Disclaimer: See chapter 1
Chapter 6
Kratos's Recovery, Colette's Pregnancy
The next morning, Colette was the first one awake. She yawned and stretched lazily as she slowly sat up. However, a short time later, she felt like she would throw up and got up and ran to the bathroom.
Lloyd yawned and woke up while Colette was still in the bathroom. He blinked, "…Colette?" He looked around, wondering where his young wife had gone, and worried about her.
Colette didn't reply, but Lloyd could hear the sounds of her throwing up in the bathroom and he ran over to the door, knocking on it, "Colette, are you okay?"
Colette finally came out, and replied tiredly, "…Yeah, I was just feeling a little sick, but I'm okay now. Though, I am a little thirsty."
Lloyd nodded, "I'll get you some water then. Are you sure you're okay?"
Colette sighed, "Lloyd, really, I'm fine. It's nothing." She yawned again then smiled, wondering in the back of her mind if she could be pregnant.
Lloyd got Colette a glass of water and handed it to her, "There you go. So, what do you want to do today?"
Colette answered, "Why don't we go and see how Presea's doing? She's still cosplaying for the Lezareno Company as Klonoa, right?"
Lloyd smiled, "Yeah, that's true." He heard a knocking on their door and told her, "Wait here a minute. I'm gonna go see who that is."
The person standing there turned out to be a messenger from Iselia, who had a letter in his hand from Raine, "You're Lloyd Irving, correct?"
Lloyd nodded, "Yeah. Why?"
The man handed him the piece of paper he had been holding in his hand, "This message is for you. It's from Raine Sage in Iselia."
Lloyd nodded, "Thank you."
The man replied, "You're welcome. Have a nice day." He walked away.
Lloyd opened the folded piece of paper and read it aloud, "Lloyd, you will be happy to know that your father is making a speedy recovery and plans on meeting you and Colette in Altamira. I hope that you and Colette are enjoying your vacation and good luck. Signed, Professor Raine Sage."
Colette smiled, "Did she give a time when Kratos is going to get here?"
Lloyd looked over the letter again to see if he missed anything. He then noticed a "P.S. Kratos will be there around noon so make sure that you and Colette both look presentable when he arrives." He nodded and answered Colette's question, "Yeah, he'll be here at noon. What time is it now?"
Colette glanced at the grandfather clock on the wall and replied, "It's 10:30 right now. We should get ourselves cleaned up for Kratos."
Lloyd nodded, "You can shower first then. I'll wait for you out here." He smiled and kissed her on the lips, holding her close.
Colette smiled and kissed back, telling him, "Okay, Lloyd." She slowly and reluctantly pulled away, then got some fresh clothes from the closet and went to the bathroom to shower. She took a rather quick shower, and stepped out. She dried off, got dressed and brushed her long blonde hair. She thought about doing it differently, and braided two of the locks that normally rested near her face. She then put them together in a hair holder so they were sort of like a circlet resting on the top of her head. She walked out of the bathroom and told Lloyd, "Your turn."
Lloyd liked the new look Colette was trying and smiled, "You look great, Colette." He embraced her and kissed her on the lips, "I shouldn't be too long." He reluctantly let go of Colette and grabbed some fresh clothes also, going to take a shower. He got out about 10 minutes later. He dried off and got dressed, mussed with his hair a bit to get it the spiky style he always wore, then came out, "So then, Colette, are you ready?"
Colette smiled, "Yep."
They went to see Presea.
During the visit, Colette started to feel really tired and told Lloyd, "Can we go back to the room, Lloyd? I'm feeling really tired all of the sudden."
Presea asked her, "Are you okay, Colette? You don't normally get tired so easily."
Colette smiled, "I'm fine…I'm sure that…it's nothing." She fainted.
Lloyd gasped, "Colette!" He caught her before she could hit the ground, "Colette…"
Kratos had arrived just then and flew over to his son and daughter-in-law, Aiden on a child-carrying pack on his back, "Lloyd…what happened?"
Lloyd shrugged, "I don't know. Colette's been a bit weird lately…she passed out just now from being too tired, I think. She said she was feeling sick this morning too."
Kratos smirked, knowing the signs of pregnancy because of Anna, "Lloyd…did you and Colette…do anything special last night?"
Lloyd blushed, stuttering as he answered, "Err…w-well, we…"
Kratos cut him off because of Aiden, "Oh, I see." He looked Colette over then noticed three mana signatures in her body. One was hers…but two new ones were starting to take shape in her abdomen. He replied, "Colette will be fine, Lloyd. Just let her rest and make sure she eats healthy."
Lloyd replied, not understanding him, "…What do you mean, 'she'll be fine'?! She just passed out!"
Kratos sighed, "I suppose I'll have to spell it out for you. Colette is going to have a child, rather, two of them, twins. As long as she eats healthy, gets enough sleep, and exercises regularly she'll be fine."
Lloyd's eyes bulged as he took in this information, "Twins? Ohh…Dad, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have raised my voice like that. I'm just…so worried about Colette."
Kratos smiled, "I know, Lloyd. It's okay. I was worried to death about your mother when she was carrying you. Truthfully, I was worried about both of you. Hers was a high-risk pregnancy because of the Exsphere that you now wield."
Lloyd smiled back, "Thanks, Dad. Wow…really? What could've happened?"
Kratos sighed, "Any number of things could've gone wrong…the Exsphere may have absorbed your very life during the pregnancy, she may have died while having you…many things can go wrong during childbirth, Lloyd. Don't forget that."
Colette woke up a short time later, groaning as a wave of nausea hit her again. She looked at Lloyd, "Hey Lloyd…why are you so happy?"
Lloyd replied, "We're going to have children, Colette. Twins. Kratos confirmed it."
Colette gasped, and then smiled, "Wow…I'm so glad I got to live to see this day, Lloyd. I never thought I'd be alive to have children."
Lloyd sighed, "No, I guess not. Anyway, we need to decide what to name our babies."
Colette thought for a moment, "Hmm…how about, for girls, we name them Hannah and Heather? For boys, we could name them Kurt and Kyle, and if it's a mix, we could name them Emily and Edmund. What do you think, Lloyd?"
Lloyd smiled, "Those are perfect names, Colette. I honestly couldn't think of that many names. Want to go have some fun on the beach, or are you still feeling too sick for that?"
Colette replied, "I'm feeling great now, Lloyd, really." She smiled, "Let's go to the beach. I'm sure all I need is fresh air." She went to the bathroom and changed into her bathing suit.
Lloyd was wearing his blue swimming trunks, having changed while she was in the bathroom. He asked her, with a very concerned expression, "Are you sure you're up to this? I don't want you to overexert yourself or anything."
Colette smiled, "Really, Lloyd, I'm fine. If I start to get tired, I'll tell you." She kissed him on the lips to reassure him then took his hand, "Let's go."
Lloyd smiled back, "Okay, Colette." He led her to the beach and sat down on the sand, watching as the waves crashed on the shore.
Colette told Lloyd, "I think I'll just lie here for a bit, Lloyd. Why don't you go and have some fun in the water?"
Lloyd responded, "But…I don't want to leave you out of the fun. I'll wait." He kissed her on the lips and placed his arms around her.
The couple watched the waves for a bit then Lloyd got into the water and splashed Colette lightly and playfully.
Colette giggled, "Lloyd…I'll get you for that!" She splashed him back, and the two engaged in a 'splashing war'.
Kratos had been keeping an eye on the two from a distance, just in case Hexa dared to show her face again. He thought he was standing at a distance that prevented him from being splashed, but soon found out that he was wrong. Cold water splashed at his ankles and face.
Lloyd noticed that he had accidentally hit his father and got the 'deer-caught-in-the-headlights' expression on his face. He blinked, "Uhhh…hi, Dad!" He grinned slightly sheepishly, hoping the older man wouldn't get angry because he had hit him instead of Colette.
Kratos smirked playfully at his son, a devilish glint in his coppery-red eyes, "Hello, Lloyd." (A/N: O.O; I'm scaaaared! hides)
Colette was slightly creeped out by Kratos's expression and took a few steps back, "Umm…err, Kratos, Lloyd didn't mean to…" She didn't know what else to say, too freaked out by the look on Kratos's face.
Kratos ran over to Lloyd, picked him up and dunked him playfully, and held him under for 3 seconds before pulling him back up, trying hard not to laugh. ((A/N: XD ROTFL Lloyd just got pwned by his daddy!))
Colette giggled when she saw all this, "I do believe Kratos wins, Lloyd."
Lloyd made a pouting face, though he was only teasing, "No fair!"
Kratos shrugged, "Life's not fair Lloyd, but surely you knew that by now." He joked, still wearing the same playful smirk.
Lloyd's expression got like this: O.O and he commented, "Dad…did you just make a funny?"
Regal walked up just then, to tell them that the beach was going to be closing soon, after the sun set, and replied, "Yes, Lloyd, he did. I think that finding out that he was going to have grandchildren may have helped him to loosen up. That and the fact that you are alive and happy."
Colette looked at Regal, "Oh, hi Regal. When did Kratos tell you that I'm pregnant with Lloyd's children? What are you doing here?"
Regal answered, "He told me before you came here. I came to tell you that the beach is closing for the night soon." He looked to the ex-Seraphim, "Kratos, I do believe we should let Colette and Lloyd be alone for a bit before the sun is totally set. Don't you agree?"
Kratos nodded, "I'll see you two back at the hotel then." He walked off, carrying Aiden, his god-son, in his arms.
Colette made her comfortable on Lloyd's lap and looked toward the horizon, the sky seeming to be burning with bright orange, purple, red, and golden colors as the sun set.
Lloyd smiled as he watched too, his arms loosely around Colette. It was a truly romantic and beautiful sight, two lovers watching the sunset.
They kissed just as the sun got near to the end of its journey below the horizon and out of the sky.
Lloyd told Colette, after they broke the kiss to breathe, "Come on let's go. I'm sure Regal's got something waiting for us back at the hotel."
Colette smiled, "Okay."
The two walked hand-in-hand back to the hotel.
When they got there, Kratos was waiting for them in the lobby. He told them, "Come to the dining room. Regal's prepared a full meal for all of us."
Lloyd nodded, "Okay…but who's "all of us"? It's just you, Colette, me, and Regal, right?"
Kratos replied, "You'll see. Just come on." He led the two into a large dining room, that had a huge table and that was fully stocked with any kind of food you could think of, just about. The only thing that was 'missing' from the table was tomatoes, for obvious reasons. Just as they walked in the room, Sheena, Raine, Genis, and Presea, shouted from the far side of the room, "Congratulations, Colette!" They showered the girl in green confetti.
Colette giggled at the attention and replied, "Thank you! How did you all find out that-?"
Regal cut her off, glancing at Kratos, "I believe you can answer that, Kratos."
Kratos replied, "Well, I couldn't just keep the news about your children to myself. I felt that Sheena and the others had a right to know as well."
Raine spoke up, "Speaking of others, I believe the male part of our group should make themselves scarce. A baby shower is supposed to be only girls."
Sheena sighed, "I think that's a silly tradition. Lloyd should at least be allowed to stay, since he did help…err, bring the children about in the first place."
Lloyd and Colette blushed bright red at her words, slightly embarrassed.
Kratos nodded, "I can see where I'm not wanted. I'll leave if I'm in the way."
Lloyd replied, "Don't be silly, Dad. You're not in the way." He looked to Regal, "Could you take care of Aiden while Dad's here with us? Please?"
Regal answered, "Yes, Lloyd, I will. Genis, are you coming with me or staying here?"
Genis told him, "I'll come with you and Aiden." He hugged Lloyd tightly and told him, "Good luck Lloyd. Let's hope your kids take after Colette." He was saying it as a joke of course, and grinned.
Everyone else laughed at his joke, except for Lloyd, who didn't really get it.
Lloyd blinked, "…What's that supposed to mean?"
Genis laughed a bit more, "Don't worry about it, Lloyd." He clapped his best friend on the shoulder before leaving, assuming he would get it at a totally random time. (A/N: This has happened to me before. I once didn't get a joke that was told to me until two weeks later and I finally laughed…at a totally random time. XD))
Regal followed him out, carrying Zelos's son, Aiden, in his arms.
Sheena handed Colette a smallish box, "Here Colette. I made that myself. Open it."
Colette looked curiously at Sheena, then shrugged and opened the box. Inside was a folded up green, hand-crocheted blanket. She smiled and hugged the raven-haired summoner, "Thank you, Sheena. I'm sure I'll use this lots."
Lloyd watched everything in silence.
Presea spoke up, "Colette, my present is next. It's sitting on the table over there. It's the wooden one."
Colette glanced over at the side table, where some of the presents had been set. She soon spotted a large wooden, rockable baby cradle and blinked, "…Presea? Did you make this yourself?"
Lloyd was amazed too, "Wow…yeah, did you?"
Presea smiled, "Yes…do you like it?"
Colette replied, smiling back at the pink-haired lumberjack, "It's perfect! Thank you, Presea!" She bent down to the young girl and hugged her in gratitude.
Raine told Colette, "I believe my present is next, Colette. I believe you'll find mine useful too."
Colette told her, "I'm sure whatever you got me is wonderful, Professor. Which present is it?"
Raine answered, "The orange gift bag. Genis's should be there too. His has blue wrapping paper. I tried to get him to go with a gender-neutral color since you don't know what your baby is going to be yet, but he insisted on blue."
Colette nodded and searched through the presents, and finally found the presents that Genis and Raine and brought. She opened Raine's first. Inside the gift bag were a few milking bras and a couple of tickets to the amusement park on Altamira, post-dated for a year from the current day. Raine commented, "Regal chipped in on the tickets. He said he couldn't think of anything else to get you." Colette smiled and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, replying, "I like them, Raine. Thank you. I'm sure I'll put them to good use." She then opened Genis's gift, which was a box with two baby books in it. Both of them were green and said, "Baby's First Memories" on the cover. She smiled and told Raine, "Whenever you see Genis again, tell him I said thank you."
Raine nodded, "So then, that just leaves Kratos's gift. Are you going to open it?"
Colette blinked, "Oh…yeah." She grabbed the box with the plain red paper and opened it. Inside was an old, beautifully framed picture of Kratos holding Lloyd as a baby, with a handwritten message beneath it: I helped bring Lloyd into this world, but you are the one who truly made him happy. I can think of no greater gift for you or your child than the love that you and Lloyd share. I am sure that you will make wonderful parents. Signed, Kratos. This brought a tear to Colette's eye and she mumbled, "Kratos…thank you." ((A/n: sniff so beautiful…))
Lloyd blushed, "Dad…"
Kratos smiled and ruffled his son's hair, then placed his hand on Colette's shoulder.
Sheena told her, "Hey, let us see it."
Colette sighed, "Okay…" She set it on the table.
Sheena looked at the picture and smiled, "Well, I guess Kratos approves then. I've never seen this picture before…"
Raine replied, "Me neither…"
Kratos told her, "It took Yuan and I ages to locate that picture. Anna managed to steal that one of me. I didn't even realize she had taken it until she showed it to me a few days later…" He sighed and told her in a shaky voice, "Anyway, congratulations." He hugged his daughter-in-law.
Colette smiled and hugged him back, "Thank you, Kratos." She tactfully took his hand, to try and calm him down, "I'll treasure it forever."
The rest of the baby shower went off without a hitch, and everyone returned to their rooms after it was over.
Kratos and Lloyd helped Colette carry all the presents she had received back to the honeymoon suite and put them in the large closet in the main bedroom.
Kratos told Colette, "Well that takes care of it then. Good night, Colette."
She smiled, "Good night, Kratos."
Kratos smiled back then left the room, to let Colette and Lloyd sleep.
Lloyd yawned, "I'm so tired…"
Colette replied, "Then let's go to bed…" She yawned, "I'm exhausted too."
The couple got into bed and went straight to sleep.
A/n: Woo! That took longer than I expected. Anyway, please review and sorry again for taking so long!
