Robin got up again and slipped out to join the other two, worming his way in the middle with one arm around each of them. "So, shall we retire for the night now that the kid's out?" He grinned and waggled his eyebrows at them.

Ish just sighed in exasperated amusement. No, he didn't mind at all, and this was definitely more normal for Robin.

Yeah, that was more normal.

"That depends on what you think you had in mind," Khalid replied as she let him put an arm around her waist.

"Oh I'm sure you two will figure it out." Robin's grin was absolutely lecherous and 100% puck. "Or I could give you a little demonstration."

Khalid glanced at Ishiah, then gestured to the master bedroom.

"By all means, then," she said. She was fairly sure she had the night free; it was a bit too late in the evening for anyone to call her for anything.

Robin grinned and pulled them both into the bedroom, shutting the door after them.

A few days later he was at the bar again, watching Ishiah work. Because he wanted to.

Jeane was also there, keeping track of Cal. Not that he needed it, but he'd been quieter and more thoughtful than normal recently. Which meant he might or might not try to shoot people more frequently than normal.

Because Ish and Robin were both at the bar, that left Khalid to look after Alexander. And, as good of an idea as it would have been for her to be there to keep Robin in line, the bar was no place for the baby. So she was home for the time being, although she kept an eye on her phone. It had been a few days since her talk with Cal, she figured he or Jeane would call soon enough.

Jeane ended up texting her first. So I hear you and Cal had a talk and he actually didn't shoot you. I'm pleasantly surprised.

We did have a talk, Khalid replied as she watched her son play for a bit. Did you have a talk with him afterwards? I told him to.

Yeah, we talked. He said as long as you're sure there'd be no Auphe left if we had a child then he'll agree. Which actually hadn't taken too much convincing on Jeane's part.

I can make sure of it at least once, Khalid replied. Though it will wear off. So make sure to let me know if you want there to be more.

I will. I think he's still sort of scared, though. Jeane frowned briefly, looking at Cal. I don't know if he actually wants to or if he's just willing to for me.

Talk it over with him, then, Khalid replied. Be certain. Because Cal tended to get a little manic-depressive when he wass unsettled, and that was bad.

Jeane sighed. I will. I'll let you know. Thanks, Khalid.

With that, she turned her attention to Cal again. It was just about time for him to get off, anyway.

Cal was just about to finish up for the night, since Ish was closing up himself. Cal was grateful when that happened, really; it meant all he had to do was clean tables and mop the floor before he could bail for the night. He glanced at Jeane to try to gauge how fast he had to move to do so. If she was distracted by a book, he had time. If she looked bored, he had to move his ass.

Jeane looked at him for a moment before she went back to her book. There was no point in trying to talk to him here; he'd just shut down and not speak until they were back at her apartment. Not that he was normally chatty to begin with, but even so.

That wasn't Jeane's normal 'let's get out of here look,' so Cal took it as a signal to get his ass moving so they could leave. Jeane usually only got that look when she wanted to talk about something, and Cal suspected he knew what it was. He also knew it was best not to keep her waiting on it.

Jeane put her book away when he was done and got up, waving to Robin and Ish before she walked outside with him.

"So," she said quietly, looking over at him. "How much are you considering this just because I want to?"

"What do you mean?" Cal asked warily. He pretty much knew, anyways, but he wanted her to explain just to be sure.

"I know you're thinking of going through with this," Jeane said, looping her arm through his so he couldn't run off, just in case. "But are you considering it because you want to, or because you know I want to?"

Cal was quiet for a second.

"I don't know," he said finally. "I want you to be happy."

"Cal..." Jeane sighed. "I don't want you to do something just because I want you to. I am happy. So until you're sure you want to do it because you want to, don't."

"Jeane..." Cal sighed. "Hell. As far as anyone else is concerned, I'm still just a big kid who gets to play with guns. Christ, the one time I try to think of someone else and you're telling me not to. What am I supposed to do?"

"Figure it out," Jeane said quietly. "Think about if you want a child or not. There are other ways for me to get what I want, you know. You don't have to do this."

"Jeane, I've spent my entire adult life avoiding kids," Cal said frankly. "For a damn good reason. I refuse to let my bad genes to any further than me." But Khalid had given them a way around that, and Jeane wanted a kid.

"And now that you have a way around that what do you want?" Jeane stopped and looked at him.