The morning sun spilled into the sleek, modern clinic, glinting off the white floors and soft, pastel walls. Fiona sat stiffly in the waiting area, her hands folded neatly in her lap, the wedding ring she had worn for barely a month glinting with every subtle movement. Liam hovered beside her, broad shoulders filling the space, his presence a constant, quiet weight of reassurance—and possession.
"Are you nervous?" Liam's deep voice rumbled beside her ear, low, almost intimate.
Fiona swallowed, her throat dry. "A little… yes. First trimester check-up. I… I don't even know what to expect."
Liam's gaze softened, a rare vulnerability slipping through his usually unyielding exterior. "It's going to be fine. You're safe. Both of you are safe." He rested his hand over hers, his thumb brushing the delicate skin over her knuckles in a gesture so simple, yet so grounding, that Fiona felt her heartbeat steady.
The nurse called them in, and Fiona's legs carried her forward, tense and cautious. Liam's hand remained at the small of her back, his presence like an invisible armor against every lingering fear of the past.
Once inside the consultation room, Fiona sat on the examination chair, feeling exposed, vulnerable, but strangely protected at the same time. Liam leaned against the counter, arms crossed, his eyes never leaving her.
The doctor, a cheerful woman with kind eyes, greeted them warmly. "Good morning! Congratulations on your pregnancy. Are you ready for your first scan?"
Fiona nodded. Her stomach churned nervously as she lay back on the chair, the thin hospital gown brushing her arms. Liam knelt beside her, his hand finding hers again, fingers intertwined.
The cold gel pressed onto her belly and the small probe glided over her skin. The monitor flickered to life, black-and-white shapes dancing across the screen. Fiona's eyes widened instinctively, trying to make sense of the shapes.
"There we go," the doctor said, her tone professional but tinged with excitement. "Heartbeat first."
The room filled with a steady, miraculous rhythm—the sound of life itself. Fiona's breath caught. One heartbeat, strong and steady. Two heartbeats, distinct, yet synchronized in a beautiful pattern.
Twins.
Fiona's eyes met Liam's, wide and incredulous. "Twins?" she whispered, voice trembling.
"Yes," the doctor confirmed, smiling. "Two healthy babies. And look here—both boys."
Liam's eyes darkened, a slow, proud smile spreading across his face. His fingers tightened around hers, possessive and protective. "Two sons," he murmured, voice low but charged with emotion. "Our sons."
Fiona felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. The thought of carrying not one, but two lives she had created with Liam, the man who had once been her tormentor, her protector, her lover, and now her husband—it was overwhelming. She hadn't imagined this future when she had fled the Smith mansion, when she had survived kidnappings, betrayals, and broken families.
Liam leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, inhaling sharply. "Do you understand what this means, Fiona?" he whispered, voice rough. "Two little boys… ours. And I will protect them. Every single day. I will never let anything happen to you, or them."
Fiona's hands found their way to her belly, touching it instinctively. She could already feel the delicate flutter, the first stirrings of life that were hers and Liam's to nurture. "I… I don't know what to say," she breathed, overwhelmed.
"Say you'll let me," Liam said, voice soft, almost pleading. "Say you'll let me be everything you need. Not just your husband. Not just their father. But your protector… your shadow… your constant."
Fiona's lips trembled as she leaned into him, letting the warmth of his chest and the steady beat of his heart surround her. "I… I'll let you," she whispered, voice catching. "I'll let you."
The doctor smiled warmly, giving them a few moments alone. "Everything looks perfect," she said. "You're both healthy, and there's no sign of complications at this stage. Just rest, eat well, and come back in a month for a follow-up."
Once the doctor left, Liam wrapped his long arms around Fiona, holding her close. Her cheek pressed into his chest, and she felt the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, the same one that had chased away so many fears over the years.
"I can't believe it," Fiona murmured, letting the tears fall freely. "Two little boys… our family."
"Believe it," Liam said, voice firm yet tender. "And know this—no one, no one will ever hurt you again. Not them, not the William family, not anyone. You and our sons are mine. Completely."
Fiona closed her eyes, leaning fully into him, her body trembling with emotion. The horrors of her past—the abuse, the kidnappings, the betrayals—they all seemed to fade in the warmth of this new reality. She had survived the impossible, loved the dangerous, and now she was creating life with the man who had haunted her heart since childhood.
Liam's hand rested on her belly, moving slowly, reverently. "Do you feel them?" he asked softly, as if acknowledging their tiny lives aloud made them more real.
Fiona pressed her hand over his, feeling the faint, almost imperceptible flutter of their sons. "I feel them," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Two boys… they're strong."
"And they'll be even stronger," Liam said, a dark, possessive glint in his eyes. "Because they'll have their mother… and their father… to protect them."
The air between them was electric—suffused with relief, desire, love, and a shared understanding of all they had endured to get here. They had survived betrayal, loss, and chaos. They had survived each other.
Now, they were creating life. Together.
As they left the clinic, Liam's arm around Fiona's shoulders, the sunlight felt different somehow—warmer, brighter, more promising. It was a new chapter. Not just for them, but for the lives they had yet to meet.
And as Fiona looked down at her growing belly, a quiet smile formed on her lips. She had come so far, endured so much, and finally, she was home—not just in Liam's arms, but in the life they were building together, with their two sons waiting to join the world.
The past might haunt them, the families might still question her choices, and the world might still be chaotic—but for this moment, Fiona knew one unshakable truth: she had Liam. She had their children. And together, they could face anything.