Hushed voices created a calming drone right outside the cracked door. A sliver of light leaked into the bedroom, allowing the shadows of the figures in the hallway to dance across the floor. Morticia heard the low murmurs before she was fully awake. Taking in a deep, content breath Morticia stretched her aching body. Cracking and straining under the sudden movement each muscle screamed out in pain. Her eyes shot open, she could feel each assaulted nerve with heightened sensitivity. Traumatized from the pain, her ribs held onto her breath refusing to release the air from her burning lungs. Suffocating, she could feel the pressure increase and her face becoming unbearably hot. Tears streamed down her cheeks from the compression building behind her eyes.
At last her body surrendered to its need, allowing her to gasp desperately for air. With every bit of strength she could muster, she turned on her side. As she watched the shadows subtly move over the hard floor, she tried to make out what was being said just beyond the door. Unfortunately, she could only catch a few words, most of them being her own name. Unable to do anything else, she laid and listened.
Her interest was piqued when she heard two sets of footsteps moving away from the door. Following the light, her eyes went to rest on the crack just in time for it to be pushed open, momentarily blinding her sapphire eyes.
"Cara Mia?" Gomez quickly shut the door. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were awake."
Sitting next to her, he tenderly caressed her ebony hair. There was a worry etched into his face that she had never seen before. She studied every detail, each hair in his moustache, the droplets of sweat that teased his hairline, the crease in his brow from his now permanent expression.
"Am I?" Gomez was puzzled by her soft question. "Am I awake, Gomez?"
"Cara?"
"Help me sit up, I don't have the strength to do it alone."
Without a word, he maneuvered her body until she was as comfortable as possible. He resumed his spot next to her, waiting for whatever she would say next. Gently, he took her hand in his hoping the contact would encourage her.
"I feel as if," she stopped herself. As she searched for the words, she needed reassurance that he was beside her and not just a figment of her delirious state of mind. Her long fingers stroked his stubble ridden cheek, each tiny stab sending electricity directly to her dormant heart. In one swift motion, he captured her hand in his and brought her palm to his lips. Loving eyes bore deep into her soul as his lips adorned her flesh with affection. With uncharacteristic caution, Gomez began to travel up Morticia's lithe arm. When he reached the spot above her elbow, he paused waiting for a sign from his wife. To his delight, a small smile graced her lips giving him the approval he had desperately hoped for.
With each passionate kiss that continued his journey, the couple was beginning to feel normal again. As he reached the sensitive nape of her neck, she felt her body relax against him. The only pain that plagued her nerves was the subtle scrape of Gomez's teeth against her skin. Delving into his dark hair, her fingers curled in familiar pleasure.
"Mon Cher"
Her voice was soft, but it echoed through Gomez's heart as if she had shouted the adoration. Pulling her against him, everything around them ceased to exist. Nothing mattered besides their growing displays of love.
"Tish" Gomez chanted between possessive pecks on her lips. She could feel her turmoil disappearing, her darling husband washing it all away with each caress. Soon the familiar sounds of their passion filled the room, demanding that there be no intrusions to their intimacy. For the rest of the night, and into the next morning Gomez and Morticia were bound together in passion. It was almost as if they had made the recent traumatizing events vanish, but in their haze of lovemaking they didn't see Death hovering by the door.