Title: Sentinel of the Potomac: In Natura
Summary: After finding out about Agent Scully's pregnancy, John Doggett comes home to deal with the news and promptly gets hit by another announcement at home. Doggett Residence Unlocking the front door, Annie Doggett walked into the house and automatically dialled up her hearing to listen for any heartbeats. She wasn' t expecting John home yet and Jo was working, but both had a tendency to surprise her. As expected, neither one was home - either in the house or Jo's cottage - so Annie decided to change into some old clothes and go out to the pottery shed. Pottery was one of Annie's favourite hobbies and John had built a small shed in the backyard for her to work in. Jo'd commented once that Annie's heightened sense of touch was probably the reason she enjoyed and excelled at it. That was true enough but neither Annie or John was really concerned about *why* Annie loved it so much. Their main concern was that she had something that helped her think. Especially lately. Since John had taken the assignment to the X-Files they'd faced a lot of things. It seemed as if work was following him home more and more. Only now, instead of it just being hard for him to leave behind, it was forcing him to face things in his own life in their life that had been left dormant for a long time. Like the Underwood case where a missing boy had miraculously been returned ten years after his kidnapping. The case had put John through the wringer emotionally but it had allowed him to put to rest some of his fears about having another child and help Annie herself put to rest her own fears about passing her senses on to a baby. It hadn't been easy for either one to let go of those fears, and they'd both had to face the impact Luke's death still had on their lives, but when they had...they'd found that their desire for a child of their own was more intense than either one had suspected. Once the decision to try had been made, they'd begun talking in earnest. Dreaming and planning about having a little boy or a little girl of their own. Annie's foot paused in its rhythmic motion and she lifted her hands from the clay she'd been shaping to pick up a towel. After wiping the excess clay and water from her hands, she pressed one hand against her denim shirt - over her queasy stomach - and took a deep breath. "Whew..." The sigh escaped her and she wondered, not for the first time, if their hopes had been realized. If this was more than just a queasy stomach. Wondered if she might be pregnant. There were signs, had been for a while now.. But she hadn't said a word to John, or Jo. Not a word to anyone actually. It wasn't that she didn't want to find out she was pregnant. Far from it. Annie was afraid to get her hopes up, or John's, only to find out it was a false alarm. It was an irrational fear - they could always keep trying - but nevertheless it was a real fear to her. The nausea didn't fade so she got up and walked outdoors, hoping the fresh air would help it. Wandering around the backyard, the tall blonde couldn't help but let her imagination roam free. She dreamed about a swing set near the backdoor, or a blanket with a few toys scattered on it all ready for a baby. Another sigh escaped her, one of longing, and Annie shook her head to clear her mind of the images. Fear or not, when Jo got home, she was going to ask her friend to run a pregnancy test. Yes, the home ones might be reliable but she wanted to be *sure*. Unfortunately for Annie, while her heart felt better about the decision, her stomach was still unhappy and the Sentinel found herself hurrying to unlock Jo's door, intent on getting to the bathroom. Jo Barnes's cheery smile faded when she came around the side of her cottage to find the door open. She'd left that closed, she was sure of it. And even when she did forget, Annie or John alway locked it for her. It was a force of habit for them. Looking around the yard, the slender brunette spotted the door of the pottery shed open and sighed in relief. That meant Annie was probably the one who'd opened the door.. But still, why wouldn't she shut it behind her? "Annie?" Not seeing her in the front room, Jo continued on into the house and was surprised to find Annie on her knees in the bathroom, reaching to flush the toilet. "Hey, Jo." Frowning in concern, the younger woman ignored the faint smile her friend gave her and rushed forward to press a hand to Annie's forehead. "What's wrong? Are you sick? Did something happen?" Picking up a washcloth, Annie turned to look in the mirror at her own face. "I think I might be pregnant, Jo." University Hospital When Jo walked into her office, test results in hand, she found Annie pacing back and forth before the window. "Y'know, I didn't think it would be possible but you look more nervous than you did on your wedding day." The Sentinel managed a small smile for her friend. "Yeah well, this is just as big now isn't it?" Eyes fixing on the folder in Jo's hands, Annie's smile vanished and was replaced by the nervous expression of moments before. "Well? Is that the results? Am I?" The doctor walked over and dropped the folder on her desk, staring at it for a long moment before spinning to grin excitedly. "I'm gonna be an aunt!!!!" Annie's blue eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open in shock as she stared at her friend. "You...you're...serious? I'm pregnant?!" Jo's dark locks bounced as she nodded her head firmly. "Yeah! How long have you suspected?" A blush dawned across Annie's face and she fidgeted. "Um...a while, I've missed at least one period. I was afraid to bring it up, to ask for a test. I didn't want to..." "Find out you weren't." A sympathetic look from Jo assured Annie she wasn't upset. "I understand. You and John have been pretty focused on this since that case about the little boy..." "When we decided," her friend noted softly. "So, you're probably at least six weeks along..." Jo theorized, leaning back. "We'll have to get you fixed up with a good OB/GYN and then figure that out." A wide grin filled her features. "In the meantime, we've got shopping to do!!!" Doggett Residence "John's home," Jo observed as they pulled into the driveway. "You want me to go in with you?" She smiled impishly. "I have to admit, I am dying to see the look on his face." "Not a chance, half pint." Annie laughed as she opened the driver's side door to get out. "You'll have to settle for me describing it to you tomorrow. This is something I do solo." "Party pooper," Jo accused with a laugh as she headed for the path that led around to the back of the house. In truth, both of them knew she'd only been teasing. After all, like she'd said before, there were some things and places in a Sentinel's life that her Guide just didn't need to go or be present for. This was one of them. "I'm home!" Annie called out as she hung up her coat. "I'm in here," John answered absently from the living room. Worry lit his wife's eyes as she walked into the room to find him. He didn't sound...well, like himself. He sounded sad disappointed, let down.. But more than that. It was just hard to pin down the emotion. Whatever had happened...it was not good. "John?" Annie questioned, finding him sitting on the couch, his forearms resting on his knees. "What's wrong?" He'd been home for a while long enough to shower and change into a t-shirt and jeans. Not too long though, as his hair was still damp to the touch. He looked up at her, then reached out a hand towards her, sighing. "Well, I found out what the hell Scully's been keepin' from me." Taking his hand, Annie dropped to her knees. She wrapped his arm around her waist and moved close to him, resting her head on his chest. "That bad?" she asked quietly, her own arms slipping around him. He reached up with his free hand to stroke her hair while he thought. "Not...bad, really," he sighed again. "Just somethin' I shouldn't've been left in the dark about." "Well, whatever it is, you certainly seem...let down." Remembering her own news for him, Annie snuggled closer. That'd cheer him up; she just had to find the right time to tell him. "I'm disappointed," he admitted. "How the hell I'm supposed to back her up if she won't trust me..." his voice trailed off. "Frustrating for sure..." Annie agreed, her hands stroking his back. "Can you tell me without breaking confidences? If not, it doesn't matter...I just hate seeing you like this." "I told her I wouldn't keep it from you. You're my wife," he reassured her, letting the hand drop from her hair to caress her face. Then he sighed again and let it fall to his knee. "She's pregnant." Shock registered across Annie's face followed quickly by the urge to giggle. "Oh my God, you're kidding right?!" He blinked at her, confused by her reaction. "No, I'm not. She's fourteen weeks pregnant." A small laugh escaped her and she shook her head. "I'm sorry, John, I really don't mean to laugh it's just that..." She shook her head again and rested her forehead against his chest. "What?" He looked concerned. Annie pushed away and grinned widely at him. "Well, the timing...it's just very funny. I mean, here I come home all set to tell you about our baby and I find out Agent Scully's stolen my thunder by telling you about *hers*!" This brought another giggle from her as she waited for his reaction. John blinked and stared at her in dumbfounded amazement. "Annie, did I just hear you right?" The blonde woman nodded, her blue eyes sparkling. "I've had my suspicions for a while now...I was just afraid I was wrong. Jo...she uh, did a blood test today...it's positive." She paused then blinked back decidedly happy tears. "I'm pregnant." The grin that spread over his face was almost big enough to swallow all his other features...except for his eyes, which were practically glowing. "Our baby. *Our* baby." He let out a whoop of delight and bounded off the couch, pulling her into his arms so that her feet left the ground. This time Annie did squeal with excitement, wrapping her arms around his neck as her hair flew out behind her. She didn't know who was more excited him or her.. But there was no doubt that they were both ready to fly through the ceiling. After a long embrace, he finally set her down, and planted a long, thorough, passionate kiss on her. "Did I ever mention," he asked in a husky voice once the kiss had been broken, "just how much I love you, Mrs. Doggett?" "Yes," she responded with a mischievous smile. "But I certainly won't complain about hearing it again." "And you won't hear me complaining about sayin' it." John agreed, leaning in for another kiss before resting a hand against her abdomen. "A baby..." The words slipped out seemingly without his knowledge. "A baby," Annie confirmed with a quietly pleased tone. With an unspoken agreement, they moved to the couch again Annie reclining against John who had an arm draped protectively across her mid-section. "Did she tell you or..." With that statement, they were back on the topic of Dana Scully's pregnancy and its revelation. "Did I find out from someone else?" Her husband finished for her with a hint of frustration in his voice. Not at his wife but at the situation of which they spoke. "From someone else. The doctor who treated her. He thought I knew..." "Because you're her partner." Annie sighed in sympathy and covered his hand with hers, squeezing gently. "I'm sorry, John..." "Why?" he queried in confusion. "You had nothing to do with it." "No, but I know how you have to be feeling...I mean, we both thought you were making progress with her. Thought that she was starting to trust you." Annie sat up enough to look at him, smiling sadly. "I wish I'd been there with you." Doggett brought out a grin. "Naw, you were finding out something even better." He ran a hand over her hair and down to cup her cheek, his thumb stroking lightly over the skin. "Best news I've had all year." His wife's smile turned impish. "So you say now - just you wait till it's an ungodly hour of the morning and I'm demanding some bizarre combinations of food - you'll grumble then." "Don't count on it." John drawled. "Whatever you want, you get - the both of you." His eyes gleamed with pride at that and Annie couldn't help but giggle - which of course, confused her husband enough to ask. "What?" Waving a hand at him, Annie pushed herself to her feet and walked into the kitchen - she wasn't sure if it was too early for cravings or not but she had a sudden yen for vanilla ice cream with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and sprinkles. "Nothing." "Oh no you don't, Blue Eyes, it was something - something made you giggle." Following her into the kitchen, Doggett stopped her from stretching up to get her favourite bowl from the cupboard then got it for her. "Now, what was it?" Sighing at the over-protectiveness he was already displaying, Annie took the bowl from him and smiled. "That look you just had on your face." "What look?" Her husband inquired with a grin, leaning past her to get the ice cream. A smirk on her face, the tall blonde reclined back against the wall and raised an eyebrow. "You know the one I mean. I've seen guys get it before when their girlfriends or wives are pregnant: sort of a 'check out what I made' look." Annie laughed and reached over to pat his cheek. "As if you were the ones doing all the work." Grinning at her, John set the ice cream down on the counter and moved to pull her close. "Well, I definitely say I had a hand in it." Leering playfully, Annie draped her arms over his shoulders. "Wrong body part." "Oh yeah?" Dropping a feather-soft kiss across her lips, the FBI agent pulled back and gave her a lop-sided grin. "Which one then?" "Grab the ice cream and a spoon, handsome and I'll show you." "Yes MA'AM..." Finis
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