Rockabye, baby

There had to be something in the water, Felix was certain, because there was no way so many women could end up pregnant. The girl from work, one of the teachers at the school Henrick taught at, even just scattered about the place it seemed everywhere Felix looked, another woman was blossoming. Heck, even Cadence was on her second baby. Even imaginary sperm was potent. They'd been so worried telling Felix about this pregnancy that they'd kept it secret until Cadence couldn't hide the fact anymore. It had only been a few months since the mass murders of hosts that they feared Felix still hadn't fully recovered. Any changes to the routine he'd built up in his recovery would set him back.

It had been a hard, ragged road he'd traveled to get his sanity back. Hearing so many voices all terrified at once had nearly broken the poor man. Henrick had feared the life and glow would never return to Felix's green eyes. But, he was healing. He kept himself in a simple routine that allowed both he and Aiolos to adjust back to normal again. Being confronted by the evil that had hunted them and seeing it vanquished had helped considerably. The threat was gone, Felix could hopefully get back to his old life.

Staring at the back of the pergnant woman stood before him in the queue at the supermarket, Felix sighed heavily. Pregnant women were everywhere, but he was curteous and even helped her pack her shopping, carrying it to her car like a gentleman. She was a year or so younger than Henrick, and actually very sweet that Felix felt that his sudden dislike of pregnant women was unjustified and Sienna was undeserving of it that he went out of his way to help her. She drove off with a smile and a wave to him, and Felix went on his own way.

About two weeks later, Felix came across Sienna again at the same store. With a grin, Felix head over and offered to help her with her shopping once more.

"You really don't have to do this for me, Felix," she said as he pushed her cart along the aisle, leaning on his elbows. "I can do my own shopping."

"Bah, don't be silly. I want to help you. Its my way of apologising for the other day."

She frowned, unsure what he meant by that. As far as she was concerned, Felix had been a gentleman the last time they had met.

He grinned at her, flashing his sly, crooked grin that had captured a certain someone's heart. "I was thinking that there were an awful lot of pregnant women at the moment. I shouldn't have labeled you, you're a really nice person, Sienna."

At that, she sighed and looked down at the buldge at her belly, running her hand over it. "I wouldn't be so sure about that..." But she disclose anything else, and Felix - for once - didn't pry.

They agreed to make the shopping trips together. Sometimes Sienna would drive, and others it would be Felix. They had lunch at the store's cafe, and sat and talked about life, love and many things. Sienna was a single mother with an accidental pregnancy. When she had told the father, he wanted nothing to do with the baby - afterall they'd only been dating for two months. She was in college still, studying to be a marine biologist of all things.

Eventually, they moved on from just shopping trips to hanging out. Sienna had a beautiful singing voice, and she sometimes joined Felix when he was off busking. He gained more tips with a pregnant woman there with him.

But someone was getting worried about their blossoming relationship - Felix's partner.

When Fee came home, grinning, Henrick was stood in the hallway with a frown on his face that quickly wiped the smile from Felix's lips. "What's got your panties in a twist?"

"Are you having sex with her?" He felt bad for acting like this, but with everything Felix had been through, Henrick worried that he was wandering. Felix was never the type to be tied down to one place - even to one person, but he stuck around for Henrick. Maybe after everything that had happened, Felix no longer wanted this life.

"Henrick, she's just a friend..."

"You've been so distant with me. I thought it was just you still getting over the murders and attack, that you needed to branch out again. But if I'm keeping you tied down I need to know." Even at his age, Henrick couldn't help the tears from forming in his eyes. He had longed feared this day; the day when Felix was no longer interested in him. "You're always out with her, I've barely seen you in months."

"You've been working so hard, Henrick, that I didn't want to pull you away from your work. I'll say it again though, Sienna is just a friend. She's having a hard time, so I'm just helping her out. The baby cost her friends, family, everything."

"So, you're not leaving me?"

Moving from his spot, felix wrapped his arms tightly around Henrick. "Remember when I asked you to marry me? I meant everything I said - that I will stay with you forever. I may age a little slower, but the day you day, I'll be right there dying with you. This is one host that isn't going to live on past his loved ones."

"B-But..?"

"When I was in the queue that day, Aiolos picked up on what she was feeling. She needed a friend. How about on your next day off, you come out with us? Sienna's always asking to meet you properly, you're practically all I talk about to her."

With all of his worries melted away, Henrick met the sweet Sienna. The two of them gave her something she'd been needing for a while - friends. At her seventh month, Sienna turned up at their home without warning with something Henrick hadn't expected. Felix was out somewhere, but he invited the woman in. She was still more of Felix's friend than his, but he cared for her all the same. It was jsut as Felix had said - she needed friends to help her out since her original ones couldn't really care much about her - they considered her soiled goods.

She sat at their kitchen table, staring down at the glass of juice in her hands. "I want you two to adopt my baby..."

Henrick proceeded to drop the sandwiches he was bringing to the table on the floor. "You? Wah? Anh?"

Lifting big brown eyes, she looked up at Henrick. "I'm only twenty one, Henrick, I have so much of my life that I don't think I can properly care for the baby. I've mentioned to Felix a lot of times that I was going to put my baby up for adoption, but he was said I should think about it some more, so I have, and I decided I don't want just anyone to have my baby - I want you two."

He sat down opposite her, ignoring the mess on his kitchen floor. "But, Sienna, I'm not sure we're the right choice..."

"Felix said you think about it sometimes, about whether or not you should adopt a baby. Even if he doesn't say it, I know he wants a kid with you."

They sat and talked for hours, and she left just before Felix came home. Once again, Henrick was waiting in the hallway for him. "Sienna came to see me today,"

"That's nice you two are getting along without me," he said with a cheerful grin. They had helped Sienna, but she had helped heal Felix too. The bright, happy glint in his green eyes never faltered anymore. "What did you guys talk about?"

"Back when you first met her - what was she really thinking?"

"You know I don't pry into other people's thoughts."

"She was thinking of giving up her baby, wasn't she?"

Pausing at the fridge he was about to dive into, Felix sighed and stared at the contents. "No, she wasn't going to give it up, she was thinking of how to get rid of it before she would have to deal with giving it up."

"So you changed her mind?"

"So that's what you guys were talking about..." Standing up from the fridge, Felix looked at Henrick. "I managed to convince her not to terminate her baby, but not about keeping it. I've known for a while she's wanted us to have it."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I want us to have it too!" he admitted, slamming the door to the fridge shut. "I just wanted her to say it rather than me pry it out of her like some coniving telepath." With a sigh, he ran his hands through his hair. "I've wanted you and I to start a family together for years now, but I just don't know how to tell you."