Topic: Six Little Stripes

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-01-29 09:42 EST
They say that time flies when you're having fun. Odd, how there's no saying to describe how time barely seems to move at all when you're not enjoying yourself or, say, waiting for a little strip to produce two blue stripes or just one. Despite a very enjoyable evening after they'd put their bed together, Beth and Jason had spent the following morning with a vague air of tension hanging over them. Thanks to their neighbor's unintentional jab at a sore spot, they needed to know if they were expecting or not, and that had to wait until they'd been to the store that morning and stocked up on what they needed, swinging by the ER so Beth could raid the stock cupboard for a test or three. So now they were waiting for three tests to complete their interminable three minutes and tell them conclusively whether or not there was a tadpole incubating in their lives.

Jason hadn't thought much about the prospect of children. He'd been too busy getting married and enjoying his honeymoon to think that far ahead yet, but he'd always believed he and Bethany would have a family when the time was right. Then again, was there ever a good time for starting a family, really' He wasn't quite sure, and though he was no spring chicken, Bethany had plenty of time ahead of her to have children. Neither was in any real rush, and yet, if they had been unexpectedly blessed with a child, he would welcome that child into their lives with all his heart. Three minutes seemed to take forever. Three minutes to find out if they were going to be parents or if they were going to have to wait a little longer. It seemed like the longest three minutes of his life.

Sitting on the edge of the bath in one of their many bathrooms, Beth couldn't help fidgeting. Whatever the outcome of this, they needed to talk, and she wasn't sure whether a positive result would help or hinder that. But hey, at least they were finding out together. That was good, right' She wasn't sure how she felt about the possibility of a positive result, either. Was she really ready to be a mom' Would she ever feel ready to be a mom' They'd find out soon enough. "How much longer?" she asked her husband, hoping he'd been keeping an eye on the time.

Jason was leaning in the doorway, staring at his watch as the second hand seemed to take forever to tick the minutes away. "Ninety seconds," he said. Had it really only been a minute and a half" He guessed there must be truth to the old saying that a watched pot never boils, or something like that. He was not quite as nervous as she was, prepared for either outcome. The only thing that worried him was the fact that he really wanted to give his mother a grandchild before it was too late, but he had not mentioned this to Beth, as he didn't want to put any undue pressure on her. They had only been married a few weeks and were just getting settled in a new home and sorting out their careers. One thing at a time.

One thing at a time, oh yes. Except those things were supposed to go in order. It hadn't been a part of the plan to do be having this long wait right now. But Beth was lost in thought, considering the last few weeks. She'd been enjoying herself so much on their honeymoon that she hadn't even stopped to consider if there might be something she was forgetting, and she knew she'd forgotten a certain little pill a few times, most notably on their wedding day. "You know, I don't think three minutes has ever felt this long before," she commented mildly, tapping her foot impatiently against the floor.

He wondered a little worriedly what her reaction would be if she was, indeed, unexpectedly pregnant. Would she welcome a child now, even if it did upset their plans a little" Would she resent the baby or him for making her pregnant' His mind was going in a thousand different directions, and he couldn't even hazard a guess at how she was feeling until those three minutes were up. "Sixty seconds," he announced.

Beth deliberately kept her eyes away from the sticks resting by the sinks in their master bathroom. She didn't want to watch as the lines created themselves, knowing that if she looked too soon, she'd have to deal with premature disappointment and/or relief before the result was true. And just as Jason was worrying about her reaction, she was worrying about his. Did he really want kids right now, right this second" He'd been so intense about it last night, but he hadn't really said whether or not he would have been happy if she'd told him then and there that she was pregnant. How was she supposed to feel during this wait without knowing how he felt about it"

The seconds ticked by slowly, each of them lost in their own thoughts and concerns about the outcome of the tests. Jason was convinced he was ready to have kids, but hadn't they talked about getting a dog first' Changing jobs" Settling in" And Beth, she was only twenty-four. God, he hoped she didn't ask him if she could terminate the pregnancy. He wasn't sure he could live with that, though he'd abide by whatever decision she made. It seemed their lives were just getting started and already they were facing what could amount to the most important moment of their lives. "Thirty seconds."

She sighed softly, pushing herself onto her feet. This was not how she had imagined spending their first morning in the new house, but if it had to happen now, there was no other place she would rather it happen. What was the old saying - new house, new baby' Stood to reason they'd be testing that platitude. "At least I'm out of the ER, or I will be by the end of the week," she said quietly. "If this is positive, that wouldn't be the best place to be working."

"I'll ask about the transfer again. I've been working Homicide long enough. It's the least they can do," Jason added, letting her know without saying so outright that he'd do anything and everything he could to support her, no matter how the tests came out. He didn't suggest that she quit her job, knowing that wouldn't go over so well. He lifted his head as the second hand passed twelve, signaling the end of the long three minute wait. "It's time," he told her.

"It's time?" Panic suddenly flared in Beth's eyes as she looked up at him, waving her clenched fists at shoulder height like an over-excited toddler, the butterflies in her stomach quite literally creating a minor hurricane of their own accord as she flushed in anticipation. "Okay, it's time. I guess that means look at the tests, right' Right." She took in a breath, and utterly failed to turn around, lifting her gaze to his with a very young smile. "I can't."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-01-29 09:43 EST
Jason frowned, unsure what to think of her reaction. Was she excited or nervous or a little of both' A lot of both, probably. He realized it was going to be up to him to read the test strips, but he had no idea what it was he was even looking at. She was the nurse, not to mention the woman in question, not him. "Beth," he said with a sigh, reaching over to turn her to face him and away from the dreaded pregnancy test in triplicate. "Whatever the results are, positive or negative, it's not going to change how I feel about you."

"I know. No, I really do know that, I just ..." She let out another slow breath, trying to calm herself down. "I really didn't expect to be so nervous about this, you know" And it's not like I even know what I'm nervous about, because having a baby is a wonderful thing, and not having a baby just gives us more time to get ready for one, and I think I'm babbling. I never babble."

"Having a baby isn't going to change anything," he told her, lifting her chin to meet his gaze. Okay, that wasn't really true. Having a baby was going to change everything, but they were good changes. It just meant that the changes and adjustments they were already starting to make were going to have to happen sooner rather than later. Still, they'd have at least nine months to prepare. It was the not knowing that was killing them. "You want to have a family someday, right?" he asked, trying to make a point.

"Of course I do," she promised him, curling her hands to his hips. This was good; the more he made her focus on him, the calmer she got. "I wanna raise a family with you, and we've got this big house, and we're pretty secure. Don't you?"

"Yeah, of course I do. I just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon, but whatever happens....whatever those test strips say, it's not gonna change anything between us, okay?" he told her, offering a reassuring smile and a soft kiss to her lips. "Are you ready, Mrs. Daly?" he asked, brushing a soft caress of fingertips against her cheek.

She leaned into him as he kissed her, letting him reassure her nervous self that everything was going to be fine, no matter what the next couple of minutes brought them. Her cheek tilted into his caress as she opened her eyes. "No," she told him honestly, a small smile curving her wide mouth. "But it's now or never." She forced herself to turn around and look down at the three little strips, trained eyes seeking out something she had never really considered would ever be happening to her.

He wasn't quite sure if she was answering his question in regard to the results of the test or having a baby, but he was more than likely about to find out. He steeled himself for the results, reminded of the question he'd asked their new neighbor just the day before. "Do you believe in Fate?" Whatever the results, it was out of their hands. He found himself putting his trust in the gods to make the right decision for them. "Well?" he asked, unable to hide his anxiousness. It seemed their immediate future was left in the hands of three little strips.

Beth was quiet for a long moment, forcing her brain to detach from the butterflies in her stomach long enough to accurately read what her pilfered pregnancy tests were telling her. Her fingers skimmed the counter next to them as she absorbed the information, taking a slow, deep breath and letting it out gradually before she turned around. Her eyes met Jason's, and for just a moment, there was a sense of deep calm that settled over them. Until ....

"I'm pregnant!"

Beth let out a whoop of excitement, and threw her arms around her husband's neck, bouncing up and down. Evidently she wasn't upset about the news, anyway.

The longer it took for Beth to divulge the news, the more anxious Jason felt, his stomach tied up in knots at the not knowing. When she finally shared the exciting news, he blinked in surprise, his brain not quite digesting it right away, even as she threw her arms around his neck and bounced on her feet. He was a little confused at first, having assumed she was hoping for the opposite result. "Wait, you're pregnant?" he asked, as he unwound her arms from around his neck and tried to hold her still long enough to confirm what he thought he'd heard.

Dropping down onto her heels, Beth couldn't have wiped the silly grin off her face even if she had tried. "Yes, I'm pregnant," she confirmed for him, picking up the strips to show him the six blue lines that declared the truth and would for at least another couple of minutes. Brown eyes danced with hopeful excitement as she looked up at him. "We're having a baby."

"Oh my God," Jason muttered as he dropped down onto the toilet in a state of shock. Thankfully, the lid was closed or he would have gotten an even bigger shock. He had really expected the test results to be negative and had even been steeling himself for a disappointment that had never come. "We're having a baby?" he echoed, hardly believing his own ears. "Are you sure?" he asked, looking up at her for confirmation. From the look of excitement on her face, he knew without asking further that she had been telling the truth, and a sudden surge of excitement flooded him. "We're having a baby!" he repeated again, jumping to his feet and sweeping her up in his arms and swinging her around. Thankfully, the master bathroom was a decent size or she might have collided with the sink.

Beth's giggles reverberated around the suite, echoing off the tiled walls as she held on tight, swept off her feet by Jason's excitement. Strange, how she had been so worried about becoming pregnant and either of them not wanting it, and yet here they were, both sharing in a moment of sheer unbridled joy at the prospect of becoming parents. Hugging close to her husband, Beth kissed his cheek as she laughed, feet dangling for a moment before he set her down once again. "I guess you're happy about it?"

"Happy about it?" Jason echoed, grinning. "I'm ecstatic!" He kissed her again, his whole face lighting up, obviously happy, as well as relieved, though his mind was going a hundred miles a minute with all the thoughts and worries that went along with the news. "Are you happy about it?" he asked, needing to know how she felt about it, though she seemed as happy as he was.

She made a soft sound of delight as he kissed her, clinging to him with as much enthusiasm as he showed her. As he drew back, she couldn't contain her smile, letting it burst over her face even as he queried her for his own peace of mind. "Yeah," she assured him, her palms stroking up and down his arms. "I didn't think I would be, but ....Yeah, I'm really happy."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-01-29 09:44 EST
"We'll be fine, Beth," he said, feeling the need to reassure her. "It's a little sooner than we expected..." He laughed at his own choice of words. "Hell, a lot sooner! But we'll be fine. We'll figure it out. God, a baby." Everything was happening so fast. A year ago, they hadn't even met yet.

"Well, I hope it's a baby in there," she teased him, looping her arms around his waist to embrace him, laying her head on his shoulder. "God, this is huge. In a good, kinda scary way, emphasis on the good. And, uh ....I think I can tell you when it happened, too. If you want to know." She lifted her head, showing him a shy smile that softened her features tenderly.

He wrapped her in his arms, protectively, lovingly, stroking her hair as she laid her head against his shoulder. He was still filled with excitement, but there was something else there, too, a kind of affection and love bubbling up from somewhere inside him the likes of which he'd never felt before. If he was protective of her before, he felt even more protective of her now that she was carrying his child inside her. There were two of them to protect now, not one. "When?" he asked her curiously as she lifted her head to meet his gaze.

Her eyes sparkled, partly with mischief and partly with a rather sweet kind of joy. "New Year's Eve," she told him impishly. "I kinda sorta forgot to take my pill on our wedding day. So, uh ....happy belated wedding gift day?"

"Our wedding night?" Jason echoed. "You got pregnant on our wedding night?" He laughed, finding that amusing for some reason, maybe in part because of the teasing he'd gotten from both his mother and Miranda about providing them with grandchildren. Some men might have been angry that she'd forgotten to take the proper precautions, but he was, instead, ecstatic. He kissed her again, rubbing his nose against hers. "You're gonna be a mommy."

"Uh, yeah," she drawled laughingly, more than happy to kiss and be kissed as they shared these first moments of jubilation before the practicalities set in. Nuzzling to him, Beth drew her fingers through his hair affectionately, absolutely aware that there were at least three other people who would be wildly over the moon about their news. "And you're gonna be a daddy," she beamed back to him, brushing yet another kiss to his lips. "Your mom is gonna be ecstatic."

"So is yours," he pointed out, chuckling a little as another thought made itself known. "I hope your father doesn't kill me for getting his little girl pregnant." Though there was no reason to think he would. Rufus had given them his blessing, even if Jason still felt more than a little intimidated by the man. He drew back a little so he could take a better look at her, running his fingers through her hair before cupping her face in his hands. "Who should we call first?" he wondered aloud, thinking her mother should probably be the first to know, though he was tempted to shout it from the window to anyone who cared to stop and listen.

"Gods, Mom is gonna go mad on maternity clothes for me," Beth predicted with a snicker. Sometimes it came in handy having a fashion designer in the family - despite the fact that Miranda was choosing to focus on bridal fashion these days, there was no power in heaven or hell that was going to stop her trying to dress Beth like a ruffly pink princess with a bulging waistline unless she was reined in. She paused, her hands folded over his heart as they gazed into each other's eyes. "I think this is news they deserve to get in person," she told him. "And you should definitely tell your mom face to face. She doesn't get to spoil you as much as she wants to."

He knew she was probably right, but a trip to Rhy'Din wasn't really in the cards right now. They had just started moving in and they both still had to sort out what was going on with the changes in their careers. They'd only just gotten back from their honeymoon. He wasn't sure they had time for a trip to Rhy'Din now, unless it was a quick one. "Okay, when?" he asked, letting her make the decisions. Whatever she decided, he'd sort out his end of it.

Her hands fell to her waist, covering the place where their baby was growing. At least now she knew why she hadn't been all that interested in alcohol recently. "Can we wait a little while before we tell anyone?" she asked him quietly. "I don't want to, you know, get anyone's hopes up, and then screw up so badly that I miscarry. I don't think I could cope with a lot of people knowing about it, if that happened."

He frowned a little, more concerned for her and the baby than anything else, knowing that was certainly a risk, but hoping she was worried about nothing. "Should we pray to Vesta again?" he asked, reminding her of the prayer they'd made centuries ago and that seemed to be finally being fulfilled. Anyone else overhearing that question might misunderstand, but he guessed Beth would know what he was talking about.

Beth bit her lip thoughtfully once again. "Well, she is the goddess of hearth, home, and family," she murmured. "I guess it couldn't hurt. I mean, if she's still watching over us, then she won't let anything happen to the baby, will she?"

"Do you even remember how?" he asked. He'd been raised Catholic in this lifetime. As far as he knew, no one worshiped or prayed to Vesta anymore. Was she even still around" How did one go about praying to a Pagan Goddess in this day and age"

"Uh ....I have no idea," she admitted. "Maybe we should do a little research first. And, uh ....more unpacking. Because we have a bed and that's about it right now." A flicker of a grin crossed her face. "Or we could, you know, recreate the moment of conception. Whatever you fancy."

"Hmm," he mused, or pretended to muse, unable to hide the smirk from his face. "Decisions, decisions. Unpack or sex. Gee, I don't know." He smiled fondly down at her, pulling her close so he could kiss her, slowly, tenderly, ardently, demonstrating in no uncertain terms how much he loved her and how happy he was with this latest development.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-01-29 09:45 EST
She melted into his arms, any doubts fermenting in her mind brushed aside by the sheer joy of their unexpected discovery, by the certainty that no matter what, she had her Jason by her side and always would. Fingertips teased in and out of his hair as he kissed her, unable to keep herself from giggling despite their closeness, overwhelmed by how happy she felt. She never could have imagined being this excited about the prospect of parenthood.

He took his time, kissing her slowly and tenderly, until she interrupted him with a giggle, and he broke the kiss with a smile. Her happiness was contagious, and though he knew they were going to have to make some adjustments in the months to come, he felt relieved that she seemed just as happy about the news as he was. "I love you, Beth. We're gonna be okay," he said, brushing another kiss against her lips.

"I love you back," she promised him in a low whisper, pressing close. A bathroom wasn't the most romantic place in the world, but this particular bathroom was always going to be special now. She gazed up at him, tender and soft and smiling, even as a thought crossed her mind. "What if it's twins?"

"Twins?" he echoed, with a surprised look on his face. "Why would it be twins?" She wasn't a twin and neither was he. As far as he knew twins didn't run in his family, but then he remembered her cousin Gabi's twin boys. Still, twins were pretty rare, weren't they"

"They kinda run in my family," she shrugged. "Cian's a twin, and he wasn't an identical twin, he was a fraternal twin, and that's the genetic hereditary link." Beth chuckled, shaking her head. "I don't why I thought of that. One baby is more than enough at a time."

"Okay, but it's still not a given, right?" he asked, curiously. She was right - one baby at a time was enough, but more than one would be even more a blessing, especially since his mother was hoping for grandchildren before it was too late. "Is it too early for a scan?" He didn't really know much about babies or childbirth, but it was only a matter of time before he learned.

Beth bit her lip thoughtfully, rubbing her hands up and down his back as she leaned into him. "There's not much to see right now," she admitted to him. "At most, I'm five weeks gone, that means the baby is about two millimeters long. They usually do a scan between ten and twelve weeks, but I'll need to have a booking appointment before that. That's when they do the baseline observations and measurements, work out the due date, and pencil us in for the hospital birth."

"And find out if it's twins," he added, helpfully with a smile. It was probably about time they left the bathroom. "It's gonna be hard to keep it secret," he said, though so long as they didn't visit Rhy'Din anytime soon, it should be easy enough. He wasn't the type to share too much personal news with his co-workers, though he was still working on getting that transfer.

"Well, make a guess if it's twins," she laughed softly, giving him a gentle tug out of the bathroom. Their house was still stark and empty, but her mom was on the verge of moving in for a week or more to get them settled. Beth had a feeling their house was going to be full of parents before they were ready to share their news. "Yeah, it is," she agreed with a quiet giggle. "Maybe I'm being paranoid, I don't know. I'm pregnant!" This was squealed with fresh delight as she threw her arms around him again.

"Paranoid" About twins?" Jason chuckled. "You say that like it's a bad thing." He followed her out of the bathroom into the hallway. "You wanna bet Miranda finds out way before you're twelve weeks?" he asked, with a teasing smirk. He knew how close the pair was; there was no way Miranda wasn't going to figure it out if they didn't tell her.

"Oh, I'm not taking that bet," she laughed, hugging him affectionately. "I keep expecting her to suddenly show up on the doorstep with a huge van of stuff she's bought for us. Oh ....we're gonna have to choose a nursery room." Distracted by this, she moved to the door of the master bedroom - thankfully this house had a private sitting area attached to the master, so there would be no concerns over where the baby would go in the first few months.

"And you think you're gonna be able to keep that from your mother for long" She'll probably end up designing a line of baby clothes in your honor." He wasn't exaggerating. He knew Miranda well enough to know how she thought. "She'll probably want to pick a guest room and take up residence for a while." Not that he minded really, so long as Miranda didn't try to run their lives for them.

"So will Anna." Beth smiled fondly as she turned back to him. Though she didn't know his mother particularly well, she'd taken to Anna Daly, not worried at all by the understanding that, at some point, Jason's mom would be living with them. "Maybe we should tell them to duke it out between themselves and leave us out of it."

"If it is twins, we're gonna need all the help we can get," he remarked, at least in the beginning. He didn't really want both their mothers living with them on a permanent basis, though he wasn't sure what was going to happen with his own mother down the road. He knew the spell that had healed her was only temporary; it wouldn't last forever, but he didn't want to think about that right now.

"That's a big if right now," she pointed out cheerfully. "I'll make a doctor's appointment tomorrow and get it all confirmed and stuff. Hell, maybe they'll do an early scan and let us know one way or the other." Sliding her arms about his waist, Beth grinned up at her husband. "You realize my nesting phase is going to be completely manic, right?"

"Nesting?" he echoed, unsure what that word meant exactly, though he could probably figure it out if he thought about it hard enough. He was a man, after all, and nesting was mostly a female thing. "Aren't we doing that already?" he inquired, considering they had just moving into a new house.

"Oh, women go mad about having a clean house all ready for the baby when they're huge and close to popping," his charming wife warned him, reaching up to tweak the end of his nose. "But that won't happen for months yet. We can nest together early, maybe that'll stop me becoming a clean freak."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-01-29 09:45 EST
"Beth," he started, turning serious as the reality of the situation really started to sink in. "You're sure, right' I mean, the tests are pretty accurate, right?" She had taken three of them, and they'd all come up with the same results.

"As sure as I can be," she told him quietly, her smile fading finally as the sheer enormity of the facts made themselves known in her mind. "There's no way to be absolutely, one-hundred percent certain - that batch of tests could be wonky, or it could be a false-positive. That's why I need the doctor's appointment. To make sure."

"Okay, then how about this" It'll be our little secret for now, until we know for sure, but until then, we assume the tests are accurate. No heavy lifting, no alcohol. You need to eat right and get plenty of rest." Of course, that was probably sensible advice even for someone who wasn't pregnant, but Jason was taking no chances. He smiled as he tapped her nose lightly, not wanting her to worry, but needing to make sure they both took the news seriously.

"Just as well we went to the store this morning then, isn't it?" she chuckled, but there was a serious light in her eyes that assured him she was taking the situation as seriously as he was, despite her levity. "It's gonna make unpacking that van a bit of a challenge, though. Maybe we should call Dad and get him to flex his muscles with you. I could fake a bad back."

"Or we could take our new neighbors up on their offer to help," he suggested, though even that might result in sharing news they weren't quite ready to share yet. He sighed. "Oh, hell. You know what? Who cares" You're pregnant, and I want everyone to know about it!" He couldn't help but flash a grin. If this was a Disney musical, he'd probably have broken into song by now.

Beth laughed once again, giggling a little helplessly. It was big news, and news she wanted to share as much as he did, but at the same time, she couldn't help worrying that she was going to do something wrong and hurt the baby. Her hand dropped to her waist once again, wondering if the baby in there knew how loved it was already.

He smiled, glad she was laughing again. It was serious news, but it was also happy news, and he didn't want her worrying. He reached for her hand, linking his fingers with hers. "Tell you what....We can figure it out over breakfast. How's that sound?" She was eating for two now, after all. Or maybe three.

"That ....sounds great," she agreed, stepping close to him again as their fingers entwined. There was far more happy than worrisome in this news, after all. "Just so long as it's not half-fat oatmeal or anything revoltingly healthy like that."

"Actually, I was thinking pancakes. Unless you'd like leftover pizza," he teased with a smirk. For the next nine months - or however long it took to have a baby - he was more than likely going to drive her crazy making sure she was taking proper care of herself, and it was only just beginning.

"Mmm, pancakes sound yummy," Beth conceded cheerfully, finally moving to leave the master bedroom and head for the stairs that would take them down and into the expansive main floor of their new home. "I'm gonna save the pizza for lunch. Thank God we brought in the kitchen boxes before we went shopping today, huh?" Because the argument over the weight of the box of pans would have gone on a lot longer if they'd done the tests first.

"Blueberry pancakes," he added, having just bought some fresh blueberries that morning when they were at the store. It wasn't too late for breakfast, but too early yet for lunch. "You are not lifting another thing," he warned as he followed her toward the stairs.

She rolled her eyes, but one thing Beth had learned about Jason was that he could out-stubborn her easily if he had to. She wasn't going to win this one. "Fine, no heavy lifting," she qualified his warning. "But you gotta let me do something, okay, baby' Pregnant, not terminal."

"You can tell me where to put the boxes," he replied, as they started down the stairs to the kitchen. The house was still stark and bare, but they had everything they needed to live comfortably for now. There was no real rush. There was food in the kitchen and the bed was made. What more did they need really' "You can help me find the pans, for starters."

"How about if I promise not to lift anything heavier than a DVD player?" she suggested, turning to the age-old tactic of negotiation, listening to their footsteps thumping on the stairs as they descended. "How's that?"

"If you're a good girl, I might let you lift a few plates," he countered. "I might even let you help me with the dishes," he teased. It was going to be a very long nine months if he didn't let her do anything.

He was certainly going to get an interesting shock if he ever visited her at work over that time - nurses tended to lift variously heavy things at some point during the day, up to and including people. "Seriously?" Beth laughed as they gained the first floor. "You're seriously volunteering yourself for all the unpacking duty' It'll take months!"

"Just the heavy lifting unpacking duty. You can, uh, hang my clothes up and fold towels or something." Once they arrived in the kitchen, he started gathering the ingredients he was going to need to make the promised pancakes. Thankfully, it was a fairly simple meal to whip together and wouldn't require too much digging for pots and pans.

"Hang your clothes up," she repeated in a dangerously amused tone of voice, slipping past him to open up one of the boxes on the floor and excavate a mixing bowl, complete with utensils. The pan came out of another box - three guesses who had packed up the kitchen.

It was pretty obvious who had packed up the kitchen and her name wasn't Jason. He started poking into cupboards and cabinets in search of a mixing bowl. "Have you seen the..." He broke off, as she was one step ahead of him. "Oh, thanks. Now sit down and watch the maestro!" he ordered, flashing her a grin.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-01-29 09:46 EST
"Is the maestro going to get nekkid and do a little dance while he's cooking?" his cheeky wife asked impishly, sitting down on one of the unopened boxes to watch him at work. Nope, they hadn't even brought any furniture in yet, just the bed.

"No, he is not because then his wife will get distracted and she won't get any pancakes." Thankfully, he was cheating by using pancake starter or else he'd have to dig through the boxes for even more kitchen gear. Before long, he was stirring fresh blueberries into the pancake batter and was almost ready to scoop the batter onto the griddle. "So, do you think I should take our new neighbors up on their offer to help?"

"Darn." Beth grinned, making herself comfortable on her box as she watched him cheat his way through pancakes. One thing she was determined to learn pretty soon was how to actually cook - not just the stir-fry, which was the only thing she knew how to make from scratch. After all, what was the point of having a big kitchen if you didn't use it' At Jason's question, she tilted her head with a grin. "Sure, why not' We can stand them dinner in exchange for the use of Rhys' muscles," she suggested. "It's either that, or you put your back out trying to bring in things like ....the washer ....by yourself."

He chuckled as he scooped some batter onto the griddle. Pancakes were quick and easy and would be done in no time. "Well, it's either that or we call your Dad or Des to come help." Even if she wasn't pregnant, Jason most likely wouldn't have let her help lug the heavier items into the house. "We should have had a moving in party."

"We could still do that," she pointed out cheerfully. "Do a ring around, and beg for help. That always works." She snickered, knowing neither of them were the begging type, pushing herself to stand up and begin the rummage for plates and cutlery. "Our parents could easily drop everything for us, and Des probably would, too. Do you think Lynnie would be able to spot that I'm pregnant?"

"I wouldn't put it past her, but maybe I could bribe her into not telling. There's a rumor that she's fond of chocolate." Jason smirked as he licked a bit of pancake batter from his finger. "I bet all it would take is one phone call, and you'd have an army of Grangers here ready to help."

She laughed, rolling her eyes as she set the plates, cutlery, and a couple of glasses onto the counter near him. "Yeah, let's not go overboard," she grinned. "Too many people, and I'll go insane. So are we doing this, then" Should I get my phone?"

"Unless you want to take three months to move in, yes." He wasn't sure why he hadn't suggested it before. They'd thought the two of them could handle it, but that was before they'd found out she was preggers.

"On your head be it," she teased him, pulling her cell phone from where her bag had been dumped the night before and scrolling to her mother's number. "Last chance to back out."

"The more people we have help, the quicker it gets done," he reasoned as he dropped a few pancakes onto a plate and scooped more batter onto the griddle. By the time she was done with her phone call, breakfast would most likely be ready. "Shall we invite our neighbors to meet your crazy family, or do you think that might be a bit too much for them?" he asked, knowing if Rhys and Nat got a hold of Rufus, it might make for some interesting conversations.

"Uh ....let's see how many people Mom prods into coming over first," Beth suggested warily. Miranda had a certain amount of pulling power, after all. "And, you know, if they can handle meeting so many Grangers in one place." She winked at him, stealing a blueberry from the mix as she dialed, stepping away out of habit as the phone rang on the other end.

Jason chuckled at her reply, wondering what their neighbors would think the first time they had a family gathering in their new home. Counted among them were a movie star, a vampire hunter, a fashion designer, and a mermaid, and that was just for starters. While Beth made her phone call, Jason finished up making breakfast and set it all out on the counter, along with orange juice, butter, syrup, and jam.

It didn't take long to convince Miranda to round up a few strong-looking Grangers and bring them around, though Beth was laughing quizzically as she returned to Jason. "You know, I don't think she quite gets the idea that we will provide dinner," she commented. "We could end up with her buying takeout for the whole street."

"We could have just hired movers," he said, and while that was true, they had both agreed that movers wouldn't take as much care with their possessions as they would. Besides, why pay for people to do what they could do on their own, or with help from family and friends" He chuckled at her remark. "I'm sure the whole street will be grateful."

Chuckling, Beth pulled up a box to lean on. They were going to have to start scouring second-hand shops to get themselves the basics as far as furniture was concerned - they just didn't own that much, between them. "Anyway, t-minus forty minutes and counting, according to Mom," she warned her husband, dropping a generous pat of butter onto her short stack. "Don't let me forget to toss those tests before she gets here."

"Forty minutes?" Jason echoed. "How is she going to rally a small army in forty minutes?" he asked, as he did the same, pushing the butter around on his pancakes to melt. "You better do more than just toss them. You'd better burn them. I swear that woman is psychic."

"This is my mom we're talking about," she reminded him in amusement. "She could muster an entire legion in an hour. Besides, I think she's probably coming first, and the others'll trickle in after." She took a bite, moaning in delight at the first mouthful of food she'd had all morning. And abruptly went pale. "Aw, crap ..." Just as well they had a bathroom on this floor.

He was about to take a bite himself, lowering his fork as she went pale and looking more than a little concerned. "What's the matter" Is it the pancakes?" He wondered if the morning sickness was starting already, and if so, what to do about it.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-01-29 09:47 EST
Beth held up a finger, moving hurriedly to the bathroom, where she proceeded to heave without actually bringing anything up for a couple of minutes. She'd been feeling a bit off for the last few days, but at least now they knew why. "It's not the pancakes," she promised him when she had control of her stomach again. "I guess I'm gonna have to start nibbling on crackers as soon as I wake up." She snorted with laughter, rolling her eyes as she stood up. It was annoying how quickly the feeling arrived and passed.

Jason followed her to the bathroom, but as soon as she started heaving, he felt his own stomach starting to turn and stepped out into the hallway to wait til she was done. By the time she was finished, he looked a little crestfallen. He'd thought she'd enjoy the pancakes, but they only seemed to have made her ill. "How long is that going to last?"

Moving back out to him, Beth smiled gently, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Oh, about two months," she sighed softly. "At least now we know why I've been off my food, right?" She rose up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "I'm fine, baby, really. And I am hungry, so I will eat my delicious pancakes that my gorgeous husband made for me. So no more pouting."

"Your mother is going to notice," he told her as she kissed his cheek. It wasn't such a bad thing really, but this little secret of theirs wasn't going to be a secret much longer, especially if Miranda starting putting two and two together. "Maybe we should just tell her."

"Then maybe we should call your mom and get her over here, too," Beth pointed out. "I don't want anyone feeling left out or forgotten if the news gets guessed at sooner than we're hoping."

"Maybe we should," he admitted. This whole moving in slash baby thing was getting a little more complicated than he'd anticipated. "But if we do that, we might as well..." He broke off as a thought came to mind. "If we told them both at the same time and swore them both to secrecy, do you think that would work?"

"Only if Mom's allowed to tell Dad," she mused. "But that could work, actually. Means the people who need to know will, and they can look after our secret until we're ready to share it." Stepping back, she took his hand, leading him back to the kitchen, determined to finish her breakfast with no more mishaps. "Can't help wondering who's going to show up, you know" You should call your mom."

"If I know Miranda, she's already beaten me to it," Jason replied as she led him back to the kitchen, frowning a little at what he'd just witnessed. "Are you gonna be sick like that everyday?"

She sighed softly, shaking her head a little helplessly. "I don't know," she admitted, leaning against the counter. "I mean, I've been a bit off for a few days, but I thought it was stress. Some women have horrible morning sickness, other women don't have it at all. It's different for everyone. But there are ways to stop myself from throwing up, and I'll stick to them."

"I didn't think blueberry pancakes would be a problem." He found his cellphone on the counter, amidst various other items he had emptied out from his pockets. So far, it seemed he'd missed no calls, but that didn't tell him whether or not Miranda had gotten hold of his mother. "I suppose I should call her," he mused to himself.

"Yes, you should call her," Beth told him gently, reaching over to squeeze his hand. "And it's not the pancakes. It's more to do with the fact that I haven't eaten yet today. Whatever's going on in there is messing with my stomach, that's all. It's all perfectly natural. Look." With a cheeky grin, she cut an enormous mouthful from her pancakes and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing and swallowing without even a hint of nausea. "See?"

"I've got a lot to learn about all this, I guess," he admitted. What the hell did he know about pregnancy and childbirth and babies" Not a whole heck of a lot, but it seemed he was going to find out. "She's going to be suspicious," he warned as he dialed his mom's number.

"So let her be suspicious," she smiled, taking a sip of her juice. "Say you've got something you want to tell her, and it'd be great if she came over to help us get settled at the same time. Stoke the suspicion; we're gonna tell the parental units anyway."

"Okay, here goes..." he said as he waited for the phone to ring on the other end. He wasn't quite sure why he was so nervous. He knew everyone was going to be happy for them and help them anyway they could. Maybe it was just the thought of being a father that was making him nervous. A father! Him! It was unbelievable. "Hey, Mom?" he started when he heard her pick up on the other end.

Smiling to herself, Beth returned to her breakfast without mishap this time. Maybe it had been the realization that she was pregnant that had brought the morning sickness out into the open, or maybe she'd just left it too long before eating this morning. She'd talk to the doctor about it, anyway.

There was a little bit of chit chat and the usual barrage of questions from his mother that every son - grown or not - had to endure before he came to the point of his phone call. Soon after that, Miranda beeped in to interrupt their call, and after a short wait while he was on hold, Anna came back to tell him she was coming along and would see them both soon. There was the usual, "Love you," before she hung up and that was that.

Beth looked over at Jason curiously. "All set?" she asked, polishing off the last of her pancakes, a woman on a mission to fill her stomach and get started on the day, however late she was in getting there.

"Yeah, she's been keeping herself busy helping out at church, but she said she misses us," he told her as he hung up the phone and set it on the counter to finish off his pancakes. "How were they?" he asked, seeing she'd finished hers off.

"Oh, c'mon, we've only been back off honeymoon for three days," Beth laughed, appreciating the sentiment, but not prepared to bend to it. "She should come live with us if she's that clingy." She grinned, licking butter off her thumb. "They were fantastic," she assured him. "And I feel so much better for having eaten them. Thank you, baby."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-01-29 09:48 EST
"Yeah," Jason replied, obviously distracted with his own thoughts. As much as he loved his mother, he sometimes felt torn between her and his wife. He knew it was because she'd been sick and her time was limited, but wasn't everyone's in a way' No one lived forever, after all. He pushed his pancakes around in the syrup. He was supposed to be happy about the baby. So, what the heck was the matter with him"

She watched him for a moment, a faint frown touching her brow as she noted his dip in mood. He'd been so happy just a few minutes ago, and now ...."I'll, uh, I'll go and toss those tests," she said, offering him time alone to sort his thoughts out for himself. "Be back in a coupla minutes."

He nodded quietly as he started to collect the dirty dishes up, scrape them off, and set them on the counter before filling the sink to wash the dishes. He wasn't sure what was bothering him exactly. He and Beth were living their dream, so what was the problem' While her pregnancy was unexpected, it was a pleasant surprise. It just meant they'd have to push their plans forward to switch jobs sooner than anticipated.

But these were all problems for another day. They had both made sure they had four days off to get themselves moved in and settled, and they had two and half days left to do that. However, with God only knew how many Grangers on their way over, not to mention Jason's mother, that was a problem they were already on the road to solving. Everything else could wait a little while.

There was the matter of his mother's illness, but that had been solved for now, and she was happy he'd made that decision for her. She was in good health for now, but he knew that wouldn't last forever. Still, they'd known it would be a trade-off right from the start, and it was a price they'd been willing to pay. She'd seen her son get married and would at least be able to see her first grandchild, if not more. He couldn't really ask for more than that.

There was a hollow thump from upstairs as Beth let the lid of the trashcan in the bathroom drop shut heavily, followed by the familiar staccato sound of her walking back to the stairs and jogging down them. She came back into view within moments, moving to wrap her arms about him from behind. "Penny for them?"

"My thoughts?" he asked, looking up from his scrubbing of the dishes and over his shoulder at her as she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. He shrugged. "It's gonna sound stupid."

"I sincerely doubt that," she informed him, brushing a kiss to his jaw. "Besides, you either get it off your chest with me, or you put up with my mom and yours bugging you about your mood all day." It was a pretty fearsome choice; the safer bet was Beth, but maybe his mom would be in a better position to help him.

"Just thinking about my Dad and whether I'll be a good father to our children. Worrying how long my mom will be around." He sighed a little, knowing he was being stupid, knowing they'd made the right decision. "Life is so short, Beth. I don't want any regrets." He wasn't sure if any of that was making any sense. He knew it wasn't so much a matter of time, but what you did with that time, but it never seemed like they had enough of it.

"Hey." She twisted, drawing him away from the washing up to face her as she looked up at him. "Lenore told us how long you've got with Anna, remember" Five years just as she is, and that's so much more than what you've had. You've got nothing to regret, baby. And you're gonna be an awesome dad, just you wait and see."

He turned the water off and snagged a towel to dry his hands as she turned him to face her, listening soberly, knowing she was right. "I know. I don't know what?s the matter with me. I guess I'm just worried that something's gonna go wrong. Like it did in Rome, you know" But that's ridiculous, isn't it' God, I love you so much, Beth," he said as he touched her cheek, his fingers sliding through her hair. "I just don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you. Or the baby."

"Rome was a one-off," she told him firmly, something they both knew from the dreams they had shared since that first awareness of who they really were. Her hands curled to his hips, holding tight as she tried to reassure him. "We've had so many lifetimes together since then, and the only things that have gone wrong in them have been unavoidable. But we've been happy, and safe, and together. There's no reason to think that we won't have the same thing this time around. You're not going to lose me. You're not going to lose us."

He nodded his head, as if trying to convince himself. "Our honeymoon was amazing, wasn't it' We should take a trip like that again sometime." He drew her close and sighed softly, his fingers sliding through her hair. "I need to find out what?s going on with my request for a transfer. I don't want to work homicide anymore, Beth. I want to be here with you, and now that we're going to have a baby, it's even more important to me than ever."

"It'll work out, sweetie," she promised him softly, wrapped up in his arms with a tender sigh of contentment. "I'm on regular shifts as of the week after next, close by, with a two hour lunch break. We'll be able to see each other during the day, and we'll have weekends together. We're gonna make it work. I promise."

"I know we will," he told her as he pressed a kiss against the top of her head, loving and protective. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Beth. I love you so much." It was the second time he'd said it in the last few minutes, but he needed her to know that he meant it. He wasn't going to let anything go wrong, not this time. "You know, I almost hope it's a girl. Just like her mother. She's gonna be so loved, Beth. So wanted."

"Boy or girl, it doesn't matter," she murmured. "Because they'll have an awesome dad, and amazing grandparents, and a slightly ditzy but ultimately dedicated mom." She grinned up at him. "I love you, Jase, no matter what."

He smiled at last. How could he not smile" Yes, it was scary. Damned scary. Life was scary, but playing it safe was lonely, and he didn't want to be or have to be lonely anymore. "You're gonna be the best mom ever," he assured her, believing in her as much as she believed in him. "I love you, too, Beth. No matter what."

"Good." She leaned up to kiss him, drawing her fingers through his hair for a long moment before lowering down onto her heels. "Because somehow you and I have gotta survive explaining to our parents why we moved into a big house when we only have furniture to fill one room of it."

He chuckled. "Knowing your parents, they'll be offering to fill it for us," he remarked. He didn't really mind that so much, so long as they didn't try to take over.

"Yeah, well, if I gotta go shopping with Mom, you're coming too," Beth informed him with a chuckle, patting his chest. "C'mon, snugglebuns, I feel a quickie comin' on, and we've got maybe fifteen minutes before my mom gets here. Move it or lose it, dude."

He laughed again. "A quickie, huh' I wonder what your mom would think of that," he said as he took hold of her hand to lead her back upstairs for that promised quickie. Thankfully, neither he nor her mother remembered much of the single drunken night they'd spent together; it was almost like it had never happened, though Beth seemed to like to tease them both about it every now and then. Whatever had happened between them when they'd both been feeling lonely was ancient history now. Each had found their true love, their perfect match. Each had found their happily ever after. All they had to do now was hold onto it.

((These special little events just keep on adding up, don't they' Huge thanks to Jason's player!))