MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

After the shock of the morning, they didn't rush anything.

Damon picked up the phone and ordered breakfast while Svetlana cleaned up. They both moved slowly, speaking little until the food was on its way.

Once they were washed up and dressed in something simple, they settled by the table in the suite's quiet lounge area.

The plates were laid out, but neither of them reached for the food right away. Damon finally pushed a fork into his scrambled eggs and gave her a glance.

"Still feel sick?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Better than earlier. Still off."

He nodded, chewing slowly. "Could be a lot of things."

Svetlana gave him a sideways look. "You think it's food poisoning?"

"No," he said quickly. "I think it might be... exactly what you think it is."

They didn't say the word. It hung there between bites of toast and careful sips of juice. Svetlana rested her hand lightly on her stomach without realizing it, her expression unreadable.

Damon watched her for a second. "This would be the second time."

"Yeah," she said softly. "But this time, you'd be there from the beginning."

He nodded again, slower this time. "Yeah. I missed a lot the first time."

Their eyes met across the table. There was no tension, just the weight of what this meant. They both felt it.

They finished the rest of their breakfast in a calmer mood. By the time they were done, Damon checked the time and stood up.

"We should get moving," he said. "The clinic's expecting us in thirty."

Svetlana stood with him. She didn't speak, just grabbed her bag and slipped on her shoes. Damon grabbed the keys.

The drive was short but quiet. Damon kept checking on her through the corner of his eye, glancing every time they stopped at a light or eased around a turn.

Svetlana sat calmly, one hand resting on her lap, the other occasionally brushing her hair behind her ear.

The music played low, just enough to fill the silence but not cover it. Neither of them felt the need to talk. There wasn't much left to say until they knew.

When they arrived, Damon pulled into the shaded front lot and got out quickly. He circled around the car and opened her door, offering his hand without a word. She took it, and they walked toward the entrance together.

In his mind, Damon was already ahead of the moment.

He remembered how he found out last time, how Svetlana had collapsed without warning, and how the first time he heard the word "pregnant" had come from a hospital doctor, not her lips. That memory stayed with him longer than he liked to admit.

But this time, it was different.

Now, he was here from the start. Not reacting, not catching up, just present. That meant something.

Svetlana didn't say much either, but her fingers tightened around his hand once as they stepped inside. The clinic had that polished, quiet atmosphere.

The kind of place that looked expensive even without trying. Clean floors, soft lighting, and faint music in the background.

A receptionist greeted them and confirmed the appointment. After signing in, they were asked to take a seat and wait.

They sat side by side in the calm waiting room. A few other people were present, but it wasn't crowded.

Damon leaned forward slightly with his elbows on his knees, glancing at the hallway every few minutes. Svetlana leaned into the backrest, eyes unfocused, not nervous exactly, just drained.

Damon glanced over. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Just… don't want to get ahead of myself."

He leaned back, one hand finding hers again. "Whatever happens, we're good."

She looked at him and gave a quiet nod.

Then they waited.

The door opened, and a nurse stepped out holding a tablet. She looked around the room, then called, "Svetlana Cross?"

Both stood. Damon offered his hand without thinking, and Svetlana took it as they followed the nurse through a side hallway.

The clinic had a calm, modern design, clean white walls, soft lighting, minimal noise.

The nurse led them into a private room and gestured toward the chairs beside the examination bed.

"The doctor will be with you shortly," she said, giving them a polite smile before leaving and shutting the door behind her.

Svetlana sat down slowly, her posture careful. Damon took the seat beside her, glancing at the equipment in the room.

A blood pressure monitor, a small ultrasound machine, and a few neatly stacked folders.

A few minutes later, the door opened again and a woman in a white coat entered, holding a clipboard.

"Good morning," she said with a friendly tone. "I'm Dr. Lesedi. I'll be checking on you today."

They both greeted her. She sat on the small stool across from Svetlana and glanced at the chart.

"So, I understand you've had nausea, fatigue, and you're here to check if you might be pregnant?"

Svetlana nodded. "Yes. The symptoms started just this morning. We thought it would be better to be sure right away."

Dr. Lesedi smiled gently. "Good call. Especially with a previous pregnancy on record, it's better to track things early. First, I'll ask a few questions to update your chart."

She went through the routine: last period, birth control use, previous pregnancies, current medications, changes in diet or mood.

Svetlana answered steadily while Damon sat quietly, listening but keeping his focus on her face.

Eventually, the doctor stood. "Alright, I'll do a basic physical and then we'll run a test. If you're alright with it, we can do a scan today too, depending on what we find."

Svetlana agreed, and the doctor began her checkup, blood pressure, weight, temperature, then a quick external exam. She noted a few things on her tablet and gave a nod.

"We'll do a urine test and draw a little blood. That should confirm everything."

Svetlana stepped into the bathroom down the hall while Damon waited. When she returned, the nurse took the samples, and they were told it would only take a few minutes.

Damon sat forward again, elbows on his knees.

"I hate waiting," he muttered.

Svetlana gave a small smile. "You're more nervous than I am."

"Probably. I'm not used to getting the news the right way."

Before she could reply, the door opened again. Dr. Lesedi returned, a soft smile already forming.

"Well," she said, "your results are in. And it's confirmed. You are pregnant."

For a few seconds, neither of them moved. Svetlana blinked once, then turned to Damon.

He was already smiling.

Dr. Lesedi continued, "It's still early. But everything looks normal. We'll schedule your next appointment and run additional tests as we go."

Svetlana gave a small breath of relief and nodded. Damon looked at her again and reached for her hand.

"You good?" he asked quietly.

She nodded, eyes slightly glassy. "Yeah. I am."

He leaned in, kissed her forehead, and let the moment settle in. This time, they were ahead of it. Together from the start.