Disclaimer: I don't own the Host.

A/N: Jelanie baby, part 2 for PollyReaderFreak. This is where Melanie tells Jared that she is pregnant.

It was Christmas Eve, and as an agreed rule that had been withheld for the last three years, Jared and I were going to open one present from each and the second one tomorrow, on Christmas Day. This year was going to be double the fun though, because Wanda and Ian were joining us...

And I had a mastermind plan on how to tell Jared that I was pregnant.

I began to take the cookies out of the oven as Jared walked into the kitchen. As soon as he began to get close, I draped a cloth over the hot cookies.

"Hey Mel, how's the baking going?" He asked, wrapping his arms around me.

"Hey Jare-bear, the baking is going great, everything tastes delicious." I handed him the bowl of cookie dough.

He scraped the leftover mixture with his finger. "That is so nice!" He exclaimed. "Do I have to wait until Wanda and Ian come over?"

"Yes," I grinned. "Why don't you go to the shops before they close? Pick up some beer or something? Don't worry, I'll make sure that Ian and Wanda don't so much as look at the cookies before you." I grinned.

"Okay..." he groaned, shrugging on his winter coat and boots."Make sure that they don't." He took his keys, pecked me on the cheek and left out the back door. I sighed relieved. Now I could get on with organising my surprise without looking behind my back the whole time.

I whisked the cloth off the tray and began to carefully peel the cookies off the baking paper. They were all in baby related shapes: a bottle, a dummies, a teddy-bear. Of course, the cookie wouldn't be enough, Jared wasn't the brightest crayon in the box and would just thing that it was my weird sense of humor.

I got out the icing tubes and smarties, and worked my way through all twenty cookies, placing them gently back on cool trays and covering, once again, with the cloth.

Step two was to put out baby carrots for "Rudolph" for the sake of childhood traditions, and baby formula milk for "Santa." I didn't think Jared would understand that either.

And the final step, one that I hoped Jared would get was... In the box that his gift would be presented in, was a t-shirt reading: "World's Best Dad", not even Jared could miss that right.

A heard a knock on the door and wiped my hands off the apron. Wanda and Ian were here.

. . .

"Okay, cookies first!" Jared announced an hour later as everyone was caught up on the news and other such thing.

"I'll get them!" I announced, removing myself from the comfortable position that I had previously lain in moments ago.

I grabbed the two trays and whipped the cloths off them. I balanced them in my two hands and brought them out to Jared and the two guests who were cuddling each other besides the fireplace.

"Cookies!" Wanda cried happily.

"Sorry Wanda, I offered Jared first pick." I laughed. He picked up a cookie and looked at it oddly, but as I expected, didn't say anything.

I offered the tray to Wanda and Ian, and Ian took one, showing no interest to what shape they were in. Wanda gave me a weird look though. I pressed my finger to my lips and she nodded, understanding.

Next up I brought out the baby carrots and baby milk with Wanda, after telling her my plan, as Jared and Ian were having an eggnog drinking contest. Whoever reached for their water first lost.

I heard Jared groan and I turned around to see him reaching for his water, looking green. Ian, delighted in his victory, stood up quickly, but ended up knocking the water glasses in the process. Jared raced over to Wanda and I, grabbing the glass of milk. We exchanged horrified looks and I was about to shout at Jared not to drink it, just as he took a sup. His face twisted and ended up spraying the milk all over me.

"Sorry babe!" He gasped. "The milk was sour, I am so, so sorry!"

"It's okay," I said gritting my teeth. "I'm going upstairs to change. Afterwards we'll open the presents."

. . .

We sat beside the Christmas tree in a small circle, all of us grinning brightly.

"Okay, Ian and Wanda, you can go first." I announced.

"Okay," Wanda blushed. Ian pulled out a thin, long box wrapped in gold paper. Wanda tore in off carefully, folding it after. Wanda was very conservative when it came to wrapping paper. She opened the box to reveal a delicate charm bracelet.

"Oh Ian!" She gasped. "It's beautiful!" She hugged him tightly. "My turn!"

Wanda handed Ian a thick, rectangle covered in colourful snowflake wrapping paper. Ian, not sharing Wanda's view in recycling wrapping paper next year, tore it open mercilessly.

"Oh my God!" He exclaimed. It was a book... "A signed autobiography of Fernando Torres! No way!" He grinned, hugging her tightly. Now it was my turn.

"Here you go." I said handing him the flat black box. He opened it and unfolded the t-shirt. He looked at me confused.

"I think you got the wrong shirt Mel," he told me, turning it around so I could see. Wanda grinned, and Ian tried not to laugh.

"Nope," I answered. "I'm pretty sure that's the one." He looked at me, completely dumbfounded. Remember what I said when Jared wasn't the brightest crayon in the box? Screw that, he didn't even qualify to enter the box.

"Jared, I think she's trying to tell you something." Ian prompted. Jared lips formed an O.

"So that's why the cookies look weird." He said. "I was wondering." I rolled my eyes. "Anyways, this makes my present so much easier." Jared looked at me and opened up a ring box, revealing a gorgeous diamond ring.

"Melanie Stryder, will you-"

I cut him off. "Yes!" I cried, enveloping him into a tight hug.

It was the best Christmas ever.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Don't forget I welcome requests xxx