"Jane, remain calm"

"I am calm, darling"

"Everything will be alright. Just remain calm"

"Edward, you are the only one who is not calm right now"

This last comment was ignored by Edward as he ran his fingers through his hair. One of the stable boys had gone to fetch Ms Miller, and Jane walked the room, trying to distract herself from the intense pain now coming every few minutes. She winced, grabbing her husbands arm.

He steadied her, looking into her face.

"What can I do?"

"Help me out of these clothes" Jane said. She burned red hot, and knew the layers would have to come off eventually. When she was just standing in her slip, she struggled to put her hair up out of her face. She felt beads of sweat rolling down her face and back and a pulsing in her head. Edward cupped her face in his hand and kissed her forehead.

"Ms Miller will be here soon. Just breathe, just breathe"

Jane could tell even in these early stages of labour it hurt him to see her pain, and she was fleetingly grateful he would not see her later, surely in much more pain.

A few moments later there was a quick knock at the door and it opened, revealing Ms Miller holding a basket and wrapped in a travelling cloak.

"Hello mother to be. How are you doing?"

"Well. I am having pains every few minutes"

"Then we are indeed well on our way. This little one sounds like they will be fast. Mr Rochester" she said, turning on him quickly, "It is time for you to leave, this is women's work, and you best leave it to us"

Edward looked surprised as Jane was brought over to the bed by Ms. Miller, but she looked back at him over her shoulder and smiled.

"All will be well, you may kiss her goodbye before we set to work"

Ms Miller put her basket down on the side table by the bed and turned busying herself with calling orders to servants waiting around. Edward moved towards Jane. She could not help but notice how hardened his face had become.

"I wish I could stay with you" he said softly, only so Jane could hear. She nodded her head, biting her lip.

"I know"

"But I will be just outside. I will not leave until I am aloud to see you again".

He pressed his lips to her forehead and then briefly to her lips.

Ms Miller turned on him looking stern and Edward smiled softly, "I am gone"

"Do not worry Mr Rochester, your wife is strong, she will have this little baby in this world before you know it. Now go on"

"I love you" Jane mouthed as he vanished from sight, nodding at her as he closed the door.

. . . . .

Jane gripped the mantle of the fireplace, Ms Miller standing beside her, rubbing her back encouragingly.

"You are doing excellently, Jane. This is all going beautifully. Just keep rocking back and forth"

"It does not feel like it is going beautifully" Jane cried, sweat now pouring down her face and back. Every inch of her felt like like icy fire, and her body was working harder than it had ever worked.

"It will not be much longer now. Stay with me Ms Jane. Do you feel another pain coming on?"

"I think so, yes"

"Then come back to the bed, it is time to push".

"Push? I can push now?"

"Indeed, it is time, come on, back to the bed"

Jane lay down, breathing in deeply. She was tired, but knew that she still had a lot of work to do. She was determined to have her baby.

"Jane, spread your legs wide and when you feel your next pain, push".

"Okay" she nodded, her heart racing in her throat, and when the next pain came she pushed with all she could give, a scream erupting from her as she did so.

"Well done girl! Well done" Ms Miller said.

Jane clutched the corner of the bed, panting.

. . . .

"I know you are tired Jane, but we are nearly there. On the next pain, one good long push for me"

"Okay" she gasped, a single tear falling from her eyes.

It had been hours, and Jane was starting to indeed become very tired and frustrated. Pushing had become very hard and she did not believe she could do it for much longer. The only thing that made her believe otherwise was her desire to hear her baby cry.

"Pain is coming" Jane said, lowing her head back onto the pillow.

"Then you know what to do"

Jane pushed and Ms Miller beamed.

"I see a head Jane, I see a head"

Jane looked up, smiling, "You do?"

"Yes my dearie, one last long, gentle push. Do not push too hard, you will hurt the baby's head. Just pant with me, and push very lightly".

Jane panted, gripping the pillow beneath her head.

And suddenly a cry.

It was the most wonderful sound Jane had ever heard. A cry- a high, shrieking cry, that told her that her baby was alive and well. She lifted her head slightly, looking to Ms Miller who held a baby in her arms wrapped in soft blankets.

"Miss Jane, you have a beautiful, healthy baby boy"

"A boy" Jane said, unable to steady her voice with happiness.

"A boy, he is beautiful, ma'am"

Jane pushed herself into a seated position and held out her arms so that the shrieking baby could be laid into them.

Jane looked into the face of her child and felt the warm tears spill from her eyes.

"Hello" she welcomed softly, "Hello my darling. I cannot believe you have come to us at last".

She kissed the top of the baby's head and cradled him close.

"You shall be so loved"

Jane looked up at Ms Miller and smiled, "Thank you, very, very much. I could not have done it without you"

"It was my pleasure, my dear. You were absolutely marvellous. So very brave. He is beautiful"

"He is perfect" Jane said, "Absolutely perfect".

"Let me go get your Mr Rochester. I say he is bursting to see this little one. He has not left outside this room for hours"

Jane looked down into the face of her baby as Ms Miller went to the door. When she opened it, Edward stood on the threshold looking into the room in great anticipation.

"Come in Mr Rochester, just for a moment. Then we must get your wife cleaned up"

Edward paused as he looked at scene before him. Blood soaked the bed, and the image of his wife's legs running with blood and her face covered in sweat surprised him. He stopped suddenly.

"Jane is fine, in fact she is very well. What you see is very typical"

He nodded and Jane looked up at him, beaming. He could see her eyes sparkling with tears and her face glowing with pride and love. He moved to her side, and knelt beside the bed, looking into the face of his child.

"We have a son" Jane said softly, her face absolutely radiating happiness.

"A son?" he repeated, feeling his own tears surfacing and blurring his vision.

"I will leave you two for a few minutes, I am going to bring these soiled towels and blankets downstairs to the laundry. I will return shortly to bathe you, Jane".

When the room fell silent Jane reached for her husbands hand, holding her child close to her breast.

"Edward, he is here, he is safe and healthy"

"Because of you" he said, kissing her hand and holding it to his chest, "All because of you, Jane. Thank you" he said.

She smiled at him and then at their son.

"Sit beside me, he wants to meet his father"

Edward lowered himself onto the bed and Jane lowered his son into his arms. Edward felt the small bundle of warmth in his hands and pressed his lips gently to the baby's forehead.

"Hello" he said lowly, "Jane look, he has so much hair, and it is so dark"

"I know" she joined, "He is very much like you"

His heart flooded with love unlike anything he had known. He was like him, but he was also like Jane, surely his heart had to be as pure as hers, for he was perfection, and untarnished by anything- much like his mother.

"He will be a hundred times better than me. For he is already more than my wildest dreams could allow for. Jane, I feel as though my heart is going to burst with love. I have a family, you have given me a family"

His raw honest words radiated through her like fire. She nodded, tears falling from her eyes as she lay her head on her husband's shoulder- tracing her fingers feather lightly over their sons cheek.

"I did not know I could feel love like this" she said, her voice soft but full of feeling.

Jane sifted her weight, breathing in through clenched teeth.

"Are you alright darling? How are you feeling?"

"I am tired, I am exhausted. My body feels as if it will never work again"

"It has been hours, Jane. Hours upon hours of tireless work from you. You need sleep"

The door opened again and Ms Miller came back inside,

"Mr Rochester, you are exactly right. Jane, you need sleep, and as much as you can possibly manage tonight. I will leave baby with his father, and I think the two shall be happily situated while you sleep. I shall just need to get you cleaned up first"

Edward laid the baby back in her arms and helped her to straighten up. Pulling the hair from around her face, he kissed the top of her head.

"Okay Mr Rochester, time to have some alone time with your little one. Jane needs her own time now"

Jane kissed her husband as she handed the baby back to him.

"See you soon" he promised, leaving the room slowly with their child in his arms.

Jane was helped by Ms Miller in giving herself a sponge bath. She was then changed into a clean slip and got into a clean bed made by the servants. Jane thanked them, and they smiled at her exhaustion as she spoke.

Ms Miller left to see the baby and Mr Rochester, and Jane was asleep before she had time to blink.

. . . .

When next she woke, Jane felt disorientated by the time of day it was. It was just becoming light outside, but it was still night and still mostly dark. The fire crackled cheerfully when normally by this time of night it would be long burned out. As Jane turned in bed, she felt how sore her body actually was. Every part of her ached, and she felt her limbs to be dead weight. But she was happy, more than happy, she was positively elated.

Jane clambered out of bed awkwardly, noting how different it felt to move without the immense weight at her front. She moved carefully however, noting how sensitive she felt in every gesture she made. She felt fresh and full of energy due to the sleep she had, and now only had one goal in mind.

She opened her bedroom door and walked into the baby's nursery next door, but her husband or baby were nowhere to be found. She stepped back into the hallway and walked to the end of it until she reached the library door which was opened partially and from which an orange light was glowing. In pushing it opened, she saw her husband sitting in an armchair by the fire, holding a small, squirming bundle in his arms. She smiled at the sight of her family and advanced towards them, putting her hand on Edward's shoulder.

"Darling, you should go back to sleep. It has only been a few hours, and surely you are more tired than that being sufficient enough rest"

"I would rather be with you two" she said, honestly. Edward spread his legs on the couch to make room for his wife between them and placed their son into her arms as she sat. Jane loved the feeling of her husbands legs and arms around her, she felt safe here, and at peace with everything in the world. He handed her the baby and she rocked him gently in her arms.

"I looked for you in the nursery"

"I thought that if he cried so close to where you were sleeping he would wake you up, but he has made no noise. He has been settled, and happy".

"Have you?" Jane asked, bouncing him lightly, "Have you been settled? and have you been happy?"

But as these words left her mouth he started to stir, and his sweet face scrunched up unhappily until he began to cry.

"He is hungry" Jane said knowingly, her own motherly instinct kicking in naturally. She unbuttoned the top of her slip so that she could bring their son to her breast. She did what Ms Miller had explained and felt him latch on. She felt a rush of happiness as her son began to feed. What a connection to nature she felt, what a bond was formed between them in that moment.

"Edward, he needs a name. You were certain we would have a girl, I do not think I heard any of your names for a boy"

"I have no male family, Jane, whom I wish to honour by naming my son after them"

"Which is the same for me, you know"

"Well now, we seem to have reached an impasse. What are we to do?"

Jane smiled, resting her head back against her husband.

"You know that I do not mind what his name is. I am happy with whatever you choose"

"We could name him after you"

"I was named after my father. I think our son should have his own identity, like every boy should"

"Then..." began Jane, "I want a name which reminds me of you"

She paused, thinking and then smiled.

"Do you remember the very first time we spoke?"

"Of course I do, I called you a witch and then accused you of bewitching my horse. Well, now I know at least that you were incapable of bewitching my horse-".

"I am serious. The first time we actually spoke. No pretences, not hesitance, no weariness of spirit. I was upset after a long day of frustrations, and tried my very best to hide it from you. I did not know then what I know now, that you would always be able to see straight through me. I entrusted my worries to you as I had never entrusted myself to anyone before. And I remember you listened to me with such selfishness that it shocked me. You did not make my troubles out to be more or less than what they were. You listened and then handed me a book you had been reading. You told me that there was nothing you could tell me that I already did not already know, but that you could give me a book that would make me feel better. And it did. The character in that book was named Henry, and I have quite liked that name since"

Edward smiled, closing his eyes.

"How do you remember such small things, Jane. Such small, fleeting things"

Jane grinned "It was not small to me, and certainly not fleeting. It was the first moment I knew I loved you. I could not help it, and I knew that from that day on I loved you and would love you for the rest of my life. This child is a result of that day, and every day since"

Edward nodded, rubbing his hand over Jane's.

"Then indeed it was no small moment. And one worth naming our son after. Henry Rochester".

"Henry" Jane smiled.