Leana woke from her sleep when she felt something cold and ticklish touch her stomach. She frowned, her eyes slowly fluttering open. She glanced at the crib beside her bed,Sean was still fast asleep, peaceful in his dreams. But Leana's body felt heavy, as if something were pressing down on her.
"Revan?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Before he could answer, Revan gently but firmly turned her over. He gazed at her face in the dim glow of the nightlight, then leaned down and kissed her lips. Leana gasped, but had no time to speak as the kiss deepened, slow, yet intense. Revan held both of her hands, lifting them above her head, keeping her in place.
"Revan, wait... What's going on with you?" Leana asked breathlessly, trying to read his expression.
"I just want to be close to you. Let me... just for tonight," Revan's voice was hoarse, almost a whisper.
Leana fell silent. There was a tremor of longing in her heart that she had long suppressed. She couldn't deny that part of her yearned for Revan's presence. Her body seemed to remember that warmth the touch she had missed, the one she thought she'd never feel again.
Revan kissed her softly, then moved down to her neck, leaving a trail of warmth on her smooth skin. His hands traveled along her waist, touching her carefully, as though afraid to hurt her. The gentle caress made Leana shiver. She closed her eyes, trying to calm the stirrings slowly spreading through her chest.
But when Revan's hand slipped beneath her thin pajamas and touched a part of her still sore from breastfeeding, Leana held her breath and pulled away from his kiss.
"Revan... don't," she whispered.
Revan stopped. "Why? I'll be gentle."
"It still hurts," Leana said, her eyes glistening with tears.
Revan sighed and gently stroked her cheek. "I understand. I won't force you."
He kissed her forehead, then shifted their positions. Now Leana lay on top of him, her body still pressed closely to his. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her face in the curve of his neck.
Revan simply returned the hug, his hands gently rubbing Leana's back, trying to soothe her. There was no urgency—only the warmth of two souls trying to reunite through pain and longing.
"I miss you, Leana," Revan whispered. "Every single day."
Leana's tears fell—not from physical pain, but from the flood of emotions she could no longer contain. The wounds, the longing, the loss, the love left unfinished.
Revan kissed the top of her head, then slowly guided her face to his chest. He touched the front of her pajamas, now damp with milk, then looked at her with quiet understanding.
"You're producing a lot of milk, huh?" he murmured softly.
Leana nodded shyly. Revan gently lifted her body until her face was level with his. He looked into her eyes, asking for permission in silence. And when Leana didn't pull away, he leaned in and kissed her tenderly.
Leana bit her lip, holding back a soft moan. It still ached, but Revan's touch was different this time—gentle, unhurried, filled with feeling.
"Revan… slowly," she sighed.
Revan obeyed, his movements slow and deliberate. His hands caressed her back, grounding her, strengthening the fragile bond between them. Leana looked down at him, brushing her fingers along his cheek.
"I haven't fully healed, Revan. But... I want to feel alive again."
Revan closed his eyes, then nodded. "I'll be careful. I'll never hurt you again."
They lay side by side, fingers entwined, breathing in sync. That night was not just about longing—it was the quiet union of two broken hearts finding comfort in each other.
As Revan gently rubbed Leana's stomach, he couldn't help but ask, "How did you have a baby, Leana?"
Leana stared at the ceiling for a moment before replying, "It's a long story. But the baby… he was my son. And he's gone."
Silence followed. Only their breathing filled the room.
"I'm sorry," Revan said softly, sincerely.
Leana nodded. "I lost a part of myself that night too. But when I saw Sean… it felt like I was given a chance to bring meaning to what's left of my pain."
Revan held her hand tighter. "Thank you for taking care of my son. I don't know what I would've done without you by his side."
Tears welled in Leana's eyes again. Of all people, she hadn't expected Revan to be the one to bring new meaning to her life. The love she thought was lost had slowly begun to fill the empty spaces in her heart.
That night, they were no longer two strangers divided by time, but two souls who had found each other again—in the quiet, through pain, love, and the slow blooming of hope.
Of course, ten years was not a short time. And they had been reunited under vastly different circumstances. There were still so many things Leana wanted to understand—especially about Maria's death and the baby.
Revan gazed at Leana's peaceful face, softly lit by the dim glow of the room. His fingers traced her cheek, as if trying to assure himself that she was real—that this wasn't just a dream. He took a deep breath and kissed her temple gently.
"I still can't believe you're really here," he murmured.
Leana smiled faintly, still curled beside him, her body resting against his chest. The chest she had once only imagined—now hers again, a home she never thought she'd return to. The warmth in the room didn't come from the air, but from the feelings they had long buried, now beginning to flow freely.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm dreaming too," Leana replied softly. "After everything that happened… I never thought you'd come back."
Revan took her hand and held it tightly. "I've been searching for you, Leana. But life … sometimes it doesn't give us enough time to explain everything."
Leana looked into Revan's eyes. There was an unhealed wound there, but also a love that had never died. She knew, ten years could change many things, but it couldn't always erase feelings that had once been buried so deeply.
"How did everything become this complicated?" Leana murmured softly. "We used to be just two young people who liked each other. But now… we carry so many wounds."
Revan nodded, eyes fixed on the ceiling of the quiet room. "Maria's death didn't just take her life it made me lose my way. I feel guilty, Leana. I failed to protect her. I failed to be the kind of father who could care for our child properly. If it weren't for you, Sean might not be this safe."
Leana squeezed his hand gently. "You didn't fail. You just lost your footing and that's human. I ... I lost my child too. But Sean's presence made me feel alive again."
Revan's eyes turned red. He tried to hold back his tears, but it was hard, especially with Leana speaking in such a fragile voice.
"You know?" Leana whispered, "When I breastfed Sean for the first time, I cried. Not just from the physical pain, but because my heart felt something I'd never felt before the feeling of nourishing a new life, even if he wasn't my own flesh and blood."
Revan closed his eyes and pulled Leana into his arms. "I'll never be able to repay you for everything you've done, Leana."
Leana rested her head on Revan's chest, letting the sound of his heartbeat calm her racing mind. They didn't need many words. In the silence of the night, their embrace was enough to explain how much longing they had carried.
Several minutes passed in silence. Revan stared at her face, then asked in a quiet voice, "Can I hold you like this… a little longer? Without needing more than this?"
Leana nodded and buried her face in his chest. "Hold me as long as you want. I miss your hugs too, Revan."
That hug wasn't just physical warmth. It was the merging of two broken hearts, finding strength in silence. Leana could feel Revan's body trembling whether from held back tears or emotions he couldn't release, she wasn't sure.
Moments later, Leana shifted gently, looking for a more comfortable position. Her eyes, still wet with tears, met his. "Do you still love me, Revan?"
He was quiet for a moment, then answered with certainty, "Always. I never stopped even when I tried to forget you."
Leana took a deep breath. His answer broke her heart, but it also began to heal it as if all her old wounds finally found a reason to keep beating.
"I'm scared," Leana whispered.
"Scared of what?" Revan asked, his voice tender.
"Scared to hope again. Scared that this is just temporary."
Revan gently stroked her hair, trying to ease her fears. "If you'll let me, I want to stay. Not just tonight. I want to take care of Sean, and of you. I want to make up for all the time I lost."
Leana looked at Revan's face, now so close to hers. There were no lies in his eyes only honesty, long overdue but still whole. She nodded slowly.
"Then… let's start again. But slowly, Revan. I'm still learning to feel whole again."
Revan kissed her lips softly, respectfully, filled with quiet devotion. "I'll be patient. Because you deserve a love that isn't rushed."
Outside, the night grew deeper. But inside that room, two wounded souls had begun to find their way back to healing not through haste, but through gentle touches, sincere embraces, and words that didn't always need to be spoken.
And as Leana turned to gaze at Sean's peaceful face in the crib beside them, she realize
d life wasn't always fair. But she also knew that from great loss, deeper, stronger, and more meaningful love could grow.