Chapter 13: A Baby

I found Bronco in the bunk area in a towel. "Get changed and meet me in my office, we need to talk before the Chief calls you in." He grunted and I left to leave him to it. I put away my gear and headed to my office to wait. I was about to give up when there was a hard knock on the door.

"Come in." Bronco opened the door and sat in the seat without any invitation. "So is it the fact that I am a woman that bothers you? Or is there more to it?" He rolled his eyes and put his feet up in the other chair. "It's more, but I'm not fond of working for a girl."

I nodded and sat back. "Tell me the more part." He took his feet off my chair and turned to me. "Why so nothing will get done?" He got up and went to walk away. I slammed a book on the desk. "How can I change something if I don't know what the problem is, and since I was born with a vagina I can't very well fix that can I Bronco?" He turned and slammed back into the chair. "I've worked here for seven years and haven't been offered any promotions, I bust my ass harder then any other man out there and I am still a level one." I nodded knowing he did do a lot of extra things from looking over the chore charts.

"I can get you an opportunity, and even help you study. I can help move you up the ladder if that's what you want, but my question is if I do all of that will you help me if I need it. Will you help another fellow firefighter female or male of they need it like I needed it today?" Bronco sat up straight and nodded. "Okay I need to go talk to the Chief. Rest up Bronco." He walked to the door and froze. "Why would you help me after I was such a dick to you?" He asked not turning to look at me. I let oit a deep breath. "Because we all need help sometimes, and if I hadn't had a good Chief I'd probably had been living on the streets or working a waitressing job someplace. And because I believe in second chances." Bronco turned and nodded before exiting my office.

I walked to the Chiefs office and knocked. "Come in." His voice rang out and I entered the office. "I had a talk with him and he was more aggravated that he hasn't had an opportunity to move up in rank. He gave me his word he would be there for me and any other man or woman. So I'd like to ask permission to grant him a sixth month period to take his next test. He does go above and beyond his normal duties often even filling in for others." I showed him the signatures. "So it was Bronco." I nodded and The Chief looked over the sheets. "Done, but he's your charge Captain Carter." I nodded and the chief made an announcement that extra punishment was over. I thanked him before bowing out of his office and signing up officer Jeff Bronco up for his testing.

I printed out the pages and slipped them into the book he needed off my shelf. I walked to the bunks and Bronco laid on his bed tossing a ball in the air and catching it. "Here is your schedule, the book, and other pages of information you might need. You have six months for studying along with your regular duties. The test date is October 12 at 8 o'clock and I took you off rotation for the week." He sat up and took the papers. "What's my punishment for leaving you behind?" He said as he flipped throigh the book. "Don't do it again and there won't be any."

He looked up at me and nodded. "Thank you Captain Carter." I nodded and took my leave as I turned I saw him open the book and lay back on his bed. "Hey Bronco." He turned and looked at me with a worrisome look. "If you have questions my door is always open." As he nodded I headed for the shower cause after today I needed it.

I drove to Oliver's to see Bri standing at the porch and knocking on the door. "Come on Oliver just open up I need to talk to you." She was crying and I stepped up. "Hey Bri, I don't know if Oliver's home, but what's up?" She cried harder and went to run. "You need to get out of your relationship with Oliver. He's..." She choked and I opened the door to lead her inside. "Come have a glass of water." I poured her a glass as she sat down and tried to calm herself. I heard Oliver on the stairs his heart beating loud.

"What is bothering you and why should I leave Oliver?" She started to burst into tears and then controlled herself. "I'm pregnant and he won't listen to me, call me back, or even see me." I tried to seduce him so he would have to listen, but then you walked in." She choked back a sob and I didn't detect any lies. I listened real hard and could hear a small heart beat inside her. "Okay let me talk to Oliver, but you need to calm down for the baby's sake okay Bri?" She nodded, and I walked around the counter to give her a hug.

"Now when I talk to Oliver is there anything you want me to tell him?" She shook her head and wiped her tears in her sweater. "I just want him to know, and I don't really want it." My face dropped and she seemed to be scared. "Okay well would you be willing to carry the baby, and let Oliver and I raise it?" She shrugged. "Let me think about it." I nodded and she grabbed her water.

"Thanks for letting me in." She said as she looked around. "No problem and I promise Oliver will contact you." She nodded finishing her water and leaving. As I shut the door Oliver came down behind me. "It can't be mine." I glared at him and smacked his arm. "When is the last time you slept with her?" He shrugged and sat on the stairs. "I guess a week before night met you, but Jacob said it's so rare for a human to get pregnant by a wolf soninwas using her. Not proud of it... But I did." I nodded and played with my messy hair. "Well she's about three months along... and I might be pregnant too. So we have a lot to talk about." He jumped up and swung me around. "You're pregnant?" He kissed my cheek and put me back down onto the ground.

"I think I am. I got a test at the station, just haven't taken it yet." He nodded but still held his smile. "Well bring it over tomorrow so I can be here." I nodded as he kissed me. "Where you serious about taking Bri's baby on too?" I nodded and hugged him. "Yeah. I'd rather have her, love her, and raise her then let someone else have her. Plus she's a part of you. What if she's a wolf?" He nodded and pulled me upstairs. "I'll call her tomorrow.." He said as we went up the stairs and cuddled into bed.