Eleven

Chapter Nineteen: Double-O-Celery

A/N: The epilogue is finished! 😍 We're nowhere near close to it, but I'm just so excited.

I've kind of been kicking myself (really hard) for how I handled last chapter and Mina. That wasn't the plan, and I've been so tempted to completely wipe that part out - but then I'd have to rewrite the past chapter. If there's one thing I dread, it's rewriting things (hence why I'd never make it as an actual author!)

Anyways, on with the show.

Chapter Nineteen: Double-O-Celery

"Sit your ass down."

I was about three seconds away from flipping him over my head. Again.

"Get out of my way, North," I repeated, tone losing any ounce of remaining patience.

"You need to relax, Sang," North pressed, resting his big paw on my shoulder in what I'm sure was supposed to be a comforting manner. My hormones translated it to confining, and they bristled.

"You're being a caveman again," I pointed out quickly, giving him my best you-better-watch-yourself-before-I-eat-an-entire-cake-just-to-spite-you look. North's lips dipped into a frown.

"When is he not?" Luke snorted helpfully from his spot on the couch.

"I haven't been out in the field in weeks, North. Weeks," I stressed, shrugging off his hold and heading for the door.

"And you better get used to it, because you're officially grounded," North declared, following on my heels.

"I'm grounded?" I echoed his proclamation, stopping in my tracks outside the doorway and spinning around to gape at him. "What for?"

"You're pregnant," North's gruff voice provided readily, brows lowering as he gestured towards my non-existent baby bump.

"Yes, and I thought we had decided that was a good thing." I pressed, wrinkling my nose. "Not cause for punishment."

"It's cause for precaution," North stressed, lifting both hands in what I assumed was supposed to be a non-threatening gesture. "Last night was overwhelming for you, Sang. First, seeing Uncle...doing that. Then telling him about the baby...I don't want you getting overworked."

"Honestly, yesterday felt like a normal day for us. And who exactly grounded me, North?" I asked, eyebrows raised. "Kota?"

"Well...," North trailed off, looking back through the doorway to his brother for help. He found none.

"Did Sean use his expert doctorly opinion to put me on bedrest at twelve weeks pregnant?" I went on, taking a step closer to his towering form. My chest brushed against his. "Because that's the only way I could possibly be grounded right now, right?"

"Sang." North dropped his head, making a face before letting out a breath. "This is hard for me."

There was nothing fair about North pouting. If he knew how well it turned my insides to mush, I was positive he'd pull out the lower lip more often.

"I know that," I agreed quietly, looping two of my fingers into the waistband of his jeans and pulling him further into the foyer with me. The sounds of Luke's TV show started to fade, and I nudged North closer to the wall. "And when we're further along in this pregnancy to the point where I can't physically do what I can now, I'll sit back and play behind the scenes. I promise, okay? But right now I'm fully capable of helping, and I don't want to be set aside yet."

"I'm not setting you aside." North's dark brow furrowed in frustration. "I'm trying to protect you and the baby."

I barely resisted rolling my eyes. He was too earnest for me to laugh at.