This One shot was suggested by Lana428o
It's practically a part two of Our little World
The evening sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows across the living room as Lucy slowly lowered herself onto the couch. She let out a sigh, her hand instinctively moving to cradle her belly. Her pregnancy had been progressing well, but in the last few weeks, it had become harder to do simple tasks. Her feet were swollen, her back ached constantly, and the baby seemed to be growing by the day. She loved every part of being pregnant, but lately, her body was feeling the strain.
"Mama, come play!" Mira's small voice called from the play area by the window, where the two-year-old sat with a pile of colorful blocks in front of her.
Lucy smiled at her daughter's request, her heart swelling with love, but the thought of getting up again felt impossible at the moment. "I will in a little bit, sweetie," she said softly. "Mama just needs to rest for a minute."
Mira pouted a little but nodded, her attention quickly shifting back to her blocks as she began stacking them in a wobbly tower.
A soft thud by the door caught Lucy's attention, and she looked up to see Tim walking in, a grocery bag in each hand. His eyes immediately found hers, and concern flickered in them when he saw how exhausted she looked.
"Hey," he said softly, setting the bags down on the kitchen counter before coming over to her. "You okay?" His hand reached out to gently brush a strand of hair from her face.
Lucy gave him a tired smile and nodded. "Yeah, just... tired," she admitted, rubbing her belly absentmindedly. "This little one's been kicking all day, and my back is killing me."
Tim's gaze softened, and without a word, he moved to sit beside her on the couch. His strong hands immediately found their way to her lower back, massaging the tense muscles there with practiced ease. Lucy let out a sigh of relief, leaning back into his touch as the tension in her body began to ease under his care.
"You don't have to do everything, you know," Tim said gently, his hands working carefully but firmly to relieve the pressure in her back. "I can handle dinner tonight. You just rest."
Lucy closed her eyes, grateful for the relief but also feeling a bit guilty. Tim had been doing so much for her lately, picking up the slack whenever she needed a break. "I feel bad," she murmured. "You've been doing everything."
Tim shook his head and leaned down, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "You're growing a whole human, Luce. I think you're doing enough."
She chuckled softly, though her heart warmed at his words. Tim always knew how to make her feel better, and not just physically. He was there for her emotionally, always ready with a word of encouragement or support when she needed it most. It was one of the many reasons she loved him.
Mira, still sitting by her blocks, looked over and saw her daddy rubbing her mommy's back. "Daddy, come play!" she called out, her blue wide eyes hopeful.
Tim smiled at his little girl and gave Lucy's back one final gentle squeeze before standing up. "I'll play with you for a little bit, peanut ," he said, walking over to where she sat. "Then we'll make dinner together, okay?"
Mira nodded eagerly, her dark curls bouncing as she clapped her hands in excitement. "Okay!"
Lucy watched them with a soft smile as Tim knelt down on the floor, helping Mira stack her blocks higher and higher. He was so good with her, always patient and full of love. Seeing him like this ..so engaged with their daughter, so present in every momen made her fall in love with him all over again.
But even as she sat there, watching her family, Lucy couldn't ignore the ache that was settling in her back again, or the way her feet throbbed after a long day. She shifted slightly on the couch, trying to find a more comfortable position, but the relief was temporary at best.
Tim glanced over at her, noticing her discomfort. "You want to lie down for a bit?" he asked softly, his brow furrowed in concern.
Lucy sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Yeah, maybe I should," she admitted, feeling the weight of her pregnancy more than ever today.
Tim stood up and gently helped her to her feet, his hands steady and supportive as she slowly rose from the couch. Once she was up, he guided her to the bedroom, where he helped her ease down onto the bed. She stretched out with a relieved sigh, grateful to be off her feet.
"I'll get you some pillows," Tim said, already moving to grab a few extra pillows from the closet.
Lucy watched him as he worked, her heart swelling with gratitude. She knew he was tired, toobetween work, taking care of Mira, and helping her through the harder days of her pregnancy, he had barely taken a moment for himself. But he never complained, never showed anything but love and support.
Tim gently propped the pillows under her back and legs, making sure she was comfortable before sitting down beside her. "How's that?" he asked, his hand resting on her belly as he looked at her with concern.
"Better," Lucy said softly, her hand resting over his. "You're amazing, you know that?"
Tim chuckled, his thumb gently rubbing her belly in slow circles. "I just want you to be okay," he said. "Both of you."
Lucy's eyes softened as she looked at him. "We are okay. Because of you."
Tim smiled at that, but Lucy could see the hint of exhaustion in his eyes. He always put on a strong front, but she knew him better than anyone. She could see the toll it was taking on him, even if he never said a word about it.
"You need to rest too, Tim," she said gently, her fingers lacing with his. "You've been doing so much. Let me take care of you for a change."
Tim shook his head, his smile warm and affectionate. "I'm fine, Luce. I can handle it."
But Lucy wasn't convinced. She knew him too well to believe that he didn't need a break. "Tim, you've been running yourself ragged taking care of everything. I appreciate it more than you know, but I don't want you to burn out."
Tim sighed softly, his hand still resting on her belly as he looked at her. "I'm just worried about you," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "I know this pregnancy's been harder on you than the last one."
Lucy's heart softened at his words. "It has been harder," she said honestly. "But you make it easier. Just having you here, doing all the things you do... it helps more than you know."
Tim looked at her for a long moment, then leaned down to press a soft kiss to her forehead. "I'll always be here," he whispered, his voice full of quiet resolve. "No matter how hard it gets."
Lucy closed her eyes, letting his words settle over her like a blanket. She knew he meant it. Tim had always been her rock, and even now, as her pregnancy became more difficult and her body ached in ways she hadn't anticipated, he was there—steady, strong, and unwavering.
As they lay there together, Lucy felt the baby kick softly, a gentle reminder of the new life growing inside her. She smiled, resting her hand on her belly, and felt Tim's hand join hers once more. They were in this together, no matter how tough the days got.
And in that moment, Lucy knew that no matter how hard it became, she had everything she needed right here: a loving husband, a beautiful daughter, and the promise of another little one on the way.
