Almost his
A/N Plot bunny that came to me one night: what would happen if the professor was away when Jo gave birth to her first child, but Teddy was there to help her through….
He marched up the snow-covered path, booted feet crunching against the icy crystals that sparkled in the light of the moon, coming in from between the leafy fronds of the fir tree that stood tall and proud in the front garden. His hands were bunched up tightly by his side, and by this single observation, you could tell that Theodore Laurence was not in a good mood. Indeed he wasn't: he had just had yet another row with his wife about another March sister. In his mind, it was perfectly reasonable; Jo was heavily pregnant, and the Professor had left her for a few days on urgent business in New York, which, Laurie observed, he would never have done if it were his wife that was so close to giving birth. It was a cold night, and he knew Jo could do with some company. Amy, however, did not see it this way. To her, it was yet another occasion where her sister had unwittingly torn her husband away from her side, another incident where her husband would rather spend the evening with her sister than with her. So, of course, she had flown off the handle as she was often wont to do, and Laurie had stormed from the house, determined to visit his friend no matter what his wife could say to him.
He knocked on the door, rather harder than usual, standing on the doorstep in that ridiculous green hat that Jo loved so. How she had pulled it over his face when they were younger, frolicking about in the snow. It was far too large for him, and sat on his head flopped over as if like its wearer, it didn't often have the energy to stand up straight but could only laze around. Amy detested it; many a time had she tried to throw it out, but always Laurie had fished it out of the bin and replaced it in his drawer. He had had many a happy adventure in that woollen hat.
Finally he heard slow, heavy footsteps, and all of a sudden the door was thrust open upon the poor, shivering creature, light and warmth beaming down upon him, and in its glow stood a rather bloated Jo, her hair wild and tousled, her stomach protruding out into the cold.
"Teddy!" She cried, and threw herself on him, before seizing him firmly by the forearm and dragging him inside, slamming the door behind them on the cold night. "Oh Teddy, what on Earth are you doing out on a night like this? It's perfectly beastly." She took his coat off for him before he could protest and shaking it, hung it up on a peg by the door. Rubbing her back she beamed at him. "Oh, but I am glad to see you. I was preparing myself for a silent, solitary night in front of the fire, with no one but this thing," she glared at her stomach, "to keep me company. I mean," she confessed, worried that he might have taken it the wrong way, "of course I'm looking forward to the baby being born, but, well…. it's not exactly the most animated character to have a discussion with."
Teddy chuckled, taking her hand in his larger brown one and rubbing it. "I know exactly what you mean, Jo. And now you're going to have to put up with me. I did think you might be a bit lonely. I still can't believe the professor left you at a time like this…"
Jo turned away, starting to plod slowly towards the large sitting room with the open fire. "Teddy," she began anxiously, as she always did when ever her friend began to criticise her husband.
"Oh, I know, Jo. His work's important to him; he couldn't leave it; I know all of that. But still…. I wouldn't leave you." He said quietly, his head bowed, thinking she wouldn't hear him, but Jo did, and as she turned back round to him as they reached the room, her cheeks were flushed with something other than the heat of the fire.
"Sit down, then," she ordered, attempting to change the subject. Teddy obediently followed her instructions, taking a seat opposite her by the fire. Slowly, Jo levered herself down and with a puff, relaxed into the seat. Glancing over at Laurie, she was just in time to see a slight smirk pass across his face. She glared at him. "It's not funny, you."
He attempted to rearrange his face into mask of seriousness. "Sorry. It's just that you do make such a wonderful little mother-to-be." He couldn't help the smile that slid onto his face. He was cheery and mischievous by nature, and there was nothing he could do about it.
She gave him a look. "Well, I wish I could just get on with being the mother now. It's so uncomfortable, and awkward." She fanned her face as she shifted in her seat. "And not to mention how hard it is to get comfy."
Teddy kindly retrieved a cushion for her and propped her back up with it. "There. How's that?"
"Much better, thank you." She gave him a happy smile, lighting up her grey eyes. A little golden light shone in his heart to see that smile, and he returned to his seat with a little spark in his eyes that hadn't been there before and a little jaunt in his step.
They passed the evening chatting contentedly as close friends do. Jo recited with perfect clarity where all "her boys" were that Christmas holiday, impressing Teddy with her memory skills. She made him laugh when she took up her needle and thread to continue with some embroidery that she had been struggling with for the last few weeks. It appeared sewing was not Jo's forte; indeed, the pretty flowers she was supposed to be embossing on a sweet little pillow for her first child looked more like socks, as Teddy so nicely put it.
"Teddy?" She asked, looking up from her sewing. He looked across at her clearly, his eyebrows raised in question. "Doesn't Amy mind you being here?"
His eyes darkened immediately as he twitched slightly. "No." He said firmly, more loudly than he meant to.
Jo gave him a special look she reserved only for her boy when she knew he wasn't quite telling the truth.
He sighed, and leant back into his seat. "Alright, maybe not. But there isn't a problem, Jo. It's ridiculous that you should be alone at the moment."
"Oh Teddy, I do hope you haven't been quarrelling over me. I'm not worth it, honestly."
"Jo, you mustn't worry about it. What your sister thinks about my visits to you is not important. I want to see my …." He paused for a moment. What was she to him? Sister-in-law? Best friend? Confidante? "girl," he decided, deciding on his old term of endearment for her, "and I will do so if I want to."
She smiled at him. "I know Teddy, and it's very sweet, but I won't have you two disagreeing."
He muttered something under his breath about that happening a lot. Jo looked at him concerned, seeing the darkness around his eyes. He had changed forever after that afternoon in the forest; since she had refused him he had lost some of that endearing twinkle in his eyes, and she loathed to be the cause of it. She sobered too as she thought of that awful afternoon. How things would be different if she was given her chance over again! She squashed that thought quickly. No. She was happy with the professor. He loved her dearly, as she did him. Their marriage may not have the passion and fire that she had read about and written about in her plays, but they were content together. She looked over at Laurie, gazing morosely into the fire, then stopped herself. No. Not now, of all times. There was no going back, no other chance. She was stuck with her lot in life that she had created for herself, and she had to live with it.
Suddenly, the heat of the fire overcame her, and she felt herself grow faint. Closing her eyes, she let the feeling wash over her, but then it happened. Her eyes snapped open as she realised what was going on, and panic seized her heart. Then she looked over and saw who she was with: her own dear boy. "Teddy," she weakly called out. "Teddy, I think it's coming."
"Hmm? Oh! Well let's have a look at it then, dear chap," he said, starting up, believing her to be referring to the pillow. "I do hope it's coming, you've been goodness knows how many weeks fiddling about with those ridiculous things."
"No, Teddy. The baby. I think –"
And that was the last thing Jo knew before she passed out.
A/N Oooh? Intrigued? Will Teddy come to the rescue, or will he panic? Well, if you want to find out, you'll just have to review…. Thanks for reading :D