I've looked at clouds from both sides now
Characters: Neville, Nimue & Gawain Summary: Neville thinks things over
Neville turned the card over in his hands again, still smiling faintly at the news from Debi and Zach. The baby had probably been born by now, and he hoped that everything had gone smoothly for both parent and child.
While he would have wished as much before being told he was pregnant, his thoughts had a new awareness to them now. One day, roughly eight months from now, he would be going through the same thing. He wished Debi the very best of luck.
The shock of the news had worn off, but the bewilderment hadn't. Just how he had acquired the ability to carry children hadn't yet been explained, even though he had been to see the healer Zach had recommended. Abramowitz had suggested that a magical object might have had an affect on him (Neville had a sneaking suspicion who the anonymous cases he had been referring to had been) but Neville had definitely not been near anything like that, at least, not to his knowledge.
More worrying than how he could carry children, was just who had got him pregnant. It had worried Abramowitz too, and Neville had been checked to see whether anybody had recently modified his memories. Unfortunately, this test hadn't gone well, as it had been impossible to tell whether the readings had come from recent tampering or were left over from when his memories of Luna had been removed.
The only way Neville was going to find out who the father was, was when they would be able to test paternity. Until then he could only continue thinking in circles, trying to figure out who could possibly have betrayed his trust in such a way. Disturbingly, his puzzling over this was lacking in the outraged emotions he was sure he should be feeling. He could only suppose that it was because he couldn't remember what had been done to him.
Sighing, Neville looked about to check that Nimue and Gawain were still playing chase - Nimue chasing after butterflies, while Gawain chased after her. They were a picture of happiness and confirmation that Neville had made the right decision when he had been offered the option of a termination. He didn't know who the other father was, but the child was his and he knew that Luna would stand by him when he eventually got around to explaining.
Luna... He still couldn't believe how lucky he was being married to her. When he had returned after seeing Zach, he hadn't been able to explain, too upset to even try. She had accepted his assurance that he wasn't cursed or seriously ill, and hadn't pushed when he had then asked for more time before he told her exactly what was going on. He loved her for both believing in him, and in giving him his space.
Still, he knew that Luna's patience wasn't infinite, and neither was it fair for him to keep this from her much longer. He needed to start thinking about the future, and asking the right men advice, but he couldn't do that until he had told Luna.
Attention drawn by laughter, Neville watched as Nimue finished her current circuit of the lawn and made her way back towards him at her top speed tumbling toddle. Gawain followed behind at a more sedate pace, not as uncaring of falling as his sister was. They were so different already, with different priorities and different interests. How different again would another child be?
Catching hold of Nimue, Neville hugged her against him, smiling as she patted at the place on his chest where she knew the moth tattoo was. Gawain soon joined them and demanded a round of kisses.
Opening the packet of rusks Neville had brought with him, he shared out the bounty and all three munched in companionable silence, the rusks being plain enough not to bring on what was for Neville all-day sickness.
When they had finished their snack, Neville lifted the twins onto his crossed legs, supporting their backs with his arms. "I have a secret to tell you," he told them in a hushed voice. "You're not allowed to tell Mummy until I figure out how to tell her myself. You've got a little brother or sister on the way. What do you think?"
Neville hadn't really been expecting a response, but they both seemed to sense that their father needed a hug, and they bundled against him, squeezing their cheeks against his stomach and unwittingly making their first contact with their younger sibling.
Letting out a short laugh, Neville flopped onto his back, carrying the twins with him who shrieked in excitement.
While it wasn't happening in the way that he would have liked, Neville knew that, just as in the twins' case, he and Luna would get past the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy and would concentrate instead on the joy that was their growing family.