A/N: I wouldn't want you to think I'd forgotten about this fic...
"Are those new cushions?" Laura asked, brow furrowed and Robbie shrugged nonchalantly as they relaxed in his living room. "I've been meaning to make the place a bit smarter, you know, for when I put it on the market," he said and Laura considered him for a moment before taking a sip of the tea he'd made her. "I bumped into Jim, who made smart arse comments about 'sprucing up the bachelor pad', which I can assure you I did not appreciate," Robbie told her and she chuckled, amused. The music playing softly in the background caught her attention and she smiled at the sound. "Lohnegrin?" she enquired and Robbie nodded. "Expecting a romantic night in?" she enquired ruefully before Robbie reached over to the coffee tablet and passed her the box. "Ah, a gift from Morse?" Laura observed, recognising the handwriting, and Robbie nodded. "I think about him sometimes," Laura owned and Robbie glanced at her. "Oh?" he enquired and Laura smiled, resting her hand over her abdomen and meeting his gaze. "I wonder what he'd make of all this?" she said. Robbie laughed, before reaching over and drawing her into his arms, sliding his fingertips into her hair and kissing her slowly and langorously. "I dare say he'd have opinions, but whether we'd care to hear them is another thing," Robbie said as they drew apart and Laura grinned. "He was never backwards in coming forwards, was he?" she replied and Robbie laughed. "No, no, he wasn't."
"Did James coach you through this?" Laura asked suspiciously, as they sat down to eat a little while later and Robbie laughed. "Yeah, yeah he did," he replied cheerfully and Laura arched an eyebrow, bemused. "Why is James coaching you through cooking dinner?" she enquired, picking up her fork and beginning to eat. Robbie squeezed her fingers affectionately, before beginning to eat at well. "Mmm, I have to give it to James though, this is absolutely delicious," Laura said after a few mouthfuls and Robbie grinned. "He's a bloody good cook," Robbie said and Laura nodded. "You still haven't answered my question though. Why is James coaching you in cooking?" she asked, and Robbie picked up his glass of wine and took a mouthful. "I think he reckons I might need to impress you in the culinary department," he replied wryly and Laura chuckled. "Oh, so you're wining and dining me? I see…" she retorted, clearly entertained and Robbie squeezed her fingers. "Two and a half years," he observed "need to make sure you don't get bored of this old man." Laura frowned at him, entwining her fingers with his properly and tugging on them so that he looked directly at her. "I know James doesn't have any proper sense of our history, not least because we've very deliberately kept everything quiet, but please don't let him inveigle nonsense into your head. I love you, and you know that Robbie," Laura said and he smiled at her, before picking her hand up and pressing a kiss to the palm. "Make the most of a considerably better dinner than I might otherwise have knocked up," he reminded her affectionately and Laura sighed.
Later that evening, curled up on the sofa, Laura leant her head back against Robbie's shoulder and he pressed a kiss to the side of her head, his fingertips tracing a pattern over her abdomen. "Laura?" His voice was quiet and Laura smiled to herself, feeling his fingertips ghost across her hipbone. "Mmhmm?" she replied softly. Robbie slid his hand so that it rested over her pelvis gently and Laura's smile broadened. "There's just the faintest hint of a bump, isn't there?" He murmured and Laura glanced at him. His eyes met hers and she nodded. "Seems... early?" Robbie muted, and Laura considered. "Maybe?" She replied "I'm quite petite. Nowhere really for baby to go, except out." Robbie considered this for a moment. Laura shrugged. "Maybe I'm further along than I think? My cycle's so irregular I've really no idea when we conceived," She said and Robbie smiled, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "Well, little one," he murmured "you be gentle with your Mam." Laura smothered a chuckle. "I'm destined to be Mam, aren't I?" Laura murmured and Robbie smiled broadly and she entwined her fingers with his. "And what about you?" Laura enquired. "I was always Dad to me older two. Lynn sometimes calls me Daddy. These days it means she's pretty emotional when she does," Robbie replied and Laura considered this. "I always called my father Daddy when I was little," she said thoughtfully. "You weren't that old when you lost him?" Robbie observed and Laura grimaced. "13. No age really. Well over half my life ago," Laura replied thoughtfully "and he was so ill for much of my childhood. It was always Sam looking out for me. Vetting my boyfriends. Picking me up from the pub. He took me to my university open days, moved me into College, drove me back to Suffolk when I got mumps after finals, having me at theirs for Christmas after Mum died. He and Mim have done so much for me." Robbie's thumb gently stroked across her stomach. "I hope I get longer with this little one than that," he owned quietly and Laura inhaled sharply. She turned, instinctively and nestled against him, settling her cheek against his collarbone and he cradled her closely. "God, Robbie," Laura murmured and he pressed a kiss into her hair. "Doesn't bear thinking about," Laura said, at length and he sighed softly. "Getting to do this with you is a wonderful, enthralling thing," Robbie said "but it does bring it home to me, me own mortality. Here's my chance to really make the most of our little family." Laura inhaled slowly, trying to push away the negative thoughts crowding her mind and Robbie sighed again. "I'm sorry," he murmured "I didn't mean to upset you." They lay in silence for a few minutes until, at length, Robbie pressed another kiss into Laura's hair. "We'll make the best of it, love," he said softly and Laura nodded.