Chapter 7

"I do not *believe* our mother in law told us we don't have enough nice dresses and that we should each spend like eight hundred dollars... my wedding dress just barely cost that and it was handmade," Cassidy muttered. Dress shopping was not a favorite pastime.

Grace remained silent. So far, she'd been able to go almost the full nine months without anyone knowing she was pregnant. How in hell was she supposed to try on dresses and not have her sister realize something was up?

"You're almost as cheerful as me about this," Cassidy noted. "Everything alright?"

Grace nodded. "I just don't know if we should've left the girls and the baby with Garrett and Gavin....Gavin hasn't been out of the hospital that long..."

"They'll be fine, Holly's around if they get in a real jam," Cassidy replied. "And why I'm even bothering to dress shop when in a few months I might not - " Cassidy stopped before she let it slip. She hadn't even told Garrett yet.

"Might not what?"

"Nothing. I'm just a couple days late."

"Cassidy Evangeline, are you pregnant?"

"It's *waaaay* too early to confirm any such thing. Besides, the gala for Garrett is next week and I *definitely* won't be showing by then."

"Probably not." Grace replied as they approached the dress department. This would be interesting.

"What aren't you telling me, young lady?" Cassidy demanded.

"Nothing." Grace replied. "Not that much of a selection."

"No... find me something expensive and not hideous?" Cassidy pleaded.

Grace nodded. "This?" She held up a simple black dress made of a sparkly, rhinestoney material.

"Possibly. I don't even know if I want to look innocent or if I want him to jump me at this thing." Cassidy sighed.

"Well....find something that's a happy medium. You can look like an innocent slut."

Cassidy laughed a bit at that.

Grace smiled, as long as they didn't look for a dress for her...

"What about this, Grace?" Cass asked, holding up a dress. It was red but covered with a sort of black fabric which made the red look deeper.

"For who?"

"You, you foolish girl, I can't wear red."

"You could wear that kind."

"Well it's for you anyway."

Grace took the dress and began looking at the rack for a bigger size.

"What are you looking for?" Cassidy asked, glancing at a green dress before quickly brushing it aside in favor of the black ones. It seemed she had decided that she wanted to be jumped.

"Nothing...just a bigger and a smaller size in case this doesn't fit." She told her sister. "I'd rather have them in there to compare."

Cassidy nodded, still looking.

Grace looked around the section again. "Anything else you want to get to try on?"

"I don't know... I'm bad at this."

"Come on, let's just try these on, and see how they look." Grace handed her sister a few more dresses and they went into the fitting rooms.

"Anything?" Cassidy called after a moment. She had narrowed it to two or three, then decided to just get all of them and let Holly dress her. It would suit her mother-in-law, after all.

"No." Grace called. She didn't bother trying any of the dresses on, already knowing they wouldn't fit.

"I narrowed it down and I figure Holly can pick from here. I spent just under her instructions, so she'll all too happy to dress me, I'm sure."

"I'll just get something closer to the party, I guess. Or wear one of your dresses." Grace sighed.

"There's plenty, but I don't imagine Holly'd like that." Cassidy paused. "Grace Emelda Kincaide Spencer... what aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing....what's going on?" Grace asked, noticing the increased number of security guards for the first time.

"I have no idea, actually... but I don't like it," Cassidy admitted. "Don't look at them. Walk normally," she instructed her sister, reaching into her purse for the infamous compact pistol Garrett had given her so long ago.

Grace nodded and followed her sister out of the store, reaching for her gun as well. "Think they'd be smart enough to jam a cell phone signal?"

"Maybe. But try it anyway. We... have other ways to contact the necessary people, if they are."

Grace pulled her cell phone out of her purse and called Gavin.

Gavin answered, naturally. "Grace? What's wrong?"

"We don't know yet. But something's not right...." Grace replied ambiguously.

"You're at the mall, right? I'm gonna ask a few yes and no questions... some extra security guards? They seem like they're watching you?" But suddenly the signal disconnected.

"Yes - Gavin?" Grace turned off her phone. "Lost the signal."

Cassidy nodded. "Head for the exit, but don't make to leave yet." She reached into her purse for a silver compact. "Whoops, that really is my makeup," she muttered to herself, grabbing the other one and pressing on the mirror.

"Cassidy...what the hell are you doing?"

"Just follow me," Cassidy instructed.

Grace followed her sister to the door. Naturally, it was locked.

"Didn't find any suitable dresses?" A voice called from behind them. "Not whorey enough?"

Cassidy whirled, the pistol already easily at hand, and fired just as the doors were forced open and a group of agents stormed in, led by Garrett.

Dylan Kincaide and a large group of security guards began firing at them. "Looks like your little lover isn't here to save you this time, Gracey." Dylan shouted over the gunfire.

One of the agents seemed to have been informed about Grace's pregnancy. Once they were in, she found herself being pushed into the safety of a nearby alcove.

"Out, Grace, into the car," Cassidy told her sister shortly as she joined her husband and those fighting the "security guards." She knew that voice... that face... and that meant there was only one person it could be.

Garrett continued to fire at Dylan's team, picking them off quickly. "Cassidy, go with your sister." He told her. "I'm going to take care of this little problem."

"I'm not going without you," she said simply.

Grace was escorted to the car, where Gavin was waiting nearby.

"Get out of here!" He yelled.

Gavin was pacing near the car. "Garrett wouldn't let me go, threatened to tie me up," he explained. "You okay? Where's Cassidy?"

"You didn't teach me to use a gun so I could run your friggin' tea parties," Cassidy snapped.

"Cassidy get the hell out of here." He replied sharply.

"She's still inside. Callahan's new puppet set us up." Grace told him. She stopped. "And....I think we should get out of here."

"I'm holding my own just fine, thank you," Cassidy replied.

"Are you okay??" Gavin repeated, helping her get into the car.

Grace simply shook her head. "Can't be too sure."

Garrett pushed her behind him, giving her as much cover as the situation would allow. "Call the team on the other side. Give the order for them to advance." Garrett told a nearby agent.

"Grace, stop with the half answers, what the hell is going on?!?" Gavin demanded.

The man nodded and headed off to do just that.

"Let's see....I'm almost nine months pregnant, came very close to an unwanted encounter with my homicidal brother....WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK IS GOING ON?"

"I don't know!" Gavin cried, perfectly bewildered.

Garrett moved back, still shooting and pushed Cassidy out into the garage. "Get in the car." He ordered.

Grace shut her eyes for a second and opened them again. "My water broke. When I was being escorted to the car."

Cassidy complied this time.

"Then.... let's get you to the hospital."

Garrett jumped in the car as well and took off.

Grace nodded. "Unless you want me to have a baby right here."

"Oh, while I'm thinking of it," Cassidy said as casually as she could manage. "I'm a few days late."

Gavin and Grace's car took off for the hospital.

Garrett's car drifted into the opposite lane. "What?" He yelped, swerving back.

"I'm a few days late," she repeated. "So I guess I could be pregnant."

Grace squeezed Gavin's hand as they arrived at the hospital.

Gavin helped Grace to her feet and soon she was set up in a room.

"Are you sure?" He asked, glancing at her. "You're pregnant and you wanted to stay? You could have been shot!"

"I'm *not* sure, I'm not sure at all. It's possible. And I wasn't leaving you to get shot instead!"

"I had protection!"

"Where's Chelsea?" Grace asked.

Cassidy raised an eyebrow and promptly cracked up.

"She's with her grandparents, perfectly safe," Gavin promised.

"What the hell is going on?" Garrett demanded.

"You... nevermind. I'm just telling you that there's a minute possibility I could be pregnant."

"She wanted to be here..."

"Not so minute." Garrett replied. "Or you wouldn't be telling me."

"I'll call," he promised.

"We aren't exactly innocents, and despite your previous declaration, there was no protection involved."

"Right...so when will you know for sure?"

"Please." Grace practically begged.

Gavin did so. "My mother said she'd bring her."

"Couple weeks, probably, before it can be confirmed."

Grace nodded.

"So why do you think you're pregnant now?"

"I don't know... I just... feel different."

"Different? What?"

"Not bad different! You're not a woman and you've never had a baby... it's hard to explain."

"If I were a woman, my mother would probably have some explaining to do."

"Agreed." Cassidy kissed his cheek.

"You weren't hurt or anything, were you?" Garrett asked after a few seconds.

"No, I'm fine. You okay?"

Garrett nodded.

"Well... good."

After pushing for what seemed like days - but was actually hours - Grace was finally able to relax a bit. Closing her eyes, she fell into the comforting warmth of darkness as her head hit the pillow of the hospital bed.

Gavin let Chelsea hold her little brother, sitting on the bed next to Grace.

Grace stirred a few minutes later.

"Want to hold our little boy?" Gavin asked her, smiling brightly at the children.

She nodded, sitting up a bit. "Our baby boy." She whispered as Gavin settled him into her arms.

"What's his name?"

Grace gazed at the sleeping baby in her arms for a minute. "Nathan...what about Nathan?"

"I think that's a wonderful name for him."

"Nathan!" Chelsea said excitedly.

Grace smiled. "Little Nathan..."

Gavin gently kissed Grace's forehead. "You're great, you know that?"

Grace rested her head on his shoulder. "I couldn't do this without you, you know."

"Well yeah but I had the easy part."

"The waiting was easy....no one except your father knew." Grace admitted. "I never even told Cassidy."

"But... now we have to tell them you just had a baby. They're gonna find out."

"You'd think it'd be pretty obvious when we go home with an extra kid."

"Yeah but people are gonna be upset you didn't say anything. Namely your sister."

"It's not like she didn't have any opportunities to notice." Grace replied. "She was with me today, dress shopping."

"You were trying to hide it, though."

"It....it was just easier...I guess."

"Easier to hide a baby for nine months than just tell your sister?" Gavin looked a bit amused at that.

Grace shrugged, her eyes not leaving Nathan's face. "We've had so many problems with boys in the past...and with everything that's happened this year..."

"But he's here, and he's beautiful."

"He is." Grace replied. "He's perfect." She carefully kissed the baby's tiny hands.

Little Nathan cooed.

Grace smiled. "Have you held him?"

"Yeah... I did, and Chelsea did."

"Thank you."

"No, beautiful, thank you."

Grace stifled a yawn. "Well, you did help..."

"I guess so. Take a nap."

She nodded, handing Nathan over to Gavin. "Just a short one..." She said, closing her eyes. "It's been a very exciting day..."

"Yeah. Sleep."

Grace nodded and did so.

"Is mommy sleeping?" Chelsea whispered loudly.

"Yes, baby girl, Mommy's sleeping." Gavin kissed her forehead.

~*~*~*~

"What the - Grace Emelda! This is something you tell me when I ask you what's going on!" Cassidy half-shrieked at her sister.

Grace walked into the living room holding Nathan. "Would you believe me if I said it slipped my mind?"

"No!"

"This is Nathan." Grace introduced the baby.

"He's adorable..." Cassidy smiled. "But I'm still pissed as all hell at you."

Grace shrugged. "It's done now." She replied, grinning.

"I can still be mad all I like."

"I was going to tell you....but just never got around to it."

"You certainly had plenty of opportunity!"

"Well I wasn't really planning on telling anyone until after I told my husband and by the time I did, and he got home and....well it's not like you didn't have any opportunity to notice I was a whale!"

"You weren't," Gavin pointed out. "You hardly showed."

"You noticed right away, and I was barely six months then." Grace pointed out.

"I'm also your husband and therefore pretty familiar with you in ways which your sister is not."

"Doesn't matter...if you could tell right away after waking from a four month coma...it shouldn't have been that hard." Grace replied.

"So it's my fault you decided to hide that you were pregnant. Okay." Cassidy picked up her son and marched upstairs.

Grace sighed. "Well that was fun." She remarked.

"Your sister usually is," Gavin pointed out.

"It's not my fault I have issues. And she has no right to be pissed because I decided not to tell her something."

"Hey, shh, I'm on your side." Gavin kissed her cheek

"I know. I know you are." She replied.

Gavin hugged her. "Come on... you wanna go home? Or show off our baby to my parents?"

"Your dad probably wants to see him before we leave." Grace replied.

Gavin nodded.

"Where's this new grandbaby I'm hearing about?" Nathan asked upon entering the room.

"Right here." Grace said, smiling. "He came to see his grandpa." she handed Nathan over to Nathan.

"What's his name?" Nathan asked, holding the child.

"Nathan Christopher Spencer."

"Well hello, Nathan, I'm Grandpa," he introduced himself to the boy. "He's wonderful, Grace."

"Thank you." Grace smiled.

"What about me?" Gavin asked.

"What about you?" Nathan replied.

"Yeah, I'm the one who did all the work." Grace said.

Nathan handed the boy back to his mother. "He's delightful. Bring him home and put him to bed."

"We will." She replied as little Nathan began drooling.

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