Risk // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 72: Adjusting

My heart swelled with relief as Olive began to respond to me. Her voice, even though it was different, was like music to my ears. I held her hand tightly, savoring the feeling of her warmth returning, both physically and emotionally.

"You don't know how much I've missed you, Olive," I whispered, "I was so scared I'd lost you in that place. But you're here now, and we're going to get through this together."

Olive's eyes, though still clouded with pain and confusion, started to look like hers again. The green had started to return to them instead of the sickly grey they appeared to be earlier. She nodded weakly.

I continued to stroke her hair and traced soothing patterns on the skin of her hand with my thumb. I could feel the tension slowly melting away from her body as she relaxed in the warm water.

I didn't dare push her any further. Not yet. Though I yearned to put my hands all over her stomach, I resisted.

The water began to get cold and I feared her body temperature would drop again. So I told her it was time to get out and helped her stand, wrapping a large, warm, fluffy towel around her.

She groaned as I helped her step over the lip of the tub and I realised this wasn't from Azkaban, she was simply too pregnant to do it because she clutched at the top of her swollen abdomen.

"Sorry. I didn't realise..." I said, helping her walk to the bed where I had prepared fresh, soft linens and a comfortable nightgown for her to wear.

I helped her into the clean, dry clothes, taking my time to ensure she was as comfortable as possible. Every touch was gentle, every movement slow and deliberate, as if I were handling something incredibly fragile.

Once she was dressed, I tucked the blankets around her, making sure she was warm and cozy before changing into my own pyjama pants and sliding in behind her. I pressed a hand to her upper arm, not sure how much I was allowed to touch her.

But she solved that for me real quick.

"Hold me." She whispered.

Don't need to ask me twice.

I shuffled closer to her, letting her new found warmth press against my bare chest. I snaked my arm around her and finally, finally pressed a hand to her stomach.

It felt strange. It was her skin, her warmth but it felt so unfamiliar. I traced my fingers up and down, making up for every second I missed while she was gone, my nose nuzzling into the nape of her neck, remembering the scent that was so uniquely hers.

"I love you. I love you so much." I whispered into her hair. She hummed back. And the baby kicked back.

It startled me. But Olive didn't react.

"Wow." Is all that came out of my mouth through the wide grin I was now sporting.

I leaned forward to look at Olive, to gauge her. She seemed unphased, so I dared myself to continue.

I ran my fingers up and down again and got another response and Olive's hand found its way to rest on top of mine, guiding my touch over her gently swelling abdomen.

Things for a fleeting moment felt perfectly right. The world outside our little cocoon of warmth and affection didn't matter. It was just us, together, basking in the miracle of life growing within her.

I soon knew she was fast asleep when her breathing became slow and steady, her body fully relaxed against mine. I continued to hold her, our fingers entwined over the precious life that was taking shape inside her, succumbing to sleep myself.

"Seb."

What?

"Seb."

Oh, shit. I'm not dreaming. She's here.