Chapter song: Innocence by Avril Lavigne (m2 dubstep remix or the original)
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
She awakens sometime in the very early morning. Opening her eyes, she looks at her bedside clock.
3:07.
This has been normal for her for a quite awhile. What hasn't been is the warm body pressed against her back and the heavy weight of an arm wrapped around her waist.
She feels stiff. She knows she needs to move, but the feeling of his arm wrapped around her, holding her close, makes her stay for a while longer.
After several minutes of lying awake, enjoying the rarity of this feeling of fleeting happiness, she tries to move. With every wiggle, his arm tightens around her even more, keeping her closer to him. She gives up for a few minutes, but as comfortable as she feels in his arms, her body is protesting and the need to switch positions is becoming priority. When she tries to move again, her husband's sleep filled voice startles her.
"You okay?"
She turns her head to look at him behind her. He's leaned up on his elbow, looking over her, with his other arm still wrapped tightly around her waist.
"Yeah. Just a little stiff."
He nods and lays his head back down, loosening his arm around her just enough so she can move. She starts to get comfortable on her back, but he pulls her front to his chest and moves them so he's partially on his back. Both of his arms wrapped around her.
As she lays her head on his chest and wraps her arm around his torso, she takes a deep breath and lets it out contently. He hasn't held her like this in so long. She almost forgot what it felt like.
Loved. Safe. Wanted.
Just as she's about to fall back into sleep, she feels his lips on her forehead and hears a whispered "I love you", along with a squeeze of his arms.
She swallows thickly, holding back the tears that want to fall. She can't remember the last time she heard him say I love you without obligation. If she's awake before he leaves for work, she hears it. If they're ending their phone call with each other, she hears it. On her birthday, she hears it. Their anniversary, she hears it. They haven't made love in months, but even then it felt like he said it out of obligation.
But now, in this moment, she knows it isn't. She can feel it. It's in his actions, his touch, and it feels so good. She only hopes she can carry on the high of this moment for the rest of the day. Hell, she'll even take just the rest of the morning.
After she's sure she can speak without breaking down, she squeezes him back and says in a choked whisper, "I love you, too."
A/N: Thanks to my pre readers for this chapter, Crackylu and my wifey, BittenIn Ca… also to my kick ass beta, Allison Cullen!