A/N: I know this chapter is short, for which I am truly sorry, but this is all I've got written so far and I felt it better to update now then to make you wait forever. I've got a vacation coming up so perhaps I'll have more time for writing these fics. That would be nice. So, I'm doing the best I can and that's for sticking with me.

Anyways, this chapter is kinda slow, it's just some cuddly Shal-Bren and Lex-Jess moments and the taking of an embrionic DNA sample. So, sorry if it's a bit boring. Let me know what you think and who you think the baby should be fathered by. I'm at an impass with the latter. I'm not sure who I want the paternity test to show...hmm...Opinions would be great! Thanks again!

"Okay," Jesse inhaled deeply, his anxieties about the testing showing clearly. He didn't bother trying to hide it. "This procedure is still kinda new. I've gotta get a DNA sample from the baby's embryonic sac and compare that to Bren's and Neilson's DNA. It'll take at least a few days to get the results and I've never done this before. You might wanna take that into consideration before you let me do this." Shal forced a half-smile.

"I've gotta know, Jess. You can do this. And it's not like I can go to a hospital and get it done there. Mutant DNA, you know." She smiled.

"True, couldn't have those tabloids being called. It'd blow apart our whole operation." Jesse grinned at her.

"Okay," Shalimar took a deep breath and lay down on the chair in the lab. "Let's do this." Brennan took her hand and squeezed it gently. Jesse rubbed novocain on a spot on her stomach and made the suggestion that Brennan not watch him put the needle in Shal. Brennan quirked an eyebrow but turned his head downward to look into her eyes. Jesse smiled lightly as they exchanged at look that only lovers possess. A special look just for the two of them.

A few minutes later it was done, much to Jesse's relief. He slapped a bandage on Shal's stomach and tugged her sweater down. "That should do it." Shalimar sat up gingerly and smiled.

"That's gonna hurt later, isn't it?"

"It's probable," he replied, smiling boyishly.

"Joy…A few days right, Jess? And you'll let me know as soon as you get the results back? No matter what they are?"

"I will." She eyed him. "I promise." She pursed her lips for a moment, then smiled. She trusted him.

"I think I'm going to watch a movie or something. Coming, Bren?"

"Of course." He replied simply, taking her slender hand and tugging her towards the door. "Later Jess."

"Bye…I'll just be here, slaving…pay me no mind…" His voice trailed off as their laughter rang through the corridor and he realized that they weren't listening. "Yeah guys, thanks a lot. No need to keep the molecular company…uh huh…" He turned to the computer to extract the strand of DNA from the sample he had just taken and compare it to the strand he took off of Shalimar when she had dragged herself back into Sanctuary and a sample that they had on file for Brennan. It was going to be a long night.

"So, babe, what do you want to watch?" Brennan asked, flopping onto the couch as she rummaged through the cabinet with their DVDs in it.

"How aboouuut…" her voice trailed off and became muffled as she stretched her neck further into the cabinet. "X-men. Then we can laugh at the irony."

"Ughh, nooo…come on baby, anything but that."

"Aww, come on, why not?"

"Well, I have nothing against the film or the directors or anything. I like the action and the girls are hot, I just find it a bit irritating to watch fake mutants on TV, being a mutant myself."

"Big baby." She grinned. "Fine, how about Speed?"

"You just wanna watch that for Keanu Reeves." He pouted.

"Yeeaah, but you'd only watch it for Sandra Bullock."

"True. Okay, Speed works. At least it's better than mutants."

"Yay! Keanu Reeves, here I come." Brennan glared at her and she raised her hands in mock surrender. "Just kidding…" He smiled. "Sorta," she grinned as he gaped at her and she kissed his open lips, giggling, forgetting for that one instant about the child she bore. He smiled against her lips and tugged her into his arms. She sat between his legs and leaned against his broad chest, snuggling against him as his arms found their way around her waist.

"You know what," he whispered next to her ear as she started the DVD. She titled her chin up to look at him. "You're amazing." He kissed her forehead gently. She smiled softly at the lips pressed against her skin.

"You're not so bad yourself." She nudged him gently and he grinned. She sighed and leaned deeper into his arms. "What would I do without you?' She asked quietly.

"Hmm, I dunno…" He pretended to ponder the question as her mouth flapped open momentarily then she giggled and kissed the inside of his arm. He laid his head on top of hers and they settled back to watch the movie.

Jesse sat, forehead upon the lab countertop, snoring quietly, work forgotten in his current state of unconsciousness. Many feet away, Lexa started awake from a nightmare, eyes wild with panic. She felt for the typical warm lump of Jesse beside her and her hand touched nothing. Unaiding to her growing panic, she flung her sheets away and stuffed her feet into slippers, shuffling quickly towards the door.

Lexa hurried towards the lab, sighing in relief when she saw Jesse slumped over the work table, as he usually was when he fell asleep working on something important. Her unease settled even more as she got closer and noticed the rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathed evenly in deep slumber. She slipped silently into the lab and tiptoed over to Jesse. Her hand fell lightly onto his shoulder.

"Jesse?" She shook him gently. He mumbled something about tests and jackhammers and smacked his lips. Lexa quirked an amused and slightly bewildered eyebrow, swallowing down a snicker as she shook him again. "Jess?" Come on Jesse, get up and come to bed."

"Mmnnnnnmm…" He groaned, shifting slightly before peeping a heavily lidded eye open at her. "Can I help you?" He grumbled, annoyed that she's woken him despite the stiffness of his back, neck, and shoulders.

"Get up and come to bed, babe, you'll be more comfortable there. And I'll be warmer." She grinned coyly down at him, offering him her hand. He took it and she hauled him from his seat. He leaned against her and she helped him stumble to their now-shared bedroom.

TO BE CONTINUED...