Weeks after she had a bad time falling asleep. All of those thoughts. All of those fears burning inside her. Could she really do it? Soon enough the time will come. She knew stressing herself out was the worst idea, as it could speed up the process.

On the other hand, her days were filled with the greatest love, she ever witnessed or ever heard about. He was there for her all of the time. Breakfast, getting ready for the day, reading, walks, just lying in bed doing nothing. He was there every step of the way. And that did bring the comfort she needed. But somehow that wasn't quite enough.

"Don't make me laugh. I told you. Not now." She said at breakfast, as she was having a hard time trying not to laugh at his recent joke.

"Oh, come on, it will happen whether you laugh or you don't, don't you want to simply have fun?" He laughed at his own joke or at her reaction.

"Yes, but..." She started to say, when she felt him grab her hand and cut her thoughts.

"Pen, I will be there. Please, just relax and have fun, will you?" He looked deeply into her blue eyes.

"That was quite funny indeed." She said in the end, letting out a little laugh she was holding.

"Well, you laugh told me just so." He smirked at her. He knew exactly how he affected her, there was no point in hiding that.

"Oh, shut up." But she played it cool, hitting his chest lightly with her hand.

She did cherish those moments. Each and every one of them. Him being near. Even if they did nothing. Even if they laid silent in their bed. He was there and that all that mattered in those weeks passing by.

One night she awoke feeling sudden pain down in her stomach. Was it...? Breathing deeply for a couple of minutes told her that maybe it wasn't indeed. As the feeling didn't come back. Not after a minute, not after even a few. She laid there trying to calm her down, as she heard his voice in the dark of the night.

"Is everything alright?" He asked and she felt his hand reach out to her stomach unannounced.

"Yes, yes" Pen answered kind of in a hurry.

"Then why aren't you asleep?" He asked once again, as if the answer before wasn't convincing enough.

"Just ...woke up" She took another deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"Are you sure that all's good?" But he wasn't quite convinced, as her voice wasn't steady enough for him.

"Yes, yes. I am sure. All's well." She said quickly. Why couldn't he just let it go? – she thought.

"Okay, get back to sleep." She felt his body relax next to her, as his hand moved to grab hers. But exactly at that moment she felt another sudden pain, as her hand reached for her belly.

"Ouch!" She almost screamed, trying to gather herself quickly after.

"What?" She felt him move to half sit up on the bed. His voice alarmed rightly so.

"Nothing, nothing…" She was still trying to let it go. Maybe if she just waits, it might pass?

"Pen, tell me!" He asked even more alarmed now.

"I think..." She started, but she couldn't find the right words, as she believed if she won't say it out loud it won't be true.

"Are you in labor?" He asked silently, almost whispering near her in bed.

"Maybe… I am not sure…" She turned her head towards him, trying to locate him. Her voice silenced by the pain still witnessed in her body.

"We should call a doctor." He made a move to get out of the bed, as she quickly located his hand and grabbed it.

"No! Wait." She said with panic in her voice.

"What for?" He was genuinely confused.

"Wait, it's not consistent. Let's just lay here and wait, if it comes back, I'll let you call a doctor." She asked.

"Pen..." How could he tell her that it wasn't the wisest decision? He started to consider her words, while she asked once again.

"Please, just give me a few more minutes of lying in bed with my husband without anyone here." He could hear tears in her voice. And deciding that a few minutes wouldn't hurt, he let it be.

"Okay. A few more minutes…" He positioned her close to her body, as they waited for another wave.

And it came. Just a few minutes after. Just as she said. As she squeezed and screamed in pain, he couldn't wait any longer. Quickly getting out of bed, he notified the staff and get back to her. Next half an hour they were waiting for doctor, as her contractions hit her once every few minutes. Him near her, hugging her, giving her all of the comfort he could. As suddenly they heard Portia's voice.

"Nooo…" Pen said quietly in his neck.

"Another one?" He asked, expecting it to be another wave of pain.

"No, my mother. Who called her in?" She whispered in his neck quietly.

"Don't you want your mom near?" He whispered back.

"I am not sure…" Just as he started answering, they both heard Portia's voice loud and happy.

"Penelope! What a blessing!" Portia announced. But for Penelope it felt as far away from a blessing as it possibly could.

"Now, I am definitely sure I don't want her here." Pen whispered once again in Colin's neck.

"The doctor should be here quite soon. I already told the staff about wet towels." Portia said getting closer to the bed.

"NO!" Penelope suddenly turned in bed and screamed at Portia. Those words triggered the deepest wound of that night her sister was giving birth.

"What?" Portia asked surprised.

"Ms. Featherington, can you please leave us…" Colin started to say, just as the Doctor finally entered the room.

"Oh, good, Doctor is here already." Portia turned around with a smile to the Doctor.

"Let's take a look shall we." The Doctor said, as time froze. He quietly examined Penelope, and after a long pause said. "It's going to take another few hours for sure. Please relax and take deep breaths meanwhile." He made a motion showing her how to breathe. "I'll let you have some peace for now." He said as he exited the room.

"RELAX?" She screamed at her mama.

"Penelope! Do what doctor said!" Portia said firmly.

"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Penelope screamed now at Colin. Seeing her like that made him quite scared, so he was willing to do whatever she wants now. She was in pain and if that would help her, he was willing to speak up to her mother.

"Penelope!" Portia screamed back at Pen.

"Ms. Featherington, please…" Colin started. Moving to half sit up in bed, as Pen was busy dealing with another wave of pain. "If that can help her relax, let her have some time alone." He asked calmly, as Portia send him surprised look of her own.

"Okay, if that will help her…" It seemed she understood, that nothing good would come up, if she stayed. She was quite hurt by Pen's reaction, but what could she do.

"I am here. I am here." Colin laid back, as they both heard the door closing behind Portia. Colin squeezed Pen's hand letting her know he was there for her, as he felt her squeeze it back hard.

"Colin, I can't…" She said wincing in pain.

"Yes, you can. You can. I am here and I'm not going anywhere." He tried to encourage her, but truly he was lost of what to do. So he tried… "But I think…"

"What?" She asked harshly. Not meaning to be as harsh as it sounded, she gave him a warm look.

"Maybe you would want another woman here who should know what to do… How to help…" He said not quite confident if that was what she would want. He watched her consider it, giving it a thought, as she spoke up.

"Maybe… " She made a pause, looking at him uncertain. "Can we ask your mom?" She almost whispered to him, as his face light up with smile.

"Sure, sure. Whatever you want."

It took him a few minutes away from her, to notify everyone to wake up his mother and ask her to come. As he got back into their bedroom, he watched her cringe in another wave of pain. And suddenly he got an idea.

"Do you want to do something that will take your mind away while we're waiting for my mother?" He watched her face looked up at him, as he got closer to the bed.

"What do you have in mind?" She asked suspiciously.

"Well… Just say yes or no." He teased her, as he already got her full attention.

"Anything! I would do anything to take my mind off of it! But I am not sure there's anything…" As soon as he heard her first word, he walked back to the door, that made her scream. "Where do you think you're going?"

To which he turned quickly back to her, saying one simple phrase. "One second."

It actually didn't took him more than a second to get back to her. He ran to the bed almost, as she took another deep breath.

"You asked to read what I'm writing…" He started uncertain, as he sat up near her in bed, holding his journal in his hands. He looked up at her, as he saw her brows rise up in question.

"Now? Really, Colin?" She asked somehow annoyed.

"I thought, it would take your mind off…" But just as he started saying those words, she cut him off, grabbing the journal.

"Give me that!" She said, as she quickly opened the journal and started reading.

Somehow it did help, as all of her thoughts were now in the story she was reading. Nothing else mattered. All of the pain forgotten in a second. She felt another wave come, but all of her thoughts were now focused on… Was it…? Wincing in pain, she gathered her courage, as she looked up at him as soon as the feeling was gone.

"Is that about…?" She started somewhat scared.

"Us?" He finished her way of thoughts, as their eyes met once again. "Yes. It is." She couldn't love him more, as she heard it. So, all of that time…. All of those months… When he wasn't near… When he chose to stay up late instead of going to bed with her… He still thought of her and only her.

As she continued reading, there were tears in her eyes. Now she knew how he felt. Just how uncertain he was from the start… Well, if you can call it start, really.