The Ties That Bind
Michael had heard rumours of a shooting going on in the subway, but had paid them little heed at first. It was almost too unreal to be true, and he had better things to do with his time than investigate rumours. Something about it though, nagged at him enough to walk down past the station where the survivors were being brought out. He lived close enough to it to pass the trip of as just an evening walk if he had to. Outside of the terminal, it was a scene of utter chaos. Ambulances and police care seemed to be parked everywhere. He caught sight of a well renowned reporter, and made a note to keep well away from her.
Most if the people coming out of the station looked pale and shocky, but relatively few were injured. He correctly guessed that the most urgent cases had already been taken to the hospital. As people left the building, they were accosted by reporters, all wanting the scoop on the story. It was going to he tomorrow's headliner. Just as he was about to turn away, a stretcher bearing another injured person caught his eye. He felt drawn towards it. He gasped as the awful truth unfolded in front of his eyes. It was Selene on that stretcher. He felt the something where his heart used to be lurch. A paramedic was hovering over her, looking disconsolate. It was only his first week on the job, and it looked like he was about to loose his first patient.
A reporter looked as he were about to head over, but one glance at Michael's face changed his mind. He could find a story just as easily elsewhere.
Without thinking, Michael charged across the space separating them, nearly knocking over one of the paramedics. They both glared at him as he interrupted their swift actions. One hurried off to open the ambulance doors.
"Wait!" the desperation in his voice made them grudgingly halt.
"Sir, we don't have time for this." the older paramedic sounded testy. Selene was looking paler by the second. He hoped it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. She was already bone white. He hated that comparison with a vengeance.
"I'm her... husband." he lied, hoping they didn't notice his hesitation. It was close enough to the truth not to be an outright lie. In reality, he didn't know what he was to Selene.
"Well, you'd better come with us!" David, the oldest paramedic snapped, wondering why a husband had left his pregnant wife to travel the subway alone. Everyone knew that it was hardly safe these days. Unknown to him, he was looking at two of the reasons why it wasn't safe.
"I want her to go to a private hospital." Michael's voice was low and concerned. His feelings were mixed beyond separating. On one hand, he was desperately worried about Selene. On the other, he didn't know if he wanted to be back in her life. It was just too hurtful. As long as he stayed away from her, he could almost believe that he was still human. She gave him pleasure, tempered with remembrance.
He knew that she would heal quickly once the bullets where out. He just hoped that the baby was as resilient to harm. Somehow, he suspected it would be. In the past three years, a few too many close calls had taken place for him to be comfortable. The less exposure they got, the better, especially now that the vampires were actively hunting once again. They just couldn't risk the chance of exposure that going to the city's main hospital would bring. He'd worked at a small, private hospital where privacy was guaranteed. He hoped it was still open.
"Which one?" the man sounded like he had given up fighting.
He gave the name, and slipped into the back of the ambulance along side her. He could hardly bare to look at her. He knew that she felt he had abandoned her when she needed him, but it was all too much to deal with. He was still getting used to being a creature of the night without having to be a father as well. She shifted, face creasing as her back sent spikes of pain through her body. Her eyes opened a fraction before they drifted back shut. He felt a strange pang, watching her while she was so helpless.
It reminded him of the night he'd been bitten. She had been stabbed in the shoulder as they made their escape, and had almost killed them both. When he had dragged both of them out of the freezing water, she had been so pale, so still. It was like she had given up trying to pretend that she was still human. It had scared him more than he liked to admit. It still did.
Within ten minutes, they had pulled up in front of the hospital. He checked her in under a false name, and using his best 'doctor' voice, managed to get a private room where he could get to work. She didn't wake as he moved her onto the bed and wrapped her in the thin blankets that had been provided. He was getting more and more worried as he prepared to escape the hospital. Too many questions would soon start flying around, and he wanted to be long gone by that stage.
As soon as the nurses had left him alone in the room, he opened the window. The drop to the ground was only about fifteen feet- an easy jump for him. He picked her up in his arms and stepped out of the window. He hardly made a sound as he landed on the wet ground. After a quick look around, he climbed the outer fence. Her weight didn't slow him down as he headed for the house he'd come to call home. No-one gave them a second glance as he sped along the wet streets.
Once there, he unwrapped the blankets and cursed. The wounds were streaming with precious blood. He swore once again for good measure, before going and getting his super-sized first aid kit. Had she been human, he wouldn't have had much hope for her survival. As it was, she would need luck. He eased her onto her side and set to work. It was gory and awful, but it had to be done. Her wounds wouldn't heal around metal. As he searched in the torn flesh of her back for the slugs that had done so much damage, he heard her heartbeat and breathing change and knew he was hurting her. There was six holes in her back, and each contained a metal round. He didn't know exactly what it was, but knew it wasn't silver. The vampires couldn't use UV rounds in case they hit one of their own.
As he worked, he became aware of something. He cared deeply about her and the baby. It shocked him. He thought that he'd lost the ability to care when he'd lost his human self. He found himself talking softly to her, muttering nonsense about how he missed her company.
It took almost two hours, but at last every bullet was out. The wounds were neatly stitched, and dressed. He had even found her a change of clothes- an old tee-shirt of his, along with a pair of sweat pants. They swamped her, but the dress she'd been wearing was in rags. He carried her through to his bedroom and tucked he into his bed. It was a strange sight, but a welcome one. He tenderly reached across the bed and adjusted the blankets so that the covered her.
In the four long hours it took her to regain consciousness, he alternately paced and worried. She would want revenge on those that had harmed her. He didn't know if it would be possible. As soon as her eyes opened, he was at her bedside.
"Hey you." he said gently, checking her pulse out of habit. "How do you feel?"
"My back hurts." she said simply, feeling the effects of blood loss and shock acutely. Her vision was hazy, and she felt exhausted. She let her eyes drift shut, never seeing the look of utter disquiet cross his face. A sudden thought hit her and she opened her eyes.
"The baby?" her voice sounded hoarse and croaky. "is she okay?"
"The baby is fine, unlike it's mother." He suddenly sounded incredibly irritated.
She struggled to sit up, annoyed by his tone of voice. It was a bad idea, and as soon as she moved she knew it. White hot agony tore across her back, and she slumped back onto the feather pillows.
Another pain hit her, and with utter certainty, she knew what it was. She gripped his hand so hard her knuckles were white.
In a calm, almost flat voice she said "Michael, I'm having the baby."
Michael had heard rumours of a shooting going on in the subway, but had paid them little heed at first. It was almost too unreal to be true, and he had better things to do with his time than investigate rumours. Something about it though, nagged at him enough to walk down past the station where the survivors were being brought out. He lived close enough to it to pass the trip of as just an evening walk if he had to. Outside of the terminal, it was a scene of utter chaos. Ambulances and police care seemed to be parked everywhere. He caught sight of a well renowned reporter, and made a note to keep well away from her.
Most if the people coming out of the station looked pale and shocky, but relatively few were injured. He correctly guessed that the most urgent cases had already been taken to the hospital. As people left the building, they were accosted by reporters, all wanting the scoop on the story. It was going to he tomorrow's headliner. Just as he was about to turn away, a stretcher bearing another injured person caught his eye. He felt drawn towards it. He gasped as the awful truth unfolded in front of his eyes. It was Selene on that stretcher. He felt the something where his heart used to be lurch. A paramedic was hovering over her, looking disconsolate. It was only his first week on the job, and it looked like he was about to loose his first patient.
A reporter looked as he were about to head over, but one glance at Michael's face changed his mind. He could find a story just as easily elsewhere.
Without thinking, Michael charged across the space separating them, nearly knocking over one of the paramedics. They both glared at him as he interrupted their swift actions. One hurried off to open the ambulance doors.
"Wait!" the desperation in his voice made them grudgingly halt.
"Sir, we don't have time for this." the older paramedic sounded testy. Selene was looking paler by the second. He hoped it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. She was already bone white. He hated that comparison with a vengeance.
"I'm her... husband." he lied, hoping they didn't notice his hesitation. It was close enough to the truth not to be an outright lie. In reality, he didn't know what he was to Selene.
"Well, you'd better come with us!" David, the oldest paramedic snapped, wondering why a husband had left his pregnant wife to travel the subway alone. Everyone knew that it was hardly safe these days. Unknown to him, he was looking at two of the reasons why it wasn't safe.
"I want her to go to a private hospital." Michael's voice was low and concerned. His feelings were mixed beyond separating. On one hand, he was desperately worried about Selene. On the other, he didn't know if he wanted to be back in her life. It was just too hurtful. As long as he stayed away from her, he could almost believe that he was still human. She gave him pleasure, tempered with remembrance.
He knew that she would heal quickly once the bullets where out. He just hoped that the baby was as resilient to harm. Somehow, he suspected it would be. In the past three years, a few too many close calls had taken place for him to be comfortable. The less exposure they got, the better, especially now that the vampires were actively hunting once again. They just couldn't risk the chance of exposure that going to the city's main hospital would bring. He'd worked at a small, private hospital where privacy was guaranteed. He hoped it was still open.
"Which one?" the man sounded like he had given up fighting.
He gave the name, and slipped into the back of the ambulance along side her. He could hardly bare to look at her. He knew that she felt he had abandoned her when she needed him, but it was all too much to deal with. He was still getting used to being a creature of the night without having to be a father as well. She shifted, face creasing as her back sent spikes of pain through her body. Her eyes opened a fraction before they drifted back shut. He felt a strange pang, watching her while she was so helpless.
It reminded him of the night he'd been bitten. She had been stabbed in the shoulder as they made their escape, and had almost killed them both. When he had dragged both of them out of the freezing water, she had been so pale, so still. It was like she had given up trying to pretend that she was still human. It had scared him more than he liked to admit. It still did.
Within ten minutes, they had pulled up in front of the hospital. He checked her in under a false name, and using his best 'doctor' voice, managed to get a private room where he could get to work. She didn't wake as he moved her onto the bed and wrapped her in the thin blankets that had been provided. He was getting more and more worried as he prepared to escape the hospital. Too many questions would soon start flying around, and he wanted to be long gone by that stage.
As soon as the nurses had left him alone in the room, he opened the window. The drop to the ground was only about fifteen feet- an easy jump for him. He picked her up in his arms and stepped out of the window. He hardly made a sound as he landed on the wet ground. After a quick look around, he climbed the outer fence. Her weight didn't slow him down as he headed for the house he'd come to call home. No-one gave them a second glance as he sped along the wet streets.
Once there, he unwrapped the blankets and cursed. The wounds were streaming with precious blood. He swore once again for good measure, before going and getting his super-sized first aid kit. Had she been human, he wouldn't have had much hope for her survival. As it was, she would need luck. He eased her onto her side and set to work. It was gory and awful, but it had to be done. Her wounds wouldn't heal around metal. As he searched in the torn flesh of her back for the slugs that had done so much damage, he heard her heartbeat and breathing change and knew he was hurting her. There was six holes in her back, and each contained a metal round. He didn't know exactly what it was, but knew it wasn't silver. The vampires couldn't use UV rounds in case they hit one of their own.
As he worked, he became aware of something. He cared deeply about her and the baby. It shocked him. He thought that he'd lost the ability to care when he'd lost his human self. He found himself talking softly to her, muttering nonsense about how he missed her company.
It took almost two hours, but at last every bullet was out. The wounds were neatly stitched, and dressed. He had even found her a change of clothes- an old tee-shirt of his, along with a pair of sweat pants. They swamped her, but the dress she'd been wearing was in rags. He carried her through to his bedroom and tucked he into his bed. It was a strange sight, but a welcome one. He tenderly reached across the bed and adjusted the blankets so that the covered her.
In the four long hours it took her to regain consciousness, he alternately paced and worried. She would want revenge on those that had harmed her. He didn't know if it would be possible. As soon as her eyes opened, he was at her bedside.
"Hey you." he said gently, checking her pulse out of habit. "How do you feel?"
"My back hurts." she said simply, feeling the effects of blood loss and shock acutely. Her vision was hazy, and she felt exhausted. She let her eyes drift shut, never seeing the look of utter disquiet cross his face. A sudden thought hit her and she opened her eyes.
"The baby?" her voice sounded hoarse and croaky. "is she okay?"
"The baby is fine, unlike it's mother." He suddenly sounded incredibly irritated.
She struggled to sit up, annoyed by his tone of voice. It was a bad idea, and as soon as she moved she knew it. White hot agony tore across her back, and she slumped back onto the feather pillows.
Another pain hit her, and with utter certainty, she knew what it was. She gripped his hand so hard her knuckles were white.
In a calm, almost flat voice she said "Michael, I'm having the baby."