Work Text:
Maternity Leave
by PEJA
"Judson, I need to take some time off."
Judson Cross slanted his lover of several months a curious glance over his paper. "Okay. Why?"
Gabe shifted nervously in his chair, mumbling his answer to softly to be heard.
Reaching for the toast and taking a generous bite, Judson arched a golden brow. "Louder, my boy."
"I said I needed to take some maternity leave."
The paper fell forgotten from Judson's nerveless fingers. "I beg your pardon." he said, his voice pure ice.
"Maternity leave, okay." Gabe raked his hands through his hair, his voice wrought with passion. "I need to take some time off for maternity leave."
Cross' blue eyes were diamond hard. "You've been cheating on me?"
"What?" Gabe's voice cracked and he shook his head violently. "No!"
Laughing bitterly, Judson abandoned the table to stride restlessly back and forth. "Right. Whose the lucky mom, Gabe?"
"I am." Gabe buried his face in his hands.
Judson came up quickly before his young lover. "Say that again?"
"Me," Gabe's eyes were dark with anguish. "I'm the freaking lucky mom." His eyes dropped. "Whatcha think of that....dad?"
Slumping back into his chair, Judson stared gape-mouthed at his trembling, pale partner.
"What? Nothing to say? No questions?" A tear crept down Gabe's cheek.
Judson's lips moved wordlessly for a moment and then he found his voice once more. "Do you know how?"
"The fertility idol."
"It's just a legend."
Gabe gave him a "get real" look and waved his hand in front of Judson's face. "Newsflash. Pregnant man here. Seems a bit more than a legend to me."
Looking a bit like a deer caught in the headlights, Judson nodded. "Okay. Yeah, that makes sense." He gave a little stunned laugh. "Much sense as any of this makes." He raked back his hair, studying Gabe across the table. "How..."
"How the hell do I know?"
"You're sure about this?"
"Took the pregnancy test Mac had stashed in the first aide kit." he drew a shuddering breath. "It was positive. Went out and bought a couple more. They came back positive. Asked a friend to run a test at the click...." he shrugged helplessly.
"Positive."
A pleading look came over his face. "Please, Judson, can I keep it."
Judson's eyes narrowed. "It won't be easy."
"I know."
"We'd have to find someone who can deliver the child in secret."
"You've got lots of shady contacts.'
Judson's hard gaze softened. "You really want this baby?"
Gabe nodded vigorously. "Please?"
A slow smile curved Judson's lips. "A baby."
"Yeah."
Judson was across the space separating them in a blinking, gathering his lover in his arms. "I love you, Gabe. If you want to do this..." he laughed nervously. "We're gonna have a baby. Oh, damn. We really are gonna have a baby."
Resting his head on Judson's strong chest, Gabe melted into his arms and sighed contently. "Yeah."
end