Carrying the Flame Ch. 07-08

"I'm glad to see you haven't had an abortion," Gray said after they'd sat down.

"I almost did," Laura admitted. Gray looked at her in surprise. "I was scared and I felt alone, even though you promised to be here if I wanted you here." She stopped, looked down at her hands and sighed. "Now, I'm heavily leaning on adoption," she murmured. Before Gray could say anything else, Laura sniffled. "But I don't know if I can go through with that either," she wailed.

"What did you do?" Cooper asked before Gray could say anything.

"Nothing!" Gray denied as Cooper set the tray of drinks down on the coffee table and knelt down in front of Laura, pulling her in for a gentle hug.

"He didn't do anything Coop," Laura murmured, grateful for the friendly embrace. "I'm okay, really," she added when the tears subsided. Cooper gave her a knowing smile and handed her a mug of cocoa.

"Now, if I go back to my wife and help her with the teething infant we have at home, will the two of you actually talk and resolve something? I expect to see you both at the apartment for brunch tomorrow," Cooper wanted to know.

"We'll be there," Gray said. Cooper gave them one last glance, nodded and walked out of the apartment.

"Laura, I'm sorry, I should have tried harder to get in touch with you," Gray said softly.

"You tried pretty hard. I was just better at avoiding you and using the back door," Laura admitted.

"You were here?" Gray asked in surprise.

"Most of the time," she answered.

"So explain to me why you didn't go through with the abortion and aren't sure if you can go through with the adoption? Because I'll sign papers if you decide to go that route," Gray wanted to know.

"What if this is my only chance to have a baby?" Laura asked quietly, tears filling her eyes at the prospect.

"Oh Laura," Gray sighed. He gave her a hug then pulled away to study her. Her face was fuller, but still slender and the dark circles under her eyes worried him, but she was still beautiful. Gray's breath caught in his throat when his gaze dropped to her slightly rounded abdomen, not concealed one iota by the bathrobe.

"I knew I should have worn something baggy," Laura grumbled, misinterpreting Gray's gaze.

"Laura, you're so beautiful," Gray told her.

"Stop," Laura snapped, finishing her cocoa and setting the mug down.

"You are. If it wasn't for your obvious stress and exhaustion, you'd be glowing," Gray insisted. "In fact, you're going to take a nap and then we'll talk," he added.

"Do we have to talk?" Laura asked.

"We promised Coop," Gray reminded her.

"You promised Coop," Laura pointed out.

"Did you really want to live with the knowledge that Callie would deny him sex?" Gray asked.

"The threat of castration," Laura chuckled. Gray winced and Laura laughed. "No, I think they like sex too much," Laura said with a grin.

"Who doesn't?" Gray asked with a wicked grin. Laura blushed and tried to hide the yawn that escaped. "Go get some rest Laura, we can talk later," Gray advised.

"When you say talk, you don't me you'll be telling me to keep the baby or put the baby up for adoption do you?" Laura asked worriedly.

"No, I mean actually talk. If you want to go with adoption, then I'll sign anything you want, but if you want to keep the baby, then I'll be here for that too," Gray promised. "No judgements, no accusations, just conversation," he added. Laura pushed herself out of the chair and headed for her room, stopped just outside the door.

"Gray?" Laura asked quietly. Gray, who was heading to the kitchen with the tray, stopped and looked at her. "Will you lay with me?" she asked hesitantly. Gray swallowed and stared at her. "Will you hold me, please?" Gray gave her a warm smile, set the tray on the breakfast nook and followed her into the bedroom. "I've missed you," she whispered when she settled against the pillow, and snuggled up against Gray. Gray took a deep breath as he snaked an arm around her middle, pulling Laura closer to him.

"I've missed you too," he admitted. "Sleep now," Gray said, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her head.

Laura woke up slowly, blinked, winced at the bright light that flooded her bedroom and sat up slowly. "Gray, wake up," she said, glancing at him.

"What's wrong?" Gray asked.

"We slept all through the night, it's almost nine thirty in the morning!" Laura exclaimed.

"We have to be at Callie's and Cooper's in an hour," Gray groaned.

"Good, I'm starving," Laura said, pushing herself out of bed. "I'm going to take a shower, I'll be out soon," she added. Gray watched her walk into the bathroom and fell back against the pillows with a groan, imagining Laura naked in the shower was killing him and when she returned from the bathroom in nothing but a towel, Gray had to hide his face in a pillow.

"What's wrong?" Laura wanted to know. Gray looked up, took a deep breath which caught in his throat as the towel slid down her body. "Gray?" Laura looked at him in concern.

"You're beautiful," Gray murmured. "Absolutely beautiful." Unable to stop himself, he reached up, pulled Laura down on the bed and kissed her hard.

"Gray," Laura murmured.

"Don't think, just feel," Gray advised, kissed her again, groaned when he felt Laura's hands fumbling with the buckle of his belt. He kissed her again and helped her remove his clothing, enjoyed the sounds she made as he slid home, deep within her. They moved together as if they had never spent a day apart, came together, and loud moans echoed through the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"We were beginning to think you'd killed each other," Cooper commented as he opened the door to let his friends in. Laura blushed, and glanced at Gray who laughed.

"We're fine. I made Laura take a nap and I fell asleep too. We woke up at nine thirty this morning," Gray answered.

"Uh-huh," Cooper said with a grin as he closed the door behind him.

"Brunch will be done soon, I got sidetracked," Callia said, looking up as her friends walked into the living room. "Mason wanted to eat and refused to wait," she added, putting the now empty bottle on the end table. "As soon as I burp him, I'll be able to finish cooking," Callia said.

"I'll burp him," Laura offered.

"You sure?" Callia asked. Laura nodded and reached for Mason who laughed, squealed and reached back. "You are so your father's son," Callia said with a chuckle as she passed her son off to Laura.

"Hey there cutie," Laura murmured, giving Mason a kiss on the cheek before she slid the burp rag onto her shoulder, placed Mason against her shoulder and began gently patting his back until he burped. Laura was concentrating so deeply on Mason that she didn't see Gray watching her or Cooper and Callia watching them.

CHAPTER EIGHT

"Laura, we still need to talk about what we're going to do," Gray said softly as he held the apartment door open for her.

"I know," Laura said with a sigh.

"What's with the sigh?" Gray asked.

"It felt so right holding Mason, but ..."

"But what?" Gray prodded.

"I don't want to be a single mom and I don't want to trap you into anything," Laura murmured.

"Laura, do you want to keep the baby?" Gray asked. Unable to deny the truth from herself any longer, Laura nodded. "Then keep the baby. I'm not going anywhere," he told her.

"I don't want to trap you," Laura protested.

"Laura, I don't feel trapped. I knew the risks of not using any form of birth control and I chose to take them, same as you did. I've had plenty of time to think about this and I want to be a part of our baby's life," Gray said, his voice was low, gentle and the words, 'our baby's life' sent a shiver down Laura's spine and tears came to her eyes. "Don't cry," he murmured.

"I ... I don't know what to say," Laura whispered.

"Don't say anything, just take a deep breath and relax knowing that you don't have to do this alone any more," Gray told her. With those words, the dam broke and the tears streamed down Laura's face like a raging river. Gray swore under his breath and pulled Laura in for a hug. "Please stop crying," he murmured, a helpless feeling over took him until Laura's sobs subsided and she gave him a wry grin.

"I'm sorry, I'm really hormonal right now," Laura said with a laugh.

"It's okay," Gray assured her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So what's going on with you and Gray?" Callia asked while she and Laura waited for their lunch at a local Chinese restaurant.

"He's moved in and says he wants to be involved," Laura answered, taking a sip of her soda.

"That's good," Callia murmured, spooned a bit of baby carrots into Mason's mouth.

"I guess, but I still feel like I'm trapping him," Laura sighed.

"Laura, if he didn't want to be involved, he wouldn't be," Callia gently scolded her friend. "You aren't trapping him," she added. They stopped talking as the waiter brought out their food and set it down in front of them.

"I know, but ..."

"No buts! Stop being such a baby about this Laura and accept that he doesn't feel trapped and that he wants to be with you!" Callia exclaimed. Laura sighed, took a bite of her food and said nothing. "Laura, I mean it. You're acting like you have to do this on your own, that you're going to burden anyone who tries to help you and you're not," Callia said more gently.

Before Laura could say anything, an older couple walked past the table, stopped and walked over to the girls.

"This restaurant is too classy for a couple of whores and their spawn!" the old woman snapped.

"Excuse me?" Callia asked, raising an eye brow, a spoonful of baby food poised in the air. Mason squealed and lunged forward in the high chair; Callia spooned the baby food into her son's mouth and set the spoon down in the jar.

"You heard me. You little sluts need to leave this restaurant and not come back!" the woman exclaimed.

"Sorry we're late," Gray and Cooper said, coming to a stop beside the table. Cooper glanced between Callia and the old couple.

"What's going on?" Cooper asked.

"We've been insulted by an old biddy," Callia answered, trying to control her anger. "How were classes?" she asked.

"How have you been insulted?" Cooper asked, refusing to let it go.

"These little sluts came into this restaurant and ..." the old woman gasped as Cooper turned to her, a look of intense anger in his eyes.

"That is my wife and my friend you are talking about," Cooper's voice was low and dangerous.

"Neither of them are sluts," Gray added.

"Unmarried and pregnant makes you a slut," the woman said, refusing to back down.

"Look lady, your opinion is your opinion, however, when you go around and verbally attacking people, you cross a line. As a future lawyer, I can tell you can be sued for slander," Cooper told her.

"Is there a problem here?" an Asian man asked, walking up to them, introduced himself as the manager.

"Yes, there is. This woman is insulting my wife and my friend here," Cooper answered.

"I can't believe you let whores and sluts into this restaurant! It used to be such an upscale establishment," the woman sniffed. The manager turned to the woman in surprise and sighed.

"Ma'am, I can't have you insulting patrons. I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave," the manager told her. The woman opened her mouth to argue. "I'll call the police if you don't leave," the manager added. The old woman sniffed again but stalked from the dining room. "I apologize ladies. Your meals today will be free, is there anything else I can do for you?" the manager asked.

"A couple carry out boxes. I'm not hungry anymore," Laura said.

"Neither am I," Callia admitted.

"Are you okay?" Gray asked Laura that night as they got ready for bed. Ever since the incident at the Chinese restaurant, Laura had been very quiet, smiling only when she felt the baby move within her or when Mason did something cute.

"I'm just thinking. Maybe she's right, maybe I am a slut. I'm pregnant, and I'm not in a relationship with the father, let alone married to him," Laura sighed.

"What do you mean we aren't in a relationship? Laura, I've moved in, I've gone to your doctor's appointments, we've gone on dates, we've made love," Gray reminded her.

"I know," Laura whispered.

"Do you want more?" Gray asked.

"What do you mean, do I want more?" Laura asked.

"Do you want marriage?" Gray asked.

"I don't want to force you into anything," Laura said softly.

"You aren't forcing me into anything. Just answer the question; do you want marriage?" Gray asked again.

"I don't know," Laura murmured. "Why?" she asked. Gray reached into his coat pocket as Laura sank down into the couch. "Gray?" Laura asked.

Her eyes widened when Gray dropped down on one knee in front of her and opened a small box. "Laura, will you marry me?" Gray asked.