Author's Note: I'm not 100% sure if I like this chapter or not because I had to rewrite it due to my laptop restarting without warning on me, but I wanted to get something up for you all so here it is! There is going to be a time jump between this chapter and the one to follow, I'm just not entirely sure how big the jump is going to be as of this moment. For now, though, I hope you all enjoy and please leave a review to let me know what you think! Thanks! x
'The doctor said that everything is fine with both me and the baby; the pains that I have been having is just my body adjusting to the pregnancy.' Maria smiled as she was propped up against the pillows of the bed that she shared with her husband late the following morning, Georg sitting on the edge of the mattress as he held one of her soft hands in his own and drew tender circles into the back of her palm with the pad of his thumb. 'He listened to the baby's heartbeat and said that it was strong but he wants me to rest for an hour a day for the next week or so, just to make sure that everything is progressing as it should be.' Georg's shoulders slumped in relief as he squeezed her soft hand gently.
'Do you promise me that you will?' He asked as he shifted closer to her and brought his free hand to rest upon the small swell of her belly through the thin material of her nightgown, his thumb brushing against the proof of their youngest child. 'You know what you were like when you went through your miscarriage and then your phantom pregnancy, darling, and I don't want to see you like that again. It broke my heart, Maria, I can't explain to you how agonizing it was for me to see you in such a state. You have to promise me that you're going to rest like the doctor said.' Maria smiled gently up at him.
Slipping her hand out of his, she lifted it to his face before cupping the curve of his cheek in her palm and smoothing the pad of her thumb across the soft skin there. 'I promise.' She whispered, her heart swelling with love for him when he nuzzled against her hand. 'Can you come and hold me, please?' A soft smile spread across her husband's features as he gazed into her eyes, Georg leaning forwards to press a warm kiss onto her temple before he rose from the bed and began to make his way around to his own side of it. He then lowered himself down onto their marital bed before leaning back against his pillow and opening his arms to his wife, Maria smiling as she shuffled into his protective embrace.
She couldn't prevent the deep hum of satisfaction from escaping her lips when she felt him bury the softest of kisses into her hair once she had lay her head down upon his chest, her eyes drifting closed as she draped her arm over his middle and curled her fingers into the thin material of his shirt. 'What is it?' Georg chuckled, stroking her hair when she released a delicate giggle just a few moments later.
'This little one has had rather a bad case of the hiccups since I woke up this morning.' She told him as she ran the palm of her hand across the swell of her belly in a soothing motion, tilting her head back on his chest as there was a radiant smile upon her rosy lips. 'Do you want to feel?' He nodded with a soft smile of his own before allowing her to take his hand in hers, his heart swelling with love for both she and their unborn child when she placed his hand upon her belly just above her navel and covered it with her own, the two of them waiting patiently for a time before he let out a loving chuckle when he felt a series of rhythmic jerks against his palm. 'He's certainly a lively one.' She beamed up at him.
'He?' Georg teased as he drew soothing circles onto her rounded stomach with the palm of his hand.
Maria hummed as she allowed her head to fall back against his shoulder. 'I have such a strong feeling that I'm having a boy this time.' She admitted as she looked into his eyes. 'I don't know why I do, but from the moment I read the telegram that confirmed my pregnancy I've felt as this one is going to be a boy.' She reached up to trace the sharpness of his jaw with the tips of her fingers. 'I know you want me to give you a son, no matter how much you love Rosmarie.' Georg pressed a kiss to her forehead.
'I won't deny that I do want to have a son with you one day, but like I told you back when you were pregnant with Rosie, I don't mind what we're blessed with as long as it's healthy. I'm going to love it no matter the gender, sweetheart.' Maria pressed her smooth lips against his cheek in a delicate kiss.
'I know you are.' She covered his hand with her own upon unmistakable proof of their baby before slipping her fingers through the gaps in his own, her eyes fluttering closed of their own accord when he gave her nose an affectionate graze with his, a soft hum escaping her when she felt him capture her in a kiss that was both long and sweet. The arm that was around her shoulders tightened its hold as they sank further into their kiss, Maria using the hand that was laced with his own to pull his arm around her waist before she released his hand and allowed him to press it into the small of her back in order to draw her further into his warmth. She parted her lips on instinct when she felt him tease the seam of them with his tongue, her hand seeking out the side of his neck as he deepened the kiss.
As their tongues began a slow dance of exploration, Maria shifted on the bed until her head came to rest upon her pillow and brought her husband down with her, their lips never parting. Georg felt his heart swell with love for her with each soft whimper that she released, his lips curling up into a small smirk against her own when he felt her nimble fingers beginning to unfasten the buttons on his shirt. Cupping her warm face in his hands, he pressed his lips firmer against hers as she made swift work of his buttons. 'Oh, my love…' He breathed once she had opened his shirt and his hands left her face in order for him to aid her in removing the article of clothing from his back, a deep sigh escaping him as he felt all of the tension leave his body when she trailed her warm hands along the front of his chest.
They broke their kiss reluctantly when the need for oxygen became to urgent to resist for a moment longer, their breathing heavy and ragged as he pressed his forehead against her own and her hands settled upon his strong shoulders. 'Make love to me.' She breathed, her piercing blue eyes glistening.
He wasted no time in fulfilling her request.
Liesl was unable to prevent the gentle yawn from escaping her lips as she snuggled further into her father's warmth later that afternoon, one of his arms wrapped around her waist in a secure hold as the other was cradling Agathe against his chest as she released soft coos. 'How are you sleeping, my darling? Honestly?' He asked as he turned his head in her direction once she had lay her head down upon his shoulder through his shirt, a fatigued sigh escaping her as she gazed into his love-filled eyes.
'I've had about twelve hours' sleep over the last three days.' She admitted as her hand rested on his chest. 'And that's only because Nicolas and I had some bottles made up so that he can help me with feeding her through the night. He's such an incredible father and I dread to think what state I would be in right now if I didn't have him.' She nuzzled into her father's neck before her eyes drifted closed.
Georg sighed as he brushed a slow kiss against her hairline before his gaze dropped to the beautiful baby girl against his chest, his lips curling up into a smile of pure love as he watched Agathe studying his features. 'You know that your mother and I are here to help you and Nicolas look after her, don't you? We don't mind having her in our room with us for a few hours if the two of you want to rest.' A soft smile spread across Liesl's perfect features as she buried her face gently into the side of his neck.
'We know.' She reassured him. 'We just don't like bothering the two of you; you've got enough on your plates as it is with the others and mother's pregnancy, and we don't want to be a burden on the two of you.' Georg gave a scoff as he turned his head towards her once more and snugged her closer.
Liesl drew back from his neck to look up into his eyes then, her deep blue eyes glistening charmingly. 'You could never be a burden on us.' He told her as he ran the palm of his hand along the curve of her side through her nightgown. 'You may have had a baby and you may be married now, but you're still my little girl and your mother and I are still your parents and here to look after you when you need us to be.' She gave a slow nod in response as she blessed him with a small smile. 'We love you so much.'
'I love you both too.' She pressed a kiss onto his cheek before resting her head down on his shoulder again. 'Father?' She said after the two of them had sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments and she stroked the backs of her fingers down her daughter's cheek, Georg humming in response as he gazed down at his granddaughter. 'Do you think that you and mother might be able to look after her for an hour this afternoon? Just so I can get some sleep before she gets me up through the night?'
'Of course we can.' He nodded. 'Your mother has been told that she has to rest for an hour a day, so I think it would help her if she has this little one to keep her company.' He and Liesl chuckled together.
'I would have asked Nicolas to watch her for me, but he didn't sleep too well last night and so I don't want to tire him out even more. Besides, I want her to spend more time with you and mother so that she bonds with the two of you.' She told him. 'I want her to grow up loving the two of you as much as I do, but she's only going to be able to do that if she spends time with the two of you.' Georg nodded.
He felt his heart swell with love for his granddaughter when he slipped his little finger into her fragile fist and she closed her tiny fingers around it, her deep hazel brown eyes sparkling inquisitively as she shifted in his hold. 'Your mother and I love her so much already and we want to spend as much time with her as possible.' He admitted as he felt his daughter snuggle up to him. 'Do you have any idea of how proud we are of you?' He asked as he removed his arm from around her waist in order to bring his hand up to her face and tuck a strand of soft chocolate brown hair tenderly back beneath her ear.
'But I haven't done anything to make you proud.' Her brow creased as she offered him a slight smile.
'Do you really believe that?' He raised his brow at her as he traced the sharpness of her jaw with the tips of his fingers, Liesl shrugging in reply as she allowed herself to settle back against her headboard.
'I let you down by being stupid enough to get myself pregnant.' She reminded him. 'I had to go away to Innsbruck for over a month so that I didn't bring shame on the family, father, how could you and mother be proud of me for that?' Georg sighed as he cupped the curve of her silky cheek in his palm.
'We're not proud of you for what you did at the start of this year.' He told her. 'We're not proud of you for disobeying us and for being intimate with Nicolas when you were home alone together, but we are so proud of you for how mature you have been about everything. I know that you had horrid morning sickness throughout your pregnancy and I know that you suffered from awful migraines, but you never complained about it. You just took it all in your stride and you made your mother and I so proud of you.' Liesl's eyes gleamed as she gazed into his own. 'When you came home from Innsbruck and you were in labour, I'll admit that I was more worried about you than I should have been. I just hate seeing you or the others in pain and to hear you scream like that made me feel sick. But when I was stood with Nicolas and we heard Agathe cry, I knew then that I had never been so proud of you.'
She felt warm tears sting in her eyes as her lips curled up into a loving smile, a deep sigh escaping her as she shuffled closer to him atop her quilt and lay her head down upon his shoulder. 'What is it?' He asked as he slipped his arm around her waist one more when he heard light sniffles coming from her.
'I just love you so much.' She whimpered as she curled her fingers into the thin fabric of his shirt. 'It broke my heart when I told you that I was pregnant with Agathe and you couldn't even be in the same room as me, father, because I've always wanted to make you proud of me and to know that I let you down hurt more than anything.' Soothing shushes came from Georg as he drew the tips of his fingers through her dark tresses of hair, soft tears scrolling down Liesl's porcelain cheeks as he held her close.
'I love you more than I could ever hope to tell you, Liesl, I mean that with all my heart.' He told her as he turned his head towards her in order to nuzzle her hairline. 'I still despise myself for how I reacted when you came to me and told me about what happened, darling, and I doubt I'll ever fully forgive myself for it. You always have and always will make me the proudest father living, Liesl, that's the one thing I'm certain of.' A watery smile was etched into her features when she drew back from his neck. 'You're exhausted.' He sighed as he pressed his forehead against her own. 'You need to sleep, angel.'
'Will you stay with me until I do?' She asked, her voice soft.
He felt an overwhelming surge of love for her course through his veins. She had been so little the last time she had asked him to hold her whilst she fell asleep, and it warmed his heart to no end to know that beneath the mature front she put on she was still his baby. 'Of course, sweetheart.' He nodded. 'Why don't you get under the quilt so that I don't have to disturb you once you've fallen asleep?' She smiled up at him before doing as he had said, Georg slipping his arm around her waist once more as she snuggled into his side and lay her head down on his chest. 'You'll always be my baby, you know.' He murmured into her beautiful brown hair as he placed a lingering kiss upon the crown of her head.
'And you'll always be my vati.' She reassured him as her eyes fell closed. 'No matter how old I get.'
She fell into silence then and Georg held both she and Agathe close, his daughter drifting off into a peaceful slumber as his granddaughter remained holding onto his finger as her eyes were now half-lidded. 'My beautiful girls.' He whispered as he gazed down at the two of them, Agathe cooing up at him before he dipped his head to give the tip of her button nose an affectionate nudge with his own.
It wasn't long until soft snores were escaping Liesl as she had fallen asleep in his arms, Georg smiling down at her as he eased her away from him before he sighed in relief when she stirred for a moment to shuffle further beneath the covers, her small hand disappearing beneath her pillow before she lay her head down upon it and drifted off once more. 'Sleep well, darling.' He whispered as he brushed a loose strand of brown hair away from her face, a warm smile on his lips as his focus turned to Agathe. 'Come on, you,' He said as he rose from his daughter's bed with his granddaughter in his arms, 'Let's go and find your grandmother, shall we?' And, with that, he made his way across the bedroom with Agathe in his arms before stepping out onto the landing and making his way down the hall towards the master bedroom that he occupied along with his wife, Agathe's hazel eyes fixed solely upon him.
His granddaughter was the living proof that his precious Liesl was all grown up.
She was no longer the little girl who wished to ride on his shoulders when her little legs grew tired.
She was no longer the little girl who needed him to sing to her in order for her to fall asleep at night.
She was not a child anymore.
'She's just so perfect…' Maria breathed as she was settled against the headboard of the bed that she shared with Georg a short while later, Agathe sound asleep in her arms as she drew the backs of her fingers down the side of her face in a soothing manner and her husband's arm was wrapped tenderly around her shoulders as he was sat beside her atop the quilt. 'I'd forgotten how incredible it feels to hold a newborn in my arms. I adore the snuggles that I get to have with Rosie whenever I'm trying to get her off to sleep and I love feeding her and just holding her close to me, but I have to admit that I miss her newborn days. I miss having a baby that depends on you and I for every little thing, darling.' She told him as she turned her head in his direction, a gentle smile upon her lips as she gazed at him.
'I know how you feel, my love.' He told her as his fingertips continued to dance along the soft skin at the outside of her arm, revelling in the gentle shivers that she gave every now and again. 'Now that I don't have to do it any longer, I miss being woken in the middle of the night to give Rosie a bottle or change her cloth. She's growing up far too quickly for my liking; she'll be walking before we know it!'
Maria released a gentle groan as her head fell back against the headboard, Georg chuckling lovingly. 'I don't even want to think about her walking at the moment.' She admitted as she gazed up at him. 'It's hard enough for me to keep up with her now that she's crawling, never mind when she finds her feet!' Her husband shuffled closer to her on the bed then before pressing his lips against her temple.
'She's quite the little whirlwind.' He murmured against her skin. 'Like another beautiful girl I know.'
'Oh? And who's that?' She teased as she raised a perfectly sculpted brow at him.
'A delightful young woman who never fails to make me smile and who I happen to be desperately in love with.' He grazed the tip of his nose against the bridge of hers, revelling in her sigh of satisfaction.
'I think I know who you mean.' She admitted when he pressed his forehead against her own, her lips curling up into a radiant smile as she felt Agathe shift into a more comfortable position in the cradle of her arms. 'She and I are rather close and I happen to know that she loves you just as much as you love her.' Her beautiful blue eyes fluttered open and met with his, Georg stroking her face delicately.
'Mmm, that's good to hear…' He purred as he brought his free hand up to cup the curve of her cheek in its palm, her gaze leaving his in order to drop down to his lips before returning once more. 'Come here.' He directed her face closer to his own then before he caught her lower lip in a long and tender kiss, his wife melting into him with a perfect hum of delight as she cradled the back of Agathe's head. 'I forgot to say,' He murmured into their kiss, 'She's also an impeccable kisser.' Maria giggled quietly.
She felt an overwhelming surge of love for him course through her veins when he sank his fingers in her hair and began to massage her scalp, warmth pooling in her chest as she released a satisfied sigh against his lips. Their soft passionate kisses continued for several long minutes before coming to an end when Maria sucked upon his bottom lip, her clear blue eyes sparkling as she drew back from him. He slipped his arm around her waist then before allowing her to shuffle closer to him and lean back against his chest, his hand drawing soothing circles onto the perfect swell of her belly as the two of them gazed down at Agathe. 'I can't believe you're going to be five months' pregnant tomorrow.' He spoke into her hair as he pressed a kiss to her crown. 'Just four months until it will be our own baby that you're holding in your arms.' Maria felt a wave of excitement wash over her at the thought of it.
'Rosmarie's going to make the most incredible big sister.' She told him as she snugged Agathe closer. 'I know that she's still young but she's so gentle and loving with everyone, so I'm not worried about her accidentally hurting her little brother or sister. I just know she's going to be so careful with them.'
'She takes after her mother.' He pointed out. 'What do you expect her to be like?'
'Once a charmer always a charmer.' She rolled her eyes good-naturedly.
'I hope to spend the rest of my life charming you.' His lips brushed her cheek. 'I love you so much.'
'I know you do.' She sighed in contentment. 'I love you too.'
Nicolas couldn't remove the smile of adoration from his lips as he lay in silence beside the beautiful woman that was his wife once he had fed their daughter and put her to bed in the late hours of that evening, Liesl sound asleep with her hand tucked beneath her pillow as her dark tresses of hair were splayed out over her pillow and she let out the gentlest of snores. She had slept the whole day away. He had come upstairs to check on her every hour once she had fallen asleep after lunch earlier that afternoon, and every time he had done so her soft little snores had been the only sound to be heard.
He didn't blame her though; she had been so exhausted ever since she had pushed Agathe into the world three days earlier – it had been evident on her face - and so he was relieved that she had finally allowed herself to get the rest that she so deserved. Bringing his hand out from beneath the covers, he smoothed the backs of his fingers across her porcelain cheek before sighing when Liesl started to stir just moments before her deep blue eyes fluttered open. 'Hello sleepyhead.' He whispered as he traced the sharpness of her jaw with his fingertips, Liesl's lips curling up into a tired yet radiant smile.
'Mmm…what time is it?' She asked as she nuzzled further into her pillowcase.
'Half-past ten, my darling.' He told her as he tucked a strand of dark brown hair back behind her ear, Liesl releasing a deep sigh as her eyes fell closed. 'Your father told me to come and wake you once an hour had passed, but when I came in and saw how peaceful you looked I didn't want to wake you. I know how tired you are, Liesl, and you are going to make yourself ill if you don't start getting some rest.' Liesl allowed her eyes to flutter open a few moments later, a slow nod coming from her as she felt Nicolas beginning to stroke her hair with the palm of his hand. 'How are you feeling now, hmm?'
'Better than I felt this morning.' She admitted as she gazed up into his hazel brown eyes. 'I wouldn't object to a cuddle though.' He offered her a smile of pure love and devotion before turning onto his back and opening his arms to her, Liesl shuffling into his embrace before her head came to rest upon his chest and she draped her leg over his hip before feeling a wave of calmness wash over her when he buried his nose into her dark hair. 'What have you been up to all afternoon then?' She asked him.
'Bonding with your brothers.' He chuckled.
'So in other words you spend the entire afternoon playing football.' She rolled her eyes with a giggle.
'Pretty much.' He chuckled, running a strong hand soothingly along her spine through her nightgown.
'Do you think you might spend the morning in here with me tomorrow? I know it hasn't even been a week yet, but I'm getting so sick and tired of staring at these four walls all day long. I want you to be here to keep me company.' She told him, draping her arm across his middle to anchor herself to him.
'Of course I will.' He reassured her. 'You know that there is nothing I would rather do more than hold you and our daughter in my arms, Liesl. You both mean more to me than anything else in the world.'
'And you mean just as much to us, my love.' She whispered, Nicolas smiling to himself as he was able to tell that his wife was beginning to drift back into slumber in his embrace. 'We love you so terribly.'
It was just a short time later when Liesl had succumbed once again to the clutches of slumber, a light chuckle escaping Nicolas as he pressed a long kiss to the crown of her head before pulling her closer and settling down with her. 'Goodnight, my darlings.' He whispered to the two most important girls in his life as he stretched to switch out the lamp before permitting his own eyes to close. 'Sleep well.'
Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter - at least a little bit - and that you'll drop me a review to let me know what you thought! Thank you for reading and I'll see you all next time! xxx