Emily

"Congratulations! You are being moved into a regular room." My doctor is talking to me about when I get to leave and I'm ecstatic to be out of the ICU. That means I can finally get out of this bed and go home soon.

"Really? When do I get to go home?" I know I sound a little eager, but there is nothing like being in your own bed.

"If you keep progressing probably in the next week or two." I hug Braxton. This is the best news all week!

They get me moved down to my new room and I smile, I'm getting closer to going home. I can eat most foods now. While I was on the vent, I was fed through a feeding tube and even right after it was taken out, I didn't have an appetite.

Now my cravings are back in full swing. Yesterday, I had Braxton go find me peanut butter and pickles.

Of course he found them and even assembled it all together for me. I am the luckiest woman in the world to be able to call him mine.

"Em, do you want to try to move a little today?" The doctor suggested I start standing and walking a bit. It's been long enough that I have all my stitches taken out already and I've been cleared for walking.

"Yes. Can you help me?" He helps me stand because without the use of my right arm a lot of tasks are more difficult.

Braxton wraps his arm around me and we stand for a moment, before I start taking a few steps. It feels great to be out of bed, but after not walking for a little while, it feels weird.

"Are you okay?" He's constantly worrying, but it's kinda nice to have someone else helping. It was just me for so long and now that I can lean on him, I take advantage of it. Sometimes.

"Yeah, have you talked to Cora yet today?" One of the hardest things is that I haven't seen my little girl in a week.

A week!

I miss her beyond words, but since we are like 2 hours away from home, she can't come visit often. It's also hard on her to see me like this. I've always been on the go and I've been a lot less active lately.

"Yeah, she was really excited to hear we might come home soon. She even told me that she put the ultrasound picture on the fridge." We both laugh, but I'm glad she is excited for a sibling. I would hate for her to think we don't love her as much or anything like that.

"It's crazy. We're already at 14 weeks, soon we'll be able to find out if it's a boy or girl and everything!" I look at him sceptically.

"What do you mean find out about the sex?" He grins.

"Don't you want to know? Come on, Em!" Braxton even bats his eyelashes.

"Haha pretty boy. Nope. I didn't find out with Cora. The surprise is fun!"

"Haven't we had enough surprises with this baby? What if we had a gender reveal party? Would that sway you?"

"Maybe, that would be really cute." I stop walking and look down at my belly. "What do you think, peach?" Braxton brings his big hand to my tummy and it doesn't quite cover by bump anymore.

"We can get on board with that idea, daddy." He grins at me and we start walking again.

***

Finally, the day I get to go home. I have been cleared in all the departments, my head injury is healed, I haven't had any more internal bleeding, and my arm is in a cast. I'm healing from surgery and so ready to be home.

Braxton has already taken off 3 weeks off work, but he assures me that it's fine.

If all goes well, I could be back at work part time soon, I promised Brax that I would take it easy though and for the baby's sake I will.

"Okay, are we ready?" I know I'm rushing, but I can't wait to be home.

"I think so. We signed the discharge papers, so I think we just need the nurse to wheel you outta here." He grabs my hand and presses a kiss to the back of it. I miss having sex with him. I literally went almost 4 years without so much as a touch and after a few months of having it on the daily, I miss it.

"Before we can leave, I think I need something else." I pull him down and press my lips to his.

He doesn't hesitate to kiss me back and I part my lips wanting more. He dives in and my core starts throbbing.

Then he pulls back, with a smirk.

"Got everything?" I shove his shoulder.

"Seriously, I'm giving you a baby. Another one! Shouldn't you be inclined to help me." He leans down and whispers in my ear.

"Trust me, I'm very inclined to help you. If we had the doctor's okay, you would be spread out over that bed right now, but I love you and our baby. I can't risk anything and if I kiss you like that again, all bets are off." He stands up and I frown just a little. I understand, but still.

"Dr.Shaw? I'm here to escort you out." I nod and get in the wheelchair. She wheels me out to Brax's car and I get in.

Before I know it we're on the way home. I pick up his phone and call my mom.

"Hey guys. We are on the way home!" Cora giggles in the background and I smile widely.

"Great! We are at your house, so I'll cook something and we can have dinner here."

"Thank you, we'll be there in probably an hour and a half." She chats for a minute, but then hangs up to go play with Cora.

"Thank you, Braxton. I know you stuck by my side through all of this and you were here for every step of the way. I love you. So much. Thank you for giving me two children and everything." I'm crying again. I wipe my face off with my sleeve.

"God, I feel like I never stop crying. These hormones are killing me." He takes a hand off the wheel and grabs mine. Softly he strokes the back of my hand and I try to stop the tears streaming down my face.

"Don't thank me, Em. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. It practically tore me apart when I couldn't go to you and Cora at the same time. Losing any of you would have broken me. I would have become a shell of the man I am. You have given me everything. Two perfect kids and yourself, that's all I can ask for, baby. I love you. I would do anything for you three." Let's just say I'm not successful with stopping the tears. Now I'm full on sobbing in the car and I can't stop.

"I know I probably seem crazy, but you aren't helping the tears issue." I barely even notice he's getting off the exit, until the car is stopped.

"Why did we stop? Where even are we?" Braxton faces me.

"Em, we stopped because I can't handle watching you cry. Come here. I love you and every single one of your hormones. You are carrying my baby, you can scream at me or cry nonstop and I could never think you are crazy. I. Love. You." He wraps me in his arms and wipes away my tears.

I'm not sure how much time passes, but eventually he kisses my lips softly and then rights me in my seat.

"We should probably get going before my mom freaks out." I really don't want to worry anyone again. I don't even want to think about how awful it would be to get a call like that.

He pulls back onto the interstate and turns on the radio. We spend the rest of the drive laughing to random songs and singing at the top of our lungs.