Lost Haven.

"Just let them be. They have time. They deserve their peace of mind together, to be happy."
"But you told me to warn them."
"When the time comes, you'll know. The two of them are going to go through a hardship they haven't before, and it will test the boundaries of their love. For the time being, they have nothing to worry about. They're Lexi and John, Riley. Whatever they face will only affect them in the long run."
"Is that a good thing?"
"Only time will tell."
************
The sound of rolling waves settles over me like a release of a breath, making me sigh, and I know it's a result of him invading my dreams. He still made use of my amethyst's powers and snuck in every once and a while. Now, between wakefulness and a breathtaking dreamland by the ocean, John's lips skim my neck, allowing my mind to remain in its sleeping state. Remaining on the shore, I wrap my arms around his waist as he picks me up, twirling me. My toes brush against the wet sand and I giggle. His green eyes held the same dazzling passion since that very first day, his crooked smirk drawing me in like a predator and its prey. I trace the outline of his jawline, reaching his chin. My body feels warm as he presses his lips to mine, the stubble grazing my skin and making me shiver. When I open my eyes during the kiss, his are staring intently.
"Lex," he murmurs. I feel hands all over me, even hough his were firmly on my shoulders. "Wake up."
His image grows hazy and I smile lazily to myself at his impatience. With my eyes closed, I melt into his fingers sliding along my sides, draping an arm over me and reaching for my outstretched hand, slipping his palm into mine. Our fingers twine together as he kisses my shoulder.
Finally, I turn towards him as I take in his features. He was as dazzling as in any dream, his honey brown hair slightly ruffled and brushing over his eyes. I push it back and stare at his thin lips. They slowly stretch into a grin.
"Morning, Angel."
I feel my own lips lifting, moving closer to brush against his. "Good morning."
John rises from the bed with a sigh before making his way over to let some light into the room. I groan, throwing my hands over my face. It was way too early for it to be this bright.
He chuckles at my reaction, crouching back down on the bed as he licks my lips. "Don't start melting."
I shove on his chest to sit up, pulling my hair into a messy bun on the top of my headband with the hairtie on my wrist. That's as much effort that I put into my look while I was pregnant.
Eight and a half months. Just a few more weeks and our baby would be with us. It felt like just yesterday that we found out we were expecting. According to John, it was a girl because he could 'just sense it.'
A smile graces my lips and I let my hands rub along my belly, as round as a balloon. It was huge; I couldn't walk without feeling like I was waddling.
"You hungry?" he mumbles and rises to his feet. "What'll it be, mademoiselle? Pancakes? Eggs and bacon?"
I bite my lip, my sweet tooth beginning to surface. "Are there waffles?"
"Coming right up," he muses and turns to leave when I call to him. "With peanut butter? And marshmallows if we have any?"
He looks at me and scrunches up his nose. "And you still want syrup with all that?"
I nod, smirking as I pat my stomach. "Hop to it. We're hungry."
Sticking out his tongue, he moves past the counter as he begins to gather ingredients. I stay sitting cross legged on the bed for a moment, sighing and closing my eyes while the sun hits the side of my neck and mostly bare legs. I was cozy in my knit sweater and didn't want to move. But I might as well wake up my muscles.
Stretching my arms over my head, I throw my legs over the edge of my bed and stand slowly. My hands go to my sides and back. I do a few stretches and warm ups, but that's about as far as I get. My nose breathes in the scent wadding in from the kitchen and my mouth practically waters.
I sit back on the bed and sigh. "That smells amazing."
"And it looks disgusting. Bon appetite." He brings a plate over and holds it out to me along with a fork. "I sliced up an apple so you could get some fruit in you. Milk or juice?"
"Milk please," I say, more than grateful or what he'd served up. He was always looking out for me and the baby and making sure we got our proper nutrition. It's turned him into a sort of health freak, at least in the baby department. He still ate all the greasy fast food his eternal heart desired.
I had to admit, I was flattered and very touched to see him try so much. He'd brought home a few pregnancy books one day, along with a large tub of ice cream much to my delight, and it offered the both of us some insight on what to expect. Perhaps the biggest benefit is realizing that a heating pad was a useful investment. That's come in handy with a lot of back pain.
As I chomp into my waffles, John seats himself beside me with the glass of milk in his lap. He chuckles as he swipes the corner of my mouth. "Oh, Lexi, you're the most adorable mess I've ever seen."
I narrow my eyes. "Excuse me if I don't feel like showering at-" I pause to glance at the digital clock on the nightstand. "-eight in the morning. Ugh."
"You're cute when you're all disheveled, that's all," he muses with a smirk.
That one earns him a glare and he kisses my cheek. He constantly got away with those comments that he called compliments, but I didn't mind them all too much. If he still I was cute makeup-less, that had to stand for something.
I finish up and lick my lips before taking a sip. He grabs the plate and I begin to protest. "I can take it-"
"No need to get up," he scolds, shaking his head. "I don't want you to strain yourself." He points at my little less than half empty glass of milk. "You done with that?"
I hold it out and give him a soft smile, mouthing a thank you. I hear the water from the sink running for a while when I feel a rough jolt in my side. I jump, gasping as I feel the familiar kick. "Whoa," I laugh and look down, holding my stomach in astonishment.
John's at my side in an instant. "What is it?"
I bite my lip, failing at suppressing my grin. "The baby's kicking. It was a strong one."
His eyes widen and he kneels down in front of me as he rests his hands on my hips gently. He leans in before rubbing my side with my side. "You awake, babygirl?" He rests the flat of his hand over my tummy, feeling for any movement. Suddenly, I feel and almost hear the soft thump. His face lights up as he chuckles. "Hey, baby. I can't wait for when you're finally out of your mommy's stomach."
'She' kicks again and I coo, patting my belly. "I think she likes the sound of her daddy's voice." He meets my eyes, his green eyes as striking as ever. It never failed to take my breath away just how beautiful he was. His long and firm nose and sculpted jawline and permanent crooked smile made me collectively melt.
"I can't wait to meet her," I hum as I watch his strong hands skim mine, his long fingers at my wrists.
"Me too, darlin'," he murmurs and kisses the top of my stomach. I watch him press the side of his face to my belly, his ear right up against the center to listen. I giggle. "You better watch it, or she'll kick your face before she can even start to dislike you."
He scoffs before shushing me. It's silent between us as he tries to hear for anything, though I'm not sure what. Finally, he sighs and kisses my belly once more. "I think that was its heartbeat."
My eyes widen, watering slightly. "Really?"
John nods softly as he climb in beside me, almost cautiously when I begin to sniff. The mood swings weren't usually too bad, but whenever I thought about getting to hold our baby in my arms, I couldn't help but get emotional. It's been such a long journey just to be as happy as we were now.
"C'mon, Lex, no more tears," he groans. "You remind me of..." He pauses, getting a far away look in his eyes.
"Who?" I sniffle.
He shakes his head with a soft chuckle. "My mother. She was a cryer."
I meet his eyes and bite my lip, instantly wiping my eyes. Our lives were different without our families, but I found comfort in the fact that soon, we'd have a family all our own.
"She would have been really proud of you," I whisper as I lay down. He follows, facing me and eyes me curiously. "She would. I wish she could meet her granddaughter."
His lips twitch and he brushes a strand of hair aside. "Me too."
I fold into him as best as I can with my round belly. That was one advantage of still being able to contact in my dreams every now and then; if I really focused, sometimes it wasn't there and we could be as close as we wanted. And...do other things as we wanted. Plus, it was easier to move without feeling like a whale.
"How 'bout a bath," he suggests suddenly and looks down at me. "I can help you into the tub."
"You mean if I can fit in the tub," I say self deprecatingly but he shoots me a look of his own. He hated when I put myself down.
"Don't start," he warns. "You know you're absolutely stunning. I don't know if it's the pregnancy glow or your auras or both, but you're...breathtaking."
A blush spreads across my face and he smirks, accomplished. "There we are. Now how about that bath?"
~
I laugh as he spreads foamy bubbles across my stomach that poked out over the water. "John, you're a child."
"Nooooo, the child's in there," he corrects, patting my side innocently. "And I'm just trying to make her happy. She enjoys the bubbles." He leans down dramatically as he coos. "Don't you, sweetheart?"
I roll my eyes, laughing and shoving his face away. He continues to massage my belly while playing with the suds. He chuckles his high pitched giggle. "Look, it's like a smiley face."
He takes one of my hands and I sigh. "Sometimes I think you should be the one in my stomach."
"Well I can arrange that. Sort of."
I smack his arm and he laughs, burying his face in my neck and trapping me in his arms. "Come onnnnn, I'm just kidding." He drapes his arm over my chest to pull me closer, brushing his lips against my jaw. I sigh, resting my back against his chest as he nuzzles the back of my ear. His touch could still set my skin on fire, even if it was the slightest. He could ignite the smallest flame, and make me melt all the same.
Not to mention, the hormones magnified that by ten.
John presses his mouth to my shoulder and I groan, carefully rolling so that I'm on my knees facing him. "Can you really make that happen?"
He swallows thickly. "I-I, uh...babe, are you sure that's safe? What if I hurt the baby?"
I roll my eyes. Figures he'd be afraid to touch me, as most guys would be. "You won't hurt it," I assure him and wrap my arms around his neck. He stares at me for a moment and I sigh. "Her."
"Are you sure though?" he mutters. "Believe me, I'm more than ready, but what if she knows what we're doing? Wouldn't that be weird?"
I glare at him. "John."
"I'm serious! What if I-"
My eyes grow hot and I could feel the veil fall over them. He lets out a breath and I smirk. "Still worried?"
His mouth crashes against mine, tongues tangling in desperation over the last few months. I feel my skin flush as he grazes my thighs and growls softly. I shiver, twining my fingers into his hair and letting him grab a hold of my hips. He knew all too well how to make me feel like I was falling apart, in the best way imaginable.
That fire never left, and I couldn't ever imagine it going out.