Don't Let Go: Deleted scenes & Extra's

Making An Amends

Set around six or so months before Lily's 3rd birthday...

Five twenty-three in the morning was a gruesome hour for this time of year. First light was still caught beneath the horizon and without the warmth of the suns rays, the surrounding air was beyond brisk and easily dropping beneath minus ten.

Joel's could still feel the heaviness to his eyes as he forced his lids open, the type of weight where even if he shut them for anything longer than a single second he was sure that he'd fall back into a slumber. As much as he'd like to drift back off for another hour or two, it couldn't happen, not today. Not when he had to leave for the ski lodge in just an hours time... He hoped to be back before dark later that day but it all very much depended on how the weather was going to treat them.

He'd left the heating on overnight, not that it was massively powerful but it was better than nothing. That and bringing out the 'big' duvet a few weeks back, it made the frigid nights just about bearable. Ava remained pressed up against him, tucked beneath his chin in an attempt to steal some of his heat, she'd always been one of those who felt the cold more than most- he didn't mind, it just meant that he could sleep rest assured that she'd still be wrapped in his arms come morning. The quilt pulled up over them both, swallowing their entangled forms. He glanced down at her face nestled into the column of his throat, her warm breath rhythmically fanning over the exposed skin, the sheets all bunched up around her exposed cheek.

He forced himself to stir, gently tracing the pads of his finger tips up and down the tops of her arms in intricate patterns, feeling her slowly rouse against him as his hands curved around her back and travelled lower. He could afford ten more minutes in bed if he moved quickly afterwards...

Ava mumbled something incoherent into his neck, her breath hot followed by the soft warmth of her lips pressing delicately against his pulse point, a much needed heat rushing into his beating heart at the sensation. Fuck, she was just perfect. Still finding himself bewildered that not only did she entertain him in the first place but then married him, bared his child and still put up with him day in, day out.

"Mornin' darlin'." He rasped quietly, voice all husky and still full of sleep before ghosting a lingering peck at her hairline.

A drowsy hum vibrating from her, her palms gliding up his sides and settling over his chest whilst leaning into his lips, "What time is it?"

Joel's mouth moved against her forehead, as if he was glued to her skin, "Almost five thirty..."

Her face tilted up, lids fluttering open with her brows furrowing tiredly upon taking note of the non existent light that ceased to illuminate the room. An exhausted huff expelled at the disturbance of her sleep. "Why?"

A light hearted sigh pressing from within his chest whilst drooping eyes gazed down at her disgruntled expression. A weary lopsided smirk tugging at the corner of his lip as his palms caressed her lower back, deliberately inching lower and lower. A low whisper shared into the privacy of darkness. "Wanted to remind my wife how much I love her before headin' out on patrol. That a problem?"

Ava's eyes softened, coming back into focus to admire the way in which the soft milky glow of the early morning moon seeped through the thin material obscuring the windows to highlight the structure of her husbands features. Dark eyes completely doted on her, the boyish smirk, the nest of tousled greying brunette waves all unruly. He'd never looked more beautiful. Fuck it. It'd be worth the early start. He'd be worth it.

She grinned back up at him, plump bottom lip sucked in between her teeth as she allowed him to take a hold of her waist in his large palms and tug her hips towards his. The grin of hers slacking into a breathy wanton gasp as his mouth dipped to suck at the forever sensitive skin on her throat, his pelvis pressed so firmly into hers that she could feel the solid outline of his desire against her pant covered mound, her own arousal beginning to heat up and swirl within her core.