CHAPTER 15

Facing the Truth

CHAPTER 15

OVER A MONTH LATER: REED HOUSE

Lauren sighs happily as she leans back against Sark as he rests his hands against her middle.

"What did the doctor say?" He inquires

"We're good."

"Good." Sark kisses her shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

Lauren lifts her shoulders looking down at her middle resting her hands over his ignoring her hair falling forward, "Still scared." She admits

"It's going to be fine."

"We won't be able to hide this much longer Julian." Lauren sighs. "I'm not gaining weight as fast as I did with Sophia but still... people are going to start noticing soon." She closes her eyes "I don't know what to do."

"About telling everyone?"

Lauren nods "I could lose my job... or worse." She shudders

Sark turns her around taking her face in his hands, "We haven't done anything wrong Darling." He strokes her cheeks with his thumbs, "All we have done is fall in love... there is nothing wrong with that."

"You're still considered a terrorist. No matter what you do... how you try to make things somewhat right that's what you'll be seen as." Lauren takes a deep breath. "Who knows what will happen when it gets out you're the father." She hugs herself.

"We still have the option of disappearing."

"I can't do that to him."

"You mean won't" Sark challenges angrily.

"You know he'd never just let us disappear... especially not with his daughter." Lauren walks towards the closed bathroom door when Sark turns her around pinning her to the door. "Julian!" She swallows heavily at the anger in his eyes.

"She is mine!" He says angrily. "Don't call her his around me."

Lauren winces as she feels his fingers tighten around her arms "Julian you're hurting me."

Hearing the pain in her voice, Sark loosens his grip, "I'm sorry love." He says apologetically as he gently rubs her arms.

Her arms free Lauren slaps him. "Don't ever do that again!"

Sark rubs his cheek watching as Lauren walks out of the bathroom and sits on the bed her arms wrapped around her middle. "I'm sorry, darling. I didn't mean to scare you." He crouches before her, "Did I hurt you?" He gently pushes her sleeve up to reveal red marks on her upper arm he winces, "I'm sorry." He caresses the marks then leans in tenderly kissing the marks he left on both arms. "Forgive me?" He asks hopefully.

"Ever do that again I will shoot you myself." Lauren says angrily blinking back tears she lies down her back to Sark.

Sark sighs knowing she is still angry with him. He sits next to her, "I'm sorry, darling." He strokes her arm. "It's just" he sighs, "I guess at times it bothers me when you refer to Sophia as his." He presses his lips against the mark on her upper arm as he slides his hand under her shirt gently stroking her middle. "They are mine... not his."

Lauren covers his hand with her own shivering at his possessive tone and looks at Sark, "Doesn't mean you need to be a bastard about it." She swallows heavily blinking back tears, "You could have hurt the baby."

Sark winces at her tone and expression, "I'm sorry sweetheart." He caresses her cheek with his knuckle. "You know I would never deliberately hurt you or the baby." He kisses her sweetly but soon the kiss becomes demanding and rough.

LATER

"Forgive me?" Sark asks as he kisses Lauren's shoulder.

Lauren looks at him, "This time." She burrows back against him.

"We should put something on." Sark chuckles

"Tired."

"You don't have to move." Sark slips out of bed pulling on his silk pajama bottoms he picks up Lauren's discarded pajamas and returns to the bed. He helps his drowsy lover into her pajamas. "Better?"

Lauren shrugs yawning

Sark chuckles "Go to sleep." He kisses her forehead then rejoins her in bed after turning off the lights.

NEXT MORNING

"I hate you." Lauren groans as Sark walks into the bathroom as she leans against the toilet.

Sark lifts his brow. "And for what do I owe this hate to?"

"Because you knocked me up you son of a"

"Don't swear." Sark interrupts handing Lauren a glass of water "Like they say 'it takes two.'"

Lauren takes a sip of the water, "Where is Sophia?"

"Watching cartoons. She's had breakfast."

Lauren pales her stomach rolling, "Please don't mention food love."

"All right." Sark leans down kissing her head, "Call if you need anything."

Lauren watches as he walks out of the bathroom as she absently rubs her middle and smiles faintly.

LATER

Lauren walks into the living room and smiles when she sees Sophia lying on the floor watching TV while Sark sits on the couch with his laptop open as he works. She drops a kiss to Sark's head before settling beside him on the couch.

"How are you feeling darling?" Sark inquires as he looks up.

"Fine." Lauren kisses him lightly. She looks at her daughter and smiles "Morning Sophia"

Sophia looks up and grins "Mornin' Mama." She looks back at the TV.

Lauren sighs

"Hungry sweetheart?"

"Not now."

"All right." Sark sets his laptop aside as Lauren joins him on the couch. "How are your arms?"

Lauren shrugs "Bruised but the bruises aren't too bad."

"I'm sorry darling. You know I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know." Lauren kisses him lightly then rests her head on his shoulder her eyes on Sophia. "I get why you were angry. I do have a tendency to say his." She sighs. "I don't see it that way though... its just easier to say his so I don't have to switch back and forth. Truth is... I never really saw her as his. I tried but" Lauren shrugs "denial can go only so far."

"Mmm" he strokes her arm, "mine."

Lauren looks at him, "Ours." She lifts her hand to his cheek kissing him lightly.

"What are we doing today?" Sophia interrupts

Lauren looks at the girl, "What would you like to do?"

Sophia bites her lip

Lauren smiles "Definitely got that from you." She murmurs to Sark.

"See the monkeys!" Sophia exclaims happily as she jumps up. "Please?" She throws herself onto the couch.

'Definitely a Julian trait.' Lauren thinks amused at her daughter's hopeful expression. "All right sweetheart we'll go see the monkeys."

"Yeah" Sophia bounces up and down.

LATE THAT AFTERNOON

"She wore herself out." Lauren smiles at the sight of Sophia asleep sucking on her thumb in the back seat.

"What about you? How are you feeling?" Sark asks softly.

Lauren absently touches her middle, "Good. Exhausted but good."

"She certainly does love those monkeys." Sark says amused

"I know. She could stare at them for hours if she had the chance."

"They amuse her."

"Mmm"

"Feel up to dinner with your parents?"

Lauren sighs, "We have no choice. I promised Mother we'd be there." She looks at her hand, "We're going to have to tell them."

"Are you ready for that?"

"God no but I think Mother suspects."

"What makes you think that?"

"My Mother is very... observant."

"You mean nosey."

"That too." Lauren laughs. "Look I might not have put on much weight but my Mother notices things like that."

"What about Sophia? When are we going to tell her?"

"Lets wait until after her birthday, its only 2 weeks away."

"When is he coming in?" Sark asks softly.

"Friday. Mother wants both of you at her birthday dinner on Sunday. So please don't pick a fight with him"

"I don't pick fights with him."

"No you say things that piss Michael off. Just don't all right Julian? Its her birthday. She already knows you two don't like each other but you can be decent for one night."

"Fine."

"After her dinner Michael and his Mother are taking Sophia to France for a few days to see his family."

"What about Sophia? Once she knows she's going to tell Vaughn."

"I guess that means I'm going to have to tell him."

"Once everyone knows then what?"

"I don't know."

"I want you and Sophia to move in with me."

Lauren looks at him, "You know that's not a good idea."

"Once the CIA and NSC and British Intelligence find out your pregnant with my child it won't be long before others find out as well. I won't let you, Sophia or the baby be used as leverage against me."

"Yes well once the agencies find out I'm pregnant I'm most likely going to be unemployed and facing charges." Lauren says glumly.

"Not if I can keep that from happening." Sark muses

"What are you planning?"

"Not planning... thinking." Sark glances at her. "I'll figure something out darling." He assures "Something that will insure your employment despite our involvement."

"I'm still surprised I'm even employed." Lauren admits. "I thought once they found out about us that they'd pull me as your handler and fire me."

"No they knew if they did that they'd have nothing."

"You told them that?"

"I told Kendall that when they questioned us." Sark admits

"Julian" Lauren shakes her head.

"Just looking out for you."

WHILE LATER: REED HOUSE

Lauren walks into the living room where her parents and Sark are talking. "She's still out." She sits on the arm of the recliner where Sark is sitting. "There's actually something we need to talk to you about."

"Please don't tell me you two are getting married." George groans

"No Daddy it's not that." Lauren assures "Um... I'm pregnant."

Olivia and George stare at their daughter stunned. "You're..." Olivia shakes her head. "Does Sophia know?"

"No... we're not going to tell her until after her birthday." Lauren answers. "No one but you knows."

Olivia sighs "And you aren't getting married?"

"Been there and not ready to go back." Lauren lightly scratches Sark's neck, 'And we'll have enough trouble once its known I'm pregnant by him. We don't need to add marriage to the trouble.'

"Are you going to stick around this time Julian?" Olivia asks

"I would have stayed last time but it was for the best that I didn't." Sark squeezes Lauren's hand. "This time nothing is going to keep me from staying."

Lauren smiles at him

"Olivia, why don't you go make us some tea so we can discuss this rationally." George suggests watching as his wife leaves the living room. "Are you two insane?! You know what will happen if anyone finds out."

"They know we're together just don't know I'm pregnant." Lauren shrugs

"You kept Sophia's paternity a secret to protect her... what now? Are you going to admit Sark's the father?"

"Yes. I can't lie this time Dad."

"What about Sophia?" George demands "Are you going to admit the truth about her?"

"No. We both agree that no one will know the truth about Sophia."

"Damn it Lauren!"

"Darling why don't you go help your Mother." Sark suggests seeing that Lauren is upset by her Father's reaction. Once Lauren is out of the living room Sark speaks, "She doesn't need this sir. She's going to have enough stress from her employers when they find out. She doesn't need it from her own parents." He says angrily.

George stands closing the living room doors "You have no idea what this could do to my daughter's career." He paces the floor. "This could destroy everything she's worked for!"

"I won't allow that to happen."

"What are you going to do Sark? She's your handler and a government agent."

In the kitchen Lauren sits at the counter, "I know this is a surprise Mother but I really want this baby... so does Julian." She rests her hands on her middle, "I know that you don't fully approve of Julian but I love him. Michael and I are over Mother and you are really going to have to except it."

"Have you told Michael?"

"No and you won't either. I will tell him when he brings Sophia back from their visit to see his family."

"Lauren"

"He makes me happy Mother... don't you want me happy?"

"Lauren I want you happy"

"Then deal with the fact that Michael and I are never getting back together."

"What about you and Julian? Where are you going? I know you and your father are keeping something about him from me."

"Julian and I have no idea where we're going but we love each other and that's enough for us."

"Are you going to marry him?"

"I don't know." Lauren shrugs "But regardless of how you, Daddy and Michael feel Julian and I are going to be together."

"What about your former associates?" George demands. "Once they find out Lauren is pregnant with your child they could make an attempt."

"I won't allow them to hurt Lauren or Sophia." Sark says firmly.

"How are you going to protect them?"

"In whatever way I have to."

"Even kill?" George asks

"If I can avoid it I will but if I have to go that far I will." Sark says coldly.

LATER THAT NIGHT: REED HOUSE

Lauren leans back against the pillows on the bed. "What did Daddy say?" She asks as Sark walks out of the bathroom.

Sark joins Lauren on the bed, "Nothing you need to worry about."

"I want this baby." Lauren says firmly.

"So do I darling." Sark slides his hand under her top rubbing her middle. He pushes her top up pressing his lips to her middle.

Lauren smiles running her fingers through his hair.

Sark lifts his head looking at Lauren he tilts his head, "What is going through your head sweetheart?"

"I was just thinking you used to do that with Sophia." Lauren trails her fingers down his face, "I remember the first time you did that." She smiles "It was then I knew you loved our baby... even though you never said it I knew it when you did that."

"How could I not? She is part of us. Never thought I would be part of something so... innocent... so perfect. My life has been death and pain for so long that I never thought I'd have anything so good."

Lauren runs her finger down his nose, "You have it now."

"It scares me"

"What does?" Lauren asks puzzled by his admittance.

"That one day this will gone."

"What will?"

"Us... all of this. I don't want to lose this Lauren." He says sadly.

"You won't. No matter what happens Julian you'll always have us." Lauren pulls his head up kissing him. "Always" she says firmly.

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