Her punishment and his delight

[Avory Brandt]

Avory sat on the couch in Keith's living room flicking lazily through a random magazine. She found herself doing this more and more often. Ever since her last mission with Nicolette and Alphonse she had been out of sorts completely, feeling and sometime being sick, the smallest of things setting her off, but she just figured she was getting the cold or something. Which was one of the reasons why she was even at Keith's house today - he had booked the weekend off to 'take care' of her. Oddly enough she didn't mind so much, it was like having her own personal servant (and when they could cook her favourite meal it made it all the better).

As the smell of the food came from the kitchen Avory felt herself doze off to sleep. As she did images of a strange man filled her head. The man seemed familiar but Avory couldn't tell how. Then she remembered she had seen him a lot recently but only in her dreams. Avory couldn't get a good look at the blonde haired man but she had too, it felt as if her life depended on it. Running to the man she finally got to him and looking up into his stormy eyes she saw him. Axel Zhefarovich, the man she had met a few weeks ago and had gotten to know him very well. In her sleep a smile spread across her lips as she remembered their previous encounter.

 

[Keith Mercer]

Keith walked around the kitchen, collecting a bowl, spoon and tray. School work wasn't too demanding and Avory wasn't feeling well, so Keith had decided to take the weekend off and come home to tend to her. He didn't mind, tending to Avory was the least he could do. Taking the soup off the stove he scooped some into the bowl. He used to make it for his kids when they were sick and it served them well every time. Accioing a single red rose in a small vase from the other side of the room he placed it on the corner of the tray, hoping it would cheer the blonde up. Levitating the tray in front of him, Keith took it into the other room.

When he got to Avory, she was asleep. He smiled to himself, looking down at her gorgeous sleeping form. Crouching down next to the sofa, he hovered the tray next to him. He then reached up and gently tucked a stray blonde strand of hair behind her ear and leaned over to kiss her gently on the forehead, hoping to lightly wake her.

 

[Avory Brandt]

As Avory's dream progressed she began to fall deeper and deeper into it. She didn't know what it was about that man that had gotten to her, out of all the men that she had ever met, this one had the biggest effect on her. Despite her confusion, even in the dream like state, she didn't mind, she was enjoying his company too much. Feeling a kiss on her forehead and his hands run through her hair she began to fall, growing further and further from him. Wanting to scream she woke up with a fright.

Through her wide eyes she saw Keith. Feeling her eyes narrow slightly she felt disappointment at not seeing Axel. Quickly remembering that Keith was her 'boyfriend' she eased up slightly. "Sorry about that. I've been so tired recently." she said truthfully. Yawning she stretched her arms and sat up on the couch. Smelling a lovely aroma under her nose Avory inhaled deeply, "Oh, it's smells delicious." she said eagerly, not realising how hungry she was until she had smelt the food.

 

[Keith Mercer]

Keith watched as Avory woke from what looked to be a pleasant dream. "I'm sorry I woke you." He said genuinely. "And disturbed your dream." He pulled himself back up into a standing position. "But, I brought soup as a peace offering." He smiled, grabbing the tray out of the air. "It's chicken." He informed her, placing the tray on Avory's lap and grabbing an extra pillow to place behind her head for more support. He used his wand that was still in his hand from earlier to summon a sofa chair from the other side of the room. He fell back into it as it zoomed over and stopped by the couch near Avory's head. Pocketing his wand he examined Avory with concern. "Do you know why you haven't been feeling well yet?" He asked, placing a tentative hand on her forehead, wondering if it were a simple flu or if she needed to be checked out at St. Mungos. He didn't think she was that ill, but he didn't want to take any chances when it came to Avory, he cared a lot about her.

 

[Avory Brandt]

As Keith moved the food closer to Avory she felt her stomach rumble, as if she hadn't eaten in ages - which was odd as she had a very big breakfast that morning (although she hadn't kept it down for too long). Holding the tray on her lap she sat up on the couch, she smiled up fondly at Keith as he asked her if she knew why she hadn't been feeling well.

For a brief moment she couldn't help but love how much of a worrier he was but she quickly snapped out of it and thought if I knew why I wasn't feeling well I would be better, wouldn't I? Idiot. with a simply eye roll, letting her gaze fall on to her food so she wouldn't make him suspicious. She simply shook her head and took the spoon in her hand and dipped into the soup and raised it to her mouth. Just as the spoon was directly under her nose she got another wiff of it. She felt her stomach rumble again, except it wasn't a rumble of hunger. She recognised it as one she had been having every morning for the past month now, and during the day occasionally. Before she could get up of the couch she felt it come up. Leaning over the couch she was sick, all over Keith's lap.

 

[Keith Mercer]

Avory didn't speak, so instead Keith gently stroked her forehead a few more times and then brought his hand back to the arm of the chair. He took her silence as a no, she didn't know what was wrong. He let his worry pass, she seemed well enough and the fact that she had an appetite was good enough for Keith. He watched her fondly as she brought the spoon up to her mouth. However she made a sudden movement that Keith had not been expecting. Keith jumped up from the lounge chair instinctively as Avory was sick. "Wow, I didn't think my cooking was that terrible." He laughed uneasily, looking down at his vomit-covered jeans, chair and carpet. Pulling out his wand he cast the strongest cleaning charm he knew, first on himself and then his furniture. "Do you need me to get you a bucket?" He asked, sitting on the edge of the couch instead of the arm chair, out of her range of fire. Perhaps she felt better now, but Keith would prefer his carpet stay clean.

 

[Avory Brandt]

Sitting back up again she whipped her mouth, letting out a small groan. Despite having just been sick Avory felt much better and grimaced at the spilled bowl of soup over the floor, she was hungry again. Returning an uneasy laugh at Keith's attempt of a joke, if his food didn't make her sick that joke would! Feeling light headed she placed her head back down on the arm of the couch, what the hell was wrong with her? "No I should be fine now. That's the second time I've been sick today." she said in a tired voice, but frustration still clear.

 

[Keith Mercer]

"Okay." He said soothingly, placing his hand over hers. "Are you still hungry? I can make something else. Anything you like." He said with a soft smile. He hoped she felt better soon, he didn't want to go back to school while worrying that Avory was at home, throwing up or only having to rely on the house elves to cook her food. They were good at what they did, but Keith knew he was a better chef. He drew gentle circles on Avory's palm with the pad of his thumb. Avory was truly amazing, Keith knew he would do anything for her. He would admit that his feelings were getting closer to love every day. It wasn't a term Keith threw around lightly either. He was so wrapped up in Avory that most of the time he forget everything else, including his own children. But that wasn't a problem, because he had Avory. Nothing else mattered, right?

 

[Avory Brandt]

When Keith asked her if she was still hungry she was to eagerly reply yes but then the moment passed her and she felt sick again. Groaning again she sunk into the couch again, "Maybe no more food." she protested. As she lay on the couch she urged herself not to be sick again, what's happening to me? she thought to herself, worried. Shaking her head she mentally slapped herself, telling to get over it. Sniffingly lightly she got a wiff of Keith's cologne, trying to barf all over him again she said to him, "Do you mind getting me a class of water?" Maybe it could ease her stomach slightly, and it would get him and his awful smelling cologne away long enough for her to think straight.

 

[Keith Mercer]

Keith nodded when she admitted that food wasn't the best idea. He sat watching her with a slightly worried expression until she asked for a glass of water. "Sure thing." He said, pulling his hand away from hers, but patting it lightly once more before lifting himself off the couch. Keith picked up the spoon, bowl and tray that landed on the floor when Avory was sick. He also picked up the rose and placed it on the side table near the couch. Keith then took the unused items back into the kitchen, placing them in the sink. Pulling out his wand Keith summoned a glass from a cupboard across the room and opened the fridge to get a jug of cool water.

 

[Avory Brandt]

Avory forced as smile on her face as Keith left to get her a glass of water. As soon as he had left she quickly sat up with the feeling of being sick again. Although she regretted the quick movement as she fell back down into the couch with a sudden dizziness. Lying on the couch with the hands over her face she began to go through every possible reason to her sudden sickness. Her friend Niccy was an ex-healer and she remembered reading all her books when she was studying. Running her symptoms over her head Avory thought of a simply flu at first but something was telling her it was more than that.

As realisation hit she shot up again, forgetting about the dizziness. "Noo." she said to herself. I couldn't be. I'm not she thought to herself, accidently saying the last word a bit too loudly, "Pregnant!" As the word passed through her lips she was sick again, the thought of having a child was too much for her, especially if it was Keith's. She didn't love the man, not even liked, but if she were to have a child with him, it would be unbearable.

 

[Keith Mercer]

Keith filled up the glass and placed the jug back into the refrigerator. He grabbed an anti-nauseous potion that he had brewed a few weeks ago after one killer hangover out of the cupboard above the fridge, then walked back into the living room. Just as he walked through the doors he heard Avory's last word. The glass of water in his hand slipped from his fingers and smashed on the ground. His mind blanking out, he didn't realise that Avory had been sick again. He felt like he might just be sick himself. "What?" He whispered after a long moment of painful silence. He took a few steps closer, quickly pulling out his wand and absently casting another cleaning charm. He uncapped the bottle of anti-nauseous potion and took a small swig himself before handing it to Avory. "How can you? What?" He stumbled for words, furrowing his brow, his thoughts not formulating properly.

 

[Avory Brandt]

Hearing a smash at the other side of the room Avory lifted her head and saw Keith standing at the doors, damn he heard she thought to herself. Taking a few deep breaths she watched his moves closely, she knew how she felt about this but how would Keith feel about being a father again? Even the thought of carrying his child made her feel sick, she had never intended on staying with him as long as she had, having his child was just too much.

Taking the potion he handed her she took a swig of it, downing it in one go. For the first time in a few days she felt better, she was finally able to think clearly. Pulling her legs up to her chest she rested her chin on her knees. Avory rolled her eyes at his questions. "Oh really Keith, you have been in this situation twice already. You are bound to know how it works by now." she said with irritation clear in her voice. Right now she didn't really care about letting her true colors show in front of Keith, no doubt he would probably just pass it off as hormones anyway. "Or do we need to have a little talk?" she added for good measure.

 

[Keith Mercer]

Keith shook his head at her reply, noticing the snap in her tone. She most likely felt the same as he did. They had never intended this to happen. He enjoyed Avory's company immensely, but this was a lot to take in. "Obviously." He said sarcastically with a roll of his own eyes. He then let out a breath, he didn't want to be rude, but he felt an intense frustration over the situation. "We need a little talk alright, but not about that." He said seriously, looking into her eyes. "What are we going to do about this?" He asked softly, his eyes momentarily flicking to her stomach, before coming back to her face again. He was pondering the question himself. Realistically would it be so bad? He loved Jessica and Taylor more than anything... would it be so bad to have another being to love just as much as he loved them in the world? He shook his head and waited for Avory's answer.

 

[Avory Brandt]

Avory raised her eyebrows in surprise at Keith's equal tone of frustration, she had never seen that side of him before. Not that it mattered. Resting her chin on her knees again she stared blankly at the wall opposite her, not bothering to look at Keith. That's the million dollar question. she thought to herself as Keith asked what they were going to do about it. Avory knew she definitely didn't want a child, not now, she was too young, but definitely not with Keith. She couldn't bare the thought of having to stay with him and raise a child, likewise she couldn't see herself raising the child alone. Despite not wanting the child something made her want to keep it, urgh stupid motherly instincts she thought to herself. Taking a heavy sigh, still not looking at Keith she asked, "First of all I need to get a test done first to be 100% sure. There's no need jumping to conclusions." she said calmly.

 

[Keith Mercer]

Keith sat back in his chair with an audible sigh. Avory was right, they didn't need to jump to conclusions. His mind was buzzing and he wished Avory would show more emotions over this matter. Overall it was her decision on what she did with the child. "What happens if you are..." Keith said slowly, looking from Avory to the patterns on the couch behind her. "Would you want to keep it?" He finished in a straight forward voice. He didn't want to determine her decision in any way. But Keith knew he probably couldn't no matter what. That was a trait he liked about Avory, she was very much her own woman.

 

[Avory Brandt]

Avory listened to Keith's words, she shrugged simply. Even though she couldn't be 100% sure she didn't know what else to think, she probably was pregnant. Staring blankly at the wall she let her thoughts consume her. Never had she thought she'd be pregnant at the age of 26, heck even 36, she never wanted children - she couldn't stand the thought of them. Letting out her own sigh she thought about his question. Would she really be able to get rid of the child? Her own flesh and blood? She had done it before, so it shouldn't be too hard to do it again, right?

"Yes." she said finally. A smile spread across her lips as she did say it, her hand absent-mindedly moved to her lower stomach. She couldn't believe she was going to do this, she was actually happy. "With, or without you." she added, staring at Keith with a strong gaze, she didn't need a man to help her and she couldn't care less if Keith wanted to be part of his childs life or not, it was up to him.

 

[Keith Mercer]

Keith looked at Avory as she shrugged and then he began to fidget with the hem of his T-shirt as a silence spread over them. He kept his eyes on Avory, not sure how to feel. Until Avory said yes, he stopped moving his hands and felt a warmth spread through his heart at her smile. He found a smile slipping onto his own face. She thought he didn't want this, but knowing that she did... Keith wouldn't mind another kid. He loved the little devils, even though he didn't openly show it all that often. He raised hand and placed it over Avory's that rested on her stomach. "If you do it, it will be with me." He said, not ready to leave her because of something so amazing like a baby. He then lifted his hand and cupped her cheek, placing a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth. It would have been full on the mouth, but in truth she had just been sick.