*This scene takes place before the events of A Tale Of Two

A Family Get Together Part One

Once outside her door Alaric questioned his approach. How did one ask about such private sentiments as those that he was after" A disgruntled growl of annoyance matched the expression on his features, cast somewhere between rugged and baby face smooth. He ran a calloused hand through the blonde strands of his hair and winced as he actually caught hold of a tangle. The motion and subsequent sharp jolt of pain only encouraging him to recognize a bad idea when he had one. He almost turned and left before the idea of returning to Nina set him straight. He needed answers. His cousin by marriage might actually be able to provide them. Rolling the tension from his shoulders he adopted an easy smile, his features resettling themselves into pleasant lines as he knocked upon Piper's door.

The over-excited barking of a large dog greeted the knock at the door, and Piper's smooth English tones could be heard ordering Loki to shut up and sit down. Perhaps surprisingly, she was obeyed, and a moment later the door opened to reveal the newest Mrs Granger, complete with sweet smile and heavy baby bump. She didn't recognize the young man at the door, and with the imminent approach of the birth, Piper wasn't quite as trusting of those she didn't recognize as she might once have been. She kept the door open only half a foot, her knuckles white on the door handle even as she offered her visitor a welcoming nod. "Hello, can I help you?"

The flash of white teeth was charming, the skin across sculpted cheek bones gathering into laugh lines that extended into crinkles that framed his expressive forest green eyes. Handsome and at ease, Alaric began with, "You don't recognize me." An easy thread of good-natured humor coating the words and keeping them from being accusatory. Almost teasing in their cadence, he continued, "I'm Alaric. Alaric Granger. I was unable to attend your and Ollie's wedding but I did send gifts..." His charm slipped somewhat as his gaze had descended from her elegantly beautiful face to land upon that unmistakable baby bump. The fear he felt for Nina tightened his gut and jawline.

"Alaric?" Her brow creased just for a moment before she placed the name to the present, her smile softening to the genuine glow of pleasure on meeting yet another of her husband's cousins. "Alaric, of course. You sent us that beautiful kaleidoscope. Oh, do come in, please." She stepped backward, pulling the door open with her to usher him inside. "Ollie's not here, I'm afraid. He's been working with his agent at the gallery a lot the past few weeks. Is there anything I can help you with?"

She remembered the kaleidoscope and he couldn't help the boyish grin of pleasure that softened his playboy charm another notch into something more genuine. He took her invitation to heart and extended his long legs to amble easily through the parted doorway. Days of practice with a pregnant Nina even made him careful as he passed her not to bump the prominent baby belly. Though his large masculine presence was undoubtedly felt as he loomed over her at this short distance. "Actually, yes, I came to speak with you." The strong column of his throat moved as he swallowed past the discomfort and settled on an easy way to ease into the discussion. "My sister is pregnant you see...and I was hoping for some advice."

Flicking her sable hair over her shoulder and out of her face, Piper closed the door behind him with a soft chuckle at the sweet pleasure he exuded from being remembered in such a roundabout way. She did note the way he avoided collision with her bump, wondering vaguely why in the moments it took for the door to close and Loki, her Malamute, to bound over and begin a minute inspection of their visitor. "Oh, don't mind him," she chuckled, giving the dog an affectionate shove. "Or her." Her turned out to be the African Grey parrot who was peering at Alaric from the light fitting over his head. "Would you like something to drink" And please, make yourself comfortable." What a contrast to Nina she presented in that moment - heavily pregnant, yet more than comfortable to play the hostess. It took her mind off her own expanding waistline. Then the reason for his visit sank into her mind. "Advice" Well, I'll help if I can, but this is a first time for me, too."

The dog was given its own inspection in return, though Alaric held patiently still for its sniffing to commence. One hand held out non-threateningly as he awaited permission from the malamute before he gave into the urge to pet it. He loved dogs. Had planned on getting a couple in fact before Nina had come to live with him. The parrot was given an askance look as he was unfamiliar with avian pets and instinctively he tilted his head to the side to observe it in a similar fashion. Blonde hair tapering over one broad shoulder. Drawn back to his hostess he was immediately encouraged to respond, "I'm fine, I wouldn't want to put you out." Complying with the rest of her request to find a seat on a nearby couch of some kind.

The brown couch was piled high with cushions, attesting to the fact that Piper was spending a lot of her time lying on her side at the moment. Despite her hugeness, she was fully dressed, cheerfully putting the kettle on to boil before moving to lower herself into an armchair beside the couch. Loki padded around to put himself almost absent-mindedly between Alaric and herself, with Poppy mutter something that might have been quite rude just below the edge of hearing above them. Ignoring the animals, Piper smiled. "So how can I help you, Alaric?"

He followed her movements with concerned green eyes, instinctively offering an arm toward her as she lowered herself into the chair beside him. "You're obviously getting around quite well." His mind's eye flickered back to his sister and her growing covalence. "I'm concerned with Nina." He launched into his explanation, "her pregnancy seems to be taking a lot out of her and she's convinced that there's something wrong. I don't know how much of it is ...well, Nina, and how much of it is something I should be really worried about." Concern clouded his gaze, the set of his mouth revealing the very real worry that he held for his sister. "She's made little arrangements as to where or how to have this baby...and I don't know..." His gravelly voice trailed off as he sought to voice something that had been bothering him for awhile now, "I just don't know what to do."

Piper had squeezed his proffered arm as she sat down, smiling gratefully for the help. "To be fair, I'm having a good day," she admitted a little ruefully. "I spend most of my time lying on that couch at the moment trying to get up the energy to go to the bathroom. Alannah, my midwife, says it's perfectly natural to feel this tired so late in a pregnancy like this. Something about the baby using up my energy to stockpile its own or something insane like that." Piper was, of course, assuming that as a Granger, Alaric had been informed of the Fae aspect of her pregnancy in the first place. "Riverview Clinic is the birth option of choice, I'm told, if that helps."

"So you went with a midwife." He nodded as he gently assisted her into her seat and then politely retreated to his place upon the couch. The sheer size of him dominating the area. One foot hooked atop the other knee as he settled back into the undeniably comfortable seat. "We need to make some decisions rather quickly about her birth plan but she was determined..." He hesitated, obviously uncomfortable with divulging too much private sentiments but he needed Piper's help and was going to attempt to delve into her own privacy, it was only fair that he continue, "not to have the child in the first place. Her attempts to see that through have failed." He kept his voice carefully neutral, his own thoughts and feelings on the subject locked away.

Ding Dong.

Piper Davidson "Well, I went looking for a midwife who knows about Fae pregnancies in humans," Piper shrugged lightly. "I thought that was the best way to find out what to expect." At the quiet disclosure of Nina's discomfort with her own state, her brows drew together in unmistakable concern. "Failed" You don't mean she changed her mind, either, do you?" She bit her lip thoughtfully, jumping in surprise as the doorbell rang. Loki leapt up and began barking madly once again. "Oh, for heaven's sake - Loki, down." Piper pointed to the carpet, and the big Malamute huffed, silencing himself to lie down on the floor, his head turned toward the door as the dark-haired woman began to maneuver herself out of the armchair to answer the door itself.

"Fae pregnancy." Alaric was dumbfounded. HIs jaw went slack as she voiced something that he'd only just begun to suspect. Nina's claims sounded far less ludicrous upon the elegant lips of Piper and one couldn't even blame her accent for it. The doorbell and the dog were ignored in that moment of shock though he could not look past Piper's discomfort and was immediately on his feet, long lean lines unfolding as he offered her his strong and comforting grip. Assisting her easily to her feet, "I'll, uh let you get that." Needing a minute to realign his thoughts. Had he overlooked the meaning of his sister's words"

"Thank you." Chuckling at needing help to stand up, Piper slipped to the door, drawing it open a little way to peer through at this second visitor with a slightly bemused smile. Putting two and two together wasn't exactly difficult in this situation. "Ah. Hello, would you like to come in?" She stepped back, drawing the door wide open once more.

What stood in the doorway was the poor shell of a former debutante. No longer was she enveloped by sensually fitted, chic ensembles and delightful accessories, but instead a maternity tank top and plaid pajama pants. Delicate feet that had been crafted to effortlessly maneuver within stiletto heels were trapped inside flipflops, leaving her legs a bit bowed to support her increased weight. And hair. Her hair was a mess. A year ago if someone had told Nina that her hair would look as it did - a simple and effortless ponytail - she would have verbally lacerated their entire family line. Instead, she was tired. So tired. She didn't even try to foster a smile toward Piper, but instead greeted her with: "Is Alaric here-" Before an answer could be given she was moving in, seeing her brother deeper inside the room.

A Family Get Together Part Three

The tingle of magic in the air was unmistakable and he frowned at their twin expressions of growing pain. Instinctively he sought a way to ease their suffering and murmured in his gravelly baritone voice a small incantation taught to him by the Mistress of Bindings. It was not a powerful spell by any means and in no way lasting but it attempted to weaken the magic in the area. To close away the connection to the mana and urge the Fae infants to rest.

As the pain faded, the sable-haired woman looked up at Alaric, genuinely surprised by his ability to ease the push of magic inside her. "Thank you," she said simply, once again rubbing the high curve of her belly as the baby inside settled to rest.

Alaric's spell helped with the pain physically, but it was Piper's words that eased her mind. That hopeless expression melted away into something that seemed more optimistic." Wait, what? They...they'll come for the baby?" There was almost a tinge of excitement on her voice, her moist gaze sparkling a bit as she sat forward just a little.

Alaric narrowed his eyes. "No." Bluntly. Low and dangerous. He then followed up with an attempt to ease that surly statement, "They are not taking these babies, Nina." He was trying hard not to deliver his thunderous scowl upon her and instead focused upon Piper with a quick tip of his chin in acknowledgement of her gratitude. "I'm sure I could find a way to conceal them somehow, or..." He was hastily scrolling through his coursework and his friends at the Institute. Surely someone would be able to offer guidance.

"I don't know much," Piper admitted quietly, not entirely sure she wanted to know what exactly was going on between the siblings at this point. "They seem to replace the real baby with a changeling made of some kind of living wood that sickens and dies, so no one will miss the actual child. I haven't found anything to protect against it - the only advice I've been given is to always have someone holding the baby."

Wicked eyes were upon her brother, and then slowly Nina turned to Piper. "Wait, you're keeping yours?" Startled, it took her a moment to ask the second question. "Why?" She snatched the pickle jar from the table and flopped back, narrowed gaze burning a hole through the lid. "Aren't you afraid it will just remind you of....this?" She made a motion with her hand, sweeping a gesture over her stomach.

Piper tilted her head curiously, uncertain what Nina was getting at. "What do you mean?" she asked, absently dipping her finger into the ice cream to suck the sickly-sweet treat thoughtfully. "Whatever else is going on here, this is still my child. Why should it have to suffer because of the circumstances of its conception?"

Nina clenched the lid in her small hands and tried valiantly to unscrew it, albeit to no avail. Mindlessly she tossed it to Alaric as she continued to converse with Piper. "Are you serious" You realize that by bringing this kid into the world you're just helping out the fairy people, don't you? I mean, who's to say that when your kid grows up he won't seduce some unsuspecting woman and get her pregnant?" She sighed. "I don't want anything to do with this damn brat." A snap of her head sent her blond ponytail whipping behind her as she leveled a glare upon Alaric. "Unlike some."

He'd been deep in his thoughts, distracted and seeking solutions. Thankfully his reflexes were still good and he caught the jar that flew his way. Popping the top was easy enough and he gently lodged the lid back in place to hand it back to her. "The child is still a part of you Nina." Modulating his voice to keep it from the harsh whip of anger that stirred.

"I don't know for certain." Despite the violence of Nina's emotions, Piper was startlingly calm. Ollie would, no doubt, have been gobsmacked had he been there - her temper had been all over the place in the last few months. "But no child of mine, no child of Ollie's, is ever going to be so callow and heartless as to treat anyone the way we've been treated, Nina. Because these children aren't going to be raised by the Fae, who distrust us and hate us and love to play games with our lives. They will be raised by people who love them, and who can teach them to respect humanity."

The look from Alaric that settled upon Piper was a tad worshipful. He hadn't had the words to describe exactly why he was so adamant that they keep the child. He had no way of expressing himself quite so eloquently, not about something he felt so strongly about and as his cousin by marriage calmly explained his sentiment he was silenced, his anger appeased.

Nina took the jar and twisted off the lid, pulling a spear from inside. She placed the end between her lips and then administered her pearly white teeth, crunching through the end. Eyes closed and she took a moment to revel in the sheer joy of that wondrous delight. Another bite followed before she finally lit her gaze again. "I guess." She said with a shrug. "I'll just be happy when this is all over. I can't wait to be me again."

Piper could appreciate the delight of having your cravings satisfied, certainly, lowering her hand to scratch the furry head that had snuck back into the room to sate his curiosity. "No one's saying you have to feel the same way about this as I do, Nina," Piper said gently. "But do you really want to reward the bastard who did this with your baby, after all you've been through?"

"Reward?" She asked as she drew another shaft from the jar and immodestly consumed it in as unladylike a manner as possible. "I'm not going to reward him by suffering through the raising of this hell spawn. If he wanted a kid, fine. Whatever. But I'm not going to keep around the one reminder of my worst mistake ever." Again there was just the twinge of tears starting to form. They were quickly appeased, though as she started in on another pickle. "He, and this baby, can go to hell."

Despite how much she wanted to, Piper could see that there was no point in trying to convince Nina to see this situation in any other light, sitting back ever so slightly to ease the ache in her spine. "Well, no matter what you decide, you should have some kind of birth plan in place. If you're as far along as I am, then we're going to pop in a matter of days."

His hands balled into fists. An outward display of his emotions that was normally never afforded. He said nothing still and let the women discuss the issue. Piper's calm assertions were his own and said with more restraint than what he presently felt.

Nina's eyes lowered to Piper's belly and she studied it curiously. "I am." Finally, she surrendered a little. "Where...where are you planning on having yours" Riverview?" She hadn't started to even consider how she was going to give birth to the baby, fully invested in just getting it the hell out of her by any means possible.

It took considerable effort to move along this vein of conversation and not launch into a more heated argument with his sister, "Piper's right. We need to be prepared for your birth. We can worry about the baby afterwards." His mind still on the ramifications of Piper's revelations. He was fairly certain with the Institute at his disposal he could determine a way to shield their babies from their father or fathers.

"Well, that's the plan," Piper chuckled. Her midwife had spent a terrifying two hours just days ago laying out all the things that could go wrong and result in not getting to Riverview. "I can give you Alannah's number, if you'd like. She's experienced with this sort of thing." Piper leaned over the side of the chair, coming up with a beautifully bound green leather diary.

Strangely silent all of a sudden, Nina twisted the lid back onto the jar and put it on the table. She sighed, her hand falling to her stomach again as the baby therein began to share in her previous meal. "God." She breathed. "It never stops." Eyes lifted to the diary and she gave a slow, hesitant nod. "And...and she knows about the whole elf thing?" She wasn't an expert in subjects of preternatural origin, nor cared to know more. Dwarves, elves, vampires whatever...all she knew was that they weren't humans.

"We would appreciate it." Softly as he watched Piper, though Nina drew his attention as he corrected, "Not elf. Sidhe."

"Whatever."

Piper nodded. "She's delivered Fae babies before," she assured Nina, writing out a couple of numbers and tearing it from her diary to offer to both of them. "The first is Alannah's - the second is mine, if you ever have need of it. Even just for a little company." She ignored the byplay between the siblings, remembering her own difficulties with her sister.

Nina took the paper and looked it over, realizing then that she gave the same information to Alaric. Confused, she glanced to her brother. "How often do you come here" Maybe I could come with you next time?"

"This was my first time here, Nina." Softly, his baritone voice held in check as he was still having a difficult time computing all of the information of the last couple of hours. But he was hopeful when he looked toward Piper. Perhaps her calm influence would be good on his volatile little sister.

Sensing that she might actually be able to help here rather than heighten their problems further, Piper's smile warmed and softened. "Of course you're both welcome to visit whenever you like," she offered sincerely. "I don't go out much at all anymore, and I don't see that changing in the next few months."

"First time?" Nina sat back again, lips pursed in consideration. "Oh, I thought that you two..." She looked back and forth between them. "...and..." She bit her lip then and shook her head. "Never mind. Anyway, maybe next time I could come with you or whatever. Or maybe we could have Piper over" If you'd ever clean that dump you live in." To be fair, Alaric was very clean. Nina was the slob; she just didn't see it that way.

Blue eyes flickered between Nina and Alaric as Piper realized what the other woman had assumed. A laugh escaped, hurriedly stifled for fear of hurting Nina's feelings. "I can assure you I am very much in love with my husband, Nina," she chuckled fondly. "I'm flattered that you think I'm attractive enough to have an affair with, though." These Granger siblings had definitely made a good impression; Piper didn't tease unless she felt comfortable.

Alaric was silent.

Painfully so.

Awkwardness was a sensation he was not really good at dealing with, but a debonair or courtly charming smile right now seemed ill-advised and besides Nina always saw through him when he was masking. Instead he chose to start cleaning up his sister's mess. Carefully piling up the dishes and the treats and returning them to the kitchen.

"I should have known." She forced a laugh, leaning toward Piper with a glance to her brother. "He's not that sort, ya know" If this were the old days he'd wear white armor and rescue damsels in distress." A bit flush, she very carefully pulled herself up from the couch and stood. It was slow, and awkward. "I'm sorry, but I am exhausted. I have to get back to my bed."

"I don't look good in armor." He deadpanned. The seriousness of his expression adding to the length it took for his humor to hit home.

"Psha." The debutante almost took offense to that. "You're a Granger, Lar's. You look good in everything."

"Oh, no, I quite understand," Piper smiled. It took her three goes herself to get to her feet, her system for rising simplistic and comical - she simply rocked back and forth until she had enough momentum to get all the way up these days. Alaric's comment made her blink, before another chuckle escaped. "I'm sure you could pull off plate metal, Alaric," she grinned sweetly.

Somehow he'd managed to tuck away the pickles, replace the ice cream, and set any dishes to soak in a sink full of bubbles. He moved toward them both with a hint of his smile tugging at his lips, it was good to see Nina relaxed enough to joke and he felt deeply appreciative of Piper's affect.

It was almost refreshing for Nina to witness Piper's similar troubles with the pregnancy. She had nearly convinced herself that no one else on the planet had every gone through the tumult she was currently enduring, and the fact that this woman had a comparable ailment offered her a sense of hope. With their rekindled nearness there was a renewed sense of that incorporeal pull from the Fae babies, though instead of fighting it, Nina did something completely unexpected...even to her. Stepping forward, she offered her outstretched arms to Piper in...a hug"

It certainly was.