A/N: Why, hello there, wonderful reader! 8D Do you know where you are? Well, this is the sequal to Falling Up and a member of the Rise Above This series. 8DDDD Personally, I'd like to apologize. One, for taking so long to put this dang thing up. Second, for the length of this chapter. Because, quite frankly, it's freaking short. Then again, it's sort of the intro, so I guess that's okay. Ah well, do enjoy and remember to R&R!

From Under the Blue Skies

Chapter 1: Twists in the Fallout

Day 90

More movement. Actually, movement's a bit of an understatement.

I slapped myself. Bit? More like "-a massive understatement".

I'm starting to think that allowing Swift to go through with this was a bad idea… Correction: I started to think that when the child broke her pelvis about a week ago. (See Day 84). The fetus's growth rate is downright alarming, and most certainly not natural, though an explanation won't be provided for that until the child is actually born and can have some bloodwork run. It seems healthy. Swift has insisted on not knowing it's gender, though it's a bit unorthodox to be calling a being an "it"… in spite that "it" has been used as a reference for ourselves repeatedly. Oh well, we'll know eventually. Aside from the occasionally mishap, soon-to-be-

I paused again, wondering why my hand was cramping up. My mind and body both disliked the idea of the next word, especially when it applied to little one, but I knew I had to get used to it. After all, I wasn't the one who'd been raped.

mom's doing great. We're all very confident in her despite the complications. In all reality, I think she's the only one with any earthly idea of what to do or how to go about doing it.

Giving a mild chuckle at my last sentence, I carefully closed the notebook and placed the pen across it. Smiling briefly in satisfaction, I eased out of my room and shut the door carefully, proceeding up the stairs and into the living room. All happiness was instantly erased at catching Sonic's eye. From his spot in a nearby armchair, his gaze only shifted briefly to me, conveying expressions of anguish and concern before automatically reverting.

"What is it?" I asked quietly. Sonic placed a finger on his lips in answer, then pointed to the spot he was watching. Swift occupied said location, curled up slightly and dozing for once. Her breath came with relative ease, eyes closed and fingers twitching slightly in her dream-state. I huffed a sigh, folding my arms over my chest and glaring down at the ruby streaks racing up to come to a point just past the elbow.

Swift was really only showing a little bit, in spite of how quickly the kid inside her was growing, a side effect I expected from her Ultimate heritage. All primary concern lay with her, nothing else. Unease occupied the airspace in a stranglehold. My mind began dragging me back, trying to get me to question where this went wrong. I shook my head fiercely, refocusing on the present and drawing back out of the past. Attempting to convince myself that former happenings were of no significance was temporarily plausible, but permanently unattainable.

Sonic rose up and nodded shortly at Swift's sleeping form. I acknowledged him and observed for a moment as he cast one last uneasy glance my sister's way, then strode from the room, tense as a drawn bowstring in anxiety.

Such silent communication had become commonplace in the recent months. Surely this signified the tightening of our meager group, which I would have resented if circumstances were different.

If. That word practically defined our current state of being.

I heaved a heavy-hearted sigh, feeling a smothering weight take up a position over my heart. Taking the throw-blanket from the chair Sonic had recently occupied, I gently placed it over Swift, sensing a chill wash through her. Afterwards, I took Sonic's place in the armchair and watched over her.

Swift

I felt myself return from the depths of the whims of my subconscious, but did not open my eyes quite yet.

Awake, little one?

At that voice, I instantly sought his location, my gaze falling on his ebon and scarlet form seated in the chair across from the couch I had fallen asleep on. His eyes were fixed on me, crimson-chestnut irises cold and unforgiving as usual. I nodded in response, curling up a little more and pulling the blanket closer around me, shivering. Shadow stood immediately.

"Are you cold?" He asked, head tilting slightly to one side in observation.

"A little." I admitted grudgingly, knowing he would simply barge into my head and find out the truth if I denied it. Lying to him was pointless.

I sat up slowly as Shadow walked over and eased down beside me, not bothering to kick his feet up as Sonic did. Abruptly, a dark flash of pain tore through my abdomen and I hissed out of reflex, not intending to alert him to this feeling. His eyes grew wide in anxiety and concern as I bit my lip and grimaced, fighting through another surge. It must be kicking…

"Did it…?" Shadow managed after a few seconds.

"I think so." I replied, unnerved as I was every time the life inside of me moved. I began to shiver more intensely, fear rising up from the black bowels of my mind in spite of how hard I tried to force it back down. After all, this thing had broken my pelvis with one fell blow. I remembered. Snap, and I was on the floor, coughing up blood, drowning in it, seeing Shadow holding my head back to prevent that, watching Sonic writhe in his skin as I howled in agony. He stayed by my side though, in spite of how upset he became with every passing moment of the pain. All he wanted was to lift that burden, not to watch me suffer any longer. I only continued to grimace and bear it.

"You still haven't changed your mind, have you?" I shook my head to indicate my firm answer.

"No. I'm still intent on keeping him." I insisted.

"More like hell-bent, I would say." Shadow chuckled lightly. "Him?" He inquired after realizing that I had been gender-specific.

"I feel it. It's a him." I smiled a tiny bit, only to be shattered by another shockwave.

"You're sure?" He quizzed, seeming to be contemplating.

"Not exactly. I could be, but I don't want to be." I explained haphazardly, feeling a cold chill rush down my spine.

Shadow did not answer, merely unfolded his arms from his chest. I leaned on him at this, placing one ear over his heart as he enveloped me in an embrace, careful to keep the blanket tight around me as he staved off the cold.

"Sorry…" I said after a few moments like that.

"For what?" He asked, his voice muffled, though I heard it over the relaxed thumping of his heart, vibrating through his chest cavity.

"Everything…" I answered softly, avoiding his gaze.

"I don't know why. You have nothing to be sorry for, so don't apologize." He said, tone unyielding, but attentive. I remained silent, the quiet only broken by an exasperated sigh that fell from his lips. Afterwards, the only sound made was the soft breathing, beating of three hearts.

A/N: Here's the jip, if you didn't get it or aren't bothering to read the last story. (bad, you. XD) Swift's pregnant with the child of some arse-hole. Because he raped her. The kid's growth rate is jacked up because he's on DRUGS (drugs are VERY bad, children. DX). Shadow's the only REAL one with any grip on sanity. Because he's just collected like that. And Sonic's flipping his crap. Cuz he loves Swift and doesn't want her to leave (again).

Thus, the story begins. Thank God, this'll have more action than Falling Up. XD