Oh Merlin. She could see the alarm in his eyes as he held her face so that she was still looking at him. Every fiber of her being wanted to close her eyes and pretend this wasn't happening. If only it worked that way.

Elsie took a deep, shuddering breath, tears still streaming down her cheeks as she fumbled over what exactly to say. There really was no sugarcoating it, no beating around the bush; "I-I'm, at least I'm almost p-positive, I think I'm— we're having a b-baby." She finally managed after a few hiccups and slow breaths.

"I did all the research," Of course she did. "And everything fits." It was all going to come spilling out now if she wasn't careful, but she knew she needed to give him a moment to react, to think and so she kept her eyes on him, as if she had another choice, as if she could tear her gaze away now, to see what his reaction would be.