The Gestation Conundrum Contingency (3/3)

[ciudad]

See this post for headers and author's notes.

THE ILLEGAL SUBLET THAT DAVID SHARES WITH ANOTHER YOUNG, LACONIC MUSICIAN
TEN HOURS BEFORE DELIVERY
David was elbows-deep in a busted amp when Neal came thundering up the stairs. "Yo, Dave," he said. "Your boss is here."

"What? Archie's here?" He quickly checked his Middle-Watch; there were no missed calls.

"Cute boss at the door? That's what I said."

"How many times do I have to tell you not call him—" David let out a breath. "Tell him to come on up," he instructed, ignoring Neal's look in favor of finding something to wipe down his grease-caked hands.

By the time Archie had climbed the last five steps, David had managed to shove the amp and his tools toward a distant corner of his room, scrubbed himself clean, changed his shirt and was lounging casually on his bed. Then he actually caught sight of Archie, and nearly lost his cool altogether.

His boss wasn't wearing the standard Middleman uniform. No bulky Eisenhower jacket, no pants, no boots, no belt holster, no perfectly-knotted tie. David had been halfway towards believing that the ensemble was permanently grafted onto his skin, so embedded were they with his entire image of Archie. So this vision in a plain tee, jeans and sneakers was practically blowing his mind.

David forcibly tore his gaze from the sliver of collarbone showing through the thin shirt and said as normally as he could, "Hey, boss. What's up?"

Archie opened his mouth, then shut it. He shifted from foot to foot. He seemed to be preoccupied with looking around David's room without actually seeing anything. It struck David that this was the first time Archie had ever been in his bedroom.

David coughed softly. Archie started, then colored, ducking down to hide his sheepish smile. "Oh, um. Sorry. I was spacing out, huh?"

"Kinda." Taking pity on him, David patted the space next to him on the bed. "C'mon, sit down."

Archie did, but so gingerly that David had to huff out a laugh and say teasingly, "I know my place isn't up to your usual hygienic standards, but I'm sure prolonged contact isn't actively harmful."

He watched, fascinated, as the color crept down Archie's neck and up to his ears."That's not— I'm not— your place is very nice, it's just— oh, are you doing that teasing thing again?"

"Just a little bit." David waited while Archie politely adjusted himself to sit more comfortably before asking, "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I'm just—" Archie hugged himself loosely, his face slightly turned away from David's line of sight. "—worried about tomorrow."

"Yeah. Tomorrow." David thought about the calendar in his night-stand, the meticulous rows of crosses leading up to the date circled in red marker and inscribed with "DELIVERY DATE!!!" in large block letters. "Ready for the big day?"

He was expecting Archie to reply with one of his trademark sayings, pithy and maddeningly earnest, but to his shock, Archie flopped on his back on the bad, covering his face with his hands and saying flatly, "No."

David started at the sight of his prone boss, steadfastly keeping his eyes away from the inches of skin revealed by Archie's shirt pulling up. "You wanna tell me why?"

Archie shook his head and peered through his fingers hesitantly at David. "Can we— do you mind if I nap here for a little while? I'm, uh, kind of tired."

"Not at all," David blurted out. He scrambled off the bed, but was halted by Archie's knee pressing insistently against his. His expression, still partially obscured, was unreadable.

"Can you stay? I mean, I know you're probably not sleepy, but I'd like— that is, I want—"

"I get it," interrupted David, patting his leg soothingly. "I'm a champ at buddy-spooning, you know. Just ask, well, not Neal, but you get what I mean."

"I— yes."

David hurried around his room closing blinds and shutting off lights while Archie turned down the (unmade) sheets. At the door, David hesitated before slipping a sock over the doorknob—he'd deal with the fallout when it came. Soon enough, everything became dark and cozy, the remaining light on the nightstand illuminating Archie's huddled form beneath David's plaid blanket, only the top of his dark head peeking out over the edge.

A discreet breath-check and removal of pointy accessories later, and David was sliding into bed too, keeping a respectful amount of space between him and Archie. He flicked off the lamp as an afterthought.

It was so weird. He'd been sleeping in this bed for years, with other people and by himself, but this was the first time he could recall feeling like it was both too big and too small for him. Archie had only been lying down for, what, five minutes tops, and his scent had already permeated everything.

The thought, I may never wash these sheets again, both appalled and thrilled him. He shifted gingerly where he lay, which (of course) caused Archie to go, "Hmm?"

"Nothing. I was just, um. Wondering if you've thought up a name for your girl yet."

"Oh. I was thinking 'Maria' has a nice ring to it," Archie told him sleepily. "It's got lots of meanings. I had Ida look them up on the HEYDAR and one of the meaning's kinda the same for 'David'—"

"You're pseudo-naming your baby after me?"

Warm, moist air skimmed his face as Archie laughed soundlessly. "No, more of pseudo-naming her after me." In the darkness, David could only hear the bed springs creaking as Archie burrowed into the pillows. His voice was already slurring and sleep-heavy as he said, "My name's David too."

His breathing smoothed out into the regulated rhythm of sleep. David stared at the shadow-cloaked planes of his face for a long time before his eyelids grew too heavy for consciousness.


MIDDLEMAN HQ
THIRTY MINUTES BEFORE DELIVERY
"David, I want you to listen to my Code 47."

"No," David interrupted. "I am not listening to whatever pre-recorded final message you've left me from beyond the grave after you've been called on to sacrifice your life for the good of the world. If you die, I will go down to the Underworld and fill out however many paperwork that needs filling so I can get you back."

But despite the anesthesia that was surely coursing its way through his system, Archie had that stubborn set to his mouth that David was rapidly figuring out was his Kryptonite, and he felt himself — unsurprisingly — give in.

"Fine. You better live. I'm not kidding about the Underworld."

Archie patted his arm — or rather, his hand flopped about weakly towards its general direction. "I know you're not."

After Ida wheeled Archie into the medbay, David settled down in the adjacent observation room and, keeping an eye on the screens showing Archie and the baby's vitals, tapped his Middle-Watch.

This was what Archie's Code 47 said:

"David, if you're seeing this, the Singularity Scalpel only cut through three dimensions and I have died, bleeding out and in screaming agony, in childbirth. I trust you're well. Stay away from malfunctioning plasma rays, face-hugging xenomorphs or vampires of a certain persuasion.

A pause.

"The code to unlock my classified personnel file is 1221165. Ida will pass on the rest of the important information. Don't worry, the folder isn't booby-trapped. It's been an honor to train you, and I know you'll be a great Middleman."

A double thumbs-up, and the message ended.

David blinked at the darkened screen. He muttered, "You stupid fucker, what kind of fucking declaration of love is that?


MIDDLEMAN HQ MEDICAL RECOVERY ROOM
FIVE MINUTES AFTER DELIVERY
"Oh," said Archie.

"Wow," said David.

"Eh," said Ida.

All three of them stared down at the small, pink and wrinkly baby—officially named Maria—bundled up in sterile swaddling cloths that Archie was holding in his arms.

"She's lovely," said Archie.

"She's quiet," said David.

"She's a carbon-based life form," said Ida.

Baby Maria yawned widely, showing off her pink gums.

"Oh," said Archie.

"Wow," said David.

Ida didn't say anything, as she had already wandered off in search of something more interesting than a mundane miracle of life.

David dropped into the chair beside the bed, unable to take his eyes of the baby—Archie's actual baby, with her tiny fingers and toes, wisps of dark hair (just like her dad) and stubby little noise. He sniffed unashamedly.

"I guess I'll see you in a month," said Archie.

"But she's only been— hang on, you're talking to me," said David, distracted from his budding composition of the awesome commemorative song for this joyful day. "A month?"

"I, uh. Applied for some vacation time to be with Maria," Archie replied, looking somewhere halfway between sheepish and pleased. "I have a few weeks stored, what with not having an apprentice before you."

"Oh. How much vacation time?"

Archie told him. It was more than just "a few weeks". David whistled appreciatively, leaning against the wall of pillows keeping Archie upright. "If only I could tell my past self that 'evil doesn't take days off' wasn't just one of your colorful expressions."

Archie laughed, softly enough that Maria only turned her head at the sound. "You'll be in charge of HQ while I'm gone, you know." He peered at David shyly beneath his eyelashes. "I know you'll do a great job."

In response, David's hand found Archie's and held on. They watched Maria sleep for a long time.


MIDDLEMAN HQ LIBRARY
A WEEK LATER
Ida had let him go early for a change. Or rather, she'd taken one look at his bedraggled face and told him to inflict himself on less-intelligent beings for a change. David didn't stick around the control room to see if she would change her mind.

On the way to the changing room, he was struck with sudden notion and went instead to the HQ library.

He found Archie's classified personnel file after some minutes' digging into the main database. He deactivated the security measures using the code Archie'd given him, grinned at the large color photo of a younger Archie (still wearing that darn uniform and looking as improbably earnest as ever) at the top of the screen, read the first three lines, and stopped.

He took out his cellphone and typed down the address to Archie's current place of residence. Afterward, for a long time, his finger hovered over the downwards-arrow key, the cursor blinking placidly at him.

Then David stood up, shut down the terminal and left.


THE MIDDLEMAN'S DAVID'S BOSS' ARCHIE'S APARTMENT
TWENTY MINUTES LATER
It was a perfectly ordinary apartment door. Solid wood, simple brass numbers, a polished doorknob. Frankly, David didn't know if any of his suspicions were confirmed — he wasn't even entirely sure if he had any suspicions that required documentary evidence.

He raised his fist to knock again, but the door swung open without warning and Archie was standing in front of him barefoot and in a nearly-scruffy shirt-and-sweats-combo.

David was so startled, the first thing that came out of his mouth was an aghast, "Do you open your door to everybody like that?"

"Um, yes?"

There were no words to describe how wrong, unsafe, stupid and did David mention wrong that was. "That's just— no, Archie. 'Yes' is the most wrong answer that can ever be conceived in reply to that particular question," David told him very seriously.

The bewilderment on Archie's face deepened. "I— I'm sorry? I won't do that again?" he tried. "I'm noting your concern?"

The absurdity of the conversation suddenly struck David and he mentally smacked himself, saying hurriedly, "I swear I didn't come here to berate you about your door-opening habits. Can we rewind this? Hi, Archie. How have you been?" He stuck his hand out somewhat desperately.

Archie still looked like he'd been brained by a fish, but he managed to recover, shaking David's hand briskly and stepping back from the doorway. "I'm doing well, come in."

"Thanks." David sat down on the sofa and tried not to gawk too obviously at his surroundings, while Archie murmured something about getting refreshments. Archie's place was very neat, but it wasn't the kind of antiseptic neatness of a showroom; everything was in their proper places due to their owner being unfailing about tidiness. There were no picture frames anywhere, he noted.

Archie came back with a tray of milk and cookies. The cookies were chocolate chip and topped with — David took one and sniffed — chili powder. At David's raised eyebrow, Archie flushed and muttered, "It was one of the least weird cravings."

"It's still good," David said, after taking a bite. He put down the rest of the cookie and turned towards Archie. "How are you and Maria?" he asked, at the same time Archie said, "How did you get my address?"

"I mean, obviously you look fine, but—"

"Oh, did you get it from my—"

They both quieted. Archie gestured at him to go first.

David cleared his throat. "Yeah, I got it from your file with the code, well, you know the rest. I, uh, I didn't look at any of the other info, I swear."

"But I gave you the code so you could read everything," Archie pointed out.

"I know. I appreciated your giving it."

When it became obvious that David wasn't going to elaborate, Archie said, "Maria's doing OK. She's sleeping in my room. I— My center of gravity's still off and I get dizzy, but the literature I've looked up suggests that this is normal. "

"Even for plasma ray-induced pregnancies?" David couldn't help but joke.

Archie smiled back. "Even then." There were deep shadows under his eyes though.

"You haven't been sleeping well," David observed softly, and without thinking, he reached out and thumbed the thin skin at Archie's cheek, the sweep of Archie's eyelashes nearly catching on the ridges of his fingerprint. Archie started, but didn't flinch away. His hand lingered, then dropped to catch Archie's nearest hand.

"Um. I got used to the weight, it felt nice," Archie said, gazing at their joined hands. "I'd sing sometimes to the baby, when she kicked. It made me feel better."

Something inside David ached at the confession, twisted at imagining Archie curled up in bed alone, humming lullabies to a pregnant belly he couldn't see or touch, to an unknown child that existed only in the ways that it messed up his body and changed his life.

Archie continued, "I had a couple of dreams, well, more like nightmares where— well, I'd wake up and—" He sounded so horribly lonely, and David gripped his hand tightly, at a loss of words.

So he did the next thing that came to mind: he pulled Archie in towards him and held on. Archie didn't even hesitate; he curled into David, forehead pressed against David's chest and his arms trapped between them and— his shoulders were shaking, but David's shirt remained dry, so David clung to him even more fiercely and stroked the back of David's head.

And then Archie was tilting his face up and David looked down, opened his mouth to say some sort of inane platitude, but he couldn't, because Archie was kissing him. It was a gentle press of lips on lips, over too quickly, and Archie broke off, eyes wide, and David stared back.

Is this you being emotionally distraught? he wanted to ask, but he was afraid of what the answer might be, so he shut up.

But Archie must have seen some tell-tale twitch in his features, because now it was his hand exerting nearly unbearable pressure on David's. He said, rather shakily, "This might not be the best time for this to have happened, isn't it?"

David dipped his head. "The timing's not ideal, yes," he agreed. His own voice was also unsteady.

"We both know there's a lot of things that still need resolving, like the, um, situation with my baby."

"And our ongoing fight against evil and our pursuit of justice."

"Yes," Archie agreed. David could feel his hands shaking, but he was staring determinedly back at him, open and unwavering. "We can't ignore them, or set them aside, or— or render them inconsequential—"

"I know," David said. He felt suddenly weary. "It's duty and responsibility—"

"—but," Archie continued doggedly, cutting him off, "I still think about it. That night. When, um, you kissed me. I never stopped thinking about it." His face was flushed; from embarrassment or desire, David didn't know. "Even if, um, you know you said that we should just forget about that night, I couldn't and if it hadn't been for—"

David kissed him.

This was nothing like the first time with the awkwardness and the bleak yearning in the months that followed, the one made bittersweet by resignation. Not even like Archie's kiss, hesitant and all too brief for the courage it must have taken him to do that. This kiss— there was nothing like it. David had a hand splayed on the expanse of Archie's back, the other clutching at his shoulder, reveling in the feel of having finally permission to do this, to touch Archie in ways he never thought he could. Both of Archie's hands cupped his face, and oh god it was so hot and wet and Archie was practically in his lap, his knees bracketing David's thighs.

David let himself be pushed back against the sofa cushions, preoccupied with pulling up the hem of Archie's shirt, greedily seeking the skin underneath. Archie moaned at the touch, his weight settling fully on top of David's, his fingers raking through David's hair as he trailed kisses up David's jaw, sliding his tongue around David's ear and down his throat. The world narrowed to Archie's mouth, the scrape of his teeth, the way he enveloped all of David's senses with his smell and his feel and his taste.

"Can— may I?" Archie gasped out, and he was staring at David with something like wonder, and David laughed, broken and breathless, and his nod turned into his head thrown back as Archie yanked up his shirt and explored David's chest with his hands and, oh yes, his mouth, his enthusiasm making up for the sloppy artlessness.

And that thought had David groaning out loud, because he hadn't known for certain but he'd guessed that Archie wasn't exactly the poster child for experience, had figured out that Archie didn't just pull anybody close, spread anybody out like they were waiting for Archie to discover their secrets written on their skin, and he had to haul Archie in for another searing kiss, pressing their bodies so close David couldn't tell which heartbeat was David's, and which was Archie's.

Then his hips jerked up and, yes, absolutely yes; both he and Archie gasped at the sudden contact— and oh god it was like he'd been starved for touch, after that everything went frantic and needy and bright at the edges.

David swore loudly as his and Archie's hands tangled at the seam of David's jeans, and he swore with more volume as Archie shoved David's hands away and scrabbled at David's zipper until, ohgodohgodohgod yes, Archie's hand was on his cock and his other hand was yanking at his own sweatpants and David stopped focusing on how fantastic it felt to have Archie touching him so intimately and helpfully stuck his hands inside Archie's pants—

This was better, so much better because now he had fingers wrapped around Archie's cock, and there were no words to describe how unbelievably hot Archie looked, eyelids fluttering and mouth slack with pleasure; David couldn't resist, he had to tilt forward and suck at Archie's lower lip, and that might have been a signal, because now Archie was staring down at him and stroking— the angle was awkward at first, elbows all over the place, but Archie finally moaned, "David, this is—" and David was replying, "yes, I know— yes— oh—" as hot slick flesh slid together, while their free hands clasped, Archie's face pressed at the curve of David's neck—

David thumbed the head of Archie's cock, and Archie's back arched and he was gone, moaning as he jerked arrhythmically above David, then— he bit down on David's skin, the sharp sting of pleasure-pain and the dampness on his hand and Archie's hand and both their bellies overwhelming David as he let the world fall away, whispering Archie's name.

He surfaced to sensibility with Archie mouthing lazy kisses against his temple, more of a caress than anything else. He was murmuring something, muffled and low, and it took David far too long to pay attention to what he was actually saying.

"Hmm?" he asked lazily.

Archie said something, but David could only make out the word "tissues".

"Uh," he managed intelligibly in reply. His hand had drifted of its own accord to twine through the sweat-slick strands of Archie's hair.

Archie turned his cheek, the movement causing air to brush lightly over David's exposed nipple — and David wasn't sixteen anymore, but try telling his dick that. Uncaring of David's dilemma, Archie was saying, "— under the couch." He cleared his throat. "I've got tissues under the couch. Can you, um, David?"

David processed this. Then, "Right, yes. I'll just—" and, making sure not to dislodge the luxuriously warm body draped over his, he groped around until he found what felt like a box of roughly Kleenex-sized proportions.

Cleanup was a matter of inconvenient elbows and brisk wiping, interspersed with lingering touches of lips and fingers as each article of clothing was restored to something resembling tidiness. When they were more or less smoothed out and newly-vertical, David leaned forward and kissed Archie just because he could.


THE NOT-SO-DISTANT FUTURE
David reholstered his blaster with satisfaction as he watched the man-eating mutant fog writhe amorphously inside the trap. It was a good day's work, if he did say so himself. No humans were harmed, all limbs returned more or less intact.

The Middle-Watch whooped as he finished loading the trap into the Middlemobile's trunk.

"How's the small human?" he asked.

Archie frowned at him. "Piaget's model, David! Maria can hear you, you know! She is doing great."

"Is that the lumberjack?" piped up the small human in question.

David got into the car and switched over to the in-car mic. "When she stops calling me 'lumberjack', I'll stop calling her 'small human'." He raised his voice. "You hear that, small human?"

Over the cheerful giggling, Archie rolled his eyes and muttered something David couldn't quite hear. "Anyway, I called to ask how things are going. Ida's reports are… satisfactory."

Trust Archie to be diplomatic even about the non-existent feelings of a robot. "Captured the mutant fog with no casualties. It's in the back." Neither of them mentioned that Archie could access the Real-Time Situation Recording Archive from his hotel room if he wanted. "Coming back next week?"

"Yes." David could imagine the bright, nearly mischievous smile that accompanied what Archie said next. "Maria's sending the Disneyland photos to your e-mail."

"Kid's a genius. A true successor to the glorious line of brave and smart Middlemen," teased David.

Archie's laugh sent waves of familiar warmth and yearning (the good kind, the best kind, and he knew he'd feel it until he finally, finally had Archie in his arms again) through David, and he grinned like a goofball all the way back to the HQ.

Comments

[sellaturcica.livejournal.com]

Ok.

Ok.

Breathing.

This. This is one of the best fics I have ever read. It is so hilarious-amazing-creative-touching-hearthurty-romantic-perfect I can barely stand it. I think I have reread the ending 10 times now. I want to reread it every day of my life.

Just. The characters are so lovingly, perfectly drawn, and the relationship is so heartwrenching and RIGHT, and THE PLOT. Oh the plot. My favorite kind of mpreg - where it's not just boys-with-babies, but serves a purpose emotionally within a larger plot and in the character's development.

I love every detail, from the selection of curses to the lolarious section headers to the monster-and-gadget names.

I love the sense of yearning that permeates the piece until the (wrenching, relieving, perfect) conclusion, and how Cook's attraction is so heart-on-my-sleeve but yet the extent of his feelings are sort of revealed piecemeal, and how Archie's, in contrast, are more appropriately held back from the audience and from Cook until you get to the (revelatory, heart-breaking) first kiss scene, after which it becomes more obvious in his own oblique way.

BASICALLY, THE UST JUST KILLS ME IT IS SO GOOD.

The story does this THING that my favorite AUs do, which is conjure up a believable, worn-in, fully-realized universe in which these characters that we know/love/obsess over can believably exist it, and show us something NEW about them and their relationship that you couldn't get to or see in a this-universe story. The characters retain this essential Archie-ness and Cook-ness, and yet they are wholely their own and of this universe as well, and all those intricate interlocking pieces just click together in this wondrous way - the whole story becomes an Aha! moment.

TL;DR I want to live in this fic forever.

[descartes]

Thank you so, so much for this comment (and for the rec, ahh I don't think I've quite stopped being starry-eyed over that post) because HOLY CRAP you have articulated so perfectly my feelings about AUs, about the importance of the discovery of what's the same and yet different about the characters we love, and fuck, I am unbelievably flattered that you think my fic succeeded on that score.

This story had been such a struggle -- balancing the action and emotional plots, exploring the boundaries of my suspension of disbelief, among others -- and your comment is, like, a reward beyond measure for my pains. I AM SUCH A SUCKER FOR UST, I ONLY WISH I MANAGED TO DRAW IT OUT EVEN MORE TO HEIGHTEN THE TENSION EVEN FURTHER :D

I'm glad you enjoyed it ♥♥

[james-padfoot.livejournal.com]

THIS COMMENT BASICALLY SAYS EVERYTHING I COULD WANT TO SAY. THROW IN A FEW MORE I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS AND YOU'VE GOT ME. I MEAN, I USUALLY DONT DO MPREG UNLESS ITS WELL WRITTEN BUT THIS WAS BRILLIANT. BRILLIANT.

[descartes]

Thank you for reading this even if it isn't your usual thing! ♥♥

[miss-charmed.livejournal.com]

LASKLFHAK;HF;DAFH;DGD;SGHLDS

LATE FB IS LATE AND I SHOULD HAVE PROBS LEFT THIS AT THE COMM BUT OMG THISSSSSSSSSSS. I CAN'T EVEN COMPREHEND HOW SOMETHING AS MINDBLOWING AS THIS CAN EXIST. I MEAN, JFC ARE YOU FOR REAL. 18K WORDS OF MPREG AND CRAZY SCIENCE AND LOVE STORY AND WHAT WHAAAAAAAAT. I COULD COUNT THE NUMBER OF MPREG THAT I'VE READ AND LOVED IN ONE HAND AND THIS DEFINITELY BELONGS IN THE TOP 2. THE AWESOME STUNNED ME SO FUCKING HARDCORE ALL I COULD DO WAS FLAIL AT NAT AFTER READING THIS MASTERPIECE. HOLY SHIT, YOUR BRAIN. CAN I LIVE IN IT. ♥

[descartes]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! YOU SPOIL ME WITH YOUR CAPSLOCK OF AWESOME :DDDDDDD I AM SUPER HAPPY THAT IT MADE YOUR MOTHERFUCKING TOP 2, OMG, TYSM ♥

[deepshame.livejournal.com]

Ok, I don't even watch this show, but this was awesome.

[descartes]

Thank you!

[aohatsu.livejournal.com]

STILL LOVING IT JUST AS MUCH RIGHT FUCKING NOW AS WHEN I FIRST READ IT. SERIOUSLY. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, SO MUCH LOVE FOR YOU.

[descartes]

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH :DDDDD

[therealesther.livejournal.com]

yeah ditto to everything said so far. only obscenities can express my awe and burning love for this fic. (but i try not to swear generally so i'll just have to censor myself).

i already left a comment on the _hols comm, but then i saw it was posted again here and i just had to read the ending again.

and yeah [insert string of obscenities here] this was totally [insert more obscenities] good. i [obscenity] loved it.

[descartes]

Thank you so much! I appreciate your comments; there v. lovely :)))

[descartes]

*they're, I MEANT -- WHY AM I SO TYPO-AFFLICTED TONIGHT >:(

[sir-yessir.livejournal.com]

This is wonderful. I wasn't sure what to expect, having never even heard of The Middleman before, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was sweet, funny, and adorable. Nice work!

[descartes]

Thank you so much! The length of the fic was partially due to how worried I was that I wasn't ~explaining~ the premise of The Middleman enough, so I'm pleased you took a chance on it :D