Ben arrived at the park with a sugar filled toddler and a massive headache.

He gratefully spied Lucan's little playmate Page in the distance.

'Look Lucan, there's Page. Go play and I'm just gonna sit down here by Mr Hux.'

The little raven haired boy ran off in his dungarees heading in the direction of the slide where his little friend Page was playing in her sunflower pattern dress, her long black hair swishing across her back as she climbed the ladder.

Ben lowered himself onto the small green park bench which groaned angrily under his weight.

He nodded at Hux who turned and nodded back. Hux was drinking a juice box. He held one out towards Ben.

'It's grape, your favourite,' Hux said shaking the carton in his direction.

Ben shrugged and took the drink, unwrapping the straw and stabbing in through the designated hole. He took a sip as he watched Lucan and Page hug.

'So what did you do?' Hux asked with a quirk of his eyebrow.

'What do you mean?' Ben asked.

Hux gave him a look.

'Come on, Ben. The only reason you and I ever come to this bloody park is when we've done something so terrible we have to get out of the house before our better halves murder us. So what did you do?'

'You first,' Ben said gruffly.

Hux sighed.

'I still maintain my innocence. She asked me what I thought of the dress. She asked for an honest opinion. So I answered truthfully and said she looked sexy as fuck. How was I to know that wasn't the look she was going for?' Hux put his head in his hands.

'I swear man, this pregnancy will be the death of me. I don't know what's right or wrong anymore. Her mood swings are so unpredictable and she's small but she is fucking scary when she gets going.'

Ben laughed.

'Frightened of your tiny wife are you?' he taunted.

'You're frightened of your tiny wife,' Hux shot back.

'Point taken,' Ben replied.

They looked at Page and Lucan who were playing pat-a-cake.

'So….' Hux prompted.

Ben ran a hand through his hair.

'I don't want another kid,' he said sharply.

'Fuck,' Hux said.

Ben nodded.

'Yeah, I think I've won this round of who fucked up worse.'

'Why don't you want to have another one?' Hux asked.

'I just… I just think it will be a miracle if I don't screw up Lucan, with two there is twice the chance of me making a massive mistake and messing up one of their lives for good.'

'Ben, you are not your dad and Rey is not your mom…'

'I know, I know that. But it doesn't stop me worrying.'

'Did you tell Rey that, did you tell her that was the reason?'

'No, I said that I was done and that it wasn't up for discussion.'

'Geez.'

'Yeah, I saw the look in her eyes. She was gonna blow so I just grabbed Lucan and got the hell out of there. I needed to regroup.'

'Ben she's your wife not the opposing troops. Just go tell her the truth.'

'I don't think that will cut it. She knows my sad little story already.'

'Ben this is Rey, of course she will understand.'

Ben nodded but looked unconvinced.

'Now, let's talk about me. What the hell do I do? Because nothing I say is right.'

Ben snorted.

'You're on your own there. Last time we had you guys over I said she was glowing and she shot me a look that made my legs turn to jelly. I thought glowing was a safe compliment when it came to pregnant women.'

'Nothing is safe, man. She's like a ticking time bomb.'

Ben thought for a moment.

'Maybe, it's not about you.'

Hux looked up at him.

'What do you mean?'

'Maybe it's more about how she is feeling right now.'

Hux sipped his juice box.

'Okay. So maybe I need to see past her words to what she is really trying to say.'

'Man, that's deep for a man drinking from a apple flavoured juice box,' Ben observed.

'I have many layers, Ben. I'm a very insightful, complicated man, Page! No biting! I swear that one is a mini cannibal.'

Ben stood up.

'Okay, I gotta go face the music.'

'Just tell her the truth, Ben. No point in trying to hide it. She'd find out eventually and then you'd be in even more trouble than you are right now.'

'You're right. Lucan! Don't eat the sand! Come on, we gotta go see mama,' Ben turned to look at Hux. 'Good Luck man.'

'I'm gonna need it,' Hux replied as he stood up and lugged Page's hello kitty backpack onto his shoulder.

'Come on Page darling, time to go.'

The two men shook hands before heading off into separate directions to face their angry waiting partners.

Armitage hesitated on the doorstep of their family home. What if Rose had not calmed down? Was he walking into a bloodbath? He opened the door very slowly, then spied a very pregnant, very emotional Rose sitting on the floor leaning against the kitchen cabinets, mascara stains running down her cheeks as she sobbed.

'Mummy!' Page called out, running across the floor and putting her arms around her mother. Rose hugged her little girl.

'I'm alright, Mummy is okay, she's just being silly,' Rose insisted.

'Mammy, don't cry,' Page said with a frown.

Armitage let himself in and closed the door. He walked toward his girls.

'Why don't you go play with your barbies, Page? Daddy needs to talk to Mommy.'

Page smiled up at him and he was struck once again by the many similarities she shared with her beautiful mother. He watched as she skipped into the lounge.

Armitage crouched down and took Rose's hand in his bringing it to his lips and pressing a kiss against her soft skin.

'I'm sorry…'

'No,' Rose exclaimed, cutting him off. 'I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm so... prickly all the time. I just feel so awful! This pregnancy is hard, much harder than the first time and I know you don't mean to upset me, but the last thing I need is for you to lie to me!'

'What did I lie about?'

'You said I looked sexy! I know I don't look sexy! I'm a fat mess!'

'Not to me.'

Rose gave him a disbelieving look.

'It's the truth!' he protested. 'You are not a fat mess. You are my gorgeous, sexy, amazing wife who is performing the miracle of growing life inside of her even as we speak. I'm not lying when I tell you you're beautiful Rose, you are always beautiful to me.'

Rose sniffed.

'Do you mean that?'

'Of course I do. Rose, you're my moon and Page and this little one,' he reached forward to rub Rose's stomach. 'They are my stars.'

Rose started crying again.

'Oh god, what did I do now?' he looked distraught.

'No! These are happy tears!' Rose said with a laugh.

Armitage helped her up off the floor and they embraced.

'You really think this dress makes me look sexy?'

'Yes. You look hot in everything you wear but that dress is particularly breathtaking.'

Rose signed and lay her head against his chest.

'I will try not to be so emotional.'

Armitage kissed her forehead.

'It's not your fault, sweetheart. From now on you just shout at me as much as you want, and I'm going to take it like a man and stop running away from you whenever the going gets tough, then when you've calmed down I'll still be here to make you a nice cup of tea and give you a big hug.'

'Thank you, for being such an understanding husband.'

'Thank you for being such a wonderful wife.'

Page appeared in the doorway with a barbie doll in each hand.

'Are you kissing?' she said, making a face.

'Not yet,' Armitage replied with a grin. He leaned down and pressed his lips to Rose's.

'Ewwwww!' Page shouted covering her eyes.

Rose and Armitage laughed.

'One day you'll meet someone you will want to kiss all day long too,' Rose said.

Page looked thoughtful.

'But not for many, many years please, daddy doesn't want to have a heart attack,' Armitage added.

Page laughed and disappeared.

Rose giggled.

'How are you going to cope when you have three women bossing you around?' she asked, rubbing her stomach.

'I can't imagine a more perfect life,' Armitage replied, placing his forehead against hers.

'I love you, husband,' Rose sighed.

'I love you too, wife,' he answered with a smile.

Ben heard the rage cleaning before he opened the door. Rey was whacking the mop around like a dangerous weapon. He swallowed hard as he turned the door handle.

'Mama!' Lucan shouted as he tripped over the doorway in his haste to bound towards his mother. Rey stopped mopping the kitchen floor and crouched down to allow her little one to run into her arms.

'Did you and daddy have fun at the park?'

'Yes, mama.'

Rey smiled at him but when her eyes settled on Ben, the smile disappeared. Rey stood up.

'Who wants to watch Thomas the Tank Engine?' she asked.

'Me! Me! Me!' Lucan shouted, jumping up and down.

Rey led him through to the living room and selected the newest Thomas movie. Lucan settled happily into the centre of the couch.

Rey returned to the kitchen with her arms folded across her chest.

'Well?' she asked.

'I um… I…' Ben stuttered.

Rey huffed out a breath.

'Now you don't know what to say? You were pretty vocal about your opinions earlier!'

'Rey, I'm sorry,' Ben mumbled.

'I didn't hear you, what was that?' Rey asked, leaning forward and cupping a hand around her ear.

'I said I'm sorry,' Ben repeated. 'I'm sorry for what I said, but you have to understand Rey, I never thought I would ever be a father, and everyday I worry, am I good enough? Am I screwing him up? Am I ever going to feel like I deserve the adoring looks he gives me?'

Rey softened.

'You're a wonderful father, Ben. Even just the fact that you worry about these things shows how much you care.'

'I have a temper, and I'm not patient enough with him…'

Rey came towards him and placed a hand on his cheek to calm him.

'Children push us, Ben. That's their job. They drive us to the brink of insanity then just when we think we can't take anymore, they turn around and say I love you, and we forget everything. It's normal to feel scared, it's normal to worry you aren't doing a good enough job, all of this is normal.'

Ben put his arms around Rey.

'I… I think I was wrong,' he said holding her close. 'I think I do want to have another child. I want Lucan to have a sibling, I don't want him to be alone.'

Rey's heart squeezed as she held him tight. They parted and stood in the doorway, watching their darling son sway to the music and tap his little feet.

'I'm glad you changed your mind,' Rey said as Ben stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders. 'Because I have something to show you.'

Rey reached into her pocket and passed Ben a positive pregnancy test. He took it and Rey spun round to look at his eyes.

'Thoughts?' she asked nervously.

Ben picked her up and twirled her around the kitchen. Rey laughed. He lowered her to the floor and kissed her nose as he wrapped his arms around her.

'This is why I reacted so badly before, your announcement really counts have come at a worse time when I already had baby number two all lined up,' Rey explained.

'I'm ready,' he told her. 'I still have doubts about myself, but I know we can do this… together.'

Rey smiled with relief.

'We can do this. Everything will be fine. You'll see,' Rey said reassuringly.

Suddenly Lucan came running into the kitchen.

'Huggies!' he shouted, wrapping his tiny arms around his mother and father's legs.

Ben and Rey laughed.

'Don't you think daddy is the best daddy in the world?' Rey asked Lucan.

'He is the bestest daddy!' Lucan shouted.

Rey smiled up at Ben.

'You see? You're the best. That's a fact.'

Ben leaned down and rubbed his nose against Reys.

'And I have the best family in the world,' he replied. 'Lucan, how do you feel about having a baby brother or a baby sister?'

Lucan screwed up his face.

'Can I have a dog instead?'

Rey and Ben laughed. Ben picked up Lucan.

'We'll see,' he told the little boy, pushing back the thick hair from Lucan's forehead, just as Rey reached up to do the same to him and he smiled at his dear ones and realised that everything was going to be okay.