The two of them made their way down to the armory and both took a Battle Rifle. Between the two of them, they thought the BR should be more than enough to deal with the animal. After picking them up the two left the base. If Church had heard it in his and Caboose's room then it should be…

"Dear God. Is that it?"

"Think so…" Caboose said raising his gun and taking aim.

"Do you know what it is?"

"Yeah, same thing that attacked me and Church before." Caboose fired. The three round burst caught the thing in the shoulder. It flinched and turned around. It was just like the thing Church killed before. How did he kill that one? Ah yes. One shot to the head. Caboose adjusted his aim and fired. The thing dodged and came straight at him.

Tex backed off and fired. The rounds seemed to do nothing. She was fighting the urge to panic. She was remembering another time when she was overpowered by an enemy. The freelancer shook her head and took aim again, this time at a claw that was coming down on Caboose. The blast was enough to distract the beast from Caboose long enough for him to get away. Now it looked at Tex. She smiled at it. "Come an get me ugly." And it did. Roaring in rage, the thing raced at her. At the last moment she threw herself aside, but not before priming a plasma grenade and sticking it to the beast, all in one graceful and practiced movement. She was just able to get out of the blast zone before the grenade went off. Even with forty feet between her and the beast, the blast still shook her teeth. It had been worth it however. The beast was dead. Very very dead. And slightly cooked.

She smiled at the remains and looked for Caboose. He was sitting on the ground, bleeding. She made her way to him and took off her shirt. Swiftly, she turned it into a trinket, stopping the flow of blood from Caboose's arm.

"Sorry."

Caboose looked confused. "Why?"

"I didn't shoot it fast enough."

"I'll live." He tested his arm and winced a little. "Could be worse."

Just as those words left his mouth, Franz's voice came over both of their implants.

"Get back to the base. Now!"

The connection died as a scream rose from the depths of the base. Suddenly, pain was no concern; Caboose was on his feet and half way around the base before Tex gave up on trying to reconnect with Franz. She didn't like running head long into a surprise. She sighed again and chased after Caboose. Under any other circumstances Tex would have been able to easily over take the Rookie. Over and over again she heat him in speed. And she would have if that scream had not belonged to Church.

Caboose ran down the hallways and ramps like a demon out of hell. He reached the Mess Hall and, barely noticing Tucker, reached his lover's side.

"Church! Are you okay!' Caboose asked as Tex stepped into the Hall.

Church had a dazed look on his pale face, his hands spread over his baby filled belly. His eyes were down cast. He didn't answer.

Caboose turned on to Tucker, who looked very confused and a little scared. "What did you do to him?"

"I didn't—"

But Caboose had thrown himself on the other Blue. It was fortunate that Tex interceded then, pulling Caboose off before he could do any harm.

Tucker tried again. "I didn't do anything. We were just playing cards when he screamed." Shaking, Tucker indicated the scattered playing cards.

It was then Church finally spoke. But the words were so soft that Caboose, who was about ten feet away, didn't hear anything other than "two weeks".

Tex let go of Caboose and knelt by Church. "What?"

"I thought I had two weeks."

Two weeks? Two weeks until what? Then it clicked. Caboose understood what had happened. Church had gone into labor two weeks early.

Tex nodded and pulled Church to his feet. "Get you to bed."

Church shook his head slowly. "No. I shouldn't… I… It's too early." His voice was shaking.

"It's going to be fine, Church. Just fallow me." As she led Church out of the Hall, Tex called over her shoulder. "Start boiling water." Then she was gone.

Caboose's mind was racing. His baby was going to be born sooner than he had thought. His baby was going to be born today.

Tucker shuffled his feet.

Caboose looked at Tucker. Then he looked at his own feet. "Sorry."

"'Sokay."

Church sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his hands. They were strong and rough with many scars. He remembered in training there was one counter-counter-counter move he just never could get. Every time he had to perform that move he was witness to his own undoing. Finally he was told if he wanted to become a Spartan he had to get something to work. All he had was his hands he told the drill instructor. Then use them. So he did. The next time he was put in that position, he took his opponent's wrist in his hand and squeezed. Bones were broken that day and Church was accepted into the Spartan ranks. The main hours of handling guns had soaked up most of the moisture from his hands, leaving them dry and coarse. The ropes he was forced to climb ripped into the flesh, leaving his hands scared. His hands told his life story. Or at least most of it.

One of his weathered hands found his stomach. A baby was in his stomach. It was a tight fit. Most likely it was extremely uncomfortable. But he bet it was warm. It was safe. A baby had been stuffed into that small space thirty-eight weeks ago and had grown. Franz hadn't told Church he was pregnant until he was more than half way through with carrying. Later Church had asked why. Franz simply said, "I thought you would have been able to figure it out. I forgot you hadn't paid attention to your body in a while." This was true; after he had died, he had no body to pay attention to. By the time he got it back, he had forgotten how too. But now he knew. Now Caboose knew.

A tear ran down his face remembering how hard it had been to do tell Caboose. But he knew it was not as hard as what he had to do now.

He closed his eyes. He could feel another contraction coming. So could the baby. The baby kicked and squirmed as its world became smaller. Church gritted his teeth against the pain. Why didn't anyone tell him this would hurt so much?

"There never was anyone there to tell you, remember?"

"Damn it Franz. It was rhetorical."

Tex was back. She sat down next to her laboring friend and put an arm around him. She waited until the pain was gone before talking. "How are you doing?"

"Hurts."

"More or less than being blown up?"

"More. Way more."

She sighed and kissed him. "It's going to be okay."

"No it's not. You know it. Why do you keep saying it will be?"

"Because you are going to have a beautiful baby. Because Caboose is going to be here soon with the hot water."

"And Caboose makes everything better?"

She smiled. "No. After all if not for him, you would not be in this position."

Church let out a pained laugh. "I don't want to do this yet." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "I should still have two more weeks."

Tex looked away. There was pain in his eyes that she wouldn't handle right then. Then there was the fear. She had never seen Church so scared. It wasn't just in his eyes; the way he was sitting showed how afraid he was. Everything was screaming. Even just sitting on the same bed as him let her know how terrified he was.

"Church." She had to be careful with her wording. She didn't know if it was for him or her. "You don't get those two weeks." She looked back at him. "If you can accept that, it will make things easier."

"I'm so scared…"

Tex couldn't look at him again. She got up. "I'm going to check on the boys."

Once she was gone, the AI projection light up and Franz stood there, suspended in mid air no more than an inch over the projection. "Church. Church look at me."

Church shook his head.

Franz sighed and folded his transparent arms. "Church, look at me." Church looked at him. "We already went over this. Tex is right. Everything will be fine."

"But…"

"I don't see why you are scared. It's not like you haven't done this before."

"This time is different."

Franz didn't answer. He didn't answer because he knew it was hard for Church to talk while he was in as much pain as what a contraction brought.

"I'm sorry Franz."

The AI frowned. "What—"

Church placed a hand on his implants and pulled. Pain exploded in his head for a moment then it was gone. He felt something smooth in his hand but he didn't look at it.

Just in time too. Tex was back. Caboose was with her.

He sat down in front of Church and rubbed his belly. It had become a habit over the months. Ever since the baby started moving really. Caboose kissed Church and sighed.

"It will be a few hours before the baby comes. Try to get some sleep."

Church nodded and Caboose helped him get into bed. Tex left and Caboose tugged on Church's sleeve.

"What?"

Caboose blushed.

"What?"

"When the baby comes, you shouldn't be wearing…" His face became redder. "Those." Church glanced down and rolled his eyes. Yes Caboose was right, when Church was giving birth his pants would be a pain if he were still wearing them. Then again Tex did say he had a few more hours before so why be pants-less now?

"Later, Caboose."

"But—"

Church looked at him hard. He frowned a little before sighing. "Fine." And that pure Caboose smile was back. It felt like ages since the last time he had seen that smile. He had to remind himself it had only been since this morning.

Between the two of them, they got Church out of his clothes and covered with the blankets.

A bit later, after another contraction, Tex called for Caboose. He left and came back. As soon as he was inside he went into the medicine cabinet and pulled out a bottle and a needle.

"What's that for?"

Without looking up for filling the needle Caboose said, "Not what, who. And it's for you."

"I don't like needles."

Caboose smiled. "It's for the contractions."

Church stretched out an arm. "I may not like needles but I detest contractions. Stick me." Caboose laughed. As soon as Church felt the needle touch his skin, he looked away.

"Done. Now Tex says you should be able to sleep until the baby comes."

"Yay."

Caboose kissed him and pulled up a chair. "Sleep. I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"Thanks Caboose." As he closed his eyes, he thought, You mean more to me than you could ever imagine. I love you so much. And this baby. Be good to each other.