The Gallagher Home

Jon raised an eyebrow. "She cried for three days straight knowing she was pregnant with Phil."

Sam shrugged. "She cheered when she got the result though."

Jon shook his head. "No, she didn't. I only told you that to keep from killing her. She remembered what happened after she gave birth to Mal... She had to kill her best friend."

"..." Sam glared. "Ok. I know she was happy eventually. otherwise I would have been more miserable. But she's not pregnant."

Jon looked up at his wife... "How would you know?"

"Because, I'm not pregnant. Sam is," Mari muttered, looking up at her brother.

"WHAT?!" Jon doesn't really remember what happened next, only waking up on the floor being slapped silly by his brother-in-law, while his sister was doubled over, roaring with laughter.

Sam was laughing so hard she was crying.

When she could finally breathe, she looked at him again...and the laughter started up again.

"Mari...he fainted..."

She gasped. "Jon, calm down for a bit."

she looked at Mari agian. "That was mean. he wasn't prepared."

She fell on the couch laughing again.

Her husband, Jon, was hyperventilating. Blake slapped him again. "Jon. Snap out of it."

Jon looked at his sister and glared. "That was mean, Mari!"

She giggled, tears finally slipping away. "It's true."

Jon fainted again... Blake sighed. "Well, damn, Mari. You always had a way with words..."

Mari smiled brightly, just as she had when she was 26, when she and Blake had met over coffee to discuss Valkerie. "I know!" she grinned. "Too bad Valkerie's been gone for years... Superville needs a hero..."

Sam shrugged. "When they're up to it, and they won't be rejected, hte heroes will come back. But right now, if they come, they are only going to be attacked by the civilians they want to protect. Things are still bad from Silver and her stuff."

She looked back at Jon and burst into laughter again. "But that was mean."

Mari giggled. "I know... I'm mean."

Blake nodded. "Why do I put up with you?"

"Because you love me," was the frank reply.

Sam stopped laughing, finally, to look at them seriously. "Yes, I know that you're mean. And I know you think we love you. I also know that you're quite crazy."

Mari glared and stormed out of the house, with speed to rival Jamie. That woke Jon up. "Sam," he said from the floor. "What did you do to piss Mari off this time?"

Blake frowned. This thing with the kids had set her off more easily than usual.

Sam shrugged. "Something. NOrmally she doesn't mind."

Blake said, "It's the kids. 'Mal left Phil all alone' type of deal."

Sam sighed. "Phil's fine. she's eleven, in a town that has villains afraid to surface for fear of the supers coming back." Sam reiterated. "She's not going to be hurt. Anyway, you hurt her and deal with Mari. that is frightening neough to those who want to live."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "That's true... I'm going after her..."

Jon sat up as Blake left. "I think Phil has her powers... Poor Blake..."

Sam sighed. "Phil and Harry both. I don't think we need to worry about either of them anymore." She sighed again> "And that makes me feel old."

Jon nodded. "I know... Why would Harry hide it from us though?"

Sam laughed, "Jon, what powers could he have? They could be something he doesn't like, or something that's personal to him. More so, he's a teenage super. Why would he want to be proud of powers that will get him hurt?"

Jon gave her a look. "He should tell us..."

Sam smirked. "He didn't tell you he thought I was pregnant, and I know he thought so."

Jon stared at her dead-pan. "This is more important than you being preg...Oh my god... You're pregnant..."

Sam laughed. "Yes. So I've said. that's why you fainted. Anyway, not to him. He's the child of 2 supers. powers are inevitable. not a surprise."

Jon frowned. "I don't care. I'm his father... He should be able to talk to me..."

Sam sighed. "He's a teenager. We can't expect him to tell us everything."

Jon frowned.