A/N: I own nothing that is familiar.
Trigger Warning: contains thoughts of self harm and excessive drinking.
They walked away from one another, emotions unsaid, and joined the team and other residents of New Orleans in rebuilding prides bar. They took time off calling in another team while they helped rebuild not only prides bar but Clearwater too. They made over the church that the chaplain had used. Helped residents get funding to fix up their houses. They worked with the team and together for a few weeks neither saying anything to the other about anything personal.
Chris went home each night and drank himself to sleep. They weren't bantering like they used to. They weren't together more than was needed for the rebuild projects they were working on. He was having a hard time seeing her everyday and not at least acting like they used to. He didn't think he could keep this up not and be right where he used to be right beside her all the time. He could smell her shampoo still in his truck.
Sonja went home each night and cleaned her apartment over and over again until she passed out from exhaustion. She could see the happy light that was always in his eyes dimming. He stopped being the life of any gathering. He rarely spoke anymore to anyone. But then neither did she. She didn't know how to move them past this. She hated that she missed him when he was usually just across a room from her.
After a month they had finally finished their projects and had all been cleared to work again. Any pending charges against the team had been dropped and hamiltons trial had started.
Percy walked into the office with a box of donuts and was surprised to see pride interviewing someone. Wasn't their team full now, With Gregorio and Sebastian added on? She dropped the donuts in the kitchen and grabbed a mug of coffee before heading to her desk. On her way she noticed that Chris's desk was strangely clean. She bubled her coffee when she noticed his personal pictures were gone, spilling some on her hand and her shirt. "Shit!" She yelped flapping her hand to try and cool the burning.
"You ok Percy?" Pride asked curious at her reaction. Hadn't chris told the rest of the team he was leaving?
"I...ah... yeah, just spilled coffee on myself."
That day was pretty slow mostly pride interviewed people and she with the rest of the team went over the open cases the fill in team was still working on getting caught up. She walled up her hurt and worked nearly silently as everyone talked as they worked around her. Apparently chris had warned everyone else he was leaving. Told them his mom and Cade needed more from him than he could give from New Orleans while they were in Alabama. He had straight out tried to quit but pride refused putting in papers for a leave of absence for him.
She was relieved when she got home and could let her guard down. She went straight to bed and cried herself to sleep only to wake up at an ungodly hour in the morning and not be able to get back to sleep.
She went on for weeks like that crying herself to sleep only to wake up earlier and earlier. The nightmares started not long after the first night. She couldn't really remember them but she woke up crying most of the time now too.
The team tried to get her to go out but she refused. Pride had to beg her to say anything at all most days. When she finally fell asleep at her desk pride kicked the rest of the team out and let her sleep. He stayed with her wanting to talk about what was going on. She woke nearly an hour later breathing hard her heart going too fast and tears streaming down her face.
Pride walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. She really looked like she needed it. When he asked what was going on she couldn't say anything just started crying all over again.
"Percy if you can't tell me what's going on I'm going to have to put you on leave." He told her when her tears finally dried up. "Falling a sleep at work can be very dangerous for not just yourself but the whole team. I'll see if I can't talk chris into filling in for a little while until you are better able to work."
Chris worked himself to the bone each day fixing up his mommas house, the garage loft that Cade was living in and the other outbuildings on her property. He was methodically eating dinner when pride called he answered with a simple hello. Not acknowledging he knew who was calling.
"Chris?" Pride asked. "How have you been?"
"Pretty busy, how about you? The team?" Chris hoped he would say something about Percy. She hadn't reached out after he left. Not that he told her he was leaving either and he hadn't called her. So he didn't blame her.
"Getting back into the swing of things. I was hoping I could talk you into working for a few weeks. Sonja's got something personal going on and it's starting to effect her work. I asked her to take a few weeks and get it straightened out."
"Is she ok?" Chris asked having a hard time masking the panic he was feeling.
"I honestly don't know what's going on, but I don't think ok is it. She won't talk to anyone, and she has slowly become a zombie. She fell asleep at work today and woke up in a panic."
"I'll try to work something out, I was supposed to start this week as a sheriff down here." Chris answered hoping that he didn't sound strange.
Once off the phone chris booked the earliest flight back to New Orleans he could and told his momma that he had to go back to the city for at least a few days he would let her know.
Her car was in the drive, but she didn't answer when he knocked. He pulled out his keys and let himself in. She didn't answer when he called her name and he couldn't find her. Finally he peaked in her master bathroom and found her passed out over the toilet. Gently he lifted her and carried her out to the bed. He laid down with her and she snuggled into his chest. He stroked his fingers threw her hair after checking her for a fever and to see how steady her pulse was. Eventually his own exhaustion over took him and he fell asleep holding her tightly in his arms.
He woke later to her forcefully pulling herself from his grasp and running back to the bathroom which was followed by retching. He jumped up to follow her and he held back her hair as she was sick again. Gently chris rubbed her back, "what's wrong Sonja?" He asked when she seemed to be done for now.
She shrugged and shuffled back to bed. He followed and sat on the edge slowly rubbing her back.
"I haven't been sleeping well. I have been having nightmares, not that I could tell you what about as I don't remember them but I wake up panicking, usually crying my eyes out."
"You slept for most of the night just now. I got here about 9 and found you in the bathroom. I carried you in here and laid down with you. I didn't mean to fall asleep I'm sorry I haven't been getting much sleep either. But it's nearly 8 in the morning now. Did you have any nightmares last night?"
"Not that I remember." After a pause she asked, "what are you doing here?" She kept her head down and eyes closed not wanting him to see how much she needed his answer to be that he missed her.
"Pride called," her stomach sank and rolled but she couldn't muster the energy to get up. "He asked me to fill in while you took some time. When I asked what was up he said he didn't really know and I was worried about you." He noticed then the green look on her face and got her a trash can just in time. "Have you been to the doctor?" He asked worried about her.
"It's nothing just a bug." She told him shaking her head.
"Would you go anyway for me?" He asked her. "I flew in to see you because I was worried. This throwing up without a fever makes me more worried." His hands resumed rubbing her back once he could put down the trash can.
She shook her head tears escaping her eyes. "Why are you so worried? You left and didn't even say goodbye..." she brought a hand to her mouth and dry heaved into the trash can chris pulled up for her.
He shook his head, "I'm sorry I was a coward. I honestly thought I was doing what you would want. We had stopped talking and I couldn't take being that close to you each day knowing how I felt about you and not having any relationship with you." He paused wondering if he should tell her about how bad his drinking got the depression he was feeling. He felt like a sick bastard because even just sitting here with her as she was sick made him feel better than he had in months. "I was drinking myself pass out drunk every night just to get a little sleep. When the thoughts I was having scared me enough I told pride I was leaving and went home to spend time with Cade and momma. I was ashamed of myself and I couldn't tell you that." He added that last bit with his face turned away from her, his head bowed like he was getting ready to be kicked.
Sonja's eyes widened. She groped for his hand. "You were thinking about self harm?" She asked him worried about him now. When he just nodded and kept his head turned away shoulders hunched she brought his hand to her chest tears were streaming down her face. "Oh god chris, I'm so sorry..."
"Don't be sorry. Depression isn't someone's fault it was just a spiral I was having a hard time pulling myself out of. As soon as I had the thought I pulled myself back and away from the situation that I couldn't get a handle on. I have been going to counseling while I was gone and have been doing much better."
"If I go to the doctors would you go with me? I haven't been sleeping and I have been sick for days. I wouldn't want to drive like this." She asked him, letting him drop it for right now.
She was able to get in so she got dressed and chris drove her there. She asked him to stay with her when they called her back. The doctor checked her out and took some blood. She also had Sonja step down the hall to the restroom and give a urine sample as well. Sonja was shocked when she whipped out a pregnancy test and plunked it into the sample she had just given.
"I assumed that you might not want to tell your friend about this particular test."
Sonja nodded, then shook her head. "If i am then it would have to be his. He and I only slept together once, but he's the only person I have slept with recently. But then I have to question if he remembers that night as we were kinda drunk."
Sonja nearly fainted when the wait time was over and the test was positive. How do you tell the man you love, but doesn't know you love him that you are pregnant and he's the daddy?
"You have a regular obstetrician correct? You should make an appointment with them. Do you know how far along you are?"
"just over two months. Like I said we only slept together once and I haven't been with anyone else in over a year."
Chris took her home and helped her back into bed. She asked him to lay down with her. He spooned in behind her and rested his chin on her head. She waited so long to speak that he thought she had fallen asleep.
"How do you feel about kids?" She finally asked.
He was taken aback but chris answered anyway, "tucker taught me that I'd really want to have kids some day, and melody taught me that it needed to be with the right person."
"You remember that conversation we put aside for the good of the team a few months ago?" When he said yes she continued, "I think we need to actually have that conversation now. I was scared before, still am but I learned something at the doctors that makes me terrified not to have this conversation." She let out a breath and continued. "I have feelings for you, not just friend/partner feelings. I think I have fallen for you."
Chris rolled her over in his arms so he could see her face. "I know I have fallen for you Sonja. Why are you terrified?" He asked his fingers kneading her back.
Sonja buried her face in his chest and said in a rush. "When she took me for the urine test she did a pregnancy test, it was positive. I haven't slept with anyone in over a year except you."
Frowning chris asked, "when did we...?" He paused and muttered, "shit, the night before I left?" When she nodded he continued. "I thought that was a dream," with a self deprecating laugh he added, "that was not out of the ordinary for dreams for me. Shit Sonja you told me how you felt that night didn't you? Or did my mind make that part up?"
"I told you," she said in a small voice.
"I woke up and you were gone, I thought it was a dream, and I couldn't handle that my mind was telling me that you cared for me. Not when I couldn't really have you in my life. I was still drunk from the night before, and god I'm sorry Sonja. I put us both through hell because I was drunk." He pulled back from her angry with himself.
She pulled him back into her arms and made him look her in the eyes. "Forget about that for right now. Just tell me how you feel about me, and us having a baby..."
"Can I tell you a secret?" When she nodded he continued, "when tucker was here I used to day dream about you being his mom, not melody." He was grinning and slid down the bed so his face was level with her belly.
He pulled up her shirt and nuzzled her belly. "Hey there peanut, I'm your daddy. You are going to take quite a few people by surprise. Mommy and daddy's boss for one and grandma for another. Heck you took daddy by surprise. But that doesn't mean I love you any less. I already love you to pieces just like I do your mommy. She might not be ready to hear that though so maybe keep it between us. Maybe I should ask mommy on a date and show her I can be romantic and charming not just a drunk roll in the hay. Not that you are going to know anything about that until you are at least 40." He kissed her belly lightly and crawled back up to hold her. "Would you go out with me tonight?" He asked her not wanting to waste anytime as he wanted them Married before the baby came, not that he was going to tell her that, she would dig in her heals.
She just nodded her throat clogged with emotions from watching, and listening to him interact with their baby. They fell asleep like that holding each other close her shirt still pulled up and exposing her belly. His hand resting on her belly protectively.
Brody knocked on her door but they didn't hear as they were sleeping. She let herself in with the key she still had. She walked through the apartment looking for Sonja. Pride had called her and said that she might need someone to talk to cause she wasn't talking to the team. She found them sleeping in her bed, both fully clothed besides that Percy's shirt was pulled up and his hand rested on her bare belly. They even still had shoes on. She wondered what chris was doing here. Pride had told her he had said he wasn't sure when he could make it in when they talked last night but here he was sleeping with Sonja like that was normal for him.
Pride had wondered to her about chris leaving and Sonja's emotional state changing at the same time. There might be something to that theory that something happened between the two of them that cause chris to run and Sonja to pull into herself.
Brody went to the kitchen and started a soup, that was something vegan she could make as long as Sonja had vegetable broth and she did.
They woke later to the scent of the soup, both sent a questioning look to the other asking silently if they had gotten up to make food only to return to bed and sleep.
"Who else has a key?" Chris asked knowing he had locked the door behind them when they returned from the doctors.
"Brody, pride, my sisters, and my mom."
"Ok, I'm good with telling any of those people everything that happened as most of them will need to know eventually anyway. So you can decide how much you want to share with them right this moment. I don't mean to put pressure on you I just know you are private and may need to work up to telling them some of what happened the last few months. And I wanted to make sure you know I'm ok with anything. I want you to know that I meant what I said, I love you both to pieces." He said before he kissed her.
There was a wolf whistle from the doorway followed by the question, "both?" It was Brody and Sonja ducked her head against Chris's chest blushing.
Grinning chris asked, "what no questioning that I love Sonja? Just curious who the other person is?"
"It's been obvious to me for awhile that you loved Sonja. So yes just wondering who the other person you love is?"
Chris looked questioningly at Sonja at her nod he answered, "we don't have the answer to that yet but I'm going to be sure their last name is lasalle."
Brody gaped at them for a moment seeing her shirt up and his hand still cradling her stomach for what it was. "You guys slept together? And you didn't tell me!" She shrieked.
Chris ducked his head and Sonja just nodded. He kissed her neck and started to get up but his movement triggered her running to the bathroom again.
"Well I guess I'm glad I made soup. So how long have you two been a thing then?" Brody asked as he walked toward the doorway.
Instead of joining her he went into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub and helped Sonja with her hair. "Um what time is it now?" Chris asked in response.
"Almost 1 why?"
"Then I'd say about 2 hours and we slept most of the time."
"Then how is she... or is it not yours...?"
Sonja patted Chris's leg letting him know it was alright. "No, the baby is mine. I'm just a dumb ass. I was drunk and when I woke up that morning and she was already gone I thought it was a dream. Drunk was my state of being at the time, not that anyone on the team knew that."
Sonja seemed to be finished so they headed to the kitchen and Brody gave each of them a bowl of soup. Sonja made a face with each spoonful until Brody asked what was wrong. Chris didn't seem to have an issue and it tasted fine to her.
"It taste great Mer, that's not my issue. My stomach wants chicken noodle but my brain knows I'm vegan." She answered looking upset.
"I'm sorry city mouse." Chris said looking like somebody had sucker punched him.
"Chris it's not your fault. Everyone talks about crazy pregnancy cravings. Hell I have heard some women crave weird things like dirt not just the more normal pickles and ice cream." Sonja Tried to assure him.
"So what are you two going to do?" Meri asked them.
"Talk momma into selling and moving here. That might be an easy sell when she hears about peanut, Cade too. I wasn't fibin' when I said they need more than I can give them this far away. Since pride didn't let me quit I can ask to return from my leave. Move back into my house." Silently he added to himself talk Sonja into dating him, get her moved in with him or if she wanted a new place for the both of them, and get married.
"What about the two of you?" Meri asked seeing Sonja's face fall when he didn't say anything about them.
"I thought we were a given. I asked her out on a date tonight already. We can't make dating move too fast, that's a whole other way to get to know someone. Like I said I love them both, I personally am not going anywhere. I'll be here for 3am cravings and go out to find whatever craziness peanut wants to try. Or 3am feedings and diaper changes." Tears leaked out of Sonja's eyes and chris bopped his shoulder into hers. "I love you Sonja and I'm going to do everything I can to make you happy."
They talked and caught up while they ate. When Brody was about to leave chris asked. "So what if the team needed you back maybe for an extended period of time?"
"What do you mean?" She asked suspiciously.
"That if I'm moving back I won't have time to work while Sonja is on her leave, and then when pride finds out about peanut he will probably stick Sonja on desk duty. They will at least need someone until we are finished moving." He shrugged and added, "we miss you."
"I'll think about it." She answered.
They asked Brody not to say anything about chris being in town or the baby to pride. just let him know that Sonja was already doing better but that she wanted to take a little time for herself.
Chris called his mom and Cade once Brody left.
"Hey momma." Chris said cheerfully when she answered the phone.
"Hi baby, so what was so important that you tore out of here last night like the hounds of hell were chasing you?" She asked not beating around the bush at all.
Chris grinned and said, "I'm glad I did cause I found out some amazing news today. I left yesterday because pride called, and said he needed me back for a few weeks because he had to put Sonja on leave. something was wrong, and she wasn't talking to anyone about what was wrong."
"So you flew out of here to go back to work at a place you left because you were having a problem?" She asked confused.
"No, I told pride it might be a few days before I could get here. I came to see Sonja..." his mother cut him off.
"You went to see her? Wait you said you had amazing news what was that?" She sounded excited then.
Chris paused and looked over at Sonja. Since his mother was on speaker phone she could hear where they were in the conversation. She stood on her tip toes and kissed him before nodding the encouragement he needed. "Well when I got here I found her sound asleep laying on the toilet. After she threw up this morning too I forced her to go to the doctor..."
"Christopher Lasalle did you knock up that poor girl and run away?" His mother roared at him.
"In my defense momma I was drunk, and she was gone in the morning I thought the one night we had was a dream until we talked today." Chris answered.
"You didn't say you didn't knock her up..." she started, her voice less harsh, more like wonder.
"Yeah momma Sonja's pregnant. And I got her to agree to a date tonight."
"You can't see it but I'm shaking my head at you. Only you could do this so backwards. Tell me something, i think I already know the answer but I want to hear you say it. You love this girl don't you?"
"Yeah momma I do." Chris said keeping his eyes on Sonja.
"That's good baby, make sure she knows that." She paused and then gushed, "I'm gonna have a grand baby! I have to sell the house and find me something up there so I can help y'all with babysitting since I know y'all will want to keep workin'. You gotta tell Cade he'll be so excited to have a niece or a nephew!"
"He was my next call. But I figured I had to tell their gram first before their uncle." Chris said making his mom gasp at being called gram for the first time.
"When do I get to meet Sonja?" She asked.
Chris looked at her questioningly. So she said, "how about I fly back with chris and help get everyone packed up to come back here? Pride did give me time off. It would give me time to get to know your family."
Grinning happily chris kissed her and hugged her close with one hand still holding his mother on the phone in his other. "We'll be down tonight momma. See you in a few hours."
"Ok baby boy see you and ms Sonja soon. Oh I'm so excited I might just go shopping."
"Momma wait until we get you moved to start shopping other wise we'll have to move all the stuff up here too." Chris tried to tell her but she had hung up. Shaking his head chris looked down at Sonja. "I love you. Thank you for being willing to do that."
"I love you too chris, we are going to be family and from the stories you tell I feel like I already know them. Let's call Cade, then I'll take a nap while you work on getting us back to Alabama tonight."
Cade knowing chris so well figured something was wrong with Sonja so when he answered the phone instead of hello he said, "is she ok?" He didn't even have to say who.
"Yeah Cade I'm ok." Sonja answered.
"Well hello ms Sonja. I didn't expect you to be on the phone. Is chris ok?" Worry was creeping into his tone that she was calling from Chris's phone.
"Yeah bro, I'm fine. You are just on speaker." Chris answered this time.
"Oh, ok. so what's up?" Cade asked curious.
"Oh I just wanted to talk to the uncle of peanut." Sonja said. Her hand flew to her mouth as soon as she said it trying to hold in a giggle.
"Who is peanut? Did chris get a dog while he was gone or something?"
Sonja scoffed, offended he thought she meant a pet. Chris cut her off when she opened her mouth looking like she was going to bite something. "Cade, peanut is a term for a small human of yet unknown gender."
"Uncle?" Cade asked confused, "but you said you guys hadn't..."
"It's a short sad story that has a happy ending. Basically I was drunk, and didn't know it wasn't a dream, and caused us both two months of heartache by running away like a dumbass. I'm going to get really sick of telling this story." He grumbled the last part to Sonja.
"So Sonja's pregnant then? Since you are on the phone teasing me about it and you said happy ending I assume that you are both happy about having a baby together? Does this also mean that you are together?"
Chris realizing he never asked her what she thought about kids or having one with him looked at her quickly his eyes worried.
"Chris is over the moon about it, he talked to my belly earlier. I never thought I'd have kids, but I like kids, and I wouldn't want to even try with anyone other than chris." Sonja answered for both of them. "We haven't had a real date yet but we are working on it."
"Real date?" Chris asked her confused.
Sonja let out a short laugh, "please like you didn't think that before everything blew up. I didn't realize that we were alone more and more often for meals and drinks. You pick me up and drop me off every day. heck we have even gone to the grocery store together. I have stuff at your house, and you have stuff here." Her voice hitched on that last part and chris pulled her closer against him resting his chin on her head. "We were basically dating before, and just didn't call it that." She finished.
"Right, I'll see you guys soon, this sounds like a personal conversation and I'm gonna hang up now. Congrats though guys I'm glad you are happy."
With Cade off the phone chris slid it back into his pocket, and put both arms around Sonja. "I honestly didn't notice. I just wanted to be with you. So how long then do you estimate we have been dating but not calling it that? And if you thought of it that way at the time why didn't you say something, and why the reaction for the hug?"
Sonja shook her head. "I didn't think that way when it was happening. It wasn't until after the hug, and all of the other awkward moments we had that I figured it out. But I thought you had planned it like that, so that I wouldn't realize we were dating until I was already in love with you. It worked but I'm glad it wasn't something you plotted behind my back."
Chris picked her up and carried her to the bed. Gently he laid her down following her down so that he lay next to her. He kissed her gently one hand trailing down her body to rest on her belly. "I'm so glad you love me, I love you so much. I missed you everyday while I was gone. I thought about you all day. I was driving myself crazy wondering if you were ok. If I did the right thing. If you missed me. I was mostly just going through the motions. I fixed every thing I could find broken on the property."
"I missed you too." She confessed, she reached under the covers and got the shirt she had been sleeping with while he was gone and showed it to him. "I was basically using your shirt as a pillow case. But it's losing the smell of you, I need another one."
"That's not a problem." He said taking off his shirt one handed, and giving it to her. He was reaching to take the other one and put it on, as she had said she wanted a nap and he needed to book them a flight to Alabama, when he noticed the look in her eyes. A huge grin spread across his face, "like what you see?" He asked in a husky voice.
She nodded and moved closer to him for a kiss her hands trailing lightly over his well defined chest and abs. She made a little happy noise when he shifted them so she was on her back and he was leaning over her from beside her, deepening their kiss. Tenderly he kissed along her jaw to tease her ear lobe before nipping and kissing his way down her neck. She let out a small moan when he reached the base of her neck so he nibbled, and sucked there a moment before moving on. He had just kissed his way to the tops of her breasts when they heard someone knocking. Nearly growling chris got off the bed and stalked to the door and Sonja raced after him.
"Wait!" She said to him before she could catch up. "My place, I answer the door."
He stopped and pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard before letting her lead the way to the door. She stood on tip toe to see out the peep hole. She pulled back and shooed him away from the door.
"Grab anything of yours that you didn't leave in the bedroom and get in the bedroom. It's Gregorio probably here to check up on me, but I'm not ready to deal with the crowing she is going to do about being right that we slept together."
Chris looked around quickly as Gregorio knocked again. He snatched up his boots and went down the hall the the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Sonja tried to look tired and like Gregorio woke her up and opened the door.
"Gregorio, what's up?" She asked yawning hugely.
"I just wanted to check on you. Pride said you weren't feeling well and were going to take some time. But I didn't think that you were really not feeling well. I think you are depressed and I didn't want you to go through that alone."
"That's a great thought Gregorio thank you, but honestly I'm ok. I wasn't sleeping for a little bit and it was starting to drive me a little batty but I slept all last night and quite a bit of today. Pride sent Brody over earlier she left happier that I was doing better already."
"You sure your ok? Not depressed?"
Sonja smiled and laughed slightly. "Depressed for me means cleaning the house top to bottom in the middle of the night because all I can hear is my mother saying it's not perfect." She motioned at her living room which held a pile of dirty dishes and some assorted clothes laying about. She hadn't had the energy to actually clean in a while. "I haven't done that in a while."
"If you are sure." Gregorio said looking unsure she believed it.
"I'm good Gregorio, thanks for checking on me." Sonja said trying to keep thoughts of chris talking to her belly in her head so she knew her eyes would hold the smile she was giving.
"Hey speaking of depression. Have you spoken to chris recently? Do you know if he's doing ok?"
"I actually spoke to him not long ago. He sounded good. He said he decided to move back, find a place here for his mom and brother. He misses the team and the night life. Apparently his mom lives in a tiny town with no late night food or music, where could he take a lady?" That made them both laugh.
"Ok, I'll get out of your hair. But you let me know if you need anything. Even just to talk." Gregorio told her giving her a hug. Feeling better because that was the most Sonja had said in a couple of months to anyone.
"Thank you for checking on me, but I think I'm just going to go back to bed. Try and finish the dream I was having and then maybe get some dinner." Sonja said smiling to herself for her cleverness.
"Sleeping too much isn't a good thing either..."
Grinning Sonja said, "who said anything about sleeping?"
"Oh my god! Do you have someone here? I didn't know and you let me stand out here and yammer on! Go get you some! Anyone I know?"
"Maybe, but maybe not. It's new and if I was ready to share I'd have let him out of the bedroom while we talked."
Suspicious Gregorio asked, "how new?"
"Not saying, now shoo so I can get back in there."
Finally Gregorio gave her a hug and left grumbling about not knowing who she had in her bedroom. When she shut the door chris immediately opened the bedroom door.
"You know that's going to drive her nuts right? And now she is going to pop in every once and a while until she finds out or you tell her."
Sonja shrugged. "Mostly I just wanted her gone so we could get back to where we were." She walked over to him wrapped her arms around his waist and stood on tip toe to kiss him.
Chris kissed her back, his arms coming around her, and molding her body against his. His hands ran slowly over her back lower until he cupped her ass in both hands. She made a happy noise into his mouth before he used that grip to lift her into his arms. She instinctively wrapped her legs around him as he carried her to the bed.
Later she lay sleeping snuggled into his chest as he held his arms up behind her head to use his phone and book them a flight to Alabama. It was nearly four so he did the latest flight out he could nearly ten that night. That should give him time to get her packed and then to the airport. It wouldn't be as romantic as he wanted but they could have dinner at the airport once they were checked in.
He set his phone on the night stand and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her neck and just breathed her in. He nuzzled her and said, "I hate to wake you up Sonja, but we need to pack you some things before we have to leave for the airport."
She opened her eyes and looked at him emotions swimming in her eyes. "I'm glad you are still here. I was dreaming that you were gone again."
Choked up Chris looked her in the eyes and said "I'm so sorry for doing this to us. But I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere. You are going to have to pry me off with a crowbar. I've had enough time without you in my life to let me know I can't live without you. I was merely putting one foot in front of the other."
"That's better than I was doing. I fell apart on my own." She told him tears in her eyes. "We will get through this together, we have each other now and peanut."
"You sit here and direct me to what you want packed. I want you to keep relaxing since you haven't been sleeping well."
"I'm pregnant Chris not an invalid..."
"I know that, but I want to take care of you so let me? At least for today?" He asked. "Let's start with a bag." He said and walked over to her closet and turned on the light. "This looks to be carry on sized." He said pulling out a small rolling suitcase.
"It is, I have used it before." She told him watching as he walked around her room with nothing on. She might enjoy being taken care of, especially if he was always sans clothes.
Her smile made him smile at her and ask, "what?"
"Nothing, just enjoying the view. So let's start with shoes. I'll wear tennis shoes but take a pair of sandals in case we go out while we are gone, get the black ones with the bead work. Tennis shoes means the no show socks, enough for a few days, top left drawer. It's going to be warm so one pair of jeans a few shorts and a skirt."
Chris brought over her jeans and let her pick the pair she wanted. Then did the same with the shorts and skirts. And again with shirts. When she didn't say anything after shirts he grinned and said. "I do believe you are avoiding somethings. Now I wouldn't mind if you were walking around without a bra and underwear on but with my mom and brother around I figure you might mind. It might be especially fun when you wear the skirt."
Sonja laughed at him waggling his eyebrows at her and said, "not with other people around mister. Top right drawer. Just pull it out and bring it here. You'll pick the ones you think are sexy, and those can be uncomfortable."
Chris watched and looked through with her as she selected the items she was going to take. He didn't say anything but she could see the huge smile on his face. After he put the drawer back he went into the bathroom and got the items she requested there.
They drove to the airport hand in hand listening to whatever music was on the radio. Neither bothered to listen mostly just happy to be with the other again. They checked in and went through security, both having to be taken to a side room as they were federal agents traveling with their sidearms. Once that was done they walked hand in hand to dooky chase.
"I didn't know this was here." Sonja said smiling, as they took their seats, their carry on bags next to them.
"A couple of years I think, best food you can get in the airport." Chris answered, an answering smile on his face. "I did ask for a date tonight and since we were short on time this was the best I could do."
Once they had given their drink orders they went up to the buffet and looked over their options each selecting a few items here and there before going back to the table and their bags.
"You hadn't thought about kids before?" Chris asked.
"Not really, maybe as a little girl or a teenager. It's sort of something you talk about with your friends when you are playing. I as an adult had never really thought of myself with kids. I can see both of my sisters with kids. The older one has a couple and her and Mia dote on them. I like her kids but I was never around them enough to make me think about having one of my own. Besides with our job having kids means I will be out of the field for a long while. I like what we do, I don't want to do something else. Did you ever think about it before tucker at least."
Chris nodded and paused before saying anything else. "We had... we had just found out Savannah was pregnant..." he broke off his head down both hands resting on the table.
Sonja reached out and took his hands. "I didn't know Chris, I'm so sorry."
"When melody showed up with tucker, even though I couldn't stand her I wanted that little boy so badly to be mine. Savanah always told me I'd make a great dad. So I didn't even question her when she told me he was mine. I just took her word and tried to be the best at being his dad I could be. I was so embarrassed that I was lax enough with someone I didn't care about to have created a child though, that I couldn't share any of that with you. I was worried about what it would make you think of me and I was already starting to fall for you."
"Had you thought of any names?" Sonja asked.
"Maybe a middle name or two but no real first names. Mostly I have some family names that are often used for middle names. Zahl, Lyle, Mildred, and Augusta. They aren't first name material. And we don't have to use them just saying they are options. Do you have any names you would want?"
"What's your middle name?"
"Isaac, momma says after Christopher I needed a shorter middle name."
Sonja nodded, "Isaac would be cute. Not sure that works with your middle names though so we will have to start looking." Her face went white and her mouth fell open. Chris ran around to her side in case she collapsed like she looked like she was going to.
"Sonja? What's wrong city mouse?" He asked his voice cracking.
"We are going to have a baby. Neither of us knows anything about babies. We have so much to do, to learn, to buy. Oh god my mother is going to want to throw a shower!" She turned to look at him. Her eyes were wild and her breathing was rapid.
"Shh, shh, it will be ok. I'll be with you every step of the way. We'll do everything we can for our baby together. We'll make sure that they come into this world safe and happy and stay that way." Chris said as he gathered her in his arms. He rocked them gently as he listened to her breathing even out.
They finished eating not talking about babies anymore. Chris asked about her family. Knowing she had sisters and at least one of them had kids.
When they finished eating Chris paid their tab and they walked to their terminal to wait to be boarded. Chris surprised her when he pulled her to her feet the first time their planes information was called for boarding. That was generally when first class boarded. She was even more shocked when they stopped and he put their carry ons in the over head in first class and motioned for her to sit down.
"Why are we in first class?" She asked him nervously.
"I'd like to say because I wanted to treat you like the queen you are to me, but they were over booked and I may have dropped that we are federal agents. They may have then assumed we needed to get there quickly and just let us have first class for the coach price since that's all that was left." He admitted.
"Good, I was worried you paid for first class. For such a short flight I wouldn't bother. Something like going to Australia though that I would spring for first class for, that is a long flight."
Assured he didn't waist the money she sat back and snuggled into his side. He reminded her to strap in so she did before promptly falling asleep against his arm. Not even take off or landing woke her. Once they were back on the ground Chris unbuckled and turned so she was in his arms more fully. He stroked his arms over her telling her it was time to wake up. That they had landed.
She blinked up at him and smiled before turning green and bringing her hand to her mouth. Chris quickly gave her an airsick bag and held her hair talking to her sweetly as she puked.
One of the stewardesses came over worried. When Chris noticed her he smiled and said, "just found out she's pregnant, and that morning sickness is a misnomer. It's more like sick all day."
Nodding she walked away and came back with a can of ginger ale, a couple of packets of saltines and a mint. "I have been there, this might help her stomach. And the mint will help her feel better about her breath once this fit ends."
When Sonja was finished he took the bag to the stewardess and threw it out. Since they had just reached the gate Chris pulled down their bags and put the crackers and mint in the front pocket of her bag. He had already given her the ginger ale to sip. The rest of the first class passengers let them get off first not wanting to be near the puking lady as most had not heard what Chris had said to the stewardess.
His truck was already there and she sighed with contentment when she sank into the familiar seat, surrounded by the familiar scent of him.
"We have about a half hour drive to momma's why don't you try and get a little more sleep?" He suggested.
Sonja nodded and put up the center armrest, she lay her head on his thigh and curled up on the other two thirds of the seat, buckling the center seatbelt around herself. Chris rest a hand on her side as he drove, he kept the radio on quietly to drown out the road noise for her.
He pulled into his mothers drive and smiled at her rushing off the porch to meet Sonja. Chris eased out of the truck. trying not to wake Sonja he left the cab door open.
"Where is she?" His mom asked when she got closer.
Chris gestured to the truck and said, "sleeping, she's had a rough couple of months..."
His mom glared at him and moved around to see Sonja curled up on the seat. "Why didn't she just lay her seat back? There is plenty of room?"
Chris shrugged, that is what he had expected her to do when he suggested she get some more sleep. Not that he minded her laying her head on him. He liked the contact that had given them. "I suggested she try and get some sleep, she was sick on the plane. She is the one that laid like this."
Sonja popped open an eye about to grumble at Chris for waking her up but she saw his mom first and panicked. She tried wiping the sleep from her eyes, checked to make sure she hadn't drooled, patted her hair, she would have continued but his mom just motioned her out of the truck. As soon as she was out his mom wrapped her up in a huge hug.
"I'm so happy to meet you. Thank you for taking my stupid boy back. He loves you, and I know he will love your baby too." She whispered holding Sonja fiercely. Her words made tears spring to Sonja's eyes, and Chris tried to take over the hug from his mom but she shoed him away.
The hug lasted a long while both were teary eyed when they finally let go. His mom patted her on the back and said, "sometimes you just need a hug and a cry. Pregnancy causes that to be a more frequent need." She said the last with a pointed look at Chris. Letting him know that normally that duty would fall on him.
Chris nodded showing her he understood. "Momma this is Sonja Percy who is going to be the momma of your first grand baby. Sonja this is my momma, carol ann."
"What about the two of you?" She asked noticing that he hadn't said anything about them getting married.
"Momma relationships don't just happen over night." Chris responded but didn't give an actual answer. His mother hearing that just stared at him.
"He's still working on getting his mind around the fact we were basically dating before and didn't realize it. So he thinks he has to start at the beginning of the relationship when really we aren't anywhere near that phase." Sonja answered for them.
"Oh? What phase are we at then?" Chris asked curious where her mind was at on the subject.
"Well I'd say sleeping together, but that's not normally far along in a relationship for you. So maybe the I love you phase?" His mother snorted when she said sleeping together didn't mean much to Chris.
"Hey, you'll make momma think I have been sleeping with every female that walks and talks." Chris grumbled and Sonja laughed.
"Yeah that was my understanding of your habits until just before the tug bomb." Sonja responded making his mother smack him upside the head.
"Hey...!" Chris objected.
"I told you that behavior would bite you on the ass one day when you found the woman for you." She snapped at him before taking Sonja's arm and leading her up the steps and into the house. Leaving Chris to get the bags and follow them in.
Chris called pride the next day and let him know about moving back.
"I thought you were settled there, you had a job lined up?" Pride said when Chris was done. "And you could wait a week or two to move back? You have to do it right now when I need you to fill in for Percy?"
"I left because I was a coward. I'm coming back because I now know that I was being a coward and an idiot, and I'm going to rectify that as soon as possible. Momma is adamant about moving as soon as possible."
"That explains nearly nothing Chris." Pride said with an exasperated tone.
"Yeah until I have the details ironed out I can't really say more."
"Something happened with you and Percy didn't it?" Pride asked the question he had been wondering since after the Hamilton case.
"Why would you ask that?" Chris asked genuinely curious.
"You both moved apart after Hamilton. And then you left, and I don't think you told her. She fell apart after that, and now after I called to ask you to help out because Sonja is out you are suddenly moving back, your mother and brother in tow."
Chris looked at Sonja who could hear as he had pride on speaker phone. She just shrugged and nodded. Chris opened his mouth to answer but pride added, "l'm pretty sure that silence is answer enough. So you said you were a coward, and an idiot, I assume that you are going to try for a relationship with Percy? Do you think that will interfere with either of your work?"
"Yeah, there is going to be a relationship. And yeah it's probably going to mess with Sonja's work for at least a few months." Chris answered. Sonja hit him for telling their boss she was pregnant before she was ready. "Ow, what he asked. Did you want me to lie to him?"
"Sonja is there now?" Pride asked surprised.
"Uh, yeah. She flew in last night after we spent most of yesterday talking." Chris said leaving out that the talking had been in person.
"And what do you mean it will mess with her work... really, already you two?" He asked having worked through it in his head. "I guess that explains the getting sick and sleeping, Sonja."
"Yeah." She answered tentatively.
"So congratulations then?" Pride asked wondering if they were happy about this.
"Yep, just don't talk about names yet. It caused a melt down." Chris said in a stage whisper.
"I'll want to talk to you both when you get back. I guess I'll call Brody and see if she can help out for a while. Keep me updated on when you can come back to work Chris and Sonja when you plan on returning to desk duty. I'm sorry knowing that you are pregnant I cannot let you into the field."
"We knew that." She answered simply, "and I'm sorry for not telling you what was wrong, at the time I honestly didn't know about peanut. I was just so exhausted and sick."
"We will talk when you both get back." Pride said wanting to wrap his head around them together and having a kid. "But I do have one more question, because of what happened with Melody. Are you sure that peanut is Chris's?"
"He might not remember, but yeah I don't have any doubts."
"He doesn't remember? He hasn't had a head injury."
"I was drunk, thought it was a dream. Then I was a dumbass and ran away giving us both two months of heartache for nothing."
Frowning despite them not able to see him pride asked, "you were so drunk you don't remember making your baby? Why were you that drunk?"
"That would be because I was scared of my emotions." Sonja answered a tear leaking from her eye.
"Hey, it's ok." Chris said pulling her into his arms.
"It's not chris, I hate knowing what that did to you. Self harm, even just thinking about it is a huge deal. I'm glad you were able to get help but I caused that." She answered him sobbing now both of them forgetting about pride on the phone.
"Depression is not anyone's fault. I could have asked for help sooner. I knew I was drinking myself into a stooper just to sleep."
"Still because I shut us down." She sobbed into his chest.
"Hey I agreed with you. I'm not saying I like how we got here the emotions were hard on both of us. But I have you here with me and I'm not letting you go. Hell I was over the moon when you said you would go out with me. If you wouldn't think it was just about the baby I'd ask you right now..." he stopped catching himself before he said the words knowing it was too fast for her.
"Ask what chris?" She said her face tucked in against his chest.
"You are the one that said we were dating before and just were not calling it that. You are right we are at the I love you stage." He said not answering her question.
"Ask what chris?" She asked again, looking up at him, her own emotions swimming in her eyes.
"God you are killing me." He said resting his forehead against hers.
"Then just ask." She told him.
"I don't want you to think this is just because of the baby."
"Then are you going to wait until they are 18 to ask?"
"Hell no."
"Then ask chris, because it's always going to be a little bit about the baby until then."
"Are you sure you want me? A suicidal drunk that doesn't even remember our one time together? Depression doesn't just go away, it's a constant battle."
"You have to ask chris."
So quiet she barely heard him, he asked, "marry me?"
"Yes, chris." She answered when he wouldn't look at her to see she was nodding through her tears. Pride hung up then having heard more than he had planned on not knowing they forgot about him.
His head whipped down to see her smiling at him with tears streaming down her face. "Really?" He asked scared he was dreaming, that this whole day and a half had been a dream.
"Yes, chris. I love you. I want to wake up with you like I did this afternoon. I want you talking to my belly like you are the happiest guy on earth, like you did when I told you about peanut. I want us to be a family. You said yourself you would be there for cravings and feedings no matter the time of day. I told you that night I loved you and I meant it."
He picked her up and swung her around so happy she had said yes. "Wait right here I have to go get something. I love you Sonja Percy." He ran out of the room, nearly tripping on the rug and doing a header down the stairs.
With a squeak Sonja yelled after him, "please be careful. I don't want to loose you now that I finally have you."
Chris ran into his mothers room straight to the closet.
"What are you doing?" Cade asked seeing him dash in there.
"Getting the ring." Chris answered fumbling with the safe trying to get it open.
"You gonna ask? Isn't that kinda fast?"
"She said yes."
"You asked and didn't have the ring? And she still said yes?" Cade asked surprised. Watching chris fumble again Cade pushed him aside, "let me help you."
"I hadn't planned to ask her yet. It sort of just happened."
"What are you two doing?" His mom asked finding them in her closet. Chris practically shaking and Cade getting into the safe.
"He was too hyped up to get in on his own. Just helping my brother." Cade answered.
"And what do you need out of the safe?" She asked turning to chris.
Cade pulled open the door then and moved out of Chris's way. When chris turned back to his mom he showed her the box tears shinning in his eyes and a huge smile on his face. Cade shut the safe again before standing a grin on his face as well.
His mom grabbed him in a hug and he could feel her tears running off her face and onto his shoulder.
"When?"
"Um about ten minutes ago" chris said looking away blushing.
"You didn't have the ring?" She snapped whacking his arm.
"Ow, momma. I hadn't planned on asking yet. If I had planned it, it would have been more romantic and I'd have had the damn ring. Now can I go back to Sonja and ask her right with the ring."
"At least take her outside, some place pretty." His mom called after him.
"Where did you go?" Sonja asked him with a small laugh when he ran back into the room and kissed her.
"To get something. Would you come with me? I want to take you somewhere."
"Are you ok?" She asked him, he was grinning but acting so nervous.
"Never better." He answered her being completely honest.
She let him lead her out of the house and to an out building. She was surprised when he backed out an atv and asked her to climb on. He drove slowly through the woods of his mothers property. He came to a stop next to a willow tree. He led her under the branches and she gasped. There hiding under the willow was a tiny little waterfall, it was a natural spring coming right out of the rock wall curtained by the willows hanging boughs. From where chris parked you couldn't see the little creek it created but under the willow you could see that it curved away from them the ends of the willow boughs dragging through the water where it disappeared.
"This place is amazing chris!" Sonja told him looking around in wonder. When she turned back to him he was on one knee holding out a ring in a box.
"Sonja Percy, my city mouse. I love you with my whole heart. Would you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?" He asked her. "I want you living with me. I want to be there for you an peanut anytime you need me. I don't want to go back to living without you." Silently he added to himself, it nearly killed me.
"Yes chris. I love you too. And I'm not letting you leave again." She said pulling him to his feet and kissing him. She had heard his unspoken thought and it scared her.
He slid the ring onto her finger and kissed the back of her hand before placing it over his heart covered with his own. He kissed her then rested his forehead against hers.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was going on. I thought it wouldn't matter. That you didn't want us, so me going through a hard time because of that wouldn't mean anything either. We had stopped talking and I couldn't take spending every day with you right there and not even talking to me. I knew I couldn't work together like that."
"It's ok. You weren't the only one hurting. I hated that I missed you and you would be standing right next to me. I would go home after working all day and clean my whole place top to bottom until I collapsed into sleep, usually not in bed. A chair, the couch, one time just the floor. Day after day, I am amazed that I didn't scrub right through the floor. I couldn't take the sight of you losing your light and the loneliness. I got to the point that I just couldn't take it anymore so I went to your house. You were drinking so without a word poured me a glass. I threw it back and followed that with the next three you poured me you still hadn't said a damn word and I couldn't take it I kissed you. I needed you close to me and you weren't helping me get us there. I realize now you were already past drunk but I didn't know that at the time. We ended up in bed, apparently neither of us thinking about protection. Laying there snuggling I told you that I hated us being apart and that I wanted to try for something between us."
"Why did you leave? You were gone when I woke up. God I cried when I thought my mind made all of that up."
"I was scared, and embarrassed that I pushed you into bed. I mean we had agreed not to pursue us then I show up and throw myself at you. You are a guy and you have been known to sleep with anything that is willing. And you never said one word the whole time I was there, what if I was just some pity fuck?" Tears were rolling down her face and chris wrapped her up right in his arms.
"Drunk chris clams up. He worries that he will turn into his father, and yell and hit people when he is that far gone. I would never get over it if I turned into my father."
"You were amazingly gentle with me. I hadn't felt so loved to that point in my life, but when you didn't respond I didn't know what to think."
"You feel more loved now?" Chris asked curious.
She blushed, "when you were talking to peanut, telling them you loved them to pieces just like mommy." Another tear escaped and chris brushed it away.
"I honestly do. I love you both so much. I'm so happy to have you both in my life. So happy you agreed to be my wife. Happy we are having a baby. Happy that you love me as much as I love you. I'm just mad that we wasted two months, and it's my fault. If I had stayed even one more day, we might have talked and I would have known it wasn't a dream."
They got Chris's mom and Cade moved into his house while they looked for places. Chris was staying with Sonja at her apartment. They got a great deal from a oil company for the property so his mom had plenty of money for her new place when they finally found it, it even had a guest house for Cade, and plenty of room for visiting grand kids.
Brody agreed to work with the team until Sonja could get back into the field. She spent the whole first day gloating to Gregorio that she knew who Sonja was sleeping with when Gregorio didn't. Pride was having a hard time keeping the two women from driving him nuts. He had Brody with him and Gregorio with Sebastian on cases keeping them apart as much as possible.
"Why does it matter?" Pride finally asked the day before chris and Sonja were scheduled to come back.
"He was there when I stopped to check on her and she wouldn't tell me who it was, just said it was new, and maybe I knew him but maybe not. Brody knows and won't tell me." Pride looked around at Brody mouthing to here he was here that day? She nodded at him and Gregorio exploded. "You mean you know who it is too? How do you know?"
"Oh, I'm fairly sure that I wasn't meant to know yet." He said not answering her question.
"I don't think I would either but I walked in on them sleeping." Brody answered.
Chris came in then with a box of his stuff for his desk. "Walked in on what now Brody?" He asked with a grin and a wink in her direction.
"Oh just Sonja and her new boyfriend, in bed."
With a laugh chris said, "sounds like you got a eyeful."
"Nah, they were just sleeping. Fully clothed too it was really weird."
"Huh, I might not be completely familiar with long term relationships but don't you normally take your clothes off to sleep together?"
Sebastian surprised them by being the one to answer that, "yes, you do. But Sonja had been a major zombie, maybe he saw she needed the sleep."
"So she will be back in the office tomorrow?" Gregorio asked looking at Brody, "that mean you are leaving then?"
"Nope." Brody answered deadpan. But that told Gregorio that Brody knew something else she didn't.
"That's it i'm going over there and talking to her." She said getting up from her desk.
Sonja came in then and asked, "talking to who?"
Brody ran over and gave her a hug seeing the ring right away. "Congrats, but, um Tammy is not happy about being left out."
Hugging her back Sonja answered. "That's ok, kinda why we are here." Turning from her to Sebastian Sonja added louder, "hey could you call Loretta and Patton over for me? I have some things to talk about with the team."
Gregorio came and gave her a hug too but started in with questions until pride barked at her to knock it off. He was in the kitchen whipping up some dinner for them knowing this was going to be a long conversation. By the time Loretta and Patton got there he was plating the food.
"Perfect timing!" He called to them. "Come on everyone grab a plate and a seat."
Chris grabbed them both a plate and she got them drinks. They sat on their normal side of the table next to each other. Which to the team was completely normal. That is until she stole some of his chicken and everyone stopped and stared at her baffled.
"What?" She asked confused.
"We have known you for what about 4 years. You have been a vegan all that time. Not once have I even seen you care about the meat that these guys eat around you. But not only did you just steal food from Chris's plate it was meat." Loretta answered for the collective.
"Yeah, well apparently vegan isn't the most healthy diet while pregnant and I have been craving different meats for a little while now." She answered trying not to laugh at the faces around her. Most of the team had shocked looks but Brody was looking smug and pride just neutral.
"Pregnant?" Gregorio finally managed.
"Yep." Sonja said not offering any more details.
"How?" Gregorio asked.
With a grin chris started, "well Tammy when two people care about each other, they..." he stopped when Sonja punched his shoulder. "Hey!" He muttered rubbing his arm.
"Sonja would you like your own chicken, so you don't have to steal Chris's?" Pride asked her carefully.
"Just a little, I'm still reintroducing it to my system. To much and I'm sick. though how do I tell that apart from normal morning sickness I'm having? I don't know so I'm just taking it slow."
"That sounds like a good plan."
"Oh, who cares. You know that's not what I meant. You said when I stopped by that it was new. That was just a couple of weeks ago you wouldn't know that you are pregnant yet from that." Gregorio asked.
"I said us dating was new. I didn't say that was the first time we had slept together."
"So the new guy is the daddy then?" Patton asked.
Nodding Sonja said, "he is."
"Is the baby the reason for the rock then?" Loretta asked.
"No, he actually had this before we knew."
"How do you know that?" Gregorio asked.
"He had to go to his moms and get it." That made Gregorio look at chris suspiciously. He hadn't said a word, didn't look as upset as she would think him to be with Sonja dating someone else, hell engaged and pregnant. And he was down right happy when he got here, still looked it now.
"Its you isn't it?" She asked him.
That made Sebastian and Patton look at her shocked at her conclusion, but Loretta just nodded that she followed that leap. With a grin chris gave Sonja a kiss in front of all of them.
"Why did they get to know?" Gregorio asked still pissed off.
"Brody wasn't lying she literally walked in on us asleep. Neither of us had been sleeping well and we had just learned about peanut. I was spooned in behind Sonja holding her belly. And I was talking to pride and sort of backed myself into a corner and had to explain. No worries Sonja whacked me for telling him before she was ready."
"They then apparently forgot I was on the phone and I got to hear him ask her." Pride finished and chris blushed.
"I did better than that. I didn't have the ring I had to go get it out of the safe. I took her out to this beautiful little spot and asked again better."
"I'm glad cause the first one was pretty awful and the three of us are going to talk about some of what I heard later."
Chris knowing what he meant ducked his head and put his fork down no longer hungry or happy. Sonja bumped his shoulder with hers and took his hand kissing it. "Hey, country mouse look at me." When he did her heart melted at the sorrow there. "I love you, we figured it out. That's what matters." She pulled his hand down to cover her belly and he beamed at her, leaning over to kiss her lightly. "I love you too."