Ezra held Mira's hand as she stepped off the boat and onto the dock just outside the palace. The sky was turning dark above them, hinting at the brewing storm. But both of Ezra's parents waited for them at the top of the hill just in front of the docks.

Ezra and Mira agreed that first, they needed to confirm the pregnancy with a test, and then they'd tell them of their plans after softening up his parents with the good news.

"I suspect you had a good trip?" Jin smiled at Mira, and Mira nodded.

"Very good trip," Mira smiled back. She wanted to scream her idea to the whole planet, but a gentle squeeze of Ezra's hand reminded her that they had to wait. Timing was everything.

"Good," Ezra's father said, and then he began to speak in the language foreign to Mira with his wife and son.

Suddenly, his mother lit up and she looked at Mira with a jolt of excitement. "Yes, we will do that right away. You two get settled back in and I'll have the doctor meet you in your room."

Mira looked at Ezra as his mother pulled her into a strange hug. Jin whispered something in their language, but it was loud enough that Ezra overheard. As soon as she turned away, she took off towards the house a few paces in front of them.

"I'll go tend to dinner," Ezra's father said, and the only people left were the two guards and the single servant boy who carried their two small bags of clothes. They walked up to the palace along a colorful pebbled path, and Ezra wrapped his arm around her waist escorting her into the palace. It was less busy that Mira had ever seen it, with the festival set up when she first arrived, and then the clean up when she and Ezra departed for the island. Now, all was calm. But Ezra and Mira both knew it wouldn't stay that way for long. Ezra had prepared Mira for what was to come once the pregnancy was confirmed and announced.

Their would be an announcement celebration, then a offering party—the Jayku equivalent of a baby shower, only it was more spiritual than gift-giving. Then, halfway through her pregnancy, there would be a Council gathering where all the council members and their extended families would come to honor and convene their young (though that one might not be held in the palace). Then, in the final months, they'd have a naming ceremony. Once the baby was born, there would be another final celebration paired with the royal marking ceremony—this is when the child and the mother would receive their royal marks, a process that Ezra said he'd explain in detail when they had time. But they had more immediate matters to discuss. Like how they were going to get the entire council on board with the plan.

First, they had to get his parents on it.

The doctor poured the fertility water over Mira's half naked body as she sat in the shell bathtub located in the bathroom connected to Ezra's room.

As the water slid over stomach and dropped down over her bathing suit bottoms—which she insisted on wearing—Mira's grip on Ezra's hand tightened.

"You shall urinate now." The doctors English was good, but not as casual and fluent as Ezra's or even his parents.

Mira took a deep breath closed her eyes, feeling strange about having people watch her pee in a tub full of regular mixed with some fertility water—which was increasingly sounding like holy water to Mira.

"Yes, pregnant," the middle aged man said, the blotchy markings on his hands still glowing from when he touched the water.

Mira exhaled abruptly and her eyes flew open, finding her pee, mixing with the water, a bright blue color. "What the hell?"

The doctor looked at Mira, shocked. Ezra laughed uncomfortably and smiled to the doctor. He explained, in their language that Mira did not understand, and that it would probably be best for him to explain it before asking him to go inform his parents.

As soon as the doctor disappeared, Mira yanked on Ezra's arm and gave him a stern look. "Explain. Now."

"You're pregnant with a Jayku child, which makes your urine will turn blue when mixed with fertility water."

"Why?" She said frantically, and it only took Ezra a second to realize that she wasn't just freaking out about the color of her urine, she was really freaking out about being in pregnant in general.

It was one thing to suspect it, but Mira hadn't been certain. A part of her had still felt like it was unreal—impossible, even.

"Sweetheart," he said, cupping her face in his hands. "You're pregnant."

She shook her head, breaking his gaze to stare back down at the blue water, which had almost disappeared. "I need to rinse off," she said, trying to process. He turned on the shower for her by pulling the rope near the wall, and water began to rain down from the holes in the ceiling. He left her alone for a moment, but stood just outside the door, waiting if she called for him.

Mira stayed in the shower for a long time, wasting gallons of clean water some people on earth would have killed for, but as the shell drained and every trace of blue pee disappeared, she wished her fear would too.

She held her stomach with her hand, water pooling in her palm. "I'm pregnant," she whispered to herself in disbelief. Why am I so surprised? She thought. He only filled me with elephant sized loads every day for the past month.

Finally, she turned off the water by pulling on the second rope and found a towel waiting for her on the wood table. She noticed some of the furniture that was in this bathroom was more human-like than before. She decided this must have been a request Ezra made before they left, for her comfort.

She smiled at the thought and sat down on the white egg-shaped chair in the corner. If she was going to have a baby with someone, she was honestly glad it was with someone so thoughtful and caring as Ezra.

Alien or not, he loved her and she loved him. Not only did he blatantly care for her deeply, he was also the type of person she had always fantasized about marrying—minus the alien markings that glowed blue. He loved to hike, loved the outdoors, wasn't immediately swooned by the obvious beauties in the selection ball, and he was kind and patient.

She stood up, finally feeling ready to face him. It was amazing how he just knew when to give her a moment to herself.

She stepped out into the bedroom, the red leaf towel wrapped around her body, and she smiled at him as he sat next to the bathroom door in a furry green chair.

As soon as he saw her, he got to his feet, looking at her slightly worried. "Are you okay?"

She licked her lips and a small smile hinted at the corners of her mouth. She nodded gently, and leaned in to kiss him. "I love you."

He smiled at her, his eyes glossing over. "I love you too, sweetheart."

"Lets have a baby," she laughed softly, taking his hand in hers.

His smile turned to a grin, and he dropped down to his knees, yanking her towel off before kissing her belly. "Lets have this baby." He looked up at her and blinked.

She slowly lowered to her knees, getting down to his level. "It's a deal."