You're Going to be the Best Dad [closed]

[ccecilia]

If she had done the math properly, counting back to the moment when this might have all started, it was Valentine's Day. It was a bloody stupid day, one fixated on commercial obsessions with love and lust and it was hardly a blip on Cecilia's radar. But then, George was standing there at her door with that look on his face, that grin tugging at his

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[ccecilia]

For the first time since she had been here, the nod of her head was sincere. Her blond waves fell haphazardly around her shoulders as she blinked back the growing tears clouding her vision. It didn't matter to her in that moment where they were- what the situation really was (that she was locked up with no real understanding of when she was getting out). All that mattered to her in that moment was the photo she had tucked away in her pocket, the little growing form in her belly and the fact that she was having a baby with George

[ccecilia]

Cecilia watched his fingers inch forward, a hint of a smile curling at her chapped lips. No matter, it was insanely impossible not to feel just a little happy when she was around George, no matter their surroundings.

She wished she could touch him, wished she could just reach out and brush her fingers against his. But all she could do was slid her hand closer to his, just barely an inch between their fingers. If she closed her eyes and pretended, she could almost feel his warmth against her skin.

"We are," she said, soft laughter tinging her tone. "Talk about timing-"

[george_goesboom]

George couldn't help but laugh again, not quite as enthusiastic and unreserved as he was known for and used to, tinted with a self-aware irony he didn't often catter to, but a laugh nonetheless. Because really, it was the only thing he could do-

"Could've been worse," he shrugged with a tentative joking quirk of a grin.

"If you'd been eight months along when this whole thing-" he rolled his eyes to generally gesture at the room around them, that cold all-encompassing symbol of her current predicament, "-happened, then it might've actually been a problem."

[ccecilia]

Cecilia shifted in her seat.

There was a lingering fear in the back of her head that no matter what they did or what they tried, that she would still be here when the baby came. That she would be one of those mothers, not even capable of taking care of their own child, like her own mother.

And that was the worst thought of all.

She frowned, her fingers pressing against the tabletop.

"Do you really think I can get out of here, George? Be honest-" she said, looking back up at him.

[george_goesboom]

George's shoulders hunched as he pressed his elbows against the table, essentially holding himself back from leaning further towards her, fighting that urge to close the distance between them in a way that had started to feel heartbreakingly familiar, though not any easier throughout these past weeks.

He focused on the bit of her he could actually feel without touch, that place she so completely filled inside of him, steeling his gaze against hers.

He did believe it. Because of the facts and the precedence, because of the force she had on her side, because of his own stubborn and obnoxious efforts. And because he had to believe it. Especially now.

"I do. I really do," he told her, quietly and evenly. "I swear it."

[ccecilia]

"TEN MINUTES-"

The sound would never stop bringing a jolt to Cecilia's system, her whole body stiffening. It was always worse when it was George- when he was here, those final moments were never enough, her whole body yearning for him even in just the simplest touch.

"I miss you so much-" she said softly, eyes focusing on their fingers nearly touching.

"I can't wait for us to be a family-" she told him, chewing on the inside of her cheek. "Oh, George- we're going to be parents."

[george_goesboom]

George had come to anticipate that dreaded call, had his own internal countdown going every time he found himself in this room, knowing that the moment Ceciia would be dragged away from him again was always entirely too close.

But however uncomfortably the shrieking voice rang in his ears, he didn't allow the weight with which those final minutes settled in his chest to show on his face, clinging instead to those indescribably fantastic and beautiful and future-filled words-

We're going to be parents-

"And pretty damn good ones, at that-" he told her with the sort of smile that was insistent and genuine despite bordering on tears.

"Imissyousomuch-" The word (just one word, mashed up and rushed and too familiar) came out a little shaky as he pressed his fingertips more firmly against the cold tabletop. "It'll all be over soon, okay?"

[ccecilia]

She could see the crystal blur of tears in his eyes, her own watering as she coughed out a laugh. Damn good ones, at that.

Just then, without any hesitation, she brushed her fingers against his. It was a minute moment, barely feeling the warmth of skin but it was enough to make her skin tingle. She could hear the whirring of the alarm but it was cloudy because all she could focus on was that look on his face.

She brought her hand away as quickly as she touched him, the beeping sound and the voice calling out in irritation but the guard didn't budge, only lingering in the window and staring at them both.

"I love you," she said.

[george_goesboom]

The moment seemed to simultaneously drag on and speed by within the space of a single blink - George's heart paused mid-beat and his breath caught in his chest and everything around them both froze and sped up, the entire bubble of a world that had been created within that room momentarily zooming in on that desperately needed touch.

For one precious second, everything simply felt right and real and solid and okay. For one precious second, George could have closed his eyes and believed that they were back at her flat, or his flat, or the shop, or even St-Mungo's second floor utilities closet, and that everything in their lives hadn't been shoved out of place by meaningless past-tense accusations. For one precious second, he felt both breathless and like he could actually breathe again for the first time in days, in weeks

[ccecilia]

Just a bit longer.

She only hoped that was the truth as she was pulled from her seat. She stumbled slightly, fingers curling at her robes as she nodded her head meekly.

She could hold on. As long as she knew that George was in her corner, as he had been from the beginning, she knew that she'd make it out. She had to Especially now. Merlin. Pregnant. With George's child.

It was almost far too surreal.

"I love you-" she said, offering him a soft smile, her eyes glistening with blinked back tears.

But before she could say anything more, she was being shuffled out into the hallway, the door closing behind her.