Mika’s Note: When I originally wrote this, I was anxious for a baby. A good friend of mine screamed NOOOOOOOOO! Ali’s not ready! Assuming, of course, that Shana would follow right behind. I was still undecided at the time I finished this chapter.
Some Beach
Ali stood at the sink, head hanging, fingers grasping the countertop desperately. She stared at her haggard reflection in the stainless steel. “Please, just shoot me now,” she muttered. After another week of attitude, Stone had forced her to take a week off. Or else. She often wondered if he thought she would murder someone in the hall for looking at her wrong. He might not have been far off the mark.
She’d opted to come home to Nevada for those few days after reading online that Blake had a concert scheduled in Baltimore during her time off. She figured that was when he’d wanted to see her. Better that she just not be there at all and remove the temptation. For both of them. Another wave of nausea hit her hard and she gripped the sink tightly.
“Ali?” came a familiar, and welcome, voice from the hallway. “Are you here somewhere?”
“Yeah, I’m in here, Albie.”
Albert pushed open the door to the kitchen and just looked at his long-time friend. Frowning, he came up behind her and put his hand on her back. “Babe, are you okay?”
“No. I’m dying. Leave me in peace. And why are you here?”
“I’m still worried about you and don’t give me any of that ‘I’m fine’ crap, because I know you’re not. And, after talking to Blake the other day, I know he’s not either.” He gently turned her until she was facing him. “After listening to him cry, I figured I owed it to the both of you to come after you.” Lifting her chin to meet her gaze, he smiled and looked into her worried eyes. “I also doubt you’re dying. Now, spill it.”
“I’m pregnant.”
“WHAT?”
“You heard me.”
“How late are you?”
“Just about two weeks. But…”
“But, it’s only two weeks. You’ve never been very predictable in that area, you know. And you have been later.”
“Yeah, I know, but then, I’ve never felt like this either.” She gripped her stomach and made a face.
“Like what?”
“Sick. Dizzy. Headachy. Weepy. Too tired to give a…”
“Shit.”
“Well, I was going for a different ending, but close enough.” She’d have laughed, but her tummy would have revolted on her.
He waved one hand in the air. “No, I didn’t mean that. I just meant, ‘Shit, you probably are then’. That’s all.”
“That’s all, he says. Shoot me before Lockhart finds out. Please.”
Albie shook his head and pulled her into a hug. “Caleb’s not gonna find out. Have you taken a test yet?”
Ali shook her head. “Woke up too sick these last few days to do much of anything. Been too dizzy to try and drive.”
“Okay then,” he began. “First order of business is to go get a test. Go lay down. I shouldn’t be too long.”
“You don’t have to…”
“Of course I do. Besides, I need to know if I should take some of my leave time to do some ‘hunting’ of my own.”
“Albert Rogan!”
Laughing, he kissed her cheek. “I’m only teasing. But, have you talked to him lately?”
“No. Not since I gave him the bad news. Not sure what I’d say even if I had.” She paused and caught her friend’s gaze. “You do realize that this could be my ass. Getting preggo is one thing, but doing it with a man I knew I shouldn’t have been involved with? Stone’ll hang me by my toes.”
“I know, but we’ll worry about that when we know for sure, okay?” She nodded and flopped onto the couch. “Until then, try not to freak out on me, okay? It’s my first day back home. You coulda waited until tomorrow to do this to me.” He kissed her forehead and pulled a blanket over her prone form. “Be right back, babe.”
Ali adjusted the pillow and promptly fell asleep.
*~*~
Grabbing the Walgreens bag, Albert climbed out of the Jeep and locked the door. He was halfway up the drive when he heard his name. Turning, he stumbled when he saw who was coming up behind him.
“Hey Albie, wasn’t expecting you here. Thought you were gonna be gone for a month?”
Shit! “Hey Blake, got things done and over with sooner than expected. That always makes the uppity-ups happy.”
“Yup, sure does. Is she home?”
“Yeah, she was just flopping on the couch when I was leaving. How’d you know she was here?”
“Shana told me when I called the apartment. Told me she was alone and unsupervised.” He laughed an evil laugh. “Whatcha got?”
“Um, aspirin. She had a headache.”
“Ah. Lacking something in her diet, maybe?” He gave the other man a grin to match his evil laugh.
Despite everything, Albie couldn’t help but laugh. “Mmm… could be.”
Blake clapped him on the back and let himself into the house. Albie hid the pregnancy test behind his back and escaped to his bathroom to hide the incriminating evidence.
*~*~
“Hey Cookie,” Blake murmured, kneeling down beside her.
“Later, Albie. I don’t wanna think ‘bout it now.”
“Huh?”
“Ignore her,” Albie interrupted. “She talks crazy when she’s half-asleep.”
“Ah, gotcha.” He placed a gentle kiss on her nose and let her sleep.
“Care for a grilled cheese? It’s about the extent of my culinary skills.”
“Sure. That’s about as gourmet as I get.”
*~*~
Ali awoke to the smell of grilled cheese and dill pickles. Forcing her eyes open, she threw off the blanket and staggered into the kitchen. “You are SO gonna make me like, I dunno, five of them things. Now.”
Almost choking on his sandwich, Albie looked up and grinned. “Sure thing, babe.” He pulled the skillet out of the sink and began buttering bread.
“So,” Blake began, “does this mean I’m in the doghouse?” He affected a pathetic pout.
“Huh?” she asked, startled. “Shit! Where’d you come from?”
“Oklahoma. Where’d you come from?” Flashing that grin at her, he got up from his seat at the kitchen counter. Blake reached out to pull her towards him and she took a step back. “Crap. I really am in the doghouse. First you ignore me, now you’re not letting me near you.” He looked hurt. “What’d I do?” he asked quietly. “I know that this is like, an illicit meeting and all, but I thought you’d be happy to see me at least.”
Get it together! She scolded herself quietly. “I’m sorry, Cowboy. I honestly didn’t see you sitting there when I came in. And for the rest, I’m just not awake yet and all that survival crap sticks with you.” She forced herself to go to him and let him hold her. It took all she had to not panic in his arms. “I am happy to see you, though, even if it could cost me my rank.” She tried to laugh her fear and anguish off.
“Mmm… I see,” he mumbled, burying his face in her neck. “I suppose I forgive you.” Relieved, he let her go.
“Here,” Albie handed over three grilled cheese and a handful of dill pickle chips. “I’ve gotta go pack.”
“Pack?” Ali and Blake looked at each other.
“Jinx!” Albie yelled and rushed off to his room.
Ali watched him run off down the hall. Blake watched Ali put away all three sandwiches without pausing.
“I love a woman with an appetite,” he reminded her lovingly.
Horrified, she realized all three sandwiches and the pickles were gone. “Whoops! Hungrier than I thought.”
“Apparently.”
Albert appeared back in the kitchen, a small olive green duffle bag in one hand. Blake eyed him and the duffel warily. “Where are you going? You just got home.”
“Um,” he flicked his gaze towards the tall cowboy beside her. “Gotta mini-job to do. Just remembered it.”
“You are so full of…”
“Blake, please,” she laughed. “Are you going to the base to crash?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?” Blake looked him over, worried he’d done something else wrong.
“Because, Cowboy, he’s afraid you’re gonna stay.”
“Is that a problem?”
“Not for me. You, Albie?”
“Not if I’m not here, it isn’t.” He grinned and kissed her cheek. “Just call me and let me know when the ‘code red’ has ended. ‘Kay?”
Trying to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks, Ali muttered, “Sure.”
Albie shook hands with Blake and wished him luck. “What’s a ‘code red’ and why do I need luck?”
“A ‘code red’ is the prospect of a well, a really good evening. Or weekend. Or well, you get the idea.” She was blushing so furiously now; she couldn’t even look him in the eye.
“Mmm… nice. So why’d he wish me luck then?”
“Probably since I almost killed my last boyfriend on a long weekend.” He’d also turned out to be a traitor, trying to gather sensitive intelligence at her expense, but she wasn’t about to tell him that.
“Ahh… what a way to go, though!” Blake laughed and pulled her into his arms. “So, what do you say? We’re both fed. You’ve had a nap. Should we start the interrogation now?” He nipped at her earlobe, sighing his hot breath along her neck.
Ali shivered at the expectation of an unplanned romp with the hottest man she’s ever known. “Absolutely!” Taking his face in her hands, she pressed her lips against his and forced her tongue into his mouth. He willingly allowed her in, meeting her tongue with his. Ali was just beginning to melt when she felt a vibration at her hip.
“Dammit!” She pulled her phone out of its holster and glared at the caller ID. “Go on back, I’ll be right there.” She pecked him on the cheek and swatted his backside.
“Yes ma’am!” he mock saluted, pulling his shirt off as he headed towards her room.
Ali shook her head and answered her cell. “This better be good.”
Laughter. “Could it get any better? I put the thing in my medicine cabinet. Don’t forget to use it!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thanks.”
“Love ya, babe.”
“Love ya too, ya nut.”
Albie disconnected and Ali left her phone ‘accidentally’ on the kitchen counter.
*~*~
Ali snuggled deeper into the covers and closer to her lover. He pillowed her head on his shoulder and held her close with his free arm. Content and satisfied, they were both on the brink of sleep.
“I’ve missed you, Cookie.”
“I’ve missed you, too, Cowboy.”
Within minutes, he was breathing deeply. Ali resisted the urge to let his slow, even breathing lull her to sleep. She still had one very important thing she needed to do.
As soon as she was certain he was asleep, she eased his arm off her, and slipped out of bed. She padded down the hall to her brother’s bedroom. Taking a deep breath, she opened his door and let herself inside. Snagging a freshly laundered T-shirt off his dresser, she pulled it over her head and attempted to cover something of herself.
She opened the bathroom door and rooted in the medicine cabinet until she found what she was looking for. Staring at the box, she began to cry.
“Care to explain that to me?” Blake asked from behind her, motioning to the box in her hand.
“What? I mean, I thought you were asleep.” Nice recovery there, Hart.
“I was. Then I got cold and you weren’t there anymore. What’s going on?” Worry creased his forehead and laced his seductive blue eyes.
Ali sighed, resigned to the fact of the matter at hand. She lifted the box up and showed him. She watched him turn even paler as his suspicions were confirmed. “Blake…”
“How long have you known? Or suspected, I guess?”
“Just a couple days.”
“And you were gonna tell me when?”
“As soon as I was able to use this damn thing!” She hadn’t meant to shout, but her nerves were more frayed than ever.
“Sorry. Sheesh.” He turned to walk out of the doorway.
Ali reached out and grabbed his arm, watching how the muscles played under the taut skin. “I’m sorry. I’ve been really stressed these last few days. I could lose my job, you know.”
“No, I didn’t know. You’d get booted from the military for being pregnant?”
“Not exactly. It’s more like HOW and WHEN and with WHOM it all happened.” She paused a moment and frowned. “I doubt it’d even matter that it’s been months since that assignment ended. I can hear Caleb now, ‘It’s the principle of the matter, Lieutenant’.” She shook her head sadly.
“Mmm… I see. So, why didn’t you call? Even if you didn’t know, and you were worried, you could have called me.” He held out his arms and hugged her hard. “I need you. I care about you. I want to help you. And I don’t give a damn that your general ordered us to stay apart. If you’re having my baby, I am here. End of story.”
“I know. You’re just… you, I guess. Superstar and all that crap. I didn’t want you to panic and foul things up for yourself. I certainly didn’t want to screw up your career. I’ve done enough of that to my own lately.” She sighed heavily and kissed his chest. “Besides, I knew Albie would be home in a day or two and he’d smack me around and make me do the right thing.”
Blake started to laugh suddenly. “Sorry,” he mumbled, laughing even harder.
“What’s so funny?”
“When I met him in the driveway, he said he’d gone to get aspirin for your headache. Couldn’t even go get your own test?”
“Too dizzy to drive.”
Blake looked down at her and smiled. “Too ditzy to drive maybe. Now, are you gonna use that thing or do I need to hold it for you?”
Growling, she pushed his naked body out of the bathroom and slammed the door in his face.
*~*~
“Okay, Cookie. It’s been three minutes. Come out, come out wherever you are…”
Ali looked at the white stick sitting on the bathroom sink. “Crap.” Sighing, she let him in. “There,” she pointed to the offending object. “Go look.”
Blake took a deep breath and steeled his nerves to what he was about to see. What was it going to reveal? Baby? No baby? Would this tear them apart either way? He knew one thing for certain: he couldn’t let anything ever come between them now. Not ever. No matter what it took, he was on a mission to get her back for good. He closed his eyes as he stepped to the edge of the sink. He swallowed his heart back down into his chest, looked down, and opened his eyes.
“Aw, crap, Ali.”
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