Phoenix | S.R.

Ch. 12 | Happily Ever After

Summary: Spencer and Reader begin their new family and reconnect with another.

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The house was suspiciously quiet, the ticking of the clock on the wall almost loud enough to drown out the sniffling and sighing coming from the couch. Cautiously, I followed the sounds of discomfort to their source. I peered around the corner of the hallway to find my wife with her head thrown back over the end of the couch, dramatically forcing out each exhale.

"Hey pretty girl," I announced, alerting her to my presence for the first time as I came to stand in front of her. "How are my favorite people in the world?"

Before she could answer, she gestured to her stomach with a sigh.

"One-third of us is exhausted. The other two are having a goddamn party."

I removed my satchel from across my shoulder and tossed it onto the ground beside the couch. I used my newfound freedom to crouch in front of her, with my hands running smoothing motions over her thighs.

"I'm sorry."

Normally, she would correct me for apologizing, since it wasn't me kicking her bladder (although, I was the one who had put the culprits there). But this time, she just closed her eyes, letting her head fall to the side again. That was, until I grabbed her feet and began to apply those same gentle, sweeping motions across the bottom of them.

She cried out with an exhausted relief, followed by a high pitched whine of, "Oh my god. I love you so much."

The exclamation made me laugh, but what happened next did anything but. In a split second, her entire body jerked forward, her foot dropping from my hand with a thud. It sounded quiet compared to the way she screamed. She grabbed hold of her stomach with both hands at the same time I jumped up to her side. I tried to follow her hands, but she smacked mine away.

"How is the movement?" I asked, trying to convince my heart to slow down so that we weren't both panicking.

She knew these questions well; I asked them of her every couple of days at this point.

"They're definitely doing it. It's hard to tell with both of them in there," she choked, obviously holding back another yell.

"Do you think they're turning around? Or have they already?" I asked, knowing full well that she wouldn't know. She'd made it very clear that she didn't want to know a lot about the pregnancy; she was scared it would make her too paranoid, too scared. Which, in turn made me paranoid and scared.

"I have no idea."

After a moment, once the wave of pain had passed, she sighed as she settled back into her previous position.;

"Can I try to find out?" I tried not to make it sound like a beg, reminding myself that everything would be okay if I was here.

She didn't need to know anything that was happening – I could figure it out for her, and plan accordingly.

Resigned, she removed her hands from her stomach to grant me greater access.

"Sure thing, Doctor, go for it."

Within seconds of my hands on her stomach, I felt a tiny palm follow after me.My heartbeat wildly fluctuated the longer it continued. I could never get used to the feeling, the knowing that there was something beautiful beneath the already breathtaking. I closed my eyes to feel it stronger, to remember this moment.

My wife noticed I'd gotten distracted, but she didn't get upset. If anything, she seemed pleased.

"I bet that's your little girl," she muttered with a sneaky, teasing smile.