"Excuse me!?" I exclaim, "Did I hear you right?"

"I'm afraid you did . . . I'm sorry," the doctor says unsurely.

I curse loudly in Russian. Then again. And again. "This stays between us," I tell the doctor, "Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

The doctor nods, knowing perfectly well what I will do to him if this goes public. "You are free to leave if you wish," he motions toward the door.

"Just one more thing," I say, "How . . . far along am I?"

"A little under four weeks," he replies.

As I walk through the door I feel like I've been punched in the gut. This can't be happening to me. I'm the world's deadliest assassin. How deadly will I be when I have an eight pound baby in my uterus?

I go back to my room and collapse on the bed. I should have known when I missed my period. I should have known that I was knocked up. But-unfortunately- at the time I didn't think anything of it. It's happened before.

My Blackbox makes a sound and I pick it up. "This is Raven," I say to Nero's image.

"Are you feeling better?" he asks me kindly.

"Much," I lie.

"Good because I have something I need you to do," Max tells me, "Come down to my office and we'll go."

I can't bring myself to stand up. He needs to see you, I tell myself, It's probably an assignment! Get up! But I can't. Not after this. I don't feel like I can move.

I can't believe what I've done to myself.

"Come on, Raven," I order through gritted teeth, "Get up and go to Max's office. Just wait until the right time to tell him."

My legs still refuse to move. I ignore the fight my legs give and manage to stand up and start walking down the hall.

Once I start it's easy. I get to Nero's office in no time and lean against his wall.

"Natalya! I'm so happy to see you're well again," Nero smiles at me, "I have a G.L.O.V.E. meeting today. Would you come along?"

"Of course," I force a smile, "Are we leaving now?"

"Yes," Nero answers, getting out of his seat. "I prepared a Shroud already so we're good to go."

I nod and practically run to the hangar bay. I immediately see the Shroud and fumble down to the passengers' compartment. I fall into a chair and look at my hands.

Nero comes down soon after me and I feel the Shroud take off. I stay silent, afraid if I talk my secret might come out.

"Natalya? Are you sure you're alright? You seem slightly . . . out of it or . . . distressed," Max appears genuinely worried.

"I'm fine, Max. I was just thinking," I don't look up from my hands.

"What are you thinking about? I haven't seen you in days. What's on your mind?" Your damn baby that's growing inside me and how the hell we're going to raise him/her is what's on my mind! Stop asking these nosy questions! Is what part of my brain tells me to say but I push it away.

"I was looking at my childhood photos a few days ago. I was merely thinking about how sad I looked. I wish I was the only child who ever had to grow up like that," and now I'm thinking about the baby in me and how I don't want it to be like me at all in the way it grows up and turns out.

"I'm sorry about that," Nero tells me, "If I had known it would cause you sadness I wouldn't have given them to you."

"No," I say firmly, " I'm glad I have them. It reminds me that things always have the potential to be better."

"I'm glad you see it that way," Nero perks up, "We're going to Russia by the way. Not where you grew up but in St. Petersburg. We're having the meeting underneath the building."

"How is the new ruling council?" I ask him.

"Pretty good. There are many rebels from the former ruling council though. It's the main reason I brought you here," he informs me for the third or fourth time this month.

"Where should I wait during the meeting?" I ask him.

"Wait outside the building. If you hear, see, or feel something strange come right in and tell the man the word puppet," Nero replies. "Have your katanas ready."

I pat my back as if to say: they always are. We stop talking after this and all my baby thoughts come flowing back.

How will I tell Max? What should I name the baby? How will I tell Max? What will other people do when it's obvious? How will I tell Max? How much will I have to give up for the infant in my stomach? How will I tell Max? How the fuck will I be a mother? How will I tell Max?

I guess there's one main question on my mind. I guess I'll just wait until the time is right. Oh, another one: Will Max hate me after he finds out?

Why is this so tough!? The worst part is knowing that it's only going to get worse from here. Think happy thoughts, Raven! Think happiness, and innocence, and joy, and . . . children. Why did my mind have to land on that. Kill me. Kill me now.

"Natalya!" Max waves his hand in front of my face.

"Sorry," I shake my head. "I was daydreaming. It doesn't matter. What were you saying before?"

"We've landed. It's time to get out," he tells me. I push myself up out of my seat and walk out the compartment door. As I step out of the Shroud I can't seem to shake the feeling that something really, really bad is about to happen.

I am pretty proud of this chapter! This update was quick and I managed to stay on my computer way longer than I'm allowed to because I'm with my dad and he doesn't care! Plus, I think this was actually a good chapter and it has a good ending! I worked hard on this so please review!