-Gentle-

Jaina is no longer graceful, Kyp observes as they leave the medical ward. She moves slowly, gait ungainly as she waddles. She's eight months pregnant and though he'd never say it aloud-he's not suicidal, after all-she looks like a ball with legs.

After a moment of watching her walk, he sweeps her up in his arms. Even so very pregnant, she doesn't weigh enough to be a burden.

"I can walk!" she protests.

"Cilghal said bed rest," Kyp reminds her. "This will get you there faster. I'm worried you'll take so long, you'll finish this pregnancy before we get to our quarters."

She frowns and half-heartedly thumps his shoulder. But the way she relaxes against him, looping an arm around his neck, tells him the protest is entirely for show. He knows how tired she is, true rest being difficult with only a few sleep positions available and the baby kicking. Their daughter's kicked a few times hard enough to wake him; he can't imagine how battered Jaina is inside with that going on.

Back in their quarters, Kyp carries Jaina into the bedroom and sets her on the bed. He pulls her shoes off and helps her get under the covers. She leans back against the pillows and sighs.

"Two months of this," she mutters. "I'm going to lose my mind."

"Don't worry, I'll be here to keep you company, when I'm not otherwise occupied."

"... I'll lose my mind even faster."

He sticks his tongue out at her and she grins wearily.

"Lie with me?" she asks plaintively.

"Of course."

Kyp slides into bed behind her, wrapping an arm around her expansive middle. He presses a kiss to her hair. "Just a few more weeks and Kyrie will be here."

Jaina wiggles until she's comfortable and heaves a sigh. "I'm so tired of being pregnant."

"I know. But we'll have a baby soon. And then you'll just be tired." He grins and Jaina turns her head to stick her tongue out at him.

She catches his hand, holds it in her own. "Part of me is still trying to adjust to the idea we're even together, let alone married and about to be parents. You know?"

"Yeah. It's all happened so fast. But it's a good fast, if that makes sense."

"Mm. Yeah. We've been best friends for so long, we just moved right into family." She huffs a laugh. "A little more time with just you and me and all the sex we want would have been nice, but this happened with me on birth control, so I guess Kyrie is meant to be here now."

"I don't view that as a problem at all. I'm excited. There was a time I wasn't sure I'd get to be a father, so this is... Beyond good." He doesn't say that it was only a year or so ago that he had basically resigned himself to being alone forever.

"Since you're so thrilled, you get diaper duty."

He laughs and kisses her shoulder. "Okay, I'll agree to that."

"Really?"

"You'll be feeding her. I should be prepared to handle something. I'm her father."

That's a heady thing to say. He's going to be a father in just a few weeks. He can't put into words how that makes him feel.

And at the moment, he doesn't have to, because Jaina has fallen asleep. He sighs, brushes a kiss against her hair, and does the same.