December, 1933

Again, Dallas found himself preparing to move again. This time, it would be with Luck. After learning about Dallas's pregnancy, Luck had practically begged for him to move in with him. At first, Dallas hadn't wanted to; Luck saw him every day anyway, but he'd refused to leave him alone. Finally, after pursing him with a broomstick and throwing multiple dog toys at him, Dallas gave up trying to chase him off.

"And...your brothers are okay with this?" Dallas asked as they headed towards Luck's place. Eve herself had been a little skeptical; but Eve didn't hate his guts. Eve didn't want to kill him. Eve hadn't thrown him in the river.

"Keith doesn't care," Luck replied. "Berga, though...he's not happy about any of this. He's been mad at me since...you know..." Dallas nodded knowingly. Neither of them were comfortable enough to discuss how exactly their baby was conceived.

After they walked in, Dallas peered around cautiously. Instinctively, he grabbed Luck's arm tightly. The fear inside of him was rising.

"Calm down," Luck told him gently, grasping his hand. Feeling his hand, Dallas gasped and blushed embarrassingly. Pulling his hand from Luck's, Dallas did his best to relax as he sat on the couch.

"Are they even here?" Dallas asked curiously, and Luck shrugged.

"Must not be, if they haven't come to say hello," he murmured. Luck headed off towards the kitchen, before hesitating. "Do you...ah...would you like anything?" He asked quietly.

Dallas shook his head. "No, I'm alright. I don't think I can keep anything down right now." He ran a hand gently across his softly rounded stomach and felt his heart leap. It was already December, wasn't it? Had it really been four months?

Since he was all alone (Luck had disappeared into the kitchen), Dallas took the time to re-examine the situation. He was four months pregnant now, and already starting to show. It wasn't very noticeable, but it would be soon. He wondered exactly what he would say to anyone who asked...people would get curious soon. But what would happen? Not just to him, but to his son or daughter? He didn't want anything to happen to them; he didn't want his kid to be treated like a freak. Dallas gave a soft, shaky sigh, gripping the couch tightly with his free hand. What was he going to do?

"Dallas?" The red-head opened his cobalt blue eyes and was surprised to feel warm tears sliding down his face. Luck stood in front of him, looking at him with worried eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he replied, wiping the tears away with the back of his hand. Dallas looked away as Luck sat next to him.

"No, you're not," he stated simply, and Dallas turned to look at him. Usually, whenever Dallas got into this kind of mood around Maiza, he'd let him sort it out himself. He wasn't used to anyone wanting to really know what was wrong—except Eve.

"It's nothing, really, just...me worrying about nothing..."

"It's about the baby, isn't it? About what everyone'll say when word gets out." Luck was looking Dallas straight in the eyes now, but his expression was different. Normally cold and foxlike, they were soft and almost sad. "Dallas, don't you worry about any of that. I can explain it to them." Dallas was almost glad that Luck could read him so easily; he didn't have to explain it that way.

"Alright, I'll try," Dallas smiled over at Luck, and he smiled back.

This was the very beginning of the turning point in the Genoard-Gandor relationship.

The calm didn't last forever. Later that day, while Dallas was curled up on the couch sleeping, Kieth and Berga returned home from wherever they'd been.

"What," Berga growled, upon noticing the sleeping Dallas, "is that?"

"Don't wake him up," Luck hissed warningly. "Let him sleep."

"Why is he here?" The other asked again, voice raising slightly. Dallas yawned and shifted in his sleep, and Luck took a step forward.

"Because I brought him here," Luck replied, eyes narrowed and blazing. "If you have a problem, you can take it up with me." For a moment, both men were silent, before Berga let out a deathly half-snarly and stormed off upstairs. Keith looked over at Luck questioningly.

"It's for the baby," Luck told him. "Not for me. We're not...romantically involved." Keith blinked once, then turned and followed Berga's path up the stairs.

The next few weeks slid by without too many problems. Berga was still mad, but he wasn't bothering Dallas at all. Luck seemed to be getting the worst of his complaints. He was also having to lend Dallas some of his clothes, since Dallas was starting to get too big to fit comfortably in his clothes. Almost every day, the red-head worried and fretted over what would happen if it got too noticeable to hide and what he'd have to wear to keep it a secret. Luck did his best to calm him down, but it was becoming progressively harder as Dallas's hormones raged.

One day, around New Year's, the Gandors received a telegram.

"Hey guys, looks like Claire's coming down for New Year's," Luck announced that day. The had finally finished shoving all the Christmas decorations in a box in the cellar and had begun preparing for New Year's themselves.

"Is that your other brother you guys keep talkin' about?" Dallas asked sleepily from where he sat, curled up in the armchair. "The one who got married not too long ago?"

"Yeah, and he's bringing Chane," Luck replied, then added "his wife" for Dallas.

True to his word, the energetic red-head came the next day, a tired-looking Chane following. After he exchanged greetings with his brothers, Claire turned his attention to Luck.

"So I head you got yourself into a bit of trouble, Luck," Claire grinned, throwing an arm around Luck's shoulders. "I heard that you're gonna be a father in a few months." The blonde looked away suddenly and messed with his hands.

"Well...er...yeah, that's right," Luck murmured, finally meeting Claire's hazel gaze. "Uh...four months left, as of today..." Claire gave a laugh and gave Luck a hearty whack on the back, knocking the breath out of him.

"No need to be so shy," he grinned, and Luck gave a half-asses smile. "I also heard it was Dallas, right? How'd that happen?"

"Long story," Luck replied when he could breath again. "Half of which I don't even remember."

"What a shame," Claire mock-sighed, shaking his head. "Well, at least your kid'll have a little cousin to play with..."

"Cousin?" Luck questioned. "But...none of us have any kids..."

"Not yet, at least," Claire corrected him. "Chane's pregnant. Three months."

"Oh...well, congratulations," the blonde exclaimed after a few moment's pause. "That's great." For a while, both of them were silent.

"So when are you gonna get married?" Claire asked, nudging Luck with a shoulder. "Soon, right?"

"Married?" Luck echoed, golden eyes widening. "Oh no, we're not...in love, Claire, it was an accident, the only reason we're together is for the baby..." A little smile crossed Claire's face; a sly, thinking smile, the kind you don't really want to see."

"Alright. At least, that's what you say now. You never know how the times could change..."

It was then that the seed had been planted.

January 1st, 1934

"Happy New Year's!" The collective cry sprang from the group of people who'd been sitting on the couch, then raised their glasses and toasted to the start of a brand new year. All except Luck, who sat and watched while Dallas lied his tired head upon Luck's shoulder.

"It's New Year's," Dallas yawned, moving to look into Luck's eyes. "Why don't you go and celebrate with 'em?" He motioned over to the group, who had started catcalling when Ennis and Firo kissed. "You worry about me enough. I'll be alright."

"Are you sure?" Luck asked cautiously. "I mean...if...ah..." He stumbled over his words, and Dallas put a hand on his shoulder.

"I was gonna go off to bed anyway," he murmured. A little smile crossed his face. "You go be with them. I don't need help getting to bed." Luck hesitated, but Dallas just gave a little laugh before standing up.

"If you're going to go, just...call for me if you need anything, alright?" Dallas nodded, before going up the stairs, and Luck made his way over to the others.

"Hey, Luck," Firo greeted when Luck sat on the couch. "Drink?" He offered him a glass, and Luck shook his head.

"No, it's alright, I'm trying to cut down on my drinking," Luck replied. "For...you know..."

"Did you make a New Year's resolution, Luck?" A curious Miria asked, sitting on the other side of him.

"I bet he did, Miria," Isaac exclaimed, jumping up from behind the couch. "In fact, I bet it was the best resolution out of all of our resolutions!" He paused for emphasis. "So tell us, what kind of resolution did you make?"

Remembering that Isaac and Miria didn't know about the baby yet, Luck sighed. "Well, I...I'm trying to cut my drinking so I can be a better father..." he replied.

"Father? You didn't tell us you had any kids," Miria stated.

"Well...I don't yet, but I will soon," Luck murmured. "You see...Dallas is pregnant and I'm the father..."

"That name sounds familiar...wasn't he the guy all those years ago who beat us up?" Isaac pondered aloud.

"And we stole the liquor from him, and ran him over with the car," Miria added.

"Yeah, he's changed," Luck said quickly before their thoughts ventured any farther. "It's a long story but...he lives here now, with me."

"Are you two in love?" Miria asked, scooting closer to Luck while smiling.

"Deeply in love, if they're living together and having a baby," Isaac added, leaning farther over the back of the couch to view the very uncomfortable Luck.

"N-no, we're only together for the baby," Luck explained, feeling his face grow hot. "And we are most definitely not getting married!" He exclaimed after hearing Claire's giggle.

That decision would not stand for much longer.