darker_london | Good Morning! (Peter, Aly, Lauren, Deirdre)

Walking into your bedroom and finding your husband in bed with another woman might have been cause for alarm...if you husband wasn't Peter Kemp and he wasn't in bed with Deirdre Gallagher. Aly shook her head, amused and she shifted little Lauren to one arm before clearing her throat and raising her eyebrows.

Peter sat straight up in bed, before putting a hand to his head as it spun as a consequence of the rapid movement. "Augh. Hi! How are you, beautiful?"

Aly smiled and she walked over to him, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Good. Did you actually get sleep last night?" Aly asked, indicating Deirdre. She wouldn't put it past Peter to stay up all night with Deirdre just talking if that's what she needed.

"Yes." Peter nodded as he relieved his wife of her baby-shaped bundle. He kissed little Lauren's forehead and he held her close. "Good morning, Sunshine." He cooed down at her. Lauren just blinked and whimpered a little. She was not a cheerful baby. Peter looked back up at Aly. "Deirdre just wanted to sleep."

In response to hearing her name, Deirdre stirred and lifted her head, her red hair quite messy against the pillowcase. "Murgh."

"Good morning, Deirdre." Aly said fondly. "Should I make you some breakfast?"

"Ugh, no. Food bad." Deirdre was feeling distinctly ill, but she pulled herself up into a sitting position anyway. "You're pretty."

Aly chuckled. "And so is your morning hair. How about I make you some coffee and see how you go from there?"

Deirdre bit her lip. "Uhm...can..is there...decaffeinated coffee?"

Aly gave her an odd look because she didn't know Deirdre's situation, but she nodded. "Of course. There's some left over from when I was pregnant. I can make that if you want."

"Thanks."

Aly kissed Peter's cheek and then she headed away to make the coffee. Peter gazed over at Deirdre, his finger stroking Lauren's tiny arm. "Did you sleep well, Sweetheart?"

"Slept okay. You?"

"Oh. Like the dead. And I would know." Peter relied, employing his odd sense of humour as ever he did. "Are you feeling ill?"

"Don't know if it's nerves or morning sickness." Deirdre mumbled and Peter gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm surrounded by babies. There's babies at home, babies here, babies at my Mam's, who I still haven't gone to see because she'll want to know things and I can't say things, and there's babies here. There aren't babies at Spectre's house but now there's a little girl and it's just sort of...like...in my face, you know? I don't even know where I'd put a damn baby if I had one because Pierre's baby already lives in the nursery but Peter. I can't. I can't just..." Deirdre crossed her arms across her stomach. "I can't just kill it." Deirdre didn't have issues with abortion. She was as pro-choice as they came. She was also about as protective as they came, and those two things seemed at war within her right now. It was horrible.

Peter reached over with his free arm and he wrapped it around Deirdre, drawing her close so she could lean on his shoulder. "Deirdre. I know. I know how you feel. Not exactly, I'd wager, but close. And, Sweetheart...at this moment in time, this is about you. No one else. If you think that not having the baby is something you can't do, then that's up to you. You will make room. Everyone will make room. The people we love...there's always room in their hearts for one more. But if you can't handle, then that is up to you too. There is no shame in that. You didn't choose this and you shouldn't have to suffer for it. And if that is what this is going to cause...Deirdre, don't let them continue to torture you."

Deirdre nodded. "I won't. I won't let them do that. I...should talk to Melissa."

Peter opened his mouth to say that she should probably talk to Renee and Kait first, but he shut it again just as quickly because not only was it not his business, but he knew he would want to speak to Thomas too. He did want to speak to Thomas when this had happened to him. And thank god Thomas had been there. Thank god Melissa was there. And Peter was also thankful that Deirdre was willing to talk. That was always a good sign. "I think that's an excellent idea."

"After coffee?"

Peter smiled. "After coffee."

"And...can I hold Lauren? I want to carry her downstairs." Deirdre looked hopeful.

"Of course, Sweetheart." Peter handed his daughter to Deirdre carefully and then he kissed both of their heads.

Deirdre gazed down at the tiny little girl in her arms and she was immediately charmed. Lauren, for some reason, always seemed more receptive and happy with Deirdre, and the she gazed up at the demon with wide eyes. "She's gorgeous." Deirdre whispered.

"I rather think you both are." Peter whispered right back.