UPDATE 3/7/22: This chapter was a mess so I completely rewrote it! I thought I'd bring a backstory for Mackenzie since there aren't many from when she was little besides her being a swimmer since birth. Thought it was time to give my often forgotten middle child :) Even if it's a few years too late lol. Here's how Mack got her name ;) Enjoy! xx Mariah

Ages:

Jim - 34
Melinda - 30
Katie - 10
Aaron - 6

Thunder crashed and lightning flashed, shaking the house. The wind whistled as the tree branches smacked against the window, waking Jim Clancy from his slumber. Then came the first drops of rain, pitter-patter across the roof. Outside was dark, the dense grey cloud blocking out the morning light, casting himself and his heavily pregnant wife beside him in premature twilight.

Jim rubbed his eyes, sitting up carefully to see Melinda had rolled off him and her back was not facing him. He moved to lay back down, pressing himself into her as he kissed her shoulder. She was radiating warmth, her stomach swollen with child. It was an April morning and she was six months pregnant, with another girl.

She relaxed into him, moving his hand to her stomach, and her head snuck into the crick of his neck. His eyes strained to see the clock on her side table, sleep still longing to pull him back in. He could now see that it was near five, his Sunday beginning earlier than he'd intended.

He'd wanted to sleep in, knowing both of the kids would too now that they were both a little older, but it seemed that nature had a sense of humor and enjoyed tormenting people. Especially people with leaky roofs.

"Mel, wake up," he whispered, kissing her bare shoulder.

She mumbled something incoherent and tossed over onto her side, facing him now, nuzzling her body into him. For a moment he reveled in the feeling of her relaxed against him again then he sighed again. He didn't want to wake her but knew that it wasn't a good idea to stay in their bed when there was a storm coming.

"Mel, please," he tried again, his voice soft and calming, pulling her from sleep. He kissed her forehead as she tilted her head up.

She opened her eyes slowly, squinting at first before revealing the soft brown of her eyes to him as she smiled sleepily. "What do you want?" She asked sleepily, her yawn taking over her question.

"A storm," he said, thunder cracking again. "We need to get the buckets."

"Can't you just do it?" She groaned, stretching her back. "I'm comfy and that seldom happens."

She frowned as he got out of bed and sighed, moving to get out from under the covers. When she finally pulled herself up, she got to her feet and stood there a few moments staring at the floor. He noticed her dismay and finished pulling his shirt over his head.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"I can't bend down to get my robe," she replied, scowling at the offending garment.

Jim laughed, admiring her nude form. Even several months along with their third child, she was still the most attractive woman he knew. Walking around the bed, he picked the warm garment and settled it around her shoulders.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" he whispered placing a gentle kiss against the nape of her neck.

She smiled back at him, her eyes full of promise. "I can think of several things, but now's not the time." She muttered. "You're the one who woke me up because there's a storm, remember?"

"Forget the storm," he replied huskily.

"I'd love to," she said, motioning with one hand to the window of their bedroom and the flickering sky, "but I don't think we have time for this right now."

He frowned. "Remind me to have a conversation with Sulley to find a good roofer."

"I don't think it's come to that just yet," she replied wrinkling her nose at him. "We can make it through another year with this leaky roof. It only leaks in three spots."

"Yeah," he sighed, itching his head. "I guess."

"I'm going to go check on the kids," she yawned, walking past him. "Make sure they are both sleeping."

"Okay, kiss them for me." He smiled, capturing her in a hug from behind, pressing a kiss to her neck. "If either is awake and you need me, just call for me."

"I always do," she squeezed his forearm and he moved his arms from her, letting her go.

He went to the hall closet as she slipped into Katie's room, leaving the door ajar. He grabbed the three buckets from the top shelf as she came back out, giving him the thumbs up.

One down, one to go.

He went to the hall bathroom with one, placing it in the middle of the room, where the roof liked to drip when it poured. The next two went into their room, one by the window and the other on his side, in his closet. He crossed the hall, hearing a soft lullaby from Aaron's room. The thunder must've woken the six-year-old.

Melinda was so good with them.

He could hear Aaron's giggle as he walked by, entering their room. He went to the window, putting a bucket down and noticing the opened window. Melinda must've gotten hot at some point earlier and opened it. She did that sometimes. He decided to leave it open, just in case.

He went to his closet last, climbing into bed once the bucket was in place. He was on top of the blanket, lounging as he waited for Melinda. Her stomach entered the bedroom long before she did, and he felt a smile spread across his face at how big she'd become. And she was only six months. This pregnancy was different than her last two.

As soon as she waddled inside the door of their bedroom, she smiled at him. Her tiredness did not reach her eyes. She hadn't been sleeping well lately, her nightmares getting worse each day, her face showed it, but her eyes were alight with lust for him.

"How are we going to do this?" she asked as she pointed down at her oversized belly. "I don't think I should climb on top of you anymore. I'm a bit of a wide load these days."

"Stop that." He stood quickly then and strode forward, dropping to his knees and pulling her robe open to kiss her stomach. "You are stunning, my love." He stood after, pulling her into an embrace and a passionate kiss before she could speak.

"Wow," she whispered as he pulled away. "That was... very nice."

His hands roamed her belly. "You're so unbelievably sexy," he whispered into her ear. "No matter what you think. I love it when your belly swells with my child. There's just something about you... you're the only one who makes me feel this way."

"God I love you," she whispered and she rose on her toes, her lips meeting his again.

He gently took control of the situation here, bringing her to the bed, peeling the robe from her, and then throwing it half a world away before laying her back on the bed. His lips found her breasts; his tongue her nipples. She bucked against him, his hand finding her center.

"I love you too," he groaned, trailing kisses down her neck. "Did you get him back to sleep?"

Her head nodded quickly as he began to trace her with his fingers, coating them in her arousal, she squeezed her eyes shut and released a shuddering breath, her head rolling back and her neck extending in pleasure. His lips went there, nipping at the skin and marking her.

It was so warm between her thighs, and he dipped one of his fingers gently into her as her hips rocked beneath him in a steady rhythm. Her lips parted as she purred, and he bent down swiftly to kiss her, to taste the sound she made when he touched her. He pressed into her next, his boxers being pushed away as he entered her, and at this moment, they were closer than any two people could be.

With her naked skin etching itself into every inch of his, his hand firmly against the swell of her stomach. Moans of pleasure emanated from her mouth at the change of angle as he thrust slowly in and out. His grunts rented the thick air of their bedroom, despite the still open window and the howl of the wind. Nothing existed outside of their love for each other; the only thing that mattered was that he was inescapably in love with this woman.

His wife. The mother of his children. The love of his life.

He grasped the bed frame above her head, groaning into her lips as their kiss broke. His face fell into her neck as he quickened pace, more noises leaving his throat in pleasure. His mouth went to her nipple, capturing it between his lips and sucking. He nibbled and sucked until her body keened as she came.

She cried out as stars exploded behind her eyes and she dissolved into him, her arm wrapping around him and pulling him closer as his thrusts came harder and faster until his own soon followed.

He didn't move immediately. He moved to the side and held her, careful not to put too much of his weight on her, and his hand still firmly settled on her belly. A satisfied sigh escaped her lips as she relaxed into his chest, his muscles strong against her back.

He made love the way he kissed; slow and deep, sometimes crushing and rough, but always passionate, always connected, and never half-hearted. He was so lucky to have found her, for her to have loved him as much as he loved her.

"I will never be able to thank you for everything you've given me," he said into her shoulder, kissing the skin there. "Thank you. For this life, for three children, and for loving me."

"I feel the same," she breathed, bringing his hand to her mouth to kiss it, before bringing it back to her stomach, where their child somersaulted in her belly, pressing firmly against her father's hand through her mother's stomach. "Feel her?"

"Yes," she could feel his tears against her skin as he spoke. "I've been thinking... about her name. What do you think of Mackenzie?"

"I wrote that down," she moved over, opening her side drawer and grabbing her journal. "It means born of fire. I thought that would be the best double meaning behind a name."

"Especially considering who her mother is," he grinned, earning himself a million brownie points. "A woman of bravery. Hell hath no fury like Melinda Gordon on a mission."

"That's Melinda Clancy to you," she cocked her eyebrow and him and laughed, kissing him. "I'm just kidding. I love the name, Jim. It's perfect for our little girl."

"You hear that?" Jim slid down the bed, his mouth against her stomach now. "You have a name, baby girl. We can't wait to meet you, Mackenzie."