A/N - The start of this chapter is on the dark side so please skip if the mention of blood or gunfire is a trigger for you. It's not overly violent but I wanted to give a warning anyway xx
The harsh sound of gunshots echoed in Elizabeth's ears as she scrabbled across the floor to get to private Lawrence. She knew she had to stop the bleeding but the sea of dark red was covering everything. Her hands were pressed tightly against his wounds but the blood just kept soaking through and the harder she tried to stop it, the heavier it got. She was calling for help but nobody else was there — Where had everyone gone? She looked back down and Noah was staring at her — Eyes wide and angry.
"You promised me nothing would happen to me. You said you had my back but you lied to me Elizabeth. Your mistake cost me my life and now I will never get to be an uncle — I will never get to marry my girlfriend. You don't deserve a happy life! Everything is your fault."
She opened her mouth to speak but the ocean of blood was rising and Noah was being washed away. She tried desperately to hold onto him but his hand slipped from hers and he was gone.
"Noah! I'm sorry —." Her eyes were scanning the expanse of crimson but she couldn't see him. She couldn't see anything. "Where are you?"
"He can't hear you — Your arrogance and stupidity killed him."
Elizabeth turned quickly "Rodriguez? We need to get out of here."
"No! You have to stay here. This was your mission. Your choice and you have to live with that. You have to live with what you've done. Those bullets were meant for you."
"Please help me — How do I get out? I'm scared." Elizabeth was spinning in circles, scanning the room for an exit — But she was trapped. There was no way out and nobody to help her.
"Well, well, well — Nobody is coming to your rescue, looks like you're out of options Elizabeth. Is that your name? Elizabeth — So pretty! A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. I bet you know how to please a man, don't you. Would you know how to please me Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth was face to face with Hassan Amari, his eyes raking over her body in a way that made her skin crawl. "Get away from me." She turned her head to the side as he got closer so she didn't have to look at him.
"That's not very friendly, Elizabeth. I was hoping we could get better acquainted before I kill you."
She could feel his breath on her face and her heart was starting to hammer in her chest "Go to hell."
She heard the click of the gun and then felt the cold metal against her temple "Say goodnight Elizabeth — You're about to get everything you deserve."
"Noooooo —- Please don't. I'm sorry — I'm so sorry." Elizabeth screamed as loud as she could, lurching up from the bed, unable to catch her breath. Her shirt was soaked through with sweat and her whole body was trembling.
Her screams had woken Henry who was now trying to comfort her.
"Ssshhhhh, it's ok sweetheart. You're safe."
Elizabeth was hyperventilating and clawing at the sheets, so Henry manoeuvred her back against his chest "Breathe in and out with me Elizabeth. Feel my breaths and take them too."
She closed her eyes and tried to inhale each time he did.
"That's it baby — Inhale for three and then exhale for three."
She let Henry take her weight as his arms wrapped around her, his warmth grounding her.
"I'm sorry." Her whispered words made Henry's heart ache for her.
"There's nothing to be sorry for. Just keep taking those breaths for me and I'll get you some water." Henry went to move but Elizabeth gripped his arms tightly.
"Please don't go. I'm scared." He could feel the hammering of her heart and it worried him.
"I'm not going anywhere. I've got you Elizabeth. Try and relax."
Henry had hoped that being back in the same bed together would allow Elizabeth to get some much needed sleep. He was there with her and all the heartache of the past year was starting to fade away. But he realised very quickly when she woke up screaming just how much she'd had to deal with alone. He was holding her now - But what had she done when she'd woke up screaming and was all alone.
When her breathing had levelled out, Henry tentatively asked "Are these the same nightmares you were having in Iraq?"
She looked at him with a pained expression and nodded.
"How often are you getting them, sweetheart?"
Elizabeth swallowed thickly "Maybe three or four times a week - Sometimes more if I'm particularly stressed out."
Henry sighed deeply and dragged his fingers through his hair "Particularly stressed out like discovering you're pregnant and then dealing with all the ramifications of it — Alone!"
"I guess." She shrugged but she couldn't fool him for a second. He knew her too well.
"So, you've been having these nightmares most nights then? Is that an accurate assumption?" His arms wrapped tighter around her.
"Pretty much! But I'm ok Henry. They're just bad dreams."
"No sweetheart, they're not. You need to talk to someone."
She turned in his arms and smiled "I'm talking to you, aren't I?"
"You know what I mean! You need to work through this Elizabeth. You can't go on like this."
When her lips found his neck and her fingers threaded through his hair, Henry knew what she was doing. When Elizabeth was done talking about something, that was it! No further discussion. She would shut it down and move on and she hadn't changed in the time they'd been apart. She was deflecting and when he felt her hot breath whisper in his ear "I want you." He was done talking too.
Henry sat on the edge of the bed and watched Elizabeth as she slept. After the nightmare had woken her in the early hours, she had sought comfort in Henry's arms and they had made love until she was exhausted enough to fall asleep.
At first glance, Elizabeth looked peaceful and serene. Her skin was glowing and in spite of all the sickness and worry - Pregnancy really suited her. But the tiny wrinkle in her forehead and the screams from the night before told Henry a very different story. Elizabeth was carrying around a whole load of grief and guilt over the death of Private Lawrence and add a baby to the mix - She was anything but peaceful and serene.
Henry reached out and ran his fingertips over her bare shoulder and it took him straight back to the memory of her laying naked in his bed the morning after they first met. He couldn't ever have imagined that meeting her that night would lead them down a path that would ultimately make them a family.
Henry had always wanted to get married and have children one day - But it was something he expected to happen later on. He had dated a lot but had never met anyone who felt like his soul mate — Until Elizabeth upended his life and challenged every preconceived notion of love he had.
Elizabeth stretched and slowly opened her eyes, the hint of a smile playing on her lips as she caught sight of Henry.
"Hey beautiful! How are you feeling?"
"Like I haven't slept for a month! But having you here is all that matters to me. You realise this is the first time we've woken up together since before we were in Iraq."
"I know and I have to tell you — I've really missed it." Henry placed a kiss on her shoulder and then moved up to her neck.
"Ohhhh I see — You're in that kind of mood this morning, are you?" Elizabeth grinned "I'm on board."
Henry waited for her to look at him and then held her gaze "I was hoping we could talk. I have an idea I want to run by you."
She narrowed her eyes at him "You're getting very good at turning down sex Henry!"
"I'm not turning it down — I'm just asking you to hear me out first and then I promise you can do whatever you like with me. Deal?"
Elizabeth sat up and pulled a t- shirt over her head "This sounds like the sort of conversation I shouldn't be naked for. And for the first time since this baby was conceived, I actually feel hungry. So, if we can talk and eat, you have yourself a deal."
As they sat at the table, a stack of pancakes between them, Henry considered his words carefully.
"Elizabeth —."
She looked up from her plate and smiled "These are so good Henry. I can finally enjoy food again and your pancakes are heavenly! I'm never letting you go." She popped another forkful into her mouth.
"That's just it — I have a few weeks off but I do have to go back to work eventually." He watched for her reaction and was a little confused when there wasn't one.
"Yeah - I know!"
"And it won't be long before little peanut is here."
"Also something I'm aware of Henry! And what have I said about calling our child 'peanut'?"
"We have to work out what we're going to do. I can't be travelling four hours a day to get to the university and back from here."
Elizabeth gently put her cutlery down on the plate and looked across the table at Henry "So — You're leaving."
Henry thought for a second and that was obviously a second too long for Elizabeth who got up from the table, opened her front door and gestured for him to leave.
"Go on then! I told you I can do this on my own."
Henry laughed. He hadn't meant to and the look he got from Elizabeth scared him a little — But he continued to do so as he crossed the room, shut the front door and pulled Elizabeth into a tight embrace.
"I will not let you push me away again. We have had this conversation and we will keep having this conversation until you actually listen to me Elizabeth! I have to go back to work because we are having a baby and babies generally cost a fair bit of money. You have taken a leave of absence from your job so I need to work."
He kissed her gently and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "I want you to come back with me."
"To Charlottesville?"
"Yes."
"You want me to move into your apartment— In Charlottesville?"
"Actually — I was thinking we could maybe go and view some listings together? This whole your place, my place scenario doesn't seem right. We're going to be a family so we should have a family home."
"I tried living with someone before and he ended up fucking our neighbour. I don't do well with full blown adult relationships Henry."
"It's fine — We will choose a place that has really old neighbours so neither one of us is tempted to stray." Henry's goofy grin made her roll her eyes but smile all the same "Honestly Elizabeth — Neither one of us know how to do this which is perfect because we will learn together."
"You're serious about this?"
"Absolutely! Let's go and find a home. What do you say, Elizabeth?" Henry looked at her expectantly "Take that leap of faith with me."
"What if I leap and end up falling?"
"I won't let you fall. Don't you know by now that I love you and I don't want to be anywhere without you. You and peanut are my life and it's time I proved that to you."
"Aren't you scared that I'll hurt you?"
"No I'm not. I trust you Elizabeth. I know how deeply you love and I am blessed to be one of the very few people you let in. I — Trust — You."
Elizabeth shrugged, "Then I guess we'd better go and find somewhere to live." Her grin matched his as Henry excitedly lifted her up and promptly put her back down again, remembering the little passenger she was carrying.
"There is something I want you to promise me though."
"And what might that be?"
"I want you to go and see someone about these nightmares you're having —-"
Elizabeth cut him off "I don't need to see anyone. I'm perfectly fine and I have it under control."
"That was not under control at 3am when you were screaming and shaking in my arms sweetheart. I'm worried about you and if you stopped being so scared of letting your guard down, you'd admit you need help with this."
"It's not necessary. They're just nightmares Henry. They can't harm me."
He took hold of her hand and lowered his voice "But they are harming you. Maybe you can't see it, but I can and I love you too much to watch you try and deal with this alone. Please Elizabeth — If not for me then do it for yourself and our little girl. Going through that every single day can't be good for her either."
"You'll stop badgering me about this if I go to one session? Because I won't promise any more than that."
"Don't limit yourself just yet. See how it goes and —."
"Don't push your luck Henry! You're dealing with a very hormonal woman here and I'm not afraid to use that to my advantage."
"Is that right? Should I be scared?" Henry chuckled, "Or turned on?"
She smirked at him "We made a deal. I hear you out, which I did — And then I can do whatever I like with you. You're not trying to renege on our deal, are youHenry?"
"You want to do that now?"
'Ohhhh yes! What can I say — I've missed you and I can't get enough of you."
"Then lead the way baby — I'm all yours."
Henry slid up against the headboard and watched in blissful awe as Elizabeth straddled his waist, hovering above him just enough to drive him wild. He absolutely adored her, without question, no matter how she was feeling — But playful, horny Elizabeth was so much fun.
Leaning down, Elizabeth brushed her lips against Henry's, prising them apart with the tip of her tongue. As their mouths joined properly and the kiss deepened, Henry's hands caressed her back. It was soothing yet incredibly arousing and Elizabeth took it as her cue to get things moving. With a well executed flex of her hips, she slid down onto him, taking him deep inside her, filling her so deliciously.
Henry gasped at how incredible she felt around him. Warm and so wet, her muscles fluttering against him as they joined so completely. "Fuck baby — You feel so good."
Elizabeth grinned at him and slowly began circling her hips. She was in control and it was exciting them both immensely. Their eyes fixed on each other so intently that the world could have imploded and they wouldn't have noticed.
As the tiny embers of pleasure began to catch, Henry took hold of her hips and gently moved her body closer so he could go to work on her breasts. The subtle change in angle did something to Elizabeth and she cried out, her features etched with pure ecstasy.
"Aaaaahhhhhhhh god - right there — Holy shit." Her palms pressed against Henry's chest as she increased her speed, desperately searching for that elusive release, but she was the one who was now starting to worry about the effect on the baby.
Henry bucked his hips upwards, but she cried out in discomfort.
"Did I hurt you babe?" Henry was now concerned "I'm sorry."
"It's just a little uncomfortable which is crazy because it's always worked for us before."
"Your body is changing and we just need to adapt and change with it."
Elizabeth stopped moving and looked dejected "Let's just forget it. I've kinda lost it now anyway."
Henry decided to take action, lifting her off of him and quickly kneeling behind her. Her changing body looked absolutely exquisite and as his arms wrapped around her body tightly, he entered her from behind, pulling her upright as he moved inside her, again and again.
"No way — I'm going to make you come so just relax and go with it."
She built back up rapidly and snaked her arms behind, wrapping around Henry's neck as she let her eyes slip shut.
Henry's hands cupped her breasts, squeezing the soft flesh as his thumbs flicked over her nipples. And then one hand travelled south and his fingertips found her clit, teasing and rubbing, pushing her closer and closer. His breath on her neck felt heavenly and just as she was about to give up in overwhelming frustration, Henry whispered in her ear.
"Elizabeth - I love you so much - Let go."
As his words filled her with an overwhelming sense of love and belonging, her body finally decided to cooperate. Her back arched and her grip around his neck tightened.
"Yesssssss - oh fuck." Unable to voice the rest, Elizabeth snapped. Her orgasm hit hard, taking her to a place she'd forgotten existed. She was dizzy, unable to catch her breath as wave upon wave of pleasure coursed through her body. Her head felt fuzzy and there were spots of light behind her closed eyes.
"That's my girl." Henry rode it out with her, forcing himself to hold off until she was done, and as she started coming back down, Henry thrust into her deep - Once, twice and on the third stroke, he let go, pushing his thumb against her clit and rubbing so hard it was on the cusp between pleasure and pain for her.
The warmth of his climax filled her as she came again. Her chest was heaving with every ragged breath and Henry's arms around her were the only thing keeping her upright.
Henry gently pulled her down so they were laying together, his fingertips tracing comforting patterns up and down her arm as their breathing returned to normal.
"Are you okay?" Henry was in awe of his girlfriend. The way her body looked as it hit that peak, her features so stunning and skin so soft. "I'm worried that I hurt you."
Elizabeth curled her body tightly into his, the need to be close to him overwhelming.
"Our tried and tested position just needs some tweaking, that's all. I promise I'm fine, I'm more than fine in fact - that was incredible."
"You did all the work sweetheart, I just got you across the line."
"You're such a dork Henry McCord with your cheesy euphemisms." She planted a firm kiss on his lips "But you're my dork."
"I am and now that I've honoured our deal— Can we go and look at some places to live?"
"Sure! Just let me recover and then I'm all yours."
They lay together for a while, finding comfort in each other. Revelling in their restored unity, until Elizabeth started squirming.
'You alright there babe?" Henry looked down to see what she was up to.
'I'm uncomfortable and sticky. I need to shower." She prised herself out of his arms and slid out of bed "Gonna join me?"
Henry watched her saunter into the bathroom and smiled "Fuck yes."
