She creeps in and uploads chapter and then, with the most regretful tone you could possibly imagine, she says: 'I'm so so sorry. I know I said 'two weeks' a year and a half ago, but... life man. I promise I want to finish this story and I can't promise you an update soon, but something is better than nothing? I hope you like it.'

7

*second trimester

"Oh, hi. You're here early."

I drop my keys in the bowl by the entrance and walk towards Steve, who is sitting down in the dining table typing on his laptop.

"Yeah, my meeting ended early. How was your day?"

I lean down and give him a peck on the lips. "Normal day. Nothing interesting. You?"

He sighs somewhat frustrated. "We were on a conference call with Waller. She wants me to tell Victor to hack into the North Korean nuclear defence system to 'see what they've got'. When I told her I didn't agree with it since it violates several international laws, she started telling me how it was my job to communicate her requests to the members of the league and not give out my opinions."

I roll my eyes as I walk into the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water. "Did you tell her that's essentially your job description?"

"I told her part of the reason I'm there is to decide if her requests are in line with what the league considers to be worthy causes and if I don't think they are, then they don't have to be communicated to the league. I also told her if she wasn't happy with me she could fire me."

I smile and shake my head. "Be careful, Steve. Don't get cocky."

He closes his laptop and moves to the couch. "I know, I know. I couldn't quite resist that one."

"Don't expect me to come rescue you if you get in trouble."

I plop down next to him and rest my head on his shoulder.

"Like you would allow Waller to put a hand on me."

"I don't know, Steve. I just might."

He chuckles and rests his head against mine.

"There's something we need to discuss," I tell him. My hand automatically moves to my now noticeable belly. It's small enough that I can hide it with some relatively baggy clothes, but I won't be able to do so for long.

Steve leans sideways a little to look at my face. I see the concern in his. His eyes moving to my belly.

"Everything okay?"

"Mhm. It's just my time here in Paris. I've been here for six years. By the time the baby's born it's going to be almost seven. Remember I told you I moved every ten years to avoid suspicion of any sort?"

He nods. "I remember. Well, now. I kind of forgot about it to be completely honest."

I smile. "I know. That's why I'm bringing it up."

"What were you thinking?"

I lean my head back and sigh heavily. "I'm thinking it's going to be very complicated to keep the same plan once the baby is here. It's complicated now with your job at A.R.G.U.S. Waller keeps tabs on anyone and everything that's of interest to her. She will question why you are moving and she will definitely notice how Wonder Woman's activity seems to follow you around. That means she eventually will put two and two together and find out who I am. If she knows that Wonder Woman is Diana Prince, then she'll know about our daughter. You and I both know she's not above using anyone, child or not, to get what she wants. Waller could use her to make me or the league do something we don't want to do."

I feel Steve stand up and I straighten up. He walks around the centre table and starts pacing in front of it; hands on his hips, chewing on the inside of his cheek, frowning.

I've been thinking about this for a couple of weeks now. I debated with myself if I should say anything to Steve yet, but then I found myself becoming increasingly stressed about it as one event set off the next one and the next one in my mind, until it got to our daughter, and if it involves her, it involves Steve.

"Where had you planned to move next?"

I shake my head. "I never decided but before you came back, I had started to consider the idea of going back to Thailand."

"Thailand?"

"Yes. The number of child trafficking cases have grown alarmingly high over the years. I think I could help. But, again, it's not going to be easy doing that with a toddler to take care of."

And this train of thought is the other matter I've been struggling with. Why is my child more important than the children who are suffering in Thailand? Or any other place for that matter. One part of me answers with: because she's your child. Your duty as a mother is to protect her, first and foremost. But then the other side of me counter argues with: one does not replace the other. Becoming a mother doesn't mean you stop being Wonder Woman. What about them? Who protects them?

"Stop."

My eyes snap back to Steve. "What?"

He points at my face. "You're chewing on your lip. You only do that when your turning something over and over in your head and it's stressing you out. Stop."

I stop chewing on my lip.

He exhales loudly.

"The first thought I had right now was to quit. But, that wouldn't look good. So much was done for me to get that job and a year in, I quit? That would raise as many red flags for Waller and we would end up with the same result. We could stay in Europe, but then the child trafficking cases continue to either stay the same or go up."

I intertwine my fingers and place them behind my head supporting it. "Like I said, complicated."

Steve looks at me conflicted. I can tell he's trying to find the solution to our problem, but I really doubt he will. Not right now anyway.

"There's only one thing we can do right now." Steve says.

"What is that?"

"Call the league. I think it's time for us to tell them about her. It's four months now, after all. They can help."

I nod. "Read my mind."

Steve rubs his face and moves until he's squatting in front of me hands rubbing my thighs gently.

"How do we keep her safe? That's the question I asked you the day we found out you were pregnant. You told me we could do it, and now I'm telling you. We can keep her safe. It just needs figuring out."

He rests his hand on my belly and rubs it gently.

I'm still getting used to this. To being pregnant. Planning the future and figuring out her safety, that's been one of the most difficult parts of pregnancy, but this, this right here is one of my favourite parts.

"I know. Thank you."

"You're very welcome. Okay." He stands up and reaches for his cell phone on the centre table. "I'll text the league right now to set up a meeting and then we're going out. Get our minds off things."

I smile. "Oh yeah? What do you have in mind?"

He looks up momentarily from the screen. "Nothing. Any ideas?"

"Well, I do need to get a dress for the donor's ball. Is it weird I didn't quite realize how tight all my dresses were? I tried a couple yesterday and they were all a little too tight."

I know I mainly bought dresses that hugged my figure (served me well when I was trying to get information out of people), but I hadn't realized how tight they were until I tried to fit my pregnant body in it. I mean, it fits. But, if for whatever reason, I have to lean down or reach across something, I fear my dress might burst at the seams.

"Oh, I noticed." Steve says putting his cell phone back on the table. "I'm a fan of those dresses."

I stand up and walk up to him, putting my arms around his neck. "Oh, I noticed."

I feel Steve's arms snake around my waste, clasping his hands together on my lower back. "I can't help it. I'm only human."

"Excuses."

He smiles and closes the space between us. Steve kisses me gently and I moan quietly into his mouth. I know what that little action does to Steve and I feel him pull me closer.

I start massaging the nape of his neck and I immediately feel Steve… respond. Deciding to play with him, I pull back quite abruptly.

"Okay, then. We should get going."

I make a point of not looking at him while I put my heels back on, grab my keys and purse. I walk to the door, open it and turn to look at him.

Steve stares at me with a look of disbelief. "Are you sure you're not the goddess of deception?"

"If I am, you wouldn't know now, would you?"

He huffs, looks down and shakes his head. "I guess I wouldn't."

I smile and jerk my head towards the door. "Come on, I promise I won't take long choosing a dress. I know you don't like shopping."

Steve stuffs his hands into his pockets and walks with a certain swagger towards me.

"Angel, I enjoy anything that involves spending time with you."

He leans in and gives me a peck.

I keep my promise and a little more than two hours later, we're back home and an hour after that, we're very much naked under the covers.

"I guess that's confirmation you're not the goddess of deception," Steve says a little winded.

"I guess I'm not."

I laugh softly and lean my head on his shoulder.

A week later

"Everyone's eyes are going to be on you tonight."

I turn around finishing to put my earrings on.

I smile at Steve and look myself in the mirror. I parted my hair down the side and brought it all together in a tight bun. I opted to do my makeup with natural colours but with bright red lipstick to go with my sequenced champagne coloured dress with long sleeves and a bare back. But perhaps the most noticeable thing is the small bump which is impossible to hide in the body fitting dress.

"Do you think people will notice the bump or will they think I've just been eating a little too much?"

Steve laughs. "I don't know, but they'll be too polite to ask. Either way, all eyes on you."

I turn around and fix his tie. "Flatterer."

"Truth teller."

I smile. "We should head out. We don't want to be late."

Steve shrugs. "Maybe we could be a little late. No harm done."

I raise an eyebrow. "I'm never late, Steve. It's disrespectful."

"Then we should head out." He says with a laugh.

The ball is as grand as it could be. The most expensive cars are lined at the entrance. All waiting patiently for their turn to have the valet open their doors and for their thousand euros footwear to touch the soft red carpet laid for them. I don't dislike the event. Sometimes I even enjoy myself. What I dislike is some of the people who are invited. They couldn't care less about helping the charities the Louvre supports. They only go to flaunt their fortunes. Ever since Barbara Ann became my friend and Steve returned, I've actually been looking forward to it.

"Okay. So what should I expect, Angel? Any assholes who might try to spoil our night?"

I smile at him and then look out the car window – just a few more cars before it's our turn to make our grand entrance.

"A few here and there. Some won't even bother when they see you're with me. Some will ran in the opposite direction if they notice this." I say pointing to my belly. "And some will bother. But overall, I think we're pretty much safe."

Steve chuckles. "Good. Is Barbara Ann coming? I could use an ally when you're inevitably whisked away."

"I hope so. I tried really hard to convince her, but you know her. Barbara Ann will do as she pleases."

"Don't I know it?", he says fixing his cuffs. "I still can't believe what she texted me after you told her you were pregnant."

I laugh because I remember telling her to not bother Steve and she still did it. "Would you get over that already? It wasn't that bad!"

"Angel! I was born in the 1800s. Those words she loves to use still make me shudder. I never considered myself to be a "proper gentleman", but the things she says sometimes… my God!"

I pull out my cell phone and search in my gallery. "So I hear your little soldiers setup camp in the promise land. Now she can't leave you for another immortal man. You played your cards well. Well done, old man!".

Steve covers his ears dramatically. "What- why?! Why?!"

I lean my head back in silent laughter. Silly Steve. "Maybe we should have this screenshot framed and hang in the baby's room."

"Over my dead body", Steve says pointing at me.

I raise my hands up in surrender. "Fine. If you really feel that strongly about it. If Barbara Ann shows up today, I won't even mention it. Happy?"

"Very." He takes my hand and kisses the back of it.

The partition rolls down and our driver says,

"I hope you enjoy yourselves this evening, madame et monsieur."

"Merci á vous. Bonne soirée." I tell him just as the valet opens my door.

"Merci." Steve says with a somewhat heavy American accent.

The Louvre's charity ball is the most important charity event in the country. So naturally, there's plenty of media attention. As soon as Steve and I cross the threshold into the main lobby, all cameras turn on us. I've been successful in the past in avoiding this part of the event. But ever since I got promoted to Director of the antiquities department there's no escaping it. It's expected of me.

"Jesus." I hear Steve say.

"Count down from twenty. That's how long I usually stay. Then we walk away."

Steve nods and I start counting too. I recognize the Louvre's publicist standing by the photographers and she tells them who I am when they start asking for my name.

16, 15, 14

"Madame Prince! Over here! To your left!"

Turn left. Smile. 11, 10, 9.

"Walk a little further down. Right over here!"

8, 7, 6, 5

Walk. Stop. Smile.

4, 3, 2, 1

Look at Steve. He smiles. I smile.

"Zero", he says.

"Zero. Let's go."

I intertwine my fingers with his and walk towards the room the actual event is taking place in. I hear the photographers yell at us asking for just one more photo. But I ignore them like I usually do after twenty seconds. I'm already taking a risk as is by letting myself be photographed.

"That was intense." Steve says once it gets a little quieter.

"I know. Don't worry. That's the most chaotic part of the night. The rest of the night should be easy."

We follow the stream of people into the ballroom. The hall with its marbled floors has been dimly lit bringing a certain calm with it. The sound of soft jazz starts sipping in as we get closer. A few people acknowledge me with a simple nod of the head and I smile back.

"It looks beautiful. I wish the general public could see the museum like this." Steve says looking at the paintings adorning the hall.

I nod. "There's been talks about having a special event for your everyday person. Some members of the board are not too attracted to the idea. However much is raised, it is highly unlikely to even match today's total."

"So? It's still money raised for charity", he says a bit peeved.

"Yes, but no matter what, it's still an expense for the museum. Not much to be gained according to them."

Steve huffs. "And you have to socialize with these arrogant assholes tonight?"

I smile. "Actually, that's my mission tonight. A few weeks ago, Monsieur Martínez - remember I told you about him? He's the President-Director of the museum."

Steve nods. "Newly appointed?"

"Yes. Anyway, I ran into him when I was on my way out and he was quite mad. I barely had to say anything. I just asked him if he had a good meeting with the board and he told me all about it."

"I bet. You said he was young, right? I can't imagine being full of ideas in a room of 70 year-olds who want everything to stay the same."

"Mhmm. He asked me if I was coming tonight and I said yes. So he asked me if I would help him convince them about doing this event."

Steve raises his eyebrows. "Oh, so you're on a secret mission tonight? Don't worry. I'll get out of your way."

I squeeze his hand a little. "Actually, I might need your help. I only have to convince one of them for the rest to follow. He is married to an American and they have a son in the Armée de l'air who should be here tonight. Besides, you're never in my way."

Steve leans a little closer to me. "So we're on a mission?"

I wiggle my eyebrows and I can't help the soft laughter that bubbles up. "Yes, Captain. So do you accept this mission?"

He pretends to weigh his options for a second. "Sure. What else am I going to do? Drink alone at the bar?"

I press a light feathered kiss on his cheek to avoid leaving my lipstick on him and we head to the ballroom.

Thoughts? I don't know if it's right for me to tease, but to hell with it, I guess. Next up (hopefully it won't be another year and a half) should be the ball. Okay. Stay safe everyone. Wear a mask!