Show Me Where it Hurts

**18 Months Later.**
Harry’s P.O.V.

“Noah! Sit still, or I won’t let you play."

I couldn’t help but smile at Ivy’s bossiness, as she begged for her little brother to sit calmly at the make-shift tea party she was holding in the corner of the kitchen. She was getting older and more intelligent and wittier everyday. I started to pour myself a cup of coffee, still having to remind myself to only make one.

“I don’t think he’s much into tea parties, love.” I jibed.
“You’ll sit at my tea party? Won’t you?”

I had just placed my cup of coffee on the dining table and the appeal of the comfy looking dining chair was screaming at me. I had been non-stop since six o’clock this morning. First it was school, then it was Noah to nursery, then to the doctors for the small chest infection he had picked up and then back to Ivy to pick her up. I was functioning on around 10% energy and could barely keep my eyes open, but the pleading look in Ivy’s eyes softened me.

“Of course. Come here, you.” I picked up Noah and sat him in my lap. I couldn’t believe he had been walking for so long and sometimes forgot, always having to run after him and grab hold of the cotton of his t-shirt while he excitedly squealed at the possibility of freedom.
“Da-da-da-da,” He twisted himself in my lap and grabbed at my chin. I laughed, knowing how he felt. I quickly re-adjusted him when I saw the upset look on Ivy’s face. She was the lady of the house and we were both used to her bossing us around. “Hungie!"
“Cake?” I grabbed a small piece with my fingers, much to Ivy’s distaste and that shut Noah up for a little while.
“I wish mummy was here.” She was getting upset, and fast. Everything went silent, save for the loud chewing coming from Noah’s mouth.
“Come on, pumpkin. We can play. Can you pour some tea in my cup?"

I laughed inwardly at the thought of anybody seeing my six year-old daughter make-believing pouring from her pink teapot into my pink teacup. She smiled triumphantly and we were able to be civilised for at least another twenty minutes, long enough for her ‘playing-house’ fun to subside.

“Are you tired little man?” I looked down at Noah who had grown mumbly in my lap and pawed at his eyes. I took the time to admire his dark features, just like hers.. Annie’s. I fanned the long, chocolate curls from his forehead and sighed down at him.

Ivy was packing her things away and then standing beside me, a grumpier look on her face as she clung to my t-shirt. I knew that look. She was telling me that Noah had had his fair share of attention and now it was hers. I smiled and picked up her small hand in mine.

“Want to watch a film when I put him to bed?"
She nodded. “I wanna watch your film.”
“Don’t you want to watch a different one?"

I laughed remembering just how many times Ivy had made us watch it in the past. Remembering all the times Annie had begged me to throw the DVD away just so Ivy would forget about it. Believe me, I had tried. She practically screamed the house down and wouldn’t sleep for two days until I bought her a new copy.

Ivy shook her head, her lips sullen and her own, greener eyes also fatigued.

“Come on then, you.” I pushed myself up from the cold tile, grimacing at how I seemed to be getting less flexible. I had no time for the gym between these two always needing me. I had no time for anything, actually.

Noah was fast asleep by the time I placed him in his big-boys-bed, a new addition to his all-white room that he had been more than proud of. Two years. How is he two years old?

“Okay, okay, I’m coming.” I hurried Ivy down the hallway with my hands on her shoulders but she stopped bolt in her tracks and raised her hands in a grabby motion. She made me smile. She’d never grab for me in the streets like she used to do when she was smaller but she still did it when her school-friends couldn’t see. I welcomed the tradition, cherishing small moments like that that still made her feel like my little girl, never mind how old she was getting.

“Please?” She grinned, an all-toothed smile. I sighed and grabbed her by the waist, but threw her over my shoulder and she frantically giggled and her small hands smacked at my back. “Ahhhhhh!! Put me down!!"

“What is going on?"

Oh dear, we were in trouble. I dropped Ivy to her feet and she hid behind me, a grin on her face like we had just been caught stealing.

“Sorry, baby.” I placed my hand on top of Ivy’s hair and smiled as adorably as I could, but knew I was getting too old for that. Annie’s face softened, as she brought her hand down to her stomach, trying to push herself off of the sofa where she had been sleeping.

“No bloody sleep with you two,” She grumbled, but the smile was clear on her face when she soothed her third baby bump.
“Daddy played teatime with me today,” Ivy remarked, matter-of-factly. I watched as she flopped onto the sofa and wrapped her arms around her mother who had been completely exhausted since she had found out she was pregnant. I didn’t care how tired it made me or how irritated it would make her, but I took on all of her duties and kept her resting. I was so over-protective of her but I don’t think she minded.
“Teatime, really?” Annie cocked a smile, mocking my masculinity. “Did he enjoy it?”
“He said he did.” Ivy grinned happily.
“I only did it because you were sleeping.” I quickly reassured her, but I knew that wasn’t true. Any opportunity to spend with my children was welcomed, even if they had me dressed up like a ballerina.

Annie winced as I imagined a sharp kick hit her stomach. She was only five months gone but as everybody knew, she was not the greatest baby-carrier in the world.

“Yes, sleeping.” She nodded. “Until you two interrupted me.”
“Daddy said we could watch his film.” Ivy thrust the This is Us DVD into Annie’s hand and she immediately looked at me like she wanted to wring my neck.
“Did you, really?” She said, flatly, but I could hear the amusement in her voice.

It didn’t take long for Ivy to nod off once she took residence on the huge, soft white arm chair across from us. Although Annie said she hated watching this “stupid film!” she sure kept awake for most of it.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” I mocked, not missing the smile that crossed her lips and the breathy laugh as she watched Louis car-jack the golf cart backstage. I loved the way her eyes squinted when she found something funny. I had learned to appreciate all of those little things.
“No.” She said, quickly reassuring herself.
“I think you like looking back at me when I was young, you sick freak.” I was trying to hold back my laughter when she tried to turn and slap me, forbidden by the huge spherical dome under her denim dungarees.
“When he’s out..” She threatened, and I draped myself further around her, smooching her cheek with the wettest kiss I could manage, just to irritate her.
“We’ll make another one.” I finished. She glared at me and smiled.
“No we bloody won’t. Heaven knows how we’re even going to manage with these three.”
“I told you last time, we’ll manage.”
“Eleanor’s calling me.” Her voice was starting to sound sleepy. I stared back at myself on the huge television screen and zoned out of her conversation. I felt her delicate fingertips reach back from where I was spooning her and trace along my jaw.
“The baby just took her first steps.” Annie laughed. “They were both crying down the phone to me.”
“Amateurs.” I teased, and braced myself for the playful slap she gave me on my chest.

Watching her doze off had to be one of the best things about my day. When all of them were asleep and I could unashamedly stare at them, just take the time to realise that they were still here, still with me.

I hadn’t left Annie since the day she came back to me. I honestly didn’t think she would and I’d never been more thankful for anything in my life. Lying by her side in that hospital bed when her mother and father had brought Noah and Ivy to practically say goodbye to her, her eyes just fluttering open as if she’d simply been napping.

There wasn’t a single trip I had been on since where I didn’t bring all three of them with me, and I could hardly contain my want for another baby. I couldn’t get enough of her and when we got the all clear that it would be safe, it was all I wanted to have another part of her in my life.

And as she sits here, those ghastly denim dungarees and a stripy sailor-like t-shirt stretching over her belly but not completely, allowing a line of flesh to peak out and reveal her belly button, I almost felt myself get emotional. Ivy was snoring on the seat next to her and Noah was happy and living out his dreams in his bed upstairs.

Annie jolted awake and groaned, trying to pick herself up from the confines of my grasp but carrying too much weight to do so.

“Come on, mummy.” I smiled, pulling her to her feet. She yawned obnoxiously and ran her fingers through her dark hair, shorter and tidier than it used to be. I took up Ivy in my arms and when we reached her bed I wished it had been further away, just so I had an excuse to make more of the time I had with her flush to my chest, her small soft breaths fanning my neck and her fist tightened around my shoulder.

“Night, princess.” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead, watching her turn over and grab onto the stuffed bear she had had since the day she was born.

“I can’t find one t-shirt to fit over me.” Annie complained, hands-on-hips, staring around our bedroom, topless as I walked in. I stopped in my tracks, not meaning to but having my eyes latch onto that awful scar on the side of her stretching belly. I hated the reminder it always served me of how close I was to losing her. I had to tear my eyes away before she noticed, deciding instead to just look at the bump that housed my new baby.

“Here,” I threw the dark green shirt at her from across the bed and peeled my tee over my head, not enjoying the amount of effort it took me to kick off my jeans. I have to stop wearing these, I’m getting too old for this.
“Well that’s not fair.” I heard her grumble, as I stood to set my alarm.
“What’s not fair?” My voice was deeper than I intended from lack of sleep and but her grumpy face made me laugh.
“You looking like that,” She threw her hands at me, then back to herself. “Me being a whale in the largest shirt you have.”
“Get in the bed you drama queen.” I rolled my eyes and pulled the covers back for her, wondering how she could ever talk like that about herself. When she was pregnant it was inconvenient, if anything, but not unattractive in any way.

Accommodating her stomach, we settled into an embrace. She was asleep in minutes and I always wondered if it was only me who was a bit of a psycho, needing to watch her for my own comfort for a little while every night, under the dim light pouring in from the street outside. I couldn’t help but say thank you in my head to whoever made the decision up there to give her back to me. I placed one last kiss to her forehead and smiled, lacing her limp fingers in mine, nestling into her hair and letting my own sleep cover me.

Notes

HIIIIII
So that’s it!

Annie didn’t die, but in the beginning I was trying to create some suspense to keep you all thinking the worst..
I hope I had you going for a bit!

if anyone wants to ask any questions about anything they are confused about, comment below, and please leave feedback! It’s been so much fun writing this story and your comments mean so much!

Thanks so much for being a part of this story! x