{Katy}

"Kat, we have to go if we're gonna make it to the appointment on time!" I heard Daemon call from downstairs.

"Okay, just give me a minute!" I called back. I turned my attention back to my waist and frowned. At 4 months along, my previously flat stomach had become a good size bulge. While it made for a great place for Daemon to rest his head on at night to talk to my stomach, it was not so comfortable for me, nor did it make choosing clothes easy. I threw the pair of jeans I had in my hands on the floor, frustrated. I opened another draw in my closet and pulled out a pair of darker jeans. Sliding my feet into them, I pulled them up over legs to my waist. Taking the button in one hand, I tried to button the flaps closed, but it fell short a couple inches of fabric. Groaning, I tried once again to button my pants, but couldn't close them over my extended belly.

"Ugh," I moaned. I placed my hands on my stomach and whispered, "Kid, you are not making choosing an outfit easy." I felt a light kick beneath my palm and smiled.

I heard a knock on the door. "Kat, you okay?"
Rolling my eyes, I turned around and opened the closet door. Looking at Daemon, who was lounging against the doorframe looking his usual perfect self in a black sweater and jeans, looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"What's wrong, Kitten?" he asked as I turned away to look at myself in the mirror.

Glancing at him, I frowned and said, "None of my damn jeans fit anymore."

There was a moment of silence before Daemon busted out laughing. Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared at him.
"It's not funny," I said. Pointing to my protruding stomach, I continued, "I'm getting fat. My clothes don't fit, and I need to start getting maternity clothes."

Suddenly, Daemon was in front of me with his arms wrapped around my waist. With a grin, he said, "Kitten, you're not getting fat. Your body's just changing to accommodate the little guy. I think I'd be more worried if your stomach wasn't getting bigger." I shoved him gently, but he just smiled. "Besides, if anything, you should be eating more." He brushed a piece of hair from my face, and looked at me. "In the second trimester, it's natural for you to gain weight. You have to eat more, because you have to feed the baby too."

Raising my eyebrow, I glanced over his shoulder into our bedroom at the stack of books by the bed and asked, "What, is that what all your pregnancy books are saying? You know, I still think it's funny that you're more worried about this than I am. I swear, sometimes I come into the bedroom and you don't even notice because you're so lost in 'What to Expect When You're Expecting'."

Daemon scoffed, "Please, Kitten, I always notice you. I especially have been noticing some of the perks of…growing…during pregnancy."

I frowned up at him and saw his eyes linger on my chest. Rolling my eyes and shoving him back, I muttered, "Perv."

He threw his hands up. "Kat, I can't help it. I'm a guy."

I let out a breathy laugh. "Mhmm. Because that justifies it." I turned to slip off the jeans. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be getting me to hurry up?" I turned to look at him and blushed when I saw the heat in his gaze as he stared at my uncovered lower half. Frowning, I bundled up my jeans and threw them at him.

Snapping out of his daze, Daemon reacted quickly and caught the jeans, smirking. "I mean, yeah, we should get going, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate my beautiful wife."

I laughed and turned back to my clothes, replying, "Well, thanks, I think." Frowning, I realized I still didn't have pants to wear. Sighing, I reached into a drawer and grabbed a pair of leggings. I pulled my legs through them and pulled the fabric over my belly. "Alright, let's go," I said a little sullenly as I headed out of the closet and down the hall.

Following me, Daemon asked, "What's wrong, Kitten?"

I stopped to look at him. "I know it's normal, but I feel…gross and fat, and my clothes don't fit, and I just got over the morning sickness, and my back hurts, and my boobs are getting bigger, and I…I don't know. And don't get me wrong, I love this baby," I placed my hand protectively around my stomach, "but the baby's not making this easy on my body."

In the blink of an eye, Daemon had one of his hands covering mine on my stomach, and the other wrapped around me waist as he held me close. Placing his forehead against mine, he whispered, "Kitten, you get more and more beautiful each day. Don't think for a second you're unattractive." He brushed my lips lightly before pulling back and continuing, "Plus, nothing good in life ever comes easy."

I grinned and kissed him once more before he took my hand and started pulling me down the hall. He looked at me over his shoulder, his eyes glowing a brilliant white, and smiled, "Now, let's go find out if we're having a boy or girl."

...

"Sorry, this will be a bit cold," Dr. Richards said as she squeezed clear blue gel onto my bare stomach.

Noticing my wincing slightly from the chill, Daemon bent over to lightly kiss my forehead before asking, "You okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's just cold." Daemon smiled at me and took one of my hands in his large ones.

"Now, how've you been, Katy?" Dr. Richards asked as she took out a short wand and started spreading it through the gel across my stomach.

"I've been okay," I said. "The morning sickness finally went away. My breasts aren't as sore anymore. Although, my back has been aching a bit recently."

Dr. Richards nodded. "Yes, that's normal, especially with the weight gain you've been experiencing recently. Reducing your time standing and getting plenty of rest should help, but it won't completely get rid of the ache. Your heart has to work about 40 to 50% harder to support your pregnancy, so you'll feel tired, but rest will really help. Speaking of your weight, how's your appetite been?"

I shrugged. "It's been okay." I frowned at Daemon's cocked eyebrow. "He's been trying to get me to eat anything and everything."

Dr. Richards laughed, "Well, I am hope not everything."

"I've been eating fine, but Daemon's been an overly concerned husband and is worried about me," I explained.

Daemon smiled slightly as he looked at me. "Hey, I just want to make sure you're eating enough, and that you're healthy."

I grinned and brought my lips to his. "Don't worry, we're fine."

"I'm always worried about you, Kitten," Daemon mumbled against my lips. Before I started to protest, Daemon quickly went on, "Even though I know you can take care of yourself." With his other hand, he brushed a piece of hair behind my ear and leaned forward. "I'd do terrible things, I have done terrible things to make sure you're safe and happy. I love you, Kitten."

I placed my hand on his cheek and kissed him deeply, forgetting that Dr. Richards was in the room. All I thought about was the feel of his lips against mine, and the butterflies he still caused, even after all this time.

On my other side, Dr. Richards coughed, breaking us apart. I blushed a deep pink and murmured, "Sorry."

Daemon tweaked my nose as Dr. Richards smiled slightly and replied, "It's okay, I just thought I'd tell you I'm in a good position to see the baby."

Daemon and I turned our heads toward the monitor, and sure enough, there was the definite outline of our child. I could see its head and nose, its little arms and belly, and its tiny legs and feet. Dr. Richards moved the wand over my belly, taking measurements, but I didn't - and I don't think Daemon did either – hear a thing, because I was so immersed in looking at our baby. There was something about seeing our child like this, actually looking like a baby, a little person, that made it all the more real, and it brought tears to my eyes. I glanced at Daemon and saw that his eyes were glowing brilliantly.

Dr. Richards spoke up, "So, do we want to know the sex today?"
Daemon looked at me, and holding my gaze, we both nodded and said, "Yes."

Dr. Richards smiled. "Alrighty, just give me a moment."

She moved the wand across my stomach, adjusting it up and down, left and right, until after a few moments of complete silence in which Daemon and I just watched her, she glanced at the screen and smiled.

She pointed to the baby on the screen and said, "Congratulations, you two are going to have a boy!"

In the blink of an eye, Daemon took me in his hands and was showering my face with kisses, before finally fitting his lips to mine. Throwing my arms around his neck, I pulled him close as I felt the tears stream down my cheeks. I pulled back to see that Daemon's eyes were completely white, and there were tear tracks down his cheeks.

Daemon laughed and grinned, his voice choking slightly as he exclaimed, "We're having a son, Kitten!"

"I know! I can't believe it!" I said excitedly as I kissed him again.

Pulling me closer, Daemon rested his forehead against mine and, with a dazzlingly beautiful smile, he whispered, "Thank you so much, Kat. I love you."

I looked into his watery, bright eyes, as I whispered, "I love you, too," before fitting his mouth back to mine.

...

Daemon's face never broke from a dazzling smile the entire way out of the doctor's office. Every few moments, he would take my hand and bring it to his lips. This was maybe the happiest I'd ever seen him. As we entered the lobby, he spun me around so that I was facing him as we walked backward. He looped his arms around me waist and grinned at me.
"How did I get so lucky?" he asked as he stared down at me.

"I ask myself that all the time," I whispered back before I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him.

We continued to walk backwards, not breaking our kiss, when suddenly we bumped into someone.

Immediately flushing, I broke the kiss and looked over his shoulder to see that we had run into a man coming out of the elevator who now had his back toward us.

I stammered out, "Oh, I'm so sorry, sir. We weren't looking where we were going."

The man spoke up, "It's alright, I completely understand," he turned around, "It happens to me all the time."
But as he turned and I got a look at his face, my entire body went rigid. The blood drained from my face, and I felt a heaviness drop in my chest and stomach. I stopped breathing, and a silent scream worked its way up my throat. No. No. No. No. No. That's all that kept going through my mind. No.

I took in the familiar nose and lips and jaw and cheek and hands and dark brown hair, but it couldn't be. My mind wouldn't allow even thought of…of him… being here to become a reality. I felt like someone had punched me in the chest.

Daemon, sensing something was wrong, looked at me with worry in his eyes and asked, "Shit, Kat, what's wrong?"

I didn't respond. I didn't even look at him. I just stared at the man behind him. A man I never thought I'd see again. A man that I had lived for. A man I had mourned for. A man that couldn't be here. A man that was now looking at me with no recognition.

But as I stared into his eyes, grey eyes identical to mine, I knew that, without a doubt, this was the man that had raised me, had loved me, the man that had died.

Not breaking my stare, I whispered with a slight horror to my voice, "Dad?"