James knew Avery and Charlie had conceived together because of the alien DNA that ran through their family but James never gave it a second thought … until the first time Maze threw up.

They’d been enjoying another wonderful breakfast made by the alien when he made a strange groaning, gulping sound seconds before shooting to his feet and sprinting to the bathroom. Even though he was concerned, James didn’t need to follow Maze to know what he was doing in there; he could hear all the noises.


He was waiting by the door when Maze came back out looking absolutely miserable. The look on his face told James everything he needed to know; Maze hadn’t given it a second thought either and now they both couldn’t think of anything else.

Still slightly confused about the mechanics of it all, James hugged the alien tightly before leading him by a clammy hand to the bedroom. They had things to talk about but Maze needed to lay down. When they were both comfortable on the bed what followed was one of the most awkward conversations James could ever remember having.


“Sexuality and genders are far more fluid on my planet than they are here,” Maze explained once more, slower this time.

James was having difficulty understanding the whole thing. Sure Avery and Charlie had gotten each other pregnant which was weird, but they were both female, they both had the capacity to actually carry babies. Maze was a whole other story.

“So,” James frowned, still trying to understand. “You have … What? A uterus?”

Maze sighed in annoyance and James didn’t have to see his face to know he was rolling his eyes. “Shall I draw you a diagram?”

“Actually that might be really helpful,” he was only half joking.

“If I could lift a hand to draw a diagram,” Maze said through gritted teeth. “I would use it to smack you in the head instead.”

James laughed and instantly stopped when Maze groaned at the movement. “Sorry,” he brought a hand up to smooth over Maze’s hair. His green skin still looked several shades too light and felt clammy.

“I’m not going to continue to explain,” Maze sighed again. “Just know that where I am from, both males and females can carry offspring and that is what is happening here.”

“Are you sure though?” James asked quietly. “I mean, don’t you need to take a test or something?”

“I know my body,” Maze said firmly. “Something is not right.”

“And you’re sure it’s not just something you ate?” James offered.

“Are you suggesting I made a dish with spoiled food?” Maze’s whole body tensed and James had to bite down on a laugh.

“Never,” James leaned down and kissed the top of Maze’s head. “If you say you’re … pregnant, then you are.”


“I despise vomiting,” Maze groaned as his stomach gave a very audible protest.

“I’m sorry love,” James murmured into his hair. They were quite for a few minutes before James thought of something else. “Um, I have another question that you might not like.”

“Ask,” Maze lifted the hand off his stomach and waved it feebly in the air.

“So you’re carry this … baby,” he barely stopped himself from saying ‘Thing’ just in time. Child. It was a child. His child. “But um … how are you going to … you know … give birth?”

Maze’s body shook gently and it took James a few seconds to realise he was laughing quietly, shaking as much as his exhausted body would allow.

“Don’t you laugh at me,” James tapped his hand gently against Maze’s chest. “I know how women give birth, I’m not totally stupid, but I mean … you quite obviously don’t have the equipment for that. I’m pretty sure I would have noticed if you did.”

“No I do not ‘have the equipment’ as you say,” Maze continued to laugh quietly. “Remember my sister Ilyn?”

“Tiny, stabby green girl?” James felt anger rising at just the thought of her. “Yeh, I remember her.”

“Do you remember how she got into the house?” Maze continued.

“The shimmering thing, yeh,” James nodded and waited but Maze didn’t say anything more. It took James longer than he cared to admit to realise what Maze was saying and when he did he gasped in surprise. “Oh!”

“Indeed,” Maze mumbled sleepily.

“Well that’s handy,” James mused. “Just don’t tell any human women, they’ll all hate you for not having to deal with that particular pain.”