With different eyes

Marco wants to quit

I look at the doc blankly while Ace is still gasping for air like a fish on land. "No!" I say simply, that can't be right. "Yes it is!" the doc contradicts. I just shake my head. Surely that can't be. I think for a moment, then my face goes white. I use my fingers to help me calculate, then swallow hard. I should have had my period long ago. I'd like to say something, but my brain is at a standstill right now, and from the looks of Ace, his is too. "I'll leave you to it, you've got a lot to sort out," Doc says and leaves the room. He leaves behind an oppressive silence.

A child? On a pirate ship? And so soon? Ace is still half a child himself! Apart from the fact that he loves his freedom more than anything. I look doubtfully at Ace, who is just looking at the wall. "Ace?" I ask cautiously, simply unable to imagine what he will say. But Ace doesn't answer, still staring at the opposite wall. Of course he's not thrilled, he's a pirate. I unconsciously place my hand protectively on my stomach. I place my other hand on Ace's arm, whereupon he jerks his face towards me. I flinch, startled, while Ace looks at me with a blank expression. My lower lip begins to tremble and I swallow hard. If Ace didn't want the child, I would return to my world and raise it there. Since I know about the new life inside me, all I want to do is protect it. Tears well up in my eyes and slowly roll down my eyes. Please, what did I expect? There is no room for a child on the Moby!

Suddenly, strong arms press me against a warm chest. Ace lays his head on the top of my head and mumbles over and over: "I'm sorry!" Now I really start to cry. Sobbing, I press my face against his chest and claw my hands against his back. He doesn't want the child! Is my only thought. "Lucia, look at me!" says Ace calmly and seriously. I don't want to, don't want to see him reject our child. But Ace forces me to look at him carefully. My vision is blurred by all the tears. I can only see Ace's face in a blur. He puts his forehead to mine, just as I did to him on the Oro Jackson. "It's all good!" he says quietly, stroking my head. I'm shaking with excitement and fear, my hand still protectively over my stomach. "Do you really think I would abandon you now?" asks Ace seriously. All the mischievousness and carefree attitude is gone from his voice. I move my face from his path and look at him with hope. "You want the child?" I ask, my voice trembling with fear and hope.

"It's my child, I wouldn't leave you or the little cub, alone!" he says resolutely. I swallow the tears and then ask him fearfully, "But we are on a pirate ship!" I am still full of doubt, what are we going to do. Ace wraps his arms around me again and says, "Marco has also been here since he was a little boy! We'll manage, at least we have a bunch of babysitters to watch him!" I cling to Ace, crying, but this time out of joy. I try to calm down, but all I manage to do is hiccup. Again and again I hiccup as Ace strokes my back, laughing softly. I nestle against the crook of his neck and breathe in his scent deeply. Ace presses me tighter against him and radiates a pleasant calm. Let's see how long it lasts. I'm not so sure he'll take it so calmly, but I guess I have the prerogative to go crazy. Then I remember what we still have to do, we have to confess it to father and Marco. The first I have no qualms about, the second really scares me.

"What's wrong, why are you so scared?" asks Ace worriedly. I push him away a little and then start anxiously, "Ace, about the pregnancy..." I break off and clear my throat. "We have to tell Marco!" I finish my concern. But Ace waves it off with a grin and says, "Oh well it won't be that bad, when in doubt we'll do what's best and take our legs in our hands and hide behind father." then a, I would say stupid, expression comes over Ace's face. I look at him with my head tilted. "Ace?" I ask gently. "I'm going to be a father!" he then says, stunned. Has he only realised this now? Then he looks at me, beaming, and exclaims, "I'm going to be a father!" I look at the brainiac sceptically and beg my genes to please prevail in this case and let the child have my mind. Ace, grinning broadly, leaps to his feet and sweeps me along. Then he covers my whole face with little kisses, while I think the band is affecting Ace. The joy spills over from his side to me, so that I can do nothing but grin and rejoice. If Ace is aware of all my pregnancy hormones, then by all means, good luck!