48. Chapter 48 (1/2)

sorry it's a week late. family, christmas and birthday shopping, and holiday stuff happened. but, here is a long awaited chapter. yes, jane is occ this chapter, but given the circumstances, i am sure i will be forgive.

sorry for the sad feelings from the last chapter, but i am glad so many appreciated it. so much is coming up! enjoy the chapter.

he couldn't contain his smile as he watched his elizabeth sitting and laughing with her sisters. months later, he still found himself amazed that she had actually married him; that she was actually his. he was grateful that things had turned out as they had. looking at his life, he couldn't imagine it looking any different.

the only down side was his friendship with charles. they still steadily wrote to one another, but there was a change. he could feel it in his gut. he had hoped that at some point the damage might be repaired, but now he was not as sure. bingley was happily settled in his new neighborhood, and the distance was not too great for a visit, but it felt graceless to do so. he had managed to marry the woman he loved, while having ruined his friend's chance at the woman he had adored. that wasn't something easily overcome, no matter how strong a bond of friendship one had.

the sisters burst of laughter lifted his spirits. they were reminiscing over some daring action his wife took against one of the young boys in their neighborhood when they were children. he chuckled to himself as he shared in their amusement. his wife was such a harridan, but he wouldn't love her if she was anything less.

deciding to leave the ladies to their stories and laughter, he went into the house. something was wrong, but he wasn't sure what. it had started the day before. he hadn't had such a feeling since he decided to surprise his sister with a visit while she was in ramsgate. this happened sometimes. sometimes they were legit, and sometimes it was his own stress wearing down on him. he hoped it was the latter. with his wife's dearest sister about to deliver her first child, he hated to think that any feeling he had was intended towards her. he would carry guilt for it for the rest of his life if it was.

he entered the li

ary and found his father-in-law hiding away in an alcove. he wasn't surprised; mrs. bennet had been nearly unbearable. one would think she was the one about to delivering a child. darcy nodded at him as he perused the shelves for something to read. the two gentlemen lapsed into an easy silence. the only sounds heard from the room was that of the occasional page being turned. about an hour later, the doors to the li

ary opened. the butler entered the room and gave it a scan.

"ah! mr. darcy, an express just arrived for you."

darcy looked up at the man and felt his stomach drop. the bad feeling intensified. somehow, he knew he was about to find out what the cause was. he looked over at his father-in-law who seem concerned for him. he must look a sight to be on the receiving end of such a look. he thanked the man and accepted the missive. once the man had left, he opened it. the contents left him glad that he was already seated.

"bad news?" asked mr. bennet.

darcy nodded. "my cousin anne has passed away. richard begs that i come as soon as possible. i must find elizabeth at once."

two days had passed since the darcy's had left to attend to his cousin. lizzy had been sad to go, but jane refused to allow her to feel guilty. the former colonel needed the support, and she had plenty of people to see to her needs, though that didn't make her miss her sister any less. when they were younger, they had often talked of the things they would do together. they were going to marry together, live close to one another, and have children the same ages. in their young minds, everything was going to be perfect. she missed being so innocent.

her husband at least, could always

ing a smile to her face, and that was just what he was doing at the moment.

"and that is why you must come out," he said to her stomach. "your grandmothers are driving me mad, and even your big sister amelia cannot handle the attention they are trying to shower on her. if you were here, i could easily set you in their arms and escape. you don't know because you've had your mother up here in this room for weeks. and that is sad in itself because i know she longs to take a stroll about the gardens, but she can't as long as you insist on staying where you are."

"that is horrible," she laughed. "are you really trying to guilt our child into being born?"

"i thought it might be worth a try. do you want to try walking again?"

"not today. my back and legs are aching."

"should i summon the doctor?"

"what for? aches are normal, or so i have been told a hundred times," she groaned.

"are they the same aches?"

"i don't know. isn't an ache an ache?"

he stroked her stomach and leaned down towards it again. "see? your insistence at staying where you are is making your mother uncomfortable, and when your mother is uncomfortable, she is not very nice. i want my nice wife back. i love her most dearly you see, though i do find it difficult not to love this version of her too."

he said the last while looking at her. jane suddenly found it hard to

eathe. did he just..?

"oliver?"

he kissed her stomach and continued talking. the babe stirred within. "i have never met a woman such as your mother, before. she is as patient as she is kind. i admire the way she puts up with all my many moods and eccentrics. i never hoped to be so fortunate. i am deeply honored that your mother trusted me to take care of her and her family. they are now very dear to me as well. i hope one day to earn her love in return."

she felt the tears burning behind her eyes. "you…you…are you… oliver? oh!"

she felt a sudden rush and dampness spreading beneath her. her face flamed.

"jane?"

"i think, i think it's time?"

he pulled back the blankets when she went to look for herself and jumped back. there was a large wet stain surrounding her bottom. she really hoped that it was her waters and not something else.

oliver ran for the door. he came back only a moment later with his mother.

she inspected jane and smiled. "yes, i do believe it is time. oliver, i'm afraid you have to go."

"no!" jane cried. "no, he can't leave yet! i,"

"jane dear, he really must. oliver, please see that the doctor is sent for, and i believe it is appropriate for her mother and catherine to be present as well."

oliver leaned over to kiss her

ow. "i'll see you soon, my love," he whispered in her ear.

"no. you need to stay. i haven't,"

"oliver out!" his mother demanded. he smiled at jane as he left.

'but i didn't get to tell him,' she thought.

jane shook as another pain racked her body. why did no one ever tell her it was this painful? she knew it would be, but she felt that someone should have stressed just how painful it could be. it didn't help that her mother seemed to be trying to prove how much she more she knew about birthing because she had given birth to five babes herself. normally, jane wouldn't argue with her mother over it, experience was one of life's greatest teachers, but so far, nothing she had said had been remotely helpful. her mother was getting on her nerves, and she wanted oliver, only no one would take her demand seriously.

"well, when i was getting ready to deliver my lydia, nothing soothed me better than having my back rubbed," her mother claimed. she leaned over to rub the bottom of her back, only problem was, jane's didn't want her back touched.