The house was quiet and drenched in darkness. The only sounds that could be heard was a bed creaking upstairs and ghost like moans coming from the upstairs bedroom until suddenly the sounds stopped and the house was quiet once more.

Carol and David were lying in bed staring up at the ceiling with David's arm around Carol s shoulders, Carol was staring up at him, her naked body drenched in sweat. David smiled at her but his mind was wondering. He had to ask her tonight.

"Carol I've been thinking..." David was saying while Carol lay there next to him still in a lust fuelled haze after their earlier lovemaking.

"You know how I missed out on Bianca being brought up?" David mumbled and Carol nodded still looking up at the ceiling.

"Well erm...we're living in an modern age...I mean it wouldn't be possible in mum's time..."David mumbled again and Carol said softly.

"What is it David?"

Then David swallowed then worried he would be berated for suggesting such a thing then he spat it out,

"I want us to try for a baby."

Carol suddenly turned towards him, stunned by what he had just said.

"Erm ain't there a problem with that?" She asked shocked by his admission .

"If you mean our age then possibly but there's loads more people having babies in this age now. We're financially secure now and Bianca and the kids minus Liam have moved out. Why not? I'd love to start a new family."

Carol was shocked but secretly pleased by this moving admission. She never thought she would hear it in a million years. Grinning now she pulled David back on top of her.

"Lets start now shall we?" She whispered and she pulled him in for a kiss. David smiled and started kissing her passionately feeling himself harden once more then gently he entered her letting out a moan in the process.

Carol moaned as she wrapped her arms around David's waist and pulled him further inside her loving the feeling of his erection moving in and out of her. She moaned loudly as he quickened the pace and she grabbed his backside pushing him in further. David quickened the pace to the point he was also moaning as he felt himself ready to explode. Carol moaned as he did and when when he released his man milk she lay back exhausted while he held her in his arms breathing heavily. Though it would take a few attempts they would have a baby.

Carol wasn't feeling well. She had been sick twice that morning and hadn't grouchy energy to do anything so she decided to call in sick and try and sleep.

Carol lay on the bed feeling aware if the changes in her body and the fact that she had been feeling rough for a while. She knew what it was but didn't want to say in case it was something else. She hadn't spoken to David about and didn't know how he would react. He had wanted it and she did. But she knew she would face criticism from the other residents. Ian and Max would be the worst ones but she wanted to put hers and David's happiness first and if Max and Ian didn't like it, they could go to hell.

But Carol knew that there would be some who would see her as some kind of freak show and who may shout abuse at her in the street but she was prepared to take any form of criticism but first she had to be sire.

Getting up, she reached for her mobile and dialled David's number.

"Hello?" He called as he examined the part work that had been left earlier by Max.

"David? Erm on your way back from work can you nip into the chemist and get me a pregnancy test?" Carol requested feeling nervous.

David nearly dropped the mobile feeling shocked. How had it happened so quick? He had expected it to take a while since they were both nearly past the age for having kids.

"Do you think you could be pregnant?" He asked, his voice trembling and his stomach in knots.

"Carol nodded,

"I'll felt rough for days and this morning I couldn't fasten my jeans so I think I could be but we will need to see."

David smiled to himself as he continued to examine the papers, work had suddenly become bearable.

"Alright sweetheart. I'll get u a test after work. I'll see you later. I love you. Bye." And he ended the call while Carol lay back on the bed, a mixture of excitement and fear invading her thoughts.

After work David stopped into the chemist and purchased a test to the amazement of the chemist, David smiled a little as he headed outside then he headed home, just about avoiding Max who was crossing over the street.

Once inside Carol was waiting for him in the kitchen and the Look of excitement on her face was enough for David to smile as he handed her the test. Carol got up and went upstairs shutting the bathroom door behind her.

After weeing on the stick she paced the bathroom up and down feeling very nervous and almost emotional. After a few minutes she picked up the stick from the side of the sink and after taking a deep breath, she looked at the result.

"David!" She shouted and he ran upstairs and came Into the bathroom shutting the door behind him. Carols yes filled with tears as she handed him the test.

It was positive. They were having a baby.

A few weeks went by and at first no one knew about their baby secret as Carol was not really showing as much and that was fine. She didn't think she could cope with criticism right now as she was only just getting her head round the fact that she was having a baby.

Then eventually as more weeks progressed, people started to twig on that she was pregnant and not all of them were critical. Pam and Les offered congratulations and Mo started flogging baby gear for them. The family were shocked to say the least with both Sonya and Bianca remarking that Carol was foolish to go through a pregnancy so late in life. But in time they came round and couldn't wait for the birth of their brother or sister.

However the criticism began when Carol was serving in the cafe one day and Phil and Ben came in to eat, Carol was about to serve Ben when Phil stopped him going to the counter.

"Don't accept anything that she gives you." Phil said to Ben who looked confused.

"I've not got a contagious disease you know!" Carol snapped and Phil smirked.

"If you did I would be more sympathetic. You ought to be ashamed of yourself having a kid at your age." And he stirred Ben out of the Cafe. Carol was hurt by this response and even more hurt by the customers staring at her. Ian didn't even go up to her and Carol knew that he felt the same way as Phil did.

As weeks turned into months the criticism got worse with teenagers calling her granny mummy and Ian cutting her wages down. But when Max found out one Saturday afternoon, David who was in the queen Vic received a punch from Max who had heard the news from Phil.

"You bastard! You've done it again ain't you?!" He yelled as he hit David repeatedly causing Carol to run in.

"Max get off him!" She yelled as he dragged David away. "We both made the decision to have the baby." She and David left the Vic but Max soon followed,

"Oh yeah? What do you think having a baby will make him stay?! He'll run away again u Mark my words!" He shouted but they had both gone in the house by then.

When Carol reached her second trimester she suddenly was made aware that this was actually happening to her. Her stomach was bigger and her breasts felt full. Her cravings were also happening and she was currently eating nutella on bacon.

Carol stared at the mirror in front of her, stunned at how big her stomach had grown in one month. It had been years since her last pregnancy and though she was very happy, at this moment she felt fat and unattractive. She hoped that David still wanted her now she had a baby cooking inside of her but deep down she knew he loved her all the same and She loved him. She hoped that this baby would be their guardian angel after all the things they had overcome in under one year. Her cancer, David's heart attack, Pats death...

David came upstairs and sat on the bed staring at his beautiful wife with her pregnancy glow and staring at her bump which contained his unborn child inside. He would liked another daughter to make up for not being a proper father to Bianca but he didn't care if it turned out to be a boy. He would love this baby no matter what.

"You alright sweetheart?" He asked as he watched Carol admire herself. Carol shrugged,

"Not really. I feel fat and ugly." She admitted sitting beside him.

"Your not fat and ugly. Your beautiful and pregnant." David whispered putting his arms round his wife who smiled lovingly and gave him a kiss.

"I just hope Max has come round to the idea." She added resting her head on David's shoulder.

"Oh he will do. Your his sister at the end of the day."

They lay down and cuddled each other until they fell asleep.

The last few weeks came quickly. Carol was now so big she could barely move of the bed without assistance. David and Liam both had to help Carol off the bed just so that she could get around.

"I can't wait till this part is over. I feel so heavy." Carol moaned as she lay on the bed beside David who was caressing her stomach and smiling as he felt the baby kick.

"I think Wicksy Junior can't wait to get out." He remarked fondly laughing at his own joke and Carol laughed back then she felt a sharp pain.

"Carol? What's wrong?" David asked concerned and Carol shrugged it off trying to get up then she flinched again.

"David I think the baby is coming." She said through gritted breath as another pain hit her. David was worried and he immediately ran downstairs. Liam who was watching the telly, poop his head round,

"Grandad what's wrong?" He asked as David was rushing around looking for the car keys.

"Liam where are the car keys?your Nan has gone into Labour!" He shouted and Liam pointed to the bar. David grabbed the keys and Liam wished him Good luck as he helped Carol down the stairs.

"Come on Mrs Wicks, your almost there!" The midwife yelled over the screams. Carol was writhing about in agony and David felt powerless to help. He didn't like seeing his wife in pain.

"What can I do?"David shouted wiping carols hair out of her face as she screamed again.

"Just hold her and offer words of comfort." The midwife suggested and David took hold of Carols hand as she pushed again.

"Mrs Wicks I can see the head! One more push!"

Carol screamed as she pushed and pushed then she felt the baby slide out of her baby and Baal it's head off. Carol and David both cried as their baby was being checked over and cleaned up.

"Is the baby ok?" Carol asked,panting heavily.

"She's fine Mrs Wicks." The midwife said and both Carol and David smiled as their new born daughter was placed in Carols arms. She had her eyes big and blue but she had tufty black hair and Carol knew that she would take after David.

The while family were standing round carol and the new born baby. David smiled proudly as Carol passed the baby to Bianca.

"She's beautiful mum. What u going to call her?" She asked as the baby yawned.

Carol and david looked at each other and then agreeing among them, Carol said,

"Louise after David's gran with Karen as the middle name." She added referring to David's daughter Karen who had died in a car crash several years before.

David smiled with tears in his eyes as he held his newborn daughter in his arms.

"I will make you so proud of me. I can promise you that. Me and your mummy love you so much." He whispered as he kissed the baby on the head.