Ashley crept down the staircase, wringing her pajama top in her hands. She headed towards the kitchen where she would find her mom having a small cup of tea before bed. Though she didn't know if she'd be alone, Ashley only hoped. Her bare feet made light noises on the floor as she thought of what to say. She was an adult after all and in a steady relationship, but the thought of telling her mother terrified her. Ashley and her mother had always been close, facing life and death situations together all the time. But she worried her mother would flip, especially after what had happened to Erica a few years back. It even scared her, she couldn't stop worrying about it, what if it happened to her too. Ashley padded silently into the kitchen, seeing her mother in her pajamas, sitting at the table, drinking tea and going over paperwork made her freeze in place. She let out a shaky breath, which her mother must have heard because Helen turned her head and smiled a drowsy smile at her. Ashleys heart beat quickly in her chest as she swallowed silently. Slowly walking up to the table, she took a seat across from her mother, smiling weakly. Helen set down the tea cup lightly and looked at Ashleys pale face with worry.

"What's wrong dear?" Again Ashley knotted her fingers together in nervousness.

"I wanted to talk to you about something" she said in a low tone. Now she had her mothers full attention as she saw a small nod come from her mom, indicating her to continue. "Well.. Henry and I have been..." Ashley paused for a moment trying to find the right, least awkward word "have been physical for awhile now, and of course been together a lot longer" she halted, not sure what to say next. She looked at her mother, hoping she would get where her daughter was trying to say. Helen took her daughters hand and narrowed her eyes slightly

"where are you going with this Ashley?" There was no way she was getting out of this one, her mother wouldn't let her. She feared her mom would be upset, furious even. She chewed on her lip as she continued, her voice shaking.

"We've taken every precaution, and I just figured that you and I were so close that I could tell you... that..." she couldn't meet her mothers eyes "Oh damn it to hell! I'm late and have been for awhile!" She cried, her head falling to the table. "I haven't even told him yet..." The bad ass, monster hunting, Ashley Magnus had been reduced to tears in front of her mommy. After a few moments of nothing but silence, she lifted her head and saw her mom just sitting there, lips pursed, deep in thought. The pure silence was worse than any scolding her mother could unleash; the silence is what brought tears to her eyes. "Well say something damn it!" But her mother continued to be silent, Ashley could do nothing but let the tears fall down. Suddenly she heard her mom make a short hmm sound and then the chair legs squeaked back as it was pushed away from the table. She felt her mothers hand grasp tightly around her wrist and she was, without warning, harshly pulled out of her seat. She was forcefully being drug down the halls. "Ow, mom what are you...?"

"Come on" was the words Helen used to cut her off. Ashley continued being dragged through the house, which was an experience she hadn't felt since she was a young teen. She suddenly realized they were going to the infirmary. As they entered her mother went straight for the syringe. "I assume you haven't eaten much as of late" Ashley shook her head as her mother stuck the needle in her arm and removed a vile of blood. "Sit" her mother ordered. Ashley did as she was told, and sat on the edge of one of the operating beds and waited for her mother to return with the results. She waited and waited, and after awhile the worry began to gnaw at her. Just when she couldn't take it any more, her mom returned, holding a piece of paper in her hands. She handed it to her daughter slowly, crossing her arms. Ashley gulped and looked down at the paper. She sighed, dropping the paper... it had said exactly what she expected it to.

"right" Helen looked at her daughters face and began pacing in front of her. She pinched the bridge of her nose

"Ashley... There is a war going on. And now... a child is being brought into this. How can this happen Ashley?" Helen knew scolding her daughter was pointless, she wasn't a child any more. She was twenty-three now, which was around the same age she first realized she was pregnant herself.

"Well mom, there's this thing that happens when a man and a woman love each other..." Helen whipped around at her daughters remark

"Don t get cheeky with me!" she snapped. Ashley watched as her mother suddenly lit up in a flaming anger. Suddenly her mother ripped off her gloves and lab coat and tore out of the room. Ashley sat there for only a few seconds bewildered. Just as the shock of her mothers leave left her another shock came to her mind as to why. She jumped up and tore after her mother! She raced down the hall, hoping to catch up in time. She was seconds too late as she entered Henrys room just to hear her mother yelling at him in fury. She had never seen her mother so mad, and apparently neither had Henry by the look of horror on his face. "How could you? How could you do this to her... to yourself!" Helen yelled, waving a finger at him then pointing at her.

"Mom! Stop!" Ashley did her best but she wasn't heard over screaming.

"Ash?" Henry squeaked in fear. Ashley tried to grab her mothers arm,

"Stop it! Stop it! He doesn't know! Please mom. Stop!" she plead, tears streaming from her eyes. But she was yet again ignored. "Ash?" Henry repeated, more of a question rather than a fearful squawk.

"Do you not bloody remember what happened the last time? With Erica. Hmm?" Helen continued with the shouting "Did nothing go through that electronically fried mind of yours when you were shagging my daughter?" She finished with a loud hmf! Henry looked back and forth between Ashley and her mom.

"Erica? Magnus what are... Ash what in the world is she talking about?" Ashley turned on her mother in anger rather than look at Henry.

"How dare you!" She growled, tears pouring from her glaring blue eyes. "How dare you come in here and treat him like some pathetic child, like the enemy... What the hell has gotten into you?" she cried. She saw her mothers anger flee right away and her face contort with a look of horror as she realised how she had acted, but it was too late.

"Ashley please..." Helen started but Ashley shook her head and hastily walked out. "Ashley wait!" but it was Henry who went after her, slowly slinking around Helen, then fleeing after his best friend and soul mate. She heard her mother shout her name but continued down the hall, forcefully wiping her tears away. How had she managed to become this weak in just one night. She heard loud, fast footsteps behind her but she didn't slow. Ashley suddenly felt a strong arm grasp around her waist and swiftly turn her around . Henry held her by her arms to steady her then lifted his hands to cup her cheeks lightly. Gently he tilted her head to where he could look at her with his deep green eyes. As she met his eyes, the tears began to flow rapidly again. He folded her into his arms, and she collapsed to the ground, sobbing into his chest. He stroked her hair

"Shhh... its okay" after only a few moments he peeled her away from his chest to look her in the eyes "Ash... What is this all about? What's got you and Magnus so out of wack?" Ashley looked up at him, biting her lip. "

I'm pregnant..." she whispered. She felt his arms stiffen around her, in fact she felt his whole body stiffen.

"what?" he asked in a strained voice. She collapsed back into him, burying her face into his chest, and began to sob. Shaking from the intense wrecking sobs she sputtered out a response

"I'm... pre... pre... pregnant." She grabbed a fistful of his shirt, let out a couple more wailing sobs before continuing "I'm so sorry! We used everything to prevent it... and with Erica... mom just went ballistic..." she stuttered, her crying coming to a slow stop. "I was so terrified to... because of Erica and... and I don't want... I'm sorry!" Henry shook his head and pulled her closer to him.

"Its not your fault, its not your fault!" he soothed "how far along?"

"about seven weeks"

"What happened with Erica wont happen with you."

"How do you know?"

"Because Ash, she was having problems with the pregnancy from the very beginning. Your stronger... always have been." he said in a calming tone. Her breathing had relaxed and they breathed in sync.

"Mom is so..." Henry cut her off as he suddenly picked her up wedding style and carried her back to his room. Helen had left and all was quiet. He gently layed her in his bed, and peeled off his shirt before crawling in next her. He pulled her closer, and stroked her hair softly.

"Don t blame your mom. She doesn't want what happened to Erica to happen to you. She nearly fell apart the first time she lost you, she cant do it again... none of us can." She had closed her eyes and started to fall into a black oblivion. He sighed, reached over her dozing body and lightly rubbed her stomach. Then snuggling closer he whispered in her ear "I love you Ash.." With that she sighed and succumbed to darkness. Ashley always remembered that night, amongst a few others very clearly. She also remembered how her mother came and talked to her and apologized up and down for how she had acted. There was no way Ashley couldn't forgive her mom. Helen looked at her and raised a brow.

"you still with me?" Shaking her head out of the memory she nodded

"yeah sorry... just tired" she murmured as her eyes began to flutter. Helen started to get up but Ashley grabbed her wrist. "Stay with me tonight? Nikola will be there tomorrow..." she said, her words starting to slur with sleepiness. Helen smiled and crawled into the bed with her daughter and began to play with her hair. It was just like when she was a little girl, and she knew it would put her daughter straight to sleep.