Chapter Sixty-One: The kick inside


Two months later,

They still were not talking to each other and Kate hated it. The subject had been brought up several times, but each time it resulted in one them leaving the room furious with the other. The sleeping together/apart was the worst. She hated feeling this apart from him, but he had put her in that position.

Everyone else had been a great help, especially ruby and Charlie. Her father had given them a list of things to do to help take the stress off her. Kate had agreed to no more bending over or carrying heavy things. They also kept her up to her neck in tea to help with the nausea.

This pregnancy, Kate immediately noticed was different from when she'd been carrying Richard. She'd been as sick as a dog and she was already starting to show, most of her clothes didn't fit her. She immediately called Doctor Blake over and he confirmed exactly what she suspected. This news, once it hit Thomas was either going to shock or enrage him. She prayed for it to be shock, she was tired of his anger.

Kate shuffled towards the library door and tapped on it. "What?" he barked. She pushed the door open and stepped inside. He glowered at her. "I'm working Kate; I don't have time for this."

"Make the time. I had Doctor Blake over and he informed me that I'm having twins." Thomas freezes in place, the pen falling from his hands. "I thought you should know." he says nothing and she steps towards him. "We should talk about this Thomas."

"I can't right now." He stood up and moved to walk away. "I've got a meeting."

"Fine." he reached the door. "Let's not talk and let's keep pushing each other away until I go into labor. And then, should I die," he froze in place, his hand on the knob. "you can be tormented by how you didn't talk to me."

"Damn you Kate." He spun around and shouted. "Damn you to hell!"

"I love you too, thank you very much, Thomas Shelby." She stated as she perched on top of the corner of his desk, crossing her leg over the other and folding her hands. "I know this is extremely hard for you."

"No you don't." he snapped at her. "You've no clue."

"I do."

"I can't lose my wife a third time!" He shouted. Kate held his gaze as he shouted again. "Grace was murdered, Lizzie committed suicide and…I can't lose you too."

"I know that Thomas." She held out a hand towards him and beckoned. "Come here." He looked skeptically at her, but approached her anyway. "I know, you're terrified but I need you to be strong for me, then I'll be strong for our babies." She reached up and rested her hands on his shoulders. "There is something I shouldn't have hidden from you. With Richard, I knew that there was something wrong."

His eyes flashed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I hate being weak, you know that. I just ignored everything, thinking it would pass. I won't do that this time."

"And this time," he inhaled as he moved his hands to hips. "is there anything wrong? Any pains or something?"

"Physically, I'm fine, but I feel so terrible because we're fighting." He exhaled and avoided her gaze. She could sense that he so desperately wanted to talk to her, but again, words failed him. Tears gathered in her eyes. "For God's sake Thomas, can we please try find some middle ground? I can't stand it being like this between us anymore. I miss you!" those words got a reaction out of him and she knew in this moment that they'd be able to fix this. "I miss what we normally share together!"

"I'm sorry," Thomas pulled her into his arms as she broke down. "I miss you too, my love."

"I hate this!" she sniffles into his chest. "I feel like I'm going through this on my own."

"The family's here for you." he tilted her chin upwards and there was the love and affection she'd been missing for weeks, shining in his eyes. "I'm here for you too, I promise." He kisses her forehead before confessing. "I'm scared Kate. I don't know if I can go through this again."

"I know, I can feel that Thomas." Kate inhales and looks up at him. "I'm scared too, but I just know that things are going to be alright this time. And I swear to you, that if I get a pain, I will sit down. If my ankles start to swell, I will stay bed ridden until our babies are born. I will take extreme care of myself. I promise."

"I still wish you would terminate, but…its twins this time." He exhales deeply. "One is one thing…but two? How the hell did I do that? Put twins into you."

She giggled. "I don't know Tommy. But," she draped her arms around his neck. "we were rather…enthusiastic. Also, my mother was a twin, so, maybe from her?" He smiled faintly at her words, prompting her to state. "I love you so much Thomas."

"I love you too Kate. I can't lose you."

"Then don't let me go too soon." With that, he pulled her forward into a hug. She held onto him tightly and rubbed his shoulders. "Don't let me go."

"God, you're a special woman Kate." He states as he presses kisses to her ear. "When we love, we love and when we hate, we hate. I never thought, I'd feel a connection like this ever with anyone in my lifetime."

"Nor I with you. Now," Kate grabbed ahold of vest and pulled him down atop of her. Thomas braced himself on the desk so he didn't fall atop of her and crush her. "you've been neglecting me." he smiled down at her. "Make it up to me."

"Hmm, tonight." He pulls her up with him. She looks disappointed as he reaches for his coat. "I've got an appointment in the village in 30 minutes."

"Really?" Kate arches her brow as she grabs his shoulder and spins him around. "Because I think, you're going to be very late."

"Kate." She kissed him hard, slipping her tongue inside his mouth, causing him to groan. Against his will, his hands were all over her body, causing her to shiver as she clung to him, bucking her hips against him. He let out a groan as he lifted her up from the ground. "Kate."

"Bookcase." She breathed against his mouth.

"Meeting." He mutters against her mouth, the last of his resistance is fraying.

"In me." she gasps out against his lips. "God, I need you in me."

"Trust me," he slams her back against the bookcase and she grips the shelves tightly. "you won't move from the floor for an hour when I'm done."

"Good!"

He breaks the kiss. "On second thought, upstairs." Kate giggled as he gripped her wrist and hurried her out of the library. "That way, you'll be stuck in bed."

Kate could only laugh as Thomas supported her around the waist. "You'll be late to your meeting!"

"They can wait a bit."


Idcam: Having lost 2 wives already, one can imagine how hesitant he'd feel to her being pregnant again. Thomas has forgotten the letter in the safe. I'm pulling it out for the final chapter, which will be dramatic enough in itself. When it's time to post 'Among Angels', I'll add an author's note to this story, which will notify everyone that the new story is up.