A/N: thanks for the reviews guys. They're real encouraging and I probably wouldn't continue without them. I love this fandom! Everyone's so kind and loveable.
Laurie had the jitters. The young man moved about the room, his hands shaking away his worry and feet dancing off his nerves. Dr. Banks had been with Jo for the better part of a half hour after demanding her husband leave as he was only adding to the stress of the situation – the situation being Dr. Banks' own nerves.
At length, the door creaked open and his handsome eyes watched the sunlight strain through onto his knee in a stripe of hope. Being a man who never ignored symbols and signs in nature he finally smiled in understanding of the sun's giving rays. Laurie's smile widened as he saw the calm and mild amusement of Dr. Banks who answered his questioning look with, "Mr. Laurence, it seems your young wife is tired of cooking only for two."
Laurie was confused, she hated to cook at all and she had thrown it all up the past few days. After watching the younger fellow's face, Banks leaned in conspiratorially to elaborate, "Theodore, you are going to be a father."
His brown eyes widened. Some strange strangled noise escaped his shocked features and Dr. Banks was surprised when the tall man suddenly wrapped him into a brief, awkward hug. "By Jupiter!" he was mumbling when he raced over to the door that separated him from Jo. Opening it with fumbling hands his words became a yelp of gladness, "By Jupiter Jo! A baby!" and bounding over he launched himself into the side of the bed, grabbing her into an intense embrace.
Jo still hadn't spoken when he'd finished hugging her, and he moved his hands to her face cupping her jaw gently, "A baby!" Experience had taught Laurie that Jo never revealed her true feelings until she was sure of his own and he felt he'd shared enough so he waited.
Jo's round eyes watched him carefully as her mouth twitched from a smile to a frown as her brow creased. Laurie finally recognized it, "you're afraid aren't you?" His tender look began to allay her fears. She nodded quickly, ashamed to admit weakness even to Laurie but ready to accept his comfort.
"I don't know if I'm ready Teddy." Her finger brushed his lip, "what if I'm not good enough? What if something happens to you and me? What if –?" Laurie stopped her increasing panic when he kissed her. He rolled over, holding himself over her and pressed her further into the bed, convincing Jo he wanted her, wanted this, in the manner that is best without words.
…
Jo sat in the bath, her fingers idling tracing her stomach as she watched the sky through the high window. She needed to feel clean after her morning sickness and she couldn't be clean in her usual dress, or lying on the bed, or by kissing Laurie.
She'd never felt so unsure of her self in her life. There'd been times when she'd come close to true self-doubt but those moments were insignificant. Her hands stopped their movement and she finally made herself look down. Something was beginning its life inside of her and it was frightening. But so amazing.
Jo didn't know how long she sat like that until Laurie knocked and entered with a look of concern marring his jovial spirit. "Jo love, you've been in here for quite some time. Are you alright?"
Unused to seeing her husband in the bathroom, Jo became modest and tried to cover herself smiling awkwardly as he came to sit by her. He held a towel in his hand for her but she just looked at him, unmoving. He had such lovely eyes. She wondered if the baby would have those brown orbs too. She reached a prune hand to his face and he took it in his own warm large one, kissing it without breaking eye contact.
"I thought you'd be happy."
"I am."
"You don't seem it."
"I am."
"Okay. As long as you're alright Jo, you are, aren't you?"
"I am."
Jo blinked. She did want this. She wanted her own child, to fawn over, clean, feed and love with Laurie. It was her she wasn't so certain of.