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Sophie had learned that she was capable of anything after the accident that changed her life at the age at 16 and after the lot she had been dealt in her years before her accident.
The accident that had changed her life, cost her the lower part of her leg and it meant she had to learn to adapt and to change.
She had to learn to walk again, she had to learn to love herself again and to let others in and help her.
It had been a struggle but now aged 21 she had married her childhood sweetheart not 3 months earlier. Kate and Anthony had married the year before but Sophie had been adamant she wanted to wait until Benedict had completed his Masters. Which he has done just weeks before the wedding.
Sophie had taken over running Crabtree’s the little bakery she had been working at and she had made it into a café.
Her life was perfect.
She had her husband, she had her café and she had raised thousands of pounds for the hospital that had helped her and she had her adopted fathers and her in-laws, which in the next few weeks was due to increase by one with Kate and Anthony expecting their first child.
Sophie couldn’t remember ever being happier in her, even if she was bloody exhausted.
She and Benedict had gone to Paris and toured France for their honeymoon and between the museums, the food and the sex she was sure it was the reason for her prolonged fatigue.
She hadn’t told Benedict that she was feeling tired, the only person she had spoken to was Anthony.
He had come into the bakery as was tradition on a Monday and they had a cup of tea and an apple turnover about two weeks after Sophie and Benedict had come back from Paris and took one look at her and said “you look tired Soph”
She had tried to brush it off “well given everything we were up to in Paris…”
“I don’t need to know!” Anthony said sticking his hands over his ears “There is such a thing as over sharing”
Sophie took a sip of her tea, wrinkling her nose at the taste, unsure as to why it tasted weird “tell that to your wife please”
“Have you tried telling my wife to stop doing anything” he teased “besides you are her best friend she listens to you more than me” he said with a smirk “but seriously Soph… are you alright? I know it would have been a lot on your leg”
Sophie sighed “I’m fine Ant seriously. Ben made sure I wasn’t walking too much and we took my chair places as well. I’m just a bit off colour. I’ll be fine in a few weeks I promise” she said
Anthony hadn’t been sold but he knew better than to poke his head in around women and their health so left her be. He didn’t voice his suspicions to Ben because he knew his brother would freak out. It took him weeks of therapy after Sophie’s accident, which he did with Sophie and alone, to stop blaming himself for her accident and if he got wind that Sophie was still tired and off colour then he would be off again.
Anthony did speak to Sophie’s dads and told them and they promised to keep an eye on her.
Other than some fatigue Sophie felt fine for about a week after her lunch with Anthony but then the sickness started.
She had no idea why she was throwing up and put it down to working too much and not eating enough or eating the wrong foods. They missed the family Sunday Dinner because Sophie had barely been able to get off the floor as she threw up. Benedict had been beside himself with worry as Sophie hurled up the contents of her stomach that morning.
“Oh Soph, my darling Belle” he said as he rubbed her back, since her operation and her amputation Benedict had gotten a lot better with needles and sickness and blood. He had had no real choice as he had wanted to support Sophie throughout all her appointments and it had meant he had to stop nearly throwing up and passing out at the sight of blood.
“I’m fine” she grumbled her head in the toilet as Benedict held her blonde curls a loft and stoked her back as she retched again.
“Yes, because bringing up that much Chinese is normal…” he said with a teasing tone
“It was the chicken. I’m sure of it…” she said with a groan as she sat back on her heels.
“Yes maybe but what was it yesterday?” He asked her “I’m getting worried babe. You never get sick”
“It’s fine Ben, don’t worry about me. Mrs C was Ill last week with a stomach bug it will be just that” Sophie said trying to brush him off. She hated the thought of anyone thinking she was weak.
Benedict grumbled “fine but if your being sick still next week I’m taking you to see Uncle Nick and Aunt Georgie” he said
Sophie glared but seeing the worry in her husband's face she sighed “fine but not for a week”
“Wednesday” he said as a compromise Sophie pouted “please”
Sophie nodded and let Benedict gather her into his arms and take her to bed where she promptly passed out and slept for nearly 12 hours.
Benedict took the next two days off work, he was worried about Sophie and knew she was feeling worse than she was letting on and he wasn’t entirely sure what was causing it.
He had for a moment wondered if Sophie could be pregnant but it had taken Kate a few months after she had come off the pill to fall pregnant and she hadn’t been like this so Benedict was getting paranoid that maybe she had an infection or something in her leg and had took to watching her as she walked and baked.
He looked at it each night when she took her prosthetic off and he rubbed the cream in to help ease the pain and discomfort and nothing appeared a miss so he was truly at a loss as to what it could be.
Tuesday came and went and as they lay in bed, hands entwined and Sophie’s head resting on his chest Benedict broached the subject again “Soph…”
“Hmmm?” She replied in a sleepy tone.
“Can I message Nick to see you tomorrow? I’m really worried about you” he said, his voice was so quiet and filled with worry that Sophie couldn’t fight it.
She knew she should see a doctor, she had felt off for nearly a month now and she had no idea why. She didn’t think she was pregnant as her period had come four weeks ago, though it had been light, had happened and she knew Benedict’s Uncle and Aunt would calm any fears they might have over whatever was wrong.
“Okay” she replied, her voice still quiet “I think it’s not a bad idea” she said as she let her eyes flutter shut as the exhaustion she had felt for the last month claimed her.
Benedict moved, carefully so not to jostle his sleeping wife grabbed his phone and sent a message to his uncle
Ben: Hey Uncle N, Soph’s still unwell, are we okay to pop in tomorrow still? Thanks
Nicholas: Sure Ben, my last patient is at 515 so come by just after and Georgie should be free then as well.
Ben: thanks Uncle N. It means a lot
Nicholas anything for Sophie you know how it is 😂
Ben oh I’m aware, see you tomorrow
Benedict was restless all day. They had been out and done a bit of shopping. Sophie had complained her bras were a bit tight so they had gone and bought her some new ones and had a late lunch and they distracted each other from the looming appointment.
as the weather was fine they decided to walk to Nicholas private doctors room from the centre of town, a decision Sophie started to regret as they got closer.
Her pace grew slower as she started to feel hotter and weaker, her grip on Benedict’s arm tightened and he looked at her “Soph?”
“I…” she said blinking as her vision blurred
“Sophie!!” Benedict practically yelled and the last thing Sophie heard was her husband yelling “stay with me!” and his panic stricken face as her eyes rolled in her head and she fainted.
Benedict’s quick reactions meant he caught her before she hit the floor, “Sophie?!?” He yelled at her as he looked at his very pale and unconscious wife.
He looked around panicking, he was just a few minutes away from Nicholas surgery and he knew it would be quicker than calling for an ambulance, he could feel a faint pulse in Sophie’s wrist and so he hauled her into his arms and for the first time in his life was grateful for his long legs as he took off at speed.
He ran the short distance to his Uncle’s place of work and kicked his uncle's door “NICK! GEORGIE!!” He yelled at the top of his lungs, tears pouring down his face as he screamed for his Uncle and Aunt.
Georgiana came hurtling around the corner looking wild “what the bloody hell… OH my god! Nick!!! Come quick it’s Sophie!!! Quick Ben, bring her in here!” She said, her doctor's head going straight on and ordering him around as she started asking questions whilst she waited for her husband.
Benedict told her through his tears about Sophie grabbing his arm tighter and how the colour just drained from her face as she passed out as Nicholas came running into the room, bag under his arm and Benedict watched “we will probably need to call for an ambulance” Nick said to Georgiana who nodded and ran from the room to get the ambulance called for.
Benedict was frantic, pacing as his uncle did checks on his wife. “She appears in no immediate danger Ben” he said after a few minutes “her blood pressure is very low so we need to get to the hospital, I’m going to go get my oxygen mask okay to help I’ll be two moments. I’ll ring your mum as well, okay?”
Benedict just nodded dumbly and collapsed in a heap next to his wife, her left hand in his as he squeezed it tight “stay with me soph… please… please…” he pleaded quietly to whatever gods where listening “ I can’t lose you again, please don’t make me lose you again” he whispered over and over
The next hour was a blur. Benedict vaguely remembered being ushered into the ambulance with his wife who was on oxygen, paramedics asking him questions and him answering on auto Pilot with his uncle and Aunt saying they will follow.
Nicholas had rung Violet and Charles to let them know what had happened and they said they would meet them at the hospital,
Sophie was in and out of consciousness but the feel of Benedict’s had kept her anchored and as she slipped back under Benedict would panic to the point the paramedics put him on some gas and air to chill him out before he hyperventilated and passed out as well.
When they arrived Sophie was wheeled straight into the back to see a doctor and Benedict, to his annoyance was made to wait.
He paced back and forth like a caged lion, he hated this. Every other time Sophie had been in hospital he had been allowed to stay with her and he was frantic by the time his mother and father came running down shouting for him
“Ben! What happened? What’s the update??” Violet asked as she sprinted through the ward like the fires of hell were lapping at her ankles, Edmund a bit behind, unable to run as quick as his wife given his weakened lungs.
“I don’t know they won’t let me in! She came around in the ambulance and passed out again! Mum! I’m… I can’t…” and with that Benedict broke. Despite his 23 years of age and 6 foot 3 stature he crumbled into his mothers arms and sobbed.
Edmund put his arm around his son and wife and gave his best friend a pleading look. Nicholas, who had been lingering awkwardly with Georgie behind them, nodded and dashed through the doors.
Benedict was still in his mothers arms when Charles and Henry came running through the hospital looking wild and frantic. “What’s happened? What… What's going on? Nicholas said Sophie fainted?” Henry said Charles was too pale and grey and was clinging to his husband to formulate words.
“She did,” Nicholas said, reappearing. “Ben you can go in; she’s awake. I’ll explain everything to everyone here” he said with a small smile to his nephew.
“Is she…” he asked, unsure he wanted the answer.
“Go see your wife Benedict” Georgiana said softly, “it’s okay I promise” her tone was gentle and soft and Benedict looked like a bambi on ice as he pulled himself up, wiping his face on his sleeve.
He knew his face was going to be patchy and red and swollen but he didn’t care. He had to be there for Sophie, in sickness and in health… for better or for worse… he would not forsake her now.
With a deep breath and a look to his mother for courage he left his family and In Laws to go see his wife.
Sophie was sitting on the bed, her prosthetic was off and she looked agitated. “Ben! What’s going on?” She asked from the bed “what happened?” She asked
Benedict looked at her as he made his way over “you fainted… but other than low blood pressure I don’t know” he said weekly as he reached her “I… I was so scared. I can’t lose you again. Please don’t make me lose you…” he whispered
“Perhaps I can help put those fears to rest?” A man stood in the door said as he walked in with a nurse who was pulling a machine in with her.
“Doctor! What’s going on?” Benedict said, trying to keep his temper under control.
“I’m Doctor Graves and this is Nurse Ann Gibbons” he said softly “now we’ve ran some tests Mrs Bridgerton you gave us all a bit of a scare but you are both fine and well” he said softly “but we want to just do a quick ultra scan to make sure and we thought it was best that Dad was present?” He said
Benedict and Sophie’s jaws dropped and they looked at one another. “Wait… both… dad? W…what?” Sophie said looking confused
Doctor Graves looked at them “you don’t know?”
“Don’t know what?” Sophie said.
“Your pregnant Mrs Bridgerton. We thought you knew… Your Uncle Nicholas implied you knew…” he said turning to Benedict just in time to see Benedict blink
“I’m… she’s…” and he crumbled and fainted.
Sophie looked at her husband and burst into a fit of giggles “seriously.., after everything…” she said as the elder nurse rushed over and helped Benedict to a seat.
He wasn’t out long and he was jabbering when he woke up and blinking in shock. The nurse gave him a glass of water before the doctor checked him and Sophie just rolled her eyes. “Perhaps we should get you in this bed, not me?“
The doctor looked at her “oh no Mrs Bridgerton nice try but you are here overnight as a minimum: your blood count is low and given everything you went through as a teenager we have to be sure”
Sophie grumbled “am I really pregnant??” She asked
“Well the blood work confirmed it so yes it’s more accurate than the peeing on a stick” he grinned
“I’ve not done one of those. It’s just… I had my period last month… it's why i didn’t think…” she said blushing furiously. She had considered the possibility but given that she had her period the month before she had assumed it wasn’t that.
“It’s not uncommon to have a light one at the beginning… but given your past trauma I’m not surprised actually. You would likely have missed this one as we think your about 10 weeks” he said
“10!?” Benedict said with a blink. They had been on their honeymoon 10 weeks ago
“Give or take a week” he said “there is a fair bit we need to go through with you both given Sophie’s condition but let’s get this jelly on your belly and have a look at your baby eh?” He said to Sophie
Sophie looked at Benedict, shock, love and adoration reflecting on both of their faces. “Yes please” she said and the doctor and nurse hooked her up and the cool jelly was placed on Sophie’s stomach and the scanner pressed in looking for their little miracle.
Sophie waited, her hand in Benedict’s as she held on tight waiting. Waiting for the doctor to say there had been a mistake when they heard it
Thump thump
A faint noise but a noise all the same.
“There we are,” the doctor said quietly as he pointed to the screen.
Sophie and Benedict looked at the screen, their hands entwined tightly as tears fell down their faces as they looked at the tiny grey bean shape on the screen. “There is your baby” he said pointing
“Our baby” Sophie said with a little sob.
“We’ll leave you two for a moment. I’ll get a couple of these printed off for you?” He said as he got up
Sophie nodded and the doctor left the room and she turned to her husband “Ben” she said breathless
“Soph, we… we’re having a baby” he said in disbelief.
“A baby” she repeated as Benedict leaned in and kissed her softly, putting his hand on her stomach, getting jelly on his hand but he didn’t care, he knew he wouldn’t be able to feel the baby yet but still.
Their baby, their miracle, was growing inside of his wife, their little Prince. “I love you. I love you both so much” he said as he kissed her again and again.
Sophie sobbed into her husband as her fingers entwined with his over her still flat stomach. “I love you too. Both of you.”
This was all Sophie would need, yes her pregnancy would be hard and she would be plagued with doubts as a mother given her leg but right now… in this moment
Life now was truly perfect.