Kirby Carter

... o n e m o n t h l a t e r ...

With your priorities refocused and your willpower to resist the vikings charms renewed, the two of you soon settle into an easy routine..

You try to keep to a two foot rule, for your own sanity, keeping him a few feet away makes it easier for you to keep your mind from wandering into dangerous territory..

And it's been working.. The two of you have neither been fighting nor fucking..

Which in your mind, is progress..

There was nothing you could do to prevent Lucky from moving in with Declan.. But Knox has assured you that between her full time studies and working nights as a waitress, she spends the majority of her time either at school, with friends or at work.. You do your best not to think about the rest of the time..

The thought of Darby's dirty hands on your sister is too sickening..

You've been spending most days working on the schematics for Darby's Device, which he calls to check the progress on once a week, dropping his usual vague threats..

You're running out of ways to stall the design process, but for now you're dragging it out as long as possible until you can think of a better plan..

During the evening you and Hunter usually eat dinner together and watch sports highlights before you curl up in bed, falling asleep on top of your borrowed book of mythology..

Well.. If you could call it sleep.. You'd probably say it's more like a lucid nightmare..

One where Darby wins, no matter what you do.. Every time.

But, all things considered, things are good.. Other than a few tense moments here and there, you and Hunter have been getting along..

Of course, he is still his usual overbearing, Alpha-type self..

And you, of course, still haven't learned to ignore the taking of his bait..

Like right now..

"Kirby, just drop it.." His warning husky tone has you ready to argue almost immediately..

What is it about this man telling you to do one thing that makes you want to do the exact opposite?..

Especially in all the places except the one that you want it.. The bedroom..

Since you put the breaks on the physical stuff, you have found yourself increasingly frustrated.. Having the viking living in your apartment and not jumping on him like a lustful teenager has turned out to be harder than you expected..

You are already fifteen minutes late to your first ultrasound appointment, because you had picked an argument only a few hours ago trying to dig into his history with his sister and the CIA.. again..

You don't know why.. Maybe as your way of keeping him angry at you and at arms length.. After all, it hasn't been easy to resist him.. "Why won't you tell me?"

His fingers grip the steering wheel tighter, knuckles whitening.. "Because you're deflecting, you don't actually want to know.."

You bristle.. "Dont presume to know what I want!"

He mutters beneath his breath.. "You're right.. How could I possibly?"

Hurtful, but fair..

You know you have been kind of emotionally closed off to him for the last few weeks..

But you have been civil.. Can't that be enough for him?..

Its already hard enough for you to reconcile the unconventional relationship you have with the man, it really doesn't need further complicating..

"You are seriously infuriating..I'm just.. You're so.. No.. Wait.. Fuck.. I'm so tired I don't even remember what I was going to say.. Can we not do this now?.. I have to meet Darby with the schematics this afternoon.. I feel like im going to be sick.. And I'm beyond nervous for this freaking appointment.."

The worries gush out of you like a bursting dam.. You sigh, running your fingers back through your hair..

"Finally.. You know, I think that's the most honest thing you've said to me in weeks.." Hunter smirks..

You turn to look at him, your pulse rising with anger, your tone defensive..

Damn. Pregnancy hormones are no joke!

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

He laughs, dry and little tired sounding.. "Jesus fucking Christ, Duchess.."

He pulls up in the small car park beside the doctor's office and you don't wait a second before unbuckling your seat belt and leaping from the car, setting off in a huff across the asphalt..

"Kirby.. Stop." The Viking doesn't let you escape so easily, his voice comes out stern and forceful.. The authority of his tone catching your attention immediately..

God.. its sexy as hell when he does that.. You whirl around to glare at him.. "You want something honest, Paxton?.. I''ve give you honest.. I'm fucking terrified!"

He doesn't blink.. "Kirby.. Baby.. You can do this.. And I'm gunna be right here.."

Tears prick your eyes, and you blink them back shaking your head.. He stalks across the car park and comes to a stop in front of you.. His eyes positively swirling with protective instinct.. "No.. Not that.. What if.. What if something is wrong.. The doctors still don't know what kind of poison Declan dosed me with.. What if the baby has eleven fingers or two heads, and it's all my fault.."

You really shouldn't have browsed the Internet seeking answers to all your questions.. Now, every worst case scenario is all you can imagine and it's beginning to freak you out.. For a moment you think he's going to reach out to take your hand or something..

But he doesn't.. He continues respecting the invisible barrier you are now kind of wishing you hadn't created.. "Nothing is wrong, Duchess.."

You smile weakly at his persistent confidence.. It is as though he believes he can make it that way through sheer willpower.. A trait you find to be incredibly endearing in the viking.. "You can't know that.."

He smiles, warm and genuine, the edges of his eyes crinkling, the creases only adding the distinguished handsomeness of his features.. "I can know it.. In about five minutes, when we get inside and the doctors confirm it.."

You chuckle, feeling a little lighter as the two of make your way into Spectres medical facilities.. Hunter had insisted that they were the best medical team in the city and it would be better than trying to explain the poisoning situation to another health carer.. You had tended to agree..

Still you tease him.. "Ya think you're so cute, dontcha.."

....

Once inside, you fill out some paperwork before a nurse leads you both through to a small screening room where you wait for the doctor to perform your ultrasound..

"Miss Carter, good to see you again, and looking much better.. So we're almost at seven weeks now, how have you been feeling?"

You smile nervously to the doctor as he enters the room looking over your paperwork..

You're feeling a little too exposed in your cutoff denim shorts and only a papery hospital gown to cover your chest as you lay on you back on the plastic covered exam table.. "Um.. Fine, mostly.. Nauseous now and again.."

Hunter growls.. "She's been tired a lot of the time too, doc.."

The doctor nods solemnly.. "That's not uncommon.. Let's get started and then we can talk a little more about managing your symptoms.."

You nod, lifting up the papery material to reveal the itsy, bitsy swell of your belly.. You've always been slender, whipishly so, but now that you're body is changing its shape, you're feeling a little self conscious and much more aware of your physicality than ever before..

The doctor squirts an icy-cold gel onto your warm skin and you yip at the strange sensation.. The doctor smiles apologetically.. "Not the most pleasant feeling, I'm sure.."

He motions for you to watch the monitor screen before he begins to wave his ultrasonic wand, that looks a little like a computer mouse, over the now slimy skin of your stomach... He moves to the left, then the right, when suddenly..

Tick tick tick... Tick tick tick...

There, through an underwater whooshing and gushing whirr that surrounds it you hear it.. A distinct, recognisable sound.. A heartbeat..

"And.. There we are.. Right now, your little one is about the size of a jellybean.. See.." He points to a small bluish looking splodge on the screen..

You aren't entirely sure what you're looking at..

But that sound.. That slow, rhythmic beating.. It melts away your defences, bringing tears to your eyes.. For the first time, you actually begin to truly process the tiny life that grows inside you.. And just how much it means to you.. You realise it means everything.. You want this.. So badly..

The viking steps closer, beside the examination table, he leans forward.. Pure amazement in his sparking eyes as he watches the screen.. His voice comes out a husky, wondrous whisper.. "A jellybean?.."

Your heart does a loop-de-loop at sight of his stunned appreciation before it gives another little stutter when he tears his eyes from the monitor to take you in, his expression humbled and filled with a new, deeper adoration .. "You love those.."

He chuckles.. "Yeah, I do.."

Turning back to the doctor, his smile falls away.. "So everything looks good? They're both okay?"

The doctor nods reassuringly.. "Everything looks exactly as it should.. Now, I can give you something for the nausea, but I would strongly recommend you take it easy.. If you're tired, it most likely means you need more rest Miss Carter.."

You nod obediently.. Relief flooding your chest.. You had been so sure something was going to go wrong.. Because deep down.. You are more than excited for this baby..

Having children was something you always dreamed of, but never really thought possible.. Now, put in this position, you are beginning to feel like this is some kind of blessing from the universe.. Just a small piece of happiness in amongst the hardship.. Something to give you hope.. "Yes, of course.. Thank you so much.."

The doctor hands you a box of tissues before he stands to leave the room... "I'll let you clean that off and get dressed, take you time.."

He closes the door behind him, leaving you and a very stunned Hunter alone together..

You pluck two tissues from the box before you begin to wipe at the slimy mess.. "Go on then.. Say it.."

He cocks his head as he plucks another tissue, handing it to you.. "Say what?"

You snatch the tissue playfully, in the best mood you've found yourself in, in weeks.. "Say 'I told you so .. Go on.. I know you want to.."

He chuckles.. "Hmm, I really do... But I won't.."

He winks with a teasing half smile as you grin, turning your back to him to remove the paper gown and pull your simple white t-shirt back over your head..

"Oh, yeah? What has you feeling so gracious?" As you spin back around to hop down from the table, he steps into your space, extremely close..

You can smell his fresh forest-like scent and feel the radiating heat of his body.. "You're smiling right now.. And I don't want to do a single stupid thing that would risk fucking this moment up.. You're so fucking beautiful, Duchess.. I can't believe--"

His hands move to your waist, the tingling warmth of his touch setting over the rise of your hips, every nerve in you body reacting like you'd just been dealt an electric

Your pulse begins to pitter-patter in your chest at the softness of his tone and the warmth of his gaze.. "Kirby.. I.."

You swear your heart actually stops as your nervous anticipation of what he might say next skyrockets..

He shakes himself as though he suddenly remembers the distance of the last few weeks.. His hands fall away, making you want to grab them and put them back immediately.. "I.. Wanted to thank you, Duchess.. for letting me come with you today.."

You smile.. Getting the feeling he is just as overwhelmed by it all.. "Of course.. I mean.. Could I have actually stopped you?"

He grins sheepishly, reaching up to rub the back of his neck.. "Not a chance in hell.."