SYNCHRONICITY (The Lone Wolf)

Bonus - Who's Your Daddy?

Alison lay curled up beneath the blankets on the mattress she shared with Sebastian. He stood in the doorway, half expecting her to jump up and run past him to the bathroom. In his hand was the telephone receiver, it's tether stretched as far as it would go as he looked in on her from the doorway. "Yeah, she's sleeping for now," he said quietly. "Finally..."

The person on the other end was his father who had visited him in his dreams as the Indian Guide. He had removed a handcrafted baby's rattle made of bone and beads from his medicine pouch and gave it to him. "Make an appointment and get confirmation," he said.

"She already has, Dad. We'll be leaving in a couple of hours."

"Good. And do not take her on that bike of yours. Borrow Christopher's car," he warned.

Sebastian had already notified Gunny that he'd be late the day prior, telling him why and the older Marine instructed him to take the day off. The young man was already a bundle of nerves; already he could sense a change in her scent. Coupled with the fact that she was very late with her monthly cycle, she was unable to keep food down except the blandest of foods and water.

"If you marry her Sebastian, her healthcare will be free," Gunny said.

"That's a rotten reason to marry someone," Sebastian grumbled.

Gunny nodded his head. "Yeah, but you were going to ask her anyway, weren't you?"

"That's beside the point. She'll want a white wedding and all that girly shite...and that will take time. Then, she'll complain that she's fat..."

Gunny smiled and nodded. "All females want that girly shite," he teased. "And she won't be fat...she'll be pregnant. There's a difference."

"I know that. And you know that..." Sebastian huffed as he sat in the chair across from Gunny, leaning over, his head nearly between his knees rubbing both of his hands over his quarter inch long hair.

Gunny chuckled as he rounded the desk and playfully slapped on his back. "You'll be alright, Captain."

Sebastian nodded as he continued to breathe in deeply. He stopped breathing for half a second and looked up to see brand new insignia being held out toward him. "Wot?"

"Congrats, man. Massey suggested that you wouldn't want a big ceremony..."

Sebastian nodded. "He was right."

"Can you stand up yet?"

Sebastian nodded and stood up slowly, trying like hell to bring his brain as well as his eyes into focus. Gunny removed the single silver tone-bar insignia and replaced it with the silver double bars, stepped back and saluted him.

"Captain, Sir..."

Sebastian returned the salute and chuckled. "Thank you. I always thought that Toph would get his bars before me..."

"Why's that?"

Sebastian shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno? Because he's fucking brilliant?"

Gunny nodded. "That he is. But that having been said, I think you two enjoy more of a symbiotic relationship. He'll get his bars soon enough."

Sebastian nodded. "I hope so."

Alison rolled over and sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Who are you talking to?"

"Dad. He thinks your pregnant. Mum does too apparently."

She nodded. "I'm pretty sure," she said. She looked up into his eyes.

"What are you thinking?"

She shook her head. "Nothing specific."