The Intervention

The Baby

We were beamed into the living room and J'onn lifted me into his arms and settled into the couch. His large hand carefully placed itself on my stomach, both of us lost in our own thoughts.

The silence was interrupted by the rumbling skies outside which slowly darkened as the minutes passed us by. I trace idle patterns over the back of his hand, finally deciding to voice my thoughts.

'I want to give this a try J'onn, there is a chance that everything will work out.' His eyes focus on my stomach as I say this, a flicker of fear passes through his features before he schools his expression to a smile.

He's scared.

I don't know how to process this typically stoic pillar of strength being so terrified. I can understand his fear, after already losing his former wife and child, the last thing is needs is to lose another woman of his life and child. There are no words we can offer each other, so we settle into another heavy silence.

Minutes pass us by until the jarring crack of thunder pulls us back to our senses. J'onn laces his fingers with utmost care into my hair and tilts my head up to his. His lips press against my forehead and the deep rumbling of the Martian language surrounds me as he prays to his own gods.

I don't know what to make of it. I've never seen him pray and I've even heard of his prayers before this.

It sounds like a spell being cast with his baritone voice making each word travel straight to the center of my body. It's no surprise that it's a prayer for protection. Both the child and I need as much help as we can get once things really get going and at this point only the gods can help.

The words come to an end and he pulls back to fix his red gaze on me.

'I will not lose you.'

The intent behind those words leave me helpless and I throw my arms around his neck, pressing my mouth to his. He kisses back with agonizing care. Gentle fingers pulling me close, his lips brushing against mine as if I would break under his passion.

'I love you.' He echoes the sentiment into my head while pulling away from me.

The sky opens up and the sound of rain drops hitting the roof finally fills the silence we found ourselves in. The careful tension breaks and J'onn offers to make dinner. He refuses my help and instead surrounds me with pillows and a blanket. This man is going to be impossible.

And impossible he is.

Ever since that day, J'onn has refused to let me do any lifting, cooking and cleaning.

At first I protested but once the days turned to I couldn't help him even if I wanted to. It turns out that a Martian pregnancy last around 10 months and at the end of my first month I started sleeping over 18 hours a day. Food held little appeal and most what I ate made its way back up. My emotions made no sense even to myself; I would wake up from my constant naps in a state of sorrow, fear or joy. My temper had completely died and been replaced with the water works.

J'onn worked through all of this with painstaking care, watching his words and actions to the point of annoyance. He always had food ready whenever I woke up, he held my hair back when I threw up whatever I'd eaten, and he would put me to sleep when my emotions left me near hysterical. It was taking its toll on him.

He never snapped but his eyes burned duller, his mind was constantly restless whenever I used our link to listen to his inner thoughts. I had seen him look better after missions! I had had enough of it. The love of my life was going to work himself to death before the baby would even finish forming.