Generation 1.5: And baby makes three...

WARNING: ANDREW USES SOME BAD LANGUAGE IN THIS CHAPTER, DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED.

Early the next morning, Andrew woke to find Sera still gone. He was not impressed, and decided not to  go into work that day.

Sera swallowed nervously when she saw Andrew sitting on the couch. Remember, this is for your little one, Sera. She reminded herself. She or he doesn't deserve to grow up without  father. Everyone deserves a father...

"Finally decided to grace me with your presence, I see," he sneered.

"Hello, darling," she said calmly. "Why aren't you at work?"

"Sera, I have been thinking all night about what I want to say to you," Andrew said viciously.

Be strong, you're a brave firefighter, you've saved hundreds of lives, you can get through this fight. Sera told herself sternly.

"You ask why I would be at work right now. Where I would have everyone asking about my pregnant whore of a wife?" He spat. "When all yesterday, INCLUDING LAST NIGHT you were elsewhere?!! We were robbed last night you stupid woman! I HAD TO HEAR FROM AN INCOMPETENT POLICEMAN THAT YOU SPENT THE NIGHT WITH SILAS GREEN OF ALL PEOPLE!!"

"Andrew, no, I didn't. I stayed at the firehouse. I went to see Silas, yes, but that's because he's my best friend, not my lover," Sera pleaded. "You're my husband, and we're having a baby."

Andrew screamed in rage. "How do I believe that?!"

"You stink of his house, dammit! You smell like him! You're nothing but a filthy whore!"

"Andrew..."

"I don't even know if this brat is mine! You certainly don't want to have Woohoo with me! For all I know you've been sleeping with the whole firehouse, as well as our neighbours!"

"Enough, I'm not listening to this," Sera said, storming into the lounge.

Andrew followed her. "I don't even want it! I'd rather you had an abortion!"

"Andrew you're stressing me out and it isn't good for our child!" Sera yelled. "I would never sleep with anyone else while I'm with you!"

"Prove it!" Andrew screamed.

"The only person I have Woohooed with this week is you! And you DRUGGED ME! But I'm willing to work past it because we're married and having a child! There's only one person I love in this world, and I would do ANYTHING to keep them happy and safe!"

Sera did her best to keep her hands from straying to her belly as she spoke. While everything she said was true, she was talking about her baby, not her husband. After drugging her, she knew she could never love him again. But at the very least, she needed to keep him happy.

Andrew's face softened. "Really?"

"Of course, Andrew. You know it," she pleaded. "Now can I go to the bathroom? Unfortunately, hormones..."

"Yeah, okay...I'm going to work."

Sera sighed in relief as she watched him leave the house.

And promptly took a nap. She'd been up all night.

Meanwhile, Andrew had not gone to work. Instead, he went down to the Firehouse. There he was. The no good scum who was making moves on his wife.

"SILAS!" He yelled.

"Andrew, hi," Silas said, surprised. "Congratulations on the baby."

"Don't you congratulate me, you stinking piece of scum! That's my wife you've been flirting with."

"I wouldn't flirt with your wife, you idiot," Silas snapped.

"Don't give me that," Andrew snarled. "She was with you last night when she should have been with me. She talks about you all the time. And now you work in the same place! I'm not an IDIOT, even though you two obviously think I am!"

"I'm not listening to this, you're crazy," Silas replied, turning away.

As soon as he turned his back, Andrew jumped.

And, because Silas wasn't about to beat up Sera's husband if he could possibly help it, Andrew won. Satisfied that he'd taken care of that problem, he went to work. If he was going to have a kid, he'd better make some money.

Later that day, refreshed from her nap, Sera headed to work to fix the alarm. The stupid thing broke constantly, and she was the only one qualified to fix it.

"Did you hear about the fight earlier?" She heard one of the trainees say in the kitchen. "Poor Silas...what did he do to Andrew Edgeworth anyway?"

"Andrew thinks Sera is cheating," another trainee replied. "Rubbish, Sera would never...but then, from what I understand, he wouldn't need much prompting. Pretty vicious piece of work."

Sera dropped the screwdriver and ran outside to catch a taxi.

"My Watcher, Silas, are you okay?!" Sera demanded when she got inside his house. "I heard about what happened earlier."

"Fine, Sera," Silas smiled. "It hurt, but he doesn't pack as much of a punch as he thinks. I just didn't want to hurt him. Hurting him would hurt you..."

"Do...you wanna go somewhere?" Sera asked shyly. "Just as friends, of course."

"I was thinking of going for a swim."

"Swimming is good for the baby," Sera said, smiling.

Going for a swim with Silas was some of the best fun she'd had in days. She felt like all her stress had been washed away in the pool water.

After the swim they got a coffee.

"I just don't know why you stay with him, Sera. You're better than he deserves."

"It's difficult to explain," Sera sighed. "We married because of a pregnancy scare, and I don't really believe in divorce. My parents were so happy...they completed each other."

"But are they really happy to see you with him?"

Sera looked away. "My parents are dead," she said softly. "I was a late baby, they were elders before my teens. Andrew is all I have."

"And now the baby," Silas reminded her.

"Yeah," Sera smiled. "My baby."

In the distance the full moon rose...

"What are you going to name your little one when he or she arrives?" Silas asked.

"I...don't know. But I should probably go...it's late and I'm tired."

"Of course. I'll see you later."

When she got home, Andrew was waiting in the hallway.

"Andrew, I'm pregnant and I'm tired," Sera said crossly. "Can this wait?"

"I never realised that pregnancy made women glow so much," Andrew replied. "You look beautiful."

Touched, Sera gave him a hug. "Thank you, Andrew."

"Could I feel your belly?" Andrew asked shyly.

"Of...of course," Sera said, surprised. "It's your baby, too."

She felt slightly uneasy when he rubbed her stomach, seeing the small bruises on his knuckles. She knew where he got those.

Do I really want him having access to my baby? She wondered. Stop it, Sera, you're just tired.

In the middle of the night Sera woke up to stabbing pains in the stomach. At first, she thought she was just hungry...

But when she got to the kitchen she realised it was more than that...and there was no time to go to the hospital.

Oh no, she thought, I'm going to give birth at home...

It took a long time, and she was tired before she was done. Andrew just stood and watched.

But when it was over, and Amanda was born, she realised it was all worth it. Her sweet little darling...this was the best day of her life.

She'd never loved anyone more than she loved this little girl. And while she was a bit concerned that Amanda had been born under the full moon, she couldn't see how it was really relevant.

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Outtakes:

Silas is sexy and he knows it. Especially under the light of a full moon.

If I were Sera, and my husband was thinking about garden forks and shovels during a fight with me, I would be very scared...

Generation 1.4 A change of plans

By the next day Sera had done her best to forget about Friday night. She was still trying to decide how she could kick Andrew out without endangering herself or causing too much upheaval. To that end, she'd told Andrew that an emergency had come up at work and she had to go in for the weekend. He hadn't been happy, but she was the primary breadwinner, so he'd let it go.

"How are you doing, Sera?" Kia Summer, the weekend Hose Handler asked as they sat at the firehouse table eating lunch together. "You look tired. And it's the weekend. Why are you here?"

"I am tired," Sera complained. "Andrew and I went out last night, and..."

"Ooooh," Kia teased. "Really? Things getting hot 'n heavy at your place then?"

Sera was about to respond when her tummy gave an ominous gurgle. Her jam toast had decided to make a reappearance. She ran for the bathroom.

And threw up viciously.

"Stupid hangover," Sera muttered to the toilet as she flushed.

"You sure you should be here, hon? Go home and get that sexy hubby of yours to make you some tea or something." Kia suggested, making a face at herself in the mirror. "I swear, every time I look in the mirror I have a new wrinkle."

"Kia, it's not like that," Sera sobbed. "Andrew drugged me last night. I hadn't been giving him what he wanted and..." she choked up, too upset to continue.

"Do you remember what happened, sweetie?" Kia asked, looking concerned.

"I remember we had Woohoo," Sera whispered.

"Did you hear a lullaby?" Kia's voice had an urgent note that surprised Sera. She hadn't been expecting such vehemence.

"Yes...I do...why?"

"Well, hon, you have a big decision to make then. Coz you're pregnant."

"What? How does the lullaby tell you that?!"

"Didn't you do Woohoo ed at school? That lullaby is how we know! Plus, you're throwing up every time you eat and you're tired. Those are the signs, honey."

Sera's eyes filled with tears. "Oh my Watcher, Kia...what am I going to do? I can't stay with Andrew anymore...but I can't kick him out if I'm having his baby. He or she deserves to know their daddy...it's so important."

"We're both too tired to make a decision right now, hon, and I can't tell you what to do, anyway. Go get some rest upstairs. You'll feel better, I promise."

However, when Sera woke up things were no clearer. In fact, they were a lot more complicated. She was definitely pregnant.

One thing was clear - she couldn't let the baby be raised without a father. So she would have to stick things out with Andrew. Not for one second did she consider giving the baby up. She already loved this little baby with all that she was.

"Don't worry, little one," she murmured, rubbing her belly fondly. "I'll keep you safe."

She still had a couple of day's breathing space before she had to tell Andrew about the baby...but she needed to tell someone...

It was without thinking about it that she headed over to Silas's place. Almost in a dream, she paid the driver, and walked up the front steps and rang the doorbell.

"Sera, what are you doing here?" Silas asked, his brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"

"Silas I..." Sera bit her lip. "Could we go inside?"

"Sure. Come on in."

Once they were inside Sera jumped straight in. "Silas...I'm pregnant. I found out today."

"Pregnant? Wow, that's amazing!" Silas said excitedly. "How wonderful!" His face fell as he took note of her expression. "Or...not wonderful, I guess?"

 "I'm happy I'm pregnant, but..." Sera's voice wobbled. "I'm not happy about how it happened. Remember yesterday evening?"

"Yeah, you and Andrew were on a date." Silas frowned. "Why?"

"Well, he gave me a few mood altering drinks, and one thing led to another...Silas, this baby wasn't conceived in love. I would never...I was planning on leaving...I don't know what to do..."

"Are you still leaving him?"

"No! I can't let my baby grow up without a dad, it's just not right. I have to put it all aside. I mean, I'm going to talk to him and let him know it's not ok, but I can't leave now."

"Okay, calm down. You can cross that bridge later. For now...you're having a baby, Sera." Silas smiled at her shyly. "Can...can I touch your belly? Please?"

Sera smiled back at him. "Of course."

Sera watched him rub her belly and sighed. Oh little one, I wish...she thought to herself. It would be so wonderful...but no, I can never let you feel like your daddy is second rate. I'm sure he'll be a good father.

Meanwhile, at home, a burglar had crept into the house.

Andrew got up out of bed and called the police.

Unfortunately, the burglar managed to sneak past the policeman, and get away with their washing machine and toilet.

"Sorry about that, she got away." Sergeant Winters apologised.

"Dammit, man how can we feel safe when you can't keep no good criminals out of people's homes?" Andrew shouted.

"I understand your concern, sir. After all, you have a baby on the way."

"What?!"

"Your wife, sir. She's pregnant. I saw her leaving the firehouse earlier when I was at the precinct. Kinda hard to miss. She was heading home, but I guess she mustn't have gotten here yet."

Andrew's face darkened. "Fine, well, you haven't done your job. Now leave."

With that he went back to bed. This changed things.

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Sorry this is late. And so short. I just started teaching full time this week, so my free time is GONE. Next chapter will hopefully be longer and out soon.
-Ishi