***

"So, Lara, do you want a big wedding or a small one?" Alex asked, running his fingers through Lara's waist length hair.

"I don't want a big wedding." Lara said. "Too much hassle. And I'd have to wear one of those huge white dresses."

"You would look beautiful in a white dress." Alex said, kissing the side of her neck. Lara was sitting at her desk in her junk room and had been attempting to work when Alex found where she was and had come to pay her a visit.

"I hate long dresses and elegant hair styles and things like that. My father wanted me to be a little lady so he would dress me up in those outfits but I would manage to come home looking like I had survived a war. My father thought it was adorable though, so eventually he stopped trying to prevent me from learning about tomb raiding and the ancient worlds and he began to teach me." Lara murmured, she felt her eyes beginning to water at the memories.

Alex smiled thoughtfully, pulling Lara from her chair and into his lap where he sat on the floor. He brushed her hair back and kissed her lips.

"Hey Lara, do you know if the baby is a boy or a girl yet?" Alex asked, stroking the swell of her stomach.

"No. The doctors won't be able to tell for another month I believe." Lara smiled. "Until then we'll have to guess."

"Hmm, I hope we have a baby girl, who looks just like you." Alex said. "But doesn't have so many sidekicks."

"Alex." Lara chided. "You won't mind Hillary and Bryce as much when you get used to them. Besides, Hillary has taken care of me for almost all of my life, he's one of my dearest friends."

"And what about Bryce?"

"Well, he can be quite helpful when he stays focused." Lara said.

Suddenly, the secret door to Lara's junk room opened and Hillary poked his head in. "Lara, there's a phone call for you, I believe it's Gwenavere." Hillary said, eyeing Alex suspiciously.

"Oh!" Lara got up. "I'll be right back." She told Alex. "Don't move." Lara walked out of the junk room and to the phone in the kitchen. She yawned and glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. It was almost midnight. Lara picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She asked, only to realize that she was talking to a dial tone. Lara set the phone down and glared at Hillary. "Gwenavere never did call, did she?"

"No, but that's not the point. Lara, do you have any idea what you're doing?" Hillary demanded, moving closer so Alex would not be able to hear their discussion. "This man broke your heart and left you at the first opportunity. Now you're going to marry him?!"

"Hillary, what's passed is passed. We are both to blame for the hurt we distributed to each other. Besides, I love him and he is the father of my child. I have made my own decision, Hillary, you can't change it."

Hillary sighed. "You are as stubborn as your father, you know."

Lara smiled.

"Love, I understand that this is your decision, but I want to know that you're making the right one. You're mean too much for me to give you away so easily."

Lara hugged him. "Hillary, you've been my dearest friend and guardian angel for years. I appreciate your concern and I'll be fine. I'm going to have my own family soon. I just want you to be happy for me."

"I am, Lara." Hillary murmured, hugging her back. "Or at least I'll try to be." Hillary added.

***

Three months later. . .

"Alex, you are not painting the nursery pink." Lara said, flatly.

"It's not pink, it's 'Dusty Rose'." Alex said, reading the name of the shade of paint that he was showing Lara.

"It's pink." Lara responded. She rested her hand on her swollen stomach and looked around at the other shades of paint that were neatly organized on little cards that were spread around the dinning room table.

"I like the green." Bryce said, holding up a card of forest greens.

"Yes, that's lovely." Lara said.

"Oh sure, take his side." Alex grumbled.

"I'm sorry, Alex, but if I was a baby and I had to wake up to pink every morning I'd probably hang myself on those god awful curtains that Gwenavere sent." Bryce said.

"I thought those curtains were quite charming." Hillary said, shifting through several cards of blue. "I just thought the gold thread around the daisies was a bit much."

"Ah, how about this color?" Alex said, showing Lara another card.

"Alex, it's still pink." Lara said.

"What's wrong with pink?" Alex asked.

"Oi, that's it!" Bryce said.

Everyone turned to stare at Bryce strangely.

"Uhh. . ." Bryce looked around sheepishly. "Sorry, I just figured out why my MP3 player broke."

"Oh. . . Good to know." Lara said. She went back to sorting through the cards of paint colors.

"Hey, look at this." Alex said, holding up a card. "It's not pink." He offered.

"Alex, I refuse to paint our daughter's bedroom 'Sex Siren Red'." Lara stated.

Alex glanced at the name on the paint card. "Oh." He put the card down. "I didn't see that." He said, sheepishly.

"How about this?" Hillary asked, holding up a card. "It's called 'Blue Purple Swirl'."

"It's a little drab, don't you think?" Bryce asked. "Now, this, 'Spring Violets', is nice and cheery." He held up the card.

Alex looked over the card. "Well, it's not pink, but it's nice."

"Yes, that is very nice." Lara said, looking over the color. "Are we in agreement?" She asked glancing at Alex then at Hillary. She smiled. "Then 'Spring Violets' it is. Now, for the play room."

Lara and Alex had been married for three months. Instead of planning a wedding, they decided to elope and had gone on a wonderful honey moon to the Hawaiian islands. They were still getting used to the martial art of compromise but were still very much in love and both becoming very excited about the upcoming birth of their daughter. After the honeymoon, Lara had gone back to her doctor where he confirmed the sex of their baby and they had started planning out a nursery and a playroom for her along with a proper name and everything imaginable that a new baby would need.

The phone rang. Hillary looked up from the color cards. "I'll get it." He said, getting up as Lara took another card of pink from Alex and playfully swatted him with it. He smiled at the two and went to the phone in the kitchen. He picked it up and placed it against his ear. "Hello?" He asked.

"Alex West?" The whispering voice over the line asked.

"No, he's busy at the moment. Might I take a message?" Hillary asked, politely.

"I'm gonna get you, Alex West." The voice sneered.

"I beg your pardon."

"The little whore too. I'll cut her up and I'll take your baby. Then you'll be sorry, Alex West. You'll be really sorry."

"Who is this?"

"You don't deserve to live." The voice rasped. "I'll kill you both."

Hillary hung up. Staring at the phone for several seconds. He shook off the disturbing words and walked back out to the dinning room.

"Who was it, Hillary?" Lara asked.

"Oh, no one. Just a wrong number." Hillary lied. It was probably just some teenager making a prank call or one of Alex's friends who had a sick sense of humor. It wasn't anything to be alarmed about. He told himself. Nothing at all.

***

Alex glanced at the cardboard box that was sitting on the kitchen table as he entered the kitchen. He set his coat and keys down and looked it over. Lara was out shopping with Hillary and Gwenavere. Actually, Lara was shopping with Gwenavere while Hillary got to carry all of the packages. Alex had just returned from getting more paint for the nursery. Bryce was on a date with a real flesh and blood girl instead of one of his many internet friends. Alex wasn't about to let him live it down either. Alex glanced at the package again.

Mr. & Mrs. Alex West

The package read. No return address. Alex shrugged and sliced the tape from the box with a small pocket knife. He opened the package and pulled out another box that was wrapped in yellow and blue wrapping paper with smiling ducks on it.

Must be a baby present from one of Lara's friends. Alex though. Hmm, might as well take a little peek. He smiled, sliding his fingers under the tape and peeling it back. He opened the smaller box and pulled the tissue paper away. On the bottom of the box were two cloth dolls.

One male, one female. Each one had been cut with a scissors and was spattered with a red substance to represent blood. The female doll was missing half of her hair and the male's face had been torn off. Across the clothing the dolls were wearing were scrawled two names.

Alex. . . Lara. . .

Alex dropped the dolls and backed away from the table. Holy shit. . . He thought. What the hell is going on?