Rating: PG
Pairing: Sarah/Harry
Beta: hhertzof
Spoilers: Invasion of the Bane
Summary: Sarah attempts to get used to the relationships she has with her children.

"No, dad, I'll be there. I promise."

Sarah came down the stairs, disk in hand, in time to hear the tail end of Nat's phone conversation. Nat hadn't talked about her family much in the first place, but since they had found out who she was, she had become even more tight lipped on the subject. Sarah guessed it was as strange for Nat as it was for her, so hadn't pressed the subject. However, given the way Nat was frowning, she couldn't not ask, "Everything okay?" as Nat closed her mobile.

"Is that everything?" Nat nodded in the direction of the disk.

Sarah handed it over. "Yes." She had tried pleading with her ISP and threatening Mr Smith, then threatening her ISP and pleading with Mr Smith, none of which had restored her broadband connection. It made work somewhat tricky, hence the need to find an alternate method of sharing her research with Nat.

Nat took the disk and turned to look out of the kitchen window where Luke and Maria were playing football in the garden. Although Luke was obviously still confused by the concept given the frequency of the goals Maria scored.

"My dad's getting married again."

"Oh." Sarah guess that was a bad thing from Nat's reaction, but she couldn't be sure and didn't want to say the wrong thing.

"I just...." She sighed, "I never thought he would marry anyone else after mum...."

Sarah could see her point. "Have you met her?"

Nat turned back to look at her and smiled briefly. "They've been seeing each other for a while." She shrugged. "She's all right, but now she's moving in and it's all permanent, it's different. It's strange."

"You got used to it just being the two of you." As far as she could tell, Nat had quite a close relationship with her father after her mother died. Which had understandably made her relationship with Harry slightly strained at times when he forgot himself and tried to be fatherly towards her.

"Yeah, maybe. She has a son and a daughter, both older than me." She gave a short laugh. "I used to beg my parents for a brother or sister and could never quite understand why I couldn't have one. And now I'm getting one of each."

Sarah bit her lip. "Actually, it's one more than that."

Nat frowned. "What?"

She had to tell her sometime, after all. "I'm pregnant." Nat's expression was one of shock, and possibly horror, so Sarah couldn't leave it there. "It was an accident, I... didn't think I could any more."

"I can't...." Nat shook her head. "You never said anything about a boyfriend."

How was she going to explain this? "No, um, it was Harry. We're not together, but...." It was hard to explain the exact nature of their relationship when she was not even sure herself sometimes.

Nat buried her face in her hands. "This is just too much to think about, all at once."

Much as she agreed with her, Sarah did not get a chance to reply because the sound of voices came nearer, and Luke and Maria bounded in through the back door, Maria traipsing mud into the kitchen, Luke obediently stopping to wipe his feet. Sarah had learned not to care too much what her house looked like any more. Which was just as well as it would only get worse in five months time.

"It's nice and warm in here," Maria said, her face and Luke's both red from the cold.

"It wasn't that cold."

"Hot chocolate, you two?" Sarah asked, before they had an argument about the weather.

"Yes, please." Maria answered for both of them, and they sat at the table.

"Nat?"

Nat nodded, but she did not quite meet Sarah's eyes, and still looked a little pale. Sarah said nothing, just put the kettle on and decided to give Nat more time to process everything. Maria took her gloves off and blew on her hands. Luke was covering the table, taking off all the layers he was wearing.

While she busied herself with making hot chocolate, Sarah worried how she was ever going to be a good mother to a small baby. All of her experience so far had been with a thirteen year old boy, who was not even like ordinary thirteen year old boys. Although he was learning, she had to admit.

When she put steaming mugs in front of them, Luke and Maria paused in their discussion of football rules that Sarah had been listening to with half an ear. She decided she might as well tell both of them - which could not possibly go that badly, she felt sure.

"Maria, what I'm about to say you're not to repeat to your father."

Maria frowned but nodded.

Although it would be obvious after a while - and not a very long while, she thought, thinking of the alternative methods she had already started using to do her clothes up - she did not want everyone knowing and judging her more than they already did. "I'm going to have a baby."

"Why?" Luke asked.

Sarah was completely stumped by that question. "Does there have to be a reason?"

"There's always a reason to do something, you told me that."

Damn, she did.

Nat rescued her. "But having a baby isn't doing something, it's a biological process. That just happens, regardless of whether you want it to or not."

Sarah looked over at Nat, but Nat would still not quite look at her.

"When's it due?" Maria asked.

Sarah smiled at her. A sensible question at last. "September. So it'll be after your birthday," she added to Luke.

"Can I still have a party?" He sounded worried.

"Of course."

"That's okay, then." Satisfied, he finished his hot chocolate in a few mouthfuls.

Sarah smiled indulgently. Since he started school there had been all sorts of things he assured her that ordinary thirteen year old boys needed, and a birthday party had been one of them. She couldn't really blame him for thinking of himself - he probably had no idea how disruptive a baby was going to be. Nor did she, come to think of it, having never experienced it directly, after all.

"Oh, congratulations. That's what I should say isn't it?"

Sarah smiled. "Thank you, Maria."

She looked round the table. Nat was focused on her mug and Luke was itching to get away from the table, not even considering what this might mean. Only Maria looked at all happy. She sighed quietly, still worrying about this baby. It seemed like only Harry was looking forward to its birth.

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Fandom: Sarah Jane Adventures | Type: Character: Harry Sullivan, Character: Luke Smith, Character: Maria Jackson, Character: Nat Redfern, Character: Sarah Jane Smith, Length: Long story, Pairing: Sarah/Harry, Series: Soap Opera, Type: Het | Link

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