Hello, m'dears! This is my first time writing something for War Horse so I hope people will enjoy it :)

Summary: A War Horse one-shot. Captain Nicholls and his wife share their last night together before he leaves for France. Inspired by Maroon 5's 'Daylight'.
Pairing: Captain Nicholls/OC.
Rating: T - Strong T for scenes of a sensual nature, but I don't think it's enough to make it an M rating. But if anyone thinks otherwise, let me know and I'll change the rating.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with War Horse. I only own my OC. The lyrics used at the beginning belong their artists respectively.

Daylight

"Here I am waiting, I'll have to leave soon, why am I holdin' on
We knew this day would come, we knew it all along
How did it come so fast
This is our last night, but it's late and I'm tryin' not to sleep
'Cuz I know, when I wake I will have to slip away
And when the daylight comes I'll have to go
But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close
'Cuz in the daylight, we'll be on our own
But tonight I need to hold you so close."
'Daylight' | Maroon 5

Georgiana Nicholls glanced up from her embroidery to gaze over at her husband. She couldn't help but smile softly when she saw that James was still sleeping soundly in his chair in front of the hearth. She could not blame him. The poor man had been entirely exhausted when he had walked in earlier that evening. He had collapsed into a chair without even changing out of his uniform and Georgiana did not have the heart to wake him, not when he looked so peaceful for once.

His impending departure for France was weighing heavily upon him – upon both of them; and though he tried to hide it from her, Georgiana knew that he was scared. She was too.

The fire in the grate had dwindled down to almost nothing but the last few glowing embers, making it almost impossible for her to continue her needlework in this poor light. Though she was only doing it to keep her occupied and in the vain hope of stopping her mind from wandering.

She let out an abrupt little gasp as she felt a sudden twinge in her midriff and one hand immediately flew to the sizeable bump there. She felt the tiny movement again and despite everything, Georgiana couldn't stop the joyful smile from forming on her face. The baby was kicking! Oh, this was the second time it had happened now. She had been so excited to tell James; she hadn't had the chance to when he had come in and now he wasn't even awake to share the moment with her!

As she sat there marvelling over the life she and James had created, after a moment or two, the little quivering twitches subsided and the baby seemed to settle down again. A desperate part of her hoped that James may be home before the little one was born, though she knew in her heart this could not be. Georgiana looked into the sleeping face of her beloved; she just knew he was going to be a wonderful father. When he wasn't carrying out his cavalry duties, he had really been so sweet and attentive while she had been expecting. A tiny, horrible nagging thought deep in the crevices of her mind wondered if this child would ever know its father.

Don't think like that! she scolded herself. She could feel tears begin to involuntarily well in her dark brown eyes but she blinked rapidly to keep them at bay. She would not cry. She had told herself that she wouldn't. Though it seemed her body was having other ideas. Curse those hormones!

Composing herself, Georgiana set her embroidery aside and rose from her seat to revive the fire. As she did so, she heard a stir of movement in the chair opposite her. She looked up to see James had woken up at last. His eyelids flickered open and she found herself lost in those beautiful sky-blue orbs. His eyes were one of the first things she had fallen in love with. When his sleepy gaze finally focused on her, he favoured her with a gentle smile.

"I'm so sorry, Gee. I did not mean to sleep for so long," he said quietly, rubbing at his eyes. But she dismissed his apology with a small shake of the head.

"It's alright, you need your rest. I know you have an early start tomorrow."

Tomorrow. Such a cruel and heartless word, she thought. She hoped tomorrow would never come. Georgiana never thought she could detest the simple word of tomorrow more than she did right now.

"Yes, but our time together is so limited as it is," he answered with a heavy sigh, reaching his hand out toward her. She rose and curled her fingers round his, and he brought her palm to his lips to place a kiss there.

James gazed up at his wife and his heart swelled the way it always did whenever he laid eyes on her. Mere words could not fittingly describe just how much it gladdened him that Georgiana was here with him right now. It actually felt like a physical aching pain in his chest to know that he was being forced to leave both her and their unborn baby.

She had claimed that she could not stand to be amongst the noisy hustle and bustle of the city during her pregnancy; that the clamour and smog wreaked havoc on her heightened senses and made her feel nauseous. James' parents had kindly let her stay at this charming little stone-built cottage which they owned, and she said she much preferred the peace and quiet of the countryside. James knew the true reasoning behind this was because she wanted to be closer to him and spend as much time as possible with him before he had to leave for France. The last couple of nights, he had chosen to sleep there at the cottage instead of at the soldiers' quarters, wanting to make the most of their remaining few days together.

Georgiana's hand tightened around his. Hang tomorrow, she thought decisively. Tomorrow could wait. Tonight, the chaos and horror of war and his leaving in the morning was naught but a bad dream. Tonight was just about the two of them – the three of them, rather, she thought as she ran a hand tenderly over her swollen belly.

"Well, then...in that case," she answered him, "we must make the most of the time we have got."

Before he could reply, she had pressed her lips to his in a light kiss. After a moment's hesitation, James' hands came to rest on her waist, holding her close to him.

She toyed with the knot of his tie and leaning towards his ear, she whispered, "I'm going upstairs. Give me ten minutes and then come and join me... "

She drew away a little, giving him a pointed look, and though her tone remained light, her eyes were ablaze with a mixture of longing, sadness and desire. James swallowed. Her meaning could not have been more clear. He tried to pull her back towards him, but she managed to evade capture.

"Ah, ah, ah! Patience, my dear," she playfully scolded, though she could not resist another kiss.

"You tease," James whispered after her hoarsely.

Smiling coyly, she added, "I'll be waiting... " before turning for the door.

Once in the bedroom they were temporarily sharing, Georgiana quickly lit a candle and changed out of her dress, putting it away before taking a nightgown and robe out from a drawer and pulling them on. The luxurious garments were from Paris, a gift from her sister; the most risqué items of clothing she owned, but Georgiana had a feeling that James would appreciate them.

Looking down at her middle, she frowned a little. The gown felt a bit tight, though not enough to cause physical discomfort, but certainly enough to notice. Not wishing to dampen the mood, however, she pushed that thought aside as she smirked to herself, remembering she wasn't going to be wearing it for much longer.

Sitting down in front of the vanity table, she removed the pins that were holding her elaborate coiffure in place, shaking her head to release her long, auburn curls so that they tumbled around her shoulders. She gave them a thorough brushing, and had almost finished, when she felt a familiar hand gently grasp her wrist to stop her from perfecting her hairstyle. Without a second's hesitation, Georgiana glanced at the nearby clock.

"You're early, oh impatient one," she said smilingly, allowing James' hands to find their way to her shoulders. "I wasn't done yet."

"Forgive me," he said, though his tone didn't sound in the least apologetic. "As a penance, I think I should help you finish what you were doing."

James slowly ran his hands through her hair. After a few innocent strokes, he smiled at her in the mirror's reflection, and his affectionate ministrations soon turned into something more sensuous. When he smelled her oh-so familiar scent of lavender, James could not resist drawing her even closer to him, kissing each spot it radiated from: the hollow of her throat...below her ear... Georgiana tilted her head a little, allowing him better access to the smooth column of her neck, over her fluttering pulse. The feeling of his mouth on her skin left her tingling and she let out a gasp of approval. Unable to take it any longer, Georgiana turned in her seat, gripping his forearms to stand up and covered his lips with her own.

"Oh, Jim... " she whispered, her breathing becoming more ragged.

Encouraged by this, James slid his hands beneath her robe to ease it down her slender arms. At the sight of the sleeveless gown he had revealed, he thought he had lost the ability to breathe. He had never seen this particular garment before... But he liked it. A lot. He gazed at her, his cerulean eyes sparkling in the candlelight with love and desire, heart racing at the thought of what was to come.

"My dear, you are so beautiful," he murmured, admiring her at arm's length.

Her cheeks flushed, suddenly feeling self-conscious as she watched his stare move to her expanded belly.

Relying on a bit of humour to make her feel better, she joked, "Are you talking to me...or someone else in there?"

James met her eyes again, smiling. "A little of both, I suppose." Sensing her insecurity, his smile broadened, and he leaned in to kiss her; a kiss so dizzying that it made Georgiana's head swim and her toes curl. "But this time is just for us...Mrs. Nicholls."

She smiled, somewhat sadly James noticed, as he reached a hand out to caress the length of her neck. She grasped that same hand to gently nuzzle into.

"In all the time we have been married, I still do love the sound of that," she said.

For it was true; she counted herself truly lucky to be married to such a good, kind man as he. But fate, being the cruel mistress she could be at times, was taking him away from her in the morning. Georgiana mentally shook her head, wanting to shut out the harsh reality of the outside world for tonight; not forgotten, just ignored. She was determined to give him the special night that only her husband deserved.

Her smile then turned to a rather teasing one, which set James' heart aflutter, and she pushed him down so he was sat on the edge of their bed. She fingered the buttons on his shirt and wasted no time in pushing the suspenders down off his shoulders, removing both in one fluid motion. As always, the sight of her husband's body simply took her breath away. Her fingers glided over the contours of his finely-sculpted torso almost reverently, as though committing each and every single inch of him to memory. She returned the favour of kissing his neck, delighting at the sound of his pleasured sighs as she peppered light kisses along his jaw line, down over his Adam's apple before making her way back to his mouth.

"Make love to me, Jim," she whispered against his lips.

Easing her back carefully onto the pillows, James hovered above her, one long forefinger tracing the pattern at various places of her gown. He tugged at the hem and carefully pulled the garment off and over her head to gaze down at a body that was familiar and yet different to him. Her bosom had swelled, her shape was even more curvaceous and womanly than usual, with more of her to lavish attention upon, and he took full advantage of it. After a while, when he couldn't take it any longer, Georgiana heard him let out a low, shuddery groan.

"Gee..." he whispered, her chosen nickname like a prayer on his lips. He looked at her sincerely. "Darling, I don't want to hurt you," he murmured hoarsely, concern visible in his eyes.

Georgiana smiled, deeply touched by this sentiment.

"I'll be fine, my love," she assured him, reaching out to stroke a strand of golden hair from his face. "We might have to be a little...creative, but all will be well." She rested herself more comfortably against the pillows, looking up at him pleadingly. "Make love to me..." she repeated.

James did not need to be asked again. He held her in his arms, heightening his exploration gradually. He would pause every now and then to make sure that she was alright. Every time he did this, Georgiana would let out a moan - not in pain, but in protest of his stalling. He did not need that much encouragement for James willingly continued to love her, kissing and caressing her; telling her he loved her, vowed to do so forever. The couple savoured every movement, every sensation, every whispered word of affection, every breath, like it was their last... No, no, no, this wouldn't be the last. He was going to come back. He had to!

It was truly dark outside the windows and the candle on the table beside them had almost died completely by the time the pair of them lay in each other's arms, spent, satisfied and for a while at least, perfectly contented. As James tried to catch his breath from their last venture, Georgiana stroked his hair as both of their heartbeats began to resume their normal pace.

"You are so incredible," she murmured, her voice trembling from the sheer intensity of the moment. Pressing her lips to his forehead, she added with a smirk, "Quite the talent, indeed."

James let out a quiet laugh, the sound muffled a little as his head was resting at her breast. He raised it slightly to look at her.

"Thank you...I aim to please," he replied, sounding so content. "You are quite remarkable yourself."

Georgiana snuggled closer into his embrace, taking hold of his hand and placing it on top of her swelling midriff. James, whose eyes had drifted closed, immediately snapped them open again in surprise as, right on cue, Georgiana felt something nudge inside her, and he felt it, too. When he looked at her questioningly, she smiled softly.

"I was going to tell you, but apparently, the baby isn't one for surprises."

James' blue eyes lit up in realisation. "That was... ?" She nodded, and he stared back at her middle in awe. The tiny life inside kicked again, and James let out a laugh in amazement. "My God...our baby... "

"Our baby," she echoed. "Mine... " She lightly kissed his temple,"...Yours. You did that," she breathed into his ear.

James was utterly speechless for a moment. Then he pulled her into a deep kiss, feeling he may just burst with the love he felt for this woman. Stroking some wayward strands of auburn hair which had fallen across her face, he whispered, "I love you."

"And I love you, Jim..."

Georgiana sniffed, her vision becoming blurred and before she could stop them, tears had spilled down her cheeks.

"I'm going to miss you so much!" she suddenly choked out, burying her face against his chest and wrapping her arms around him. "I don't know what I'll do if you don't come back," she whispered, the tears continuing to fall silently.

James drew back a little to look her in the eyes. "I made a promise to young Albert and I'll make the same one to you: I will do everything in my power to come home to you – to both of you," he added." All that I ask is that you wait for me..."

"You don't even have to ask me that," she said, tightening her hold on him. "Of course I will wait for you. That goes without saying."

James reached up to brush away the tears shining on her cheeks with the pad of his thumb.

"Let me see you smile for me, my darling..."

She managed a watery, half-hearted one. The two were quiet for a moment, James rubbing her side, trying to soothe her crying. When she appeared to have calmed, wanting to steer her onto a happier topic, he asked her quietly, "Do you remember when we first met?"

As he had hoped, a true smile graced her features. Georgiana knew that he had deliberately changed the subject and she loved him for it.

"Of course I do... It was in a park...and there were ducks in the pond," she said reminiscently, " 'Excuse me, miss,' you said, 'could you please point me the way to Barbary Lane?' "

"Rather daring opening line, wasn't it?" James joked.

"Why did you want to go to Barbary Lane, anyway?" Georgiana asked, eyeing him curiously.

"I didn't. I just wanted to find an excuse to pluck up the courage to start talking to you, and that was the first street which sprang to mind," he confessed. She laughed quietly and James revelled at the delightful sound. "Now...if my wife agrees, I think we need a reprieve, and I would very much enjoy simply lying here with my family while I can."

Georgiana smiled at him lovingly. "That actually sounds like a wonderful idea," she whispered, her eyes drifting closed, snuggling ever closer.

James held her as close to him as was humanly possible, her head tucked under his chin, neither daring to fall asleep for they did not want to miss out on a single minute they had remaining together. Both of them were praying time would decelerate further or better still, to just stop altogether, their hearts heavy with dread...wishing the dawn would never come.

I hope you enjoyed this, and if so, reviews would be very much appreciated. Toodles for now! xx