Impossibilities: Happily Ever After
Chapter 1
For annemac, barbarama, and GCRessa66 who asked for a happy ending!
For those of you that have read 'Impossibilities' this will make sense. For those of you who have not, I suggest you read it first. But if you don't want to, here are the basics: Julia got pregnant after she and William decided to proceed without precautions in 'The Green Muse.' Julia has taken in a baby girl named Ellie after her mother was brutally murdered. The events of this chapter take place within the episode 'Shades of Grey' and as of yet, Julia has not told William she's pregnant.
After a rather frustrating conversation with Dr. Tash, William went back to the Constabulary. It was there that he was introduced to Ethel Abram, Ellie's distance relative.
"Where is the baby?" She demanded to know almost instantly. William led the woman out of his office.
"Ellie is with Doctor Julia Ogden. She has been taking care of Ellie for the past week. Constable Crabtree and I can take you to her now." Ethel huffed.
"That would be preferred, thank you; I have to get the funerals ready."
"So you are staying for the funerals then?" William asked. Ethel snorted.
"Of course! I did not care for Nellie at all; I believe that she made horrible life choices, especially in that husband of hers. But she was family and she and her older daughter need a proper service. I'm here to see the child and the funerals and that is all."
"Ellie." William supplied. The woman stopped as they exited the Constabulary, confusion evident on her face.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ellie; the baby's name is Ellie." William answered. Ethel looked at William and shrugged, rolling her eyes slightly.
When they reached the morgue, William and George led Ethel down the halls and came to a halt in front of the main door that led to Julia's office and the main morgue.
"I am just going make sure that Doctor Ogden is in. Please wait here with Constable Crabtree." Ethel nodded and Murdoch opened the door slightly, quietly slipping into the room. He walked down the long hall and stopped when he saw the sight before him.
Julia had picked up Ellie as she said she would and they sat together at Julia's desk. Ellie was sitting on Julia's lap and William could see she was holding her favourite toy, a small purple stuffed rabbit. William knew that Julia was writing something down, but from the angle at which he stood it looked as if she was reading a story to Ellie. Ellie squealed at something and Julia laughed, placing a kiss on the top of the baby's head. The sight of them together caused William to be struck by a series imaginings.
William could see Julia reading to their children in what he hoped would be the near future. He could imagine what Julia would be like when she was pregnant; she would have a glow about her and she would be an absolute vision. William would watch as his wife grew with each passing month. William would pamper to her every need and would talk to his unborn child every night before he went to sleep. He would stay by her side during labour no matter what the doctor said. When he held his child for the first time he would vow to protect that child for the rest of his life. He would stay up late when his child screamed into the wee hours of the morning. He would teach their child to walk and to talk. He would be there for them through everything; first nightmare, first cold, first day of school, everything.
William was disturbed from his imaginings when he heard Ellie whimper loudly. Julia stopped writing and looked down at the little girl.
"What's the matter sweetheart?" Julia asked softly. Ellie whimpered again and William decided it was time to make his presence known. He cleared his throat and Julia gasped, spinning in the chair, clutching Ellie close to her.
"Oh William! You startled me!" She said standing. Ellie looked at William and cried out quietly, burying her face into Julia's shoulder. Julia bounced Ellie twice and tried to coax her face out of her shoulder.
"Come now Ellie, you know William." She said softly. William walked over and stroked Ellie's hair. Ellie looked up at William with curious eyes. After a moment she smiled up at him and giggled. William smiled back and looked at Julia with serious eyes.
"Julia-" Before he could finish his sentence, Ethel burst in and rushed down the hallway with George following behind her, yelling at her to stop and he was yelling out apologizes to Murdoch. But Ethel didn't listen; she came up to Julia and snatched Ellie from her. Ellie began to scream and she tried reaching out for Julia and William. Ethel glared at Julia before looking at the wailing Ellie.
"Mama! Mama! Maaaammaa!" The little girl cried out and struggled against Ethel's grasp, dropping her rabbit in the process. Julia wanted nothing more than to reach out and take Ellie into her embrace and soothe her. Ethel made a noise of disgust at the baby's tears and looked her over once more before thrusting the baby back at Julia. Julia reacted instantly, wrapping her arms around Ellie and pulling her close to her chest, bouncing the girl slightly, rubbing a hand up and down her back and whispering soothing words against Ellie's temple. Ellie whimpered and gripped at Julia's dress, refusing to let go.
"They say that you can fall in love with a child the moment you set eyes on them." Ethel said looking at Ellie curled in Julia's embrace. "But I haven't the faintest idea what they're talking about. I can't stand children; they're too needy, snotty and dirty." William raised his eyebrows at Ethel's brashness and Julia's jaw stiffened, her hold on Ellie tightening.
"I knew I didn't want Nellie's kid. But Harold said I should come out and see her before the funerals." William raised an eyebrow.
"Harold?"
"My husband. He said that even though Nellie's death was a tragedy, it was a blessing. We can't have children and he so desperately wants them. I despise them but thought 'what the Hell? Why not?' But…" Ethel sighed deeply. "I can't. I don't want children and even though my husband does, he's not the one who has to care for her. Harold will go off to work and I'd be left to look after her. I wouldn't properly care for her. It's best if someone else takes her." Ethel said, locking eyes with Julia. Julia nodded slightly and William nodded to George.
"That is a very responsible decision Mrs. Abram." William commented. "Constable Crabtree will take you back to the station; there are some consent forms you need to sign if you are not going to take Ellie into your custody." Ethel nodded silently and turned to leave, glancing back at Ellie once more.
"Make sure she ends up in a good home." Ethel said, looking at the baby who was beginning to peek her eyes up from Julia's shoulder. Julia nodded at the woman.
"We will." Julia assured. As George and Ethel disappeared from the morgue, William bent down and picked up the stuffed rabbit and turned, handing it to Julia.
"Ellie's not going anywhere. Are you relieved?" He asked as she took the toy from him. Julia smiled and nodded.
"More than I can ever say." Julia replied, tears in her voice as she hugged Ellie close. "I love this little girl more than I ever thought possible. I don't think I could bear losing her." Julia said quietly, kissing the little girl's head. Julia looked down at her and realized Ellie was falling asleep. Julia moved over to the crib and went to put Ellie down. But just as she lowered her down Ellie awoke and began to scream and cry, obviously fearing she was being taken away from Julia. Her tiny hands clutched at the fabric of the dress and Julia rose to her full height and moved away from the crib.
"Don't worry sweetheart; I'm not leaving you, I'm right here." Julia soothed, swaying around the room until Ellie's cries dissipated and she yawned, rubbing at her eyes.
"That's better. Now, William, come here." She said moving to sit down at her desk, settling a tired Ellie on her lap, her small head resting against Julia's breast. She rummaged for a moment before handing William a file as he sat down next to her desk. "Ah, Lily Dunn's post-mortem results. She suffered from chronic parenchymal liver damage resulted in a deficiently in her blood's ability to coagulate." Julia said quietly noticing that Ellie had fallen asleep.
"This explains why she bled to death but it doesn't address what caused the hemorrhage in the first place." William noted, flipping through the file.
"Uh, well it's very difficult to anything but speculate when liver abnormalities are involved." William flipped in between pages and looked up a Julia.
"There's no reference to the stomach contents, that's very unlike you." Julia looked at her desk for a second before looking at William.
"Well the discovery of her liver condition gave me my diagnoses. It wasn't necessary to look further."
"I see." William paused for a moment, as if he was uncertain about what he was about to say. "And just how long have you known of this 'parenchymal liver damage'?"
"What do you mean?" Julia asked, her smile faltering for a moment. William looked down and refused to look Julia in the eye.
"Did you determine it before or after your visit to Dr. Tash?" Julia smiled disappeared completely for a second and then returned as she gave a small laugh.
"William, were you following me?" She smiled, trying to keep the situation light.
"I went to his office to question him, my timing was importune." William answered keeping his voice low so not to wake the baby, eyes looking around at anything but Julia. Julia considered this moment to be the one to tell William of her pregnancy. He already knew that she had seen Isaac; there was no point in not telling him.
"Well I don't believe my visit to Isaac should have any bearing on this case."
"I agree; it shouldn't. But if it was believed that you apprised him of your findings because you suspected that he had given her an abortion…" The conversation was heading to a place Julia didn't like.
"William, what are you insinuating?" Julia returned, trying to keep her tone even.
"…Could be perceived as dereliction of duty." Julia's mouth dropped the slightest bit and she found her anger growing.
'The audacity! Does William not trust me to not go around sharing case information?' Another thought came to Julia. 'Do I really want to have a child with a man who does not trust me?' Julia looked down for a moment and moved a hand to briefly touch her stomach. She chose to keep her anger in check and looked at William dead on.
"Perceived by whom?" Try as she might, Julia could not keep a small amount of anger from seeping into her words. William did not break his gaze with her.
"Julia…I just don't want you taking any chances…"
'Taking any chances?! Does William not know the woman he fell in love with?! I will not be told to what is too dangerous and what chances I will or will not take!' Julia gave a slight huff and suddenly found words were working their way out of her throat before she had a chance to stop them.
"William, I am pregnant." The words tumbled harshly out of her mouth and Julia was surprised at her own tone. William's eyes widened and he sputtered about for a moment before speaking.
"I-I b-beg your pardon?" Julia smiled softly at his fumbling antics.
"I'm with child." She paused to let the news sink in. "With your child. That was why I went to see Isaac; he was giving me a physical. It had absolutely nothing to do with the case."
"B-but how? W-when?" He asked after a moment. Julia's smile grew.
"Remember our 'experiment' at the park?" Julia watched as a blush crept onto Murdoch's cheeks.
"Of course I remember; how could I forget? It was one of the best nights of my life." Julia felt her emotions rising and she reached for William's hand.
"Do you truly mean that? Because I knew it went against your religion and I thought you regretted what we did and I thought-"
"Did you think I wouldn't want this baby?" William asked quietly. Julia looked down and nodded. William moved out of his chair and came to kneel in front of Julia's chair. He moved his hand hesitantly and let it hover over her abdomen.
"Julia, I love you and I will love our baby no matter what. But-" He said quietly, taking Julia's hand, "We could get married." Julia's eyes went wide and her mouth opened to form a 'O'.
"William, are you serious?" Julia asked her voice breathy. William smiled brightly.
"I am completely serious. I will love you both no matter what but I would prefer that our child at least have the appearance of being born in wedlock. It would keep the scandal low and… if we were married, we could adopt Ellie." He said, stroking the sleeping girl's blonde curls. Julia slipped her hand from William's and raised it to her mouth.
"Do you really mean that William?" Julia asked seriously. "Because these are probably the biggest decisions a person can make." William stood and pulled Julia and Ellie up with him.
"I would love nothing more than to be your husband and to be a father. Would you do me the honour of being my wife and mother to our children?" Tears came to Julia's eyes and she wrapped her free arm around his neck and pulled him close.
"William Murdoch, are you asking me to marry you?" She asked lightly.
"I am." William replied cheekily. Julia smiled brightly.
"Then I say…yes. Yes, I will marry you, William Murdoch." William let out a short laugh and leaned down to capture Julia's lips, feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness wash over him.