I was tired of pushing. Tired of the shouting, the people, the pain. I wanted to stop so badly but I could not - it was too late for changing my mind. I could feel Jane's hand gripping mine and I suddenly worried that I was hurting her - but currently I was hurting more. I imagined Harry pacing in the corridor outside my room but my thoughts were broken by my own screaming.

Suddenly the pushing stopped and a strange feeling enveloped me - a feeling of emptiness. I let out a few shallow shaking breaths and opened my ears to the sound of a child screaming. My child. I smiled in relief as she screamed endlessly in the matron's arms and wanted to hold her more than anything in the world; when she was finally placed in my arms the feeling of emptiness went away and looked to Jane in excitement. I had a daughter. I looked down at her newly peaceful face and watched as she learnt to open her eyes - learnt to smile. I was overwhelmed with feelings of compassion, love and happiness all in a moment of seconds; my joy increased when Harry ran through the door and fell to his knees by my bedside. I handed over the bundle of muslin to my fiancé and hugged Jane close to me. 

"Mary" I gave a sigh of happiness and I looked to Harry for approval on my baby's name. Nodding he held her tightly to him and smiled down at my beautiful new daughter. Only one thing haunted me - one thing that only I knew...

He would want to see his daughter. He would want to meet her, to hold her - to take her. Even now with me looking down into her small wrinkled face, I saw his eyes - my smile but his eyes. Despite my love for her I had lost all feelings for him a long time ago. Long before I met Harry. He was out there somewhere - somewhere in the darkness. In his office? The streets? The whorehouse perhaps? I did not know not care to find out. Instead I pushed James Hammond from my mind and continued to tell Harry that Mary was his new daughter. 

I told everyone that she was his daughter...