Till The Clock Strikes Gone

BONUS One: Peace

The way his eyes stayed fixated on the book made him look like he was meditating. Dressed in only a pair of black trousers with a blanket over his shoulders, he was lost in the pages. His concentration was too deep to be broken and Eliza felt curious to know what was occupying his attention at three o'clock in the morning. He hadn't slept well for the last few days. His eyes looked sleepy but something kept him up all night. She had tried indulging him in conversations as he lay with his head on her stomach, trying to listen to the baby's heartbeat but nothing could get him to sleep.

Sighing, she pulled the cardigan closer around her body as she walked towards him, her bare feet not making any sound on the marble flooring. When she reached him, she moved towards the back of the couch and peeked over.

She had assumed that she might catch her husband with an issue of Playboy but instead, what she saw made her let out a giggle which finally broke his concentration. He stilled, then turned around, his blue eyes landing on her laughing face.

"What are you doing up this early?" he asked with a yawn that he stifled just as soon as it was about to erupt.

She covered her mouth with the back of her hand. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"

She felt his eyes follow her as she walked around the couch and came to stand near him. Instinctively, he reached out, dropping the book on the couch, and pulled her onto his lap. She gasped as she fell on his bare chest but he was quick to wrap his arms around her like he was afraid that she would catch a cold. The sitting room was illuminated in a warm glow which made him look even more handsome.

"You shouldn't be up this late. It's harmful to the baby," he whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead as he held her against him. It was chilly this time in the morning but his skin was still hot from the way he made love to her hours ago. Being in his arms made her feel more than excited nowadays. Her doctor said it was because of the hormones going through changes in her body due to the pregnancy but she liked to think it was the result of his charisma.

"And you could catch a cold," she whispered back, tilting her head up and placing a full-mouthed kiss on his lips. He returned it with just enough enthusiasm to make her start craving him again.

"I won't."

"What are you doing reading a book on parenting this early?" she asked, the thought making her let out a little laugh again.

His features curved to a frown and she shut her lips, giving him an apologetic nod as a sign for him to explain his dilemma. He took his time before doing that. At first, he picked up a blanket which he had brought with him from the bed and covered her properly.

"I'm scared," he said after stretches of time had elapsed leaving them in silence. Her smile vanished, replaced with a look of worry. Eliza pulled herself up so that she was facing him and cupped his face between her hands.

"Why? Did something bad happen? Are you sick? Please tell me..." The more she said, the more urgent her voice grew. William being scared was scary in itself. She had only found him six months back and she would go crazy if she had to lose him again. She was afraid that the time travel might indeed have caused him trouble. If he was sick, she would never forgive her father.

William smiled as he looked at her. Taking hold of her hands, he brought them down from his face and kissed them. The brush of his lips against her skin was tingling. She stayed quiet as she waited for him to speak again.

"I'm fine, love. I'm worried about the baby," he said, looking down at her big, round belly which carried his heir. He kissed it and then pressed his forehead to it, his hands lingering on the sides of her waist. She could feel that he ached to touch the child. He loved it more than anything, even more than her perhaps but that only gave her more happiness. He had taken a long break from writing for months because he wanted to stay at home and look after her, look after their child. His current novel was left hanging and he instead chose to post a serialized version of it in the town's local magazine for his readers to enjoy. She couldn't remember when she had last seen him writing but she knew that it was before time took him back to the past.