He grinned at her answer, and leaned over even more, his lips touching hers. Then he broke it off.

'You'll need a lot of sleep these days, Sandy, remember, you're gonna be sleeping and eating for four.'

He brushed her forehead with his lips, and got up. He was halfway to the door when Ms. Keane yelled, 'Wait!'

She had an idea. 'I just had an idea! Why don't the Rowdyruff Boys go fighting crime for now? Why don't they take the girls' jobs for now?'

He looked surprised at first, then smiled yet again. 'You're a genius, Sandy. Now go to sleep. I'll talk to the boys tomorrow. But what are you going to do about teaching?'

She looked alarmed. 'Oh no. If we're going to keep my pregnancy a secret...I can't go to school like this!' She gestured at her slightly round stomach.

'Sandy, I guess we could arrange to have a substitute teach for the moment.'

'Um...but what's my excuse? Am I supposed to be ill for ages, or abroad, or what?'

The Professor thought about it for a while. 'Uhm...your excuse is...you're travelling abroad, because your mother is supposingly ill, and you want to be by her side. Since you won't be seeing anyone you know, to keep your pregnancy secret, that won't be a problem!'

She looked at him for a while, then grinned. 'Thank you, John!' She threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him. Tight.

'Don't I get a reward?'

She glared at him mockingly. 'Do you deserve one?' 

'Oh yes I do!'

He leaned over for another kiss that made Ms. Keane almost jump with joy (but of course her stomach was stopping her), then left the room.

~*~*

'How would you boys like to go out and fight crime when the Powerpuff Girls aren't here?' the Professor asked the boys during breakfast.

The three of them immediately brightened up. 'Sure, Professor!' Brick implied.

'Oh yes, finally I have a chance to kick butt.' Butch rubbed his hands in glee.

'Okay, so it's been confirmed. I'll take you three to the Mayor 's house to talk to him about this, and if he says okay, then you three can go out and fight crime! As long as it's before bedtime.'

They all finished their breakfast fast, and got ready to leave. The Professor wasn't so keen on leaving Ms. Keane behind. (Sorry....hehe.)

'Maybe you should come with us, Sandy....'

'No, I don't, I'll be fine with Valentino.' She stood her ground.

'Okay, fine, fine, let's go.'

~*~*

'Mayor, these boys would like to help fight crime, as the Powerpuff Girls aren't here....for now,' the Professor told the Mayor. 'Is that okay?'

'The-the Rowdyruff Boys?! Help!!!!!!!!! The world is ending!!!!!' the Mayor hid under his desk, cowering in fear.

Brick rolled his eyes. 'We're not gonna do you or the citizens of Townsville any harm.'

'Oh, then, okay.' He sat back on his seat.

~*~*

Sandy was just sitting on the couch, watching television, when she heard a sound outside. She wondered what it was, but ignored it.

The Gangrene Gang were creeping outside, looking for a way in.

'They should have an open window or something,' Ace grumbled.

Billy opened the front door.

'Hey, watch it, don't...wait, Billy, you're a genius!' Ace ushered everyone in. 'Okay, if you see someone, you demand for money, jewellery, any valuables. Okay???'

They all nodded, and walked in.

'John, is that you?' Ms. Keane asked. She walked to the front door, and shrieked. Ace immediately took out his penknife, flicked it open, and advanced on her, saying, 'Okay, lady, hand over the cash and you'll be safe.'

'Wait, Ace, she's pregnant. We can't attack a pregnant lady!' Snake grabbed his hand.

'Getchore filthy hands offa me!' Ace punched Snake in his face, knocking him out. 'Lady, now, where's the cash I mentioned about?'

'I'm...I'm never gonna give you any cash!' she stammered.

'Oh yeah? Let's see about that!'

He lunged forward, brandishing the knife close to her neck, when a emerald-green trail of light appeared and flew right into Ace.

'Oof....' Ace was winded.

'Never, ever attack someone as helpless as a pregnant lady, you son of a-' Butch sat on Ace and punched his face as though it was a boxing bag.

'Mind your language, Butch!' Ms. Keane said in a daze.

The Professor dashed to help her, and the other ruffs started to beat up the other members of the Gangrene Gang.

'Cleanup time!' Boomer yelled. The ruffs took a broom each and started to sweep the pile of injured members out of the house, then slammed the door shut.

'Ms. Keane, are you alright?' the three of them rushed to the Professor and Ms. Keane.

'Yes, I'm alright.'

The Professor put his arms around her, never wanting to let her go. He had come so close to losing her...he never wanted to leave her again.

~*~*

It had been months since Ms. Keane had been attacked by the Gangrene Gang. In that time, she had grown very round. The doctor had said she was due in two days.

In those months, she had stayed at the Utonium household for almost all the time, but never, for one moment, had she been bored.

She started to recover some wonderful memories as she sat there, doing nothing.

~*~*

The Professor had taken out his old Powerprof suit the first time the Rowdyruff Boys went out to fight crime.

'Boys, wait, I'm coming with you!'

The boys had given him a very sarcastic look.

'Pops, I mean, Professor, we're old enough to take care of ourselves,' Brick explained.

'Yeah,' Boomer backed him up.

'Who the hell would need someone like you to fight?' Butch muttered under his breath. He received two hard punches in the stomach for that.

'C'mon boys, let him come with you,' Ms. Keane had stroked the boys' heads. Of course, the green ruff brushed it off, but the others softened up at her words.

'Okay.'

~*~*

The boys were doing their Science homework together, and were stuck. Ms. Keane had tried her best, but she really didn't understand what they were doing. The Professor had helped them.

'Okay, what's the problem?'

'We don't understand what we have to do.' Brick pulled off his hat in frustration. Butch and Boomer were half-asleep.

She had watched the boys get into the Professor's lap and start on their homework. She had smiled at the father/son bond they had just created.

~*~*

Robin was visiting. She had slipped on the top of the stairs, screaming. Ms. Keane tried to rush, to catch the falling child, but, she was much too big and slow.

'Someone catch Robin!' She screamed.

A navy-blue light trail appeared out of nowhere, followed by a red and green light trail. Boomer caught Robin just before she hit the floor. She sobbed in relief.

'Hey, don't cry, you're safe.' Boomer smiled warmly at her. The others surrounded them, and started reassuring Robin.

Ms. Keane recognized the start of a friendship, and slowly walked away.

~*~*

Now everything was perfect.

She wearily stood up to get a cup of water, when she felt a pain near the lower part of her body. Oh no, was her labor starting? She called for the Professor.

'John!'

'What's wrong, Sandy?' He rushed to her.

'I...I think my labor's starting,' she gasped, wincing in pain.

'Oh good lord, it's today! Quick!' He rushed up to her bedroom, grabbed the ready-packed suitcase, and called the Mayor.

'Mayor, it's time! Can you come and take care of the boys for now?'

'Oh yes, of course. I'm coming.'

The Professor hung up, and ushered Ms. Keane into the car.