Sleep Sweet
Title: Sleep Sweet
Author: Diane
Pairing: Nathan/Haley
Rating: Teen Rated
Disclaimer: I don’t own a thing!
Spoilers/Warnings: This is an extension to episode 6.06 ‘Choosing My Own Way of Life’.
Summary: Leaning into her touch, he covered the back of her hand with his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. “If there wasn’t a danger of one or both of us falling off of this bed, I’d be kissing you right about now,” Nathan teased.
Author’s Notes: This has been written especially for Ally as per her request. It’s a combined belated birthday/thank you gift and I hope it's the sort of thing you were wanting. I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating and thank you again for helping me out the way you did the other day. I can’t tell how much it means to me. You’re a star! *hugs*
“What are you thinking?” Nathan whispered, taking in the way Haley was gazing at their sleeping son.
“Just how amazing our boy is,” she told him, a soft smile gracing her lips as her eyes met his. “Everything he’s been through hasn’t changed him at all and I’m so grateful for that. He’s still as bouncy and cheeky as ever.”
He nodded, smiling back at her. “I know… He’s so strong. I just wish… he wasn’t having these nightmares or feeling scared. I wish I’d been there to prot—”
“Shhh,” Haley interrupted, reaching out and cupping his cheek in her palm. “It’s not your fault, okay.” Looking down to make sure Jamie was still asleep, she continued, “You’ve been so amazing these past couple of weeks, Nathan, and I would’ve been even more of a mess if it wasn’t for you.”
Leaning into her touch, he covered the back of her hand with his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. “If there wasn’t a danger of one or both of us falling off of this bed, I’d be kissing you right about now,” Nathan teased.
“Is that so?”
“Uh huh,” he replied, smirking.
“Any chance you can carry Jamie into our room without waking him?”
“Sure. Why do you want to move him?”
“I don’t know about you, but I can’t sleep in these clothes so—”
“Yeah, I’d rather you didn’t sleep in your clothes either,” he cut in, giving her a knowing wink.
Haley shook her head and bit her lip to keep from laughing. Trust him to come out with that one. Pulling back the blue comforter, she carefully slid out of bed, trying to make as little movement as possible so as not to wake up their little boy. She held her breath when he shifted over into the space she’d just vacated but thankfully he remained fast asleep.
She watched as Nathan slowly climbed off of the single bed and then leaned over to pick Jamie up. A smile tugged at her lips when she saw him automatically snuggle against his Daddy’s chest. Walking into their bedroom across the hall, she pulled back the covers and a moment later Nathan lowered him into the centre of the bed.
Taking her husband’s hand, she led him into their en suite bathroom. “That bed’s way too small for the three of us to get a good night’s sleep in but I didn’t want to leave him alone in his room. If he has another nightmare, I’d hate for him to wake up and find us both gone.”
“I know, me either.” Nathan watched as she unfastened the belt she wore and placed it onto the counter.
“There was no way I could sleep in that thing all night,” she joked.
He chuckled, nodding his head. “I’ll stay with Jamie while you get ready for bed and then I’ll take a quick shower.”
“I can’t believe you’re not suggesting we take one together.”
“I know and if the circumstances were different, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have to do much to convince you.”
Rising up onto her tiptoes, she popped a kiss onto his lips before placing her hands on his chest and pushing him out of the bathroom. “I don’t think you would either. Okay, you go sit with Jamie while I get changed.”
Not wanting to wake the little boy, Nathan took a seat in the armchair in the corner of the room instead of getting into bed with him. As he sat there, he watched the steady rise and fall of his son’s chest. He’d felt like his heart was breaking when he’d heard Jamie tell Haley that he had nightmares and felt scared and then to hear her say that she felt the same… It had felt like a crushing weight on his chest and served as another reminder of the fact that he hadn’t been there when they’d needed him the most.
“The bathroom’s all yours,” Haley said quietly as she entered the room, dressed in a pair of purple pyjama pants and one of his old T-shirts. Seeing the look on his face, she had a good idea of where his thoughts had gone and she sighed quietly under her breath. She hated that he was still beating himself up over this and walking over to him, she climbed into his lap and curled up against him. “Nathan…”
“I know… I just… I still feel guilty and I guess it’s going to take a bit of time for that to go away. I hate that I wasn’t there when the two of you needed me the most.”
Tenderly stroking along his cheekbone, she nuzzled her nose against his before kissing him slowly. “You’re here for us now, baby, and that’s all that matters... That’s all that’s important.” Although he nodded, she knew he was right about it taking time for those negative feelings of his to go away.
Nathan played with the ends of her hair, loving its silky smooth texture as they sat there together in comfortable silence; their eyes watching over their sleeping son.
“Okay, you go take your shower ‘cause you’re starting to reek a bit,” she teased in an attempt to lighten the mood and she was pleased to see it had worked… Well, sort of. While the mood was less sombre, it had taken on an altogether different feel which had her feeling warm all over.
“And I thought you liked me all hot and sweaty,” he whispered into her ear.
“Oh, I do… but I prefer being a part of getting you that way. You coming to me all hot and sweaty isn’t quite the same thing.”
“Yeah, I know… believe me,” he said directly into her ear before nibbling on the lobe.
“We can’t do this now,” she told him in a low voice.
“I know.” Gently easing her off of his lap, Nathan stood up and banding his arms around her waist, he kissed her. “I won’t be too long.”
She watched him walk into the bathroom, closing the door behind him and she stood there for a moment as the haze of lust she was suddenly feeling slowly lifted. Carefully climbing into bed, she covered herself and Jamie up before resting her head on her pillow and closing her eyes. A few minutes later, she heard a little voice pipe up.
“Momma?”
“Hey, buddy. Did I wake you up?”
“No… How come I’m in here?”
Smiling at him, she replied, “Daddy’s too tall for your bed so we thought we’d bring you in here with us so you can still protect us. Is that okay?”
“Uh huh,” he said, yawning.
Haley watched as his eyes slowly fluttered shut and she smoothed a hand over his sandy blonde hair. “Sweet dreams, baby,” she whispered before dropping a kiss onto the top of his head.
When Nathan came back into the room a short while later, he found his wife and son both fast asleep and as he got into bed and turned off the lamp, he made a silent wish that they’d both have a peaceful night, free from any nightmares.
Fin