*Mal's POV*


After waking up to find Ben was now awake me and Ben lay looking at each other for a few minutes before Ben asked whether he could speak to me alone. Part of me started to panic in case something was wrong but then I quickly pushed this away; Ben probably wanted to make sure that me and our baby was ok.

As Adam closed the door behind them all I slid closer to him; I was glad that they had pushed mine and Ben's bed together as it made it easier for us to be close in this moment - well as close as Ben's injury would allow.

Me and Ben lay in silence for a few moments; and I watched as he couldn't keep his eyes from my stomach and this told me that he must know what nearly happened when he was in surgery.

"I'm guessing they told you," I said breaking the silence as I gave his right hand a gentle squeeze.

"Yes" he confirmed as he looked up at my face. "You nearly lost our baby" he said sadly as he squeezed my hand.

"Yeah" I answered as I looked down and the room fell into silence once more. "This is all my fault" I muttered.

"What?" he asked in shock. "How can you even think that?" he questioned incredulously, which made me look back up to him to see shock in his eyes.

"Ben, they were aiming for me" I reminded him.

"Yes" he nodded. "And I stopped them," he smiled proudly at this.

"But Ben this is because of me" I stated. "I ended things with you, started something with Bobby" I continued. "And look at the mess that we have found ourselves in, we both have nearly died" I added. "Kidnapped-" I stated.

"Mal-" Ben began cutting me off.

"No Ben!" I insisted.

"Mal please calm down-" he started calmly. "And listen to me" he stated, which caused me to nod at him. "You are not to blame for what happened today, or what Bobby and his so called friends did to the pair of us" he explained.

"But-" I began.

"No buts Mal" he advised. "Yes you started and ended things with Bobby" he added.

"And how is that not my fault?" I sighed.

"Because you have nothing to do with the choices that they made" he told me.

"They are consequences of my actions though Ben" I stated; I got what he was trying to say. Yes I wasn't directly to blame but I still felt like if I had just been strong enough and not broken up with Ben then none of this would have happened. I was trying to get better at having to deal with this; but there was part of me that always thought that I would feel some form of guilt for what happened between and to me and Ben.

"Maybe" he decided. "But I stand by what I have just said," he stressed. "You are not to blame," he continued. "And given the fact what happened when I was unconscious I don't want you stressing and fixating on this" he offered as he squeezed my hand once more in an obvious bid to try and reassure me.

"I can only try," I promised.

"And that is all I can hope for" he answered, and we both smiled meekly at each other. I watched as something changed in Ben's eyes; like whatever was on his mind he was apprehensive about it - which made me want to question him on it.

"What's on your mind?" I questioned smoothly.

"Well I was going to ask you what happened after I passed out" he admitted. "But I don't want to get you stressed over it," he offered.

"No," I replied. "I won't," I promised. "Because I am with you" I smiled as I lifted my left hand up and stroked my thumb against his right cheek. "Only you can keep my calm" I added lovingly and I watched as a large smile spread across his face.

"Back at you my Queen" he replied in the same loving tone.

"And that doesn't sound weird" I chuckled as I dropped my hand down and took his hand once more.

"It does take a bit to get used to" he chuckled back.

"I can imagine" I teased. "Benny?" I sang happily.

"Yes" he answered in the same playful tone.

"You didn't need to make me Queen, I just need to be your wife" I told him sincerely.

"I know," he said. "Which is why I love you, you love me for me" he grinned.

"Of course" I agreed. "You mean the world to me Ben-" I stated. "You are not just my husband and father to my baby, you are more than that" I continued happily. "You are my best friend, my lover" I added and I watched as Ben smirked at this. "One true love; and soulmate" I finished proudly.

"I feel just the same about you" he replied fondly as he stroked his thumb along my hand. "I love you so much Mal" he urged.

"I love you too Ben" I smiled at him, and I watched as my favourite crooked smile spread across his face. "Ben-" I began once more as I started to feel playful.

"Aha?" he answered.

"I want to add something else to my list," I advised. "However it probably sounds cheesy" I warned playfully.

"Ok," he said. "Go on" he prompted eagerly.

"You're my hero" I said proudly; and I watched as a large grin spread across his face.

"I try, my love" he replied smugly.

"You succeed" I grinned at him. I then slid closer to him; which made Ben slowly slid to the edge of his bed as he wrapped his right arm around me. I then snuggled my head into his chest as we fell into silence once more as we enjoyed having this moment alone. Yes this isn't how I actually envisioned today and tonight was going to go; but right in this moment I was just so relieved at the fact that me, Ben and our baby had managed to get through this. Yes there had been hardships involved; but none of this mattered right now. What mattered was the fact that we were together; and this is how it was always going to be.