Today, we get an anatomy lesson. And raging Stitchpunk hormones of various stripes.

Also, I should have made it clearer in the previous chapter; but 7 and 9 have adopted the twins as their children, just like in all my other stories. (This will surely make for hilarity and cuteness down the road.)We're still technically following The Other Eyes Saga canon, if it helps. Hopefully, I've made up for not clarifying that by emphasizing it in this chapter.

Cuz we ALL know what's about to happen. ;)

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Possibility

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7 felt consciousness come back over her, though she couldn't guess how long she had been out. But she could feel her bed beneath her, the hand-stitched blanket soft and warm against her back She stirred and opened her eyes a little. To her joy and relief, 9 was the first thing she saw. He was sitting beside her, holding her hand solidly, with a magnificent smile on his face.

"Ah, there you are," he said gently, caressing her face. "You scare me to death sometimes."

With a short, apologetic laugh, she sat up a little and propped herself up on her elbows. "I felt so terrible," she said, rubbing the side of her head. "What happened to me back there?"

On the other side of the room, they heard someone laugh jovially; she turned to look and found that 2 was with them—and so was the book, propped up against the wall so he could read from it.

"Nothing incredibly terrible happened at all," he announced, closing the book and coming to sit on the other side of the bed. "Rather normal, I've discovered, actually."

7 didn't like Annuls of Paracelsus on the best of days; but it was their primary medical text. Having it so close made her worry. "Is it serious?" she asked, glancing warily at the book.

"Er… Hm, serious is a relative term, at this point," 2 answered thoughtfully, remaining very vague.

"I don't understand. Am I hurt or not? Am I dying? Just tell me!"

He was being absolutely no help at all. 9 gently took her face in one hand and turned her gaze back to him.

"7, honey, what he's trying to say is…" His smile suddenly broadened. "…You're pregnant!"

She looked back at him, dumbfounded and silent for a long moment. She couldn't believe it. Not that this was a bad thing—it was wonderful, and she was prepared to leap out of bed and jump for sheer joy. It was just… What? It was even possible? She had long suspected that it might be; but they were so inorganic, she hadn't imagined that such a thing could actually happen.

"…R-Really?" she stammered, not sure what else there was to say, given her disbelief. To this, 9 silently nodded his head, eyes bright with tears of joy that he couldn't physically cry. The look on his face was enough—who cared how it had happened, or how possible it had seemed from a distance. They were going to be parents! She was entirely too thrilled to be doubtful anymore. With a squeal of delight, she threw his arms around him.

"It doesn't seem like it should be real," she laughed as he hugged her back.

"It is," he answered, kissing her face. "It is."

2 suddenly stood up and headed for the door. "I'll leave you both to talk things over," he said over his shoulder with a triumphant smile of his own. With a wink he added, "Surely, mommy has a lot of questions."

He walked out and shut the door firmly behind him, chuckling happily as he did so. 7 imagined he must be at least as excited as she was—if his only daughter was going to be a mother, he was going to be a grandfather. She wondered vaguely if human fathers had felt the same, before…

As soon as he was gone, there was no reason to help herself anymore. She pulled her 9 close and gave him a long, passionate kiss. She couldn't think of another way to express how strongly she felt about him, or their baby, or anything else.

"You had me worried again," he remarked. "You looked so concerned, I was afraid you didn't approve."

"Me? Not approve?" she asked incredulously. "How could—I'm going to be a mother! This is wonderful! How is this even possible?"

"Well—"

"No, wait, stop; don't bother answering that, I don't even want to know all that book-stuff right now. For right now… Let it just be magic."

"Alright," he agreed, kissing her eye rim. "It's magic. It's nothing short of a miracle."

Her sheer excitement died down a little bit, and she realized that 2 had been right—even if she didn't care to know the technical junk, there were a million things she wanted to know about… Well, being pregnant.

"So, how long?" she asked.

"About three months, all told," 9 answered evenly, always happy to answer her questions. "See, it's kind of like human pregnancy, but it's also different. In humans, a whole little body with a soul already in it begins growing in the woman's womb. But we all know you don't have one of those…"

"How, then?"

"Without being too technical?"

"…"

"Well… You were built with an extra piece that the rest of us don't have—it works sort of like a human womb, except it can't grow the baby's body." He reverently placed his hand against her belly and paused, feeling the warmth radiating from within. "Instead, it's growing the baby's soul."

Wow. That was… Big. Very big. Unsure what else to think of that presently, 7 placed her hand over his, and distracted herself with another obvious question.

"What about the body, then?"

9 sighed a bit and gazed off into space, looking just a little daunted.

"I have to build it, myself…"

That was an equally big thing for him, and clearly a lot of pressure. 7 considered their different duties to their unborn child. While she merely had to sit still and allow the tiny soul to grow and gestate, he had the responsibility of constructing a suitable vessel for it. Their design—full of complex technology and detailed nuance—was far from simple, not to be thrown together quickly, or with substandard materials. And there were only three months to complete the body.

That was a lot of pressure, indeed. She chose a more lighthearted question.

"Do we know if it's a boy or a girl yet?" she asked hopefully.

9 relaxed and gave her a gentle smile. "There's really no way to tell for sure, until the baby is born. I'm still not sure what decides that, but we're looking in on it."

"Then how are we supposed to build the body, if we don't know who we're building it for?"

"2 says it's better, for now, if we designed it to be androgynous—most of us are, in the first place. 7, did you say 'we'?"

"Of course. You didn't think I'd leave you to do this alone, did you?"

"But you hate building things."

"I know, but this is different."

"It's going to mean a lot of bookwork. Like, Paracelsus bookwork. You hate that book."

"Yeah," she sighed, staring with contempt at the tome, propped up against their wall. "…But this is different," she repeated. "This is my baby, and I want to at least help design its body. Human mothers never got to choose what their babies looked like—if I get that choice, I'm going to take it."

"That's kind of a relief. When I realized I'd have to build the body for my baby, I wasn't really worried about it… But I didn't know how to start. I'm glad you'll have some ideas, because I don't, really."

7 closed her eyes and let her imagination take over for a change. "I can see it clearly—the best of both of us."

"That is beautiful," he said quietly, snuggling her close. "Simply beautiful."

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5 had been pacing alone in the common room for what seemed like ages, lost in thought. Lots of things 2 had said recently—little, insignificant things that he had told everyone to forget about—suddenly made perfect sense. Had he been walking around, feeling just as wry about the marriage as his son had, knowing something deep and strange that everyone else wasn't in on? For 5, it had been his unexpected and overwhelming jealousy. For 2, it turned out he had been counting on 7 to turn up pregnant, eventually.

It seemed like a very personal thing to be waiting on the edge of your seat for. But given that he was holding onto something much darker—and didn't intend on letting it out any time soon—5 supposed there were worse things to watch for.

In the meantime, he wasn't sure what to do with himself. He was happy for his brother and sister, of course… But he felt very strange, still caught between being proud of them and furious with them for daring to so happy while he was so miserable. When 2 had first proposed the idea, 5 had thought it sounded ridiculous. But 9 had jumped up and begun stalking back and forth and flailing his arms around, coming close to hyperventilating, overstimulated by a surge of various emotions.

Watching 9 nearly lose his mind like that, 5 realized that this wasn't a joke. Somehow, it was totally possible for Stitchpunks to conceive and bear children, and it had totally happened to his sister. He also realized, with a bit of a start, that 9 had been expecting this, as well.

"How did you know all this?" 5 had asked them.

"I read," 9 and 2 answered at the same time.

Oh yes, they had both studied Annuls of Paracelsus; 2 had been curious, and 9 had been on a quest, and so they had both read and understood most of the book. Their anatomy and the science of their souls was like an entirely different language to most of them; they were extremely lucky that not one, but two of their number spoke it. 5 didn't speak a word of that language. He tried to keep up and be useful when they prattled on and on about it…

But mostly, he just ended up feeling every inch the foolish little boy that 1 always accused him of being. Feeling useless, indeed, and very left out, he had retreated to the common room to give 9 some space. And also to think.

He had only been alone for half an hour before the rest of the clan reappeared and accosted him, each drilling him at the same time for answers. Everyone wanted to know what had happened, why 7 had fainted, if she was okay, and many other things that he couldn't make out over the noise. Even 1 looked truly concerned, though he thankfully did not contribute much to the ruckus. Finally, though, 5 had had enough of it.

"Hush—all of you be quiet!" he yelled over them, hoping he was loud enough to be heard. His two brothers and adopted niece and nephew quieted as abruptly as they had appeared, snapping their mouths shut to listen to him. Attempting to pretend that he wasn't really concerned, 1 stood apart from the rest of them and leaned against the wall, silently waiting for an explanation.

"So, what has happened?" the old man pressed after a pause lasted a little too long.

"Mama is okay, isn't she?" 4 flickered nervously.

"Yes, 7 is perfectly fine now," he answered, marveling at the little girl as she and her twins sighed, relieved, at the same time. 7 had always been like their mother—raising them, protecting them, and loving them with a fierce and unique type of love she didn't have for the rest of them. It had been speculated but never proven that being their mother had been her original purpose, since their creator hadn't left them a real guardian or parental figure. And 9 loved them as well, with that same unique love that a parent ought to have for his children. What would their little household do now, with a baby on the way? How would the twins react to hearing they would have a little brother or sister?

He also noticed with a twinge that it was 6's hand—not 3's—that 4 clutched in her own for comfort and reassurance. 5 had always suspected they were crushing on each other. Even though she appeared very young and he appeared much older, she was too smart and he was a little slow, so they ended up on marvelously level ground. And he had to admit, they made an adorable couple.

He stifled an aggravated and inappropriate groan. Even the kids were cashing in on this romance-thing, and he was still all alone!

"So, what happened back there?" 3 asked when 5 paused for too long again.

"Well, there's been a slight complication…" he started, not sure how to get the necessary words out. "Complication" hadn't been the best word to lead with; they all looked extremely worried again.

"The girl won't die, will she?" 1 clarified, sharing their concern, in spite of himself.

"Oh no—no, no, no, no, no—it's nothing like that," he insisted, waving his hands for emphasis. "It's just… I'm not sure how to say this. This is… It's pretty big."

Several slightly less concerned looks were exchanged as they processed this.

"Well, out with it, then," 1 insisted sharply. "We haven't got all day, boy."

As he spoke, 2 appeared in the doorway and assessed the situation. At first, 5 was relieved. Surely his father would swoop in and take hold of things, in his kindly, knowledgeable way. However, he instead gave his son an exasperated gesture, as if to say, "Go on! Spit it out, already!"

5 gulped hard, flustered and a little terrified. He felt like he had been thrown headlong into the ocean without a life vest or a floatation device.

"Well, uh, you see, um, the thing is, it's, uh, it's, I, uh…"

2 gave him another silent gesture, telling him to calm down and just tell them. How hard did this really have to be? It was only three words—two, with a simple contraction. But they carried so much gravitas, they felt like lead in his mouth. 5 took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh, willing the words out.

"…7's pregnant."

Another pause passed as the heavy words sunk into his family. Each of their expressions slowly changed as it hit them. 8 and 6 exchanged a silent, nervous but optimistic smile, neither sure how to feel, exactly. The twins both grinned hugely and jumped up to hug each other victoriously—the prospect of a younger sibling didn't bother them in the slightest. On the other side of the room, 1 let his face sink wearily, fearfully into his hand.

"Oh please, no," he muttered. "If there is a God in heaven, please, no…"

2 chuckled and leaned against the doorway. "What's the matter, 1? Aren't you excited?" he teased. His brother jumped at the sound of his voice.

"What the—! When did you get there? How has this happened?"

"Well, you see, when a man and a woman love each other very much—"

"Stop it! I hate you!"

Oblivious to their grandfathers bickering again, the twins released one another and glommed onto 5 instead.

"I can't believe it! Mama's really having a baby!"

"I'm gonna be a big sister! This is so great!"

"Great? This is better than just great, sis—it's amazing!"

"5, can we go see them? Please?"

As if they needed permission to see their own parents at such a time. They were so earnest and happy, and it melted away his various apprehensions in an instant. He smiled and nodded his blessing.

"Don't forget to knock before barging in," he cautioned them. They beamed back at him once more, and then vanished like shadows. Now that they were gone, 6 stepped forward for his turn to ask questions. He was always so brutally insightful. 5 was suddenly nervous of what his youngest brother had to say.

"9 and 7 will be parents. That will be… Hard," he reasoned slowly.

"Yeah, I suppose it will be hard for them."

"What about us?"

That could have meant a couple of things. "What do you mean, 'us'?"

"Us," 6 repeated, glancing briefly over the room for emphasis. He meant everyone else in the clan who wasn't expecting a child. 7 and 9 knew what they were to do—for the next few months, their whole focus was to their baby. But what were the rest of them to do about it? Should they offer to help? Should they leave their brother and sister to deal with everything themselves? What were the other seven of them expected to do now? What was the protocol? What boundaries were there to be watched for?

5 could appreciate that his brother summed up so many questions in such a neat package; it was another of his many hidden talents. But he regretted that he couldn't begin to answer it. He still wasn't sure what to do with himself, next. It was irritating enough for him; he couldn't fathom how it bothered 6. Even if he never particularly followed the status quo or any accepted protocol, 6 liked to know what it was. Having structure and rules to follow had always made him feel safer, even if he ignored it most of the time.

"I think you should talk to 2 about that," he decided, turning his brother around and steering him toward their father. Without even looking back, he went right to him, intent on answers he desperately needed. 2 put his arm around 6's shoulders and led him out of the room.

"Come on, my boy. We'll talk things out together, okay?"

"Okay…"

That left 5 alone with 1 and 8. Experience had always proven that that was a terrible place to be, and every instinct he had urged him to get out as quickly as possible. But before he could leave, 1 moved away from the wall and came to stand by him.

"So…," he said stiffly, "have you any clue what happens next?"

5 shook his head. "I think they'll set the pace, from here on. It's their baby, after all."

"Their baby," 1 mused, pressing the corner of his palm into his temple. "I am not thrilled with the idea of a mini-7 running around, making messes and hitting things and being just like her mother, in general. Nor am I thrilled with the idea of a mini-9 running around, asking questions and getting into soul-related trouble and being just like his father, in general."

5 was silent, but he secretly agreed that the idea was daunting. Either parent alone could be an overwhelming presence. Mix them both together in a vat, and the result could be... Who knew what?

"However," 1 continued with a short sigh, "if something had to go wrong, I'm glad it was only…this. I stand by what I said last night, all this marriage business would never suit me. But I suppose it suits them quite well. Nothing's really gone wrong yet, has it?"

"It's… Just another change," 5 supplied.

"And change can be… good, sometimes…"

That was far beyond the inside of unusual. Was 1 being… optimistic? 5 glanced over at 8, who had remained silent the whole time, content to quietly observe everything. What did he think of all this? When he noticed 5 looking at him, he just shrugged unhelpfully. Perhaps the giant felt just as clunky and in the way as 5 did. Or maybe he was lucky enough to not really have an opinion on anything that had just happened.

So that was that. At some point during the ensuing winter, 7 was going to have a child. The first child born to the clan. That was exciting—it was his sister, after all, and he was going to be an uncle. That was a lot of responsibility, he supposed. Perhaps it would be enough to distract him and take the edge off his seething jealousy.

Now we've got to get this generator going, he thought, feeling mightily empowered. It's going to be a long, cold winter; and this baby will not be born into a drafty home. Not if uncle 5 has anything to say about it.

Uncle 5… I rather like the sound of that.

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A/N...

So munch Italics... What can I say? It helps get the point across. If Christopher Plummer and John C. Reilly ever get a hold of this story, I'd like them to hear their lines EXACTLY as they read. I want them to be all like, "DAMN, that Freida is good!"

That would be like a dream come true...! 8D

By the way-that movie, /Wreck-It Ralph/, from the /Brave/ previews? Yeah... Ralph is totally voiced by 5. (Yeah, I mean 5. If it's not live-action, it's not John C. Reilly, it's 5.) Who else wishes it was November RIGHT NOW?