Get It Straight, Or Say Good Night

Help!- I do appreciate you being 'round

Photo: Boot Prop from Help! (Paul's shrinking scene) it ended up at the bottom of Johns garden

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"Evie!" Lou wrapped Evie up in her one armed embrace and cuddled the little girl with all her weak arm could muster. Her little darling didn't understand and the bouncing movement of a happy babe upset Lou's aches and pains quickly.

George eventually rescuing Louise by lifting the wiggling girl from her mother and taking her out of the room to toddle about and get tired, he would return her then.

**

It was the first time they had been alone in forever it seemed.

Paul had burst in as soon as he was informed, chattering a mile a minute, kissing his favourite non girl-friend to pieces as John smirked over his head. Nothing seemed to faze John, Lou pondered, as Paul gathered her gently into his arms, he was letting Paul almost snog her and all John was doing was smirking.

Was he really that happy she was awake?

Richy wandered in kissed her cheek, called her late for dinner and took it upon himself to rescue her from Paul's mothering. Not before however .... he had witnessed Paul fluff her pillows, laughed as Paul watched her carefully as she swallowed her medicine and finally had enough as Paul tucked in her sheets.

George had been attentive as the doctor checked her vital signs and soon realised she was almost the old Lou again- argumentative, surly and just plain Lou-y.
George groaned upon hearing her telling off the doctor for talking too quickly but smiled as she held his own hand gently, she grinned like he was her very favourite brother so he took that as a sign she was ok but slightly bonkers. i.e. normal Louise. They chatted quietly as John changed the bubs stinky bum and George informed her of all the well wishes from their folks.

After a half hour of more smiles Evie was getting cranky again so George gathered Eve along with her bag and left the room whistling as the little one tried to 'find' the whistle in uncle Georges mouth.

As soon as they were alone the awkwardness set in about them once more.

She was hazy on a few things: the actual crash and how it occurred.... the place she was found but Lou was crystal clear in her memories of earlier in the day.

When the doctor broke the news of the loss of the baby, Lou wasn't overly surprised, after being told she had been in a car accident and unconscious for days, she gathered it had been very bad.

As soon as the doctor mumbled the sad information in his slightly skewed brand of broken English she had concentrated her eyes on John and watched Johns emotions trickle over his face like a painting being created, one stroke at a time.

And at no time did she see relief, not once, not when he looked to the ceiling for strength or when he placed a hand on the wall to stop himself falling in a heap. Or even when his eyes caught hers and dropped away in remorse, none.

Lou forgave him there and then.

But he didn't know it yet, he was happy for sure but it was for her being awake. His eyes were clouded and sad as he let everyone take over, Paul in his planting of gregarious kisses, George when he held her too tightly in happiness and Richy when he made her smile about being late for dinner.

John just waited patiently.....

For Louise to scowl, and hate him.

Glancing about the room, he ended his roaming and stared at the door for far too long and when she still hadn't spoken he brought his gaze back to her belly. Her hand lay upon her tummy and the small but audible gasp that gripped and released from his larynx had him concentrating extra hard on the wedding band on her slim finger.

"Come here" Lou knew he was stunned when he flipped his eyes upwards to hers in a matter of milliseconds and it made her secretly pleased she could surprise him in her state but she still reserved her smile for when he realised she didn't hate on him. " ..... John, I need a cuddle and you're much too far away"

Scrapping the chair backwards John bit his lip then grinned at her wondering, and awed, to the fact that she was encouraging him closer not encouraging him to hit the road. Her eyes were kind, he thought as he neared her and she was trying to move ever so slowly for him to squeeze on the narrow bed, she carefully wrapped him up to her. It felt good, so good.

"I'm sorry Lou" feeling small for his silly idiotic ways and anger John let her hands fall all over him brushing through his hair, touching his sides, fingers lingering over eyelids as he closed them to her ministrations. "So sorry. Do you hurt bad, darlin?"

"Not at the moment" She whispered and as her fingers fell away John took her in, her lovely face, cheekbones so high, the cuts and abrasions on her..Her face, arms; everywhere "I feel empty though. Tired, so tired"

"I'll never do that again Louise, not push you away ever again. I nearly ... god I nearly lost you" His voice trailed off and Louise knew what he was thinking. Everybody leaving him, walking away, disappearing, dying. "You're not to leave" He stated making her blink and stare with a little look of questioning in her eyes. She cocked an eyebrow to his 'order' and he repeated for her "Not. To. Leave"

"OK"

"OK, just OK not yes John I will obey your every word" Cheeky John was back as she scoffed tiredly in his face.

Why was he so tough and so fragile all in one parcel. Lou watched his hand settle over her belly, nothing was needed to be explained or said in that moment, his fingers slid over her stomach slowly, in rhythmic semblance. Stroking her, showing her through his fingertips so softly plying her skin that he was upset over the loss.

"I want another baby John. Maybe not directly but I want a house full of smiling maniacal little Johnny's and pushy but angelic Louise's. Now.... my turn to say- OK?"

"OK"

"Just OK not yes Lou I will fill you full of seed?"

John laughed loudly with mirth to which Lou slapped a hand over his mouth; but Lou was giggling too. Lou giggled a little too much and the smile fell away to pain as she felt her insides pull and legs spasm in heated contempt to her ignoring the fact she had only just escaped a serious car accident. "Oh lord I am so bloody sore"

"I love you Lou, and I'll love you harder and better and listen to you more and yes- babies, I want your babies to make me insane with happiness" John kissed her gently, fingers running along her jaw "And I want you"

"I want you too"

"Come on, try and get a kip before George brings Evie back in" John snuggled her close and her eyes closed quickly.

"You went all that way, and back, in a few days so I wouldn't yell at you?" Her lips brushed his forehead as she whispered in sleepy question.

"I travelled the globe to bring you your angel"

"You did good, Johnny. Thank-you"

Lou drift away quickly, sleep encompassing her, the tiredness draining everything from her body.

And, as John escaped the bed to give her body room, he continued to watch over her, like a hawk. 

Like a husband.