And I was the one who would have to deal with it.
I headed up to our room, my footsteps heavy on the stairs. Hailey was asleep, her breathing steady and calm. Her pregnancy was already starting to show, the curve of her belly a gentle reminder of the life growing inside her.
I climbed into bed beside her, careful not to wake her. I wrapped my arms around her, the familiar scent of her shampoo and the baby's soft heartbeat filling me with a sense of calm.
She stirred, her eyelids fluttering open.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, sweetheart. Go back to sleep. Everything's fine."
"Okay," she said, her voice sleepy. "You're home."
"I'm home."
She smiled, her eyes closing. This was what I was fighting for, what I would protect at all costs.
I would do whatever it took to keep them safe.
***
