Author's Note: My muse has been throwing insperation balls at my head for the last week and this, as well as some bruises, is what came of it!

Enjoy!

XXX


Chapter Three


*A Few Months Later*

"I am so fat," I grumbled while studying myself in Jesse's bedroom mirror, "and my boobs are too big," Jesse rolled her eyes from her sprawled position across her bed.

At seven and a half months pregnant, I was a sight for sore eyes. Or ankles. Depending on how you looked at it really. I was one of the unlucky few who grew to be the size of a house before even reaching full term. If we hadn't done numerous scans, I would have sworn I was having a multiple birth.

I winced at the thought.

No thank you! One was more than enough.

"You're pregnant remember? You're body's just preparing itself. And you're not fat." Jesse stated without looking up from her revision. I had been helping her for a while now but the baby had gotten restless and I'd needed to walk around for a bit. And when I say restless, I meant that it felt like it was using my innards as a punch-bag. Now, I hear you say, 'she's exaggerating!' but when a baby is flailing it's arms and legs around in your stomach and hitting anything that's too close, I'll let you try to come up with a better description.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." I shot sarcastically over my shoulder, my expression bland. Jesse glanced up at me and tried to hide her smile.

Bored from having been in her room too long, I finally gave up and dragged her off the bed. She whined and moaned about needing to do more revision and after a while I gave up and said I'd bring her a sandwich as I was making one for the baby. She just rolled her eyes good naturedly at my excuse to eat.

What? I was pregnant! I was hungry!

I'd just gotten to the bottom of the stairs when the door bell rang, so I decided to make myself useful considering I wasn't allowed to do a lot around the place – all the werewolves were very careful and protective of me and I knew it was because I was pregnant. It was only after I'd finally snapped at them (not literally, mind you; I valued my life) that they explained the reason: female werewolves were unable to have children because of the transformation they had to go through at least once a month. It was painful and violent and not something a foetus was able to live through.

I waddled over to the door and opened it and stepped forward over the threshold. Big mistake. Seconds later I realised the man in front of me was a vampire. And my day went to pot.

The great thing about being pregnant (in my opinion – Adam and the other wolves didn't agree) was the fact that when I was on a mission, nothing deterred me. If I wanted food, everyone had better make room at the fridge for me, if I needed the toilet; look out I was coming in anyway even if you were naked in the shower. And right then there was a vampire standing between me and my lunch and damn it! The baby was hungry!

"Adam, there's a vampire at the door for you," I mumbled casually before a huge yawn broke over my face. One of the cons of pregnancy; sudden fatigue… well I got it anyway. Who knew if it was normal? I was a walker according to Adam and co., so we couldn't judge much by human standards right now.

Adam was by my side before I'd even finished my sentence. The word vampire had caused an almost immediate response and I would have been curious had I not been hungry and sleepy. A pregnant woman can only deal with so much at any one time.

"If I yawn anymore my jaw is going to fall off," I grumbled as I started to turn around to go back into the house. "Look out, pregnant lady coming through; I haven't got my license for this thing yet." Adam smiled and chuckles from the wolves in the living room could be heard. Daryl's mate walked out of the living room and went upstairs, smiling at me as she passed. We had become fast friends surprisingly and I could usually be found with either her, Jesse, Adam, Sam or Warren.

"When do you get your license for that thing again?" Adam joked.

"Another two months I'd say," he smiled at my smartass answer. That of course, was my due date.

"Why don't you go into the living room and rest?" It wasn't really a request and I paused for a moment before deciding that my need to sleep was stronger than my need to eat and so I humoured him and wandered into the living room.

"If I rest anymore, I'll be in a coma." I was very grumpy lately thanks to my pregnancy. Adam smirked as he watched me walk (or waddle) into the living room. "This child's sucking all the energy from me," I grumbled quietly to myself as I walked, oblivious to how ironic that statement sounded when we had a vampire on our doorstep.

Warren helped me onto the sofa and propped my stomach up using a pillow and put another one between my knees. I was asleep before he'd even put the blanket over me.

The smell of Adam's cooking and a gentle hand on my brow woke me a few hours later. I opened my eyes slowly, sleepily and wished seconds later that I hadn't. Adam sat beside me starring at me with a soft look on his face that made my heart clench in pain as he stroked my forehead and cheek. That look could only mean one thing.

He was thinking about her.

I forced those thoughts to the back of my mind as soon as I saw the worry creep into his eyes (I hated it when he was the one to wake me up – it made me so vulnerable to these sorts of situations) and tried to heave myself up into a sitting position. Big mistake. I only got half way up before pain flared through my mid section and forced me back down onto the pillows.

Adam sucked in a breath in alarm as I panted and rubbed my protruding belly. His hands settled next to mine and rubbed in soothing circles as he called for Samuel who was upstairs in his room reading. He stepped back and gave Samuel room to check me over as soon as he entered the room. Everything had gone still and quiet as soon as Adam called for him as the entire house waited tensely to find out if I was ok. The only thing that acted as if nothing had happened was the cat who took this time to curl up by my head and start purring like a maniac.

I absolutely adored that cat. She was the most amazing thing on four paws! I think it had a lot to do with our first meeting, you know, first impressions and all that – only a truly incredible animal would do something like that.

Samuel gave me a clean bill of health and went to help me up but I quickly stopped him.

"I think I'll just stay here for a bit, it's too comfy to get up," I smiled up at him and knew that neither of them were fooled.

They shared a worried look for a moment before deciding to give me my space.

"Just call us if you need us okay?" Adam demanded softly. "Even if it's just to get up." In that case I'd be staying on the sofa.

Keeping my thoughts too myself, I simply nodded my head in agreement and gave him another smile.

I rubbed my belly and almost laughed when _______ flopped herself over eyes as if that would help. I reached my other hand up to rub her head for a moment before picking her up (which she complained at, but a lady's got to be able to see) and placing her on my chest where she curled up in a ball, her head tucked under my chin.

The doorbell rang again and this time I decided to leave it. There was no bloody way I was attempting to get up again. Sod it. I'd live on the sofa until after I had the baby.

A strangely tense Daryl opened the door and I recognised the voice immediately.

Bran!

His head appeared over the back of the couch seconds later and I couldn't stop the smile that blossomed over my face. He smiled back and chuckled when the cat lifted her head, presenting it to him in such a way that clearly said she expected him to scratch it and she was not to be ignored. She sulked otherwise.

Bran reached down and scratched under her chin affectionately and she started purring. The sound vibrated through my chest and left me laughing at the feeling. I couldn't help it! It tickled!

Bran chuckled and picked the off my chest carefully.

"Don't want you laughing too hard. You might wet yourself." he joked as he helped me sit up. That really didn't help me calm down.

"She's actually done that you know." Samuel laughed as he came in and I had to cross my legs as I continued to laugh and threw one of the cushions at him. He laughed as he plucked it out of the air and Bran smiled softly, the way only a father can.

I finally managed to calm down, without any accidents happening, and relaxed back into the sofa.

"You're both completely evil you know that?" I joked as I rubbed my belly and made a face as the baby turned itself around. "Ugh. Baby's moving." Both men's eyes lit up.

"Can I feel it?" they asked in unison and I laughed softly and nodded. Two hands were instantly placed on my stomach and I moved them around a bit so that they could feel it better.

I watched their faces as the baby moved and suddenly let out a kick at one hand and a punch at the other. They gasped and leant closer to my stomach, staring at it as though it would make the baby do something else. I shook my head; no matter how many times any of the wolves had felt it, they reacted the same as they had the first time.

"Dinner's ready." Adam's voice came from behind me and I felt him come up to lean against the back of the sofa behind me to look over my head.

"The baby's moving and terrorizing my insides. They wanted to feel it." I smiled which turned to a grimace at a rather painful kick. "Okay, okay. I get the idea. Mama's being a lazy bun and needs to move. Okay, just stop kicking my internal organs." I grumbled and attempted to wiggle to the edge of the sofa. I didn't move an inch and the men watched in amusement as my face turned to a mask of horror. "Dear sweet Jesus, you cannot be serious!?" my voice came out in an indignant squeak several octaves higher than normal when I realised.

Before I could overreact and hurt myself, Bran and Samuel took an arm each and carefully helped me up. I smiled at them gratefully as I straightened up.

"Thank you so much!" Tears filled my eyes and I sniffed. Damn hormones.

Bran chuckled and wrapped an arm around me and led me into the kitchen when my nose suddenly realised what we were having for food.

I turned shining eyes to Adam. "Curry?" I had to be sure.

Bran's arm around me stopped me from running to the kitchen. Curry had become a food that I couldn't live without during my pregnancy, so Adam always made sure that there was a portion in the fridge in case I wanted some.

"How's my little god-child?" Jesse asked as she rubbed my bump and pulled faces at it.

"It's fine, but I'm terrified. Though it can't see you love, I can." she scowled at me as everyone laughed and I hugged her. "Kidding." I laughed.

A knock came at the door as Jesse and I talked but I ignored it until the presence of an unfamiliar wolf made itself known.

I turned around curiously to see an African American man standing in Adam's doorway. He looked so out of place it was hilarious but one look at him told me that my laughter would not go down too well with him.

I turned to look at Bran and quickly raised my glass to my lips to hide my smile when I realised that Bran's eyes were full of laughter. He's obviously figured out what I was thinking and was amused by it.

Dinner was a strangely quite affair after introductions were made and I couldn't help but study those at the table. Each werewolf save for Bran, was tense though they tried to hide it and it wasn't until I was getting into bed that night that I finally got an answer.

It was late and by now I'd already be in bed and asleep but tonight I walked over to the window and stared up at the night sky, rubbing my stomach. I was worried. I'd never seen the Pack so tense and I knew that something was going on that they were trying to keep from me.

Adam wrapped his arms around me from behind, his hands rubbing slow circles on my stomach, his chin on my shoulder. I knew he needed this – to feel close to Mercy in some way, but right then I couldn't deal with it. I couldn't keep being her in his eyes. Not when I cared for him as me.

I could feel his shock as I moved away and walked to the bathroom. I never moved away.

I left the bathroom light off as I turned on the tap to clean my teeth though I didn't pick up my brush. I heard him stop in the doorway and knew he was leaning against the doorframe.

I dropped my head so that my face was hidden from him by the darkness and my hair.

"I'm not her, Adam. I never will be." I whispered so softly I was amazed he even heard it. His quick in take of breath told me he had. "I can't be who you want me to be. She's gone Adam and she's not coming back. Stop treating me like Mercy." I lifted my head to glare at him and realised in that moment what a huge mistake I'd made. I should have realised that with tensions already high in the house, my confronting him tonight was a bad idea.

Adam's eyes glowed bright gold in the darkness of the room and I somehow managed to hold back a shiver, something inside me screaming at me that to shiver now would be disastrous.

Terror filled me as he started walking towards me and I moved away from the sink, trying to find an escape root. There wasn't one. He stood between me and the door and I knew that I'd never get around him in this state. My stomach twinged but I ignored it. A growl rumbled through his throat and my arms flew around my stomach in a protective gesture.

Wrong move again. A snarl ripped through his throat and I flinched, backed into the corner of the room as he continued to come towards me. I tucked my head down and whimpered pitifully as his hand came up and I couldn't hold the shivers at bay any longer.

They tore across my body with an almost painful intensity and I slid down the wall as my legs gave way. I couldn't focus on anything but the terror Adam distilled in me in that moment. When his hands clamped down on my shoulders, I didn't think, I just reacted.

I threw my body backwards, breaking free of his hold and relief shot through me for an instant before the back of my head collided with the tiles and pain exploded through my head. Stars filled my vision as I felt something warm trickle down my neck.

Had the shower come on?

I could vaguely hear Adam's voice, shouting for Samuel in panic and wasn't even aware of the whimper that left my mouth as my vision went black.

*Adam's POV*

I watched as Faith's head slumped to the side unseeingly and time seemed to stop. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. Though I knew she was still alive and just unconscious, I couldn't focus on that fact. How could I when I'd seen Mercy die, her head lolling in the same way as Faith's was now after she'd said goodbye.

Samuel rushed in and flew to Faith's side, quickly checking her for other injuries after he was sure the head wound wasn't too serious.

Bran, who had come in right behind Samuel, took a hold of my shoulders and pulled me from the room. I was too dazed by her reaction and what had happened to protest and sat in the chair I was directed to.

I watched as Bran stripped the bed, placed down a plastic sheet on top of the mattress then placed everything back on the bed in record time.

It was only as I watched Sam carry Faith out and place her on the bed, that my nose registered what the smell was.

Faith's water had broke.

*3rd Person Narrative*

Sam placed Faith carefully onto the bed and passed his father the things to clean her head wound as he rushed to his room to get the gas and air cylinder he'd bought for this purpose.

By the time he'd gotten back to the room, Bran had cleaned the wound and changed her clothes and his brother was bent over her head, gold light covering his hands.

Samuel sighed in relief as Charles whispered an incantation to heal her head; he had been so scarred that she would have to give birth with a concussion.

While the brothers took care of Faith, Bran moved over to where Adam sat in the chair unmoving. His eyes were glued to Faith's face though it was obscured by Charles as he healed her. It was only after he's placed his hand on his shoulder and called his name, that Adam reacted.

"What happened?" Bran questioned softly, knowing not to jump to conclusions before knowing everything. Adam looked up at him with tortured eyes.

"She thought I was treating her like Mercy… told me to stop and that she wasn't coming back. I know that. I saw her die. I didn't realise I was treating her any special way until my wolf took over. Her growled at her in anger because, though he had thought that before, he knew she wasn't Mercy and because she'd worked herself up so much that her water broke but she took it the wrong way and threw her arms around her stomach. He snarled at her for thinking he was going to hurt her and she flinched. He walked towards her so that he could nuzzle her to reassure her but she freaked out when he raised his hand. She started shivering in fear and sank to the floor. I finally convinced him to give me back control but it was like she couldn't hear me calling her name and I grabbed her shoulders to try and get her to open her eyes and she just reacted…" his voice was low and pained and he described what had happened and Bran began to realise that the confrontation must have been boiling up for months, her fear of a bad reaction from Adam becoming a subconscious worry and tonight's tension had just been a catalyst for it's release. He focused back on Adam as he spoke again. "She threw herself backwards away from me! She had to have known there was a wall behind her!" Samuel let out a low oath. How can Adam have been so stupid to back her into a corner! They'd known her long enough to know that she didn't react well to those sorts of situations! "And then I smelt the blood and her eyes went unfocussed and it was like watching Mercy die all over again except this time it was worse because it was Faith!" Samuel was so glad that he hadn't stopped speaking at Mercy or he might have just had to kill him. Mercy and Faith had some similarities that they both shared, yet they were still so different from each other! He had a feeling that had they met and become friends, they would have been mistaken for sisters.

Their eyes flew to Faith as Charles straightened up and she groaned in pain. Her hands flew to her belly as a contraction ripped through her and she curled up into herself.

Adam flew across the room to kneel at her side as she panted and stroked the hair from her face.

"Faith? Faith, I need you to open your eyes and look at me honey okay?" he asked in desperation, needing to know that she was alright.

*Faith's POV*

I didn't care right then if Adam was angry with me for what I'd said, my stomach was killing me (though surprisingly my head didn't hurt) and I knew what was about to happen.

One of my hands flew from my stomach to clutch his wrist as another contraction hit me and I sobbed.

"Adam." I opened my eyes, forehead scrunched in pain and watched as he scrambled onto the bed, carefully sitting me up and leaning me against him. He pulled my hand off of his wrist and put it in his hand instead and I gladly clutched at it while his other hand moved to join my other in rubbing my stomach.

"Breath, Faith." Samuel reminded and starting doing the breathing exercises. I glared at him evilly but did as he said and Bran laughed until I turned my glare on him.

"Don't even bloody think about it or you can swap places with me and give birth instead." I snapped, uncaring that what I threatened wasn't even possible. He wisely forced his laughter down, knowing not to mess with a woman in labour whether he was the Alpha of all Alphas or not.

"I'll go get Jesse and Daryl's mate for you." he said instead and left the room to my shout of 'she has a name too you know!'

Charles hid a laugh and went to stand by the window out of the way in case I decided to hit him and watched as Adam tried to sooth me.

"I'm too young to be a mum!" I wailed just as Jesse came running through the door with Daryl's mate behind her. They both sat on the bed on my other side and Jesse starting ranting about men having it easy, giving me plenty of opportunity to vent. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! It hurts!" I growled and Jesse giggled as I squirmed, trying to move away from the pain.

She hopped off the bed and picked up the mask from the canister and, getting the clue, Samuel turned it on as she placed it on my face. I looked up at her in confusion and she answered my unasked question.

"Gas and air."

I sobbed with relief and took a deep breath and by the third I was chilled. I'd never believed all those women when they said how good it was but now… Well. I needed no more convincing.

The men looked on in amusement and relief as the women talked; relief on Bran's part, as I was less likely to start shouting at him if I wasn't in pain and amusement on everyone else's.

When it finally came time to push, after almost kicking Sam in the face (on purpose mind you) when he went to check how far dilated I was, I was more than ready to get the little bugger out of me.

I complained loudly when the Gas and Air was taken off me and continued to look at it mournfully even after Sam explained why I couldn't use it.

I clutched at Adam's hand as I started pushing, the girls patting my legs in encouragement and doing the breathing exercises with me. Had I not been so focused on bringing a new life into the world (in other words, trying to push something the size of a watermelon through something the size of a lemon), I would have shouted at Bran as he filmed the entire thing and tried not to laugh at the women's antics.

A baby's cry split the air a while later and I sank into Adam with a relieved whine and patted hi leg in reassurance as he nuzzled my neck. It was the shock of him licking my neck that made me look at him. His eyes were the golden eyes of the wolf. Too tired to give a monkey's I turned to Samuel as he passed the baby to me after sorting it out.

It was a girl! A beautiful baby girl!

I whined happily and slipped my finger under hers and kissed her little hand. She was so tiny!

Everyone came closer, Jesse touching a little foot and saying hello, Daryl's mate staring down at her in amazement as though she'd never seen something so amazing before and everyone else looking on for various places in the room.

"Don't even think about licking either of us clean wolf." I mumbled softly as I stared down at my daughter as he nuzzled my neck again. "Or I might just shoot you."

Everyone laughed as he growled softly, in a calming way for a few minutes before licking my neck one more time and letting Adam have control.

His hand came up to hover near her head as he stared down at her in amazement and turned to look at Jesse.

"This is just like when you were born." he murmured and glanced down in time to see the baby yawn and bring her fist up to rest on her cheek as she went to sleep. "That was just as amazing…"

I turned to look at Jesse and Daryl's mate who was cooing at the baby even though she was now sound asleep.

"I want you to be her Godmother." I took one of Jesse's hands and watched as Daryl's mate looked up at Jesse, then me. I met her eyes. "Both of you." I smiled at her shocked look and smiled at Jesse who was grinning widely.

"Me?" she asked in disbelief and I nodded.

"You've been good to me. Been a friend when I've needed one and I know you'll teach her things that I can't. I know all her god-parents will." I turned to look over at Kyle who stood on the other side of the room. "Like Warren will teach her to be open minded with Kyle's help. Like how Samuel will teach her to respect all life. How Jesse will teach her to be unafraid to express herself and be who she really is. And how you will teach her to be strong and caring." I smiled at each of them and watched the werewolves' eyes, and Kyle's, fill with happy tears. We all knew that I was giving them a gift. A gift to be a part of her life as she grows up.

I turned to look at Bran, finally noticing the camera but letting it slide. "And don't think you're getting out of it." I smiled. "Every girl needs an uncle." he smiled and nodded and mumbled 'of course' and I turned to everyone else in the room. "I want you all to be a part of her life. Like a family."

"No." Adam smiled as he looked around the room. "Like Pack."

Quiet cheers filled the room and I smiled happily.

"They're never going to let you leave now!" Jesse joked and we all laughed.


Review please! Also, if you know the cat's name and Daryl's mates name please tell me! Lol! She might have shouted at Bran about it but I don't even know it! XD Thanks!