Father Figures

By Princess Alexandria

has other stories that can't be posted here.

Email:  princess_alex24@hotmail.com

Alternate Universe Fiction

7 Months and two weeks after conception

            Elisa was sitting on her couch looking through the newspaper ads for baby furniture.  The knock at the door had been expected, but the redhead at the door was the wrong one.  "Dominique?"  Elisa barely managed to not say Demona's true name, as her neighbor walked past with her arms full of groceries.  Elisa stepped back and let the woman in.  Demona hadn't visited during the day before.

            "I had a meeting in the neighborhood."  Demona explained quietly, while glancing at the ads that Elisa had been looking at.  "I overheard some women talking.  It looks like they were right."  Elisa followed Demona in looking at the ads, but didn't get what Demona was talking about.  "They said that raising a child is expensive, and you have to shell out thousands of dollars before the baby is even born."   Elisa noticed the hesitant expression on Demona's face.  "We didn't need much back when I was around a rookery last, but things have changed." 

            "Fox was going to take me shopping for some furniture for the nursery today."  Elisa noticed that Demona tensed up a little at that.

            "You don't have enough money for all of this stuff."  Demona's eyes stared into Elisa.  "I'm giving you some money."  Demona said suddenly.  "You need money for things and food.  You need to eat better."

            Elisa remembered Demona's angry comment that Elisa was only after her money and her eyes narrowed.  "I don't need your money."

            Demona glared at Elisa but before she could say anything someone else knocked on the door.  Elisa moved to answer it and let Fox in.  Fox's expression of shock at seeing Demona standing next to the dining table looking angry was quickly covered up.

            "Hello Demona."  Fox said rather politely.

            "Fox."  Demona gave a minimal and cold reply, before proceeding to ignore the other woman.  "Elisa, you're an out of work detective.  You aren't her only parent.  Take the damned money!"

            Elisa glanced at Fox pointedly.  This wasn't an argument that someone else should sit in on.  Demona completely ignored that and stared at Elisa.  Fox was watching all of this with interest and Elisa was sure that Fox was thinking about the conversation just a few days ago where Fox had offered to pay for this shopping trip and Elisa had refused.  Elisa was planning to shop thriftily and spend her savings.  "I didn't tell you just to have you toss money my way."  Elisa stared at her.  "I have it under control!"

            "Only you would make this difficult!"  Demona hissed at her.  "Other human females complain that the other parent doesn't give enough and I can't get you to take a dime."  Elisa watched as Demona pulled out an envelope and tossed it on the table.  "I take care of what's mine."  Demona's lips were tight as she marched past Fox and left.  Elisa was about to grab the envelope and chase after her.  She didn't like the way that Demona had practically called her a deadbeat the last time money came up, the day that Demona found out about Elisa's being pregnant and her pride didn't like relying on Demona for this.

            "She's right."  Fox's voice was quiet, but it stopped Elisa from turning to chase after the gargoyle in human form.  "She's rich, and she's Delilah's parent.  She has the right to give you money."  Elisa turned to see Fox leaning up against the wall.  "We both know you are a proud woman, but this was a completely unexpected expense, and you just don't have it."  Elisa sighed and sat down at the table.  "Protecting doesn't pay well, but business does."

            Elisa opened the envelope and the number on the check made her eyes go wide.  "This is way too much."  Fox moved forward and rested a hand on Elisa's shoulder as she read the number.

            "Not if she's paying for the first 18 years in advance."  Fox plucked the check out of Elisa's hands and studied it.  "Of course this could also be something else.  You do realize that no one else would have agreed to let Demona near a hatchling don't you?  She has to know that the clan will disagree with you."

            "You think she's trying to pay me off so that I don't change my mind?"  Elisa stared at the back of the check and had to agree that it sounded like something Demona might do.  She almost got angry, but when she thought about the number on the check she could see the desperation that Demona was feeling.

            Elisa stood to the side as the men Fox had drafted from security carried the furniture she'd bought into the nursery of her new home.  She was going to move more of her own stuff over in a few weeks, but the boxes that she and Demona had packed lined one wall in her living room.  This place had a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and a nursery.  She shared a kitchen with the rest of the castle inhabitants.  It was actually a lot more private than she was expecting.  She thought she might just get a room like the one that she sometimes stayed in during the day, a guest room.  She could smell the unmistakable odor of fresh paint and realized that Fox had this place remodeled for her.  When she started to eye the rooms more critically she could see where a door had been added, to combine two living spaces for her. 

            She'd still been careful to not spend too much even though Demona had given her a couple hundred thousand dollars.  She was only going to use what she absolutely needed of that money and keep the rest in savings for an emergency.  She still wasn't comfortable taking that money, but she could see that Demona wanted her to have it.  Of course she was going to have to have a talk with the gargoyle to let her know that she didn't need to buy Elisa off.  Elisa made a commitment to Demona when she said she'd let her be a part of Delilah's life, and Elisa kept her promises. 

The only piece of furniture that she really splurged on was the crib.  A gargoyle baby would be stronger, so she wanted to make sure to get a solidly built crib.  Unfortunately all of the furniture would need to be assembled.  Elisa felt like sitting down and working on it now, so that she could see what the room would look like, but the sun would be setting soon.  She needed to make an appearance before the clan started patrols.  She hadn't seen them in a while.

            The clan had grown a bit in the past year.  Elisa stood watching the sunset and looked at the two new members of the clan.  Lex was standing near his mate Evelyn.  She was just a little taller than Lex, had larger horns and black hair.  Her skin was a forest green when she wasn't stone.  Evelyn had instantly fallen in love with the technology of the twenty first century.  That had given Lex a chance to get to know her, since she was often asking him about computers, helicopters, cars and anything else mechanical.  It was no surprise when they left Avalon that Evelyn was with them.  Everyone had figured that she'd be Lex's mate shortly after meeting her.

            Brooklyn's mate was more of a surprise.  Theresa was a calm, gentle, motherly type.  Being with her had calmed Brooklyn's impulsiveness.  He was also less quick to anger.  Goliath was very happy with the influence Brooklyn's mate had on him.  Theresa was a delicate looking female with blonde hair and purple skin.  She usually had a soft smile on her lips while talking with someone.  It was assumed that she'd become the primary rookery parent when the eggs hatched.  While she was a good nurturer, she wasn't a very good warrior.  Having her stay by the eggs, and safely inside the castle was the best plan really.

            She sighed as she watched the stone start to crack on her friends bodies.  She had hoped that Goliath would come to her before she had to visit, so that they could work some things out. 

            "Elisa!"  Lex called over and jumped down from his post.  He didn't forget himself so much as to not help Evelyn down from her own spot, but he came over quickly, while smiling his greeting.  The others came over too.  She must have been gone longer than she realized or she wouldn't get such a welcome.  Elisa glanced up at the large male standing back from the hellos.  He looked awkward, but he nodded towards her.

            "Elisa.  It's good to see you again."  Goliath's deep voice carried easily, and so did his tension.  A few of the clan glanced his way with a question in their eyes.  Angela's eyes caught Elisa's and they shared a moment of understanding.

            "Goliath."  Elisa gave him a small smile.  She hoped that he'd be over it, but it may take more time.  If it hadn't been Demona maybe it wouldn't have hurt him as much.  "Can I talk to you?"  She gave a weak smile to the assembled clan and stepped over to him.  He just nodded and motioned for her to lead the way to someplace private.

            She led him to her new rooms.  They weren't fully furnished yet.  It only had a couple chairs that she'd stolen from the kitchen.  She watched him glance at all the boxes in the nursery through the open door.  "I'm going to be moving in here in a couple of weeks."  She started quickly to keep herself from stalling.  "Are you going to be okay with this?  Delilah is going to obviously not be human.  The clan is going to have to know."

            He finally looked into her eyes.  "This is the safest place for you and your child.  Of course I want you here."  He sighed and Elisa gave him a weak attempt at a smile.  "You are a part of our clan.  You belong here with us.  Delilah will be a part of our clan as well."

            She knew that was supposed to be a comforting thought, meant to make her think of protection and belonging, but Demona's words about tradition made her a little tense.  Now was not the time to address that though.  She would have plenty of time before Delilah was old enough for any traditions that Elisa couldn't approve of.

            "Thank you."  Elisa spoke softly and reached out to take his hand.  He squeezed hers a little desperately, the only indication of how much this hurt him.  She knew that he was in love with her.  She felt a bit alarmed at that evidence that he wanted more from her.  She just didn't feel it, not like she used to.  It would be so much easier if she could love him the way he loved her.  She glanced at the front door.  "I have to tell them."  She sighed, not looking forward to the announcement, but wanting to get out there and away from this awkward feeling that being alone with Goliath gave her right now.

            "They will be shocked."  Goliath let go of her hand.  "But you are clan, and they will adjust.  It's not as if Demona were moving in."

            "But she may be visiting."  Elisa took a deep breath.  "I've agreed to give her visitation rights."  Getting him to agree to let Demona come here would be much simpler than trying to get Delilah across town to the female's mansion.  An entire clan could keep the female in line, they shouldn't have any trouble, even if Demona didn't behave just to be around her daughters.

            "What?!"  He stared at her in shock as his voice rose.  "No!  She can't come near any of the hatchlings.  She'll corrupt their minds!"

            Elisa didn't like the command in his voice and glared at him.  "Delilah is my child.  I've made my decision, but if you don't want Demona to visit the castle I'll respect that.  I even understand that.  I had just hoped that I wouldn't have to try and take Delilah across town in a car every weekend."

            "Why are you doing this?"  Goliath stared at her with glowing eyes.  "To allow your daughter around her?  You know that she hates humans, what will she teach the hatchling?"

            "I didn't say her visits wouldn't be supervised, and I already told Demona that I didn't want her teaching Delilah hate.  That we'd find some other way to make Delilah understand why she can't just…"  Elisa felt tears in her eyes as she thought about the fact that Delilah wouldn't have any children to play with for a long time.  She could easily imagine a little child wanting that badly enough to try and find friends, and she wasn't going to be able to allow her daughter that.  She shook herself out of those thoughts and back to the conversation.  "Demona wants a clan so badly that she'd protect Delilah with everything that she has, which is a lot.  She can be a good mother, I've seen her with Angela and I know she has it in her."  Elisa sighed.  "And as long as she's behaving herself I see no problem giving her a chance to have her daughter's love.  I think she could use it."

            "You think you can blackmail her into behaving so that she can see your daughter?"  Goliath stared at Elisa.  "That was your plan for Angela, and now your going to subject a small hatchling to this gamble?"

            "It's not blackmail."  Elisa didn't like that term.  "It's more positive reinforcement.  Demona goes a week without destroying the planet and we go visit for a night.  You know that she calmed down after she met Angela.  She hasn't started any major plans to destroy the humans in a while."

            "What are you talking about?"  Goliath's body stiffened.  "She almost destroyed the entire city with that stone spell, she almost killed you, and she almost destroyed the world with that virus while Angela was here."

            Elisa turned to stare out the window.  She glanced over at him.  He had been horrified by the possibilities and Demona's obvious intent when the city was under that spell, but the female hadn't done it.  Owen had managed to get the security footage for when she was stone.  Elisa had watched with wide eyes as Demona walked up to her menacingly, glared at her, walked around her frozen body like a shark with a mace in her hand, but the gargoyle never struck.  She'd raised her weapon and held it shakily in the air as the red glare of her eyes intensified, but that arm fell back to her side helplessly.  Demona had been set to take the killing blow and she didn't do it.  The clan came in thinking that they got there just in time to stop her, but Demona had already decided to leave Elisa in one piece.  That still confused Elisa.  A few other humans had died to that mace that night, but when Demona had the chance to kill the human she seemed to hate more than all the others, she couldn't do it.  When she tried to bring Goliath in to see the footage, she found the tape destroyed by the VCR.  Owen was working on trying to get it out of the machine in one piece, but he didn't manage it.  Goliath didn't quite believe Elisa when she just told him about it.  She was a detective, and he didn't trust her opinion when it came to Demona even when she'd seen it and he hadn't.  She'd seen something in the female's eyes that seemed like there was hope for her, that with some help she might put the hate away.  Goliath had already tried several times and didn't have the energy to hope anymore.  She'd tried to bring that up several times since then, but he seemed to think she was deluding herself, or that she just wasn't able to accept how close to death she'd come.  She'd been a hell of a lot closer to death several other times.  It was him that couldn't handle how close he thought she'd come to it.  She could argue until she was as blue as Demona, he wouldn't change his mind about that night. 

            That virus was deadly.  Xanatos had scientist check it out and it could have done what the female claimed it would.  She was ready to destroy all mankind with a flick of her wrists.  Elisa remembered the look Demona had given Angela that night.  It held a desperation that was clearly pain.  Demona wanted to do that so that humans wouldn't get the chance to hurt her daughter.  The female hadn't been able to meet Elisa's eyes that night.  She glanced over Elisa at the others, but she couldn't look at Elisa.  No one else caught that look of relief in Demona's eyes for just a second when Goliath broke the Praying Gargoyle and took the choice away from her.

            "If Demona ever really wanted me dead, I'd be dead."  Elisa sighed.  She'd seen the gargoyle truly fight with everything she had against Quarrymen, and she never came even close to that level of deadliness in her fights with Elisa.  These are the things that kept her from being able to fall asleep easily ever since that night in the cave.  Elisa was starting to suspect that Demona never really did try to kill her.  Until she saw Demona try to fight the Quarrymen off of the two of them in the park before being captured, Elisa had no idea what a fighter the gargoyle truly was.  None of the clan had seen Demona fight like that.  The only reason that Demona didn't win was because it was an ambush with what looked like over forty Quarrymen, and even then it had been a close call.

            "Don't be so sure about that Elisa."  Goliath rested his hand on her shoulder, obviously meaning to comfort her.  "The clan would never let her hurt you."  He pulled her back into a loose hug, completely missing the meaning behind her words.

           Elisa watched the clan from the doorway quietly.  The guys were joking about the commercials on T.V.  Hudson was petting Bronx.  Angela looked up from the table that she and her rookery sisters were talking and nodded to Elisa.  She obviously knew what was coming.  Goliath walked past her into the room and gave her an encouraging look.

            "Guys, I need to talk to you all for a moment."  Elisa felt a little sick from her nervousness.  She probably should have told them all as soon as she knew.  It wouldn't have seemed like she'd been lying then.  The T.V. was turned off and nine gargoyles gave her their undivided attention.  Elisa glanced at Angela and the female gave her a weak smile.

            "There's something about my daughter that you should know."  Elisa moved into the room and sat down on the edge of a chair.  "She's a gargoyle."  She could see confused faces and widening eyes.  "She's Demona's daughter."  Her heart pounded as she waited for the recriminations.  Her moment of weakness with Demona wasn't supposed to become public knowledge like this, but the pregnancy changed all of that.

            "Wha… Wha…"  Lex stammered.  "How?"

            "Last I checked Demona was a female."  Brooklyn crossed his arms in front of him and stared at Elisa with obvious irritation.  "This isn't very funny Elisa."

            Elisa stared at him a moment.  "No, it isn't.  A spell made it possible for us to conceive on the Breeders moon.  A little leftover spell from Puck's wild night when Demona had the mirror.  We… well…"  Elisa blushed, but she kept her no nonsense attitude going, while trying to ignore her embarrassment.  "We had sex that night, and the spell took it from there, combining our DNA and rendering me pregnant with Delilah.  A gargoyle."  Elisa sighed.  "Our daughter."  She ran her fingers through her hair nervously.  She was getting several confused and disbelieving stares. 

            "I've already informed Elisa that the hatchling is welcome to be a part of our clan."  Goliath addressed the gargoyles and Elisa could see Lex and Broadway starting to believe it, since Goliath wasn't one for practical jokes like this. 

            "I'm going to be moving into the castle in a couple weeks.  My apartment isn't safe enough for her."  Elisa watched as Angela moved from her place to stand near Elisa in support.   She gave the female a small smile and squeezed the offered hand briefly before letting it go.  "She's coming out minus egg, so we'll have the pitter patter of little gargoyle feet a little sooner than you guys expected."

            She went quiet and the silence was filled with tension as the clan struggled to come to grips with what she'd told them.  Theresa and Evelyn were less stunned than the rest, but then they hadn't really met Demona and came from Avalon, where Fey magic wasn't that rare.  It was Angela that broke the silence when it got so long that Elisa started to feel the need to squirm under the intense stares aimed her way.  "My offer to baby sit still stands.  I'd like to spend time with my sister."

            Broadway fidgeted in his seat.  "I'm sure that having a hatchling to practice on will be good for me.  I can practice father like stuff."  Elisa gave him a smile, but then turned to look at Brooklyn and couldn't read his expression. 

            Theresa cleared her throat and Brooklyn glanced up at his mate for a moment.  Elisa watched the way they could communicate silently with just their eyes and felt a pang of envy at that. 

            "Elisa."  Brooklyn turned to look at her.  "I'm sure that Delilah will have no shortage of clan around here."  He still seemed bothered, but he gave her a tight smile.

            "Thank you."  Elisa spoke softly.  He was the one that she was most worried about.  She didn't want his hatred of Demona to affect how he treated her daughter.  His tension didn't ease her concerns.

            "How could you be pregnant with her hatchling?"  Lex asked while staring with wide eyes at Elisa.

            Elisa swallowed a little nervously.  "I explained.  The spell took our DNA. Combined it and implanted me with it."

            "I think what he wants to know, is… why her?"  Brooklyn interrupted, not that he needed to.  Elisa had purposely misunderstood the question because she didn't want to announce to the clan how she ended up having sex with the clans' enemy.  Brooklyn's eyes started to burn, "Did she force you?"  He asked in a soft voice that didn't hide the anger he felt at that thought.

            "No."  Elisa snapped.  "She didn't."  She ran her fingers through her hair as she sighed.  "It was consensual, and it was just that one night.  I really don't feel like talking about this with everyone."  She glanced around at the gargoyles staring at her.  These were her friends, and they didn't look very convinced that it wasn't rape.  Goliath knew, she could see it in the sadness in his eyes.  He knew that Elisa had chosen to give herself to his ex.  Angela looked appalled that anyone would suggest that her mother was capable of ever doing something like that, and Elisa agreed with her.  Demona wasn't a rapist.  She didn't have that in her.  She was far too tender of a lover, far too considerate, to ever stoop to that.

            Brooklyn wasn't looking convinced, and his eyes held pity and anger.  His rookery brothers seemed to be looking to him and Elisa could see that they would be easily swayed to believe that if she didn't clear this up now.  "We were captured by the Quarrymen right before the Breeder's moon."  She sighed as she was forced to give away more about her personal life.  "We managed to get away and hide in a cave until morning."  She tried to not glance at Goliath, but she imagined that she could sense his pain at hearing any details anyhow.  It made it more real.  "She was having a hard time with the Breeder's moon, and I… I initiated things.  She didn't force anything."

            The tension in the room was overwhelming as the clan quietly digested the idea that their friend had pursued Demona.  Elisa stood up and her voice rang with false cheerfulness.  "Well, I have to get back to work assembling the nursery furniture."

            "I'll help you."  Angela spoke gently and glanced at Goliath, who was staring at the floor and obviously upset to know how active a role Elisa had taken.  Elisa wondered if he thought that she'd managed to get pregnant just with a kiss.  That thought had her wondering if that alone would have been enough for that spell.  Puck had been so careless in making it that powerful.

            The silence in the library continued while Elisa and Angela walked down the hall.  Angela followed Elisa into her room, but after closing the door behind her she stood staring at Elisa, rather than moving to open one of the boxes of furniture.  "You initiated things with my mother?"  Angela spoke softly while staring at Elisa so intensely that Elisa felt she was about to be interrogated.  Of all the clan, Angela and Goliath were the ones that she was most uncomfortable talking about this with, because she couldn't brush them off.  Elisa felt like they deserved explanations.  "Why?"

            Elisa felt trapped for a moment.  It took a conscious effort for her to calm down.  Why, that had been something she'd asked herself pretty often.  She'd been able to list several reasons, but none of them really rang true.  She didn't like watching Demona suffer and shake with her need, but it wasn't purely pity that made Elisa reach out to the gargoyle.  Demona had helped her get to a safe place, but it wasn't gratitude that motivated her either.  If she hadn't reacted so strongly to Demona's touch she might have been able to fool herself into thinking one of those explanations would cover it, but the gargoyle was so beautiful, so sexy, so needy that night, and it made Elisa feel…  "I wanted to."  Elisa blushed at the admission while turning to stare out at the night sky out of the large window. 

            "Do you love my mother?"  Angela took a few more steps into the empty room, coming closer to where Elisa stood staring at the city.

            "What?"  Elisa's eyes widened a little as her voice rose.  "No, no…"  Angela rose one eyeridge while staring at her.  Elisa grimaced at having to explain any of this.  "I find her,"  Elisa sighed in resignation.  "I find her attractive, but I'm not in love with her.  It was supposed to be just that one night.  The pregnancy complicated everything."  She moved her hand over her stomach.  "But I wouldn't trade Delilah for anything."

            She felt her daughter starting to kick and smiled.  "Give me your hand."  Elisa smiled softly at the confusion in Angela's eyes as she complied.  She took that hand and rested it over Delilah's temper tantrum.  She started to wonder if the baby would have Demona's short fuse.  Angela's eyes widened as she pressed more firmly on Elisa's stomach.

            "You can actually feel your hatchlings move?"  Angela's voice was filled with awe, and Elisa kept the smile of triumph off of her face.  Delilah was a great distraction, saving her mommy from more awkward questions.  "That's amazing."  Elisa had never noticed the pregnant females having anyone touching their bellies and started to realize that a hatchling sheltered in an egg and ten years away from hatching wouldn't be moving much.

            "It's amazing now, but she's usually only active at night.  It can really mess with my sleep."  Elisa grinned as she remembered being startled awake a few times.  The conversation stayed with pregnancy and babies for a little while, as they started to unpack the pieces of the crib. 

            They were quietly laying out the pieces when Angela started again with the questions.  "Do you love my father?"

            Elisa put her piece down and sighed heavily before looking up.  "I love him like a friend, but that's it."  Her eyes held sadness with that admission.  Her love life was a disaster.  The male that loved her so very much inspired no passion in her, and the female that barely tolerated her existence, and hated all humans, made her feel more passion than she'd ever felt before.  Angela just nodded like she'd expected that.  She must be the only one that did, because everyone else seemed to assume that Elisa was going to end up being Goliath's mate.

            Shortly after that talk there was a tentative tap on the door.  Elisa opened it to find Lex and Evelyn standing there.  "You're putting stuff together?"  Lex gave a small grin.  "Cribs aren't motorcycles, but I'm sure I could help."

            "WE could help."  Evelyn added with her own smile.  Elisa moved to open the door and let the couple in.

           Shortly after that Broadway came in with snacks.  He wasn't planning on helping assemble anything though, because he wasn't mechanically inclined.  He did stay to visit.  The topic of Demona didn't come up during the visit, as everyone evaded it, sometimes a little awkwardly.

            Angela hung back as the others left and stared at the assembled furniture with Elisa.  "This is shaping up to a nice room."

            "Yeah."  Elisa smiled at the mobile hanging over the crib.  Delilah wouldn't be big enough for the crib right away, but it was ready to go.  The bassinet for a very tiny baby sat in the corner waiting for the little girl.  This was going to be a very nice room for Delilah.

            "Elisa."  Angela's voice was serious and Elisa turned to find the female staring at her and not the furniture.  "Mother…"  Angela sighed and Elisa could see her weighing her words carefully.  It was now that she remembered that Angela had left her apartment with Demona in search of answers.  "When I was with egg, Broadway was protective of me, but he'd let me go out on patrols, or out with my rookery sisters and wouldn't feel the need to follow me to make sure I was okay."  Elisa stared at Angela when the female turned towards her.  "I don't know if you realize that mother is following you around.  She's checking on you every night to make sure you are okay.  I've seen her sitting on the roof of your apartment several times since I came to visit you at your apartment."

            Elisa's eyes widened at that.  Demona was stalking her?  How long had she been doing that?  No wonder she was able to save her from the thug by the grocery store, she was watching.  This was a complete invasion of Elisa's privacy.  Elisa clenched her fists.

            "Please don't be mad with her."  Angela spoke quickly, clearly regretting having said anything.  "I've been worried about you to.  You live out there without the protection of the clan.  It's only because I was checking on you too that I saw her."  Angela gave Elisa a weak smile.  "You were family to me long before you became pregnant with my sister, but now that you are… I just…" 

            Elisa took a deep breath and stared down at the nearby buildings.  "Thanks for telling me.  I'll talk to her."  Glancing up to see Angela's concerned and guilty eyes she added, "I just think we should talk about this.  I don't plan to argue with her over it."

            "Have you ever thought that it isn't just Delilah that mother is trying to protect?"

            Elisa grimaced.  "No, it's just Delilah."  She sighed and moved to leave the new home with Angela in tow.  "I'm far too human for your mother."  She didn't notice Angela looking at her thoughtfully as Elisa opened the door for then to leave.  "I'm going to go home and see about that chat."  Elisa added while trying to smile at Angela comfortingly.

            Elisa stopped at the grocery store on the way home and didn't run into any muggers, robbers, quarrymen, or supernatural beasts.  She did, however almost get run down by a skateboarder.  Only her sharp reflexes kept her from dumping her groceries on the ground.  The immediate pain in her back made her grimace, but she continued to load the groceries in the car.  She could have had quite a few words with the teenage boy, but he quickly disappeared.

            Elisa groaned from the pain in her back as she shifted to shut her apartment door behind her while carrying three bags of groceries.  The sound of wind was the only warning she had that she wasn't alone before the gargoyle took the bags from her hands, startling Elisa.  Her heart pounded heavily for a moment, as she stared at Demona looking at her in disapproval and concern.  "You're hurt."  Demona put the bags down on the kitchen peninsula and came up to her again.  Elisa glanced at the open skylight and realized that Demona must have been camping out on her roof.

            "You can just come in if you want, you don't have to sit on my roof."  Elisa put her hand on her lower back, where the pain was coming from and tried to straighten up a little.  Her grimace let Demona know that wasn't comfortable.

            "Your back?  Come sit down."  Demona reached out and held Elisa's arm while guiding her to sit at the dining room table.

            "I need to put the groceries away."  Elisa started to protest as her eyes caught the carton of ice cream that would melt if it wasn't taken care of.  Demona just ignored her and started to do it for her.  The gargoyle had no trouble figuring out where everything went.  That's when Elisa really realized how much time they'd been spending together.  Demona was at home here.  A pang of regret that she had to move surprised her.  She'd actually miss the way the gargoyle could just drop by to visit her.  "Thank you."  Elisa spoke softly while studying Demona while the gargoyle put the ice cream away for her, and started to stack up her canned food the way Elisa liked it in the cabinet.

            "You shouldn't be carrying so much."  Demona scolded without looking at Elisa.  "You could have your groceries delivered to your house, that is what I do.  I'm far too busy to grocery shop during the day."  Demona turned with a box of cookies in her hand to glance at Elisa.

            "I noticed you liked them."  Elisa felt a little embarrassed at Demona realizing that she'd bought those cookies she hated because Demona had finished the last box.

            Demona looked a little awkward as she slid that box into the pantry.  "Well, thank you."  Elisa could hear something in Demona's voice that made her think the gargoyle was keeping her back to Elisa to hide her emotions. 

            Delilah started to get active again and Elisa tilted her head while staring at Demona's back.  "She's kicking.  Do you want to feel it?"  Angela had seemed so amazed, and Elisa hadn't let Demona touch her stomach, it had seemed too awkward.  Demona turned to stare at Elisa with a little shock and a hesitant glance to the detective's stomach let Elisa know that Demona did want that contact.  "Come here."  Elisa spoke gently with a small smile on her lips.  She was almost surprised when Demona actually did it.  Elisa reached out and took Demona's hand to place it gently over the area of most activity while watching Demona's face.  The gargoyle was so busy staring at Elisa's stomach she didn't seem to realize that she was being watched.  The look of joy and surprise on Demona's face when she first felt her daughter kick was breathtakingly beautiful.  Elisa almost never saw the gargoyle this happy and in that moment, she realized she was in trouble.  When Demona smiled at her it actually made her heart skip a beat.