A/N: A special chapter of when Katie told Ned that their child was going to be a girl. Enjoy xx Mariah
Katie first became aware that a new day was beginning when rays of early morning sunlight were streaming through their curtains, radiating soft light throughout their bedroom. There's a calm breeze making the curtains billow softly, and birds singing from somewhere outside. Immediately, she knew it was going to be a beautiful day and smiled in gratitude.
She felt no rush to get out of bed and even felt her child kick from inside her. That's when she heard a stifled yawn. Lifting her head off the solid chest she had been resting on, she caught her husband looking down at her with a smile and bleary eyes.
"Good morning, beautiful," Ned whispered sleepily, pressing a kiss to her hair as he rubbed his hand over her stomach, swollen with their child. "Did you sleep well?"
"I did," she smiled and leaned up to give him a quick peck on the lips. "Happy 30th Birthday, old man."
His eyes widen. "That's right, it is my birthday today." He let out a chuckle. "I guess we've been so busy lately, I forgot."
"Well, you're an old man now, so you were bound to lose your mind eventually," she teased, smiling at him.
"Very funny, Mrs. Banks. Is Ash up?" He asked, lifting his head up to claim her soft pink lips.
She shook her head against him. "I can hear him snoring like his father through the monitor," she giggled and he rolled himself on top of her, just as her hands drifted into his scruffy bed hair and she pulled him closer to her. Their tongues met and teased each other languidly like they have all the time in the world.
"Can I have my present now?" he asked and lowered his hands down to grip her ass, pushing his morning erection up against her leg.
She broke away and leaned up on her elbows. "I actually made something for you. I've been working on it all week."
His eyes brightened and suddenly he looked like an excited kid. "You made me a present?"
She nodded and moved off the bed slowly, heading towards a drawer where they keep some of their older clothes. Sitting back on the bed a few minutes later, she gave him a handmade book.
He smiled and looked at the front cover. His eyes widen as he recognized the picture of them together. They'd gotten it done at a winter carnival years ago, while they were celebrating their first anniversary as a couple. "What is this?" he asked her curiously.
"It's a memory book," she explained. "Reaching the age of thirty is a huge milestone for you and since we've known each other pretty much the whole time we've shared a lot of special and happy memories together." She explained, smiling. "I wanted to remember them in honor of your birthday."
"Are there at least a few pages filled with naked photos of yourself?" He asked suggestively, smirking at her.
Shaking her head in mock annoyance she uttered out, "Just turn the page, old man."
With a pleased laugh, he looked down at the first page. There's only one sentence, sprawled across the page in black ink and matching Katie's handwriting.
Do you remember the day I made you cookies and I put salt into the mix instead of sugar? It was a disaster.
He looked up at her with a grin. "I certainly do remember that and it wasn't a disaster. It was the best cookie I'd ever had."
"Ned Banks, it was not! Those cookies were disgusting and we both know it." She broke into a deep laughter, one that nearly made her cry happy tears.
He moved his hand to cup the back of her neck, his thumb caressing her jaw. "It was the best thing I've ever tasted because you made them," he told her sincerely. "Well actually, now thinking about it, I would have to say it's the second best thing I've ever tasted." With a glint in his eyes, he removed his hand from her neck, and let it travel down the valley of her breasts, drifting softly down her swollen belly until it stopped at her underwear. As he leaned in to give her a searing kiss, he ran his fingers teasingly along her.
"You need –" she let out a raspy gasp and tried to ignore the excited jolt in her belly. "You need to finish looking at the book," she murmured against his lips. "Please."
He broke away with a feral grin, "This isn't over, Katie," he promised, and let her go. He moved his attention back down to the book and continued opening page after page.
Do you remember the day when my dad was trying to round up both Lana and Emma at the same time and he slipped and went tumbling down that hill? It was our first real laugh after Charlie.
Do you remember the day you swam the whole length of the lake by yourself when you were training for that 5k? I was so proud.
Do you remember when the blizzard hit in the city my sophomore year and we sat in the dark, in silence, holding hands? We were at peace even in a citywide blackout.
Do you remember the first time we made love? The way we came together that first time?
Ned looked up at her then, smiling as he nodded. "I remember that night in the city," she could see his eyes starting to water. "This was such a wonderful idea. Thank you so much for this," he whispered.
"We've been blessed with so many great memories." She said and started to feel her own eyes well up as she squeezed his hand. "It's not finished yet. Keep going," she said.
He continued turning more of the pages. One after another of more happy memories of their lives together resurface and greet them like an old friend.
Do you remember the day you carried me when I sprained my ankle on that hike to follow a spirit?
Do you remember the day you proposed? I've never seen you as happy as you were when I said yes.
"That was the happiest moment of my life," he whispered. "Well, one of them."
She nodded again and she felt a stray tear run down her cheek.
He flipped the page and she smiled at the pictures of him and herself both holding their son, her words above it.
Do you remember the day Asher was born? The first time that we both held him?
It was now the moment of truth. The last page. The reason why she made this memory book for him in the first place. "One more page, Ned."
He turned the page, and there's silence for a moment. He looked up at her, confusion settling in his eyes before they turn wide as saucers and he let out a surprised gasp. "Is this real?"
She nodded, confirming what he's read. "It's very real."
He looked back down, continuing to stare at the black letters that make up a sentence she knew he had always hoped for.
Will you remember the day I told you that we were going to have a daughter?
He broke his gaze from the page and looked up at her with wonder and awe. "We're having a girl?"
"We're having a girl," she confirmed, grinning.
"Oh my god, this is great!" He reached for her, cradling her hand in his. Very slowly, like he's trying to capture every moment to store away in his brain for later, he lowered one hand down to gently place it upon her billowing stomach. "A girl? Really?" He spread his fingers wide, as though he could touch every inch of her soft skin. She felt so much wonder and love radiating from him as he leaned down and offered her the kindest and sweetest kiss they've ever shared. He opened his mouth, seeking her tongue, and they moved together, fusing as one before they break apart slowly. "This is truly the best birthday present I've ever received."
"So would you say this is your favorite book now?" She asked quietly, her tone teasing.
He laughed. "This book has surpassed any of my favorite books. It's so far ahead, that those books and every other book I will ever possess in my life are now dust in its wake."
She let out a watery laugh and he grinned back at her. She felt the warmth coming from his palm as his fingers started rubbing affectionate circles against her belly.
"Am I the only one thinking that this silence from Asher isn't a good thing?" He asked.
She moved her hand down to join where his hand rested. "I won't lie, I've been thinking about going and checking on him," she laughed.
He gazed at her in awe, kissing her again. "Our children are so blessed to have you as their mother."
"And our children are so blessed to have you as their father," she repeated back, squeezing his hand in assurance before kissing him. "We should go see if our boy is awake now."
He shrugged his shoulders and laughed as he leaned back down to kiss her again. Slowly, he helped lower her down onto her side of the bed, so she's lying on her back and he's hovering over her. "Right now though, I do have another feeling I was wondering you could help me with?"
"Hmm, what do you have in mind?" She murmured against his lips and placed her arms around his neck, encouraging him to lay down on top of her.
"I want to make love to my pregnant wife right now," he told her huskily and began moving his hips eagerly against hers, his erection getting harder by the second. "Will you allow it?"
Pushing her hips upwards to join in on his ministrations, she moved her mouth to his ear and whispered hotly, "I'll allow it, but after we check on Ash."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," he laughed, nodding against her kiss. "C'mon, let's go see if our boy is up."