A/N: Sorry it took a bit longer to post this chapter! I've been working on it for a while, but haven't had enough time or inspiration to finish it. Thankfully I managed to write a lot yesterday, and here we are. I really hope you'll like it - not much longer until we reach the end now! :) Anyway, thanks for reading, and I really hope you'll like it.

Chapter Fourteen

Some pregnant women felt dizzy and were constantly hungry; some couldn't keep anything down, and some other had cravings. Anna wasn't like that.

In truth, she didn't feel any different for the first weeks after finding out she was having a baby. She could barely believe it. She didn't think she was glowing and she didn't eat more than normal. She knew what to expect and when to expect it, and if she were very sincere with herself, she didn't feel pregnant. She felt completely normal.

If anything, she was a bit more emotional than normal, as John pointed out when, for the second time in a week, he came home to find her crying over something that happened on a soap opera.

It would be a few weeks until they found out if they were having a boy or a girl, and thankfully the decision was mutual – they didn't need any more surprises than they already had.

They went to York a week after finding out and told John's mother – Eleanor was extremely pleased and happy with the news, congratulating them but asking openly about John's divorce and how they would cope with this for now.

Their situation was very complicated, Anna knew that, but she had faith that they would overcome this. The baby was wanted, after all; perhaps it would come before they planned, but she allowed herself to be happy about the pregnancy, to think about a child, a child that would belong to them, that would be a little piece of John.

They didn't talk much about it – life went on, and they would deal with whatever it presented them. She would look at herself in the mirror sometimes after showering, to look for any signs of life inside her, and John would smile when she did so. Anna knew he was happy about it – he never outwardly said so, and she knew he worried a lot too, but she knew him and she knew this was to be expected. He watched her, especially while they started packing things for the move, always reminding her to not lift heavy boxes and more often than not his hand stopped at her lower belly, as if expecting to feel something.

It was too early, of course, but Anna didn't mind a bit.

"It's so quiet now that they're gone, isn't it?" Anna asked John one night; they had spent the evening taking care of Maya and Oliver, since Gail and Steve had an event of the company Steve worked for.

John looked up from the book he was reading on the bed, watching as Anna put on her pyjamas.

"We should enjoy the quiet. In a few months we won't have much of it," John smirked and Anna playfully glared at him before walking to the bed, "I think you're starting to show a bit."

Anna frowned, "Am I?"

He put his book on the bedside table and took his glasses off; Anna settled beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Just a bit. It's nearly imperceptible," he told her, "You're skinny. It was bound to happen sooner than later."

Anna smiled, "Yeah, you're right. I don't mind, though. It happens so fast. It looks like we found out only two days ago."

He let out a soft laugh and moved his hand from her shoulder to her waist.

"Yeah. Takes a while getting used to it, but I'm enjoying it so far."

"We'll talk about that when the baby is here and crying its lungs out," Anna said with a small laugh, propping her chin against his chest and looking at him, "Do have any preference? For a girl or a boy?"

"A girl."

"You didn't even hesitate!" Anna said amusedly, "Most men want a son, and you want a daughter. You never cease to surprise me."

John smiled, "Of course I'd love to have a son, but when I think about it... Boys are trouble, Anna. Look at me. Having a child with my girlfriend while in the middle of a nasty divorce process."

Anna smiled sympathetically at him, moving one of her hands to stroke his cheek.

"You're not trouble. You're a good man," she started, "and you make me happy. And you'll be an amazing father, I know that."

He smiled a bit sadly, "I hope so. I just wish I could give you everything you deserve, Anna."

"You love me, and that's enough for now," Anna told him sternly, "And you'll love this child too, and I'm sure it'll be enough to him or her."

He relaxed a bit with her words.

"I love this baby already, Anna."

"Good. Then I'm even happier," she said, kissing him tenderly on the lips. She pulled away and frowned, "I don't mind if we have a boy or a girl. I'm sure we can handle anything."

"I agree," he said, "If we have a boy, I'm sure we'll be able to teach him all about nasty women and bad divorces."

"Teach him about that?" Anna asked in an amused tone.

"Of course. Not every woman has the same kind soul his mother has."

Anna's smile certainly made his world prettier to look at.

"I hope you don't have any plans for tonight," John said while they got ready for work in the morning. He had a mischievous grin on his face and Anna grinned.

"Why do you ask?" Anna asked, walking over to him and helping with his tie, "Do you want to take some of the boxes to the house already?"

"So you didn't remember," he let out a laugh.

Anna frowned, finishing his tie. "Didn't remember what?"

"A year ago, I met a pretty young nurse who worked as a cashier," he said, slipping his arms around her waist and kissing her lips.

Anna grinned, "Really? How unconventional."

"Indeed. Later I found out she was also a pretty good tour guide," he teased and Anna laughed. "I thought we could go out and celebrate."

"You always have the best ideas," Anna said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"I'll pick you up after work," he told her with a smile.

Anna nodded happily, but they were interrupted by the sound of knocks on the door. Anna frowned – that wasn't a common occurrence.

"I'll get it. It's probably one of the neighbours," he told her, kissing the tip of her nose and leaving the room.

Anna finished getting ready and a few minutes later heard voices from the living room. Frowning, she left the bedroom and headed for the living room, stopping at the entrance when she saw who John was speaking to.

Vera.

She was standing with her back to her, but when John spotted her and his features relaxed ever so slightly, the discussion ended, and Vera turned around to see what John was looking at. Looking at Anna from head to toe with a disgusted expression, she smiled.

"Oh, good. Blondie is here," she said in mockery, "I didn't think you'd stick by him for so long, dear. I must say I'm impressed."

"What do you want here, Vera?" John asked her as Anna walked over to him. "Murray called me yesterday to tell everything was settled. What is the matter now?"

"Murray is an idiot. Did you really think I was going to accept that?" Vera asked him, shaking her head, "I'm not leaving this marriage in misery to see you enjoy the good life with your young little girlfriend. I thought I'd come here and tell you myself, since our lawyers aren't speaking the same language."

"I don't think we ever spoke the same language, Vera," John said calmly.

"I'm doing you a favour, John. By not consenting this you can't marry the pretty little thing," Vera said with a smile, starting to walk back to the door, "I'm sure you have many qualities, Ms. Smith, but I don't consider being a fortune hunter one of them."

"I am not..."

"Of course you aren't. Next thing you know you're married and with a baby on the way. Life's made, isn't it?" Vera said, opening the door, "Think about what I said, John. This is not over."

The door closed loudly and Anna stood still on her spot, wondering not for the first time how John could have married such a woman. She heard his quiet sigh and saw him watching her from the corner of her eye; blinking rapidly, she didn't make eye-contact. Not for the first time, she wondered why they had to deal with this. She looked down at the floor, suddenly feeling very tired, and ran her fingers through her hair, closing her eyes for a moment.

"How did she get in here?" Anna asked him quietly, still not making eye-contact.

"She must have come up with one of the neighbours. It's the only explanation," John said, "I'm sorry about this, Anna."

"I know," she agreed, finally looking up at him, "I'm just tired, that's all. We should go, or we'll be late."

He drove her to the hospital in silence, the weight of Vera's words on their minds. Anna normally tried not to care about this; she tried not to think or interfere on his divorce process, always feeling it was not her place to do so. Still, she knew how much it burdened John that he wasn't a free man – that technically he wasn't allowed to be with her. She didn't care about this in a daily basis, but sometimes it was hard not to. Would their child be born to a father married to another woman?

He stopped the car in front of the main entrance of the hospital, and Anna looked at her troubled boyfriend with a faint smile on her face. It was not his fault. She knew he was doing his best about this.

She leaned in and kissed his lips softly.

"Let's not make this ruin our day, okay?" she tentatively said, and he nodded. "You're the one who always says nothing good comes from her."

His smile was weak, but it was enough for the moment.

"You're right," he kissed her lightly again, "I'll pick you up after shift. Take care of yourself."

She smiled, "I will."

Anna bit the inside of her cheek nervously, looking at the back of John's car for the millionth time since leaving his apartment.

After weeks of working on the move, filling up boxes and deciding which furniture would go and which ones would stay, of buying new things, they were finally ready to live in their new house.

"What is it?" John asked her when she looked at the back once more.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something," Anna told him with a frown, "Are you sure that's everything left?"

"Yes, Anna," John said patiently, "You do realise that this is the third time you've asked me this, right?"

"I know. I'm just... anxious," she told him as they approached their house.

All too soon – or perhaps late – Anna was opening the car's door and looking at their new house. Of course she had been here quite a lot during these last weeks – new furniture, new boxes, moving, everything had happened in a cautious rush, and now there they were, with everything ready. They'd be finally moving completely into their new place, together.

Anna moved to open the door to the backseat, meaning to pick up one of the remaining three boxes, filled with the rest of their things; they'd still need to work on organising everything that day – Anna absolutely hated leaving things half-finished, and she was adamant about having everything settled soon.

She followed John to the front door, holding the lightest box John had picked up for her; she tapped her feet a bit impatiently on the floor while he sorted out the keys, and she was already moving towards the door once he opened it. He stopped, however, and with a strange smile he looked at her.

"Let's do this properly," John told her, "Leave that box on the floor."

Anna frowned, "Why?"

"Can't I carry my lovely girlfriend into the threshold?" he asked her, and Anna rolled her eyes at him, but did as he wished.

"I believe the right term is 'bride', not 'girlfriend'," she told him playfully, "But I'll let this one go, seeing as there's nothing we can do about that."

With little effort, he slipped his arms around her and lifted her in his arms. They shared a smile as he walked into their new home.

"Careful there," she told him, "I'm a pregnant lady, you know."

"I know," he said, "and a very pretty one at that."

She leaned in and kissed his lips quickly before he put her back on the floor.

"I'll bring those boxes over here and you can start sorting things out," he told her, "I don't want you lifting much weight."

She rolled her eyes, "Alright."

Later that evening, after settling nearly everything in the right place, Anna was just finishing arranging the bathroom items when he walked into the bedroom, leaning against the doorframe and watching her. She half-turned and smiled at him, continuing with her work.

"I think we should stay in tonight," he told her, "Enjoy our new home. Get to know it a little."

She smiled at him from the mirror, "I agree."

He made no move to go away, and they spent a few more moments enjoying a comfortable silence until Anna spoke again.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier," she told him quietly, but he frowned at her words, "About how I'm a girlfriend and not a bride. I was just joking."

"I know that," he told her quickly, "You don't need to apologise."

"Well, yes, but I don't want you to think that I expect anything," Anna said, turning from the counter and looking at him, "Except for the baby, of course. It's just that... Well, I don't want you to think that I'm doing this all on purpose for a big plan. Because I'm not, and I know what people may think and say about this."

He folded his arms and shook his head, "Anna, if this is about what Vera said last week..."

"It's not about her," she interrupted him, "Well, maybe it is a bit, but I just thought I'd make myself clear. I don't care what people say. I only care about you, and I want you to know that..."

"I know," he told her calmly, leaving his spot in the doorframe to walk towards her, "I don't care about anyone else. And I don't want you worrying over this. Vera doesn't know anything about us, and she doesn't even know about the baby. We have an audience next month and maybe then everything will be settled. Meanwhile, I don't want you worrying over this. Alright?"

She nodded silently, and he kissed her forehead, his arms familiarly wrapped around her waist.

"And about the bride issue," he started, "believe me, I already told you that, if I could have my way I would have married you before this whole living together thing."

Anna smiled, pulling away just enough to look at him, "Or living in sin, like Mum likes to say."

He let out a soft laugh, "Something like that."

She kissed him softly on the lips, "I don't mind living in sin with you."

"Good," he said, pulling her into a deeper kiss, "Neither do I."