AN: I wanted to upload this last Saturday but I had stuff and couldn't. This is based on an idea I've shared on Tumblr before; I think the show is set in the summer of 2013 and this fan fiction is set in 2017 so it's sort of my take on where John and Kayleigh could be now, four years on.
The early morning sunlight seeped through the gap in the curtains, softly illuminating the bedroom where Kayleigh lay half asleep. She was barely conscious of the world around her as the door creaked open to give way to little feet running towards the bed. The edge of the mattress compressed slightly as a small hand reached out, tapping softly on her arm. Kayleigh continued to lie stock still as after a few moments the same hand started poking her face, getting closer and closer to her left eye. Meanwhile, heavier steps could be heard making their way down the hallway, increasing in pace as they entered the room.
"No no no, don't wake mummy," John whispered loudly as he bent down to pick up the young child. "Are you hungry? Come on, little monkey, let's get you something to eat." He placed a kiss on his daughter's forehead as he crept back out of the room, making sure to close the door quietly behind him.
It was a few minutes later that Kayleigh sat up and moved her legs over the edge of the bed, planting her feet on the floor. She rubbed her eyes before yawning and stretching her arms over her head. She checked the time on her phone and couldn't help smiling when she noticed the date.
She wandered downstairs and burst out laughing as soon as she walked into the kitchen. Their daughter, Gabriella, was sitting in the middle of the floor covered in flour.
"What happened in here?"
"I was trying to cook breakfast but someone found the flour in the cupboard," John said sounding slightly irritated.
"You left her on the floor while you were cooking?"
"Well she was playing with her toys over there, then I turn around a few seconds later and flour bloody everywhere." He bent down and started trying to clear up some of the mess.
"You get the dustpan and clear this up and I'll take care of little madam over here," she laughed as she picked Gabby up, holding away from her as she walked towards the back door.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to brush the flour off outside, there's no point in traipsing it through the house."
"Yeah, alright," he sighed before rushing over to the stove to turn one of the pans down.
"What are you making?"
"Well, we don't get out for a fat boy anymore so I thought I'd knock one up myself seeing as it's a Saturday and we have nowhere to be."
"That sounds lovely," she placed a quick kiss on his cheek before walking back over to the door. She stepped out onto the patio and placed Gabby on the ground, holding her small hand as she bent down to start shaking the flour from her pyjamas.
"That was very naughty Gabriella Redmond! I've told you before you're not allowed to go in the kitchen cupboards unless you have mine or daddy's permission."
"Sowy mummy," Gabby squeaked as her bottom lip began to quiver.
"Don't do it again, ok?" Kayleigh picked the little girl up again and gave her a hug before pulling back and inspecting her clothes. "There I think that's got most of it off." She went back into the kitchen, placing Gabby in her seat at the table before walking over to John who'd gone back to cooking.
"So, do you know what today is?" Kayleigh sang as she grabbed his arm.
"Get off me woman, I'm cooking!" She giggled and let go of his arm.
"Do you?"
"What?"
"Know what today is?" He stopped stirring the beans and turned to look at her, a look of panic on his face.
"I haven't forgotten something important, have I?"
"I'll give you a clue, it's 184 sleeps 'til Christmas!"
"Wait that's it?" He asked looking bewildered.
"No, four years ago today…" she prompted.
"I have no idea what you're on about," he turned his attention back to the hob.
"Jonathon!" She squeaked. "Four years ago today was the first time you gave me a lift to work!"
"So this if the fourth anniversary of you throwing ya' piss all over me, ya' mean?" He replied cheekily.
"Don't be using language like that around the baby!" She moved to cover Gabby's ears with her hands.
"Exactly, she's a baby, she doesn't know what it means!"
"John, she can talk. Anything you say she'll copy, you know that."
"Fine," he conceded with a huff, as Kayleigh removed her hands from Gabby's head. He became contemplative as he continued, "four years then… we've known each other for four years."
"We've known each other longer than that!"
"Well we didn't know each other properly, it's not like we ever had much to do with each other before then. You referred to me as a stranger at the beginning if I remember correctly."
"Look at you remembering our first car share," she squeezed his chin before he pulled away from her grasp.
"How could I forget it? You only went and threw your," he paused as Kayleigh cut in.
"Yes, I know John. I was mortified… but it was funny," she laughed at the memory.
"Good to know it's still amusing you four years on."
After breakfast, Kayleigh took Gabby up to her bedroom, got her dressed and left her to play with her toys for a little while. She was just about to go into her and John's bedroom when a wave of nausea came over her. She ran into the bathroom, reaching the toilet just in time. Less than a minute later John came in.
"Are you ok?" He asked rubbing her back. She groaned, sitting on the bathroom floor.
"I don't know what's wrong with me. This has happened three times now over the last few days."
"Maybe you've got a stomach bug, I told you something's been going 'round at work."
"I don't think so, I feel fine the rest of the time."
"You don't think you could be…?"
"What?"
"The last time you were sick like this…" he trailed off again.
"Was with Gabby." She finished his sentence.
"Yep."
"I guess I should take a pregnancy test then."
"So you think you could be?" He looked at her, a spark of hope in his eyes at the possibility of another baby.
"It's possible," she answered slowly before standing up and squealing. "I could be pregnant John! I could be pregnant again!"
"I know," he grinned at her before regaining his composure. "We shouldn't get our hopes up yet, not until we know for sure."
"Yes you're right, I'll get dressed and go buy a pregnancy test." She said running into their bedroom.
"You don't feel sick anymore? If you do I could go buy one." He followed her into the bedroom, shifting awkwardly as he spoke, the thought of walking into the local shop on his own looking for a pregnancy test making him slightly uneasy.
"Aw thank you, but I feel ok at the moment," she leant in to kiss him but stopped halfway. "I should probably brush my teeth too."
"Wouldn't be a bad idea." He said as she returned to the bathroom.
"Cheeky!" She called back to him.
While Kayleigh finished getting ready John threw on some clothes and went to check on Gabby. He sat on the floor as he watched her play with her little red Fiat 500. They had found it at a toy shop when Kayleigh was pregnant and as soon as she saw the toy car she had insisted they buy it.
Half an hour later Kayleigh came into the room with a carrier bag.
"Have you been and bought one already?"
"Yeah, I got a pack of three, just to make sure."
"You only took one the last time."
"And I kept wondering if it was a false positive until I got it confirmed at the doctors."
"You didn't tell me that."
"It was only in the back of my mind for a day or so. Besides, I just saw a multipack at the shop and thought why not?"
"Are you going to take them now?"
"Yeah alright, give me a second," she disappeared from the doorway. John started to slowly get off the floor, leaving Gabby playing happily in her bedroom. He paced up and down the hallway outside the bathroom door for a few minutes before knocking and going in. Kayleigh jumped and twisted around as he entered the room, accidentally sending the small plastic cup she was holding flying straight into John's chest, the contents splattering over his shirt.
"Wha…? Kayleigh! Please tell me this isn't… Again? You're havin' a laugh!" He exclaimed angrily, quickly removing both his shirt and undershirt before grabbing a discarded t-shirt from the top of the laundry basket. "Four years later and you're still a piss throwing psycho!"
"Shut it, you big gay mute," she managed to say in-between fits of laughter. "It's your own fault, you startled me!"
"Have you done the tests?" He asked after her laughter died down.
"Yeah they're on the side of the sink, have to wait another two minutes though before they show the results."
"Right," he pulled her into a hug as the seconds ticked slowly by. Eventually, the timer on her phone interrupted the silence. She turned it off but didn't move from his embrace.
"You look, John, I don't think I can," she mumbled and stepped back from his arms. He looked down at her before stepping closer to the sink and looking down at the white sticks.
"They're all the same if that helps."
"What does it say?"
"I don't know, what do two lines mean?" He'd barely finished the sentence when Kayleigh squealed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Before he could register what was happening she'd let go of him so she could inspect the tests herself.
"We're having another baby John!"
"We are?"
"Yes!" Then they were wrapped in each other's arms once more, sharing a long passionate kiss. "I love you, John," she whispered breathlessly as they pulled back, just enough to look into each other's eyes.
"I'll love you Kayleigh Redmond until the day I die," he replied before their lips met again.
