Surprises

[Rockpaw Steeleye]

Rockpaw should have seen this coming. He had known that Brooke would have been desperate to try and keep him here, and he knew that she would be easily upset by something like this. But he had to tell her, he had to make her understand. There wasn't any other otter. At least, none that he knew of. Truth be told he was so dutiful that when he was called, he simply did. There were responsibilities he had to take care of without fail, and keeping the fort and his family safe was one of them. If there was a war on he'd go and join it without any thought to his own safety. Not because he wanted to abandon his family, but because he knew that it was what had to be done. Why couldn't Brooke understand that?

He watched her get up and start tending to the dishes, seeing the terse, abrupt way in which she moved, and how she implied quite heavily that since their ages were starting to be felt, home was becoming more important. But danger didn't wait for the young to be ready. As an older creature Rockpaw was simply better suited to go and handle dangerous negotiations like this! He stood up, abandoning the letter and the dinner, figuring they could take care of that when they were done talking. He had to make her understand, had to keep her from falling apart about this. It tore his heart out to know that he would have to leave, but that was the price he paid for being such a capable and important beast. His heart sometimes had to be left behind.

When she pulled rank on him, that threw him for a real loop. Never had Brooke ever done that... not in a moment of seriousness or anger, at least. And now she just expected him to fall right into line like a common soldier? He felt almost insulted now, and stood up to close the distance and emphasize what he was saying. His single eye was narrowed down, a sure sign he meant every word of what he was saying.

"Brooke," he said calmly but firmly, "you know just as well as I do there are no others for the job! Southsward has called me to go there because I'm the one who can finish this quickly and safely. Don't you understand that if this falls into conflict all of the South could get a little less safe?"

He stood behind her now, watching her dash back and forth through the kitchen, but keeping up his verbal justification, his voice brooking no argument. As much as he hated to do this... it simply had to be done!

"I am your husband, Brooke, and just as much in charge of this fort as you. I cannot just sit down and salute and forget about all of this. I will not. This is important. Too important for me to just wave off! I have to go, Brooke."

[Brooke Briar Steeleye]

Brooke looked over at him, her gaze as stern as his was. Her emerald green eyes narrowed as well as she listened to what he had to say, immediately after speaking her mind again. "You are not going to bully me Rockpaw. I'm not afraid of you. I know that you are my husband and my head but I am putting my footpaw down. Send someone else! Give them explicit instructions and send them!" Brooke leaned forward as if to make her words stick into him physically.

The femme slammed a pot into the sink and then stomped back over to the table, bodily bumping into her mate as she walked by him. Brooke then began to mumble but of course loud enough for Rockpaw to hear. "Can't just sit by... To important for you to just wave off... Important... You 'have' to go... Bah! What's important is your family right now! Your children miss you Rockpaw! Your kits are growing and learning and you are missing it!" With a pile full of dishes she sauntered by him and dumped them in the sink and then turned to him. "Your family is much more important right now! You... are... not... going!" Brooke's brows furrowed up at her husband as she placed her paws on her tiny hips.

Moments passed. Brooke was still beautiful even when she was angry but a fight like this has never really happened between them. Needless to say though that the femme was very emotional right now, not that Rock knew that it was majorly caused by her pregnancy. Her mate probably just thought that she was being insane right now, very unreasonable and stubborn. "It seems to me that your position is more important then your family. Maybe you just don't deserve a family then. A real male would put his family ahead of some stupid mission!" The word 'mission' was shouted into his face. It was highly likely that everyone outside could hear them but Brooke didn't care.

[Rockpaw Steeleye]

"How dare you!" Rockpaw suddenly snapped, advancing on Brooke with sudden and unintended menace, his single eye flashing with a threatening light it rarely, if ever, saw lit up in its cloudy blue orb. He was upon Brooke in a flash, towering over her and looking more angry than she could ever manage. The shouting, the temper flying, it had gotten through to him in spades. He advanced on his mate and grabbed her by the shoulders, holding her in place, apparently hoping to stamp out her anger and madness by fighting fire with fire and trying to burn up her coals before she could get any hotter under the collar. Indeed, she was a beautiful and angelic thing that seemed to somehow maintain her grace under fire, but he wanted this to be over and done with at any cost. He couldn't afford to have them barking at each other like this all night, and besides, she was being entirely unreasonable!

"How dare you say that I don't know where my priorities lie!" he barked, giving her a bit of a shake. "How many times have I risked my life for this place, this family! How many times! Count these scars Brooke! Do you see them all? Half of them earned in defense of our home! You think I don't care? You think it doesn't tear me up as well?" He released her and took a step back, feeling disgusted with her for saying that he didn't care, and disgusted with himself for being so out of control himself. Something else was going on her, something she wasn't telling him, and he was going to find out, dash it all! She had never exploded like this before, not once! Was it how she really felt every time he went away, and she had been bottling it up? Now he felt even worse!

"I helped build this place, Brooke," he said, more calm now. "You know I love you, and this home, and our children. You know I love it all! How can you say I don't care? What's wrong Brooke? You've never acted like this before in your life! Even when I went on missions!"

And now he was starting to feel a little less sure of himself... how could he go on knowing this was how she really felt? He was starting to feel more and more in the wrong the more her words echoed in his ears. He knew that she was right, that he had to stay home and take care of the kits... but the mission... He sighed and put a paw to his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. He was confused and agitated, and he knew for a fact that anybeast nearby might be able to hear them. He had to get to the bottom of this, and quickly.

"Just tell me, please, Brooke... why has this come to a head now?"

[Brooke Briar Steeleye]

Brooke jumped physically when he snapped back at her and yes she even cringed a little bit, it would be seen and felt in her shoulders as he grabbed her by them. Truthfully she had seen Rockpaw this angry before but 'never' with her. Was she trying to push all of the right buttons with him? Well she was peeved to the greatest extent. She was tired of him going on missions. She was tired of missing him so much that she just wanted to die. She was tired of raising their cubs alone and having to explain to them everyday that it was a necessary thing that their father 'had' to be away from them for the sake of the Fort and in turn their safety.

Her eyes looked like they were still on fire but now tears fell from them. Rockpaw took a step back, spoke his peace, questioned her and then there was silence. Inwardly she was still seething. Here she had worked all day and made this lovely dinner, hoping to have a evening of passion with her husband and to share some good news with him and now it was dashed to pieces because of some stupid mission that he just 'had' to mention... tonight... of all nights.

He ruined it now. Would she give him the satisfaction of peace? "I'm sick to death of waiting for you Rockpaw." Under normal circumstances she would have let her guard down, given him some peace, but instead she, without thinking about it to much, threw a plate at him. It flew threw the air like a Frisbee but as with these sort of objects they tended to change course or stay true. A beast never knew but Brooke wasn't about to care about it. Quickly she threw down her drying towel and stomped to the bedroom, crying.

The otter femme slammed the door. She didn't have to lock it because she was so rough on it that it jammed in it's hinges. Brooke threw herself on the bed, curled up in a ball, held her lower stomach and then began to cry, nay to sob... certainly loud enough for her mate to hear... and every beast that happened to be near, even though she now smashed her face into the pillow, the very one that smelled like her mate.

[Rockpaw Steeleye]

"I'm sick to death of waiting for you, Rockpaw."

The words made him go stricken as if he had been physically hit. He stood in place and watched, shame-faced, as Brooke hit the nail on the head. She was right... he had been forcing her to stay behind, to wait and worry and tell their children that there was nothing for it but to wait. He had been causing all of this. Why had he been so foolish, waiting until now to actually realize it? He should have been here, he should have said something different, he should have torn up the letter when he first got it and laid down in the southern sun with his mate and children, he should have-

"Whoa!" He stumbled backwards and felt the plate graze his side. The burly otter grunted and curled over, feeling his rib cage as Brooke stomped by him. He stood there, wheezing and gasping in shock. He realized at once that the strike was going to leave a bruising. What a hit, even for a grazing! He hadn't been expecting that at all. Brooke had always been a little more subservient and pliable in all their other arguments, if they could be called that. He suddenly chuckled darkly as he dropped onto a chair, putting his head in his paws. Perhaps Brooke had had enough of being subservient and pliable...

He laid his elbow on the table, waiting for the greater part of the pain to subside before he began to think on what he was going to do about this. He could hear Brooke sobbing upstairs, each wail and weep like a stake in his heart. He covered his eye and then took off his eyepatch, staring at the old, weathered piece of leather. How long had he worn this? He reached up a paw to stroke over the old scar, feeling the torn and wrinkled skin there. He had lost an eye fighting, and had many scars besides that were giving him more aches and pains than was worth it. Was he really going to go off and get more, maybe lose another eye, turn himself into a wreck in the defense of his family? What would he say to Brooke if he came back blind? He didn't want to do that to them. To himself.

He stayed quiet for a long time, waiting for Brooke's sobs to subside, and then turned back to the accursed letter. He stared it for but a moment... and then took it in both his paws and tore it to pieces, rather viciously at that. He turned to go upstairs, waiting until it was quiet.

The door, of course, had been nearly jammed shut, and it took a bit of pushing to get it open, but no door was a match for Rockpaw's burly frame. He glanced down at Brooke on the bed, and went to sit down beside her.

"Brooke... Brooke," he said quietly, almost whispering. "Brooke... I'm not leaving. All right? I'm going to stay here. Forget the mission. Forget the world. I want to be with you. All right? I'm not going anywhere."

He put an arm on her shoulder, seeing she was lying down.

"I'm not. Going. Anywhere."

[Brooke Briar Steeleye]

There was no end to Brooke's sobbing. There seemed to be seasons upon seasons of pent up emotions just waiting to get out. And this was the time. But poor Rockpaw. Brooke was beginning to feel bad that she had lashed out at him so badly, even throwing a plate at him. This made her cry even more so, the pillow beneath her head now soaked with tears.

Brooke then heard the sound of her mate pushing on the door. Her crying turned to held in sobs and sniffles as he sat next to her. so close that her body leaned forward a bit, toward him due to hid weight on the bed. His touch was felt on her lithesome shaking shoulder and then comforting words met with her ears. He wasn't leaving. A few more sniffles left her lips and then she muffled some words to her mate. "Please hold me. Lay down here and hold me and never let me go."

A few seconds went by before she glanced up at Rock, her eyes swollen from shedding tears. She then grabbed a firm hold of his paw and pulled him toward her. Perhaps she was a bit to hard on him. Oh how she now regretted the words that she had said to him. If he laid down with her she would explain everything and tell him how sorry she was.

[Rockpaw Steeleye]

Rockpaw's response to her request was instantaneous. It was like a light switch that she could turn on an off at will. One moment he was standing next to her, and then he was lying down with her, taking her paw and sliding up and over her body as he huddled on the bed with his one and only. Instantly his arms were all over her, wrapping around her and tugging her close, despite the severe ache in his side. It was time to kiss and make up, in his opinion, and lose himself in the whole world, nay, the galaxy that was his mate. Everything else?

Well, everything else could just go jump off a cliff for all he cared. When he felt her warm, compassionate body filling the gap in his arms, everything else just melted away into insignificance. He wasn't going to see her cry anymore, not going to see her shouting and bickering over something he could change. They had made vows to each other, and it was time he started holding up the most important part of his own: that of taking care of his family regardless of personal cost in standing or reputation. Southsward was a big place. It could handle some of its own problems. The viciously satisfactory feeling he got when he tore up the letter was still fresh in his mind. It had felt almost too good. But if it was for his mate, no act was too great, no mission too important. He would ignore it all for her. He had made his decision.

He kissed her cheek, and moved his lips around her face and snout, comforting her with his closeness, the way he closed around her and sheltered her from what had happened. He forcefully ignored the growing ache in his side.

"I'm not letting you go," he promised, whispering into her ear like he had so many times before, in times much more intimate. "I won't, Brooke. Hold on to me, because I'm not going anywhere. I promise you that. I'm done with it. I've been a fool and a silly cub with delusions of grandeur... can you forgive an old soldier his old instincts?" he asked, pulling back and smiling. He had his paw on her chin, silently getting her to look up at him, a sort of 'buck up' move.

"You had a right to be so upset. I've been foolish to ignore the signs."

[Brooke Briar Steeleye]

Once Rockpaw was cuddling and snuggling with her nothing else seemed to matter. The world around them could melt away and Brooke knew that they would still be holding each other. Even if they would die in this moment she knew that they would enter another world together and remain there for an eternity together. This was how sure of their relationship she was. The words that she said was simply out of emotions.

His paws on her body was just what she needed. Still though she cried. Brooke felt ashamed about how she treated him. He didn't deserve that. Rockpaw Steeleye deserved all of the respect that she could muster and more. It made her heart ache to think that she had belittled him. Brooke placed a paw on his face as he lifted her chin and she nodded lightly. "I'm so sorry Rockpaw. I was so mean to you. I didn't mean any of it. You are a wonderful mate and father and I know that you do your duty because you are trying to protect us." The femme's lips wrapped around his in a thirsty yet oh so lovely kiss.

She didn't mean to but she didn't noticed the display of pain that he felt at his side. Surely she would soon find out because her paw gracefully moved down to that area and she squeezed, as a sign of affection of course as she pressed her forehead to his muzzle, or at least attempted to.

[Rockpaw Steeleye]

Rockpaw sighed when he heard Brooke trying to apologize, so sincere and so penitent. He couldn't think it was her fault when she got like this! How was he supposed to think she was responsible when she spoke the way she did? He shook his head and smiled, listening to her in silence, and only returned her apologies with the kiss she offered, putting his paw on the back of her head to better press their snouts together. It wasn't her fault at all, now. The way she was acting, making Rockpaw's anger slip right out of him like a cool stream, a pressure cooker slowly being released of the steam built up inside of it, he would take the blame for just about anything! If it meant cuddling up with Brooke like this afterward, maybe they needed more arguments. He broke the kiss just a moment to speak.

"Brooke... it's all right. It's all right. I'm here, okay? Let's just... enjoy this..."

He gently kissed her forehead and maneuvered easily back into a less innocent posture.

And then it was right back to the kissing. He had to admit, this was a rather passionate moment. Just after an argument, when all their feelings were devoted to making it up to each other, on their own bed no less. The kiss grew deeper as Rockpaw's body moved against Brooke's, knowing, just knowing that others might be wondering what was going on in there with all the shouting and sobbing, but now he didn't care. He had closed the door behind him, and nobeast ever came by their house at night uninvited. They were alone, they wanted to show how much they loved each other, and Brooke looked absolutely ravishing in that dress of hers. How could he even think of leaving a home like this when he had a wonderful wife waiting for him every night? He pulled her snout up into his with a paw on the back of her head, fondling her ears and tangling in her long, luscious headfur. The other paw began to rove down her back, over her ribs, reaching to her thigh as he rolled over on top of her and-

"OW!" he yelped suddenly, drawing back with a hiss of pain, coiling inward like he'd been stabbed by something. Brooke had clamped right down on the spot the plate had struck. Suddenly thoughts of romance and an evening of love left him as he groaned and clutched at his side. He smiled weakly, awkwardly, knowing the moment was broken, at least for a few seconds. He protectively held his paw over the injury, not letting Brooke even brush over it with a finger!

"It's that plate you chucked," he said with a wry chuckle. "All that practice with slingstones has given you quite an arm, my love. I'll be all right. Merely some bruising and then I'll be right as rain."

[Brooke Briar Steeleye]

How could she not enjoy the deep passionate kisses that they were now sharing? It was a striking contrast to what they were just doing twenty minutes ago. Indeed she basked in it until Rockpaw yelped, causing Brooke to jump and then to sit straight up in bed. Her eyes were wide and her paws already fumbling and pulling his shirt out of the top of his pants so that she could assess the damage.

Oh now she felt really bad! So bad that her stomach started to hurt and her heart began to flutter uncontrollably. "Rockpaw! Oh heavens! I hurt you! I'm so sorry! Let me see. Please? Did it cut you?" Of course the male knew that she would not take 'no' for an answer. There was no way in hells-gates that he could deny her eyes from seeing the wound.

[Rockpaw Steeleye]

"Ahh... no, wait, Brooke, hold on!"

Rockpaw didn't want to just stop this whole evening because of one little bruising! He fumbled with Brooke's insistent paws, trying to keep the shirt down and the injury out of sight. He knew she hadn't cut him, because there wasn't any blood... just pain. Quite a bit of pain, really, but nothing he was going to interrupt an evening alone with Brooke for. He even scrambled back to try and keep her from getting a good look at it.

"No, no, Brooke, really it's -ow!- it's nothing, it..."

But he couldn't keep her paws away well enough, as she was quite relentless when she got her mind on something (including getting his shirt off). There, under the fur, was a large bruise that was already starting to develop, a raised area under the skin that was doubtlessly going to need some ice and no touching for a good week. He sat on the bed, looking awkward and in pain, and he shrugged simply.

"It's really not as bad as it looks," he tried to say, rubbing it tenderly. "It's just a bruise, Brooke. Don't worry yourself so much."

[Brooke Briar Steeleye]

Brooke needed to say nothing, her facial expression stated it all. She was dumbfounded, shocked and quite ashamed to say the least. So ashamed as a matter of fact that she began to cry again, and not some pouty soft sobs but heartfelt and meaningful ones as she placed her forehead now on his naked chest. Yes she managed to get his shirt off. "Ohhhh.... Rockpaw! I'm a horrible wife! I said such terrible things and now I've hurt you. I hope that you can forgive me." Oh sure she knew that he would but she was just so emotional that she wasn't thinking rational.

After a few minutes of crying Brooke managed to allow her sounds to fade. Immediately there after she got up and retreated downstairs to get some ice. Upon returning she crawled across the bed and placed the pack on his side, very gently.

The blonde otter settled down on the bed, so sorry and embarrassed that she could hardly look at her mate but she was still hoping that he'd crawl back onto the bed with her. Hoping that he would forgive her by cuddling with her. She was such a mess right now. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts and feelings. "Lay back for a bit Rockpaw and I'll hold the ice on it for you." Brooke waited for him to sit back before she could snuggle back into him.

In the mean time she sniffled rather cutely.....

[Rockpaw Steeleye]

Forgive? Brooke really didn't know how much control she had over Rockpaw, did she? He would forgive her just about anything, especially with the faces she was pulling. Rockpaw was a solid and tough creature who had weathered more battles than he cared to count, and this was just one more little bump on the long road of his life. He didn't really consider it too big a deal. Of course, if the plate had landed the right way she might have cracked a rib, but she hadn't! And that made it all the easier for Rockpaw to simply shrug it off, which he did. It had hurt, yes, and he was shocked she had done it, more shocked than anything else she had said or done. But fortunately he was in a forgiving mood now, too tired to really carry on the argument they had been so fiercely embroiled in. The boiling anger was gone, and he felt no need to stir up his inner serenity all over again when they were like this. He was a little surprised at the speed and ease with which she had gotten his shirt off... but by now he supposed they had had plenty of practice.

When she got back with the ice he calmly dropped onto his back on the bed, rolling onto his side and letting the cooling salve take effect. It was definitely soothing to the touch, and as willing as he was to simply take the injury like a male, it felt extremely relaxing to have an area of such throbbing pain suddenly made to feel relieved. He had been through a great many injuries in his life, and he wasn't about to complain. But having Brooke dote on him was something he rather enjoyed. He reached up and cupped her cheek in one paw, tilting his head.

"No need for that, Brooke," he said simply. "It's done and gone and we can only move on, hmm? Let's calm ourselves down, now. No more shouting so the children can hear."

[Brooke Briar Steeleye]

Brooke held the ice on his side so very lovingly and when he cupped her cheek in his paw she looked up at him. Instantly she was drawn into his one-eyed gaze. What would she ever do without him? The femme couldn't think about such a thing. No instead she kissed him tenderly.

After their lips parted Brooke gasped. Rockpaw was a truly amazing male and he took her breath away. She fell more in love with him each day and counted the fateful day that they met as a blessing. "Yes... Let's talk quietly now. The children next door won't hear us now but there is one that will." Brooke smiled and looked down at her tummy. "It's a good thing that you didn't throw a plate at me." If he had he could have injured their unborn kit. Brooke would now let him ponder a moment over what she had just said.

She continued to act like there wasn't a surprise blurted out by her. This was one reason she wanted to have such a lovely evening with her mate. Brooke wanted to tell him that she was pregnant with their next child. Her stomach became nervous as it fluttered with butterflies. She wondered what he would say about this. Tenderly she looked up at him with her emerald green eyes sparkling. Surely now he could see the glow around her like a an angelic halo.

[Rockpaw Steeleye]

Rockpaw rolled onto his back and drew Brooke down to him as he went, pulling her to his chest during and after the kiss, so she could lie atop him and they could both be comfortable. He liked feeling her weight, the heft of her body; whether above or beneath it didn't bother him. It let him know that she was real, still there and together with him. It gave him something to hold and wrap his paws around, as he did now, letting her still keep the ice on his side. It was a constant, cooling reminder to his hot temper of what could happen when they got angry... it was fortunate indeed that most of their passion was spent on love instead of fury! He watched her in silence as she spoke, the words not dawning on him for a few moments. He blinked his single eye at her, tilting his head as she looked to her belly. Well of course it was a good thing he hadn't thrown anything at her! That would have just been terrible on his part.

But then realization seemed to strike him. His eye widened, then narrowed, then widened again, going through a variety of emotions that were not entirely clear. He began to sit up, holding Brooke supportively as he did so, staring at her stomach the whole time. Could it be? Were they ready? Was he supposed to be happy, or angry? Another kit! His mind swirled as he processed the information, and laid a large paw on Brooke's belly. When he remembered how it had felt the first time with Logan, and again with the twins, he knew. He knew that he could be nothing except happy about this. He knew he couldn't help but smile, as big a surprise as it was. Truly this was turning out to be a rather shocking night. He cuddled his snout into the crook of her neck, nuzzling her reassuringly.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said quietly. "I suppose this means I'll have to dust out the nursery again?"

He grinned and pulled her closer into a grand hug, tight and protective. All anger from before was by now completely forgotten in the face of this news.