Disclaimer: *See Prologue*

Author's Note: Not a lot to warn about...kind of awkward for our mated pair...and kind of amusing to watch Lygoren...well...read and find out...:D

Part Eight: Surprise!

To say it was awkward was an understatement even though both were suitably knowledgeable on the subject. It's quite the relief to both of them to be laying on the bed after showering and changing the sheets. "Don't be offended if I don't cuddle with you," Eris comments even as her head rests against his shoulder, her smaller frame curling against his.

"Right," he comments snorting softly holding her close which makes her chuckle against his shoulder.

"Hey, look at it this way; we survived that."

"Not doing much for my ego, Eris."

"Okay...then if I had to be with a male then you'd definitely be it...is that better?"

"That will suffice," he replies before snorting softly, "I think attempting this is best only when we're in Heat..."

"Yeah, I think that's the only time I won't be tempted to gut you," she retorts dryly.

His mouth curves at the edges before he starts laughing softly. "Only you..." he chuckles.

"Hey, I can't help it that I threaten you with pain, dismemberment, or organ removal and all you do is laugh at me," Eris mutters.

"You're not exactly a threatening image as...dainty as you are."

"Dainty? You're lucky I am tired, mate, or I'd prove to you what this 'dainty' Saiyan can do to you."

He chuckles before using his tail to tug the blanket up. "Get some sleep, hell cat, and sheath the claws." He hears her mutter something that was probably uncomplimentary before snuggling closer. Asking for a repeat so that he could hear occurs to him but he forgoes it in favor of getting some sleep and hoping that maybe the future would be kinder than the past though something tells him not to hold his breath.

The next morning starts what would become a routine that made them both comfortable if nothing else; getting up making breakfast, getting things cleaned up, and handling the day to day tasks set before them. If there was nothing else to be said it was that they were comfortable enough with each other that it wasn't too much of a hardship to constantly be around the other. They both knew that things could be so much worse.

It's how Lygoren is first aware that something is off when one morning, he wakes up to an empty bed. He normally woke up earlier than Eris so having her up already wasn't normal. His ears would soon pick up sounds from the bathroom and he'd slowly rise before going to the pushed-to door and listen a moment before slowly opening it further. "Sick?" he asks quietly to the kneeling figure.

"I-I'm not sure," she manages before leaning her head against the cool porcelain.

"Probably should see Eyadei then," he says quietly.

She snorts softly before chuckling. "You do realize that if I'm not sick..." She lets the rest of the sentence trail off as she gazes up at him.

Lygoren stares at her a moment before the realization sinks in at what she was indicating. "You don't think..."

Her mouth curves at the edges. "It's the only other thing it could be."

He swallows. Hard. "Th-that would mean..."

"That would mean you got me pregnant the first time we attempted it," she finishes.

"Oh...Oh...gods..."

"Please don't faint," she tells him, "because I'd like to feel good enough to enjoy watching that."

For some reason that's enough to help steady him. "When you feel up to it, I'm taking you to see Eyadei," he tells her.

"F-fair enough," she says before immediately leaning back over the lip of the toilet. Deciding that he wasn't doing much good gawking at her, he withdraws pulling the door back shut as he tries not to think about her words too closely. Unfortunately, now that she had insinuated as much, he couldn't stop it. What if...what if he had managed to get her pregnant that first night? Would he be ready to be a father once the cub was born? Fear suddenly fills him at that thought. How good of a father would he make considering that his own was a complete terror?

Sinking onto the bed, he finds a hand sliding into his hair as he struggles with the sudden onslaught of fear and doubt. What sort of future did a cub have in such a clan as theirs especially being the patriarch's grandchild? Gaelrick cared for no one but himself and seemed to take great pleasure in being crueler and more sadistic to those who shared his bloodline or his family name.

He's startled from his almost hysterical thoughts by hands sliding onto his shoulders and Eris's voice. "Stop it," she chides, "If I am pregnant there is no reason for you to have a panic-attack."

He'd slowly look up at her. "H-how...do we raise a child here?"

"The same way anyone else does; as best we can, Lyo. Don't start worrying about your abilities as a father. All you need to remember is to love and protect them. You are not your sire."

"I..."

"Come on, let's go talk to Eyadei before you work yourself into a panic-attack that may not be necessary."

Nodding his head, he forces himself to calm before slowly rising from the bed. She was right, like normal. There really was nothing that could be done until they knew the truth. He was just not sure that bringing a child into this place was a good idea. It just didn't matter what he thought on the matter apparently.

Eyadei looks up as they enter and looks between them both. "So which of you am I seeing because you both look like you're deathly ill."

"I'm the one throwing up...he's just panicking," Eris says with a grin, "Though I'm still waiting for him to faint. I think it would be entertaining."

Lygoren gives her an ugly look. "You're not funny."

"No but you are," she counters.

"Children, no petty bickering," Eyadei says as he rises, "Come along and let's see if we can't figure out just what it is you need to worry about."

Both end up in the privacy of one of the rooms as he does a few tests on Eris. It was the waiting that gets to both of them though Eris seems to be the better of the two at hiding her unease. However, considering that of the two of them her home-life hadn't been a living nightmare it was definitely understandable. Finally, the scarred Saiyan reappears. "Well?" Eris asks.

Eyadei looks from the paper he's holding to both Saiyans. "Congratulations," he says quietly, "You're pregnant, Eris."

Movement out of the corner of her eye makes her turn in time to watch Lygoren hit the floor. Her mouth curves at the edges before she snickers softly. "Well...damn...that really IS amusing as hell," she comments.

Eyadei snorts as he walks over and crouches down. "Well, personally, it's probably best that he did it here. If he did actual damage beyond the bump to his head he's already in the medical facility."

Eris snorts softly before murmuring, "Now he's gonna have the next few months to get over his fear of being the same as his sire."

Eyadei carefully moves the unconscious male to a bed. "I've told him repeatedly that he is nothing like his father. He proved it being your friend."

"He's just worried that he won't make a good father since his own is...Well, you know."

Eyadei shakes his head. "He has nothing to worry about along those lines but that is something he's going to have to square off with. I'll get you some things to take during this time as long as some suggestions for teas and such that will help with nausea. Just keep reassuring him that he's nothing like Gaelrick."

"I can definitely do that," she replies, "and thank you, Eyadei."

He smiles slightly. "It's not a problem. You just need to take it easy...but I am sure that you knew that already."

"Of course. I just...don't want to have to have that conversation with my father-in-law."

"Well, telling him anything is never pleasant."

She slowly looks down and touches her stomach gently. "Besides Lygoren, I think this will be the one of the few good things his line produces. I can't say for his other family members. I think I've met them twice from a distance."

Eyadei snorts. "That sounds about right."

A soft groan makes her turn her attention. "Hey, maybe I should be the one wearing the pants and you can have this cub," she says as his eyes slowly open and focus.

"You...are not funny," he groans as he rubs his head.

"No, I leave that to you when you faint," she teases.

"Here's to hoping our child doesn't inherit your sense of humor," he mutters.

"No just my dark mop right?"

A soft growl escapes him. "Don't start that!"

She laughs softly. "You're so fun to tease, Lyo. Honestly, you need to get a sense of humor."

"You're cruel and unusual!"

Eyadei raises an eyebrow and Eris grins. "It's a running joke, Eyadei. I sort of teasingly told him that he'd fall in love with any child he managed to sire and we went around to it being mine and some dark-haired mop-headed cutie."

Lygoren rubs his face. "Eris, just shut up."

Eyadei snorts softly. "It wouldn't be anything our race hasn't seen, young Master."

"Not the point," he retorts, "It's not going to happen."

Eris rolls her eyes. "You just can't take anything in stride can you?"

Eyadei makes a sound of amusement that has both of them looking at him and he immediately goes about straightening the desk and muttering, "Get out of here and take care of yourselves. I have a lot to do and I do not do couples therapy."

Eris grins at him. "Of course we'll take care of ourselves, Eyadei. Though on that second part..."

"Out!"

She tugs Lygoren out snickering. The brunette rolls his eyes. "Are you just trying to annoy everyone today?"

"No...but you can tell your sire that we're expecting."

He stares down at her. "You can't be..."

"Lygoren, you know that he'll get angry if he's not immediately informed."

"Right," the other mutters his mood souring, "because I want him to know that in a few months time he'll have a grandchild."

"We don't have a choice."

That was the truth of the matter, as much as he would like to think otherwise. "Guess we'll just have to invite him over for dinner," Lygoren sighs softly, "and tell him then."

Eris wrinkles her nose. "I like the thought of having him in our residence very little if you must know."

"So do I but you know we don't have an option here."

"Of course not," she sighs softly, "I just...dislike him so much."

"You and me both, Eris."