We only part to meet again.
-John Gay
***
As Erin finally turned around to face him, her long coat parted slightly to reveal her swollen, distinctly pregnant stomach..
For several long moments their eyes locked in silence, Ron's gaze slowly raising from Erin's pregnant form.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ron managed to whisper, his voice hoarse. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.
"Does it matter?" Erin replied quietly.
"Of course it matters. I had a right to know... It is mine, isn't it?" Ron forced himself to ask. He didn't want to but he had to know for certain before anything else was said between them. After all, he still didn't know what Tate had been referring to about Erin's past lies.
Erin looked vaguely angry that he would even ask that. But after a moment she confirmed quietly, "Yes, you are the father. I haven't been with anyone since we met... Why would you think otherwise? You're the one that's not very trustworthy these days."
"I'm sorry, it's just a bit of a shock," Ron apologized softly, sitting down beside her, but keeping his distance as she still seemed a bit uneasy about his presence. She was watching him cautiously, her eyes still showing traces of fear of what he might do. "I missed you."
Erin looked away then, absently placing her hand on her stomach. Even through the fabric of the young woman's sweater, Ron could actually see the minute kicking of the baby Erin was carrying. His baby. She didn't look very big but she had always been thin so that wasn't unusual.
"I left without telling you because I don't want my baby to be exposed to what you do," Erin explained finally. "And because I knew it would never have worked out, even if I hadn't gotten pregnant. We can't exactly get married. "
"We may not be able to get married right now, but that doesn't mean that I don't love you enough to want to be with you for the rest of my life," Ron insisted softly, sincerely. "You mean everything to me, Erin Morgan. If I didn't care for you, I wouldn't be here right now. I would have sent someone else to..."
"Kill me."
Ron nodded remorsefully. "Yes."
Another long silence ensued. Ronald found his gentle gaze drifting to the swell of Erin's abdomen again. He wanted to touch her, to hold her, to feel their baby kicking, but he had no right to do that anymore. She was clearly frightened of him, uncertain of their future together.
"I know you're scared right now," he said ever so softly, looking into her sad eyes. "But I promise you that no matter what happens with the Taelons, the Jaridians, even the Resistance, I will never do one thing to harm you or our baby. You are all I have left. I've already missed out on seeing one child grow up, please don't take this second chance away from me."
Erin felt her eyes begin to sting with oncoming tears as she looked back up at Sandoval. His own dark eyes were beginning to mist over as he stared back at her with an almost pleading expression. "How long can you stay?" she asked.
"I have to be back in D.C. by tomorrow afternoon," he answered, his tone still soft.
"Then would you like to go somewhere warmer? To talk? I can call in sick from work," Erin suggested. As long as he was here, they might as well discuss a few things. And it was good to see him again after so long a-time apart.
Sandoval's solemn features brightened into a smile. "I'd like that very much."
***
Erin's residence
As Ron sat on the couch waiting for Erin to return from the bathroom, he passed the time glancing around the living room, smiling at the childhood photographs of Erin. She certainly hadn't lost her beauty over the years. Oddly though, there was not a single photo of her mother and very few of her father. In most of the shots, young Erin was either alone or in the arms of a motherly-looking woman that appeared to be her nanny.
"Sorry about that," Erin apologized as she returned, drawing Sandoval's attention away from the mantelpiece. "I've been taking a lot of bathroom breaks lately." Smiling a little nervously, she carefully lowered herself onto the sofa beside him and leaned back, lightly scratching her swollen stomach with her fingernails.
Sandoval frowned, observing curiously.
"It itches," Erin explained. "The doctor tells me it's normal."
Ron nodded his understanding and gave her a small smile. Erin noticed that his gaze kept drifting down to her abdomen, the look in his eyes conveying his anxiety to touch her and his disappointment that she hadn't asked him to yet.
"Would you like to feel him kicking?" she asked softly, a gentle smile touching her lips.
Ron's eyes snapped back up to her, a grin spreading across his face. "May I?"
"He's as much yours as he is mine."
"He? You mean it's a boy?"
"If the sonogram images are to be believed," Erin confirmed. Her smile widening at the overjoyed expression on Ron's face, she slowly took his hand and placed it gently on her rounded abdomen.
It took a moment for the baby to move enough so that they could feel it, but when he did the awe in Sandoval's dark eyes made Erin's heart ache.
"I've never felt a baby kicking before," he murmured, moving his hand lower as the baby shifted slightly. "Do you have any pictures, footage from the scans?"
Erin nodded silently and reached over to the coffee table where her Global sat. She opened the pertinent file and handed the device to Sandoval. "That was from last week. I'm due for another one in three days," she explained. "You can come with me if you'd like."
Ron looked up from the footage of his unborn son slowly gyrating in his mother's womb. "Er, I would like to but..."
"It would arouse too many suspicions."
Ron sighed. "I'm afraid so," he affirmed. "But if you choose to return to Washington there's a doctor there that I trust with my life. She would take care of your health, and the baby's."
"I shouldn't really travel right now, but I could look into how safe Portal travel would be for me," Erin agreed. "As nice as it is here, I would like to go home."
"Then I'll arrange it. Your apartment is still waiting for you and I can get you a job in another lab," Ron explained, glad that she was willing to come back to him. Smiling, he turned back to the Global.
The baby appeared to be perfect; his limbs, his organs, everything that could be seen was perfectly formed. And is was definitely a boy!
"I never thought I would feel this way," Sandoval murmured, not taking his eyes off the image before him. "When my wife and I found that we couldn't conceive, I gave up the dream of being a father. It hurts too much to hope for something you can't have. Even when I discovered that I do have a son somewhere, I didn't feel as... giddy as this."
"Then you're happy?" Erin asked.
Ron closed the Global and turned to face her with a wide smile. "Of course I am. The woman I love is carrying the child I have longed for. This is my second chance to do something right, something worthwhile."
Erin returned the smile, relieved that he was indeed pleased to be a father again.
"So, er, is everything with him? He looks perfect."
"He's fine," she assured him, running her hand over her stomach. "Just a bit small for his age, but the doctor tells me that he'll probably get bigger within the next two months, so there's nothing to worry about. When my mother was pregnant with me, I was two pounds smaller than I should have been, but I was in perfect health."
"Erm, have you had any strange cravings?"
"I've mostly been craving exotic fruit. Mangos, pineapple, that sort of thing," Erin explained. "But the other day, I actually ate Jello and mashed potatoes. Together."
Ron was caught between grimacing at the unusual pairing or laughing. He ended up chuckling. "That's certainly strange," he agreed. "But at least it wasn't something like dog food."
"If I had a dog, or a cat, I'm sure I'd probably would be eating its food by now. Anything else you want to know? I had high blood pressure for a while, I suffered from sleep depravation for about two weeks because the baby kept me awake and it's still hard to get comfortable with another Human being nesting in your womb all the time," she informed all in one breath. "In case you couldn't tell, I'm anxious to have this over with. Being pregnant is nice and all, but after a while it starts to get to you.
"I feel so incredibly fat all the time, my moods seem to change from one second to the next, and food isn't the only thing I crave. It's taking a whole lot of willpower to keep myself from ripping your clothes off right."
Something akin to mischief sparkled in Ron's eyes then. "Well, I might be able to help you with that one," he told her suggestively.
"Don't encourage me," Erin laughed.
"Well then would you settle for me making you lunch and giving you a back rub?" Ron offered, slightly disappointed but understanding.
"Mmm, how could I refuse?"
***
Some time later
Most of the afternoon was spent deciding on a name for the baby, where he would be Christened, whether or not he would have the surname of Morgan, Urick or Sandoval. The latter was a risky choice, especially since the baby would most likely resemble his father in some ways - dark skin, eyes and hair - and someone might get suspicious. Eventually they settled on Urick, which was still Erin's official last name, Morgan being her father's middle name.
But choosing an appropriate first name for little Sandy junior was proving more difficult than one would expect. Neither could agree on any one name the other chose. And so, after hours of deliberation, they finally decided to think on the long list of hopefuls and wait until the baby was nearer to being born before making their final decision.
"So, wanna go to bed?" Erin asked unexpectedly, closing the book of baby names.
"Isn't it a little early?" Ron replied.
"Well, I wasn't planning on going to sleep right away." She smiled impishly at him and placed the book on the table. "We haven't seen each other for six months, and like I said earlier, pregnancy can make a girl awfully... you know."
"Libidinous? Randy?"
"Yep, and a whole bunch of other things too," Erin confirmed. "So, do you want me or not?"
"Well yes, but, er, I'm not sure that I'd be comfortable with that," Ron explained regretfully. He'd never made love to a pregnant woman before and the idea of a baby being in there while it was happening was rather unsettling.
Erin looked more than a little hurt by that. "Am I too fat? Is that it?" she asked, her eyes beginning to well up with tears.
"Oh, no, no, no, you're NOT fat, you're beautiful, Erin," Ron was quick to reassure her. "Just as you've always been. I didn't mean to upset you. I just don't want to hurt the baby. Oh, please don't cry." He leaned forward and enfolded Erin with his arms, holding her close as she sobbed against his shoulder.
"It's not your fault. I cry for the silliest reasons," Erin sniffled. "The other day, I found a dead frog by the side of the road and broke down in tears for like an hour. I even scooped it up and buried in the back yard!"
Ron tried not to laugh, but couldn't prevent the snicker from escaping his throat.
Erin immediately pulled away from him, narrowing her eyes coldly. "Are you laughing at me, Ronald?" she asked almost sternly.
"No, of course not. That was just an amusing story," Ron replied.
Erin wiped her eyes and draped her arm over the back of the chair. "You didn't do anything like that for a dead animal when you were a kid?"
"No. I was more the type of child to kill the frog, dissect it, then throw it in the trash just for fun," he confessed.
Erin grimaced, looking nauseous all of a sudden. "I think I'm going to be sick. You really aren't a nice person, are you?"
"Well, I have my moments. But I do love my work."
"If I didn't want you so badly that would seriously put me off."
"Sorry. But it wasn't all just for my own enjoyment. I was interested in science back then, biology, anatomy, that sort of thing."
"Good. So, what were you saying about the baby?" Erin asked, eager to change the subject.
"Er, I know this might sound strange, but the thought of a, er, baby being in there while we're making love is, erm..."
"Freaking you out?"
"Just a bit, yes."
"Oh... You do know that he won't be able to see or feel... that, don't you?"
"Yes, I do. But it's still unsettling. And I-I wouldn't want to hurt you," Ron stammered.
"Well, if you're really that bothered by it, I guess we could just go to sleep," Erin sighed despondently. The sad little puppy look she gave him never ceased to get her what she wanted and once again it worked like a charm.
Ron gave her a smile, amused by the persuasive effect she had on him. He really did want to be with her and he knew there would be no risk to the baby, he was just making excuses for his own foolish, non-manly qualms. He was a fearless Companion Protector, for God's sake! He was feared by thousands and here he was, frightening of making love to a pregnant woman!
Getting to his feet, he held out his hand to Erin and helped her stand. "Sleeping is the last thing we'll be doing for a while," he told her softly with a grin. "We only have one night together and I don't intend to waste it." Raising his other hand to caress her face, he leaned forward and tenderly pressed his lips to hers...
Thankfully, there weren't too many stairs or else Ron was certain their passion would prevent them from making it all the way to the bedroom in time. They were all over each other by the time they finally entered the lavender-scented room, hastily ripping off clothes and untying shoes.
Ron soon forgot his trepidation, overridden by desire, when he saw Erin's naked form for the first time in six long months of Hell. She really was just as perfect as she had been the last day he'd seen her, and the swell of her stomach wasn't the slightest bit repulsive, in anything it turned him on more.
Removing the remainder of his own clothing, Ron carefully lowered himself down onto the bed and positioned himself over Erin, finding it a bit awkward with her enlarged stomach acting as a barrier between them.
Erin began to giggle quietly as Ron lovingly ran his fingertips over the bulge, then lowered his head to it and used his tongue to circle her naval, planting gentle kisses as he worked his way up her torso...
***
Erin was fast asleep when Ron awoke a few hours later, turning over onto his side so that he could watch her sleeping. Her fingers were twitching slightly, as if she were trying to wave in her sleep. She looked so peaceful, a contented smile curving the corners of her pale lips.
Ron had missed these moments so much that he wanted to stay awake all night just to watch over her. But he had to be wide awake to be able to handle Zo'or, and even Kincaid, the next day. Reaching out beneath the sheet, he placed his hand on Erin's stomach and rubbed it gently as the baby responded to the touch.
A fond smile graced his dark features as he allowed his eyes to close again. We'll have plenty more nights together, he told himself, withdrawing his hand. And in a few months, there will be a new edition in our lives...
***
When Ronald next awoke, it was to the sound of beautiful singing. A glance over to where Erin had been sleeping next to him revealed her absence. Ron pushed himself up and got out of the bed. The melodious voice sounded to be coming from across the hall.
Pulling on his pants, he made his way over to the small room and found Erin sitting in a wooden rocking chair singing to the baby as she looked out at the early morning rain falling in the front yard.
A creaky floorboard alerted her to his presence as the Implant slowly approached and knelt down in front of her, returning her loving smile.
"I didn't wake you, did I?" Erin asked quietly.
Ron shook his head and placed one hand on her abdomen. "No. It was about time I woke up anyway," he answered softly.
"You have to leave, don't you?" Erin sighed.
"Yes. But I'll be back again tonight as soon as I can. Not even Zo'or or even a Jaridian invasion could keep me from you now," he assured her with a smile.
"I'll hold you to that."
Ron leaned down and kissed his love's swollen stomach before raising to kiss her deeply on the lips. "I love you," he whispered.
"I know. For the first time since I met you, I know that for certain now. And I love right back..."
***
Taelon Mothership
Ronald heaved a long sigh of relief as he exited the Bridge and headed for the nearest Portal. Zo'or had retired to his personal chambers for the evening and his duties hours were now officially over. All he had to do now was go home, get changed, pick up a gift for Erin and the baby and use a secure Portal to transport to Connecticut. Or so he thought...
"Agent Sandoval!"
Ronald cursed under his breath at the sound of the Major's voice and came to a stop just inches from the shuttle bay's entrance. The younger man sounded urgent, but he doubted that it was anything more important than complaints about something or another. "What is it, Major? I'm in a hurry," he sighed, turning to face the young man.
Kincaid slowed his pace and came to stand a few feet in front of the shorter agent. He was taking a great risk telling his father this but he had a right to know. "There was a hostage situation at a day-care center in Connecticut. Some psycho shot up the place and everyone in it. The local authorities and emergency services are on the scene but I don't know how many, if any, survived... Erin was there when it happened..."
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