His mind was elsewhere as they sat in the car and it began moving. The thought of his father popped into his head. His mother, too. As Ilaria placed her hand on his, he glanced over at her with a tired look, but smiled through it. He felt at peace, but the emotions he'd experienced had him in need of some hard liquor and a shower.

With a weary sigh he leaned down towards her stomach. Placing his free hand onto her naval he gave it a gentle rub.

"I'll be alright."

Maybe he didn't need that drink, after all, he thought as he bent down and lay his head in her lap. Maybe all he needed was her. And now with another change on the horizon, this would test him like nothing before. He heard guys speak of being changed after fathering kids. Some positive, some not so much. He never thought he would have to, or get to experience that.

What he knew was that he wouldn't be the man he was today without the influence of his father. He didn't know what would come of this, but he had a strong feeling he'd never be the same. He already knew it, as soon as he pulled that trigger. He also knew he wasn't going anywhere. He'd be right there by her side, no matter what Guaio came their way.

"And how are you?"

Ilaria felt her soul leap as he so gently touched her. The realization that she was pregnant had initially scared her to death. There was so much going on; so many plans. She knew what a change it had been for Joe to come to the decision to live together, but a baby was so much more than a loft, or even a puppy. She hadn't been afraid to tell him, but she didn't know how she was going to until she saw the gun in front of him and the look in his eyes. As he laid his head on her lap, a calm washed over her, and all she wanted was for him to feel the same. She played her fingers gently through his hair.

"I'm just happy you're alive. I've never been so afraid in my life."

She stopped herself, not wanting to let those shadows follow them home. Instead, she gave him happier news. 

"By my best guess, I should be just about 13 weeks. It's kind of hard to pinpoint when we're so...active. But, I'm guessing it'll be May."

The car pulled slowly around a bend in the road, and a the sun started to set, nothing could contain the smile on Ilaria's face.