This Ain't A Fairytale- Lando Norris

41. We really were timeless

"Hannah, what are you doing?" Lando sighed, leaning in the doorway of the nursery, eyes struggling to adjust in the darkness.

"I couldn't sleep." She shrugged, not looking up from the clothes she was folding.

"I told you to wake me up." He pointed out. The two of them had been laying in bed watching tv after she'd given up on the idea that she was going to get any sleep, but clearly he'd not managed to keep his eyes open.

"You looked so comfy. There's no point in both of us being sleep deprived zombies." She sighed. "Someone still has to take care of Isla. She'll be awake soon."

A glance at the clock on the wall revealed it was nearly five in the morning and Isla was definitely going to be awake soon.

"I'll be fine. Think of the years of jet lag like training for this moment." He joked, crossing the room until he was standing behind her, gently catching her hands to stop her. "Come and lay down. These are the exact same clothes you were folding earlier."

"I'm not going to sleep." She shook her head. "Just go back to bed and..." she trailed off, hands blindly grasping for the edge of the drawer for something to hold onto.

"Han?" Lando looked at her in concern.

"I'm fine." She groaned, leaning against the top of the drawers. "Stupid braxton hicks... why do you think I couldn't sleep."

"Maybe we should take you to the hospital... I can call mum and-"

"Stop panicking." Hannah groaned. "This is the exact reason I didn't wake you up."

"I'm not panicking I'm...." He trailed off, phone still in his hand about to call his mum.

"I'm fine, Lando." She reassured. "I was like this for weeks before Isla was born, ask your mum. It's just uncomfortable, there is nothing wrong. I promise."

"Alright, but will you please just come and sit down and stop folding things." He sighed. "Let's go down stairs and put the tv on or something."

"Fine." She sighed. "If it stops you stressing. Come on."

He kept a firm grip on her as they made their way very slowly down the stairs, Hannah stopping to hang onto the railings on the stairs for a moment.

"Hannah." He sighed.

"Stop it." She got out through gritted teeth. "I am fine."

"Alright. Come on, just go and sit down." He guided her towards the sofa, holding on to her arm to support her as she sat down heavily. "I'll go put the kettle on. Stay there."

He disappeared into the kitchen, keeping half an eye on her to make sure she didn't get back up, as he pulled out his phone.

He switched the kettle on first so the noise would cover up the sound of him on the phone, then called his mum.

"Lando?" Cisca mumbled, still half asleep. "What's wrong? Is Hannah okay?"

"Sorry to wake you up." He apologised, it hadn't really occurred to him that it was still the early hours of the morning.

"It's okay, what's wrong?" She asked, he could hear her moving around on the other end of the phone, probably already getting ready to come over.

"I think Hannah might be going to into labour." He told her quietly. "She keeps telling me she's not but I think she's just trying to stop me stressing. Do you think you could head over so you can take care of Isla?"

"I'll be there in an hour." Cisca agreed. "Although you quite possibly are stressing about nothing."

"Thanks mum." He sighed. "I know I'm probably worrying and I shouldn't be I just... I don't know."

"You weren't here last time to do all the stressing." Cisca pointed out. "But stop stressing, remember when she went into labour last time you had enough time to fly back from America, get to Monaco and to the hospital and then you were still sat there for hours before Isla made an appearance."

Much to his surprise, when he walked back through with two cups of tea, Hannah was still where he'd left her, lying on the sofa.

He thought that she was asleep for a minute, but as he got closer her eyes opened and she blinked at him sleepily.

"Here you go." He handed her the tea, sitting down beside her head, helping her as she struggled to sit up.

"Thanks." She stood the tea, but a quiet a groan escaped her that she just couldn't hold in.

Lando caught the mug of tea, steadying it for her. "Hannah."

"I'm fine." She hissed.

"You're a terrible liar." He shook his head at her. "I called my mum, she's on the way over to take care of Isla."

"You woke your mum up in the middle of the night because I might be in labour?" She groaned. "This is why I didn't tell you. I knew you'd overreact."

"I'm not overreacting." He rolled his eyes at her. "I'm being the sensible one here, rare I know. But one of us has to be."

"I'm fine." She groaned. "I've been getting these for ages, you just haven't noticed."

"Oh I noticed, I just didn't want to argue with you." He laughed quietly. "Mum won't mind, and at least if she's here she can entertain Isla and I can keep an eye on you."

"You could've waited and called her in the morning." Hannah pointed out. "It took forever with Isla, this one isn't just going to magically appear."

"Mum said the same thing." He admitted. "I may be freaking out a little bit. Just a little."

"It'll be fine." She reassured him, taking a sip of the tea. "We know what to expect this time, we're basically experts this time around."

"I'm not sure I'd say experts." Lando shook his head. "I think I'm more stressed this time around."

"You are." Hannah agreed. "But I think it's because you were away racing last time and you didn't have to go through this bit. Your mum got to do this bit with me instead."

"Well, she'll be here soon." He joked. "She might be a bit more use than me."

"You're here. That's all that matters." Hannah reassured him. "And I don't have the stress of having to wonder if you're going to make it back before the baby comes this time."

"True." He agreed. "That was the longest flight of my life. I was so stressed."

"You and me both." Hannah yawned.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Lando suggested.

"I can't." She groaned, handing him back the now empty mug as she shifted around awkwardly trying to get comfortable.

"You could try, just lay down for a bit and get a little bit of rest. Please?" He tried again to persuade her, shifting so she was lying with her head in his lap.

"You're going to let me get comfortable and then you'll have to get up and let your mum in." Hannah pointed out.

"She's got a key. She'll let herself in." He answered. "Just try and get some sleep. You might need to get some now. Remember how little sleep we got after you first had Isla?"

"Don't remind me." Hannah groaned, rubbing her stomach again as if it might somehow soothe the pain. "I don't even want to think about it."

"I can't believe we're about to have two kids." Lando laughed quietly.

"We won't be having any more after this. I wasn't joking when I said you're never coming near me again after this."

"You said that last time." He joked.

"I know." Hannah groaned. "But this time I mean it."