He leaned forward slowly, then pressed a soft kiss to Rachel's abdomen. "Hey, there," he whispered. "You got bigger." It was true; between going to bed the previous night and waking up, Rachel's stomach had noticeably swelled. He knew she needed her rest, but today was especially exciting for him. Today, he'd get to hear their little lime's heart beat. It was technically the size of a peach at the moment, but they'd found the lime-in-a-coconut image to be too hilarious to stop using. Jack hummed contentedly as he continued to send kisses to the baby, and then Rachel's hands were in his hair as she sighed.

"Don't stop," she whispered. Her hips tilted up a little and Jack broke out into a grin; who was he to deny a pregnant woman her cravings? He lavished her baby bump with more licks and kisses, then slid her panties down and tossed them to one side before easing between her thighs.

She tasted a little differently than before. Not unpleasant, and Jack certainly wasn't about to bring it up to his over-sensitive wife as he took a few languid swipes of his tongue to get used to the taste, but different. It absolutely wasn't going to keep him from one of his favourite past-times, either. Rachel was much more easily aroused these days, when she wasn't crying, throwing things, or puking. Like right now, as she whimpered and moaned, her fingers twisting in his curls and pulling sharply. It made Jack groan.

"Please, Jack, please . . ."

He would have loved to draw it out a little more, but Rachel was still plagued with fatigue and nausea, so Jack rubbed her thighs gently as he hummed to himself. It didn't take long before her back arched and she was mewling, and as soon as she'd settled down he wiped his mouth on the sheets, pushed himself up, and kissed her gently. Rachel wrapped her legs around his waist when he tried to move off of her. She was smiling at him, her chest still heaving, her eyes a little cloudy.

"You're not done," she whispered.

Jack coughed and smiled. "I'll be all right. I don't . . . I don't want to hurt you or the baby," he murmured.

"It'll be all right," Rachel assured him as she pulled him down to her. She was arching her back and twisting a little, showing her body off and Jack licked his lips as he pushed past his fears and shifted until he was sitting with Rachel in his lap, then he gently guided himself into her. Rachel sighed with pleasure and let her head fall back as she pulled him closer.

"Tell me if it hurts," he whispered in her ear as he picked up a steady, gentle rhythm. Rachel nodded and he rested his forehead in the crook of her neck, holding her hips a little above his so he could thrust up into her more easily. Her stomach pressed against his like it had never done before and even with her in the relative safeness of his lap, Jack was still afraid he'd squash the baby.

Rachel tilted his head up and kissed him. "It's okay, Jack," she whispered. "You won't hurt us." Then she trailed her nails down his chest, circling just around his nipples before pulling the sharp edge of her thumbs across them while biting down on his lower lip. Jack gasped and pulled her down harder than he'd intended to but Rachel's pleased moan was reassuring. It helped that Rachel knew just how to tighten herself around him in order to make him lose control as quickly as possible; it came in handy when there was a slight issue with him wanting to have sex while she wanted to sleep.

He pressed his lips to hers as he shuddered, then lay his head on her shoulder. Rachel ran her fingers through his hair with a smile.

"I love you, Jack," she whispered.

"Mmm . . ."

"The baby loves you, too."

That made him snort with amusement. "It can't feel emotions."

"You make the same claim, sometimes, but you're lying when you say it." She was rubbing the back of his neck and upper shoulders, making him sigh with delight. "The baby can hear you, you know. Tell it something."

Jack had been massaging her lower back, but now he moved one hand to press gently against her bulging stomach and poked it to make sure the baby knew who he was talking to. "Hey, you. Quit getting in my way; I can't have sex properly if I'm afraid I'll squash you."

Rachel was laughing. "Jack! Say something nice."

He thought about it as she got up, then pulled him out of the bed and into the bathroom. "Well," he said as she turned the bath on, then got in, "I suppose you make Rachel curvier. I like that." He got in with Rachel, pulling her back against him and running his hands over her stomach and thighs. "Even if I can't touch her tits any more." He kissed Rachel's throat as the tub filled up. "You're making my life absolutely miserable, kid."

"Just like Mitzi makes you miserable every time you see her?" he was asked lightly.

"Even more." He reached out to toe the water off as Rachel lay her head on his shoulder and yawned. "We should tell the fag."

"Mm. We'll give him the ultrasound from today, so he can see that he's getting a niece or a nephew." She trailed her fingers in the water. "So . . . have you thought about names?"

Jack blinked. "Uh . . . names?"

"For the baby."

He was supposed to think up names? No one had told him that. "Not Batman?"

That made his wife laugh as he poked her stomach. "Batman isn't a name, Jack."

"Yeah, well."

Rachel sighed as she took his hand and held it to her cheek. "I want you to help name the baby, Jack. I don't want you to feel left out."

He shrugged and continued poking her stomach. "I don't care what you call it. Just . . . not Bruce."

She tensed a little. "Why not Bruce?"

"'Cause it rhymes with douche, that's why." Jack laughed as she groaned at his pun. "And the guy is, really."

"Fine, not Bruce. What if it's a girl? Any girl names we should stay away from?"

"None that I can think of. Come on, kid, kick!" And he poked her stomach again.

"Is that what you're doing when you flick me?" Rachel asked. "Training the baby to kick?"

"Gotta train 'em when they're young, toots. Now, don't freak out, but are you supposed to be this big already?"

Rachel had gotten both of his hands and was rubbing them against her stomach; some bonding type crap, she'd told him before. "Do I look fat?"

"You look pregnant," he hastily reassured her. "And damned sexy. I might bend you over the counter and bang you again before we leave."

She giggled. "We'll ask Dr. Howard today . . ."

"Hey, hey, don't fall asleep." He washed her off and then stood them both up, enjoying the feel of her stomach pressing against him as she leaned into his embrace. It was different, wonderfully different, and he filed it desperately away in his memory. "We've got lots of things to do today. Gotta get to work, gotta see the baby . . . Do other, pregnant-type stuff . . ."

"Get wonderfully pampered by my loving husband?"

Jack grinned up at Rachel as he sat her on the bed and dried her off, taking his time. "Of course; what else am I good for?"

"Jalapeños at midnight?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes and got up to get her outfit for the day, folded neatly on the dresser. "I'm especially good at getting random food for you in the middle of the night. Arms up."

She obediently raised her arms so he could pull the maternity bra/camisole she'd bought over her head, then let her adjust it over her breasts, and rubbed her feet before sliding her panties up her legs. Rachel was beaming down at him as he carefully adjusted her socks, then placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself when she stepped in to her new knee-length grey tweed skirt. A light brown babydoll top came next, short sleeved with dark brown satin trimming.

"Comfy?" Jack asked after he'd slipped her shoes on. She'd wanted a two-inch heel, but he hadn't let her get that pair, opting instead for a one-inch heel --- but only because she'd started tearing up when he'd vetoed the two-inch pair.

"Very," Rachel nodded.

"Hungry?"

She laughed as he picked her up to take her down the stairs. "Always."

"Well, what do we want for breakfast today?" Now Rachel pursed her lips unhappily and frowned, lightly scratching the back of his neck. It meant she thought she was about to hurt his feelings. Jack kissed her once they were in the kitchen. "Come on, moonshine, what do you want to eat?"

Rachel looked down at her stomach. "An . . . omelette." He hummed questioningly. She bit her lower lip. "From the deli."

Jack laughed as Rachel started to apologise, cutting her off with a kiss to her temple. "Baby, if I wanted people to always eat my cooking, I'd be a chef. It's all right, we'll go to the deli."

"Are you sure?" she asked with a slight whine.

Jack hugged her close and smiled into her beautiful green eyes. "Of course I'm sure." He'd dressed himself while dressing Rachel, and slid his sneakers on when they got to the front door. His keys were in his pocket, and he had Rachel's purse over his shoulder, which always made her laugh. "When's he getting hitched, again?"

"Who? Hideki? Next weekend." Rachel sighed and arched her back, rubbing the small of it.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked as he helped her down the steps.

"I'm fine. Just sore in general --- it's not your fault!" she exclaimed when he scowled. "Jack, it's not your fault."

"I have a right hand for a reason, you know," he told her. Rachel sighed as he held the passenger door open. "You're not going to hurt my feelings if you tell me to use it."

"I don't want you to use it like that, Jack. I told you, I'll let you know if it starts to hurt."

It didn't make him feel better. "Yeah, well, don't think you need to let it get uncomfortable just to keep me happy, all right?" The slightly guilty look on her face told Jack that Rachel had kept quite about discomfort at least once. "I'm serious, Rachel. There's lots of ways for me to get off that don't involve being inside of you."

"I get it," she snapped, crossed her arms under her breasts. "You're just repeating yourself."

Jack forced himself to keep breathing easily. She was easily upset. He'd have to pay more attention in bed, was all. His headache started up again and he squinted a little as he fought it off. Not now. Not today. He needed to be himself today.

"Okay," he finally said. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried." He glanced at her as Loleta came into view, but she was looking out the window. She was asleep by the time he pulled in at the deli, and Jack smiled as he unbuckled, leaned over, and kissed her cheek while he rubbed her stomach. "Come on, sweet-tea, time to eat."

"Hm?" Rachel jerked awake and blinked at him, then smiled when he kissed her gently. "I'm sorry; I dozed off."

Which meant she wasn't upset with him any more, which made Jack a happy man. He got out and came around to her side, holding the door open. "It's all right. Oh, look who's here . . . What are you two delinquents doing out of school?" he demanded as Janet and Susie came out of the deli, holding hands.

Susie lit up and ran at Jack, squealing his name, and he picked her up and swung her around with a grin before settling her on his hip. "Jack! Mommy gave us money to come get food! What are you doing here?"

"Rachel wanted an omelette," he said as one hand reached out for Rachel's elbow, helping her out of the car. Susie placed her palms on his cheeks and pulled their foreheads together, very serious.

"What's wrong with your cooking, mister?" she demanded with what she must have thought was a fierce scowl.

"Nothing," he said as they all walked in to the deli. "Rachel just felt like having breakfast here today." He looked at Rachel and then at her stomach, raising an eyebrow.

She smiled as Susie let go of Janet's hand to take hers. "Let me get my food, then Jack and I have a secret to tell you."

"Really?!" Susie bounced up and down and sat so quickly that it almost fell over. "I wanna know!"

"It's a secret, sweety," Jack said as Rachel went up to order, pulling Susie into his lap. This was what the baby might look like in five years. He hoped he'd be there to see it this big. "So you can't tell anybody, all right? I'll throw you off the dock if you do." He looked up at Janet, who flushed and looked away quickly. "How's everything going for you girls?" He'd avoided mentioning Mary in particular because Janet was still convinced he'd had sex with the woman.

She looked a little suspicious, but shrugged. "Good. Mom's not drinking as much."

Jack nodded as Rachel came back and sat down, holding a tray with the girls' breakfasts on it. "Here, eat this before I do." She rested one hand on her bump as she entwined her other with Jack's hand. "Do you want to tell them, Jack?"

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, then laughed when Susie took his hand and mimicked him. "Thanks, kid. If you're okay with it," he told Rachel.

"Can't keep it a secret much longer," she shrugged.

"What?" Susie demanded. "What's going on? I wanna know!"

Rachel pushed her chair out a little and turned to the side, holding her hands out. "Come here, Susie." The little girl got down and went to her, and Rachel put her hands on her swollen stomach. Susie's eyes widened. "I'm going to have a baby, Susie."

Janet started choking on her food and Susie's eyes bugged out before she snatched her hands back and shook her head frantically. "No!" she cried out.

Rachel blinked and looked at Jack uncertainly. He shrugged, equally puzzled. "What's wrong, Susie?"

"You can't have a baby!" the little girl cried. "I don't want you to have a baby!"

"Susie, quiet," Janet shushed as she stared at Jack and Rachel. "How long have you been pregnant?" she asked in disbelief.

"I'll be thirteen weeks along tomorrow," Rachel replied, then turned back to the crying child in front of her. "Susie, why don't you want us to have a baby?"

"B, because then, then you won't want me any more!" Susie wailed, turning to Jack and burying her face in his lap. "Y, you'll l-love the b-baby more!"

"Hey," Jack said firmly as he lifted her into his lap and hugged her, "who said that?"

"If you're a daddy to the baby," Susie whimpered, "you can't be my Daddy!"

He'd thought she was over that. Jack sighed. "I can't be your Daddy," he told her. "You've got your mom, remember? I'd have to marry your mom to be your Daddy, and I've got Rachel already."

Susie burst into fresh tears. "That's why you can't have a baby!"

Rachel looked like she was about to cry, too. "Honey, we can't help it. You can still come over, Susie. Look, the baby's already growing, see?" She patted her stomach, but Susie was crying into Jack's shoulder.

Jack sighed and tugged at Susie's pigtails until she looked up at him. "Shut up," he told her firmly. "You know what, Susie? I don't know how to be a Daddy. I need you to help me with the baby."

"You don't?" she asked with a sniffle.

Jack snorted and shook his head. "Hell no, I don't have any idea how to take care of a baby. That's why I need you and Janet to come over when it's born and help me out, see? Now, look at Rachel. See how pretty she is?" Susie nodded as he turned her in his lap. "See her stomach?" Another nod. "Now, that's the baby in there. It's the size of a peach right now."

"A peach?" the child asked in amazement.

"A peach," Jack confirmed. "And it can hear you, too, so you better be nice to it."

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Janet broke in, excitement in her voice.

"We won't know for a few more weeks, but we'll tell you as soon as we do," Rachel told her. Now that the outburst was over, the girl who worked there brought Rachel's food over. She set a plate in front of him, which meant that Rachel had remembered to order him food, too. "Thank you. We can bring the ultrasound to dance class tomorrow."

"What's an altro-sound?" Susie asked as she kept staring at Rachel's belly.

"Ultrasound," Rachel corrected. "It's a picture of the baby. Eat your food, Susie."

She tucked in to her own food, letting Jack answer all the questions the girls had. No, they didn't have names picked out (what was it with names?!), it should be born in January, the Fines and Dr. Howard were the only other people in town who knew . . . Jack was relieved to point out that they were late to school, then held his head in one hand as they ran out.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked.

"Just a headache; it's nothing," he whispered, reaching out to find her free hand and squeeze it. Then he shook his head sharply. "I'll walk you to work." He held her hand as they left the deli, walking slowly so she wouldn't get too short of breath. "You telling Bowen today?"

She nodded. "I think he suspects something, but I'll tell him when I get in." Jack slid his arm around her waist and they were quiet until they got to he law firm's building. He held the door open for her and Rachel stood on her toes for a kiss. "Are you staying in town?"

He stroked her hair, then cupped her cheek. "For a bit; I need to do some things at home. I'll be back for the appointment, though."

He doubted she even realised she'd been tense as she relaxed, then smiled at him. "Are you okay?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah. Can't wait to know what it is." He pressed his palm against her stomach as he kissed her again. "You two take it easy, okay?"

Rachel kissed his nose. "We will."

Jack stayed where he was, still smiling, until Rachel shut the door behind her. The soft smile stayed on his lips as he walked to the car, but it was fading from his eyes, leaving them cold and hard.

He wasn't smiling at all when he left town.