Jack was sitting on the porch railing when Hideki and Raoul were dropped off. He had bottle of root beer in one hand and sighed a little as he pressed it to his lips without drinking.

"Is she asleep?" Hideki asked as he sat on the steps. Raoul sat behind him, giving him a back rub.

"Yeah." He was staring out at the ocean as Rory jumped up next to him and started cleaning himself. "She's been tired all week."

"It's probably just a stomach bug. She might not be fully adjusted to this time zone yet, either."

"Maybe. That's not what I'm worried about."

All three men were silent for a while before Raoul cleared his throat. "Look, uh . . . I've got some friends in the area. We've done about everything we can in Gotham," he said when Hideki looked up and started to protest. "I'll see what my guys can find out here."

"I don't like it," Hideki grouched, taking Raoul's hands and holding them to his chest. "How long's it been since you've talked with these homies of yours?"

"Oh, we keep in touch. We grew up together, Hideki."

He pursed his lips and leaned back into Raoul, then sighed. "Okay. Why does everyone here have mob connections but me?"

"What, no Yakuza buddies back in Japan?" Jack asked as he took a gulp of his drink.

"Not that I know of. Look, Raoul's friends will put the word out, but call us if anything happens, all right?"

Jack slid off the railing and settled next to Hideki and Raoul, leaning over to kiss Hideki's cheek with a partial grin. "Sure."

"I mean it, Jack."

"The FBI's probably going to take over the case; it's gotten too big for the local police. They're going to make a mess of it. But there are a few things I need you to do for me once you get back to Gotham. It's all in your bags."

"You don't have to let more women die, you know."

Jack sighed and drummed his fingers on his leg. "Yeah, I do. I have to wait until he comes after me. Looking for him isn't going to help. I just need to play his game for a few more months, then it'll be over."

"You know what he's waiting for, don't you?"

"I know exactly what he's waiting for, and I'm going to give him exactly what he thinks he wants." Jack stared down at the sand. "He just doesn't realise it's not what he really wants."

"Have you called Dr. Morgenson lately?" Hideki asked.

"I talk with him every week."

"But have you talked with him about this? This, this little plan of yours."

"It's not a plan, so much as vaguely structured premeditated murder." Jack's lips twitched as he raised his bottle and peered into it.

"So you haven't."

"And you two aren't going to, either."

"Do you know how illegal this is?" Raoul put in. "We can get someone out here twenty-four/seven, you know. If you're well-protected, he's going to get angry and make a mistake."

"He's working his way toward me," Jack replied dryly. "Cutting him off from me's just going to make him pitch a fit and kill more people. Trust me, I know this guy. If you want to keep the casualties to a minimum, give me five months."

"Five months is a long time, at the rate he's going."

"And he's going to stop in a few weeks, catch his breath, let me worry until I'm ready to go insane. Which is what he wants. I'm not really his real goal, anyway."

They were quiet for a moment before Hideki spoke up. "No."

"No?"

"No. You're not giving him what he wants."

Jack snorted at the tight panic in his friend's voice. "I've got it covered, if you do your job right."

"Rachel needs you, Jack."

He closed his eyes, but only briefly. "Not after this is over, she won't. She'll need you two."

Now Hideki jumped up and glared down at Jack. "I can't believe you're thinking of doing this, Jack! You're doing so good out here; why do you want to ruin everything?"

"Think I should give her a baby?" the object of his ire mused. "I mean, I'd rather hold out until this is over, but I might not come back. But it's just one more weakness, you know? Something to be used against me."

"You're not even listening to me, are you? Raoul!"

"I think this is too dangerous for you to do, Jack," Raoul agreed.

Jack sighed and stood up, rubbing his scars slowly. Hideki flinched a little. "Look, guys, I've thought this through. I've got some backup once you get home, and Rachel's going to be well taken care of. I think . . . three months, then we'll start trying for a baby. At least she'll have something . . ."

"It's going to kill Rachel to lose you."

He pursed his lips at Hideki's soft voice. "Not as permanently as it will if she doesn't."

"And you're just going to keep this dirty little secret all to yourself?"

Jack looked up at Hideki and nodded. "Yeah, I am. Rachel doesn't need to worry, and she'll just get in the way if I tell her now." He rubbed his temples. "Look, this isn't easy for me to do. I don't iwant/i to do it. I just don't have much choice, you know? I need to get him off my back, and I need to make sure this never happens again. If I have to disappear to do it . . ."

"You talk about death in funny terms," Hideki muttered. Neither he nor Raoul were happy with Jack's decision. "What are we supposed to tell Rachel when she asks us why we didn't stop you?"

"Tell her you didn't know. Tell her I thought it was worth . . ." He had to purse his lips as his eyes started stinging and his chest tightened. "That I thought it was worth it, to make sure she wasn't in danger any more because of me." His voice came out strangled despite his best efforts. "It's worth it so long as she's safe."

"I hate that you have a good point," Hideki growled as he turned away. "I'm going to bed. You coming, Raoul?"

"Yeah." He paused, though, and Jack felt two sets of hands on his shoulders and in his hair. "We're here for you, Jack. None of us want to lose you."

Jack leaned into the double embrace and nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

***

"Rachel? Dr. Howard's ready for you," Helna called from the doorway.

"Does this visit include a urine sample?" she asked as she jumped up. "I really have to go."

Helna just smiled as she gestured for Rachel to get on the scale and fiddled with it. "As a matter of fact, it does. Doctor, you've met Rachel."

Dr. Phillip Howard took the hand Rachel offered with a smile. "I couldn't forget, not after the last time you had a cold."

Rachel groaned and shook her head. "I'm so sorry about that, Doctor. Jack . . . over-reacts, sometimes." Like yelling at the top of his lungs the previous winter when she'd been hit with a sudden cold that he'd assumed was pneumonia, or worse.

Dr. Howard laughed. "It's not a problem. So, what brings you in today?"

"I got the flu or something when I was in California last week; Jack wants me screened for cancer, polio, rabies, and African SARS." The doctor was laughing as he showed her into an examination room. "And really, I'll take a urine test now, if you need one."

"Please do; I need just a minute more, anyway."

"Oh, thank you so much," Rachel said as she set her purse down and slid out the door. She'd been having to pee more often for the past week or so. Jack had told her he was going to start rationing her water if she didn't stop.

A few minutes later she was sitting on the exam table and Dr. Howard was taking her temperature. "So, what are your symptoms? Fatigue, nausea, cough? Stuffy nose?"

"Just the first two," Rachel told him before he held her tongue down and looked down her throat.

"Hm. You're not fevered. How long as this been going on?"

"About a week and a half."

"And your last menstrual cycle was the beginning of last month?"

She nodded. "I should have started this week, actually. I'm probably still readjusting from the trip. My breasts have been sore for a few days, so I should start soon."

"So you're about five days late, then." The doctor nodded and made a note. "I don't think you're sick, Rachel. You're on birth control; how long have you been on it?"

She blinked at him. "A couple years. Why?"

"Were you sick last month? Start any new medications or supplements? Have you been under any stress?"

Rachel's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the doctor suspiciously. "No . . . I've been taking the pills every day." Then she shrugged. "Jack and I were arguing about children for a while, but we've decided to wait."

Doctor Howard nodded as he sighed. "Well, we're running a few tests that Helna requested, but . . . are you and your husband just using the Pill, Rachel? No condoms, spermicide . . . ?"

"Uh . . . no, just the Pill." Now Rachel was starting to worry and she bit her lower lip as one hand went to her stomach. "I can't be pregnant, Doctor Howard."

He sighed a little and nodded. "The Pill's only about ninety-five percent effective, Rachel, when taken correctly and with no complications. If you've been sick or under a lot of stress, that can reduce the effectiveness."

Rachel couldn't believe what she was hearing. "No, you don't understand. I mean, I'd love kids, I want kids, but Jack doesn't. He's really not ready for them."

"We'll find out in a few minutes," Dr. Howard said soothingly. "And you may just have a bit of the stomach bug, but Helna wanted to run a pregnancy test for you."

"Helna?" Rachel said incredulously. "That's why she was pushing for me to come in today. Ugh, I'm going to tell her a thing or two . . ."

The doctor just smiled. "Is Jack available right now, Rachel?"

She couldn't be pregnant. Jack was going to think she'd done it on purpose. He was going to be so mad at her . . . "He's teaching his dance class."

"Do you want him here when the test results are in?" Howard asked gently.

Rachel shook her head. "He's going to pitch a fit if I'm pregnant, Doctor. If I am, I want to tell him in private."

"Well, there are always . . . options . . . if you don't feel ready for a child. I'm not recommending anything," Howard said when Rachel's eyes got even wider, "I just want you to know that you have several options available to you at this point. Whatever you decide, I'd recommend you talk it over with your husband first." He gathered his papers. "The tests should be done by now. If you'll excuse me . . . ?"

Rachel swallowed sharply and nodded, and Howard closed the door as he left. Her hands started shaking as soon as the door clicked shut, and Rachel's stomach heaved as tears sprung to her eyes. She rubbed her arms, then clenched her hands together and tried to think. Nausea, extremely tired . . . those were signs of just being sick. She'd assumed her period had just been thrown off by her trip, and the stress she'd been under because of Jack's obstinate refusal to think of having children. And she'd been taking the Pill every day.

. . . And she'd been taking the Pill every day. Rachel's hands flew to her stomach and she stared down at it in growing horror. If she was pregnant, what was that going to do to the baby? She hadn't accidentally hurt it, had she?

There was a knock on the door and she shakily called out for the doctor to come in. Helna followed him with a somewhat guilty look on her face and Rachel tried not to glare at her.

"Well," Dr. Howard said as he held a piece of paper and looked it over, "the test was positive."

Rachel didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry. "Is there any chance that it's a false positive?" she asked.

"Not really. You'd be about five weeks along by now, but we can give you a full prenatal check-up today if you'd like. We need to check on several things . . . Rachel? Are you all right?"

She shook her head sharply. This wasn't how she'd imagined finding out. Not by a long shot. "Uhm . . . does it have to be today? I just . . . I need a little time."

"Okay, but I want you to stop taking the Pill, and come in next week. Tuesday, all right? I have a two o'clock open."

Rachel sighed. "Okay."

Howard looked between her and Helna. "Have a good day, Rachel. I'll see you on Tuesday."

Helna cleared her throat and finally met Rachel's gaze. "I'm sorry, Rachel. I didn't start to wonder until last night, and I couldn't get you alone to ask."

Rachel reached out and took her hand, squeezing it with a smile. "It's okay, Helna. Thank you. I just . . ." She burst into tears and Helna hugged her tight.

"It'll be all right. You didn't see Jack when you were gone, Rachel. I mean, the way he was taking care of Janet and Susie, picking them up from school with Tom, letting them stay over . . . He swears up and down that he hates kids and doesn't want any, but he really does, Rachel. He came over a few times for dinner and as soon as Tom and I left the room, he was holding Mitzi and talking to her. He's going to love the idea, once he gets used to it."

"Before or after he accuses me of deliberately not taking my pills just to get pregnant?" Rachel asked irritably. "He's going to be angry before he's happy, Helna. Plus there's something bothering him that he's not telling me about."

"He's worried about the murders," Helna reasoned. "It's natural." She looked up at the clock. "Class was out ten minutes ago. Do you want someone there when you tell him?"

Rachel shook her head. "No, it'll be best if I tell him alone." She stood up and took her purse from Helna. "Thank you, though."

"Well . . . call if you need someone."

"I will," Rachel promised. Helna saw her out and Dr. Howard gave her a bottle of prenatal vitamins, which she tucked deep in her purse before thanking them both again. She took a deep breath before pushing the office doors open.

Just as she'd thought, Jack was waiting for her and looked her over suspiciously. "What took you so long?"

"Checking for African SARS takes a while," Rachel replied. Jack blinked before he looked down and scratched the back of his neck.

"Is he still mad about last time?"

She hugged him tightly and shook her head. "No, sweety. He's not mad." But Jack was going to be.

He tilted her chin up. "What's wrong? Are you all right?"

"Yeah, yeah, he just gave me some pills to take. Just some vitamins. He, uhm, wants me to come back on Tuesday at two, but I'm fine, Jack." She pulled him down for a kiss and wasn't sure if he believed her or not, but he let it go and slung his arm around her shoulder.

"Good. Let's have some food. You hungry? You barely touched dinner last night, or breakfast, so you ought to be."

"I'm starving," Rachel replied, leaning into him. He'd noticed, then. Now he was going to try to force-feed her for the next week. Which was probably a good thing, she figured as she ghosted her hand over her lower stomach. She was eating for two, now.

"There you are!" Hideki called as she and Jack rounded the corner to the deli. "Had to send a search party. Augh, this kid's insane!" He was trying to get Susie off of his leg as she shrieked with laughter.

"She likes Jack; is it any wonder?"

"Susie, did you hear that?!" Jack asked indignantly.

"Be nice to Jack, Miss Rachel!" the girl demanded, but she was preoccupied with her assault on Hideki. "Can we go swimming?!"

"Yeah! I want to go swimming!" Hideki seconded as he grabbed her by the ankles and lifted her up.

"I'll have to call Mom and ask," Janet said with a small glare at Jack.

"Then call her," he replied with his own glare. Rachel raised her eyebrows, but neither was about to tell her why they weren't getting along.

"Fine," she said with a bite to her tone. She flipped her phone open and stared at Jack as it rang. "Hey, Mom. Jack," and she stressed his name slightly, "wants to know if we can go swimming with him and Rachel. You know. His wife."

"Janet," Jack said warningly.

"Is everything okay?" Rachel asked.

He was still staring hard at the girl. "Yeah. It's fine."

He was lying to her. Then again, she was lying to him. But that didn't make either of them right. Rachel turned to Susie as the girl tugged at her hand.

"Yes, sweety?"

"Come and eat, Miss Rachel. Jack got you a sammich already."

"Mom says it's all right," Janet said.

"Yay!"

Jack was still staring at her. "Let's talk," he suggested as he took her gently by the elbow.

"I don't want to," Janet said evenly, her chin jutting out stubbornly.

"Let's talk," Jack insisted. His voice was pleasant, and he was smiling slightly, but his grip was firm as he pulled her around the corner. "What do you think you're doing, Janet?"

She blinked and the skin around her eyes tightened. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I think you do. Stop playing games with me, Janet." Her lips thinned, but the girl wasn't giving in. "Nothing happened between your mother and I, and Rachel doesn't need to know about it."

"That's lying, Jack," she snapped, her fists on her hips.

"You know," he cut her off, "you're really starting to piss me off, Janet. Nothing happened, therefore Rachel doesn't need to know about it, because it didn't happen. I'm not having an illicit affair with your mother, now or ever. If Rachel ever needs to know I slept in the same bed as your mother, I will be the one to tell her. Do you understand me, Janet?"

She looked amazed. "Don't you feel the slightest bit guilty?"

"If I'd done something wrong, I would, but I didn't do anything wrong." He shook her arm a little to make sure his message was getting through. "Now, can we go back and have a pleasant afternoon, please?"

Janet swallowed sharply and looked at her feet as she nodded. "Okay."

"And you're going to keep your mouth shut about things that aren't your business?"

"Yes," she hissed.

Jack grinned and kissed her cheek. "Good girl. Let's go." He gestured for her to go, then followed her as he whistled aimlessly.

***

An hour later found the group sporting in the waves. Rachel had tried to sit it out, but Jack had dragged her off of her blanket and into the water, ducking down before coming back up with her on his shoulders. Susie was on Hideki's shoulders and Janet was on Raoul's as each team tried to shove the other down.

Rachel shrieked as she gripped fistfuls of Jack's hair to keep her balance. Even soaking wet, his head was warm against her abdomen and she stared down at the dark mop of curls. Would their baby have his hair? Would it look like him more, or her? She licked her lips and glanced up in time to see Raoul shove Jack in the chest, sending them both backwards into the ocean.

Jack twisted under the water, wrapping his arms around her and somehow he found the bottom, because with a heave they were breaking the surface, gasping for air. Rachel clung to Jack and was glad the water hid her tears, because then he'd realy worry.

"You okay?" he asked as her legs around his waist tightened.

Rachel coughed and nodded. "I'm all right."

"We win!" Janet was howling as she raised her fists in the air. "That that, losers!"

Jack was laughing as he slid the tips of his fingers under the hem of Rachel's bikini bottoms. Rachel tried to squirm out of his grasp.

"Jack, now is not the time!" she hissed at him. He was grinning, trying to pull her away from the group and into deeper water, still tugging at her bikini.

"Why not?" he asked. "It's been a while since we've had sex out here . . ."

"And we have guests over!" Rachel said firmly, trying not to laugh.

"Well, shit, tell 'em to go away." He was still laughing when Rachel's stomach heaved and she threw up. Then he stopped. "Holy shit! Are you all right? You said you weren't sick!" Rachel was gagging as Jack swept her up in his arms and carried her up the beach. Their friends called after them. "She just needs to rest," Jack called over his shoulder. In a lower voice, "What the hell's going on, Rachel?"

She crossed her arms over her stomach and frowned. "I just gulped down a mouthful of salt water, Jack. I'm ---"

"Not eating, hardly sleeping, in and out of the bathroom all day long, sick to your stomach . . . do you want me to go on?" he asked sharply as he pushed the kitchen door open and then set her on the table. He left long enough to grab a towel, his warm brown eyes big and worried as he rubbed her dry. "You're moody as hell, too." Jack sat in front of her, her heels resting on the very edges of the chair's seat. He cupped her cheeks with both hands and traced his thumbs along her cheekbones, managing to look like a kicked puppy despite his scars, which were twisted into a tight-lipped frown. "What did the doctor tell you, Rachel?"

"Jack . . ." Tears sprung to Rachel's eyes as she took his hands and moved them to her lower abdomen. He tilted his head down to follow the movement, then rolled his eyes back up to her face as he raised his eyebrows.

Rachel took a deep breath and smiled softly at him as she pressed his fingers into her stomach. "I want you to meet your baby," she murmured.