Things are quiet and still, the house dark and sleepy when Ricardo arrives. He exhales slowly and looks up, smiling softly. He misses home every time he has to leave, but he can't risk it. Flexing his fingers, he gets out of the car and carefully clicks the door shut, walking up the porch to unlock the door and slip inside. The dogs quirk up in interest but, seeing that it's him, settle right back down to sleep and more tension leaves him as he slips past them, venturing past the kitchen down the hall to the bedrooms.
Sofia sleeps with her door open slightly, so she can hear in case she's needed, and he peeks in on her with a soft, affectionate smile before continuing on- there's a makeshift nursery, with a crib and other supplies piled up inside and he stares at it in amazement that this is his life- that soon, soon he will be holding his son or daughter within those walls, singing softly in Spanish to them, and falling more in love with both baby and mother day by day. He shakes his head and walks further, finally resting his hand on the doorknob of his bedroom. Lightly opening it, he slips inside and watches Alicia sleep for a few moments.
She's sprawled out across the bed, on her side with pillows braced around her to support her, lips parted as she breathes deeply, and he absentmindedly reaches out and brushes some of the hair from her face as he shivers through sharp yearning, realizing just how deeply he'd missed her the last couple of weeks, spent first wrestling, and then doing all he could to keep himself occupied at Miz's guest house while waiting to see if he'd become symptomatic. Thankfully, he had not, and so here he is, standing over his sleeping wife, resting his hand lightly on her stomach, stroking where their child is growing these last few pivotal weeks before venturing out into the light to meet them. "I love you," he says softly, watching Alicia hum and shift at his touch. "And thank you for waiting for me."
Alicia yawns and lightly wraps her fingers around his wrist, squeezing lightly, before easing down to lace her fingers with his. "You're home," she sighs into her pillows and he smiles lovingly.
"Yes, I am," he whispers, kneeling down next to her. She squints her eyes open and stares up at him and he sighs softly. "And I won't leave again, not for quite awhile."
She sits up and the change in position proves just how far her pregnancy's progressed in the time he's been gone, and he swallows, the proof of just how close it really is impressed upon him even deeper right now. He smiles shakily and smooths his hand over her stomach, feeling all of the changes first hand, and he closes his eyes, unsurprised when she cradles his face in her hands and kisses him, his response immediate as he shifts his arms to wrap around her back, where he hugs her close. "I missed you," she sighs into his mouth and he hums, easing back to rest her on top of him.
"I missed you too," he murmurs. "So much. You wouldn't believe it."
Her eyes are shiny in the dark and he swallows as she shivers through his touch. "Oh, I'm sure I would," she murmurs, leaning in to kiss him again.
"Is this ok?" he asks, trying to adjust her to a more comfortable position, not wanting to put more strain on her back.
"It's fine," she says dismissively, easing herself over to shift some of the weight. "Just... just please, hold me."
He nods, emotions making it difficult to verbalize any kind of worthwhile response to that, before he hugs her close and mouths down her throat like he knows she likes. "I love you," he breathes into her ear and she lets out a soft sigh that sounds almost more like a moan.
"I love you too," she whispers back, nuzzling into his jaw as his warm hands lightly massage down her back, over her thighs, her eyes fluttering as the comfort of being back in his arms guides her back to sleep.
He watches fondly, glad that she's at least sleeping well enough as they approach the most important moment in both of their lives.
