Wildberry 29 & Rhubarb 30
Author: Casey
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy universe, Post NIEE
Challenges: Wildberry 29 (announcement) & Rhubarb 30 (all's well that ends well)
Toppings & Extras: Caramel, Milkeshake
Word Count: 1,443
Rating: PG
Summary: Sage asks Sorin something important.
Notes: Fluff with a bit of plot. Day 3 of the 1k Marathon.
Sage swung off her horse and absently looped the reins around the post as she stared at the small house that had come to signify home to her and quite a few others over the years. She hesitated a moment outside, patting her horse on the neck, trying to psyche herself up for the conversation to follow. It had been almost a month since her discovery, and subsequent panic, over the fact she was pregnant and now she knew it was past time to tell Sorin, Dean and Carrie. Nate had left two days previous to meet Corinne in Bejen for a quick job on her insistence. She appreciated his willingness to be here for this, but this was her closest family, both blood and otherwise, and somehow she knew she had to do it on her own.
“Oh, hey, Sage, I thought I heard a horse,” Dean’s voice sounded behind her.
She started, looking back, hand nervously going to her slightly expanded stomach. “Hey, Deany,” she said. “I assume Sorin’s around?”
“Yeah. He’s inside working. You okay?” he asked, falling into step beside her as they headed for the house.
“Yes, well, mostly. Carrie about?”
Dean nodded, eyeing her, but letting it drop until they were inside. “Want me to get her?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“Sure.” He bounded off through the house as Sage knocked briefly on the study door and stepped inside.
Sorin brightened. “Sage! Hey! I wasn’t expecting to see you today. Get Nate safely off?”
She smiled, flopping across from him. “Yeah, he should have reached Bejen this morning. Corinne’s loving having the connection here.”
Her uncle chuckled. “I bet she is. Only pirate allowed to dock legally in Tira. What brings you to visit?”
“I’ve got something to tell all three of you and…well, a favor to ask.”
Sorin looked amused. “The answer is yes.”
“You haven’t even heard it yet.”
“Has that ever mattered?”
She rolled her eyes, but had to think that that was exactly why she was asking. “This is a pretty big favor,” she told him as her cousin and his wife entered the room. “Hi, Carrie.”
“Hey, Sage,” Carrie said, waiting for Dean to sit before settling herself comfortably in his lap.
Sage looked between the three and then blurted it. “I’m pregnant.”
All three stared at her, obviously trying to get an idea of her mood before they said anything.
“I’ve known for over a month,” she said, to save them the trouble of puzzling it all out. “Nate and I have talked a lot about it and…we want to try it. Neither of us is really comfortable with the idea of someone else raising our child and…Nate’s always thought we could handle it and I…I think he’s right. I think we can do this, especially with all the help I’m sure we’ll have from all of you.”
Sorin looked relieved. “I’m glad to hear that, Sage, and of course we’ll be all the help we can be.” He reached across the desk to pat her shoulder. “I’m proud of you,” he said with a smile. “You’ve come so far. I bet Nate’s ecstatic.”
“He is, once we got through our initial panics. He’s going to tell Corinne he’s out for a while unless it’s an emergency. You know him. He was excited enough at the prospect of being an uncle.”
Dean slithered out from under Carrie and pounced her in a hug. “Now I get to be the uncle! This is awesome! Have you seen a doctor yet?”
“Yeah, when we were up in Oakbridge last week. From what Ann could tell, I’m almost three months along and everything seems to be healthy.”
“I’m sure it will be,” Carrie said with a wide smile. “Congratulations, Sage!”
“You two aren’t…annoyed?” she asked carefully. “I know you’ve been trying.”
Dean flopped onto Carrie’s lap and laughed. “Of course we aren’t. It’ll happen when it happens. We’re both young enough we’re not worried. I think Dad’s more anxious than us. He’s looking forward to grandchildren.”
Sage shifted, biting her lip and glancing at Sorin. “That reminds me…”
“Right, the favor. What can we do for you?” he asked.
She looked down at her lap, at the fingers interlaced over her slowly expanding tummy. “I know my mother is still alive, but I…it still feels like I’m an orphan and Nate only has an uncle left, though at least I’ve got a blood aunt, uncle and cousin.” She tightened her grip across her abdomen, before looking up. “I want this child to have as close to a normal life as possible with us as his parents and…well, with KIN and the Anteater being as it is and…” Now, as it came to it, despite her hours of thinking it through from every angle, she felt absurd. Sage forced herself to look Sorin in the eye and just try to get it out. “Sorin, I would…can you…Gods’ Breath,” she said, feeling it had sounded so good in her head.
“What is it, Sage?” he asked softly, but with a suspicious hitch in his voice that made Sage wonder if he somehow guessed.
She kept his gaze, noticing out of the corner of her eye that both Carrie and Dean had gone still other than Dean’s darting eyes. “Nate and I agree. We’d like our child to have a real grandparent. Someone they can call Grandpa without there being any question whether or not they…have that right. Sorin, you’ve been my father since almost the moment we met thirteen years ago in everything but the actual title. I…know it’s just a formality, but I’d like to make it official anyway, if you would like.”
Sorin stared at her, eyes suspiciously shiny.
“I know you’ve got Dean and it doesn’t really change anything for you and me, really, but…I want it for our child or children. They deserve to have you as a grandfather in more than just a theoretical sense and..." she trailed off, well aware she was coming perilously close to babbling.
He said nothing, standing and coming around her side of the desk before pulling her to her feet and hugging her tightly. “Of course, Sage. I…are you sure?”
“Positive.” She laughed, throat thick. “I’m not sure I’ve wanted anything more. You deserve the title more than anyone I know.”
She had never seen her uncle cry - and she knew, even when this adoption went through, she probably would never actually think of him as her father. Uncle had become synonymous with father for her. That changed now as Sorin hastily wiped at his eyes. “Thank you,” he said, catching her eye.
She smiled crookedly. “I love you, Sorin.”
“I love you too, Sage, and I’m excited for you and Nate. I’ll…I’ll go up to Oakbridge tomorrow. I’d better have Ren smooth this one over considering a request from Sorin Dakamar might still raise eyebrows,” he said with a wry grin.
Dean now tackled both in a hug. “Best day ever,” he said, beaming. “I’m going to be an uncle and I technically get a sister!”
Sage reached out and punched him in the arm. “You’ve already had a sister, dipshit.”
His grin never faltered. “I like when things are official,” he said righteously. “And I really like the idea of being an uncle. And of your kid having a grandparent. At least Care and I each still have a parent so our future kids will have two. What are we going to have them call Dad?”
She laughed, stepping back from Sorin. “Grandpa?”
“That’s boring.”
“That’s perfect,” Sorin said with enough happiness that Sage knew Dean wouldn’t argue any further.
Carrie chuckled. “Sounds good to me. Mom’s already been dropping ‘Nana’ hints. I think Grandpa and Nana has a nice ring to it.”
By now, Sorin has recovered enough that at least there weren’t any fresh tears as he kept his arm around Sage’s shoulders. “Have you told Russ yet?”
“No, Nate and I told Mal and Morgan the night before he left since Morgan was getting suspicious at my weight gain, but I haven’t gotten to Russ yet.”
“Good. I think this deserves a celebration. We’ll have another after Nate gets home and when Colin’s here, but let’s get Morgan, Mal and the kids from town as well as some fresh food and we’ll get Shannon, Russ and the kids to come over as well.”
Sage grinned, ducking her head even as she managed a nod. Maybe this whole ‘having a kid’ thing would work out. Either way, she had her family and that was all that mattered in the long run.
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy universe, Post NIEE
Challenges: Wildberry 29 (announcement) & Rhubarb 30 (all's well that ends well)
Toppings & Extras: Caramel, Milkeshake
Word Count: 1,443
Rating: PG
Summary: Sage asks Sorin something important.
Notes: Fluff with a bit of plot. Day 3 of the 1k Marathon.
Sage swung off her horse and absently looped the reins around the post as she stared at the small house that had come to signify home to her and quite a few others over the years. She hesitated a moment outside, patting her horse on the neck, trying to psyche herself up for the conversation to follow. It had been almost a month since her discovery, and subsequent panic, over the fact she was pregnant and now she knew it was past time to tell Sorin, Dean and Carrie. Nate had left two days previous to meet Corinne in Bejen for a quick job on her insistence. She appreciated his willingness to be here for this, but this was her closest family, both blood and otherwise, and somehow she knew she had to do it on her own.
“Oh, hey, Sage, I thought I heard a horse,” Dean’s voice sounded behind her.
She started, looking back, hand nervously going to her slightly expanded stomach. “Hey, Deany,” she said. “I assume Sorin’s around?”
“Yeah. He’s inside working. You okay?” he asked, falling into step beside her as they headed for the house.
“Yes, well, mostly. Carrie about?”
Dean nodded, eyeing her, but letting it drop until they were inside. “Want me to get her?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“Sure.” He bounded off through the house as Sage knocked briefly on the study door and stepped inside.
Sorin brightened. “Sage! Hey! I wasn’t expecting to see you today. Get Nate safely off?”
She smiled, flopping across from him. “Yeah, he should have reached Bejen this morning. Corinne’s loving having the connection here.”
Her uncle chuckled. “I bet she is. Only pirate allowed to dock legally in Tira. What brings you to visit?”
“I’ve got something to tell all three of you and…well, a favor to ask.”
Sorin looked amused. “The answer is yes.”
“You haven’t even heard it yet.”
“Has that ever mattered?”
She rolled her eyes, but had to think that that was exactly why she was asking. “This is a pretty big favor,” she told him as her cousin and his wife entered the room. “Hi, Carrie.”
“Hey, Sage,” Carrie said, waiting for Dean to sit before settling herself comfortably in his lap.
Sage looked between the three and then blurted it. “I’m pregnant.”
All three stared at her, obviously trying to get an idea of her mood before they said anything.
“I’ve known for over a month,” she said, to save them the trouble of puzzling it all out. “Nate and I have talked a lot about it and…we want to try it. Neither of us is really comfortable with the idea of someone else raising our child and…Nate’s always thought we could handle it and I…I think he’s right. I think we can do this, especially with all the help I’m sure we’ll have from all of you.”
Sorin looked relieved. “I’m glad to hear that, Sage, and of course we’ll be all the help we can be.” He reached across the desk to pat her shoulder. “I’m proud of you,” he said with a smile. “You’ve come so far. I bet Nate’s ecstatic.”
“He is, once we got through our initial panics. He’s going to tell Corinne he’s out for a while unless it’s an emergency. You know him. He was excited enough at the prospect of being an uncle.”
Dean slithered out from under Carrie and pounced her in a hug. “Now I get to be the uncle! This is awesome! Have you seen a doctor yet?”
“Yeah, when we were up in Oakbridge last week. From what Ann could tell, I’m almost three months along and everything seems to be healthy.”
“I’m sure it will be,” Carrie said with a wide smile. “Congratulations, Sage!”
“You two aren’t…annoyed?” she asked carefully. “I know you’ve been trying.”
Dean flopped onto Carrie’s lap and laughed. “Of course we aren’t. It’ll happen when it happens. We’re both young enough we’re not worried. I think Dad’s more anxious than us. He’s looking forward to grandchildren.”
Sage shifted, biting her lip and glancing at Sorin. “That reminds me…”
“Right, the favor. What can we do for you?” he asked.
She looked down at her lap, at the fingers interlaced over her slowly expanding tummy. “I know my mother is still alive, but I…it still feels like I’m an orphan and Nate only has an uncle left, though at least I’ve got a blood aunt, uncle and cousin.” She tightened her grip across her abdomen, before looking up. “I want this child to have as close to a normal life as possible with us as his parents and…well, with KIN and the Anteater being as it is and…” Now, as it came to it, despite her hours of thinking it through from every angle, she felt absurd. Sage forced herself to look Sorin in the eye and just try to get it out. “Sorin, I would…can you…Gods’ Breath,” she said, feeling it had sounded so good in her head.
“What is it, Sage?” he asked softly, but with a suspicious hitch in his voice that made Sage wonder if he somehow guessed.
She kept his gaze, noticing out of the corner of her eye that both Carrie and Dean had gone still other than Dean’s darting eyes. “Nate and I agree. We’d like our child to have a real grandparent. Someone they can call Grandpa without there being any question whether or not they…have that right. Sorin, you’ve been my father since almost the moment we met thirteen years ago in everything but the actual title. I…know it’s just a formality, but I’d like to make it official anyway, if you would like.”
Sorin stared at her, eyes suspiciously shiny.
“I know you’ve got Dean and it doesn’t really change anything for you and me, really, but…I want it for our child or children. They deserve to have you as a grandfather in more than just a theoretical sense and..." she trailed off, well aware she was coming perilously close to babbling.
He said nothing, standing and coming around her side of the desk before pulling her to her feet and hugging her tightly. “Of course, Sage. I…are you sure?”
“Positive.” She laughed, throat thick. “I’m not sure I’ve wanted anything more. You deserve the title more than anyone I know.”
She had never seen her uncle cry - and she knew, even when this adoption went through, she probably would never actually think of him as her father. Uncle had become synonymous with father for her. That changed now as Sorin hastily wiped at his eyes. “Thank you,” he said, catching her eye.
She smiled crookedly. “I love you, Sorin.”
“I love you too, Sage, and I’m excited for you and Nate. I’ll…I’ll go up to Oakbridge tomorrow. I’d better have Ren smooth this one over considering a request from Sorin Dakamar might still raise eyebrows,” he said with a wry grin.
Dean now tackled both in a hug. “Best day ever,” he said, beaming. “I’m going to be an uncle and I technically get a sister!”
Sage reached out and punched him in the arm. “You’ve already had a sister, dipshit.”
His grin never faltered. “I like when things are official,” he said righteously. “And I really like the idea of being an uncle. And of your kid having a grandparent. At least Care and I each still have a parent so our future kids will have two. What are we going to have them call Dad?”
She laughed, stepping back from Sorin. “Grandpa?”
“That’s boring.”
“That’s perfect,” Sorin said with enough happiness that Sage knew Dean wouldn’t argue any further.
Carrie chuckled. “Sounds good to me. Mom’s already been dropping ‘Nana’ hints. I think Grandpa and Nana has a nice ring to it.”
By now, Sorin has recovered enough that at least there weren’t any fresh tears as he kept his arm around Sage’s shoulders. “Have you told Russ yet?”
“No, Nate and I told Mal and Morgan the night before he left since Morgan was getting suspicious at my weight gain, but I haven’t gotten to Russ yet.”
“Good. I think this deserves a celebration. We’ll have another after Nate gets home and when Colin’s here, but let’s get Morgan, Mal and the kids from town as well as some fresh food and we’ll get Shannon, Russ and the kids to come over as well.”
Sage grinned, ducking her head even as she managed a nod. Maybe this whole ‘having a kid’ thing would work out. Either way, she had her family and that was all that mattered in the long run.