Claire and Shane's Happily Ever After Chapter 15, a morganville vampires fanfic

AN: I'm sorry that this chapter is being posted a day later than I said but I found problems trying to get time for typing this up. I would like to thank all of the readers who have sent me reviews, added to your favourite story list and alerted. Also to those who have added me to their favourite authors and alerted me.

Now on with the chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Morganville Vampires, Rachel Caine.

Chapter 15

Claire's POV

I have only just opened my eyes and I can already tell that I will hate my day today. I have been told that I have to be back at work today. I would rather just spend the day curled up in bed and act like the outside world does not exist but sadly that wouldn't be a good example to set for the children and I have to behave like a responsible adult and do something that I have to do no matter how much I will hate to do it.

I'm glad though that Shane is going to be home as he will be able to get the children from school. Something tells me though that this will be the day that could test how much wants to stay home with us as, even though the children don't argue as much as before, I fear that they may choose this day as the day they will act up and Shane may then want to leave us again. Then again perhaps I should just learn to have more faith in him as he has now been home for two weeks now and he has really started to show and prove to me how he really did mean all of the things that he told me but I guess I do still have my doubts.

At breakfast I once again felt really tired and felt as though I could almost hear my bed calling my name trying to get me to return to it. I have been feeling really tired recently and I don't know if it is something to do with me being pregnant or if it is connected to all that has been happening recently but in saying that I never felt this tired during any of the other ones. I guess I will be bringing it up with the doctor during my next appointment on Saturday.

I hate being tired and I know that will be most definably having an effect on my tolerance levels and mood. This should be fun (note the sarcasm).

And it did as it made me now hate working for Myrnin. Before I never used to mind it and found some parts fun as I found he could teach me more than Uni did and I was still learning new things still after graduating.

But today he just really pissed me off.

When I had walked through the door and before I could even start to walk down the stairs he was there at the bottom and looking as though he had been waiting for me for a while and did not very happy about it at all.

"Good morning Claire. It feels like it has been a while now since we last saw each other."

"It hasn't been that long since we last met. You also know the reason as to why I would not be at work for the length of time that I was off." Ugh I did not mean for that to come out the way it did. I think I'm about to get into trouble.

"There is no need for you to snap at me now is there Claire."

"Sorry about that. I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did." I would now just like to get on with my work as the sooner I have started it the sooner I will have it finished and then able to go home. I'm even now starting to wish that Shane was here so that he would the wrap me up in his arms.

I really do now wish that I could leave yet as I feel that I have already been here forever. I'm now no longer wishing for Shane but really wanting him right now and I know that this feeling has nothing to do with my hormones.

I have been working hard and any new information that could have or should have been gained has not happened and I'm really starting to ache.

Eventually I was released and glad to be able to call Shane to see if he would be willing to come and get me as I did not want to have to walk home.

"Hello"

"Hi Shane it's me, would you be able to come and get me as I've now finished work?"

"Yeah I can be there as soon as I can. Are you okay?"

"Yeah or at least I will be. Can you just be here as soon as possible please?"

"I'm heading out of the house now and I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you."

"I love you too." Then we hung up. I believe that that was the first time we have said 'I love you' to each other for a while now and it felt good to hear Shane say it to mean to be able to say it back and know that it is completely true.

I think that it might be time for me to allow for Shane to come back into our bedroom now as I do miss him so much when it comes to the night time.

Whilst waiting for Shane to come and get me my mind had started to drift and made me think about how our future together may now look like and I could only see good and happy things which consumed me that I had not even realised that he was there.

"Hey Claire." That had made my head shoot up.

"Oh Shane I'm so glad that you are here." I once again leapt into his arms and feel like I was already back at home.

"Are you okay Claire? Has something bad happened? Is there a problem with the baby?"

"No we are fine for the time being I have just been feeling so tired over the past few days and I guess that it all just now came to head today giving me the worst mood ever. I have also had a hard day which has then helped me none too well. I have also been thinking about something today and well actually for a few days now, Shane would you be willing to move back into our bedroom tonight and to stay. For good."

"You have no idea how long I have waited for you to say those words to me." He pulled me closer into his arms "I've missed having you in my arms whilst awake and asleep. Can I Kiss you?"

"You don't even have to ask me." And I pulled him down so I could feel his lips against mine.

I love feeling his lips against mine and it felt just so perfect for me. I guess that a person will never truly know how much that they have missed something until they have lost it and then had it come back to them. I have missed everything about Shane from the feel of his lips and body pressed against me to something even as simple as feeling his arms around me making me feel safe and wanted.

Sadly though I knew that I would have to break our kiss so that we could return home as I'm guessing the children have been left at home alone.

"Shane as much as I would love for us to stand here and kiss you, the children are probably wondering where we are and it is now starting to get dark out. We can carry this on later you know." I whispered the last part into his ear knowing all too well what it would do to him and it made me smile to see him start to squirm and know that he is now thinking only about getting home and then all that will be happening tonight.

It felt nice to walk through the front door with my hand in Shane's when we got back home.

"Kids, we're back." I thought they might show us some sign that they were okay and at least hear them shout a greeting back at me but all that I was then met with was silence except for the TV in the front room.

I looked and saw they had put a film on and all of their eyes were glued to the TV.

"I don't think that they are interested in listening to us right now." Shane staged whispered to me and I could help but agree. That was until they all shushed us. This made me want to laugh so I just pulled Shane into the kitchen so we could leave the children in peace and think about what we could do for dinner.

However the minute the kitchen door had closed Shane immediately started tom kiss my neck which I then found really distracting.

"Shane, will you behave." I told him with a tap on the arm. "We really need to think about what we are going to have for dinner." I could feel my resolve to stop him starting to slip away the more he continued.

"But what if I don't feel like behaving."

"You are aware that the children could end up walking in here at any moment right. Do you really want to possibly scar them for life? Now if you behave yourself I might have something special planned for tonight" I whispered seductively into his ear.

"You are pure evil aren't you?"

"But you wouldn't have me any other way though would you." I took this as a chance to get myself free from his hold around me. I'm glad that Shane and I have now managed to make some form of a proper start towards getting back together officially and hopefully back to where things were before. I do just think that I may need to find a way of getting Shane to not always need to be touching or kissing me in some way. Then again it could just be that he is now happy to be able to spend his nights in bed with me and it has also been a while since we least did anything like this but I do just which that it wasn't in places where the children could walk in at any moment and I don't want them to see that and I bet that they would want to see it as well cause who wants to see their parents doing things like that. "Now what do you fancy having as I don't know if I really do feel up to doing any cooking tonight."

"How about we have home-made pizzas and I'll be the one to do the cooking for us." That sounded actually really perfect. But I did then think that it might mean that we would end up eating late and I don't even think that we have all of things for it. Then I realised he was going to cheat. We had plain cheese pizzas sitting in the freezer so I'm going to guess he was going to defrost them add any extra toppings that we wanted to them.

"That sounds good. I'll go and see what it is that the children want."

I don't think that I have ever had trouble trying to get the children's attention before. I would like to know what it is about this film that is attracting their attention so much and made me glad that today was Friday as I'm guessing that no homework has been done for those who get given it.

I could see that I was getting nowhere fast and fed up with them just ignoring me and so I got the remote and paused the film which I know annoyed them but to me as a parent it is more important that they get fed instead of sat in front of the TV all night and getting no decent food into them.

When I paused the film it made them pay attention to me and whine about why I had to do that to which I answered by asking them why they were ignoring me when I wanted their attention. I might have said it harsher than I had meant for it come out especially as some of them looked like they were now starting to tear up. I think that my mood is now starting to have an effect on everyone and I didn't mean for it to.

"I'm sorry children I didn't mean to snap at you like that, I just tired and have had a hard day at work on top of that. I just came in here to find out what you would like on your pizzas and to tell that we are doing the cheat's way of making pizzas." The children all came up and hugged me before then following me into the kitchen so that they could then make their decisions.

After making their decisions they headed straight back into the front room to continue on with the film. I however more or less ended collapsing into the nearest chair as I as now starting to feel more and more tired with every passing minute.

After dinner and all of the plates had then been cleared away we settled back in front on the TV and once again let the children watch another film as there was nothing on any of the TV. I've always wondered how you can have all f these channels and then never find a single decent programme on to watch.

Not even five minutes into the film my eyes started to close and I felt powerless then to keep them open any longer and sp allowed for myself to succumb to the darkness.

I like the darkness.

Shane's POV

Today will be the first day since coming back home that I will have the house to myself as Claire will be going back to work today.

I could tell that she would have preferred to have just stayed at home but she once again had no choice. I would have preferred for her to have been allowed to stay at home as I will now miss having her company and I don't know what to do with myself apart from trying to get myself another job there is not then not all that much for me to the do with my time. I do even fear being alone in case something similar happens like the last time I was then left alone and I become like I was once more.

After dropping her off at work I told her to call me after she was finished and I would then come and get hr if that was what she would have liked me to do. I then tried to find a job that would work in captivating my interest which failed as I still don't know what would work for me and what it is that would like to do with my time.

Thankfully though I did manage to make it through the day alone and before I knew it, it was then time for me to get the children. I had not received a call from Claire yet so I assumed that that she had yet to finish work.

When I got the children from school it was quite peaceful as there was not any arguing coming from them but did get noisy when they all tried to tell me things they I needed to know or about what they had done today and ended up taking over one another which made me feel happy that they had wanted to tell me all these things but I did hen have to try and get them to talk one at a time so that I could then hear what they were trying to say.

That was until we got home where they could then not agree as to what they should put on TV. It was Friday so they did not have to make a start on their homework if they had been given any but we would be making them do it tomorrow unless they could give a solid reason as to why they shouldn't.

I allowed them then to pick a film each which none of the others were allowed to moan about and then going from the youngest to the eldest which whilst being fair always then brought about a dilemma as to who, out of Abigail and Ethan got to go first seeing as how we never did get to find out which was born first so we allow them to take it in turns and try to remember who was first last time and if we can't remember then flip a coin and then the winner gets to go first.

Abigail got to go first this time which I could see Ethan then not looking happy about.

"Ethan what was it that I just told you. Just because you didn't win doesn't mean that you have to look unhappy about it. You will get to watch your film and no one is allowed to say anything about your choice." Though there is now a part of me that may regret saying that as I have no just given them the freedom to make the others suffer through a film that they will hate in silence. I guess my mind was just hoping that they would all be nice to each other and not see this as a chance to be evil to one another.

"Fine." I could tell that this would be the best answer I would get from him on this matter.

Daniel's choice was put on and during which the phone rang. I ran to get it knowing that it would more than likely be Claire. Or at least that was who I hoped it was going to be. I've missed having her at home with me.

"Hello"

"Hi Shane it's me," I knew it would be "would you be able to come and get me as I've now finished work?"

"Yeah I can be there as soon as I can." I told her but there was then something in her voice that made me become worried about her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah or at least I will be. Can you just be here as soon as possible please?" I could hear what sounded like her possibly being on the verge of tears which really made me then worry about her.

"I'm heading out of the house now and I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you."

"I love you too." That was the first time we have said 'I love you' to each other since we have got back together and then in a long time as well. I love telling her those words and love hearing her say them back to me even more.

I told the children the children that I was just going out to get Claire and would be back as soon as I could. I got some mumbles back in response.

When I reached where Claire sadly works I saw her sitting on a wall just staring at her feet so I don't think that was aware that was there yet.

I got out of the car and tried calling her name to get her attention but it was like she couldn't hear me. So I just walked right up to her and said "Hey Claire."

"Oh Shane I'm so glad that you are here." She leapt into my arms which I love it when she does as it gives me a chance to hold her close to me and know that she won't pull away from me.

"Are you okay Claire? Has something bad happened? Is there a problem with the baby?" I was dying to know what was upsetting her and I could feel like there was something wrong, very wrong.

"You have no idea how long I have waited for you to say those words to me." I was so happy that she is going to allow me to be in the same bed as her and to show that I pulled her closer into my arms. I wanted to kiss her but I did not know how well or badly it would be received. "I've missed having you in my arms whilst awake and asleep. Can I Kiss you?"

"You don't even have to ask me."

Another that I have really missed about Claire is how her lips feel when pressed against mine. I was an idiot to have made a mess of everything and I plan now to never do anything like that again.

I then felt sad when Claire decided to break the kiss. I would have preferred for it to have continued on a bit longer.

"Shane as much as I would love for us to stand here and kiss you, the children are probably wondering where we are and it is now starting to get dark out. We can carry this on later you know." She whispered the last part in my ear. She can be so cruel sometimes, the little tease. I love hr for it though as she always continues things later on if she says she will. I just wish that we wouldn't have to wait until later.

Eventually we made it home and walked through the door whilst holding hands as well.

"Kids, we're back." Claire called out but got no response back. All that we could then hear was the TV in the front room. They were still all completely engrossed in the film that they were watching.

"I don't think that they are interested in listening to us right now." I staged whispered to Claire wondering if they would do or say anything then. They did, they shushed us which then made Claire start to laugh and I guess so that we wouldn't end up disturbing them any more dragged me into the kitchen with her.

I just this though as a free opportunity to carry on from where we had left off before.

"Shane, will you behave."She told me with a tap on the arm which did nothing at all to stop me. "We really need to think about what we are going to have for dinner." I didn't want to though and knowing Claire like I think I do her resolve to stop me would be slipping further and further away the longer I kept on doing this to her.

"But what if I don't feel like behaving."

"You are pure evil aren't you?"

"But you wouldn't have me any other way though would you." She used this as a chance to get free of the hold that I had on her. "Now what do you fancy having as I don't know if I really do feel up to doing any cooking tonight."

"How about we have home-made pizzas and I'll be the one to do the cooking for us." It was just the first thing that came into my head that was quick and simple to make.

"That sounds good. I'll go and see what it is that the children want." She then left me to make a start on the cooking which would simply be defrosting the pizzas which already have cheese on them and then allow for the children to add whatever toppings they would like onto theirs.

Claire came back a couple of minutes later with the children following her so that they could see what we had got and then left when they had chosen with nothing said to anyone. I think the film has now brainwashed them.

I saw Claire collapsing into the nearest chair to her and could then really see how everything was now affecting her. Not only did she look quite pale and there was dark circles appearing underneath her eyes. I hope that she will be okay and just needs to get a good night sleep.

After all of the plates were cleared away (I made Claire sit back down and allow for me to tidy up) we moved into the front room and allowed for the children to finish watching the films that they had chosen to watch earlier. Claire however barely made it into the film before I saw her give into the tiredness that she was feeling. She must have been really tiered as this, I believe, is the first time that I have ever seen her able to fall asleep in front of the TV with it on as well.

At first I was worried thinking that she had passed out but I could see her chest clearly moving and some part of her face would occasionally twitch. She would always do this as she sleeps and I've always thought it was cute (I then again think everything about Claire is cute) and a good thing as it is a good way for me to still tell that she is still alive without needing to look for s pulse.

"Daddy, what's wrong with Mummy?" Alyssa asked me.

"Nothing is wrong with her sweetie. Mummy is just very tired and so has fallen asleep. She will be fine once she has slept for a bit."

After the film had finished I told the children that they shouldn't put any more films on in case it should then disturb Claire and then saw that it was then time for the children to start heading up you bed. Getting them to go to bed was a bit difficult as they wanted to stay up due to it being a Friday night but eventually I managed to convince them to go to their room by telling them that they didn't have to go to sleep right away and could stay up for a but that I was trusting g the older ones to realise what was a suitable time to go sleep at and what wasn't. I also told them that I would be checking on them at eleven to make sure that they were starting to go to sleep.

When they had all headed up I then tried to move Claire without waking her up. I failed because as soon as I had moved her into my arms she started to stir.

"Shane... what's going on? What time is it?" I could hear that she was not fully with it and still clearly tired.

"It's okay Claire. You can go back to sleep, I was just taking you up to bed."

"But I had something special planned. I wasn't meant to be tired and end up falling asleep."

"It's okay Claire you can just do it tomorrow, or the next. There's no rush to do it. All that I would like to do tonight it to just fall asleep with you held safely within my arms." By now we had reached our bedroom and Claire had fallen back to sleep again. I helped her to get dressed and into bed then followed shortly after for one of the best night's sleep as Claire was now safely back in my arms

AN: So what did you think? Hate it? Like it? Think it needs work? Let me know by reviewing and hopefully I will be able to have the next chapter up next Sunday.