Work Text:
She had waited so long for this moment. Six long, agonizing months. Sure, Skype and phone calls could sustain Zara and Tom for a while, but it was nothing compared to being together. Holding each other at night, their breathing in sync. He left in May, and now it November. The leaves had changed color, frost settling in on chilly mornings, life went on as normal.
Zara normally wasn’t up this early, maybe it was the nerves, she thought to herself. Why would she be nervous? This was a man she loved with every fiber of her being. Him coming home should make her feel excited. Zara sighed and pushed herself off the bed, fabric rustling under her weight. She glanced over at the clock on her side desk, the red LED numbers showing her it was five in the morning. Zara groaned. It was hours before she had to be up for work. She slumped back onto the bed, rubbing her face and attempting to shut her eyes. She would need all the sleep she could get, a long shift would tire her out. It wasn’t work she was excited for though, it was picking up Tom from the airport. Sleep was evading her, at this point. She was awake, and there was no avoiding that.
Zara sat there, staring at the ceiling. If Tom was here, he would be wrapping her in his arms, keeping her warm. The room was freezing. The heating must have gone out again, making Zara sigh only more. It seemed like hours again before she arose again, but the clock told her it was only a few minutes. Zara made her way through the routinely morning as simply as she could, taking extra long to shower and warm her skin under hot water. Boiling water tapping her slightly, making Zara sigh in relaxation. Breakfast consisted of horribly made coffee, and toast. It was dry, and no amount of nutella could make it taste less like cardboard.
Zara slid her scrubs on over her body, the ducky pattern not flattering to her body at all. It was a required uniform though, for a maternity ward. It was a wonderful job, Zara loved every second of it. Not when the times of the shifts though. There was only so much baby caring that Zara could take. A thick jacket, scarf, gloves, heavy boots over top of that, and Zara was ready for work. She walked to the bus stop, directly across the street from her. She fumbled with her bag to reach for her bus pass, only to watch as her scheduled bus drove right past her. There were people in it, with the odd empty seat here and there. Wind whipped past her as Zara could feel her heart sink. The day wasn’t starting off well, and she seriously hoped she hadn’t jinxed it with that thought.
It took another twenty minutes in the freezing cold morning for another bus to come. It had started to snow, and Zara was almost sure she had started to turn blue. The bus’s heat was welcoming, despite the god awful smell of public transit. Soon the bus had left her at the entrance to the hospital, and the typical smell of rubbing alcohol had taken over.
Work was harsher than normal today. A baby had developed a cough, and the poor thing was so small it would shudder with each breath. It broke Zara’s heart. Patients were rude, and it began to snow outside. Zara would take deep breaths throughout the day, breathing her way through her boss’s annual yelling, baby throw ups, and many more. She kept her mind focused on her reward at the end of the day. Tom would be back and all hers yet again.
Work was over, and for once, Zara was excited to go home. No more dreading to come home to an empty living room. No more sleeping alone. Zara quickly checked her phone, sighing as there were no more texts from Tom. He had Promised to text her as soon as he landed. Zara’s mind raced as she ran through her apartment, putting on something that didn't reek of baby and something that resembled more.. lovely.
The airport, physically, was about an hour away. Yet somehow, without speeding, Zara’s little red Volkswagen bug had made it’s way to the airport in just a half hour. Zara always loved the airport. It was a really nice one, with pretty lights, and glass walls, and the vibe of it all was amazing. Everything was so bright and happy, thought some of the faces looked less than thrilled with it all. Zara only got lost once while trying to find the gate he would coming out of. Her legs were exhausted from work, and walking around several floors and ramps only tired her out even more. Even better, she had realized that she had left her coat in the car. It had stopped snowing, but was more than freezing out there. Zara huffed, settling in a plastic molded chair.
And then she saw him, and her troubles and worries were gone. He hadn’t noticed her yet, but Zara could almost feel her mood instantly lift. Tom was home, finally and physically there. He was holding a rose, wrapped neatly in plastic and looking a little worse for wear, but he still clung to it tightly. She had assumed a fan had given it to him, in the previous airport.
His face connected to hers and his smiles instantly lit up the room. Zara couldn’t help but walk faster to the roped off area. His gait sped up too, until he was flat out running to get to her. He ignored the baggage claim beside him and almost collided into Zara. His carry on bag dropped at their feet, and long arms wrapped around each others bodies. Zara could smell his cologne for the first time in months. Tom could smell her shampoo in her hair. Zara felt a tear roll down her cheek, in happiness. She laughed as Tom scooped her up and swung her around, holding tightly to her middle.
“God I’ve missed you.” He said, as they rocked back in forth next to baggage claim. The pair ignored stares as people walked past them.
“We talked on Skype last night.” Zara laughed, refusing to let go of him. Tom held her at arms length, much to the dismay of Zara.
“It’s not the same, love, Here, this is for you. It got a little.. sad.. on the plane.. I apologize for that, I can get you a new one if you want..” He said, holding the rose toward her. Zara clutched at it immediately, the plastic wrap crinkling.
“Gosh no! I love it!” She said, eyes gleaming up at Tom’s blue orbs. Tom laughed, and clutched at her tighter, keeping a hand around her waist. Everything else was a blur, collecting luggage, driving home, actually getting home. All that mattered was that Zara was with Tom, and Tom was with Zara.