'I got your text. How are you doing?' He asks softly as he makes his way into the lounge where she's gently rotating her hips while sitting on the birthing ball they bought shortly after she entered the third trimester.
'Mmm... They're stronger and more consistent now. I've been timing them and I'm sure they're sitting at around nine minutes apart.' She replies glancing up at him.
'Okay. What can I do? What do you need done?' He asks as she takes a deep breath.
'Can you start filling the birthing pool? I don't necessarily want to get in it right this minute but I just want to know it is ready when I need it.' She replies and he leans down to kiss the top of her head. His hands rest on her shoulders as she leans back against him.
'I can definitely do that. Do you want me to phone the midwife just now?' He asks gently rubbing her shoulders.
'No. It's too early for that; we'll wait it out a little bit longer.' She replies and he nods his head.
'Okay. I'll go get the pool set up. Shout me if you need me, I'll just be through in the other room.' He says.
'Love you.' She mumbles as she leans forward to rest her head on the back of the sofa while continuing to rotate her hips on the birthing ball.
'Love you too.' He replies smiling. Turning around, he makes his way towards the door to start preparing the birthing pool.
'Oh, Charlie...' She says causing him to glance of his shoulder at her.
'Yeah?' He asks.
'I think it's probably best that you phone Rebecca and rearrange Sam coming over. Don't want to traumatise him.' She replies and he nods his head.
'I'll phone her, don't you worry about that. Just you concentrate on breathing, okay?' He says smiling.
'Megan says that you're okay to get into the pool if that's where you think you're going to feel comfortable but she doesn't think that there is any need for her to be here right now. She says if you get into the pool we should give it another hour and a half and then phone her back unless anything changes.' Charles says making his way into the room where they have set up for the birth of their first baby together.
'Mmm... I need to get in the pool. I just- I need to get in the pool, Charlie.' She says putting her hands out to him. Smiling he takes hold of her hands and helps her off the birthing ball and into a standing position.
'Can you believe we're going to meet our baby soon?' She almost whispers as she rests her arms over his shoulders and he places his hands on her hips.
'If things keep going the way they are we could have our little one in our arms by this time tomorrow.' He says and she nods her head. He watches as she takes a deep breath and grips onto his shoulders causing him to tighten his hold on her hips to steady her.
'Breathe, Mol... You've got this. You're doing amazing.' He says as she leans her forehead against his. They both sway gently from side to side as her eyes close and his hands remain on her hips.
'Every moment over the past few years have led to this, love. We're so close to meeting our baby, you're so close to having our baby snuggled up on your chest.' He says.
'Everything has led to this.' She whispers and he nods his head.
'That's right. Do you want me to go grab your bikini for you to change into?' He asks and she shakes her head.
'No I just- I'm so warm.' She replies.
'Molly, I need you to listen to me just now. At some point during the delivery there will come a point where I'm going to ask you to stop pushing, okay? At the time it is going to seem impossible but I really need you to try for me to prevent any tearing, okay?' Meghan, the midwife, says as Molly leans on the edge of the birthing pool.
'Okay.' Molly replies causing Meghan to smile.
'You're doing perfect.' Meghan says as Molly groans and leans her hand against the pool.
'Breathe through it for me, Molly. You're doing fantastic.' Meghan replies.
'Oh something's happened.' Molly says, her head instantly snapping up to look at the midwife in front of her.
'Okay, don't worry... Tell me what you can feel, Molly. You're going to deliver your baby.' Meghan replies as Charles instantly places his hand on his wife's shoulder. He watches in awe as his wife takes a few more breaths before reaching her hand down into the water.
'It's out.' Molly says, tears streaming down her cheeks causing Meghan to smile.
'Right, you're going to slowly lift your baby up to you but you need to be careful because the cord is still attached remember.' Meghan explains and Molly nods her head. Carefully she takes hold of their baby in her hands and slowly lifts them up to rest on her chest as she leans back on her heels. Instantly Meghan grabs a towel and reaches forward to gently clean the baby's face.
'There we go.' Meghan says smiling as the newborn lets out a cry.
'Sorry, that came really quick. I-' Molly says and Meghan shakes her head.
'No, don't say sorry. You did exactly what your body needed you to do. It was perfect. Now do you want to do the honour of telling daddy or will I?' Meghan asks and Molly glances towards Charles.
'We've got a baby girl.' She almost whispers.
'I would have waited forever and a day for you, little lady.' Molly says softly as she stares down at the baby girl who is snuggled up under a blanket on her chest. It's been a little over an hour and a half since Molly gave birth to their baby girl and the midwives left around twenty minutes ago after giving both Molly and the baby the all clear.
'You should try get some sleep, Mol. You've been up awake all night.' Charles says making his way into the bedroom.
'I can't stop staring at her, Charlie. How beautiful is she?' She replies causing him to smile as he sits down on the edge of the bed.
'She is pretty perfect, isn't she? I can't believe how quickly she was born, you did amazing.' He says.
'It was exactly the birth I wanted, Charlie. They always tell you to prepare yourself for the birth plan to go out the window and I was prepared but it was exactly what I envisioned.' She replies smiling.
'I love you, both of you.' He says and she bites her bottom lip.
'Well we love you too.' She replies smiling.
Note: I hope you like this. I've never wrote Molly/Charles so I hope it's okay. Have an idea for when Sam meets the baby if anyone would be interested in that.