3.9--Untitled

Harper's been fatigued the last couple of days and decides to call-in sick when her symptoms get worse. 


She has her suspicions, but keeps that to herself for the time being.  There's no use raising hopes if it turns out to be anemia...or mild narcolepsy.

Cedric is worried, but Uther assures him it's simply a cold.  He's lying, of course. Uther can sense another life growing within Harper, but just like the latter, keeps silent.  The news should be shared when they're ready, he reasons.

Harper notices that her condition stresses Cedric out to the point of sleeplessness.  He often returns home from work haggard and slightly disheveled, but otherwise determined to take care of her; even when she tries to convince him she doesn't need it.


So she decides to make dinner in payment.  After all, anyone willing to continue caring for someone who constantly complains, curses, and vomits deserves a thank you.  One that preferably doesn't pass on the malady.


+1 approval from Harper.


After many mishaps, Harper finally made a salad. Cooking achievement unlocked: salad toss- Uh, I'll just stop right there... : /

"Thanks for the rabbit food, babe." He'd been living on cereal for the last couple of days, mainly because he's been far too tired to prep something that required more than two minutes' time, so this is a welcome change.


Harper smirks. "After burning waffles, getting disgusted while making mac and cheese, and realizing we didn't have any ingredients for anything else; I just threw whatever was in the fridge together."

"And it's an edible masterpiece, to be sure.  Are you feeling any better?"


"Sort of.  I haven't relived the barf-apalooza from this morning; so that's progress."


"Are you well enough for, you know?" Cedric asks, quirking his brow and motioning toward the bedroom.


"Really? After seeing me covered in whatever I ate yesterday; you still wanna do it?"


Cedric nods enthusiastically.  "You've showered since then though, right?" He quips.


"I've showered twice since then. Thank you very much" She smiles, playfully slapping him on the shoulder. "But I don't think any activity of that kind would be wise.  However," she adds; "I think I'm well enough to guarantee eight full hours of sleep tonight."


"Mmm...You really know how to turn a man on."

Cedric has a moment of clarity while sleeping and puts the puzzle pieces together. 

Morning sickness? Check.
Constantly tired? Check.
Food cravings? Check.
Pregnant? ...

Once he's close to reaching a conclusion however, his dreams quickly take a stroll down "things he'd never like to witness in his lifetime" alley.  Something about giant, parent eating babies with evil anthropomorphic toy minions make him shudder in his sleep.  If his possible children come out remotely cannibalistic with abnormal body size and the ability to turn objects against him, he's putting those suckers up for adoption.  


----------------------------

When Harper wakes the next morning, she finds herself in the unmistakable situation of pregnancy.  She shudders, "A biological wonder and all I can think about is having to pop you out eventually."  She shakes her head, chastising herself, before rubbing her belly affectionately. "I bet you can't wait to meet your ridiculous mother..."

Harper waits impatiently for Cedric to return from work to tell him.  From his odd murmurings last night about evil spawn of some sort, she isn't entirely sure how he'll react.


She leads him to the kitchen where they can get some privacy.  "I have something to tell you." She stammers, grabbing his hands nervously. "I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant."


Cedric stares intently, muting his reaction. "Pretty sure, or sure-sure?"


Harper releases his hands and places her own on her belly. "I'm sure.  We're going to have a baby."

Cedric grins and then pulls Harper into a kiss. "I was hoping for this." He admits as he begins nuzzling her ear. "Marry me." He whispers.

Harper pulls back in surprise. "What?"


"Marry me." He repeats. "Become my wife."


Harper pushes him away lightly, lowering her gaze. "I'm not sure... I don't think we should do that yet Ced."


"Why?" Cedric brings his hand to her chin to lift her eyes to him, but she moves her head away gently.


"Cedric... I don't how to put into words what I'm thinking.  I love you, more than anything else in this world, and that scares the shit out of me.  And now we're going to have a child and I'm happy, I really am, but... I don't have the best track record with family." She states simply, "And I'm not sure my sanity can take losing another person.  Can we just wait for now? I know we're doing this backwards, but I just want to make sure that everything works out.  You understand, right? Please tell me you understand." She pleads.

When Harper moves toward him for a hug, he doesn't stop her.  She feels him tense slightly and when he pulls away, Cedric doesn't look her in the eye. "Sure." He says, donning a fake smile. "I understand." 

Cedric excuses himself from the room without further word; Harper slumps her shoulders when she hears him grab his keys and head out the front door.  She stands there for a moment, going over what just happened; then shifts her gaze to her growing belly and frowns. "I hope you don't take after me."


------------------- 

Cedric decided to take a long walk after his failed proposal and doesn't return home until the early morning hours.  Harper is already asleep, but obviously stayed up as long as she could waiting for him.  There's a book lying on her chest and as he quietly removes it and places it on her nightstand, he can't help laughing at the title; "Totally Preggers: An Expecting Mother's Tale."  Harper stirs slightly, as if realizing the weight from the book is gone, and then settles back into sleep.  He's tempted to wake her so they can talk, but he doesn't know what he wants to say and she looks too peaceful; so he joins her quietly in bed.

He hates being angry, but what he hates more is being irrationally angry.  He understands where Harper is coming from, he's seen it firsthand, but he can't understand why she doesn't trust him.  

And he finds that he can dream up much worse nightmares than cannibalistic children.  The way she looked when she rejected him, the last glance she gave him when he left the kitchen; he can't forget it.  Why does everything have to be so damn difficult?


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UPDATES!
--Cedric is at Level 2 of the military career. He got promoted so quickly *mostly* because his Athletics were already quite high and I had him "Suck up to [his] Superior" his whole 5 or so shifts.  Both his Athletics and Handiness are at Level 7.
--Harper is at Level 6 with her guitar and still Level 1 with the Music Career.  Ya' know, popping out kids and all the jazz tends to stunt job promotions. *shrug*
--Uther is still skill-less. Poor guy.