Ever After chapter 5

Disclaimer: Twice in a period of moments a disclaimer was written in chapter 1

Alright this isn't going to be as long as I planned because of the one thing that pervades all sense of reality: homework. So I'll try for a longer one next time. Go raibh maith agat (i.e. thanks!) for the reviews! Well, everyone likes a little variety. So on with the story!

A month later... (i.e.. about two months to the due date...I think)

Everything seemed to be going okay. According to Harper the baby seemed to be doing fine but to be honest he didn't know much more than the fact that the baby was still growing.

As for the ambassadors, Rommie smiled inwardly at the thought of the ambassadors. Beka and Tyr had discovered the name of the person on the Commonwealth council that had ordered the virus to be created.

Apparently, it was a Nietzchean member (no surprises there) and he had managed to bully the council into passing the motion using a few choice threats and bribes. So when Dylan approached the head of the council and a few of the members who he knew he wasn't that surprised to find that they were not happy with the situation either.

In the end the Nietzchean lost his position on the council and the two Ambassadors are still awaiting trial. Apparently there had never been any actual orders to force the termination of the baby. So after that life had returned to normal, well as normal as a pregnant ship and her crew could manage.

The mood swings has lessened and the malfunctions had also lessened. So with only two months to go, Dylan had suggested that Rommie take what he affectionately called avaternaty leave. So they had visited some nice safe commonwealth member planets, done some shopping and were generally taking it easy.

The waiting wasn't so bad now. She was still worried about the thought of being a mother but after all she'd been through she wasn't prepared to give up this chance for anything.

Actually, things being so good around here at the moment meant that the only really problematic thing that she had to think about was Dylan.

He had been so sweet lately and so caring. He was constantly checking on her to make sure she was okay and he was making sure she rested enough and conserved energy and didn't overdo it.

They usually spent the evenings together, playing various games which she usually won (sometimes she had the feeling that maybe he was letting her win, but then again, she was an android).

Harper, Trance and Beka had been playing 'name the baby'. Finding every name they could think of and suggesting them to her. Since they weren't sure whether it would be a girl or a boy, Rommie was quite content to wait and see.

Tyr had found her a book about how Nietzchean women care for their children. It was a thoughtful gift but Rommie wasn't really sure about some of the ideals they thought their children.

But anyway, back to the problem at hand. Dylan. She kept trying to evade things. Since the pregnancy she hadn't really had time to think about how she felt about him but more and more she got the feeling that he felt more than just friendship for her.

But there was one thing that would stand in their way. The baby. It was a constant reminder about her and Cole. She had barely given him a thought since they weren't able to contact him. But she knew that every time Dylan saw her, whatever he felt about her, the baby was still like a big sign saying 'I was with someone else'.

But it wasn't like he hadn't done that. Slept with other women. In fact she could think of a few... one Nietzchean assassin in particular. But he didn't have any lingering reminders of what he'd done. And she had an unborn baby.

Though she didn't resent the fact that the baby was there, she loved the baby but she also loved Dylan and she knew in her heart, if AI's have hearts, that she could not have both. Not now.

Something jolted her out of her reverie. It was Tyr, arriving on the command deck to start his shift. She turned to leave, she was supposed to meet Dylan on the observation deck in half an hour. It was then that she noticed it, as she walked down the silence of the corridors and it was echoingly loud.

It might have been there before but she couldn't be sure. She went left instead of right to her quarters and headed to Harper's workshop. When she walked in he was working on something but as he noticed her he stopped and looked up.

"Hey Rommie, you're looking radiant as always. What can I do for you?"

She usually smiled at his complements but today she barely heard them. Harper noticed this and was immediately serious.

"What's the matter Rommie?"

She looked at him, the concern so obvious on his face.

"I don't know, I think there is something wrong, something is very wrong."

He sat her down and grabbed the nearest diagnostic tool. Since the virus the baby had created a type of protective shielding which made scanning difficult.

"Do you hear it? The sound? What is it?"

Harper looked at her and grabbed something fairly similar to a stethoscope. A look of amazement appeared on his face.

"What is it Harper?"

He looked at her still shocked and confused. He took a deep breath and told her.

"It's a heartbeat Rommie, your baby has a heartbeat."

. . .

So, did you see that coming? And what does it mean? Well, maybe you'll find out next chapter. Please review so then I can know what you think about the story and whether like the newest revelations. This does kind of look like it's turning out to be Dylan/Rommie but you never know.