AN: Seriously, Ashley, your reviews are the best thing in the world. Thank you again for being so sweet. As for Rory's parents, I made up their names for the purposes of these series. It made more sense to do that than have Stephen call them "Mr and Mrs Deveaux." :) And Emily, don't you worry, I have some Boo/Callum moments planned. Including this chapter :) Happy reading :)

Epiphany

It had come down on him like a tonne of bricks.

Callum had been working on the underground as usual. He had had to terminate one ghost but had managed to negotiate with another. He thought that Boo would like that.

He thought about all those times he had disagreed with Boo over ghosts. Or disagreed with her over anything. There were a few things. He had disagreed with her over the terminus more than once. He had disagreed with her about ghosts since the day he met her, although he was starting to soften now. He had even disagreed with her about Stephen. She had been enthusiastic about saving him as a ghost. He had thought that he'd want to be allowed to leave.

Not that that mattered anymore. Stephen was alive, well, married and, soon to be a father. He smiled as he thought about that. How far was gone was Rory now? Two months? Two and a half? He was sure she was two and a half months gone but he would have to ask Stephen. He knew that Stephen was counting the days until he held his son or daughter in his arms.

There was a vague sense of longing in Callum at that moment. He didn't know what it was so he let it go.

He drove his car back to the office at Goodwin's Court. As he was driving, he passed one of several restaurants. Perhaps he would take Boo there one night this week. She would like that.

He thought about the last time that they had sat in a proper restaurant and had a meal. It had been when Stephen and Rory were announcing their bridesmaids and groomsmen. He had watched them spend the night giggling away, smiling, kissing, holding hands. Rory had looked at her engagement ring a million times that night. He had smiled at her.

And now they were married, had their own place, a child on the way. Everything had turned out perfect for them. Miracles really did happen. He smiled as he thought about their wedding. How happy they had both been. How happy they were now.

There was a vague sense of longing in Callum at that moment. He didn't know what it was so he let it go.

He almost drove past Goodwin's Court in his distraction. He parked outside the archway, walked through onto the little Dickensian street, waved into the window and typed in the code on the keypad. The office door was open. "Hello all," he said as he walked in. "All" were Rory, Stephen and Freddie. Rory and Stephen sat together on the couch and Freddie was in the armchair. Rory appeared to be dozing. Freddie smiled up at Callum as he walked in and Stephen gave Rory a small kiss on the forehead before he stood. "You're just in time," he said quietly. "I was about to make tea."

Callum took off his coat and laid it over the back of the second couch. "I'll help you." He looked sweetly at Rory before walking into the small kitchen adjoined to the office with Stephen. "She looks exhausted," he said sympathetically as he walked in. This kitchen was a good deal smaller than the one upstairs but it suited it's purpose.

"She is," Stephen replied as he put the kettle on. "She was up early this morning. This morning sickness is really getting to her. But the doctor said that most woman lose their morning sickness in the third month of pregnancy so we're both hoping for that."

"And how far gone is she exactly?" Callum leant against the counter, waiting for the answer to what he had been wondering in the car.

"Two and a half months," Stephen said as he put the teabags into three mugs. He held up a fourth mug and gestured to Callum, silently asking if he wanted tea. Callum nodded, acknowledging both the offer of tea and Rory's pregnancy. He furrowed his eyebrows. "Where's Boo?" As he asked, that odd feeling he had in the car came back, that vague sense of longing.

Stephen retrieved a fifth mug from the cupboard as he talked. "She left something at Waterloo. She left about ten minutes before you got in so she shouldn't be long."

"Ahhhh," Callum said. He looked questioningly at the mugs and the teabags. "Five mugs? There's only four of us here and only three awake. Also, who here drinks green tea?"

Stephen chuckled. "Rory. It's one of her cravings. Surprised the hell out of me. Anyway, Boo will be back soon and she aLways wants tea. And it probably won't be long until Rory's awake. She never sleeps for long and likes to have a cup of green tea when she wakes up."

Callum smiled. "You're such an attentive husband."

"Well, I try to be."

The front door opened at that moment and Callum looked through into the office to see Boo greet Freddie. She saw him and came through. "Hey," she grinned.

"Hey," they both said.

"Is that tea you're making? You're a saint Stephen."

He laughed quietly as the kettle boiled. He lifted it from its base and poured the water into the mugs. "Well no ones ever called me that before."

"Well you are. I see Rory's still out for the count."

"Yep. I've made her tea in case she wakes up though."

"Good man."

"Sickeningly good," Callum quipped and Boo gave him a gentle, playful punch on the arm.

"Well I'd best put these papers away." She smiled at Stephen and gave Callum a quick kiss before leaving the small kitchen.

And it suddenly hit him. In that kiss everything became clear. That sense of longing he felt suddenly made sense. He had felt it when he had thought about Stephen and Rory's baby. He had felt it when he thought about their marriage. He hadn't known what it had meant. He knew now.

It had come down on him like a tonne of bricks.

His face must've betrayed his thoughts because Stephen noticed. "Callum? Callum? You ok? You look like you've just discovered another world. What's up?"

It took a moment for his words to register with him but when they did, he turned his head slowly before lowering his eyes to the ground. His voice was quiet, so that no one other than Stephen would hear them.

"I want to marry Boo and have a family with her."

Stephen blinked. Then he blinked again. Then he set down the teaspoon he had been using to stir the tea. Then he blinked again. "Well...good. That's a good thing. You're in love with her after all. Has this just occurred to you?"

"I think it occurred to me earlier today but I didn't realise it." He was still staring at the floor, wide eyed.

Stephen smiled softly. "It's a beautiful moment when you realise you want to marry to woman you love."

"But getting married, wanting a family...it's all so...normal." Callum finally looked up at Stephen. "We're not normal."

Stephen considered him for a moment. "What we do isn't what people would deem normal. Nor is the ability we have deemed normal. But that doesn't mean we aren't allowed something normal. I mean...look at me and Rory. We're a strange group but me and her are the strangest. She's a human terminus, I've died but not quite died and then come back, we've both been to the underworld...and yet here we are. Preparing for a baby, getting a midwife, getting ready for her first scan in a fortnight, finding out the due date, thinking about names, pricing cribs and prams and highchairs and car seats. We may not be normal but we are allowed normal things. If me and Rory can do this, you and Boo can do it too."

Callum smiled. Then he smiled a bit more. Then he grinned. "You're right. I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna propose. I don't know when. I still need money to buy a ring. But I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna propose to Boo."

Stephen came over and hugged him, clapping him on the back. "I'm thrilled for you. Come on, let's get these teas through."

"Yeah."

They both walked back over to the counter that the teas sat on. "So," Callum said, "you're thinking of names?"

"Well I've told Rory she can choose. Y'know, she's got to go through all this pregnancy stuff, the labour, the childbirth, it's only fair she names the baby."

"True enough."

"And she says she's already chosen the names."

"Already? You don't know the sex yet."

"She's got one of each for either eventuality but she won't tell me what they are."

Laughing, Callum picked up two mugs while Stephen expertly handled three and carried them through into the office, setting them down onto the table. Rory's eyes flickered as Stephen sat back down next to her with his tea. She opened them fully and smiled when she saw her green tea on the table. She looked across at Stephen and smiled sleepily and he smiled back. She leant forward and picked up her tea, noticing Callum. "Oh, hey Callum."

"Hey Ror. You alright?"

"Tired. This baby is taking it out of me but I'm fine."

She smiled as she leant back again and tried to get comfortable. She looked across at Stephen again. "Stephen, do you mind if I...?" She gestured to his lap. He kissed her.

"Not at all sweetheart."

She chuckled. "Thanks."

She lifted her legs and laid them across his lap, stretching out on the couch fully, sipping her tea. Stephen caressed one of her legs lovingly.

Callum watched them from the other couch and that feeling of longing filled him again but this time he understood it. Boo sat next to him and he took her hand in his. As he turned his head to her, he saw Stephen smiling at them.