Timeless

Chapter 51

A/N: Josie, you're my fave and these two are just so cute!!

Truth be told, neither one of them really started feeling like the whole thing was real until Kathryn started gaining weight and all of the sudden, a baby bump had appeared. For Kathryn, she wasn't all that sure how she felt about the body changes she was undergoing. The fact of the matter was that she had a considerable amount of body horror, and so to see her body stretch and begin to prepare to hold a fully grown baby—it sometimes left her reeling and shocked.

Currently though, she was just struggling to get a dress on and zipped up. She gave a huff of air—a wave of frustration running through her as she stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. It was increasingly evident that she was not going to be able to get this on by herself—if it even still fit her.

So when she poked her head out of the bathroom and her eyes landed on Gale playing with Meatball on the floor, she was almost endeared. "Gale," Kathryn's voice sounded more like a whine of annoyance than anything else.

He glanced over at her. "What is it?"

She stepped out of the bathroom and gestured at the dress. "This zipper is stupid and I'm getting fat !"

Gale couldn't help the fact that he just smiled endearingly at his wife. "It's not fat if you're growing to accommodate our baby."

"Baby?"

"Yes?"

"Come zip me up and stop talking since you don't have to change your wardrobe to accommodate a baby."

"Yes ma'am," Gale was on his feet in seconds and crossing over to her. His hands lingered on the zipper for a moment before pulling it up and pressing a sweet kiss to the nape of her neck. "There you go. Better?"

Kathryn just let out a huff of air and relaxed against him. "Yes. Sorry, I'm just a little stressed about the dinner."

"Baby, it's just Bucky and Josie."

"I know. You know what they're like."

"Well we could've told them sooner."

"I would have rather chewed off my own foot."

Gale spun her around, nuzzling his forehead against hers. "You're so dramatic, you know that?"

"So you've told me in the past few months," Kathryn murmured. For just a moment, she drank in his warmth and his steady presence—she could do this. There was no reason why she wouldn't be able to tell her brother and Josie about the baby. But truth be told, she worried that the moment the words left her lips, the universe would find some way to ruin this for them.

"They're gonna be here in a few minutes, honey. There's still time to back out if you don't want to do this," Gale reassured her.

Kathryn just squared her shoulders. "Bring it on."

A short time later, the house was roaring with laughter and smelled of good food. With baby Cathy securely content in her mother's arms and Bucky leaned back in a chair, chatting baseball stats to Kathryn, Gale found the atmosphere of the house settled and reassuring. He was mostly an observer, watching as Bucky regaled his sister with the latest games and occasionally making goofy faces at Cathy to earn a giggle from his niece.

"Oh, that reminds me, Johnny," Kathryn said, poking at her brother's arm. "We have a house project we'll need your help with in the spring."

Bucky nearly gave an eye roll. "Gale doesn't wanna do it?"