Archive of Our Own

Rebecca sat in her Range Rover, parked deliberately on the opposite side of the street. She’d been sitting there for going on twenty minutes and hadn’t really worked up the courage to move, didn’t really know what she was planning on doing now that she was there, except that she’d purposely parked a little further away so that if she did chicken right out, no one would be the wiser.

She’d never been to her house. She knew the address of course, because in a round-about way, she knew the addresses of all her employees - or she could get a hold of them. The house itself was a little bit of a surprise, sharp lines, manicured gardens, a little more mid-century than you often saw in London. She wasn’t really sure what she’d expected, but somehow, that wasn’t it.

She took a deep breath, attempting to calm her nerves, pulling her breath in until her chest was puffed right out and letting it go slowly with her eyes pressed closed, trying to ignore how her hands were shaking ever so slightly in her lap, her long nails raking across her thighs.

She jumped clean out of her skin when there was a knock on her window.

“What are you doing, babe?” Keeley’s voice shouted through the glass and Rebecca turned to her, wide eyed and confused as to how she’d managed to knock when she had two steaming, mis-matched cups - of presumably tea - in her hands.

“How the fuck did you know it was me?” Rebecca questioned, awkwardly climbing down from the car as Keeley stepped back in her fluffy pink slippers.

“Babe, a breathtaking blonde, parked outside my house. Who else was it going to be?” Keeley held one of the cups of tea out to her - a pink cup with little gold stars all around it, steam still rising from the surface of the tea. “You’re not as subtle as you think you are. So what’s up?”

Rebecca winced, gripping the mug in her gloved hand as she closed her car door, shivering a little in the morning chill. “Can we,” She gestured toward the house with her car keys clutched in her other hand.

“Yeah, sure, come on.”

***

The inside of Keeley’s house was a little more what she’d expected. The furniture was sophisticated, stylish, some of the pieces were even things she’d choose for herself. But every surface was touched with pink. A pink neon flamingo lamp on a counter, a pink toaster and kettle, pink fluffy cushions on the sofa, a pink leopard against a doorframe.

“You alright, you look a little pale?” Keeley questioned and Rebecca tore her eyes back from surveying the room, her eyes having locked on a set of pink neon lips on the top of a glass shelf. She swallowed nervously, setting the tea on the coffee table before she met Keeley’s eye.

“I didn’t know where else to go.”

She was so nervous her bottom lip got pulled in between her teeth and she nibbled a little on it, twisting her own fingers in the grip of her other hand, in front of her.

“Jesus, babes, sit down before you fall down.” Keeley grabbed her by the forearm and tugged her toward the sofa. Rebecca went willingly, even if her movements were jittery, nervous, trying to pull back while she allowed Keeley to pull her forward. “You look like you’re gonna be sick.”

Rebecca chuckled a little more hysterically than intended and Keeley blanched.

“You’re not going to, are you?”

Rebecca sobered. “No, I don’t think so. I think,” She hesitated, reaching to twist her fingers in the fluff of a pink cushion beside her, the palm of her other hand resting low against her stomach. Keeley was sitting cross-legged, hugging her tea, while Rebecca sat perched right on the edge, her heeled feet pressed together and her body angled toward the door - the universal sign of being ready to flee at any second. “I think that’s passed, for now.”

Keeley’s eyes bugged but she said nothing. Rebecca took a deep breath and turned again to meet her eye, choosing to come out and say it, to not beat around the bush. She’d come to Keeley because the girl was genuine and kind, and regardless of what she now knew Rebecca had done, still somehow wanted to be her friend (even if it was on the time-sensitive proviso that she come clean to Ted about her wrong-doings). It was far more than she could say for any of the other women in her life and certainly far more than she felt she deserved.

“This is going to greatly affect our relationship,” Rebecca started. “It’s,” She swallowed. “It’s not really appropriate for me to,” She stumbled over her words and pressed her eyes closed tight for a moment to gather herself. “I honestly didn’t think you’d even let me in, but I-I just didn’t have anyone else to,”

Keeley’s hand gripping hers in her lap caught her by surprise and her eyes opened; an overwhelming sense of reassurance seeping down into her bones, that she somehow felt was yet to be earned.

“You can tell me anything, Rebecca.” She truly believed that.

Twisting her hand around so that their fingers were intertwined, her grip tightening on Keeley’s, she took a deep breath that raised her shoulders for a moment before she let the words out on a long breath.

“I think I’m pregnant.”

“Holy fuck.”

“Exactly.”

“Oh my god, like, seriously?”

Rebecca nodded, tilting her head a little to the side. “I mean, I think so.”

“You haven’t done a test?”

Rebecca shrugged, reaching over to add her other hand to Keeley’s in her lap, holding onto her like a lifeline. “I think I was too scared to know for sure.”

“So like, is this good or bad?”

Rebecca winced. “I don’t know.” She could feel tears prickling right at the corner of her eyes. It wasn’t good, it wasn’t ideal, the timing was horrendous. She was divorced, she was alone. Money wasn’t an issue, but the circumstances were all wrong.

“Can I,” Keeley hesitated, giving her hand a little squeeze. “Can I ask?”

Rebecca swallowed, knowing what Keeley was asking without asking it. She averted her gaze as her voice dropped so quiet she was fairly certain Keeley probably couldn’t hear her. “It’s Ted.”

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” She was wrong, Keeley definitely heard her.

Rebecca flinched at the volume of her shriek.

“Sorry, babe, but what the fuck, when did you sleep with Ted? Are you dating Ted? No, wait, have you told Ted about the photos yet? Jesus Rebecca, this is a right mess.”

“God, no, fuck” Rebecca pressed her fingertips to her temples. “You think I don’t know that.” She took in a deep, shaky breath. “It was in Liverpool and it was just once. And I know I still need to tell him.”

“That was like two months ago.” Keeley gawped at her. “Wait,” Keeley suddenly pulled her hands free, holding them up as surprise and a little touch of delight played on her face. “That was Ted that night? I thought it was the hot waiter!” Keeley gasped. “OH MY GOD, you texted you were walking Ted back because he had a panic attack. Why didn’t you tell me? ”

Rebecca’s face drained of colour and she stared at Keeley wide-eyed. “Hold on. You were there?! You texted you were heading back with Roy!”

“Roy kissed me and ran.” Rebecca frowned but Keeley waved her off. “But we’re not talking about that, what the fuck, Rebecca!? You shagged Ted?”

“Oh god,” Rebecca slumped back against the back of the couch, her long fingers covering her face. “This is so embarrassing.”

“Don’t be embarrassed babe, it’s fucking hot.” Keeley declared, grinning when one of Rebecca’s eyes peeked through her fingers. “Well it was, jesus, I didn’t hear him at all but you,” Keeley was grinning stupidly, her eyes now alight with joy. “You definitely sounded like you were having a great time.”

“Fucking hell, I thought you weren’t there.”

“Oh it’s fine, I wasn’t bothered.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Actually, I quite enjoyed it.” She winked. “It’s good to know he understands there’s better things to do with his mouth when it counts than making dumb puns, yeah?” Rebecca rolled her eyes at her. “Because he was silent as a fucking church mouse, but I’m fairly sure three floors down from us had a pretty good idea of just how good a night you had.”

“Oh, fuck you, I was not that loud.”

Keeley giggled. “Babe, dogs four streets away could hear you. And now I know it was Ted that did that to you, I am so not going to be able to look at him the same way again.”

“And you think I can?” Rebecca shrieked, sitting up, incredulous. “I’ve barely been able to look him in the eye for weeks because of how much of a bitch I’ve been to him, when he didn’t even deserve it and now this,” She gestured to herself, generally. “I can’t keep anything down, the smell of tea makes me nauseous.” Without hesitation, Keeley winced and grabbed both cups of tea, hopping up from the sofa to move them away from her and Rebecca offered her a small, grateful smile. “My breasts fucking hurt,” She pointed at her chin, leaning toward Keeley, a look of utter dismay in her eyes. “I have a fucking spot, on my fucking chin.”

“End of the world type stuff, right there.” Keeley deadpanned and Rebecca frowned, annoyed.

“What am I going to do?”

Keeley sobered and Rebecca steeled herself, straightening her shoulders and trying to push back the tears that were burning at her eyes. She’d been dealing with this feeling for a couple of weeks - her heart pulling her back and forth between telling Ted the truth and her body feeling just a little bit off, before the nausea had set in for real. Then her breasts started to feel fuller, a bit tender, and just thinking about tea turned her stomach, which had brought on a full-blown meltdown in her kitchen the day previously, sobbing into the counter with deep, heaving gasps at the loss of her favourite beverage. A ridiculous response, she knew, but at the time, the very thought of never having another cup of tea in her life, had seemed like the worst thing imaginable.

“First, we’re going to get you a test.” Keeley hopped up from the sofa and grabbed for Rebecca’s hand. “Kick those off.” She gestured to her feet, and the ruby-coloured suede Louboutins they were nestled in.

Rebecca did as instructed, awkwardly trying to kick them off as Keeley tugged on her hand and led her to the stairs.

She followed along behind her, gripping at the fabric of her billowy white trousers as they reached the first floor and padded down the hall, through Keeley’s bedroom where a large lamp covered in ostrich feathers made Rebecca’s eyes widen, before she followed her into the bathroom.

“Sit here.” Keeley grabbed her hand, moving her to sit down on the toilet against the fluffy pink toilet cover as Keeley crouched down in front of her bathroom cabinet and started rifling through boxes and baskets and piles of bottles. “I’m sure there’s one in here somewhere.”

“You just have pregnancy tests, laying around?”

“Never know when you’re gonna have a scare.” Keeley winked over her shoulder and Rebecca nodded absently, she couldn’t really dispute the statement, considering her current predicament. Keeley dropped back on her haunches, pulling a basket out into her lap, dragging things out onto the fluffy pink rug until she triumphantly came up with a box. “Ah ha!” She declared, flipping it over to read the back label. “And still in-date. Perfect.”

She shoved everything back in the cabinet and closed it before she started ripping open the packet, standing to turn to Rebecca, who now had to look up at her from her seated position.

“You ready, babe?”

“Fuck no.”

Keeley snorted but otherwise ignored her answer, pulling two little sticks out of the packet along with an information leaflet. She flipped them both over and handed them to Rebecca. “So if you wanna be double sure, we can do both of them.”

Rebecca nodded dumbly.

“Okay, so, just pee on this bit then let me back in, yeah?” Keeley offered her a reassuring smile. Rebecca took the tests from her and smiled shakily when Keeley’s hand wrapped around hers, over the tests. “It’s gonna be alright, babe. Yeah.”

The younger woman leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Rebecca’s forehead which left her a little stunned, before she spun on her heel and headed for the door.

“Keeley,”

The younger woman stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Yeah?”

“Thank you.” Rebecca said quietly, her voice a little hoarse. “It means a lot that you’re here with me.” A tear trickled down her cheek and she could see Keeley’s expression soften just a little. “I don’t have anyone,” She stopped, her words stuck in her throat.

“Babe, you and me, we’re good. Don’t worry about all that right now.”

Rebecca just nodded as Keeley offered her another reassuring smile before closing the door behind her with a gentle click.

Rebecca just sat there for a long minute, staring at the wood-grain on the closed bathroom door, trying to keep breathing. She looked down at the test in her palm, at the little window that was currently blank.

“I can’t hear any peeing.” Keeley’s voice called through the door and Rebecca felt a laugh bubble up within her.

“Oh fuck off!” She called back, grinning when she could hear Keeley’s laughter moving away.

***

“You can come back in.” Rebecca spoke quietly, pulling the door open to see Keeley’s back, the younger woman spinning around with an excited bounce in her step, heading back into the bathroom.

“Sit, sit.” She ushered Rebecca back to where she’d first placed her, on the soft pink lid of the toilet. Rebecca crossed one leg over the other, resting her elbow on her knee and shoving her thumb-nail in between her teeth as Keeley spotted the two tests sitting upright on the counter.

"Did you set a timer?”

Rebecca waved her phone up between them before shoving it back in her lap, her nail still stuck between her teeth. Her manicure was fresh, so she didn’t chew on it, but having it there helped calm her nerves somehow.

“How are you feeling about it?” Keeley questioned, leaning back against the counter, her arms crossed in front of her.

“I don’t know. I never thought I’d ever be sitting in my friend’s really pink bathroom waiting on a pregnancy test from a one-night stand with one of my employees let alone at the age of forty-six.”

“Okay, fair enough, but aside from that. Motherhood, what’s your position?”

Rebecca didn’t hesitate but her breath did come out a little shaky and her voice, a little quieter. “I’ve wanted it for twenty years.”

Keeley’s eyes widened a little. “And you and Rupert,” She stopped suddenly and Rebecca felt her cheeks were hot as her eyes started to prickle at the edges. It wasn’t until she felt the tear trickle down her cheek that she realised she was crying.

“He never wanted it.”

“Fuck, babes, I’m sorry.”

Rebecca shrugged, brushing at her cheeks furiously. “It’s alright, it wasn’t meant to be. And if this is negative, I’m just not meant to have that. I’ll be fine.”

“Will you, though?”

“Of course. I have to be.” Rebecca tried to force a reassuring smile through her tears as they subsided. “And it’s not like this situation is the best to bring a child into anyway, I mean, Ted will go back to America eventually and then what? And it’s not like we’re even remotely together, in any way. And it’s not like he’s not going to hate me when I tell him what I’ve done either way.”

Keeley snorted a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand quickly. Rebecca looked up at her, a little surprised.

“What?”

“Oh, hon, that man looks at you like you hung the fucking moon, he’s not gonna hate you.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes. “He does not and he will.”

“You’ve been kind of avoiding him for like two months right? Since your epic shag.”

Rebecca covered her face with her hand and groaned. “Please don’t call it that.”

“I’m just saying, if I’d known about the shag, the massive love-sick puppy eyes he’s been giving you for literal months, would have made a whole lot more sense with some context.”

“You’re insane.”

“I’m right.”

“You’re not.”

“Whatever.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Rebecca’s voice was suddenly softer, more worried. “Even if he does now, it’s only because he doesn’t know what I’ve done.”

The alarm on Rebecca’s phone started to chime and she nearly dropped it on the floor, the sharp sound abruptly ending her thought.

“Ready?” Keeley questioned, taking a deep breath and Rebecca shook her head.

“Not really, no.”

“We just gotta rip off the bandaid, yeah.”

Rebecca screwed her nose up. “I hate that expression, it’s so american.”

“Whatever, okay, I’m gonna look.” Rebecca nodded faintly as Keeley turned around. She watched her back as she moved to pick up the tests, lifting one up before the other, her narrow shoulders sagging just a little and Rebecca suddenly felt a sort of anticipation hit her like a train, a desperate need to know what it said.

“What is it? What’s it say?”

Keeley turned back around, her features impassive. “It’s negative.”

Everything inside Rebecca deflated and she felt like she was outside her body when she heard her own voice. “Oh.”

“I’m sorry, babe.”

“No,” Rebecca waved her off, her throat suddenly tight. “No, it’s fine, it’s good. They’re both negative?” She looked up at her friend again, eyes wide and perhaps even a little hopeful.

“Yeah.”

“It’s fine, honestly. It wasn’t meant to be. I just,” She sniffled, unable to hold it back. “It’s probably for the best, right? I’m forty-six and Ted,” She took a breath. “He and I aren’t even,” She let out her breath in a puff. “I’m not surprised, not at all.”

“Rebecca,”

She shook her head, vigorously, feeling hot tears behind her eyes. “No, it’s okay. Honestly, I mean, how fucking shit would it be for Ted to literally have two kids in different countries, that wouldn’t be fair, right?” Her grey-green eyes felt wet, looking up into Keeley’s. “I don’t know why I’m so upset over something I never actually had, I’ll be okay, seriously.”

“Babe.”

“No, it’s fine.” She wrapped her arms around herself, before looking up at Keeley again, a questioning look in her eyes, betraying a longing she hadn’t realised she still held within her, a longing that had lain dormant for years. She felt her throat tightening up, her voice thick with tears she was trying to hold back. “Are you sure?”

“No, I’m sorry it’s actually positive. They both are.” There was the faintest touch of a smile at the corner of Keeley’s lips and Rebecca felt like all the blood drained out of her body as she stared up at Keeley, completely lost for words.

“What?”

“I lied before, the tests are both positive.”

Rebecca let out a loud sob, pressing her shaking fingers to her lips. “What? So I’m,”

“You’re pregnant, babes.”

“Oh my god.” Rebecca sobbed in earnest, tears pouring down her cheeks as Keeley’s arms wrapped around her, squeezing tightly. “Fuck you.”

“I’m sorry,” Keeley giggled into her hair. “But at least you know how you really feel about it now, yeah?”

Rebecca pulled back, her hand pressed over her mouth again, her eyes wide and searching. She tried to breathe, her chest heaving as she fought back sobs. “What am I going to do?”

“You’re going to have to tell Ted.”

Rebecca shook her head vigorously. “I can’t, I don’t,” She choked on the sobs that were still coming freely. “How the fuck am I going to do that? After what I’ve done to him. He’ll never forgive me.”

“He deserves to know.” Keeley answered, her voice gentle, attempting to sound soothing but Rebecca’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes rimmed red with a mixture of tears that were both ecstatic and worried.

She was quiet for a long moment, staring down at her ruby-red painted toes against the soft pink rug as she heaved a deep sigh. “I know that.”

“He’ll understand.”

“Honestly, I don’t know if that’s true. What I did, what I tried to do, Keeley,”

“I forgave you.” Keeley’s voice was firm, calm, resolute. She truly had. It was different, of course, but Keeley had been just as close to the crosshairs of Rebecca’s sabotage as Ted and she’d come out unscathed.

“What do I do if,” She looked up into Keeley’s eyes. “If he decides he doesn’t want anything to do with me, or this baby?”

“Do you want to give it up?”

Rebecca gasped, wrapping her arms around her middle, feeling a deep anguish course through her body that made her blood turn cold. “No!”

“Then you get on with it.” Keeley smiled, reaching out and untangling Rebecca’s fingers from her blouse, holding her hand comfortingly. “You’re Rebecca Fucking Welton.”

***

She felt like shit, but she smiled and she carried on for the photographers set up in the locker room for her profile in the Football Financial Quarterly because it was probably going to be quite some time before she’d be able to pick up a paper and see a good-news story about herself.

It was just a few weeks, surely, before she’d start to show and a few weeks more after that before Ernie Lounds posted some tawdry headline in The Sun about how much of a whore she was for getting pregnant out of wedlock or something similarly sexist and/or archaic about a single woman being pregnant and on her own in twenty-twenty. Ted appeared, of course, and he made all the appropriate over-the-top compliments that made her feel like she was worth a million pounds - if only he knew.

She’d inhaled two and a half of her biscuits, sitting on the benches in the locker room with Ted, watching the photographers pack up and studiously ignoring the fluttering in her stomach - the overwhelming pull to tell him everything but the nauseating feeling in the back of her throat that was goading her into never telling him anything at all - for a moment she contemplated spending the rest of her pregnancy working from her villa in Spain in an effort to avoid telling him the truth - about the baby or what a colossal bitch she’d been.

She knew that idea was idiotic - how would she hide a baby when she came back? But the idea of disappearing instead of telling the truth - in her hormone addled brain - was particularly appealing.

Keeley’s emotional slap in the face in the boot room tipped her over the edge - which said nothing for the stench of the dirty, sweaty boots making her stomach churn. She managed to make it back to her office in a daze, emptying everything she’d eaten that morning, including her beloved biscuits, into the toilet before she washed out her mouth, dusted off the knees of her trousers and sent Ted a text that she needed to speak to him.

It didn’t go well.

She was a coward.

Ted was kind and sweet and funny, and the way he lifted himself up into his chair, flexing his biceps as his feet flew up in the air, brought back memories of those arms wrapped tightly around her, those strong hands pressed into her skin and suddenly her insides were hot and her lips were dry and she was staring at him like she hadn’t eaten in days.

And then she was rambling - honest to god, rambling - and she wanted to stop herself but her mouth just kept on going.

“Are you doin’ okay?” Ted’s voice was gentle and genuine and her heart thudded in her chest.

“Me?” She gasped. “I’m brilliant!” The top-of-the-pops reference had her wanting to slap her own self across the head, especially the accompanying dance number. “Ted, do you think you could do this later?”

To his credit, he didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, no problem, I'll just hit the rewind button.”

She couldn’t hold back the chuckle that bubbled up within her as he quite literally retraced his steps, playing out every movement he’d made as he’d entered her office, but in reverse. The man truly knew how to break through the churning within her and drag out a smile.

The click of the door closing behind him snapped her out of it and she felt her heart jump up into her throat as she reached up, pressing her fingertips to her temples. “Oh god, Rebecca, Rebecca, just do it, just do it,” She chanted. “You just have to tell him.” She said to herself, taking deep breaths. There was a timeline on it, he needed to know before it got so late that telling him would look like she’d only done it because she couldn’t hide it, and she didn’t want him to think that.

“I’m a big girl. I can fucking just… tidy up your mess.” She stood up quickly, gripping the edge of her desk with white knuckles for a moment, as her head swam, but the feeling was thankfully fleeting, gone before she fully rounded her desk and she stopped suddenly, eyes wide as the door flew open.

A smile started on her lips, but immediately fell when she realised it wasn’t Ted coming back.

“Surprise!” He declared.

“Rupert?” She froze, stunned.

“You seem anxious.”

She barely listened to him as he rambled on about Higgins, false platitudes from an even falser source. Rupert had never given a stuff about Higgins, even when he was using him to keep her away from the house so he could sleep with other women, in their bed.

“Look, Rupert, are you here to buy back the club or,” She growled, impatient.

“No, I wanted to tell you something before you heard it somewhere else.”

Rebecca just stared at him, arms wide, impatient to see the back of him heading the fuck out of her club. But he was sitting on the edge of her desk like he still owned it, and she made a mental note to get the desk replaced - she’d had plans to, when she’d shifted out the ugly, black leather furniture, but the glass desk had been relatively unobtrusive at the time. Now it stood like a monolith to the conniving cock sitting perched against the edge of it, and she wanted to see it burn.

“Bex and I are having a baby.” Rebecca’s heart dropped into her belly and her mouth fell open, just a little. She could barely form a thought, except to consciously stop herself from pressing her own hand low to her belly. Instead, she flexed her fingers in front of her, interlocking them so that her wrists fell against her stomach - a poor substitute, but it would do.

“Surprise! Again.”

“But you always said,”

He cut her off. “I thought we could be mature about this.” She knew that tone; he was goading her. Flaunting his young, fertile fiance in front of her. Probably knocked her up just because he knew the news would hurt her. But fuck him - her fingers squeezed tightly in front of her, fighting to be let lose to rest against her belly, to protect her child from him - and she felt a sudden peace drift over her, an overwhelming sense of gratitude that as she watched him with his smug smile and his grey hair and his arrogant, manipulative voice slithering toward her with the thought that he was pushing a vinegar coated knife into an old, gaping wound - her child would not be his.

It was all she’d wanted for so many years and he had spent so long denying her, telling her she didn’t know what to do with a child, their house wasn’t set up for children, he didn’t want them.

Now she was pregnant, and she was forty-six and she was alone, but she and her baby were free of him - she got what she wanted, and he could fuck right off.

A pent up, thirteen year rage, combined with hormones that were causing havoc on her emotions, bubbled up and out of her, regardless of the brief respite her realisations had brought her - he was still the man who had denied her motherhood and thought he could stand in front of her and wave another woman’s child in front of her face. “Oh you’re mature enough, alright. You’re almost seventy and you’re having a baby?! I mean what are you, a character from the fucking bible!”

“When your kid hits puberty, you'll be nothing but a pile of dust and a black Amex card!”

“Now now, darling.”

He tried to reach for her hand and she yanked it back, behind her as she ground out. “Don’t call me that.”

“People change.” His voice lowered, his eyes set on her’s looking for the tears that were pooling at the corners, reveling in them. “I do want a child. I just suppose I-I didn’t want one with-” He met her eye and Rebecca could feel the muscles around her heart tightening, her lip pulling in a little at the bottom, the edges of her eyes hot as her throat threatened to close up. “-before.”

“I mean, in the end, it’s just about being with the right person, isn’t it?”

Something in Rebecca changed direction and her eyes shot up to his. The tears were still there, wetting an old ache; ready to fall, but holding back. Her fingers flexed down by her side, and the back of her neck prickled with the thought of the one thing she knew, that he didn’t. She wasn’t going to bother telling him. Let him think he’d won, let him have this victory.

Her child would never have to face this, would never have to endure his cruelty and she was glad of it.

“Of course.” She choked out, her insides swirling and churning, her heart rate speeding up. She needed him gone, she needed him out of her office and out of her life and she needed, desperately, to speak to Ted.

“Oh, I'm so glad I got to tell you this in person.” The look of morbid joy that danced in his eyes was so clear, so pristinely obvious, there was a part of her that was kicking herself for never recognising it in the past, when that tone of voice, that smirk, was used to drag her down. “I would have hated for you to read it in the press.” He stepped around her, heading for the door before he stopped and turned back for a moment. “Good luck against Man City.”

Fucking hell, she hated him.

***

Her heart made the decision and it was all she could do for her feet to simply follow it. She made her way down the steps in a daze, her hand pressed to the flat of her stomach as she took each stair at a measured pace. She couldn’t hear anything around her but for the beating of her own heart, the slight flutter in her chest as her designer heels touched down on the lower level and she was walking towards the open locker room door.

It didn’t register immediately that she hadn’t even checked to see if the team were decent - she hadn’t even thought of it, being entirely honest. A hush fell over the room as she walked through, movement catching her eyes at the corner, towels quickly covering exposed backsides, but her focus didn’t leave the open door to the manager’s office and the man at the desk beyond it, staring down at his phone.

Ted turned to look up at her, slowly turning his phone face down and placing it on the desk, with his eyes firmly set on hers, waiting, patiently; a kindness there she knew she didn’t deserve.

“I have something I need to tell you.”

“Ooh, deja vu.” He smirked and she felt her throat close up just a little at his jovial tone.

“I need you to hear me out, I need you to hear everything, and I’ll understand that whatever choice you make when I’m done, is the right choice - but you deserve to know, no matter how much it may hurt me.”

“Now hold on, just a second.” He moved to stand but her words stopped him midway to standing, catching him off-guard.

“I’m a fucking bitch.”

“Oh, that’s new.”

She plowed on. She needed to get it out; she needed him to know everything she’d done before she dropped the final truth on him. That the woman who tried to destroy him, who tried to sabotage the team and the club and by association, his livelihood, was carrying his child.

He was going to hate her, but he deserved to know it all.

She closed the door behind her, taking a deep breath as she glanced through the window at the players in the locker room, gathering her whits as best she could, before turning back to him.

“Ted, I lied to you.” He was looking up at her with those kind, open, beautiful brown eyes and it took all of her willpower to keep going. “I hired you because I wanted this team to lose. I wanted you to fail and I sabotaged you every chance I’ve had. It was me who hired that photographer to take the photo of you and Keeley. I set up the interview with Trent Crimm, hoping that he’d humiliate you and I instigated the transfer of Jamie Tartt, even though you’d asked me not to.”

The look in Rupert’s eyes as he’d gleefully told her about Bex’ pregnancy, filled her senses and she felt a wave of nausea course through her. Her hands were shaking and her stance wavered for just a moment before she swallowed and pressed on.

“This club was all Rupert ever cared about and I wanted to destroy it.” She didn’t want to look him in the eye, she didn’t want to see the pain, but she needed him to understand why she’d done it; to understand she wasn’t able to see for her own anguish. “To cause him as much pain and suffering as he has caused me and I didn't care who I used or who I hurt.”

“All of you, good people who were just trying to make a difference.” She could feel the tears now, hot against her cheeks, her chest tight as she took an imperceptible step towards him, wanting so desperately to reach out, to be comforted, to be forgiven. But she stopped herself, knowing she didn’t deserve it, waiting for his anger, for his hurt to spill out and take over. Knowing that her honesty was going to be the death of whatever future they could have had.

He shook his head, rolling back in his chair slowly, his eyes downcast for a moment before he stood and rounded the desk, moving to face her. For a moment, irrationally, she wondered if he would be able to spot the difference in her, like standing before her instead of sitting across from her would somehow shift his point of you and he’d simply know so she wouldn’t have to pull another truth from the depths of her heart that was clinging on to the darkness, clawing to stay hidden just a little longer.

But she had to remember why she was there. Honesty, clarity, to lay all of her cards on the table and hope that one day, he’d be willing to be in the same room with her again. That he’d be able to look at their child and not hate it’s mother for what she’d done.

“If you want to quit or call the press, I’ll completely understand.” She knew that was a lie. Yes, she’d understand, but she couldn’t imagine it, wished she wasn’t looking down the barrel of that future.

“I forgive you.”

Her stomach dropped and she wondered, for a single, overwhelming moment, if she’d only heard Ted’s voice that lived in her dreams.

“You, What? Why?”

“Divorce is hard. And it doesn’t matter if you’re the one leaving or you’re the one who got left. It makes folks do crazy things.” Her smile broke free, a joy bubbling to the surface she could have only hoped for. But his big brown eyes were sweet and clear and she had heard him right. He had forgiven her, freely and without condition. “Hell I’m coaching soccer for heaven sakes. In London.” They shared a laugh. “I mean that’s nuts.” He opened his mouth to continue, but Rebecca stopped him, raising her hand nervously between them, reaching out but not quite touching the soft fabric of his sweater against his chest.

“Wait, Ted, there’s one more thing.”

“Oh man, alright,” He took a breath, puffing up his chest, ready for another blow and Rebecca couldn’t help the warmth that touched her cheeks, the fondness for this man who was preparing himself for another swing, ready to stand up tall and forgive her every sin she could think of. “Lay it on me.”

“I wanted to tell you all of this, because you deserved to know and you deserve to know that I have no intention of continuing down this path.” She gestured arbitrarily around them. “That’s over and I’ve seen the error of my ways, truly.”

“Well that sure is great to know, boss.”

“But there’s another reason that I needed you to know the truth, every last sordid piece of it.”

“Oh?” He smiled, tucking his hands in his pockets, watching her with a quiet, tender patience. “And what’s that?”

Rebecca swallowed back the lump in her throat, forcing it down before taking a deep breath and letting the words tumble free.

“I’m pregnant.”

Ted was frozen in place for a long few moments. There was no sound around them but the dimming ruckus of the players in the locker room beyond, the odd snap of a towel, the spray of a Lynx can, a jest or a jibe muttered ahead of crowing laughter, muffled by the closed door. Ted was staring down at the tips of her toes, his eyes shifting left and right for a long few agonizing moments.

“Ted,”

“Just a second,” He stalled her and Rebecca closed her mouth, nibbling on her lower lip as she clutched her hands together in front of her. “Pregnant?”

“Yes.” She breathed out.

“And you’re telling me this because,”

“Liverpool.”

Ted took a deep breath. “Ah.”

“Ted, I’ll completely understand if this is,”

He cut her off. “No, no, it’s alright, just give me a second here, I’m processing.”

“Of course.” She spoke quietly with a small part of her, wishing that the floor would suddenly swallow her whole, if only to avoid what was coming.

“Hoo, boy, that’s a truth bomb alright.” He nodded slowly, glancing to the left, then to the right, before casting his eyes over her shoulder at the few players left finishing up in the locker room.

“Ted, I don’t expect,”

“Now, it’s not really about what’s expected, is it?” He finally met her eye and Rebecca startled at the warmth in his brown depths, the kindness from earlier having not faded from them. He looked a little hurt, a little lost, but ultimately, there was a sense of wonder there that took her breath away. “It’s about what’s right.”

“Ted,”

“I’m not so old-fashioned that I’m gonna ask for your hand or nothin’-” He grinned and Rebecca’s chest warmed right through, reaching up to swipe at the tears she could feel trickling down her cheek. “But a child needs a father and I'm just guessin’ here but, you’re telling me all this because you intend to keep this little miracle, yeah?”

She nodded, dumbly, not really able to form words.

“Well alright.” He offered her a small smile. “It’s unconventional, that’s for damn sure, but I’m here,” He nodded, definitively and Rebecca felt so light she thought she might float away. “I’ll do my bit.”

A sob escaped her unbidden. Her chest suddenly heaving, gasping for breath at the overwhelming emotion his unconditional declaration pulled from her. Ted’s arms were around her in an instant and she fell against him, her face buried in his neck as his arms came around her shoulders.

“Hey, it’s alright.” He soothed, his broad hand caressing her back. “You’ve had an emotional little afternoon, and you’re all jacked up on hormones that are gonna have your head spinnin for a few months,” She felt the briefest touch of his lips to her temple; a soothing, comforting gesture, not a romantic one. “You just let it all out, okay.”

***

From the moment Ted knew Rebecca was pregnant, he was attentive. Not nearly to the point of smothering but Biscuits with the Boss had become Biscuits with the Bub and was a sort of a catch up - was she sleeping okay? Did she get enough to eat? Was she taking her vitamins? Was she drinking enough water? Did she want him to go with her to her next doctor’s appointment?

Rebecca was overwhelmed by it, but also so incredibly touched that he cared. His concern was genuine and heartfelt and so un-earned that on occasion, she found herself wishing she could avoid him for just one of their catch up mornings, because the guilt of what she’d done up against how easily he’d forgiven her and accepted this baby, was eating at her, just a little.

He knew, though, and expended quite an excessive amount of energy on trying to convince her they were good. She half believed him, she wanted to believe him in full, but it wasn’t until he wrote a half-assed letter of resignation on the back of an indian takeout menu, that she realised what she wanted.

She wanted him to stay.

He did leave, for a few weeks. He went back to Kansas to spend time with his son, but where she’d expected a lag in their communication, she woke up every morning to the facetime chime at six am because he knew her morning sickness was more of a lunchtime thing. She found herself snuggled back in the pillows, listening to him talk about his son and what they were getting up to, as the sun rose over the green and started filtering through her sheer curtains.

He still asked all his questions - giving the baby the nickname peanut about a week into his trip, when Rebecca had sent him a photo of her standing in front of the mirror, the new curve of her belly accentuated by her hand pressed low.

The next morning, when he’d called, he explained how he hoped it was alright with her that he’d told Henry about the baby and she’d spent thirty minutes on a facetime call with Ted’s incredibly excited son, answering far more creative questions than his father had come up with, and her heart felt so full that when he hung up the call, she’d promptly burst into tears and spent the rest of the day in bed.

They were seven ties into the season before Rebecca thought ’fuck-it and stopped hiding her growing bump under scarves and loose-fitting blouses. It wasn’t technically a ruse to distract from Richmond’s streak of ties, or Earl’s incredibly unfortunate death - but she was sick of hiding it, and she did wonder that for a moment if they were paying attention to her, perhaps Dani could have some time to catch his breath.

She should have expected the attention on her would be far more extreme. She couldn’t step out of her house without paparazzi trying to snap a photo of her. Screaming at her first thing in the morning, from the edge of the green to show off the bump or begging to get the scoop on who’s the baby daddy? which was driving her just a touch up the wall. Ernie Lounds had a weekly poll running in The Sun voting on the father of her baby; listing such a hodge-podge group of contenders that she had no doubt, she, Ted and Keeley were still the only people in London that knew.

The very fact Rupert had made the list at all just solidified her theory that Ernie had no fucking idea and she was glad of it. She and Ted had laughed almost hysterically over Biscuits the first morning he’d posted the poll - voting online and a running tally on results in print but Ted had been a touch offended he hadn’t made the cut, when Roy, Dani and even Sam had.

She hadn’t even told her mother, which resulted in an incredibly awkward phone call about three days after the Nottingham Forest match - the conversation starting with condolences for Earl and a note that Deborah had donated on his behalf to Barkingham Palace, knowing Rebecca’s guilt would have made her a benefactor, before promptly losing her mind at her daughter over learning she as going to be a grandmother, from a tabloid.

Once her anger had dissipated though, Deborah was, of course, ecstatic, and on her doorstep the following weekend with a pile of baby gifts so high Rebecca wondered if Deborah had been dreaming of this moment almost as long - if not longer - than she had.

With the paparazzi on her tail every time she stepped out of her house or out of the club, it made it incredibly difficult for Ted to accompany her to any of the appointments he’d originally promised he’d attend and to her credit, when Rebecca asked her to join her instead of the baby’s father, Deborah didn’t question her.

Mother, daughter and Keeley cried over the rapid thumping of her baby’s heartbeat instead, in a sterile exam room and she slipped a small card with a printed ultrasound photo across her desk with Ted’s coffee, the following morning.

They didn’t comment on how his eyes misted up as his fingers traced the outline of their baby’s perfect features. “Did you find out the sex?” He questioned, not looking up from the photo and Rebecca let out a long sigh, glancing out toward the pitch.

“It didn’t feel right, finding that out without you there.”

“Oh yeah?”

She turned back to him, meeting his eye as he looked up at her. “Can I call you next time?” She questioned, bashfully, her fingers toying with a biscuit crumb on the surface of her desk. “It’s the best we can do.” She frowned. “I don’t know how they know, but there’s been photographers out the front every time I’ve left the clinic.”

Ted’s lips spread into a broad, watery smile, his moustache lifting at the corners as he answered softly, with a touch of reverence to his voice. “Yeah, that’d be perfect.”

“Okay,” She answered, just as quietly with a touch of blush to her cheeks. “Did you want to know the sex?” She questioned and Ted seemed to ponder the question for a long moment before nodding slowly.

“We kept Henry a surprise and it was great,” He smiled nostalgically. “But there sure are elements to knowing that are great too. Like gift shoppin and such. So yeah, I kinda do, how about you?”

Rebecca let out a loud, relieved breath. “Oh fuck me, I’m so glad, because I really want to know.”

Ted chuckled. “You could have found out and just not told me, if we both wanted that to go a different way.”

Rebecca pondered him, feeling a warmth in her heart that had only spread further the closer they’d grown to each other, since Liverpool and since this baby had become such a big part of their lives.

“I wouldn’t have felt right about that,” She shrugged, looking away for a moment before turning back. “We’re in this together, right?” She couldn’t help the touch of worry in her tone, or the way her voice shook, hoping he felt the same way.

She shouldn’t have worried, but that was something she was still learning with Ted.“We sure are.”

They’d grown even closer since he’d returned from Kansas, spending their usual mornings together, but also quite often lunches as well, either just the two of them or with Keeley along or even Beard. A few times Roy had joined them, bringing their group to five, and they’d spent more than their allotted hour down at the Crown & Anchor, enjoying the company of a group of people Rebecca had grown to call her friends.

Even Beard, which surprised her.

Sometimes she caught the man with a look in his eye - when he’d hold his hand out for her to help her out of the booth (finding it more and more awkward the larger she grew) or when she’d step into the manager’s office to have a simple chat - sometimes work-related and sometimes not - and Ted would jump up and offer her his chair so quickly, his best friend couldn’t help but wonder if Ted’s doting was more than simple chivalry.

A part of her wondered, with the way he looked at her, that a part of him knew.

To their credit, the team never asked her a single thing in relation to the pregnancy except how she was feeling that day, or if there was anything they could get for her.

They were over the moon, like a group of big brothers all waiting on the new baby, with little gifts appearing on her desk every other day; a different name on the card each time - a pair of mini Air-Jordans from Colin with adorable mint-green accents, a knitted hat and cardigan set from Bumbercatch and a tiny little Welton-1 Richmond jersey, signed from Isaac, Jan Maas, Dani and Jamie.

Rebecca didn’t tell her mother about Ted - her entire pregnancy seemed to be an exercise in just doing it and seeing what happened. Letting it out to the press had simply been her showing up to a match one day in a tight-fitting jersey dress, heels and an open coat that left nothing to the imagination, and letting her mother know the identity of the father of her baby, was very much the same.

She was reclined on the exam table, her hands resting comfortably on her sizable belly, with her mother sitting to her left, waiting on the Doctor to come and perform the ultrasound. They’d done all the usual tests, checked her blood pressure, her blood glucose, her heart rate, her cholesterol, all the little things that she was at higher risk of with a geriatric pregnancy.

“I just need to make a call,” Rebecca stated, as the Doctor appeared, greeted them kindly and started switching on the ultrasound machine, before squeezing out the gel on the wand as Deborah helped to pull Rebecca’s blouse up and tuck it under her breasts. “I promised I would, for this one.”

Deborah didn’t comment, even as she watched Rebecca’s phone screen, her eyes a little wide at the name she’d tapped on before it started to ring.

“Well hey there,” She could hear a clear smile in his voice.

“Hi Ted,” She glanced at her mother’s impassive expression before turning her eyes back down to the Doctor pressing the wand to her belly. She pulled in a little hiss at the cold gel on her skin before she relaxed and smiled. “We’re in the exam room for the ultrasound - are you somewhere private? I’m going to put you on speaker, okay.”

She switched the phone over to speaker halfway through what he was saying, and she was sure Deborah and the nurse only caught the tail end of “Well sure thing, Mama, I’m just movin into the boot room.”

“Doctor Davies and my Mum are here, they can hear you now.”

Ted was silent for a little longer than she expected, before his voice came through the tinny speaker in the phone, a little tentative. “Well hi there, Deborah.”

“Good Morning, Ted.” She felt herself relax at the warm smile on her mother’s face, like somehow Deborah wasn’t in the least surprised at the revelation her grandchild’s father was Ted Lasso. “Are you ready to hear your baby’s heartbeat?” Rebecca closed her eyes in relief at the question.

“Ooh, yes ma’am, I’m on the edge of my metaphorical seat.”

There was silence in the room but for the whooshing on the monitor and Rebecca’s smile broadened, her eyes meeting her mother’s as the rapid thud, thud, thud started to fill the room. There was a little gasp on the other end of the phone, which made both women smile, before the Doctor chimed in.

“There it is, steady and strong.”

“Between a hundred and ten and a hundred and sixty, somewhere?” Ted’s voice questioned and Rebecca shared a smirk with the Doctor who nodded before leaning toward the phone resting on Rebecca’s chest, to answer.

“One hundred and forty-three beats per minute.”

There was a sigh. “Ah, perfect.

“Did you want to know the sex?” The Doctor questioned and Rebecca met her mother’s eye as she directed her question to Ted’s disembodied voice.

“Ted?”

“Lay it on us, Doc.”

Rebecca chewed on her bottom lip, reaching out blindly for her mother’s hand and gripping it tightly down by her hip as they waited for the Doctor to move the wand around her belly enough to make out what she was looking at.

“Well, it appears you have a wonderfully healthy and quite tall, little girl.”

Rebecca let out a sob, her free hand flying up to cover her mouth as if she could push it back in. Deborah’s eyes were a little glassy as she reached over and patted Rebecca’s hand, smiling as Rebecca pressed her eyes closed and tried to fight back tears.

“Wow, a little girl.” Ted’s voice came through the phone, but Rebecca couldn’t form words, fighting back joyous tears, trying to steady her breathing. She’d have been happy with either, but a daughter - she could barely contain her emotions. The doctor pulled a few tissues for her and handed them over, smiling as Rebecca dabbed at her eyes.

“Hey, boss, you alright? I don’t really know what’s goin’ on at the minute and I’ll be honest, I’m a touch worried right now.”

Rebecca opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t, instead grabbing the phone from her chest and shoving it into her mother’s hands, waving at her to speak to him. Deborah chuckled as she switched the phone off speaker and pressed it to her ear.

“She’s alright, Ted, just a few tears she’s trying to work through.”

Rebecca was trying to steady her breathing as the doctor helped her clean the gel off her belly.

“Yes, yes, she’s over the moon. And I think, perhaps, a little overwhelmed. Why don’t you pop by for dinner tonight and we can have a proper chat about it all.”

Rebecca’s eyes opened wide, shaking her head, the tears suddenly gone and replaced with a touch of panic. “Mum, no!” She hissed and Deborah waved her off.

“Yes dear, that’d be lovely. We’ll see you at Rebecca’s around seven. And be sure to come via the garden gate, we know how those vultures with their cameras are with my girl.”

Deborah grinned at her daughter, giving her a wink. “Alright, see you then.”

“Mum!” Rebecca exclaimed, pulling her shirt down and sitting up as Deborah hung up. “The whole reason he hasn’t come to one of these appointments is so that he doesn’t end up in the papers over this, and you’ve just dropped him in it!”

“It’ll be fine, Sausage, don’t worry about it.” Deborah patted her little belly affectionately before holding out her hands in an offer to help Rebecca down from the table. She was still pouting, but knowing there was no way she was getting down gracefully by herself, she took up the offer.

***

She was nervous. She’d been jittery since her mother hung up the phone in the exam room and it hadn’t stopped since. She didn’t really know why - she’d been to enough lunches and Biscuits with the Boss/Bub with Ted that it shouldn’t be weird. But it was. She had peed nearly five times since she got home and not all of those times were because there was a baby pushing on her bladder.

“Are you alright, Sausage?” Deborah’s voice called through her bedroom door, before she heard the door handle rattle and a little squeak of the hinges as her mother tentatively entered her room.

Rebecca had been standing in front of the mirror in her bra and undies for a solid twenty minutes, with about ten discarded outfits strewn across the ottoman in her wardrobe. Nothing seemed to be right.

Her mother’s amused, slightly smug expression as she appeared at the entrance to the walk-in, was not helping matters.

“Nothing fits me.” Rebecca whined and Deborah frowned down at the pile of discarded outfits.

“Oh, I don’t know if that’s true.” Her mother smirked as she picked up a soft pink blouse from the discard pile, twisting it gently in her hands. “Are you sure it’s not just jitters because Ted’s coming over?”

“Don’t start.”

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you, darling.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes. “Mother, I know it’s difficult to wrap your head around but just because Ted and I are having a baby together,” She was absently rubbing at the round of her belly, not bothered to be standing in front of her mother in her underwear. “Does not mean that we need or want to be together.”

Deborah averted her eyes with a soft smile. “Doesn’t mean you don’t, either.” She glanced back up again, her smile turning to knowing. “I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

Rebecca huffed. “It’s not like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” Rebecca scoffed, petulantly, unable to form a true coherent response that didn’t come out something like so ner!. “It just, isn’t.”

“That certainly clarifies things, Sausage.”

“I don’t want to talk about this. Can you just help me find something to wear?”

Deborah ignored her, pushing on. “Have the two of you even discussed it?”

Rebecca slumped gracelessly onto the ottoman. “Mother, we had a one-night stand.” She winced at the phrasing, she hated it. Hated that the one man she’d slept with since Rupert was a one-off and a man she was starting to think she could, if she hadn’t already, develop feelings for. “He doesn’t see me that way. He’s only spending so much time with me because of her.”

Rebecca ran her hand back and forth over the stretched skin of her stomach, smiling down at the soft pink flesh that protected her baby. Her little miracle. Deborah took a seat next to her, giving her shoulder a little reassuring nudge as their eyes met and Rebecca breathed out a deep sigh.

“Maybe this little one is a sign,” Deborah shrugged. “A little message for both of you, keeping you in each other’s orbit until you work yourselves out.”

“Mother,”

“No, darling, the universe has a way with things and you and Ted,” She breathed deeply, reaching over for Rebecca’s hand, giving it a squeeze to solidify her point. “There’s an energy between the two of you that is so very rare. Not everyone gets to have that.” She nudged her again with her shoulder, her lips pulled into a smile. “You should embrace it.”

Rebecca was pensive for a moment, looking down at her toes, her legs stretched out in front of her and her mother’s hand wrapped around hers, against her thigh.

“I don’t know how to do that.” Rebecca said softly and she heard Deborah’s little chuckle.

“Just start with dinner. And be open to the possibilities.” Deborah leaned over to press a kiss to the apple of her cheek. “Can you do that for your old Mum?”

Rebecca nodded, feeling her own lips pulling up in a small, nervous smile. “I guess so. But I still have nothing to wear.”

Deborah chuckled, standing up. Rebecca watched her as she walked up and down the length of the wardrobe a couple of times before she pulled a black, sleeveless knit dress from the rack that had a high turtleneck.

“Pop this on.” She held it out to her as Rebecca pulled herself back up to standing; not yet quite at the point where she couldn’t get up without another person’s help. “And do your hair in that pretty, coiffed Marilyn Monroe style - it does wonders for your bone structure.”

Rebecca laughed and gave her mother a gentle shove out the door as she took the dress from her.

***

Rebecca and Deborah were working together to get the Shepherds Pie assembled, with Rebecca gleefully adding far too much cheese to the top before it was put in the oven to bake when there was the sound of pebbles impacting the glass in the breakfast room.

Her mother startled, nearly dropping the pie as Rebecca’s face broke into a broad smile. She dashed for the french doors off the atrium in her bare feet, grinning as she pulled the door open to see Ted’s head pop out from behind a shrub in her garden.

“Ted, what on earth are you doing?” She giggled, as he made his way towards her with a touch of blush to his cheeks; his moustache tipped up at the corners in a smile.

“I wasn’t sure how inconspicuous you wanted me to be. I’m fairly sure the paparazzi didn’t see me.”

Rebecca chuckled, ushering him into the kitchen. “Well, you certainly frightened Mum. But the food survived.”

“Oh, well heck, I’m sorry Deborah. I was goin’ for a touch of whimsy but didn’t really time it well, it seems.”

“No harm done, Ted.” Deborah smiled, turning back around to adjust the settings on the oven and Rebecca could see exactly what she was doing. She was removing herself from the moment. It would be far too obvious for her to leave the room, so she was busying herself to give Rebecca and Ted a moment.

“These are for you.” Ted quickly, and somewhat nervously, she thought, thrust a beautiful bunch of blush pink peonies at her, with their stems wrapped tightly in a pretty pink bow. “Well, for peanut really, her being a girl and all I figured we should mark the discovery with something as pretty as she’s bound to be.”

“Aw, Ted,” Rebecca pressed them to her nose, breathing in deeply. Peonies were her favourite.

“I also got this,” He held out a little box for her, wrapped with the same pink ribbon. Rebecca immediately set the flowers down, feeling her mother glance at her over her shoulder - silent, but paying close attention to what was going on. “I was hoping it was her first, but I know Keeley’s gone a little mad with the shopping lately. I just wanted to get her something special, you know, now that we know she’s a she.”

Rebecca tugged on the ribbon, offering Ted a soft smile as she pulled the ribbon loose and dropped it on the counter next to the flowers before lifting the top off the box. Inside, wrapped in delicate tissue paper and another soft ribbon, Rebecca found the softest, tiniest little baby onesie. It was white, with tiny little blue butterflies all over it.

“Oh, Ted.” She sighed, running her fingers across the soft fabric. “It’s beautiful.”

“I know blue butterflies are your favourite, so,” He shrugged, catching his sentence at the end as she looked up at him.

“I love it, it’s perfect.” She reached up suddenly, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. The fact he didn’t hesitate, made her heart flutter, his arms coming around her middle, his broad hands resting at the small of her back as she felt him let out a breath against her neck.

***

In the weeks following their dinner with her Mother, they’d grown more and more comfortable in each other’s company, even going out to dinner together, on occasion - mostly at the Crown & Anchor, because it wasn’t unusual to see them together there.

They never really called their dinners ‘dates’ but Rebecca agonised over what she wore and Ted showed up on her back doorstep with a fresh bunch of peonies every time and kissed her on the cheek by the garden gate with a deeper and deeper blush as time wore on. Until one night they stood in the shadow of the oak tree just inside her garden and his chaste kiss on the cheek moved to her lips, and suddenly, her arms were slung low on his waist with the round of her belly pressed up against his as he hummed.

“Oh, that was better than I dreamed it would be.” He smiled, eyes still closed as they each pulled back, just a little. Rebecca let out a happy, contented little hum.

“You’ve kissed me before, Ted.” She laughed, gesturing to her belly and Ted rolled his eyes, goodnaturedly.

“Yeah but that was different.”

“You can do it again, if you want.” She smirked, as his eyes fluttered open, illuminated only by the light she’d left on the back patio, far too far away to do anything for them except save her from tripping on anything in her path as she headed back to the house.

“I’m not gonna turn down that offer.” He grinned, dipping his head to press his lips to hers again and Rebecca giggled against his lips, giving his hips a little tug.

“Come in with me.” She breathed out, pulling against him, taking a step back through the gate.

Ted blinked at her. “That’s not just all those pregnancy hormones talking, is it?”

Rebecca laughed, reaching for his hand and stepping backwards into the garden. “It’s definitely the hormones talking,” She winked. “But these crazy hormones only seem to want you, so I’m inclined to listen.”

“Oh, well alright then.” He pushed the gate shut behind them and followed her up the path.

“Do you want something to drink?” Rebecca questioned as Ted followed her into the kitchen, close on her heels. She grinned at him over her shoulder as she realised the look he was giving her, following her with his eyes as she rounded the counter and reached for the canister of tea bags in the middle.

“Not especially.” He answered, his voice low and a little husky and Rebecca’s hands stilled, her eyes set on his.

“So did you want to just,” She gestured vaguely, her arm pointing in the direction of the hall and the stairs, with the lid of the tea canister in her hand.

“Only if that’s what you want.”

Rebecca sucked in her bottom lip before smacking the lid back on the canister and holding out her hand as she headed for the door. He met her on the other side of the island bench and when their hands connected, she gave his a strong tug and led him up the stairs.

“You’re really okay with this?” Ted questioned, though his hands were already fisted in her dress and his lips were peppering kisses against the length of her neck as he backed her up the hall at the top of the stairs, paying attention to her feet guiding them towards her room.

“I’ve wanted to do this again since Liverpool.” She breathed out, her fingers gripping his hair firmly as she pulled his head back just enough to capture his lips.

“Really?” Kiss. “Is that so?” Kiss.

“Even moreso, lately.” Rebecca growled, her teeth dragging over his lip as she got the bedroom door open and they shuffled inside, unwilling to let each other go for a moment. “I’ve just been so,” She dropped her chin, pulling back as she tugged at her dress, pulling it over her head, mussing up her own hair with a giggle as Ted gently backed her up to the bed.

“Horny?” He questioned with a smirk on his lips and Rebecca averted her eyes, chewing on the inside of her cheek, trying to fight back a grin.

“Fuck. Yes.”

“I can help you out with that.” He winked, kicking the door shut because alone or not, her mother had a penchant for showing up unannounced and he wasn’t really ready to show off that much of their relationship to Deborah.

“Oh can you, now?” She teased watching as Ted unbuckled his belt.

“Oh yeah,” He leaned over her to press a sweet kiss to her lips. “I’ve even got some neat work arounds for this.” He patted her belly and Rebecca giggled, rolling on the bed as he crawled up beside her.

“Lead the way, Coach.”

***

AFC Richmond’s very public bust-up with Dubai Air managed to take the heat off Rebecca and the speculation over the father of her child, for about a week, before they discovered that Ted hadn’t been as inconspicuous coming or going from Rebecca’s house as he’d thought.

It was three days since they’d made the choice to deepen their relationship, Rebecca was sitting across from Ted in her office, nibbling on one of her biscuits as Ted smiled at her over the edge of his coffee cup; her bare foot caressing his ankle under the desk, so fixated on each other that Rebecca’s phone pinging loudly with a notification, made her jump nearly out of her skin.

Ted smirked and she rolled her eyes at him, taking another bite of her biscuit as she picked up her phone. A few crumbs got lodged in the back of her throat as she gasped, and she was all of a sudden, choking. Ted jumped up, pouring her a glass of water and dashing back to her side, hovering as she gasped for breath and coughed a few more times before she was able to sip at the water.

“You alright?” He questioned, a clear note of worry in his voice.

“I’m okay,” She choked out, her hand fisting in the leg of his khakis where she’d blindly grabbed for him. “I’m okay,” She breathed deeper, her heart rate slowing as she lifted her phone up to him. Ted had one hand gently woven into her hair at the back of her head, his thumb caressing the shell of her ear as he reached for the phone with the other.

Through every point of contact between them, she felt him tense.

The headline in The Sun read ‘Welton’s Wanker: Baby Daddy Revealed’. Along with several images of the both of them together; a particularly grainy one of them kissing just inside her garden gate.

“Oh, heck.”

“Indeed.” She dropped her elbows to the desk and buried her face in her hands. “I’m so sorry about this Ted, I didn’t mean to drag you into this.”

“Hey,” Ted dropped down to crouch next to her, spinning her chair so that she was facing him, her knees almost pressed against his chest. “Hey, it’s alright, you didn’t drag me into anything.” He moved his hand around to cup her cheek, a few curls of her hair caught in his fingers. “I’m pretty darn sure I walked into this with eyes wide open.”

“But you don’t deserve the way they’re going to hound you about this, Ted.” She almost whimpered. “You signed your divorce papers the night she was conceived,” Rebecca sighed. “That’s never going to look good.”

“Hey, Michelle and I talked about it, and she knows the circumstances. She’s the only one that needs to know. Let everyone else believe what they want.”

“Ted, you don’t need this stress.”

“Neither do you. But hey,” He smiled, dropping the phone back on her desk and resting his hand on her stomach. “We said from the start we’re in this together, and I haven’t really been holding up my end, not really.”

“Ted,”

“No, no,” He shook his head. “You’ve weathered all this paparazzi stuff all on your own. And I let that go on far too long. I say, if we're gonna do this together, we do it together, completely.”

“What are you saying?”

“No more hiding.”

Rebecca just blinked at him.

“We’re together and we’re having a baby, and there’s no shame in that.”

“No, there isn’t.” Rebecca responded quietly, her eyes cast down to where his hand was still resting on her stomach. She placed her hand on top of his, entwining their fingers, just watching the way the calloused side of his knuckle brushed against her french-tip nail and she found herself smiling.

“So,” He started and her eyes drifted up to his, her eyelashes fluttering just a little. “No more hiding?”

She took a deep, steadying breath. “No more hiding.”

“Together?” He questioned, the slightest hint of uncertainty hidden behind a confident, reassuring facade.

Rebecca nodded, curling her fingers through his, clutching his hand against her stomach.

“Together.” She agreed and just at that moment, the baby kicked right where their hands were rested and Rebecca couldn’t contain a giggle.

“Hot dog, would you look at that. Even Miss Peanut agrees.”

***

Christmas came quicker than expected and Rebecca was feeling as large as a house, like she’d ballooned outwards from her eyeballs. She was still managing to wear her heels, but they were kicked off her feet whenever she sat down, and her dresses were pulled taut over her stomach.

She felt ready to burst.

She only had about two weeks left before the baby was due and she couldn’t wait to meet her. And to be able to feel her ankles again. Ted, of course, spent every waking moment attempting to convince her she was beautiful, but she felt like a blimp.

She couldn’t seem to get comfortable. Sitting down was wonderful for her feet, being able to kick off her shoes, but if she sat too long at her desk her hips started to ache and her lower back, so she’d get up and pace. Every twenty minutes or so, she found herself taking a little walk around the club, almost like she was trying to walk the baby out.

She found herself in the manager’s office, giggling as she entered, realising Keeley was telling the boys about her plans for Sexy Christmas - a concept she’d love to be able to share with Ted, but at the moment, she was about as desperate to be able to lay in her bed comfortably as she was for Ted to lay her out with Christmas orgasms. Though, she wondered, maybe that would get things moving.

She met Ted’s eye as she stood in the doorway, offering him a little smirk and a wink before turning to meet Keeley’s eye and didn’t clock the way Beard was looking between them - they may have decided to stop hiding in general, but they hadn’t actually sat down with their friends and directly said a word. They all knew, they had to - Roy surely knew as much as Keeley did. But no one had asked and Ted and Rebecca had awkwardly just, not said. Which was making her flinch, just a little, with the thought coming to mind as her knees were aching where she stood.

Ted must have noticed her discomfort, and as they were all chatting, wordlessly got up from his chair and guided her to sit down, with his hand at her elbow. She didn’t fight it, didn’t even say a word, just smiled and let herself be guided to the chair.

“So what are you guys doing for Sexy Christmas?” Keeley questioned, as Jamie left the office with whoops and hollers from the rest of the team in the locker room, over the present they’d managed to put together with all of thirty seconds notice - a team effort in saving Jamie’s face.

“Oh,” Rebecca blanched, realising that Keeley’s question was directed at her and at Ted, who was leaning against the windowsill behind her with his arms crossed over his chest and his feet crossed at the ankle. “Ah.”

“We,” Ted fumbled at the same time and Keeley giggled, looking to Beard with a conspiratorial smirk who then shared a look with Roy. Nate looked completely confused and Higgins was simply smiling down at Rebecca, knowingly.

“We know.” Beard declared.

Rebecca shifted in her chair.

“Know what, Beardo?” Ted was fidgety as well.

“You know what.” Beard shifted his eyes from Ted to Rebecca, to Rebecca’s belly almost theatrically and Ted couldn’t contain his grin.

“Oh yeah, how long?”

Rebecca chuckled, dropping her chin to her chest as she listened to them. It was almost a game to them now, neither one of them outwardly saying it, but both of them spreading everything out on the table. She’d seen their back and forth before, and she had to admit, quite often it was amusing.

“Long enough.”

“I’ve known since Keeley fuckin told me.” Roy chimed in.

“Yeah, that was the same night Rebecca told me.” Keeley winced, glancing up at Ted. “Sorry Ted, I couldn’t keep it in, I was so excited.” Technically, it meant that Roy knew before Ted.

“It’s alright, Keeley.” Ted patted her shoulder, kindly.

“What do we all know?” Nate questioned and Rebecca found herself glancing up at the man, her eyes a little wide with surprise. Didn’t he read the papers?

“About Rebecca and Ted.” Higgins offered and Nate’s brow furrowed, clearly confused.

“I don’t understand.”

Rebecca kept her thoughts to herself, content to sit back in Ted’s swivel chair, shifting a little from side to side with her hands over her belly, smiling up at each of them in turn.

“They’re havin a fuckin baby.” Roy offered, gesturing towards Rebecca, as pithy as ever, scowling at Nate like it was fucking obvious, but the way his cheeks flushed and his eyes opened wide, staring down at Rebecca like he hadn’t even noticed she was pregnant, made them all laugh.

“Oh my goodness, Nathan!” Keeley giggled.

“It’s not my fault no one tells me anything!” Nate whined and Beard and Roy, at the same time, let out loud and uncharacteristic guffaws.

“It’s been all over the fucking papers, mate.” Roy was wheezing. Rebecca swivelled a little in her chair, looking up at Ted to see a little smile on his lips as he met her eye.

“It’s alright, Nathan,” Rebecca spoke kindly, her voice soft in a room full of laughter that calmed as she spoke. “We haven’t technically said anything, so it’s no one’s fault.”

“But you’re saying something now?” He questioned, glancing around the room before landing back on Ted and Rebecca, who’s eyes were now set on each other.

“Yeah,” Ted added. “I guess we are.”

Cheers erupted in the small room and Rebecca jumped at the sudden outburst, rolling her chair back a little before Ted’s hands landed on her shoulders and she felt a kiss pressed to the top of her head.

“Oh,” She grinned, pressing her eyes closed, reaching up to rest her hand over his, on her shoulder. “That’s nice.”

Ted hummed against her hair, resting his chin there as he spoke. “We’re just having a quiet one. I’ve got a facetime call with Henry to open presents and then it’s Christmas movies and foot rubs for this one.” He gave her shoulders a little squeeze and Rebecca sighed, contentedly.

“That sounds well sexy.” Keeley grinned and Rebecca could feel her blush run all the way down her neck.
***

Ted was at his apartment, doing facetime christmas with Henry for a couple of hours before he had planned to head back to Rebecca’s for the rest of the day. To couch cushions and biscuits and Christmas movies - Christmas dinner with her mother, later in the evening. Where there was bound to be an entire vat of mulled wine Deborah expected she and Ted to get through in an evening, having to each have a glass for Rebecca with each round.

She fussed about the kitchen for a little bit, laying out biscuits on christmas plates, stacking napkins. She set the table for the three of them in the breakfast nook, checking pinterest for festive christmas table decorations as she went. She was just dusting the sprigs of holly on the table top with a little bit of icing sugar to look like snow when she felt a twinge in her belly - like a sharp little pull, before her whole midsection seemed to pull tight and she doubled over, holding her belly.

The icing sugar container clattered to the floor, dusting the tiles and she gripped the edge of the table, trying to breathe. It took a few moments of white-knuckling the table before it eased, allowing Rebecca to stand up a little straighter, taking in gasps of air, hands moving back to cradle her middle.

She took a step, feeling like perhaps it was over, before she felt a weird pop and suddenly, she was standing in a puddle of water.

“Oh fuck.” Rebecca’s eyes bugged and she quickly scrambled for her phone on the kitchen counter, a little too terrified to even move. She dropped it once, twice, the face of it clattering on the marble countertop as her fingers shook, before she was able to successfully press on Ted’s contact and wait for it to ring.

She knew he was on his facetime call with Henry and she didn’t want to interrupt. It was bad enough he couldn’t have his son with him for Christmas. But there was a chance he might not even answer, and that terrified her more.

It rang for a few seconds before Ted picked up, his voice jovial, shushing Henry on the other end of the line with a ‘Hang on one sec, bud, it’s Rebecca and your sister.’ there was a little giggle, tinny through a laptop and a phone, that Rebecca registered, as she tried to focus. “Hey, there, honeybunch, what’s up.”

“Ted,” She gasped out, as she felt the same tightness across her middle, like every muscle in her stomach was tightening. “I-” She could barely form words, instead, trying to breathe through it.

Suddenly, she could hear alarm in Ted’s tone. “Rebecca, is everything alright?”

“My,” She puffed a few breaths in and out. “My water broke.”

“Shit!” Ted exclaimed and suddenly all she could hear was shuffling and Ted talking to Henry. “I gotta go, bud. We’ll call you tomorrow so you can meet your little sister, she’s comin.”

“She’s really comin? Henry exclaimed and Rebecca couldn’t help the small smile that touched her lips, even through the pain.

“Rebecca, sweetheart, I’m on my way. I’ll be there in a whole minute, okay.”

Rebecca nodded, before realising he couldn’t see her then added. “Yeah, okay.”

“I’ll stay on the phone, okay.”

“Okay.”

She listened to him as she breathed, relieved as the tightness eased and she was able to lower herself to a chair, resting back against it with her eyes pressed closed, one hand on her belly and the other clutching her phone to her ear.

“Ted?” She said, her voice a little wobbly, listening to Ted’s heavy breathing through the phone. He had to be running. “I’m scared.”

Before he could answer, she heard her front door open and close with a bang before heavy footsteps rattled through the hallway. “Rebecca!” He called out, as the phone hung up.

“In here!” She called back, weakly as she saw him appear in the kitchen doorway. He was red-faced and flushed, his hair all disheveled, with a Santa hat firmly clasped in the hand that wasn’t holding his phone. He dropped both items on the counter as he dashed over to her, smirking at the mess on the kitchen floor before crouching down in front of her, reaching up to gently caress her cheek.

“There’s nothin to be a afraid of, sweetheart.”

She answered with a watery smile. “I know. It’s just,”

He nodded. “I know, I get it. Let's get you to the hospital, hey?”

“Can you call Keeley and Roy?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“And my Mum.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got my list.” He winked and Rebecca chuckled lightly, accepting his hand to help her up, awkwardly. “Your bag’s in the hall cupboard?”

“Did you run over here?” Rebecca questioned, her fingers running through his hair, trying to tidy it somewhat, smiling at his flushed cheeks.

“As fast as my legs would carry me. I think I was so fast the photographers camped out the front didn’t see me. I was just a blur.”

Rebecca chuckled, then winced, doubling over again.

“Just breathe.”

When everything calmed, Rebecca pulled herself up, gripping him for balance.

“You ready to go?”

Rebecca nodded, resting her hand against the counter as she cautiously moved through the kitchen whilst Ted dashed into the hall for her pre-packed hospital bag, reaching out for Ted’s hand as she made it to the end of the counter.

***

It was nearly five hours before Rebecca could properly remember where she was, delirious from pain and drugs and the euphoria of her baby’s arrival. She could feel Ted’s hand in hers, glancing over to him drowsily. Her mother was on the other side of her, her small hand pressed to her shoulder, sniffling as Rebecca noticed a nurse moving towards them.

“Are you ready to hold your daughter, Rebecca?” The nurse spoke gently and she blinked up at her, wondering who the fuck the woman was and when they’d been introduced. But then she noticed the softest dusting of blonde hair poking out from a pink blanket, and everything in the universe narrowed.

“Yes.” She sobbed, reaching her arms up. She was still lying almost flat, but as the baby was placed on her chest she could finally see her. The blanket was pulled away a little, so she could press the baby’s chest to her own, one little pink cheek squished against the mound of her breast. “Oh my god.” She breathed out, eyes watery. “Ted, look.” She hooked one arm under the baby, holding her firm against her chest as she felt Ted’s arm curl around her arm for added support.

“She’s certainly perfect.” He smiled, kissing her temple as Rebecca’s long finger reached out to touch the tip of her baby’s button nose.

“No, Ted,” Rebecca sighed. “She’s so much better than perfect.”

“What’s her name?” Deborah’s voice surprised her and for a moment, Rebecca felt a little guilty that she’d forgotten her mother was even there, regardless that she’d been holding a comforting hand to her shoulder the entire time, and everything started to come back to her.

“Oh, Mum,” Rebecca winced. “I’m sorry for what I said.”

Deborah chuckled. “You were giving birth to my grandchild, Sausage, I can forgive a few curses. I’ve had a baby before, I get it.”

“Hey, you threatened to castrate me and you don’t see me holding that against you.” Ted chimed in and Rebecca giggled, snuggling the baby a little closer as she squirmed.

“Sorry about that too.”

“We’re fine, sausage. Come on, tell us her name.”

Rebecca smiled, looking down at her perfectly pink, adorably soft baby with little tufts of dirty-blonde hair down the middle of her head, like a tiny mohawk, feeling her entire body fill with an all-encompassing joy that she knew in that second, she’d never felt before in her life.

Ted’s kisses came close, but she was fairly certain he’d forgive her putting this moment above all others.

“Matilda,” She smiled, pressing a kiss to the baby’s forehead. “Matilda Grace,”

“Welton.” Ted added and Rebecca smiled up at him, the warmth in her chest spreading through her whole body.

The baby wriggled against her before her eyelashes fluttered. “Oh, are you waking up, Matilda? Come on.” Rebecca coaxed, her smile broadening as the baby’s eyes fluttered open and her huge blue eyes looked straight up at her. “Oh, hello.”

Matilda’s little face scrunched up adorably before she let out a big yawn, blinking up at Rebecca contentedly.

“I’m your Mummy.” She tucked her finger into the palm of Matilda’s hand, grinning as her tiny little fingers latched on, curling around her fingernail. “And this is your Daddy and your Grandmother.”

“Hello little sausage.” Deborah cooed, brushing a finger down the baby’s bare little leg. “You’ve got some long legs, just like your Mummy.”

“And some big lungs, just like y-,” Rebecca’s good natured scowl stopped Ted’s joke before he could finish it and he let out a chuckle.

“Excuse me,” The nurse popped her head through the door. “Sorry to interrupt.” She squeezed all the way in. “This is a touch unusual, but considering who you are,” She grinned. “Ah, there’s an entire football team out in the waiting room.”

Rebecca blinked. “All of them? It’s nearly midnight, isn’t it?”

The nurse just nodded.

“Wow, props to Keeley’s phone tree.” Ted chuckled and Rebecca cleared her throat, drawing his attention back to her.

“I’m a mess, Ted. I can’t see the whole team.”

“They’re behaving very well.” The nurse smiled. “You don’t have to see them until you’re ready. Once we’ve got you back in your room and this little one has been cleaned up, you can see them when you like.”

“That sounds good.”

***

It was another hour until she felt comfortable enough to see anyone that wasn’t her Mother or Ted. And she’d given Deborah all sorts of grief as she’d tried to help her fix her hair while Rebecca couldn’t take her eyes off Matilda sleeping peacefully in the bassinet by the bed, or in Ted’s arms, bundled up in the pink blanket the hospital provided, wearing the hat that Bumbercatch had knitted, on her little head.

They came in groups of three at a time, and Ted made a quip about the wisemen as Isaac, Jamie and Colin practically tripped over each other to get close enough to see Matilda’s little face with Isaac slapping the back of Jamie’s hand as he tried to reach out and touch her.

“You can’t just touch her, bruv.” Isaac hissed and Jamie rolled his eyes.

“I was gonna be gentle.”

“It’s about consent, innit? And you gotta have your fucking vaccinations first, anyway.”

Jamie groaned, pulling back from the bassinet with a frown.

Jan Maas, Zoreaux and Richard followed then Bumbercatch, O’Brien and Sam, each of them commenting on how beautiful she was, passing little gifts to Ted who was forming a pile on the chair in the corner - there were about four more pairs of tiny little Air Jordans added to Matilda’s already extensive collection, and a blanket that it appeared Bumbercatch had been knitting in the waiting room, because it had Matilda's name knitted into the corner of it already.

Keeley, Roy, Beard and the Higgins’ appeared in a larger group with Keeley immediately reaching out for Ted to give the baby over. “Can I?” She questioned and Ted gave a nod, passing the precious bundle off to the woman she and Ted knew would be Matilda’s god-mother.

“Fuckin hell, Rebecca, this is one gorgeous baby. Like you’d be able to make an ugly one.” She scoffed and Rebecca laughed, wincing when it hurt just a little, pressing her hand to her side.

“Oh, you okay babes?”

Rebecca nodded. “Yes, I’m fine, just a little sore. Can I have my baby back now, please? I miss her.”

Keeley’s expression softened and she moved to the side of the bed to pass the little bundle over. ‘’Course, babe. You enjoy as much of her as you can.”

“I intend to.” She grinned as Keeley pressed a kiss to her forehead and Deborah, beside her, patted her thigh over the blanket covering her lap. Rebecca looked around Keeley to see Beard standing stoically by Ted’s side, his arms crossed over his chest, the slightest hint of a smile at the corner of his lips.

“Another one, hey.”

Ted nodded.

Rebecca was watching the exchange intently. “Is Uncle Beard still good?” The man questioned and Rebecca loved the look on Ted’s face as he turned to his friend, smile broadening as his cheeks flushed.

“Yeah, bud, of course. Consider yourself Uncle Beard to all my kids, pre-existing or metaphorical.”

“Boss?” Beard turned his question in her direction and Rebecca blinked, realising he was asking for her input.

“Oh, yes, of course.”

“I got dibs on Uncle Roy.” Roy added and Keeley rolled her eyes with a snort.

“No one’s going to take it from you, Babe.”

“I’m fuckin saying, that’s what I wanna be called. Phoebe likes it, it works, it’s to the point.”

“That’s real sweet Roy,” Ted grinned. “That’s some fair reasoning right there.”

Roy just nodded with a touch of finality that made Keeley laugh as she plonked herself down on the end of the bed.

“Are we all metaphorical Aunts and Uncles here?” Higgins questioned and Rebecca noticed a pinking to his cheeks. Her relationship with Higgins had grown a lot in the last few months, since they’d had it out over her conspiring to ruin the team and she knew he still felt a nagging guilt over what he’d allowed himself to do to her on Rupert’s behalf. But she knew in her heart that Higgins' care for her was genuine, and she knew they’d never see another day that Higgins wasn’t squarely in her corner.

“I like the sound of that.” Rebecca smiled, trying to ignore the tear pooling in the corner of her eye.

“Well I’m Grandma, so not me.” Deborah laughed at her own joke and Rebecca rolled her eyes.

“Yes, mother, we know.”

“I’d just like to tell a few more thousand people, if that’s alright, Sausage. I’m quite proud.”

***

It was nearly three in the morning before the guests stopped coming, before Deborah left with a promise to return the following day and Keeley poked her head back in the door to assure them she’d keep the boys away for the whole following day and promised that Roy, Beard and Nate would keep them focussed on the match, to give Rebecca a chance to rest. But warned she wasn’t going to be able to keep them away forever, especially if they won the game for Matilda, like they promised, because they were so obsessed with her they were all talking about getting her name added to their jerseys, like a mascot.

They were full of excitement, various Christmas dinners and no small amount of alcohol so Keeley also promised to ensure they all sobered up before they made any permanent alterations to their Richmond Kit.

“I’m so tired.” Rebecca sighed, slouching down in the cushions with a serene smile as Ted lounged in the chair across from her, Matilda’s bassinet between them as they both listened to her soft little snores.

“Go to sleep then.” He chuckled, with his head resting on his hand, his elbow on the arm of the chair.

“I don’t want to stop looking at her.”

“I know how you feel.” He let out a long, happy sigh. “She really is stunning, Rebecca.”

“Looks a little like you.” She smirked and Ted laughed softly.

“That’s just an evolutionary thing so I don’t kick her out of the nest.” He winked. “Give her a few weeks and she’ll come into her Welton-ness.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Oh yeah. Thank goodness she’s got a whole football team of big brothers, because our girl is going to stop traffic, just like her Mamma.”

They were silent for a long moment, both of them with sleepy eyes set on the tiny girl whose chest was moving up and down with every breath. There was a little jelly-cat bunny sitting in the corner of the bassinet, the first of many gifts from Grandma and her little fingers were wriggling in the air.

“This certainly isn’t the Christmas present I had planned.” Rebecca glanced up at Ted as he smiled.

“Well it’s certainly going to be tough to beat next year, that’s for sure.” He winked and Rebecca rolled her eyes, shifting to get more comfortable in the bed.

“That chair can’t be comfortable.”

“I think I’ve gone numb, so it’s not so bad.” Ted grinned, sleepily.

“Come up here with me.”

“Nah,” He yawned, not bothering to cover his mouth, he was so tired. “There’s not much room.”

“You’ll be able to see her better from up here.”

“Well, gosh darn, alright.” He hopped up quickly, moving around the bed to jump in beside Rebecca, wrapping his arms around her middle and tucking her back against his front as they rolled to face where Matilda was sleeping, her little face tilted towards them. “Oh, you’re right, the view is great from up here.”

“Get some sleep.” Rebecca patted his arm, pressing her eyes closed with a smile as Ted’s lips pressed to her temple.

“This is the best Christmas ever.” He smiled against the side of her head, yawning again with his face buried in her hair and Rebecca laughed.

“It’s certainly my favourite.”

Fin.