"Martin! Martin!" He heard his name, but he didn't have time to react. Martin was still helping his aunts, or rather, stuck in the middle of his aunts' greeting. He and Joan had just gotten off the train, a bit out of sorts from their travels. As Martin was trying to step out from between his aunts, where he wasn't sure how he'd gotten stuck in the middle of their greeting, he turned and instantly had a solid mass hit him.

"Ooof," he said and tried get his bearings. That was all he could say before he suddenly found lips on his. He almost didn't have time to react, and suddenly, it was over.

"I'm so glad your train finally arrived," he heard Louisa as he registered she was stepping away, stepping back to give him a bit of space, the owner of the lips that had just landed on his. He shook his head slightly, still a bit dazed. He narrowed his gaze at Louisa, shocked that she had shown this display of affection here in public, that she was even here. She had not discussed meeting his train arriving in London. Before he could chastise her for doing such a thing, she stood on her toes, leaned up, and she kissed him again.

"Louisa," he said with an edge of shock and horror in his voice when she broke the kiss, stepped back again and grinned up at him. "We are in a public place," he hissed, frantically glancing around, worried their behavior was being watched by all. He heard chuckling, and he knew those voices laughing. He scrunched up his face, and he turned slightly to scowl at his aunts. "Highly inappropriate," he grumbled; although, he stopped talking when his gaze met hers and saw her bright smile looking at him.

"Well, that's one way to do things, Dear," he heard Ruth mutter, as he saw her flash a sly smile toward Louisa. At the same time, Joan chuckled too.

"Well, Marty, that should start your trip off properly and get your mind off the train delay," Joan grinned. She turned to Louisa, who was now standing next to Martin. Martin still had not properly address Louisa. "Oh, Louisa, it is wonderful to see you! You look beautiful and are just glowing!"

"I'm doing something," Louisa chuckled, sighing. "I'm not sure if glowing is the right word. I'm having hot flashes if that's the glow," she said, rolling her eyes. She patted her large stomach, "Keeps getting bigger, day by day, making me quite uncomfortable."

"Dear, the speed and agility you just moved through the crowd was quite impressive," Ruth leaned forward to comment, a smirk on her face. "That was quite a greeting for our nephew."

Martin grunted and finally turned to Louisa at his side, "Louisa, that was quite unexpected and highly irregular," Martin complained. He tired to frown at her, but she patted his chest.

"Just glad to see you, Martin. I've missed you, and I think it's quite the appropriate greeting," she said with a single nod. She was wearing her hair down, and as she nodded, her hair went flying forward.

"Louisa, I thought it was lovely to see the affection you have for Marty," Joan said, patting Martin's arm. "Marty, just by the looks of Louisa, it is quite appropriate for you to show affection. Everyone here can see that you two have obviously shown affection in the past. Louisa can't hide that," Joan grinned and nodded to Louisa's stomach.

"Err, you all know public displays are not custom," he grumbled, shaking his head.

"Maybe they should be," Louisa smiled brightly at the aunts and leaned up again to kiss Martin's cheek. It surprised him once again, and he almost ducked like he was avoiding a fly. The three women chuckled again. Martin sighed loudly, but when he looked down to give Louisa a frustrated look, he couldn't. He ended up rolling his eyes, almost a nod of affirmation to Louisa.

"Well, we could stand here all day and watch Louisa embarrass Martin, or we could get going. I vote to get out of the station," Ruth stated, looking to the group. She was answered in nods from the other women, and the four started walking toward the exit. Martin just sneered at the crowds of people. Louisa walked next to Martin and even moved to snake her arm through his. He initially looked down at it, but then, he shifted to take her hand in his, an almost smile on his face. He remembered doing this in public before, the night of the outdoor concert. He'd felt a great deal of pride then, and he did now, even with his quite robust greeting. For once, he was not embarrassed to have his aunts or anyone see him hold Louisa's hand. Perhaps, he was realizing just how much he missed her too.

"Louisa," Joan turned her head over her shoulder, as she was walking in front of Martin and Louisa. She smiled slightly at the sight of Martin holding Louisa's hand, but she quickly turned her attention to Louisa, knowing the attention of their joined hands would bother Martin. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, bit tired," Louisa said with a scrunched up face. "I'm quite glad it is the spring holiday. My feet need a rest, and I am looking forward to slowing down for a few days and getting some rest; although, with moving, I'm not sure how much of that will happen."

"Your stress should be reduced greatly with the movers I have hired," Martin said, clearing his throat. He glanced to her, "If you need more help in setting up things, I could hire someone to unpack and put things away in the flat."

"No, no," Louisa patted his arm with a small smile. "I will be fine. I can certainly unpack my things, and besides that, there isn't a great deal to move anyway."

"Louisa, will you be changing your doctor with your move across London?" Ruth asked. Martin raised his eyebrows too, having not thought about that himself. He grunted, frustrated the idea had not occurred to him.

"No, not for now, at least. I would rather stay with my doctor to finish this pregnancy and not have to get to know a new one. It should be fine. I do suppose I will have to find a more local doctor for the baby after he or she is born."

"I can certainly assist in finding a proper one," Martin told her. "It is important to make sure that the doctor has appropriate training and is up to date on all of the latest in medicine."

"Yes, of course, Martin," Louisa said, patting his arm again. Both aunts glanced back, and she gave them a slight shrug and roll of her eyes. Martin, who did not see the gestures, gave a single nod, pleaded she was allowing him to help with this.

"Well, here we are," Ruth said as the reached the exit. They were now out on the street. "I suppose we shall leave you two for your ahh, reunion," she said, holding back a smirk. "Louisa, if I had seen you at the station earlier, I would have enjoyed a chat. With their train late, I did not think about you being here for their arrival."

She smiled, "I wanted to surprise Martin. I had an appointment after lunch, scheduled it specifically for today just to make sure I would be off. I wasn't sure I would make the train, as my appointment went long, but the late train worked in my favor."

"What sort of appointment?" Martin asked, a look of worry on his face.

"I met a midwife," she said with a nod. "She and I discussed alternative birth plans and deliveries."

Martin's face turned to one of horror, and he shook his head furiously, "Louisa, we discussed that a water birth would not be safe."

The aunts, watching this interaction, chuckled again, Ruth covering her mouth. Louisa patted Martin's chest as she turned toward him.

"Yes, yes, I know," she sighed. "There are a lot of other things to discuss, Martin, such as music, a birth plan-"

Martin's face turned red, and he closed his eyes briefly before he sputtered, "The ONLY birth plan is to get the baby out safely by whatever means necessary. All of these women with these grand ideas and bloody birth plans," he grumbled. "Women have been doing this for thousands of years, having babies and no birth plan is going to change what will happen naturally."

"On that note," Ruth piped up, "Joan and I are going to go and let you two, well," she gestured, "sort things. Just don't kill each other. I've already had to deal with three deranged patients this week who did kill others. I would prefer not to have to take either of you on at my facility as well."

"Oh," Louisa snapped her head to the aunts, surprised at their leaving them. "Sorry, but we can all get dinner if you like. Martin?"

"Ah," he said, still staring at her, wanting to finish the midwife conversation. Before he could answer more, Joan spoke up.

"Louisa, we would love to share a meal with you, but let's do it later this week, shall we? Ruth and I will be by to your new flat, and maybe we can all go out then, hmm? We will let you and Marty sort things, and Ruth and I would like to catch up. I'm rather tired as well and would not be good company."

"Alright then," Louisa said with a small smile, as she glanced to Martin who nodded in agreement. "I suppose that is settled. You two enjoy your visit."

"The same to you, my dear," Ruth said with a pat to Louisa's hand as she nodded toward her. "Martin, do keep me posted on your medical conference and the phobia. Let me know if I can be of help."

"Yes," he said quickly with a nod to them. He looked around, "Ahh, shall I get a taxi?"

"No need," Ruth nodded. "I rather enjoy battling London traffic. I brought my car. Would you like a lift?"

"We are going in the opposite direction," Martin swallowed. "We shall be fine." The four parted ways, and that left Martin there with Louisa. He glanced to her, giving her a grunt and almost a smile. "That was a very emotional greeting, Louisa, quite shocking. My restraint was difficult to maintain. "

Louisa batted her eyes at him, ""I just missed you, Martin, a great deal. I was very happy to see you. I've been lonely here in London," she said, her arm caressing his arm. "Did you not miss me?"

"Yes," he said quickly with a nod and nothing more. She frowned looking up at him, and he noticed it. He then added, "I am pleased to be here."

"Good," she grinned. "I've been counting the days and then the hours to your visit. I've read absence makes the heart grow fonder and didn't believe it, but I think I understand it now.

"One's heart-" he started to say, and Louisa, sensing a medical lecture, put her finger up to his mouth and gave him a look. She shook her head.

"I'm aware that medically you will tell me that it might not be possible. Just take things as a compliment, that I might just be very, very glad to see you and have plans for you later this evening."

He eyed her, his eyebrows rising, "We did not discuss this evening."

"No, we didn't," she shook her head, her eyes sparkling at him. "Martin, I am hoping you will do something for me. I suspect you booked your hotel, and I know that, well," she grinned, "from calling the hotel to check, that you can cancel your reservation up to 6:00. It's not half five yet, and I would very much enjoy if you would stay with me, my last night in my flat. Please, Martin. I've loved my little flat and would like to spend the last night there with you, a special night." She played with the buttons on his shirt, as she spoke, and she batted her eyes at him again. "I know you do not prefer my flat at all, but it would mean so much. My first night there, I cried myself to sleep, all alone. Just a couple weeks later, I learned I wasn't exactly alone," she said patting her stomach. "I cried a lot that night too. I've had my ups and downs there, and it's also where you found me. I'd really like to close out this chapter with you, in my flat, in my bed, please."

Martin swallowed the lump in his throat, glancing down at her. He had a lot of thoughts swirling in his head, reasons to turn down her proposal for the night, but with one look at her, none of his reasons seemed important. He looked to the child growing there, sure that Louisa was bigger than even yesterday during their video chat, and he gave her an almost drunk nod.

"I, ahh, suppose that could be arranged, just for the night," he stuttered. Louisa nodded. Martin hated the idea of staying in that horrid flat again, but he could not say no to Louisa. He would have preferred bringing her to the hotel, but she had this tendency to be nostalgic.

"Right, just for tonight. Your things will be at the new flat tomorrow, yes?" Louisa glanced to him, confirming what they had discussed.

"Err, yes," he said, nodding again. "If tomorrow, if, if," he sputtered, "I could change my reservation to tomorrow if you would prefer time alone at the flat."

Louisa chuckled and reached up to kiss his cheek again, "No, you silly man. You are in London for a week. I have no intention of kicking you out of my bed, out of the flat," she said with a quick shrug.

He studied her, trying to decide if he should say more on the subject. He considered it for a moment and decided to compliment her instead. He remembered from his studies on relationships that women enjoyed that, compliments.

"You are looking well, Louisa," he said, in his soft tone as his eyes met hers. He reached up to her hair and brushed it from her face as he continued, "Your body is adjusting nicely to the pregnancy as everything continues to grow rounded and prepare for the birth process. Your hips are fuller, and I see a noticeable change in the size of the baby."

Louisa looked to him with a horrified expression, and she quickly realized he was honestly trying to give her a compliment. Still, she was having trouble with his words.

Louisa nodded her head, closed her eyes, and she let out her breath, "Thank you, Martin, but know that comments like that, while you mean well, ahh, will get you kicked out of the flat." She patted his chest, looked up, and added, "Though, maybe Dr. Ellingham, you will need to examine me and all my curves later this evening."