He shook his head, "Not a complication, Beautiful. I can't think of a damn thing more perfect than having a child with the woman I love... with the woman I plan to marry." He kissed the back of her hand gently, "As for worrying about me, don't... I'm only nervous because I don't want to turn into my father."

As she mentioned Anna and Gunner he smiled, "You did succeed in getting them here... that's for sure. Let me go get them before they bolt..."

He stood and moved back to the curtain, "Anna, Gunner... Both of you, in here now."

He didn't give them a chance to argue, he slipped back behind the curtain before either of them could say a thing.

~*~

Anna had seen Gunner taking in she and Rae and despite their separation she wasn't thick enough to be unable to read the slight pain behind his eyes. Did he think she was with Rae for kids? There had been a time when Anna had wanted more than anything to be able to have a child, but it wasn't in the stars for she and Gunner. Dhampirs couldn't interbreed, either you were with a Moroi or that was that... but Anna had loved Gunner. She'd loved Gunner so much so that she'd given up the dream of having a child because she'd wanted to be with him, had been happy with him. She knew Gunner would have been a wonderful father, but unless they adopted... Either way, children with Rae wasn't going to happen. They hadn't even made it into bed with each other yet, something that surprised Anna... Despite his rep, Rae had patience. Maybe he understood her heart was still tied up.

She ran a hand through her hair, it was yet another thing she felt guilty over. Rae was good to her and even if their relationship was casual, she had a feeling that it could be more if she'd let it... but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't make that next step. Sure, they'd come close... very close... once or twice but Anna had tested Rae's self control to the max and they'd ended up either watching movies and throwing popcorn at each other or snuggling on the bed. It wasn't that she wasn't attracted either, obviously she was, but... Gunner always found a way to sneak into her thoughts at just the wrong time. She heard the curtain part and glanced up just as Seb stepped out.

As he ordered them both into the room, Anna glanced hesitantly at Gunner. She was about to say he could go in first if he wanted when Sebastian disappeared back into the room, making it clear he wasn't taking no for an answer this time. Anna sighed and stood up before she walked into the room.

~*~

Sebastian was waiting there, setting by Serena's bed when the two finally dragged themselves into the room. "This isn't exactly how we wanted the two of you to find out that Serena was pregnant but since you've both been avoiding us like the plague this apparently was the only way... We shouldn't have to be terrified for someone's life for the two of you to be around us. You're supposed to be our friends and whatever it is going on between the two of you you need to suck it up."

He glanced at Serena, "Especially now, my family is going to give Serena and I hell over this. We need the two of you... Serena needs the two of you. Her pregnancy combined with the threat of my darkness spilling onto her... We need your help. Can you two stop being children long enough to worry about someone other than yourselves?"

Anna flinched, Sebastian's words... though fueled by anger were pretty much true. Neither she nor Gunner had been their for their friends for the past month and if they had been maybe Serena wouldn't have gotten so ill because they could have helped take care of their friends... That's what they were supposed to do... It's what Seb and Serena would have done for them. They'd been so busy drowning in their own issues that they hadn't been paying attention to what their friends were going through.

"I'm sorry Seb," she said as she glanced at Gunner. "I'll be here from now on... No matter what, I promise."

Seb sighed, "Gunner? We need the two of you, both of you, you two have been my best friends for years... There is no one else I'd want to be there when Serena and I get married."

Anna's eyes went wide, she noticed the ring on Serena's finger and despite another stab of pain in her chest she went to her friend's side and squeezed her hand lightly. "I'm so happy for you! It's about time..." She leaned down and hugged her lightly before stepping back, "Finally, someone tames Sebastian... You keep him on a tight leash, okay?"

She ran a hand through her hair and smiled brightly, she was so happy for Seb... for Serena... but she had to swallow the knot that threatened to rise in her throat. This was no time to cry about lost causes... She was here for her friends.