Pushing the Envelope

Katie slipped in quietly, a tray tucked in her arms. She slid behind the bar and began to set up an assortment of teas and scones. She reached into her bag and pulled out what had been weighing her down…a large thermos of coffee, brewed at her cafe. She rarely came in here anymore, since her main reason for coming had gotten married. But still, once in a while, the wispy little lady snuck in and gave the occupants a light snack and a good cuppa joe.

Ella looked up from her barstool, having made one last visit to the city to finish filing her reports. “Got any ginger tea in there, Katie?” She asked quietly, looking a little pale.

Katie looked to Daniela and smiled. The woman she knew under a different name originally, the mob princess turned federal agent. “Dani, it's good to see you again. You look a little pale, everything okay? I might have some ginger tea but let me see if my Master can bring some from the shop, just in case.” She said, pulling out her phone.

Elsewhere, Nate's phone bleeped. “Sir, if you are coming to the club today, may you please grab some ginger tea from the supply cabinet? A friend of ours is here and she looks a little under the weather.” He tapped out a response. “I'll be there shortly Kitten. Give me a few minutes.” “<3 Thank you, Sir.”

Seeley slipped out of the bathroom, drying his hands on a paper cloth before crumpling it up and dropping it in the garbage can on his way to the bar. He stepped behind Ella and placed his hand on her back, rubbing a smooth circle. “How're you feeling?”

Ella waved a hand at Katie. “I'll be….fine….” She grumbled, relaxing as Seeley rubbed her back. “I feel like hell.” She said quietly. “Can't keep anything down this morning.” She tenderly informed him.

The throaty rumble of a V8 passing the doorway to the club was a sound that Katie should recognise. Nate would be here as soon as he dropped the car in the garage and walked in.

Seeley continued rubbing circles around her back, moving down slightly as he worked. “It will pass in… A while.” He knew exactly how long. Several months. “Give it time.” He had a quirky grin on his face, a smoldering look in his eyes. He was trying to help the mother of his child deal with the sickness.

Katie looked at Seeley as he came up, flashing a big grin, though it faded as she looked at Dani. “A while?” She asked, looking towards the door as she heard the V8. She knew that sound. But. Wait. She looked back at Seeley, then Dani. Back to Seeley. Dawning recognition. “Oh. My. God.” She said softly. “When did you find out? Congratulations!!”

Ella looked up with a weak smile, leaning back into the press of her husband's hand. “About…two weeks ago? Took a bullet to the hip during the Gala shooting. Doc comes in all “Hey you're pregnant.” She looked up and over her shoulder at Seeley, laying her head back against his chest.

Nate pushed open the door carrying a bag of supplies. He'd taken a guess and brought some other items based on his medical knowledge. Nothing major, just a few things for nausea. Gingernut biscuits. Car sickness bands. Saltines. A bottle of Vitamin B6. And the reqested ginger tea. He placed the bag on the bar and let it fall open. “As requested.”

Seeley lifted his other hand to stroke Ella's hair, turning to greet the new guy. “Nate. How's it going?” He found it more difficult to rub her back where she leaned back, but he was going to neither stop her, or stop the rubbing. Anything to help her feel better.

Katie eyed the spread, then looked at Nate. Her Master. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her ring finger catching the light. Sparkling. Her fiance. “You put it together before I did, Sir.” She smiled softly, pushing the items to Dani. “I'll brew you the tea, alright? Coming right up.”

Nate reached to take Katie's hand, showing off her ring before letting her go to brew the tea for Dani. “What do you think, Seeley?” He grinned broadly, his gaze on Katie as she worked to help the pregnant lady. “She said yes.”

Ella caught that sparkle! “KATIE!” She exclaimed, the back of her hand to her lips as her other hand lifted, to lightly touch the ring as Nate held it out. “Praise be to God, what a blessing!! Congratulations!” She looked at Nate then. “We better be invited to the wedding, Whitley.” She said in her agent voice.

Seeley clapped Nate on the back. “Congratulations! I know it took me some time to warm to you, but Katie deserves love. I'm glad she found you.” He brought his hand back to lay on Ella's shoulder, giving her a squeeze. _{“Let the man invite us on his own terms, Ella.”}

Katie's cheeks turned pink, lips curling in a smile. “Well…I was going to ask if you'd be my matron of honor. Well. If you aren't either having the baby or just delivered.” She said softly.

Nate laughed. A happy sound. “Given you both gave us a life worth living in your own ways, it's the least we could do. You'll need to wait for the official invites, of course.” Oh god. He hadn't thought about arranging the wedding. Parents. Who would escort the bride? Best man? So much to do.

“I'd be honored, Katie. If you need help with anything, let me know. DC isn't all that far.” She quipped. Multiverse traveling and whatnot. But then her head dipped back down and she shuddered. _{“Ooof…”}

Seeley nodded. “Of course.” Ella's quiet exclamation brought his attention back to her. “Darling? Need help?” His rubbing slowed on her back, trying to gauge what she needed. _“Ella?”

Ella held up a hand, then grasped for Seeley's hand. _{“The gingernut biscuits, please.”} She whispered, keeping her head down.
Seeley ripped the end off the box, leaving the edges ragged, pulling out the plastic wrapped biscuits. Finger on either side to open them, it was any wonder how he managed not to scatter them to the four winds in his haste to help her. He dropped the packed on the counter, letting them spread out, grabbing one and breaking off a small part to hold up for her to eat.

Katie set the brewed tea down in front of Dani and pushed the sickness bands towards Seeley. “Put those on her, I had a pregnant customer who swore by them.” She said softly, gently patting Dani's head, then emerging from behind the bar to thread her arm through Nate's and lean on him. “Just a small affair. Nothing huge.” She murmured.

Nate reached across with his free hand to run his fingers through His Kitten's hair softly. “I just figured anything for nausea would help. I had a hunch.” He considered for a moment. “It's going to be a while before we get things organized, but… How would you like to be the Best Man, Seeley?”

Ella was a whole grown woman. She wielded a gun daily on the job. Her marksmanship was beyond reproach. She'd killed a man. No, don't think about that, Dani. But damnit, she adored the way her husband took care of her, especially during these waves of nausea. She took a bite, chewing slowly as the men talked.

Seeley broke up a few more parts of the biscuits before ripping open the package for the sickness bands. He stretched them out in his fingers, taking one of Ella's hands in his and sliding them over to her wrist, adjusting them so the little plastic accupressure dot was on the relevant pressure point, then repeated with her other hand. Then back to feeding her little bits of biscuit. “Really? Me? Even after all you've been through?”

Katie put her hands on her hips. “Seeley Joseph Booth, I wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for you and Dani.” She said sternly, that 'listen to your adorable little sister' look on her face. Don't make her pout, Booth.

Seeley flashed one of his goofy grins at Katie. “Come on now, you think I'd actually say no after being offered the chance to embarrass the pair of you in public?”

Katie twitched her lips in a smile, leaning over slightly to check how much tea Dani had in her cup. “You okay, Daniela?” She asked softly, shooting a look at Seeley…and then stuck her tongue out at him. Big brothers. The full meaning of that phrase wasn't lost on her, either.

Ella just lifted her hand and gave a wave. She was okay…for now. The bands Seeley had put on her wrists were…surprisingly helping. “I need like five more pairs of these.” She murmured to her husband.

Seeley made a mental note to grab several more pairs of the sickness bands. “Certainly.” He tucked the chunks of biscuit further back into the plastic so they could be rescued for later.. He shook his head and smirked at Katie. Little sisters were always pushing it. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Nate grinned at Seeley. “Good.” He turned to Katie, giving her a stern look. “Give him a break, he's trying to look after his wife in her time of need. Would you bitch at me in the same position?”

Katie looked at Nate. “Get me in that position and we'll find out, Master.” She replied with a cheeky grin.

Nate shook his head and breathed in deeply, giving her an exaggerated sigh. _{“Just you wait 'til I get you home.”}

Ella chuckled. “Thinking about you two doing…things…isn't helping.” She teased faintly. “Seeley, did you call Hayden to check on Caldwell? I need an update for my report.” She remembered.

Katie just looked like she'd hit the jackpot. She waggled her finger in Nate's face. “You sure you want forever?” She singsonged under her breath. She'd come a long way from the solemn, shy bookworm Seeley had met ages ago.

Nate shook his head again, holding up his left hand and pointing to his ring finger. His head tilted and he gave her his patented “What do you think you're talking about?” look. The one that would brook no disobedience. Yes. That look.

Seeley smirked, then shook his head. “Relax. He'll have to deal with the same thing I'm going through. No, I need to give him a call, I've been busy looking after you. Slightly more important in my mind.”

Katie withered under that look and tucked herself in against him, her cheeks bright red, adequately chastised. She looked to Dani for help. Men, right?

Ella just looked at Katie and smiled slightly, shaking her head. “We aren't quite the same, Katiecat.” She replied, pointing to her bare neck, then nodding to Katie's thin silver chain that served as her public collar. She then looked up at her husband, blue eyes glimmering. “You're right. No hurry, Andrews said I could have a one-week extension.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek, grinning.

Seeley laughed watching Nate and Katie. “You've got your hands full with that one. Sure you're doing the right thing there? Don't answer that, I know you wouldn't have asked if you didn't want… 'Forever'.” He tilted his head as he picked the word out of her breathy assertion.

Nate reached up to stroke His Kitten's hair softly, holding her against him where she tried to hide. “I wouldn't have it any other way.”

Ella eyed Nate. “Go easy on the poor thing.” She chuckled. “She positively withered at that look.” She leaned against Seeley and yawned. She'd been up various times through the night, and she was weary. _{“Is my workday done yet?”}

Katie hid her face in Nate's coat, yes, mortified at getting that look in public. Her fingers twisted in his shirt, only slightly mollified by the stroking of his hand through her hair.

Seeley scooped up the supplies Nate had bought, tucking them all into the bag. “Come on, lets get you somewhere you can rest, Ella.” He held out his arm for her to lead her out.
Nate chuckled, his chest vibrating where Katie was leaning against him. “She knows I will look after her, even with that.” He leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. “Won't I Kitten? I keep my promises.”

Ella threaded her arm through Seeley's, resting her hand on his forearm. She leaned on him as she stood. Some days were fine, but today was very bad. But it was all worth it, the woman was incubating life. She'd seen some pregnant women acting like spoiled brats about it, but moments like these she could almost understand it. Almost. Hyperemesis gravidarum was no joke though, and Daniela was thankful her husband was so attentive to her. “Rest would be nice.” She looked to Nate and Katie. “Nate. Katherine.” She said pointedly. It was safe to go back to being Katherine Nora.

Katie nodded against his shirt. _{“Was just trying to be playful, Master.”} She mumbled, managing to peek out at Dani. A nod. She knew what it meant. “Feel better soon, okay? I'll keep you posted on the wedding.”

Seeley led Ella towards the door, keeping his pace as slow as she needed. It was about looking after her, after all. He turned his head to nod to the pair now behind them. “See you around.” A pause while Katie spoke. “I'll make sure to look after her.” The bag swayed between them as his hand lay on hers, through the crook of his arm.

Nate placed another kiss on Katie's head. _{“Never stop, Kitten.”} His hand kept stroking through her hair as he looked up to see Dani and Seeley leaving. “Until next time. Hopefully less stressful. Or more. Just a different way.”

Katie looked up at him and pouted. _{“But you gave me that look…”} She said softly, frowning. _{“I don't like that look.”}

Nate shook his head slightly, reaching to tilt her head back and give her a soft, quick kiss on her lips. _{“The one that tells you how much I love you, cherish you, care for you, and despite the way I look at you, I would never want you to change? That look?”}

Katie peeked up at him with a soft smile. “Okay. I like that look.” She replied softly. “Should we go home and celebrate?” Finally, at long last, her eyes flicked to the two men admiring bruising. “Should probably give those two some privacy.” She snickered, gathering up her things and slipping her hand into his. A small little tug and the Whitleys departed as well.

Nate slipped out through the door, leading His Kitten to his second favourite thing in his life.

Next: He's Got the Look
Next: What to Expect when your Wife is Expecting