Conception Time *1/1*

[dawnieangel]

Title: Conception Time

Rating: T - for language, and sexual language and themes

Summary:They hadn’t tried to get pregnant before, it had just happened, and he still hadn’t quite wrapped his head around the idea that it couldn’t just happen again.

Authors Note: This fic was written for the celebration of the 800 th Romantics thread at fanforum. (Even if you don’t usual visit over there you must go and have a look - it’s absolutely gorgeous and chock full of arts, soundtracks, fics and more from our incredibly talented fan base!) Big thank you to Lori(
lorilozz) for beta-ing for me! (Whose own submission you must go read now! Hot!!)

Month One - September

“Mmm...We can’t do this here.” She mumbled against his lip, reminiscent of their sixteen year old selves eight years previous, as he trapped her between his hard body, and the filing cabinet in the corner of her classroom. The sounds of students hustling and bustling on their way to lunch niggling somewhere in the recesses of her mind that she was just barely aware of. God if he didn’t still just make the whole world disappear.

“Sure we can.” He replied cockily, removing his lips from hers and pushing back a curl that his hands raking through her hair had loosened from her clip. His touch soft and reverent, conflicting with his lips as they recaptured hers abruptly and his tongue roughly sought entrance to her mouth, pulling away only when there was no air left for them to share. “What with Jamie’s tummy ache last night we didn’t get to do this then either, and you know the more we do this the better our chances are.”

“Well that might not be strictly tru...” She was cut off by hot, open mouthed kisses being placed along her jaw, before steadily working their way along the neckline of her blouse. “Okay, you win, but not here.”

Reluctantly pushing his oh so talented mouth away from her skin she slipped around him, walking over to the classroom door and taking a look out into the now mostly empty hallways. Shutting the door she turned, shaking her head at him as he walked toward her, throwing him a seductive smile as she pointed behind him.

“The lock’s faulty, sometimes it doesn’t stick.” She answered his quizzical look by nodding over his shoulder at the supply closet. “In there.”

“This takes me back.” He laughed as she shut the door behind them, fumbling around for the draw string that would shine a pitiful yet much needed light on to the small but crowded closet.

“To what?” She gave him a triumphant smile as they were bathed into a murky yellow, and hopped up onto the small extra desk she’d stored in there, spreading her legs and pulling him to stand between them. Her hands immediately sought the skin beneath his long sleeved fitted t-shirt, gliding softly over his lower abs.

“Highschool,” He hissed a little at the feeling of hands on his skin. Her touch teasing at the waist band of his pants, her body arching against him as she leant up to kiss his jaw line. “Making out in the janitor’s closet.”

“You and I never made out in the janitor’s closet, buddy.” She wagged a faux stern finger in his face, giggling when he nipped it between his teeth before tugging at the hem of his shirt, signalling she wanted it off, and she wanted it off now.

“Eager aren’t we?” He teased as he complied with her request, pulling off his shirt and letting it fall to the floor.

“You’re the one who had me pressed up against the blackboard as soon as my last student left the room! If you don’t want to do this...” They both knew her words held no meaning as he deftly undid the buttons on her blouse and her nimble fingers quickly undid his belt, and began working on the buttons of his jeans.

“Oh I want to do this.” His large hands clasped around her smooth thighs, pushing up the material of her skirt so it sat uselessly around her waist, gripping tightly onto the taught skin he spread them further apart, pushing against her, proving his words.

It had been three weeks since Nathan had come to her with the idea of having another child, and in typical naley fashion it’d had been on her mind lately to. Her sister had come to visit, her precious one year old little girl in tow and Haley had fallen in love with the sight of the little one wrapping her older cousin around her pink chubby gorgeous little finger. Jamie had been a little put out about the idea of another child in their home at first, but a day into their trip and he’d become insistent on Maddie going everywhere he did. He knew she wasn’t old enough to play basketball - but she could watch and play with his old kiddie ball - after all at six years old he was way too big for it now, even if it did still hold prized place on the shelf above his bed, and when he’d asked Taylor if he could bring the baby into show and tell with him Haley had pretty much turned into a puddle of goo right there on the kitchen floor leaving the pancakes to burn on the stove.

They’d always spoken about having more children, even in the first few months of college when they were completely anal about using two forms of birth control at a time to avoid another teenage pregnancy they’d kept every piece of baby paraphernalia Jamie grew out of. Packaging it away safely, and thinking about that someday when they’d be ready to extend their family again. They knew they wanted at least one of each, a boy and a girl, a perfect blend of the best parts of each of them. Before they were married she used to lay in bed at night in the dark, alone with only the shadows for company, when she didn’t feel the need to pretend she wasn’t one of those girls who’d barely been a relationship any length of time before she was thinking about what their children would be called, and she’d allowed herself to indulge in a fantasy or two about what the future might bring. She’d wanted two boys, one that took after their father, one after her best friend, Scott brothers who’d do it right this time - best friends when it counted, and loving each from the start, and a little girl with her curls and Nathan’s eyes who was apple of her daddy’s eye, and had her brothers completely under her thumb.

Of course once she’d given him the nod to start trying Nathan had taken it as a licence to proposition her anyhow, anywhere. Not that she was complaining, she was weak against her husband’s advances at the best of times, and with the idea of their love making bringing about another beautiful baby she certainly didn’t need much persuading.

The bell rang just as their mouths swallowed the others moans as they came together, her heels digging into his bare buttocks as his head fell into the crock of her neck, the only sound in the room for a few moments was their heavy breaths mingling, before the sound of the classroom door clattering broke into their reverie as someone tried to enter against the lock.

“Damn kids.” He muttered into her hair as he drew himself away, pulling up his pants and watching her as she fixed her clothes.

“Quickies in the store closet are not so conducive with basking in the afterglow huh?” She joked slipping off the desk. “You stay here while I see who that is - I don’t have a class in this room now so I can probably get whoever it is to talk to me elsewhere. Wait a few minutes before you leave okay?”

He laughed slipping his shirt over his head as she called out to whoever was on the other side of the door that she’d just be a minute. “Why can’t I just go out there now - no one’s going to know.”

“We work in a highschool Nathan, not a kindergarten. Even if this wasn’t what we’d been doing, if someone found the two of us in a locked classroom that’s what they’re going to say we’d been doing and I’d rather not have to read about it in notes I confiscate today okay?”

She smiled tightly over her shoulder, her lip between her teeth as she eyed the door wondering who it could be - not sure whether a colleague or student was worse.

“Hey...” He stopped her in her movements to leave the closet and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her. “We’ll find out soon huh?”

“What?” She asked, smiling up into his eyes.

“If we’re going to have a baby in nine months.” His eyes shone with excitement and she couldn’t help but feel disappointment. She was hopeful to, but knew the chances were slim they were pregnant already, she definitely didn’t feel pregnant.

Reaching up she ran her hands through his hair, standing on her tip toes to place a soft kiss on his lips.”Sweetie I really don’t think it’s happened yet...”

“But you never know.” He responded optimistically, and she fought against the feeling to get swept up in it, one of them had to realistic, they probably wouldn’t get pregnant for a while.

“No, you never know.” Kissing him quickly again she pulled out of his embrace. “Okay - ten minutes and then you can leave. I mean it, ten minutes or no more baby making for you this month! I’ll see you at home later! Love you!”

Month Two - October

“Aw baby, don’t be disappointed.” She cajoled him as she climbed into bed next to him, hooking a leg over his and laying her head on his chest. Sure she’d admit she’d been a little disappointed today when she’d gone to the bathroom at lunchtime and saw the tell tale redness in her panties, but she’d been expecting it. Maybe it was different for her because she knew she just hadn’t felt pregnant. Granted it had taken her a couple of months to realise she was pregnant the first time around, but she was 17 and had experience with pregnancy, but she’d known something was different, and nothing was feeling different yet this time around. “We’ve barely started trying.”

“You came off the pill two months ago.”

“And I was on it for...” She paused, and he watched her lips slide a little to the side and purse, the way they always did when she was concentrating, the way their son had come to mimic. “85 months, give or take.”

“That was fast math.” He laughed, impressed, relaxing against her touch as she drew delicate patterns on his chest.

“I’m very smart.” She nodded, winking up at him. “Babe I know you’re excited, I am too, but it’ll happen when it’s meant to happen. My body just needs time to readjust that’s all, the doctor did tell us it might take a while.”

He sighed but nodded his head in agreement, she had told him that was what the doctor had said when she’d taken Jamie in for a check-up and told their family doctor she wouldn’t be renewing her birth control prescription. He’d just never been the patient type, and knew he was ready to be a father again now, the nine month wait would be hard enough but waiting for that was killing him. They hadn’t tried to get pregnant before, it had just happened, and he still hadn’t quite wrapped his head around the idea that it couldn’t just happen again. It had been drummed into him since Dan had noticed he’d started noticing girls - wear a condom or the girl gets pregnant - well he wasn’t wearing condoms, and Haley wasn’t on anything, and she still wasn’t pregnant.

“What are you thinking?” She asked, untangling herself from him and settling onto her side of the bed, propping her head up with her hand so she could look down at him.

“That we’ve wasted a lot of money on condoms during our marriage.” He grumbled, and she let out a loud in response.

“Didn’t hear you complaining about the cost when I put those candy cane flavoured ones in your stocking last Christmas.” She raised an eyebrow at him, and watched the self satisfied smirk that crossed his handsome features as he remembered her dressed up in sexy Santa lingerie kneeling before him. Good times.

“Oh, they were worth the money.” He leered, and she smiled back.

“I’m glad you think so.” They were quiet for a moment as she switched off the lamp and they both snuggled beneath the covers, their bodies automatically moving toward each other.

“It’ll happen, Nathan, it has to. We make much too perfect children for it not too.” She promised him, falling further into his embrace as his arm tightened around her. “And in the mean time, we keep trying, we have fun with it. Come on, not having to worry about condoms, or double checking I remembered to take my pill that morning, we should be making most of it. Soon enough we’ll have a screaming baby, and a six year old who still doesn’t know how to knock, and is feeling a little put out by the attention bestowed on his younger brother or sister, and we’ll be wishing this time back.”

“I guess you’re right.” He told her, brushing away her hair and placing a soft kiss at the side of her neck. “So... you think we can have sex in your classroom again next week.”

“Oh my god no!” She respond, shaking her head to emphasise her point, “I’m convinced Turner knew exactly what we were doing, he’d come to talk to me about new books, and start going on about the code of ethics - my classroom’s a no baby making area from now on..”

“Damn...” He responded sleepily, the day catching up with him.

“But... there’s always your desk, I mean who else but the basketball coach would be in the boys locker room long after practice has ended.”

His eyes popped open from their sleepy state. Maybe she was right. They should be having fun with this. He wondered if there was a Halloween themed flavoured condom, after all there was no getting pregnant from a blow job and she’d really gone to town on the candy cane ones...

Month Three - November

“Mama! It’s not there!” Jamie’s voice rang loudly down the stairs and not for the first time Haley wondered how such a small child could have such a loud voice. Sharing a look with Deb who was sat at the counter painting her nails Haley laid the spoon she’d been using to stir the sauce.

“Think if I ignore him he’ll get the message I’m not going to respond to him hollering at me through the walls?” She asked her mother in law, waiting for the sound of little footsteps clattering down the stairs.

“Not likely.” Deb responded smiling as she blew on her nails. “His father never did.”

“Mooooooom!” Stomping his feet Jamie appeared in the door way of the kitchen, a scowl crossing his perfect features, not enjoying being ignored.

“James Lucas Scott, you’re a big boy now - you don’t whine like that.” Haley reprimanded, walking over and crouching down to her six year old levels. “What do you need?”

“You told me to wash up for dinner.” He stated and she nodded, smiling as she rubs at the dirt on his chubby cheek.

“Yes, I did, and I can see you haven’t done that.” She tweaked his nose and he squirmed in response. Obviously not in the mood to play.

“Because I can’t find it!”

“Find what baby?” She looked over her shoulder at Deb who shrugged, equally confused.

“My thing!”

“You’re going to need to use your words here sweetie.” Haley told Jamie as she stood up and walking back over to the stove and fiddled with the burner knobs.

“My basketball thing!”

“Your wash cloth?” Haley guessed, and Jamie let out an exasperated sigh, giving his mother a look that tells her she should have known that all along.

“Yes!!”

“Well, have you looked in the bathroom?”

“Uh hhuuhhh.”

“The downstairs one?” Deb suggested, and Jamie turned his disbelieving look onto her.

“I’m not silly, Grandma!”

“I guess Nanny Deb’s never going to catch on.” The older woman shook her head causing Haley to laugh before turning back to her son.

“Did you check Mommy and Daddy’s bathroom?”

“No...” He trailed off, and Haley pointed in the direction of the stairs.

“Well hop to it Jimmy-Jam, Daddy’ll be home soon and dinner’s nearly ready!”

“Mama?” Jamie’s voice broke into the light hearted conversation the women had been sharing for the past few minutes since he’d headed upstairs.

“Did you find it?” Haley asked, her back still turned to him as she kept an eye on the dinner.

“Uh huh...” He answered with a distracted tone that peaked his grandmother’s interest.

“What you got there Jamie?”

“Dunno.” The little boy pulled himself up on the seat next to his grandmother, and held the box for closer inspection, sounding out the beginning of the word. “Prrrr...eg...”

The wooden spoon clanged against the metal saucepan as Haley turned to look at her son, Deb smiling expectantly at her, while Jamie continued to stare quizzically.

“What is it, Mama?”

“Jamie, you know you’re not supposed to go through Mama and Daddy’s things!”

“I didn’t! I was washing up in your room and I needed my step!” He defended, referring to the little stool Nathan and Haley had put under their sink for him to use to reach the higher sink in their bathroom. “This fell out. I wasn’t looking I promise!”

“Okay, I’m sorry I said you were snooping.” She walked over, running a soothing hand over the top of his head, taking the box from his hand before pressing a kiss into his hair. Trying her best to ignore Deb’s expectant stare. “Why don’t you go play on your Wii until Daddy gets home okay?”

“Sweet!” He jumped down to the ground, all thoughts of the pregnancy test forgotten as he ran off to play before dinner, a rare luxury on school nights when it was home, homework, dinner, then play.

“So are you?!” Haley found herself surprised by Deb’s excitement. It wasn’t that she thought Deb would be unhappy to hear she had another grandchild on the way she just wasn’t expecting her to appear like she wanted one.

“No, I’m not pregnant.”

“Are you sure? Did you take the test?”

“I don’t need to take the test, Mom, I’m not pregnant. I was just at the store the other day and they were on offer so I bought a couple that’s all.”

“Why would you buy pregnancy tests whether they’re on offer or not unless... Oh my gosh! Are you trying?”

Haley bit lip before looking up with a sheepish smile, giving a small apologetic shrug. “Guilty.”

“Oh, Haley!” Standing up Deb walked over to Haley and shocked her by wrapping her up in a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you both!”

“You are?”

“Well of course I am!”

“It’s just, I mean, a minute ago you were annoyed Jamie called you Grandma I just...”

“Oh, that’s got nothing to do with me not wanting more grandchildren! I love being Jamie’s grandmother, you know that! I just don’t like being reminded that I’m old enough to be one! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Oh it’s still early days, we didn’t really want anyone to know, we’re just...seeing what happens right now.” Pulling out of the older woman’s embrace Haley slipped the pregnancy test into her thankfully deep pockets.

“I’m not just anyone. If you ever need the place to yourself you just let me know and I’ll take Jamie out of your hair.” Deb nodded, sitting down, looking over excitedly. Mother in law sanctioned sex - Haley wasn’t quite sure how she felt about that. “Oh I hope you have a girl this time. What do you and Nathan want?”

“Oh, whichever, we’re just worrying about getting pregnant at the moment.”

“Worrying about?” Haley shook her head at Deb, and waived her hand dismissively.

“Wrong word. I mean we’re just trying right now, we haven’t really thought much about the b-a-b-y.” She spelt out, mindful of Jamie being only in the next room, granted he could spell the word baby easily now, but he was less likely to pick up on it over the drone of his video game this way.

“Hey Mom,” Nathan slipped in the back door, dropping his gym bag on the floor as he greeted his mother, before walking over to his wife and dropping a quick kiss on her lip. “Hey Baby.”

Haley rolled her eyes good naturedly as she noticed Deb’s eyes sparkle at the word baby.

“What’s going on?” He asked noticing the interaction as he grabbed a piece of garlic bread that Haley had left cooling on the side.

“Dad come play with me!” Jamie’s voice rang out into the room.

“I’ll tell you later, go play with your son.” Nodding at his wife’s order Nathan moved to do just that when Deb stopped him.

“No, you two stay here, I’ll go play with Jamie, in fact, the spaghetti will keep right, Haley?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess...”

“Great - Jamie, how about McDonalds for dinner?”

“Can I, Mom?” Jamie bounded into the room looking eager, his video game abandoned in favour of junk food.

“I don’t know...”

“Please Mama,” Closing the distance he wrapped his small arms around her waist, burying his head into her, “Please, Please, Please!”

“Oh, alright. Go on!”

“Great! C’mon Jamie let’s go get your coat - let mommy and daddy have some alone time. You kids have fun!” Nathan watched confused as his mom hustled his son out of the room, barely giving him time to say goodbye as she winked at them over her shoulder. “Maybe we’ll go see a movie after - and we’ll call before we come back. We’ll definitely call.”

“What was that?” He asked his wife.

“I think your Mom just told us to go make a baby.”

“What?” Nathan laughed, choking on the drink he’d just swallowed. “How did she...”

“Your son found this in our bathroom.” Haley answered putting the test on the table. “He asked me what it was in front of your mom. Her reaction was similar to yours.”

Nathan, also, had jumped on the notion of Haley being pregnant when she bought the tests, and one of the reasons she’d been so quick and adamant to tell Deb she wasn’t pregnant was that with very little persuasion he’d convinced her to take one the night she’d bought them. After all they were trying.

“Ah.”

“Yeah... she seems quite excited by the idea.”

“Well, why wouldn’t she be, she’s been on at me to give Jamie a sibling since she moved back to Tree Hill.” Haley looked over at Nathan surprised.

“She has? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well, when she moved home things were just starting to go right for us again, I didn’t want to rock the boat.” She walked over to where he was sat, standing behind him and wrapping her arms around him, laying her head against his back.

“I love you, you know, a little more every single day.”

“Yeah?” He unhooked her arms so he could turn and look at her.

“Yeah.” She moved between his legs as their lips met, tongues mingling. “mmm, let’s go upstairs.”

“They said they’d call… what’s wrong with right here? Bun in the oven made in the kitchen, sounds good to me.” She shook her head and giggled at his words, all the while keeping her lips attached to his, having Deb know their secret might not be so bad after all!

Month Four - December

Smiling as she listened to Jamie rattle off his Christmas list to his Grandpa Jimmy she slipped out of the room and walked down the hall, passing Nathan, Deb and her mother laughing in the dining room as she made her way upstairs and into her bedroom, walking to the back of her closet and taking the box that contained Nathan’s Christmas present from its hiding place. Sitting down on the floor of the spacious walk-in she took the lid off of the box and smiled softly at the hand knitted booties that lay inside. She’d slaved over those, a stolen stitch now and then when no one was around, having lost her place too many times to count when she’d thrown them under a pillow or into a drawer when someone had walked in on her, but they were finally finished. Perfect. She’d spent the past four months telling Nathan that there was no rush, it would happen when it happened, and she believed that, really she did, it was just... she was really hoping it would be this month. She’d had it all planned out, the hand knitted booties, the gift box tied with a perfect ribbon, and the positive pregnancy test laying inside. Trying her best to squash her disappointment she pushed the booties aside and pulled out the watch she’d purchased the day before when her period had arrived and she realised her plot was flawed and she’d need another main present for him, she’d been putting off buying anything big; had foolishly thought she’d jinx herself if she did.

“Hales?”

“Don’t come in!” She called, pushing the box beneath a pile of clothes and pushing to her feet.

“Why are you hiding up here?”

“I’m not hiding, I’m wrapping presents.”

“My present?” His eyes twinkled and she shrugged leaning against the closet door.

“Maybe.”

He stalked across the room, and she dove across the doorway trying to stop in entering. “Nathan!”

“Oh so you are wrapping my present, let me see!”

“It’s two days till Christmas you can see then!” She pleaded; standing stretched across the door, knowing if he really wanted he could pick her up and move her out of the way with little effort.

“What do I get to tide me over?” He smirked, his eyes making a blatant perusal of his body.

“My god, I swear, you’re worse than our six year old! Don’t look!” She warned as she went back into the closet to hide his gift and he sat down on the edge of the bed and continued to talk to her.

“He’s added something else to his wish list.”

“Who has?”

“Our six year old.” He answered obviously, as she came back into the room, walking over and straddling his lap, her arms snaking around his neck, and his around her waist, slipping beneath her red sweater and stroking at her back.

“What does he want now? Because I think he’s already getting enough, but if you disagree you’re braving Toys R Us on Christmas eve alone I can tell you now!”

“We can’t pick this up at Toys R Us.” He told her leaning back so he was laid on his back across their bed, guiding her to lay on top of him and kissing her. It started softly but quickly escalated into something more, her sweater pulled up over her head and landing somewhere across the room, her black tank top on its way to joining it.

“Bub where’s your...” Lydia popped her head through the open door, laughing at what she found. “Never mind I’ll find it myself. I’ll just shut this door for you - Oh Jamie! I think your Mom and Dad are making a start on that present for you...”

“What is she talking about?” Haley asked, pushing herself up so she was sat straddling Nathan’s waist, before he guided her off of him and onto the bed.

“That’s what I came upstairs to tell you,” He looked at her for a moment before continuing, he knew despite the patience she always told him to have she was just as disappointed each month to discover they weren’t pregnant, and knew she’d feel the added pressure from his revelation that he’d felt when he heard it. “Jamie wants a baby brother.”

“Oh.” Her thoughts immediately went to those knitted booties in the closet pushed away under her shoes.

“Hales, I know you said it’d take a while, and I’m trying to be patient here, I am, but let’s face it patience has never been something I have a lot of. How long’s a while?”

She smiled softly at him, cupping his face in her hands and stroking her thumb lightly over his jaw line, she could see how much he wanted her to be pregnant, could feel it in the way lately his hands always sought out her stomach, he’s become completely fixated with it. They’d be watching TV after Jamie had gone to bed and he’d shift her out of his arms so he could lay with his head resting there. “You know what; next month’s a new year, a new start. I’ll have a look into things and see if maybe there’s something we can try to...help things along a little bit, I don’t think we need to worry yet but there’s no harm trying a few things at home.”

Month Five - January

“No,” She panted as his hands gripped onto her sweat slicken hips holding her above him and guiding her pace.

“No?” He looked up at her shocked, no what? She’d never said no during sex before - well maybe no don’t stop but this definitely sounded more like a no - do stop!

“The book says not to do it with me on top.” She pushed her hands from her hips and pushed away from his chest, moving to climb off of him.

“What Hales - C’mon - One last time.”

“Last time?” She laughed, moving off him and turning around, shaking her butt a little as she winked at him over her shoulder. “We’ll do plenty of times again I promise you - besides, you’ve never complained about this position before.”

Lining himself up behind her he knew she was right, the view of her tattoo as he moved inside of her, his hands having access to any part of her body, this was definitely a favourite, but tonight he’d wanted her moving above him, taking control, looking up watching her face and body react to feel of himself of her. “New underwear, no you on top, no blow jobs...”

“You’re the one who wanted to take this baby making business seriously Nathan, and saliva kills sperm, I promise, the day we find out we’re pregnant I’ll give you the best blow job you’ve ever received okay?” She laughed a throaty seductive laugh as she clenched around him, turning his whine into a guttural moan.

“Better than last Christmas?” he murmured into her ear as he leant forward massaging her breasts in time with his thrusts.

“Uh huh,” She moaned arching her back into him. “I promise.”

“Hard promise to keep babe.”

“I always keep my promises.” He kissed her shoulder, silently agreeing, She always kept her promises, it was true, that was why he knew they’d have another baby, she’s promised him as much and he believed her, trusted in her. The past five months had been frustrating. If you’d told him before this whole baby making race that he’d ever question guaranteed sex with his gorgeous wife at least once a day he’d have laughed in your face, but he didn’t think the consuming disappointment he felt every month when Haley told him they hadn’t gotten pregnant was worth that guarantee. He so desperately wanted to have another child, to watch his wife’s body swell and change as the baby grew, for them to enjoy it all in a way they’d been to scared to the first time, and explain to Jamie what was happening and watch his excitement grow. He couldn’t wait to hold the baby in his arms and feel that amazing rush of love he’d experienced the first time he held Jamie. His family was the most important thing in his life, his biggest achievement bar none, and once he’d gotten the idea in his head that it was finally time to have more children he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d just never thought it’d be such hard work!

“Okay, pass me the pillow.” Haley smiled brightly over at him as she lay at the head of the bed, her legs propped up against the headboard, her butt raised as she motioned for him to slip the pillow beneath.

“And how long do you have to lie like this?” He asked sceptically as he watched her hold what appeared to be a very uncomfortable position.

“15-30minutes.”

“And I’m supposed to do what?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She turned her head to look at him where he was stood awkwardly next to his side of the bed. “Keep me company - Talk to me - at the very least get into bed.”

“Sorry.” He told her laying down on side of the bed, his head level with her hips.

“Why are you apologising?”

“I don’t know, I just don’t like that you have to be uncomfortable in all this. “

“Trust me, I was not at all uncomfortable in anything we just did, and this... well, it’s not that bad, especially with you distracting me. Tell me what you and Jamie did today while I was with Lucas.” She asked him, knowing the time would fly best for both of them talking about their pride and joy.

Month Six- February

They’d done some really sweet and romantic things over the years for each other, but this Valentine’s Day had the potential to be the most romantic of all, provided the next three minutes went the way they were both hoping.

It was absurd really, that with all their trying, and obsessing, and dreading the moment she’d completely missed the fact that her period was two days late until he’d brought it up with her. Of course now she couldn’t stop thinking about it, and from the looks he kept shooting her neither could he. Why did they decide to wait until Jamie went to bed to take the test?

“Do you think you are?” Nathan asked her as they sat in the living room, mindlessly watching the TV as Jamie played nearby, his voice low and hushed in her ear.

“I don’t...” She trailed off, shrugging; she’d been wondering the same all day. She’d been so sure when she fell pregnant she’d know it. Feel it. But now the possibility was looming she wasn’t exactly sure what she was feeling. “Maybe.”

“That’s good right?” He asked, excitement gleaming in his eyes as he held her against him, both their hands lying on her stomach. “You’ve been saying all these months that you just didn’t feel pregnant, so if you don’t know that you’re not you probably are...”

“Nathan, please don’t get excited over this, not until we know.” An uncomfortable feeling twisted in her stomach, and a wave of nausea washed over her. Morning sickness? Or maybe just apprehension that in a couple of hours she’d pee on a stick and break her husband’s heart.

“You’re late,” He’d told her walking into her classroom earlier that day, her only response being to turn and look at the clock behind her. “You are right?”

“Late for...” She’d wrinkled her brow in confusion as he stood on the opposite of her desk, a hopeful look in his eye as his weight rested on his hands leaning forward to look at her. Inspecting her closely as if looking for something.

“You know...” He’d insisted and she’d shook her head, completely baffled by his apparent excitement. “What date is it?”

“The fourtee... Oh.” She’d looked down at her open day planner shocked. How the hell had she missed that?

“Know what, Mama?” Jamie piped up from his place on the floor, his toy cars abandoned in favour of watching his parents with interest. “Daddy?”

“Grown up things, Sweetie.” Haley spoke up before giving Nathan a chance to respond. She didn’t trust him not to tell Jamie what exactly they were waiting to find out. From day one he’d wanted to tell Jamie, get him excited for the idea of a new sibling, but Haley could barely stand watching Nathan’s disappointment each month along with her own, having Jamie feel that way too she knew was just too much for heart to bare. Then there was always the prospect that he wouldn’t like the idea. Sure he’d been after a sibling around Christmas time, but he’d more so quickly on from the idea Haley was pretty sure her Mom had been the one adding it to her son’s Christmas list instead of Jamie himself. She knew he’d be an amazing big brother, but he’d been spoiled for attention in their family for the past six years and she thought it was best not to risk the upset until she knew for sure she was pregnant.

“Bo-ring. You guys are always doing grown up things.” He pouted, forgetting his toys in favour or climbing up onto the sofa next to his parents, his pout turning into a bright smile. “Can I have ice-cream?”

“After that big dinner you just ate - you’re going to get a big belly mister!” She teased, tickling at his stomach causing him to squirm against her.

“Miss Johnson’s got a big belly!” He said of his teacher, causing Nathan to shake his head, giving Haley a look to say look what you’ve started.

“That’s not nice to say, Jam.”

“It’s cause she’s having a baby, Dad!” The little boy stated obviously, jumping off the sofa and barrelling excitedly toward the kitchen. Nathan’s eyes darting to Haley’s stomach at the word pregnant, smiling at her when he noticed her hand had moved to rest on it at the word also. She returned the smile shakily, feeling unhinged at hearing her son talk about a pregnancy, wondering if he’d take her own so easily in his stride. “Ice cream please!”

“One scoop - and only if you promise to go to bed and stay at bedtime.” Nathan winked conspiratorially at Haley as he followed Jamie out into the kitchen, asking him what story he wanted read to him at bedtime that night.

“Fast asleep?” Nathan asked, sitting on their bed as Haley walked into the room after saying her goodnights to Jamie. He’d read him a story before the sleepy young one had asked his Mom to come and tuck him in.

“Out for the count.” She agreed, turning to walk back out of the room.

“Wait - where are you going?”

“Uh, downstairs, for a cup of coffee and to watch that movie your mom rented...”

“Aren’t you going to...?” He motioned towards the en-suite and she sighed, walking further into the room and sitting on the bed. Okay, maybe the whole coffee and movie thing had actually been procrastination, but she had a feeling the unknown would be a more comforting place than the reality.

“Right now?”

“You said after Jamie went to bed.”

“And he’s just gone to bed, Nathan, he might wake up, let’s just wait and see that he’s settled, come and watch the movie with me.”

“Hales, c’mon, please.” He begged her, looking so much like their child when he begged for something as he pleaded with her. “Let’s just find out. It can be your valentine’s gift to me.”

“Okay, first of all, I already gave you a shirt this morning, and secondly, I never, ever, thought you’d ask me for a gift that involved peeing.” She threw him a look over her shoulder as she walked into the bathroom, taking a test out from under the sink and placing it on the counter, glancing needlessly over the instructions. Sitting down and pulling down her underwear she let out a shaky breath, thinking of how the tearing sensation in her stomach during dinner hadn’t be nerves after all as she stared at the spots of blood.

“That was quick.” Nathan spoke up as she left the bathroom, and she found it a little disconcerting that he’d been sat staring at the bathroom door while she peed. “How long do we have to wait?”

“Oh, at least another 28 days.” She tried to keep things light as he stared on perplexed, as she sat down next to him, picking up his arm and putting it over her shoulder, staring up into his confused yet still hopeful eyes as she reached up and combed her fingers through his hair. “I got my period.”

“Oh.” His face fell, his body sagging momentarily as he looked into her concerned eyes. The worried look only making him feel worse still, she was worried about him, nervous to tell him, but she was going through this too, he should be the strong one for her sake, not the other way around. “Are you okay?”

“Sure.” She nodded, laying head on his shoulder and moving closer into side, silently telling him to hold her tighter. “I’m so sorry, Nathan.”

“What for? Baby it’s not your fault. We’ll keep trying.”

“Yeah...”

“You said there were other tips in that book right, things we haven’t tried yet.” He suggested, not wanting to think about the other option of doctors and tests. Refusing to admit fault may lie with either of them.

“Yeah, there’s more.”

“So we try more.” He kissed the top of her head and hugged her tight, “C’mon, we’ll go watch that stupid romance movie of yours, I might even rub your feet.”

“mmm, that sounds nice.” She agreed, turning her head up until her lips met his.

“Do you need a heating pad for your stomach or anything?” He asked, and she felt like crying at how sweet he was being, knowing how disappointed he felt.

“No, thank you, I just need you.”

Month Seven - March

“They’re ovulation tests.” She stated, when he looked at her like she’d lost her mind as she emptied the bag of things she’d picked up from the pharmacy on their bed.

“Right...”

“So I can be sure when I’m ovulating.”

“But I thought you were doing the temperature thing?” He asked, referring to the chart taped to the back of their closet door that she’d been diligently recording her temperature down on daily for the past couple of months in an attempt to work out when she was most likely to conceive.

“I am, I was, I’m just not sure I’m doing it right, and these are much more accurate.”

“Okay..”

“I think it’ll up our chances.”

“If you think so.” He answered distracted and she let out a huff, picking up the tests and putting back into the plastic bag.

“Are you even listening to me?” She stood at the edge of the bed hands on hips as she stared at him, raising her voice of the roar of the basketball game that was playing on the television.

“Yeah, of course I’m listening.” He turned toward her, smiling at her frazzled state, resisting the urge to laugh, she looked so cute all flustered. “If you think these tests are going to help that’s great Hales. I’m willing to do whatever, you know that.”

“Good, that’s what I was hoping you’d say.” She climbed up onto the bed beside him folding one leg up beneath her and smiling in an expectant way that made him nervous.

“What?”

“I’ve been doing some research.”

“Is that Nick Turner?” Nathan asked, completely ignoring her previous statement as he squinted at the NCAA game playing out on the screen in front of him.

“Who?”

“Nick Turner, he was a freshman at Maryland when we were seniors.” Annoyed she glanced over at the TV

“I don’t know, maybe..” She wished he would just shut up and listen!

“Did you know he’d transferred?” Was he seriously not paying her any attention right now? Maybe she should take her shirt off, of course he’d seen more of her breasts in the past 6 months than the whole of the previous year so he was probably bored of those too by now!

“Why would I know if Nick freakin’ Turner transferred schools, Nathan - will you please listen to me!”

“Okay, I’m sorry!” He held his hands up in defeat, they’d both been wound a little tightly lately and he wasn’t in the mood for another argument. “What were you saying?”

“I was saying... I’ve been doing some research.”

“Right..” He snuck a peak at the TV before looking back at her.

“Well, a lot of places are saying we should have a schedule.”

“A schedule for what?”

“Making love.” His brow furrowed in confusion, unsure of what she meant exactly by a schedule.

“What do you mean a schedule?”

“They say that to increase chances of conceiving we should be doing it at the same time, with 24hour rest periods between.”

“That sounds great in theory babe but did they say what to do about an unpredictable six year old who’s taken to not staying in his bed at night during these scheduled times.”

“Well, I thought about that, and maybe we should use your Mom knowing to our advantage. I know we’ve been telling her we’re just being casual about it but if we told her we were getting serious maybe she could work something out.”

“Hales, I really don’t want to discuss our sex life with my mother.” He squirmed uncomfortable at the thought.

“Well, I could talk to her, don’t you want to try this?”

“Of course I do, I told you, anything, we’ll work something out..” He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her across the bed toward him.

“I’m so glad to hear you say that...” She looked at him, wide eyed and eager smiles and the nerves that had stirred when she sat down on the bed came fluttering back, he knew he wasn’t going to like what she had to say next. “Because they also say we need to try abstaining.”

“Abstaining?” He drew the word out, his attention suddenly focussed solely on her, the basketball game forgotten. What exactly did she mean by abstaining? He’d thought all that crap was done with after their second wedding.

“It’s supposed to help, you know store things up so there’s an extra..boost.”

“My boys do not need any extra boost.” He replied indignantly and she giggled.

“I’m not saying they do, but just in case!”

“I knocked you up then first time when you were still on birth control! I think I can manage it when you’re not, thank you very much.” She rolled his eyes at his oh so delicate choice of phrasing before she shifted in his arms so she was hovering above him, hearing the wounded pride beneath his superficial words.

“C’mon baby - don’t be like that. It’s only for a few days. We start the schedule and then three days before I’m most fertile we just..keep things PG..”

“Three days?” He answered sceptically, they’d always had an active sex life but since they’d started trying to have a baby they’d been having a hell of a lot of sex, even when they didn’t particularly want to.

“Just three days, and then we have sex at the scheduled time, and..hopefully make a baby.”

She’d said the magic phrase and he sighed, that’s what all this was about - making a baby, not how horny they were.

“Right..”

“Oh, and, Nathan..”

She had that sugary sweet look again - he gulped.

“No, uh...’Nathan Time’ either.” She gave a pointed look beneath his belt and raised an eyebrow at him.

Month Eight....