A/N: I just posted Chapter 37. Then I was editing this chapter and decided to post one more.

I have 44 chapters written so far which I'm rereading to edit. I have so many more that need to be written in order to complete this story. Wondering if I should break-up the story into a Sequel or continue it as one long saga. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for your continued readership and reviews.

Chapter 38

Her words were initially met by total silence. The Masters looked around at each other looks of confusion clearly evident on their faces. This was something they were not expecting.

Standing up, Stratos came to stand directly next to Teela demanding, "Skeletor raped you?!" which would be the only logical reason for Teela's pregnancy.

Looking up at him, she clarified "He didn't touch me."

"Why are you covering for him Teela, what is he holding over you?", Mekanek asked coming to the same conclusion as Stratos. Both men new Teela was not in a relationship with anyone. They couldn't fathom how the woman who declined all suitors would end up carrying a child.

"Mek, I'm trying to explain to you that Skeletor has nothing to do with this."

"So how are your pregnant, Tteela?", Ram-Man asked his stuttering becoming more pronounced after her unexpected revelation.

Turning to the gentle giant Teela addressed him, "The way every woman can get pregnant."

"Who is the father?", Buzz-Off addressed the elephant in the room.

"Is he going to marry you?", Ram-Man asked always ready to act the gallant gentleman.

"He is not claiming the child as he own?", asked Stratos as he flew around the room.

"What does your father have to say about this?" asked Mekaneck reaching a gentle hand out to her.

The Master's questions bombarded Teela like ricocheting bullets, without giving her a chance to respond. They were all extremely angry that someone would use Teela like that. They couldn't fathom who the father was. They understood now her reasoning for not accepting her position back. How could she lead the guards or fight against Skeletor if she was carrying a child?

Teela remained quiet not answering any of their questions until the Masters stopped speaking. After several moments, Ram-Man also put a hand on her shoulder stating "Tteela you have to tell us who the father is, we'll make him marry you." Turning to the rest of the men in the room he asked, "Won't we?"

All of the Masters nodded their heads in earnest. They would make this scoundrel marry their Captain no matter what.

Standing up, the ex-captain addressed these men whom she regarded as family. "That won't be necessary, the man who fathered my child doesn't know that I'm ..."

Teela's reply was cut short as the door to the dining room was pulled open. Turning to view the intruder, the Master's sighed a relief as He-Man walked in. As one they sat back down, quiet now that their leader had joined them. They would have He-Man beat the father of Teela's child into submission, until he agreed to make a proper lady of her.

He-Man and Teela stood facing each other, she refusing to make eye-contact. The silence in the room was palatable. Teela didn't know if he heard her. She hoped against all odds that he hadn't. 'What is He doing here?', she wondered. 'I purposefully asked to meet with the Masters today because I knew Adam had to attend a private breakfast with his family.' His unexpected arrival made her heart stop. She wasn't ready to let him in on her secret.

Stealing a look in his direction, she noticed that he was quietly studying her. Taking a breath, she turned around to address the Masters. "I'm sorry, but I just remembered I have an appointment I must keep", Teela uttered one of Adam's favorite excuses before he typically disappeared.

As Teela walked past Grayskull's Warrior, he stepped in her way. Inclining his head he addressed her, "Leaving so soon, Captain", his voice devoid of any emotions making Teela think he hadn't heard her.

With eyes downcast she nodded her response before attempting to sidestep around him. He wasn't having it.

Grabbing her wrist he stated in a voice she never heard before, "I heard you were going to share with the Masters why you resigned your position and why you won't accept it back." "Did I miss, it?"

Before giving her a chance to respond, Ram-Man interjected. "Teela has a real problem, He-Man." "We all think you can solve it."

Continuing to hold her by the wrist, slightly increasing his pressure to ensure she didn't leave, He-Man asked "How may I be of assistance?", as Teela vehemently shook her head hoping that Ram-Man wouldn't reveal the truth. "You promised!", she mouthed silently.

"Teela is pregnant and the man who fathered the baby is refusing to marry her!", Ram-Man explained, regretting that he had to betray Teela's trust but knowing it was absolutely necessary.

Once the words were uttered, Teela plopped into a nearby chair unsure what to do know that the 'cat was out of the box' as Queen Marlena would say. She couldn't believe Ram-Man had just disclosed her secret.

The usually stoic Warrior visibly stumbled backwards at Ram-Man's words, shocking the Masters with his reaction. In all the years they knew him, they had never seen him have a physical reaction to surprises.

He-Man couldn't move, he couldn't even take a breath. When Teela had first let him know she had figured out his secret, he felt as if a sword had pierced him. Ram-Man's words made him feel like an elephant crushed his chest.

'Was it true?', he thought to himself. Looking around the room at all the concerned gazes directed his way, He-Man did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed Teela around the waist, flung her over his shoulder and walked out of the dining room.

To her utter dismay and to the Master's disbelief.

Slung over his shoulder, Teela yelled expletives to get him to release her. She punched, kicked, and pulled his hair; however, he kept walking. He was oblivious to the fact that Teela was pummeling his shoulders, her fists feeling like gnats on his back. He was vaguely aware of the Masters following them out of the dining room and were pleading with him to put her down safely, lest her frantic actions hurt the unborn child. He-Man was not letting her go until they were alone.

Coming in front of a pantry he sometimes used to transform, he flung the door open and deposited Teela on the floor. Quickly slamming the door behind him, he turned to face the Masters.

"None of you are to disturb us", he commanded. The seriousness of his voice demanding utter respect. No one dared defy him.

Before he re-opened the door Stratos asked, "Do you know who this man is, He-Man?" the telltale signs of their actions and the history of their flirting giving away their secret, but he wanted confirmation.

Looking him dead in the eye he responded "I am", as he too entered the pantry and slammed the door behind him.

Switching the lights on, He-Man sat down next to Teela on the floor.

Several long silent moments passed as the two shaken warriors sat on the cold pantry floor. Each silently hoped that the other would talk first, both afraid to make the first move.

"Tee…" "Are you really pregnant?", He-Man asked after bringing his emotions under control.

She refused to answer him.

"This isn't about you and me anymore, Teela." "I'm asking you again, are you pregnant?", all traces of his Grayskull persona gone. This was her childhood friend, her future King asking.

Standing up, she attempted to somersault over his shoulder and to freedom. His hands shot out like torpedoes stopping her in midair. Bringing her struggling body down against his, He-Man wrapped his legs and arms around her ensuring no escape, placing her possessively to sit in his lap.

"Let go of me!", she demanded as she intensified her struggles.

"Not until you calm down and answer me", he said without preamble.

Dropping her head back to rest it upon his shoulder she stilled her body. Closing her eyes she pleaded with him once again, "Please let go of me."

"I can't." "I don't trust you Teela." "Why didn't you tell me?", he asked softly.

"I didn't know how", she answered timidly unable to keep the truth from him any longer.

Her response earned her release. Pushing himself up to a standing position, he offered her his hand to pull her up against him. Standing up, she turned away from him wrapping her arms around her mid-section. She couldn't stop trembling. This had gone all wrong. She had planned what she would reveal to the Masters and how. Then she planned on returning to her rooms to await her father so that they would travel to Grayskull together. She wanted a chance to talk to the Sorceress and to her father first, to inform them of her pregnancy before Adam found out.

"You could have come to me." "You could have told me yesterday", he answered for her.

"I didn't want you to know yet", she informed him.

"Why not?"

"I don't know what to do about the baby and I'm petrified", she answered honestly.

Confused by her answer he asked, "What do you mean do about it?" "We'll marry and I'm going to claim it as my own."

"I didn't even say if it's yours", she responded with haste, angry that he assumed she would just marry him.

"It's mine", he growled.

"Don't be so sure." "I've been away from you a long time." "It could be anyone's", she shot back.

He-Man knew that could be true but he was unable to believe it. Grabbing her by the shoulder he forcibly turned her around refusing to continue having this conversation while looking at her back.

"Teela, the child is mine", he stated with confidence. "Admit it."

"I'm not marrying you", she spat at him.

"Yes, you are Teela." "Enough is enough." "I made the mistake of not coming after you when you ran away." "I thought we could work things out between us, once you had time to think things over and get over your anger." "I realize now, I was wrong." "I won't continue making mistakes when it comes to you." "I'm going to go speak to our fathers right now", he uttered as he opened the pantry's door taking a step outside.

"No you are not!", she yelled at him as she clutched her abdomen. Teela felt an intense pain roll over her body. Before she knew what she was doing, she extended both arms outwards releasing a force-field effectively trapping them both inside the pantry.

Turning his head, He-Man stared astoundingly at her outstretched hands. Facing forward, he walked to the barrier pulling forth his sword, as he called out to her "Are you doing this?"

"I think so", she answered truthfully and a little scared. Teela had only had magical powers once, when she covered for the Sorceress in her absence after receiving tutelage from the Spirit of Grayskull. She didn't know she could use magic again.

"Let me pass, Teela", He-Man demanded. Looking at the force-field He-Man finally had his answer as to who was blocking his telepathic connection with the Sorceress on the night they spend in the cave. It was obviously Teela, who seemed to be able to tap into her innate magical powers. He wondered if the Sorceress had also figured it out.

"I can't let you go speak to your father." "You can't tell him the truth." "He'll force us to marry", she pleaded.

"So the child is mine?", he asked.

"Yes", she responded before continuing, "I won't have it."

Her words were harsher for him to deal with, then when she had slapped him.

"What does that mean?", he asked angrily.

"I think you understand, He-Man." "I don't have to have the child." "It'll solve our problems."

"You would abort my child, the next heir to the Throne?", he asked unable to believe his ears.

"It'll be better than you revealing this to the King."

Dropping his sword, He-Man walked slowly toward her. Reaching out he grabbed her head with both hands, raising her face to look deep into her eyes. "You are not having an abortion, Teela." "You know the oath I took to preserve all life." "I won't let you take this child away from me."

Without giving her an opportunity to argue, he released her, bend down to retrieve his sword, and turned to face the barrier. Touching its tip to the force-field he yelled "By the Power of Grayskull", knowing that the magic that empowered him could easily disintegrate any force-field. Teela watched as her attempt to block his exist was sucked up into his sword. Sheathing it back inside his scabbard, He-Man walked out of the pantry to the astonished looks from the Masters.

Having no other choice, Teela ran after him, desperately calling for him to stop. Seeing some of her most trusted guards, she addressed them in her authoritarian Captain's voice.

"Arrest He-Man, he is a threat to the Crown", she commanded.

The guards who were used to receiving commands from her instantly did her bidding, despite the fact that she no longer commanded them, because they were trained to take all threats to the Crown seriously. Throwing themselves onto his back they tried to wrestle him to the ground. Valiantly they tried to succeed; however, He-Man was relentless in his need to speak to the King.

The Master's watched the exchange in a dreamlike state. Unsure who to help, they watched He-Man deftly fling the guards off his body. Reaching out he grabbed the door leading to the King's conference room, effortlessly ripping it off its hinges.

The King and those present all stood up surprised at the interruption. Duncan instantly threw himself in front of his Sovereigns shielding them with his own body. He saw his daughter running into the conference room, tears running down her face. She was yelling at He-Man to stop, leaving Duncan to wonder what this was all about.

Realizing that he was not being attacked, the King pushed Duncan out of the way to address the newcomers.

"Teela, He-Man what is the meaning of this?", he asked as he looked behind them to see the Masters running up after them. The King also saw the unconscious Royal Guards littering the Palace Hallway.

Adora who was present studied her twin. He-Man was barely controlling himself, his massive chest heaving heavily with every breath. The scene before her was almost comical, had it not been for the intensity of emotion written on He-Man's face. He had interrupted the private breakfast between herself, her parents, and Sea Hawk. They were using this time to finalize details of the support the King would send to Etheria. Adam had also been present until a few moments before. He had come to her earlier in the morning, asking her to cover for him during the breakfast, informing her he couldn't stay for its entirety . He shared with her that Teela was going to disclose the reason for her resignation to the Masters. Knowing how important this was to her brother, Adora had agreed to cover for him. She figured she had told them and her brother now knew the truth. Adora wondered what Teela had disclosed. She had her own suspicions regarding why Teela stayed away from the Palace and why she refused reinstatement of her position. Teela had not had one sip of alcohol last night and Adora knew what that meant.

Looking over to her betrothed and mother, she realized that they were both standing exchanging concerned looks. Making eye contact with Hawk she tilted her head indicating that she wanted to speak with him.

Sea Hawk understood her signal and walked over to her. "What's going on, Adora?", he asked.

"I think it's time you and I left", she answered unsure of what would follow and wanting to give her brother some privacy.

Before they could leave, Adora heard Duncan addressing Teela.

"Daughter, please answer the King", he commanded.

As she opened her mouth to speak, He-Man stepped forward addressing the King.

"Your Majesty, I need to speak with you and Duncan alone", as he kept his gaze steady on both men.

Grabbing him by the arm, Teela attempted to pull him out the door yelling "Don't do this." "You know what this will mean?"

Looking down at her He-Man spoke, "I have to." "You are leaving me with no choice."

Stepping forward, the King placed a hand on He-Man's other arm as he asked, "What is it you have to say, Valiant Warrior."

"He-Man, please", Teela pleaded with him again. "Don't."

"Teela, allow He-Man to answer the King", her father requested also interested in what was going on. Off course, he had no idea the shock that would shortly be delivered to his system.

Running up to her father, she threw herself into his arms. "Daddy, please don't let him do this?"

Seeing the anguish on the younger woman's face, Queen Marlena walked over to her. Duncan placed his daughter into the open arms of the Queen's embrace before walking over to the disguised Prince.

"He-Man….", he called.

With a hard stare in Teela's direction He-Man addressed all those present. "Your Majesties, Teela is pregnant."

All eyes shot to his and then to Teela. When Teela heard him state her secret, she burrowed her head deeper into the Queen's chest. Quickly overcoming her shock, the Queen covered Teela's head with her hand signaling to her daughter to bring a chair. Gingerly sitting down, she wrapped her arms around Teela's shaking frame as she stared at her 'son'. She calmly stroked the hair of the woman she know knew was carrying her grandchild.

Duncan was the first to come out of his stupor. "You've impregnated my daughter", he stated as he cocked and aimed his wrist laser at him.

Slowly turning his head to face his incensed mentor, He-Man gave a single nod of his head.

"Dear Ancients", Duncan exclaimed as he too took a seat; however, he didn't lower his hands from aiming at Grayskull's Defender. 'What had they done?', he thought to himself. They had no idea what this meant for Eternia.

"He-Man, is this true?", the King asked surprise evident in his voice.

"Yes, Sir." "Teela is carrying my child", He-Man stated with finality.

"When did this happen?", his father asked.

"The day Teela exploded the Goblin Gate", Grayskull's Warrior clarified.

"You saved her that day, isn't that right?", the High King asked remembering Teela's account of what happened after the mesatronic bomb exploded.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Did you rape her?", the King asked remembering Teela's usage of the word 'traumatized' when she asked to resign.

A loud groan was heard coming from the Queen. Her face quickly contorting with anger she admonished her husband, "Randor, he didn't rape her', without giving He-Man a chance to reply to the King. 'How could he think that our son would rape someone?', she thought.

"How do you know that Marlena?" "Teela said she was 'traumatized'", the King threw back at her. "What else could it be, can't you see she is still so shocked by what happened she is shaking?"

"Randor, trust me." "It wasn't rape", the Queen stated unsure how to proceed unwilling to disclose her children's secret.

"I don't believe it." Turning to his most trusted advisor the Monarch asked "Duncan, by your response it seems like you were aware that He-Man and your daughter were intimate!" "Why hadn't you come to me?"

"Yes King Randor, I was", he answered stoically shocking all those present. He couldn't answer the King's second question. What was he supposed to tell him, that his 'son' had fornicated with his daughter?

"Do you demand retribution?", the King offered his best friend, still thinking that Teela was taken by force.

Jumping out of the Queen's embrace Teela addressed her father, "Dad please don't, just let it be."

"Teela I understand you want to cover for He-Man, but if he raped you, you and your father have the right to press charges and seek retribution."

Lowering her eyes to the ground she responded, "He didn't rape me, Your Majesty." She said, "I was a willing participant in what happened between us", unwilling to have anymore misconceptions regarding her pregnancy.

"Are you sure, Teela?", he asked. "He may be Eternain's Champion, but you are the daughter of my best friend and a Lady of the Court." "You deserve my protection darling", the King stated.

"Yes, Your Majesty", Teela answered humbled that the King would offer his protection. She didn't think he would be so forgiving or accommodating if He-Man revealed anything more.

He-Man who had remained silent during this exchange, too shocked after hearing his father ask if it was rape, finally spoke "I swear on the Power of Grayskull that I didn't rape her", validating both Teela's and his mother's statements.

"Given the circumstances, I think it's best you marry." "You have my blessings", the King concluded.

"Randor, it's not that simple", Marlena spoke. The Queen's statement directed all eyes on her.

"Why?", the King asked. Awareness finally clicking he turned to He-Man as he uttered, "Grayskull is preventing this union!"

"No, King Randor." "It's not Grayskull who is standing in our way, but my own father", He-Man filled him in.

"Why would your father be hindering your union?", the King asked perplexed about all the secrecy surrounding this young man.

"He-Man, please don't reveal more." "You can't", Teela cried.

"I have to, Teela." "It's time the truth came out", he stated as he reached behind his back to retrieve his sword.

"Let the Power Return", he yelled instantly transforming to his birth self in front of the astounded look of his father.