Author: Raven Shadowrose

Rating: M

Pairing: ?/?

Summary: Sequel to Epiphany, Jeff and Dixie are trying to have a baby, what happens when it is likely to be more difficult than they first thought?

Disclaimer: I do not know or own any of the characters from Casualty, any original characters and the story are my property and I do not give permission for either of them to be used.

A/N: This is a direct sequel to Epiphany, please read that first to understand this story :) Reviews are welcome :)

Thank you to BeethovenRIP and chan. nelson4444 for your reviews, enjoy the chapter :)

Chapter Twenty-Five.

Dixie had got up early, it was time for the first proper scan of the pregnancy, they wouldn't be able to tell the sex of the baby just yet but Dixie was quite excited that she would be able to see the baby properly for the first time. Sophia and John were coming along, she wanted them to see their little brother or sister. She'd sat them down and talked them through what would happen at the appointment and then asked them if they would like to come along. Dixie was pleased that they had said yes, she hoped that they would be involved as much as possible. She'd spent some of the morning answering a lot of questions about her life and job and filling in forms with all of her medical details, talking about the operation she'd had to open her tubes up brought back a few memories and made her a little emotional but she was relieved that all of that was in the past.

Dixie thought back to the blood they'd taken from her so they could test it for anything that could harm the baby, Jeff had held her hand while they were taking it, she wasn't particularly good with needles, she'd looked the other way until it was all over. Her arm was a bit sore now, she always bruised easily when they took blood from her. They had given her a lot of information and told her to read through it, she had flicked through it while they were waiting for the scan and it all seemed to be about nutrition and taking care of herself, it wasn't really going in right now as she wanted to see the baby. Jeff looked as excited as she did about seeing the baby, he also looked tired, he had been doing a lot around the new house and would barely let her lift a finger to help him. Dixie had made some time to talk to Jeff later, she was going to get to the bottom of why he wouldn't let her help. She had an idea that it was because she was pregnant, her bump was becoming more visible every day and Jeff's over protectiveness of her was growing with it.

Jeff helped Dixie up when the midwife called her in, this was it, they were about to see their baby, he had been waiting for this moment since he found out that Dixie was pregnant. He saw her bump growing day after day, she was beautiful, Dixie's pregnancy was making her skin glow. He was keeping a check on her sickness, she had only been sick once or twice but she was feeling sick quite a lot of the time. He'd asked if it was normal for Dixie to be feeling sick as often as she was, he felt better now that he knew women often felt sick during the first few months of pregnancy and sometimes even after the first trimester. He held Dixie's hand as the midwife placed the gel on Dixie's stomach. 'This will feel cold and a little bit wet.'

'Okay.' Jeff heard Dixie gasp as the gel touched the skin on her stomach, he squeezed her hand and watched as the screen flared into life. The midwife moved the sensor over Dixie's stomach until she found the baby.

'There's your baby,' the midwife said and pointed at the screen. Jeff could just about make out the shape of the baby on the screen, they were still very small. Jeff looked at Dixie, she was staring at the screen and the baby.

'Dixie, are you all right princess?'

'They're so small, is the baby meant to be that small?' Jeff sensed Dixie's worry, she'd gone through so much to get pregnant, her worries were only natural.

'Don't worry, babies at this stage are only about an inch or two long, yours is growing at a nice rate.' Jeff heard Dixie breathe a sigh of relief and she squeezed his hand.

'I can see the baby moving Jeff.'

'I know princess.' Jeff turned to Sophia and John. 'Come and see your baby brother or sister.' He smiled as both of the kids looked curiously at the screen.

'What do you think?'

'The baby is so cute daddy, so tiny, is the baby a boy or a girl?'

'We don't know yet sweet pea,' Dixie said from the bed. 'We won't find out until the baby is bigger.' Jeff turned to John.

'What do you think of the baby, John?'

'It is tiny, did I look like that?'

'Yes, you were that small once. Do you think that you can look after the baby when he or she gets into the world?'

'Yes dad, I am going to be a big brother and look after the baby like I do Sophia.'

'That's my boy.' Jeff was so proud of his little family; Dixie for being so strong and Sophia and John for being so grown up.

Dixie watched the screen, the baby was moving about and quite active even if they were still very tiny. She loved the baby already, now that she had seen them it was all more real for her. 'All right, we're going to check the heartbeat now.' The midwife pulled up a different section on the screen and moved the sensor, Dixie heard the heartbeat of their baby pulsing out from the machine. Dixie was starting to feel herself tearing up, seeing their baby for the first time had made her feel very emotional. 'Nice and strong, just what we like to hear.'

'How far ahead am I?'

'Ten and a half weeks. I'm going to book your next appointments now, we'll want to see you again at sixteen weeks and then at twenty-five weeks. After that we will determine how often we are going to see you as your pregnancy progresses.'

'Okay, if I have any questions can I call here at any time?'

'Yes, our number is on the card I will give you. Where are you planning on giving birth?'

'In this hospital if that's okay.'

'That's fine, I'll put it down in your notes.' The midwife made a note and then she looked at another sheet of paper. 'Your blood test came back clear and your blood pressure is normal, try to stay out of stressful situations if you can help it and relax after work. Try to put your feet up for a little while if you feel stressed. Your weight is good for your height, try to stay active to avoid too much weight gain during pregnancy. There is something information in the pack you have been given, I have included details of antenatal classes in the area if you would like to attend them. Are you planning to breastfeed?'

'Yes, I hope that I can.'

'Excellent, there is some information for you about breastfeeding in the pack. Do you have any questions?'

'Can we have a picture of the baby?'

'Certainly, I'll print some off for you.' Dixie wiped the gel off her stomach and pulled her top back down as the midwife printed off the pictures. She let Jeff help her down off the bed and into her coat, she took the pictures off the midwife and a little card with her appointments on it. 'These are your next appointments, if there is a problem with them then let us know, we'll see you again soon.'

'Thank you.' Dixie linked arms with Jeff, seeing the baby had made her happy, it was all beginning to feel very real now.

Jeff saw the effect that seeing the baby had had on Dixie, she had definitely been emotional, he had felt it too, their child was growing safely inside Dixie's womb. Sophia had been typically enthusiastic about the baby and John had made him proud, he had come to recognise that his son was just quiet and thought deeply about a lot of things. Jeff opened the car and let John and Sophia get in, he held the door for Dixie and then closed it once she got in. Jeff climbed in the car and checked that both Sophia and John had their seatbelts on. He secretly checked that Dixie had hers on too, he wanted them all to be safe.

Dixie was quiet, she wanted time to process everything that she had seen and heard during the appointment today. Then there was the discussion she was going to have to have with Jeff about him doing everything. The house was mostly in order now, she was forbidden from touching anything in the room that would be the nursery. Jeff had read that pregnant women shouldn't go near household paint so now she was banned from helping him decorate the room. She was going to have to talk to him and she hoped that he wouldn't take it badly. Dixie came back to herself when the car stopped and the kids got out, they ran around the back and into the garden. 'Daddy, we're going to go and play.' Sophia waved from the gate and followed John, Dixie smiled, it was rare for siblings to get on so well as well as Sophia and John did.

Jeff went into the house, he was met by Little Abs and he let the dog out to play with the kids. He sensed that Dixie was stood near him. 'Jeff, we need to have a talk.'

'What is it Dixie, are you all right?'

'That is what I'm talking about, every day last week you've worked really hard and not let me help you do anything. You're exhausted and still you won't let me help.'

'Everything is done now, the only thing that is left is decorating the nursery. I just have to put up the wallpaper and paint it with the colour we choose.'

'I want you to get some help with it, you're doing too much Jeff.'

'All right, if it puts your mind at rest.'

'It will do, you can't do everything all of the time Jeff, you're not superhuman.'

'All right, I still want you to take it easy though Dixie.'

'Of course I will, I promised.'

'Good, I'd really hate it if anything happened to you.'

'Nothing will happen to me, come here.' Jeff let himself be drawn into Dixie's arms, he felt reassured that she would take care of herself and their baby.

Dixie hoped that Jeff would calm down now that the house was in order, she sat on the sofa and Jeff joined her. She opened the booklet that the midwife had given her on antenatal classes. 'Do you think that going to some of these would be a good idea?'

'Sure, why not.'

'They do a class that both of us can go to.'

'That sounds good, it will help you put your mind at rest when you actually give birth.'

'That's going to be the scary bit, hours of contractions and pain.'

'You can cope with it Dixie, there's always pain relief if you need it.'

'I know, I'd like to be fully aware when our baby comes into the world though.'

'I don't want you to put yourself through any pain that you don't have to.'

'I'll see what happens when the time comes. Are we going to have Sophia and John in the room?'

'I don't know, it might be too scary for them, it is going to be hard enough for me to see you in pain.'

'We'll have to talk to them about it nearer the time.'

'That's probably wise, let them make their own decision about if they want to be in there.'

'They're sensible kids, if they want to be in there then I say we should let them, if it gets too much for them then they can leave.'

'That sounds like a plan to me.'

'That's the easy part, once I've given birth we'll have all the sleepless nights to deal with, are you ready for that?'

'Yes, I am, I would do anything for you and our baby.'

'I know you will, you're a good man Jeff. We will look after the baby together.'

'Of course we will, our baby is going to be the luckiest baby alive having a daddy like you.'

'He or she is lucky to have a mummy like you Dixie, I just hope they get more of their looks from you than me.'

'What do you mean?'

'I'll feel sorry for the kid if they end up looking like me.'

'Nonsense, you're a very handsome man Jeffrey Collier. Though I might feel sorry for them if they get your nose.'

'Hey! What's wrong with my nose?'

'It is a little on the big side.' Jeff pouted and Dixie chuckled, she was pleased that Jeff was relaxing with her instead of rushing around doing things all of the time.

Jeff looked at Dixie as she laughed at him, he tried his sad expression but she still kept laughing. 'I hope they don't get your gob Dixie, two people that don't know how to shut their mouth in the same house would be a nightmare.' Jeff laughed at Dixie's expression, that had stopped her laughing.

'You are going to be in so much trouble Mr Collier if you don't stop laughing.'

'I am so scared.'

'You will be, I will deny you sex for a month.'

'You wouldn't.'

'Oh yes I would.' Jeff looked at Dixie's smug expression and decided now would be a good time to shut up. 'You're learning Jeffrey,' Dixie said and laughed.

'I've had long enough to learn.' Jeff leaned in and kissed Dixie on the nose. 'I love you princess.'

'Love you too Jeff.' He held Dixie in his arms, he liked it when they laughed and joked together. 'Why don't you bring the kids in and we can have something to eat.'

'Good idea Dixie.' Jeff kissed Dixie and then went to get the kids in, he thought once again how much he loved his little family.