Face Your Fears

Chapter 31

"Where's Hadley?"

I was surprised I'd managed to last that long without bursting.

"In the living room," Sophia said. "She's been having trouble sleeping because of the baby, so she's watching William's Spongebob videos."

"That's my girl."

I left Sophia in the foyer and made my way to the living room. Sure enough, Hadley was curled up on the couch underneath a thick afghan, eyes a little glazed over as she watched Spongebob's adventures with his idiotic friend Patrick on the TV.

I hovered by the couch for a few seconds, hoping she would notice me because I didn't know what I could possibly say to her that would make this okay. It became a lost cause, though, when I realized her attention was firmly riveted by that damn yellow sponge.

"You know, sometimes I wish you'd look at me like the way you look at Spongebob and Patrick."

It didn't exactly register with Hadley right away that I was speaking, standing not five feet away from her, but she let out a quiet squeak when she finally did see me and tried to heave herself up off the couch.

"No, don't get up." I quickly moved to sit down beside her on the couch, reaching out for her. "Just stay."

Hadley leaned against my side, resting her head on my shoulder, lacing her fingers tightly through mine. I kept my arms around her, pressing my cheek against her hair. She looked the same. Felt the same. Even smelled the same, like cinnamon and vanilla. 

Except it was all different now.

She was the first to break silence.

"Are you okay?" Her voice was muffled by my shoulder. "I thought..." 

"Well, there's your problem," I said. "Stop thinking. I'm fine. Are you fine?" 

Hadley gave a small laugh, and it sounded like her real laugh, and I liked hearing it. "I've been on pins and needles for almost three days, wondering if you would ever come back to me. But other than that, you know, I've been good."

I pressed a kiss against her hair, hiding a smile. When in doubt, the best defense was always sarcasm. "And the baby?"

Hadley sighed, and I saw her eyes slide shut. Hopefully now she would be able to sleep. 

"Wonderful," she said. "Particularly active at the moment."

Or maybe not.

"Because you're here, probably."

"My bad."

The episode of Spongebob playing on the TV had finished and the next one had started before either of us spoke again.

"Is it over?"

I could barely hear Hadley she was speaking so quietly.

"Yeah," I said. "It's over."

I felt her relax against me, but she might have given a little sob. "And Death?"

"I don't know." 

Hadley pulled away from me to give me a frown. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"Exactly that," I said. "I don't know. He's fine. I mean, I made it out alive because of him. I'm just not sure when we'll see him again."

If we ever saw him again, to be exact. He hadn't been too clear on that subject.

"Oh," Hadley said softly. "Okay. I actually...don't know how I feel about that, really."

I would tell Hadley about Death and Lucrezia and what had occured in my nightmare, but not right then. She didn't need the worry, and I wanted to think about something else.