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“Lockwood….Lockwood… Lockwood, ” Lucy huffed at the sight of Lockwood’s back still gently rising and falling as he continued to sleep, before changing her tactic. “Anthony,” Lucy rolled her eyes and prodded his side, “Anthony!”
“Hmm…what?” Lockwood mumbled and smacked his lips together, his eyes still closed as he rested against the pillow.
“I think it’s time,”
“What time is it?” Lockwood groaned.
“No…not that. Time , as in…Lockwood,” she sighed in exasperation, “I’m pretty sure I’m in labour.”
-O-
“Remind me again why we thought a home birth would be a good idea,”
Lucy sighed at his words as she successfully tugged up a fresh pair of leggings, having changed into some new clothing after her water broke, “You and I both know how uncomfortable we are in hospitals and the chances of me either going into labour or actually being in labour through the night time hours are pretty high so…,”
“Right,” Lockwood raked his fingers through his hair in stress.
“Plus, most of the women in my family have given birth at home. It’s not like there was a hospital nearby in Cheviot Hills.” Lucy rubbed at her hip as she felt a sharp twang pass through her.
“Right, yeah, yeah…” Lockwood began to gnaw at his fingernails and pace back and forth in front of her.
It’s not as if she and Lockwood had not spoken about this decision. They had done so. At length. Several times. Lucy sighed as she watched him for a few moments, “Anthony, what’s wrong?”
“Amy? You know, our midwife?”
“Yeah, you got hold of her right?” Lucy thought back to when Lockwood had gone downstairs to make the phone call whilst she’d freshened up and stripped the bed.
“She’s not coming.”
A beat passed. “What do you mean she’s not coming?”
-O-
Lucy gripped the back of the kitchen chair tightly and gritted her teeth as the contraction took hold. Lockwood rubbed her lower back and watched with concern as her knuckles turned white from the force of her grip.
“Lockwood,” Lucy groaned as the contraction subsided. “What are we going to do?” She whispered.
When Lockwood had broken the news that their midwife wouldn’t be coming as she had slipped in the shower earlier that day and broken her foot, Lucy couldn’t quite believe it. However it had not taken her long to snap back into reality and that, midwife or not, this baby was coming. All they could do was come up with a plan B, one which, like plan A, included avoiding the hospital unless absolutely necessary.
Continuing to rub her back, Lockwood reassured her. “It’s going to be fine, it’s going to be…” Lockwood trailed off as he caught sight of the sugared remnants of the doughnuts leftover on a plate in the middle of the Thinking Cloth, and his eyes sparked with an idea.
-O-
“Good evening habibti, my name is Salma, and this is my daughter Amina,” Arif’s wife unwove her scarf from around her neck and knelt down next to Lucy, placing a comforting hand on Lucy’s back as she knelt on all fours on the rug in the library, “you are doing so well.”
“Thank you for,” Lucy panted between her words, “…thank you for coming,”
Lucy had been very alarmed when Lockwood suggested that he leave her, only for a few minutes to go and get Arif’s wife, who happened to be a registered nurse, to come and help. At his persuasion and knowing they had very little options left, except ultimately going to the hospital, she agreed. However after forty five minutes of no Lockwood in sight and her labour having progressed steadily onward, Lucy was very much relieved to see Lockwood return with not just an additional person, but additional people in tow.
“We are glad to help,” Salma smiled and tucked a wayward piece of hair behind Lucy’s ear before addressing her daughter, “Amina, please help this young gentleman here collect more towels and see if we can get something cool for Lucy’s forehead,”
“Of course, ommi,” Amina replied, “Mr Lockwood? Where is the kitchen please?”
“It’s uh-“ he hesitated as he was reluctant to leave Lucy yet again. He watched as Salma, Arif’s wife, spoke comfortingly to Lucy, stroking her back.
Lockwood’s knocks on the front door of Arif’s corner shop had been frantic. He was well aware it was the middle of the night and many neighbouring properties could have him reported for such behaviour. Most DEPRAC officers would be unwilling to come and investigate during the nighttime hours however. Lockwood’s heart had lurched in his chest at the sight of a confused Arif at the glass of the shop window, his dressing gown wrapped around him, having come downstairs from his residence flat above. Arif had taken only one glance at Lockwood’s wide eyed expression and knew what was needed.
“Mr Lockwood?” Amina prompted with a smile, breaking him out of his reverie.
“Yes, sorry, this way,”
“No apology necessary,” Amina said softly as she followed him out to the hallway.
A few moments later, a cool wet tea towel in hand, Lockwood was surprised to see Lucy, Salma at her side, walking up and down the hallway.
“If mother feels like walking, then walking we do,” Salma said with quiet confidence.
“Thank you,” Lucy breathed out in relief as Lockwood began to dab down her sweaty face with the cool cloth. He began to walk a step in front of them, walking backwards so he could hold the cloth on Lucy’s forehead.
“Mmmmhhhpppp,” Lucy groaned through gritted teeth as a contraction rippled through her lower body. She bent over, placing a hand on her leg. Lockwood bent down with her and she placed her other hand on his forearm for support.
“Remember to breathe, habibti,” Salma placed a hand in between Lucy’s shoulder blades. Lucy panted, her face pinched in pain.
“With your permission, Mr Lockwood, I’ll find another change of clothes for Lucy,” Amina appeared beside them.
“Just Lockwood is fine,” Lockwood muttered, his attention fully on his wife. “You got this, Luce,” he murmured. Lucy groaned as she shakily stood up straight again.
“And walk,” Salma prompted encouragingly, “ Hā qad faʿaltahā ( there you go), ” She smiled as Lucy resumed her steps.
-O-
The night had broken and morning light now illuminated 35 Portland Row. Now changed out of her top and leggings, Lucy wore a long tunic top and was back to kneeling on all fours on the rug. A knock on the front door sounded.
“That will be the ambulance,” Salma concluded. “Amina, if you could, habibti?” She asked as rubbed Lucy’s back.
“Ambulance?” Lucy questioned in confusion, “But I don’t want to go the hospital-“
“Not for the hospital, habibti,” Salma soothed her, “So they can give you and your little nunu the care you need here,”
Lucy was restless, rocking back and forth on her hands and knees. Lockwood knelt down on the floor in front of her, swiping her sweaty tendrils of hair away from her forehead, “You’re amazing, Luce. You’re so incredible. I love you so much,” Lockwood murmured and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.
“I knew I should have phoned before arriving unannounced.”
Lucy’s brow furrowed before looking over her shoulder to the despairing look on Barnes’ face, no doubt taking in the scene in front of him.
“Ah Barnes, use your influence to chase up the ambulance for us would you?”
“Good morning to you too, Mr Lockwood,” he replied snarkily before taking a step back into the hallway to make the phone call.
Lucy groaned deeply, “I want…I feel like - I need to push,”
“Okay, this is it, habibti,” Salma spoke calmly as she checked Lucy’s progress and concluded that based on Lucy’s instinct it was time.
Amina grabbed the extra towels piled up on the sofa nearby and came to rest alongside her mother.
“Luce, Luce, I love you, you can do this,” Lockwood pressed his forehead against Lucy’s.
“Yeah, yeah…okay,” Lucy breathed out shakily.
“On the next contraction, I want you to bear down and push, Lucy okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, okay,” Lucy panted. Her breath caught as pain ripped through her lower body and she only allowed a short high pitched squeal to escape her lips as her fingers dug into the rug beneath her.
Salma kept her hand firmly on Lucy’s lower back to support her. “Good, habibti, good,” she praised, “We go again now,”.
Many minutes passed with Lucy bearing down during the contractions as they came, Salma, Amina and Lockwood encouraging her as she did so. However soon, inevitably, exhaustion crept in. Lucy’s limbs trembled, her hair was slick with sweat and her eyes were tearing.
“Lucy, you not push hard enough, inṭaliq ( go for it )!” Salma instructed.
“I can’t…I can’t…” Lucy cried out, her face scrunched up in distress, tears falling down her cheeks.
“Yes, you can,” Lockwood encouraged and stroked down her spine.
“I can’t, I can’t push anymore,” Lucy sobbed and shook her head, her body completely spent.
“Luce, Luce you are the strongest person I know. You can do this. You can.” Lockwood pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. He looked towards Salma and she gave him a nod, “Now, push ,”
A scream ripped through Lucy’s throat as she bore down, her face turning scarlett in exertion.
“And again, come on,” Lockwood pressed her, “She’s almost here, our baby’s almost here,”
Lucy screamed again, her whole body trembling in exertion.
“There we go, there we go…your baby’s here, habibti. Your little girl,” Salma gathered the small baby in the towels. “Through Lucy’s legs, Amina, there we go,” Salma instructed as Amina assisted her passing the towel bundled baby whilst carefully guiding Lucy from her kneeling position, back into a seated position on the towels.
“Oh my, oh my,” Salma laughed as the baby girl began to cry in earnest, her loud cries filling the room.
Amina assisted in cleaning the baby, rubbing her in the soft towelling before transferring her carefully into a fresh towel as Lucy and Lockwood hovered over their daughter. “Your baby, Mrs Lockwood,” she murmured and helped Lucy cradle her in her weary arms. “A healthy little girl, Inspector,” Amina announced to the tall gentleman observing from the door frame as she stood up.
“Congratulations,” Barnes murmured softly as he watched Lockwood lower his head and press a soft kiss to the crying baby’s head.
Salma pressed a kiss to the crown of Lucy’s head, “ Anā faḫūrun ǧiddan bik ( I’m so proud of you )!”
“Hi baby girl,” Lucy whispered, tears falling readily down her cheeks as her daughter continued to cry in earnest.
Lockwood pressed a firm kiss on Lucy’s forehead as his eyes glistened with tears and his heart felt full.
-O-
“Come habibti, let’s get you seated over here,” Salma guided Lucy over to the sofa, her hands under her shoulders.
Barnes’ face fell as he watched blood from between Lucy’s legs dropping onto the floor from their movements.
Amina caught his expression and followed his eyeline to the stark amount of blood on the floor as her mother placed towels under Lucy and got her seated.
“Omm,” Amina called her mother and as her mother turned to look, she could see where her daughter‘s gaze was.
Salma took a deep breath, “Now habibti, you're losing a bit more blood than I’d like so we’re going to have to get you checked out at the hospital alright?”
Lucy’s tired eyes opened in alarm, “No, no, no hospital.”
“Habibti,” Salma sighed and took Lucy’s hands. Her brow furrowed as she clutched the young woman’s fingers, “You’re getting cold, let’s get you a blanket.”
Barnes stepped forward at the instruction and placed a spare thick towel over Lucy. His stomach felt heavy as he looked at her pale complexion and watched as her eyes grew heavy.
Amina walked over from watching Lockwood, sitting in his armchair, cradling his newborn daughter, to those hovered around Lucy. “Inspector, how much longer until that ambulance arrives?”
Barnes looked down at his watch, “Based on their last ETA, another thirty to forty minutes,” He had yet again chased up an ambulance. Despite it now being morning, the response time of the ambulance had been an absolute farce. It had been over three hours since the original phone call.
Barnes bent down, hovering over Lucy, who now had her eyes closed, and gently grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, “Lucy? Hey…” he whispered and jostled her chin slightly, her head following, “Lucy?”
Salma knelt down in front of Lucy and reaching for her knee, covered by the towel, gave it a more firm jostle, “Lucy? Lucy? You with me?”
Noticing the commotion, Lockwood’s gaze left that of his daughter’s resting face and found that of the unmoving one of Lucy’s. Barnes, Amina and Salma were crowded around her pale form.
With no response from Lucy, Salma swung around to face her daughter. Amina looked over at her mother and a silent conversation occurred.
“Inspector, how quickly could you drive to the hospital?” Amina asked.
“What’s going on? Luce? Luce, you okay?” Lockwood asked in concern, his eyes widening in alarm.
“I can get you there in ten.”
-O-
“Come on, Lockwood,” Kipps murmured as he shimmied his arm under Lucy’s thighs and around her back to pick her up.
“Kipps?” Lucy’s voice was slurred and her body limp. When did Kipps get here?
It had been fortuitous timing for Kipps to be arriving at Portland Row for another day’s work when he did. He had watched as Barnes had run out of the front door, towels bundled in his arms and flinging the back doors of his saloon car open. In response, Kipps had sprinted into the house.
“Tony’s going to take good care of Baby Girl, alright,” Kipps reassured as he carried her out of the living room and into the hallway to take her out of the front door of Portland Row.
Lucy’s eyes struggled to focus and had to refocus several times. Suddenly gaining an awareness of her surroundings, and the fact that she was about to be bundled into Barnes’ car, she feebly began to resist, “No, no…Anthony, where’s Ant…my baby, no…”
Salma was already situated in the back seat and helped Kipps manoeuvre both himself and Lucy in. She immediately began to comfort Lucy as they caught sight of Lockwood cradling his daughter at the front door in the morning light, “It’s going to be alright, habibti. The ambulance will check everything is well with your little nunu,”
“No, no…please,” Lucy begged feebly, her hands reaching for the door handle, as Barnes pulled away from the curb.
Kipps pulled her reaching hands back towards her torso to settle her against him as Barnes quickly accelerated, turning on his emergency lights, “We’ve got you Lucy…we’ve got you,”
Lockwood watched helplessly at the sight of Barnes’ car speeding away from Portland Row, the circling emergency lights on the roof briefly reflecting against the neighbouring buildings’ windows as they passed.
Amina took a step outside, stepping alongside Lockwood on the doorstep. She put her arm around his back and encouraged him back in, “Come, Mr Lockwood, let’s get your daughter in the warmth,”
“Tell me she’s going to be okay,” Lockwood pleaded, his eyes wide and uncomprehending the events of the past few hours, “She’s going to be okay, right?”
Amina pushed against his back a bit more firmly to guide him back into the house and spoke in a comforting, low tone, “The hospital is what Mrs Lockwood needs right now and the ambulance will come and check your daughter. Kun qawiyyan ( stay strong ) ,”
-O-
Lucy blinked in protest against the bright lights. Her eyes scrunched up as her senses began to register the sounds, sights and smells surrounding her.
“Luce? Luce? Oh thank God,”
She felt salty lips pressing against her dry ones as her eyes squinted against the bright lights. Blinking rapidly she slowly began to register the sight of Lockwood’s figure. First his flash of dark hair, then his jawline before finally falling on his tired, worried eyes.
“Lo…Lockwood?” Lucy mumbled, her voice scratchy and quiet.
“Good morning,” Lockwood felt like his heart was in his throat as he watched Lucy, his Lucy , wake up and give him a soft smile.
“Morn…morn-what?”
Lockwood breathed out a soft chuckle as Lucy looked down from her propped up position in the hospital bed, having realised the slight weight on her chest.
“I’ve been settling her down on your chest whilst you’ve been sleeping,”
“You have?” Lucy asked, touched by the sentiment as her eyes began to focus more and she was able to see the dark tufts of her daughter’s hair.
“Of course,” Lockwood smiled, “I wasn’t going to let you miss out on some of the first cuddles with our daughter.”
Lockwood beamed as Lucy, with shaky limbs and fingers, tentatively stroked their daughter’s tiny hands and fingers, her eyes flickering over her daughter’s resting form. Lucy breathed out a chuckle at the sounds of contentment and soft grunts.
Lockwood’s smile diminished as he once again registered all the medical equipment, wires and tubes surrounding Lucy, “You scared me, Luce,” he whispered.
Keeping one hand resting on the back of their daughter, Lucy reached out a hand, shaking somewhat from exertion, and cradled one side of Lockwood’s face, “I know,” she whispered and used her thumb to stroke his cheekbone. Lockwood wrapped his fingers around her wrist as he rest on his elbow on her hospital bed. “I sort of scared me too,” she admitted with a soft chuckle. Lockwood pressed a soft kiss to her palm in response. “Have you named her?”
Lockwood scoffed softly, “Like I’d do that without you,”
“We talked about this,” Lucy said softly as she stroked her daughters back, “When we found out it was a girl, you would name her. Likewise if we had found out it was a boy, I would have named him.”
Lockwood smiled softly, “I do have a name for her in mind.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Carys,”
“Carys?” Lucy smiled as her daughter snuffled as if in response to her name.
“Two reasons,” Lockwood whispered, relishing in the intimacy of their quiet family moment, “When we married you gave up your name, Carlyle, to take mine. This way, part of your name stays with us. And second, Carys is a Welsh name meaning love. Our daughter represents the love that we have for one another.”
Lucy’s eyes had not left Lockwood’s as he explained his choice. “Yes. Yes, that’s her name, on one condition,”
“What’s that?” Lockwood raised an eyebrow curiously.
“She’s Carys Jessica Lockwood.”
-O-
“George? Flo?”
“Surprise!” They whisper-yelled as Lockwood and Lucy stepped through the door, Lucy cradling Carys in her arms.
“What are you doing here? Aren’t you meant to be out on a loch in Scotland or something?” Lockwood asked with a smile.
“And miss seeing little baby Locky come home for the first time? Nah!” Flo waved her off.
“Holly managed to get someone on land nearby to send a radio transmission to us. We got to land and travelled down by train as soon as we received it.” George shrugged.
“Matilda’s there. Waiting for us. But first, we need to get a proper look at you,” Lucy smiled as she heard Flo’s tone turn as close to a coo as she thought possible as she stepped forward to take a closer look at Carys.
“So, err…are you alright now?”
Lucy gave George a soft smile at his caring thought, guessing he’d probably heard the worst from Quill and Holly. “Yes, I’m okay. Glad to be home.” She paused as she watched Flo hover over Carys and murmur softly at her. Lucy looked back up at George, “Thank you for coming,” she murmured in gratitude.
George simply shrugged his shoulders as if to say, “ Where else would I be? ”, before pushing his glasses up his nose and clapping Lockwood on the back in congratulations.
-O-
“Inspector,” Lockwood’s face and tone fell as he opened the front door.
“Mr Lockwood,” Barnes greeted in return.
“Could this not wait?” Lockwood asked with a hint of exasperation.
“Pardon me?”
“Lucy and our daughter have not long come back from the hospital. Surely a DEPEAC report on them could wait?” Flo and George had departed back for Scotland, not wanting to take up too much of their time in the first few days of them being home as a family, and also to return to their research. However, Lockwood and Lucy had only been home with Carys for two days.
“I’m not here on a business call.”
“Oh,”
“And I won’t keep you any longer from settling your newest family member in, I merely wanted to give you this,” Barnes handed Lockwood a plain gift bag from behind his back. Lockwood accepted the bag with thanks as Barnes continued, “My wife very much enjoys knitting and when she heard of your news she very much wanted to give you something.” As he spoke Lockwood lifted a soft knitted blanket out of the bag. It was predominantly light grey but was adorned with spots of pastel colours.
“That’s very generous of her, of you both,” Lockwood stated sincerely and thinking back to his earlier comments continued, “I apologise for assuming you were here on official business, would you…would you care to come in for tea?”
“Oh I wouldn’t want to impose-“
“Please,” Lockwood insisted, “I think Lucy would like to thank you, not only for this,” he gestured towards the bag in his hand, “but also for taking her to the hospital last week. Without you,” Lockwood swallowed thickly, “…well we don’t know what would have happened so…”
Barnes gave a single nod and a beat passed before he stepped into 35 Portland Row, “A tea would be lovely.”
“They’re just in here,” Lockwood gestured to the lounge on their immediate right.
“Inspector Barnes?” Lucy asked with caution as the tall gentleman stepped into the room, her arms cradling Carys tightened slightly, bringing her closer to her chest.
“He’s brought a gift for Carys,” Lockwood’s at ease smile made Lucy, too, relax as he handed over the knitted blanket.
“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” Lucy reached a hand out, the other securely cradling Carys against her, as he handed it over. “It’s lovely, thank you.”
“How are you, Mrs Lockwood?” Barnes asked as Lockwood left the room, presumably to get the Inspector a cup of tea.
“Lucy,” she corrected him softly.
“Lucy.” Barnes nodded in acceptance.
“I’m glad to be home,” Lucy sighed wistfully, “and I’m tired…but which new parent isn’t?”
Barnes let out a short chuckle, “Quite, so.”
“And, and I’m most grateful for you taking me to the hospital, like you did. So, thank you.”
Barnes gave her a nod of acknowledgment and just at the moment found great interest in the buttons of his coat.
“Would you like to…?” Lucy gestured with her arm holding Carys as a question if the Inspector wished to hold her daughter.
“Oh,” Barnes seemed a bit taken aback at the kind gesture before nodding, “Yes, I - I wouldn’t be opposed to…”
Barnes sat down on the sofa next to Lucy before she handed over a sleeping Carys into his arms, awkwardly sliding her arm away as she did so. Lucy smiled as the Inspector cradled Carys’ head and began to speak in a murmur as Carys snuffled in her sleep, “You are quite lovely aren’t you?”
Lockwood walked back into the lounge with a tray of tea, pausing slightly in his steps as he took in the sight of Inspector Barnes holding his daughter. Lucy caught his gaze and they flashed each other a small smile before Lockwood sat down.
A comfortable silence passed as Barnes’ continued to hold Carys, Lucy and Lockwood observing them. Barnes then broke this silence with a soft murmur, “You are very much loved, Carys. Your parents will worry about you, all the time , because that’s what parents do. But between you and me, Carys, they don’t need to worry about what will happen in the future. Take it from someone with insider knowledge…” Barnes paused in his murmur and quickly caught the gaze of Lockwood and Lucy, looking at him with apprehension and confusion, “...things are changing. But that’s just between me and you of course.” Barnes chuckled slightly at his own joke as he watched Carys little fist reach up and rub her cheek in a wide yawn.
Lockwood reached out and placed his hand over Lucy’s, their wedding rings touching as Lucy sighed, her eyes becoming watery with relief at Barnes’ words.