Taylor had just finished unloading the groceries and thrown in a load of laundry when Drake's thunderous knocking reached her ears. Jogging from the other side of the house, she opened the door to find him out of breath and glistening with perspiration. From their lectures, she knew that Atrians were very susceptible to heat and Louisiana had that in spades. Ushering him inside, she closed the door behind him. She quickly double-checked to make sure that nobody saw the large Atrian male entering her home. Hurriedly she got him a glass of water and watched as he gulped it down in one go, "Are you okay? Was someone chasing you?"

Plopping down on a stool in front of the kitchen island, he shook his head. "I'm fine, Taylor, don't worry about it." He didn't want to admit that he was rushing to get to her. Now that he had rehydrated, he fully recovered in moments. "I talked to Sophia on the bus. She mentioned that you're doing an independent study on Atrian reproduction." The terminology alone made him cringe. They were not animals to be studied. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I don't know anything about what I'm going through and I needed someone to talk to. Sophia mentioned that her mother is like a midwife or something. Everything fell into place after that. Gloria already approved my sector pass. She's excited I want to get to know the Atrians better and she said an educational project is a great first step." Gloria was gung-ho for integration and had called Taylor at home to inform her that she would be afforded every opportunity to spend time among the Atrians. "I'm going to get extra credit and she agreed to let me drop PE so I have time to work with Ms. Benton on the project." Taylor dragged a hand through her blond hair. "That way I don't need to worry about anyone seeing these blue markings when I get into the pool. It's the best of all possible scenarios, Drake."

Scrubbing a hand over his face, he shook his head, "You didn't think about talking to me first?" He snapped, "It's dangerous in the sector, Taylor. Not everyone wants humans and Atrians to coexist. I know you've heard there's an extremist group of Atrians that will use any means necessary to try and take the planet?" He tapped his foot nervously, "We call them the Trags and…" He exhaled sharply, "I'm kind of one of them…"

Shooting him a look, her hand firmly rested on her hip, "Excuse me? You're part of a radical faction that is trying to kill all humans and take over the world?" Her eyes widened in surprise, "What are you saying, Drake? You want me to die because I'm a human?" She couldn't believe he'd ever be part of something so horrible. Drake certainly didn't love humans, but she got the impression that he cared about her. Maybe that was wishful thinking on her part. After all, they were from two very different worlds.

"No!" Hurtling out of his chair, he closed the distance between them, "It's not about you. When I joined I was pissed off, okay? It's not like all the humans are so happy that we're here. I barely knew you at the time." He grasped both of her hands, "You weren't exactly my biggest fan either, Taylor." He'd always been aggressive in his approach to life; it was what defined him as a warrior. It attracted him how she dished it back to him, never shrinking from a challenge. Looking back now, joining the Trags was by far the worst decision he'd ever made. He was angry and lonely, seeking solace in a group that offered him a place to belong. The only problem was he hadn't realized at the time that he'd grow to understand and accept the humans he went to school with or that he'd have feelings for a certain blonde in particular. "You seem upset…"

"I'm not…" Taylor replied curtly, biting her lip, "Well, Iam but I really don't have a right to be." She sighed heavily, "You're right, I wasn't the most welcoming when you first arrived." Her fingertips gently slid over his chest, "But I came around and so did you." Considering his child was growing inside her, there was proof positive that they'd reconciled their differences. Still, there was so much she still didn't know. "Are the Trags going to try and kill me if go into the sector?"

Drake shrugged noncommittally, "I can't be sure. Roman said that he'd handle them but I'm not sure he has that kind of power." He licked his lips, "I can't do very much to protect you or they're going to know that I'm not loyal to them." He exhaled sharply. There was nothing he could do to stop her from coming to the sector now; it was all arranged and backing out would look suspicious. Minute by minute this was spiraling out of control. "There are Atrians you'll have to avoid. Vega likely won't deal with you personally but you need to stay away from Teri…"

Taylor furrowed her eyebrows, "Teri? We're not best friends or anything but I can't see her trying to kill me." They'd had a moment at the Bug bonding over booze and boys. Sure, Teri never backed down from a fight…but to hunt Taylor down and kill her in the sector? "Why do you think it would be her?"

"Her mom, Vega, runs the Trags." Drake replied, "She'll do anything her mother asks." He'd noticed several times when Teri was pushed aside in favor of other members of the radical Atrian group, and how deeply that affected her. Drake wasn't sure what was worse: not having a mother at all or having one who didn't give you the time of day. "If you stick with Roman and Sophia, you should be alright. Maia's a good woman. She'll look out for you." He wrapped his finger around a strand of her golden hair, "And I'll be around as much as I can without raising suspicion." He sighed, "I just wish you'd asked me first."

"I'm a big girl, Drake. I don't need your permission." Tugging away, she put several feet of distance between them. She couldn't think clearly when he was so very close to her. "The macho he-man routine isn't going to fly with me. I've been on my own a long time now. The last thing I need is some guy coming in and thinking he can control my every move." Independence was practically her middle name. "I can take care of myself."

Folding his arms over his broad chest, he shook his head, "You can't expect me to sit back and do nothing when you're in danger, Taylor. You're having my kid. Protecting my family is in my blood." Warriors were tasked with protecting the safety of all Atrians. When it came to their own families, the instinct increased tenfold. If you messed with those that a warrior loved, only violence and retribution could be expected. Drake cared for Taylor deeply. He had already felt soul-crushing fear when she had nearly poisoned herself with caffeine this morning. He'd have laid down his life to protect her in any possibly way. That's the way it would always be for him, especially when it came to her. She was his.

Softening slightly, she gave him a tender smile, "I'm your family?" She knew that Drake had lost his mother on arrival day and had been alone ever since. She, too, knew the sting of loneliness and the lengths it could drive a person to. Despite the fact that her parents were still alive and well, they hardly ever saw her. Even the most important holidays were spent separately, always under the guise of advancing their respective careers. The last time the three of them had been together was Christmas five years ago. There had been a freak Louisiana snowstorm and her parents' flights had been cancelled. Spending time with both her mother and father was both a blessing and a curse. She had adored every minute…but when it was over she had ached even deeper for something she knew she couldn't have.

There was no hesitation at all in his voice or in the way he reached for her. "Yeah," He gently stroked her cheek, "You and this kid are my family." Leaning in, he captured her lips tenderly at first but soon deepened the kiss. Pulling her body tight against his, he lifted her easily and settled her on the kitchen island. Every cell in his body ached to claim her again and again.

"Mmm…" She whimpered softly, tugging his shirt up and teasing the flesh she exposed. She was eager to feel his hot skin against hers. Lying back against the island, he pushed her clothing up and she gasped. Her entire body emanated a soft blue light, illuminating the entire kitchen. Slowing for a moment, she let out a soft gasp. "Is it normal to look like a neon sign?" All these changes frightened her; she wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that she glowed in the dark.

Tracing the patterns across her skin, he nuzzled her neck gently. The ripples of blue pulsed through her and pooled around her chest, neck and abdomen; each marking shifted and swirled in her veins. He smiled as his fingers slid down, circling her belly. It was flat as ever but he had no doubt that would soon change. "Atrian women have two hearts and two sets of lungs. Pregnancy should be easier for them but I've never seen markings glow so brightly before. The baby is strong…"

Taylor exhaled, shakily. She didn't want to say it…but she was fighting against her baser instincts. Sitting up carefully, she felt nervous butterflies settling in her chest. "We can't get too attached." She said it more to remind herself, she'd only just learned of this child's existence and yet she loved it with every fiber of her being. Tugging her shirt down over the sacred space where the child grew, she gnawed on her bottom lip. Averting her gaze, she wrapped her arms around herself, "It's incredibly hard to hide this right now. What happens when I start getting bigger? What happens when we have a half-Atrian child that's an abomination to two species? Even if they let us live, we'd be targets for the rest of our lives." Tears burned down her cheeks, the wet trails shimmered blue. "And in case you've forgotten, we're in high school. All the odds are stacked against us. We can't win…and I don't know how to fight this."

"I don't fucking care about the odds, Taylor!" The dam holding back Drake's anger burst and he grasped the sides of her face. His heart was beating wildly as he stared straight into her soul. "Tell me you want this and I will go to the ends of the earth to make it happen." Brushing away the tears from her eyes, he didn't break contact, "No pressure. No judgment. Just tell me what it is you want and I'll do it. I need to know, Taylor."

Her hands slid up to rest against his forearms, she rested her forehead against his. It hurt so much. She was ill-equipped to deal with something of this magnitude. The only thing she could do was look inside herself and let her heart decide. Choking back a sob, she nodded, "I want this baby. I want to be your family. I want us to be a family…" She sniffled, and her entire body trembled with the massive weight of the decision she'd just made. "I don't know anything else about the world except that I need this."

Knowing that she wanted him and only him touched something deep and primal within him. With her at his side, they could overcome any obstacle. They had to. "Nothing else matters, okay? It's you and me and our kid. Screw the rest of it." He kissed her hard. Tugging her into his arms, he carried her upstairs and gently laid her onto the bed. He stripped her naked stitch by stitch, kissing every inch of flesh he exposed. He murmured words of love in her ear as he caressed her. Resting on his back, he dragged her over him and smiled at the way the entire room glowed with their love.

At this very moment, nothing could touch them. They were two kids in love, blissfully shielded against the harshness of the world and the mounting danger that loomed on the horizon. Their passion boiled over as she rode him, taking him to the brink of that legendary Atrian endurance and back again. After nearly an hour she fell beside him, completely spent. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she cuddled against him as she basked in the radiance of their union. Blonde hair fanned over his chest as she lingered, listening to his hearts as they began to slow to a normal rhythm.

Fingertips gently smoothed the blonde hair at her temples, the soft kisses she pressed to the mark at his shoulder sent shivers running up and down his spine. He never wanted to leave…but the sun had long set and the hour grew late. Maybe it was naïve to believe that they could have it all. Drake groaned softly as he looked at the clock, "Hey, I have to go." God, he wished that he didn't have to. Grabbing his shirt, he tensed as her fingers encircled his wrist. "I'm going to see you tomorrow, okay? We'll figure out you going to the sector…" Leaning in, he kissed her once more, "Make sure you eat something, okay?"

"I know…" Her voice cracked softly as she crawled forward, hugging him tight. "Thank you for today...for giving me the chance to tell you what I want without judging me." It was the right decision… though definitely not the easy one. "I'll be counting the minutes until tomorrow."

"Me too, blondie…" Drake tugged his pants on and grabbed his shirt where it had landed over a lamp. He had to hurry now or he'd be late for the bus. He couldn't risk losing his Edendale privileges, especially now. It tore a hole in him as once again he dashed down the street, pushing himself to the brink. The bell had just begun to toll as he stomped up the front steps and thumped down into the seat next to Roman. He may have been the first one off the bus but he was the last one on. It probably wasn't the safest place to discuss the Taylor situation—considering Teri was in the back of the bus and Sophia was sprawled out across from them. But he was going to burst if he didn't say something, "We're keeping it."

Roman wasn't bothered when Drake came hurtling in. It wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last. Yet when he spoke, all the hair at the back of Roman's neck stood up and he looked up from the book in his hands. "I'm sorry, I'm looking for my best friend? About your height, winning personality, oh and he's also not gone completely off the deep end!" He leaned in, his voice a frenzied, angry whisper. "Are you out of your mind? You can't keep it." Between sneaking around with Emery, dealing with tensions at home with Castor and now this, Roman was headed for a massive coronary. "I thought the point of getting Taylor into the sector was so my mother could help her…"

Drake tightened his grip on the bus seat. "She can help. Someone has to check in on the baby and make sure that Taylor is okay. Now that Sophia has helped her secure a sector pass, it's the perfect cover." Patting Roman's shoulder, he smirked. Clearly Roman was grappling with this; there was a look of absolute terror on his best friend's face. "You could at least be a little happy for me."

Scoffing, Roman shoved the book back into his bag, "Why would I be happy for you? You're going to start a war, Drake." There was no way around it. A human/Atrian hybrid was against the laws of both peoples. "I'm glad you're happy, don't get me wrong, but you need to start looking at the big picture." He swallowed. "Who else knows besides me and you?"

"Nobody, Roman, it's just you, me and Taylor…" He replied. Annoyance crept into his chest at how Roman was handling this. "I don't know why you're so pissed. You're in love with Emery. Someday you'd like to settle down with her and make a whole gaggle of hybrid babies." It occurred to Drake that Roman had a lot to lose if Taylor's pregnancy was exposed and the world realized that Atrians and humans could breed. He clearly cared about the Whitehill girl, and it could ruin his shot at happiness with her, as well.

"Someday the world might be ready for that…" Roman countered, frowning. "I love you like a brother, Drake. I don't want to see this be the end of you." Sighing, he turned to stare out the window. "If we're going to do this then we're going to need help. I think we should tell Emery. She's already been looking out for Taylor the last few days and I don't like keeping anything from her."

Drake nodded thoughtfully "Let me run it past Taylor first, okay? It's her secret to tell. I think having someone to talk to about it might be a good thing. Besides, Emery has more classes with Taylor than you or I do. I'll convince her it's for the best." He leaned back in his seat, "You sure that your mom will help us?"

Roman shook his head, "My mother isn't crazy about the humans ever since my father was killed, but she's a healer and she takes that commitment very seriously." The rituals and rites she practiced to heal Atrians of illness or afflictions were age-old, time-honored traditions that had been passed on for centuries. Maia had learned the ways of bringing children into the world from her own mother, who'd learned from her mother before her. Someday Sophia would learned the ancient ways and teach her daughter as well. Taylor may have been human but that child she carried had Atrian blood. Maia couldn't turn her back on that. "You know this is the craziest thing you've ever done, right? And that includes joining the Trags."

Drake nodded, "Look, I know it's not going to be easy but I can't walk away. I want this." He licked his lips, "That kid is mine and so is Taylor. I owe it to both of them to make this right." He smiled, "And hey, maybe this is the key to Atrian/Human integration. It could happen…"

The stupid, optimistic look on Drake's face made Roman laugh. Still, there was a deep-seated fear gnawing at the pit of his stomach that he just couldn't shake. Tensions between humans and Atrians were at an all-time high thanks to integration. Throw in a couple of high school kids having an illegitimate cross-species child and there was likely to be a riot. Even with Emery looking out for Taylor and Maia lending her medical expertise, Roman knew this was going to blow up in their faces. Peering over at Drake once more, he sighed heavily at how happy his best friend looked. Nox would've known what to do in this situation; his father always knew what to do. Roman hoped beyond all hope that he had inherited his father's wisdom and rational demeanor. He was definitely going to need it.

Happy Monday! I have been working for 8 days straight now and I have one more to go before finally getting some time off. JustVisiting80 is amazing for having put up with reviewing my work and again, if you're not reading Break Forth to New Mutiny, you're missing out. So much awesomeness! Please keep reading and reviewing. For now this is everything I have written but I'll try and write more soon! I know a lot of people are asking me for more Emery/Roman interaction but honestly, this is a Draylor story. The Roman/Emery dynamic is present but I am not making them a focus of this story! Draylor wins the show, if you ask me.

Thanks for your support, keep reading and reviewing if you want more!