#elsewhere

Piper looks VERY guilty at this and tries to hide it. When is the last time she asked Jonas about his day? His dreamers?

And not just, 'rant about her day', 'what's for dinner', 'can you wear that cute thong tonight...'

"I have three. " he says "And that's plenty. I can still make time for them" He assures, then arches a brow "or are you seriously going to tell me we're going to be short of babysitters at the lodge?"

Siv starts to protest, then says "I... " Then looks to piper "He has a point there"

"We're not at the lodge, though. I mean, it's close by, but how often can we ask the Chieftain, or Hearth, or... or Dagmar to come by, or pause their work for us? They're busy..."

"Well, I figure the baby would be at the lodge when them when they're babysiitting for us" Siv says

Piper is quiet for a bit.

Siv notices this "Piper?"

"Just.. thinking. I hadn't yet.. really thought about how our lives were going to change, forever."

Jonas said "Well, I imagine a lot of focus was on how I was going to react. And I appreciate you took care with me in doing so."

Siv agrees there, sort of "JOnas, you were wonderful in how you took the news. " Then she turns to Piper "We were a bit ... well, it was a shock to all of us, none more than you. We've not had much time to contemplate all. But hey, we'll make it"

"You both were so intent on making sure this is something that -I- wanted. But what about both of you? Not just.. it happened, so we'll deal, we'll make it, we'll be okay... do you actually... want to do this?"

Piper chews her bottom lip. "Not termination, but... we could always find a family.. Ann Marie, for sure would help."

"Let me reverse that on ye, Piper " Siv says "Do you want the baby? A son or daughter for us to love, raise, teach, worry over and take pride and delight in? You're not just keeping the babe for are sakes are you?"

"That's not fair." She protests. "I asked both of you first. I want to know, honestly, what YOU think, aside from worrying about ME."

"Now that I know how the baby will come to be," "Jonas answers "I know I will not resent him or her in the slightest. "

"Ah..ringing endorsement there, Jonas" Siv gives him a look

Jonas thinks over his perfectly honest and logical answer, then considers it from another angle, and says more gently "I know if we have a child. I will love the child. For the child will have in him or her, a little piece of each of the women I love... and maybe a touch of myself. I love all about you, Piper, and Siv. I love you as friends, I love you as lovers, I love you as explorers and performers and I will love you as the mothers of our child. "

"And I will love the child" He finishes up.

A sniffle, "Better than your first answer..." She says, to cover up the emotional response. Then, looks to Siv. "And you? Even if Jonas offers to be primary caregiver... you're a knight errant, and you'll be tied down..."

"Maybe it's time I was" Siv answers honestly, "I avoided swearing to Coradel. I've not sworn to my mother. I do odd jobs for a baron not even of this barony because it means I'll not have to be serve save on MY terms. There's growing banal, and there's maturity. I thought I had been maturing. Maybe this is the proper and next step. "

"But you love being wild and carefree!"

"And, I love that about you." She adds, with a small smile.

"Ah, not that I love you LESS if you.. I mean, that is..." Stuttering.

Siv laughed at that, "Oh darling, I love being wild and carefree 'by trollish standards' and truth is? I have a LOT of cares. A lot of worries. I'm just better at masking them than folks realize." She almost wished Piper had the old Gwyd boon to assure her she spoke true, "As a Fiona, I am fearless to almost all things BUT what I care about. I fear for you a bit more than you'd know, andfor jonas and my mother and pa. Who I love has power over me, and that is fine, and as it should be. I am a Lioness, and the gods of the Dreaming put that limtiation on me to keep me from overthrowing them no doubt" A wink "But I have many worries and cares. Besides, I have had to be a lot less wild anyway. Mountain Pillar work. Marinia job. I was doing these before we knew you were pregnant. I promise I'll still get in trouble though, now and then, just to make you fuss at me"

"I just..." Her eyes fill, watery. "I don't want you to reassure me that this is what we should do, and then... down the line, you look back and realize how much your life has changed, and have... you know, regrets..."

Oh suddenly Piper's throne is getting shared. Siv moves to her side and craddles her "Hey now..hey. I'm not reassuring you what we SHOULD do. I am sayign whatever you decide I'm fine with" Then she says "Now, do you want this baby?"

Piper leans against Siv. "I don't know what I want. I don't... not want the baby? I want to HAVE it.. but... like, the idea of.. everything that comes next? It's just really, really.. like a looming uncertainty. I thought I knew what my life was now, and it's suddenly changing so much... it's a little scary."

"A lot I bet" She nods "You want to have it. YOu're scared after. Now... now that you've answered, I'll answer too. I did not at first think I was ready to be a mother when I got my pregnancy scare. "

Jonas looks up at that

Siv goes on "Piper, you were on tour at the time. Jonas was out and about then too. I felt very alone. A LOT was unsure. I was not ready to be a single mom. I am not single though, now. I have you, I have Jonas. We are strong together. And that makes me feel quite brave and ready indeed."

Jonas ahems "Ah..."

Piper startles. "You never told me." A glance to Jonas. "Us?"

Siv says "We'd had a good romp... and then, for a few weeks you two went off and that sometime later just when I should be having ye olde visitor.... I ended up not feeling great. Stomach bug and such was what it was, but Aunt Kerri noticed the signs and thought it best I have it checked. I did that very night, but while I waited that eve, I was REALLY freaking out about the 'what ifs'. What if I were pregnant? What if you two didn't come back? It didn't make sense, but I.. I got really worried at the notion of being a single mom.. then the test went 'NAH, juust kidding' and .. well, I was relieved."

Scolding tone. "You should have told us."

Jonas nods agreement

"It was less than 12 hours in my life, less than four if you count me getting the suggestion from Aunt Kerri. I used to wonder why she only had one kid, then I realized as on the ball as she is, her Uterus was too afraid to mess with her to try anything unauthorized. I mean, she's really on the ball on BC options"

"But it's something that worried you! That's what we're FOR."

"Feh, as a friend says. Am I to weep like a brat every time I don't get my way? I was demanding as a young wilder. I'll not put folks I love through that anymore" Stubborn pride

"THAT is not the point" Jonas grumbles

"As a satyr, I resemble that remark." She says dryly.

"Well I'm a troll, and I get tired of having other trolls walk by me and go 'Do you even Stoic', brah?" Siv points out

A snort.

Jonas rolls his eyes.

"Piper, I didn't fuss or bother because I found out it was NOT a big deal, it was just a scare. I did miss ye, both of ye, terribly. " She assures them "I think we're all stronger than we were. Still a bit cracked mind ye, but in a good way and we support each other. Together I feel rather fearless"

"And if something scared me really bad and I decided not to tell you, what would you say? Or Jonas? Surely HE is allowed to be stoic, right?"

Siv starts to blurt something, then clamps down, and folds her arms a bit defensively "Not necessarily"

"Uh HUH."

Jonas snorts

"So what's good for the goose ain't for the gander?"

A level look at Siv. "You're the goose."