T'U'GS 4:2 Commitments

by The Big Lazy Dragon

A misunderstanding almost leads to a break-up, so it's up to the clan to set things right between Don and Delilah.

Commitments

Written by Donald E. Fleming II

Story concept by Donald E. Fleming II

Disclaimer: All Gargoyles characters are the property of Disney and Buena Vista Studios and are being used without their consent or permission. Other Gargoyle characters are the property of The Gargoyle Saga (TGS) writing staff and also are being used without their permission. The character of Don Michael Taylor is my creation. I am receiving no reward for this story other than the satisfaction of being able to share it with others as it is intended solely for my own entertainment and the entertainment of Gargoyle fandom everywhere.

Wednesday, February 9, 2000

23rd Precinct

Manhattan

Elisa sat down at her desk, sighing heavily in relief that her shift was almost over. She looked over towards Captain Chavez's office, wondering when Maria was going to get around to chastising her for keeping her connection to the gargoyles a secret for so long.

It had been nearly three weeks since Maria had shown up at the castle, originally to deliver a message to Hudson, telling the aged warrior that her mother had died, but then Elisa had shown up with Andrea Calhoun in tow, and she was forced to finally come clean about her relationship with the clan. But so far, Maria hadn't said a single word to Elisa about the gargoyles, and it was driving her more than a little crazy, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"You're just going to drive yourself nuts, detective," Morgan said, seeing Elisa eyeing the captain's door. "Maybe you should be the one to make the next move."

"You think that's such a good idea?" she asked. "She was a little ticked at my keeping the clan a secret for so long." She looked at the sergeant. "How do you think she's going to react when I tell her…"

The door to Captain Chavez's office opened, and Elisa turned to see Maria step through the door. Another detective walked out, one she recognized as Louise Chapel, who worked the day shift. She paused to shake Captain Chavez's hand before turning to leave. Louise stopped by Elisa's desk as she was heading out.

"Finally decided to go on maternity leave, huh?" Elisa said, pausing to look at Louise's swollen belly, the result of an eight-month pregnancy.

"Yeah," the petite blonde detective said with a pleasant laugh, placing her hand on her belly. "I figure I'd better take my leave now before the captain decides to have my butt thrown out of here."

"Well, you deserve some time off," Morgan said.

"Yeah," Elisa said. "Especially after filling in for me like you did while I was gone."

"I was glad to do it," Louise said. "It gave Chris and me a chance to work out our problems."

Elisa smiled at that. Louise and Christopher Chapel had been having marital problems even before she left on her 'World Tour' with Goliath, Angela and Bronx nearly four years ago, but a six-month switch to the night shift to cover for her had given Louise and Chris some time apart, and a chance to reexamine their marriage. It helped them realize just how much they loved each other.

"So," Louise said then. "When do I get to find out what really happened?" she asked.

Elisa looked at Morgan, wondering if she should tell Louise the whole story. I guess I can tell her, she thought. She is a good friend and the clan sure could use…

"Maza," Maria called out, interrupting Elisa's train of thought. "I'd like to see you in my office."

Elisa looked up at Louise, then at Morgan. "Well, I better get it over with," she said. She got up from her desk. "Say 'hi' to Chris for me."

"I sure will," Louise said. "Maybe later you can tell me where you disappeared to for those six months. And I'll want to hear all the steamy details, too."

Elisa paused for a moment, surprised and a little amused. She turned to watch Louise give Morgan a slight hug, then left the precinct.

Steamy? Right, she mused. Things hadn't been at all 'steamy' between herself and Goliath the whole time they were on the skiff, but now she wish they had been. Their time together had allowed them to get closer, and with joyous results. Maybe I should invite her in, Elisa thought. Let her and Chris meet the gargoyles. Then I can tell her…

The sound of fingernails tapping on wood broke her chain of thought again, and Elisa turned to see Captain Chavez standing at the door to her office, her left hand holding the door open and her fingers tapping on the wood.

"Right," she muttered to herself. "'Once more unto the breach…'" She headed into the captain's office.

Maria walked around her desk and sat down. "Have a seat, Maza."

Elisa obediently sat down, then folded her hands in her lap. She was slightly nervous, waiting for the 'dressing down' she knew she had coming. "Captain…" she started.

"Save it, detective," Maria said. "I didn't call you in here to yell at you. If I was going to, I wouldn't have waited this long." She sat back. "I'm putting you on the day shift for a while."

Elisa looked up at Maria, surprised. "Why?" she asked.

"You're going to cover for Louise Chapel," Maria said. "She's going on maternity leave, but I guess you already know that."

"Kinda," Elisa said. "But why me? Don't you have someone else…" She stopped when she caught the frown on Maria's face.

"You owe her a favor, Elisa," Maria said. "She did cover for you during your 'absence'."

Elisa winced slightly. The way Maria put the emphasis on the word 'absence' made Elisa realize that the captain still had doubts about her explanation about the six month period she was gone. I owe her an explanation about that, she thought. Now that she knows about the clan and Goliath, I can't keep her in the dark about what's been going on anymore. "I guess I do owe her a favor, don't I," she said finally.

"Yes, you do," Maria said. She paused for a second. "And she'll probably be returning the favor when you take your leave."

"Well, I'm not due until September," Elisa said automatically. "So I've still got some time…" She stopped as she realized what she had said. "I mean…"

"I know all about it, Elisa," Maria said with a hint of a smile. "I've been waiting for you to tell me yourself, but I've known about it for a couple of weeks."

"How?" Elisa asked.

"Your ex let it slip that you were pregnant," she said.

"I'll kill him," Elisa said.

Maria smiled. "Don't blame Don," she said quickly. "If he hadn't told me, I would have found out from someone else. Your parents, for example. Or that seven-foot tall 'boyfriend' you've been keeping a secret from the rest of us."

Elisa sighed heavily. She knew that Maria was right. If she insisted on trying to keep her pregnancy a secret from her captain for much longer, Goliath would have taken it upon himself to tell Maria about her 'condition'. "Yeah, he definitely would have told you, wouldn't he?" she mused. "But Goliath isn't…" she started to protest.

"Please, Elisa," Maria said. "I could tell just by watching the two of you how you feel about each other. Besides…"

"Don told you," Elisa said. "Now I know I'm going to kill him."

Maria had a hard time suppressing the smile. "Well, you're going to have to wait until you get off shift to do it," she said.

"Captain!" Elisa protested.

"Not another word, detective," Maria said. "Consider this part of your 'punishment' for keeping me in the dark for so long."

Elisa sighed heavily. "Okay," she said. She got up to leave.

"And one other thing, Maza," Maria said.

Elisa paused at the door. "Yeah?" she asked.

"I expect to see a request for maternity leave on my desk before the end of the week," she said. "Otherwise…"

"Gotcha," Elisa said. "I'll stop by Human Resources later…"

"You'll do it now, Elisa," she said pointedly. "I don't want you putting this off any longer."

Elisa paused, knowing that this was an argument she wasn't liable to win. "Okay, captain," she said. "I'll head there now." She headed for the door, then paused. "I guess I should tell you now that I'm going to need tomorrow off."

"Elisa…" Maria started, a frown crossing her face.

"I've got an appointment with Dr. Jackson tomorrow," Elisa said quickly. "I was supposed to see her last Friday, but…"

"Okay," Maria said. "I'll see if I can find someone to cover for you." She paused, then looked at Elisa squarely. "But I want you to let me know in advance when your appointments are from now on. I went through the same thing myself, remember?"

"Yeah," Elisa said. "I'll let you know tomorrow when my next appointment is."

"Make sure that you do," she said. She waited until Elisa started to leave the office, then called to her one last time. "And, Maza," she said.

"Yeah?" Elisa asked.

"Human Resources," she said. "Now."

Elisa left Maria's office, muttering as she headed across the squad room. Great, she thought. By this time tomorrow, the whole precinct'll know I'm pregnant.

Elisa left the precinct, thankful that her shift was finally over. She stopped at the top of the stairs, yawning heavily as she stretched her arms. God, I hope I can make it home, she thought as she headed down the stairs. She paused as she met Morgan coming up the stairs.

"You got stuck covering Chapel's shift, huh?" the sergeant said.

"Yeah," Elisa said tiredly. "Captain said it was my 'punishment' for keeping her in the dark for so long."

"Well, go home and get some sleep," Morgan said. "You look like you need it."

"Thanks a lot," Elisa said, a little miffed that Morgan was looking so well rested. Well, I guess he would, she thought. He got to go home and sleep. She yawned again as she headed for her car, intending to drive straight home. She was supposed to have the night off, and she had wanted to spend it with Goliath, but right now, her only thoughts were of sleep.

The sound of a car horn blaring startled her, and she bolted in her seat.

"C'mon, lady," she heard someone yell. "Move it!"

Elisa looked to the side as a small import drove past her driver's side door, the driver giving her a nasty look, and flashing an obscene gesture. She looked around in confusion, then realized where she was.

She'd stopped at a light, then put her car in 'Park', intending to rest her eyes for only a second until the light changed. How long was I asleep? she wondered. She looked at her watch. It had only been a few minutes since she left the precinct, so it hadn't been for very long. She shifted the Fairlane into gear, then started off again.

She could feel her eyelids growing heavy again, and she tried desperately to suppress another yawn. I'm not going to make it, she thought, frowning. She was exhausted, and the fact that, after giving the city a relatively mild January, Mother Nature had decided to drop six inches of snow on the ground, with still more on the way, wasn't helping matters. She cried out in defiance, trying to keep herself awake, then pounded on the steering wheel. "I should have waited for Matt to show up," she told herself. "I could have asked him to drive me home." But there was no sense in heading back to the precinct now. She'd never make it back. She sighed as she began to pull over, then paused as she caught sight of a familiar landmark. A corner store, one she had passed by every day for six years, while she had been living at the old apartment. Giving into a brief yawn, she smiled as she turned the corner.

Don's apartment

Don opened the door to the apartment, smiling as he carried the bags inside. Delilah's going to love this, he thought happily. The hybrid clone loved Don's cooking, and she was supposed to come over on Saturday for a real treat; Diane Maza's chicken mole, a recipe that he had picked up while he and Elisa were still living together. He smiled as he thought back, remembering what had happened earlier that day. Delilah had spent part of Tuesday night at his apartment, reading a book he had given her. When he found out she liked stories with magic in them, he decided to go through his collection of books to find something she might like. She had smiled when he gave her his copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit', and she immediately jumped on the couch and began reading it, her legs tucked neatly under her as she curled up with the book. When they returned to the Labyrinth that morning, she had given him a long kiss in return for the precious gift.

"I was hoping you'd like it," he had told her then, his arms around her waist.

"Oh, yes," she said, smiling up at him as she placed her arms on his shoulders, the book still clutched in her hand. "Very much."

"I've got a few more books like that one back at the apartment," he told her. "If you want, you can come by tonight and we can go through them to see which one's you'd like."

"I can't," she had said with a frown. "I have patrol tonight and tomorrow night, and I promised Kate I'd watch Danny Friday night."

"What about Saturday night?" he asked her then. "Doing anything then?"

"Not really," she had admitted.

"Well, you are now," he told her then. When she had looked at him with a hint of confusion, he then told her, "Come by the apartment after seven and I'll even have dinner ready for us."

"I might not be able to make it until after nine," she said.

"That's okay," he told her. "I can wait." He had then given her a gentle squeeze. "Any suggestions on what I should fix for dinner?"

They'd decided on the chicken mole, something Delilah had never had before, and Don was only too happy to make it for her. He walked into the kitchen and set the bags on the counter, getting ready to start putting things away.

"Delilah," he said aloud "Get ready to have your taste buds ravished." He paused as he opened the refrigerator to put the package of chicken inside. "And maybe afterwards, we can…"

A knock on the door interrupted him. Don paused for a moment to look at the clock, then at the skylight. "Sun's not down yet," he mused. "It can't be her." As he closed the refrigerator and headed for the door, he realized that even if it were after sunset, Delilah certainly wouldn't be coming in through the front door. She always comes in through the skylight. And besides, she told me she had to patrol tonight. So I wonder who… He opened the door.

"Hi, Don," Elisa said, bracing her hand against the doorframe. "Can I come in?"

Don took a second to look at Elisa's tired face, something he had seen often enough while they were together. "Sure thing," he said, noting the dark circles under her eyes. He moved to the side to allow Elisa entry into the apartment. "Pulled another double shift?" he asked.

"Captain put me on the day shift for the time being," she said tiredly. "A detective went on maternity leave today, so I got stuck covering her shift." She spied the couch, which seemed to beckon to her invitingly. "I am trashed."

"I'd say you were beyond trashed," Don said as Elisa headed for the couch. She paused to give him a sour look before dropping on the soft cushions.

"Oh God, I'm tired," she moaned as she let her head drop back, eliciting a smile from Don.

"Well, that's obvious," he said. "Couldn't make it home to your own bed?"

"No," Elisa groaned. "I even fell asleep waiting for a light to change."

"At least you made it this far," he said, trying to hide the sound of sudden worry in his voice. "Do you want to crash here for a while?"

"I think I'd rather crash here than risking crashing out on the street," Elisa said with a yawn. "I'm just glad I've got tonight off."

"Well, I've got a few things to take care of in the kitchen," he said. "You're more than welcome to stay here until you feel up to heading home."

"Thanks, Don," she said as she began to lie down on the couch. "I'll probably be here for only a little while." She took off her scarf and gloves, then got as comfortable as she could on the couch and closed her eyes as Don headed into the kitchen.

Don began putting things away as he looked occasionally at the couch, keeping an eye on the exhausted detective. This would be the first time since September that Elisa had been to the apartment they had shared at one time. He wondered for a moment if he should call the castle and leave a message for Goliath, letting the lavender gargoyle know that Elisa was here resting. Probably a good idea, he thought. Especially if Elisa was supposed to be off tonight. She probably had plans to spend it with Goliath. He began putting things in the cabinets quietly, not wanting to wake her, then took out the slow cooker and placed it on the counter. A light snoring drew his attention back to the couch. Fingering the control, Don left it off and headed for the couch. He put his hands on the back of the couch and looked down at Elisa.

Elisa had rested her head on one of the couch cushions, using it as a pillow as she slept on her side. She looked very peaceful resting there, and Don felt a slight heaviness in his heart. He missed seeing her like this, but he knew there was no sense dwelling on what was. Besides, you've got your heart set on Delilah, he reminded himself. And Elisa's finally gotten her own heart straightened out after the mess we went through last summer. It wouldn't be fair to any of us. He reached down and moved a stray strand of hair out of her face. Elisa murmured and shifted on the couch. Then she frowned and shifted again. Don looked down at her in concern as Elisa shifted a third time before turning over. It looked as though she just couldn't seem to get comfortable.

Of course not, he told himself. She's still wearing her shoulder holster under her jacket, and that's got to be uncomfortable as hell. He moved around the couch and knelt before her sleeping form. "Let's see if we can make you a little more comfortable," he said. He moved carefully, turning Elisa over until she was facing him, then gently unzipped her jacket. Elisa murmured and shifted in her sleep as Don gently pulled off one sleeve, then sat her up so that he could finish taking her jacket off. Elisa opened her eyes slightly and tried to focus on him.

"Huh, wha…?" she muttered.

"Just trying to make things comfortable," Don said reassuringly. "You looked like you were having a little trouble there."

Elisa settled back down, her eyes closing as she started to drift off to sleep again, and Don gently pulled off her jacket, then carefully removed her shoulder holster. He waited until Elisa laid back down, then unloaded the automatic and went to the hall closet, placing the weapon in the box where he kept his own gun. After he closed the door to the closet, he turned back towards the couch, making certain that Elisa had gone back to sleep, and draped her jacket across her shoulders before carefully taking off her ankle boots and setting them on the floor. He then backed away to let her sleep. Picking up his cordless phone, he headed into the kitchen to make preparations for dinner.

The Eyrie Building

Sunset

The clan awoke with a roar, stone shards flying in all directions as the gargoyles burst through their stone shells. Goliath turned, expecting to find Elisa standing there waiting for the clan to awaken, as was her usual habit, but he frowned when he saw that she wasn't there. The only person awaiting them was Owen, who held a phone in his hand.

"Owen," he said, a hint of worry in his voice. "Where is Elisa?"

Owen stepped forward and handed him the phone. "I believe this call will explain," he said.

Goliath hesitantly took the phone and held it to his ear. "Hello?" he asked.

"Goliath, this is Don," the voice on the other end said.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I just wanted to call and let you know that Elisa's here at my place," Don said.

Goliath looked at the clan before turning his attention back to the call. "Why?" he asked. "Has something happened to her?"

Angela let out a gasp. Was there something wrong with Elisa? she wondered.

"Nothing's wrong, Goliath," Don said. "Elisa got stuck pulling a double shift and she was too tired to make it back to her own place. She's catching a little sack time on my couch."

Goliath let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you for letting us know, Don," he said.

"Do you want to come and get her?" Don asked. "I know she had the night off and she'd probably want to spend it with you…"

"No," Goliath said, even though he would have liked to. "Best to let her sleep. Elisa has a habit of never giving herself enough time to sufficiently rest, and she needs it now more than ever."

"Tell me about it," Don said, and Goliath had a feeling Don knew about this from personal experience. "I guess I can leave her on the couch for now and just let her sleep. You're right, she needs the rest. I'll let her know I gave you a call when she wakes up."

Goliath waited until he heard Don break the connection, then handed the phone back to Owen. "Thank you, Owen," he said.

"What happened?" Angela asked. "Is Elisa all right?"

"Elisa is well," Goliath said. "Don said that Elisa was required to pull a double shift today and she was too tired to even make it to her own bed. She apparently chose to stop at his apartment to get some much needed rest."

Angela sighed with relief, thankful that nothing had happened to their friend. If anything had happened to her or the baby…

"Angela," Goliath said. When she looked at her father, he could see the concern in her eyes. "We all worry about Elisa," he said. "Especially now that she is with child. But she is in good hands now. Don will ensure that she remains safe throughout the night." He turned to the rest of the clan. "We should patrol. Winter has strengthened its hold on the city, and there are those who may take advantage of the cold to prey on others."

"Right," Brooklyn said. He turned to his family. "Come on, we'll patrol the business district." Together, he and his family took off across the sky.

"Angela," Goliath said. "You and Broadway should patrol the park."

"Of course, father," Angela said. "But I think I'll stop by Elisa's first." When Goliath gave her a confused look, she continued. "Cagney needs to be fed. If Elisa hasn't been home all day, then her cat will be hungry."

"Of course," Goliath said. "It may also be a good idea to pick up a change of clothes for Elisa, in case Don decides to let her sleep through the night."

"I will do that, father," Angela said. Taking her mate's hand into her own, Angela led him towards the battlements, then across the sky. Goliath watched as they departed, then headed off on his own patrol. He considered heading to Don's apartment, just to check for himself that Elisa was all right, then pushed the thought out of his head. After all that has happened during the past few months, I need to show them that I trust them. They may have been lovers at one time, but that is part of their past, and their futures lie elsewhere, Don's is with Delilah, and Elisa's is with me. I will not give into jealousy simply because Elisa is spending the night at Don's apartment. I know that neither of them will end up in the arms of the other. Somewhat satisfied by his thoughts, Goliath headed off across the city, keeping as far from Don's apartment as possible.

Elisa's apartment

Angela smiled as she watched Cagney rub against her ankle as she set the gray cat's food dish down on the floor. As the cat turned his attention from Angela to the food dish, the lavender gargoyle shook her head in amusement. "You certainly have your own set of priorities, don't you?" she said. The cat ignored her, settling down to enjoy his dinner.

"About ready?" Broadway asked.

Angela looked at her rotund mate standing by the patio door. "Not yet," she said. "I still need to pick up some clothes for Elisa." After bending down to give the cat a scratch along the back, which caused Cagney to arch his back in enjoyment, she headed upstairs to Elisa's bedroom.

Angela paused by the dresser, opening several drawers before finding what she was looking for, and pulled several undergarments out of the drawer. Retrieving a pair of white cotton socks out of another drawer, Angela set the items on the bed before turning towards the closet. She found a small gym bag near the back and pulled it out, then took down a pair of jeans and a black pullover shirt from a hanger. She paused to look at the other clothes Elisa had in the closet, mostly jeans and sweaters, along with several sets of uniform blues. She only owned a few dresses, and it was obvious from the dry cleaning tags that she hadn't worn any of them in a long time, save for the one Fox had given her for the New Year's party. She smiled, remembering how embarrassed Elisa was at wearing something so skin-tight and revealing. Father certainly didn't have anything to complain about, she thought. She fingered the black dress before leaving the closet with the clothes she had selected in hand. She placed them into the gym bag, then went back to the dresser to get one of Elisa's flannel nightshirts. She placed that into the gym bag as well, then paused, certain that she was forgetting something else. I know there was something Elisa wished she'd had with her on the skiff from the start… Then she snapped her fingers as she realized what it was she was missing. She quickly stepped into the bathroom and began opening the doors and drawers of the vanity, looking for the one thing she knew Elisa would need and want. She smiled as she found it and took it out of the drawer.

It was Elisa's emergency travel kit; a small pouch that Elisa had managed to fill with a few essential items during the last few days of their 'World Tour'. Inside was a small travel toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste, a bar of soap, a small bottle of shampoo, deodorant and a hairbrush. After she had put the pack together during their visit to Flagstaff, Elisa's spirits had lifted considerably, since their previous travels took them to only a small handful of places where Elisa could get cleaned up, and they were uncertain when or if their journeys would ever end. Satisfied that she now had everything, Angela put the travel kit into the gym bag and zipped it up, then set the strap over her shoulder before heading downstairs.

"Okay," she said, pausing when she saw Broadway bending by the cat. "I'm ready."

Together, they left the apartment, Angela making sure they locked the door behind them before they took off across the sky.

Don's apartment

Don was standing by the counter, giving the contents of the slow cooker a stir before replacing the lid, when he heard a light tapping on the skylight. He turned, then smiled as he saw Angela and Broadway standing outside. He quickly crossed the apartment and opened the skylight, allowing the two gargoyles into the apartment.

"What brings the two of you here?" he asked.

"We stopped by to drop off some things for Elisa," Angela said, looking at the sleeping form of the detective on the couch, her red bomber jacket draped across her shoulders. She took the gym bag off her shoulder and handed it to Don. "How is she?"

"Exhausted," Don said as he set the bag down by the couch. "But that's to be expected, considering she pulled an extra shift. The scary thing is she told me she fell asleep at a light on her way home."

Angela looked at Elisa in alarm. "She could have gotten hurt!" she gasped.

"I know," Don said. "I guess that's why she decided to stop here instead of trying to make it the rest of the way home." He looked over as Elisa shifted on the couch, then settled back down again. "I think we should keep our voices down so we don't wake her up," he added quietly.

"Yeah," Broadway whispered. He paused, then lifted his head. "You cooking something?" he asked.

"Beef stew," Don said. "If I know Elisa, she probably tried to get by today with a quick bite at the coffee shop, and not much else. Eating like that is only going to cause her problems later on, especially now that she's eating for two." He looked back at Elisa. "I figure I'll let her sleep for a few more hours, then wake her up for a short dinner before trying to convince her to stay here the rest of the night. The radio said it looked like there was going to be more snow tonight, and I don't want her trying to drive in this weather if it gets worse."

Angela knelt by Elisa, gently brushing a stray strand of hair out of the sleeping woman's face. "That sounds like a good idea," she said. "Father said you would keep her safe."

"He knows I still care about her," Don said. "I'd never let anything happen to Elisa."

Angela stood up, then headed for the skylight. "I'll try to stop by before sunrise to see how she's doing, Don," the lavender female said.

"I'll keep the skylight unlocked, then," Don said.

Angela stepped through the open skylight, followed closely by Broadway. Don watched as the pair took off into the night, then closed the skylight as he saw a few snowflakes begin to fall from the night sky.

The Labyrinth

Delilah watched as Dr. Goldblum wrapped the bandages around the little boy's arm, his mother holding him in her lap as the doctor worked.

"There," he said as he taped the last bandage in place. "How does that feel?"

The little boy stretched his arm, then looked at it. "Feels better," he said.

"Good," Dr. Goldblum. "I hope this will teach you that not all cats can be pets. Some can be very dangerous."

"But I like cats," the little boy said. "And Claw's a cat. I just wanted to be like him."

Dr. Goldblum looked at Delilah, who had an amused look on her face. She bent down in front of the little boy. "Tommy," she said. "It doesn't work like that. Claw is…special, just like Talon and Maggie and Sharon. You can't make yourself like them by letting a cat scratch you on the arm." She looked at the child's mother. "And I don't think your mom would like it if you got all furry and grew wings anyway."

"No," the child's mother said. "I wouldn't like it at all." She turned the boy around. "But, if you behave, we'll see about getting you a little kitten to play with. How about that?"

The boy frowned slightly, but the prospect of getting a kitten of his own seemed to brighten his mood. "Okay," he said.

"Good," Dr. Goldblum said. He ruffled the boy's hair a bit, then turned his attention to the boy's mother. "Bring him back in a few days, and we'll have another look at the scratches."

"Thank you, doctor," she said. She set the boy down and they walked out of Dr. Goldblum's office.

"Tommy's lucky you were in that tunnel," he said. "Those scratches could have gotten infected if it weren't for you."

"I like children," Delilah said. "I always hope that one day I can have one of my own."

Dr. Goldblum smiled at the young hybrid. "Well, you're off to a good start." When she looked at him with a hint of confusion in her eyes, he continued. "Your boyfriend, Mr. Taylor, is a fine young man, and if Detective Maza is any indication, he has the potential of fathering some fine children in the future."

Delilah's smile wavered a little, and he noticed the way her wings drooped a little. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Delilah sighed. "It's nothing," she said. "It's just that…Don and I…"

"Are the two of you having problems?" he asked.

"No," Delilah said. "It's just that we…haven't…you know." She hesitated. "'Done'…it."

"I see," he said. "The two of you haven't become 'intimate' yet."

"No, we haven't," Delilah admitted, sighing.

Dr. Goldblum picked a chair and sat down, then gestured to another one. Delilah took the hint and sat down. "There's nothing wrong with that," he said. "My wife and I waited until we were married before we…" He paused for a moment. "'Did the deed', as it were."

"You waited?" she asked.

"I know, I know," he said. "In this modern age, it is normal that some couples would feel the need to form deeper bonds by engaging in sexual contact prior to marriage, but there are those who still hold onto the old ways."

Could that be it? she wondered. It didn't seem likely. She knew that Don and Elisa had been intimate while they were living together before his disappearance, and Demona certainly hadn't waited for vows to be exchanged before she took Don for a lover. There had to be something else…

"It could be that Mr. Taylor has decided to wait until the two of you make a formal commitment to each other before taking things any further," he said. "After all, he has been in two relationships in the past year that didn't turn out that well."

"Maybe," she said.

Dr. Goldblum noted that the clone didn't look convinced. "Listen," he said. "Why don't you go over to Mr. Taylor's apartment tonight? If you feel that you are ready to take things further with Don, then now would be a good time to discuss it with him."

"I wouldn't want to intrude on him," Delilah said. "And besides, I still have to patrol tonight…"

"I'm certain Talon wouldn't mind sparing you for one night to visit him," he said. "After all, he and Don have been friends for a long time. He shouldn't mind you taking time off your patrol to talk things over with Don."

Delilah smiled slightly, then got up from the chair. "Thank you," she said as she hurried out of the office.

Dr. Goldblum sat back in his chair, smiling to himself. "I may have missed my calling," he said to himself. "I should have considered a career as a marriage counselor."

Delilah walked through the tunnels, heading for the access tunnel that exited in Central Park. She liked Dr. Goldblum, and he had a wisdom that seemed to exceed even his advanced years, but there were a few things he simply couldn't know about.

She was holding back. She didn't know why, but she was. There had been times when she and Don were alone together, Don had tried to become intimate with her, but she had pulled back from him. There was always an instance of fear that caused her to panic, and it always ruined the moment. Don was always understanding, but deep down, she knew it had to be frustrating for him, because it certainly was for her. More than anything, she wanted to be with him, but she knew she couldn't as long as she held back from him.

Delilah reached the end of the access tunnel and looked out. She frowned as she saw the snow swirling outside. "Well, that's just perfect," she muttered. "No sense heading over to Don's now…" She stopped as she saw two shapes in the falling snow. She stepped back as Angela and Broadway stepped into the tunnel.

Angela smiled as she saw Delilah standing in the tunnel. "Patrolling?" she asked as she shook the snow out of her hair.

"Not really," Delilah said. "I was thinking about heading over to Don's." She looked past the pair. "But with the snow blowing like it is now…"

"You could probably still make it there," Angela said. "It's not coming down that hard."

"Of course, you might want to knock first," Broadway added. "Just to make sure you don't wake Elisa."

Delilah looked at the rotund gargoyle, a questioning look in her eyes. "Elisa is there?" she asked. "Why?"

"Elisa had to pull an extra shift today," Angela said. "She's sleeping on Don's couch until she feels up to heading home."

"I guess that's okay," Delilah said. She felt a little guilty, giving into a bit of jealousy at the thought of Elisa being at Don's apartment. They are friends now, she thought. Not lovers. Not anymore. Just because Elisa is carrying… She looked out into the snow, suddenly feeling the need to head over there. "I will see you later," she said quickly.

"Of course, Delilah," Angela said. She watched as her hybrid sister headed out into the snow.

Don's apartment

Don turned as he heard a yawn from the couch. He watched as Elisa sat up and stretch her arms.

"Mmm," she sighed. "How long was I asleep?"

"Only about four hours," he said. "You still need to get your full eight."

"I can get by…" she said, but then she paused. Her hand clenched on the couch cushion. "Uh, oh," she said.

Don watched as Elisa bolted for the bathroom door. He took a step to follow her, then stopped when he heard a retching sound coming from the bathroom. He felt the corners of his mouth turn up slightly, realizing what was going on.

"Isn't morning sickness supposed to be a 'morning' thing?" he quipped.

"Oh, shut up," Elisa snapped, just as another wave of nausea swept over her.

Don waited until he was certain Elisa had finished before approaching the bathroom door. "Are you okay in there?" he asked.

Elisa rested her head against the side of the toilet, taking some relief from the coolness of the porcelain. "Yeah," she said. "Just about." Satisfied that the wave of nausea had sufficiently passed, she reached up and grabbed the handle, flushing the toilet. She stood up shakily, then turned to see Don standing by the open bathroom door.

"God, I can't believe I'm going to have to go through at least another month of this," she said. She looked up at Don. "This is all your fault, you know."

Don was caught off guard by that. "My fault?" he gasped. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you were the one who wanted to get pregnant in the first place."

"You could have tried a little harder to resist," she reminded him.

"I could have," he said. "But you wouldn't have made it easy for me to say 'No'. And you know I could never say 'No' to you."

Elisa opened her mouth to protest, then silenced herself, knowing that he was right. She stepped out of the bathroom, clutching his shoulder briefly for support, then carefully made her way back to the couch. She sat down, then paused for a minute before reaching for her boots. "I should get going…"

"I wouldn't try it right now if I were you," Don said. "Take a look."

Elisa paused to look at the skylight. She could see the swirling snow outside. "When did that start?" she asked.

"Right after Angela and Broadway stopped by with a few things for you," Don said. He reached down and picked up the gym bag. "You'd probably be better off spending the night here instead of trying to make it home in this mess."

"I've driven through worse, Don," she said.

"But you've never been pregnant before," he reminded her. "And this is still your first trimester. You're probably still feeling a little queasy."

"Don't remind me," she said. She sighed. "You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"

"Nope," Don said. "And besides which, what do you think Goliath's going to do to me if I let you go out in this weather after I told him I'd keep an eye on you?"

Elisa sighed in exasperation. "I swear, ever since I became pregnant, almost everyone's been treating me like I'm a china doll." She looked over at Don. "I'm not going to break if I get a little cold."

"Maybe," he said. "But why take the chance? And need I remind you about your fiancé? Big guy, about seven-foot tall, who will probably pound me into a bloody pulp if anything happens to you tonight?"

Elisa knew that he was right. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?" she asked.

"You've got maybe a snowball's chance of winning this argument," Don said. "Especially since you know I'm right."

"I wouldn't go that far, Don," she said.

Don smiled at her. "Ha, ha," he laughed. Then his expression changed. "Seriously, though," he said. "You really should stay here tonight. It's snowing, you're tired…" He paused as he heard a grumble. "And it sounds like you're hungry. You're staying."

"Don…" she started, but then she caught a whiff of something coming from the kitchen. She looked at Don. "Beef stew?" she asked.

Don nodded.

"You know that's not fair," she said. "I never could resist your cooking." She sighed. "I guess I can stay for a little while longer and get something to eat."

"You're staying the night," Don said. When Elisa opened her mouth to protest, he quickly continued. "Give me an argument, and I'll handcuff you to the headboard. You know I'll do it, too."

Elisa gave Don a lopsided smile. "I'd have to give you a fight," she said. "You sound like you'd enjoy it too much."

Don laughed, shaking his head. "And you sound like you'd enjoy it, too," he said. He held up the gym bag. "Here," he said. "I think that, before we get too carried away with this, you should get showered and changed. I'll have dinner ready by the time you get out of the shower."

Elisa took the gym bag from his outstretched hand. "Thanks, Don," she said. "You're a sweetheart." She smiled at him before getting up from the couch and heading for the bathroom. Don watched her until the door closed, then headed for the kitchen.

Elisa came out of the bathroom, clad in her nightshirt, which she wore under a bathrobe Don had loaned her, and headed for the table. She sat down, smiling as she inhaled the aroma of the beef stew on her plate. "This smells wonderful, Don," she said.

"Thanks," he said. "I knew you'd like it."

Elisa took her fork and lifted a bite-sized morsel of beef to her mouth. She chewed it for a few seconds before swallowing it. "And it tastes perfect," she added. "Although…"

"I know," he said. "You think it needs more pepper, right?"

Elisa smiled. "You know me too well," she said.

Don got up and headed into the kitchen. He came back with a pepper shaker. He started to hand it to Elisa, then pulled it back. "Are you sure your stomach can handle it?" he asked.

Elisa snatched the shaker from his hand. "Quit treating me like a baby," she said. She sprinkled some pepper on her beef stew as Don sat down, then resumed her meal. "Much better," she said.

Don sat for a minute, watching her eat, before finally starting in on his own plate. Elisa noticed that he was watching her and set down her fork.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he quickly said.

"Oh?" she asked. "It doesn't look like nothing. Come on, Don. I know you too well. Spill it."

"Well…" he said, then paused for a second. He looked across the table at her. "I was wondering about what you were going to tell the baby," he said. "When he grows up."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Are you going to tell him about me?"

His question caught her by surprise. "I…I really hadn't thought about it," she admitted. "I always thought that it'd be just me and Goliath raising the baby. I…I didn't know if you'd want to be…be a part of his life."

Don stood up. "Ever since Anna's Remembrance ceremony, I've been giving it a lot of thought," he said. "I mean, my own dad was hardly ever around when I was growing up. I only saw him when he came home on leave from the war in Vietnam, and that wasn't all that often. And after listening to what Maria said about her mother, I began to realize I didn't want your baby growing up thinking I just abandoned the two of you and resenting me."

Elisa sat back, stunned by his words. "I'd never let that happen, Don," she said. "You know that."

"I know you'd try not to," he said. "But there's no guarantee it still wouldn't happen." He walked around the table and knelt in front of her. "I'm not trying to get you back, Elisa," he said. "I know I made the right decision when I let you go, and I love Delilah too much to break her heart. I just…I want to be a part of your child's life, Elisa. I want to be able to do all the things I wasn't able to do with my own father." He reached out and took her hands in his. "That is, if you'll let me."

Elisa had a hard time holding back the smile. "You know I will, Don," she said.

Don let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Elisa," he said. He got up, hugged her briefly, and then started back for his chair. As he began to sit back down, Elisa looked at him.

"Since you're so intent on being a part of my child's life," she said. "You can start by driving me to Dr. Jackson's in the morning."

Don paused, then smiled at her as he sat down. "Sure thing," he said.

"And let's see," she added. "There's going to be diapers that need to be changed, late night feedings, baby-sitting duty." She paused when she saw the look on his face. "To say nothing of the college fund."

Don sagged in his chair, knowing that Elisa was teasing him, but still wondering what it was he had just gotten himself into.

Outside on the roof, Delilah turned around and headed out across the sky, the cold not bothering her as much as the hurt in her heart did at the thought of Don and Elisa's betrayal.

Goliath soared through the night, pausing every so often to adjust his course, but inevitably finding himself heading in the same direction. Might as well get it over with, he thought ruefully. He had told himself earlier that he trusted Elisa and Don, but something just kept nagging him. As much as he tried to avoid it, he still worried; worried that, despite everything that had happened, Elisa still wanted to be with Don. After all, he thought. It was his apartment Elisa went to tonight, not the castle. He did realize that, as tired as Don said Elisa was, she never would have made it safely to the castle. It was better that she decided to stop at a place she had once thought of as home, and where she would be welcomed with open arms, and undoubtedly a hot meal. Goliath adjusted his course and headed for the one place he had been avoiding all night.

The lights were out in Don's apartment when he got there. Not wanting to risk disturbing them, he gently landed on the roof and carefully made his way to the skylight. The snow had stopped falling some time ago, and the clouds had parted, allowing the moon to finally show through, which gave Goliath a chance to see inside the apartment. He could see a lump on the couch, large enough to be a human covered by a blanket. The lump moved, and Goliath saw Don's face turn towards the skylight. He was asleep, Goliath noted. And sleeping alone. But where… The answer dawned on him even as he heard a door open, and Elisa stepped out of the bedroom, clad in her nightshirt. I was a fool, he silently berated himself. A fool not to trust the woman I love with her old lover. It was obvious what was going on. Rather than have Elisa sleep on the couch and risk injury to herself and her unborn child should she fall to the floor, he thought. Don offered her his bed to sleep in, while he took the couch. If he had entertained any thoughts of seducing Elisa during the night, he would have done so already, and would no doubt still have been in there with her. He did wonder why Elisa was moving through the apartment at this point, keeping the lights out while she felt her way around, but that was put to rest as he saw her make her way to the kitchen. Opening a cabinet, she felt around until she found a coffee cup, then filled it with water before placing it in the microwave and opening another cabinet. She pulled out several boxes before finding the one she was looking for. She took out a small packet and opened it, then poured the contents into the cup of hot water when the microwave went off. Stirring it with a spoon, she turned around, and Goliath saw the look of surprise on her face when she saw him standing there.

"What…" he saw her say. He quickly held up a hand to silence her, then pointed towards the door that led out onto the roof, realizing that he no doubt owed her an explanation for his presence. He went to the door and waited for Elisa to join him.

Elisa opened the door slightly, not wanting to let the cold into the apartment and risk a chill. "What are you doing here?" she asked quietly.

"I am sorry to disturb you, Elisa," he said. "I was…worried."

"Worried?" she asked.

Goliath sighed, realizing from her tone that she suspected something more. "Yes," he said. "Worried about your safety and…" He stopped, unable to continue.

"Worried that Don and I might end up in bed together," she finished for him.

Goliath hung his head in shame. "Yes," he muttered. "I know that you have every reason to be angry at me for suspecting that you would ever…"

Elisa smiled at him. "It's okay, Goliath," she said. "I'm not angry with you. After what happened, I'd be surprised if you weren't a little suspicious of me and Don being alone together for any length of time."

Goliath sighed. "You are far more understanding than I would be in similar circumstances," he said. "I truly do not deserve you."

Elisa smiled up at him. "You got that right," she quipped.

Goliath smiled back at her before turning his attention back to the cup she held in her hands. "I am however, wondering why…"

Elisa looked down at the cup. "I couldn't sleep," she admitted, sighing. "You'd think that, with Don asleep on the couch, I'd begin to feel safe in this apartment again, even if it's just for tonight, but I can't. I can't forget what happened."

Goliath knew what she was talking about. It had been just over three years ago that Tony Dracon and his men kidnapped Elisa from this apartment in order to lure him and the rest of the clan into a trap set up by Jon Castaway. The plan failed, and Elisa escaped, but she never felt safe in this apartment again. After several weeks, Goliath managed to convince her to move into the apartment she was living in now. But she had resisted at first, and Goliath never understood why, until the day the Phoenix Gate returned her former lover to her. This had been a home to both of them, he realized. A home Elisa had always hoped Don would return to. A home that had been violated by one simple act of violence. He looked at Elisa's trembling hands, but couldn't tell if it was because of the cold, or her underlying fear. "Do you wish for me to take you home?" he asked.

Elisa looked up at him. "What?" she asked before she realized what he had asked her. "No, no. I'm okay. It's just the cold." She started to bring the cup up. "Besides, Don's driving me to Dr. Jackson's office in the morning, and I'd probably have better luck getting there in his Jeep than in my car if they don't get the streets plowed by then."

Goliath watched as she brought the cup to her lips and took a drink. Hot chocolate, he realized, recognizing the smell. As she brought her hands down again, he reached forward and grasped them in his own. He looked at her in alarm as he realized just how cold it was.

"I am sorry, Elisa," he said. "I should not have made you stand there with the door open in this weather." He let go of her cold hands. "I should go."

"You don't have to," Elisa said. "You could stay a while."

Goliath looked into the apartment. "What about Don?" he asked. "I do not wish to awaken him."

Elisa looked back over her shoulder. "He'll be all right," she said as she turned her attention back to Goliath. "Sometimes he'd wake up if he heard a twig snap, but on nights like this, when he's really relaxed, you could set off a bomb outside and he wouldn't stir."

"That's only if the door stayed closed," they heard him groan tiredly from the couch. Elisa turned and saw Don turn over on the couch and raise his head to look at them.

"I'm sorry, Don," she said. "I didn't mean to wake you…"

"The fault is mine," Goliath quickly said. "I was concerned about Elisa, and I caused her to keep the door open longer than was necessary."

"That's okay," Don said. "Elisa's right. You're welcome to come in and stay a while," he added as he settled back down on the couch.

"Thank you," Goliath said. He entered the apartment, then waited until Elisa finished her hot chocolate and placed the cup in the sink before following her towards the bedroom.

"Just make sure you keep the noise level down to a minimum, will you?" Don then added as they passed by the couch. "It'll make it easier for me to get back to sleep if Elisa isn't screaming your name all night."

Elisa stopped so abruptly that Goliath collided with her, almost knocking her over. She paused for a second to look back at him, then reached down and slapped Don across the back of the head. Don looked up with a smile on his face as he rubbed the back of his head and watched as Elisa took Goliath by the hand and led him towards the bedroom.

Goliath paused to close the door quietly as Elisa sat down on the edge of the bed. He went over to her as she began unbuttoning her nightshirt and quickly took her hands. "We shouldn't," he said.

"Why not?" Elisa asked. "If it's because of that crack Don just made…"

"It is not only that," he said, even as his eyes fell on the expanse of dusky skin that Elisa had managed to reveal before he stopped her. "You are to see Dr. Jackson in the morning. I do not wish to risk doing anything that may cause her to become overly concerned about the state of your pregnancy."

"Goliath," Elisa started, a hint of amusement in her voice. "We went over this before when we decided to take things to the next level. I know you're a lot bigger than most humans, but…"

"And it is for that reason I feel we should wait until you have this child, Elisa," he quickly said, silencing her with his finger to her lips. "I do not wish to become too 'robust' and risk injury to your unborn child."

Elisa looked at him long and hard, but realized he was right. "Okay," she said as she began to button up her nightshirt, but left the top three undone to give him something pleasurable to look at. "But don't expect me to wait too long after the kid's born to jump your bones," she added as she got under the comforter. "I'm going to have two months of maternity leave left after the delivery, and I expect you to help me work off the nine months of horniness that I'll have saved up by then."

Goliath gulped soundly at the sound of pure lust in her voice, then knelt by the bed as she laid her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes. Within moments, he saw her body completely relax as she drifted off to sleep. After a while, he reached out to brush a stray strand of hair out of her face. Elisa muttered in her sleep but did not awaken. Goliath smiled at that. Now she feels safe, he thought. With Don on the couch, and me to watch over her here, she could be no safer than if she were in the castle itself. He backed away slightly and watched over her as she slept through the night.

Thursday, February 10, 2000

Office of Dr. Elsie Jackson, OB/GYN

Elisa sat in the office, waiting for Dr. Jackson to come back with the results of her latest exam, while Don paced around the office. Several times, he paused to look at the picture hanging on the wall.

"And Mom thought I was nervous the last time I was here," she quipped.

Don turned to look at her. "Doctors' offices always make me nervous," he said.

Elisa smiled at him. "Don't worry," she said. "Remember, I'm the one who went through the examination, not you."

It had been over an hour since they arrived at the office. After waking Elisa up and fixing her breakfast, Don had driven her here, then agreed to wait for her while Elsie examined her. Goliath had been gone when she woke up, and Don told her that he had left before sunrise with Angela, once both gargoyles were satisfied that Elisa had gotten enough rest. After the examination was over, she had asked them to wait in her office while she checked on a few things. Don was immediately nervous.

After a few more minutes, Dr. Jackson returned, carrying Elisa's file. She went to the desk and sat down. "Sorry that took so long," she said.

"That's okay," Elisa said. She reached out and grasped Don's hand, then pulled him into the seat next to hers. "What's the verdict?"

"Well, the good news is you're still pregnant," she said.

"And the bad?" Don asked. When both women looked at him, he shrugged. "These things come as a matched set," he said. "First there's the good news, then you get hit with the bad news."

Elsie smiled slightly at Elisa. "And this is the father of your child?" she asked pointedly.

"Afraid so," she quipped, then elbowed Don slightly in the ribs to keep him quiet.

Elsie shook her head in amusement, then turned serious. "Well, he is right about the bad news," she said. "That little irregularity that showed up during your initial exam is still there, but so far it's still doesn't seem to be causing any problems."

"Yet," Elisa said.

"Right," Elsie said, then turned her attention back to the folder. "And you've got a serious iron deficiency that I'm worried about." She looked at Elisa. "Have you been eating regularly, or should I even bother to ask?"

"I've been eating," she said, almost sheepishly.

"When was the last time you sat down and had a good home-cooked meal?" Elsie asked pointedly.

"Last night, as a matter of fact," she said. "I had dinner at Don's place. He made beef stew."

"Canned, or…"

"God, no!" Elisa said, smiling as she looked at Don. "Homemade. He knows how much I love his cooking."

"Well, maybe you should consider having him move in with you until your due date," she said. "Or at least eat at his place more often," she amended when she saw the frown on Elisa's face, then remembered that Elisa had told her that her current 'boyfriend' was a seven-foot tall gargoyle named Goliath. "At any rate, I'm going to put you on an iron supplement," she continued. "Hopefully, that'll take care of the deficiency." She handed Elisa a slip of paper, then took a bottle out of her pocket. "Follow the instructions," she said as she handed the bottle to Elisa. "I want to see that deficiency reduced by your next visit."

"Right," she said.

"Don't worry," Don said. "I'll make sure she takes them. Even if I have to slip them in her feed."

Elisa gave Don a sour look. "When do you want me back in?" she asked.

Elsie checked her calendar. "10:30, the morning of March ninth." She looked up at Elisa. "That'll be the end of your first trimester, so make sure you don't miss the appointment like you did last week."

"I won't," she said. Putting the bottle in her pocket, she and Don left the office.

"Okay," he said as they got into his car. "Where to now?"

Elisa smiled at him. "I could go for a little more of that beef stew of yours," she said.

"You sure that's a good idea?" he asked. "Spending the night at my place, eating my food, me driving you here… People might start to think we're a couple again."

"Let 'em," she said. "After all, you are the father of this child," she added, placing her hand on her belly. "And you heard Elsie. I need to start eating better, and what better place than at your apartment."

Don smiled back at her as he started the car. "Don't let Broadway hear you say that," he said. "You'll give him a complex."

"I can't do that to him, can I?" she said, feeling a little guilty. Broadway was an exceptional cook, and he certainly would enjoy cooking for Elisa now that she was expecting. "I guess between the two of you, you'll have me fattened up in no time."

The two of them enjoyed a good laugh as the image of a pleasantly plump Elisa flashed through both their minds.

"Well, not this Saturday," he said then. When Elisa looked at him with hint of a question on her lips, he quickly added, "Dee's coming over Saturday."

"I see," she said in understanding. "'Two's company, and three's a…'" She stopped when she saw the hint of a wicked smile cross his face. "Don't you dare say it," she warned.

The smile remained, even though Don was trying to suppress it. "I wasn't going to say it," he said innocently.

"I'll just bet you weren't," she said. "We were together for almost a year, Don. I know how that dirty little mind of yours works."

Don laughed. "I can't fool you for a minute, can I," he said.

"No, you can't," she said.

"Well, it probably wouldn't have worked out anyway," he said. "I don't think she goes in for that kind of thing."

Saturday, February 12, 2000

Don's apartment

Don checked his watch, then looked at the skylight for the fourth time that night. What could be keeping her? he wondered. It was already eleven o'clock and Delilah had said she would be there by nine. He was starting to get really worried. He went over to the telephone and dialed a number.

"Hey, Derek," he said when he heard Elisa's brother answer the phone. "Is Delilah there? I'd like to talk to her."

"I haven't seen her," Talon answered. "Hold on a second."

Don waited as Talon covered the mouthpiece and called out, wondering if anyone had seen the snowy-haired hybrid. He could just about hear someone say they had, because he then heard Talon's muffled voice say, "Tell her she's got a phone call." Then he heard Talon say, "Just a sec, Don."

It wasn't long before he heard Talon talking to Delilah. "We really need to talk to Elisa about getting you a cell phone," he heard Talon say before the phone was surrendered to her.

"Hello?" she asked.

"What's keeping you, sweetheart?" he asked sweetly. "It's after eleven. I was getting worried."

"Really?" he heard her snap. "I'm surprised you noticed that I wasn't even there."

"Wha…" he started, but then she cut him off.

"I'm sure Elisa would probably be better company," she said then before slamming the phone down. Don flinched at the sound, then tried to call back. When he couldn't get through, he realized that Delilah had probably broken the phone in her anger. Setting the phone down, he went to the kitchen to put the stuff for dinner back in the refrigerator before grabbing his coat and heading for the Labyrinth, wondering what it was he could have possibly done to make the woman he loved so mad at him.

The Labyrinth

Don paused to wave at Brentwood as he entered the Sanctuary. When the kite-winged clone of Lexington waved back at him, he approached the clone. "Have you seen Delilah?" he asked.

"Not for a while," Brentwood said. "Saw her after we woke up, but not since then."

"Did she seem…upset…at all?" Don asked.

Brentwood looked at him in confusion. "Why ask?" he asked. "Did you do something make her mad?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "She seemed okay when I left Wednesday morning. I've got to talk to her," he said. "Find out what's wrong."

"Delilah left right after you called," Talon said as he approached the two. "She was real upset, too. What did you say to her?"

"I told her I was getting worried when she didn't show up tonight," Don said. "We were going to have dinner and go through my books to see if I had anything she liked." He sighed heavily. "I've got to find her, Derek," he said. "I've got to find out why she's so mad at me."

Talon looked at the clone of Lexington. "You and the others start searching the tunnels," he said. "See if she's curled up in any of the spots she used to hide in when you guys first got here."

"Yes, Talon," Brentwood said. "What we do if we find her? Bring her back?"

"If you can," Talon said. "If not, just come back and let us know where she is. We'll take it from there."

After the clone left to gather his brothers and begin looking for their errant sister, Talon turned to Don. "I think you better start explaining, Don," he said. "Obviously, you did something to upset her."

"I know," he said. "The big question is what."

Castle Wyvern

"Are you sure she's taken off?" Elisa asked.

"Yeah," Don said over the phone. "We've looked everywhere down here and there's no sign of her." Elisa heard him pause for a moment. "You've got to help find her, Elisa. I've got to find out what I did that got her so mad at me that she would take off like this."

Elisa turned to look at Goliath. "We'll do everything we can, Don. Why don't you head home and…"

"I'd much rather stay here," he said. "In case she comes back."

"Don," Elisa said, worry in her voice. "That might not be a good idea. If she is mad at you, you're the last person she'll want to see. The Labyrinth is her home, but she won't come back there if she thinks you're down there waiting for her."

"Elisa, I can't just sit and wait…"

"I know, Don," she said. "I know better than anyone. But right now, it's the only thing you can do." She sighed heavily. "I promise we'll find her," she continued. "We'll bring her home and find out how this mess started in the first place."

She could practically hear Don's anxiety on the other end of the line. "All right," he said finally. "I'll head home. Just…when you find her…let me know. I don't want to lose her."

"You won't, Don," Elisa said. She waited until she heard Don hang up the phone, then pocketed her own. She turned as she felt Goliath place his hands on her shoulders. "You heard?"

"Yes," he said. "Don is at a loss as to what may have caused this?"

"He doesn't have a clue," she said. "He said that everything was fine between them Wednesday morning when he left her at the Labyrinth. They even made dinner plans for tonight."

"So something must have happened between then and tonight," Goliath said. He paused as he heard Angela enter the room.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, seeing the expression on her father's face.

"Delilah has disappeared," Goliath said.

"What?" Angela gasped. "Why?"

"She's mad at Don about something," Elisa said. "We don't know why."

"She didn't say anything Wednesday night?" Angela asked.

Elisa looked at Goliath, then back at Angela. "You saw her Wednesday?" she asked.

"Yes," she said. "A few hours after Broadway and I stopped by Don's apartment to drop off some clothes for you." She paused for a moment. "She did say that she was thinking about heading over there when I talked to her. She left right after we told her you were there resting."

Elisa looked at Goliath, a hint of a question already forming on her lips. "You didn't…see her?" she asked.

"No," he said. "I saw no indication that Delilah was ever there. It is possible that she stopped by before my arrival…"

"But she didn't," Elisa said. "If she had, I'm pretty sure Don or myself would have seen her. And I know for a fact that Don wouldn't have turned her away if she did." She frowned, recalling the events of that night. "I mean, it's not like she would have walked in on…" She stopped then, her eyes going wide. "Oh, God," she gasped.

"What is it?" Goliath asked. Then the thought hit him. "Elisa, you and Don didn't…"

"No," she said. "You know we didn't, Goliath. But Delilah…" She paused. "Don and I talked," she said. "He's been giving a lot of thought about being a part…being a part of our child's life." She looked up at Goliath, seeing the worry in his eyes. "He doesn't want to try to force you out of the picture, Goliath. He just wants a chance to do the things that he never got to do with his own father. And I can understand that."

"How so?" Angela asked.

"Don's dad was a soldier," Elisa said. "He got sent to Vietnam only a few months after Don was born, so he didn't even get a chance to see Don grow up. He did get cycled back to the States on a regular basis, but still that didn't happen very often." She paused. "It was hard for Don to grow up without a father around, even if my own dad was there for him. And it didn't help matters after Sam died, and Lillian moved him to Chicago. Don just doesn't want history to repeat itself."

"He should not have to worry," Goliath said. "He knows that I will always be there…"

"For Little League?" Elisa asked. "Or fishing trips, or the circus, or any of the other things dads do with their kids?"

Goliath realized what Elisa was talking about. He could be there to watch over and protect Elisa and their child, but not for the other things that came with being a parent, especially the gargoyle parent of a fully human child. For those things, he realized that it was only fair that Don be involved. In the old days, Don would have been involved in the raising of the child as a matter of course. "You are right, Elisa," he said. "But I still do not see why Delilah…"

"We hugged," Elisa said, which drew a confused look from Goliath. "It was just a harmless embrace, kind of like what you'd expect from a close friend or a member of your family. But if Delilah saw it, she might have misunderstood."

"Delilah is a grown adult, Elisa," Goliath said. "She…"

"Physically, yes," Elisa said. "But emotionally, she's still growing. She's still very much a child. And considering the fact that I'm pregnant with Don's child…"

Goliath sighed, then looked at Angela. "We will find her, Elisa," he said. "It would be a great tragedy if Don and Delilah's relationship were to fall apart over a simple misunderstanding."

"Thanks," she said. She waited until Goliath left with Angela and the rest of the clan before heading for the castle's kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee. When they found her, they would probably bring Delilah back to the castle for a talk with Elisa, but she had a feeling it was still going to be a long night.

Sunday, February 13, 2000

Goliath soared through the night, looking for the errant clone, but he could already see that it wasn't going to be easy. With winter still maintaining its icy grip on the city, the hybrid clone's white hair and wings were going to be hard to distinguish from the surrounding snow-covered terrain. He only hoped that he or one of the others found her before the sun rose.

He adjusted his course, then landed lightly on the observation deck roof of the Empire State Building. He looked out across the city, wondering where Delilah had gone. Angela had gone to Kate's in case Delilah had gone there, and the rest of the clan were searching the rest of the city, but time was growing short. Sunrise was two hours away.

"Where are you?" he rumbled.

"Here," he heard a quiet voice say.

Goliath turned around, looking for the source of the voice. He took a few steps, then saw Delilah sitting against the wall, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. As he got closer, he could see the puffiness around the clone's eyes. She had been crying obviously, and recently.

"You had us worried," he said calmly. "Why did you run off? Don…"

He saw Delilah's eyes blaze red at the mention of Don's name, and he backed up slightly. "I don't ever want to hear his name…" she started hotly.

"Delilah," he started, but she glared at him.

"No!" she shouted. "He betrayed me. I thought he loved me, but he…"

"He does still love you," Goliath said, trying to calm her. When he saw her eyes still burning brightly in anger, he stepped closer. "Delilah," he continued. "Why don't you tell me what happened?"

"Elisa didn't tell you?" she asked.

"She told me her version of what happened," he said. "But before I pass judgment, I feel I should hear your side of the story."

Delilah sighed, letting her anger subside a bit.

"Angela told me she told you that Elisa was at Don's apartment, getting some much needed rest after her long shift, correct?" he asked.

"Yes," Delilah said. "When she told me that, I started to feel worried."

"You were fearful that Don might take advantage of Elisa's presence to recapture some of their past love."

"And I was right," she said, sounding defeated.

"Were you?" he asked. When Delilah looked at him in confusion, he continued. "I, too, felt a measure of worry, but my own fears were unfounded, just as yours were."

"How…"

"I stopped by Don's apartment some time after you did," he said. "When I arrived there, I saw Don asleep on the couch, and Elisa was attempting to sleep peacefully in his bed." He knelt down and placed his hand on Delilah's shoulder. "Nothing happened between them that night, Delilah. I know this because I stayed by Elisa's bedside throughout the night."

Delilah hung her head in shame, realizing that she had been mad at Don for no reason. "I am stupid," she said, sounding dejected.

"You are not…" Goliath started.

"Yes, I am," she said. "I was mad at Don, but I had no right to be." She felt tears begin to flow. "He probably hates me now."

"No," Goliath said. "He is upset, yes. But because he was worried about you and confused by your anger." He stood up and extended his hand towards her. "Come," he said. "We should return to the castle. Elisa will no doubt wish to speak to you about what happened, and I feel that you could benefit from her wisdom."

Delilah looked up at him, then dropped her eyes to his proffered hand. She sniffed back the tears, then took his hand and let him draw her to her feet. Together, they leapt from the top of the Empire State Building and headed back to the castle.

Castle Wyvern

The Library

"Yeah, Don," Elisa said, pausing to look at Delilah, who was sitting on the couch in the library, her arms wrapped around her knees again, and a forlorn look on her face. Angela sat with her, her arm around the hybrid's shoulders, while Goliath stood behind them. Elisa had called Don as soon as Goliath returned with Delilah to let him know that she'd been found. Don had been greatly relieved at the news, and the first thing he wanted to do was race over to the castle and take Delilah in his arms, but Elisa asked him to wait. "She's okay. She's just a little upset about what happened."

"You're sure you don't want me to head over there?" he asked. "I really want to talk to her…"

Elisa paused again. "Give me a little time with her first, Don," she said. "I know you love her, but I think right now the two of you need a little time apart until we can sort through this."

She could practically feel Don's anxiety through the phone. He was quiet for a long time as he considered her words.

"All right, Elisa," he said finally. "Just…tell her I love her and…I don't want to lose her."

"I will, Don," she said. "I'll give you a call later."

"Thanks, Elis'," he said. Elisa waited until she heard him break the connection before pocketing the cell phone and turning to consider her hybrid daughter. She walked over to the couch and knelt down in front of her.

"You want to tell me what happened?" she asked.

Delilah sniffed back the tears. "I thought…I saw.." she said, then paused. She looked up at Elisa. "I went to Don's apartment Wednesday," she said. "I saw…"

"You saw me and Don hugging," she said.

"Yes," she said. "And I thought that Don was going to…that you and Don were…" She paused, then hiccuped.

Elisa reached out and placed her hand gently on Delilah's wrist. "Why would you think that?" she asked. "Don loves you more than anything. Do you really think that he would even try to get me in bed when he has you…"

Delilah looked up. "That's just it," she said. "We…we haven't…"

Elisa looked at Goliath in confusion, then back to Delilah. "I don't understand," she said. "I thought…"

"I…I couldn't," she said. "Every time we try, I…I just couldn't…"

Elisa looked back at Goliath. "Can you two give us a few moments alone?" she asked. "I think this is something we need to discuss in private."

"Of course, Elisa," he said. He waited until Angela rose from the couch, then followed her out. "We will be right outside."

"Thanks," she said as she followed them to the door. After Goliath and Angela left the room, she closed the door and went back to the couch. She sat down next to the hybrid clone and took her hands in her own. "What do you mean that you couldn't?" she asked. "Is there a problem?"

Delilah looked at her nervously. "I've…pulled away…every time Don's tried to..." she said, trying to form the words. "I want to so much, but…I…I'm…scared. I just don't know why."

Elisa looked at her, worry in her eyes. "Is that why you thought Don and I might have ended up in bed together?" she asked. "Because you thought that maybe he was getting tired of waiting for you?"

"Yes," she said, trembling. "The two of you became intimate so easily the night you became pregnant, and I thought that…"

"Delilah," Elisa said, reaching out to cup the clone's chin. "Don loves you. If he didn't, he wouldn't have been as worried about you as he is right now. You have to know that."

"Yes," she said. "But he also loves you…"

"I know he does," she said. "But you have to remember that what Don and I had was over a long time ago. He still loves me, but it's a different kind of love from the love he has for you. When Don falls in love with someone, he devotes his entire being into that one person, and no one else. That's why Don was…hesitant…that night…when we…"

"He didn't want to?" Delilah asked.

"No," Elisa said. "I had to convince him that it was what I wanted. If Don had had his way, we would have done it through in vitro, instead of…well, you know. The way we did do it."

"I didn't know…" Delilah said.

"I thought Don explained it to you," Elisa said. "I mean, you seemed okay with it later."

"I…I thought I was," she said. "I guess I still had doubts because…"

"Because of the problems you've been having," she said.

Delilah's head dropped. "Yes," she said.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," she said. "With everything that you've been through, it's normal for you to be a little shaky about taking that next step." When Delilah gave her a questioning look, she continued. "You said that Thailog was abusive, right?" she asked. When Delilah nodded silently, she pressed on. "I'm guessing that some of that abuse took place when he…used you."

"Yes," Delilah said.

"You've probably learned to associate sex with pain," Elisa said. "Which is probably why you've been pulling back when you and Don try to become intimate." When she saw a tear begin to emerge, she quickly wiped it away. "It's nothing to be ashamed of," she said. "It happens to the best of us."

"Did it ever happen to you?" Delilah asked.

"Thankfully, no," she said. "Neither Don nor Goliath has ever hit me or intentionally caused me pain while we were together. But I've seen it often enough. Remember, I'm a cop. I've seen my share of domestic abuse cases. Enough to last me a lifetime." She placed her hand on Delilah's shoulder. "Don'll never hurt you, Delilah. In your heart, you know that, right?"

Delilah looked at Elisa. "Yes, I do," she said.

Elisa smiled at her. "Good," she said. She looked at her watch. "Listen, it's almost dawn. Why don't you go and find a place out on the wall to roost, and I'll be back later tonight to help you sort things some more."

Delilah sniffed back the last of the tears. "Okay," she said. "But what about Talon? He will be mad if I don't…"

"Once I tell him what's going on and where you are, he'll understand," she said. "Under the circumstances, I think he'll let it slide. Besides, you probably won't make it back there anyway."

"Thank you, Elisa," Delilah said as she got up from the couch. Elisa followed her to the door and then watched as Angela escorted her to the courtyard.

"Is she all right?" Goliath asked.

"I think she will be now," Elisa said. "She still has some things to work through, but I think that we've gotten to the heart of the problem. All she has to do now is learn how to face them, but I don't think that's going to be a problem anymore."

"Good," Goliath said. "Delilah is most fortunate to have as many friends as she does. She should not have to bear the burden she has placed on herself alone."

"Well, she won't have to anymore," Elisa said, then threaded her arm around his. "Come on. It's been a long night, and I for one am looking forward to seeing it end."

Together, they followed the two towards the courtyard and the coming dawn.

February 14, 2000

Elisa's apartment

"Are you sure about this, Elisa?" Delilah asked from behind the privacy screen.

"Positive," Elisa said as she stood by the dresser, going through her jewelry box. "This is how Don and I spent our first Valentine's Day together, so I thought it'd be a good way for the two of you to start things rolling." She smiled as she found what she was looking for. "I was afraid I'd lost these," she said, pulling out a pair of turquoise-and-silver earrings. Holding the earrings up, she headed for the screen. "These will look perfect on you."

Delilah stepped out from behind the screen. "Are you sure you want to give those to me?" she asked. "I don't want to take them if you…"

"I like them," she said, placing the earrings in Delilah's palm. "But they don't like me. The wires make my ear lobes itch." She picked up one and stepped up to Delilah. Reaching up, she grasped one of the clone's ears and slipped the French wire through the hole in her ear lobe. She repeated the process with the other ear. "Done," she said, then stepped back. "Okay, let's have a look at you."

Delilah raised her arms slightly, then turned around in front of Elisa, the blue ankle-length skirt she was wearing billowing out slightly as she spun in place. "Do you think Don will like this?" she asked.

"Believe me, he's going to love it," Elisa said. She paused when she heard a knock on the door. "That'll be Don," she said. "Wait here, and I'll call you when it's time to come down."

Delilah smiled, still a little bit nervous, but doing her best to hide it. "Okay, Elisa," she said.

"Don't worry," she said, catching the clone's nervous hesitation. "Everything's going to be fine. Just remember what I told you."

"Right," Delilah said, taking a deep breath to slow her racing heart. "I'm ready."

There was another knock on the door. "I guess I better go let him in," Elisa said. "Wait here."

Delilah watched as Elisa left the bedroom and headed downstairs.

Elisa looked back for a moment before descending the stairs. She wants so hard to make things right, she thought. I hope that things go the way she hopes. After their talk the other night, Elisa knew that the only way Delilah would be put at ease about Don was for them to have a night out on the town together. It was a bit of a long shot, but it was still the most promising option available. So after Delilah awoke the following night, Elisa had discussed the idea with her. Delilah was unsure about it, but was willing to try the idea. Now it looked like she was actually going to enjoy herself, she thought.

"I'm coming," Elisa called out as she heard another knock on the door. "Just hang on a minute." She quickly crossed the apartment and opened the door. "Hi, Don," she said.

Don was standing at the door, a large bouquet of long stem roses in his hands. Elisa easily counted well over a dozen blooms present.

"Wow," she said. "You must have spent a bundle on those."

"I did," he said. "But it was worth it. Although I had to go to six florists to get three dozen."

"Three?" Elisa asked. She quickly counted. "I think you're short a dozen."

"Not really," Don said. "I gave a dozen to Dominique when I took her to lunch this afternoon."

"I see," Elisa said in understanding. Don had called her to let her know to tell Delilah about his plans, since he didn't want there to be any more misunderstandings between himself and Delilah. If things had gone differently, he'd still be with Demona. It does make sense for him to treat her to lunch. Dee didn't seem to mind when I told her. "So you brought two dozen to give to Delilah?"

"Actually, one of these is for you," he said. He separated one bundle of roses from the other and presented them to Elisa. Elisa held them to her face and breathed deeply.

"They're wonderful, Don," she said. "Thanks." Then she smiled. "You realize, of course, that once I tell Goliath, he's going to have to try to do something to top this."

"What makes you think he won't be able to?" Don asked. "He's probably already on his way here with a dozen roses picked fresh from Xanatos' arboretum."

Elisa thought that over for a moment. "You're probably right," she said.

Don looked around the apartment. "Is she…"

"She's upstairs," Elisa said. Turning, she called out. "Okay, Delilah. You can come down now."

Don looked up and felt his jaw drop as he watched Delilah come down the stairs. She wore a blue pleated skirt, which reached almost to the floor, and a blue denim vest, which she wore over a white blouse. Don could also see the trim of a white petticoat under the blue skirt. She looked slightly off balance, which was understandable, since her wings were nowhere in sight. She's probably got them wrapped around herself underneath the blouse, he thought. A cowboy hat completed the ensemble. She approached the bottom of the stairs and Don stepped forward to meet her. As she reached the bottom, he caught her hand and held it as she stepped off the last step.

"So," Elisa said. "What do you think?"

Don had a hard time pulling his eyes off the clone. "She looks…great," he said, finally finding his voice. "Now I know why you had me dress up like this," he said. Don wore a pair of blue jeans and a white shirt, as well as a blue denim vest similar to Delilah's. A perfect match, Elisa thought.

Delilah eyed the roses in Don's hand. "Are those for me?" she asked.

Don looked at her with a hint of confusion in his eyes, then realized she was talking about the roses. "Yeah," he said as he handed them to her. She took the roses and sniffed them. "They're lovely, Don," she said. "Thank you." She then reached up and gave him a long kiss on the lips.

Elisa watched them kiss for several moments before smiling and stepping forward. "Okay, you two," she said. "Break it up. As much as I would love to chaperone the two of you, I have my own date to get ready for." She took Delilah by the arm and began leading her and Don towards the door. "Have fun, you two," she said.

"We will," Don said. He placed his arm around Delilah's waist and led her out the door.

After she closed the door, Elisa went to the closet and pulled out a small paper bag. She smiled as she looked over the contents, then went upstairs to get ready for her part in the night's activities.

Don's apartment

Don unlocked the door, then paused as he scooped Delilah up in his arms and carried her in. Delilah squealed with delight as he carried her across the threshold, then relaxed as he set her down and pulled her close, leaning forward and giving her a long, arduous kiss.

"Did you have fun tonight?" he asked after he surfaced from the kiss.

"Mmm, you know I did," she said, then looked up into his eyes as she recalled the night. After leaving Elisa's, Don had taken her to 'Bronco's'. It was Valentine's Day, which meant that they were having a special 'Ladies Night' for their customers. Delilah was a little nervous about going inside, but Don told her that everything was going to be okay. Dressed as she was, people were hardly going to notice that she was a gargoyle, as long as she kept her tail hidden underneath her skirt and her hat on.

Once they were inside, Don led her to one of the tables, then ordered them dinner, which consisted of a thick steak, a baked potato and broccoli. Delilah almost turned her nose up at the vegetables, but then watched as Don ate his eagerly. She decided to take a chance and found she actually liked them.

After dinner, Don led her out onto the dance floor and introduced her to line dancing and the Texas Two-Step. She took to it right away; being a former exotic dancer, she loved learning the new steps. After a while, she was laughing, thoroughly enjoying herself as she and Don danced throughout most of the night…

"So what do you want to do now?" he asked her.

The question caught her by surprise, but she quickly mastered it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted herself up slightly. "Do you really have to ask?" she asked.

"Are you sure you're ready?" he asked.

"I've been ready for a long time, Don," she said. "Now more than ever."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I don't want you to feel…"

Delilah ended his question with a kiss. After a few moments, she moaned softly as she felt him run his hands along the center of her back. She ended the kiss and pulled back. "Not yet," she said softly. "Give me a few minutes."

Don looked at her, curious as to what she had in mind. "Why?" he asked.

Delilah just smiled at him. "You'll see," she said. She turned and headed for the bedroom. Don watched as she took off the vest and tossed it back to him before disappearing inside.

Delilah reached up and pulled the earrings from her ears, placing them on the dresser before heading for the closet. She smiled as she found the paper bag that Elisa told her would be waiting for her when they returned to the apartment. She took it to the bed and carefully began setting things up for what she hoped would be the fulfillment of her fondest dreams.

Don stood by the door to the bedroom, curious as to what Delilah was up to. She wanted him to wait, and it piqued his interest. He reached for the doorknob, then pulled his hand back. Whatever it is, he thought. She wants it to be a surprise. I won't spoil it for her. He turned and started back for the couch

"You can come in now," he heard Delilah call out from the bedroom. Smiling, he opened the door, pausing as he wondered what Delilah had in store for him, then his eyes went wide as he took in the sight before him.

Delilah was on the bed, lying on her side, and giving him a very intense look. She had discarded the clothes she had been wearing and was now dressed only in a shimmering red satin chemise which was barely long enough to cover the tops of her thighs. The lights were off; the only illumination in the room was being provided by the scented votive candles on the bedside table, which also filled the room with a pleasant strawberry scent. Don found himself unable to form a clear, coherent thought as he looked at her.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Don," she said, giving her head a slight, but very sultry shake before focusing her attention on him. She sat up on the bed and extended her arms out to him.

Don found himself unable to move; he was so awestruck by the vision of loveliness before him that he was afraid to spoil it by moving to the bed.

"Don?" Delilah said, keeping her arms outstretched. She beckoned to him, her eyes alight with need.

Don finally found the will to move, his body finally responding to the signals coming from the beautiful female on the bed. He took off his vest and shirt, dropping them to the floor as he crawled onto the bed. When he was within reach, Delilah placed her arms around his shoulders and drew him closer. Don paused for a moment, then brought his hands up and began running them lightly along the tops of her arms.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked her.

"I am," she said. "Right now, I want this more than anything." She looked deep into his eyes. "I don't want anything to ever come between us again." She closed her eyes as she leaned closer, her lips searching for his. She found them in short order.

Don kissed her hungrily, even as he felt her hands drift down and fumble with his belt. He quickly caught her hands and pulled them away, then placed a finger to her lips and smiled at her when she looked at him in disappointment. He brought his hands to her jaw and kissed her tenderly, then let his hands drift down to the straps of the chemise. Delilah felt the straps slip off her shoulders and down her arms, letting the garment pool around her waist, leaving her bare from the waist up. Don looked down for a moment before letting his hands begin to drift down her sides. He turned his attention back to her eyes. He could see the need there, but it was balanced by a bit of nervousness. He drew her close, kissing her again as his hands finally cupped the swell of her breasts.

Delilah gasped slightly as she felt Don's hands cup her breasts, then felt herself relax as he gently caressed them. She moaned softly, then brought her arms up around his shoulders, running her talons lightly along his back. His kisses became more urgent, and she let him lower her to the bed. After a long moment, he paused to look down at her.

"I want you, Don," she said urgently. "I want all of you."

Don smiled as he bent down to kiss her again, and Delilah felt herself finally relax as she surrendered herself completely to the man she loved.

The End