Meanwhile, in the other room, Sarah and Faye had tears in their eyes as well. They both stood as close to the door as humanly possible with their ears squished against it to eavesdrop.
"Okay, for real...why is he the perfect man?!" The doctor questioned.
"I know right?! That was like right out of a romance novel or something!" Sarah whisper-yelled back to her.
"Seriously! It's like she created him from a build-a-man kit! Now I just gotta see how he looks..." She shook her head, almost in disbelief as she grinned.
"He is quite handsome and QUITE the charmer, Faye." Sarah confirmed.
The two ceased their conversation and panicked when they heard two footsteps approach the door they were against. They scrambled and ran around for a second before they sprinted to the nearest table, and sat down across from one another. They acted as casually as they could when Silver walked out.
"Oh my...THAT is one sexy HUNK of man..." Faye all but drooled as she looked at his broad shoulders, his toned arms, and his emerald eye.
He looked content as Claire happily nuzzled into his front while she slept soundly. He supported her with one arm and pulled out a chair with the other, then sat down and kinda laid back so both of them could relax and be comfortable. The movement caused her to stir, and she moaned a sleepy moan, then nuzzled her head into his chest before falling fast asleep again. She had a sweet but dopey smile on her face, one that Sarah had never seen before.
"I can finally put a face to all the stories." Dr. Buhle said.
"Heh heh. Hope ye aren't too disappointed." He teased.
"Hardly. We've been calling you Mr. Tall, dark, and handsome...and you are very much all of those things."
He winked at her and subconsciously stroked Claire's back as they spoke to one another. Sarah watched the way he cared for her like it was so natural, it was effortless, he didn't even have to think about it. Her daughter was truly in good hands, and it lifted her spirits to see.
Silver chuckled a bit, then tenderly kissed Claire's head.
"What's that all about?" Faye asked.
The two women looked at the adoration in his eyes, and the amused crinkles at the corners of them.
"Da' pup is kickin' up a storm. I can feel 'im where her belly is pressed up against mine. I'm surprised she can sleep t'rough it."
"You are just the sweetest guy I've ever met, and you are going to be an amazing father and husband." Sarah chimed in.
"Oh? What makes ya' so sure?" He questioned, not that he was unhappy to hear her say this.
"I can just tell. Mother's intuition perhaps. That and you are everything that Leland wasn't."
"I'm gonna do every'ting in my power to be da' best pop and husband that I can be."
"I hate to interrupt, but we should get this mama and baby some food, and then get them off to bed, it's getting late." Faye interrupted.
"True, and we still 'ave a competition to settle." He grinned as he glanced at Sarah.
"Competition?" Faye asked.
"Oh yes, you and Claire are going to judge our food and pick whose is better."
"Ooh! You won't catch me complaining about free food. Let's eat!" The doctor grinned while she rubbed her hands together.
Silver gently shook the shoulder of his fiancee until she stirred from sleep.
"Mmmm...why?" She asked as she buried her face into his chest.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm." He chuckled as he kissed her head again.
"Ya' gotta eat before ya' can sleep, lass."
"Sleep now...eat later." She grumbled, her eyes still tightly shut.
"You 'ave an Ursid in 'dat belly o' yers, and we 'ave ravenous appetites. If ya' don't feed him, he'll kick ya' until ya' do."
With comedic timing, Claire got a strong kick from inside her belly, and she quickly sat up. She looked at her belly and pointed her finger into it.
"Hey! Whose side are you on anyways? You're not supposed to team up with your daddy until you're out of my belly." She teased her unborn child.
Silver smirked at his fiancee, and was quite amused at the timing of his son's kick.
"Fine, you boys win...this time. I'll eat."
Claire got off of Silver and sat in the seat next to him, and Sarah and John stood up and went to plate up their dishes and bring them to the table. They placed the food down in front of each seat, and everyone dug in. Everyone was in bliss as they ate these gourmet meals, and many food moans could be heard.
"Oh Sarah, 'dis meatloaf is some o' da' finest cuisine I ever tasted! Da' sauce is..mmm."
"Why, thank you, John! But I have to say that this stew is-is just phenomenal! I mean, really! I've never tasted anything like it!"
"It do be my specialty. Tis' an old family recipe that goes way back. Na-ow, let's settle 'dis once an' for all." His eyes narrowed as he looked at Sarah.
"Agreed." She said as she narrowed her eyes in return.
The two of them looked at Claire and Faye with an intensity.
Claire leaned over to Faye with confusion written on her face. "What is happening?"
"Oh, right. You were sleeping when we talked about this. They want us to judge who's a better cook."
"Oh gosh..that's an impossible decision." Claire whispered.
Faye sat straight again and looked at the two chefs as she interlocked her fingers and rested her hands on the table.
"I'm gonna have to go with John on this one. There is a delightful and irresistible tanginess and depth to his stew, plus I'm a sucker for a good shrimp dish."
Silver smirked as the two turned their attention to Claire.
"Okay...so...don't hate me...but I'm picking my mom." She said with a blush.
"Oh, C-ster! Ya' cut me ta' da' quick!" He said as he placed his hand over his heart in a dramatic flair.
"I'm sorry! I love her food! There's a nostalgic feeling to it, and I've been eating your cooking for a year. I still love yours, it's really good, but Mom's is kinda refreshing and just as good as yours."
"Ha! Mom for the win!" Sarah cheered as she leaned her arm against the table.
"I guess it's a tie." Silver announced as he held his hand out to Sarah to shake.
"I suppose it is. I guess we're evenly matched." She smiled as she shook his hand.
"Well, this was fun, but I'm exhausted...so I'm going to bed. Are you going to join me, Silver?" She asked as she stood up.
"I'll be d'ere in a bit, lass. I wanna help yer' mum tidy up da' kitchen first."
"We got the dishes, John. You go tuck Claire into bed." Faye interjected.
"Are ya' sure?" He asked.
Sarah stood up and grabbed a key that was hanging on the wall and handed it to Silver.
"We're sure. This is the key to your room, it's for the three of you. It has a secondary room with a door that connects the two, I figured that could be the nursery. It also has a Silara-sized bed, and it's one of the biggest rooms in the inn. The nursery is unfinished...she didn't want to do that without you, John."
"T'anks Sarah." He smiled as he took the key, then held Claire's hand in his and headed to their room.
He gently pulled back the covers and laid her in their bed. He pulled them over her and tucked her in.
"I love ya' so much, Lass."
"I love you too, Silver." She said with a yawn.
He kissed her head and crawled in next to her for a much-needed night of sleep.
The next morning, Claire woke up to an empty bed. She looked around a bit and felt a pain grow in her chest. Her eyes filled with tears as she noticed that Silver wasn't there.
'It must have been a dream...' she thought to herself.
She pulled the covers aside, wiped the tears from her eyes, and swung her legs off the bed. As she was about to stand up, she heard the door knob rattle. She looked over expecting her mom, but was ecstatic when she saw Silver open the door.
John had left early in the morning so he could make his very pregnant fiancé some breakfast in bed. He paused as he noticed the remaining wetness in her eyes.
"What's wrong? Why were ye' cryin', lass?"
Her voice was still a little bit cracked as she answered. "I woke up...and you weren't there...so I thought it was all a dream. I remembered the feelings from last night, and how happy I was...and the thought of it not being real broke my heart."
He walked over and placed the tray of food on her lap. "I'm 'ere lass. I'm not goin' anywhere." He comforted as he placed a soft kiss on her head.
"All ya' had ta' do was look at da' ring on yer finger ta' know it wasn't a dream." He pointed out.
Claire looked at the ring and blushed with embarrassment. "I-I would have gotten there eventually..."
She looked at the tray on her nightstand and took in its contents. A glass of tropical perp juice, two waffles with goron syrup, hash browns, two powdered sphere-oids, two lunar eclipses, and a small vase with some beautiful flowers in it. Claire could feel the tears making a comeback, she was feeling so touched and so emotional, and she couldn't stop the waterworks from coming.
"You brought me breakfast in bed?! That is...the sweetest thing that anyone has ever done for me! YOU are the nicest person I've ever met!" She sobbed.
Silver was at a loss. Did he do something? Why was she crying? What could he do. Just as he finished his thought, Sarah came rushing in. She looked at her daughter, then to Silver as she wanted answers. The sobbing mess then looked at her mom.
"Mom! Silver brought me breakfast and flowers! Isn't he the nicest person you've ever met?!"
With that, Sarah chuckled a bit and gave a knowing smile to the clearly alarmed Silver.
"Don't worry big guy, it's just the pregnancy hormones. They'll calm down a bit after the baby comes."
"So 'dis is gonna be a re'o'currin' t'ing?"
"Yup."
After some encouragement from John, the expecting mother wiped her eyes and ate her breakfast.
"Thank you. This was very sweet...and sorry about earlier. I don't know what came over me." She said as she put the tray on the nightstand.
She then held her arms open and stared at Silver. He gave her a bit of a puzzled look as he stepped closer.
"I'm fat and happy...and now I want cuddles." She chimed.
Silver chuckled as he laid down on his side next to his mate. He then grabbed her hips and pushed her further up the bed until she was almost sitting up. He rolled onto his stomach and in between her legs, where he then pulled her shirt up and exposed the baby bump. He ever so gently laid his huge paws on her belly and stroked it. Claire had wanted to cuddle but was very much okay with postponing it if it meant she got to watch the love of her life do this.
John leaned even closer as he placed a long and tender kiss on the stretched skin, one hand on either side of the bump. Claire's heart melted and she gave a contented smile as he began to speak to their baby.
"Hey d'ere pup. D'is is yer pop. I love ya' and I can't wait ta' meet 'ya. Heh heh, we are gonna have lots o' fun wrestlin' one day an'-"
Silver was interrupted with a hard kick to his hand from the baby. A massive smile spread across his face as he slightly tightened his grip on the belly.
"Oh-ho-ho! So dat's how ye' want ta' play it hmm? Just you wait 'til yer out of d'ere! Yer mum can't protect you forever pup!" He teased as he gently pushed back where the baby's foot was moments ago.
Claire shook her head in amusement. She couldn't wait to see her Silver with their baby. He was going to be such an amazing daddy.
After a few more minutes of precious playing and speaking to the baby, Silver wrapped his arms under her, rested his head on her tummy, and looked up at his beautiful fiancée. Claire played with his hair as they relaxed together. They locked eyes for a moment before he spoke.
"I love ya' so much, C-ster. And I love our pup. Yer da' best t'ing dat' ever happened to an old pirate like me." He placed one last kiss on her belly before he slipped behind her and pulled her back flush against him.
Claire rolled over in his arms so she was facing him. She placed a hand on his cheek and rubbed it with her thumb.
"And I love you so much, John Silver. You mean more to me than the entire universe. More than Treasure Planet. More than anyone in the entire etherium. I love you."
Silver pulled Claire in for a sweet and passionate kiss, one that she gladly accepted. He rested his hand on her hip and brought her closer to deepen it and their lips danced together. Claire pushed her tongue inside as she tilted her head slightly for a better angle, and he moaned as she gently bit his lip. Silver then rolled onto his back, sat up, and took her with him so she was straddling his waist.
A chill ran down her spine as he took control and started to kiss and suck on her neck while he let his hands roam her body. She dug her nails into his shoulders as things continued to get heavier, and the two got lost in their love for one another...
This...this was something they could both get used to.