"Akeelah," his fingers snatched her arm as she passed, their squad on their way to the training field to have one on one training with their Mentor and tugged her out of the line into the crevice of a doorway he had claimed as his hiding place. "What's wrong with you?"

The female trainee took on a mildly offended expression and yanked her arm free from his grasp. "Nothing's wrong! How could you say that!" Her tone led him to believe otherwise, he heard the nervousness that was well-hidden in there, and waved a hand to calm her down.

"I didn't mean anything by it." He tilted his head for a moment, "It's just…..Somethings changed with you and I'm worried." He gave her a look. "Sorry for being a good friend."

When he made to step around her, guilt swelled from within, and she took hold of his arm this time and tugged him back into their hiding spot.

"Fine! Fine! But you have to promise not to say anything! I won't tell you if you don't promise!"

Sasha looked confused for a moment, but nodded, nonetheless. "I promise."

She didn't look convinced though, staring into his eyes imploringly. "You have to swear on it. On our friendship. If you tell we'll never be friends again."

He didn't quite understand what could be so important as to put their friendship on the line.

Sasha nodded without hesitation. "I swear." He leaned closer. "Now tell!"

Peering down one end of the hall, and then the other, as though to ensure they were alone, she turned back to look up at him. She hated that he had grown so much taller then her. She as so short.

It took a moment for the message to register, as she pressed a hand to her stomach, but when it had, his eyes widened almost comically wide.

"You're—"

"Shh!" she smacked him in the stomach with the back of her right hand, giving a hesitant nod, Akeelah made a particular expression. "I think."

"How can you 'think' you are!"

"It's not exactly a common thing for me!" she glared at him slightly. "Sorry!"

"We need to tell—"

"No!" She smacked him in the stomach again. "You swore! We can't tell anyone!" she shook her head quickly. "Not Lucifer. Not Nisroc. Not Raphael or Gabriel. And especially not Michael!"

"We have too—I mean should you even still be training if you are?"

Akeelah gave him a hard stare. "We're not telling anyone."

"Does he know?"

She nodded, and that seemed to relieve him, but still he gave her an imploringly concerned glance. "Is he upset?"

"I don't think so. He hugged me really tightly and cried a little. I think he was happy." Akeelah shrugged. "I mean, he hasn't told me to never come back, we're getting together tomorrow too."

"We have to tell Paul! And Zaves!"

She thought on it a moment. "Okay. But only them."

The sound of heavy boots hitting the stone hallway silenced their conversation, and they peered around the corner of the doorway they stood in, meeting the bright blue gaze of their Mentor.

"Is everything alright?" he frowned as he approached them. "It's not like you two to be late."

The two friends exchanged quick looks and nodded in unison.

"Everything's fine, Nis, you worry too much." Akeelah curled her arm around Sasha's and tugged him forward with her. "Sorry we're late!" She called over her shoulder as they stepped around him and ran for the exit to the training field.

Nisroc raised an eyebrow, turning slightly as they ran passed him and watched them take the stairs two at a time until disappearing from his sight, his hands resting lightly on his hips.

"What on Earth?"

…

It wasn't long until they knew for sure if she truly was or not, when her tops stopping fitting right was the only indication that they needed, her belly was getting bigger little by little. They managed to keep it a secret from everything, save Paul and Zaves, and it was quite an accomplishment.

"Akeelah, we're going to run out of ways to keep hiding it!"

Sasha had stayed behind in the washroom for her to finish, their squad having just returned from one on one training once more, and he sat on the stone bench with his back facing her as she stepped out of the water, he heard her cross the stone flooring, and turned when she said she was covered. He turned to look over his shoulder first just to make sure, and then turned to face her completely, staring at the slight bump to her belly.

"I'm honestly surprised no one's noticed yet, myself!"

"We're still not telling, Sasha!" She leaned closer. "You swore!"

"I'm not going to have too! You're tunics don't fit anymore! They'll find out when you're not wearing a top!"

She groaned in acknowledgement, he was right of course, she hated it when he was right.

"Give me one of yours!"

"What?"

Akeelah reached for his hand, curling it over her belly softly, and he sighed in resignation.

"Let me use one of your tunics."

"Okay." He smiled, curling his fingers around the bump, looking up at him with curious eyes. "Have you found out what it is yet?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Not yet. Konsu was going to take me to see Isis on the next day of rest." Akeelah looked down to her belly. "I hope it's a girl, though."

Sasha smiled at her. "Have you thought of a name?"

"Lyra."

"What if it's a boy?"

"Izar."

"It's pretty." He leaned forward to kiss her belly. "And she'll be pretty too if she's anything like you."

"Guys?" they both looked around to the entrance, Paul stood looking on them, concern having taken over his features. "Everything okay?"

They shared a smile and nodded to their older friend, Paul smiled in return and nodded, he stepped in a bit to close the door behind him. The Power's were all about with their trainees and the last thing they needed was one overhearing them.

"Nis want's to see everyone on the training field."

Sasha nodded, standing quickly, setting a hand on his friends shoulder for a moment. "I'll be right back with a tunic." Akeelah nodded and watched him jog off to get the item requested.

Paul stepped aside to let him pass, jogging forward to join her as she tied the sash around her waist to keep her trousers up, she giggled when he squatted in front of her to press both of his hands to her belly.

"How's my little niece or nephew doing?"

She laughed. "I think they're okay?"

He looked up at her with concern. "Do you feel bad? I can get Puri—"

"No! No." she curled her hands around his. "I feel fine. A bit tired. But we just finished training too. Everything's fine."

Paul frowned a bit but nodded. "You know, they won't kick you out of the flock if you tell them, you won't be demoted either."

"You don't know that, Paul." She sat on the bench heavily, leaning forward on her elbows as best she could given her small frame and her growing belly, and he sat next to her to rub her back. "I want to be the first female Power. They could, I don't know, think I'm not strong enough anymore."

"You know that's not true. Nisroc is always watching you, and Sasha, and a few others. He's impressed by your skill."

She huffed, and he grinned, poking her in the belly. "Don't be so sad, 'Keelah, it's not good for the little one."

The young lady giggled lightly and waved his hand away from her before he could poke her again. Sasha joined them in the next moment, breathing heavily, and fell back on the bench as he passed her his tunic. Turning away from them, she let her towel drop, curling the leather straps over her chest and pulled the tunic over her head. It was too big for her, she swam in it, but it hid the bump of her belly in it's folds and that was all they needed it to do.

"Okay, how do I look?"

They watched her as she tucked the ends under her belt and turned to show them, they both nodded, there was no sign of her slightly protruding belly.

…

"Akeelah, can you take the spears back to the Armory?"

The female trainee nodded to her Mentors request, stepping out of line to gather them up, bending slightly, grimacing as she did. Sasha's shirt had been exchanged for one of Paul's, as her belly just kept growing, they were running out of tunics to give at this rate.

Pressing a hand to her hidden belly, she tried to squat instead, bending was becoming too hard. There was soft whine, almost inaudible, of pain as she struggled to bundle them all up.

"I got it!"

Sasha broke the line in a quick instant, catching Nisroc and Puriel's attention, and ignored their confused stares as he bolted across the way to gather up the spears. Akeelah was huffing, and she silently thanked him, he jerked his head in a nod.

Nisroc crossed his arms loosely over his chest, watching as the two friends exchanged a quick word, and Sasha stood with the spears in hand.

"Give them to her, Sasha, she is more than capable of carrying them."

"I can do it! I'm capable too!"

Nisroc stepped forward, Puriel at his side, it was not like Sasha to talk back in such a manner.

"I am ordering you," he came to stand before the two friends, his arms having uncrossed, his hands moving to his hips. "To give her the spears."

Sasha stared at him in silence, seeing the forming anger within his guardians blue eyes at his blatant disrespect, but he couldn't give them to her, they were too heavy for her to carry at this stage. In his opinion, she should have stopped training some time ago, but she was stubborn to the core. It was a trait he was sure the little one would get too.

"Sash," he looked down to his friend. "Give them to me." She reached for them, beckoning with her hands. "I can take them."

He shook his head firmly, if he couldn't get her to tell, or to stop training, then he'd do his best to help her instead.

"No. No." he met Nisroc's harsh gaze and shook his head. "I'll do it."

Puriel left his side, frowning in concern as he took note of the continuous heavy breathing of the female trainee before them, coming to meet at her side and guide her off gently.

The Captain took a deep breath, crossing his arms once more, he leaned forward to stare directly in his mentees eyes.

"My office. Now."

Sasha gave a quick jerk of his head, bowing under his guardians angered gaze, and looked to the side for his friend for a single moment as he stepped forward with the spears. He saw her nod, breathlessly, cringe, and press a hand to her large well-hidden belly.

Despite his precarious position he was in, he couldn't help but smile in relief.

Some knew.

…

Nisroc was in the middle of a harsh reprimanding when there came a knock to his door, it brought him to a heated silence, and he pointed a finger at the one before him as he called out.

"Enter."

The door opened, and Sasha had never been so happy at an interruption before, Puriel stepped in silently. Behind him, he could just make out Akeelah's form, hands pressed to her swollen belly, and he ducked to meet her eyes and smile. She looked far too down. It lifted his spirits when her eyes met his and returned his smile.

"Nisroc, there's some news I think you should hear?"

The Captain tilted his head to the side, not having expected that, and he turned to glance at his young friend, his little 'Baby Power' standing in the doorway.

"Is everything alright, Puriel?"

"I think I'll let her tell you."

The medic turned and guided the young lady in, Akeelah clutched at his hand as she came to stand before him, and he curled his large fingers around her and gave in encouraging nod to her when she looked up to him in fright.

Taking a deep breath, Akeelah steeled herself, and turned to face her mentor and oldest friend.

"Nis," she took another deep breath, clutching at Puriel's fingers as tight as she could manage. "I'm pregnant."

He stared at her for a long moment, as though he was having trouble comprehending such a thing, and she took another deep breath in anticipation.

The Power shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. "I'm sorry." He looked back up at her. "What?"

Akeelah nodded slightly, letting go of Puriel's hand, to walking around the desk her big brother sat at. Nisroc watched her every step, turning in his chair as she came to stand next to him, watching with wide eyes as she slowly tugged the oversized tunic out from the waist of her trousers to reveal her very swollen belly. She reached for his hand and pressed it to the rounded belly, his eyes widened as he felt it, turning completely to curl his other hand around the warm belly. The little one within, just as fiery as their mother was, kicked against his hand.

"Oh, my Father." He breathed slowly, a smile slowly coming to cross his features when the little one kicked again. "You're pregnant."

"Please don't be mad."

He stood from his chair quickly. "Oh, my little baby Power, never." He curled his arms around her carefully and she buried her face in his chest. "I could never."

Nisroc pulled back, pressing his hand to her belly again. "Is that why you've been wearing Paul and Sasha's tunics?"

Akeelah nodded, smiling when he poked her in the belly.

"You are very clever." He looked up to meet her eyes. "Have you been looked over?"

"I've seen Isis." She looked down to her round belly. "But that was months ago."

"Let's go get you looked over."

Akeelah shook her head, clutching at his hand tightly. "No! No, we can't, they don't know!"

Nisroc knelt slightly, taking both of her hands into his own. "There is nothing to fear. Be brave, baby Power, we'll come with you."

"They'll be so mad!"

"You know they won't." he tilted her head up gently, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "Training has been rough these last few weeks. We must make sure the little one is alright. They won't be mad at you. They need to know."

"You'll come with me?"

The Power nodded. "We'll all come."

AN: How will the archangels react! LOL!