And this is the last chapter at long last! I hope you enjoyed this! Thank you so much!

Elizabeth woke up the next morning to something that wasn't wholly unexpected, but was a surprise nonetheless.

She'd been dreaming, quite pleasantly, about taking the rowboat for a turn around the lake on the grounds. However, as the dream had progressed, the lake had swollen greatly, to the point of flooding. This, of course, left her swimming towards the great house for shelter.

Upon awakening, she still assumed she was swimming. She struck out her arms accordingly to help along in the endeavor, catching Fitzwilliam in the nose and causing him to awaken with a start and a shout.

This, of course, brought her out of her dream quickly.

William sat up, nursing his sore nose as she readily apologized, but upon taking in her surroundings with a clearer head, she thought with some great embarrassment that she might have relieved herself in her sleep as a result of her dream. The sheets all around her were soaking wet.

Upon closer inspection, she realized that this was not the case at all. More fluid gushed from between her legs upon rising to her feet, so she soon realized that her waters must have broken.

She glanced up at William, with quite some excitement. "Call for the doctor, William. The baby is coming!"

She began moving about the room as her husband moved to summon someone to fetch him, as she had to find her shift. Her current state of nudity was no state at all to receive a doctor.

She only got as far as pulling the gauzy garment over her head when the first of the pains came upon her. She found herself quite perplexed upon its end. How was she to endure more of this?

She found her dressing gown and had only just slung it over her shoulders when William returned, face flushed with excitement as he took in the state of the bedroom.

"Shall I call for the abigail, darling?" he asked.

She nodded at once. "Yes. Diana. And please… send word to Jane?"

She knew her sister may very well not make the journey in time to witness the birth, but she'd feel better knowing her dearest Jane was on the way to her.

He agreed, stopping only to press a rushed kiss to her temple. "I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you too," she replied. "But if you remain, I fear I may have harsh words for you, so please…" she gestured towards the door with a tired smile. "Until next I see you, darling husband."

"And you, darling wife." His gaze was warm, but his eyes were worried.

Elizabeth shooed him off and made it as far as the footboard of her four-poster bed before the next pain came to her.

She hoped everyone hurried along as much as this child seemed to be.

After many hours of crying and pain and thinking that this wasn't something she'd ever want to undergo again, her son was born.

The sun was just setting in the west as Jane, who had joined them but two hours before, brought the squalling infant to meet his mother. Elizabeth had almost had to be restrained to keep from standing up and going to him while he was being thoroughly cleaned and looked over.

"See now, there he is!" Dr. Rubens said jovially from his place at the bottom of the bed. "Now do try and be still, Mrs. Darcy."

She didn't answer, for she had in her arms the very definition of love at first sight. The person who'd originally spoken the words must have been thinking of the love a mother felt for her child upon their first meeting, because truly, as she looked into the bright red screaming face of her son, she knew there would never be a greater love than this.

"Oh, Jane…" she said, tears dripping down her cheeks as she gazed down upon him. "Have you ever seen a more beautiful sight?"

"Only once," Jane replied, smiling widely as Diana wiped the sweat from Elizabeth's brow and brushed her hair from her face.

"He's quite the handsome little fellow," Diana said softly, gazing down at him. "Takes after his both of his parents, I'd wager."

"I think he looks just like William," Lizzy breathed, looking up into Jane's face. "Do you think he could…?"

"Better not, Mrs. Darcy," said Dr. Rubens from the foot of the bed. "It's been my experience that the fathers are better kept from the birthing room. Besides, we'll have you cleaned up here in no time."

She was disappointed, but nodded all the same.

"If you can bear to part with him, I'll take him out to meet his father," said Jane, holding out her hands for the babe.

Elizabeth nodded and handed over her child, letting herself lay back against the pillow as she waited for the doctor to finish his job.

It took nearly another half an hour before she was deemed as good as could be, considering the circumstances. The bedding was changed beneath her with some help from the doctor and Diana, who somehow managed to roll her in such a way so as to cause no discomfort to Elizabeth's rather sore body.

Soon enough, she was propped up on pillows, her hair braided and back from her face. The door to her chambers opened and William came in, cradling their firstborn in his arms.

The look on his face was all jubilance and glee. "My darling," he whispered, carefully handing her the baby so she could cuddle him once more. "My darling, look what you've done…"

"What we've done," she corrected him.

"I may have had a hand in making him, but you brought him here," he said, tears glistening in his eyes as he reached to brush a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"Isn't he perfect?" she asked, brushing her fingers over his head as he began to root around on her fingers.

She pulled him up to her breast as Diana had shown her, opening the front of her gown to allow him to latch onto her painfully sore breast as William carefully dragged his fingers over the back of her neck in a very soothing gesture.

As their son ate, they just looked at him, drinking in the precious moment that was like no other before. And likely wouldn't come to pass again.

"You may sit down with us, William," she insisted, smiling as he tentatively sat upon the mattress beside her.

"I feel I may break him," he said, gingerly moving closer. "He's so small."

Elizabeth nodded. "So small, and yet so perfectly made."

Fitzwilliam ran his fingers over the edge of the blanket wrapped around his son. "Bennet Alexander," he said softly, the question in his eyes. Though she barely felt it possible, her heart swelled with more joy.

"Bennet Alexander Darcy," Lizzy confirmed. "He has his father's nose and strong jaw… I can tell he'll be a rather successful sort as well. He's also got your frown."

William sighed happily and leaned over to kiss her cheek. She turned to meet his lips with her own.

"I love you," she breathed.

"And I love you, too."