The Sentinels If I never get to see the Northern lights

Not realizing that she actually wanted to push off the date, her explanation only made him feel all the worse for keeping her from being able to see them sooner.  She said nothing to his halfhearted offer to keep away from her, a fact he was glad of, selfishly.  He'd hate to get her sick, and hated that he was keeping her from visiting their friends and their new children, but he was glad he wouldn't be forced to avoid spending time with her.  Then he'd really be in a miserable spot.

He didn't have a lot of time to dwell on that, for her next question caught him completely off guard.  This wasn't a conversation he'd expected to have anytime soon.  He knew it would have to arise eventually of course, they were mated now and kids were kinda an obvious followup.  He was just slow in all things relationship, and this was abrupt.  It left him quiet a moment while his brain raced to catch up with the sorting out of an answer.  Did he want kids?

It was kinda obvious, really.  He knew the sting of longing he'd felt watching Lasher wrestle with Casmir, and hearing that joyful call to announce yet another brood of Mayfairs.  He wanted that, and had known for a while that he did.  Truthfully, he hadn't spared it much thought until Osprey had returned to them carrying another's children.  Because after the jealousy - he now recognized it as such - had faded, he'd known without a doubt he would have helped in every way he could to provide for those pups.  It didn't matter who the father was.  That he'd never told her this was one of the greatest regrets he'd likely ever carry, because maybe if he had, her first litter would have lived.  It was stupid maybe to think that.  But he'd thought it more than a few times in the time after she'd disappeared.

"I didn't think so for a long time.  I didn't think I could - be a father."  He smiled a little.  "But now I think I would."  He'd like to try at least.  "If the one I was with wanted them."  His smile grew a little as he said that, since it was obvious who that was directed to.  He couldn't do it if he knew she was only doing it to make him happy.  They needed to both be ready, and unless she was, he could wait.  That she'd even asked made him wonder, though, and he met her gaze as he waited to see what she might say next.