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Elisa Maza stared in disbelief at the small plastic stick in her hand.
Impossible, completely impossible.
She was surely just imagining things.
She threw the stick in the trash, did what she had to do, and returned to her workplace.
Matt was already waiting for her.
*
A week later, she could no longer deny it. There were two lines. One thick and bold, one thin and barely visible. But clearly there.
She counted back in her head.
Eight weeks since the fight at the dam, a few days before the destruction of the bell tower. About nine to ten weeks. Not quite there yet... She had enough time.
First, she had to clean up the mess the quarrymen had havoced in Manhattan and in her personal life.
Duty called.
*
Groaning, Elisa let herself fall onto her sofa and stretched as far as the tight waistband of her jeans would allow. As much as she wanted to continue indulging in denial, she had to use the weekend to finally accept that she...
Cagney came to her meowing, demanding his dinner and lots of cuddles. Elisa reached down and scratched her cat behind the ears, shielding him from the suddenly much too bright light of the evening sun streaming through her skylight with her other hand. It wouldn't be long before the sun went down.
It wouldn't be long before she had to explain to her best friends that she was...
"Pregnant," she groaned, finally saying it out loud. "I am pregnant."
Abrupt anger welled up inside her. She grabbed her pillow and threw it at the window, where it fell to the floor with an unsatisfying thud. Cagney hissed angrily and ran into the bedroom with his tail raised high.
"Damn it."
One night, one fucking night.
Two and a half hours, to be precise.
Not even really satisfying hours.
Physically, yes, she had to give that to Jason, but it hadn't been Jason she had seen in her mind's eye. She grabbed the nearest pillow, pressed it to her face, and screamed as loud as she could.
Her relationship with Goliath was complicated, always had been, separated by 100% DNA and 1000 years of history, and yet she felt more at home with him than with anyone else. He made her laugh and rage, only with him did she feel that tingling sensation like jumping into the void with the certainty that he was there to catch her. It definitely didn't hurt that he had an impressive physique and could lift her effortlessly.
If only they had had the courage to talk about their feelings before the quarrymen arrived, to admit to themselves that despite all their differences, she only wanted him. For now and forever. However long forever might be, given all the adventures of the last few years since she had known him.
It definitely hadn't been boring...
And now she had destroyed everything in one night, marked by adrenaline, frustration, and the certainty that she couldn't be sure of seeing the next day as long as the quarrymen were hunting her friends. Goliath's focus had been on revenge, she herself preoccupied with damage control, they hadn't been able to see each other in peace for so long...
Excuses, all excuses.
The fact was, Goliath often drove her crazy with his vindictiveness, his lack of self-control, his urge to protect her. They were rarely granted time together, too often his duties as leader took him away. Added to that were her irregular shifts at the police station and, of course, their completely different rhythms of life...
Nevertheless.
She loved him.
With every fiber of her being.
With a sigh, she placed the pillow on her stomach, covering the small hard bump just above her waistband.
Their first kiss, just before Goliath turned to stone. No one could take away his little smile.
She had to tell him.
The sunlight turned red; she only had minutes until sunset. Maybe half an hour until visitors landed on her balcony.
Elisa sat up, waited for the brief dizziness caused by the sudden movement to pass, and went into the bathroom.
When she returned, the sun had set and in the light of the blue hour she saw dark shadows gliding through the night toward her building. She counted silently to ten, steeled herself for whatever might come, and opened the door.
"Hello, guys," she greeted her visitors in surprise. "And Angela."
Hudson, Broadway, Brooklyn, Lexington, and Angela stepped through the open patio door one after the other. Suddenly, her apartment seemed quite tiny as the five tried to get out of the way as much as possible without threateningly surrounding Elisa. Goliath was missing...
Elisa turned around, alarmed, steeled herself for the next catastrophe. "Where's Goliath? What happened?"
Nervous glances between the clan members, Angela and Broadway blushing, Hudson irritated... Something was about to happen, and it wasn't the quarrymen...
The gargoyles seemed as nervous as she felt. "Okay, spit it out. What's going on?"
Lexington was the bravest. "You explained to us that it's normal for human women to smell like blood."
Elisa's head burned as she remembered the embarrassing sex education talk because the clan thought Goliath had attacked her during a patrol, even though she had just gotten her period. It had been a very memorable evening, and everyone agreed to never to talk about it again.
Until now, obviously.
"But you also said it's normal when they stop doing it..."
Lexington fell silent, obviously unsure how to finish that sentence.
Elisa crossed her arms defensively, suddenly not wanting to have this conversation at all. Hudson had explained gargoyle flirting culture to her in detail, including the emphasis on monogamy. Well, she had certainly messed that up royally.
"Listen, lass, you're pregnant," Hudson finally broke the oppressive silence, clearly unwilling to beat around the bush.
Ten eyes were fixed on Elisa, who felt like she was in the wrong movie. At what point in her life had she taken a wrong turn that she was now standing here telling four teenagers and her honorary grandfather that she had an active sex life but had been rather passive when it came to contraception?
Oh, right.
Nine weeks ago.
As the three-centimeter worm below her belly button would impressively demonstrate in seven months at the latest.
Instead of answering, she suddenly burst into tears as the full implications of the situation dawned on her.
She hid her face in her hands, staggered as she felt dizzy again, it was all too much.
Strong arms caught her and gently guided her to the sofa. Strong, familiar arms that only multiplied her tension at that moment.
Elisa sank into the cushions and sniffed, wiping the tears from her eyes angrily. The evening could hardly get any more embarrassing.
What a comforting thought, until she saw Goliath crouching next to the sofa, still ready to catch her if she fell again. With a handkerchief in his hand, which he now handed her.
Of course, what else?
A noble knight through and through, the perfect gentleman.
"Hello, Elisa," he greeted her in his usual gentle voice, which only opened the floodgates of tears again.
Damn it, what was going on? She wasn't a teenager anymore, she could pull herself together enough to at least own up to her mistake.
A few minutes later, the tears dried up, and she felt empty and tired. Hiccuping, she took the handkerchief, avoided eye contact, and cleaned her face as best she could. Crumpling the handkerchief in her hand, she took a deep breath, steeled herself for the confession to come.
Elisa nodded. "I'm pregnant," she repeated her words from that afternoon, no less overwhelmed.
"HA, I knew it," Broadway exclaimed joyfully, giving Brooklyn a hearty nudge on the arm. "I told you so."
Brooklyn, Broadway, and Angela also cheered, showing their joyful excitement with their wings and body language. Hudson appeared calmer, yet satisfied and peaceful.
Elisa didn't dare look at Goliath.
The reactions of the gargoyles in front of her were already too much part of the emotional roller coaster of the evening.
Whatever Goliath's reaction might be, she couldn't face it now, focusing first on processing her own confusion.
"You knew?"
Lexington grinned. "Sure, your scent had changed, but Goliath said we weren't allowed to ask because human women don't want that, but it had been so long and we didn't know if you knew and..."
"It's okay, it's okay," Elisa interrupted the little gargoyle's torrent of words, overwhelmed by so much enthusiasm. "It's fine, I think."
"How many are there? Are there more than four? And when are they coming? Did you find out from the toads or the wheat?" The questions bubbled out of them, and Elisa couldn't help but laugh.
"Calm down, I don't know everything myself yet," she admitted. "It's all a bit much at the moment, we all have so much on our plates, I don't even know how a kid would fit in, and anyway, why toads or wheat?"
Angela's question had taken her completely by surprise and, at least, distracted her from wondering whether she wanted to keep the kid at all.
Angela shrugged. "Princess Katherine had taught a lesson that if a woman pees on wheat or a toad, they can tell if she's pregnant... But she didn't explain exactly how."
Everyone stared at Angela.
"I have no idea how humans figured that out."
Hudson shook his head thoughtfully, muttering something into his beard that sounded suspiciously like "humans are strange."
Elisa's thoughts swirled wildly in her head; she was tired and exhausted and just relieved. A very exhausting mixture.
"A child of the clan will always be welcome. It will grow up with brothers and sisters and friends," Goliath took the lead, joining the other gargoyles in Elisa's field of vision. "You are part of the clan, Elisa."
The lump in Elisa's throat grew, threatening to bring new tears as all the gargoyles agreed loudly. Goodness, she was really emotional today...
Goliath asked for quiet.
"Return to the castle," the leader said to the other gargoyles. "I will join you before sunrise."
The lump spread in Elisa's stomach, clumping together into a cold mass. As much as the clan's positive reaction had surprised and delighted her, now the consequences of her reckless actions would await her. It would be difficult to see him and never touch him again in tender intimacy, and yet... Goliath deserved better. She steeled herself and waved goodbye to the departing gargoyles.
Finally, it was just her and Goliath. Elisa stood frozen, arms crossed, staring out into the night.
"Elisa," Goliath addressed her, but then fell silent, as if he didn't know how to continue.
With a controlled expression, she turned around. "I'll keep it, Goliath," she said to him in a trembling voice. At that moment, she knew with absolute certainty that this kid would not pay for her mistake with its life. They had a family that would love them, they had all the support anyone could wish for, and most importantly, she wanted them. Jason had given her the one thing Goliath could never give her, and for that she would be eternally grateful to him. "If I have to choose between you and my kid..."
Goliath stood before her, his wings tense in obvious discomfort, one hand outstretched toward her, which he now slowly lowered. Confusion was written all over his face. "I don't understand," he replied, his tail wrapped tightly around his ankle as if he needed to hug himself. "It's a child of the clan."
Elisa snorted bitterly. "Don't be ridiculous, Goliath. The kid's father is Jason Canmore."
Goliath's eyes lit up involuntarily at the mention of the hated name, but immediately faded as Goliath visibly pulled himself together. "I am aware of that." His hands clenched into fists. "It pains me that you were intimate with this… human, but I will never reject the gift of life he gave you. All children are precious. Nevertheless," Goliath looked at her painfully. "Do you want to..." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Do you want to cut our bond and be with him?"
Elisa had misheard him. Her brain was finally softened by hormones and replaced reality with a version she liked better.
There was no other way to explain his reaction. She laughed involuntarily. Better than more tears, but no less disturbing.
"Excuse me?"
Goliath flinched, lowered his wings uncomfortably. "Humans place a lot of importance on their children's bloodline, and I assumed..."
Elisa shook her head. "Oh Goliath, what on earth made you think that?"
Goliath shifted his weight uncomfortably. Obviously he didn’t know what to say.
"You saw us," Elisa suddenly realized. "The night Jason and I met at my apartment, you were at the window. And I thought I saw a movement."
"I wanted to talk to you, but you were... busy with something else," Goliath confirmed, his words making her blush with shame as she recalled everything that had happened in plain view of the skylight. "I saw you kiss..."
He broke off, unable to put the pain of loss into words.
Elisa reached for Goliath's hands, his sharp claws soft and gentle today.
"Back then, everything was in turmoil, with constant attacks by the stonecutters, I could never be sure if I would see you again after sunset. Jason was... the safe alternative, I suppose. Charming, available, interested," 'human' hung unspoken in the room. "It's not meant to be an excuse."
Goliath nodded defeatedly, looking at the floor. All valid arguments, she knew that, he knew that.
"But he wasn't you. And quite apart from that... do you really think I want to play happy family with the leader of the very association that wants to kill my best friends, that wants to smash the gargoyle I love, just because he's spread half his genes?"
Goliath looked up in surprise, his wings spreading involuntarily. Elisa smiled. The body language of gargoyles was always a pleasure and, above all, incredibly helpful.
"I assumed you wouldn't want to be with me anymore, not after you knew everything. I had no idea how to tell you." And I'm so afraid of losing you, she added in her mind.
Goliath now wore an expression that Elisa could only associate with Cagney, who had raided her refrigerator. "The gargoyle you love, yes...?"
Elisa rolled her eyes involuntarily as the familiar ease between them dissolved the hard lump of fear inside her. "Hudson has very beautiful eyes," she teased Goliath and was rewarded with a loud laugh. "I mean you, big guy," she added, just to be on the safe side.
No more secrets, no more hidden hints and assumptions.
Goliath had that smile again, which seemed to be meant only for her. "I know," he replied. "I love you too."
An infinite weight lifted from Elisa when she realized that everything would be all right. They had made it.
She sighed and leaned against Goliath, who immediately shielded her from the world and all its problems and questions. Enveloped by strong arms and soft wings, she yawned and let the tension slip away, overcome by sudden exhaustion. "What a night," she murmured.
Goliath's laughter vibrated through his body. "Indeed. What a night."
Elisa was lifted up and laid on the sofa by strong arms. She briefly missed those strong arms until her body sank into the soft cushions and exhaustion took over.
As if from far away...
"Rest, my love. I'll wait."
Elisa fell asleep with a happy smile, her hand on her belly, not yet showing but promising an exciting future with Goliath and the clan by her side.