Grif came stomping into Carolina's office a few days later just as she was getting ready to leave to go pick up Ally.

"Hey, I got a bone to pick with you," he spat at her.

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Ok. Make it quick. I have to go get Ally from school."

"Why the hell do I get to go out with Tucker and Sarge again and everyone else gets to stay here and relax?"

Carolina sighed, "If you want to stay behind, all you have to do is tell me."

"I want to stay behind. It's not fair. I want to sleep in my own bed and eat my own food that I get from the lunchroom and not be stuck with Sarge and Tucker for nights on end," he whined at her.

"Alright."

"Wait…really? You're giving in that quick?"

"I don't exactly have time to argue with you right now," Carolina replied walking to the office door. "I told you, I have to go pick Ally up. I'll send Simmons out instead, but that means you have to watch the Armory."

"Is that all I have to do?"

"Yes, but if you're staying behind, I expect some improvement from a few of the recruits in vehicle maneuvering."

"Deal."

"Is that it?"

"Uh yea."

"Good," Carolina chuckled as they left the office. "Any other complaints, go to Wash with them."

"I tried. He snapped at me and threw a knife at my head to get me out of his office," Grif scoffed.

"He's got some things going on."

"You're missing the part where he threw a knife at my head. That's more than things."

"Well, he must not have been actually aiming at you because you seem fine to me," Carolina replied as they headed down the stairs.

"Maybe he should go talk to Doc. Where is Doc anyway?"

"Doc is working with Mei at the hospital. They needed more help. There's a bunch of soldiers who have severe cases of PTSD right now and the UNSC is taking their dear old time getting some actual therapists here. He's here Thursdays. Maybe I'll tell him to go psychoanalyze Wash."

"You should totally do that. Just make sure you take any sharp objects from him," Grif nodded. He stopped at the bottom and sniffed, "And it's food time. Whatever Donut's cooking smells fantastic. I just hope he kept that tofu shit out of it this time."

"I think Emma beat that out of him yesterday," Carolina chuckled. "She wasn't too happy because she was actually hungry and of course he was serving the one thing she cannot stand."

"Good. Maybe if he listens to her, I'll just stop by to see if I can get her to yell at him about a few other food choices," Grif grumbled walking off. "Tell the kid I said hi."

"Will do. She's normally here Saturday with Wash if you want to hang out with them since you'll be here," Carolina called over her shoulder.

"We'll see! I have sleep to catch up on!"

Carolina rolled her eyes and gave him a wave before heading out the door.

"If she's going to be here today, do you really need me this afternoon?" Wash whined at Carolina the following Friday as they waited for the floor to set up the new program Emma had finished

"Yes," Carolina nodded. "York is off with Grey and his dad checking out a problem at the Communication Temple. North has his class going and Emma is in the middle of something and can't exactly help out."

"Still doesn't explain why you want both of us there…" he grumbled.

"I want you there for back-up," Carolina shrugged.

"Why?"

"Because," she huffed, "I promised York I would have someone there for my class when he can't be and yes, while South is someone, she's not someone York wants there with me."

Wash nodded, "He does realize you're not that far along yet, correct?"

Carolina rolled her eyes, "I know, but if it makes him feel better then I will suck it up and listen to him."

"You told him South wants to fight you, didn't you?" Wash asked, mouth curving into a smile. She glared at him. "Fine, I'll stop whining."

"Thank you."

"What are we doing today anyway?" he asked looking at the elaborate course set up.

"Time trials," Carolina shrugged. "Want to test their knowledge on using stealth, endurance, strategy, and muscle memory. Maybe some sparring depending if there's time."

"And you really need South and I here for this?" Wash huffed. Carolina raised an eyebrow at him. "Alright fine."

South finally showed up followed by the first class. After a brief explanation, Carolina set them off. Each recruit had three tries, they'd take the best one and record it. Next she had them pair up and spar off against each other on the new terrain, Wash and South jumping in whenever Carolina asked them to.

"Hey, why don't you get in on the action yourself here, Carolina?" South huffed as they finished wrapping up the last group.

"That's quite alright," Carolina answered.

"Oh come on. Show these kids what you can do."

"They've seen it," Carolina replied. "This isn't about me, this is about them learning."

"Aw come on. One good spar for old times' sake," South smiled.

"Pass."

"Scared I'm going to beat you?"

"In your dreams, South," Carolina chuckled.

"Then why don't you prove it."

"I'm not fighting you," Carolina replied giving her a cool look. The recruits had stopped to watch the exchange. She could feel Wash twitching from where he was standing behind her.

"Why not?'

"Because I don't need to fight you."

"Fine," South shrugged. "How about a race around the course then?"

Carolina sighed and looked around the course, trying to map out in her head whether it'd be feasible right now. She caught Wash staring at her and turned to look at him, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at him.

He shook his head, "York will kill you." She looked back at the course. "Carolina."

"It's just a race, Wash," she replied quietly.

"Yea, where you're going to be jumping and running across things at varying heights. What if you slip?"

"I know how to fall," she rolled her eyes.

"You'd still be falling," Wash replied. "Come on, this is why you wanted me here. To stop this if it happened. I'm telling you, it's not a good idea."

"Lacking faith in me?" she quipped.

"Absolutely not," he shook his head.

"We doing this or what?" South interrupted.

"Carolina."

"I'll be fine," she said before turning her back and walking off to where South was standing, as the recruits cheered that she was taking up the challenge. "One lap around."

"Wash, start us," South yelled back at him.

"Yea cuz dragging me into this is such a smart idea," Wash grumbled to himself. "Set! Go!"

He watched both women take off to the start, Carolina beating South to the first climb and making her way smoothly up it to run across the small beam at the top to the next section. He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he watched them. Carolina at least looked like she was enjoying herself, but he didn't like the look on South's face. They were far enough way though that he convinced himself he was just making things up.

"Why is Carolina on the floor?" Church screeched making Wash jump.

"South challenged, this is what they agreed on," Wash replied through clenched teeth.

"And you let her?"

"They're not fighting. Just going around the course."

"She's exhausted and her head hasn't exactly been running full-blast the last couple days. She's going to misjudge and get hurt," Church growled.

"I tried to stop her," Wash huffed. "You know what it's like. Let them go. She actually looks like she's enjoying herself. Don't disrupt her concentration either."

"This was stupid."

Wash remained silent as he watched them. The last part was the trickiest as he watched them maneuver across the tops of the thin poles that were up to the last a-frame ramp at the end. He started walking over that way when they hit the frame and watched as instead of landing lightly upright like she normally did, she slid down the frame to pant heavily at the bottom as South landed on the floor next to where she was crouched.

"Alright, maybe you do still have it in you," South chuckled.

"Yea," Carolina breathed, giving her a smirk. "Though I probably won't be doing that again for a while."

"You alright?" Wash asked bending down next to her.

"Just…need to catch my breath. Got one hell of a side sticker right now," Carolina huffed. "Told you I could do it."

"Didn't doubt you for a second," he chuckled watching her close her eyes as she visibly paled in front of him. "Ar-"

Next thing he knew she was vomiting on his shoes. He was torn between being disgusted and laughing at the situation. She bit her lip and looked up at him.

"Well, I guess that answers that question," Wash sighed.

"Heh, maybe you are out of shape if you puking after a run. Jeez, I haven't done that since basic," South scoffed.

"It's not from running," Carolina huffed wiping at her mouth. "Hey Church?"

"Yea C?" Church sighed appearing next in front of her.

"Have someone bring in a towel and a bucket or something so I can clean this up," she sighed.

"Can't Wash go grab it?"

"If he wouldn't be trailing puke across the floor, sure, but I'd prefer to keep it contained thanks. Just go."

"You ok, ma'am?" Trevor asked as the recruits joined them.

"Fine," Carolina waved at him leaning her head back and taking a few deep breaths.

"You ain't sick are you?" South asked crossing her arms and looking at her. "I mean, if you are, I don't want to catch it."

"I'm not contagious," Carolina rolled her eyes.

"But you're sick?" She glanced up at Wash who gave her a smirk and shrugged before shaking her head at South. South looked between the two and narrowed her eyes, "Ok, cough it up. What aren't you two telling us?"

Carolina rolled her eyes, "Its morning sickness."

"Mor...are you knocked up too?" South spat. Carolina nodded. "Well what the hell? Why didn't you say something sooner? I wouldn't have made you do that. Jeez, way to make me feel like an asshole."

"South, it's fine," Carolina chuckled.

"Hey, you, go get her some water," South barked at Palomo who jumped. "Seriously, one of you should've said something to me. I really wouldn't have made you do that if you were feeling sick."

"Wow South, I didn't think you'd care this much," Wash mumbled.

"Shut up asshole. I'm not as cold-hearted as everyone says I am," South spat. She looked down at Carolina, "Puke on him again, please. He deserves it."

Carolina gave a soft laugh, "I didn't say anything because I felt fine when we started. It wasn't until halfway through that it hit." She looked over the rest of the recruits, "York was waiting for me to tell him it was ok before announcing it. I'm three weeks behind Emma. That's why so many people have been rotating in and out of class and why I haven't sparred with anyone."

"Honestly ma'am, we figured something of the sort," Trevor shrugged. "We just was waiting for you to confirm it."

"Glad you're all so observant," Carolina chuckled. She patted Wash's knee, "See, we're good teachers."

"Apparently," Wash smirked.

"Son, just let the girls go for the night," George chuckled as he caught York attempting to phone in. "Things aren't going to fall apart if you're not there for a night."

"What can I say, I'm whipped and paranoid," York huffed pushing his helmet aside. "Where's Grey at?"

"Inside. Sent me to come get something," George shrugged.

"What's that?"

"Something called dop-ted..."

"What's a 'dop-ted'?" York asked before realizing his folly.

"You are!" George cackled smacking York's shoulder. York rolled his eye as he heard Grey cackling before joining them in the room. "Told you I could get him to do it!"

"George, you are fantastic and I love how your brain works," Grey giggled sitting down with them.

"Trust me, growing up with him makes it not so funny after so many years," York grumbled. He stood up and walked out to the warthog they had brought and crawled into the seat, pulling out his data-pad before dialing through to home. Carolina answered after a few rings. "Hey there sunshine. Miss me?"

"I don't know," she smirked at him, "the house is awfully quiet. I kinda like it."

"Where's the kid?"

"Bed already," Carolina sighed. "Figured you'd probably be calling at some point so I stayed up just in case. How are things there?"

"Oh one bad dad-joke after another," York groaned running a hand through his hair.

"Did Grey do what she needed?"

"The program's running now. What skip there was in the system earlier is gone, but she wants to stay the night and make sure there are no hiccups before we head back. So now it's a cold, lonely night for me."

"And one big empty bed for me to spread out in," Carolina smirked.

"Yea, yea, don't rub it in," York chuckled. "How was your day?"

"Oh fantastic."

"Really?" York chuckled.

"Oh yes. Ran through Emma's new program with the recruits and then South got mouthy."

"You didn't do anything rash did you..."

"Guilty, but it's not what you think," she said quickly. "All we did was run the course and then I puked on Wash's shoes."

"Well...if you puked on Wash's shoes, than I guess I'll forgive you," York smirked. "You really puked on Wash's shoes?"

"Didn't mean to," he watched her shrug. "Which then led to questions so now South knows and the recruits suspicions confirmed."

"Suspicions?"

"Yup. Not to brag, but apparently we're pretty good teachers." He chuckled at that before he saw her yawn.

"Well, as much as I want to keep talking to you, you and the squirt need to go to sleep."

"You need to think of a better nickname," she rolled her eyes.

"I can certainly work on it," he nodded. "Got plenty of time."

"Sure," she sighed. "Call me when you head back tomorrow."

"And now I'm being told to call? You must miss me."

"Shut up." He gave her a wink. "I love you. So does Ally."

"And I love you and Ally and the squirt."

"New nickname."

"I'll put it on the honey-do list," he chuckled. "Good night, Lina."

"Night."