Book Two: Aquiver (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Forty-Five

Diana presses her phone to her ear as she flops back onto Alaric's bed, a hoodie wrapped around her. She's been awake most of the night, staring at her jacket on the floor, though she has since moved the test into the pockets of her hoodie instead.

"But Jenna" Diana whines. "I really don't want to do that" Diana groans listening to Jenna's reply, she rolls onto her side and then swallows as she's hit with a wave of nausea. "Jenna...Jenna, just...hang on, let me put you on with my assistant" Diana teases and throws the phone onto Alaric's chest, he jerks awake as Diana hurries from bed and into the bathroom. Alaric frowns at the phone but picks it up and places it at his ear.

"Hello?" Alaric asks. "Oh...hey, Jenna" he runs his fingers through his hair. "Hmmm urm I kind of have plans today" he whispers into the phone, his eyes darting to the bathroom door. "You know...that thing..." Jenna then squeals a little down the phone. "Okay that's...please stop" Alaric begs. "So...that's okay, right?" He smiles a little and nods listening to her before hanging up. He sets her phone back on the bedside table and climbs out of bed. He knocks on the bathroom door and waits for her to answer.

"I'm fine" Diana whispers as she slides down the door on the other side, her hand digging into her pocket, fingers wrapped tight around the test. She has to look at it now. She pulls the test from her pocket and turns it around so she can read the little screen. She stares at it. Pregnant. She is actually pregnant. This is actually happening to her. She sets her head back against the door and closes her eyes. She has to tell him. She has to. She pushes herself to her feet and nods. She can do this. She can tell him.

................

Diana leaves the bathroom and gives Alaric a small smile. His hand finds her forehead to check her temperature because something has to be wrong for how often she's been getting sick.

"I'm really worried about you" He admits. "Was it like this the last time?" she shakes her head. "Right, then something is wrong....I'm going to write to Artemis"

"No" She stops him, places her hand on his arm. "Ric..." He looks down at her, she sighs. "The reason I have been sick, it isn't because of the demon thing" She whispers, Alaric frowns and steps closer to her.

"Then what was it?" he asks her, she tucks her hands into her pockets and finds her test, she sighs and pulls it out, holds it out towards him.

"I'm pregnant." She admits, he stares at her and then takes the test from her, his eyes checking the result on it. And it's there. Screaming at him. There is actually his child growing inside of the woman he loves. "I don't know what to say. I don't hmm-- I don't know what to do with this."

"Marry me?" Alaric asks her as he lifts his eyes from the test.

"What?!" She shouts a little, alarmed and surprised by that question. "No, no. That's a pity proposal. You can't throw a pity proposal at a pregnant demigoddess." He smiles a little at her. "I don't even know if I want kids, let alone get married." Alaric takes a ring box out of his pocket.

"Diana" he starts and then holds up the box to show her. "I bought this whilst you were still a demon, and you can check...just ask Derek" he admits. "Watching you go through that, watching you be that version of yourself. And everything we've been through together already....I just thought life's too short, and when you were better I was going to ask you. And I've been trying to plan for the right moment since then, which was supposed to be this morning with breakfast in bed, you know, until you started puking up last night's dinner."

"Ric." She whispers.

"We can talk about choices and all that. We can." He promises her. "But I would really love to have this baby with you. That's, uh, something I never thought I'd have. So this isn't a pity proposal, Diana. I love you. I love you so very much." Alaric kneels down and opens the box to reveal the ring he bought for her. "Marry me." Diana shifts closer to him and then kneels on the floor with him as she cries.

"I can't believe this." She whispers as she looks down at the ring. She looks up at him. "Are you sure?" She asks him, he nods.

"About you?" He asks and lets out a soft breath. "More than anything ever." He answers, she laughs a little and then smiles.

"Yes" She tells him warmly. "Of course, I will marry you" he leans forward and kisses her, his hands on her face as he holds to her. She laughs against his lips and smiles despite her tears. When he pulls back, he takes her hand and slides the ring onto her finger, Diana sniffles watching him. He pulls back and smiles, she holds up her hand to look at the ring. It's so beautiful. He brushes away her tears as she stares at her ring. "I'm like a proper grown up now" She whispers, he laughs and nods.

"Yeah" he agrees with her.

"Oh gods" She whispers when she realises the extent of everything that's just happened. "Oh my gods!" She shouts now.

"Okay, you're freaking out" he states when she looks at him.

"I am now" She argues. "It just hit me...." he takes her face in his hands.

"It's going to be okay" he tells her, she softens slightly. "We've got this" he leans closer and nods, she nods back at him.

"Together" she whispers with a smirk, he nods in agreement.

......................

Alaric sits on his couch with Diana in his lap, curled up, the tv playing some old black and white movie. They've been talking about the whole baby thing and what they need to do next. His hand slides under the shirt to touch her stomach. There is very little change so far, but he thinks there is a little more to her. Not enough that he would have noticed before.

"Yeah, cause we're going to find someone that can help with supernatural baby?" she teases him, he smirks a little. "I can call Meredith" she offers. "She can maybe gives a starting point" he hums and kisses her neck.

"What about the others?" he asks. "Are we going to tell them?"

"Pregnancy...no" he frowns at her. "Engagement...yes"

"Pregnancy no?" he asks her. "They're going to want you to be involved, Diana....you can't do that any more..."

"I can still do stuff" she argues. "My telepathy and I can research....just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I am suddenly stupid"

"That's not what I mean" he stops her from climbing off his lap. "I mean getting involved paints a target on your back...." she looks at him. "I don't want you....either of you to get hurt" she leans closer and kisses him.