Elisa could only frown as the entire clan gradually gathered into the meeting room in expectation.

When everyone was finally present, Goliath cleared his throat as he began to say, "My friends, brothers and sisters, only a few years ago we began as but a few in a strange time and even stranger world. We have struggled and we have survived, we have had our moments of tragedies and many more triumphs. And though we have lost much we have also gained more than we ever thought possible and will continue to help us thrive. We will always remember our old clan and old friends, and we now have new friends and new family to be proud of. Within but a few years we have doubled in number and I know we shall continue to grow and thrive. Now, at the dawn of a new millennium before us, I am prouder than ever of my clan and I know it will be a clan our newest member will be proud of."

"And who is this newest member?" asked Lexington.

Goliath gently pushed Elisa forward by the small of her back as she reluctantly took two small steps forwards as she frowned deeply and held herself tightly. This was the moment she had been dreading, it made her grow tenser with each passing second.

"I don't get it," said Graeme, "Aunt Elisa's already a member of the clan, isn't she? How can she be the newest member?"

Goliath only answered the smaller green gargoyle with a wide grin that seemed both natural for him and out of character.

"No way," said Angela as her eyes widened, "No way!"

The same expression spread to the other females and then most of the males as Bronx took a whiff of Elisa and began barking excitedly.

"Lass, ye cannae be. . ." Hudson began with a widening smile.

"Oh, Elisa, congratulations!" yelled Angela as she swept her stepmother and big sister roll modal into a tight hug.

"Aunt Elisa, this is so cool!" Ariana shouted as she tried to squeeze in for a hug.

The rest of the clan began to give their congratulations, though one seemed less enthusiastic than the others, making the first human member of the clan feel a little overwhelmed and yet also a bit relieved as the gargoyles' reaction to this news had been better than she had let herself believe.

How could she have ever doubted them, when they were her family and loved her no matter what.

"I don't get it," said Graeme, "Why's everyone making a big deal about Aunt Elisa, she's already a member of the clan, and I don't see any 'new member.'"

"You, dimwit," Ariana mock accused her brother, "She's gonna have a baby, and we won't be the youngest in the clan anymore."

"Whoa!" Graeme gasped with saucer wide eyes, "Dude, awesome! We'll finally stop being treated like little kids, and finally get a little more respect around here."

Sata gave a quiet yet sharp look to her children as she said, "You have always been treated with the highest form of dignity in this clan, that has never come into question. Only the quality of your own maturity or lack of experience."

Graeme only frowned a bit, making his jade green mother give an amused smile.

"Aye, Lass," Hudson began as he embraced Elisa close to himself in fatherly warmth, "t'will be grand to hear the sound of tiny hatchling feet about the castle again. 'Tis only a pity our clan missed the last Hatching Season with no eggs of our own. Though the next Breeding Season isnae for another several years, Brooklyn and Sata coulda had another egg or two on their travels. Though I thank the Dragon every night for the two of ye, Graeme and Ariana, I have wondered why they didnae."

Brooklyn and Sata only gently held hands while the twins could only look at each other.

The room buzzed with low chatter around the newly expectant parents, subjects ranging from the need to make a nursery or a new rookery somewhere in the castle to making plans for a 'baby shower' by Angela, until Othello rumbled,

"As good a tiding as this is, there are important matters being over looked and must be addressed before plans are made for this new hatchling."

A thick silence fell over the room, making Elisa tense once more and making Desdemona give her mate a hard look for his ever present stubbornness.

"What are you inquiring, Brother?" asked Goliath with a serious yet curious tone.

Othello stood straight as all eyes in the room were now aimed at him. He cleared his throat as he began to say, "This is a remarkable situation that must be carefully considered, for if our human sister is to truly be part of the clan she will need to greatly consider relocating to where she can be safe and protected. As her clan it's our duty more than ever to ensure her safety, as we should for any female in her condition. I greatly urge you to consider it, Elisa, though I know your stubbornness is near equal to my brother's. However, because this is a unique situation we only want what is best for you and the clan."

"Othello, are you saying that I should. . .?" Elisa began.

"Relocate to the castle, Elisa," Othello finished, "for your new child's safety as well as your own."

"You know I can't do that," Elisa said stubbornly.

"Why? Can't or won't?" Othello countered with equal stubbornness.

"Because. . ." Elisa was about to answer when a deep husky voice from the doorway asked,

"Can't or won't what?"

More than a baker's dozen pairs of eyes all looked to see a few familiar faces enter, Talon, Maggie, Matt and Sara.

"Sorry to drop in unannounced, everyone, but we couldn't wait to tell everyone the good news, and I heard Elisa dropped by. Sorry I missed you, sis. So what's up? You all look like the cat that swallowed the canary," Talon laughed, "And I should talk."

"Aunt Elisa's gonna have a baby," Graeme blurted out in excitement.

The four stood dumbstruck in silence, Talon's maw was wide open while Matt and Sara were wide eyed. Maggie finally broke the ice when she teasingly asked,

"Trying to steal my thunder, Elisa?"

Elisa could only blush in embarrassment as light laughter reverberated about the room, Maggie smiling as she patted at her own tummy that had begun to show a slight bulge of being a couple of months pregnant.

"You mean I'm going to be an uncle as well as a father?" Talon yelled in surprise.

"Elisa, congratulations!" Sara exclaimed as she gave her friend a tight hug with Matt rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment as he said,

"Well, this explains why you've been so moody, Elisa. I thought it was just a lack of sleep."

The two women gave him equally stern looks as he suddenly mumbled to himself, "I'm such an idiot."

Goliath just chuckled to himself as he asked, "So what brings you all here, my friends? You now know of Elisa's and my good fortune, and you have good news as well you said."

"Only that I'm having twins," Maggie said with a smile, "We're still deciding on names, but if they're a boy and a girl I want to name them Cory and Cornelia. Or maybe Eric and Erica, or Robert and Roberta, or maybe. . ."

"Honey," Talon gently said to curb his wife's growing excitement, "She's always had this thing about her kids' names sounding the same since she was a little girl. But like she said, we're still deciding. I'm very partial to Derek Jr. myself."

Again the group chortled with laughter as Lexington suggested Luke and Leia.

With an arm around her dark haired friend's shoulder, Sara asked Elisa, "So does this mean you're going to move to the castle and finally be near your new hubby 24/7 like you should?"

Elisa remained awkwardly silent as she felt a chill tingle down her spin as Goliath said, "We were just about to discuss that. And though I don't want to pressure you, my Love, Othello is correct, and this is a decision that is best to be made soonest."

"I don't know," Elisa said unsure, "I've only lived in my apartment for a few years, and it's not just my home, I've also thought of it as a safe house for the clan when any of you guys were out too late or simply where Goliath and I could be alone. It feels too soon to consider moving out now."

"Well, if I may jump in here," Matt bravely said, "Sara and I have been talking about moving in together now and maybe your place is as good as any we could live in, if it makes you feel any better, Elisa. We saw some nice affordable places on the East Side but none have been as good as your apartment."

Elisa only remained quiet. Hudson could see the weariness on her face and gestured to everyone to leave as he said, "Perhaps we ought to leave the two of ye to discuss this, Goliath. After all, this is a decision not to be made lightly, and best decided between mates."

As everyone began to leave the room, Angela came up to Maggie and excitedly began to discuss planning a double 'baby shower' for her and Elisa.

"Do gargoyles have baby showers, Angela?" Maggie asked.

"I don't know. Princess Katherine only told my brothers and sisters on Avalon about how the old clan had Breeding Seasons and had some kind of celebration for the females after they laid their eggs. Since she wasn't always on friendly terms with the clan when she was a young girl she mostly avoided them and couldn't tell us much of the old clan's customs, the Magus might've known more but he didn't tell us Eggs anymore than the Princess might've known and we were too young. It's just so tragic he's gone now. But I've read about the human custom about baby showers for expectant females and I've been wanting to try it. I've also hoped for one of my own when my first Breeding Season with Broadway comes."

"You do know that there's no men allowed at a baby shower, right?" Talon commented as he took notice of Broadway's lightly blushing face.

The two females just giggled as they walked together, and the rest of the clan dispersed to find other things to occupy their interest.

Finally alone in a quiet corner of the clan's wing, Goliath and Elisa sat facing each other to finally have an important talk.

"That actually went better than I thought," Elisa said with a tightly held breath.

"Then why do you still seem to be carrying a heavy burden, my Love?" Goliath asked with love and concern.

Elisa remained silent for a minute as she gathered her thoughts, then finally began to say, "As happy as I want to be about this, Goliath, I'm still unsure, and very apprehensive about it. I've never been pregnant before and this is a very unusual one. Well, for a human anyway. I don't even know how it's possible or how it happened. We don't even know if my body is going to be able to tolerate it or how to handle it, and if something goes wrong I might suffer a miscarriage or worst. That's why I think I may need to consider the possibility of a. . ."

"No, Elisa," Goliath blurted out.

"What!?" Elisa said confused, "But, Goliath, you don't even know what I was going to say."

"Yes, I do, Elisa," Goliath stated, "I know very well what an abortion is. It's one of the many things I've read about when we first awoke in this new time. Please, my Love, I understand you're scared, I am, too, as I realize it more and more what this all means. I don't completely understand why such an issue would be necessary for I am not a healer, my Angel, and I have always believed that every life is a precious gift. However, if such a procedure must be done we will consider it, but only as a last resort. I don't want to lose this chance to have children with you, Elisa, but I would rather tear off my own wings with my bare talons than loose you in my life."

"Thanks, Big Guy. Maybe it's all just nerves, but this is something I can't face alone. And I'm worried about what this is going to make other people think."

"That doesn't matter for now, Elisa, and I believe the human saying is we will cross that bridge when we come to it. For now get some rest, and we will consider your relocating to the castle tomorrow night."

"Must we, Goliath? This is an awful lot so fast. And I don't think I can tolerate living under the same roof as Xanatos. I still don't trust him completely on many issues and it will still take years for him to earn my trust. I'm also afraid it would bring too many questions at the stations."

"For now that doesn't matter, though Xanatos has proven himself many times since that night of Hunter's Moon, but I too have occasionally had my doubts. He is currently searching for a new physician for my clan and won't hire one without my final approval. But that is only a partial solution to the problem. Tonight I shall begin searching for a proper gargoyle healer, one who is willing to work alongside a human doctor."

"Thanks, Honey," Elisa sighed with a smile as she and Goliath embraced, Elisa feeling a deep tension leave her body yet leave behind a deep ache between her shoulder blades which Goliath began to gently rub away.

His own thoughts briefly drifted to his encounter with the young hybrid who claimed to be his daughter just weeks before. He did not know if she will be his only child, one of many, or the first success of many failed attempts, only that she had given him hope for him, his lifemate, and his clan. Though he spoke true when he told Elisa he would rather tear off his wings rather than loose her in his life, should anything happen to either of them, their child will never be alone and have the entire clan to guide and protect it for that has always been the Gargoyle Way.

"Fear not, my Elisa," he whispered as he held her close and looked her deep in the eyes to her very soul, "This child will be our destiny, and will bring us great hope. We must have faith as we always have, for it is what has always given us the strength to fight on and face each new dawn. Go rest now, My Love, and renew your strength for what is to come."

"Alright, but I still think it's a really big decision to suddenly have to move out of my apartment when it's been my home for the last three years."

"Remember what I was told about a home before we relocated to the clock tower. I admit that since we took our vows to be mated, this castle has felt less and less like home without you here with me, even if it's been my clan's ancestral home. If feels empty, Elisa."

Elisa gave a small smile as she said, "I guess it's true what they said about home being where the heart is. But I still need time to think about this, and it'll take a lot of planning if and when I take the chance to move in. I should also call my parents and Beth about this, I'm sure my sister is going to be more excited about being an aunt now than just with Derek and Maggie's twins, and now we have a third unusual grandchild."

"Very well, Elisa. I love you. I shall take you home for rest now."

Elisa almost objected, but realized that Goliath was right. She would have much preferred to have him glide her home, but she did not want to leave her car some place vulnerable. So, it was not long before Elisa finally returned to her apartment, which now felt somehow empty and belonging to a stranger despite Cagney's body rub against her leg and demanding meow for food, for a well earned long rest.