Page 41 of Jared

“A guess.” Jared sank back down onto his pillows. “Can, can I be alone for a few minutes? I-I need to wrap my head around this without having to deal with anything else.

Steve nodded stiffly, his eyes glassy with unshed tears as he he exited the room.

Steve?

Yeah?

I don't hate you. I just...I gotta get a grip on myself and digest this information. It's, well, it's out there even for...

Yeah...

“Well, I don't hear hysterical screams, so I'm guessing it didn't go too badly?” Alice said, trying to keep it light.

“It could have gone worse, I guess,” Steve said morosely. “He wants to be alone to let it sink in.”

“That's understandable though, right?” Desmond interjected. “I mean, dude, he might be having puppies and wham, by the way, you're also not quite a wolf.”

Steve winced. “I know, but I'd hoped that he'd want to, I dunno, come to terms with it with me, you know? He didn't even ask how long before we'd know about the baby. And dude, puppies, seriously?”

“Yeah, well, my sister has a kid and he LOVES being in his pup form. Nothing wrong with that.”

“Yeah, but you don't have them as puppies.”

“You do if you're stuck in your shifted form during pregnancy and delivery,” Alice piped in.

Both men turned to face her.

“Really? I'd never head that. Then again, I thought the rule was 'no shifting while preggers'. So how?” Desmond asked, shocked.

“Sometimes a shifter ends up having to shift in very early pregnancy, and if she does and doesn't lose the pup, she has to stay in that form or risk losing it,” she explained.

“Wow, I can't even...” Desmond muttered.

“At least we don't have to worry about that. I mean, he can't shift, just ummm...grow some extra bits...” Steve's voice trailed off. What am I even talking about? He swiped a hand over his face. Shit, we might become dads.

Steve?

Yeah, babe?

I'm scared.

Me too. Can we be scared together?

A pause.

Yeah, come- come hold me please?

You bet.

“He's asked me to come back,” he told his mother and Desmond.

“Go be with him, I can let myself out.”

“I'll cook something light for dinner, okay? You just go on.”

Steve gave a short nod and strode from the room. Jared peered at him uncertainly.

“If, if we have baby, how will they get it out? I-I looked and I didn't grow a new umm...”