"Darling, Darling. Wake up. Imogen I need you to wake up for me. Please open your eyes, you're dreaming."

Constance was getting worried. She had woken to find her wife sobbing in her sleep and it was was proving very difficult to rouse her.

Eventually the green eyes fluttered open, allowing more tears to flow out.

"Sweetheart…I Oh. What happened?"

Constance placed a gentle kiss on the furrowed brow. "You had a bad dream. I had them too when I was pregnant. Do you remember what it was about? It might help to talk about it."

Imogen moved even closer in the embrace, she couldn't get enough of the nuzzles and light touches she was receiving. The dream was barely lingering. It had been one of those ones where she had been watching the events, like a film, so she was getting everyone's perspective although the content was vague. What she could remember was filling her veins with ice.

"You died. It was impossible without you. The girls and I, we were so devastated. Oh Sweetheart, don't leave me. Don't leave us. I need you to be my wife and the girls Mama always. We love you so much."

"Shhh, shh. I'm not going anywhere. You, Abby, Ava and this little one, you're stuck with me for a very long time. I know it must have seemed very real but I'm right here, can you feel me touching you? I'm not leaving, not ever. I love you."

Constance rocked her wife gently, trying to offer as much reassurance as she could. "It's you and me, you and me always Darling. Please don't be unhappy.

After a few minutes there was a knock on the door which opened to reveal an excited Abby. "It's the scan day!" She made her way towards the bed where she was shocked to find her mother looking so upset.

"Mummy, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Is it the baby? Is something wrong with her?"

Imogen wiped her eyes and opened her arms to their eldest. "No honey. I'm being silly, I had a bad dream but I feel better now that you and Mama are here."

Knowing that Imogen was in good hands and would be okay for a moment without her, Constance slipped out of bed. Based on the chatter coming from the baby monitor a certain other little girl was wide awake and would want to be part of cheering her Mummy up.

"You'll feel even better with some tea and toast in you. I'll make some and fetch Ava, I won't be long."

Imogen knew it was silly but she had a request. "Magic toast please Sweetheart, for old times sake."

Constance nodded and smiled as she left the room. In her mind she thought of a time when she had broken down, worrying that something would happen to cause her to lose out on her family life. She still had those worries from time to time but she also recognised that every moment spent worrying was a moment she wasn't thinking of her beautiful girls. One of whom was standing up in her cot, hair sticking up at all angles, with sleepy eyes and her arms outstretched for a Mama cuddle.

While she was gone Abby carried on stroking her mother's hair, trying to offer comfort. "I like your hair longer Mummy, it suits you. And I'm glad Mama was with you when you had your bad dream. She always chases them away when I have them."

"She does the same for me…Honey, your arm, did you hurt it, bang it or something?"

Abby shook her head. "Nope, look it's fine. Maybe it happened in your dream?"

"Maybe. Never mind, I'm just being silly." Imogen pulled her daughter even closer. For a moment she'd had a flash of Abby with a sling but it vanished as quickly as it had arrived. She bent down and kissed the freckled right arm

"Ahh, Mummy that tickles." Abby's giggles were contagious and by the time Constance and Ava arrived back everyone was in a much happier mood.

A little later Imogen watched as Constance fed their daughter in bed. Although it still was such a special thing it had become almost routine and normal. This particular morning she curled up next to them and watched, just as she had done when Ava was a tiny baby. As she gazed down she saw eyes, the exact colour of her own looking back at her. Ava reached up and with her tiny hand clasped her Mummy's before smiling at both her parents, showing them just how good everything was in her world.

Once everyone had eaten it was time to get ready for the scan. It was Monday and Abby's school was off for a teachers meeting. This was a great source of excitement as they also had the upcoming Friday and Monday off. Her mother's had swapped their classes around so they also had the full day together.

They ran into a beaming Amelia in the hallway before they left and again Imogen had a vision of a different version of this woman who was so important in their lives. Not the happy, smiling person they knew so well but someone who was angry and upset but still trying to put everyone else first. She watched how Amelia said goodbye to Constance and the girls and thought to herself that she never wanted such sadness to affect this mother figure to all of them.

Tom also came down to see them off with some teasing words. In a conspiratorial tone he addressed his daughter in law. "I'll be waiting to see that picture of my new granddaughter. Knowing Imogen she'll forget where she puts it so I'm trusting you to bring it back to me."

There was a laugh in return. Pregnant or not Imogen was still what Jamie and Abby referred to as a 'sieve head', "You needn't worry, I won't be leaving that precious picture out of my possession. I'll get yours back to you safely."

After kissing him goodbye Constance drove to the appointment while Imogen dozed in the front seat. The dream had unsettled her and it was bothering her that beyond Constance having died and the little flashes, there was very little she could remember of it. Normally she could remember everything about her dreams. Not this time though.

The uneasiness had faded by the time they reached Dr Ravenscroft's office and when the gel was placed on her stomach it was pushed even further away.

"There's your baby girl. Strong heartbeat, good measurements and she appears to be flashing her bottom at us."

Abby and Ava held hands and giggled as they looked at the image. Of course Ava didn't really know what she was looking at but it was very exciting. At the same time their mothers watched in wonder as their third daughter appeared on the screen in front of them. It was the most amazing feeling in the world to have created a life and they could not wait to meet her.

They weren't the only ones.

"Oh I love her so much already. I can't wait until February when I can hold her and kiss her. Ugh, it's so far away."

"it won't be long coming dear. she'll be here before we know it." Constance bent down and gave Abby a kiss before opening the car door and placing Ava in her seat.

"And what did you think of your baby sister little one?"

Ava considered her Mama's question for a moment. "Baby! Kiss."

Imogen had been about to offer to drive but when she heard Ava demand a kiss something jogged her memory and told her to allow Constance take control of their journey.

It also prompted something else. "Don't I get a kiss too?"

Constance, still overjoyed after their appointment leaned forward to oblige the request. It was a short kiss but one that she hoped conveyed everything she was feeling. "I love you."

"And I love you."

Ava loved any display of affection from her parents and so was clapping her hands with delight. "Kiss, Yea!"

Abby on the other hand rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her grin. "You're so soppy."

As Imogen sat back in the passenger seat and stroked her still tiny bump she heard Abby ask to travel home along the coast road and watched her wife consider the idea for a moment.

"Well, I know its a bit longer but it is a nicer drive. Granny and Granddad won't mind waiting a few minutes longer to see the picture."

Abby laughed loudly. "It's a picture of her bum. I'm going to mock her so much for this when she's older."

They were all laughing as they drove home. They also made plans for the weekend when they would be going to their newly renovated house for the first time. It had turned out even better than they had expected and for both mothers and daughters it was now a proper family home.

There was also another topic up for discussion. Imogen listened as Constance explained her worries about offending Amelia regarding the baby's middle name. Before she could answer Abby had something to say.

"Granny won't be offended because she's not that type of person. Also, she has us all the time. Ava's middle name is after Nanny Rose so the new baby's should be after Granny Florence. You can give the next one Amelia as a middle name."

Both Constance and Imogen were touched that Abby thought of their own mothers as her grandmothers even though she had never known them. Also what she said was correct and Constance did want to honour her mother, as did Imogen.

"She's right Sweetheart, for me her middle name has to be Florence, it feels right. And by the way, what's all this 'next one' honey? We haven't had this baby yet. Honestly. You have no patience."

Abby shrugged. "I just want lots of sisters to love. Anyway, now that we've decided a middle name what pet name have you thought of?"

Again this discussion had come up already. Constance wasn't one for pet names beyond little one, dear and of course, Darling. When Imogen had asked her why she used 'dear' for Abby and now sometimes Ava, she had confessed that it was for a very sweet reason.

"It's what Amelia called me for so many years and it was the most motherly thing I could think to call Abby when our relationship began to evolve."

In that conversation she had also wondered if her mother had ever used a pet name for her when she had been younger.

"Sweetpea."

Abby considered it before grinning. "That's cute. What made you choose that?"

Imogen considered the question. "Honestly, it just came to me right now but it makes sense. I call Mama Sweetheart and this is our little Sweetpea. What do you think?"

Constance thought it was especially lovely and she couldn't wait to hear it coming from her wife's lips as she held their baby for the first time.

Before they could discuss it any further Imogen's phone rang.

"Hi Dad. Oh, we're not that far away. Okay, let me check." She covered the microphone. "Dad and Stephen are going for lunch at that seafood restaurant near the beach. It seems like Amelia's skiving off and leaving Davina and Gaby in charge. Will we join them? We can give them the scan pictures there and maybe go for a walk on the beach afterwards."

It sounded like a perfect idea and twenty minutes later Constance was pulling up outside the restaurant where they met the rest of their family.

At the very moment they arrived a mere ten miles away a man, six times the legal limit, was pulled over by the police. As they seated him in the back of the police car he whispered to nobody in particular. "I need help."

A far, far greater distance away two women observed a happy family scene. Both Constance and Imogen were laughing with joy as they shared the picture of their tiny miracle who was now half way to being with them. The couple were sat especially close together and holding hands as their daughters clung to them and shared their thoughts on their future sister.

"We did the right thing Rose." Florence linked her now best friend's arm.

"I know. Not many get the chance to change the future like we did and I'm glad we could steal that moment from them. I'm beyond proud of our daughters and I love them so much. Constance was the best thing to ever happen to my pet. And those girls. Ava is just the most gentle little thing and that Abby's a character, so special and loving. And as for what they have to come, now and in the future, I hope they're ready. They need both their mothers if they're going to grow into the incredible women they're destined to be. Do you think Imogen will remember the vision we gave her?"

Florence shook her head. "No more than she has done but we'll tell her one day, in what for them is the very, very distant future. Our girls have a lot of living to do and lives to add to but we'll be right there with them as they're doing it. In forty odd years time, when they're dealing with tiny grandsons and granddaughters who are going to melt their hearts even further, we'll still be with them, whenever they need us."

"You're right, that's how it has to be but we'll always be there for our daughters and their daughters."

With serene smiles the two spirits faded away but not fully, there was still a shadow left if you looked hard enough.

Because a mother's love was never fully gone.

A/N I cannot tell you how much writing this story, especially the first part upset me but I had to do it. It was one of those ideas that once it formed I needed to get it out and challenge myself but there was no way I could make it permanent. Like so many of you I adore Constance and I do understand the feelings the previous chapter caused. Thank you to everyone who messaged me and reviewed.

Sweetpea is still on the way to her two mothers in the future but we'll have a few build up stories before she arrives, including massive piles of fluff to make up for this. If you stuck with me through this one, thank you I appreciate it so much.

Thank you to AndDreamOfSage for pre-reading this when I landed it on you out of nowhere.

The first chapter was loosely based on this prompt,

Imagine your OTP was just in a devastating accident, and both died at the same time. They are reunited in the afterlife right after, and are relieved to see each other again. But then suddenly after only a short time, Person A suddenly pulled away and down to their world again. Person B was beyond saving, but the doctors managed to revive person A before it was too late. Now Person A has to live their life alone, torn from their partner in death as Person B watches them from above.