Back There Again (Chapter VIII)

And handle it, he did. When Miranda woke up so that she could get ready for the airport, their bags were packed and the bungalow looked identical to how it was when they arrived all those days ago. After brushing her teeth, she put on the outfit he'd laid out for her, a black sweatsuit with a pink t-shirt and a comfortable pair of sneakers. As she imagined, Ben wouldn't let her do anything. She half-expected him to suggest that she take her maternity leave now. "Just relax."

An hour before they boarded, Miranda took the motion sickness medicine. She tried to sleep on the plane, but Ben wouldn't stop looking at her. "What?"

"What?" He asked picking up the book she'd finished.

"You're staring."

"You're beautiful," he countered.

She took the novel from him. "Tell me something I don't know."

He grabbed her legs and pulled off her shoes, readjusting her body into a position that was much more comfortable. She fixed the pillow behind her head. "Welp, I was going to tell you that you're amazing."

"I know," Miranda answered, closing her eyes.

"Of course." Her husband inhaled. "How about that I'm happy that we got a chance to do this. That… I'm happy you're pregnant." She succeeded in keeping her tears at bay. "That you're my wife. And that I really, really like you."

Her eyes flew open at that last part. "Like?"

"Yes. I like you." Silence was the best thing she had to offer him. "What? I mean, I love you, too. A lot, but…"

"You like me. I got it," she said lifting a foot to his chest. His lips grazed to the top of it. "You play too much."

"Yeah," he moved his head from side. "About a lot of things, but never about you and our family."

Her eyes scanned his face. Earnest, handsome, hers. "I guess I like you, too," she acknowledged. It was the same thing she'd told him three years ago, unable to stop herself from revealing her true feelings for the man who'd just appeared one day and wouldn't leave her alone.

"Like?!" He screeched, his voice rumbling her skin, stopping his movements on her foot for a second.

"Yes, I like you. We like each other."

"Good. But you love me, too, right?"

"Well…" He kneaded her flesh firmly and she let out a quiet moan. "I do. So very much."

Ben kissed her ankle. "I know."

The rest of the flight was spent cuddled up to her husband with her hand on her stomach beneath the blanket while he read and stroked her head. They took a cab back home and settled in bed after a light dinner. Ben had been unlike his chatty self and that concerned her a little. "Go ahead and say it," she said over her shoulder.

"Say what?"

"What you're holding in?"

"Nothing." Five… four… three… two— "It's… I'm just so, ugh… happy," he said climbing over her. His face was so bright as he smiled. "I'm so happy, baby. I know you're not sure or you weren't sure and I… I… I get it, but I want you to know that I'm down for whatever you choose." He cut his speech short, but Miranda knew there was more he wanted to say, so she just grabbed his hand, nervous and patient. "I'm just glad to be on this journey with you, Miranda Bailey-Warren. I'm so happy that you chose me."

"I'll choose you every day of the week."

"And twice on Sunday?"

She blushed and drew him in for a kiss. "Yes." Try as she might, Miranda couldn't fall asleep. Easing out of bed, she went to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, changing it to tea when it dawned on her once again that she was pregnant and that her caffeine intake would have to be limited. On the back porch, she sat on the swing Ben had installed. She made a note to persuade him to put a hammock in the backyard, too—just like the one they'd slept on in the Bahamas. They would all really enjoy it. Miranda sighed loudly. "Jesus. A damn baby." Truth be told, she was relieved that she'd had a reason for her nausea and being overly emotional. She was pregnant! Her mind raced with apprehension that was easily stamped out by her excitement. They were having a baby!

"Miranda?" Her husband approached her, touching her shoulder.

"Y-yes, my love?" She answered, putting the mug to her lips.

Ben slowed down the swing and sat down, placing a blanket across their laps. "What are you doing out here?"

"Thinking."

"You can't think next to me?"

Her eyes rolled. "I do my very best thinking next to you, but I also needed air."

He grinned. "Totally understand."

They swung for a while. "Do you think we're ready?" She asked, putting the cup close to her chest.

"I am," he said, definite. "Are you? I mean… you have to carry them?"

Miranda chuckled and made a face. "Let me see. So far, I've been out of control emotionally and sexually-stunted. And I've had morning and motion sickness. Now, I can't sleep. Yay!"

"Sorry?"

"You're not sorry. Not one bit," she told him, leaning into him.

"I'm not. I can't wait."

She held up a hand. "Slow down, Ben."

"I'm sorry. I'm just ready to spoil the shit out of you."

"You already do that," she said with a smile.

"Well, even more." He rubbed her arm and her eyes fluttered shut. "Ready to go back inside?"

She said she was and they walked back to their room, climbing into their cool bed. "You know, I can't wait to tell Tuck he's gonna be a big brother. He's going to be over the moon."

Behind her, Ben lifted her nightshirt and placed a hand on her stomach. "And everyone else." Miranda opened her mouth to tell him that it would be a while before she was comfortable doing all of that. "But I know you'll want to hold out a bit. Which is fine with me." Her smile grew at how well he knew her. "And your belly, babe, you're gonna be so cute. And complaining about everything." She jabbed lightly him with her elbow. "But it's all going to be amazing. I'm so ready. We are so ready."

He was right. Like he mostly always was. "Yeah, it will be." Miranda yawned, pushing herself into him more. "Oh!"

"Yeah?"

"Happy One Month Anniversary," she said, turning to face him.

"What?"

"It's been one month since we got married."

"What?" He repeated.

She nodded with a big smile, glad that she'd beat him to some kind of anniversary. She remembered him surprising her with on their one-week anniversary and then again on their one-month anniversary of dating. It had had fueled her competitive side and she vowed to remember the one-year anniversary before he did, but she'd gotten stuck in surgery. Ben had appeared in the gallery with flowers and chocolate while she worked, making her feel bad and want to faint under his love spell.

He touched his head. "Oh, damn."

"I don't have a gift yet, but I so beat you to it." He stuck out his bottom lip and she took the opportunity to kiss it. He stroked the back of her head and deepened it. "I beat you!" She whispered, quite pleased with herself as she sampled more of her husband, the best kisser she'd ever encountered.

"You did?" He asked.

"Yes, of course, I did. You heard me."

"Did you?"

"Huh?"

Ben grinned and reached under her pillow and pulled out a big, flat box. "Happy One Month to you, too, baby."

"What the f…?"

He leaned over and kissed her before getting out of bed, walking toward the bathroom. Miranda watched him go, surprised. What was it? She opened the box and twisted her lips to the side when she saw a bunch of papers. "What the hell?" She asked, flipping through them. There were pictures of a bunch houses in the area, with notes in the margins written in his handwriting. "I like this one. A little jungle gym in the backyard!" "The hospital is 10 minutes away." "We don't cook like that, but the kitchen is HUGE!" "A pool." "Close to Tuck's school." "His and hers bathrooms." "Oh! We need those," she said out loud. "But what kind of anniversary gift is this?"

"Keep going!" Ben called out.

"You heard that?"

"Yes."

Miranda lifted all of the papers and looked down to see a tennis bracelet. It was absolutely beautiful. The linked diamonds seemed to sparkle even in the darkness. "Wow." She laid it across her wrist, desperate to wear it. It was cool and made her shiver. Damn him! "Ben!"

"Yeah?" He asked, peeking his head out of the bathroom while wiping his hands on a shirt and tossing it to the dirty clothes basket in the corner of the room.

"This is..." He smiled and sat next to her, unfastening the jewelry and putting it on her wrist. "This is…" She sputtered trying to find the right word. "Gorgeous," she managed to get out after a while.

He stared at her. "You are."

"Stop," she whined, kissing him. "Thank you, sweetie."

"You really like it?

"Yes," she said putting her lips against his cheek. "It's perfect. And now I have to think of something equally as good."

Ben put his lips to her ear. "Hmm… I can think of one or two things."

Reading his mind, she said: "Sex is not an anniversary gift."

"It is if I'm asking for it."

She grinned and pushed him backward, climbing on top him. Miranda dropped her hands onto his chest and rolled her body. "Oooh," she moaned. "OH! OH!" She had a revelation! "I got it!"

"What?" He sat up and his dick pressed against her clit and she exhaled a whimper, biting her lower lip. "My bad."

"Don't apologize."

They shared another kiss, each moving their hips slowly. "So, uh… you came up with something?"

"Yes."

"What?" Her husband's fingers trailed upward to her nipples, manipulating the softness until they were rock hard needing warmth and moisture.

Miranda clasped his face between her hands. "This baby I'm carrying for you," she said into Ben's mouth sincerely. "They're your gift." The two of them looked at each other and cracked up, falling onto the bed, unable to stop laughing.

He reached over and grabbed a handful of braids gently as Miranda touched her stomach, something she knew she'd be doing often for the next several months. "Thank you, baby. I love them. And Tuck. And you."

"I'm last?"

He moved his head from side to side, smiling. "Yes. My kids are first."

Her skin warmed at the statement. "Then, you're last, too."

Ben's jaw dropped. "So, wait, if we were all on Milo's yacht and the three of us fell off…"

"Goodnight, Ben Warren," she said turning over. Her husband laughed in her ear and curled behind her, whispering a "good night" against the nape of her neck.

At the hospital, Callie caught Miranda's eye during an Attending meeting and mouthed: "After this." Nodding, Miranda turned her attention toward the Chief of Surgery. In her office, her best friend closed the door and pulled out a granola bar, biting into it before saying: "Go."

"Nothing. We had fun. Thanks for the idea," she said turning in her chair, idly moving papers from one side to the other.

"Girl!" Callie said, drinking half of her bottle of water.

"Hmm?"

"Like… I saw the pictures. They were cute and all, but you gotta say more than that! I'm dying for details!"

Miranda spun to face her once more. "It was… perfect! It felt so good to be back there again," she gushed, her face warming. "So damn good."

"I knew it would be!"

"Did you?"

"Well, I'd hoped," Callie said crossing her legs. "I'm so happy for you two."

"Me, too." They talked a little longer and Miranda wondered if she should share the good news or wait.

Callie's assessment of the trip continued: "… went to a totally different country and were still saving lives."

Miranda shook her head. "I was just enjoying a nice cry and I was swept into an episode of 'E.R.'." She laughed because she could now, but then it had been scary and shocking.

"Back up, why were you crying?"

"Oh. Just emotions and that." She waved off her friend, keeping eye contact and her face stable as to not tip her friend off. Callie tilted her head as someone knocked on the door. "Come in."

Ben poked his head and she gave him a half-smile. "Hey, newlywed," Callie said balling up her second granola wrapper and throwing it in the trash by her feet.

"Hey, Torres," he said coming into the room. "Hey, baby."

Miranda put her hand on her stomach briefly as it jumped. "Hi," she said letting her smile grow.

"I think that's my cue," Callie told them with a giggle. "Good talk, Bailey."

"Thank you again." The door closed behind their colleague and he motioned for her to stand up. "What?"

He sat down in her chair and pulled her into his lap. "Did you tell Torres about… the baby?" Ben whispered.

She glanced toward the door. "No, I didn't. I think I want to keep it between us for a while."

"Understood." His lips on her neck had her sighing. "How's my baby doing?"

"I'm good," she said holding onto him. Miranda loved working with her husband. They got to have intense, mini love sessions that always energized her and kept her wanting more. He gripped her waist. "Oh, you mean, our baby."

"Six of one..."

She kissed his chin, enjoying how his beard scraped her lips. "We're fine."

"Any more morning sickness?"

"Not today… yet," she said. Pulling away, he stared into her eyes. "Can I help you, sir?"

He stroked her hair, readjusting beneath her. "Thank you for marrying me."

"You're sooo sappy." The next kiss left her panting and her hips stirring. Her phone buzzed and she made a noise. "I have to go."

"Alright." She nodded and started to get up, but he held on. "Hey, be easy, okay?"

"I don't need you being a helicopter husband."

"And I still said what I said, Miranda Bailey-Warren." His voice was light, but firm. Her heart smiled at Ben's overprotectiveness as they were gliding through the first trimester. She supposed he'd get "worse" as time went on.

Miranda scrunched up her face. "Fine, Benjamin Warren," she released a breath, standing up.

He followed her to the door. "Hey, have a great one."

"I'll see you at home?"

"Tuck and I will be waiting."

That sounded amazing and with one more kiss, Miranda Bailey walked to her surgery with a spring in her step, ready to start the newest chapter of her life.

~The End~