This is a followup. First request (included at the beginning of this chapter) was from Anon and the continuation was from gimadca. Thank you both for the requests! And I hope you enjoy the follow up. I might add more chapters!
Note: I do not own anything OUAT.
Just a little backstory. This is based around the idea that Roni and Weaver have been sleeping together for a while now. I have included the original prompt answer at the beginning. For those who have already read it, please feel free to skip past that.
Rated T for now.
Roni had insisted on inviting Weaver regardless of the doubts registering in the minds of the other attendees. The others had no idea about the extra curricular activities her and the detective had been up to during hours they couldn't be found. Or called for that matter.
Weaver had arrived earlier than the others, which surprised her more than anything. And just to add to the shocked look on her face as he strode through the bar door like he owned the place, he was carrying a tray of something covered and warm from the feel of the heat emitting from the item in his hands as he moved past her and into the open space.
"What's that?"
"Just something."
"Poison?" A sly grin formed along her lips as she made her way to the bar, rearranging the foods she had prepared for the little gathering. They were celebrating their little triumph with the Community Gardens. Her dark hues stared back up at Weaver as she began to stir a large bowl of cheese for the taco salads she had prepared.
"Not in the slightest." He closed the gap between them, placing the item onto the table and removing the film. The sweet aroma hit her right in the face as her gaze roamed over the delectable sweet in the container.
"And that is?"
"Baked pumpkin donuts. With maple glaze."
"Homemade?"
"Yes."
"Looks good."
At the glisten in his eyes, she turned then, deciding now was as good a time as any to try and break the news to him. Sure; they had been careful during their little trysts. But apparently their idea of careful hadn't really been careful enough. Before she could speak though, he had come up behind her - warm hands on her hips. Lips at her ear. "You look good enough to eat." He growled, heated breath caressing her skin as he dipped his head to her neck.
"I have buns in the oven." In truth, she didn't, but this would be her first attempt at letting him know.
"Are they ready to come out?"
"Not yet. Maybe in nine…" He apparently wasn't catching on as he continued his assault on her neck, lips tasting her skin. "…do you like baby carrots?" Another attempt.
"Steamed?" His hands began to tug on the fabric of her shirt, lifting it up to run along the sides of her stomach. Clearly oblivious.
"What about baby peas?"
"It's all fine." He stopped then, noticing how she wasn't responding much to his advances, hands on her hips - he turned her to face him. "Why are you asking me about food?"
"No reason." She huffed, tucking her shirt back where it had been before he had pulled it up. Then noticing the disappointment in his face she pressed her lips to his. Settling on needing to try a different approach later, when they will be alone since everyone would be arriving in no time.
"Drink?" He asked, heading behind the bar, thinking that Roni didn't want to get into anything more intimate due to the fact that the bar wouldn't be filled with just the two of them for long. Jacinda, Henry and the others would be pouring in through the door any minute.
This was perfect. If this didn't hit the message across right, she might as well throw in the towel with the subtle hints. "I'm actually not drinking tonight or for a bit…"
She watched as his movements halted, hands leaving the bottle he had hold of that was sitting on the surface of the bar. He leaned on it, then tilted his head in Roni's direction. "You don't have an oven here… Roni."
"No. I don't." The fact that it took her declining to drink alcohol couldn't be a good sign. How much did she drink anyway? She thought back to before she found out and the amounts of shots she preferred to down during the day. Damn. It really was a good number.
He nodded finally realizing what she had been doing the entire time. "How far along?"
"I have an appointment to find out. I'm keeping it." She added the last in quickly, her hands coming to her hips as she waited for his response.
"Is it mine?"
The look on her face at the question told him all he needed to know. But he wanted to hear her say it, so he raised his brows.
"Of course it's yours."
"Can I come with you? To the appointment?"
"Of course."
"What smells fantastic?" Rodgers asked bounding in through the door, a platter of cheesy garlic bread balanced on his non gloved hand.
Weaver just chuckled, shaking his head at his partner before pouring himself a shot of whiskey.
"His donuts." Roni added softly as she closed the space between her and Rodgers, taking his platter of garlic bread into her hands and turning on her heels to head back to the bar where she placed it with the others.
"I think it might be the buns in the oven." Weaver decided to add cheekily, refilling his glass of whiskey.
"Oh! You have an oven here now, love?" Rodgers took a seat at one of the tables, shrugging out of his jacket as he did so and placing it on the back of his chair.
"No. He's just making fun of the lack of an oven." She shot a look back at Weaver that caused a smirk to form on his delicious lips, a brow cocked in a mischievous expression.
"Right. That is exactly what I had been doing."
Roni motioned for Weaver to help her as she began to move tables together to form a larger space for the group to sit and dine. Weaver rushed to help, making sly comments on how she shouldn't be lifting anything heavy, how he and Rodgers could easily do it but she wasn't having any of that. Reminding him she was fine for now, the tables weren't heavy since he was helping and most certainly the chairs were easier than the tables themselves.
Rodgers took to setting the table and placing the food containers neatly down along the middle of it. Completely oblivious as to why Weaver had been on Roni's case when it came to lifting anything heavier than the glasses in which she had begun setting beside the plates.
"What are you drinking?" Rodgers called out from over his shoulder as he rested his hand on a particular bottle of rum that he intended on plundering tonight.
"Club soda." There was a moment where Rodgers screwed his face up into a confused expression, only to be replaced by shock as soon as the following words left Roni's lips. "With just a dash of vanilla syrup. I tried that last night and my god let me tell you I almost fell out of my chair. Craving it all day long."
"Roni..." Rodgers tilted his head, hand wrapped around the bottle of rum he had wanted to down immediately. "...you're pregnant?"
"Shut up." She thrust a finger in his direction, a look of warning in her eyes. She didn't need everyone knowing at least not until she knew how far along she was.
"Aye. Fine. Fine."
Once everything was settled. The drinks, the chairs, the place settings, Roni found herself downing her third club soda within twenty minutes. The vanilla was slowly starting to grate on her appetite, but the donuts that Weaver had brought was pulling it back to a head. She needed the sweet pumpkin with maple, goodness nothing sounded more appetizing. Unless... "I wish I brought peanut butter."
"Peanut butter?" Jacinda asked, currently scooping a large helping of vegetables onto Lucy's plate.
"Yes, peanut butter." Damn, why would her cravings come up right now.
"What for?"
"The donuts."
"That does sound pretty good. During my pregnancy with Lucy I craved peanut butter so much that now I can't seem to get enough of it. On anything really." Jacinda began scooping a helping of vegetables onto her plate now, trying to counteract the sweets in which she intended on devouring later.
"And I hate peanut butter." Lucy stated, pushing the Brussel sprouts around on her plate, trying to get to the broccoli instead.
The chatter when on much like that for the rest of the night. And the entire feeling of the event felt more like a family gathering for the holidays, spending time and talking about their lives in a way that caused giggles and smiles all around. Secrets however, were not shared. They all weren't close enough for that yet, but banter — that was something they could all dive head first into.
Once it was over, Henry drove Jacinda and Lucy home. Rodgers seemed content to walk out with Tilly, both talking about their love for chess and how they intended on playing a game sometime to see who had the better game strategy. This left Roni and Weaver alone to clean up the mess. Roni took to the dishes, Weaver contented himself on moving the furniture back where it had been.
She felt full, so full it almost hurt. But the craving for a shot of whiskey hadn't faded into the background no matter how much she wanted it to. But with the current being growing inside of her, she would never think of giving in. "I think Henry is smitten with Jacinda. The poor guy needs to focus on moving on. It's what his wife would have wanted."
"You know it. I know it. But convincing him of it is another thing entirely."
"Yeah."
Weaver moved to where she was standing over dripping dishes and began to help her in the venture. This was entirely new to him. Having been so used to being the detective who got his answers out of people in the most unorthodox of ways now the man who washes the dishes to help lighten the load on the pregnant barkeep. He shook his head at the utter shock of it all. In truth, he feared that being there for her would not be the best in both interests. That he would fail at some point and she would regret the whole thing entirely.
"The appointment is tomorrow."
"That soon?"
"Are you sure you want to come?" She moved to place a wet hand on her hip, her eyes searching his for any flicker of regret behind those chocolate eyes.
"Yeah. I mean of course, I do." They weren't used to this. Bringing a baby into the world is soft business. Or so that was what he thought. Something that demanded rounded edges and no tension between the two who made it. But they were consistently snarky and sharp tongued. "What if we're not the best parents?"
"There's no such thing as the best parent. Everyone makes mistakes, we're only human."
"But we aren't exactly the parenting type."
"I think I'd make a pretty rad mother." She almost took his words as an insult before she realized the fear coming forth on his features, only to be replaced by a gentle smile at her words. "And like I said. If this isn't your thing, I am just fine to raise it myself. Really. No hard feelings, no strings attached."
"This is just so sudden."
"I know you're scared." The expression on his face morphed into that stone like facade she had become so used to when he thought he was giving away too much of himself, showing her a weakness. "It's normal to be afraid. I'm afraid too. It's new territory." His expression softened at The admittance of her being just as frightened as he was. "Okay?"
"What time is the appointment?"
"Eight in the morning."
"I'll swing by at fifteen til?"
"Sounds good. But these dishes aren't going to clean themselves." She nudged him then, gaining a chuckle in response before they both went back to cleaning up the mess from the gathering. A calm, knowing silence falling over them.
The air around them seemed to shift as she watched Weaver who had his eyes glued to the monitor, asking questions to the ultrasound technician. His expressed was one of interest, intrigue and most importantly pride. He had changed so drastically at the sight of the life they had created on the screen. Roni hesitantly reached out for his hand, her fingers clasping with his as they both watched the monitor, listening intently to the technician speak. She had thought she wasn't that far along, but if she retraced her steps she would have found herself wrong before even coming here. She was around seven weeks pregnant. At that, she technician left the room.
"Two babies." He echoed the woman's statement from before, eyes still set on the image on the screen. "Two."
"Yeah. So I guess the buns pun sort of rings true." She stated, watching him take it all in.
"Not just one."
"No, not just one." She agreed, stroking the back of his hand with the pad of her thumb. He shifted then, turning to face her and placing a hand on her stomach which really didn't give much away as to her being pregnant. But that would come, the protruding belly and the aching feet. At least that's what the pamphlets has said. They held onto the silence as they took it all in. His hand rubbing softly against her stomach, their minds taking in the information.
Roni couldn't ever remember wanting children apart from a time when she thought maybe just maybe it could work out, that the cards held that for her future but nothing came of it. So instead she threw herself into her work, her dream. That bar had been her everything when nothing else had stuck around long enough. That's the thing with dreams and making them a reality. It can only let you down if you fail it. Not the other way around. In that aspect she had become comfortable, trusting and her place of work became a home away from home. The one space she felt she could shut away the world and become the listening ear. Then this happened. Weaver had come into her home and caused her to feel more than she had for anyone in a long time. Things she thought had long but faded in her, only to realize he could pull herself out of her own head long enough to make her actually feel something.
"You'll move into my place?" He spoke it as a question but meant it more as a suggestion.
"Huh?"
"We can't live apart with two babies on the way."
"You're not wrong, but wouldn't that be a little too fast?"
"Not exactly. I mean, it's been over seven weeks."
That caused her to laugh, really laugh. The kind that feels good to the soul. But then she decided to break the news to him. "I'm staying at my place for now. Once they are here, then we can move."
"Then I'll be spending a lot of nights with you."
"You don't have to-"
"I know. I want to." He leaned in then and pressed his lips to hers, the kiss began chaste but as soon as his hand cupped her face, she reached out and pulled him closer to her. Her lips parted, allowing his tongue to slip inside to meet her own. A sound at the other end of the room causing them to pull apart, eyes shooting in the direction of a blushing technician sporting the cheesiest grin on her lips.
"You two are ready to go."
"Right. Sorry." Her voice apologetic along with the expression forming on her features.
Weaver was driving as she fiddled with the pamphlets in her hands, glancing through at each one trying to soak up as much information as possible seeing as this was her first pregnancy and she in no way wanted to do anything wrong. The life of the baby...well babies inside of her meant more to her than anything she could think of.
"It's gonna be fine."
"What?" She asked, glancing over at him before reaching to turn down the radio that had begun belting out some game offer on their station.
"Everything is gonna be okay. Worrying is going to stress out the...the babies."
"I know that." A sigh escaped her lips as she collected the pamphlets in her hand and thrust them up onto the dashboard. She felt tense. Having all but abandoned the idea of ever carrying a baby around for nine months, she hadn't ever braced herself for the shocking reality that it would at some point happen to her. But her muscles began to relax as he reached one hand over to grasp hers, bringing it up to his lips to give it a chaste kiss.
"I'm spending the night at your place tonight. I'll run you a nice bath. We'll watch something on the television. I'll cook dinner."
"You're acting like I'm eight months pregnant and can't get out of bed."
"No. I'm wanting to keep you relaxed just for tonight. Will you let me do that for you?"
She hesitated a moment, but the look he gave her before bringing his eyes back on the road all but crumbled any protests. "For someone who beats up guys for information, you sure are a softy."
"Oh all of this?" He tilted his head before giving it a shake, then turning the vehicle onto her street. "Nah. This is the side no one gets to see, but rest assured, the guy who beats up pricks for a information is still awake and in here somewhere."
"I'll believe it when I see it." She teased, leaning her head to rest against his shoulder. Excitement coursing through her at the thought of being pampered tonight, maybe she could swallow her pride and ask him for a good foot massage as well. Or even maybe opt to give him one since he'll be cooking. She's not far along enough to stay off of her feet yet and even if the promise of being pampered sounds like heaven, she sure as hell wouldn't allow her to be the only one getting catered to tonight.