Jack smiled, stroking his fingers along the curves of Mark's chest. Mark's warmth made him start to drift off. Helped along by the way Mark's fingers continued to run through his hair and down his neck to follow his spine and back. It was a beautiful end to the day. As morning broke through the curtains, Jack stirred from his sleep reluctantly. The TV was still on with the volume on low playing another Christmas movie that was panning around the snowy scenery. The fake fireplace crackled and popped, heating the room to a nice cozy temperature. Jack didn't want to get out of bed. Lifting his head though, he took in Mark and grinned. Mark was still laying on him back, but his head was tilted down like he'd fallen asleep watching over him. Mark's hand had moved farther down to drape across his side, where his hand was resting on the side of Jack's stomach. While his other hand was clasped around the Jack's wrist that rested over his chest. He'd woken up in Mark's arms a lot when they were dating and seeing each other at Pax... but never like this. This felt so different. It made him wonder if Mark had adapted to sleeping like this for the babies.

Mark usually slept on his side with his arms wrapped around his waist. Jack had loved feeling him against his back. This was nice too though. Sliding his hand put from under Mark's, he reached up to brush his knuckles along Mark's warm cheek. His hair had dried in wild places that made Jack bite his lip. Leaning up more, Jack brought his lips to his ear to whisper sweetly. "I love you, Mark. I wanna be with you... forever." Kissing his cheek, Jack laid his head down on his shoulder, shifting over him a bit. Mark's hands sleepily went to his waist to pull him over him better, then wrapped his arms around him lovingly, before whispering back. "I love you too, baby. Forever won't be long enough. After all, nothing lasts forever... So, how about infinity?" Jack rolled his eyes, but snuggled closer, giggling out. "Ok." Mark's hands caressed the sides of his belly, asking in a warm deep voice. "Did you sleep well?" Jack nodded against Mark's neck, mumbling out. "Ya. I dreamed about you." Mark chuckled softly, then told him. "Good dream, I hope? You were moaning in your sleep." Jack nodded again, whispering to him. "I dreamed about our first time together... Remember?" Mark chuckled, asking curiously. "Before or after Valentine's Day?"

Jack lifted his head to answer sweetly. "After. When it was just us. No potions. No fights. When I we just... knew what we wanted." Mark's hand rose to touch his face, sweetly telling him in a buttery voice. "I know what I want right now... But do you still want me?" Jack placed a hand on Mark's to hold it against his face. Giving him a teary smile, Jack whispered back. "Of course, I still want you. You have no idea what it takes for me to leave every year... The last time broke my heart. To wake up without you... Is the worst feeling. I crave your touch and warmth like a drug..." A single tear ran down Jack's cheek, when he sniffled out. "I've missed you like a flower misses the sun after a long rainy season. I don't want to be away from you anymore, Mark... I just can't do it anymore." Mark's hand pulled Jack down to bring his lips closer to his, before whispering hopefully. "Then stay with me. Please? Start a life with me. A real one. We'll buy a little house... We'll be a family." Jack swallowed, sniffling out. "Mark... don't do this. Don't ruin it. You know what I'm gonna say..."

Mark sat up, leaning back against the headboard. Brushing Jack's tear away with his thumb, he asked him lovingly. "Wherever we go together will be home. So why can't you stay?" Jack swallowed, answering a bit strained. "Ireland is all I've ever known, Mark... It's home. It's not just about my family... It's the scenery. The smell. The sounds. I can get lost from the world in Ireland when things go bad..." Mark's fingers slid around Jack's ear, whispering to him softly. "Jack... Maybe-" Jack held up a hand to stop him, but Mark took his wrist to say again. "Jack, listen. I think-" Jack shook his head, climbing off of him quickly. Mark sat up more, asking worried. "Jack?" Jack raced off into the bathroom, barely dropping before the toilet as last nights dinner came back. Leaning over the toilet, Jack coughed and spit. Mark crept into the open doorway and Jack grumbled out. "Oh fuck... It's starting... I hate this part." Waving Mark away, Jack told Mark grimly. "Go. You don't want to see this."

Mark took a washcloth off the counter, walking over to sit on the edge of the tub beside him. Lifting Jack's chin, Mark wiped his mouth with the cloth like a mother to a messy child. Giving his forehead a kiss, Mark told him honestly. "I'm not going anywhere. Just tell me what you need." Leaning his head against Mark's leg, Jack groaned out. "Can you cure morning sickness?" Mark chuckled, reaching down to rub Jack's shoulders and back. Jack moaned pleasantly, leaning more against Mark's leg as he whispered out. "That feels good... Don't stop." Mark smiled, rubbing his hands lovingly over Jack's neck and down his back. After throwing up a few more times, Mark helped clean him up. Mark wanted to put him in pajamas and put him right back to bed, until Jack's phone rang. Searching for it, Mark pulled it from his jacket and answered it. Jack tensed, asking curiously. "Who is it?" Mark told the person to hold on and handed the phone off without really talking to the person. Jack took the phone, asking who it was. Over the speaker, Doctor Trey addressed himself, telling him happily. "I know it's a bit early, but I'm parked out in the lot if you want me to have a look at you."

Jack nodded, saying aloud for Mark to hear. "Ya. We can come down and you can check my condition." Mark nodded to him, rushing around the room to pull out some clothes. Thanking Trey, Jack hung up and rushed to get dressed. Jack explained to Mark that his mother had contacted Trey to set this up. Mark was good with it, but still a little edgy about being left out about it. Once they were dressed, Jack stopped Mark at the door. Mark looked back as Jack handed him his phone back. This time Mark curled Jack's fingers back around it, telling him seriously. "Keep it. Just in case you need help." Jack raised an eyebrow. The potion perplexed him. Mark had been so possessive of his phone before and now... he wanted him to have it? Shrugging, he stashed his phone in his pocket and headed out to the elevator. Mark was acting slightly different from usual. He kept him close and always had a hand on him somewhere. In the elevator, Mark wrapped his arms around Jack's stomach protectively. Jack loved it but wasn't sure if he should be worried it.

Heading out into the parking lot, Jack stared in surprise at the nice white truck that was carting a nice medical trailer. He'd never seen anything like it before. Trey lowered a set of steps on the trailer and unlocked a door. Over his shoulder, Mark grumbled out. "See? I knew he owned a shirt." Jack snickered, looking over Trey's loose kid friendly t-shirt and nice blue jeans. As tan as he was, the cold didn't appear to bother him. Gesturing them over, he excitedly told them. "Hey guys, been doing alright?" Jack nodded, while Mark told Trey more seriously. "Jack just got morning sickness." Trey nodded, leading them into the trailer. The trailer was split into two sections. Trey pointed to a small couch against the wall, dropping into a seat before a computer desk. Mark closed the door behind them, and Trey typed on the computer a minute to wake it up. Gesturing around, Jack said nervously. "Your coven get an upgrade?" Trey chuckled, warmly answering. "You could say that. I wanted my own office to make things run smoother."

Turning a bit, Trey grabbed a bag and asked Jack nicely. "Can you stand up right here?" Jack stood up and Mark grabbed his hand, asking Trey with worry. "He might fall down." Trey put the stethoscope around his neck, telling Mark calmly. "It won't be for long. I just want to see what we're dealing with." Mark held Jack's hand, until Trey told him to remove his shirt. Without hesitating, Jack pulled it up and off. Trey leaned forward, touching parts of his stomach as he asked. "Tell me if you feel any pain." Jack waited, but just felt uncomfortable. Trey leaned back to type something, informing them casually. "No pain. That's good. Anything besides morning sickness? Any bleeding or problems in other departments?" Jack pointed to his nose, mumbling out. "Ya. Before... I got a nosebleed and I was really lightheaded... I don't know if it's related to this or the potion..." Trey moved back, pulling Jack a bit closer to listen to his heart with the stethoscope. Checking his pulse, Trey told him honestly. "Sounds like it is. Nosebleeds are not uncommon when transitioning guys in my coven use potions for pregnancy. It's the bodies way of adjusting for it."

Releasing him to type a bit more, Trey asked him curiously. "This happen before or after the bath bomb fell in?" Jack told him it was after. Trey licked his lips, saying under his breath. "Ok... So, the body didn't know until after..." Jack reached out to touch Trey's wrist, asking shakily. "Doctor... Is my baby... ok?" Trey got up, patting his shoulder as he told him. "We're going to find out. Head into that room there." Mark got up, but Trey told him seriously. "You'll have to stay here. There isn't room for you back there." Mark was going to argue, until Jack told him hopefully. "Mark, please? I need to know. Can we just listen?" Mark slowly sat back down, his eyes glinting with a purple hue that Trey noticed. Trey pointed to Mark then, adding softly. "I'm going to want to look at you too." Jack opened the little door, stepping into a section that had a birthing chair and monitors all around. Trey closed the little door, telling him professionally. "Sit down for me. I'm going to run the ultrasound and take a look.

Trey removed a small jar from a cabinet, scooping out a clear gel with his fingers. Jack nervously leaned back in the chair, asking curiously. "What exactly does the gel do?" Trey pointed the machine, answering calmly. "Ultrasound waves can't travel through air well. We put the gel on your skin to reduce the air between you and the transducer. It reduces the acoustic impedance and reflection to produce a clear image." Pointing to his pants, Trey told him. "Unbutton them and push them down your hips a bit. Relax." Jack's hands shook a little, unbuttoning his tight jeans to push them down far enough that his underwear was showing. With a shaky voice, Jack told him. "I don't mind the ultrasound. I've done it before... I'm just worried about... What I'll see." Trey applied the gel slowly to give time for Jack to calm down, while reassuring him. "Worrying won't help. Just relax and I'll tell you if it's a problem." The gel was cold, but Jack was still more worried about the baby.

Trey washed his hands, then picked up the transducer to put to his stomach. The machine beeped, but Jack couldn't see the image of the little screen. Trey had it facing away and was looking over the image for himself. Jack dug his fingers into the arms of the chair, staring only at Trey's expressionless face for any sign. When he was about to explode and ask him outright, Trey suddenly smiled and told him. "The baby is fine. It's a little small for this stage, but it looks healthy." Jack's whole body relaxed, asking wispily. "It's ok? The potion didn't... hurt it?" Trey shook his head, informing him truthfully. "Might have made it grow a little slower... but it looks fine to me. Wanna see?" Jack nodded, sitting up on his elbows. Trey turned the little screen toward him, and Jack's heart leapt. On the screen, a little baby was curled up and its heartbeat pulsed nice and strong. Jack thought he'd cry. Laying back, Jack breathlessly uttered out. "Thank god..." Trey patted Jack's leg, chuckling out. "It's got a nice strong heartbeat. Can't tell the sex yet... but it has a lot of brain activity."

Jack looked at Trey, asking surprised. "You can tell?" Trey pointed to the screen, showing little lines in the brain as he said. "See these? I've never seen them this early." Jack licked his lips, mumbling out. "Is that bad...?" Trey shook his head, smiling as he said. "No. Just means its brain is working and is probably giving him some interesting dreams." Jack bit his lip, asking hesitantly. "Could that have happened because of the potion?" Trey shrugged, honestly admitting. "Could be, but it's hard to say. So, speaking of this potion. Tell me what's been happening. Why is Mark's eyes shimmering like that?" Jack blinked, nervously blurting out. "They aren't supposed to be doing that?" Trey shook his head, replying curtly. "No. Not like that anyway. So, start at the beginning." Jack took a deep breath, while Trey cleaned his stomach of the gel. Taking his time, he explained everything that had happened and Mark's strange behavior. When he finished, Trey chuckled to himself. Jack shrugged with a perplexed look. Trey put a hand on his shoulder, telling him gently. "Jack... How do I put this... The potion is not linked to you."

Jack raised an eyebrow, saying a little startled. "What? That's not..." Jack drifted off as the thought seeped into his mind. Trey confirmed it by telling him. "Mark should be YOUR perfect partner. But... It seems like Mark is reflecting a 'child's' version of a perfect father figure. Through YOU, the baby is learning what a perfect mate for you is. Resulting in Mark's strange behavior. He protects you and the baby... and when you are happy... Mark is." Jack touched his stomach, asking perplexed. "But how is that possible?" Trey shrugged, saying softly. "It's possible the baby absorbed the magic. Like it absorbs a lot from you without you knowing. But because the baby is still developing... the spell keeps updating Mark's behavior. Which would explain his eyes shimmering like that." Jack's jaw dropped. He didn't know what to say to that. He was just shocked. To Be Continued...