It was late summer and Grell's belly was ever bigger. William came home from work to find Grell fanning herself on the balcony. William began peeling off his sweat soaked clothes. "I think I found a home for us. One that even you should like."

"That sounds nice..." She moved towards him cleaning her brow of sweat. "Why does summer have to be so damn humid."

"Are you doing alright?" he asked.

"I feel like I'm overheating." She paused for a moment in shock. "Give me your hand."

William did as asked and held his palm out to her.

She placed it on her stomach to the spot she swore she felt something. "I know I'm probably feeling a heat stroke but, I felt a kick."

William frowned as he felt her belly. "I don't feel anything."

I felt something, I swear!" She groaned patting her belly. "Don't be an arse and kick."

William removed his hand and went to the bathroom. "Would you like to see it before signing the papers?"

"Of course I do!" She got up fanning herself. "I want to plan it out with the interior design."

"I'll set up a meeting for my next day off then. Right now Edgeworth is piling a lot of work onto me. So I'm not a hundred percent certain when that will be."

"I can help with the work? I seem to be able to working on just paperwork now."

"You know Edgeworth won't allow it."

"He's an arse." She moved to the kitchen getting them glasses of cold water. "Why does summer suck so much?"

"Is it worth pondering?"

"The weather or Worth?" She sighed sitting back down with a grunt. "This baby's getting uncomfortable."

"You're halfway there. If I know anything about your stubbornness, you'll survive."

"Thank you. I'm just sad that my feet are starting to swell. I'm going to wear heels either way." She gulped down the glass panting heavily.

"Don't overdo things. You can live without heels. "

"But I'm so short! What kind of shoes am I supposed to wear? Sandals?"

"You're six feet tall! Just wear something comfortable."

"Who lied and said I was that tall?! In heels maybe but, not now. I need a pair of wide shoes." She groaned getting more flustered.

"It says in your personal files. And all your medical exams. So that would be without heels. Surely the doctors didn't lie."

"You're much taller than me! Sebastian is 6

Six One and I barely reach him in heels.

"Where is this coming from? We're the same height and that vermin is only about an inch taller!"

She puffed up again feeling a little stupid. "I just feel small compared to almost everyone here."

"With an ego as big as yours and that belly getting to be almost as big, I don't see how. "

"That is so rude!" She got up placing her hands on her neck. "I would love a good dip in the ocean."

"Can you still wear your swimsuit?"

"I'll have to wear the one piece I got that was a bit big on me. Glad I didn't return it." She moved towards him holding his head in her hands. "Did anyone tell you how handsome you were?"

"You do. All of the time," he replied.

"And don't you ever forget it darling~"

"Honestly..." he sighed, getting out of the shower.

"You love me." she cooed getting her usual smirk on her face.

"Most days," he teased.

"Yet, it's still love." She stripped down wanting her own body clean from the filth of the day.

While she was in the shower, William prepared their dinner. He fixed Grell a salad while he seared a steak for himself.

She came out holding her belly. "The food smells amazing."

"Would you like to set the table?" he asked.

"I'd be happy to." She grabbed everything for them making sure they were comfortable. "Thank you darling."

William pulled out Grell's chair for her before going into the kitchen and bringing out the meals. He placed the leafy salad in front of Grell and the steak in his place before sitting down.

She reached out touching his hand. "You're beyond incredible."

"I simply made dinner. As I do most nights," he said, cutting into his steak.

She went through her dinner quickly still hungry afterwards. "What do we have for seconds or dessert?"

"Seconds?" answered William. "Well I suppose there's still some lettuce in the icebox. We don't have any pudding."

"Okay, I'll make something real quick." She got up moving towards the kitchen. She search the food putting things of her liking.

"Grell?" William called hearing the cupboards opening and closing several times.

"I'm just getting food darling!" she replied.

"The lettuce is in the icebox, not the cupboard."

"I'm making a few additions." She grabbed the lettuce along with other things. "I'll be out soon."

William got up from the table and went into the kitchen. "Grell!" he admonished.

"Yes darling?"

"Is that chocolate syrup?!"

"Isn't it magical?" She continued to work on her meal.

"Grell, no!" he shouted, snatching the bottle of syrup from her hand. "It's not healthy."

"William! I'm so hungry and chocolate tastes so sweet.

"Eat an apple." William snatched the bowl away and put an apple in her hand.

"William!" She pouted grabbing his arm. "I'm eating for two with the baby dictating everything!"

"If you want sweet, eat some fruit. Eating for two does not mean this," William answered, holding the bowl away from her.

She fussed taking a chunk of the apple off. She groaned feeling her stomach turn. "Can't do apples." She grabbed a napkin to spit it out. "Oh... When's our next appointment with the doctor?"

"You don't know?"

"I forgot?"

"A couple weeks. Unless you're feeling poorly?"

"Just checking. The baby's getting odd. A feel movement at night and cravings like this that ruin my figure." She placed her hands on her hips checking the size.

"Cravings are normal. Feeling the baby move is normal. Of course it could also be gas. Did you not pay attention to anything the doctor said?"

"Yes but, I feel like it's too early to feeling movement." She searched for food grabbing a couple of pieces of bread.

"It's late actually. You should have felt movement at about sixteen weeks not at twenty-two. Have you not discussed it with the doctor? Perhaps I should have called in and attended all of your appointments."

"I didn't think it was important." She toasted the bread grabbed butter and the raspberry jam to coat them with. "I figured many at twenty-five weeks I'd start to feel something."

William placed his hand over his face and placed a phone call, attempting to get Grell into the doctor tomorrow.

The doctor agreed having to notify the council of the appointment as usual. Grell bit into her food relaxing. "You're such a parasite." She groaned patting her stomach.

"I am not," defended Willian.

"Not you, Will. I meant the baby."

"Better hope it's not a parasite. Then you'll have to have surgery to get it removed."

"Think if it as a backhanded compliment. I feel drained by it but, I don't want any harm to it." She paused rubbing her belly. "Should we ask to know the sex?"

"I'll leave that up to you. It would be practical knowing what it is before birth so you know how to shop."

"Let's make sure it happens." She hot excited holding his hand. "Boy or girl?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Party pooper." She sighed feeling much more full. "Can we just cuddle in bed?"

"It's a little early still," he said, checking the time.

"I mean, when we go to bed? I just want to be with my loving family." She took his hand kissing his palm.

"Don't we usually cuddle?"

"Yes but, I feel like asking anyway." She rubbing his shoulders. "I know it either way... I want to know you love me still."

"What makes you think I don't?"

"I never said you didn't. I just said that you still do. I love having are moments...especially before the baby's born."

"We won't after the baby is born?"

"We'll be busy and tired. Working, changing nappies, feedings, and much more."

"And still making time for each other."

"I know! It's going to hell to balance everything. But with the two of us, we're unstoppable." She kissed his lips hugging onto him.

"Even if it's only a few stolen moments here and there."

"You're so romantic when you want to be." she cooed kissing his cheeks.

With her stomach pressed against his, he felt a tiny movement. "I felt that," he murmured.

"Oh Will, really?!" She placed his hands on her belly. "Isn't it exciting?!"

"You're still going to the doctor tomorrow and tell him everything."

"I know. Let's just have this moment for us."

"Thankfully there was nothing to worry about, but it could be something serious next time," William said to Grell as they walked into dispatch.

She groaned following him up the steps. "I know, I know. I'll make sure to let you know when I feel off."

Edgeworth's secretary awaited them at the top of the stairs. "About time you two arrived. Late. At this hour, why bother showing up at all?"

"Give Edgeworth my apologies. I had to take Grell to-"

"Tch. No excuses. This is going in your file, Spears," she said and slithered off. That's how William saw her moving away as she turned around and went in the direction of Edgeworth's office.

Grell snarled watching the woman leave. "What a fucking cunt, both of them." She touched her stomach stroking it. "Daddy was never that mean."

"I believe I wrote you up for tardiness on more than one occasion."

"Never with a doctor's visit." She moved with him to his desk groaning. "I'll see you when we go home together. Are you happy with what they said about the sex?"

"Are you? I know you were counting on a daddy's girl, but it is what it is. Besides, it can still turn out to be a girl."

"They said it was a boy. Besides, James is going to have to deal with bizarre upbringing."

"Which is another thing we need to discuss, at home and in private," said William with a glance about the room.

"Of course love. We'll see you later." She said walking to her office.

That evening, William sat Grell down on the couch. "Sut...Grell, there's something we need to discuss," he began gravely. "Something that has come to my mind recently and honestly, I don't know why I haven't thought of it sooner."

"What's wrong darling?" She sat up feeling a rush of nervousness run through her. "Did the doctor call or something?"

"No, but it is about James." William paused and took a deep breath. This wouldn't be easy. "We love this baby, there is no doubt about that. However, we would make terrible parents. Furthermore, we are practically immortal and I am almost a hundred percent certain James...will not be. Therefore, I think it may be best if, after the baby is born, we find him a proper and decent home in the human world."

She got up holding her belly protectively. "No. I can't give him up! He's going to be a reaper by birth. The genetics will make it happen...I can't lose him..."

"Genetics? Grell we are human genetically. Maybe not to same degree we were, but...you know the qualifications to become a reaper. James will not have met these qualifications, nor do I wish him to. He won't fit in here. He'll be shunned, no one his age to play with. It is unfair to him to have him participate in our punishment. This isn't a world for children." William wasn't looking at Grell as he spoke, but rather the floor with his hands clasped together.

"This...this is the council talking, isn't it? They want him gone." She paced the living room beginning to panic. "He's still our child! We can raise him here and drop him off to school in the human realm. We can have him make friends with them but, understand the limitations."

"Grell, calm down. The council has said nothing of this matter. They likely haven't even given it this much thought, no. This is coming from me. Not being a grim reaper, the likelihood of him being able to create portals back and forth will be nonexistent. Who knows what adverse effects porting him in and out if our realm could have on his health. It could kill him."

She sniffled taking in deep breaths. Her hands shook gripping her hair for comfort. "This is all I've wanted and you're taking it away. Some god you are." she mumbled under her breath. "Why..."

"I haven't taken anything away. The baby isn't even here yet. I have James' best interests at heart. We have to think about what he needs not about what you or I want."

"I wasn't talking to you, William. I was talking to the miserable creature that had this happen. Why can't we have both? A loving family with us to raise James in our lives?" She paced faster moving around the couch.

"Grell, we're the only ones here. Are you meaning to bring a human family here to raise James? That isn't allowed and for heaven's sake stop pacing about."

"I mean, we will be the family he needs! I will move heaven and earth to make sure he stays with us." She refused to sit getting worked up.

William got up, stopping her moving about by placing his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Grell. Calm down and think about it for a moment. I know how you feel about James, but is this life of death really what you want for him? It's not a life at all. It's just death."

She began to cry heavily leaning on to his chest. "I don't want to lose him. We don't even know how he's going to turn out. Can you at least just give me that first week? Just to make sure that he is really human or if he's one of us?"

"Of course. I'd give you longer, but I'm not sure how long would be too long and thence more difficult to give him a more suitable life." He took her in his arms and stroked her hair.

She stayed buried in his chest weeping. She really didn't want to let her son go. She would rather give up her scythe and stay in the mortal realm then should ever release her child to be raised by some human who wouldn't do it proper as William and her could.

"Please at least consider this. Think properly, without too much emotion," he murmured.

She nodded slowly still in her quiet state. How could she possibly put our emotions aside? Right now, she was nothing but emotions.

"Calm down and think rationally. It's all I ask right now."

"I'm trying but it's hard...I want our son here with us. Raised by us. Taught to be a good reaper by you and a divine fashionable young man by me."

"I know. Except, he isn't a reaper. How could he be?"

"We don't know yet. However Undertaker made this happen, we can be certain he's not. For all we know, we'll see those beautiful eyes like ours." She cleaned up her face still crying. "We don't know what he's done to my body to make any of this possible."

"You're right, we ultimately don't know yet, but I don't see how it can be any other way. And if what I fear is the case, we should do what's best for him and it's best for us to prepare ourselves for that."

"But...but..." She sniffled feeling her heart sink. "All I ever wanted was to be a mother...even in death I can't have it."

"You will be a mother. You'll still be his mother. A good mother will do what is best for her children."

"Can we at least check up on him? Every day? I want him to know that we never abandoned him."

"We'll see how it goes."

She clung to his clothes, keeping her head down. She kept crying until she couldn't anymore. She took him by the hand dragging them to the bedroom just wanting to go to sleep and forget about this discussion.