CHAPTER 1 – Where Kara has Something to Tell Danny

Shit.

Kara stared down at the two pink lines on the test front of her, her stomach knotting. She wasn't surprised exactly. The strict exercise regiment that she adhered to meant that her periods were often light (or nonexistent), but the nausea that had woken her up daily for the last week had been a pretty glaring sign. And then there were her breasts. Both Danny and Alisha had commented on their sudden pornstar size, Danny with appreciation and Alisha with suspicion. Still, Kara had held out some hope that there was another explanation.

Kara sat down on the toilet, hand touching her stomach as the news sunk in. There was a baby in there. A little person. A little bit of her. A little bit of Danny. It was amazing – and terrifying.

Things had been going so well since they arrived back from the Arctic six weeks ago. Danny had officially rotated off the Nathan James upon their arrival in Norfolk, which meant they no longer had to worry about violating the fraternization policy. It had been a relief to be able to see each other openly – going out to dinner, getting together with friends, and spending time alone – without fear of exposure. Danny had practically moved into her apartment over the past few weeks, only returning to the place he shared with Frankie to retrieve belongings when necessary. Kara had even introduced him to her mother. Debbie Foster, predictability, had been utterly captivated by Danny's sunny smile and charming manner. And when Debbie had consumed a few too many with lunch and kissed him smack on the lips while saying goodbye, Danny had taken it in stride, cracking jokes to keep Debbie laughing as he maneuvered her into a cab. Later, when Kara had tried to thank him, Danny had brushed it off as nothing, launching into a number of stories involving times when he'd had to deal with far more belligerent drunks – his teammates.

But now. This. This changed everything. Kara closed her eyes and tried to remember the last time she had her period. It had been about halfway through their time in the arctic. Which meant this baby might have been conceived on the Nathan James. And that sort of evidence of "conduct unbecoming to an officer" would not go unnoticed by their respective commands. Danny, especially, had been on an accelerated advancement track with the intent of becoming a lifer. A letter of censure could easily derail his Navy career. If there was an investigation…well, then he could kiss his life in the Navy goodbye.

"Kara?" Alisha's voice was concerned as she knocked on the bathroom door. They were in the apartment that Alisha shared with Sarah (who had relocated to Virginia during their absence in the arctic and was now working as an administrator at a local hospital), since Kara hadn't wanted to risk Danny coming home to find her peeing on a pregnancy test. Squaring her shoulders, Kara opened the door to face the woman that had become her closest friend over the past six months. Although, on the surface, she and Alisha Granderson had little in common, their personalities complimented each other. Alisha brought levity to Kara's serious nature and Kara helped ground Alisha. Plus, having been raised by a single mother herself, more than anyone else, Alisha understood the complicated relationship that Kara had with Debbie Foster. Alisha understood why Kara put up with Debbie's drinking and embarrassing behavior, in the same way that Kara understood why Alisha tolerated Amy Granderson's denial of Alisha's relationship with Sarah.

Kara held out the test, her hand trembling. "I can't believe this happened. We were using protection. What am I going to tell Danny?"

"You tell him that he's going to be a daddy," Alisha replied firmly. Kara bit her lip apprehensively, and Alisha gave her a tight squeeze. "It's going to be okay. Danny is crazy about you! Sure he'll be surprised but he'll adjust. I bet he asks you to marry him. He seems like the kind of guy that would want to get married before having a baby." Alisha giggled a little at her last statement.

"I think you're jumping the gun a little there. He's never even said that he loves me. I doubt he's thinking marriage," Kara protested. "Besides, I don't want to get married because he thinks it's the right thing to do. If we got married, I would want it to be because we want to spend our lives together. Like you and Sarah."

Alisha rolled her eyes. "The two of you practically live together already. He introduces you to everyone as his girlfriend. He's already talking about vacation plans for next summer. The guy is clearly thinking long term."

"He won't introduce me to his sister. That can't be a good sign."

A few days ago Danny had casually mentioned that his sister was coming to visit, and would be arriving today, but he hadn't made any plans for Kara to meet her. Kara suspected she knew the reason why – Danny's sister was best friends with his long-term ex-girlfriend and their relationship had been tense before he left for the arctic. Still, Danny's reluctance to introduce Kara to his sister rankled.

"Family relationships are tricky. You know that," Alisha pointed out. "My mother is still barely civil to Sarah."

"I know. The timing on this is just really bad." Kara paused. "Besides, there might be another complication. I'm not sure how far along I am."

Alisha's eyes widened in shock and sudden understanding. "You mean... Kara Elizabeth Foster! You did not have sex on the ship! Oh my god! You did! You didn't use my bunk, did you?"

"Of course not," Kara retorted, before admitting, "We used Danny's. Just a few times when Frankie was on night duty. I, uh, think that Danny told Frankie what was going on."

Kara didn't bother listing the other places around the ship that Danny had found for them to have "alone time." She had quickly discovered how creative and goal-oriented SEALs could be when they were on a mission. And finding places to be alone (and naked) had definitely been a priority mission to Danny.

Kara flopped on the couch while Alisha burst out laughing. "I don't really see the humor. If it comes out, Danny and I both face official reprimands. Danny will probably lose that promotion he's been gunning for."

Alisha stopped laughing, although her eyes still gleamed with humor. "He probably should have thought about that before dropping his pants. But I get why he couldn't wait. You're beautiful. He's lucky that I had Sarah or I totally would have gone after you myself."

Kara shook her head at Alisha, who was wiggling her eyebrows at Kara suggestively, before giving her friend a grudging smile. "I can't go to the doctor on base until I know how far along I am. Could Sarah help me get an appointment?"

"I'll call her right now," Alisha replied, picking up the phone. Kara waited anxiously as Alisha talked to her girlfriend. "Okay, she got you an appointment for today at three, with an ultrasound to follow. Are you going to ask Danny to go with you?"

"I'm not going to tell him anything until I know what we are dealing with," Kara replied firmly.

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Three hours later, Kara sat across from doctor who looked remarkably like Santa Claus, right down to the suspenders, while he studied the results of her bloodwork. Alisha had offered to go to the appointment with her, but Kara didn't want to involve her friend any more than she already had, just in case the Navy opened an official inquiry. No reason to destroy Alisha's career as well.

"Congratulations Ms. Foster." The doctor looked up with a smile. "I can confirm that you are, indeed, pregnant."

"Do you know how far along?" Kara asked anxiously.

"Not from the bloodwork. Given the uncertainty regarding your cycles, an ultrasound is the best way to establish your due date."

Kara smiled and nodded as the man continued to talk about vitamins and future appointments, without listening to a word he was saying, focused only on getting through this appointment and finding out the answer to the question that was on the forefront of her mind. Once the doctor left, there was another thirty minute wait before the ultrasound. Not knowing what to expect, Kara was startled when an image of a baby appeared on the screen before her. She gasped.

"It looks like a real baby," Kara whispered. "Little arms and legs and a face and everything."

"Amazing, isn't it?" The technician said in a friendly manner as she took measurements and made notes. "Is the baby's father deployed?"

Puzzled by the question, Kara realized that most people probably didn't come in alone. Would Danny be upset that he missed this moment?

The first time seeing their baby? "He's on duty," she replied finally.

"Would you like a picture for him?" the woman asked as she finished the scans.

Thanking the woman, Kara sat up and adjusted her clothing. "Oh, did you figure out my due date?"

"Oh, yes, June 9th."

Kara stared at the woman. June 9th. Nine months to the day of the Nathan James' arrival in Norfolk. Or, as the Navy more succinctly put it, a homecoming baby. Kara could already hear the ribbing that she was going to be taking from the guys in CIC.

Tucking the ultrasound picture carefully in her purse as she walked out of the office, Kara pulled out her phone and was surprised to see five missed calls and a number of text messages. She had shut off her phone before going into the doctor's office, but it had only been a couple of hours. Kara checked her watch. 1730. The last time that she received this many messages on a Thursday afternoon had been when the crew was abruptly recalled to the Nathan James in the middle of shore leave. Before she could check her messages, another call popped up from Alisha.

"Is everyone okay? You've called," Kara stopped to check her missed call log, "three times in the last thirty minutes."

"I'm fine," Alisha sighed. "But Sarah may have spilled the beans. She ran into Danny when she was leaving the hospital and assumed he was there with you, so she asked how the appointment went."

Kara closed her eyes for a second. Well that explained the calls and texts. "That's all? Just that I had an appointment?"

"She's not sure," Alisha admitted. "She can't remember if she said appointment or ultrasound. She realized almost immediately that he didn't know what she was talking about and tried to cover, but… She's really sorry. We both are. I should have told her not to say anything."

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Kara replied resolutely, although inside she was cursing her bad luck. Of all days for Sarah to run into Danny. "I planned to tell him tonight anyway."

"Let me know how it goes, okay?" Alisha sounded worried.

"I will." Hanging up the phone, Kara checked her phone again. Besides two missed calls from Danny's cell, Kara could see several texts.

3:08: Missed you at home. You with A?

3:59: Leaving for train station. Drinks at Shippers at 9?

4:27: Drinks? Need to confirm with the guys.

4:51: God C can be a PITA.

5:02: Call me.

5:11: You okay? Ran into Sarah. Said you were at Memorial?

5:19: Where are you?

5:29: Call me as soon as you get this.

Kara groaned. Great. The last thing she wanted to do was have this conversation in front of his sister – one who was already predisposed to dislike her. Hitting redial, Kara wasn't surprised when Danny picked up on the first ring.

"Kara? Where are you?" He sounded worried. "I've been trying to reach you."

"Sorry, I had a doctor's appointment and turned my phone off," Kara explained, keeping her tone casual. From the background noise she suspected that he was at a restaurant or bar.

"At Memorial?" Danny asked, his tone relaxing but a tint of suspicion remaining in his voice. Normally they both would have gone to the health clinic on base, which was quick and, more importantly, free.

"I needed some bloodwork done last minute and couldn't get it done on base so Sarah set it up for me. I didn't think to tell you." Okay, well that was a lie. Before he could ask another question, she added, "We can talk about it later."

"Hold on." Danny said something that Kara couldn't catch over the background noise. "Since you're downtown anyway, you should join us for dinner. We're at Melissa's on Grove Street. You can meet Caro."

Kara paused. Melissa's was a three minute walk, tops, so she didn't have much of an excuse to say no. "Sure. I'll be there in a few."

The place was fairly crowded for a Thursday evening, but Kara quickly found Danny sitting towards the back with a woman that Kara immediately recognized from pictures. Caroline Green. In addition to being striking, Caroline looked remarkably put together for someone that had just finished a six hour train ride. Kara smiled as she approached the table, wishing that she was wearing something a little nicer than the jeans and sweater that she had thrown on to meet Alisha for lunch.

"Hi sweetheart." Danny stood up to give her a quick kiss, pulling out her chair. "This is my sister, Caroline. Caro, this is Kara."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Kara said, smiling at the other woman.

"You as well." Caroline took a bite of her burger, causing Kara to realize that she was starving. She swiped a french fry from Danny's plate.

"So tell me all about yourself? Danny hasn't really said anything."

Ouch. Well, Danny had said that his sister was … direct.

"That might be because we've barely talked in the past six months, Caro," Danny responded drily. "For all I know you're married with a kid on the way."

"I'm a tactical action officer on a naval destroyer," Kara interrupted, not liking where the conversation was going, and snagging a few more of Danny's fries. "Danny and I met on our last assignment up in the arctic."

"What can I get for you, ma'am?"

Kara was startled by the server's sudden appearance. "Oh, a cheeseburger. Double pickles, no tomatoes, with fries. Thank you."

Danny laughed as the man walked away. "You must be hungry. I've never seen you eat a burger."

Kara shrugged. He was right. Burgers and fries were not on the list of foods that she normally ate, too high in fat. But right now a burger sounded delicious. Kara wondered how early food cravings began. Didn't a craving for meat indicate a boy?

"So you two have been dating for a month?" Caroline asked. Kara thought she could hear Danny grinding his teeth. It wasn't so much what Caroline was saying as how she was saying it, and if her goal was to annoy Danny, she was succeeding.

"About six weeks," Kara replied cautiously. "But we've known each other for six months now. We were friends first."

Kara caught the smirk that crossed Danny's face and knew exactly what he was thinking. Friends with benefits. She gave him an annoyed look as she took the last of his fries. She was considering taking a bite out of the burger that he had barely touched when her own food arrived. Kara let Danny handle the conversation (which had turned to mutual friends, most of whom Kara had never heard of) as she polished off her burger. It had been as delicious as she imagined. Just then Danny's phone pinged and he quickly checked the message.

"The guys are going to Shippers at nine if you want to say hello," Danny said, his question directed at Caroline.

Caroline frowned. "I don't want to spend an evening having to play nice while Frankie glowers at me and Bercham tries to grab my ass. I'm here to talk to you Danny."

"You don't need to play peacemaker, Caro. If I wanted to talk to Rebecca, I would have called her. And I'm pretty sure she knows my number."

"The two of you don't know what you want," Caroline retorted.

Feeling awkward, Kara excused herself to use the restroom. When she returned, Danny was in the process of paying the bill, and his sister was nowhere in sight.

"Everything okay?" Kara asked as she sat back down.

Danny shrugged, but Kara could tell that something was wrong. He was acting too controlled, not quite meeting her eyes. "She went off pissed. When she told me that she wanted to come visit, I thought that she was ready to accept that Rebecca and I are over. That I'd moved on. But she started in the minute she got off the train. Let's get out of here."

"Shouldn't we wait for your sister?" Kara asked. "Isn't she staying at your place?"

"My place?" Danny sounded surprised. "She has a hotel down the street. I thought that I told you. Frankie barred her from the apartment. They don't get along."

"Frankie doesn't like her?" Kara replied, startled. "I didn't think that was possible. Frankie likes everyone."

"There are a few people on his list. Mostly my sister." Danny chuckled as they walked down the street towards Kara's place. "But enough about Caroline. Are you okay? Why were you at Memorial?"

Kara took a deep breath and stopped so she could look up at Danny, placing a hand on his arm, thankful that they were alone on this particular stretch of street. "I'm fine. I just don't know how to tell you this …"

"Does it have anything to do with a sudden desire to eat burgers, nausea, growing boobs, and the ultrasound picture in your purse?" Danny asked, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather.

"What? How? What were you doing in my purse?" Kara stumbled through the words, completely thrown by the turn of the conversation.

"I was looking for some dollar bills for the tip," Danny said with a shrug. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist, tugging her towards him, smiling down at her in that special way, the one that melted her heart. "So is it true?"

"Yes," Kara admitted softly, raising a hand to cup his cheek. "I'm pregnant. Due June 9th."

"A baby. I'm going to be a father." Danny's voice sounded awed as he leaned down to kiss her gently, his eyes never leaving hers. Stepping back slightly, he splayed a hand across her stomach, lightly, hesitantly, much like Kara had done only a few hours before. "I love you so much, Kara. I can't imagine living my life with anyone else. I hope you know that."

Kara's eyes filled with tears as she reached up to pull him down for another kiss, murmuring against his lips, "I love you too."

A few minutes later Danny pulled away. "Is your due date really June 9th?"

"Yes," Kara mumbled, feeling slightly mortified. "Maybe we can tell everyone the 10th instead, just so it's not so obvious."

"Hell no!" Danny replied with a laugh, sliding his arm around her as they headed in the direction of her apartment. "I'm a SEAL, sweetheart. Homecoming babies are a point of pride."

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10/03/16 16:20 a10/p10 Draft