fic: the world if we could (rpf: stargate sg1)
prettylightsfic ficathon: dizzydame requested ben/claudia and something dealing with pregnancy, low on the angst.
STATUS: Complete
SUMMARY: He doesn't know what he wants to know first.
RATING: PG
CLASSIFICATIONS: Ben/Claudia
ARCHIVING: Do not archive. Thank you.
NOTES: This story is RPF (real person fiction). If that bothers you, turn away now.
THANKS TO: phrenitis for the beta.
WORDS: 1,192
DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Don't sue.
Copyright anr; December 2009.
* * * * *
The World If We Could by anr
* * * * *
She calls him at midnight. "Are you busy?" she asks. "Can I see you?"
Hitting pause on the DVD he's watching, he sits up a little straighter. "Are you okay? Is --"
"No, no -- I'm fine, I'm okay. I just need to get out of the house for a bit, yeah?"
"Yeah." Standing up, he looks around absently, wondering where his wallet is. "Where are you?" A thought occurs to him. "Oh God, you're not in Sydney, are you?"
She laughs. "No, still in Vancouver." He breathes out in relief. "Meet me?"
His wallet is on the hall table, next to his keys. Palming both, he glances at his watch. "I can be downtown in twenty."
"The pub?"
He nods. "I'll be there."
She's waiting for him in the parking lot when he arrives. Walking over, she wraps her arms around him as soon as he's clear of his car, holding on tight, and even though she'd reassured him on the phone, he starts to worry again.
"Claud?" He ducks his head, his cheek brushing her hair. "Claud, baby, what --?"
She tips her head back and meets his gaze, a pleased expression slowly settling on her features.
"I'm pregnant."
"Wow. Wow. I mean --" He glances at her as they slip into a booth near the fire exit. "-- it is wow, right? This is good news, yeah?"
She nods, smiling. "It is."
"Wow." Reaching across the table, he takes one of her hands in his. "Congratulations, baby." He grins. "Wow."
She laughs. "Okay, okay. Enough with the wow'ing." She turns her hand over in his. "Use your words, Ben."
"Words, huh?" He doesn't know what he wants to know first. "When are you due? How long have you known? What did Jamie say when you told him? Are your parents excited? Do you know what you're having? Can I call him or her --?" He clucks his tongue in a bad mimicry of her Peacekeeper days.
She laughs again. "Stop, God. One question at a time, you loon."
Leaning forward, he brings her hand to his mouth and kisses her fingers. He grins. "Well?"
"Oh, God." She sucks in a deep breath. "Let's see. Um. December -- a couple of hours -- you're the first person I've told -- no -- and, um, if you must? I don't know." She laughs again, bright and breathless. "To tell you the truth, I really don't know anything yet."
"Except that you're pregnant," he says.
She nods. "Except that."
He smiles. "Wow."
"What will you do about your new show?"
She shrugs, fiddling with the straw in her drink. "They'll probably recast."
"Maybe they'll write it in for you?" Even as he says it, he knows it's a long shot.
"Maybe," she says, but her tone is dubious and he knows she's thinking the same thing.
He brightens suddenly. "Wait, how about this -- I'll get Coop to bring you back. Make it so Vala doesn't die, and all that."
She snorts. "Don't you think it's still a little early for you to be making requests? You've only been on the show a few months."
He shakes his head, a thousand and one possibilities flooding him the more he thinks about it. "Are you kidding? Our fans would love it."
"Honey, as sweet as it sounds, I think Coop will be more concerned about the Stargate fans, somehow."
"Pfft." Grabbing a napkin, he scribbles on it quickly. "Think about it -- you and me, together again."
She peers at his sketch. "Two stick figures and a lopsided banana? Really? That's your pitch?"
"Banana my ass, that's Winona."
She rolls her eyes. "Of course it is."
"Don't you be knocking my gun, woman."
Slapping at his arm, she gives him a look. "Woman?"
He chuckles, completely unashamed. "You love it."
She scoffs. "I'd love my own gun more."
"Easily fixed." He quickly draws in a second weapon. "There."
"The continuing adventures of John, Aeryn and their demented bananas?"
He grins. "Sounds like a ratings draw to me."
"I've got it!" he says, interrupting the story she's spinning about a barbeque he'd missed at Gigi's during the winter. "Ben Junior."
She blinks, confused, but he doesn't elaborate, just waits. After a moment, a slow smile appears. "And if it's a boy?" she asks.
He shrugs. "Ben Junior?"
She laughs.
The bar kicks them out at closing time, and he slings an arm around her shoulders, tucking her in close, as they make their way out to his car.
"You need a ride?"
She shakes her head. "Nah -- I've a rental over there."
He changes directions smoothly. "So what're you going to do now? Wake up Jamie and give him the news of his life? Screw the time difference and call your parents?"
She laughs. "Sort of. I gave Jamie a riddle before I left -- he should have it figured out by the time I get home."
That explains the request for a late night meeting, he thinks. She never could keep a secret when pressed. "And if he doesn't?"
They're at her car now, and she points to the IT'S A BABY! balloon floating above the backseat. "Subtle enough clue?"
He laughs. "What about your parents?"
Her tone is innocent, her smile mischievous. "What time difference?"
Turning to face her, he wraps both arms around her, smiling. "I really am happy for you, baby. Congratulations."
"I know." Leaning up, she kisses him sweetly. "Thank you."
He smiles, and pushes her hair back off her shoulders. "You're welcome."
Letting her go, he steps aside as she unlocks and opens her car door, sliding into the drivers seat. She looks up at him. "Good luck on the show, yeah? Behave yourself."
He shrugs, grinning. "Maybe."
"Ben --"
"What? I'm just sayin' -- might need you to come back and keep me in line, is all."
She rolls her eyes. "I think I'm going to be busy enough with Ben Junior."
He laughs, shutting her door for her as she starts the car, putting the window down. "'Night, Claud."
She smiles. "'Night."
Standing back, he watches her pull out and drive away, waiting until she's cleared the parking lot before turning and heading to his own car.
He's still smiling when he gets home and lets himself inside, settling back onto his couch and automatically reaching for the remote. He unpauses the DVD, and watches the screen come back to life, but the storyline is gone and forgotten and all he can think now is, Claudia's having a baby, she's pregnant, she's going to be a mommy just like I'm a daddy and --
Wow.
Leaning back into the cushions, he pulls his cell out of his pocket and starts scrolling through his contacts list before noticing the time. Reluctantly, he flips it closed again and closes his eyes.
Pregnant, he thinks, and smiles.
He'll call Coop in the morning.
* * * * *
The End.
FEEDBACK: Always appreciated. *g*
STATUS: Complete
SUMMARY: He doesn't know what he wants to know first.
RATING: PG
CLASSIFICATIONS: Ben/Claudia
ARCHIVING: Do not archive. Thank you.
NOTES: This story is RPF (real person fiction). If that bothers you, turn away now.
THANKS TO: phrenitis for the beta.
WORDS: 1,192
DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Don't sue.
Copyright anr; December 2009.
* * * * *
The World If We Could by anr
* * * * *
She calls him at midnight. "Are you busy?" she asks. "Can I see you?"
Hitting pause on the DVD he's watching, he sits up a little straighter. "Are you okay? Is --"
"No, no -- I'm fine, I'm okay. I just need to get out of the house for a bit, yeah?"
"Yeah." Standing up, he looks around absently, wondering where his wallet is. "Where are you?" A thought occurs to him. "Oh God, you're not in Sydney, are you?"
She laughs. "No, still in Vancouver." He breathes out in relief. "Meet me?"
His wallet is on the hall table, next to his keys. Palming both, he glances at his watch. "I can be downtown in twenty."
"The pub?"
He nods. "I'll be there."
She's waiting for him in the parking lot when he arrives. Walking over, she wraps her arms around him as soon as he's clear of his car, holding on tight, and even though she'd reassured him on the phone, he starts to worry again.
"Claud?" He ducks his head, his cheek brushing her hair. "Claud, baby, what --?"
She tips her head back and meets his gaze, a pleased expression slowly settling on her features.
"I'm pregnant."
"Wow. Wow. I mean --" He glances at her as they slip into a booth near the fire exit. "-- it is wow, right? This is good news, yeah?"
She nods, smiling. "It is."
"Wow." Reaching across the table, he takes one of her hands in his. "Congratulations, baby." He grins. "Wow."
She laughs. "Okay, okay. Enough with the wow'ing." She turns her hand over in his. "Use your words, Ben."
"Words, huh?" He doesn't know what he wants to know first. "When are you due? How long have you known? What did Jamie say when you told him? Are your parents excited? Do you know what you're having? Can I call him or her --?" He clucks his tongue in a bad mimicry of her Peacekeeper days.
She laughs again. "Stop, God. One question at a time, you loon."
Leaning forward, he brings her hand to his mouth and kisses her fingers. He grins. "Well?"
"Oh, God." She sucks in a deep breath. "Let's see. Um. December -- a couple of hours -- you're the first person I've told -- no -- and, um, if you must? I don't know." She laughs again, bright and breathless. "To tell you the truth, I really don't know anything yet."
"Except that you're pregnant," he says.
She nods. "Except that."
He smiles. "Wow."
"What will you do about your new show?"
She shrugs, fiddling with the straw in her drink. "They'll probably recast."
"Maybe they'll write it in for you?" Even as he says it, he knows it's a long shot.
"Maybe," she says, but her tone is dubious and he knows she's thinking the same thing.
He brightens suddenly. "Wait, how about this -- I'll get Coop to bring you back. Make it so Vala doesn't die, and all that."
She snorts. "Don't you think it's still a little early for you to be making requests? You've only been on the show a few months."
He shakes his head, a thousand and one possibilities flooding him the more he thinks about it. "Are you kidding? Our fans would love it."
"Honey, as sweet as it sounds, I think Coop will be more concerned about the Stargate fans, somehow."
"Pfft." Grabbing a napkin, he scribbles on it quickly. "Think about it -- you and me, together again."
She peers at his sketch. "Two stick figures and a lopsided banana? Really? That's your pitch?"
"Banana my ass, that's Winona."
She rolls her eyes. "Of course it is."
"Don't you be knocking my gun, woman."
Slapping at his arm, she gives him a look. "Woman?"
He chuckles, completely unashamed. "You love it."
She scoffs. "I'd love my own gun more."
"Easily fixed." He quickly draws in a second weapon. "There."
"The continuing adventures of John, Aeryn and their demented bananas?"
He grins. "Sounds like a ratings draw to me."
"I've got it!" he says, interrupting the story she's spinning about a barbeque he'd missed at Gigi's during the winter. "Ben Junior."
She blinks, confused, but he doesn't elaborate, just waits. After a moment, a slow smile appears. "And if it's a boy?" she asks.
He shrugs. "Ben Junior?"
She laughs.
The bar kicks them out at closing time, and he slings an arm around her shoulders, tucking her in close, as they make their way out to his car.
"You need a ride?"
She shakes her head. "Nah -- I've a rental over there."
He changes directions smoothly. "So what're you going to do now? Wake up Jamie and give him the news of his life? Screw the time difference and call your parents?"
She laughs. "Sort of. I gave Jamie a riddle before I left -- he should have it figured out by the time I get home."
That explains the request for a late night meeting, he thinks. She never could keep a secret when pressed. "And if he doesn't?"
They're at her car now, and she points to the IT'S A BABY! balloon floating above the backseat. "Subtle enough clue?"
He laughs. "What about your parents?"
Her tone is innocent, her smile mischievous. "What time difference?"
Turning to face her, he wraps both arms around her, smiling. "I really am happy for you, baby. Congratulations."
"I know." Leaning up, she kisses him sweetly. "Thank you."
He smiles, and pushes her hair back off her shoulders. "You're welcome."
Letting her go, he steps aside as she unlocks and opens her car door, sliding into the drivers seat. She looks up at him. "Good luck on the show, yeah? Behave yourself."
He shrugs, grinning. "Maybe."
"Ben --"
"What? I'm just sayin' -- might need you to come back and keep me in line, is all."
She rolls her eyes. "I think I'm going to be busy enough with Ben Junior."
He laughs, shutting her door for her as she starts the car, putting the window down. "'Night, Claud."
She smiles. "'Night."
Standing back, he watches her pull out and drive away, waiting until she's cleared the parking lot before turning and heading to his own car.
He's still smiling when he gets home and lets himself inside, settling back onto his couch and automatically reaching for the remote. He unpauses the DVD, and watches the screen come back to life, but the storyline is gone and forgotten and all he can think now is, Claudia's having a baby, she's pregnant, she's going to be a mommy just like I'm a daddy and --
Wow.
Leaning back into the cushions, he pulls his cell out of his pocket and starts scrolling through his contacts list before noticing the time. Reluctantly, he flips it closed again and closes his eyes.
Pregnant, he thinks, and smiles.
He'll call Coop in the morning.
* * * * *
The End.
FEEDBACK: Always appreciated. *g*