She Lays Down [h.s.]

Six

Mary wakes up to the sound of Ember giggling downstairs and the smell of bacon. She's incredibly tired and extremely confused. It's Saturday and that means that Ember should still be asleep and that Alec should be out somewhere with Elena.

She lays there in the warmth of the covers for a moment to make sure that she's not just living in her head again. Often times, she imagines that Alec is home and that he's making an effort again because it makes her feel better and it's something that she misses.

Ember giggles again and Mary knows that she's not just fantasizing again. She peels herself out of bed and brushes her teeth and fixes her hair before heading downstairs to see what all the laughter is about.

When she makes it to the kitchen she nearly cries. She doesn't know what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn't Alec. Mary stops walking instantly because she's not entirely sure that she's not dreaming.

It doesn't matter though because in seconds she's practically running to him and throwing her arms around his torso. Her eyes are glossy and her lips are slightly trembling because he's really here. She smells his familiar cologne and hears the ever present and unforgettable beat of his heart as his arms hold her close to him.

He's real and he's here in the kitchen and holding her like he never left in the first place. She's not looking at him but she can practically feel his smile as he chuckles lightly and his chest vibrates beneath her, "I'm here."

Mary's so ecstatic that he's home because it tells her that there's a part of him that still loves her and Ember, that Elena hasn't taken all of his heart from her. And, if he's here and not with her, that must mean that he's done with Elena because he's never ever home like this.

Her heart swells with love. She knows that she shouldn't be so happy and so willing to forgive him, but she can't help it because it's been so long since he's been home and she's not willing to throw the chance away because he might not be back again.

He releases his hold on her and she does the same, but not before she kisses him like he's just come back from the war. Again, she's pleasantly surprised because he actually kisses her back and she feels like he's back for good this time.

She's bursting with energy, but she's calmed down slightly because she's gotten past the initial shock. When he pulls away, her eyes take in every single little detail because she doesn't want to forget this, even if he ends up going back to Elena at one point or another.

A smile tugs at the corners of her lips when she sees what he's wearing, "You're wearing my sweater."

The very same gray sweater that she'd given him for his birthday a few months after Ember was born and the same sweater that she told him looked good on New Year's Eve. It hurts to think that he wore it for Elena a few weeks ago, but she's happy to see him in it now because it means that he's trying and that's all she's wanted for so long.

Alec shrugs, a small smile on his lips as his hands find her waist and squeeze gently, "It's cold out and I know that you like it."

He leans down and kisses her softly and Mary feels like she must have done something wonderful to have his attention like this again. She doesn't really think much about what he's said and how it's a little off from how he's treating her because she's caught up in thoughts of the three of them finally being a family again.

This time Ember is paying much more attention to her parents because she's almost done with her pancakes and she makes an adorable face when she catches them kissing, "Eeewww!"

Mary and Alec laugh as they break apart and Mary takes the lead on apologizing for their 'grossness.'

"Sorry sweetie."