[Milliways] OOM: James' Flat, London, 2006

[his_sarah_jane]

The seconds are moving too slowly right now.

He should have been home minutes ago. What she really needed was for him to have been back hours ago.

She had checked. Double checked and triple checked and it was all rather very clear, wasn't it? What it all meant and implied for her future. Their future.

Most of the time, Sarah Jane took life's surprises with grace and a sense of eagerness. Right now, though, she's terrified. Horribly and completely terrified that her life is about to change again and not in a way she's prepared for at all.

And so she leans back in the sofa again, closing her eyes and wishing the seconds to go by faster.

Comments

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

He sighs.

“I love you, too.”

But this is too soon.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Far, far too soon in Sarah Jane's opinion. Months, even years, wouldn't make it any better though.

With a sigh, she finally sneaks in to the space between James and the wall, hugging him tightly. At the very least, she's not alone in any of this.

And that brings some comfort to her, however little.

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

He lets them stand in silence for a few minutes.



Finally, he breathes in deeply.

“So if it is a child…what do we call it?” As always with him, it’s hard to tell if he’s being serious or if he’s joking.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

She wants to smile at that so much. But she can't.

Instead, she shrugs. Quietly, "I suppose that would depend on whether or not we have a boy or a girl."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

“So if it is a boy…”

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

She'd love to name it after the Doctor. But that probably wouldn't work, considering she didn't even know what his real name was.

"...Alistair?"

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

James leans back, looking at her with disapproval. “…no.”

It’s a horrible name—and this, a splendid distraction from a number of things. Why not be silly and irrelevant? It’s not as if these names are going anywhere. It’s just a bit of fun. There’s not a baby inside of her. It’s a false alarm. It has to be.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

And if there is? If there's something growing inside her? Well then, at least they'll be prepared.

Finally, Sarah lets herself smile a little. "Then you suggest one."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

He thinks for a moment.

"Andrew. After my father."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Sarah nods, rather liking the sound of it. This is by far a much easier distraction than any other she can think of. "Andrew John?"

The Doctor has to work his way in there somehow, of course.

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"John?"

Anyway, he doesn't like the sound of it.

Anyway, why the fuck is he taking this so seriously?

Anyway, he's just confused.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"Yes, John. After the Doctor," she says. "After all, it's because of him that I ever met you. I may have never wound up in Milliways otherwise."

And then she wouldn't be in this position, possibly (probably?) pregnant with a child she never planned on.

But then she woudn't be in love. It was a hard choice to make.

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"What about--"

Why the hell am I doing this?

"--John Andrew?"

Even if he's playing the game, he can't keep the exasperation off his face. It's horrible of him to think, but right now he wants to be elsewhere, away from this.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Sarah nods, catching the look on his face. Maybe they should go do something mundane, something like make dinner or watch an old film or something to get their mind off of this.

But then with dinner there would be a debate on whether she should be having wine with the meal and with any luck, something on the television would remind them of their current prediciment.

"And if it's a girl, I'd like her named after my mother. Alice."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

He rolls his shoulders, pulling his arms from around her and back. "What would her middle name be?"

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"Hmm," she murmurs, resting against him. "Something pretty."

Cause she'd be pretty. Any of James' children would be.

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"My mother's name was Monique, if that helps."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Sarah shakes her head. "Too posh."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"Hmm. And we don't want our kids running around with our parents' names," he mutters, letting his eyes drift to the side. Quickly, he looks back at her. You can almost see the metaphorical light bulb blinking on over his head. "What about Valerie?"

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"Valerie Alice?"

Sarah takes a deep breath and nods. She wants this to be a false alarm. She doesn't want a child. But that name sounds right despite it all.

Softly, "It's wonderful."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

He says nothing to agree or disagree.

His eyes close. He rests his forehead against hers.

“What’re we going to do with a baby?” he mumbles.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Her eyes close as well and her hands seek out his. "Raise it, I suppose."

That's what you do with babies after all, isn't it?

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

Their fingers interlace. He inhales breaths that don’t grant piece of mind.

“It’s been two months.”

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"I know," she whispers. "It's much too soon for anything like this."

But that's what life is, isn't it? A series of surprises that occur always when you least suspect it.

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

Eyelids lift from blue eyes that stare out at Sarah Jane.

“Do you think we could do it? Raise a child together?”