Authors note - thanks to everyone who has stuck with the story and left lovely reviews! The birth scene was my favourite to write and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. There is one chapter left after this one. Enjoy!

also I noticed a bit of a dip in the number of views for chapter 11 and when I uploaded it I had a bit of trouble getting it to come up. Not sure if people may have missed it so just wanted to draw your attention to that just in case as it's quite a busy one!

Chapter fourteen

Charlie opened the curtain of the cubicle quietly and tiptoed in, careful not to wake Georgie and Oliver. He stood inside the curtain for a few moments, watching them sleep peacefully. Georgie lay against the pillow with her hair spread out around her face, her head tilted slightly to one side. Oliver lay peacefully on her chest, his little pink face pressed against her skin. Charlie smiled. He didn't think he had ever seen anything so beautiful.

He set the car seat down on the floor and sat down quietly on the chair next to the bed, gently placing his hand on top of Georgie's. He watched the gentle rise and fall of his son's back as he slept. He couldn't wait to get them home and look after them both properly.

It was the quietest Christmas Eve he'd had in years. He remembered all the previous Christmas eves he had been on tour. At this moment he could think of absolutely nowhere he would rather be than here. He could happily spend every moment of the rest of his life with his wife and son. He never wanted this precious time to end.

Georgie stirred and opened her eyes slowly. When she saw Charlie by her side she smiled, and looked down to check on the sleeping baby on her chest.

'Hey.' Charlie whispered. 'Are you ok?'

'Yeah, fine.' She replied softly.

'How was he in the night?' Charlie asked.

Georgie tried to stretch as gently as she could. Her neck was stiff but she didn't want to wake Oliver. 'He was up until 5.' She whispered. 'Then he dropped off feeding... and I must have fallen asleep too.'

Charlie cringed. 'Looks like I'm on the night shift tonight then.' He smiled. 'I can't wait to get you home though.'

'I can't wait to be home.' Georgie said. 'I just want to be in my own pyjamas, in my own bed, eating a tub of Heroes and snuggled up with both of you.'

'Sounds like the best Christmas ever.' Charlie grinned. 'I asked the midwife, she said you should be able to come home this afternoon once the doctor's been round.'

He moved on to the bed next to Georgie and put his arm gently around her. Georgie smiled, and shut her eyes for a few seconds, leaning against his chest.

'Georgie.' He said, tracing his son's tiny features with his eyes. 'I don't know how to thank you.'

'For what?' She asked.

'Everything.' He said.

...

Charlie proudly carried the car seat to the front doors of the hospital and held the door open for Georgie.

'Thank you.' She said softly. The birth had really taken it out of her and she felt battered and bruised. She couldn't wait to get home.

As they walked down the front steps of the hospital, with Oliver bundled up in a wooly hat and blanket which Grace had eagerly been knitting since Georgie had told her their news, Charlie put his arm around Georgie's waist and held her close to him protectively.

It felt strange leaving hospital as a family. It was still so unfamiliar, and Georgie felt almost as though she had walked out in to a different world.

'If only he knew the journey we had to get here.' She said thoughtfully, as they crossed the road to get to the car park.

'One day he will.' Charlie said. 'Some of it anyway.'

Georgie squeezed him closer to her. 'I love you.' She said.

'I love you too.' He answered.

After checking that the car seat was buckled in to the car properly about ten times, Charlie opened the car door for Georgie and helped her climb carefully inside.

'I don't need your help you know.' She grinned. 'I can get in to a car by myself.'

'And there's me trying to be a gentleman.' Charlie answered, grinning. 'You don't have to be strong all the time, you know. You can let me look after you. I like looking after you.'

He got in to the drivers side and closed the door. As he turned the key the radio started up, and the sound of Christmas filled the car. 'Ugh.' He said. 'I hate Christmas songs.'

'Well I love them.' Georgie said grinning, turning it up. 'And it's Christmas Eve. And it's 2 against 1, so... yeah.'

He grinned, and then suddenly put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her deeply. She relaxed in to him and put her arms around his neck. They were in their own little bubble until the sound of Oliver stirring in his car seat broke them out of it.

'Better get him home.' Charlie said. 'He's impatient. Wonder where he gets that from?'

Georgie grinned, and shrugged. 'I have no idea.'

'Let's go home.' Charlie said.