'I think it's cute.' The voice behind her makes her jump, as she rolls her eyes. He watches her scan herself, knowing the internal debate she's having. 'It's amazing really, such a small bump. No one else knows, and no one else would notice it.'

'You think?'

'I know.' He tells her, lacing his fingers with her as she lets her t-shirt fall back down.

'People can't see?'

'No, love, no they can't.'

'I don't know why I'm like this.' She confesses, 'it's just a bump. It's not a big deal. I guess it's what it means.'

'What it means?' She smiles as he looks at her lopsidedly, it's cute, in an endearing sort of way. 'What do you mean?'

'It means that things are changing.' She whispers, sitting down on the bed, a wave of dizziness falling over her. 'Things are changing. Hopefully in five months, or so, time, we'll be coming home with a little baby. We'll have a screaming bundle; except I won't hate it. I'll love it, I hope.' She suddenly says, panic washing over her. What if she doesn't love it? What if it's too much for her?

'You will.' He promises, 'you love it already.' She nods, he is right, she does love the baby already. She finds herself rubbing her belly sometimes, as if she was stroking it, trying to protect it. As if it understood what she was doing.

Peter had noticed this tender moment, watching her hand fall over it when she was asleep, or when she was watching TV, particularly when it was something sad, or scary. As if she was reassuring her that it was all okay. It was moments like that, these moments that he knew she'd be a wonderful mum.

He thought she'd be a better mum than Leanne.

He didn't mean it maliciously, he just thought she would. Leanne was Simons step-mum. He adored her, but he knows she wounded him with that comment. That comment about having nothing left. Granted, she didn't know she'd said it, but the hurt on her son's face said it all.

Leanne was Saint Leanne.

Until she wasn't.

Maybe it's because there would be the biological pull of their little baby, maybe it was because of the miscarriage, but Carla would be the best mum out there. He had his doubts about his parenting abilities, but his girlfriend would more than make up for it. She wouldn't hurt their little baby like Leanne had done with his, their, son. What made it worse was the whole issue with custody. He'd upset his son; he'd make mistakes with him. But he never openly rejected him the same way Leanne had done.

'What you thinking about?' She asks as he goes to lie with her, 'you look pensive.'

'Just life.'

'Life?'

'Well we have a new life coming into the world, you and me. It's exciting. I wonder what she is going to be like?'

'You think it's a little girl?' He nods, playing his hand on the minute bump. 'I think it is too, not that it matters. Although, I'll probably change my mind.'

'You're going to be a brilliant mum.'

'Shut up.'

'No, you are. I think you'll be better than Leanne.' He pauses, looking at her as she closes her eyes. 'I can't comment about Lucy, but I think you'll be the best.'

'Shut up. I'm not going to be St Leanne.' She whispers, hoarsely, 'you don't have to stroke my ego.'

'No, I do. You won't do anything to hurt it, making it sad. We'll fail, at times, but you'll be better.' He pauses, staring at her. 'You and I, we make a great team. The baby, it's the most precious thing to me.'

'I love it, that's all I can say.'

'As long as there's love, that's all that matters.'

'Leanne really hurt Si, and you?' She questions, looking him in the eye, as he nods.

'After all the drama in 2012, the mess that I caused.'

'We' she points out, 'we made a mess. We're both responsible. If I could, I'd change it. I'd change everything about it. Except you.'

'Well it was a mess, I hurt Si and it's one cut after the other. But I never said what she said. I never felt like that. He was her mum; comments can never go away.' They both know this; you can't take back those sorts of comments. You can apologise, but you will always have said that. And something so raw, he's hurting too.'

'I love him, you know?'

'I know.'

'It's taken a while, when it all kicked off, you asked me if I loved him? Well I didn't, but I've grown too. I'm not his mum, I never will be, but I do love him.' He can tell her voice is choked with emotion; he doesn't really know what to say. 'I love him, and I want him to love our little baby.'

'He will.' He promises, although they both know it's an empty promise. They don't know how he'll react, but it's what she needs to hear. 'But you'll never reject our little sprog.'

'Sprog?' She quips, 'a sprog?'

'You know what I mean.' He teases, 'but you won't.'

'You don't know that.'

'I do, love. You'll dote on her.'

'That will be your job, if it's a little girl, I guarantee she'll have you wrapped around her little finger the moment you set eyes on her.' She teases, both of them laughing because they know it's true. 'But for now, it's my job to make sure she's okay. Make sure she's healthy, or he.'

'And it's my job to look after you.'

-CS-

'Do you think it's obvious?'

'Is what obvious?' She just stares at him, shaking his head. 'You mean the bump? No, you can't see anything under that top, 'I promise.'

'I quite like this top.' She grins, looking at herself in the mirror, 'not just because I'm pregnant.'

'The bump is so small; you don't even notice it. Are you sure you want to go shopping?' She nods, yawning. He'd rather have spent the day lazily lying around the house, but she wanted to go shopping.

'I suppose it's unlikely we'll see anyone.'

'Why are we doing this?'

'We're getting Christmas presents.' She tells him, grabbing her bag. 'Let's go.'

'Why couldn't we get it online?' He grumbles, as he gets in the car, 'that would have been better.'

'I want to go to pizza express.' She confesses, 'I've been craving it.'

'Is this your first craving then?' He grins, starting up the car. 'That's cute.'

'It's the pizza base. It's not even the pizza.'

'You weirdo.'

'It's your baby, it's all down to you.' She tells him, as they drive away from the street, finally letting her hand fall to the bump. If you can even call it.'

'It's a bump, you can see it. When you're in tight fitting clothes, or nothing at all.'

'Shut up.' She whispers as a comfortable silence falls upon them, both leaving them with their thoughts.

-CS-

'Did we really need all of this stuff?' He finally asks, as she sits on the sofa, surrounding by bags.

'We've done all the Christmas presents.' She tells him, 'I think we did good.'

'I'm glad you got that ball.'

'The birthing ball?' She questions, watching him from the door frame. 'Yeah, everything is starting to hurt, and apparently it's good.'

'Why didn't you say anything?'

'It's just twinges, little things. It's normal, I promise. I spoke to my midwife.' She reassures him, 'I promise I'm fine, the baby is fine. It's just where my muscles has began to stretch. As I get bigger, it's going to get more painful. You need to stop worrying.' She promises, 'if there was anything, I'd let you know.' She pauses, gently rubbing her stomach, resisting the urge to scratch the skin. 'I know when I got cramps, I didn't say anything, but I promise it is fine. I will tell you.' He nods, going to sit behind her.

'You are doing so well.' He whispers, knowing she needs the reassurance, 'you are doing an amazing job. I just want to be able to help you, if I could do anything, I would. You know that, right?'

'You know, when it's born, you'll be on nappy duty, and the night feeds.'

'And I'll cherish every moment of it.'

A/N thoughts?