The Artist [h.s.]

twenty eight

Carter smiled down at her stomach as the car rolled to a stop at a red light. The sky was dark and heavy rain drops fell in sheets, but she didn't mind because everything felt wonderful when she was with the man sitting beside her and the two little children that made her stomach poke out.

"Do you think that they'll actually join us today?" Months before, Carter was worrying about losing their children early like the others, but now she was worried about having to go into an emergency C section. She wasn't a big fan of surgery and just the thought of it made her anxious.

Harry tore his eyes away from the red light that blared against the stormy sky only to look at her with a gentle smile, "I hope so, all of this extra waiting is making both of us super antsy. It's still hard to believe that it's real. I mean, we have Poppy and she's beyond wonderful, and now we're about to have two sweet little babies...it feels like this all started only days ago and I don't want it to stop, but at the same time I want it to slow down."

Carter smiled and took Harry's hand that was resting by his side so that they were holding hands on the center console, "It's going to feel that way forever, you know. But, I think that we're ready. Oh, and the light is green."

Harry laughed at his carelessness, his dimples deep in his cheeks and his smile sending Carter's heart into a frenzy, "Right, I should definitely pay more attention to that considering that there are babies on board."

Carter laughed lightly and turned her head to look at the city passing by just outside her window. She was a city girl, she always had been and always would be because of her profession, and somehow the view was never boring in her eyes. Carter loved to see the people walking down the sidewalk and the view the sunlight provided when it's rays reflected off of pristine glass buildings. She loved the skyline and the sunset as it cast beautiful colors over every building and she absolutely adored the glow of the city lights against the stark blackness of the night.

Cater loved many places, but the city was where she belonged. Most parents don't want to raise their kids in populated cities because most of the bad in the world seems to thrive there, but Carter and Harry weren't worried because they knew that, no matter where they went, there would still be bad in the world and they couldn't hide their kids from it; it would be something that they had to experience and learn from.

Poppy was doing wonderful in the city, and that only solidified their decision to remain where they were. Their careers were hectic, but they decided that family mattered more and that, if it came down to it, they would choose their children over anything else.

The car rolled to a gentle stop and Harry squeezed Carter's hand lightly, he'd been talking to her for the past five minutes only to realize that she wasn't listening to him at all because she was absorbed in her thoughts and in the city around her.

"Sweetheart, we're here."

A faint blush rose to her cheeks as she removed her eyes from the city behind the glass to the man sitting beside her with such beautiful green eyes, "I'm sorry, I got caught up in my thoughts again. Are you sure that you're okay doing this? Things didn't go too well the last time we were all in one room."

She had asked him the question on and off again since his mother had proposed the idea of a 'family lunch date'. Harry knew that she was only asking so much to make sure that there wouldn't be a repeat of what had happened the last time; but his brother had changed and he knew it even though they hardly maintained any contact.

Harry was ready to reconcile with Sam and to be a united family again and this was the perfect opportunity for him to do so.

Carter was looking at him curiously and he smiled in return, "Yes, he's different now. Mum wouldn't have suggested it if it looked like history would repeat itself, you know that. Are you alright with this?"