Yo peeps! See? I'm being good and updating, just for you guys. Actually, I've had this chapter done for a while, but shh. Not the point. So anyway, thanks for the reviews I got! They made me happy! Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last one!
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Over the next few weeks, people across the village began to feel ill. Nearly all of those afflicted with the illness complained of nausea, as well as a variety of other symptoms. Neal was quickly overwhelmed with patients. When Kel came to see him in the afternoon one day, looking the worse for wear, he groaned loudly.
"You too? If my precious cousin gave this to you, I might have to kill him," her friend said, motioning for her to sit on a bench inside his workroom.
"He didn't. He feels fine. I just wanted to get this cleared up before he did get it," she said, closing her eyes as deep green light flowed from Neal's hands into her body.
"Well I'm still blaming him. Everything always seems to be…"
Kel looked up at him as his voice trailed away. She looked at him oddly as she felt the green light leave her body. "Neal, what's wrong? Am I that sick?" she asked.
"Well Kel… you're… pregnant," he said bluntly, not sure how to say this bit of news softly. By the shocked look on her face, he knew that this thought had never crossed her mind.
"What do you mean… pregnant? I can't be pregnant. I always wear my charm…" She pulled the gold charm from beneath her shirt, showing it to Neal, who began to examine it.
"Well I'm not an expert on these things, but it might have something to do with the fact that the entire bottom half is missing," he said, holding it up for her to see. "Somehow I don't think that's supposed to happen."
Ripping the charm from her neck, she asked, "How far along am I?"
"I'd say about three months," he said, about to protest as she hopped off the table, but quickly thought the better of it.
"Gods help me Meathead, if you tell anyone, I will kill you," she said as she walked out of the infirmary.
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All that afternoon, Kel paced back and forth in her chambers. "How could I have not noticed that the entire bottom half of my charm fell off?" she asked herself over and over. She wasn't angry about her pregnancy; she just wasn't sure how Dom would take it.
Suddenly the door flew open behind her as Dom walked in, looking slightly frazzled. "Where have you been? No one has seen you since this morning and I was getting worried," he said, enveloping her in a hug.
"I've been up here, thinking." She walked to the window, looking outside at the new town before turning back to her lover. "Dom, I'm…." She stopped for a moment, nervous about his response. She knew he loved her, but this was so far beyond where either of them thought they would be at this point in their lives. With a sigh she sat, putting her head in her hands. "I'm pregnant," she whispered.
"Kel, I can't hear you when you've covered your face with your hands," he said, gently pulling her hands into her lap. "Now what did you say?"
"I'm pregnant," she said once more, tensing as she waited for his response.
"You're… You're…. pregnant?" he asked. At her nod, a grin spread across his face. Picking her up into the air, he spun her around before kissing her thoroughly. Kel smiled back, relieved that he wasn't upset.
"So you're ok with it then?" she asked, looking up into his bright blue eyes.
"Of course. I just hope you are," he said, suddenly concerned. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face, making her smile.
"I am. Especially now that I know how you feel about it." Her grin broadened as he leaned down and kissed her stomach.
"I assume the Meathead knows. Did he say how far along you were?" he asked, before planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"About three months", she replied, covering the hand he had on her stomach with her own.
He brought her hand to his lips for a kiss. "Whenever you want to tell everyone, let me know."
With a final kiss, he strode out of the room, whistling a soft tune as he ambled down the hall,
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Over the next week, it became obvious that Neal hadn't told anyone. Whether it was because he was keeping the secret for her because he wanted to, or because he didn't want to risk bodily harm, Kel didn't care.
As her pregnancy progressed, she began to get a slight belly, causing her to wear bigger shirts. To everyone who knew her, Kel changed over that week. No one could quite pinpoint how or why, but they all knew she had.
Dom appeared to have changed too, though fewer people noticed this. Despite the fact that he had said nothing of Kel's condition, the men of the Own all knew it had something to do with Kel. Many thought the two were betrothed and that Dom would soon be handing in resignation.
Only Neal knew what had changed the two and it was clearly killing him that he couldn't tell all of New Hope that Kel was going to be a mother. Every time he passed Kel, he would give her a sullen glare, which only elicited a laugh from her. Soon, she would tell the town that she was pregnant and Neal could then tell everyone he had been the first to know, even before the father of the child, something she knew he would enjoy telling Dom.
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This is the part where all you special people that reviewed get responded to and thanked and such…
Grace of Masbolle: Thanks mann!
stardust718: Yeah, I noticed that. Lol Anyway, it's about two or three months later.
padfootsposse04: Yeah yeah yeah, you're all smart. Lol And thanks so much. I just hope the sequel turns out as good as my first story. Lol
princessofcrown101: Excitement!!
bookworm-4-ever2012: Who gets offended if you say its adorable? Lol I tell people that all the time about their stories. So I take it as a compliment. Lol
On top of cloud 9: Well YEAH! It's my favorite thing about writing him. I always managed to throw in a couple things once in a while that involve him getting embarrassed. (Anyone remember the potted plant?)