"Okay, how much chocolate sauce do you want in this bite?" Kayla asked. "I think I'll give you a lot to thank you for the cherry that was in my last spoonful."

"Sounds good to me," Kai smiled. "Thank you!" They were sharing a large sundae and relaxing on the one of the couches in Selina and Elijah's living room. He opened up and Kayla stuck the spoon in his mouth. Then he put a bit of ice cream piled high with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles on his spoon, and gave it to Kayla, who made a face before swallowing.

"What?" Kai asked.

"That was mostly a spoonful of whipped cream that I wasn't expecting," Kayla explained. "Not that I'm complaining though; it was still good."

"Good," Kai smiled. "Well, that's good," he said. Then gave her a long look and brushed some of her hair out of her eyes, clearing his throat. "I have something I want to say...and I've been meaning to say it for a long time, but because of how things are between me and your dad, I've waited."

Kayla shrugged. "Whatever it is you want to say, you might as well say it now. He tolerates you because of what happened with Eloise and I think that's as good as it's gonna get. So what do you have to say to me?"

"Well," Kai cleared his throat again. "Well, I was thinking...feel free to say 'No', but, um, I thought that maybe, well, you and I could...I mean, if you wanted to...maybe you could come spend the night at my house sometimes?"

"What?" Kayla asked in a hushed voice. "What did you say?"

"It can only be on the weekends, of course, if you think that being at my house full time is too much," Kai quickly backpedaled. "Maybe leave a toothbrush at my place and I'll come get you on Friday nights, so we can..."

Kayla's jaw dropped as she started to piece together in her mind what he was asking. "You sweet, adorable man!" She grabbed Kai's face and gave him a big kiss. "Are you really asking me to move in with you?"

Kai smiled and flushed deeply. "Well, we could start with just weekends..." he repeated. "If it would help your father get used to the change."

Kayla let out a happy screech. "I can't believe you're asking me to move in with you! But...are you absolutely sure? I eat a lot."

Kai shrugged. "I have food. I can always get more. Don't worry about it."

"And I'll leave all my girly stuff like my underwear and my bra and my razors and stuff everywhere. Does that bother you?"

Kai winked and grinned. "Do you promise about the underwear?"

Kayla laughed and smiled, and then straddled him. "Oh, Kai! You're marvelous!"

"I suppose I am," Kai returned. Then they began making out, their lips touching each other's necks, cheeks, ears, and everything they could reach. Then Kayla felt Kai undo her zipper. "Should I?" He panted.

"Yes, please," she breathed. "Yes!"

He touched her until they heard the clearing of a throat that made them freeze. Then, over Kayla's shoulder, Kai saw Elijah, arms crossed and glaring at both of them.

"And just what," he asked, "do you think you are doing, Parker?"

At this, Kai and Kayla clumsily untangled themselves from each other and righted their clothes, with Kayla taking special care to do up her zipper without looking her father in the eye.

Since he had started this, Kai spoke first. "We were, I mean...I..."

"No need to explain what you and my daughter were doing, Parker," Elijah snapped. "Even a fool could have figured it out without an explanation!"

"Yes, sir," Kai continued resolutely, doing his best to stay respectful and not make the situation worse. "But if I may...if you would just let me explain..."

"No, I won't," Elijah cried and wagged a finger at him. "You rescuing Eloise showed me that you're not entirely up to no good, but don't push your luck. I've still got my eye on you! And with good reason, apparently."

"Of course not, sir," Kai nodded. "No luck pushing here!"

"But Daddy, we were just-" Kayla began, hoping her father would respond better if she was the one doing the talking.

"What's going on in here?" Selina asked as she came upon them, causing both Kai and Kayla to let out a sigh of relief. She looked back and forth between Elijah and the pair on the couch and gave her husband a look. "Okay, what are you bothering them about now? Do I seriously have to watch you every minute so these two can have peace and quiet?"

"They were making out on the sofa, Selina!" Elijah cried, his voice full of outrage. Then it softened as he got closer to her. "And I think they were even...touching each other!"

Selina couldn't help but laugh at her husband's scandalized look. "I should have known that's what this is about!"

"Well, they won't listen to me, so would you please reiterate the rules of the house to them?" Elijah asked.

"Okay, kids," Selina said. "Remember, if you're gonna have sex, do it in your bedroom so you don't mess up the furniture cause that makes Elijah very unhappy. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Kai replied as he and Kayla jumped up from the sofa.

"And don't forget to use condoms!" Selina yelled after them as they ran for the stairs.

"That was close!" Kayla whispered loudly. "Thank goodness for my mom!"

Then Selina turned to her very sour-looking husband. "Well, that worked itself out nicely, I think!"

"Those aren't the house rules, Selina!" Elijah snapped after pulling her into the kitchen. "And you know it!"

"They're my house rules," Selina replied. "Yours are dumb and will just lead to more trouble. Kai and Kayla aren't babies and we don't need to micromanage their lives. I think we should trust that they understand the consequences of what will happen if you're not careful when you have sex."

"Well, why should they worry about that at all?" Elijah asked. "If there are consequences, we'll be the ones dealing with them! It's already happened once!"

"Kayla and Kai are a much less emotionally fraught couple than Scott and Sophia," Selina told him. "I'm sure that if they ended up having a kid, they would pull together and deal with it themselves. Now would you just relax?"

"How can I, knowing what you let them do upstairs?" Elijah asked.

"Try not to think about it," Selina said.

There was a burst of loud laughter and Elijah shut his eyes tight. "Okay, but it's going to be very, very difficult."

After finishing his day at the tattoo parlor, Ricky had just reached his car and was about to unlock it when his phone rang. When he saw who it was, he immediately stopped fiddling with the car door, and put the phone to his ear. "Hello, Remiel. Why haven't you called me yet today? I was beginning to feel like you didn't care."

"Well, who says I have to call you every day?" Remiel asked. "A bit needy if you ask me. And I'm calling you now, so stop fussing!"

"I just meant that when you called me every other day this week, it's been a lot earlier," Ricky explained. Then he grinned widely. "What were you doing before you called me? Were you in the shower?"

"As a matter of fact, I was, since apparently being clean is so important here."

"Well, lucky shower," Ricky told her. "I wish I could have been there. I would have helped you. I'm very good at helping in the shower."

Remiel looked down at her belly and set a hand on it. "I don't think I need that sort of help from you anymore, thank you. And screw you if you say anything more about it!"

"All right, all right, sorry," Ricky told her, then paused. "So..." He said after a few seconds of silence. "How are you feeling? Any better?"

"Yes, thank you," Remiel replied. "Much better. I think everyone was right about the tea and soup being good for me in this body."

"Good, good!" Ricky told her. "So...now that you're better, I was thinking..."

"Don't think!" Remiel snapped. "I have things on my mind that are more important than whatever you're thinking. Do you think your grandparents will mind if I come and stay at your ranch?"

"Oh, you want me to think after you told me not to, how funny!"

"Ricky, I mean it!" Remiel snapped. "Please be serious. Can I come or not?"

Ricky chuckled. "First you call me every day and now you want to move in with me? You better stop or I might think you like me or something!"

"I could stop very easily!" Remiel returned, although she was sure that he wouldn't believe her.

"Sure you could!" Ricky said. "I bet it would be real easy for you."

"Ricky would you just answer the question?" Remiel asked. "I have to come anyway, but I'd like to have your family's permission before I show up."

"Well, you have my permission," Ricky assured her. "Isn't that enough? And I'm sure that they won't mind at all. My grandmother is very into collecting wayward souls and helping them out. I'll give them a call to be sure though, so that when you show up, they won't be shocked."

"Thank you," Remiel said. "I appreciate it."

"You're welcome," Ricky returned. "So...other than you being sick for a week, anything big happen in your life?"

"Oh, the usual," Remiel told him. "Eleanor and my brother have parted ways, demons are walking the Earth, and we have absolutely no idea what the state of Hell is at the moment."

"The usual?" Ricky repeated. "Really? Are you serious? No need to worry at all?"

"Not more than usual," Remiel confirmed.

"Well, okay," Ricky got out. "No wonder you want peace and quiet somewhere other than your brother's house."

"Good," Remiel told him. "See you later."

She hung up then and Ricky looked at his phone in surprise. "You're welcome!" He yelled at it. "And I like you too!" He then threw his phone in his car with a roll of his eyes, and drove home to tell his grandparents about their guest.

"You know, Kai, a blueberry pie was such a good idea for dessert," Selina remarked. "Thank you so much for suggesting it. And thank you even more for helping with both dessert and dinner. You're a guest; you didn't really have to."

"I know, but...I like spending time around good company, so any excuse to stay a little longer..." Kai said, taking some flour from the bag and throwing it at Kayla's face.

"Hey!" She said with a giggle before promptly returning the favor. "What did you do that for?"

"Don't know," Kai shrugged and winked. "Felt like it."

"I'm gonna get you so bad!" Kayla narrowed her eyes and grabbed the spray nozzle out of the sink.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Selina said. "Put the nozzle down! Don't soak my kitchen! If you want to goof around, stick with the flour and the whipped cream, okay?"

"Okay," Kayla sighed and put the nozzle back. "Sorry, Mom." She paused. "Do you need me to get the eggs now?"

"Yes, please," Selina nodded. "I think this crust is gonna be marvelous, if I do say so myself."

As Kayla went to get the eggs, Selina cleared her throat. "Remiel is coming to stay with us for a while because things have gotten chaotic at her brother's house and she wants some peace and quiet."

"Are you sure Ricky didn't invite her to come stay because he's in love with her?" Kayla questioned and then made kissing noises. "Cause I really mean it, he is in love!"

"Well, I don't know," Selina told her. "But let's let him decide that for himself, shall we?"

Just then, Elijah came into the kitchen with paper in hand, then looked back and forth between Kayla, whose bent over posture made her bottom very visible, and Kai, who was trying very hard not to stare, and narrowed his eyes. "What are you still doing here?" He asked.

"We are making a pie for dessert," Kai told him. "Blueberry."

"And?" Elijah pressed, knowing there had to be more.

"Daddy!" Kayla warned. "Kai is being very helpful with dinner. Please don't bother him."

Elijah narrowed his eyes. "Kayla, I think I have been very generous in allowing him to stay here as long as he has without complaining, especially after that shameless display I witnessed on the sofa earlier today."

"He's my guest," Selina said. "I invited him to eat with us and if you have a problem with that then you can go on your way. I'll even make you up a plate so you can eat in your office. I think that would be more pleasant for you and for the rest of us."

Elijah ignored this and locked eyes with Kayla. "What did you say about Ricky being in love? Please don't tell me more trouble is on the way."

"No, it's just that Remiel is coming to stay with us so she can have some peace and quiet in the country after all the craziness at her house," Selina explained. "Ricky, being the sweet young man he is, offered it to her, and Kayla believes it's cause he's in love with her." She paused. "You aren't gonna make a fuss about that too, are you?"

"No, no!" Elijah grinned. "I'm actually looking forward to meeting the young woman."

"How come you're excited to see her and not me?" Kai asked as he helped Kayla with the crust.

"Are you really asking that question, Parker?" Elijah asked through his teeth.

"No, no," Kai shook his head. "No, I'm not. Never mind."

"That's what I thought," Elijah replied, then grabbed a handful of extra blueberries from the bag and gave Selina a kiss. "I'm off to my office. If any taste-testing needs to be done, will you let me know?"

"Sure," Selina replied. "Of course I will."

Remiel approached the main house, took a deep breath, and hoped that she would be well enough not to throw up on whoever answered the door. Since she was being forced on these people, she wanted to make a good impression.

She knocked and waited, hoping that Ricky really had told them she was coming. Then the door opened and she found herself face to face with someone magnificent. It wasn't just that he was aesthetically pleasing but...as her eyes roamed over him, she saw that he had the build of a warrior.

"Hello," he said warmly. "I'm Elijah. Are you Remiel?"

"I think so," Remiel nodded. "I mean, I...um...yes," she nodded. "I...suppose I am. I'm expected, aren't I? You...you were told I was coming here?"

"Of course you were expected," Elijah assured her. "I'll get your things and if you'll go inside, my wife will make sure you have a nice warm..." He trailed off as Remiel grabbed her bags without another word and went inside ahead of him. "Or you could just take them yourself."

Then she stopped, her bags thudding on the floor. "Sorry. Was I supposed to let you carry those?"

"No, no, it's fine," Elijah assured her and shut the door behind him. "I'll take them to your room now." He paused. "If you want, you can ask my wife..." he trailed off again, biting his lip on a smile as he noticed Remiel was already making his way toward Selina, who was grinning and holding out some cocoa with a big marshmallow on top. "Hello, I'm Remiel," she greeted.

"I'm sure you had a long trip," Selina said. "Can I get you something to eat or drink? What about this cup of cocoa? I made it before you came and I hope that wasn't too presumptuous of me."

Remiel nodded but her eyes were now on Kai and Kayla, who were sitting nearby. They were eating pretzels and popcorn and had several other dirty plates beside them.

"Who are those two?" She asked Selina as she rubbed her hands nervously. Suddenly, she wasn't really in the mood for cocoa.

"I'll save this for you for later, and maybe add a sandwich," Selina decided. "Or else I'll drink it and make you a fresh one. Cocoa doesn't really last." She was grinning to herself. "If it's something you're worried about, we always have a full kitchen; no one goes hungry here. I'm Selina Warren, by the way. Ricky's grandmother, although you'd never guess it to look at me. I know I don't look a day over twenty five." She winked. "You're a beautiful woman; no wonder my grandson is so taken with you."

"My brother's Selina Warren?" Remiel asked, wide-eyed. "I...I never pictured you like this. Usually people who put so much trust in my brother are...different. I hold you in very high esteem." Then she blushed. "As for Ricky, I don't think he likes me at all. But thanks for saying it."

"I know I seem different than your brother's usual crowd," Selina smiled. "But Lucifer got me through some bad times. I'd still be a big mess if it wasn't for him. I owe him a lot. And thank you so much. It's always nice to know people hold you in high esteem!" Finally deciding it was time for introductions, she pointed at the other pair in the kitchen, who were watching Remiel with interest and chewing loudly, deciding to answer Remiel's earlier question.

"Those two are Kai and Kayla. They'll help you get acclimated."

"I don't like how they look at me as if I'm an animal," Remiel blurted without thinking about it.

"Don't be silly," Selina told her with a laugh. "Kai's the real animal here; he eats all the time." She paused. "Not that that's a bad thing, if you need it."

"Hi," They both said, and Remiel winced as she noticed food in their mouths.

''And thank you, Selina,'' Kai added, smiling.

"Kayla is Ricky's aunt and Kai is Kayla's-"

"Nothing," Elijah interrupted as he came back down. "Kai is nothing to Kayla. You're all settled, Remiel." Then he looked at Selina. "I need to go check on the horses, but I'll be right back."

Remiel rose to her feet. "Th-thank you for being so kind," she said. "You're marvelous...a god like my father, a supreme being!"

"Oh, dear," Selina said, warning in her next words. "I know that's the highest praise you can give someone, but really, all it's gonna do is inflate his ego!"

As if to prove her point, Elijah caught her eye and smirked. "Did you hear that, Selina? I'm like a supreme being!"

"I really wish you would have thought of another name for him," Selina sighed and rolled her eyes. He was probably gonna start making her call him that in bed now.

"Excuse me, my dear," Elijah told her as he moved to stand behind Remiel. "But if this young lady wants to call me a supreme being, why can't she?"

"Because I said so," Selina snapped. Then, to take her revenge, she turned back to Remiel. "Kai is really Kayla's boyfriend," she said in a loud whisper. "It's just that Elijah doesn't like to think about that."

"Hello," Remiel greeted Kai and Kayla, who smiled back, waved, and then returned to eating.

The door opened then, and Ricky smiled at Remiel before slamming it shut. "I'm here!" He announced.

But everyone ignored him and Remiel even avoided his eyes and moved closer to Selina.

"What's wrong with everyone?" Ricky asked. "Can't you at least say 'Hi'?"

Remiel then cleared her throat and locked eyes with Elijah. "Supreme being, I have a very important matter to discuss with you."

Ricky looked back and forth between his grandparents. "What is she talking about?" He asked. "And why is she referring to Grandpa as 'Supreme being?"

But Selina waved his remarks away. "What is it, sweetie? You know that anything you say here will not leave this house unless you want it to, so no worries."

"Yes," Ricky nodded and stood in front of Remiel. "Go ahead and tell us what the hell is wrong with you now."

But Remiel pushed him aside, her eyes still on Selina. She reached out her hand, swallowed, and said, "I have to confess: my womb has a creature in it." She waited for the response but everyone just stayed quiet until Elijah spoke.

"I'm not following, dear," Elijah said. "I'm sorry."

"Maybe she has to go to the bathroom," Kayla guessed and then grabbed another handful of chips.

Then Selina's eyes widened as it hit her. "Are you saying that you're pregnant?" She asked. "Are you going to have a baby?"

Remiel swallowed and nodded as tears began to fall down her cheeks. "I am."

"Wait a minute, hang on!" Ricky shook his head, eyes wide. "What? Did you really say..." he paused and shook his head. "What? How could this happen? You said..." He shook his head again as if he could make the words fall out of his ears. Then muttered, "What? Oh, geez!"

"So many 'Whats'" Kayla observed.

"Oh, shut up, Aunt Kayla," Ricky snapped before gently taking Remiel's hand. "What do you mean you're gonna have a baby?"

But Remiel's eyes were on Elijah instead. "I'm sorry to disappoint you with this news, supreme being," she told him. "To put something of this magnitude on your shoulders."

Elijah then put a hand over his mouth to hide the fact that he was trying hard not to laugh. "Oh, my dear, you don't have to apologize. This is a surprise for sure, but not a terrible one."

Ricky didn't seem to feel the same way. Wide-eyed, he took Remiel by the shoulders and shook her gently. "What are you talking about? Tell me this is a joke. That it's not true!"

She shrugged and he released her to take a deep breath and run his fingers through his hair. The room had gone quiet, except for Kai and Kayla, who were munching away and watching the action as if they were seeing an action-packed movie.

"That's why you were sick for a week, wasn't it?" He asked, realization dawning on him.

"It surprises me that he's only understanding this now," Remiel told Elijah. "I mentioned to him weeks ago that I caught a sickness from him."

"Oh, dear, it's not a sickness," Selina told her. "It's a wonderful gift from, well...your father and Ricky."

"Grandma!" Ricky whined. "Don't say it like that!"

Elijah grabbed Ricky by the shoulders. "I think we need to give Remiel some time to get settled into her room and relax now, don't you think?" He asked.

"I...I...I don't know," Ricky got out and then shrugged. "I guess."

"Good," Selina nodded and took Remiel's hand. "Come on. Let's get you settled in your bedroom and then I'll bring you up a snack later if you want it."

"Thank you," Remiel replied, a little dazed as she let Selina pull her along. "You're very kind."

After Selina dropped Remiel off at her room, she excused herself to run to the kitchen and promised to come back as soon as possible. When she arrived, Kai and Kayla, who'd paused eating for the moment and were now dealing cards to play poker. But when they saw her, they stopped that too.

"I really can't believe Ricky got Remiel pregnant," Kayla remarked. "It's crazy! Do you think everything's gonna be okay, Mom? I mean, we do our best but Ricky's got a lot going on and so does Remiel. Someone's gonna have to look out for that kid of theirs."

"I'm not worried," Selina shook her head. "I think if we all pitch in and give them our support, everything will be okay. I think they must like each other a little; maybe even love each other by now.

"I would believe that Ricky loves Remiel but...I hope for Ricky's sake that she loves him too," Kai shook his head. "I don't want to see Ricky get hurt again, poor guy."

"I don't think he will," Selina shook her head and readied herself to go back to Remiel's room. "Some people just aren't that good showing feelings but they're truly capable of great love deep down. I think Remiel is that sort of person. We just need to give her a chance to show it."

Selina tried not to notice how Remiel's body shook and and how her breath picked up as they made their way to her bedroom. Then Remiel sat down heavily on the bed and gave Selina a look. "Thank you very much," she got out. But her voice sounded almost mechanical. "You can go now. I won't inconvenience you any further."

"Well, okay," Selina replied doubtfully. Every instinct she had was screaming at her to stay, but she didn't want to push. Then, as she was about to leave, she heard a thud as Remiel fell into the fetal position on the mattress, whimpering quietly, and she felt she had to say something.

"Here," she helped her sit up and held her hand. "You're scared, aren't you?"

Remiel sighed. "Is it that obvious? I thought I hid it well."

"You probably could have hid it from a beginner, but I have experience," Selina said.

"Yes, I'm scared," Remiel nodded, surprised when Selina let her lean against her shoulder. "I have no idea what I'm doing and a tiny, squirmy creature will be depending on me not to kill it!"

"It's scary, I know," Selina told her. "But we're all here for you and...Ricky is a wonderful young man, I promise. He won't let you down."

Remiel nodded. "I think I'm starting to understand that now."

Selina gave her a smile. "You must like him a little bit."

Remiel scoffed and shook her head. "I'm sorry this is such a mess; I didn't mean to come here and impose on you like this, but Dad insisted and...it's very hard to fight Dad."

"I'm not talking about what your dad wants," Selina shook her head. "I'm asking you what you want. Do you have any thoughts?"

"Well, I'm not sure!" Remiel shook her head. "I'd forgotten I even could get pregnant! I swear I wasn't leading your grandson on or trying to trick him or anything like that."

Selina nodded. "I know. I promise that sort of thing never entered my mind. You seem like a sweet woman in an uncertain situation, but I want you to know you're not alone. We'll go through this with you, okay?" She paused, stood up, and put her hands on her hips. "Now, would you like a sandwich and some tea and then to take a nap? Sorry this isn't one of the rooms with a bathroom in it, but it's down the hall, not too far away. You should be able to get to it without trouble."

"Thank you," Remiel told her. "For everything. And I love your dress."

"Oh, thank you," Selina grinned down at her white and black stripped dress. "It's one of my favorites too. Now I'll leave so you can settle in...and..." she plopped a buzzer down on Remiel's bedside table. "If you don't have a phone to text me with, press that if you need anything. It's very loud and I'll be sure to hear it. Otherwise," she scribbled her number down on a piece of paper. "Just text this number and it shouldn't be too long to wait."

"All right," Remiel nodded. "Sounds good. Thanks again."

"You're welcome," Selina smiled. "It's my pleasure."

As she put her hand on the doorknob, Remiel spoke again. "And Ms. Warren?"

Selina turned. "Selina, please," she said.

"Selina," Remiel sighed. "Don't let it leave this room, but...I do like Ricky."

Selina smiled and nodded before opening the door, and stepping out and looking at Remiel for a little longer. "That's what I thought."

Elijah had been sitting in the desk chair in his office watching Ricky pace back and forth and ramble for what seemed like hours. But, he'd decided, it was good for him to get it all out.

"I didn't see this coming at all," he said. "When someone tells you that they can't get pregnant and you have no reason not to believe them...yes, I know I was lazy and I should have gone back to the house for condoms but how the hell was I supposed to know she was wrong? And then after it happens, she doesn't say anything but is just really mean to me? What am I supposed to do now?"

"I know you're frustrated and surprised, but remember your responsibilities as this child's parent," Elijah reminded him. "You, of all people, should know what happens when a father drops the ball."

"I know I need to be responsible and do my part and because of that, I can't believe she didn't tell me before that we're gonna have a kid! I wouldn't have dumped her. I'm not my parents." Ricky paused, trying not to feel insulted. "I mean, she did say that what was making her sick was something she picked up from me, and I suppose that was a big hint right there, but this isn't something you can be subtle about! You need to hit a person over he head with it."

"True," Elijah agreed. "But what happened happened, and the best thing you can do for Remiel now is relax and not worry about this whole thing."

Ricky resumed pacing and muttering. "A baby. I can't believe I'm gonna be father to a baby!"

Selina then poked her head in. "I just wanted to let you know, Ricky, that Remiel is settling into her room now and soon she'll have something to drink and eat and we'll get her all acclimated. If you want to see her, be gentle with her."

"Does she...does she want to see me?" He asked in a hushed voice.

"I'm sure she does, but don't push her too much. She's a gunshy little thing who's never really...I think she's never really felt...safe. I think that if we show her love and care, if we give her a little pampering...or a lot...it will be good for her."

"You're not saying I have to like, paint her toes or anything, right?" Ricky asked, making a face.

"No, but trust me when I tell you from experience that sometimes a hug and a massage go a long way," Selina said while Elijah gave her a wink.

Then Ricky made a face and headed for the door. "Trust the two of you to take a nice moment and make it gross." He sighed. "And don't worry. I'll be nice and polite and stuff just like you guys taught me to be. I wouldn't treat a woman any other way. Even if she's sometimes stubborn and mean and aggressive and rude, and..." He stomped off, unable to picture the fragile violet his grandmother saw Remiel as, and once was gone, Selina and Elijah grinned at each other.

"Do you think anything we said got through to him?" Selina asked, putting her arms around her husband.

"Yes," Elijah nodded and kissed Selina's head. "I think it did, even if it might take some time for Ricky to prove it."

Just as a restless Ricky began to fall asleep, troubled by the fact that he hadn't gone to see Remiel like he'd promised his grandparents, the door to his bedroom opened and someone sneaked in. He heard them. And then he saw a figure at the foot of his bed, a woman in nice, white, silk pajamas. Then, his eyes widened as wings popped out of her body, miraculously not hurting any of the furniture.

"Oh, geez," he thought to himself. "I know I didn't drink last night; what sort of wacky dream is this?"

Then the being spoke, in a whisper. "I'm sorry. I'm bothering you. I'll go now so you can sleep. And I'm sorry about my wings. I can't control them."

"No, wait! Please stop apologizing!" He cried, finally realizing who it was. He turned on the small lamp next to his bed, pulled the covers aside, and ran over to gently take her hand. "Are you okay?" He asked. "What's wrong? Do you need something, Remiel? Sorry it took me so long to realize it was you."

"N...no," she said while her eyes slid over his body. He was clad only in a pair of black silk boxers and she liked what she saw. But it didn't take long for that thought to make her blush deep red.

Ricky pretended not to see this and quickly changed the subject. "So...do you want to talk about the baby or something? I probably should have come up before, but I figured you wanted your privacy and to just rest for a bit." He paused. "W...was I wrong? Oh, damn, I was wrong, wasn't I? Let's talk now. I promise I'm up for it."

Remiel gave a barely visible nod and came around to the other side of the bed, climbing in and pulling the covers over herself.

Ricky sighed. "Or we could rest in bed. That works too." He took a deep breath, shook his head, and climbed in beside her. They stared at each other in silence for a little bit and then he asked, "Do you want to talk?"

She said nothing, pulling the covers over her head. Then he could swear he heard a whimper.

"Remiel, what's the matter? Are you crying?" He pulled the blanket down so he could see her face and sighed when she had very obvious tears rolling down her cheeks. "Why are you crying? I don't like to see you cry. And it's not good for you or the baby."

Remiel sniffled. "It's not?"

"No, it's not." He used his thumb to wipe her tears away, then raised his eyes to the ceiling and laughed. "Oh, you drive me crazy, woman!"

Remiel turned her head away from him and muttered, "Sorry."

"I just...I was so pissed that you didn't think you could share the baby news with me. So damn pissed!"

Remiel frowned. "But I told you that I caught something from you."

"Could you have been an more vague if you tried?" Ricky questioned.

"I...I was trying not to bother anyone with my mistake," Remiel said, her voice quiet.

"You're not an inconvenience or a bother," Ricky assured her. "Would I have invited you here, even before I knew you were pregnant, if that was the case?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. It's not like we know each other very well. I'm just someone who got very drunk and slept with you once." She paused. "But I would like to think you did what you did because you're a good man who cares about people."

"Yep," Ricky grinned and playfully slapped her bottom. "That's me! And a much better answer than shrugging."

"Is it safe for you to slap my bottom this way?" Remiel asked, looking at Ricky over her shoulder. "I know you were gentle, but..."

"I promise it won't hurt them but it's doing me a world of good!" Ricky exclaimed.

"Oh, you ass!" Remiel said and gave him a small smile.

"Well thanks," Ricky said and returned the smile. "I really prefer making you smile to making you cry. Are you comfortable?"

"In this bed?" Remiel nodded. "For a man's bed, these sheets and blankets are surprisingly soft."

"I mean at the farm."

Remiel nodded and turned to face him. "Yes. The supreme being and Ms. Warren are very nice to me."

Ricky winced. "I beg of you not to call my grandfather that in my presence ever again! His name is Elijah!"

Remiel chuckled at Ricky's expense. "He's very imposing, isn't he?"

"Yep, I'll give you that," Ricky nodded. "Sometimes we've butted heads and it has not been pretty."

Remiel leaned against him, her lids drooping as she struggled to keep her eys open. "Can we go to sleep now?"

"Well, sure, if you want to. That's what we'll do."

Remiel nodded. "Yes, that's what I want."

Nodding, he reached over and shut off the bedside lamp, then pulled Remiel close and, very gently, slid his hand under her pajama top to rub her belly.

"I love these pajamas," he whispered as he pulled her tight against himself. "They look wonderful on you."

"I know," Remiel agreed and yawned. "Goodnight, Ricky."

"Goodnight, Remiel," he returned and gently kissed the top of her head like he'd seen his grandfather do to his grandmother so many times. Then he rested his chin in the hollow of her shoulder as his own eyes closed.

If he were entirely honest with himself, he'd missed being in bed with her. So much.

As soon as his eyes closed, Remiel whispered to him, thinking he was deeply asleep and he wouldn't hear her: "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the baby." He smiled, squeezed her hand, and they both fell asleep. For real this time.