III. East of Eden

I will warn you now that not their blood
but your suspicion might build evil in them.
-John Steinbeck

"Eighteen to twenty-two weeks," Reid muttered as he read the book. He underlined the sentence. The margins of the book were filled with his left-handed scrawl.

He was sitting on a chaise lounge by the pool, umbrella stand over head (he sunburned easily); four different baby books in a stack next to him. Right now he was reading how long into the pregnancy would finding out the sex of the baby be possible. The blond was assuming it would be male. When was the last time a female had been born first in the Covenant? He hadn't gone through the Book of the Damned so he wasn't certain, but he figured it wasn't likely.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Reid chastised when flecks of water splashed him. "Reading here, guys!"

Erwin woofed from the pool. Both he and Bruce Lee had their life jackets on. Tippy was lazing in a baby-sized pool float (without a hole in the middle) with a canopy attached. It was tied to the rail of the steps so it didn't go out more than six feet.

Reid switched over to the newest edition of What to Expect When You're Expecting. He hadn't done this much reading since college. And he couldn't remember the last time he had voluntarily read a book so hefty. At least it was informative and directly related to matters in his life. It'd been two weeks since he was told he was going to be a father and he was still trying to grasp the concept. Imagine, he would be responsible for this little human being's very life.

The idea simultaneously scared him and filled him with joy. Said joy was abruptly tamped down by a spray of water being shucked at him as Erwin exited the pool (Bruce Lee on his back) from his dog dock, let the ferret dismount, and then shook himself off. Reid abandoned his reading for a moment to reel Tippy in and remove her from her pool accessory. He divested the other two animals of their life vests. They then spread themselves out on the towels he'd already laid out for them. Tippy was allowed to curl up beside him because she was dry.

Reid took a drink of his Corona and went back to reading and underlining. He and Rowan had another appointment tomorrow. It wasn't usual protocol to see their doctor this often, but because of her hypertension the doc wanted to keep a close eye on Rowan. He couldn't lie, it worried him. Yes, he wanted a kid, but at the expense of his wife's health? Despite that, Rowan remained cheery, so Reid did the same.

The chain reaction had been duly set into motion as predicted. Apparently Chase's wife was now pregnant, though there seemed to be something wrong on that end because Rowan wasn't as enthusiastic divulging the news. Instead, she was worried, because Chase wasn't dealing with it very well, and in turn it affected Ginger.

Why can't the guy just be happy with it? Reid wondered acerbically. There wasn't any changing it, so accept it. "Stop being a pussy," he muttered.

Tippy meowed.

"Ah, you agree me, hmm?" Reid smiled.

xx

"So, who's going to be, like, the Yoda of this generation?" Pinkie asked Hunter as he filed his nails.

"This generation's what?"

"Yoda," Pinkie said. "You know how Mr. Gorman introduced the Power to the past two generations, but now that he's passed away, who's doing it this time?" He had randomly shown up at Hunter and Gabriel's place, as Pinkie was wont to do. Hunter had just finished his afternoon calisthenics and they sat on the back porch drinking lemonade.

"I don't know."

Pinkie went on, "I mean, I know Row's like the Whitelighter and stuff, but shouldn't an impartial party be the one to do it? Because you don't have to worry about addiction with your gifts, so you won't have to worry about that stuff when you show these new babies their Power."

Oddly…that made sense. Pinkie could hit you with sensible left swings from time to time, and they got you thinking. Hunter was pretty sure this conversation had never come up, even after Gorman Twoberry passed away three years ago. Because he had been the one to introduce the past two generations to their Power. It was something to ponder, something to talk to the guys about later. Hunter wasn't sure it was best to bother Rowan with this right now. The event in question was some thirteen years away anyway.

Pinkie's cell phone rang. He rolled his eyes upon seeing the caller ID. "Speak," he answered. His brow furrowed, jaw clenched. "No!" Pinkie snapped. "I said ivory not beige!" Pause. "There is such a difference!" There was a reply and Pinkie gasped indignantly. "Check your diva, Paris!" He snapped his cell shut. "God! He's lucky he's Laurie's uncle's stepson otherwise I would have fired his tookus after the first day."

Hunter chuckled. "What was that about?"

"Do people have no concept of color coordination? Especially at a wedding!" He sipped his drink. "Amateurs!"

"Do you need to take care of it?"

"In a few. If he gets it wrong I can fire him, and then fix it." This brought a happy gleam to his eyes. "Or I can have Laurie do a little glamour on him, you know? Maybe give him a big fat wart right on the tip of his nose."

"You're evil, Pinks," Hunter grinned.

"Moi?" Pinkie intoned innocently.

Both men simmered down, let the excited energy dissipate.

"How's Rowan?" Pinkie asked.

Hunter looked at him for a moment before answering. "Pretty good." It wasn't really like Pinkie to ask a third party how someone was doing, especially about Rowan.

"I know what you're thinking. Why don't I ask her myself." He threw his hands up in agitation. "I could just cry seeing her so tired because of a pregnancy."

"Pregnant women get tired."

"I know, but… Do you think…?" He was having a hard time asking this question. "Is it safe for Rowan to have a baby, Hunter?" There was genuine concern in his eyes as he feared for his friend. "I mean, I'm used to seeing her a little deflated when she gets her usual ailments…but this?"

It wasn't something that had not crossed Hunter's mind. He had a feeling in his gut that Rowan was going to have one of those high risk pregnancies while the others would go the usual route. He wanted to ask Gabriel if his mother, Roz, had 'seen' anything, but part of him didn't want to know. Knowing wouldn't change anything.

"I think it'll be hard, Pinkie," Hunter finally answered. "But she's gotten through worse."

Pinkie nodded lightly. "Yeah." He sighed. "Yeah, she has."

xx

Chase didn't know what he was doing here despite being here for the passed three hours. Despite the fact that the Danvers' Colony house had been renovated after Gorman Twoberry died, the basement still went without modern technology, such as electricity. All he had was candles to light the pages of the tomes he was scouring through trying to find…

Trying to find what? Chase asked himself. He sighed, rested his elbows on the podium, face in his palms.

He thought about Ginger. His wife, who wouldn't speak to him. She cried so often, her eyes were sad and distant. Because of him. She slept with Dottie now, and Chase couldn't sleep in their bed without her next to him. Dottie was sympathetic to him, but she knew when she could be of help and when she could not.

"Chase?"

His head snapped towards the stone stairs. Rowan walked the rest of the way down. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"I didn't know you'd be here," he replied.

Rowan tipped her head to the side, examining him. Even in this dim lighting she could tell he hadn't been getting any sleep. His aura was just plain fractured, and he exuded tension, internal conflict. Rowan knew he wasn't accepting his impending parental status. Ginger hadn't gone into depth, but judging by the grief on her face, what else could it be?

"I'll leave," he said.

"No, it's okay," Rowan said. She was standing next to him now. He was reading his family tree from the Book of the Damned. "You don't have to leave because I'm here."

He wouldn't meet her eyes.

"You need help finding something?"

Chase shook his head. "I read everything I need to know."

Her brow rose slightly. "What've you been reading?"

He slammed the heavy tome shut. "How many of my ancestors were addicted low lives." He chuckled, but there was no mirth.

"Every Family line had addicts. Not just yours."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," he murmured.

"Sometimes it does. When the hill is steep."

Chase looked at her now, saw that she wasn't teasing. Rowan knew what was going through his head.

"I think every dad worries that his son might give in to his Power. That's par for the course. But believing it'll happen even before he's born?" She shook her head softly. "You've got to think better than that."

"Better?" he nearly spat. "I'll be his dad. How else would he turn out?"

"Why would he turn out to be bad? You're not."

"I killed people in case you've forgotten," he snapped. "Am I the kind of person who should be a father?"

"But you've changed," Rowan insisted. "You're being too hard on yourself."

"I think you're being naïve!"

Rowan said nothing. Was there anything she could say to him? The man was in turmoil. She hadn't seen him this conflicted since the night he called her asking him to help Ginger who'd been taken by two Loons and a Libero. She sighed, and with that exhalation came a wave of light-headedness.

"You all right?"

Rowan heard his voice distantly. Black splotches appeared in front of her, and she felt herself falling.

"Shit," Chase said. He caught her in time, set her down on one of the stone seats. Her face was breaking out in a cold sweat. Maybe it wasn't good to be down here. He carried her upstairs and laid her down on an old couch in the living room.

"Reid?"

It was so faint he barely heard it. "No, it's Chase." He situated her head under the throw pillow.

"Can you get Reid?"

She sounded so plaintive that Chase couldn't broach an argument. He found her cell phone in her jacket pocket and pulled up her Contacts List.

xx

"Hey, Row, I was just rea-"

"It's Chase."

Reid tensed. "What the hell are you doing with her phone?"

"I was at the Colony house. And then she was, and she got light headed."

"Where is she?" Reid demanded, already getting his shoes on. The animals perked up, sensing their human's tension. They followed him to the foyer where he grabbed his keys.

"She's right here," Chase replied. "She wants you."

Not having the time or resources to make sure the animals were cared for in their now agitated state, he let them hop in the car with him. "Put her on."

"Reid?"

"Hey, sweetheart," Reid said as he drove. "I'm on my way there, okay?"

"Chase is here with me."

God, her voice was weak. Then Chase came back on the line, "I think she's half-asleep."

"Tell her to call Hunter to her," Reid said.

Chase was getting a little tired of the snippy tone of Reid's, but considering the circumstances he would let it slide. Ten seconds later Hunter popped up right there in the living room. Chase gave Hunter the phone.

"Yeah, I'm here," Hunter said. He nodded a little. "Right, got ya." He hung up.

Chase stood nearby as Hunter took Rowan's pulse, talked to her a little.

"You don't have to stay," Hunter told him. "Unless you were doing something."

"No…I was about to leave."

"Chase," Rowan said.

The two men glanced at one another before Hunter moved over a little so Chase could kneel down. Rowan took his hand comfortably.

"Thank you," she said.

Chase gave an uncomfortable shrug at the appreciation. Maybe if he hadn't gotten so upset and yelled at her this wouldn't have happened.

"No," Rowan cut in. "My doctor says I have high blood pressure."

"You reading my mind?"

She smiled a little. "No. It's that 'maybe if I hadn't' look. I see it a lot." She licked her lips. "Ginger's nice and healthy though. I bet she'd love to be with you right now. And you'd love to be with her."

He didn't say anything. Was it that obvious? Sure. What was Rowan telling him? That she herself wasn't 'nice and healthy'? Ginger was though, and he should be glad for that.

"Yeah," he finally said. She gave him a final smile and released his hand.

He stood, ready to go then. He nodded to Hunter as he passed. Just as he was about to open the door, Hunter spoke.

"Hey. Thanks."

The surprise on his face showed for a mere second. "Sure." He was gone.

Fifteen minutes later Reid was there. Rowan was feeling a little better but was still feeling cold and hot at the same time. When Reid said he wanted to take her to the hospital she protested, but because it wasn't normal for her to have so many fainting spells (even if the hypertension was an obvious culprit) and she was pregnant, that's where they were going. She was then carried to Reid's Mustang; the animals were relocated to Rowan's Jeep with Hunter now behind the wheel. They said bye and headed in different directions.

At the hospital Rowan was quickly admitted. They were there for a couple of hours before the doctor said that it was okay for her to go home, but to take to the bed. The drive home was quiet. Reid was worried and pensive, Rowan was tired and pensive. Hunter was with the animals still, and after talking a little with Reid, getting the update on Rowan's health, he left.

"You don't want to stay for dinner?" Rowan asked.

"Gabe's supposed to come back tonight," he said. He kissed her goodbye.

Reid helped Rowan up to bed, then went back downstairs to make her tea. When he got back he set it on her nightstand.

"Thanks, Reid."

He gave her a small smile then kicked off his shoes and sat up in bed next to her. "Need anything else?"

She shook her head.

"What were you doing at the Colony house? I thought you went to that antique shop."

"I did. I looked around, and I saw this chalice that resembled the chalice in Atrocitas. You know, the one that contained the ichor that killed the king of faeries over five-hundred years ago?"

Reid nodded, vaguely recollecting said book that was in the basement of the Colony house.

"I just wanted to make sure. Darn, I left the chalice in the car." Reid said he would get it for her later. She blushed a little. "I um…indulged myself. It was a little expensive."

Reid chuckled. The only time Rowan really indulged herself was when she was buying something for someone else, or when it came to books. "What was Chase doing there?"

Rowan blew on her tea. "He was looking at his family tree. Reid, he's so concerned about being a father." She frowned at him, eyes filled with worry. "He and Ginger aren't talking."

"That bad? I just figured he didn't want a kid."

"No…he's convinced that his son will turn out to be a bad seed. And I said to him that we all have addicts in our Family lines. It's not just his." Rowan bit her lip, and Reid saw she was getting over agitated.

"Don't worry about it too much, Row."

"He doesn't have anyone to talk to," she insisted. "Chase isn't the only one who wouldn't worry if their son would get addicted to his Power. Nothing I said got through to him. He thinks he doesn't deserve to be a father."

Reid held back any harsh quips he could have mentioned of Chase Collins' character.

"He's more than made up for the bad things he's done," Rowan said. "And it's not right to exclude him."

"Ah, Row, don't…" He gently wiped away the tear that fell down her cheek.

"It's not right!"

"Okay, okay," he conceded. "Please, don't get too upset. You need to keep your blood pressure down." He did not try to continue the conversation by agreeing or disagreeing with her. He didn't care for Chase; none of them did as far as he knew. There was bad blood there, and no matter how many times in the past Rowan tried to bridge the gap, none of them had given in.

Had it been this upsetting to her all this time, but only now the discontent was erupting? She was right, of course Chase wouldn't be the only one to have those thoughts go through his head. A parent worried.

"My mom used to think that of Caleb," Rowan said. She moved closer to her husband, head on his shoulder. "That it was in the blood." She looked up at him. "It's not in the blood though." She sniffed. "And he doesn't have anyone to talk to."

Reid continued to gently defer while he stroked her hair and held her firmly. Christ, I didn't know it hurt her this much, he thought.

"It's not right," she said again, quietly.

xx

It was dark when Chase pulled up in his driveway. After the Colony house he hadn't gone straight home. Rowan was the first person he'd given voice about his true fears to, and now that they were out in the open, he couldn't just deny them. He didn't want to believe that his son would turn out like him, he just had so few resources to steer him in the right direction and every time he would have to tell his son to rein in his Power, he would feel like a hypocrite. What good was a father if his son couldn't respect him?

He hesitated before unlocking the front door. Only the living room light was on. Dottie was in her PJs and robe reading a book on the couch. She smiled at him.

"Hey, sweetie, have a nice outing?"

His own smile was weak. "Yeah."

She stood up, ambled over to him to give him a hug and kiss. "Ginger's upstairs sleeping."

"She's not feeling well?" he asked.

"Ah, well, pregnant woman just feel the fatigue a little more."

He nodded. There was silence, then, "I know I'm not being good about this, Dottie."

She gave him a sympathetic look. "Fatherhood is a hefty concept to deal with."

He puffed wry laughter. "Yeah, I'm in quicksand." Chase gave her another hug. "I'll go see Ginger."

He walked quietly upstairs and into his and Ginger's bedroom. She was curled up in a ball, asleep, but not peacefully so. He knew what her troubled slumber looked like, he had nursed it many times over the years. Chase left the light off, the moon's rays coming in through the window let him see her face. He sat down on the bed, watching her.

Slowly, he reached out, tucking back a lock of her hair from her face. She was so beautiful. Ginger was the only thing that kept him level, kept him a person. It hadn't been easy to admit that he loved her those many years ago. So long he'd been alone, only his Power as a companion. But Ginger, with her effervescence, her optimism even after all she'd been through, was irresistible, and he consented to letting her come with him after she'd watched over him when he'd been sick.

Chase had not been the nicest person, he had made her cry many times. Why Ginger had forgiven him, he didn't know, but he was grateful that she had. And the last ten years had been dedicated to making up for his callousness. He was pretty sure his current behavior had set him back quite a bit though.

Ginger's eyelids flickered before opening. Her eyes met his warily, sadly.

"I love you, Ginger," he said.

She pursed her lips, fists tucked tightly under her chin.

"I just… I don't know how to be okay with this."

"Why?" she asked, voice low and raspy.

"I wouldn't be a good father."

Her brow furrowed. "Yes, you would." He shook his head. "Yes, you would," she insisted, sitting up. "Why do you think so badly of yourself? You have people…who love you, and you can't have people love you if you're a bad person!"

She was crying now, Chase hated it when she cried. He reached out to wipe them away but she jerked her head back.

"Me and Dottie think you're good. Rowan does, too. How come that's not enough? Why can't you try to accept this? It won't change! There's a baby in here." She held her hands over her stomach. "We made him, we made him when we made love."

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"There's nothing evil about him, Chase," Ginger said, the quiver in her voice dissipating. "And it's not right for you to make him that way." She wiped her cheeks. "This baby is half me, and if it's evil, then I must be partly, too."

"You're not evil!" Chase said quickly.

She breathed determinedly. "And neither are you. It's not in the blood, Chase. Our son will be as good as we raise him to be."

"Ginger, I…" Chase stood, stepping away from her. "I…don't… Don't know how." He shook his head. "I'm scared to death I'll ruin his life." He looked at her. "I'm going to ruin his life, Gin." This time it was he, not her, who walked away.

xx

Rowan was quiet the next day between bouts of resting and reading. Her mother came over and they watched an old movie together, most of which Rowan snoozed through. Evelyn had a catering appointment at five, so it was just Reid and Rowan again. He found her in the apothecary mixing some cream among various paraphernalia spread out on the counter.

"For stretch marks," she said before he could ask.

"You don't have any."

She smiled a little. "For when I do. It'll happen. I need to make four more jars."

He picked up the one she was mixing, sniffed it. Smelled nothing. He sat on the stool next to her. Couldn't help himself from reaching out and tucking her hair behind her ear. Reid hadn't brought up their conversation from the previous evening, unsure if it would upset her as much as it had.

"I saw all those notes in the books," she said.

He grinned. "I was doing a lot of reading yesterday. Very informative."

"So you know all the unattractive things that are going to happen to my body?"

"Unattractive? Never."

She pulled an ironical face. "Reid. The stretch marks, the breasts, the swelling, unpredictable gas, and…a lot of other things."

He chuckled. "Your breasts are a little bigger. That's not unattractive."

"I hear you ignoring the other things I mentioned."

Reid turned her face and kissed her lingeringly. "None of those things bother me. But I think you're more worried about the supposed 'unattractiveness' than I am."

She gave a mock gasp. "Don't call me out on my vanity!" Then, seriously, "I just don't want you to… You'll see me differently, and…it might not be good, what you see. I'm going to get really round." There was barely a discernible difference to her belly at ten weeks.

"I'll love you no matter what size, Row. You know that."

Rowan sniffled. "Well, when you put it that way."

"That's right, listen to the wise husband," he dictated, getting a laugh out of his wife. "And the wise husband says I'll be cleaning Tippy's litter box for the duration of the pregnancy. With that toxoplasmic thing."

She laughed. "Toxoplasmosis." She nodded. "Okay, to be on the safe side, I won't argue with you on that. Where are the kids anyway?"

"Sniffing Bruce Lee out," Reid said. "I don't know why they play Hide and Seek with him, it takes hours for them to find him. Even with Erwin's nose doing the sniffing." Obviously the dog and cat had admitted defeat because just as Reid was talking, they entered the apothecary, sans ferret.

"I bet that hunting made them hungry," Rowan said. She was cleaning up her counter.

"I got it," said Reid.

When she was done cleaning up, she found Bruce Lee who was curled up in the ball pocket of Reid's pool table, one of his favorite places to nest. She carried him against her chest, giving him little kisses as they went to the kitchen. Reid had put out the ferret food too. The human set Bruce Lee down and he went to eat.

"Hungry Reid?"

"There's leftovers, I'll warm some up. You?"

"Hmm." Her hand unconsciously went to her belly, which was still sensitive. "I think I'll make myself some tomato soup."

"I'll do that," Reid insisted. "Crushed saltines mixed in?"

Rowan nodded.

Over the years he'd gotten adept at making simple things, like tomato soup. It reminded him that he couldn't expect Rowan to make full meals every other day now. Something would need to get worked out. Because for all his trying, meals, like the kind Rowan made, always got messed up when left in his hands.

When they were almost done eating, Rowan said casually, "Cay's here." Ten seconds later her brother entered. (The foyer was not visible from the kitchen.) She smiled at him when he walked in. "Hi, Cay."

"Hey, Lil Bit." He bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then did the manly half-hug with Reid. Reid asked him if he wanted some leftovers, but Caleb declined, having eaten earlier.

"Where's my sister-in-law?" Rowan asked.

Caleb grinned. "Going over a stack of case files."

"And you're not?" Reid commented. "You slackin' off counselor?"

Caleb rolled his eyes. "Actually, I came to ask my sister for something." He turned to her. "It's about a client of mine."

Her brow rose. "The father that accused his step-son of abusing his biological son?"

He nodded. It was a sordid situation, the details were heavy and rather sickening, so he didn't go into detail. He was working in conjunction with a more seasoned lawyer, doing most of the foot work as the subordinate; which meant talking to family and friends, tracking key players down.

"You don't believe him?" Reid asked, sitting back down at the table with them.

"I'm beginning to think that…the father may be…" Damn, this was hard.

Rowan gave her brother a sympathetic look. "I know it's hard to believe that someone would lie about something like that. But it happens. And you don't want to prosecute an innocent young man."

"The kid has a history of violence, and records to prove it."

"Violence against little kids?" Reid asked. "Or just your average delinquent?"

"No one can say he's ever hurt a little kid," Caleb admitted. "But the father took his son to the hospital many times for injuries."

"What do you need, Caleb?" his sister inquired.

"A truth spell," he said. "The ones I found are long term, too broad, or are geared towards the person verbally admitting the truth. I just need something that will…give me a sign that he's lying." So when he called him on it, it wouldn't be a bluff.

Rowan nodded, thought for a moment. "I know just the thing. You guys chit chat while I get it ready."

"Heavy," Reid said. "You really like dealing with that on a daily basis?"

Caleb paused. "I remember my dad coming home after winning a case he believed in, feeling like he helped put a danger away. Even if it was just one person. That's what I'm trying to do. But I don't want to put away the wrong person."

Reid nodded. "So…is it the father who's abusing his own son?"

"I think so," Caleb said. "Hard to imagine a father deliberately hurting his own son like that, though."

"I guess it happens," the blond replied sedately. He cleared his throat. "Uh…" His blue eyes went passed Caleb to see if the hallway was clear. The current topic of fathers and sons brought the previous day to mind. "Rowan got really upset over something yesterday."

His brow furrowed. "What about?"

Reid told him.

Caleb sighed. "It has been a long time. Not an ounce of trouble from Chase."

"He's held it together," Reid conceded. "Addiction to our Power is always possible, but…deciding it before the kid is even born?"

"I suppose no one but Rowan, Ginger and Dottie have given him a reason to believe that he's risen above the crimes he committed. And…he is a part of the Covenant, like it or not."

"I don't even worry about him anymore. Not with the anger I used to." He made his comments, but that was just Reid's usual snippy self at work.

"Same here."

Caleb felt a twinge of sympathy for Chase. Before his mother and him found out that William Danvers III had succumbed to his Power because of killing an illegitimate Keeper of the Covenant (thus twice-damning himself) they had figured he had given in to addiction of his own accord. After, his mother was constantly on his case about him turning out like his father, and his father before him. Instead of believing that he would turn out to be better, she instead assumed the worst.

And so had he. The last two generations of Danvers died because of their Power. Caleb often thought that maybe it was in the blood, and the odds were certainly against him. He knew now that it wasn't true.

"I had this insane idea of talking to Chase," Reid said, rolling his eyes. "But you know me; I'd probably stick my foot in my mouth; my declaration of a truce sounding insincere."

Caleb chuckled. "True."

"I have it!" Rowan called. She presented her brother with a draw-string bag with the few implements needed, then explained to him the process.

"Thank you," he said.

"Of course."

Caleb really needed to get back home, so after letting the animals schmooze over him for a few minutes, he said goodbye. Reid walked him out.

Caleb said, "We'll talk about Chase more later. I think Row has a point. It's been a long time."

"Yeah. Yeah, it has."

Greetings. Thank you for the kind reviews so far.

I've been reading up on pregnancy, trying to make it as realistic as possible, because I've never been so. I don't think I've ever been more out of my element. LOL.

Anywho, reviews are always welcome! :)