Hey, guys! So my friend Abby and I decided to become "business partners". She came up with the general idea for this story, and I'm writing it. I hope you enjoy it, and as always, read, review, and enjoy.

I huddled in the corner of my cell, trying to find a comfortable position. Unlikely. I contented myself with counting the tiles on the floor. Yup… Nine hundred and four. Like always.

I knew my time was running out… The Alchemist in the medical clinic said I was due any day now… Now I just had to sit and worry about what would happen. My hand ran absently over my growing stomach, remembering my father's reaction when he'd learned that I'd been with Adrian, and his fury when he'd discovered that I was carrying a child.

Adrian's child.

As usual, a pang shot through me as I thought about Adrian. I knew I'd probably never see him again, and that he'd likely never know that I'd had his baby. But I contented myself with the knowledge that I'd saved my child. Our child.

I'd managed to convince my father to spare the baby. I'd said that I would go through with the re-education without putting up an ounce of fight, but only if the child was allowed to go live freely and safely. He'd argued, saying that the child would be raised to become an Alchemist, but I"d pointed out that the baby would be a dhampir. He'd relented pretty quickly after that.

I knew that they would erase my memory. I wouldn't remember my father, my mother, my sisters. I wouldn't remember Rose… Dimitri… Jill… Eddie…

I wouldn't remember Adrian…

I decided to allow myself to think of him, which I hadn't previously, because it had hurt, and I'd thought that I would get to be reunited with him. Now I knew that that wasn't going to happen.

I closed my eyes, remembering Adrian. Remembering the tender look his emerald green eyes, remembering his witty dry humor, remembering what it felt like when he kissed me…

After several hours, I felt a pain in my stomach. At first, I thought I was crying. But then I realized that this was an actual, physical pain, and it was centered around my large stomach.

"No," I whispered. Not so soon… I closed my eyes and a tear slid down my face.

Another contraction hit, and this time it made me cry out. I grabbed onto my stomach, and the door opened.

Two Alchemists dressed in khaki scrubs stood there, and I knew instantly that they'd been monitoring me and immediately deduced what was happening to me. They stood there for a moment, then came and hauled to my feet.

I had a fleeting hope of escape as they pulled me down the corridor, but a third contraction stopped that thought. No way could I get away.

They took me to a white room containing an operating table, several machines, and several trays of medical instruments.

They strapped me to the table and inserted an IV into my arm as more Alchemists came in to assist with the procedure. One injected a syringe full of something into the IV shunt, and immediately I became groggy and couldn't move my limbs, growing numb from the neck down.

I didn't know how long it took, but it was over before I could really process what was being done to me. I felt a tugging on my abdomen as they performed a C-section, carefully monitoring my vitals. A piercing cry filled the air, and my heart jumped into my throat.

"Get that thing cleaned up and sent to the collector," said the head surgeon, disgust very obvious in his voice.

I forced my tongue of lead to move. "Wait," I blubbered. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Quiet, Sage," said the surgeon firmly as the nurse cleaned up the baby.

"Please!" I begged. "Just this one thing! Please tell me!"

The nurse holding the baby paused and turned back to me. She lowered the baby so that I could see. "It's a girl," she said softly.

"Hastings!" snapped the surgeon. "Get out!"

She left the room, carrying the baby. I smiled weakly as my daughter was taken away to safety. She was safe.

I felt something cold trickling through my veins, and I knew that this was the end. I turned my thoughts to Adrian as I began to fade. His eyes filled my mind as I lost consciousness.