"You need to do this?" Zero asked. "There's no other choice for you?"

"I know my own body," Athena said grimly. "This isn't something I can do myself, and he's the only one who can give me the information I need."

"But Doc Zed? Really?"

Athena paused as she crossed Sanctuary's courtyard and smiled wanly at Zero. "I promise I won't let his rusty scalpel touch my skin, okay?" She took his hand. "Worst comes to worst, you can stop him."

Zero sighed and squeezed her hand back. "If you say so, then." He glared at the door to Zed's clinic as they approached, glowing with neon light in the dark. "What do you think he will find?"

Athena shook her head. "No idea. I've never felt this way. I just know something is off." Her lips thinned as she raised a hand. "Hopefully, his lack of a medical license doesn't mean he won't know what he's looking at." Her fist pounded against the door.

For a long minute, there was no response. Then, the red light flashed green, and a sleepy-eyed Zed blinked out at them. "Athena? Zero? What're y'all doin' here at this hour?"

"I need you to check me over, Doctor," Athena said brusquely, pushing past him. "Something's wrong with me, and I need to know what." She pulled the scarf from around her neck and set it aside, then shucked off her leather vest. "I trust I can count on your discretion, as well."

Zed watched her for a second, one eyebrow raised. "An' this couldn'ta waited until I'd got my five hours?"

"I'm off kilter, doctor," Athena replied, taking a seat on the stained examination table. "I have several missions lined up over the next few days, and I can't afford to have my combat abilities marred. I need you to tell me what's wrong so I can fix it."

Zed's mouth was still concealed behind his surgical mask, but his displeasure was clear as he turned to Zero. "Don't you have some way to keep her occupied until after the break of dawn?"

"I didn't tonight," Zero said dryly. "She was insistent On visiting your clinic." He shrugged. "I couldn't stop her."

"Hm." Zed sighed and let Zero in. "Well, come on. I kin see I ain't gettin' back to bed before y'all git whatcha came for."

Despite his lack of a medical license, Zed did have some skill. He took Athena's temperature, measured her blood pressure, listened to her heart, and drew a small sample of blood with a needle he assured them was at least sterilized, if not unused. A few minutes later, he looked at the results on the computer screen and grunted. "Say, Athena...how long have you been feelin' 'off kilter'?"

"I only noticed today," she answered. "I felt a little dizzy on our last mission. No reason, just a little unstable. That doesn't happen to me."

"And that was yer first clue?"

"I don't take chances with my body," Athena said coldly. "I rely on it too heavily. Now, what's wrong with me?"

For some reason, Zed chuckled as he pulled a sheet of paper off his printer. "Fer a woman that says she don't take chances with her body, ya've obviously been takin' some." He handed her the paper. "You're pregnant."

Time froze. Zed stayed standing that way, hand outstretched holding the computer printoff of Athena's bloodwork. After nearly a minute of silence, he coughed. "You, uh... you wanna read the results for-"

"That's impossible." Athena's voice was harsh. "Your equipment is faulty. Run the blood test again."

Zed shrugged. "I can do that, but-"

"You're wrong!" Athena jumped off the bed, hands curled into fists, eyes blazing.

Zed flinched back a step. "Hey, now-"

"Excuse us, Doctor." Zero looped an arm around Athena's shoulder, ignoring the laser glare she fired at him. "Could we have a moment, please? Just the two of us?"

"Ooooh yeah. My pleasure." Zed walked quickly out of his own clinic, shutting the door behind him. "I think you two got a lot to discuss."

Athena managed to wait until the door clicked shut before wrenching free of Zero's grasp. "Don't tell me to calm down!"

"I hadn't, just yet." :] "Do you want me to say it?" He caught sight of the look on her face. "I'll just shut up now."

Athena paced back and forth, hands working furiously. "He's wrong, Zero. I'm not pregnant. I literally can't be pregnant."

"You're certain of that." Zero leaned against the wall, his voice even. "The Lance did something to you." :[ "Sterilization."

She nodded jerkily. "I didn't realize what it was until years later, but yes. A simple enough procedure that left me permanently unable to bear children, but without prolonged recovery time or severe health issues." Her expression soured. "The Lance didn't want their soldiers risking pregnancy, but they also didn't want us damaged more than we had to be. Physically, at least."

Zero drummed his fingers against his arm. "Do you think Zed's wrong? A pregnancy would throw off Your body's balance."

"It has to be something else," Athena insisted. "We've been together a year, Zero, and we haven't exactly been holding ourselves back. You'd think if I were able to become pregnant, it would have happened a long time before now!"

Zero shrugged. "Then let's make certain."

"How?"

"Zed's equipment is ancient," he pointed out. "It may be faulty."

"So we just need a better hospital?" She frowned at him. "Where are you expecting to find better medical equipment? Everything on Pandora is in a constant state of decay."

"One city may still Offer decent equipment." He sighed. "Opportunity."

Athena stared at him. "Zero, that's Hyperion's last bastion on this planet. You think we could just walk in and ask for a check-up? The Vault Hunter that killed Jack, and the one that swore off ever working for him again?"

"That wasn't my plan." Zero's sword flashed into his hand. "Hospitals aren't well guarded. I can steal the gear."

"So you just want to sneak into the heavily fortified city and slip out with a fifty-pound medical scanner?" she demanded. "That's lunacy."

Zero slipped his sword back onto his belt and walked over. He ran a four-fingered hand over her cheek, his blank faceplate staring into her eyes. "You're worth it to me."

Athena sighed and reached up to his helmet. "You're not going to agree to me coming with you, either."

"No."

She glared at him, but it wasn't an especially strong one. "I'm not pregnant."

He shrugged again. "That may turn out to be true. But I won't risk it." His face plate stayed blank, but Athena could hear the smile in his voice. "You might be a mom."

She grabbed his helmet and stared where she knew his eyes would be, her gaze boring through his faceplate. "And that means you might be a dad." Athena pulled his head down until her forehead was touching the cool material of his helmet. "Don't you dare leave me alone, do you hear me?"

"You have my word, Athena." He wrapped his arms around her, reflecting on how much life could change in the a space of a heartbeat. "I'll return shortly."

Athena squeezed him hard enough to make his ribs ache. "You'd better."

Zed whistled softly as he examined the state-of-the-art medical scanner now occupying his hospital. "I'll be dipped. This baby's got features I didn't know existed." He looked over at Zero. "What do I owe ya for it, again?"

"Lifetime free usage," Zero said distractedly. The bullet wound on his left arm had most of his attention. "I'll decide other payments When I think of them."

"Fair 'nuff," Zed chuckled. "Well, Athena, you ready ta get a second opinion?"

"In a minute." Athena wiped a bluish-black splatter off Zero's back and swabbed the skin around the injury with a disinfectant. "I'm still patching up this idiot."

"I'm a bit scratched up," Zero assured her, taking her hands. "The damage will heal quickly." He nodded to the device. "Go take the test."

Athena looked like she wanted to argue for a second, but her curiosity won out over her concern. She walked over to the scanner, hands curling and uncurling at her side. "How do I use this?"

"Jus' put yer finger on the reader," Zed said, tapping a small indent on the boxy piece of equipment. "It'll do a full blood workup in like ten seconds."

"Okay." Athena chewed her lip, rubbing her thumb and forefinger together. She pulled her gloves off slowly and took a hesitant step forward. "Okay, let's do this."

She didn't move. She just stood and stared at the reader for nearly a minute.

Zed coughed awkwardly. "If'n ya want me ta leave-"

Athena's hand darted out. Her finger slipped into the indent reader, her mouth a thin line as she watched the screen for the results. Zero silently dropped off the gurney and walked up behind her, looping his arms around her waist as he watched the screen.

There was an almost comical sounding ding!

[Congratulations!] The voice was sarcastically pleasant as it spoke. [We at Hyperion commend you on being an effective breeder! You may expect your new offspring in just over eight months!]

Zero felt Athena's entire body shiver at the words. "Well." Her tone was faint, disbelieving. "That settles it, I suppose." She strained against his grasp. "Let me go, please. I need to sit down."

He hesitated for a second, then let go. Athena walked stiffly to the gurney, sat down, and dropped her face into her hands. "Athena-"

"How did it happen?" Her voice was muffled, but the iron inside it demanded an answer. "I was sterilized. How can I be pregnant?"

"Um..."

"Hang on a sec." Zed was looking at the medical device, scrolling through its results. "You said you were sterilized?"

"Back in the Lance, yes."

"Huh." Zed straightened up and motioned to the screen. "Not according ta this. There's nothin' wrong with your works, intentional or otherwise."

"What?" Zero sidestepped deftly as Athena bolted back to the diagnostic screen. "How can that be? Did the Lance doctors just...mess up?!"

"Any operation, successful or not, woulda left signs," Zed pointed out. "You're pristine, like it never happened."

"You're telling me my body healed itself?" Athena demanded. "That somehow, my biology miraculously undid my sterilization?"

Zero coughed. "I don't think that's it."

Athena and Zed both turned to look at him. Zed's eyes were curious. Athena's were just one degree shy of murderous. "Would you care to elaborate on that, dear?"

Zero grimaced at her icy tone. "It's simpler to show you." He wiped a finger on his bullet wound, mopping up a small amount of blood. "Observe the scanner." He dripped a dot of blue-black fluid on the scanner and stepped back. "Analyze liquid," he instructed the machine. "Can it cause human tissue Regeneration?"

The computer whirred silently for a few seconds. [Confirmed,] it finally reported. [Liquid is capable of accelerating human biological regeneration. Please inform your supervisor of this discovery, then confer with the Legal Department to sign over all rights to this substance.]

"Unlikely, machine," Zero said dryly. He looked at Athena. "My body heals rapidly Because of my blood. I think your body Healed itself because of our Intimate contact."

"Sex." Athena's face was blank, but scarlet. Her voice was flat, and still somehow furious. "You're telling me the healing properties of your blood were transferred to me during sex."

Zero motioned to the screen. "It would seem that way."

Zed slipped discretely out the door.

"And the first thing your magical restorative sperm did was knock me up?!"

"Probably not the first thing," Zero pointed out. "It had to heal you. After enough time, It would have...um..." Zero trailed off, staring at the thunderous expression building on Athena's face. A weak, flickery smile flashed up on his helmet. "I'm sorry?"

Ten seconds later, a still shirtless Zero went sprinting out of the clinic, Athena's shield missing his head by the barest fraction of an inch.

"You doing okay up here, dude?"

Zero glanced over his shoulder. A mop of red hair appeared on the edge of the Sanctuary archive's rooftop, followed shortly by a grinning face, pale under Elpis' light. "Gaige. What brings you here?"

"What do you think, ya doof?" Gaige heaved herself up and spun around, swinging herself into a sitting position next to him. "Looking for you."

"And why are you doing that?" he asked as casually as possible. If Gaige didn't know, he wasn't going to tell her.

"You're kidding, right?" Gaige snorted. "Athena woke up half of Sanctuary when she chucked that shield of hers at you. The other half woke up when you two barreled through Moxxi's." She folded her arms and frowned slightly. "What's going on? This some kind of weird new sparring program?"

Zero glanced at Gaige out of the corner of his eye...and noticed a smile lurking on the edges of her mouth. "You already know."

The smile broke into a full bloom on her face. "It wasn't hard to guess," she snickered. "There aren't too many reasons you'd have gone into Opportunity alone and come back with a medical scanner. There's only one reason you'd have had to duck Athena's shield and run half-dressed out of Zed's."

He sighed and stared out over Sanctuary. "If you know, so does Maya. Did she tell Krieg yet?"

"She wanted to talk to Athena first," Gaige assured him, scooting closer. "See if she can get her to calm down a little."

Zero grunted noncommittally. "That should be my job."

Gaige wrapped her flesh arm around Zero's shoulders and squeezed him. "She just tried to take your head off, man. Give Maya a chance."

"She didn't really mean it," Zero insisted. "After all, she missed."

"So. Are you calm yet?"

Athena glanced up from her mug. Maya had sauntered into Moxxi's bar. Her voice was friendly, her face calm, and her stride across the room almost convincingly casual.

If it wasn't for the slight tension in Maya's legs, Athena might have bought it.

She turned back to staring into the depths of her mug. "I won't throw my shield at you, if that's what you mean. You can stop prepping yourself to jump out of the way."

Maya smiled faintly. "You really do have eyes like an owl." She gestured to the table's empty bench. "May I?"

Athena stirred her drink moodily. "Could I stop you?"

"Probably not," Maya admitted, sliding onto the seat. "I'm a little concerned about my friends." She smiled faintly. "I thought they might want to talk."

"Nothing to talk about," Athena responded flatly. "You can leave me to my drinking now."

Maya folded her arms leaned back. "Your drinking? You mean the coffee that's been sitting there so long it's gone cold?"

Athena grimaced. "Maybe I switched to iced lattes."

"Not in this universe," Maya said dryly. "You're a woman of habit, Athena. I've never known you to let your latte get any colder than 'not quite scalding' before chugging it down." She rested her chin in her tattooed hand. "Are you worried the caffeine might affect your...stomach?"

Another night, Athena would have tried to keep her face blank and play the question off. Right now, all she could do was sigh. "How did you know?"

"Secret meetings with Zed in the middle of the night?" Maya pointed out. "Zero slipping off to Hyperion controlled territory without backup? Without you, specifically?" She shook her head. "That right there was the biggest tip-off." She smiled faintly. "Of course, him sneaking back in a couple hours later carrying a Mk-235 Hyp-Ex medical scanner was also a tiny clue."

Athena mustered up enough irritation to fire a low-strength glare at Maya. "How do you know this? Why were you even awake at that hour?"

"Krieg brought me a new book," Maya said. "I was still awake reading it, and Gaige happened to drop by at just the right moment to see you two crossing the town square."

"Oh, lord." Athena buried her face in her hands. "If Gaige knows, it'll be all over the ECHOnet by morning."

"Of course not." Maya's tone held a note of mild reproof. "She wouldn't betray your trust like that. Not yours, and especially not Zero's."

"Zero." Athena's fingers tangled in her hair. "He must be furious with me right now."

"Because you threw your shield at him? I doubt it."

Athena's glare had a little more force behind it this time. "How long were you spying on us?"

"To be fair, I think most of Sanctuary caught the last part." Maya couldn't quite keep all the humor out of her voice. "That weapon of yours is pretty noisy when it bounces off four buildings, a trashcan, and Claptrap."

"Argh." Athena stared down at the table again and dug her fingers deeper into her hair. "Did you come in here because you were worried, or to torment me?"

"I'm just pointing out that a lot of people already know something is up," Maya said patiently. "There's going to be rumors and speculation all over town by noon today. If you want to shut them down, you're going to have to talk things over with Zero." She laid a hand on the table and extended a discreet finger at Athena's midsection. "Of course, rumors are probably the last thing on the list of discussion topics."

Athena bit her lip and tried to ignore the churning in her stomach. "I don't want to talk about it with him. I don't want to talk about it with anyone. I just want today to have not happened."

"Does that mean you're considering terminating the pregnancy?"

The question sent a bolt of electricity through Athena's thoughts. Every muscle in her body clenched, and a violent mixture of emotions whirled through her mind. "I- I don't-"

"Nevermind," Maya said quickly. "I shouldn't have asked. It's not my business."

"No," Athena said harshly. "No, it's not." She struggled her way out of the booth, her breathing ragged. "It's no one's business. It shouldn't even be my business."

"Athena-"

She didn't answer, stop, or even look back. She just stormed out of the bar, not caring where she was going, not even seeing the city around her.

Thump.

It was a soft sound, barely a rustle in the air. But it was behind her, and her combat instincts reacted instantly. She spun, her elbow jabbing upward-

Zero's palm caught her elbow, halting her mid-spin. "Easy. It's just me." :\ "Or is that just worse right now?"
"It's not better." Athena yanked away from his touch and started forward again. "Go away."

"If you wish me to." Zero's voice came from directly behind her. "Just...where should I go?" He gave a short bark of unamused laughter. "Away from you, I suppose. Where are you going?"

"Anywhere but here." Athena changed direction, heading for the Fast Travel station. "I need to clear my head. Killing something seems like a good place to start."

"A good plan indeed," Zero agreed. "What do you feel like killing? Bandits, monsters, bots?"

"All of the-" she stopped. "You're not going to stop me?"

She could almost hear his shrug. "I don't think I could. I'll just support you instead, Snipe trouble away."

Athena forced herself not to turn around, to keep staring at the decrepit radio resting on a few boxes. "I'm carrying your child now, remember? Aren't you worried I'll overexert myself? Injure myself and the baby?"

"You're a strong woman." She felt his warm hand on her shoulder, strong and gentle. "You know your limitations. You won't exceed them." The hand slid over her shoulder, encircling her chest. She felt his torso press against her back, his left arm slide under hers. "Besides, I'll be there. We can protect our child Together, 'Thena."

Athena shivered in his grasp. Her hand drifted down to her stomach, pressing against the material of her clothing. "I'm...scared, Zero. For almost the first time in my life, I'm up against something I can't fight or run from. Whatever I choose, the consequences will be with me the rest of my life." Her eyes clenched shut, and she willed her throat not to close up on her. "How do I deal with this?"

"Like we always do." His right hand drifted down to her stomach, clasping over hers. "We deal with it together, With me at your side."

Zero's words flowed around her and through her mind, wrapping her in their warmth. The tension in her chest unknotted slightly. Her throat loosened, and Athena felt her control strengthen. She sighed and leaned back in his grasp, resting her head against him. "You'd better be at my side. You got me into this mess, I expect you to help get me through it."

"Yes." He ran his hand over her face and across her lips, sending a tingle down her spine. "We should go home now. We have a lot to discuss." A small ripple of laughter ran through him. "But no shield, okay?"

Athena grimaced. "Am I going to be able to live that one down?"

"Give me an hour. I should be moved on by then." She felt another chuckle. "Or you'll have stabbed me."

With the door of their apartment closed, the curtains drawn, and the radio playing, it was easy to pretend the outside world didn't exist. For the moment, the only people on Pandora were the two assassins staring at each other across their small kitchen table, both of them trying to think of some way to start their difficult conversation.

Athena managed to find a word first. "So."

"So," Zero agreed. Silence hung in the air as his mind skittered for another good option. "Um..."

"I want to keep it."

Athena's words tumbled out of her, slamming into the room with a certainty that surprised even her. She looked across the table, her eyes hard, mouth tight. "That's the first thing, Zero. I'm keeping this child."

Zero stared back into her eyes, and somehow they'd never looked quite so beautiful. A weight he hadn't realized he was carrying disappeared from his shoulders. "I'm...glad to hear that." He rubbed a hand on the side of his helmet. "I-"

"You have some answers I need," Athena interrupted. "And take off that helmet." Her expression softened. "Please. I want to see your face while we talk about our future."

Zero's fingers tightened. Even now, after so much time with Athena, it wasn't always easy to show his true face, especially at such an emotionally vulnerable moment.

But there she was, staring at him with the most open eyes, during the most intimate conversation they'd ever had. He owed her this.

The thoughts went through his mind quickly. Zero's hands were at his helmet, releasing the seals in the space of a heartbeat. There was a slight hiss of escaping gas, then the cooler air of Sanctuary washed over his face.

Athena never quite tired of watching Zero remove the mask. Seeing this moment, this brief transition between his public face and his private identity, was a moment reserved only for her. Zero might one day to choose to show the world at large his real self, might walk under the Pandoran skies with his skin bared. But for now, his true visage was her private treasure.

He sighed, set the helmet aside, and scrubbed his fingers against his scalp. "That does feel a bit better." He ran a four-fingered hand over his face, then stretched it out to her. "What can I tell you?"

Athena took his hand, their fingers intertwining on the tabletop. "Well...I guess we should start with the obvious. What will our child look like? I mean, I'm...and you're..."

"A human, and not," Zero acknowledged with a faint smile. "Honestly, though...I'm not sure."

Athena's breath hissed through clenched teeth. "That's not exactly encouraging."

"My apologies." Zero rubbed his chin with his free hand. "You must understand, This is my first child too. We're both unprepared."

"It's still something I feel the need to wonder about," Athena insisted. "I mean, will it look human? Human skin color, eyes, hair?" Her mouth tightened. "Are we even sure I can carry it to full term? What if it starts rejecting my biology halfway through the pregnancy? What if-"

"Shhhh." Zero's other hand snaked out to clasp Athena's between them. "That is no concern. I do know you can carry This child to full."

Athena raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" The single word frosted the air. "How do you know that?"

"It's happened before," Zero said, a slight frown creasing his face. "It's not very frequent, though."

"But your species has mated with humans." Her expression was a mix of curiosity and anger. "You knew it was possible."

Zero winced as the reason for her anger became crystal clear. "I should have told you."

"Yes. Yes, you should have." Athena's mouth kept its hard edge for another painful few seconds before her face softened again. "But...I suppose I would have thought it didn't matter, and you didn't know your biology would have a healing effect on me." Her eyes narrowed sharply. "Right?"

"Not a single clue," Zero answered truthfully. "I'd never force this on you."

"I know." Athena's breath huffed out. "I guess...I guess I just needed to hear you say it."

"And now I've said it." His thumb stroked the edge of her hand. "I promise you this: However our child looks, I know I'll love them." He smiled. "Especially since She'll have her mother's spirit."

Athena cocked an eyebrow. "Really? I'm just hoping he'll have his father's drive."

Zero smiled at her, and he saw the expression mirrored on her face. It was one of trust, of loyalty, of lo-

"Shh! Shh! Shut up you guys, I can't hear anything!"

Athena's face morphed into a partly amused, mostly irritated scowl. "Did you...?"

He nodded, feeling his own inner peace melt away. "I certainly did." He reached across the table and picked up his helmet, setting the 'Zero' facade back into place. "And it sounded like..."

He rose from the table.

"It came from right..."

He headed for a section of wall.

"...over..."

His blue blade flashed into his hand.

"...here."

Zero plunged his sword into the wall, burying it to the hilt.

"Yipe!"

Athena covered her mouth and tried not to laugh at the sudden burst of startled exclamations and muffled curses coming from the other side of the thin barrier. "You didn't hit anyone, did you?"

"NO, but he came damn close!" Gaige burst through the front door, glowering at at Zero. "You seriously almost took my nose off!"

"Eavesdropping is rude," Zero pointed out mildly.

"Oh, come on, Z!" Axton groused, following Gaige into the room. "You can't really expect us to not wanna know more here!"

"That does not grant you The right to spy through the walls," Zero countered. "We aren't done talking."

"Then don't mind us, amigo!" Salvador said cheerfully. He was leaning against the doorframe, grinning it at them. "Talk it up!"

Athena pinched the bridge of her nose. "Zero, how about we..."

"Yes." He snatched up Athena's storage deck, tossed it to her, and clipped his own to his belt. "Usual spot?"

"Meet you there."

Before anyone could do more than blink, Zero had vanished completely. Athena was gone less than a second later, vaulting over the table and out the small window.

Axton strolled over to the site of Athena's hasty exit and whistled. "Man, that lady can book."

"She wouldn't be running if you two hadn't been hissing at me for details," Gaige grumbled, crossing her arms. "Couldn't you guys stay quiet for a few more minutes?"

"Maybe I could have," Axton growled, "if bigfoot over there hadn't tromped on my boots."

"Yo! Not cool, amigo! I already told you that wasn't me!"

"Oh, yeah? Then who was it? Gaige?"

Gaige ignored her squabbling friends and stepped closer to the window. If she focused really hard, she could just barely make out the ripple in the gray morning light. A second later, there was a brief flash from inside the Pierce Station.

She smiled, but kept her hand over her mouth to hide it. Enjoy your peace and quiet, you two. But you owe me big for this...

Athena sat on the damp grass of the Highlands, staring out over the hills. From what Zero had told her, it was that point in the sky right there that Sanctuary had flared back into existence...

A faint rustling reached her ears, and she smiled. "I didn't expect to get here before you."

Zero's cloak switched off as he sat down next to her. "Just being discreet," he said. His arm slipped around her shoulder, pulling her close. "Making sure I got away Without being chased."

"Mm." Athena rested her head against his shoulder, staring out at the gradually lightening sky. "We have so much to do."

"We certainly do," he agreed. "Where should we even begin?"

There was a long silence as they both pondered the question. "I really have no idea," Athena finally admitted. "I never expected to be pregnant; I'm woefully ill informed about how my own body will react." Her mouth twisted. "Damn Atlas."

"Mm." Zero's hand stroked her arm. "There is one person..."

"Moxxi," Athena sighed. "I know, I'd thought of her too. She's a good start, but there are some questions I'd feel better if I could get answers for discretely and clinically."

"Zed?"

"No." She did her best to reign in the shudder that wanted to run through her. "He's more interested in creating nightmares from dead body parts. I don't want him anywhere near our child." She chewed her lip for a second. "Perhaps I can get in contact with Nina..."

"The nurse from the moon?" Zero shrugged. "That's a long distance house call." His finger tapped her shoulder thoughtfully. "Should we go to her?"

Athena hesitated. "Let's keep that in reserve," she finally said. "I'm not even sure she's still in Concordia. Besides...I'm a little worried what a spacecraft launch might do to..." she hesitated, then snickered. "What do I say? Him? Her? It? The fetus?"

"Jess?"

Zero realized it was a mistake the second he'd said it. Athena's body went rigid in his arms, her breath catching in her chest. "I'm sorry. Bad choice."

"No." She exhaled slowly, with great control. "No, it's a good idea. I just...don't know if I can do it." Athena's muscles relaxed slightly. "I'm still so angry about her death, Zero. I...don't think I'm ready to name my child after her." She gave a smile that was half grimace. "I don't think I'm ready to think about names at all. It kind of makes it...too real."

"Then we stick to facts right now," Zero agreed. "Cold information."

"Pure reconnaissance." Somehow, the thought made Athena feel better. "Acquire as much information about the mission before we get our...new recruit." She sat up slightly and rubbed at her stomach. "Which brings us back to getting advice."

"ECHOnet's a start," Zero pointed out. "I'll check with Maya as well. She may have a book."

[Author's not: Something a little different than my usual stuff. There won't be as much heavy plot or action here, and I don't as of yet have more waiting in the wings. This one will be advanced as I come up with things that our Assassins in love will contend with over the next nine months.

For those of you still waiting for my last chapter of "Still Hunting", you've got my deepest apologies. I've been hung up on finding the right ending; I keep restarting. I think, however, that I'm finally on the right track. Thank you for your patience, and as always, thank you for reading.]