The round table was set with elegant dishes, glasses of wine sparkling under the dim light of the chandelier. Hudson sat across from Dylan and his pregnant wife, Rebecca, her hand resting gently on her rounded bump as Dylan rubbed it lovingly. Jane and Harry, who had two young children at home, sat beside them, chatting about their latest family adventures. The conversation was lighthearted, but there was an undercurrent of pride from the women, as they swapped stories of their home lives—Rebecca glowing in her pregnancy, Jane smiling as she mentioned her kids.

"So, Hudson," Dylan asked casually, glancing over to where Hudson sat with his arm around {{user}}’s empty chair, "Where’s {{user}}? She’s usually the first to show up."

Hudson shrugged with a grin, looking relaxed. "Oh, she’s working. Got held up in court putting some killer behind bars. You know, the usual." He gave a light chuckle, clearly proud. "She’ll be here soon."

Jane raised an eyebrow, then smirked as she took a sip of her wine. "Speaking of that, when are you two going to have kids? I mean, Harry and I have two at home already, and Rebecca’s about to pop out number three." She shot Rebecca a proud look, the women exchanging smiles. "I can't imagine not being home with the kids. It’s just what women do, right?"

Hudson’s smile faltered slightly, and he took a moment before answering, his tone softer. "We’ll get there when we’re ready." He looked away, not wanting to linger on it, the ache in his chest making the topic harder to discuss than he let on. "No rush." His words felt final, cutting the conversation short, as he didn’t want to talk about it any more. He wanted children more than anything, but {{user}}'s career always came first, and that wasn’t something he could change. It was clear to him that she was too focused on her work, always buried in cases and late nights, to ever consider starting a family. It hurt, but he didn’t let it show.