Innocent As Charged (Completed)

Epilogue - 3 months later

Isobel's POV
A sharp pain is what wakes me at 4 o'clock in the morning and I can't help whining.

The baby's coming.

We need to wake Isaac.

He's sleeping beside me and I shake his shoulder; he instantly jerks awake, his eyes carefully scanning me for harm and carefully cradles my cheeks with worry.

"What's wrong?"

"The contractions have started."

"Have your waters broken?" Isaac is calm externally, his expression betraying nothing, but his excitement and fear is leaking through the bond.

"No."

"I'll contact the doctor and midwives so they know to get ready."

Thank you.

Of course love.

Kissing my forehead, I rest my head on his shoulder, somehow feeling exhausted before the labour has even properly started.

Isaac's eyes glaze over as he contacts the necessary people, Nate keeping a careful mental eye on us in the meantime. I can tell he attempts to keep the conversation short, but it still lasts a good five minutes before he finishes.

"They say that it's okay for you stay here for the moment and advise that you try to get some sleep  as you'll need a lot of energy for the actual birth. We only need to go to the hospital when your waters break or the contractions are happening every 5 minutes or so."

"We've got a while then?"

"We do. The midwife advised that you wear a pad for now, in case your waters do break."

"O-Okay. I'll go do that." I trek into the toilet, my legs shaking beneath me, and add the pad before waddling back into the bedroom and sitting next to Isaac.

I'm tired.

I know. Me too.

I yawn and I feel his arm come around my back, allowing me to relax and lean on him for support.

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" He asks quietly.

"Tired."

"Want to go back to bed?"

"That sounds nice."

"Okay then."

He lifts me up and gently tucks me into bed, sweeping my hair out of my face and carefully pulling me against his body when he lies down beside me.

"It's going to be alright Iz."

I do not reply, snuggling up closer to him, or as close as I can get with my big belly. Tiredness overcomes me rapidly and I soon fall asleep again, losing track of time as I drop off.

A second contraction wakes me about half an hour later but this time I don't bother waking Isaac, waiting for the pain to stop. Midway through the contraction, terror grips me.

I can't do this.

All I can hear is my heart knocking at my ribcage, my breathing shallow.

I can't do this. Please Jack. You need to stop this.

Iz, there's nothing I can do.

You're lying. You can stop this. I can't do this.

I'm waking up Isaac.