17 weeks.

"Be quiet Jamie," Harry said, very aware that everyone in the waiting room was staring at Jamie who was bouncing up and down and gigging to himself. They were all in the hospital waiting room for Ruth's scan. They had agreed that bringing Jamie was a good idea because they needed to get him used to the idea that soon there would be another child in his house. All he could see at the moment was mama's getting bigger. So he didn't feel excluded they felt that including him would be the best option.

"Ruth Pearce?" She smiled as Harry picked a kicking Jamie up and they went through to the consultation room. Jamie looked around the new room with wide eyes as Ruth got comfortable on the examination table.

"Hello," the doctor said. "And who's this?" she asked seeing the little boy.

"Ja-i!" Both Ruth and Harry laughed at their boy.

"Jamie," Ruth said as Harry was jiggling the little boy up and down. The doctor smiled and settled next to Ruth, setting the equipment up.

"Ooh," Jamie said seeing so many different things. Harry kissed his head as they waited for the ultrasound machine to focus. Keeping Jamie tight with one hand he held Ruth's with the other. Jamie saw Ruth's prominent stomach as she lifted her shirt and said something that would stay with Ruth for the rest of her life. "Ooh! Mama fat!"

Even the doctor was laughing, though she tried to hide it. "Nice to know I'm loved," Ruth said as the cold gel hit her stomach. Jamie kept looking around the room but was mercifully still while they were waiting for judgement to be called. The screen came up and a dull thumping through the room was the very clear heartbeat which made Ruth sigh with relief. Jamie wriggled down from Harry's lap trying to find the source of the noise and was very confused.

"Okay, right, the size of the foetus looks just about right," the doctor said looking at the screen and slowly moving the ultrasound across Ruth's stomach. "Right, I can tell whether it's a boy or a girl. Are you interested in knowing?"

"Yes," both Harry and Ruth said at the same time, catching each others eyes with a smile glinting there.

"You are going to be proud parents of a baby girl." Harry leaned over and kissed Ruth briefly.

"Are you ever wrong?" he asked her. Her only reply was the massive grin on her face.

"Jamie, come here," Ruth said holding her hand out. The little boy walked to her with his thumb in his mouth. "You've got a little baby sister on the way!"

"…mama?" he looked very confused and Ruth couldn't blame him.

"I'm still your mama," Ruth said, looking at the picture on the screen. By this time a picture had been printed and Ruth looked at it feeling a shock of happiness in her little girl, before passing it to Jamie. He looked at it and then decided it was boring and held it out to his dad before plonking down on his bum on the floor happily.

"I'm so happy," Harry said, kissing her again. "I have a wonderful family."

"Don't you forget it," Ruth said in a stern voice. But her face was smiling.


19 weeks.

"Harry, I need a hand!" Ruth called downstairs. "And you can stay quiet," she added to her baby who had just kicked. She looked in the bathroom mirror and thought that yes, Harry had picked the dress out perfectly for tonight. She felt a little nervous about the Russian contingent she would be meeting tonight for only the second time. But she also felt happy with herself and her life at the moment. Jamie was a happy little boy, Harry seemed happy with work, and very happy with his home life consisting of Jamie and the bump and herself. Also Catherine had called seeming very happy with her life today too which always put Harry in a good mood. And Ruth knew that she herself was very happy too. A small part of her was waiting for it all to go wrong because she never thought she could be this happy in her life. She didn't think her heart could contain this much love for one person, let alone three.

"Oh wow!" Harry said seeing her in the mirror. Ruth turned and he got a full view.

"I need help with the zip." Ruth said. "I can't reach it."

"Mm," Harry agreed. His hands touched her back teasingly, not touching the zip once but running over bare skin.

"Harry, Jamie is still awake and Emily's here. Do you really think this is the best idea?"

"Always," Harry murmured, but he obligingly zipped the dress up. She turned around and he appreciated the way the dress skimmed over her beautifully, stopping just at her feet. The only jewellery she wore was her wedding and her engagement rings, otherwise her skin was bare and she looked absolutely perfect.

"I don't look too fat? I'm worried I'll be the biggest woman there."

"Even if you are, you are the most beautiful and absolutely the most loved."

"Thank you," Ruth said giving him a kiss.

"Are you nervous?" Harry asked as they went descended down the stairs.

"Not nearly as much as I was last time," Ruth said honestly. "I was terrified that you still had feelings for her, but I know that's not true."

"It isn't."

"I know," she echoed.

"Just in case a repeat of last time comes around I want you to know that I have four children. I'm not lying."

"Harry, I trust you," she said with a smile. "I love you." Without a further word she went into the living room where Jamie was in hysterical laughter as he was being tickled by Emily. Ruth bent down and picked him up while Harry watched anxiously.

"Tell your daddy that I can pick you up without him having to worry for my health," Ruth said to Jamie, knowing what her husbands silence meant. He ran a hand down her back in comfortable acknowledgement. "Mummy and daddy will be home soon. You be a good little boy for Emily okay?"

"Em?"

"Yes," Harry said kissing Jamie's head. "Ready?" he asked as Ruth put the boy down.

"I think so," Ruth said. Hand in hand they left their house for the evening ahead.


I am really not in love with this chapter at all. :( Hope others don't find it as disappointing as I did though. And on a positive note this story has made it to 50 chapters! Thank you for all your encouragement and fantastic reviews :)