Out Of The Darkness

Chapter 36

"Does he know?" Carson whispered with Aimee, keeping his voice low so that Harry didn't overhear anything. He would have been extremely tempted to laugh at Aimee but he had smelt it as soon as Harry had walked into the room, mistakenly for a moment thinking Aimee was pregnant - now that was something nobody wanted mama bear would have blown up if that were true, not to mention her many brothers who were extremely overprotective of her due to the fact she was the only girl - they were nothing on her father though.

"Yes, but he doesn't believe it," Aimee explained, glancing at Harry again, they'd known he wasn't born a woman before Dev even asked, his scent was pure male. When he'd answered there was nothing in his scent that gave away that he was telling a lie, in other words he was being truthful. Hence her decision to bring him here, so Carson could investigate. She hoped nothing happened to Harry, she actually liked him.

"Harry, lie down for me," Carson asked, speaking softly, very different from how was used to dealing with people.

Honestly they were treating him like he was about to explode on them and he had to be treated delicately. It rankled Harry something awful, but he was still too stunned to put up much of a fight - he didn't believe he was pregnant of course, that was just beyond silly, no, something must be wrong with him. He should have expected it, when things go right in his life…something always went wrong. So without an argument or word, Harry sat on the bed that Carson had in his office. His mind was whirling with thoughts on what could be happening. A cancerous tumour? It could be healed well enough, but he'd never ask Ash to do that, he didn't like interfering with things, but he had healed his hand…maybe he would be able to get rid of it on his own.

He was brought out his thoughts when something cold hit his stomach, what the hell? When had he managed to get his t-shirt up without him even realizing it? "Easy, I did warn you that it would be cold." Carson said sounding amused now, as he kept a grip of his shoulder after he jumped at the feeling of the gel on his stomach. Once he was sure Harry wouldn't make a break for it he brought the machine over.

"What is that?" Harry asked, eyeing it suspiciously, he'd seen a lot of Muggle technology but nothing like that - and he'd had no need to.

"It's a machine that allows you to see ultrasounds; this will be the fastest way to see if you are pregnant." Carson announced, "This here I'll put on your stomach and the picture will show up there." he added to the small blank screen on the machine.

"It's a waste of time, I'm a man," Harry muttered petulantly, grousing at the machine as if it was their fault. Obviously the god powers had done something to him or it was just something else…something that just happened to people.

"But we will know for sure, our sense of smell is very accurate, Harry, otherwise we would never have brought it up," Aimee pointed out sombrely. She was feeling overly anxious; with a bit of luck Ash wouldn't come in thinking they were doing anything to his partner. Ash could sense when Harry was feeling anxious, worried, and fearful, he could probably tell Harry was having a breakdown, and he was he didn't understand what was going on any more than they did. Aimee knew should probably wait outside in sanctuary because Ash was guaranteed to show up, but she didn't want to miss this.

Carson refrained from also pointing out the obvious; his sense of smell was greater than the bears, not by much admittedly but still better. He was definitely pregnant; he'd never had to deal with such an instance before, not on a male at any rate. In this world nothing is taken for granted, while they were obviously quite shocked, it wasn't a dumbfounded 'I can't handle this' sort of way. At least not for him, but Harry had only recently found out about the supernatural world, how was he so calm? Other than denying he could be Harry was handling it really well. The machine whirled to life, and Carson pressed the scanner on Harry's stomach and watched the screen intently.

All of them were in fact, neither Were-Hunter was surprised by the shape that began to show on the screen, but Harry squeaked in stunned surprise. It did look as if he was pregnant, but surely there was another explanation surely? "This is impossible!" Harry stated, "Really impossible! I mean how can you be so calm about it? Both of you?"

"We're animals that can turn into humans, Harry; we grew up in a world humans think is impossible, we see new things every day, so this really isn't anything." Aimee said.

"Every day? You spend your lives in a bar!" Harry pointed out, bewildered still staring at the screen.

"It wasn't always that way," Aimee said quietly, thinking back on the harder days of life, this sanctuary was a…heaven for them.

Harry turned to stare at her, sensing he had brought up very harsh memories for her, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have judged," Harry said apologetically, "I'm just…."

"I know, its okay, you didn't know," 'and still don't' Aimee said smiling at him, he was the sweetest guy she'd ever met, he wasn't quite human though, nor was he a god or Dark-Hunter or anything of the supernatural world. He had magic beyond her understanding, could fight like the best of them. Although he wasn't quite so handy with a sword, but if Ash had anything to do with it - he would be a professional by the time he was done.

"It's a boy," Carson said noticing something upon the screen. "You're twenty weeks along," glancing at the slightly distended stomach somewhat stunned. Five months along and he didn't look over two months along. Was it that different with humans? They didn't have multiple babies, could that be why? He wasn't one hundred percent certain. He wasn't used to dealing with human pregnancies he was a vet, he dealt with the Were's. He had a funny feeling that would change.

"Merlin what…" Harry paused hearing 'Sweet home Alabama' blaring through the sanctuary, his lips twitched despite the situation. Remembering the few times he'd actually come in with Ash and how quickly the bar emptied. He could imagine it right now, his tall, powerful hidden god playing Dark-Hunter sauntering through as though he owned the place sunglasses on hiding his eyes, but his presence definitely felt. His stomach clenched just thinking about Ash's reaction though, how the hell would he react to him being pregnant? Pregnant bloody hell, this was all screwed up, if only Apollymi had left him alone he had a feeling none of this would have been happening. Twenty weeks along, five months, it explained the cravings a bit, the sickness and the fact his damn clothes weren't fitting him anymore.

"I'll go," Aimee said, quickly exiting the room.

"Yes, leave me in the deep end," Harry muttered sardonically making Aimee laugh as she closed the door behind her.

"Is it normal for humans not to be showing at five months?" Carson asked, he wasn't used to dealing with humans…if they could call Harry wholly human, so he didn't know.

"Um…I don't know?" Harry said unsurely, "I've never really known anyone pregnant." just the results of it he supposed or seeing them in passing but nobody in his personal life had been pregnant. Well obviously Tonks had been pregnant but he hadn't actually seen her, just told by Remus when he was filled with loathing and self-doubt thinking his son would have his curse. His eyes despite talking to Carson were fixed firmly on the screen where his son - his son! Was pictured. There was life growing inside of him, that depended on him, Merlin help him, he'd never expected to have a child of his own, with his sexual preferences it hadn't exactly been something possible.

"I see," Carson replied he would need to get some books then. Printing the picture off, he began to wipe the gel from Harry's stomach and absently put his t-shirt back down. "Here you go." he added, giving him the picture. A boy, he was having a son thought Harry his mind trying to come to grips with his recent reality. This wasn't going to be easy on Ash…the last boy had been his nephew…a boy he had adored and would have gone to hell and back for. Out of all the things he'd done in life…Harry felt like his was one of the most terrifying thing he'd had to endure…and worse he was going to have to explain to Ash when he himself had no clue how it happened never mind how to explain it.

Then his time was up, Ash was standing at the door a concerned look concealed on his face. Only Harry realized how worried he was, everyone else who didn't know him well probably saw someone who was impassive or just generally unbothered. Ash rarely showed his true self in public, he'd built up so many shields Harry often wondered how the hell he'd gotten passed all the barriers he'd put up. Not that he'd ever question it, he loved Ash, everything about him, absolutely everything, and he would spend his life proving it to him.

"I'll just leave you two alone," Carson said, quickly exiting the room, somehow managing to get around Ash's extremely tall broad form. Holding off on getting any books until Ash and Harry decided what they wanted to do. He suspected heavily though that he would be responsible for Harry throughout the duration of his pregnancy. Harry hadn't displayed any signs of aversion to being pregnant.

"Are you alright?" Ash asked, his inscrutable mask fading into a look of genuine concern, his eyes, they always revealed his real feelings. He glanced briefly at the paper in Harry's hands wondering if that was the cause of his turbulent emotions, he was pretty sure Harry had gone through every possible emotion conceivable in five short minutes; the most discernable of them all was panic, worry and concern.

Harry moved to sit up, his legs dangling over the bed, his mind reeling, trying to find a way to explain it to Ash. "I um…really don't know," his voice sounded a bit dazed.

Now Ash was getting even more concerned, Harry never had trouble telling him anything, well perhaps except about his godson as if he'd feared that he would judge him for it. Moving beside him, his mercury eyes seeing the paper up close and realizing it wasn't paper but a photo, a photo of a foetus. An unborn child. He said nothing, a few thoughts going through his mind but he refused to give them credence.

Harry straightened himself up, "It's our son, and I'm pregnant. I don't know how…but I'm pregnant." he told Ash straight. "It isn't possible in my world…"

"Nor in ours," Ash muttered his eyes astonishingly wide, his eyes filtering back down to the scan. This had not been on the list of ideas running through his mind when he'd seen it.

"Could having your mum's powers have caused this?" Harry asked quietly, "I mean is it normal for men to get powers from a goddess?"

"I have never heard of it," Ash said slowly, and if he said something you best take his word for it, he had been alive for a very, very long time and that was putting it mildly.

Harry chuckled suddenly, shaking his head, "That's why my magic has been funky, the outburst I felt when I said it wasn't my magic…it wasn't…and it might not be me that can suddenly heal either…the baby could be doing it." to think he'd been proud of himself, a sigh left his lips, things had just gotten extremely complicated. He had half hoped that men being able to conceive was at least somewhere in history that it had happened maybe just not very often. "I mean do they do magic in the womb?"

"I have no idea," Ash admitted, and he didn't, he didn't exactly spend time around the gods, he wasn't welcome. Artemis had gotten pregnant with his daughter Kat and he had been completely oblivious to the fact. Tried to give him her without telling him anything, while he was grieving for the loss of his nephew, the only person who had loved him unconditionally in his life until now. He had only found out recently, as much as he wanted to hate his mother and Simi for concealing it from him, he blamed the person truly responsible for it. Artemis.

"You are calm…too calm," Harry murmured staring up at Ash, summoning his glasses a smile spreading out on his face, there, that was better it faded away just as quickly. "I know this must be hard for you, especially a son…after what happened to Apollodorus, I'd rather know what you really feel." he felt Ash tense just at the mere mention of the little boy. Harry pressed his head against Ash's chest, Apollodorus' death had destroyed Ash for the longest time, and part of Ash had died with the little boy. "I'm five months along, four months left…but how the hell does it…he come out?" panic was now beginning to get the better of him.

"Carson might be better quipped at answering those questions," Ash replied, one hand carding through Harry's thick tresses and the other grabbed his sunglasses, he was inwardly a mass of panic himself. He didn't want to see Harry in pain, and he also didn't want anything to happen to him. He had so many questions he needed answers too, his Matera might be the best one to go to for answers regarding a few things. At least he had told Kat everything, and she had been so happy for him, it eased a weight inside him. Then he'd felt Harry and he'd rushed right to Sanctuary to make sure he was safe. Half expecting him to be sitting or standing in the bar with a cocky grin and him having overreacted, but when he wasn't he got worried again only for Aimee to tell him Harry was at Carson's. Knowing he couldn't heal himself he had quickly made his way to the office. Slipping his sunglasses on, he left Harry alone for a moment to hunt the Were down.

Once again cursing the fact that Harry was somehow in his blind spot when he wanted to know more than ever the outcome of what was to pass. As soon as he had spoken to Carson and his Matera he was going straight to Savitar, Savitar was older than him maybe he had heard of something that may help.

I know I'm horrible for making you all wait, I'll try and get this story finished, hurry it along, since there's only really two main important parts left to go, the muse isnt strong on this one and I feel as though the chapter runs short, that there's just something missing from it. Ah i might be able to figure it out in time for the next chapter I'm really sorry for making everyone wait...i was tempted to delete some of the chapters and give it the ending i was supposed to but i can't im too fond of it despite the fact the muses aren't strong on it anymore. I hope regardless you're all satisfied with it. Also I really didn't mean to leave it hanging on a cliffhanger enjoy the chapter R&R