A/N: Someone requested something where Henry misses Elizabeth because she's at work the whole day, and then they have a nice fluffy moment when she gets home. I took a different spin on that request and I hope my little detour is alright. Here you go.
Disclaimer: I do not own Madam Secretary or any of its characters used in this story. What is written here is for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended and this story is not for profit.
Summary: Henry misses Elizabeth.
Rating: T
Genre: Romance
Henry misses her.
He misses her in the morning when she gets up to take a bath before him. Her body melts away from his and she leaves the bed cold, too cold for Henry's liking that he gets up to join her in the shower.
"If you get in here, we're never gonna make it to work in time," Elizabeth tells him jokingly, soap suds slowly trickling down her body.
"I promise no funny business," says Henry, stripping his pajamas away. "I just want to join you."
No business other than showering did occur but they were late nonetheless.
He misses her at noon when lunch dates together are no longer as common as they were before. He remembers a time when they used to sit together in the cafeteria and discuss anything that come to mind. Now, he has to schedule lunch dates and more often than not they are interrupted.
He walks in her office, raising a plastic bag that contains their lunch-burgers and fries, oily and greasy, just the way she likes them.
She relaxes at the sight of him and food. "I love you."
They settle on her sofa, talking of mundane happenings.
"Mike B says I need to change my look" says Elizabeth after swallowing a bite.
Henry almost chokes. "What? But you look great!"
"He says it's for the upcoming elections. We need to look firm and determined not," she glances down at herself and her blouse, "soft and rumpled."
He puts his burger down. "Okay, that is an exaggeration."
"So, you think I look a little bit soft and rumpled?"
He frowns, realizing he's caught in a trap of his own making. "I—your skin is very soft. And so is your hair."
She guffaws and hits him playfully. He grabs her hands and pulls her close, showering her with light kisses.
A knock interrupts them and her assistant pokes his head in. "Sorry, Ma'am. You're needed in the Situation Room."
She kisses him one last time and he makes a showy effort of trailing his fingers over her skin.
He misses her in the afternoon, but he can no longer simply look up her schedule and find her in a lecture hall or in one of the classrooms and listen to her teach. So, they text or call each other seeing as it's the only way they communicate during the day.
"What's up, babe?" he asks, the video feed of her is a bit grainy but she is glowing in his eyes.
"Paperwork," she says dully.
He snorts and shows her his own pile. "Same here."
They don't talk much but they take comfort in the sounds of each other's breathing, in the scratching of their pens, the clicking of their keyboards...
He misses her in the evening when she's holed up at work. Their children are a good distraction; he loves them dearly, but there is nothing like the distinct balm and soothing presence of their mother.
The noise coming from the TV blends with the voices in the kitchen. His kids are trying to cook up something they all like which winds up being a BLT, salad, and pizza from scratch.
"There is no cheese in a BLT," scolds Jason. He takes the plate of sandwiches from his older sister who accosts him with the cheese.
"Well, I want mine to have one!" insists Alison.
"You're ruining the masterpiece!"
"It's not gonna end up in a museum," Stevie reminds him.
"The cheese stays on the pizza. It is not crossing over to my sandwich."
Henry silently chuckles at them.
"Dad!"
And then she goes home to him and their kids and neither he nor them have to miss her anymore.
"Hi," he greets her eagerly.
"Hi," she replies tiredly, slipping off her coat.
"Long day?" He wraps his arms around her.
"Too damn long and most of it spent with Russell Jackson. You know how he is… How are the kids?"
She eats the leftover dinner with him and they exchange anecdotes again. He finds himself enraptured with her voice, of how well she does her job. He is proud of her everytime; he doesn't ever regret supporting her decision to become the Secretary of State.
Her presence washes over him like a warm blanket in the cold and he is content to revel in it in the kitchen, or on the couch, or in bed until he will miss her again tomorrow.
A/N: I hope you liked this little take. I wanted to show how everyday was like for Henry, missing his other half constantly because of their jobs.