Other than new sleeping arrangements there was little change. They were more affectionate but they still woke up at the same time and ate together. They still bickered and joked. Carolina found her fears that they would be like her parents unfounded and the first year of marriage passed happily.

It was the week after their first anniversary that things changed. Carolina woke up feeling nausea. It looked like it was going to be a bad day thanks to the AI. Carolina reached to the back of her neck to pull the AI but the chips were not there. She looked at the bed side table where her chips lay innocently. If they were not causing the nausea what was? Getting out of bed was always a struggle due to York's possessiveness. Once free Carolina walked to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't look sick she went back into the bedroom and pulled out the tablet taping in the password for her period tracker. Could be that she was just having a rough period. She blinked as the number told her that she should be half way through her period. Back in the bathroom she dug through the basket of fem care to the bottom where a box of pregnancy tests had been hidden. It had only been a precaution at the time and she hadn't want York to see it and get excited over nothing. It was with some trepidation that Carolina opened the box.

Five tests later Carolina was convinced. She was pregnant. She sat leaning against the shower wondering what to do. She and York had talked seriously about children but in the moment Carolina didn't feel ready, what did she know about babies or children? Her childhood was not good and York's had not been much better. They were soldiers for crying out loud and no matter how long they lived as civilians that would not change. Get a grip Carolina she thought. A list make a list.

tell York

find out everything on pregnancy and children

make space for another person in the house

tell the Agris family.

It was a good list. Now just to do number one.

"York wake up!" Carolina poked him. Why did he have to be a deep sleeper?

"Five more minutes" Carolina sighed and climbed on York's chest and leaned over so her mouth was next to his ear.

"I'm pregnant"

"...What!?" York sat up suddenly Carolina sliding into his lap laughing. "oh ha ha very funny Carolina you had me for a moment" grinning he put his hands on her sides a place where she was very ticklish. Carolina squirmed laughing harder.

"York stop it! I wasn't joking" York stilled his smile frozen.

"What?" Carolina suddenly felt nervous. "I'm pregnant. Aren't you happy?" what would happen if he didn't want the baby?

"Carolina? Carolina?" he touched her face drawing her from her worries "Of course I am happy. We talked about this. I'm just surprised and I just woke up give me a minute." Carolina now calm, climbed out of bed.

"Well we can talk over pancakes"

"you really do know how to get a man out of bed." York swung his legs out of bed.

"Get dressed York." Carolina grabbed her AI chips and dog tags. She and York never felt right not wearing their tags. In the kitchen she pulled out eggs, flour, milk and several other ingredients. The recipe was her mother's. She could still remember when her mom would be home and how they make pancakes. "Don't mix it like it's soup, you want to fold it like this." then Carolina would usually try to sneak some of the batter. At some point a happier version of her father would come in asking how things were going. "Fine, now go away we got this right Carolina?"

"Right" Carolina murmured as she came out of the memory. "what was that?" York asked as he set the table. "nothing just talking to myself"

"should I be concerned?" he teased

"No but we do need to talk." York nodded. They sat at the table not really eating and certainly not talking.

"Sooo" York said dragging it out. "Baby?" it sounded more like a question.

"Baby?" Delta appeared on a small holo table set on the kitchen table.

"Yes what is this about a baby?" Eta appeared at Deltas side with Iota next to her.

"Tell" Iota demanded.

"I'm pregnant." Carolina said. This sent all three AI into a tizzy. Delta started barking out random statistics about pregnancy and children and Eta started going over the morals of raising a child. York glanced at Carolina.

"Is this what it is like when you got two of them all the time?" but Carolina was looking at Iota who was strangely quiet.

"You won't ignore us once the child is born?" At his question the other AIs went silent.

"Of course not." York reassured the AI. "We will need your help taking care of her. And there is a difference between a AI and an infant."

"What makes you so sure it's a girl?" Carolina asked. She certainly had absolutely no idea what the baby would be.

"Carolina trust me it is a girl."

"What leads you to that conclusion?" Delta questioned.

"It's Carolina she's having a girl."

"I fail to see your logic."

"You and me both Delta." Carolina said amused

"Hey! Whose side are you on?"

"My own." She laughed as York muttered about redheads.

"Do either of you know how to raise a child?" Iota asked randomly. Clearly today the AI was in a thoughtful mood.

"No" York and Carolina said simultaneously. "We will figure that out later. Right now we need to get going." Carolina said clearing her place.

"Wait where are you going?" York said standing.

"To work? We still have jobs you know."

"You can't work! You're pregnant!"

"York I'm not even a month along I can work and you're worrying over nothing. Now let's go before we are late."

Surprise!

I had a really long car ride and figured out how to type on my phone. I am amazed at all the reviews the last chapter got because that has to be my least favorite chapter. I likely won't update till next week as I am devoting much of this week to getting my summer work out of the way Advanced Placement United States History has a crazy amount of summer homework and I don't really like my summer reading. Anyway I built a labyrinth unfortunately it is at my family's house so I can't get to it for a few weeks :.( Thank You to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited this story and me it really makes my day and inspires me to write. I own nothing.

Olivecat