Disclaimers: see part 1
Rating: PG
A/N: Back to Charles and Margaret. Couldn't stay away from them for too long.
With 1954 came many changes for the Winchesters and their friends and family. Ben, or Uncle Hawk, as he was known to the younger Winchesters got a job at Massachusetts General, without Charles help, and had made the move. This, in turn, made Honoria Winchester very happy. He had been miserable when Ben went back to Main in order to drive back with his belongings. He moved into Charles old apartment which solved the dilemma was what to do with it. Honoria was a frequent quest which delighted Ben to no end.
As February arrived, all the plans for the wedding had been finalised. Charles and Margaret would be married in small civil ceremony and have the reception back at his parent's house, much to their chagrin. Cecilia Winchester, in particular, wanted the society wedding but neither Charles nor Margaret wanted that. They wanted a simple family wedding with a big reception in the summer given that they had such a short engagement.
The children had all been sick the first week of February which has all but drove Charles mad; he was so stressed, most because there was nothing he could do as it was a common cold. Margaret took care of things at home which also made the children happier because Charles was a veritable mother hen.
When Margaret starting feeling under the weather before Valentines Day, she kept it to herself. Mostly because she had her suspicions but wanted confirmation before she said anything to her fiancée. It was this which brought her to Ben's office one afternoon when she knew Charles was in surgery.
"Knock, knock," she said as she approached Ben's open office door.
"Hey Margaret, come on in. Have a seat. How are the kids?" he asked as he closed the door behind her, hoping for a few minutes of uninterrupted conversation with his friend.
"Are they all over that cold they had?"
"Charlie's still a bit congested but the girls are fine."
"If you've come to see Charles, he's in surgery this afternoon."
"I know. It's you I've come to see actually," she started. "I think I might be pregnant."
"Hey that's wonderful," he said as he gave her a hug. "What did Charles say?"
"I haven't told him yet. We haven't been trying but we haven't been preventing either and I wanted confirmation before I said anything. I didn't want to get his hopes up. Can you recommend someone?"
"Well why don't we run the test first and see if you are. Then, I can refer you to someone; she's really great."
Ben took her down to the lab and drew the blood himself as to not alert too many people. Most of the staff knew Margaret by sight owing to the extensive family picture collection in Charles office.
"I'll have the results sent to my office and I'll call you when they come back," he said as they parted company.
Margaret didn't want to get her hopes up but she found it next to impossible not to over the next few days.
Since Ben moved to Boston, he and Charles became good friends. Most of this could be attribute to Honoria and Margaret. They often socialized with each other and had gotten into the habit of having chats in each others' offices when things were slow at work. Charles was in Ben's office when a nurse knocked on the door.
"Dr. Pierce, the test results are back for one of your patients," she said.
"Thanks Sally. For whom?" he asked as he reached for the folder.
"A Ms. Houlihan," she said handing it to him.
Charles waited until the nurse left before he pounced on his friend.
"Margaret didn't tell me about having any tests done. Is she ill?" he demanded.
"No, no, everything's fine," he tried to reassure his friend.
"What were you testing for? I mean, she's been a bit under the weather but since the children were sick I didn't think anything of it," he was clearly flustered.
"I'm sorry Charles but I can't tell you. Why don't you go home early and talk to her."
Charles glared at him and quickly got up and left Ben's office. Ben made a quick call to a colleague for Margaret and then called her.
"Hey Margaret, it's me," he said after dialling the number.
"Hello Hawkeye, did you get my test results?" she asked hopefully.
"Good news, your pregnant. Bad news, Charles was here when the results came in and he knows something's up. He's on his way home now and he's fit to be tied," he laughed. "Call Dr. Johnson's office tomorrow and set up and appointment. I told her you would be in touch. She's really great and has a fantastic track record. Charles will probably be hesitant but you'll love her."
"Thanks Be. I'll talk to you soon."
Margaret figured that she twenty minutes or so before he got home so she quickly checked on Charlie who was happily building a fort with blocks in the living room and the girls were in their rooms doing homework.
Eighteen minutes later, she heard his car pull into the driveway. She had her plan in place.
"Hello Darling, you're home early," she exclaimed as she kissed his cheek.
"Ben said you had some test done, that you weren't feeling well. Why didn't you tell me? What's the matter?"
"Well, I the flu bug I had was a bit different from what the kids had and I wanted to get it checked out," she said as she busied herself in the kitchen.
"AND?" he demanded.
"Ben said they found a little something and I have a referral to see Dr. Johnson," she said looking at him from the other side of the kitchen.
"Dr. Johnson, but she's an …" his face split into a huge grin and he walked across the kitchen and pulled her into an enormous hug.
"We're going to have a baby," she whispered in his ear.
