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Christmas Eve....what a wonderful time of year! Especially in a certain house that sat on the outskirts of Halloweentown. The outside of the home lacked in decoration, but it was the only place. Inside, there were garlands on every wall and door, and an over-decorated pine tree in the corner. The smell of cookies and treats and hot chocolate wafted through the house. Stasia, Nataya, 'Zuba, Ginger, and Zemel were all sitting on the couch, watching the Spongebob Christmas Special for the umpteenth time.

Thali had never been to Stasia's house, but she hazarded a guess. If it was the wrong place, she supposed she could always go to Vate's. Since Ben had locked her out of her house, she had no where else to go; and it was stupid to stay in the freezing weather. She knocked on the door, wiping her eyes with one hand.

"I'll get it!" Nataya said, smiling and hopping up from the couch. She made her way to the door, opening it. "Miss Thali, what are you doing here?" she asked, blinking and stepping to side. "Come it! It's freezing outside; you must be cold."
Thali nodded, forced a smile and walked into the house. "Thank you," She said, shivering. "Is your mother home?"

Nataya nodded, motioning to the couch. "You look cold; I'll go get you some hot chocolate." she said, nodding before turning on heel to get the warm treats for the adult.

Stasia blinked, looking at Thali. "What are you doing out in weather like this?" she asked, moving away from the couch and the kids to move towards her fellow parent. "Shouldn't you be at home? It's Christmas Eve."
Thali thanked Nattie again, and headed towards Stasia. She frowned, and tried to keep her lower lip from trembling. "Ben kicked me out." She said, wiping a tear from her eye. "He doesn't want me to come back."

Stasia was slightly taken aback by this, but kept her composure. "'Zuba, honey, take the twins upstairs and play a bit, okay?" she said, smiling slightly at the kids.

'Zuba muttered under her breath, reluctantly leading the toddlers upstairs. She didn't see why they couldn't stay down there; it was their house too, but then again, adults were wierd.

Stasia led Thali to the couch, taking a seat in a near-by chair as she turned the television off. "Now, tell me what happened." she asked, worried.

Thali sat, sniffling. "I d-don't know what h-happened," She said. "He was so angry. He--" She rubbed her eyes. "He didn't say why!"

Stasia blinked; uh-oh, crying. She sucked when it came to comforting crying people. "Um....it's okay. I'm sure everything will work out." she said, smiling a little.

Nataya came out of the kitchen, hot chocolate with marshmallows and fresh-baked cookies in tow. "Miss Thali, what's wrong?" she asked, walking over and, after setting the treats on the coffee table, sitting next to the adult. "Don't cry....."

Thali sniffled. "I hope so.." She said, "I've never seen him so angry.. He said he never wanted to see me again!" she sniffed, and took the mug of hot chocolate.

She looked over at Nattie and gave her a watery smile. "Thank you." She said. "I'll try not to..."

Nataya gasped. "Who said that? That was an awful thing to say!" she said, shocked that someone could be so mean. She hugged the adult, as if trying to hug the hurtful words away.

Stasia showed the barest hint of a smile; her little girl was much better with dealing with upset people than she was. "I'm sure he didn't mean it..." she offered, patting the poor girl's knee.
Thali sniffed. "B-ben did." She said, taking a sip of hot chocolate. She returned Nattie's hug with one arm. "I'm not so sure," She looked at Stasia. "He wants a divorce, and he said I can't see Joshua and Vinny tomorrow."

Nataya blinked; why on Earth would Ben say such a thing? He seemed like such a nice guy. She listened to what the adult said, and let out a gasp. She couldn't believe it! Thali couldn't see Josh or Vinny for Christmas! That was awful.

Stasia looked to Nataya, sighing gently. "Baby doll, why don't you go upstairs with the others." she suggested; the child didn't need to hear this kind of stuff. She then looked at Thali, biting her lip. That had to be hard; she felt pity on the poor girl.

Nataya headed upstairs to her room quietly, walking past the twins' room, where they and 'Zuba were playing a game. She slipped into her room, starting to put her winter gear on. She was going to pay someone a visit.
Thali sniffed, and looked at Stasia. "I'm sorry," She said. "I'm ruining your Christmas too. I can leave, if you want." She took another sip of hot chocolate.

Stasia shook her head. "Nonsense. You're staying right her. It is way too cold out there; you'd turn into a Thali-cicle in this weather." she said, patting her shoulder. "Tomorrow, we'll find out what all this is about."

Nataya got her coat and other accessories on before closing her door. As much as she didn't want to break the rules, she knew Momma would never let her outside this late. So, without another word, she went to the window, opening it and climbing out carefully onto a small strip of roof. She closed the window then looked down. She gulped, the jump, using her wings to help her glide down gracefully into the back yard, away from the living room windows at the front of the house.
Thali nodded her thanks. "But tomorrow's Christmas. I'm supposed to be with Josh and Vinny.. And.." She wiped a tear from her face. "I just want to go home."

Stasia smiled gently. "We'll march over there first thing in the morning and I'll make sure you see the young ones." she said, nodding. She dared Ben to try and stop them.

It was freezing outside; the snow didn't help much, either. The girl trekked across the snowy tundra, aka the back yard, stopping at the fence to open and shut the gate as she passed. She then cut through the graveyard as she headed for Thali's house....all the way in Barton.
Thali looked relieved for a moment, then she sniffed. "But what if they don't want to see me either?" She asked. If Ben was turning the boys against her, she didn't know what she'd do.

Stasia put a hand on Thali's shoulder. "Of course they will want to see you." she said, smiling lightly. "You're their mother; they love you. Why wouldn't they want to see you?"

Nataya was freezing cold, but she kept going, remember the way from when they'd gone to decorate the tree with Joshua.

Thali sighed. "Ben might tell them something," She said. "He really doesn't seem to want to see me. Maybe he didn't like his present and that's why he's so mad.."

Ben was outside getting the paper when he spotted Nattie. "Nattie! Why are you out so late?" He called. "You must be frozen!" He insisted on her coming inside.
Stasia sighed, not sure what to say. "Ben could never turn the boys against you." she said, her tone showing exactly how sure she was and how much confidence she had in this fact.

Nattie stumbled in the door, her legs numb from the cold. "I...I..." she trailed off a shiver ran through her. She was just so cold...what little protection her coat had offered had not been enough to shield her from the biting winter winds.
Thali looked at Stasia, forcing a smile. "I hope you're right. Ben'll have to let me in to get the animals anyway. He doesn't like cats.. Where's Vate? I thought he was supposed to be with you."

Ben led her in, getting her a cup of hot chocolate and a blanket. He wrapped the blanket around her, and handed her the cup after sitting her down on the couch. "Why are you out alone?" He asked, concerned.
The halfling smiled. "Of course I'm right. Aren't I always?" she said, then though a moment. "Don't answer that." she added, chuckling. "Vate is going to stop by later for dinner. He's a bit odd, but he seems nice."

Nataya took a sip of hot chocolate, keeping the warm cup clasped in her hands. She looked up at Ben, taking a breath before explaining. "Well, Momma and the others and I were watching Spongebob's Christmas, the Thali showed up and she was upset even if she didn't say she was, I could feel she was, and she was crying and said she couldn't see Joshua and VIncent, which I know would be horrible cause Momma would feel horrible if she couldn't see us any day, but to imagine it on a holiday and I tried to cheer Thali up but I couldn't and I didn't know what to do and and......" She had to stop to take a breath.

Thali nodded. "Vate's always been that way." She said, covering up her mouth before sneezing. "It's really cold out there." She said. "I don't remember it ever being so cold."

Ben didn't know what to say. He hadn't expected Thali to cry, or go to Stasia's. He suddenly felt awkward. If Nattie was this cold-- what would have happened to Thali if she hadn't had a friend to turn to? "We had a fight." He said reluctantly. "So I told her not to come back."

Stasia nodded once. "I figured as much." she said, chuckling. She blinked as the elf beside her sneezed, reaching over to the corner-table to get a tissue to hand to her. "It is awfully cold, isn't it...."

Nataya looked up at him with wide eyes. "Why?" she asked, drawing her knees to her chest. "Thali doesn't know what caused the fight....I asked her...." All she wanted to do was help Miss Thali so she could spend Christmas with her family, just like it showed in all the Christmas movies.
Thali took the tissue gratefully. "Thank you." She said, before sneezing into it. "I'm not supposed to get sick.." She muttered. "This shouldn't be happening..." But it wasn't true that elves never got sick. While it was true that elves rarely did; they could get sick from stress, or being upset.

Ben sighed, and tried to find a way to explain it to the girl. But why wouldn't Thali know? It was her fault that the fight had started. "Thali doesn't love me anymore." He said. "She's been seeing other people for a long time behind my back. I've only just found out."

She simply smiled back. "No problem." she said, before standing up. "Well, it looks like you're sick now....I'll go fix you some chicken noodle soup, okay?" That always helped her when she didn't feel well.

Nataya was definitely confused. "But she does love you." she said, frowning slightly. "Why would she cry over you if she didn't? And what do you mean seeing other people?" She took another sip of her hot chocolate, waiting for an answer.
Thali nodded, she'd heard chicken noodle soup helped with colds. She frowned. "What if Ben comes here?" She asked. "I don't want--" She sneezed again. "Argh. I hate being sick."

Ben frowned. "She might have been crying because I told her she couldn't see Joshua and Vinny tomorrow." He said. "She wasn't crying about me. And.. I mean, she was doing things she should only do with me with other people."
Stasia looked at her, smiling slight. "Just rest and take it easy, okay?" she said, chuckling and shaking her head before stepping into the kitchen, pulling some chicken out of the fridge. She was going to fix it for dinner, but Thali needed it more.

Nataya shook her head; she was sure that wasn't it. Thali was nice; she'd never do that. "She wouldn't...." she said, sounding confident. Miss Thali wouldn't do something so un-nice.
Thali nodded and leaned against the back of the couch. Rest sounded good. But taking it easy? What did that mean?

Ben sighed, "But she has." He said. "She's been sneaking out every night for the past two weeks."
As the cooking commenced and progressed, the smell of chicken and herbs permeated from the kitchen, filling the house with the warm and welcoming aroma.

Nataya frowned. "Momma's been sneaking out too....she was buying gifts! Maybe Thali was buying gifts too." It wasn't working....she wasn't fixing anything!
Thali could smell the soup already. But she didn't feel very hungry. "Do you think Ben will forgive me for whatever I did?" She asked.

Ben considered it. "But why didn't she tell me where she was going? And if she was buying gifts, why'd she always come home past six am?"
"I'm sure he will." Stasia said, nodding once. "They say love can fix all problems." She leaned against the counter, letting the soup simmer on the stove a bit.

Nataya thought a moment. "Maybe she was looking for a gift for you. And she was out so late because she couldn't find the perfect one to make you smile." she suggested, biting her lower lip.
Thali wasn't so sure. "He seemed really angry. It was scary." She said, before coughing. "He just shoved me outside."

Ben frowned, and shook his head. "No," He said, "I don't think she would do that. I'll give you a ride home, if you like. Then you won't have to be out in the cold."
Stasia remained silent, finding herself at a loss for words. She closed her eyes, sighing. Ben still loved Thali, right? He had to...right?

That's when it hit her; she hadn't helped Thali....not at all. She'd come all this way for no reason. She looked at Ben with wide eyes; she hadn't convinced him at all. That meant no "Christmas miracle" like on the television shows. She then began to cry. She'd failed to help someone.
Thali frowned. "What if he doesn't let me see Joshua and Vinny anymore?"

Ben hugged Nattie. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry." He said. "Is Thali still at your place? Maybe we can talk while I'm there. If you help me. Maybe I can tell her why she's made me so mad."
Stasia opened her eyes. "I have some friends who could get the boys for us. You'd get to see your boys." she said, her tone serious.

Nataya nodded, wiping her eyes as she tried in vain to stop crying. "I....I'll help." she said, nodding. "But....promise you won't get mad and throw her out of our house or yell?" After all, she didn't want him scaring her younger siblings or worse, making 'Zuba mad.
Thali gave a weak half smile. "Thank you," She said gratefully. "I don't know what I'd do without them."

Ben frowned, and nodded. "I'll try." He promised, "As long as she doesn't lie."
The halfling smiled as she ladeled out a bowl of the soup. "It's not a problem." she said, chuckling. "I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't see my younguns...."

Nataya nodded, smiling a little. "I doubt she'll lie." she said, confident in Thali. After all, why would she lie?
Thali wiped the last tears from her eyes. "I don't think Ben's cruel enough to keep them away from me, really." She said.

Ben's lips twitched, he couldn't help it. "Let's go then," He said.

Stasia smiled, sitting back down in the chair and holding the soup out to Thali. "Don't worry about it for now, okay?" she said, smiling.

Nataya nodded, slowly standing up. She then glanced around. "Where are Joshua and Vincent?" she asked.
Thali took the soup, and nodded. "I can try." She said, taking a spoonful of soup. "This is really good," She said, surprised. The way Joshua complained about chicken noodle had made her wonder.

Ben forced a smile. "Vate insisted on taking them to his house the moment he heard about Thali and I fighting." He said.
Stasia smiled. "'Course it's good. It's home made. Home made food is the best." she said, nodding once. "There's more in the kitchen; I made extra incase the kids want any."

Nataya nodded. "That was smart of him." she said softly. "It hurts us kids to see parents fight. Hm, I wonder if he'll bring them when he comes over for dinner tonight."
Thali smiled, but paused as she heard the door bell. "Think that's Vate?" She asked. But it wasn't Vate.

Ben walked into the house. "Hello Stasia," He said. "Nattie wanted to be brought back home so, here we are."
Stasia blinked, looking up. "Nataya? I thought you were upstairs...." she said, then it hit her. "You snuck out?" she said, not sounding mad, just surprised. She never thought her little girl would sneak out like that.

Nattie frowned slightly, the guilt obvious on her face. "I'm sorry...." she said, looking down. "I...I just wanted to help make Christmas happy."
Thali was just as surprised to see Ben. She ate the rest of her soup quickly and tried to hide her sneeze.

Ben hugged Nattie. "Thank you," He whispered. He stared. "Thali's sick?" He asked surprised.
Stasia looked at Ben, her eyes cold and her tone neutral as she spoke. "Yes, she is." she said calmly. She would be decent; after all, Ben had helped her when 'Zuba had gone missing.

Nataya smiled lightly, hugging back. "You're welcome." she said softly.
Ben's eyes widened. For a moment he looked concerned. "Isn't that bad? Elves aren't supposed to get sick! Is she dying?" After that, he recovered. "How'd she get sick?"
Stasia remained calm. "It's just a cold." she said simply. "It could have been brought on by a whole slew of things: prolonged exposure to harsh weather, emotional or physical stress, maybe a mix of both...."
Thali took a tissue, and coughed into it. "It sure feels like dying." She managed.

Ben frowned. "But elves aren't supposed to get sick." He said, staring at Stasia. "Ever." He paused, remembering how cold Nattie had been when she'd gotten to his house. And he'd forced Thali out with a jacket. "It's my fault, isn't it?"
Stasia looked at Thali, rolling her eyes. "You are not dying." she said, pulling the throw blanked off the back of the couch to drape over Thali. She then looked at Ben. "That's not exactly true...while illness is rare, it's still possible. And yes, most likely." She saw no need to lie to the boy.
Thali was grateful for the blanket, and curled up into it.

Ben sighed, so it was his fault. He felt bad, but not bad enough to invite Thali back home. "Did she say anything to you?" He asked.
Stasia took a breath, keeping herself calm. "She said she didn't know what made you so mad." she said simply, staring at the ground. "As far as she knows, she hasn't done any wrongdoing."

Ben frowned, and looked at the ground. "I thought she would know. She's the one that caused all this." He said. If Thali did know, why would she play stupid? And how had she gotten sick so fast?
The "teen" did not look, in any way, shape, or form, amused. She crossed her arms, eyes falling on the human. "And how, pray tell, did she cause this? You're the one who threw her out into the cold."
Ben scowled, and glared at his wife's friend. "Look. She deserved it. She's been sneaking out at night to be with Matth." He snarled.
Stasia tried to keep a straight face, but the snickers did her in. She started laughing out loud. "You think she...and Matth?" This was the funniest thing she'd ever heard.
Her laughter surprised him. He frowned at her, confused. "What's funny?" He asked, recovering and putting the scowl back on his face. "I'm serious!"

By this time, Thali had fallen asleep.
Stasia quelled her laughter, then walked over the Thali, gently brushing her hair away to reveal her un-marked, un-wounded neck. "Do you see puncture wounds here? No you do not. If she was with Matth, she'd have two nice little marks here." She chuckled. "Besides, Matth wouldn't do anything with a married woman."
Ben's eyes widened. "Well, if she hasn't been with Matth, she must be seeing someone else." He said, frowning. "Vate keeps hinting at it."
Stasia looked at him. "He better not be." she said, calmly. "If he is, I am SO going to have a talk with him...."
Suddenly Vate burst into the house. "Sorry I'm late!" He said, closely being followed by Joshua and Vinny. "Thali and Ben had a fight and I've been taking care of the kids.." He paused when he saw Ben there. "Did Thali kick you out?" He joked. But then he grew serious as he spotted Thali on the couch. "She's sick?"
Vinny and Josh ran up the stairs. "Zemel!" Joshua cried. "I'm here!"

Stasia looked up at Vate. "It's okay. Vinny, Josh, the others are upstairs." she said, smiling at the kids before returning her attention to the elf. "Yes. She's sick. And Ben here say's she's been cheating with you."

Vate turned pale. "But elves can't..." he started, and glared at Ben. "You idiot!" He said. "Thali's completely commited to you!"
Stasia looked at Ben. "Well, care to explain yourself?" she asked, moving to stand next to Vate.

Nataya looked to Josh and Vinny, holding her hands out. "C'mon....let's go upstairs." she said, wanting to get them out of here before the sparks started.
Ben frowned. "Why else would she be sneaking out at night?" He asked.

Vate shrugged and sighed. "Someone's jealous.." He muttered.

Joshua took Nataya's hand happily, but Vinny was more reluctant. "Where's 'Zuba?" He asked.
Stasia crossed her arms. "Well, it IS the Christmas season...." she said, barely keeping her tone polite.

Nataya smiled at the younger kids; their hands felt warm against her still-chilled ones. "'Zuba's upstairs, with Ginger and Zemel." she explained.

Vinny's eyes widened. "You mean she gets along with them now?" He asked hopefully.

Joshua was quick to interupt. "No more running away?" He asked.

Ben's eyes narrowed. "Nattie said that too. She seemed to think Thali had done nothing wrong."
Nattie sighed. "She doesn't exactly get along with them....she barely tolerated them." she said, sounding sad about this fact. She wished 'Zuba got along with the twins; it would make everyone happier.

Stasia shrugged. "Children sometimes see things long before us adults notice...." she commented.
Ben frowned, "But how would she know?" He asked. "Thali probably lied to her."

Vate rolled his eyes. "Thali may run away-- and she might not like being told what to do," He said. "But I've never known her to lie."

Vincent sighed, he'd wanted his friend to get along with her siblings. "Maybe soon she'll like them?" He asked, hopefully. "Daddy and Mommy have fights too, but I think they love each other. So maybe they're like that."
Stasia frowned. "Nataya would know if she lied or not; she's a good judge of that." she said calmly. "If Nataya supports her, then so do I."

Nataya smiled slightly. "Maybe. I hope so." she said, nodding once. She didn't think so, though, as much as she wanted it.
Thali stirred, and opened her eyes. "Is he still here?" She asked, sitting up and looking at Ben. She yawned. She looked at Vate, "Joshua and Vinny are here?" She asked.

Ben didn't reply. Vate nodded, and gave Thali a half smile. "They've been worried about you." He said.

Vinny smiled at his friend. "'Zuba!" He ran into the room. "Hi!"
Stasia smiled. "They're upstairs. But right now, we need to sit down and talk things out. We are adults, after all." She said, looking at Ben as she spoke.

'Zuba looked up, offering a small half-smile. "Hi." she said simply. Sometimes, one wondered if she was even able of showing strong emotion.
Thali turned away, facing the back of the couch. "I don't want to talk to him." She said. "Send him home, and let him ruin someone elses Christmas."

Vate rolled his eyes. "I don't really blame her," He muttered.

Ben frowned, he hadn't expected Thali to react like this.
Stasia sighed, ignoring Vate. "Thali...can't we act like adults and talk this out?" she said, making sure she stood between them and the door. "Sulking like a child won't help anything."
Thali turned to glare at Stasia, purposely avoiding Ben's gaze. "Would you want to talk to someone who kicked you out of your own home for no reason?" She asked.

"Now wait just a minute.." Ben started, glaring. "You caused this!"
Stasia ignored the glare. "Yes, I would, because I would want to settle things calmly and peacefully." she said. She then looked to Ben. "No accusing." she said firmly, taking a breath. "Let's use "I" terms. Don't place blame, or anything, just explain how you feel."
Thali rolled her eyes. She doubted anything Ben said would be 'calm' or 'peaceful'. "I want to know why he kicked me out." She said, keeping her back turned.

Ben narrowed his eyes and scowled. "You know why!" He snapped. "You've been cheating on me for the past two weeks and you know it!"
"Benjamin Sadril!" Stasia said, putting her hands on her hips. Sure, she looked younger than him, but she certainly didn't act younger. "No accusations! Now sit down and calm down; no one's leaving this room until we have civily and politely settled this."
Thali couldn't help it, she smirked. It was fairly easy to upset Ben, she figured. "I want to know why I can't see Joshua and Vinny on Christmas." She said.

Ben sat down, glaring. "You know why." He said, as civilly and politely as he could manage. "You've been cheating on me with one of your old friends, and I'm sick of it."
Stasia crossed her arms, having an idea of who this "old friend" was. "You think she's cheating with Vate?" she asked, looking dead at Ben.
Ben frowned, and nodded. "Have you seen the way he looks at her? He's obviously in love with her!"

Vate glared. "I don't look at her in any special way," He muttered. "If I do, it's because I pity her because of the way you treat her! You treat her like crap! Because she's an elf, right? You hate elves! You loved her when you thought she was human, why does that have to change now?"
Stasia chuckled. "He better not be." she said simply, looking at Ben. "That could be a problem, considering we're dating." She looked at Vate, sighing. "Calm down....getting mad won't solve a thing."
Ben frowned. "He's dating you?" He asked suspiciously.

Vate rolled his eyes, the anger seemed to vanish in an instant. He didn't want to make Stasia mad. "Who do you think I was talking about?"

Thali had taken out her ipod and was ignoring the entire conversation.
Stasia nodded. "Yes. He is." she said, frowning right back at Ben. She looked at Thali, snatching the Ipod away. "Pay attention." she said calmly, shoving the device in her pocket.
Thali frowned as her ipod was snatched. "But.." She whined. "I want to listen to Daft Punk.."

Ben couldn't believe it. "So you were talking about Stasia?" He asked
Stasia looked at Thali. "You need to pay attention to the situation at hand. Now, why don't you tell Ben what you've really been up to, cause I find it hard to believe you were cheating on him."
Thali frowned, and turned around so she was facing the group. "I can't tell him what I was doing." She said.

Ben's eyes narrowed, and his eyebrows raised to his hairline. "So you were cheating!" He snarled.
"Benjamin!" Stasia said, narrowing her eyes at him. "She did NOT say that. Speak out of turn again and I will not hesitate to beat you over the head with a wooden spoon. Do you understand me?" She then looked at Thali. "Please, just tell him so this can all be over with."
Thali sighed, and looked at the ground. "I was out buying presents for you." She muttered. "I'd already gotten Joshua and Vinny's things."

Vate frowned, "I only called to help her figure out what you'd want." He said. "She didn't know what to get you. I suppose it's in the garage."
Stasia looked at Ben. "See?" she said, sitting on the arm of the couch. "Buying presents; that's all."
Ben's eyes widened. "That's really all you were doing?" He asked.

Thali sneezed before anwsering. "Well, not everything.." She muttered.
Stasia looked at Thali. "What else were you doing?" she asked, handing the sick girl another tissue.
Thali's lips twitched. "I'm sorry I lied to you," She said looking up at Ben. "When I said we were going to have a baby. We're not."
Stasia patted Thali's shoulder. "Aw, I'm sorry...." she said, offering the other girl a smile.
Vate was suspicious. Thali had put on too much weight to not be due soon. Why was she lying?

Thali's eyes sparkled with mischeif. "We're not just having one baby. We're having twins!"
Stasia grinned, looking from Thali to Ben. "Congratulations! When are you two due?" Well, this certainly lightened the mood up a bit. What great news!
Ben fell back into his chair. "Twins....?" He echoed. Twins? He could hardly handle Joshua and Vinny. Two girls the same age would be horrible!
Thali gave Stasia a small smile. "Febuary, I think." She said.

Stasia grinned. "That's great!" she said, smiling. Silently, she wondered what it'd be like to be pregnant....eh, too bad she planned on having kids after Nattie and 'Zuba were teens....
Ben had closed his eyes. Vate couldn't resist grinning. "I think he's fainted guys." He said.

Thali sat up and sneezed. "Poor Ben." She said, "I hope I didn't scare him too much."
Stasia smiled. "Poor guy....he's been through a lot...he should get home and get some bed rest." she said, almost feeling sorry for the guy.
Vate shook his head. "He deserves what he got." He said stubbornly. "He made her sick."
Stasia looked at Vate. "It was just a misunderstanding." she said softly.

Sunshine in Winter
Josh cheers Kaimi up <3