"At last" the final chapter
Title: Contracted Hearts
Author: Pixiereader
Pairing: Orlibean
Rating: NC 17
Warning: Adult AU, romantic drama, mpreg
This is all fiction, just comes from my head
And is written for my own and the readers pleasure.
Chapter 33
A little way into the future
***********
“So when are you two going to tie the knot?”
Sean winked at Orli as he asked their best friends the same question he had been asking them for the past year.
“When we’re good and ready.”
Billy answered as he usually did.
“That would be in three months.”
Viggo added suddenly; giving Sean and Orli the surprise of their lives; but a very welcome one.
“Three months!”
Sean asked in amazement.
“Have you started getting all your arrangements done? I mean, even if you’re only going to have a few people; there’s a great deal to do. Do you think you will get things done by then?”
“Well of course we will, you know Billy; he’s so organized I don’t know how I ever managed without him.”
“I don’t know why I asked really.”
Sean said looking over at Orli, as he added his praises for their very efficient office manager.
“It’s almost unbelievable that the ‘Two Bees Media Company’ was only set up six months ago, but because of all the work Billy and the rest of the staff have done getting the department offices up and running, you’d think we’d been going for years.”
Billy blushed at the attention he was getting, so to turn everyone’s minds back to why they were all standing around Orli; who at that moment looked very uncomfortable lying propped up in bed, he told them.
“We thought three months would give you time to get over giving birth; and by then you’ll both want to get out and enjoy yourselves for a while…. not that you won’t enjoy the baby, but by then you will be….well wanting to get out for a change; get away from the routine, oh you know what I mean.”
Billy stopped in case he put his foot in it; but the expectant couple knew Billy well enough to understand what he meant.
“That was very thoughtful of you both.”
Sean answered as Orli suddenly grabbed his hand in a vice like grip and let out a cry of agony as a sudden contraction took him by surprise.
“I think it’s about time your visitors left Mr. Bloom; Doctor Weaving is waiting for you.”
Nurse Roberts had appeared right on cue as if she’d been waiting for this moment to arrive.
Then as she ushered in the porters to push Orli’s bed to the delivery room, she guided the visitors out telling them it would be a while yet and to come back much later.
“Doctor Weaving is going to be there when the baby comes?”
Orlando asked the nurse, and she noted the nervous quiver in his voice.
“The doctor is going to deliver your baby himself.”
She said this to both men; and was glad to see them visibly relax as she said it.
It took five hours and a couple of false starts before Mark Jonathan Bloom-Bean finally entered the world; welcomed by many tears of joy and the loving arms of two exhausted parents.
******
“So are you going to add them to the list then?”
Billy asked his fiancé as they discussed the guest list for the party they were throwing to ‘wet the babies head’.
“I think it would be a good idea to ask them don’t you, I mean it’s not as if they don’t know about the party; and I’d rather not upset either of them.”
So Viggo called round to see Sean and Orlando on the day they took baby Mark in to their office to introduce him to the staff.
Craig; their chief of production was there along with his team who had been covering the documentary side of the company, and Billy who had his secretary and various heads of departments waiting in the main office.
They arrived at the same time as Viggo which gave him a few minutes to ask them about the guest list for the party he and Billy were planning.
“We don’t want to have any upsets on the day; so can you both tell us now if you want invites to go out to all members of your families?”
Sean and Orlando knew who they meant without asking; and as they had already discussed this subject at length; they were able to tell Billy and Viggo that it was alright to send invitations to everyone.
The Blooms and the Beans had only had limited contact with their sons over the past two years, and it was only through Samantha and Sean’s sister that news from both sides were passed on; this included the birth of their grandson Mark, Harry and Sonia’s second; as Sam had given birth to her daughter the previous year.
When the proud parents had finished showing of their offspring amid lots of usual cooing, and doesn’t he look like his father Orli, or Sean, depending on which member of staff it came from, they left the office to
return to their lovely Georgian home. For Orlando it was only a brief respite as he had to leave Sean looking after the baby because he had unfinished business in London to attend to.
******
“So dear boy; how did your meeting go with ‘M’? Did he have good news for you?”
Orlando laughed and answered with a little sarcasm.
“I thought you didn’t like the Bond connotations.”
“Oh I don’t, but only if I’m not the one using them.”
Ian said this with his usual straight face, although Orlando had known him long enough now to realize he was joking.
“You haven’t answered my question yet.”
Ian spoke in the voice Orlando knew well; it meant he wasn’t going to get away without giving some sort of answer.
“Is he letting you go?”
Ian asked in such a way that Orlando could have sworn he knew the answer already; so he took in a deep breath and tried to sound as if he wasn’t upset.
“I am too much of an asset for the department to let go.”
“Bastard!”
Orlando almost winced at the vehemence in Ian’s voice.
“You know he called me out on five missions after the Bescucnik affair. That’s before I got pregnant; after that he couldn’t use me”
“I should have known, after he’s had another year out of you that bloody Hill would still stick by the regulations, even though they’re decades out of date now.”
He gave Orlando a conciliatory pat on the back as he saw him out, and the best agent Ian had ever trained never heard the words he breathed out almost silently.
“We’ll see about that you Bastard.”
Sean didn’t have to ask what the outcome of Orlando’s meeting was; just a look at the forced smile as they greeted each other was all it took. Sean never said anything, knowing he would get the full story in time and he knew it was a little comfort that was needed at that moment.
******
The day of the party arrived. They had not got ready together so they were each surprised when they met downstairs and found they were both dressed in their wedding suits.
“Viggo!”
They said in unison.
“I should have known he was up to something with all the persuading he did to get me back in this suit, it’s a bit tight too; do you think I’ve put weight on?”
Orlando ignored the question and asked.
“So what do you think they’re up to, because you know they’re bound to be in it together?”
Sean agreed; and after considering the date the two had chosen for the baby’s naming party it wasn’t hard coming to a conclusion.
“It’s got to be a wedding anniversary party.”
“But they know we never celebrate that date.”
Orlando said as he sat down with a disgusted look on his face, not knowing whether to go and change his clothes and not go at all.
Sean ignored the look on Orlando’s face and smiled as he asked.
“So what did Viggo say to get you into the white suit?”
He watched the man he loved and now knew so well; turn his head slightly and he saw the slight blush. Sean knew exactly what his best friend had said to Orli, and quick as a flash he pulled him out of the seat and into his arms, and before Orlando could utter a word, he was being
thoroughly kissed, so thoroughly in fact his knees felt as if they would give out if Sean were to let go of him; which Sean wasn’t about to do as he felt Orli harden, instead he pulled him closer and let his hand slide lower. Which was precisely the moment the doorbell rang?
The chauffer drove the limo that Billy had sent to pick them up at a sedate pace, the two of them sitting in the back with baby Mark between them. They sat quietly for a few minutes until Orlando could hold back the fit of laughter he had been suppressing no longer.
It was a sound Sean loved to hear, since the first time he’d heard it in Venice, but this time he was puzzled until Orli managed to say.
“Well it looks like I’ll be wearing this suit quite often now, it’s lucky I didn’t throw it out.”
Sean just smiled and reached across to hold Orli’s hand.
They had been driving for an hour when the car turned into a driveway through an ornate gateway; they watched as a beautiful scene opened up in front of them.
There was a large ivy covered house standing beside a lake in the midst of a perfectly laid out garden.
“The Lakeside Hotel I believe.”
Sean said.
“I’ve never been here but I’m told it’s one of the best country hotels around.”
“Yes I’ve heard that too; a bit over the top for a baby’s party don’t you think.”
Sean patted the baby’s hand and smiled.
“Well he is worth it; but yes way over the top.”
The car slowed and pulled up at the entrance, then suddenly both doors of the car were opened and it was as if everything started to happen at speed.
Viggo pulled Sean out of the car; and before he could protest he was disappearing through the large entrance doors. Samantha then appeared from behind Billy and took baby Mark out of Orlando’s arms leaving him speechless; until Billy told him quickly that the baby would be perfectly OK with his sister, to which all he could say was.
“Oh I’m sure he will be.”
He watched as she went through the same door Sean had disappeared into moments before, then Billy took hold of his arm and guided him the same way, but when they reached the large inner door he was held back gently by Billy until suddenly his phone rang twice.
Billy immediately stepped forward and pushed open the large double doors; Orlando took half a step forward and immediately had a strange feeling of déjà vu that took him right back to his wedding day.
He stood still for a moment and closed his eyes for a few seconds, when he opened them he could see this wasn’t the same at all.
There were flowers; a great many, but all different colors and the room was only half the size of their wedding venue.
Orlando had a strange feeling of warmth as he looked into the room; there were about twenty people on either side of the aisle; their parents at the front were smiling; and as his eyes quickly took in some of the faces looking round at him he could see they were all mutual friends of his and Sean.
There were a few people they had worked with from their fathers companies and those who were now with the Two Bees, their other close relatives sat amongst them.
As Orlando’s eyes gradually took in the scene he heard the strains of music start to play, he recognized it immediately even though it was an instrumental version. It took all of his willpower not to start giggling as he looked into Sean’s eyes; but seeing him standing there looking calm and smiling back at him Orlando started to walk down the aisle.
*******
It was then that the day became like a dream to them, not the sort of dream were everything passes you by; as they recounted later, they remembered every single detail.
The ceremony was perfect, as it should have been when they said I will on their original wedding day. Then, when the party began, they noticed other faces amongst those they had caught sight of before.
Sean Asten was there smiling and looking every bit like an American diplomat; which of course he wasn’t. Sean noticed Andy Serkis first and remarked how smart he looked; then the other hostages who had meant so much to their lives all raised their glasses together in a toast to them. Everyone had kept in touch, some more than others, but not one had let out the secret of Orlando’s involvement in the rescue, not even when pushed for their story by the media.
“Superb party.”
The voice behind them couldn’t be mistaken, and Orlando was momentarily surprised to see his ex boss, his mentor there, but with all the people that Viggo and Billy had managed to assemble at their celebration he realized it was sort of inevitable.
“Who chose the music? Good choice by the way.”
Orlando knew he meant the music he’d walked down the aisle to.
“What music was that?”
Sean asked.
Orlando answered.
“The Bond theme.”
Sean looked surprised as he had never been a fan of Bond films.
“Well it was very appropriate for the both of you.”
Ian replied and then told Sean it was called.
“You only live twice.”
Orlando could see the effect this had on Sean as his hand was squeezed tightly.
“Well we certainly are living a second life, the two of us and our son, it certainly couldn’t be more different from the beginning of our life together.”
Ian finished his drink in one gulp then pulled an envelope from his pocket; which he handed to Orlando.
“I think this is the appropriate time to give you this.”
Orlando looked puzzled but opened the letter and read it through quickly.
He looked stunned as he asked Ian.
“How did this happen?”
“Blackmail dear boy.”
He replied.
“No really; what made him change his mind?”
Ian smiled and gave one of his quizzical looks.
“I know a great deal to much about to many people; Bernard Hill being one of them. Even he has the odd skeleton he’d rather keep hidden.”
Sean looked at them both with a worried frown until Orlando handed him the letter.
“I still don’t understand what it means.”
He said after reading it.
“It means that I won’t be working in the field anymore, well not for the foreseeable future.”
He stopped as he watched the smile gradually appear on Sean’s face; then he continued.
“They can’t let me go obviously; but I can train new agents.”
******
They said their goodbyes to everyone and also their thanks to Viggo and
Billy for changing what was once a miserable anniversary into what would now be a happy one. The two friends watched as they drove off with baby Mark; then looked at each other each with knowing smiles.
Come their big day they were going to pay dearly with goodness knows what silliness their two best men could dream up.
With baby tucked up and asleep; the two fathers reflected on the day and the news Orlando had received.
“I think we deserve a proper honeymoon now; don’t you?”
Orlando took hold of Sean and pulled him close.
“What about our son?”
Sean answered as he ran his hands down Orlando’s back thinking he’d carry on where they’d left off earlier.
“Hmm, well we could always take a nanny with us so we can have some time alone. But still have him with us.”
Sean kissed his lover soundly before saying.
“Venice?”
And the answer.
“Only if you take me on the same gondola.”
the end