"You will never guess who my mentor at St James is, Henrik!"

He looked up from his book and shrugged a little, watching Roxanna come over to the sofa and sit heavily, a pleased smile in her lips. "No, who?"

"The same doctor who gave Guy Self his foundation training! I mentioned how we worked together in Sunderland, and that was all it took to get me to be an actual part of the team. Seriously, this is a giant weight off my shoulders, because I thought that it would take me forever to find my place at this new hospital. Instead, by luck, there's someone that I tangentially know." She snuggled in close, resting her head on his shoulder. "So, have you heard from Maja lately? It seems like it's been a month since her last letter."

"I just finished her latest letter. There's nothing too terrible in it, so if you want to read it, feel free." Henrik pulled the envelope out of the book in his hands and passed it to her. A tiny smile passed over his lips when he saw that she put aside the letter to first see the pictures that Maja had included. There were quite a few of Fredrik, though he had thrown away the few salacious ones that she had included, not wanting Roxanna to see those.

"He's getting so big! Do you think that we could ask Maja to bring him for a visit after we've gotten settled here? I miss him, even though it's only been seven months."

"Time does pass quickly, doesn't it? And I was thinking about asking you the same thing. I think in another month or so, we should be ready to have Freddie for an extended visit." The smile Roxanna gave him could have lit up the darkest room, and he returned the gesture before lifting his arm, letting her curl up against his chest as she settled down to read the letter Maja had written. "My father also sounds like he's doing well."

"That's good," she replied absently, her eyes flitting back and forth over the words on the pages. "I don't suppose that you're going to relent and see him the next time we're in Sweden."

"There's too much bad blood between us at the moment, darling. Perhaps, after our first child is born, we can visit him and show him the bond that we have as a family." He bent his head and pressed his lips to the crown of her head. "Now, tell me a little more about your mentor."

"He's wonderful, and I'm learning so much under him already, even though it's only been a week. I think because I have the tendency to be quiet and focus on the task at hand rather than trying to make myself stand out, that he makes certain I am the one who gets to demonstrate procedures. It's going to be a lot of responsibility, but the payoff will be more than worth it in the end." She let out a little yawn. "Though I must say that it's nice to be on a somewhat set schedule, even though that is taking some getting accustomed to."

"And once you're more fully trained, you'll probably have to put in your hours just like everyone else."

"I know. But I'm going to enjoy this time for all it's worth." She rubbed her cheek against his chest and let out a little sigh. "I just don't know why I'm so tired lately. I would have thought that after getting settled in, I would get my pep back. But it's always good to come home to you."

He dropped another kiss to the top of her head as he nodded. "I have to agree with you there, Roxanna. It is always good to come home to you, as well. Now, do you want to make supper tonight or order takeaway?"

"I think that I would like to make a meal with you. Something simple, but filling." She sat up and stretched, carefully tossing the letter onto the coffee table before getting to her feet and stretching, her blouse riding up her torso, and he leaned forward to press his lips against her flesh, chuckling when he felt her muscles jump at the touch. "That's not the sort of meal that I was thinking about, Henrik. That can wait."

"Ah, my practical Roxanna," he said as he got to his feet, slinging his arm around her waist as they started for the kitchen. "I suppose that we do need to eat so that we don't waste away."

"You might have to worry about that, Henrik, but I've put on half a stone recently, and I can't imagine what is causing the weight gain. I've not been eating any more than usual."

He shrugged a little, running his hands up and down her sides as they stopped in front of the fridge. "I don't know where you're putting it, because you feel the same to me. Maybe you're retaining water?" She smacked his chest lightly before chuckling. "I know, nothing that you probably want to talk to me about, but it is a thing. I paid attention in my classes in med school!"

"I'm certain you did, Henrik. But I don't think it's quite time for my period yet. You know that my cycle is still a little wonky from the miscarriage, so it always seems to be a surprise when I get it." He nodded, hating that he had made a misstep by bringing up something that unintentionally reminded her of their loss. From the smile she gave him, he knew that she had already made the connection, and he lowered his eyes to keep from tearing up. "Henrik, it's okay. If we talk about it, that means they were real, that they existed, even for a short time. I don't want to forget, okay?"

Raising his head, he saw that she was close to tears, and he nodded as he took a small step forward, closing his arms around her as she rested her head on his chest. "If that's what you want, then that is what we'll do. I just didn't want to hurt you, darling."

"Thank you." He nodded before letting go of her once more, allowing her to open the fridge and rummage around in it, handing him ingredients that he piled on the counter. They worked together well to create their meal, and as it cooked on the stove, Henrik listened to Roxanna turn on the radio before coming back to his side and wrapping her arms around his waist as she started to sway back and forth with him, slow dancing to the beat. There was something so beautiful about this moment in their time together, and he wanted to savor every moment of it, since they didn't often have these perfect bits of time to take like this. Roxanna must have felt the same, because when he went to let go of her so that he could flip the fish, she shook her head, reaching out to do that without even letting him go.

"You're a woman of many talents, Mrs Hanssen," he murmured against her head and she nodded. "I don't know why you chose me, back at Rigden, and again here, but you are probably the best person to ever walk into my life and choose to stay."

"You're like a callous on a clarinetist's thumb, Henrik. You're a part of me, a love that I earned, and every time I rub against it, I am reminded of all that you mean to me." She kissed his cheek before finally stepping away from him and plating up their food. And though it was an odd metaphor, it was one that fit their lives so well, and he smiled as he poured them each a glass of milk, so happy to have her in his life.