You may thwart me with punishment for not putting this up sooner. This one-off chapter of the Bound series has been on Tumblr for some time and I never got round to posting it on here.

But it's crucial I do now. I have my reasons ;) Riddle me this...

Passing through the halls and depths of Dauntless, Eric could feel the festive buzz of the people; could see the decorative displays littered here and there, and the constant blabber from his colleagues was disgustingly cheerful. It was that time of the year, and the Christmas spirit was just too high for his liking.

By the time he left his office, it was barely hitting four and he was eager to get back home, knowing that Sarah was there as she had messaged him a few hours ago. These days he preferred to be home more than he did busying himself with the daily grind of his office work. He had never had a family before, never dreamt of having one or even wanting to be tied down like that - and here he was, with an impending arrival to make them a family of four.

It becomes more quiet on his way to the apartment and the beep from the control panel on his door seems deafening. It doesn't come as a surprise when he finds it dark and silent inside. The honest truth is that Sarah had been sleeping… a lot. Jack had certain hours with Meredith during the day or whenever Sarah needed time - which seemed to be often. Their growing daughter was draining, and Eric would smile thinking about the foreshadowing of perhaps that this is what the next eighteen years of their daughter's life would bring.

Kicking off his boots, he throws his jacket on the back of the couch and heads for the bedroom. Opening the door slowly, he finds Sarah asleep on her side, the covers entwined between her legs and her swollen belly supported by a pillow. This second time around her stomach grew faster than before, almost from the moment Sarah had announced their daughter to her family. She also wasn't sick with this one; if anything, she glowed more than she did with Jack.

Dressed in just a cottoned bra and underwear, she looks too peaceful to disturb, her arm resting along her body and hand on her hip where he could see the glint from her wedding ring.

He can still feel the uncomfortable sensation of having to wait for her to enter the boardroom, surrounded by only a handful of colleagues and her family. John had walked her towards him - though he was still split from Meredith, he'd taken a decent turn. He had relatively come to his senses and sobered himself enough to even be considered for the job.

Traditions weren't his thing, but they were hers, and he went along with any planning of their ceremony - to a point.

But it was that wait, that unknown feeling whether Sarah would even turn up. And the eyes that were all on them as he confessed to every true feeling openly in front of a group of people.

When she had appeared through the door and their eyes met, he knew that this was what he wanted. Her golden hair was braided neatly with white flowers crowned around her head. Her dress floated, a bow wrapped around her midsection with the lengths trailing behind her. She was blushed and shaky, but he couldn't fault her. The same flowers adorning her hair were bunched in her hand, and when she had stopped in front of him, her head barely reaching his shoulder, a sense of pride had overcame him; all the doubtful feelings erased in an instant.

They were two polar opposites. Him in his black, fully tailored uniform, pressed and laundered. Her in loose white and washed with innocence. But yet, they so perfectly matched. It was them, presented so clearly.

Eric remembers her bright yet shy smile that day. She was happy, which made him happy. And the months that followed flowed naturally.

It almost looks like she's smiling in her sleep. Eric creeps closer, touching her gently to let her know he was there and perching on the side of the bed. "Sarah," he whispers as not to startle her. She hums sleepily, just turning her head over her shoulder to squint at him through sleep heavy eyes. On instinct, he places a hand on her belly, and she covers his with her own. "What time is Meredith coming back?"

"What's the time?" she huffs through a yawn.

"Four'ish," he shrugs.

"We have another hour." She rolls onto her back, her legs still bent away from him, but enough to meet his eyes. "Do you want to lay down with me?"

He could think of plenty of things he wanted to do with her, but he can settle for just lying with her if that's what she wanted. "Move up."

As she struggles towards the middle of the bed, he slips off his clothes, not realizing she's watching till he looks back up. She lingers on his tattoos running down his ribcage, her and Jack's names artistically curled down his body. "You're going to have to make room for another."

Eric smirks at her before he crawls onto the bed to slip in next to her. He makes a point of kissing her stomach, her hands scraping against his scalp until he brings himself back up to her level. Propped up on his elbow, he gazes down as she strokes his cheek gently, and with the doting look in her eyes that he can't resist, he leans down to just taste her lips.

Shifting herself up to meet him, Sarah's intentions become clear when she keeps pulling him to her. He smirks - he should've guessed her motives. He helps her rid of her underwear and then his boxers as she gets to her knees, climbing on top of him.

Sarah begins running a hand down his chest as they kiss again, her teeth pulling on his lip and he can't help but chuckle to himself. He finds her amusing but beautiful when she's not in control. Her hips grind against him, he can feel the warmth emitting from her core and he growls impatiently. She entwines their fingers together where he can feel her ring, but it's short lived when her tongue trails down his jaw. She bites at his neck harshly and suddenly which makes him jerk at the sensation. He grips her thighs hard while watching the bliss on her face as she inches herself down his length, shuddering when she pauses.

She takes what she wants slowly, gripping his chest while they relax into each other and her hair messily hangs from a knotted braid that danced every time she moved. He sucks in his lip and watches her in a state of sheer ecstasy from such simple acts. All coherent thought suddenly dissipates when she moans sensually, hissing when she leans up slightly to touch herself between her legs as she moves back and forth on him. It's the sight threatening him to spill, the sopping wet warmth and extra stimuli from her friction and Eric groans throatily, "Sweetheart, do not do that."

"Then do it for me," she whispers, watching him through hooded eyes. It's more of a command than anything, but while pregnant he wanted her to guide him. This was a fragile subject for Eric and in her condition, he was hesitant of doing anything she didn't initiate first. He slips two fingers between them and grits his teeth to her voice. "Yes. Eric. Uh… shit…" she whines the cuss sweetly, a usual he was used to hearing all while trying to think of amity bread, praying she's satisfied soon. He doesn't have to wait long, feeling her coming before she tells him, her walls gripping him and her nails bite harder into his skin. He rolls with it, letting it consume him, like everything else she has done in his life - and he wouldn't change it.

When she gives out and falls forward, he helps her get onto her side, her leg draping over him with her stomach pushed up against him. They will sleep like this now until Jack comes home. The child that is into everything, learning to walk like a drunk man when he was only eleven months old and it had seemed impossible to achieve. The child that can now run away when he does bad things and often blames an imaginary dog.

Yeah, that fifteen to twenty minute nap doesn't seem such a bad idea right about now.

When Eric finally wakes from their nap, Sarah is just pulling a dress over her body at the other end of the room, stopping to smile at him. "My mother's knocking…" she talks quietly, pulling her hair through the neck hole of her dress and flattening it to one side. "…didn't you hear?"

No, in fact he did not. He pulls himself up from the warmth of their bed and throws on the shirt and pants he was wearing earlier, still slowed by the quick sleep.

"I was in the shower," Sarah continues, then walks from the bedroom. He can hear the front door being opened and Meredith panting, then Jack calling out "Mama".

Even though it is cold outside, Meredith looks clammy, taking a minute to catch her breath and dropping Jack's bag by the door. "How are you feeling? Have you rested enough? Have you eaten?" Meredith's eyes slide to Eric when she notices him crossing his arms as he gets to the end of the hallway. Sarah's too busy baby-talking to Jack on her knees on the floor and brushing off her worrisome questions.

"Hello, Eric."

"Hi," is all he gives her, still not completely trusting of the woman. His voice startles Jack and he pulls away from Sarah, toddling up towards him with his arms out and a blanket with a dog's head Mary had made for him in one of his hands.

"You both carry him around too much," Meredith says, flapping an arm at them both, before aiding Sarah up from the floor with much effort. "He expects to be carried too often. Sarah, you won't be able to for much longer."

"It is fine, mother. Dauntless isn't very considerate of pushchairs, and besides, you can hardly expect him to climb the mountain of stairs around here." As Sarah turns towards the kitchen, she rolls her eyes at Eric as Meredith follows her towards the counter still endlessly complaining.

Eric rolls his eyes in reply; Sarah says it's because her mother cares but to him she's an annoying parasite.

With Jack in his arms, his son's wispy hair is pushed over to one side by hand and Eric messes it up to his preference. "Dada, dog. Woof." Jack presents his usual comforter to him, almost hitting him in the face with it. But Eric is frowning. "Yes, woof." Then his sight is set on Meredith. "What are you saying?" he almost hisses, being careful not to raise his voice and Jack points at Meredith.

"Nananana," Jack sing-songs with his tiny arms raised above his head.

"Not Nanna, Jack. Grandma, please," Meredith calls over her shoulder but still watching Sarah critically as she sits up at the island counter, pouring herself juice she had fetched from the fridge.

Jack keeps calling over and over again, "Nananana."

Eric comes up beside Sarah to create distance between her and the bitch. "Sarah is fine. Are you saying I'm not caring for her enough?" In the corner of his eye, Sarah rubs at her temple. "And if he wants to call you a banana, he will." He huffs and chuckles at the thought.

"It's okay, Eric," Sarah sighs. "Mother, I don't carry Jack too much. I am fine. I wasn't this tired with Jack, it's just the baby. I'm perfectly well."

"You'll put your back out. He's a heavy boy. - A very active one at that."

Sarah grimaces. "Well, you had four of us, so… let's stop with the preaching."

"And he's saying Nana, Eric. Not banana." Meredith sticks up her now crooked nose.

"Dada, woof." Jack shows him his toy comforter again. "Nananana."

"Whatever," he brushes her off, restraining himself from insulting her witch-like features and gently nudges Jack's hand away from his face. "What are you still doing here anyway?"

Meredith eyes are sharp at him and he merely lifts his lips in spite. "That is a good point. I'm here to tell you I'm hosting Christmas dinner this year, with everybody. I took the opportunity to ask Mary and Mark today and they thought it was a magnificent idea." However, Meredith speaks to Sarah more than him.

"Your father, too," she ends unsurely, dusting at the counter top.

"Get out of here," Eric snorts to himself. "I give a talk every year…" He pauses when Sarah peers up at him. "It's not happening."

Sarah gazes back down to her glass. "Eric is right. He's very busy."

"But I've arranged it!" her mother protests.

Eric shrugs. "Well, unarrange it."

"So, you're telling me you are going to leave your heavily pregnant wife and young son up here in this apartment while you amuse yourself down with those… animals?"

Eric raises his eyebrow in exasperation; he had little to no interaction with Meredith and this was exactly the reason why. "Think about who you are actually talking to." He points to himself, turning from the counter as his anger rises.

Meredith puts her hand on her hips. "My son-in-law, actually."

"Show your mother out, Sarah," he calls behind him, dropping himself down onto the couch with a fidgeting Jack, grunting as he tries to stand up on his lap. "Show her out before I throw her out."

"Dada, woof!"

"Yes, Jack." He watches his son clamber down to the floor, going to the coffee table. He picks up a book and throws it onto the floor. "No, that's bad."

"Dog," is Jack's reply.

"Did the dog throw that?" Jack shakes his head and then changes to a nod, repeating "Dog," again. As he stumbles around the room, his diaper rustles against his pants and Eric can't be mad at him. He'd read about phases children went through and he put it down to that.

Sarah clears her throat and captures his attention. "I actually… kind of, want to go." She keeps her eyes down and swallows, and if he didn't already feel guilty enough after Meredith's accusing - he did now.

"It will be our last time with just the three of us. And then next year, maybe Mary will have her own children… And I haven't seen Thomas in a while because I've been too tired." Sarah speaks cautiously though, she knew how he felt about spending time in the presence of Meredith's constant arrogant remarks.

He didn't remember her being like this when she worked for him, so that means because he is with her daughter, she's taking the opportunity to open her big mouth. The audacity. Maybe if he cut out her tongue she wouldn't be so…

"So, it's settled then!" Meredith claps her hands together, turning for the door.

"I haven't agreed yet!" he calls after her.

"Nananana!" Jack yells out while everyone else does, then slowly and exaggeratedly points at his nose with his chubby fingers. "Ose!"

Proudness overcomes Eric and he puffs out his chest, patting his lap. "Come here." When he's just in reach Eric growls playfully, standing and lifting him through the air as the boy giggles. Looking between Sarah and Meredith, he states firmly, "We'll think about it. Goodbye, Meredith." He shows her out quickly, Jack still in his arms and when she's gone with a short farewell, he breathes out slowly. That was an extreme amount of effort on his part.

Sarah appears forlorn though, the corners of her mouth turned downwards. "Can you at least think about it, not pretend to." She hops down from the stool, going to the fridge to start dinner with her back to him.

"It's what I said, didn't I? That we'll think about it?"

"That's usually a no." Well, he couldn't say she was wrong about that. She turns around, gripping the counter but not meeting his eye. "I'm sure they won't miss your speech too much this year at Christmas. I feel like we should spend it together."

"We will be together."

"With the entire family, Eric. Soon we will be consumed with a new baby and a toddler, there won't be much time for anyone else."

That's how it should be, rings in his mind while he pinches the bridge of his nose. That's all that mattered. He makes the short distance between them, grabbing at the packaged food she was about to open and makes her look at him. "Is that what you really want?"

"Yes," she says, looking up at him hopefully.

He sighs. Fuck it.

The truck rolls to a stop, right outside the home Sarah had once resided at that Meredith opted to occupy. - Something about too many memories in the old home, and Thomas was much happier with a bigger room, being her excuse to stay. Jack is seat-belted between them both, him and Sarah wrapped up with heavily knitted scarves and hats.

"Don't move," Eric tells her opening the cab door and hopping down, marching quickly round to her side to open the door for her. He helps her out, but Sarah takes the opportunity to pull on his neck, beckoning him to kiss her.

"Thank you," she whispers, smiling at the most formidable man in the city. The same one who agreed to spending Christmas day in Abnegation just to make her happy.

The weather wasn't too bad but it was slippery and snow blanketed the floor, but not enough to warrant caution to traveling. Eric releases Jack from his seat belt and carries him, letting Sarah hold onto his arm as she waddles cautiously down the path to the house.

The front door swings open to Mary and Mark, a warm welcome of hugs as they greet each other and the smell of Christmas dinner wafting out from behind them. Thomas appears too, excited to see Eric more than anything, and Jack reaches out to Mary.

Mary strokes Sarah's stomach, leaning down towards it. "Not long now! How exciting! Isn't this exciting?" she addresses Mark and he nods, shaking hands with Eric quickly.

Mark and Mary were waiting for the right time to have their own children. They were both working hard and Mary was in the midst of heavy duties and demands which didn't leave much time. They were both young though, and still had plenty of opportunity later on.

The air changes when John gets up from the set table, kissing Sarah's cheek and shaking Eric's hand. He doesn't say much, still wrapped in shame and guilt of his previous actions. Even less of a man than he used to be.

"Dinner is almost ready!" Meredith calls from out of the kitchen. "Everyone sit down at the table and get yourself a drink!"

There was not one bottle of alcohol on the table and for a second Sarah looks at Eric, his face set in stone as he scans his surroundings. She could almost see him counting down the minutes until they could leave. Once settled at the table, Sarah smiles at Eric who doesn't leave her side.

"Have you thought of any names yet?" Mary asks, peering between them both expectantly.

Sarah scoffs a little. "We haven't given it much thought. She's due the middle of March. So I think something beginning with 'M'?" This hadn't actually been discussed but it made sense. She looks up at Eric and he's watching Jack, the boy grabbing at various cutlery. "But as I said, we haven't spoken about it."

"That's new," Eric comments.

"I thought it was only fair considering we named Jack after the month he was born."

Eric leans forward on the table, fetching water and filling his and Sarah's cups quickly. "I like Maddison."

There's a silence as everyone stares at him. It was obvious he had been thinking about it.

"Maddison?" Sarah nudges his arm with her elbow.

"It's a strong name, easily shortened, and I don't know anyone with that name." He sips his water and looks down at Sarah's. "You need to keep drinking. And make sure you eat enough."

"Yes, Sarah. You should do as he says…" Meredith enters holding a massively covered tray and bustles over to the table. She takes the lid off the top and presents a roasted turkey. She disappears again in the kitchen and comes back with more ceramic dishes filled with potatoes and various vegetables - no garnish though. "Would you like to cut the turkey, John?"

It seems John was in a daze and coughs as he stands up hurriedly, pulling the tray toward him. He slices diagonally and while doing so, Eric addresses Mark. "I guess congratulations are in order. You have your own team now."

"Yes, sir. I'm enjoying my new role. But…" Mark hesitates. "I thought that was you?

Eric scoffs. "Just because we are related, doesn't mean I'm going to let you waltz around Dauntless." Eric sips his water again, looking completely casual. "Glen's in charge of that area now. I had enough work on my plate."

"Oh… right." Mark furrows his brows in thought. "Of course."

"It's a compliment, Mark," Sarah says through her smile. "It means you did everything off of your own back. You should be proud."

"And what about you, Sarah? Has the council been pushed back?" Meredith interrupts, pushing in next to her to put vegetables on her plate.

"I had to, I've been too tired."

"Which is understandable." Eric takes Jack from Mary, seating him on his lap instead and cuts up small bite-size portions for his son to eat and share with him. He blows on the first forkful before slowly feeding him.

"You don't sound happy for Sarah to be on the council at all, Eric. If you don't mind me saying," John finally speaks up.

"I think Sarah has enough to be worrying about than whose laundry didn't get separated properly last Tuesday," he mocks, but it's viciously towards her father. "But, if that's what she wants to do…"

Sarah leans into him to try and make him relax. "You know that's not what I do. We have healthy debates and it's nice to see what people are troubled over and if you can solve them, it feels good."

"It feels good when you are in my-" Sarah knocks him with her knee quickly to stop whatever suggestive comment was about to fall out of his mouth. "Sarah likes to feel good."

Mary almost chokes and Mark laughs while she blushes. "I like being able to help, yes." She scowls at him.

"She helps me… every day."

"Well…" Meredith drawls unsurely. "Isn't that good, John?" She looks at Sarah's father who just snorts through his nose, turning back to his food.

"Dada…" Jack prompts another mouthful, then stares at Thomas in awe who is happily eating by himself.

"Are you going to stop at two?" John's tone has changed, and Sarah knows he's biting for a reaction.

"Maybe twelve." Sarcasm drips from Eric, even his body language turning arrogant as he peers over Sarah to her father. "Who knows? Maybe I can start my own platoon made up completely of Coulters."

"Wouldn't put it past you."

"What?" Eric barks in response.

"John!" Meredith scolds him. "I want a normal family Christmas meal, please."

"John didn't get the memo," Eric mumbles. Sarah rubs at her temple and Eric peers down at her.

"What's wrong?"

"This hierarchy battle is just tiring."

"It's not a battle when one of them used to be a useless drunk that couldn't handle his family." Everyone stops eating and Eric shrugs. "Well, if nobody was going to say it…" Sarah shakes her head at him. "From the moment I walked through the door he's been waiting to get a reaction out of me." Eric points towards John, turning all his attention to him. "And you got one. So what if you didn't like it."

John braces his arms in front of him. "You're right," he confesses. "I'm still trying to get used to the fact two of my daughters are married to Dauntless. But do you really have to wave it in front of my face with your previous comments?"

"I was merely pointing out the fact I prefer Sarah to be at home with me where I know she is safe."

"It's disrespectful!" John shouts and Jack startles.

"John!" Meredith yells.

"Mother…" Mary contests, shaking her head to keep her quiet.

"Your dad's a real dick," Eric mumbles at Sarah.

"Eric," Sarah scolds him, looking around the table as everyone flashes a look between each other.

"Nananana!" Jack chants holding up Eric's fork in the air.

"You're both acting like children!" Sarah shouts. "Both of you! Yes, there is still some previous animosity between you. Maybe you'll never see eye to eye, but for the right here and now, it is Christmas!" She lowers her voice to a harsh whisper, snapping the words out quickly. "And I swear to god, if we cannot sit here and have a civilized conversation over a family meal, there is something seriously wrong with you!" She growls to herself, pushing her plate diagonally towards Meredith across from her. "I would like some more turkey, please!"

Sarah knew that Eric was still livid over John's comments when they found out about Jack. And he still hadn't forgiven him or the suggestion that the child would be a stain, regardless of his apology at the time. It was clear what her father thought of anything to do with Dauntless. She also wondered if he blamed them for his break-down in his marriage.

They eat in silence for a while until strangely Thomas speaks up. "Eric," he asks cautiously. "Can I sit in the truck before you go?"

"How about I take you and Jack for a drive in it?"

The little boy's face lights up. "Can I?" He turns to Meredith who smiles tightly and nods.

"Of course. But dessert first. I made Sarah's favorite… apple pie."

Sarah blushes instantly and peers up to Eric, a thousand memories coming back to her and the sudden urge to go home as he handsomely smirks back. "My favorite," she cries and can't help but laugh, trying to cover her grin with her fork. But her swell of anger and Mary and Mark chuckling quietly to themselves are contagious. Maybe it's because she is pregnant and her hormones were flying around like nobody's business. Maybe it was the fact she called Eric and her Father a pair of children and got away with it. Or maybe it's because her Mother looks at her strangely none the wiser. But her laugh is hysterical and she can barely sit up straight as the tears form in her eyes.

It's worse when Jack begins giggling too, throwing his head back and barely able to sit on his dad's lap.

"Oh my god… oh my god… I can't laugh much more, stop…" she wheezes to no one in particular.

"I really don't see what's funny," John comments and Sarah grabs Eric's arm as she hurls into another fit, his body shaking as he pinches the bridge of his nose to calm himself.

"Apple pie!" she points out as if it was obvious.

"Maybe this is a good time to wish everybody a Merry Christmas?" Meredith proposes, raising her bland glass of water to only add to the comedy of the whole family meal event. To be honest, it would never have been the same if it was ever normal.

Mark and Mary kiss and Sarah leans over to Jack to peck the top of his head.

"Happy Christmas, Sarah," Eric whispers and presses his lips to hers.

"Merry Christmas, Eric."

When March arrives, their daughter's birth was imminent. Eric rushed home and kept his phone close by just in case, but it seemed their daughter was going to be trouble from the get-go.

When Sarah passed her due date, it felt as though the child would never come. Mary took to staying day and night to help with Jack and to keep an eye on Sarah, but still nothing…

It's three in the morning on a Wednesday night when Sarah suddenly jerks upwards, throwing the covers off of her and pushing him to get up. "Eric, Eric, Eric…" she repeats over and over again, sounding panicked and scared, and grips his arm tightly.

He sits up quickly, even though groggy, and stands up to get rid of the sheets entirely. The bed is saturated and he frowns at her. "Did you piss yourself?"

"No!" she snaps back just as haughtily. "Help me up," she orders, holding out her arms. Before he can even reach her, she stands up on her own and immediately hunches over to grip the bed.

His eyes widen, a sense of confusion washing over him. "What the fuck, Sarah?"

"The baby!" she pants. "It's coming now. She's coming."

Eric runs a hand through his hair, peering at the door then back at her at a sudden classical loss of what to do. All the time to prepare but when it came to it, he knew nothing. He almost wanted to ask her but that would be entirely inappropriate.

"Get me a new dress!" She begins pulling the old one over her head, and with this view he can really see how heavily pregnant she is. He clambers to get her a dress and she rips it from him. By the time she gets it over her head, another contraction rolls through her and she has to hold onto him. "A towel, I need a towel!" she orders to an almost frozen Eric. There's still a wetness dripping between her legs and she rolls up the end of her dress to hold. "Wake Mary, we have to go now!" she calls after him.

As he leaves the room, he can hear Sarah whimper to herself and he felt utterly useless. Just the sound of him and Mary sits up. "What? What is it? Is it the baby?!"

"Yeah…" His voice comes out hoarse with his throat dry. "But I don't know what the fuck I'm doing." It's something he thought he'd never admit.

"All you have to do is be with her. It's all you can do. I'll stay up and listen out for Jack but you have to get to the infirmary. Now!"

Eric switches from fleeting father to Leader, because that is all he knew. He strides back to the bedroom and grabs Sarah's bag of stuff she had packed and hooks his arm around her.

The infirmary felt like a million miles away as they made their way out of the bedroom. "We'll go slow."

She nods, still breathing heavily and begins walking with him.

"Good luck!" Mary shouts from the door.

A polystyrene cup is shoved into Eric's face, full with steaming coffee. He glances up tiredly at Glen.

"Thanks. Word gets around fast it seems."

"I was going to leave it. But when I found out it had been a full twenty-four hours, even I felt the fatherly sweat." Glen takes the seat next to Eric in the quiet corridor of the infirmary. "What are they saying?"

"Considering a C-section in the next few hours if nothing changes. Sarah is against it, of course." He swigs some of the coffee even though it burned. He was too tired to register anything and his body felt like somebody else's. "She's trying to sleep right now."

"Maybe you should do the same?" Glen offers, and for once he's right. "I'll leave you. I'm a phone call away." Glen pats his shoulder, his boots squeaking on the floor as Eric watches him walk away.

He sighs to himself, getting up to look for a nurse to find some suitable and close place he could sleep.

Sarah's sleep is almost a non-existent slip between unconsciousness and full awareness. She could feel herself curling up but too tired to physically do anything, not even speak. The IV in her hand hurt as she moved, her body too hot. She gripped the gas and air nozzle tightly in her free hand, but it was utterly useless, making her head spin more if anything. The pain killer she believed she had received hours ago, she could feel waning.

Then something marvelous happens. Her body involuntarily tenses up till she can't breathe. It panics her but she knows the feeling from before. In her drunk-like haze she throws her hand out around the bed, finding the button and presses multiple times, just as the urge to push again hits with a vengeance.

Suddenly there is multiple people in the room, one checking the monitors, two parting her legs and by the glance the doctor gives up to her, she knows her baby is coming.

"Eric?" she mumbles to one of them, but at the same time he enters, reaching her in a matter of seconds.

"This time, we want you to push with everything you have," the doctor orders, barely looking at her, peering between her legs.

"I don't think I can." There was nothing more to give. She didn't have the energy, she could barely keep her eyes open.

"You can, Sarah." Eric grips her hand in his tightly, but he's watching the consort of nurses.

There's not much time to argue when her body naturally takes over. It's a whirlwind of flashing images as she opens and closes her eyes, gritting her teeth and listens to the demands they ask of her. All the while, Eric pushes back her hair, telling her continuously that she can do this, that their baby is almost here, and how well she was doing.

There's a pause and silence in the room as she feels the doctor go between her legs, she howls out at the burning sensation and they tell her one last push. She gives every last part of her into the final act, and just when she cannot take anymore, she feels her daughter's legs leave her womb.

The relief is overwhelming, and she cries uncontrollably. Eric leans down so their foreheads touch and he didn't seem to mind how clammy hers was. Her sobs are joined by bleating, and then a strong wail as she catches the sight of the newborn being wrapped in a blanket, arms up and out, a paled blotchy wash of pink.

"Is she okay?" she whispers hoarsely to Eric as he wipes at his face and turns to take their baby. He's relaxed and natural, staring down at their daughter with every ounce of admiration she sees every day when he looks at Jack.

There is still things going on around her, and he shows her their baby's face, her cries quieting when he rocks her. Sarah reaches out to her waving hands and feels her tiny fingers, counting them, peering up at Eric who has not once looked away as his smile grew.

"I am so fucked…" he whispers, and Sarah laughs lightly.

"What's her name? Is it Maddison?"

"No," Eric says through his smile. "April. It's the first of April." He hushes her whimpers, then motions for Sarah to take her.

"She's so tiny," she whispers.

"She's nine pounds, Sarah," Eric tells her and her eyes widen.

"Well, she looks tiny compared to seeing Jack now." She pulls down her gown and places her against her skin, feeling her love grow impossibly stronger for every single member of her family.

A few days had passed and Sarah was finally allowed to go home. Upon their arrival they were greeted by Mary and Mark, holding Jack up to inspect his new sister. The small boy had just looked confused, hiding his face and asking for "Dada" to the new change.

Sarah's recovery is quick and it doesn't take long till she is sitting comfortably in the living area on the couch with April cradled in her arms. Mary made her a dress easy accessible to breastfeed in decency, and there on the couch Eric watches her feeding from the kitchen, leaning on the counter, having taken time off to be at home till things settled.

Jack clambers up next to Sarah and sits with her, pulling on his sisters blankets to see, telling Sarah it was a "Dog," and not his sister.

"Can we keep her, Jack?" Sarah asks him and he thinks for a long time, furrowing his brows so characteristically like Eric. "Do you like your new sister?"

"No."

She scoffs light-heartedly. "That's not very nice…"

Jack loses interest and scoots away, sitting perfectly with his comforter and brings it up to his nose, yawning.

Peering down at their daughter in devotion, Sarah suddenly looks up at Eric as if she could read his mind. He wouldn't be surprised now if she could. She smiles with something more meaningful than genuine, just as Jack leans against his mommy, beginning to suck his thumb.

Eric couldn't think of any sight or place more beautiful and innocent than the one in front of him in this moment. He will do anything to love and protect his family, no matter what it is. He'll correct his mistakes, he'll worship the ground Sarah walks on, and he'll nurture his children till his last breath.

And Sarah knows he will.