Chrissy heard his key in the lock, and immediately started to feel sick again. They needed to have a conversation, and for the first time in their relationship, she couldn't predict what his reaction was going to be.

"You in Chris?"

"Yeah, I'm in the living room." He walks in, shrugging his jacket off and heading straight to the kettle. James gets them both a mug down, preparing the tea in a well practised routine.

"James, we need to talk." He turns around, looking worried.

"If its something I've-"

"No-no," she interrupts, trying to reassure him. "Its nothing you've done." Really, the guilt in this man is ridiculous, she has no idea why he always just assumes he's done something to upset her.
"Then what-? Are you feeling better? You said you were feeling sick this morning."

"Its that I need to talk to you about." His eyes widen, and he comes over to her, tea completely forgotten.

"What is it? Chris, if its serious I-I can take time off work or something and-" He's jumpy today, she supposes that the bad dreams have been taking their toll, its not been a good week.

"-What are you on about?" Suddenly it clicks. "No James I'm not ill. I'm...I'm pregnant."
"Are you sure?"

"I've done two pregnancy tests."

"H-How? We...we always use-"

"-Our anniversary."

"Oh" There had been a nice dinner, a good film, a considerable amount of alcohol, and certain precautions that had been forgotten in the passion of the moment. His face is completely blank for a few seconds and then he frowns.

"Are you okay with this Chrissy? I mean it wasn't planned or anything, and its you who's going to have the pregnancy." She smiles slightly.

"If you'd asked me a couple of months ago, I'm not sure. But, now, I'm...its good. How are you feeling?" He doesn't answer straight away, just looking at her. "James?...James say something, please?" A smile spreads slowly over his face, and he steps closer to her, hands on her shoulders.

"We're going to be parents. I'm going to be a daddy."

.

After dinner, they sit on the sofa, and neither of them fail to notice the other breaking out into spontaneous grins. James isn't concentrating on the comedy quiz show at all, mind too busy just repeating to him that he's going to have a child with the woman he loves. He knows full well that soon enough, will come the self doubt, and the nagging feeling that he's going to be a terrible father, and the absolute conviction that if Chrissy so much as sneezes, then that obviously means that they're going to lose the baby. But for now, before his brain has chance to properly assemble these thoughts, he's determined to enjoy this feeling as much as he can. His happiness at this announcement has surprised him, it has to be said. He never knew how much he wanted a child, until it was happening.

"-all huge?" He catches the tail end of Chrissy's sentence and knows full well he has no chance of blagging the right answer.

"Sorry what?"

"I said; will you still want me when I'm huge with swollen ankles and ridiculous cravings?"

"Course I will, what kind of a question is that? You'll be -you are- carrying our child. I'll still want you if you get to be the size of a bus and send me on nightly craving busting runs to B&Q to pick up concrete dust to put in your tea."

"Really?" She asks sceptically, a smile playing around her face.

"Yeah. Although I'm not sure concrete dust is particularly good for babies. Or humans in general really. Hopefully you'll get cravings with more nutritional value." He takes her hand and she snuggles back into him, both of them huddled in the corner of the sofa. "I'll still want you when we're seventy odd, and this kid is reminding us to take the raft of medications we're both on, and looking into nursing homes."

"Oi you! We've just discovered we're having a child, and you're already talking about us going into a care home."

"No, I'm talking about us growing old together, wherever we end up. Years of memories and photo albums to look back on, and stories to drive the care home staff mad with, when we tell them the same one for the hundredth time."

"Underneath that deadpan facade, you're quite the softie aren't you?"

"And here I was, thinking you married me for my sophistication and charm."

"Cheeky so and so, come on I'm knackered. Bed time?" He lets her get up, and then gets to his feet, following his wife into their bedroom.

Once they are settled in bed, he curls around her, tucking his face into the back of her shoulder.

"Love you, you know. Both of you."

"I love you too James."

.

He wakes up suddenly, with a gasp, breathing fast. It takes him a fair few seconds to realise that he's in bed, and that Chrissy is safe and sound next to him. How on earth is he going to stop himself dreaming like this when they have a newborn child in the room with them? Chrissy is going to need her sleep, its not fair to keep her up. Unless he takes over all the night time duties, that might make it fairer; at least if he's going to wake up all the time, he can make himself useful.

"J'mz?" He evidently doesn't answer quickly enough, because she turns onto her back, eyes still closed.

"S'right...jus' a dream hun...you're 'kay." Her hand starts to awkwardly pat his chest, in what he supposes is meant to be reassurance. He chuckles, taking her hand in his own, before coming in close to her, and planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Thanks," he murmurs quietly, even though he doubts she can hear him. Then he tucks his head underneath her chin, and rests a hand on her belly.

He's asleep in minutes.