& I'm not proud that nothing will seem easy about me

Mike stopped. "Oh. Mikey." He didn't really know what to say to make everything less awkward.

Matt scrambled away, nervous in case he scared the avian.

William stood up slowly, still holding Angel in his arms. He smiled over at Mikey before walking over to Matt. He ran a hand through the boy's hair, trying to calm him down.

Mikey's eyes flickered nervously over to Matt. He stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Erm...yeah, so...Bill?" Mike started tentatively, hoping the boy would ask Mikey what they wanted to know to get back home as soon as they could.

Matt shied away from William. I'm fine.

William nodded at Matt and turned to face Mikey, deciding to balance Angel on his hip as she slept. "We were wondering if there was anything you could do to see if the babies are Avian or not," he whispered, trying not to wake the sleeping girl.

"Well..." Mikey chewed his lips. "I guess I can try. I mean, I can tell if someone's pregnant and stuff, so..." He shrugged.

Mike managed a smiled. "Thank you." He felt a strange thing in his stomach, a kind of anxiety. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know anymore.

Tell him I'm sorry. Matt begged. Please.

William nodded again. He smiled. "Matt says he's sorry. H-he was trained to do what Ryland told him to," William said softly, brushing the boy's cheek with his thumb gently.

Mikey nodded slowly, but the fear still remained in his eyes. "I need your fingerprint then."

Matt closed his eyes at the touch, unused to it.

William walked closer to Mikey and waited, wondering what the Avian was going to do.

Mikey went through the motions he'd been through with every avian in the centre. He stared at the print thoughtfully, gently rubbing his thumb over it.

The vampire brought his knees up to his chest and hugged them tightly.

William used one arm to hold Angel and put his other hand on his stomach, rubbing it carefully. He smiled and waited for Mikey to break the silence.

The avian chewed the inside of his mouth. "Three of them." He murmured. "One... one live." He looked down at William's stomach, hand still on the print. "Two live. And... an egg." He gave William a wry smile. "You can blame your boyfriend for that one when it's born."

Matt watched for William's reaction curiously.

William grinned, his hand still running over his stomach. He turned back to look at Mike and Matt. "You're going to be a dad," he looked at Mike. "And you're going to be a big brother," William said, smiling over at Matt. He turned back to face Mikey.

"Anything else you want to know?" Nils gnawed at Mikey's wing hurriedly. "I'm an avian, not a chicken!" The leader scolded, moving his son away.

Matt tried desperately to smile. A strange lopsided attempt spread across his face, but it was still a try.

William grinned at Matt. Your smile looks great. He turned back once again to face Mikey. "I don't think so. But do you know how long the pregnancy might take?"

Nils wailed, reaching out hungrily for his father's wing. "One second." Mikey reached into his pocket and pulled out an injection, injecting the solution into his skin before letting Nils latch onto his chest. "Uhh... Probably about... two, three months. When it starts to hurt - and I mean really hurt, like you've been stabbed and set alight - then I'd come back and Nick and I will have a look." Nils mumbled against Mikey's bare chest.

Matt flushed, sucking in his lips.

» Some days just ain't so easy