Kara laid her hand against her stomach. She'd been getting sick every morning for about two weeks. Dearka had forced her to go to the doctor the day before. But she'd already known the cause. She was pregnant, about three months along. She hadn't suspected until about three weeks before. She had skipped her period for a few months and then the morning sickness confirmed her suspicions. The doctor had called about an hour before to tell her the good news. Kara knew it was good news, but she was still a little nervous. She and Dearka had only been married for two years, although Athrun and Cagalli had only been married two months when Cagalli got pregnant with their daughter Alisi. But whenever they talked about having children, Dearka always said he wanted to wait a few more years. So, she'd continued taking the medicine and about four months ago she'd gotten an implant, which she found out had been faulty.
Would Dearka be happy? Karalee knew that he'd be a great father. He was a wonderful uncle to Alisi and he was good with Kira and Lacus's twins as well. But, this child would be theirs. It would be a combination of both of them. Were they ready for that? Their lives were hectic enough as it was, with council meetings and state functions almost every day and night of the week. A baby would be a good excuse to get out of some of them. But, peace between Zaft and the Earth Alliance was so fragile, a war could break out at any time. Kara knew she wanted the baby, more than anything. She loved her baby already. Dearka just had to be happy about it. But how would she tell him?
They were going out to dinner with Athrun, Cagalli, and Yzak that night. She could tell everyone then. But, it seemed like she should tell Dearka first. She could tell him when he got home from the council meeting that afternoon. She'd been allowed to stay home on account of her health. Or she could wait a little longer. She hadn't started showing yet. It would probably be another month before you could really tell. But she couldn't wait a whole month to tell Dearka. Part of her wanted to call him right then and tell him there was an emergency and have him come running home and then she could tell him when he got home. But, that probably wouldn't be the best way to do things. If Dearka got a call that she was in trouble, Athrun would come running as well.
So she had to wait. He'd be getting home in another hour or two. She could wait that long, at least she thought she could. So she sat there on their bed, her fingers drumming on the red silk comforter. She was wearing her favorite blue sundress. It showed off her curvy figure and when Dearka saw it while they were in the house, they sometimes had a hard time getting out, but that wasn't uncommon for newly married couples. That sundress would be too small in month or two. That thought made Kara almost giddy. In six or seven months she was going to be a mother! That made her so happy. Dearka would be just as happy about being a father. Wouldn't he? The thought was driving her insane. If Dearka didn't get home soon she might go crazy! Kara laid down on the bed and stretched out. The bed was so comfortable and she had been so tired recently. She was asleep in a matter of minutes.
An hour later, Kara was woken up by the whine of Dearka's motorcycle. A little smile played at the corners of her lips when she thought about how they would soon be needing more family friendly means or transportation. She ran a brush through her hair and ran down stairs to meet him. She flew into his arms and kissed him just as he walked through the door. "Well that was nice way to be greeted," Dearka said with a smile as they broke their kiss.
"I just missed you today," Kara explained, resting her head against his shoulder. Apparently the baby didn't like it when she moved to quickly, she felt a little dizzy.
"You okay angel?" he asked worriedly. Kara had suddenly gone pale.
"Fine," she replied quickly. "We're both just fine," she added quietly, almost too quietly for Dearka to hear, but he did here.
"What do you mean by both?" he asked, a frown marring his handsome features.
"Did I say that out loud?" she inquired innocently.
"Yes you did," Dearka said, grasping her shoulders firmly. "Now what do you mean by both?"
"Boy or girl?" Kara asked with a grin.
"What?"
"Do you want our baby to be a boy or a girl?"
"Baby…" Dearka trailed off. "Are you pregnant?" Kara just nodded and watched his expression transform from confusion to unabashed joy. "Oh angel that's wonderful!" Dearka cried happily, picking her up and twirling her around. "We're going to be…"
"Parents!" Kara finished happily. "Are you happy?"
"Happy?" Dearka asked playfully. "Angel, I'm the happiest man in the world!" Dearka set her down and kissed her gently on the lips. His simple kiss soon turned into a passionate one, involving the tugging at clothing and the careful maneuvering up the stairs without breaking their kiss. Dearka kicked open their bedroom door and carried Kara inside. He dropped her on the bed and suddenly pulled away. "Could we hurt the baby?" he asked with a frown.
Kara laughed and pressed her lips against his. "No," she assured him. "The baby's just a little bitsy thing right now. I think it will be fine." Dearka's only reply was to kiss her again.
Several hours later Kara walked out of the bathroom wearing a knee length green off the shoulder dress. "Dearka will you finish zipping up the back?" she asked turning around as she slipped a pair of emerald studs into her ears. Dearka walked up behind her and let his fingers caress her smooth skin, causing shivers to run up her spine. "If you don't stop that I'm going to call one of the maids and have her do it," she warned playfully.
Dearka sighed and finished zipping up her dress. Kara looked as beautiful as ever. Her stomach was still almost completely flat and so her figure still curved perfectly. It had been two years since their wedding day and she still managed to take his breath away every time he looked at her. Her blue curls hung perfectly around her slim shoulders. As Kara put on the light make up she wore, Dearka took the opportunity to ponder his wife's pregnant form. She had always been slender, always eating carefully and exercising regularly. She had maintained an appropriate weight for her slim figure her entire life. Dearka could already tell there would be a struggle with Kara about whether or not she still looked beautiful after she started gaining weight. That would be a constant battle.
"Dearka?" Kara asked with a frown. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine angel," he assured her. "I'm absolutely perfect."
"Will you get me that emerald necklace, the one on the dresser with the sterling silver setting?" she asked as she smoothed her curls. Dearka picked up the necklace and walked up behind her, slipping it around her throat. He gently clasped the necklace and kissed the spot on the back of her neck where the clasp rested. "Dearka!" Kara teased. "Stop that!" Dearka just laughed and caught her up in her arms and twirled her around.
One Month Later
"Dearka if you don't hurry up we're going to be late!" Kara cried up the stairs, one hand resting on her hip, the other laying protectively over her stomach. "You get down here right now or I'm leaving without you!"
"I'm coming," Dearka called back as he ran down the stairs, slipping his arms into the sleeves of his tan sport coat. He kissed her cheek and then let his hand settle on the small of her back and led her out to their minivan. He'd never forget the day he'd brought it home. The unabashed joy on her face was enough to last him a life time, although he'd prefer to see that look again. He opened the passenger door for her and helped her into her seat and then walked over to the driver's side.
They got to the doctor's office just in time. The nurse led them back to a room towards the back of the building and Dearka helped Kara up onto a table. Kara lifted up her shirt and the nurse spread cold gel on her stomach. The nurse set up some equipment and soon a picture formed on a screen Dearka and Kara had been staring at intently. Dearka reached up and laced his fingers through Kara's. "There it is angel," he whispered to her lovingly. "That's our baby!"
Kara's only reply was a smile and to gently squeeze his hand. "Would you like to know the baby's sex?" the nurse asked with a smile. Kara nodded eagerly, not quite trusting her voice. "It's a girl!"
Five Months Later
"This is not fair!" Kara exclaimed as she maneuvered out of the bathroom. "Cagalli was hardly sick a day and I've been sick this whole time!" She was eight months pregnant. She got sick most mornings and evenings, sometimes in the middle of the night. This was one of the late night experiences. Dearka was a saint through most of it. He did have some problems with the three in the morning cravings for the strangest foods. Kara could feel another craving coming on. "Dearka?" Kara asked as she settled down on the bed next to him. "The baby and I are hungry."
"You just emptied the entire contents of your stomach, save the baby, how on earth could you possibly be hungry?"
"I just am," she replied as she curled up next to her husband. "Will you go get us some ice cream?"
"We have fifteen different flavors in the refrigerator."
"I don't want any of those flavors," Kara pouted. "Besides there's chicken in the freezer and it's tainted the ice cream." Kara cuddled closer and let her head rest on his chest, making sure he got a good whiff of the smell of her hair.
"Fine, what flavor do you want?"
"Triple chocolate," Kara replied decidedly. "And could you chop up some dill pickle and sprinkle it on top?"
Dearka climbed out of bed and grabbed a pair of jeans from their closet. Twenty minutes later he walked back into their bedroom carrying the ice cream bowl in one hand and the bowl with the chopped pickle in the other. The sight that greeted him was his wife curled up in their bed, hugging his pillow close, fast asleep.
It's Time!
Kara slowly maneuvered down the stairs. Her stomach had grown so large that she couldn't see her feet. As a result Dearka had to help her pick out shoes almost every morning so that they were matching. But with swollen ankles, her favorite shoes were her comfy old house slippers. Suddenly Kara felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She stopped in her tracks and pressed one hand to her extended stomach and desperately grasped the banister with the other. "Dearka!" she called softly and paused to listen for his answer. "Dearka!" she called louder.
"What's wrong angel?" he asked as he walked out of the kitchen with a sandwich in hand.
"I think that the baby's coming," Kara replied and almost doubled over in pain as another contraction hit. "And I think she's coming soon!" Dearka ran to where his wife stood and lifted her carefully into his arms. He was about to run out the door without the car keys when Kara carefully reached up and grabbed them from the peg by the door. Dearka managed to get them to the hospital in one piece, but just barely.
Kara was quickly settled into a bed and she and Dearka were left to wait until it was time. A nurse came in about every ten minutes and finally decided it was time for the baby to be born. Kara gripped her husband's hand tightly in her own as another painful contraction hit. "Dearka if I live through this we are getting separate bedrooms!" she screamed as she almost doubled over in pain. "Or better yet I'll make sure you never have any more children!" The doctor just chuckled at her words and when Dearka shot him a panicked look, the doctor just winked. He was quite used to the rants and raves of women in labor.
"Come on Mrs. Elthman, just one final push!" the doctor instructed. "I can see the baby's head!" Kara pushed with all her might and was rewarded with her daughter's cry. Kara sighed with relief and sunk back against the bed. The doctor handed the baby to a waiting nurse and after delivering the afterbirth, Kara was rewarded with being able to hold her daughter in her arms. "Oh Dearka she's so beautiful!" Kara sighed contentedly. She held out her arms and Dearka slowly took the baby from her, looking down in awe at his tiny daughter.
"Kara I'm so proud of you," he whispered in her ear and kissed her cheek. He pushed back the blanket to see the soft blue fuzz on the top of her head. And as she opened her eyes, Dearka could see they were violet like his own. Both parents were quite certain she was the most beautiful baby in the entire world, but most new parents are taken with that notion.
"Dearka," Kara began hesitantly as he handed her their daughter. "I really am sorry about what I said. I didn't mean any of it. And I really do like your mother."
"Angel you never said anything about my mother," he replied with a puzzled frown.
"So what do you want to name her?" Kara asked a little too brightly as she quickly changed the subject. "I was thinking Kylia."
"Kylia Angel Elthman," Dearka sounded the name out on his tongue. "I like it!"
Kara once again sighed contentedly and then settled back against the pillows to nurse her daughter. Dearka kissed them both and then slipped out of the room. There were several people out in the waiting room waiting for news. In the excitement over his daughter, he'd completely forgotten that Cagalli, Athrun, Kira, Lacus, Miriallia, and even Yzak were all waiting for news of Kara and the baby.
