Baby Bird

[Kyle Wick]

Kyle asdjusted his chair, and reached for the knobs before him. Everything was set up masterfully. He had planned each detailed--something he was great doing--and then built the complex unit before him--something he was good at, but not great. He was supposed to be working on other projects but this was a brain break, something he could do to just relax his mind after everything that had happened. He still had nightmares about seeing Raven tired down to that bed while they drilled on her. He thought he always would.

And then came the dead bodies that were everywhere. . . .

NO! Kyle shoot his head and took a deep breath before picking up the screw driver and working more. It was a few moments later that he heard a sound and he looked up to see Raven. That made him smile. "Watch this!" He said excitedly, and pushed a lever, which made something turn, and another thing spin, and so on and one. Eventually the contraption moved through enough stages, that it hit the finally, which made the seat under him fall part, and nearly dump Kyle in the floor! Scrambling to a stand he grinned, "Give me half an hour to build it back then go find Bellamy and tell him to sit here!" And this was how he deal with the aftermath of those memories. Building random non helpful things--and trying to make Raven laugh.

cherry1

[cherry1]

Raven had almost completely recovered after the ordeal in Mount Weather. Physically at least. She shivered as she sat on the edge of a bed, thinking about what happened again. It was her last checkup in medical and she felt restless in the room. But Abby had insisted on doing one last blood test just to be sure her platelets and blood cells were at their normal levels again, so she obliged. She couldn't say no to Abby; she was one of the only other people who understood her pain and the fear that was still deep in her bones. 

Raven liked to think it was impossible to surprise her now, especially after being on the ground this long. This damn planet had thrown everything it could at her and then some. So when Abby tentatively informed that her blood test actually showed that she was pregnant, Raven was unprepared. She asked Abby to do another one, just to be sure, because this couldn't be happening. But it was still positive, she was pregnant, and apparently she wasn't very far along at all. So the baby was definitely Wick's. She would've asked Abby to do a third test, but there were other patients who needed her. Taking a moment or several to panic, Raven made her way to engineering. She needed to tell him now before she talked herself out of it.

As soon as she entered the room she saw his face and smiled. "Watch this!" Raven watched as his chair fell apart and laughed, a real full body laugh. It felt almost strange. Wick's traits that she used to always find irritating were becoming endearing. Must be these damn hormones, she thought quickly. "We can fetch Bellamy later."

"Kyle, I need to talk to you about something." She used his first name to grab his attention. "It's serious." She needed his undivided attention if she was going to get through this.

[Kyle Wick]

She laughed and Kyle grinned, feeling rather proud of that achievement. It wasn't always easy to bring a laugh out of her, but when he did it, and she really laughed it was worth it. "We can fetch Bellamy later." He winked, before bending down to begin picking up everything that had fallen, though he stood back up when said his name. "Kyle, I need to talk to you about something." First name. That was never good. Was it? Was this a good thing or a bad thing? She'd called him by his last name so long he was still trying to figure out the name game. Either it was Kyle, I think we should just be friends, or it was Kyle I think we should do it the hall cloest.

He wasn't sure which. "It's serious." His smile faded some, but he stood straight and walked around to stand before for. This seemed more the former then the later. AND he wasn't even sure they were together together. They didn't sit down and explain everything to each other. They just sort of got real close and enjoyed each other more. "I can be serious." He said, and almost laughed at how odd the words felt. Serious and him didn't get along well. They more mocked each other.

Wick wasn't the type to often get nervous, and tense, but he did now. Normally things went crazy, he got sarcastic, and he dealt with it. Once on the Ark his arm had been trapped in a door for two days and he's sang a drunk song for almost a quarter of that. He didn't panic (other then that one time he saw them hurting Raven). He didn't get nervous. "You ok?" He asked, finding that the more important question. He could deal with everything else.

[cherry1]

“You ok?” She tried to smile but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Yes,” she answered, a little too quickly. Not quite sure if it was a lie or not but wanting to reassure him. Raven felt tense and a little panicked. She had no idea how he was going to react and she hated not knowing. What if he backed out? Raven wasn’t sure if she could do this alone. She needed him and that terrified her.

Taking a deep breath she finally mustered up enough courage to speak. “Look, this might not be easy to hear,” she began, because it certainly wasn’t easy for her to hear. Bringing a child into this godforsaken world was the last thing she’d wanted to do, but there was plenty of time to think about those consequences later.

“I’m pregnant,” she continued, her heart beating fast and hard. Raven almost felt compelled to run away and hide but she stood her ground. “I don’t expect anything, I just thought you should know,” She quickly added. Raven had learned to keep people at arm’s length and while Wick was slowly trying to break down those walls this was different. Raven was having a baby, and she wasn’t about to force Wick to do this with her if he didn’t want to. No matter how much she wanted him to.

[Kyle Wick]

“Yes,” Oh good! . . . and oh crap! That meant it wasn't her it was him. Which sucked because he had been in love with her forever, but as he told her before--if she wasn't sure about this he rather she not be in it so they didn't play the yes no game. “Look, this might not be easy to hear,” Wick folded his arms over his chest and keep his attention on her face. He felt tense, but wanted to be ready for anything she hit him with now. “I’m pregnant,” Ok, he wasn't ready for that.

His jaw fell a few inches as he stared at her, trying to take in the shock from her words. A baby!? A baby! . . . Who's baby? “I don’t expect anything, I just thought you should know,” That still didn't tell him anything. Was he the father? Was he gonna have a baby with his baby? He was both excited about the idea, and afraid she was about to go 'no you idiot it's Finns' or Bellamy's or whomever she had been sleeping with--he didn't care about her past with me, as long as he was part of her future. He wasn't going to judge her. Still, right now he was aware of the others because he really wanted this. He really wanted to be the dad.

He might suck at it! He had no real responsibility, or any sort of baby knowledge because that they cried and smelled! Was he really going to be responsible for this? He damn well wanted this! "Are you . . . . Raven, are you telling me that I am going to be a father?" He asked with the beginnings of a smile on his lips because if she said yes they he was having the best day ever--and if she said then he was . . . . having a really different day!

That was when he noticed she wasn't smiling. Why was she not pleased? Did she not want this??

[cherry1]

"Are you . . . . Raven, are you telling me that I am going to be a father?" She understood his confusion. Wick wasn't the only person she'd been with since she'd been on the ground. There was Finn, and Bellamy of course. But she'd done the math and so it was definitely Wick's. What surprised and scared her was that was the part that she'd actually been glad about. She wanted it to be Wick's. Raven swallowed. Could she be falling for him? Oh she was so screwed.

Pausing for a second Raven had a brief thought. She could avoid all this and lie to him, saying it was Finn's. Then she wouldn't force him to feel any obligation to her. Her real reasoning was much more selfish than that of course. If they went through with this then there would always be the risk of her getting hurt. What if he suddenly woke up one day and didn't want her anymore? It wouldn't be the first time. Kyle was a good man, he would stay for the sake of the baby.

No. She couldn't do that to him. Secrets and lies had messed with her life enough already. Raven needed to be straight with him. She almost thought he sounded hopeful when asking if he was the father, instead of dreading the answer. Could he actually be happy with this news? Her face remained stoic. Raven wasn't going to get her hopes up. "Yes, Wick," she answered tentatively. "You're the father." She felt her stomach tighten in anticipation of his reaction. Her hand rested there as if the baby was afraid of his answer too. She almost smiled at the thought. These baby hormones must be really doing a number on her, she thought quickly.

[Kyle Wick]

"Yes, Wick," Yes Wick? They were back to Wick now, but he didn't even care because she said Yes, Wick! "You're the father." Yes, Wick! His face broken into a shocked smile, and a short three syllable chuckle echoed faintly out, as the excitement and surprise flooded his system. He could feel the energy building! The need to to be physically doing something about this! Like . . . building a house! . . . ok he had no house building skills, but he wanted it to be something as big as he felt!

He bounced in place a few times, the excitement almost taking over before his mind started connecting to the fact that she still wasn't acting excited. She had even hesitated before telling him he was the father. Which meant . . . . he wasn't sure what the meant. Nothing good. "Don't worry, Rayes, we don't expect anything from you either. The baby and I can do this on our own." He joked, his sarcastic defense trigger coming out, and making a joke that even he know MIGHT be too soon to make. He hadn't thought about being a father before but now that she was like GUESS WHAT he was wondering why he'd not thought about it before!

Trying to be serious, he held up his hands, to show her he wasn't going to make a joke before talking. "Look, Raven. I don't know what is going on in your head. I mean, I've known you for years and I have never known exactly what was happening in your head." But he was normally really good at guessing. She pushed him away so he wouldn't get close. She didn't want the brace because she wanted to prove she was better then that, and didn't need help. Not depending on others meant no one could let you down.

"But I know you pretty well. Whatever you want to do, whatever this means to you. I'm not going anywhere. I've never just left you alone, and I am not going to do it now. So that responsibility thing you were talking about . . . I want it! I can learn. I can be serious or whatever it is Dads are supposed to be. I can do that." For her. For the baby.

[cherry1]

Kyle was taking this well, surprisingly well. Raven didn’t know what she’d expected but it definitely wasn’t this. She’d been so afraid he’d be disappointed or angry she hadn’t even really entertained the thought that he could actually be happy with the news. "Don't worry, Rayes, we don't expect anything from you either. The baby and I can do this on our own." Raven half chuckled at his joke. She deserved that. Maybe she hadn’t given Wick enough credit. But being pregnant was the most vulnerable she’d ever been, and it wasn’t something she could take lightly. She needed him to be serious about this.

As she listened to him talk, her eyebrows rose in surprise. His sincerity touched her. Raven knew she wasn’t the easiest person to deal with. After everything that had happened she was still finding it difficult to be with Kyle completely. Emotionally that is, she had no issues with being with him physically. And what Kyle was offering was incredibly tempting. It almost made her forget all the things that could go wrong and all the complications that would surely be in their path. But needing someone else meant letting her guard down and Raven wasn’t sure if she was ready for that yet.

This wasn’t just anyone though, this was Wick. Wick who she’d known for years, Wick who always got on her nerves, and Wick who wouldn’t leave her in the face of almost certain death and carried her back to camp from the hell hole of Mount Weather. If she was going to take the risk with anyone, it would be with Wick. “Do you mean that?” She had to be sure, her face no longer stoic, but lined with determination and hope. “Because if we’re going to do this you have to be in it for the long haul,” she added. “You can’t let me down Wick,” she said with conviction. “You can’t let us down.” Her hand rested on her abdomen. This was it, her defences were down, and it was his last chance to back out. Raven was giving him the power to make or break her.

[Kyle Wick]

“Do you mean that?” She asked and he almost got offended, but there was something in her face that told him she wasn't asking because she had doubts in him. With Raven it was hard to tell how she felt about him--them. He was too close and was emotionally bias. With everything else he could almost see what she was thinking, but when it came to this--he had nothing. “Because if we’re going to do this you have to be in it for the long haul,” That sounded promising. She was linking names. “You can’t let me down Wick,” Had he ever? Did she honestly think he would? “You can’t let us down.” Her hand was on her belly, and he felt a knife like pain in his chest at the idea that she might think he wouldn't want this, or at the idea that she might even wish the father was someone else.

"Rayes," He started, and paused for just a half second after saying her name to make sure he knew what he was doing. He almost made a joke in stead of saying what he did. He wanted too. He wanted to let the sarcasm that he often hide behind out and joke about how if a mount full of men with drills had not scared him off an baby wasn't going too. Something to direct the attention away from any sort of vulnerability. But he didn't. In stead he was just honest. "I can't think of anything Id rather do, then be apart of this." He knew about her mother, though not from her directly. He knew that Finn had picked someone else too. But he hoped she knew he wasn't like them. He knew what he wanted, and wasn't going to do something stupid to loose it.

AND because he couldn't be serious forever--because old habits die hard--he had to make a joke. "Babies are those small humans that cry, right? I'm just making sure I know what we are talking about." Grinning, he waited for her reaction.

[cherry1]

"I can't think of anything Id rather do, then be apart of this." Those words, in that moment, meant everything to her. They finally allowed her to let go of some of the weight that she hadn't noticed was slowly piling on her shoulders since she became aware of her pregnancy. Sure she still had fears, she was freaking terrified. But she wasn't alone. Wick was choosing this, he was choosing her; them. A smile creeped its way onto her features. They were really going to do this. They were going to be parents. Raven couldn’t help but rub her abdomen again and think that she was actually really damn happy that the baby was Wick’s. There was no one else she’d rather do this with and hey, maybe she’d actually tell him that someday.

Maybe not all her defences were down.

She rolled her eyes but couldn't help but chuckle at his "joke." Classic Wick. She knew what he was doing; trying to lighten the mood and she appreciated it. But this was heavy stuff. "So we're doing this?" She asked rhetorically with disbelief in her voice. "Wick, we're having a baby." It was finally starting to hit her. Raven was dealing with the fear and finally letting the disbelief overwhelm her, with maybe a little joy. "We're. Having. A. Baby." She burst out laughing hard and loud, and she didn’t care who heard her because they were going to have a freaking baby.

[Kyle Wick]

He grinned when she seemed to enjoy his joke, which meant he didn't have to be too serious. "So we're doing this?" She asked and he nodded his head, still trying to figure out her mood. "Wick, we're having a baby." Yup! "We're. Having. A. Baby." There it was! She finally laughed and it was breath taking! Loud and bright and full of energy! It was unashamed and everything he loved in her! FINALLY! It made him react instantly as well, turning from his amused, to wanting to tell everyone right this second!

Stepping forward he gripped her hips, and lifted her up a few feet, turning as he did! He finally sat her down, but kept his hand on her, and had leaned her against a table to keep her close to him. After smiling down at her for a moment, he made his face frown. "Wait . . . is this a baby engineer, or mechanic. Cause I dunno if I can handle two of you." He was CLEARLY teasing at this one, and the face that he couldn't keep the fake frown for long gave him away. "We could always just put her in a tutu, and try to make her think she's neither." But he wanted a little geese monkey kid to work beside him! Raven's talent mixed with his! They could create a super baby! THIS was how super heroes were made!

Then something serious occurred to him. What did this mean for them? And the laws about kids? Did they need permits anymore? "So not to be debbie downer, but . . . . you know I am there for you, Raven. Anything you need, anything the kid needs. You've got me. I'm there!" But he wanted her to tell him exactly what she wanted from him. "How together are we doing this?" He asked, needed to know what she expected--and wanted. He wanted her, he wanted the family and everything that came with it, but Raven was guarded and he knew she might not be in the same place he was.

[cherry1]

Grinning, she gripped his arms as he spun her and kept a hold on him as he spoke. "Wait . . . is this a baby engineer, or mechanic. Cause I dunno if I can handle two of you." She stared at him with a wry smile on her face and rolled her eyes. “Very funny, Wick,” she said sarcastically. The more he spoke, the realer everything was becoming, and it both scared and thrilled her. Her smile turned sincere when she realised he probably wanted a girl. “No matter what she’ll be beautiful.” As long as she was happy and healthy, that’s all Raven could hope for right now. “Or he,” she quickly added, knowing that was a definite possibility. “And tough as nails.” Wick was a genius, though she’d never admit it, and let’s face it she was freaking awesome. Their baby was all set.

Raven let out a short disbelieving laugh before wrapping her arms around Kyle and hugging him hard, her face resting on his chest. She wasn’t always great with showing her emotions but in that moment things didn’t seem so scary. Because he was doing this with her and she felt compelled to show that appreciation. She kept holding on as he spoke, with confusion lining her features, unsure why he was further confirming his earlier words.

"How together are we doing this?" Raven finally let go and looked up at him, taking a short step back. Now that was a hell of a question. She came to him unsure of whether he’s even want anything to do with her or the kid, and now he was offering her everything. The whole deal. A family, which was something she’d never really experienced before. But was it really time for this conversation? She’d been putting it off for a long time and for good reason. She was terrified. But she’d had a lot of time to think about this, and now was as good a time as any to take that step. After a long pause she took a shaky breath, obviously nervous. “I’m in…if you’re in.” Knowing he’d know what she meant. She was sure of at least one thing and that was that she didn’t want this with anyone but Kyle. Raven waited with bated breath for his response.

[Kyle Wick]

When she hugged him he smiled, and held her tightly back, though not too tightly--was there too tightly for pregnant women? He would have to ask. He wasn't sure. Though right now he was focused on something less amusing then squeezing a woman and popping out a baby. “I’m in...if you’re in.” She had told him, and he wasn't sure what that meant. She was doing this for the baby or because she wanted him? Did he even care as long as he was getting apart of her? Yes, he cared. He cared very much and that was the trouble. He hide behind humor but even Kyle could be serious sometimes.

Apart of Kyle wanted to go for it! To take what he could get and just pretend, but he had to know. He wasn't even sure how to say what he wanted. He had been in love with her for a while, and he didn't want to ruin this by making her spell out things she wasn't ready to even give. "Raven, I don't know when I fell in love you, but it was sometime back on the Ark. I want nothing more then to be this happy family with you; but I know we are different people." She didn't have a life that helped her want normal, she had a mother who didn't care about her and her boyfriend screwed her over in the end when he fell in love with someone else. "I need to know where we are. I don't want you with me, just because I'm the father. I want you with me, because this where you want to be." He just needed to know this.

Even if she said she wasn't ready for something too real this close to everything else that had happened at least he had finally told her how he felt, and she knew her options. Either way, he was not going anywhere! He would be by her side, annoying the hell out of her in effort to make this easier, everyday.

[cherry1]

She stood still, and gave him a chance to respond. “Raven, I don't know when I fell in love you, but it was sometime back on the Ark.” Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The ark? He’d felt this way for that long? She thought back to all the jobs they did together. Her mind and heart had been with Finn so she hadn’t even given herself a chance to notice. And love was a strong word. But Raven wasn’t so damaged that she didn’t know what it felt like. She had felt love before…and soul crushing heartbreak. This felt different though, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t love. It was a good different.

Keeping her face stoic, she listened intently as he continued. He seemed like he’d been keeping this in for a while and only now had the opportunity to let it all out. Raven supposed that was her fault, she’d hadn’t exactly given him many opportunities to say how he felt. But that was because she hadn’t been sure how she felt. After Mount Weather she needed to heal, and she only just managed that because Wick had been with her every step of the way. Now it was different, she was sure about how she felt.

“I don't want you with me, just because I'm the father. I want you with me, because this where you want to be." That was fair. He deserved that and more. “Wick,” she began and paused a moment, thinking about how best to phrase this. “You were my best friend.” Despite the playful banter between them, he was one of the only people she could really be herself with. The only person. “But you’re more than that now. And I want this.” As she said the words in that moment she realised that she really did. More than anything. “I want all of it, with you Wick.” He was the one good thing in her life, the thing that stopped her from collapsing in on herself. And now with this child, there would be two good things. And that was more than she ever thought she'd have “I…I love you, Kyle. And not in a, the world’s about to end kind of way, I mean I really, actually…love you.” She let out a breath, and finally let the emotion show on her face. It had been a long time since she’d said those three words.

[Kyle Wick]

“You were my best friend.” That sounded like she was about to let him down easy. Which he was alright with. Easy was good. Better then hard. “But you’re more than that now. And I want this.” That sounded better! His lips twitched but he didn't smile fully yet, as he was too intent at her words. “I want all of it, with you Wick.” He smiled then, brightly, feeling so much at this much! He didn't expect her to contuine, but when she did it was the best thing she had ever said to him. “I . . . love you, Kyle. And not in a the world’s about to end kind of way, I mean I really, actually . . . love you.” Her smile faded and he stepped forward, framing her beautiful face and kissing her deeply!

Raven wasn't the the to say anything she didn't mean, so there wasn't a doubt in his mind about what she said. His hands swept down to rest on her hips before he broke the kiss and smiled down at her. He wanted to ask her to marry him, but worried it might be too soon. Before the baby came he'd ask her! Maybe he would even plan the design and ask her to build it somehow without her knowing it. He didn't have anything fancy to offer her--hell he didn't have anything to offer her--but he would give her everything he had. "I have no idea at what to do next, but this is the best day ever." His hand came up once again to her cheek, as he looked down at her. "Can the baby look like me?" He teased her, unable to stop himself, "Because you are very pretty and I am not ready for that and teenage boys--or teenage girls."