Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Pardon?" Miranda whispered, her hands moving to cover her stomach.

"Can't you hear it, Mick?" Michael asked, his eyes moving to Mick, whose eyes were squeezed shut, his head cocked to the side as he put all his effort into listening.

Suddenly Mick was up, grabbing Miranda and twirling her around, holding her waist to listen again. "…It's heart-"

"It's beating," Josef whispered, just as shocked.

"He's alive?" Miranda whispered. She had never been one who liked a baby being referred to as an 'it'.

Michael smiled. "Yes. Apparently, he's not exactly human."

Mick stared at Miranda's stomach. It was as flat and tight as ever. No trace of the child that he could hear within. "How?"

"He adapted to survive." Michael shrugged. "Just as we all do."

"My baby's alive," The shock alone wore on Miranda enough to make her knees weak. She moved from Mick's grip to the couch, though he moved right behind her. Soon she was sitting with Josef on one side, nearer to Michael, and Mick on the other.

Michael remained silent for a long moment. "Miranda...as a gift," He stood, holding his hand out for hers. She hesitated for a moment but allowed him to take her hand. He bent, placing a chaste kiss along her knuckles. "I release you from my debt."

While Mick and Miranda didn't seem exceptionally pleased with this, Josef actually gave a relieved sigh.

"All I ask," Michael added, causing Josef to make a 'here-it-comes' face, "Is that you allow me to see the child, once he's born. I would like to be here for the birth but I will only ask to be allowed access to the child later."

Mick took this one before Miranda could. "Why?"

Michael smiled, looking at Mick before responding. "To see the miracle, of course." With that, the older vampire turned, leaving the three behind in silence.

Miranda curled her hands over her abdomen. "He's alive? It's not possible."

"Vampirism is a impossibility," Josef reminded her, stroking her arm gently, in the mostly friendly manner, before he rose. "I'm going to check on the girls." The unsaid ending to the his sentence being 'and I'm going to give you two a few minutes alone.'

As Josef's form retreated down the hall, and stairs towards the freshie kitchen where he had sent the two humans, Mick turned to Miranda. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Miranda looked at him, confused.

"I shouldn't have tried to act for you. I should have let you make up your own mind." Mick's head fell forward slightly, in shame.

Miranda cupped his chin in one hand. "You were afraid. You thought it was me or him." She stroked her stomach as she said him.

"You're convinced it's a boy?" Mick asked, placing his hand over hers, letting his thumb stroke her stomach gently.

She shrugged. "I don't know for sure…but he's not an 'it'. Even if he is a she, that doesn't make it okay to call him an 'it'. I'll stick him the male pronouns until I know for sure." She leaned forward, resting her head against his shoulder, trying to soak up his strength as the night's stressful beginning continued to drain her. "Besides," she added in a whisper, just below his ear. "You always wanted a baby boy."

"How do you know that?" Mick asked, wrapping his wife tightly in his arms.

"You told me once. A long time ago," Miranda heard movement on the stairs but she didn't care, staying completely still against Mick, who was equally as still.

"Mommy? Daddy, what's wrong?" Zoe's little voice called. She dashed across the room, quickly being absorbed into the hug.

"Nothing's wrong, Zoe," Miranda whispered, pulling Zoe as close as she could get her. "We just found out something about the baby."

"What did you find out about the baby?" Zoe eyes got big all of sudden, as a smile spread across her face. "Is he okay? Am I gonna be a big sister again?"

Mick nodded, and Zoe squealed in delight, hugging Miranda close again, her little ear pressed tight to Miranda's stomach, as if to hear something from within.

Josef came behind Aubrey, wrapping an arm around her waist. Aubrey sighed happily, leaning against him. "You know," Josef whispered, right in her ear. "You'll never have that…if you choose this…choose me."

Aubrey turned to face him. "Children are great, but I already have a niece, with another little one on the way for Miranda. I don't need ones of my own…besides," she circled his waist with her arms, hugging his as tight as she could. "I'll have you."