A/N: Has this Monday been brutal for anyone else?

AER: Sweet indeed :)

Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan. And still not Australian.

Kane opened his door and took Gabby to Talia. He shook his head. "She's fallen asleep," he told Gabby. "I'm sorry."

"Where is she?"

Kane guided her hand to Talia's shoulder. Gabby handed her cane to him and felt the bed before sitting down. She gently nudged Talia until she was awake. Talia jerked back at Gabby's sudden appearance.

"Who are you?" she demanded

Gabby, always so calm, took her hand away from Talia.

"My name's Gabby. I'm a friend of Kane's. He asked me to come examine your health."

"You seem young to be a midwife."

"I'm just a physician's assistant originally trained as a nurse but I've been at it for a while. Are you comfortable with my touching you?"

"Touching me?"

"It's how I see. I'm blind."

Talia peered from Gabby to Kane. Kane brushed his fingers against Gabby's back. "Should Kane leave?" Talia finally asked.

"Only if he makes you uncomfortable. You won't have to undress. What I'm going to do is sort of like a regular checkup."

"Alright. Have at it."

"I need you to sit up."

Talia struggled as she pushed herself into a sitting position. Kane's years of watching Lina, Alyss, Jenny, Cassandra, and other family members bearing children told him she would be needing help moving before long. Talia glanced from Gabby to Kane. "Are you two seeing each other?"

"Gabby's blind she's not seeing anyone," Kane said shortly. It'd been a joke between him and his girlfriend since they started their relationship. Gabby giggled but Talia's eyes narrowed.

"We are," Gabby answered as she gently moved her fingers to Talia's wrist, checking her pulse.

Talia looked up to Kane. "She's pretty."

"Thanks. Now do you believe me, Gabby?" Kane asked. He let his fingers brush her back again.

"I'm sorry, my lady, but I still don't know your name."

"Talia."

"Well Talia, so far so good. Is it alright if I touch your stomach now?"

"Sure."

Kane smiled as he watched Gabby. It was hard not to. He'd seen her work before and it always amazed him how gentle she was. No wonder patients thought her the best.

"You two seem happy," Talia whispered. Gabby paused with her hand pressing against Talia's side. She slid it away immediately and reached behind her for Kane.

"I'm finished. There's no danger tonight, Talia. I'll arrange for you to see a proper midwife soon. Kane, will you walk me back to the medical wing?"

"I don't think I should leave Talia alone."

"Kane…"

"Walk her back, Kane," Talia ordered. Kane felt his forehead crease as he heard something in Talia's voice he hadn't heard earlier. Gabby must have picked up on it too because she was tugging at his arm.

"Alright. I'll be back soon."

Kane found Gabby literally dragging him through his apartment towards the door. He put her cane in her hand once he realized she'd forgotten he still had it. Once the door was closed she slowed and got a better grip on his arm. He sensed she was allowing him to lead again.

"What was that about?" he asked as he began walking.

"She's embarrassed and wants to be alone."

"Embarrassed? About what?"

Gabby slowed her steps. "You didn't pick up on it, Kane? She's upset that she's having that baby without the father in her life."

"That never bothered her before."

"She started tensing up when I told her we're together. I could feel it. She felt anxious and wanted me to leave but then she started trembling."

"I didn't see her tremble."

"It wasn't much but it was there. She's probably crying right now. She's upset that you have me while she has nobody."

Kane stopped walking. "I never thought about it that way. I just…I found her as a prisoner and wanted to get her home. But then she started getting bigger and…is it really upsetting, Gabby?"

"It would upset me if I were in her place."

Kane sighed and pulled her towards a nook in the castle they'd stolen away in several times before. She sat down in the large window that overlooked the chef's gardens three floors below. It was a great view he wished Gabby could see. Still he knew she liked being there. The scents from the chef's herbs made her smile. He stroked her cheek and got a giggle.

"Why is this the first time I'm meeting your birthmother?"

Kane guessed she had the right to be judgmental but she seemed more curious than anything. He didn't talk about Talia much. She wasn't a major part of his life so he didn't treat her like one. "I've only seen her about four or five times since we even met. It never really came up."

"Can I look at you?"

Kane pressed his forehead to hers. "One day you'll learn you don't have to ask anymore."

"I'm sure it's still rude to touch people's faces without permission."

Kane smiled as her fingers traced up his arms to his shoulders and finally found his cheeks. She traced over his eyes, nose, cheeks, lips, ears, and jaw line gingerly before moving up to his forehead and into his hair. "Why do you like touching my face?" he asked.

"It's the only way I can see what you look like."

"If I was ugly would you still care about me?"

Gabby smiled. Kane realized he'd set himself up perfectly for a shot at his pride but she didn't take it. She was too kind for that. "I care about you," she whispered.

Kane smiled wider. Her fingers outlined his lips. "So can I touch you now?"

"You can see me."

"Sure but you don't know what I'm looking at."

"You don't strike me as the type to keep your eyes on my chest."

He cupped her face after pushing stray strands of hair away. "No," he whispered. "My mother made sure I knew how to treat women."

"Your father too, I'd bet."

"Yes, probably."

Gabby dropped her hands to his torso and wrapped her arms around his waist. He hugged her back and moved closer. Her head rested against his chest so he set his chin on her hair. "I love you, Kane."

"I love you too, Gabby."

"Talia's going to need a lot of support. Are you going to let her stay with you?"

Kane kissed her cheek. "Would it bother you?"

"Of course not, she's your birthmother. I'll help as much as she'll let me and in the morning I can talk to the midwives and see which is able to tend her."

"I'm going to be away a lot. Would you mind temporarily moving in? I mean…you could share the spare room with Talia or take mine and I'll sleep on the floor. I don't care."

"I can. I'll let my family know and be there at the end of the week if she's still around."

Kane tightened his grip on her. "What do you mean if she's still around?"

"She comes and goes your entire life. What makes you think this time will be different?"

"She's…well she's…she needs stability doesn't she?"

"I really hope you don't get hurt in this," Gabby told him seriously. "I'm going back to the medical wing. I've been gone too long as it is. Come get me if she needs anything, alright?"

"Alright. Good night Gabby."

"Night Kane."