Mr Van der Linde | Dutch x Reader

Year III - Term III

Summary: Your time at university has come to an end, and you and Dutch talk about the future.

Chapter word count: 4,390

Finally. Exams were over, and you were finished with university.

That feeling you had upon leaving your final exam was akin to that of an out-of-body experience. You'd floated more than walked out of the hall until you reached the pub, and couldn't shake the looming feeling that you shouldn't be having fun, you should be at home studying. Everything you'd worked for throughout school, and specifically during the last three years, had all led up to this moment.

Most of your group of friends had returned home after you were all partied out (poor Abigail being unable to drink but being a great sport nonetheless) to wait for the results to come through.

You'd squealed when you saw yours, a top mark that was so overwhelming you'd immediately burst into tears. After you'd informed your family, you checked your phone to see two things: your group chat with thirty unread messages and a single one from Dutch, asking how you'd done.

Unable to formulate coherent sentences, you opted for a screenshot.

By some miracle, all your friends had passed too, even John. Abigail had done especially well, and you couldn't have been prouder of her. You were beaming down at your phone, happy not only for yourself but for your friends too, when Dutch responded.

Congratulations my girl. I knew you could do it. Can't wait to celebrate with you ;)

As always, Dutch's timing was impeccable, a message from John coming through saying that he was hosting celebratory drinks at his house the following weekend. There were no prizes for guessing who put that idea in his head. Not that you weren't excited about the prospect; you truly were on cloud nine.

-

John had been the one to pick you up, and you'd unfortunately been running late after having an interview for a graduate job the same day you were meant to travel down.

There were more people than you'd expected at the Van der Linde residence aside from your group of friends when you arrived, some of Javier's family, Abigail's parents, and of course Tilly.

"I can't believe your parents are meeting Dutch," you mused to Abigail who'd joined John for the ride and was walking you through the house and to the garden, where you could already see the small group chatting with drinks in hand.

"I know," she widened her eyes at you, "we've had to rush through a good number of things thanks to this little one."

Abigail gestured at her tummy, which was now impossible to hide in her clothes. She'd carried well, and the bump had been tiny for a great deal of her pregnancy, which was now a month and a half away from completion. She was having a hard time finding a dress for graduation and was unfortunately going to have to get one on the week of the event thanks to her ever-changing body. But still, she seemed to be glowing and the thought of her as a mother suited her greatly.

You paused in the kitchen to get a drink, John carrying on ahead while Abigail stayed with you.

"How are you feeling?" you asked, pouring her a cup of juice. "Still going okay?"

"Yeah, actually. I've been lucky. Thought that knowing my luck I'd be sick for the entire time and aching for nine full months. But touch wood," she grazed her fingertips over the cabinet door, "it stays that way for a while longer. Can't imagine I'll be very comfortable during the last month either way."