"This is great news," Dave said as he shook Spencer's hand enthusiastically while Jazz hugged her daughter.

"Yes, it is," Jazz agreed after she had hugged Spencer as well. "My little girl's all grown up and she's pregnant with her first child."

"I've been grown up for a long time mom," Shawnda told her mother with a twinkle in her eyes.

"So you have," Dave agreed his dark eyes twinkling, "but that doesn't mean you won't always be our little girl. This will be our first grandchild and that makes it extra special."

"We think that way about all her daughters," Jazz said. "We know you're capable of taking care of yourself, but that doesn't mean we don't love you and you won't always be our baby."

"You know, I figured you would object and be angry at Shawnda and me for getting her pregnant before were married," Spencer spoke up. "You're reaction is totally different from the way my father would've reacted if I had told him I got some woman pregnant before we married and it wouldn't have mattered if I was grown-up or not. He would've shouted and screamed at me and whoever the woman was and called us all sorts of names."

"So your father would've pitched a fit," Dave said his voice rather angry but not at Spencer, but at his father.

"Without a doubt," Spencer agreed knowing it wasn't him Dave was angry with.

"I want to murder him," Dave acidly, "though I know a lot of parents have similar reactions even in this day and age."

"Get in line," Shawnda told her father. "I'm sure there's a line all the way around several blocks of those that want to at least beat up William Reid. We can't be the only ones he has made mad and we've never actually met him."

"You're saying that those that have actually met him probably want to beat him up and put him in the hospital and while we feel like doing the same we've never actually met him," Dave said and Shawnda nodded.

"Exactly and just imagine what our reaction would be if we'd actually met the man, as he seems like a lousy human being much less a father."

"From what we know about him none of us would want to," Jazz said.

"You don't have to ever meet him," Spencer said. "He's definitely not invited to my wedding as for one thing the invitations have already gone out and for another I don't ever want to talk to him again much less see him. Shawnda assured me you'd be happy for us, but I still had doubts. Not anymore."

"You'll learn that we probably don't react the same in most situations to other people," Dave said.

"That's mortals though and while we are basically human we also have many more life experiences than ordinary people," Jazz said.

"That's true," Spencer said pensively.

"I'm looking forward to the birth of my first grandchild," Jazz added. "Aaron and Shonda will tell you the same once they learn you're pregnant."

"So have you decided on names though I suppose it's a little early for that," Dave admitted.

"The only thing we really decided on is that if it's a girl she's going to be named after Spencer's mother," Shawnda said. "I agreed with that because I know he loved his mother very much and she's gone so naming our first daughter after her is a good way for the name to live on in our family."

"So what was the mother's name," Jazz asked.

"Diana," Spencer answered.

"That's a nice, classical name," Dave said.

"You know I didn't even think about using protection once I was immortal," Spencer said, "and I should have."

"It doesn't matter," Jazz told her soon to be son-in-law. "Other people might talk, but it really doesn't matter to any of this family. Other people can just mind their own business."

"You know Shawnda said exactly the same," Spencer chuckled, "when I learned she was pregnant."

"So how far along are you honey?" Jazz asked her daughter.

"Only a few weeks," Shawnda answered, "I'll have to go to the doctor to determine how far along I am. It might've happened the first time Spence and I made love after he was immortal for all I know and that was only about two months ago."

"So how do you know your pregnant then, because you don't have morning sickness because you're immortal," Dave said.

"I've been eating way, way more than I normally do dad and to me that was a sure sign so I bought a pregnancy test," Shawnda said.

"That's exactly what your mother does every time she's pregnant she starts eating way more to prepare her body for the birth months later," Dave told his daughter.

"Now that I know I'm pregnant it makes sense, as to why I've been eating so much and why I've even gained a few pounds. First, I was worried, because I was gaining so much weight, but now that I know I'm carrying Spencer's and my child..."

"Believe me, I understand," Jazz told her daughter with an understanding expression.

"Make sure you tell Aaron and Shonda as soon as possible or Shonda at least will be upset with you," Dave said

"I will dad, promise," Shawnda said.

~~~Shawnda and Spencer~~~

Several months later

Spencer walked into Jazz's Delights and saw a long line. Shawnda had been craving the cinnamon scones from her mother's bakery and so Spencer had agreed to go by before meeting her at their apartment. With a baby on the way though they had been looking for houses. Shawnda's apartment was adequate as it had an extra bedroom, but still they needed to find a house that wasn't too far from his veterinary practice.

The two of them had been married for several months and Shawnda was over six months pregnant. Everyone knew about a pregnant woman's cravings.

Spencer finally reached the counter over half an hour later and Jazz was actually at the register. "I'm here to pick up my order," Spencer told Jazz.

"Yes, it's already for you, Spencer," Jazz said with a smile. "Two dozen cinnamon scones. I'm glad you called ahead so I could get them ready for you as they were going fast. This allowed me to put them aside for you."

"Thanks, Shawnda was really craving your cinnamon scones and I promised I'd get some before I came home," said Spencer. "She's waiting on me so I better get going."

"Well, she is pregnant," Jazz said, "and I well remember those cravings I used to get when I was. Dave was really good about fulfilling them."

"I'll let you get back to work and Shawnda and I will see you for dinner tonight," Spencer said.

"See you then," Jazz said handing Spencer a large bag along with the coffee that he'd ordered for himself.

Spencer took out his wallet and tried to pay for the scones and the coffee but Jazz waved him away.

"You'll never have to pay whenever you want something from here," Jazz told him firmly. "Your family."

Spencer tried to protest as it didn't seem fair, but Jazz held firm and finally Spencer gave up.

"Fine," Spencer said finally. "I don't want to create a scene, but we will be talking about this at some point."

Spencer left with the bag of cinnamon scones and his coffee.

"Was that your son?" one of the remaining customers asked.

"Son-in-law," Jazz corrected. "My daughter is pregnant and he's taking those scones home to her."

"You don't look old enough to have a daughter who is of the age to get married," said someone else.

"Thank you for the compliment, but I assure you I am definitely old enough to have a daughter who's married," Jazz said smiling ended the conversation by heading back to where the kitchen was.

~~~Shawnda and Spencer~~~

"Thanks honey," Shawnda told Spencer when he delivered the cinnamon scones to her.

Spencer had drunk the coffee on the way back home.

"You're welcome sweetheart," Spencer told her kissing her cheek and then rubbing her tummy which was a huge bulge beneath her clothes

"Hey little guy," Spencer told her tummy, even as he rubbed circles on it. They had learned about a month ago that Shawnda was having a son so they'd have to reserve his mother's name for when they had a daughter.

They had decided on Darian for the name of their son. Little Darian was going to be spoiled rotten once he arrived in less than three months.

"Your mother and I are sure looking forward to your birth," Spencer told Shawnda's stomach.

"Yes, we are," Shawnda agreed, as she watched Spencer's face, which was full of love for their unborn son. He would make a great father when Darian was born.

Spencer brought Shawnda a scone on a plate after he heated it up in the microwave and she gobbled it down.

"That was really good," Shawnda said, even as Spencer ate his own scone.

"Do you want another one," Spencer asked knowingly and Shawnda nodded licking her lips, even as she patted her tummy.

"Another would be good," Shawnda agreed.

"You probably shouldn't eat anymore after this if you want to have room for dinner with your parents," Spencer suggested.

"I guess we'll have to put the rest up," Shawnda said regretfully, as Spencer got to his feet, took her plate and heated up another scone for her then handed it to her.

"I'll put them in the refrigeration unit so they won't go stale for awhile," Spencer said as he took the bag and opened the fridge door placing the bag on the shelf.

Mocha who was laying under the kitchen table whined, as if asking why he hadn't gotten any.

"Poor baby, are you feeling neglected," Shawnda asked the dog as he stuck his head out from under the table.

"It's more likely he wants a treat," Spencer said dryly looking and sounding amused.

"Well, I suppose he can have a bit of my cinnamon scone," Shawnda said melting at the look in Mocha's molten brown eyes. "But only because I love you, you silly dog."

Shawnda fed Mocha just a little of a cinnamon scone and he licked the glaze off her fingers.

"You're so soft hearted," Spencer told her with a smile. "That's one of the things I love about you."

"How can you ignore that face?" Shawnda asked looking at Mocha who had come out from under the table and was now laying against her leg. His tongue was hanging out and drool dripped down to the kitchen floor.

Mocha looked up at Spencer with those cute brown eyes and Spencer melted giving the dog he had saved a pat on the head.

"I know you probably need to go to the bathroom before we leave for your parents," Spencer told Shawnda reminding her that they had someone else to be.

"Is it that late already?" Shawnda asked looking a her watch.

"Yeah, time sure does pass fast doesn't it?" Spencer said.

"It sure does, especially since I met you," Shawnda said kissing his cheek before heading for the restroom.

"Oh, by the way, your mother refused to accept payment for the scones and coffee from me and told me I will never have to pay a dime whenever I choose to get something from the bakery," Spencer added stopping Shawnda before she could leave the kitchen

"That sounds like mom," Shawnda said. "You're family, it's a simple as that. You're just gonna have to accept it, because you won't change her mind. Believe me, she doesn't need the money, as not only does dad have plenty so does she, because she's opened a bakery every time they have moved elsewhere. Dad also helped her to invest."

"But it's not honest," Spencer said. "Or fair. I mean just giving it away when someone took the time to bake it, put the ingredients together, which had to be bought which cost money. You need to pay for the ingredients and for the time of whoever baked them."

"What you don't understand is family is everything to us. Whatever friends we make most of them can never know what we are. To be able to relax completely, to be totally yourself without having to guard what you say constantly is a precious gift to someone who is immortal. Just accept it for what it is and move on. We can only be completely ourselves when we're with folks who are similar to us and that is usually only ones own family."

"I hadn't thought of it that way," Spencer said quietly seeming to be deep in thought. "Alright then, I'll let it go, as I understand what you're getting at."

"That's good," Shawnda said. "If my mother needed the money it would be one thing, but she doesn't trust me on that."

"The house they live in was enough to tell me there was money in the family unless it belonged to your ancestors," Spencer said. "You better go to the bathroom or we really will be late."
Shawnda headed for the bathroom and Spencer watched her go, even as he patted Mocha again. Finally, Spencer stopped patting Mocha and put both his and his wife's dishes in the dishwashing unit, though they were hardly dirty, except for few crumbs.

This was how life was supposed to be Spencer thought to himself as his wife used the bathroom. Meeting Shawnda had been the best experience of his life. She accepted him for who he was and that was no small thing. Very few people outside his mother had ever accepted him and that was why he most of the time preferred animals, as they never judged you.

Still, he was blissfully happy and he had a son on the way. Life definitely couldn't get much better. He and Shawnda would raise their son and there would be siblings for Darian in a couple years.

Shawnda came back from the bathroom just then "Ready to go?"

"Absolutely," Spencer said, as he rose from his seat at the kitchen table.

The two of them walked out of the apartment to have dinner with Shawnda's parents who were more warm and welcoming then Spencer had ever expected.

The two of them talked quietly until they got to the parking lot where their cars were parked.

"Do you know I'm actually looking forward to the adventure with you," Spencer told Shawnda as he started the car and rose into the sky heading towards the Rossis home.

"So am I," Shawnda said smiling brilliantly, as she rubbed her stomach. "It's been an adventure every day since I met you."