Alice was just waking when Matthew popped his head into the bedroom. A yawn interrupted her greeting and he grinned.
"Want to try that again, sweetheart?"
She frowned at him, even as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Sleep well?" He asked.
The mock ire on her face melted into a smile and Alice nodded. "I think my body is trying to make up for all the sleep lost in the past couple of weeks."
"Good."
"How was your morning?"
"The usual, lots of paper pushing," Matthew replied as he took off his jacket, "unfortunately for Lucien, no wildly unusual deaths, but he did cover the registrar duties for you."
She covered her face with her hands as a slightly strangled noise escaped her, "I'll have to double check everything that he did."
That made him laugh, "Everything has its place?"
"Everything has a way that I like to do it, Superintendent, Lucien blows in through my perfectly organized morgue like a cyclone."
Matthew gently pried her hands away from her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I'm sure you'll get it back the way you like it soon, sweetheart."
She hummed with a smile and leaned in to kiss him. The stone of her engagement ring glittered in the sunlight as she reached up to cup his cheek with her hand and Matthew smiled into her kiss. Alice said yes, she'd said yes to his proposal; he felt like the luckiest man alive. Softly running his fingers through her sleep-tousled hair, Matthew pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand. She blushed and a shy smile spread across her face when he kissed her cheek.
Alice's stomach growling broke the silence between them. Alice smothered her giggles against his shoulder as Matthew pulled her into his arms.
"I think that's a sign to get you some lunch."
She pulled back from his shoulder, still giggling, "I think so too."
Matthew stood and pulled back the covers. Offering his hand to Alice, he smiled, "Up you get, then. Jean was almost done with lunch when we came home and it smells good."
Alice took the offered hand and stood - pressing a short kiss to his lips as she sidled past him to change out of his spare pajamas. As she did, she could smell the simmering lunch in the kitchen - Matthew was right, it smelled absolutely appetizing.
A fond smile crossed her face when she saw an outfit already laid for her at the foot of the bed - bless Jean Blake. Dressing quickly - sans stockings or shoes, there was no point - and putting on some light makeup, Alice laced her fingers in Matthew's as they joined the Blakes for lunch. Lucien stood as they entered and he held out his arms with a smile. Alice let him lightly kiss her cheek and squeeze her shoulders - not quite a hug, but it was enough for Alice.
"I hear there's congratulations in order," Lucien grinned.
She nodded, "You might have to get used to calling me Dr. Lawson, Lucien."
"Or me Superintendent Harvey," Matthew joked.
The Blakes laughed as Alice shook her head with a fond smile.
"Lunch," Jean doled out the soup as they all sat around the kitchen table. "Please enjoy."
Conversation passed easily between all of them as Jean's simple soup and sandwiches slowly disappeared. They talked of old cases, current politics, and funny anecdotes of their pasts. Jean was the first to stand - cleaning up their dishes as Alice and Lucien quickly got lost in debating the finer points of new scientific theories.
(Matthew just sat back and watched proudly as Alice stood her ground on the latest techniques against Lucien's more traditional approach)
He pressed a kiss to her cheek - catching her off guard mid-sentence.
"Ha! I win this round!"
Alice glared at her friend even as Matthew chuckled in her ear. "That doesn't count, I was distracted!"
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he pressed another kiss to her cheek - her skin heating up beneath his lips as she blushed. "But I have to return to work."
Alice cradled his face in her hands and gave him a quick kiss when Lucien joined Jean at the sink. "Apology accepted."
"We'll talk later?"
She nodded, "After dinner, I promise."
He smiled and kissed her, "Try not to give Lucien too much of a hard time today."
"We'll see, it'll depend on the state of my morgue."
Stealing one last kiss and a quiet "I love you", Matthew stood as he said his goodbyes to the Blakes. Alice watched him walk back to his room with a smile, and waved as he passed the kitchen again on his way out the door.
"Ready, Alice?" Lucien appeared next to her - a smile on his face and a hand out, ready to help.
"As I'll ever be."
He led his friend into his office, smiling at her bare feet scuffing on the hardwood floor as she sat in one of the visitor chairs. Rounding the desk, Lucien picked up the files from Dr. Spencer's office and sat.
"Now, Alice," He looked up with a smile and opened her patient history. "How are you feeling today?"
"Already tired of that question," she smiled back. "I'm fine, really. The morning sickness comes and goes depending on the day, and today seems fine so far. Sometimes I can't keep anything down, but days like today it's almost like I'm not even pregnant."
"Let me know if it gets particularly bad."
"I will."
"Would you like anything, before we get started?" He asked. "I want you to be comfortable and we've got quite a bit to cover between you becoming a new patient, going over your medical history, as well as a proper exam for the pregnancy."
She cleared her throat, "Um… Jean has a ginger tea… I quite like it."
Lucien nodded and looked up to call out for Jean at the same moment his wife appeared with a tray of tea.
"I thought you might like a cuppa," Jean smiled. "I made the ginger tea for you, Alice."
"Jean, you're a mind reader," Alice laughed.
"Thank you, Jean," Lucien smiled as Jean kissed his cheek and then Alice's head on the way out of the office. "Now, Alice… should I put you down as Alice Harvey or Alice Lawson?"
"Very funny, we're not married yet, Lucien. We've still got to figure out if I even want to change my name, or remain Alice Harvey, whether or not the baby will have his last name or…"
"Or Harvey-Lawson?" Lucien suggested.
Alice shrugged, "There's still a lot to talk about."
"You could always be Dr. Harvey at work, Mrs. Lawson at home."
"True…" she shrugged again. "I have been Alice Harvey for some time, but…"
"What?"
"...Maybe it's time to get rid of the last reminder of my family?"
He gave her a gentle smile. After all this time as colleagues and friends, Lucien still didn't know the whole story behind Alice's past - only bits and pieces she let slip as the worked and chatted and discussed cases. He wouldn't push her, Alice would tell him when she was ready.
Their appointment went on for some time, Lucien going over her patient history with Alice, asking her questions and clarifications, followed by a full exam - bloods taken, weight taken, blood pressure measured, weight and waist measures dealing with the pregnancy.
"You're in good health, Alice. Blood pressure is slightly elevated, so we'll keep an eye on that if it persists, and your ankles are already starting to swell."
"I'd noticed," Alice replied dryly - Lucien ignored it.
"I'll draw up a list of things for you to eat that will help give you and the baby the nutrients you need - you'll need to keep hydrated throughout the pregnancy. Rest often, listen to your body."
"Can I continue working?"
"I don't see why not, we'll decide later if the pregnancy will impede your work. You can remain full time, in the later months we might move you to part time the closer you get to your due date."
"When is that, do you think?"
"Judging by our estimations on when you conceived… I'd say probably early to mid December, so, maybe you'll get an early Christmas present." He grinned.
Alice narrowed her eyes at him, but a smile crept in the corner of her mouth. "Very funny, Lucien. How often should I have an appointment to see you?"
"Oh… every two weeks or so for now, I think. Or if you have any concerns, you're always free to ask to be seen. As you get further along, we'll up the appointments to a weekly check up leading up to the birth."
She nodded, a pensive look on her face as her hands starting to twist around each other in her lap. "Will… I-I don't… Lucien, may I ask you something?"
"Of course," Lucien rounded the desk to sit in the other chair next to Alice. Gingerly, he reached out and held her hands, smiling when she didn't pull away. "You can ask me anything, Alice."
She squeezed his hands with a watery smile. "Do you… do you think I'd be a good mother? I know Matthew would be a great father, but… I'm not so sure about me."
"Oh, Alice…"
"Please… please tell me the truth, Lucien."
He cupped her cheek - lightly, like he had outside the police station years ago - and clucked his tongue. "Alice…"
"Lucien, please." She sniffed as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I don't know if I can raise this baby right, even with Matthew's help. I just… I don't want to screw them up like my family did to me."
"You're not screwed up, Alice. You're brilliant, kind, and ever so smart. You've survived a terrible family situation from what you've told me, and you've come out of it a deeply empathetic person. I think you'd make a great mother. It'll be a hurdle to learn how to be a parent, but you will love this child with all your heart… and you're not alone. Matthew will be with you, for every step, and Jean and I will always be here for you."
"You really think so?"
He nodded, "I do, I really do. You've got a family here, Alice."
She smiled and wiped away a few tears. "Thank you, Lucien."
"You're ever so welcome… are you and Matthew going to keep the baby then?"
"I'm not sure, we're going to talk tonight after dinner, especially since we've got so much to discuss."
"Ah yes, the wedding as well. Are you excited?"
"To marry Matthew, yes. To be trussed up and be stared at? No."
Lucien laughed, "I'm sure you'll figure out the perfect wedding for the both of you. Now, any last questions for today? Or would you like to go rest for the afternoon?"
"I think you've answered all of my questions for now."
"Good, go put up your feet, Alice. You can have free rein on the library and don't hesitate to ask for anything if you need it."
Alice stood and shook her head fondly, "Just as long as you don't hover, Lucien. I don't do well with smothering."
"Noted," he pulled her in for a brief hug and pressed a kiss to her cheek as she left the office.
Lucien closed the office door and sat down to write out notes from Alice's appointment - he mused over what kind of child Matthew and Alice would potentially raise and looked forward to the pitter patter of a child running through the house and garden on visits. He wondered if Ballarat was ready for a Harvey-Lawson child... probably not, but it'd be fun to see.
Alice hummed lightly as Matthew slid into bed behind her; he'd missed dinner with a new case (Lucien was called out in the late afternoon to oversee his police surgeon duties) and a quick glance at the clock told her just how late he was getting in.
"Everything okay?" she whispered, turning towards him as he curled around her.
Matthew sighed and wrapped an arm around her waist, "Bloody long day with no real answers… but I'm glad to come home."
She smoothed her hand over his arm and hummed when he pressed a kiss to her cheek. Turning fully in his arms, Alice wrapped her arms around Matthew's shoulders and kissed him.
"I'm glad you're home too."
Matthew smiled and pulled her close, "How'd the appointment go with Lucien?"
"I got some questions answered, and a potential due date," she played with the buttons on his pajama top as he smoothed his hands up and down her back. "I'm healthy, blood pressure is a little high so he's going to keep an eye on it, but I should be able to continue on as I have been. He said I could continue working."
"You're itching to get back to the morgue, aren't you?" Matthew teased. "To get it back the way you like it."
"Procedure, Superintendent Lawson."
He laughed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "What else?"
"I… I asked Lucien if I'd be a good mother."
"And?"
"He seems to think I will be, but… saying it is one thing… believing it is another thing altogether."
Matthew kissed her forehead again, "Do you want to keep the baby after they're born?"
"Do you?"
He hummed and held her close, "I have to admit… the idea of raising a child is appealing. I helped Vera with Rose when she was little - when I was stationed in St. Kilda and both her parents had to work. It was… very nice."
"So…?"
"Yeah, I'd like to keep the baby, sweetheart, I'd like to see what kind of a person they grow into… I'd like to see a little girl that looks like you, with your smarts and curiosity do whatever she sets her mind to but… you're the one carrying the child, it's your body."
"It's also your child, Matthew. It's half of your genes, anyways."
Matthew pulled her in for a kiss, threading his fingers through her hair as she sighed. He pressed another kiss against her lips, then to her forehead.
"Do you want to keep the baby, sweetheart?" Alice hesitated, her hands fiddling with his collar, and he kissed her forehead again. "I won't hate you if you don't, Alice. I'm going to marry you, love you, no matter what happens."
"I think… I think the best chance this baby will have at a fulfilling life - one where they're loved like children need to be… is here with us. I grew up unloved, by my parents, and later jumping from foster home to foster home… and I don't… I don't want that to happen to our child."
One of her hands smoothed over her still flat stomach, "That's what Lucien told me… that all a child needs is to be loved."
"Oh, sweetheart," Matthew kissed her softly. "We'll be alright, the three of us."
Alice smiled and kissed him, "We will."
"Now we just have to plan the wedding."
Matthew laughed at Alice's slightly annoyed sigh, "Don't remind me."