Chapter Text
Bridgertoooon! Bridgertooooooooon!
Kate rolled her eyes from her place on the sideline as the stadium rung with the chorus, voices clamouring over one another, the noise nearly deafening, growing impossibly louder as Anthony sprinted past, skidding to a halt right in front of her, hands on his hips, grinning proudly up at the stand.
“Alright, Doctor?”
Kate sighed, gesturing at the crowd, catching sight of them on the screen. “I think your audience is expecting a little more from you than a conversation Bridgerton.”
Bridgerton’s taking a short break to check in with his wife on the sidelines.
“Anthony, get the fuck back out there!” Pep’s voice cracked across the pitch, echoing in the radio clipped to the shoulder of her shirt.
Anthony’s laughter broke through the noise, his eyes shining at her, cupping his hand to his mouth as he called out to the audience, “What do you think?! Should the doctor give me a tiny kiss to send me back off to work?” The stadium roared, the noise deafening as Anthony grinned, “I’m afraid they want what they want Kate.”
She scoffed, something ridiculous fluttering in her chest as his child kicked at her stomach, recognising the voice, but she stood anyway, taking a single step towards him, his smile infectious, and just as she reached him his hand darted out, tugging her firmly against his chest before he dropped her into a deep dip, his lips crashing against hers for a long moment while the crowd roared.
He was still grinning at her, his hair falling over his eyes as he set her back on her feet, tugging her coat more tightly around her. “How’s little sprout?”
“He’s good.” She nodded, Anthony’s hand pressed firmly to her stomach an excited gasp falling from his chest as the baby kicked firmly. Just like he did every time.
“Anthony! Come the fuck on!” Gregory grunted as he sprinted past, slapping his brother on the back of the head, and finally Anthony kissed her quickly on the forehead.
“Look after my wife and Baby Bridge, Sophie!” And while the crowd roared behind him he backflipped back into play.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to be this nauseating after three years together.” Sophie hummed a little disgustedly when Kate settled back in her seat.
“We’re not nauseating.” Kate rolled her eyes though something a little smug settled in her chest.
It was still difficult some times to think about the stark difference in her life before and after Anthony. Difficult to remember what it had been like when she’d gone home every night and told herself she wasn’t lonely, that she was fine on her own. That she’d told Mary and Edwina so many times that she didn’t want to get married, she was never having children: She had her career and that was fine. And maybe it had been until Anthony had barrelled headlong into her life like a rampaging rhinoceros, trampling the walls she’d built so carefully.
He’d been all in from the second her lips had crashed against his while tears streamed down her face, so open and ready to love her. So much so they’d barely been together six months before his voice had burst from his chest while she sat on his sofa, FaceTiming with Edwina, Newton on his stomach.
“I want to buy a house for us! So we can raise our kids there!”
Kate had nearly dropped her phone as she spun back towards him, a little taken aback by the hard look in his eyes, his fists clenched at his side.
“Did Anthony just… yell at you that he wants to buy you a house?”
Kate had sighed, “Yeah, he did. Um- I’ll call you later, Eddie.” She’d hung up the phone, standing and making her way over to him, perched at his breakfast bar, his eyes now somewhere on the floor, his shoulders heaving. “Anthony, are you serious?”
His brow had furrowed, his breath leaving him a huff, eyes catching hers. “Is that want you want? For me to have been serious?”
She’d tugged at his arms until they’d made a cradle, “Hold the puppy, and tell me what you want to say.”
He’d wrapped his arms tightly around Newton for a long second before he’d sighed, “I want to buy us a house, and I know we haven’t been together that long but this is good right? This is great, and it’s- forever for me. And I want to wake up every day with you somewhere that’s ours.”
His words had caught in her throat as she’d knelt in front of him, tears pricking at her eyes. “I don’t want you to buy a house for me.”
His face, that had been so hopeful seconds before had fallen. “Oh right um- yeah it’s too- it’s too soon, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it-”
“If we’re moving in together, we’re buying a house together okay?”
He’d darted forward, his lips crashing against hers, their tiny dog cradled gently in his strong arms. “”Let’s buy a fucking house then!”
They’d spent a month looking at house after house until they’d found it, a six bedroom house in Didsbury with dark wooden floors and wood fires, and stained glass windows in the conservatory, and a kitchen with exposed beams, and even though it had been well out of their budget, Anthony had turned to her after three minutes and said,
“This is it right? This is our house.”
She’d felt it too, her fingers intertwined with his, “It’s… way over what we agreed we’d spend.”
Anthony had scoffed, turning back to the agent with his best Anthony Bridgerton I’m a celebrity smile, tugging Kate with him, “Alright, Janine, let’s talk offers! I’m willing to offer a million over asking if we can expedite the settlement.”
Two weeks after they’d moved in she’d come home from Mary’s to find him in their living room, on one knee, an engagement ring clutched in his hand and there’d been nothing else for her to say.
And nothing else had even come close to the way it had felt when their families had rallied around them. The way Eddie had teased her while haldi was spread on her skin while both of their families laughed around them. The way Violet’s voice had shaken when she’d neatly penned Anthony’s name in mehndi, hidden for him to find, You’ve brought my son back, and you didn’t have to try, and you didn’t even know. But he’s back, and I can’t thank you enough for that. The way Mary had hummed as she’d wrapped the blue and gold silk around her, her father’s sister’s staring back at her from the mirror and she’d barely recognised her own reflection Your Papa would be so proud of you.She’d paused before she’d sighed, And honestly he’s probably bragging in heaven about ho his son in law plays for City. Anthony had looked so proud, so handsome, standing under the mandap, his shoulders shaking when his clothes had been tied to hers and he’d linked her pinky with his while they’d taken the first seven steps of their new life together while tears had run down his cheeks. And his voice had shaken in her ear as they’d danced together at the reception,
“I am going to love you so much, Kate, I promise. I am so fucking happy I can’t breathe.”
It had tugged at her chest, the new ring proudly on his finger odd against her hand. “Don’t forget to breathe, I’m not doing mouth to mouth on you at our wedding.”
Anthony had sighed, “I was hoping you’d do a little-” He’d trailed off in a gasp, jabbing at a spot near her elbow, “I FOUND MY NAME!”
And the entire room had cheered when he’d pressed his lips to hers.
“You are pretty nauseating it has to be said.” Lucy hummed beside her, “Evans is favouring his left leg, we should look into that this week.”
“Oh and you and Gregory are never nauseating.” Kate said a little accusatorially.
Lucy was barely ruffled, though her eyes caught on the engagement ring that had been hers for only a few weeks. “Gregory and I are adorable, actually, there’s a difference.”
Any further conversation was made impossible seconds later when Anthony roared in triumph with the rest of the stadium, when the ball made its home in the back of the net off his boot.
“He’s really excited to become a dad.” Sophie hummed nudging her as Anthony made a show of wiping sweat from his forehead with his shirt right in front of her, flexing his abs far more than necessary, her wedding rings burning on the chain around her neck. “It’s very sweet actually.”
“It’s… very sweet.” Kate agreed.
But honestly, that didn’t even begin to cover it.
Honestly looking back, Kate, an actual doctor, was a little embarrassed that she hadn’t figured it out a little sooner. Unless that person was Edwina. If Edwina was asking, Kate had known all along.
And of course there’d been signs, she’d been tired, and her stomach had been sensitive, but she’d ignored them all, brushed them all off until she’d been sat in her office, with three different slices of cake in front of her and Sophie had hummed.
“No shade, cake’s great, but you usually… don’t eat sweets as much as savouries.” Kate had shrugged, humming happily. “You’re not pregnant are you?”
Kate had laughed for a long moment, before something had clicked, her mind racing, panic and excitement flickering in her chest.
“Kate, relax, I’m joking.” Sophie had laughed, settling behind her desk, casting Lucy a slightly incredulous look.
“Sorry, I um- I forgot I have to… go to a dress fitting with Edwina. She’s… she’s getting married.” She had but that hadn’t been the point.
“We… know she’s getting married. To Matt, the nursery teacher. In September. We’re going…” Lucy had trailed off, her eyes narrowing.
“Right. Yeah! Bye!” Kate had snatched her bag off her desk. “Enjoy the cake!”
An hour later she’d been staring down at a positive pregnancy test while tears fell on her hands, but she hadn’t been anything but happy, as she’d slipped back into her office.
“How was the dress fitting?” Sophie had hummed a little astutely, as she’d settled back at her desk.
“Fucking great actually! I’m really excited!” It had slipped out before she’d caught the surprised look on both their faces. “For Eddie to get married! Matt’s great, and um- he’s- they’re sweet.”
Her heart had hammered in her chest all afternoon, every time Anthony looked at her it had burned in her chest.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Anthony’s eyes had narrowed at her as she made dinner.
“How am I looking at you?” Kate had rolled her eyes at him, though she knew very well she’d been itching to drag him down to the floor from the minute she’d seen him leaning against her office door this afternoon, his hair still damp and tousled from his post practice shower, his kit bag hung over his shoulder, muscles flexing.
He raised an eyebrow a little superiorly, arms crossed against his chest. “Honestly, Doctor Sharma like you’d like to steal my virtue.”
Kate had scoffed, “Your Virtue? What are you? A Jane Austen heroine?”
He’d wiggled his eyebrows, “Yes. I was so chaste before I met you.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
He’d leant over the counter, brushing his lips against hers, “Kind of makes you fall in love with me right?”
She’d sighed while her heart pounded in her chest, while his thumb ran over the obscenely sized ring on her left hand. “Yeah, kinda.”
"I um- I got you a gift today.”
She’d been sitting together on the sofa after dinner, his hand splayed over her stomach, even though he didn’t know yet. His chin resting on her shoulder.
Anthony had wiggled his eyebrows at her, his finger tugging on the front of her blouse peering down the front, "I've seen that one before. Enjoyed it though."
Kate had scoffed, swatting his hands away as she'd stood, "Your gift isn't me tonight."
Anthony had sighed, flopping back against the sofa, that adorable crease appearing between his eyebrows even as he tugged her to straddle him as she came close again, a tiny square gift wrapped in brown paper, pink and blue ribbon around it left on his chest. Kate stared down at him, her lower lip caught between her teeth, her fingernails running little patterns along his chest, nudging it towards him.
"What is it?” He grunted curiously, staring down at it, nudging it with his chin.
She'd rolled her eyes, "The crazy thing about presents is you can open them and find out, Babe.”
He’d reluctantly lifted his hands from her hips, snatching it from his chest, sighing as he tugged at the tape, tearing the paper quickly with the excitement of. Small child "Well, I doubt it's going to be as nice as something from La Perla but-"
He stopped dead as the content fell onto his chest. His eyes widening as he took I. The tiny blue onesie she’d bought in the team store at the stadium with the test still tucked In the pocket of her skirt, avoiding eye contact the entire time.
Bridgerton
7
Was printed on the back, the first place he’d looked, his fingers skimming over his own name. Kate had been able to see the tears pooling in his eyes as he swallowed convulsively a few times, his eyes fluttering closed for a long moment as his breath left him in a huff before they shot open again and his eyes found hers, his hand shooting out to cup her cheek, adjusting her glasses for her quickly.
"Kate is this-?”
She’d nodded, tears swimming in her own eyes as she wiped the ones on his own face.
"I'm... gonna be a Dad?"
She nodded again, even more softly. "Yeah."
He sat up so quickly he almost toppled her, sealing their lips together, chest to chest, the life they'd created between them.
"Are you happy?" His voice had stuttered, forehead pressed against hers, so his lips brushed hers with every word.
"I'm so happy.” She’d pressed it against his skin, so he was forced to feel it, feel how much she loved him every day.
“We’re having a baby.” His voice was filled with awe, his fingers hesitantly reaching for her stomach, a tiny excited squeak leaving his chest. “I’m sorry, I’m so fucking excited.”
“I love you.” She’s brushed her lips against his for a long moment, “And I love the way you love me, and you are going to be the most amazing father.”
“I love you.” Anthony had huffed, “So much, I can’t stand it. But I just have one correction: I’m a Papa.”
“Anthony, remember, we talked about it: we’re going to tell everyone in a really calm, collected manner.” Kate had hummed a few weeks later, sitting in the obnoxious Porsche SUV he’d insisted on buying the day after she’d told him hissing My car is a fucking deathtrap, Kate! The baby needs safety!
Anthony had nodded, practically vibrating with excitement outside his mother’s house, “Yeah, yeah yeah yeah.I’ll be calm, I was so calm when we told Mary and Edwina yesterday.”
Kate’s eyes had narrowed, “ Screaming KATE’S KNOCKED UP isn’t exactly what I’d classify as calm, babe, but I do love the energy.”
“I’ll be good, I can be so calm!” Anthony had said, clambering from the car before he opened her door.
And of course, they hadn’t been inside fifteen seconds before Anthony screamed “KATE’S HAVING MY BABY! I’M GONNA BE A PAPA!”
“Well, you tried, honey.” Kate had sighed as the room erupted into chaos.
“Well he doesn’t have too long to wait now.” Sophie hummed, clapping with the rest of the crowd.
Kate hummed, wincing a little at the pain that shot through her stomach. “Nope. He’ll get to witness the miracle of childbirth later tonight at this rate.”
Lucy and Sophie both froze. “What?”
“I started having contractions about ninety minutes before the match started.” Kate shrugged, “I think we should up Evans’ physio to three times a week for the next two months, he really is favouring that leg.”
She was met with stunned silence for a long moment before Sophie let out a squeak, “Kate! Go to the hospital! What the fuck?”
“Jesus Kate this is ridiculous even for you. Pep! You need to pull Anthony!”
Pep’s brow furrowed, “What? Why?”
“Never mind Pep!” Kate called back, turning back to the other women, “I’m fine. I’m a doctor! Besides, look how much fun he’s having!” Anthony slid into a tackle, leaping back up with a delighted grin. “It’s his last season, and I have ages.” She paused for a long moment, “On an unrelated note, I do need to leave the field for a second because my water just broke. I’ll bring back a towel.”
“You’re fucking insane!” Sophie called after her.
And Dr Sharma’s leaving the pitch, let’s hope it doesn’t signal ill for any of the players.
Kate waved Anthony off as she left the pitch, but she could feel his eyes following her.
“Yeah, just take a left here.” Kate hummed, trying not to wince as Anthony drove home, excitement still bouncing off him as it always was after a match, his hair still tousled with sweat.
She’d tugged him out of the change room almost as soon as his post match interviews, “You can shower later, honey.”
Anthony had grinned, “Oh. We’re playing that game today. You want me sweaty tonight ey?”
“Sure.” Kate had said quickly, nearly desperate by this point, the contractions coming just four minutes apart, Dragging him from the changing rooms still in his kit, muddy socks rolled down, his sneakers dangling from his hands.
“And take a right up here.”
Silence echoed through the car as Anthony caught sight of the sign ahead of them, glowing red in the night.
“Kate.” His voice was slow, wary,
“Yep, just park here.” Kate nearly grunted.
“Darling, Honey, baby. Is there a reason you’ve directed me to the hospital?” He said, his voice nervous as he pulled the car to a stop.
Kate sighed, hopping down from her seat, looking back at her bewildered husband. “Yeah, I went into labor before your match started.”
Her car door closing wasn’t enough to muffle Anthony’s startled, “What?!”
Kate slowly made her way through the hospital doors, The sound of the car door opening and closing in a panic behind her.
“Katharine! He’s Early! Kaaaaaate!”
“Hi.” Kate smiled at the woman behind the counter. “I went into labor a little while ago, my contractions are now-” She looked at her watched with a stab of pain. “Three minutes apart!”
The woman looked a little surprised, gesturing for an orderly to bring over a wheelchair, her eyes widening as Anthony skittered through the door, still in his complete game day kit, mud covering his legs, her go back slung over his shoulder. The most recognisable face in football, looking like a startled deer.
“Lovely! Will Dad be joining us?”
“Keep up, Anthony!” Kate called out to him, as he sprinted towards her.
“I’m mad at you!” He hissed, “How could you not tell me you were literally birthing my son on the side of the pitch?!” The midwife who joined them on the walk looked a little startled as Anthony grunted, “Yes. It’s me, Anthony, great to meet you!”
“I was fine. I do know about childbirth! I am a doctor!” Kate hissed back, swatting away the fan he’d pulled from god knows where. “It’s January stop fanning me!”
The midwife looked a little perplexed as Anthony hissed, “You’re a sports doctor! When was the last time you delivered a baby outside residency?!”
“You aren’t going to be mad in a few hours when you have your son!”
“Our son!” Anthony corrected as the room door slammed shut behind them, “And I will be!”
He wasn’t.
“He is so beautiful, Kate.” There were tears in Anthony’s voice as he sat perched on the hospital bed beside her, their tiny son cradled gently in his arms, her chin resting on his shoulder, staring down at their child, her heart pounding in her chest just for the two of them. “I love you so much. Thank you, Thank you for him.”
Kate hummed, tears pricking at her eyes as she looked down at her son, his hair already curling a little at the ends, his sleepy frown a perfect mirror of Anthony’s. “He’s perfect. He looks like you.”
Anthony’s head shot up, tears rolling down his face despite the proud smile causing tears of her own to slip past her cheeks. “You think? His hair’s curling. He got your hair!”
Anthony had been so sure their children would have curly hair, he’d fixated on it, so much so Kate had been almost worried. “He got my hair. Edmund.”
They’d settled on the name almost as soon as they’d heard they were having a boy, Kate’s stomach swirling when she’d said, nervously.
“What about a family name? What about Edmund? Neddy.”
Anthony’s lips had crashed against hers for a long moment, his voice aching when he’d said, “If Edmund is his first name, Tharman is his middle.”
And she’d thought in that moment, she couldn’t love Anthony any more than she did right then and there.
But looking down at him gently crying tears of joy while he clutched their son to his chest, Kate knew she’d been wrong.
“I am so fucking- sorry for cussing Neddy- excited.” Anthony whispered, his hands nearly shaking with it. “I am going to teach him to play football, and ride and bike, and play the trumpet really badly, and I’ll help him with his homework- not that he needs it, he’s going to be a genius- and I’ll love him, Kate. I’ll love him and you so much, I promise.”
He sounded so earnest that Kate nearly had to look away, but she couldn’t, trapped as she was by the love radiating from her. And it was so hard to imagine now, that she’d nearly let this slip away from her completely. That she’d stood, frozen with fear, and nearly let the most incredible person she’d ever known slip away from her. And she’d be thankful every day that she hadn’t.
“You already love me. And I don’t think I’ll ever know what I did to deserve it, but I’m glad I did it. I love you so much, Anthony.” She took a shuddering breath, her fingers carding through his hair. “I love our son, and our life, and I’m lucky to be loved by you.”
He shook his head gently, careful not to disturb Edmund, his voice even more gentle. “You saved me in so many ways you’ll never know them all.”
Kate couldn’t help but chuckle, echoing some of the first words she’d ever spoken to him “And imagine I managed to do it without my tits getting in the way.”
Anthony gasped in faux shock, his handsome face delighted. “In front of your son? That’s bold, Kate. And you have to admit, they got a little in the way.”
“Are you ready for visitors?” Mary’s nervous voice startled them apart just a little, Violet loitering behind her, peering curiously inside.
“Mary! Mum! We have a baby!” Anthony crowed quietly as he ushered them inside, and right there as she watched Anthony Bridgerton, who she once thought stood for everything she hated, proudly place their son in her mother’s arms his voice gently saying This is your grandma Mary and Violet, Sprout: She fell in love with him all over again. And she couldn’t help but think she’d like to do it all over again tomorrow as well.