Emily was flipping through the only What to Expect type book she'd found for vampires and eating saltines (and considering whether to close the shop so she could take a brief nap) when the bell over the door tinkled to announce a customer. Glancing up from her book, Emily offered a polite smile in greeting, seeing as her mouth was full of saltines.
"Emily, right?" Rebecca asked with an awkward little wave. "We met at the mall a few weeks ago, my girlfriend works with Alex?"
Recognition dawning on her, Emily nodded. "Of course. I remember, I'm just terrible with remembering faces. And I've been a little preoccupied lately, as I'm sure you're aware."
Rebecca offered a sympathetic smile. "That's kind of why I'm here. Tara mentioned that you've settled on adoption. I don't know if you've had a chance to put any thought into potential parents, but I wanted to tell you that Tara and I really hope you'll consider us."
"Oh, umm, right," she stammered, having completely forgotten about the offer amidst all the exhaustion and vomiting that was the first trimester. She gave a small nervous laugh. "To be honest, I haven't put that much thought into it. I guess I'm still processing the past few weeks."
"That's fair," Rebecca said, "I can't imagine how hard it is to spend nine months carrying a life inside you, knowing that you won't be bringing home a baby at the end." Seeing the tears suddenly springing to Emily's eyes, she quickly added, "But I also can't imagine how incredibly brave someone must be to make that choice."
Emily sniffled, attempted a smile. "Thanks," she whispered.
"And we want you to know that we would want you to be involved in the baby's life, as much as you want to be," Rebecca said. "I mean, assuming you choose us. You obviously don't have to and I'm not trying to pressure you, I just want to help."
Offering an appreciative smile, a real one this time, Emily murmured, "I think you and Tara would make great parents." A beat. "Are you sure this is the baby you want, though?" To be completely honest, Emily was scared absolutely shitless by the idea of growing a baby vampire, she couldn't even begin to fathom the idea of raising one.
Nodding as if she'd expected the conversation to follow this route, Rebecca said, "That's actually the other reason I'm here: I was hoping you might have some books on the subject of supernatural parenting."
When Emily arrived home, she wasn't expecting Alex to be there, seeing as she still had another lecture scheduled and Emily had specifically closed the store two hours early so she would have time to nap in peace. Confused by the sound of someone walking around upstairs, she followed the sound to find Alex folding laundry...wearing nothing but a stretched out tank top and panties.
And for several long moments, Emily felt her jaw hang open, stunned into awestruck silence by the sight.
As if sensing, Emily's stare on her, Alex turned to meet her gaze. "Everything okay?" she asked. When Emily nodded numbly, but couldn't seem to form a verbal response, she teased, "Cat got your tongue?"
Emily didn't respond, though to be completely honest, when Alex looked like that, it didn't so much matter what she'd said. The only thing Emily was capable of doing was staring.
Said staring seemed to amuse Alex, judging by her little smirk. "If you're just going to stand there, you could help me put laundry away..."
She nodded distantly, still not really listening. She spent a brief moment considering the situation, then before she'd even fully grasped what she was about to do, she had Alex backed against the wall, lips seeking out Alex's for a hungry kiss. Her hands delved under the hem of Alex's tank top, grabbing a fistful of the fabric and tugging it up over her head, tossing it to the floor in her eagerness to touch her skin.
"That's actually kind of the opposite of putting laundry away," Alex said with a little laugh.
"Don't care." Her lips travelled along Alex's throat, teeth scraping her skin. "Want you..."
Alex could only smirk at Emily's urgency, especially when the way she was palming her breast was so very effectively turning her on. And since Emily had initiated it so eagerly, Alex was only too happy to comply and return the affection.
They moved to the bed, lips barely breaking contact the entire time. Emily half collapsed back on the mattress, bringing Alex down with her. Alex moved to straddle her lap, her lips travelling along Emily's throat and her hands working the buttons of her jeans, things definitely getting heated...until her hand brushed the slight swell of Emily's belly, at which point things came to a screeching halt.
Emily immediately tensed up at the contact and Alex, sensing her discomfort, was quick to withdraw her hand. "Em, I'm so sorry," she effused, "I didn't mean... I wasn't trying..."
She shook her head. "N-no," she attempted to speak, voice cracking. She paused, cleared her throat. "It's...fine," she said, though it was entirely unconvincing.
With a little sigh, Alex climbed off her lap and pulled Emily into hers. "Em," she whispered, kissing the top of her head, "It doesn't scare me, you know that, right? It doesn't."
"It scares me..."
Alex stroked her hair tenderly. "I hope you know that this baby has nothing to do with us not being together right now," she murmured. "I still love you with all my heart – I want to be together, I do – I'm just not sure you need all the chaos that comes with a relationship right now."
"Chaos?" she repeated dubiously.
She nodded. "You do realize that none of this would have happened if it weren't for me, right? I'm the reason you're a vampire which is the reason you got recalled to Interpol which is the reason you're pregnant. It's my fault."
"Alex," Emily whispered into her neck, "I don't blame you. I never have. And all I want is to know that you're not going anywhere because you are the only thing keeping me from falling apart right now."