2nd Author's note: Hmm, I wondered why I had no comments on this chapter. It helps if you actually link it to your story and not just load it into the documents folder.

Author's note: For my friend who reads here and is getting married in a few hours. Wishing you both a world of happiness ahead.

Tommy paced in front of the tall, double oak doors that led into the registry office wedding room. He stopped, looked at his watch, then continued to pace, his strides becoming longer with each turn.

"Sir, stop. I'm sure she'll be here any minute," Winston said, more in hope than knowledge.

Tommy glared at him. "She promised to be on time."

Winston nodded. "Technically, she still has one minute."

A terrible thought crossed Tommy's mind. "Maybe they've had an accident or Barbara's lost…" Tommy remembered in time that no one else knew about Bubby Panda. "…her nerve?"

"We'd have heard if they had. There will be a simple explanation. I'll ring Stuart and see where they are."

Despite having tamed his hair for the service, Tommy ran his fingers slowly through it from front to back as he listened to Winston and tried to piece together what was happening. "She's changed her mind, hasn't she?"

"Stuart said they were in the taxi, ready to leave, and she raced back inside."

"I told you! I've done something, or not done something, and now she's decided not to marry me."

"I saw you two together the other night. She wants to marry you. She…"

"Loves you. Very much."

Tommy turned and saw Barbara standing in the doorway. "Barbara! I was so worried."

"Sorry, I had to go back for something."

Unable to hold his emotions in check, he grabbed her and hugged her fiercely. He saw Winston's relief as he and Stuart stepped away to give them a moment together.

"You'll squash the flowers. Did you seriously think I'd changed my mind?"

"I wouldn't blame you."

"Yes, you would, but I'm here."

"I'm sorry I doubted you, but I was worried that…" For the first time, he looked at her properly. Her hair fell in soft waves onto bare shoulders. The low scalloped neckline of her ivory, mid-length dress set off the emerald pendant he had given her perfectly. The dress, with deep green soft pleats in the skirt, flattered her figure. "You look stunning."

She smiled. "That worries you?"

He shook his head. "No, quite the opposite. You know what I mean. I was afraid you'd woken up to me and realised I'm just an insecure, poncy earl who is hopeless in love but also hopelessly in love with you."

"Oh, you are not hopeless. Far from it Mr 250."

"There's more to a relationship than good sex."

"Yes, but we've always had the connection, haven't we? Let me relish the new bits while I can. We can still grow old together and sit in our rocking chairs and reminisce."

Tommy laughed. "We're not ready for rocking chairs just yet." He kissed her gently.

"Are we going to do this?"

Tommy nodded and took her hand. "Yes, we are."

The service went past in a blur. Even minutes afterwards as they stood in the small anteroom waiting for the registrar to process their paperwork, Barbara could not remember what had been said, just how she felt and how much love had been in Tommy's eyes when he had made his vows and slipped the ring onto her finger. She had no idea how she managed to say anything, but she had, and, blinking back tears, she had promised Tommy to always challenge him, ground him, and love him with her heart, her body and her soul.

His arm tightened around her waist as his mother approached. "Now the circus begins."

"Tommy, today's not the day to hold grudges."

"I suppose not, but…"

Barbara reached up and put a finger over his lip. "Play nice." She turned to his mother, now only a few feet away. "Hi, Lady Asherton. Did you enjoy the service?"

To her great surprise, Dorothy Lynley smothered her in a fierce embrace. "I was happy before, but seeing you two looking at each other…" Dorothy took a handkerchief from her sleek, black handbag, and delicately blew her nose. "I have always wanted that love for my son."

"Thank you, Mother." Tommy embraced Dorothy. Barbara smiled knowing that for the first time in years, the feelings were unguarded and genuine.

"Photos," Stuart called.

Dorothy's demeanour instantly sprang back to her organising, Lady Asherton persona. "Come on. You have to have a picture with Great Aunt Enid."

"Who's Great Aunt Enid?" Barbara whispered.

"Mother's aunt. She must be nearly a hundred. I thought she'd died years ago."

Barbara hit his arm. "Thomas Lynley, fancy not knowing if your aunt is alive or not."

"Wait until you meet her. It's hard to tell."

Barbara laughed despite her attempt to be the serious one. Since they had been together, and especially since he had known about Bubby Panda, Tommy had relaxed. It was as if he had finally found peace with himself and the world. "I love you."

Tommy paused then looking around, ushered her behind a pillar. "I love you too."

Barbara frowned. "I heard a but in there."

"No, no buts. I do love you. I just…"

Barbara pushed the errant lock of hair that hung over his eye back behind his ear. "What?"

"Why did you go back into the house? I… I thought maybe you had cold feet."

"No." She glanced around to make sure no one was looking then, ignoring his arched eyebrow, reached down into her bodice. "I went back for this." Barbara retrieved the small, well-worn photo that she had laminated years ago. "It's my brother, Terry. In a way, he's the reason we are together. If I hadn't been angry about his death, and my family, I might not have been as impossible for others to deal with and they would never have tried to make us quit by putting us together."

Tommy took the photo and smiled. "He looked like you."

"So I… wanted him to be part of the best day of my life."

"I'm glad you did. But it is only one of the best days. You'll probably think giving birth to Bubby Panda is the best day."

Barbara snatched back the picture. "Only a man could say that. I'll spend hours in agonising pain, and you think it'll be a great day."

"It will be when you hold your child, our child, part of you and me permanently united."

"We'll see."

Tommy wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead as he pulled her close. "You're going to be a wonderful mother, just like you were a loving sister and are an incredible, loving and supportive partner."

Barbara choked back tears as she hugged her husband. "Thank you."

Tommy kissed her, slowly and tenderly.

EIGHT MONTHS AFTER THE WEDDING

"Aaaaarrrrggghhh!" Barbara screamed then panted heavily.

Tommy put a cool towel on her forehead. "Nearly there, Panda Bear."

"Don't Panda Bear me and try to be all calm and… aaaarrrgghhh." She looked down at her bulging belly. "Just come out will you!"

Tommy smiled. "You heard your mother; you'd better learn to do as she says."

"It'll be the best day of your life you said! Well, you were wrong. This is… aaaaarrrrrggggghhhh… bloody hell!"

"Not long now, Barbara," the midwife said.

"Good."

Tommy took her hand and kissed it. "Remember that night? In the garden? We lay there and watched the stars and sipped on champagne."

"And look what it led to… aargh!"

"Exactly. We're about to meet our son. I hate watching you in pain, but little Bubby Panda was created in a moment of great love. This is only a momentary thing."

Despite her pain, Barbara smiled at him. "Save your smooth talk for after this is over, Tommy."

The midwife interrupted. "One more push. Ready, Barbara?"

"Yes. Aaaaaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Waaaaaahhhhhhhh!"

Tommy laughed as his son emerged and started to scream before his legs were even out. "Oh Barbara, he's wonderful, just like you!"

Tears streamed down both their faces as Tommy tried to kiss her.

"Is he alright?"

They both looked at the midwife who smiled at them. "He looks very healthy. Here, hold your son."

"Thank you." Tommy managed to cradle Barbara and the squawking baby. Young Terence instantly calmed when he nestled against his mother.

"He's beautiful. He's got your dark eyes." Barbara hugged her son and began to sob.

Tommy was alarmed. "Why are you crying?"

"What if we can't keep him safe? What if he gets sick, or has an accident? I don't want to lose him."

"Every parent has those fears, Barbara, just as everyone wants their children to grow up happy, healthy and well-adjusted and to have long successful and rich lives. There are no guarantees. We can only do our best. He'll resent us and blame us for something we do or don't do, especially when he's a teenager, but if on balance he grows up respecting us and with a good moral compass we'll have been successful. You'll be a terrific mother, and I want to be the best father and husband I can be. Besides, it's a bit late to send him back."

Barbara looked at the child sleeping in her arms. She looked up and gave Tommy a warm, tired smile. "Yes, there's no way that's going back up there." Tommy and the midwife both laughed. "So, are you going to tell me his name now? All this family tradition nonsense of the Earl naming the child at birth. I still prefer Alexander."

"Terence Alexander Lynley."

"Terence? Oh, Tommy are you sure? It's not a very posh name."

"I'm sure. And it was originally derived from Latin. Publius Terentius Afer was known as Terence by scholars. He was originally a Berber slave in the house of Terentius, a Roman Senator, around 160 BC but he went on to be a famous playwright."

"You're naming our son after a Roman playwright slave?"

"No, I'm naming him after your brother." Tommy noticed tears forming again in her eyes. "But he can be Alexander Thomas if Terence would upset you."

"No, I'd like Terence. I think it suits you, little man." She looked up at Tommy. "Have I told you I love you?"

He hugged his family closer. "Not today. You were too busy yelling at me." This time his kiss met his target.

NINE MONTHS LATER

Tommy and Barbara were lying on a picnic rug in their small backyard looking at the stars. Barbara poured another glass of champagne for them both. "Here's to our first night of freedom."

They clinked glasses. "Cheers, Barbara. And some extra sleep."

"I hope Terry is behaving for your mother."

"She managed the three of us. I'm sure she'll cope with one little boy for one night, and she can always call reception and have help sent up."

"Do you think she will spend more time in London now?"

"Yes. I saw her looking at properties online yesterday. I told her she had to be at least twenty minutes walk away from us."

Barbara sat up. "What an awful thing to say to your mother."

"I don't want her just popping over. If she faces a forty minute walk, she will ring first to ensure we are home."

"Tommy! She's your mother."

"Exactly. I want to spend time with my wife and son, not her. Not all the time. I don't think it's mean, just realistic. Besides, if we were out here, doing this…" Tommy pulled her back to him and kissed her. "You wouldn't want to be interrupted either."

"True." Barbara kissed him savagely. "But we could have more nights together if she does buy a house nearby."

"So you want me to run Terry over and say Barbara and I are feeling horny and want to make love in the backyard. Can you mind Terry please?" His hands gripped her hips firmly, and he pulled her closer.

"Are we?"

"What?"

"Horny and wanting to make love in our backyard." Her hand slid under his shirt, and her fingertips traced a line up to his chest.

"Yes."

Barbara kissed him, seductively using her tongue to begin number 561. Tommy responded by rolling her over. Her champagne glass almost tipped, but he rescued it and with one hand poured it slowly into her open mouth while his other hand began to undo her shirt. He dribbled the last few drops over her chin and onto her chest. He threw the glass on the lawn and started to syphon the champagne with his mouth.

"You know what happened last time," she said as she tugged at his belt.

Tommy moved lower, trailing a wet kiss over her stomach. "Would that be so bad?"

"Not if you don't mind being abused for a few hours."

Tommy looked up and laughed. "Now or in nine months?"

Barbara gave him a saucy grin. "Both. Oh… Yes!"