell rang and Miranda went to get it. Her nephew waltzed in.

"Andre, take care of my child," she said told the 27-year-old. Her nephew Andre grinned and hugged her tightly. "Hey, baby."

"Hey, Auntie," he said as Tuck was coming down. She felt some of her anger and anxiety dissipate watching the two of them chatting and laughing loudly. The door opened again and Ben came in.

"Hey! What's this?" He asked with a smile. Gosh, he was so handsome. Remembering how mad she was, she kept her face straight.

"What happened to your hand, Unc?" Andre inquired.

Ben started to tell the story as he slapped hands with Andre, bumped fists with Tuck and kissed an unamused Miranda. "Where are you fellas going and can I come?" He asked whispering the last part. She gave him a look that he quickly decoded. Tuck and Andre's eyes darted from Miranda to Ben. "Or I'll just stay here with my lovely wife."

She put on a smile. "Have fun, boys. Be good. And remember what I said." They each gave her a kiss and were gone. Glad that Ben was home, Miranda just shook her head and went back to their bedroom. Finally getting the energy to shower, she turned it on, stripped and stepped beneath the water. Even a year later, she hated that Ben had quit surgery; she hated that he loved being a firefighter so much and, most importantly, she hated that he wasn't roaming Grey Sloan every day with her.

They had gotten into a routine and were doing well and Tuck was doing well and now everything was upside down. And even after her heart attack, she was somewhat able to compartmentalize that not hearing from him didn't mean he was dead or dying, it just meant he was busy or, in most cases, asleep. But this injury had rocked her. And she didn't know why. It wasn't like he had smoke inhalation or had taken a bad fall, it was a first-degree burn. Getting out of the shower, she saw Ben in the exact spot she'd been sitting in before. Miranda threw on some clothes and climbed into bed. Exhaustion was taking over. "Goodnight." Her husband climbed beside her, holding her from behind. She reached over and turned off the light.

In her ear, he whispered: "It doesn't hurt that much." The nonchalance in his voice almost pushed her over the edge. She could feel the anger brewing again. "Like I said before, it had to happen sometime."

Unable to take it anymore, she turned around and shouted: "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Even in the dark, she could see his shocked his face. "You're a damn surgeon! You need your hands!"

"I know."

"So, why'd you touch a hot damn door?" Ben started to speak and she cut him off. "Uh, didn't they teach you anything in that fire school?!"

"Miranda…"

"Or has my rising blood pressure and heart attack been a joke?" Her heart was racing so fast and the words were spewing faster. "It may seem like 'nothing' to you, but to me it's a big deal." Ben groaned and pulled the covers over his head. "I know you're not going to sleep while we're talking about this." Ben slid down the bed and moved between her legs. She felt his hands on her stomach and could feel his breath on thighs. "Ben…" When he pushed open her legs, she gasped, several parts of her began thumping in sync with her heart. Ben put his head against her thigh. "What are you doing?" She asked, her words so soft that not only did he not hear her, but her inquiry also sounded fake.

"Shh!"

Her panties were eased aside slowly, his cool hands a stark contrast to her hot center. The tip of his tongue touching her had her exhaling a curse, "Shit." Miranda grabbed the top of his head, scraping her nails against his head. "Benjamin," she breathed. He didn't answer, just kept going at his own pace. Like it was a hobby. His tongue swiped against her flesh and she moaned softly. Ben muttered something. "That feels good," Miranda whined, trying to pull him up.

"Just relax, baby," he said calmly.

His fingers easing into her had her reaching for his pillow and putting it over her mouth. Ben moved it away when she was mid-scream. "…mmm… my God! God!" The fingers on his injured hand were dexterously circling her nipples going the same way as his tongue. She licked her lips, silent. Her eyes were closed tightly, tears squeezing through her lids. The only sounds were her staggered breaths, Ben's tongue hitting her body and his fingers mixing her juices. "Oh, God, baby!"

"Let it out."

"Bennn…"

"I'm listening."

"I'm coming," Miranda said curling her toes as she climbed to an orgasm. As he nodded, his tongued moved across her body. "Ooooooh! Jesus! Ahhh! Okay, okay, okay, okay." Her body was jerking softly. Ben was placing kisses between her legs and she rolled her eyes, finally able to pull him up. He kissed her deeply. She could taste herself and fell more in love with her husband. Damn it, Miranda thought. He kissed her again, putting his lips on her neck making his way down. "Okay, you made your point." Her hands went to her hair and she laughed, still on high.

Ben joined in. "I thought I was gonna have to," he licked her earlobe revving her up more, "make another point."

"I'm still mad. But less mad. Like a mellow mad."

"Oh, mellow?"

Miranda nodded. "I just want you to be safe."

It was Ben's turn to nod as he fell onto his back, wiping his hand on a random shirt from the floor. "And I just want you to remember that I'd never do anything to intentionally harm myself." She started to object. "And I know my job is tough, but so am I. And so are we. So you have to trust me, okay?" They stared at each other and Miranda felt herself relaxing a little. "Like I trust you."

"Why would you have to trust me?"

"Let's not act like Grey Sloan isn't a hub for disasters," he laughed.

Miranda opened her mouth and closed it quickly. She hated when he was right. A baffling number of tragedies had occurred at the hospital. "Maybe you are safer at the station," she told him as they laughed. A tilt of his brow showed that he agreed with her statement. "I just… love you so much, hon."

"I know. I love you, too, but the next time you snap on me like that, I'm just going to assume you need a stress relief to fix your attitude." She squinted at him and he smirked. "And, then, uh, I'm… just gonna go down on you to change it," he said simply.

Her eyes flew open and her cheeks got hot. She bit inside of her mouth wanting so badly to respond with something witty, but nothing came to mind. Miranda rolled her eyes again. God, she was whipped. He was so lucky she loved him. "Okay."

"Now! Let's watch some TV."