So this chapter is a little long and will be continued on into the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy! Madeleine

Chapter 18

Time was nearly up for baby Scotcher, the baby was expected any day. Karen was really struggling, she was tired, uncomfortable and simply fed up with being pregnant. She wanted nothing more than to be able to relax in a nice warm bath but today they were off to see her sister's new house. Jess and Harry were being particularly good in recent weeks, Rob had explained how mummy was feeling sensitive and that the baby was nearly due which was making things difficult. Jess and Harry were sat on the sofa nicely waiting for their mummy and Rob to be ready to leave. Harry was sweetly cuddling his Martians whilst reading through his favourite book the Gruffalo. Rob was unnerved by the silence downstairs so went to check everything was ok.

"Didn't even realise you two were in here!" Rob commented at the well behaved children.

"Are we going soon?" Harry asked sweetly.

"Soon Bud, mummy's just getting her stuff together. You could go get your shoes and coats on?"

"I'm not wearing my coat" Harry declared.

"Come on bud, it's cold outside."

"But it's soo uncomfortable in the car"

"Well you don't have to wear it in the car, you silly sausage" rob ruffled Harry's hair before leaving them to get sorted and to check on Karen.

He caught her struggling with her boots.

"Oh come here you" Karen was clearly visibly uncomfortable.

"Are you sure you feel up to today?"

"Yeah I'll be fine, just near the end and everything's oversized and in the way"

"Don't put yourself down like that, I happen to think you look beautiful. You're doing the most beautiful thing in carrying our baby" rob kissed her lips before helping her up off the bed.

"I went to check on the terrors a minute ago to find them sat quietly in the lounge, Harry was even reading"

"Wow! That never happens. Ever." Karen was honestly shocked her children were known for their bags of energy.

"I think they know that mummy's feeling a bit fed up" rob commented sweetly.

"Well let's get going then" they headed downstairs to see Harry hanging off the banister and Jess sat on the steps.

"Off we go" Harry ran out of the door and Jess quickly squeezed her mummy's hand before getting into the car. Karen smiled, her children were a lot more aware than she ever imagined. Emma hadn't moved far from the fisher/Scotcher clan so it wasn't a particularly long journey. However with a heavily pregnant Karen on board, the journey was some what challenging. Harry was oblivious as he'd fallen asleep. Jess however had been fascinated by the baby in her mummy's tummy from the beginning and was being particularly vigilant. Karen was dying for the loo, there was nothing worse than a baby pushing down on your bladder.

Rob parked up, Karen practically hammered the door down which alarmed Harry a little but slightly amused Rob. Karen raced to the toilet before her sister had a chance to invite them in.

"The baby's definitely not far away now then!" Emma commented remembering all too well how hard late pregnancy was.

"Come on in then" Emma's house was lovely and homely. Noah was sweetly drawing on his chalkboard in the conservatory which Harry joined him with and began to show him how to draw his beloved Martian. Karen came out of the toilet as Ella toddled by, she immediately reached her arms up to her beloved Auntie. But Karen could barely bend down now let alone pick her up.

"I can't pick you up poppet, come on let's go find the others" Ella began to cry, Karen's heart broke. She was finding late pregnancy really frustrating and no longer enjoyable. Rob heard Ella before anyone else and scooped her up which began to relieve the tears. Her little hand held tightly to her blanket, Karen was able to wipe away the little girls tears as they reached Jess and Emma.

"Someone got a little upset when they couldn't be picked up" Karen explained. Rob was such a natural, Karen couldn't help but smile at the sight of her partner and niece together.

"Oh Ella, isn't auntie Karen mean"

"Oi you! Don't listen to her Ella" they were taken through to the lounge, Karen was loving her sister's house. She too like Karen wasn't with her children's father but had never had the issues that Karen had, had with Charlie. Their split was much more amicable and he saw the children almost as much as they saw Emma. The move had meant a fresh start for their little family and a new design project for Emma, she'd always had a knack. Ella toddled around as the adults talked, Jess has gotten so grown up lately and was sat partaking in the adult conversation.

Karen began to rub her stomach, clearly with the intention of soothing.

"You ok?" Rob whispered as Jess and Emma left the room to sort out drinks.

"Yeah, I'm fine" Karen dismissed Rob's concern. Rob was very dubious but he didn't want to push her knowing how little time it took for her to snap lately. The drinks returned and in Jess's arms was little Ella. Jess sat and had a cuddle with a sleepy Ella who by the looks of it wasn't likely to even make it to lunch.

"Bless her" rob commented as her eyelids fought to stay open and her body relaxed in Jess's arms. Jess's face resembled complete happiness. Rob looked over at Karen with a smile of excitement knowing that soon Jess would be holding her little sister. But what Rob was met with was Karen's creased brow, she was clearly trying to distract from some kind of pain.

He decided that asking her was the wrong way to approach her knowing she would just say she was fine, so instead he squeezed her hand and gently rubbed his thumb up and down. She seemed to relax at his touch, which made Rob relax.

"So baby isn't long now" Emma commented her eyes falling on her blossoming sister.

"It better not be much longer, I'm already feeling like a house!"

Jess laughed.

"I don't know what you're laughing at missy, you were a whole week late" Emma told the story of Jess's birth to her niece, whose jaw nearly hit the floor.

"You mean mummy's tummy looked like it was about to explode and I didn't come for a whole week!" Jess explained for clarification in her own words.

"Thanks Jess for your lovely compliment" Karen teased before brushing away her little girls fringe behind her ear.

They sat down for lunch bar Ella who'd gone down for her nap. The boys interacted well and the adults and Jess continued to interact in conversation. Harry began to get a little silly and placed his whole piece of ham on his face showing Noah how it could be a mask.

Noah was just about to copy "I don't think so Noah!" His mummy made him stop, Karen hadn't even noticed.

"Harry since when was it acceptable to put your food on your face"

"Rob showed me" rob looked up towards the ceiling realising that, that trick probably hadn't been one to show Harry. This earned him a sharp glare of looks and a telling off "seriously Rob!" As Karen raised her voice that familiar pain returned. Karen's words trailed off and she began to rub her stomach. Karen was beginning to realise what was going on but not quite ready to accept it.

"Seriously Karen are you ok?" Rob was seriously worried about her, this was the third time he'd noticed her pain.

"I'M FINE!" Karen desperately tried to convey that she was, she got up to leave the table in frustration when that all so familiar sensation occurred. Karen stopped dead, this was really happening. She took a moment to compose herself and get her head around it. Then Ella started screaming! Rob hadn't worked out what was going on, but Emma had. She knew that face all too well. The face that said, my waters have just broken. The sisters just stared at one another. Jess could tell that something was happening and sweetly said she'd go and see to Ella.

"Karen?" Rob was overwhelmed. He had no idea what to expect or what was happening.

"Ok Rob, don't panic. Her waters have just broken" Emma told Rob as calmly as she could as her sister began to breathe through a contraction. Jess returned with a soggy eyed Ella who was holding on to her blanket tightly in her cousins arms.

"Think she is wanting her mummy" Jess told her auntie.

"Can you hold on to her for a little longer Jess, mummy's baby's coming" Jess was a mixture of excitement and scared. However she had an idea of what was to happen next having been introduced to baby Harry and her baby cousins. Harry however was younger and had no idea he was scared and frightened and Jess could see that.

"Mummy are you ok? What's wrong with?" Harry had gotten so upset. Karen couldn't reply till her contraction was over.

"Rob start timing..."

Rob frantically got up his timer on his phone.

"I'm fine sweetheart, the baby's just coming. Mummy and Rob are going to have to go to the hospital"

Harry's whole face dropped!

"Aye it's ok, I'll be with you and Jess will be too" Emma replied as Jess sat next to her little brother and put a spare arm around him, little Ella looking all cute on her lap which Karen happened to catch sight of and make her realise that all the pain to come would be worth it.

"I want to come with you!"

"Bud you have to stay here. You have to be the man of the house while

I'm gone and get ready for your little sister" rob crouched down having found some composure to explain calmly to little Harry who nodded before giving Rob a big hug. Karen was mid way through another contraction.

"5 minutes" rob told Karen the distance between contractions.

"We need to go" Karen was uncomfortable and in pain and she knew since her waters had broken that it wouldn't be long. Rob helped Karen to the car before turning to Emma, Jess and Harry quickly before he zoomed off.

"You two be good, Jess you look after Harry for me and we will phone Auntie Emma as soon as we know anything"

"And then we can meet her?" Harry asked sweetly.

"Yes and I'll come get you" he looked up at emma

"Thanks Em" they raced off to hospital. Emma was left in her new home with four children tired, scared and of varying ages. Emma couldn't believe how grown up Jess was being. She even wiped up the floor for her auntie where her mummy's waters had broken.

"You didn't have to do that Jess"

"Well we didn't want someone to slip on it. Plus it's a bit disgusting" Emma laughed. Emma was really excited at the prospect of becoming an auntie again, it didn't half make her a little broody looking at her two growing up quickly. Ella was currently the little baby of the family and soon that place was to be taken by a new arrival.

They'd arrived at the hospital and been taken straight to a delivery suite. Rob hated seeing Karen in so much pain, but he knew that it wouldn't be for long and that the end product would be their healthy little baby girl.

"Harry and Jess..." Karen began trying to breathe through contractions that were starting to get very close together.

"They're fine, they're at Emma's house and probably being spoilt rotten so stop worrying" Karen managed a smile as her contraction eased off. Rob stayed by her side, he'd wipe her forehead if she were too hot, he'd massage her shoulders, he'd give a cuddle when she requested. He was going to be there. The nurses came to examine Karen

"This will be a little uncomfortable"

The nurse checked to see how dilated she was.

"Well it's just as well you came in when you did! You're 9 cm!" Rob wasn't sure what that all meant and Karen found it quite endearing.

"You have to get to ten before delivery"

Rob's eyes popped out of his head!

"See I was right to be worried about you earlier" Karen loved Rob he was so caring and protective and she knew that he would do anything for their little girl. Having been told that she only had a cm to go it was still a long time before that was reached. Rob had managed to get hold of Craig to bring up his sister's maternity bag and the baby's car seat. Craig didn't want to stay long hospitals made him squeamish and he wanted to give his sister and Rob the privacy they deserved. As Craig left Karen's worst contraction yet hit and the nurses poured in.

"Ok Karen I think this means baby is on their way" the nurses were ready and Karen was ordered to push on her next contraction. Rob was supportive, Karen squeezed his hand harder than he could have ever imagined, one of the nurses even laughed at his face that grimaced. Karen was being a trouper. It was the next push that would deliver their baby. It all happened in a whirl and before long the screams of their little girl filled the room.

Tears fell down both of their faces, rob instantly kissed Karen.

"You were amazing" he kissed her again before being interrupted by the nurses.

"Is daddy going to cut the cord?" Daddy really hit home with a Rob, he was a dad. It wasn't just Karen's endearing comment when discussing how over protective he was being, he really was daddy.

"yes" rob had to brush a tear from his cheek before cutting down on the cord.

"She's beautiful" rob was in complete awe of his daughter as she was passed to Karen. He couldn't get over how perfect their daughter was, how she looked like both Karen and himself. Karen kissed her baby's head before looking up at Rob whose little finger was being clung to be their baby.

"I can't believe she's here" Karen whispered soothingly.

"Me neither, she made quite an entrance"

"She sure did, wasn't quite planning on going into labour in my sisters new house" the pair of them laughed as a little sneeze erupted from their baby.

"Bless you" rob commented sweetly.

"She has your blue eyes"

Karen commented, "and your cheeks" rob replied as he gently stroked her little cheek.

"Can I hold her?" Rob asked sweetly, Karen laughed a little.

"Of course you can hold her, she's yours."

Karen's whole face was filled with complete peace, she had a beautiful healthy girl and a gorgeous partner. Rob held his little girl as though he were ready to fight her every battle. Her little eyes remained fixed upon her daddy and Rob's heart melted, a tear fell down his cheek.

"We can give feeding a try now" a nurse suggested as she passed their little girl back to Karen.

"I guess I should go let everyone know."

After calling both their parents it was time to let Harry and Jess know about the arrival of their little sister. Emma answered his call knowing full well what it meant.

"How are they both?"

"Great. Karen was amazing and the baby, she's perfect."

Emma knew how amazing Rob was going to be and she knew full well how strong her sister would have been having been there for the birth of little Harry.

"Can you pass me over to Harry and Jess?" Rob could hear Harry and Jess being called.

"So you two your little sisters been born"

"Has she?" Harry said with excitement.

"She has and she is beautiful"

"Does this mean we can meet her?"

"It does, I'm going to come and get you now"

"Be quick Rob!" Jess demanded which made rob laugh.

"I will, I'll be with you both shortly."

Rob re entered the room to see his gorgeous partner feeding their little girl. They both looked so peaceful.

"So it's safe to say we have a very excited little girl and boy ready to see their little sister" Karen couldn't stop smiling, she was shattered but she couldn't close her eyes, she wanted to take in everything about her little girl.

"It sounds like you better get a move on then"

"That's funny I just had similar instructions from that daughter of yours" Karen laughed, oh how Jess was turning into such a mini me.

"I won't be long" rob kissed his beautiful little girl and partner before having one last look from the door and leaving to collect Jess and Harry.