Wren

"Oh my God, honey! I've been so worried! Are you ok?" I smile a little when I hear my mother's voice, even if she sounds frantic.

"Yeah, Mom. I'm alright." I say and she sighs heavily.

"We've been trying to get home but the weather here is awful. As soon as we can get a flight we'll be home." She says and my eyes flit to Huxley, walking through my house moving furniture and rugs that could be a tripping hazard.

"It's alright, Mom. You don't need to come home there's really no reason to." I say and she scoffs.

"My little girl nearly died. I won't rest until I see you with my own eyes." She says firmly and I chuckle a little at her intensity.

"Really, Mom. Everything's fine." I say and she goes quiet for a minute.

"Don't you need help around your house, honey? You have a broken leg surely you can't be up cooking and cleaning, taking care of everything." She asks.

"I have a lot of help. Huxley, Liv, Russ and Jace have been amazing." I say and she lets out a little laugh.

"Huxley, huh? I heard he was back, but you hadn't said anything so I didn't want to pry." She says and I feel myself blush. Huxley stops and looks at me curiously but I wave him away.

"Yep. He's back." I say and my mom groans.

"Give me more than that, sweetie." She says.

"He's um... Here." I say quietly and she gasps.

"Like right now? In your house?" She asks.

"Yes." I say curtly and she squeals so loud I have to pull the phone away from my ear.

"Oh, sweetie I'm so happy for you! You have been in love with that boy your entire life." She says and I roll my eyes at her.

"Let it go, Mom." I say firmly as Huxley plops onto the couch next to me, lifting me gently until I'm curled on his lap. I look at him curiously but he ignores me, twirling a lock of my hair in his fingers.

"Ok, sweetie. Do you need anything? Groceries? Money? What's going on with the diner?" She asks and I sigh heavily.

"I don't know yet, Mom. Right now it's a pile of rubble." I say sadly and she sighs as well.

"Do you need your father to call the insurance company?" She asks.

"No. Hux did it. Did you hear about Jim?" I ask sadly my mom goes quiet.

"Yeah. Huxley told me. I'm so sorry, baby. We were devestated we couldn't make it back for the funeral. He and Brenda were always so nice. I'm just heartbroken." She says sniffling back tears. I wipe one away from my face and Huxley tucks his face into my neck, holding me tightly against him.

"I feel so bad." I say.

"Wren. You listen to me. It was an accident. A horrific, tragic accident. But it was nobodys fault and certainly not yours." She says firmly and Huxley nods, agreeing with her. I scowl at him for listening to my conversation but he just smirks at me.

"Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it." I say.

"Are you sure you don't need anything? Your dad and I can come home. It's not a problem." She says and I lean on Huxley's shoulder, suddenly getting tired.

"Everything is covered. You're coming home in a couple of months anyway, right?" I ask hopefully.

"Yes, first week of March. If you need us before then you don't hesitate to call." She says and I get a little smile on my face, missing her motherly presence.

"Ok, Mom. Love you." I say.

"I love you too, sweetie. So much." She says before we hang up. Huxley takes my phone and puts it on the table before wrapping me in a blanket.

"You tired, baby girl?" He asks and I nod.

"A little. I'm so tired of being tired, Hux." I say, my body feeling drained of energy.

"I know. But it's your body's way of healing. What do you want for dinner? I'll cook while you sleep." He offers, but I shake my head.

"You don't need to wait on me. I'm a grown up. I can cook and handle things myself. If you need to check on the bar you can go. I'll be alright for awhile." I say and his jaw clenches as he gives me a firm look.

"I'm not going anywhere, Wren. The bar is fine. My priority is you. So stop trying to get rid of me. Let me help you." He implores and I feel the walls around my heart crack and crumble as he works his way back in.

"Thank you." I murmur, emotion clogging my throat.

"You don't have to thank me. I want to be here. I want to take care of you. I want you to rely on me. I swear I won't disappoint you." He says and a tear tracks down my face, this whole experience hightening my emotions.

"I believe you." I say and his eyes widen in surprise.

"Really?" He asks and I nod.

"Really." I say with a little smile. He smiles back, leaning in to kiss my cheek. I rest my head against his shoulder, my body relaxing into his better than any bed I've ever slept in. His warmth permeates through me, warming me up and making me feel safe.

"Come on, sweet girl. Let's tuck you in." He teases and I stick my tongue out at him making him laugh. He sets me on my feet and helps me into my room, pulling back the blankets so I can slip in. He covers me up and I burrow into the soft blankets, letting out a sigh of relief as the tension leaves my body.

"You didn't tell me what you want for dinner." He says and I shrug.

"I don't care about that. Will you just lay with me? It's cold in here." I say and he chuckles, going to the other side of the bed. I feel it dip under his weight and he pulls me into his chest, my back to his front. I roll over, wincing a little at the pain in my leg before I tuck my face into his chest. His scent relaxes me, at some point I started to associate it with safety. I don't want to tell him that I don't want to sleep without him. That I don't want to wake up with nightmares and him not be next to me. It makes me feel pathetic.

"You smell good." I murmur, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes. He chuckles and kisses my head.

"So do you." He says back. I look up at him, a warm smile on his face.

"Are you happy here, Hux?" I ask and his eyes flash with surprise before confusion.

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"Being home. Are you happy to be here? Or do you wish you were still in the Army?" I ask. The question had been on my mind a lot, but I hadn't had the nerve to ask it, not sure I would like the answer.

"I love it here, Wren. I never would have left if I didn't think it was the best way to build a solid foundation for our life together. The town, the people, it's everything. I never want to leave ever again." He says firmly and for the first time I really believe it, that he is here to stay. I smile up at him, running my hand down the stubble on his face.

"I believe you." I say quietly and his returning smile is blinding, making my heart pump wildly in my chest.

"Yeah?" He asks and I nod, tucking my face into his neck. He lets out a low hum of pleasure as I soak up his closeness.

"Yeah." I reply, slipping my hand under his shirt to run it along the firm planes of his stomach, wrapping around his back. I drag my nails down gently, and he groans a little, rolling to give me better access. I giggle a little and continue my movements, scratching his back as he makes sounds of enjoyment that have me laughing.

"That feels so good." He murmurs and I smile, kissing his cheek.

"I'll remember to use back scratches as bribes." I say and he barks out a laugh.

"You don't need to bribe me, baby. Just ask for what you want and it's yours."

I smile at his words and tuck back into his side until I drift off to sleep.