JAY JAY POV
I was over the moon! I couldn't believe it. I ran over to her, ignoring the guys for a second.
"You're pregnant!" I said to Mia, my voice high with excitement.
"You are too!" Mia squealed back, her morning sickness seemingly forgotten in the rush of adrenaline.
We both started to jump up and down like we were back in high school, holding hands and screaming. It was a miracle, we were going to be moms and aunts at the exact same time
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop jumping!" Jare and Keifer shouted in unison.
They both rushed forward, the two most feared men in the city suddenly looking like panicked mother hens as they tried to settle us down. Keifer grabbed my waist to steady me, while Jare practically hovered over Mia to make sure she didn't trip.
"You're both in a delicate condition, act like it!" Jare scolded, though he was grinning so hard I thought his face might snap.
"Jay, breathe," Keifer murmured in my ear, his hand protective over my stomach. "You're going to make yourself dizzy."
I laughed, leaning back against his chest. I looked at Mia, who was being fussed over by a very hyperactive Jare.
"Can you imagine, Mia?" I asked. "Our kids are going to grow up together. They'll probably be just as chaotic as we were."
"God help the teachers at San Rafael," Aries muttered from the background, shaking his head with a look of mock terror. "One Mariano and one Watson? The school will be in ruins by the first grade. They'll probably be running the place before they even learn to spell."
I laughed, leaning back against Keifer's chest as he tightened his hold on me. I looked over at the rest of the gang, a mischievous glint in my eyes.
"Idiot, instead of complaining, you should be planning for kids too. What do you say, Honey? Amy?" I teased, raising an eyebrow at my best friends.
The reaction was instantaneous. Amy's face flushed a deep pink, her eyes darting toward Aries, who suddenly looked very interested in the pattern on the floor. Honey, on the other hand, turned into a complete tomato, her mouth hanging open as she tried to find words.
"That's what I'm saying!" Percy spoke up, slinging an arm around Honey's shoulders and pulling her close. He had that signature confident smirk on his face. "We should try to have one. I mean, come on, with these genes? They will definitely come out perfect. A mix of my genius and Honey's... well, whatever it is she does besides hitting people."
"Hey!" Honey squeaked, hitting him in the arm, though she didn't pull away. Her blush only deepened. "I don't hit people that much anymore!"
"See?" Jare chimed in, still hovering over Mia like she was made of glass. "The more the merrier! Imagine a whole new Section E. We'll have the muscle, the brains, the lawyers, and the corporate backing. Our kids will be untouchable."
Keifer let out a low, dark chuckle against my ear. " They will be untouchable. But I wouldn't mind having a few more playmates for our little one."
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Watson," I warned, though I was smiling. "Let's survive the first one before we start building an army."
"Too late, Jay-Jay," Keifer whispered, his hand resting warm and heavy over my stomach
The celebratory mood in the room was at an all-time high until the front door swung open. Kuya Angelo walked in, followed by Ate Ion, but the atmosphere shifted the second he stepped over the threshold. Usually, Angelo is the anchor of the family—always serious, always composed—but today, his face was like granite. There was a coldness in his eyes that made the air in the room feel thin.
"Angelo! You missed it!" Jare shouted, still beaming and holding Mia's hand. He was too high on the news to notice the tension radiating off our older brother.
Angelo didn't even look at the half-eaten donuts or the celebratory drinks. His gaze swept the room, landing instantly on Keifer and Jare. "Keifer, Jare—we need to talk. Now."
His voice was a low, dangerous rumble. That was the tone he used when our safety was at stake.
"Yeah, but listen to our news first," Percy chimed in, leaning against the wall with his usual smirk. "It's a game-changer."
"What is it? Can't it wait?" Kuya asked, his voice snapping like a whip. He looked impatient, almost agitated.
I felt a prickle of unease. Everyone was taken aback. Angelo was always the disciplined one, but he was rarely this dismissive of the group.
"Angelo, let the kids say what they want to say," Ate Ion said softly, placing a calming hand on his forearm. She looked at us with a weary, knowing expression, as if she were trying to shield us from whatever heavy burden Angelo was carrying.
Kuya took a sharp breath, forcing his shoulders to drop an inch, though his jaw remained tightly set. He looked at me, then back at the guys. "Fine. What is it?"
Keifer stepped forward, his hand sliding protectively around my waist, pulling me flush against his side. He didn't blink as he faced Angelo, his voice steady and full of the pride he'd been holding back.
"Jay and Mia are pregnant," Keifer announced.
The silence that followed was absolute. For a split second, the "Protector" mask Angelo wore crumbled. His eyes widened, flickering toward my stomach and then to Mia. The news clearly hit him hard, but instead of the joy I expected, a shadow of deeper gravity crossed his face.
"Pregnant," Angelo repeated, the word sounding heavy in his mouth. He looked at me—his little sister—and for a moment, I saw the fierce, protective brother I'd always known. But as soon as the shock wore off, that dark, simmering intensity he always carried was replaced by something softer.
"Congratulations," he said, his voice thick with emotion. He stepped forward, breaking his rigid stance, and pulled me into a tight, fatherly hug before doing the same for Mia.
"That's such wonderful news," he said, pulling back to look at me. A rare, genuine smile broke across his face—the kind of smile he only reserved for family.
I smiled back, feeling a wave of relief. For a second, the tension in the room dissipated, and he wasn't the scary head of security or the stern older brother; he was just my Kuya, genuinely happy that our family was growing.
We all took a moment to truly celebrate. The girls were hugging, and for a few minutes, the impending "talk" was pushed to the back of our minds. But the reality of our lives never stayed away for long. I watched as Keifer's expression shifted back into that cold, calculated mask. He exchanged a sharp nod with Angelo, and before I knew it, Keifer, Jare, Percy, Aries and Angelo disappeared into the study, the heavy oak door clicking shut behind them.
I sighed, turning back to the rest of the group.
"Jay... does that mean I won't be your kid anymore?" Ci-n asked, looking at me with those big, puppylike eyes that hadn't changed since high school.
Mia snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ci, you're eighteen."
"So what?" Ci-n shot back, huffing. "I was the first 'baby' of Section E! Now there are going to be two actual babies? I'm being replaced!"
I laughed, reaching out to ruffle his hair. "You'll always be our first headache, Ci-n. Don't worry, you're not being replaced, you're just being promoted to 'Big Brother' status."
"Or 'Uncle' status," Honey teased. "Which sounds much older."
"If you're so worried about being a kid, why don't you go and propose to Rakki?" I suggested, wagging my eyebrows at him.
Ci-n's face went red instantly, and he looked down at his feet, pouting. "I did. She said I have to wait until I graduate college."
"But you already did!" I said, surprised. I could have sworn he finished his units early.
"In pilot!" Felix chimed in, leaning against the sofa and looking at Ci-n with a teasing smirk. "He graduated his flight courses, but Rakki told him he needs his full degree before she even thinks about a ring. She's got him on a very short leash."
Ci-n's pout deepened. "It's not a short leash! It's... a mutual understanding of educational goals!"
"Sure it is, Ci," Mia laughed, patting his cheek. "Just keep telling yourself that while you're studying for your midterms and we're changing diapers."
"At least I'll be the cool uncle who can fly a plane," Ci-n muttered, though he couldn't stay mad for long. He looked at my stomach and then at Mia's, a small, genuine smile forming. "They're gonna be trouble, aren't they?"
"They're Watsons and Marianos, Ci," I said, looking toward the closed study door where our husbands were currently deciding the fate of our security. "Trouble is practically their middle name."
"But they'll have the best pilots, the best lawyers, and the best fighters guarding them," Felix added, his eyes turning serious for a moment. "Nobody is touching these kids."
I smiled, feeling the warmth of my Section E family surrounding me. We weren't just a group of friends anymore; we were a fortress. And heaven help anyone who tried to break through its walls.
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