A/N: This story takes place roughly ten months after Deception. Sasha Lyon is a character that first appears in the epilogue of that story. The events here are shown to give Sally a bit of a different psychology. This is the first of this type of story that I have done; I'm not experienced in writing maternal figures, so this was as much an exercise for me as it was a chance to show Sally as a new mom.
This being a Chaos Chronicles story, this is not the Archie universe, but a parallel continuity.
A Mother's Love
April 4th, 3240
Avignon, France
The air was warm early this time of year in the countryside. The ancient structures of the city of Avignon's walls were visible even farther away from the main urban center. France had been special out of many of Europe's nations. Many had modernized at great speed, building massive skyscrapers, magnetically levitating train lines, spaceports, and infrastructure to support a modern society, but some parts of them had not. The South of France, Germany, virtually all of Switzerland outside of Zurich, and as far south in Italy as Tuscany has remained as a sort of window into the past. They had modern amenities, true, but they seemed vastly different - mirroring a late 21st Century look, which in turn had ancient foundations as old as the cities themselves. Avignon itself still had the obvious presence of the Romans who had conquered the area over three thousand years ago. While many had scoffed at the idea of a land that refused to 'get with the times' of modern Earth, virtually everyone was glad that it had remained idyllic, pastoral in comparison, and happy to retain its unique culture that it had gathered over the millennia - something that very few urban centers could claim in the 33rd Century.
It was here that Sally Acorn had come with great anticipation in her heart. She had arrived in France only a day before, alone as was usual of her on these types of trips. She had landed in Nice and spent the day in the city, looking out over the Mediterranean, thinking about the reason of her visit. She had come to visit somebody very special and dear to her, more than anybody in the world, and someone that she did not have the opportunity to see often. The night before she left by train, she had stayed up in bed, watching the hands on the antique clock tick on and on. Even on the train ride in the private compartment she had booked, she barely even noticed the landscape flying by as she moved further away from the sea inland. Now that she was outside the large doors of the Lyon estate, she could scarcely believe it was happening. She pulled her luggage from the trunk of the car that had driven her here, took a second to swipe her card across the reader, paying the driver, and headed towards the gate.
Sally had traveled here under alias for the most part. Of course, her digital documentation from Mobius confirmed her identity with UEG customs so that she could actually land, within the country she had a nom de voyage as she liked to think of it. Regularly, it would be Miss Sandra Aaron - her most used when travelling in public, but today she was Margaret Oak. If anything, she liked to keep her private life much more to herself over the last year, considering the circumstances. She drew looks regardless. She tried to alter her walk, her mannerisms to better blend in to the public, but she thought she still moved like a royal.
No, she realized, like a soldier.
She reached the gate door and rapped three times on it with her knuckles, taking the time to look around the property. She had never been here before, only seeing the estate in photographs. Sasha Lyon came from a wealthy and upstanding family with a long history. In ancient times, her family had been French statesmen and attendees to the royal throne before the Revolution. Some rumor came around that she had Norman ancestors that had fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It was a remarkable family history, almost as interesting as her...
Sally faltered, accidentally dredging up the memory of a lost love. She had gotten over it, she reminded herself. Then she remembered it was almost the first anniversary of her Human's death. She froze, clenching her jaw and quickly trying to dispel the thought - lock it down and cast it back into the maw of time to be forgotten. Better to leave the memories that were in her head beautiful, pristine, and joyous. She was beginning to locate just such a time and watch the tall grass down the hillside sway in the wind just as a duo of cicadae began to sing in a nearby tree, when two panels unfolded on the gateposts. The first panel on the left had two cylinders recessed into the stone, and the other had a lens set into the offset section - obviously a camera. The other two cylinders glowed and a square stitched together in the air, showing a man's face. The man had close-cropped hair, a black jacket and matching tie.
"Bonjour." Sally said.
"Vous aussi." the man, obviously a security officer, said plainly. "Puis-je vous aider?"
"Oui." Sally said, remembering as much French as she could. She wasn't fluent in it, barely conversational, but she tried to remember how much Antoine had taught her. "Je suis chercher pour Dame Sasha Lyon. Je suis un ami."
The security officer looked down at his keyboard, and then back up at her.
"Ton nom?" he asked.
"Margaret Oak." Sally said with her natural voice.
"I can speak in English if you prefer." the man said with a rich Parisian accent.
Sally sighed in appreciation. "Thank you very much."
"Does Lady Lyon know you are coming to see her today?"
"Yes, we discussed this at length several weeks ago. Tell her Margaret's here to see her. It's important."
"Please wait right there, mademoiselle."
The hologram flickered off, leaving Sally standing quite happy to just take in the breeze. The gentle wind pulled at her jacket and ruffled her hair. She was getting nervous, but in a great way. Her tail jittered slightly in excitement, and her heart beat sped up. Glancing back down the road, she watched as a small pack of leaves were picked up and flung down the road.
Thirty seconds after he disappeared, the security officer materialized again.
"You're cleared to come in. I have been instructed to pass a simple message: 'You are safe here'."
Sally's head cocked to the side. "Has she told you who I am?"
"We do not belong to a larger corporation. We answer to the Lyon family and nobody else." He nodded. "She has told us who you are, and you need not worry about publicity."
Sally sighed in relief. Sasha had assured her that the locally hired security agents would minimize any sort of breach of security, but Sally has been apprehensive about that. She had every right to be though. She didn't want anybody but a very small group of people to know what was happening at this house.
The gate slid apart, revealing a long crushed stone walkway bordered by large, round riverstone. Within, the yard was spacious if not Spartan in appearance. Several trees grew in locations all around with shrubs and bushes at the foot of the trunk. Ancient stone benches were strategically placed and always with nearby shade. The roof of the main house itself was made of red clay tiles common to regions in the Mediterranean. Its walls were plastered white, though the windows had old-fashioned swinging shutters the color of a clear sky. This was truly a beautiful house - one that had been built a very long time ago and was kept up to date while retaining its exquisite 19th Century exterior.
The funny thing about this was that Sasha Lyon had not been born on Earth, but her lineage had run deep. Sally had done her homework when selecting her for her special task. She had already been in the service of the Kingdom as a handmaiden and attaché for close to two years. Upon her own suggestion, Sasha returned to her ancestral home so she could be close to Mobius, relatively speaking. In an emergency, Sally could rush to Avignon in less than twelve hours through the Jumpgate.
The door opened as she approached. A tall Human woman dressed in light clothing that suggested an estate servant stood in the threshold, smiling politely. She spoke in French, but with an accent that suggested it may not have been her first language.
"Your Highness." she said, bowing her head slightly. "Lady Sasha told us to expect you any minute."
"Of course." Sally responded, also in French. "I wouldn't want to waste a minute getting here."
"Was your trip fine?" the servant asked, leading her into the house.
"The train ride was probably the best part." she admitted. "They don't go too fast so they let you enjoy the view."
"The European Line is a sight to behold - from England to Sicily in five days. Slow, but scenic."
"France is more than enough beauty for me right now."
They passed through a small foyer with dark wooden floors and a crystal chandelier. The woman took Sally's coat and placed it inside the closet to the right of the entrance. The next room though made the Princess' jaw drop.
The roof was perhaps twenty feet high with a cupola to let light in through a wraparound window. Directly ahead were a pair of staircases that wrapped around in the shape of a letter 'C' connecting to a second story landing. That floor had a walkway that encircled the foyer proper Cabinets, drawers, and futons were scattered around the walls with large paintings of what Sally presumed were ancient Lyons in elegant dress. She analyzed one directly to her right - a man sitting in a chair with a large mustache, thoughtful eyes, and dark draped clothes. The inscription read 'Francoise Jean-Luc Robespierre Lyone de Pose - 1671'. It was a beautiful oil on canvas piece, possibly even original. A simple signature was in the lower right hand corner: J.N.R.
"Highness?"
"Mmm?" Sally said, briefly distracted.
"Lady Sasha is in the courtyard. I can take you to her now."
"Oh, of course!" Sally said, heart rate continuing to quicken. Another security officer dressed just like the man in the hologram took her luggage and brought it up the stairs. Sally followed the woman. "I'm sorry, I don't think I know your name."
"Luciana Watson." The servant said.
Sally couldn't help but ask, "Are you from around here?"
"No." she suddenly said in English. "I was raised in Colorado Springs. I came to France about four years ago to become part of the estate's staff. I originally worked for a Lyon living in Maryland, and this was his home before Lady Sasha came here to live."
"Does the other Lyon come here?"
"Rarely. He's an older gentleman. Have you ever heard of Senator Jacques Lyon?"
"He's a US Senator?" Sally asked, impressed with the connections of Sasha's family. While she had conducted a background check, she didn't probe very far past the immediate family.
"You would be impressed how far the family is spread."
Watson led Sally through narrower passageways that were still extravagant. The styles were much more modern in these parts of the house - beveled hallways that were still hardwood, but lighting strips took the place of conventional lamps. Segmented ceiling tiles gave the impression of being in a room inside of a room, and many doors were sliding and motion-detecting, but were still coated with a shiny lacquering. It was at one of these doors that Watson stopped and pointed.
"Right through here, Highness. They're waiting to see you."
Sally suddenly felt her mouth run dry. She closed her eyes, nodded, and smiled. "Thank you very much, Lucianna."
"You're quite welcome, your highness." she bowed before turning and leaving Sally looking at the doorway. She breathed in several times, and with one last nod of conviction, stepped towards the door. It hissed open nearly silently and lightning-quick. The scent of flowers, the sound of birds, and the shine of the midday sun suddenly materialized.
She was stunned by the light, but only for a moment. She looked ahead, gazing at the courtyard. It was done in French colonial style with tall and neatly separated walls, non-intrusive awnings, and a verdant green lawn with arranged benches around a water fountain. On one of these benches, facing away from her, was a woman in an earthy brown summer dress. She had long braided blond hair.
"Sasha?" Sally asked at once, nervously, and even cautiously.
At the sound of her name, Sasha Lyon turned her head to look at her visitor. When both their blue eyes met, Lyon smiled broadly and got up, turning around fully to face Sally. The Princess smiled at the Human, but as soon as she was aware of it, her eyes darted what was in her arms. In a blue-colored set of clothing was Frederic Alexander - Sally's biological son.
She could feel her heart skip a beat. The baby boy's bright blue eyes were open but were looking at the ground. At a glance, there was no way anybody would be able to tell that this child was hers. That was why Sasha had been chosen.
She met with Sally, hugging her with her free hand and kissing her twice on the cheeks, a customary greeting that, thanks to Antoine, she was familiar with. She spoke in English, but with a slight accent. Sally understood that the French she spoke on her homeworld of Ballam Primus was more or less the same in terms of syntax, her pronunciation was different on some words, such as pronouncing the otherwise silent 'h' in many words.
"Highness!" She said brightly. "I heard you were on your way! Welcome to my family's home!"
"It's so good to see you, Sasha." Sally beamed, remembering their last visit, which despite the sad circumstance, was a chance for them to get to know one another better. "How have you been?"
"Excellent. Your family has been so kind to me these past months." She bowed her head. "I thank you for everything you've done for me."
"It's the least I can do to ensure you're taken care of." she said. Every so often, her eyes would stray downwards. Frederic was so tiny, and only a few months old. His hair was red, just like hers, but his skin was a slight olive, just like his father's. Sasha could see her glance of longing.
"He's been wonderful." Sasha said. "He's so quiet. He almost never cries except when he's hungry. He also sleeps a lot too. Would you like to hold him?"
Sally's voice was small and sounded like it came from a mile away. "Yes!" she said
Sasha carefully held out Frederic. Sally's hands trembled as she reached out for her son, making sure to cup his head. When she felt the full weight of her child, Sally's knees grew weak, and she slowly sank to her knees, beginning to cry.
It was the first time she had held him since he had been born.
Sally kissed Frederic's head as she sobbed, overjoyed. Sasha got down next to her, hand around her shoulder.
"He's missed you."
"And I've missed him more than he'll ever know." She kissed the baby boy's cheek. Frederic stared at his mother, mouth open and gumming on his finger. For a second, the baby's eyes drifted to Sasha, and then to Sally. With a small hand, Frederic reached out and touched his mother's cheek, rubbing it slowly fingers sinking into her fur. The baby chirped and pulled back, mouth drawn back in an open smile, a laugh escaping as a puff of air. Sally's stroked his sensitive head reverently, with each second feeling like a dream. She nuzzled her cheek against his, tickling him with her fur, and was delighted to still smell the faint scent on him from the time of his birth. She kissed the boy's cheek.
"Freddy." She whispered to him. "I've missed you so much."
They walked together down the hallway leading away from the courtyard. Sally holding Frederic in her hands. The baby boy had fallen asleep again in her arms. He clutched at his mother's shoulders in his sleep. Sally's ears could hear the soft breathing of the infant, and even the soft beating of his tiny heart.
"I can assure you he has been quite safe here." Sasha said, keeping pace with her. "My family's home is far enough removed from the city to keep attention off us."
Sally nodded. "All the same though, have you been getting any mysterious visitors? Men in suits? Drones above the property?"
"No." Sasha said. "I assume of course you're worried about government spies."
The princess didn't answer.
"I thought you took care of it. I thought Marshall was arrested." Sasha said shrugging, referring to the disgraced ex-president of the UEG.
"Yes." Sally said, suddenly through gritted teeth. "I saw the bastard in prison. I personally helped the UEG eliminate anybody who's been associated with him, and I told him he would die in whatever hole he ended up in, old and alone! Frederic stirred, giving a small cry in his sleep. Sally immediately regretted her flare of anger and put her nose to her son's head, kissing him in apology. "I'm sorry, little one."
"You have nothing to worry about then." Sasha said. "The corruption is gone, as you said!"
"I know, but..." She blinked. "I'm afraid."
"Of what, Highness?"
She paused for a beat. "I'm worried Marshall, or someone he knew, may have had backup plans, or worse, plans for revenge. I'm worried someone might find out I'm involved and... tries to hurt me." She held Frederic tighter, "Or the ones I love. Sasha, my little one is going to grow up without his father. Marshall took him from us."
Lyon thought about it for a second. "I can get married."
"What?" Sally asked.
"I want to give Frederic a family as much as you do."
"I'm not going to force you to do anything. Sasha, you don't have to do something extreme."
"Highness, every day I've spent with this child has been a gift that I do not deserve. The happiness I feel is what you felt when you held him again. I don't want to hurt him in any way."
Sally found a bench and sat down. Lyon was next to her. "You don't need to go out of the way for that."
"What should I tell him?" the Human asked. "When he grows up, he'll need to know what happened. Do you want to tell him the raw truth, or do you want him to grow up happy living a lie?"
Sally couldn't believe this scenario had even popped up. She had always contemplated telling Frederic the truth one day, but children asked questions when they grew up. The reason for an absent father was going to be one of them.
"Highness, I have to tell you that having Frederic in my life has made me beyond happy, and I am so honored to do this for you..." she trailed off, biting her lip and looking down at the floor tiles. They had arrived back in the central hall. "If you wish to take Frederic back, that is your right to do so."
Sally rocked the baby in her arms, closing her eyes and pressing her cheek against his little head. "You know I can't do that."
"They'll never have to know." the handmaiden said. "You never have to say anything to anybody!"
"He will draw eyes." the princess said, looking dismayed at the thought. People will see him and... make assumptions."
"Could you say that perhaps he was the Captain's son, but with an unknown mother who died in childbirth perhaps?"
Sally held up an index finger, "One medical checkup is all it will take. They will want to take a blood test eventually, and the systems will say that there is a genetic match between me and him."
"You don't trust Quinten?" she asked, referring to the castle's head physician.
"Quinten's a good man, but I can't take any chances. Nobody will hurt him." She whispered, "Freddy's all I have left."
Suddenly, a thought came into Sasha's head. She worried about asking it for a moment, but then came out and spoke, "His father..." she refused to say his name in case it upset the Princess. "His grandparents. Why did you ask me when he could have stayed with his grandparents?"
"They don't know." Sally said, with a spike of shame at the end that took the form of lowering her head.
"That I am taking care of him?"
"Sasha, can we not talk about this?"
The Human's eyes widened. "They don't know he was born?"
No response. Sally stared at the floor, not making eye contact.
Sahsa Lyon felt incredulous. She couldn't even speak, but Sally understood where she was going. "Please understand."
"I understand alright, Highness." she said. "You believe that anybody who knows about Frederic is at risk, but you're making this so much worse."
"Excuse me?" Sally asked, whipping around. "Worse?"
"His family doesn't even know he exists!"
"I know."
"Are you ashamed of him?"
Sally's jaw clenched. Even Sasha knew she had crossed a line. The tense lacuna extended for nearly a minute, with Sally's electric gaze meeting Sasha's horrified expression at her own words.
"How dare you." Sally finally said. "He is my son!" she said, keeping her voice low. She began to move in on her, and the Human shuffled back slightly. "I have enemies. Enemies that would take advantage of me, you, and especially him." She gripped her child. "I want nothing more than to say that this is my son, and I love him more than anything... but I can't afford to. Not now."
"Why?" She simply asked.
Sally could not tell her. She did not know about what was going on in the greater scheme of things. She had heard whispers of groups forming in the darkness, sensing the coming weakness of the UEG, and of the Alliance. Some would seek to undermine Earth. Some would be forging far worse purposes. Sasha knew nothing about the Prisoner, and the nightmares that it had given Sally. She even believed that it was speaking to her in her dreams.
"Your home doesn't need to be darkened by that." Sally said, backing away. Frederic began to stir, groaning slowly turning to faint cries. A fear stabbed into her heart. Did it know about her son? She began to breathe quicker, anxiety rising.
"What's wrong?" Sasha asked.
"Nothing." Sally said, but another tear betrayed her inner emotions. "I think I just need time to be alone. I'm sorry." she said, bowing her head to the handmaiden. "I hope you can forgive me."
"I do." She said, "But your Highness, no child deserves to be shut away against the world, to live in a cage. These months I've lived watching Frederic grow, watching him stir in my arms... I love him, you know."
"I know."
"You should never lock away the things you love. I trust in your wisdom, Highness. But I beg you, let his family know that he exists."
"I... I'll do that." Sally said, after a pause. "Sasha, forgive me again, but I'd just like to be alone with him?"
Lyon dutifully nodded. "I'm just a word away."
Her heels clicked as she walked away, leaving Sally alone with Frederic in the middle of the hall.
The baby's crying was soft, but Sally could guess the reason why. With both hands keeping him close, she climbed the stairs and headed to a bedroom in the manor, finding a secluded one overlooking the courtyard, she locked the door and sat on the bed. Frederic's eyes were open now, staring up at her, the blue pools of light staring up at her. Sally knew he was about five months old, almost six. He could not take solid food yet.
"You're hungry, aren't you, little one?"
The baby made a small noise that could have been agreement.
With a strange excitement, Sally pulled up at her shirt and slipping her undergarments around. With mouth dry, she pulled Frederic close to her breast, and the child began to drink.
Even sitting, Sally's legs became weak. She even gasped slightly as she felt the softness of the baby's mouth. She felt warm inside and a smile broke across her face. She massaged her breast to make sure the baby was getting what he needed. The longing for a moment like this had been with her for months. The last time she had experienced this joy was when he was born. She could remember that night in late December five months ago when he was first given to her - nearly on time. Sally's memory was clear: a beautiful baby boy was placed into her arms fast asleep, breathing deeply. She looked at him then the same way she looked at him now, a feeling of euphoria coursing through her body.
"I love you so much." She whispered, running her fingers through the baby's hair. Frederic continued to drink, but looked up at his mother. Sally felt a spike of excitement as she felt the bond between mother and son. Even though they were worlds apart, they were one at that second. "I want you to grow up big and strong."
Strong indeed. The child pulled sharply, causing Sally to recoil, gasping in slight pain. Frederic began to cry.
"Shhh." she said, easing him back. At first he was hesitant, but then latched. The feeling of intense pleasure and relief quickly came back, causing her shoulders to go slack. Her ears ducked, folding halfway down, and her eyes grew large. Again, Frederic stared at her. She wondered if the baby knew that she was its mother. Maybe. There was a look in those eyes that she hadn't seen with Sasha. Perhaps her little one could just tell.
"You look so much like your papa." she cooed, running a finger along his little nose, so different from her own. The baby grabbed her finger, holding on tightly with surprising strength. "Oh, and you're strong like him too!" She giggled.
Fredric hiccupped, and then stopped, smacking his lips in satisfaction.
"All done?" She asked, keeping him close in case he wanted more. "All done, little one?"
He moved his head away from her breast, and she replaced her clothing. The jittering feeling of euphoria still running through her veins.
The window was open that night, with the air blowing softly through. She could smell the flowers on the air from down in the courtyard. Next to her, the sleeping child was motionless on his back, his lolling head covered with a small but comfy woolen cap. His mother lay right next to him, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath he took. She kissed his cheek and stroked it with her finger. The baby stirred, but kept his eyes closed. Then his leg kicked.
Sally gasped in realization. Her little one was dreaming. Frederic's eyes jittered and his mouth twitched, first formlessly, but then it broke into a smile. His arms reached out and he grabbed at something she couldn't see. His smile grew larger and a puff of a laugh came from him.
Sally had no words for this. She had missed so much of his life since he was born. Each experience was new and unknown to her. As she watched her baby roll in his sleep, she wondered what she was dreaming of. What did he find so amazing about the world? Words were not known to him, he had known no fear, and had never suffered hurt a day in his little life. She wondered if he was dreaming of her, the first face he had ever seen in his life. Maybe he was dreaming of the father he had never known.
She rubbed her eyes and found they were wet with tears. Maybe Sasha was right. Maybe this was no place for him.
A noise came from somewhere in the house. Her ears twitched towards it, and she started, but her heart rate was slow. Perhaps someone had dropped something - a glass perhaps; it happened. She lowered her head to the pillow. She lay on top of the covers in her underwear. Her midsection was bare and she absentmindedly let her hand wander to her belly. She could feel the healed scar around there - faint and otherwise invisible, but still there.
"I wish you could see this, my love." She whispered into the ether, hoping that her Human could hear her from wherever he was now, free from all worry and need in the world beyond. Perhaps he could still hear her somewhere. "A little miracle. Thank you so much."
There was another noise, this time a dull thump. Sally started, sitting bolt upright in the bed, ears perked and eyes alert. She had heard that kind of noise in only a few situations, and both she knew well - a thud like that could either be the sudden dropping of a heavy package... or a body hitting the ground.
As slowly as she could, she reached over the side of the bed and into her bag, feeling around until she could make out a textured grip. She wrapped her hand around it, making sure to keep her index finger clear, and pulled her .357 Python out of the bag. She stepped from the bed, her right foot touching the hardwood with the second right behind her. She immediately lowered her stance, holding the gun at the low ready position, pointed halfway between her and the doorway. She thumbed the hammer back and she heard it lock into position, rotating the cylinder. The gun glittered in the moonlight that came through the open window. Silence, and then, she heard it - the slow but methodical impacts of very quiet, but still audible footsteps. Six pairs or more she reasoned.
She grabbed another speedloader from the bag and placed it on the bed. The footsteps were almost staccato, too regular to be anything other than trained men.
Her worst fears had come true. They were coming for her. Her eyes moved to her baby, lying on the bed, a smile still on her face. It broke her heart that it would come to this, but consoled herself with the thought that he would have no memory of what he was about to go through. Quickly, she reached into the bag again, still pointed near the door, and grabbed a set of earplugs, and made sure to gingerly put them into Frederic's ears. They were not the right size, but she molded them to fit his tiny head, then she returned her gaze to the door, rage flaring up inside of her like a star coming to life, burning for the first time. Anger radiated from her; so much that she could barely contain it.
They were coming for her. Marshall's insurance policy to seek out those responsible for his imprisonment - the cleaners. That was fine. She always knew they would come, but in no way would these men lay a finger on her child. She would tear them apart with her bare hands if they even got close to him. She felt this maternal instinct give her strength that lay dormant in her bones. Not Freddy. Not like they took Christopher.
She raised the gun, both elbows placed on the bed for support. The night sights on the barrel lined up, creating a trinity of pale green. The footsteps had stopped.
They were right outside.
"You'll have to go through me to get him." Sally whispered, teeth gritted, and ears folded back. "Stay away from my son!"
She heard clicking from beyond and knew what was about to happen. Her finger rested on the curve of the ten pound trigger. Was she about to do this? Yes. She would kill every one of them to protect what was hers. She failed once. She would not fail again.
There was a click, and the lock twisted on the door.
It was time.
She pulled the trigger, and the weapon barked, a magnum bullet spiraling into the center mass of the first shadowy figure that came through the door. The impact blew the figure back, knocking against the doorframe. She altered her aim and fired on the second, the first shot going low, but the second hitting the throat. The third and fourth came within inches of her before she fired point blank into them. The hammer fell and the gun clicked. She broke the action open and the shells ejected. In a lightning fast motion, she grabbed the speedloader and forced the rounds into their chambers, then she locked the cylinder back in place, all within the space of a second as she willed the world to slow down for her. The fifth however was now in grabbing range. Dark fingers, or were they gloves, wrapped around her neck. She could see nothing in the face of her attacker, not even the reflected light of a nose or brow. Her heartbeat sounded in her ears, and slowly the edges of her vision began to grey out and slowly dip into darkness. There was no face to claw at. She could feel herself going limp slowly, the oxygen cut off from her brain. Her gun arm was still free though, and she fired point blank through the figure's midsection. The round overpenetrated and slammed into the ceiling, the gun's muzzle velocity far too high for a target that close. Taking a deep breath and coming to her senses, she kicked the shadowy figure off her and turned to see the last, the sixth, lay its hands on her baby. Screaming in rage, she fired the remaining five bullets into its body, which shuddered with every impact as if it were dancing.
Strangely, she heard no crying. The ringing from the gunfire went on, but Frederic did not seem to have stirred. She became very frightened. Running to the bed, she watched his chest, and felt a wave of relief when she saw it rise and fall, his eyes fluttering in his sleep. They hadn't hurt him. She had killed them all. She turned to see the bodies of the agents that had come into the room, but the alarm had returned and redoubled itself. The bodies were gone, and what was worse, a silence had fallen on the room. The doorway was still open, but a blackness existed beyond that she had not seen before.
The hallway was gone, and darkness reigned beyond the threshold. Sally lowered the gun. Something had been triggered in her brain: a primal fear of the abyss. She couldn't make out anything in the dark. She was hypnotized, and now a sound on the edge of perception droned from the darkness. She fell forward, weapon skittering from her fingers. She was seduced by this siren's call, crawling forward, until she was mere feet from the doorway. It was as if all reality ended at this point.
"Child's play." Came a voice, impossibly smooth, and infinite in volume and baritone.
Sally's fear exploded. She had heard this 'voice' before. The spell was broken, and she fell on her back.
"You cannot save him." It said again, and an impossibly brilliant point of light appeared in the void. "You pretend you have power."
Not here. How could it have known about him?
All the fierceness had been extinguished, and Sally almost felt like an infant as well, not comprehending the power in front of her.
"A mother's love means nothing. The spark of life is extinguished as I will it."
Sally sensed the air begin to ebb, flow, and then before she knew it, a hurricane had roared to life in the room. Confused and taken off guard, she stumbled around on the floor, deafened by the gale that had come from nowhere. When above it all, she heard the cry of a child.
"Frederic!" She shouted, jumping to her feet. The gun skittered on the floor and then was drawn into the abyss. She saw the child lifted by the force. She lunged, fueled by desperation to grab to frightened infant that bawled in the rush of air, still perfectly heard among it all. Despite her grip, she could feel him slipping. Tears streamed from her face, pulled into the void as she tried to keep a hold on her child. Frederic's cries pierced the maelstrom, limbs uselessly waving in the air.
Sally's grip slipped from two hands to one.
"Don't take him!" She begged at the top of her lungs. "Take me, not him!"
"The bond is broken."
Her hand slipped, she let go, and in one final instant, mother and son gazed at each other, and then he was gone.
The wind stopped, the cold reality of what had happened hit her. Slowly her hands came up, gripping the sides of her head. Her entire body shook, and her eyes looked out, unseeing, jittering in their sockets.
Her mouth fell open, and she screamed.
She jerked forward, sitting up in bed, sweat matting her fur and with heart beating against her chest. Sally's eyes were like pinpricks, and the room was a blur. Shapes weren't clear. For a moment she thought she was blind, she looked to the side, and she saw her only son sleeping right next to her, lying on his back, legs kicking in his dreams.
For a moment, she didn't do anything. She didn't move, and she didn't speak. She saw him smile, and then she began to sob. she buried her face in her hands and wept harder than she ever had in her life. The sounds of her anguish drifted through the halls of the house and into the night. She curled up into a ball, tears falling onto the mattress, soaking the sheets. It was only a dream. A horribly realistic and frightening dream.
She heard Frederic begin to cry too. She rolled over, seeing his face scrunched up and mouth open. She embraced him, both with tears in their eyes.
"I'm sorry." She said between gasps. "Did I wake you?"
The baby coughed, then continued.
"Mommy had a bad dream." She said, eyes closed and lips against his little cheek. "Mommy thought she lost you."
She held him before he went back to sleep, and she watched him drift off, eyes blurry with tears. With care, she placed him in a crib already at the far end of the room. Then she walked into the suite's bathroom and locked the door behind her. She slid down the doorway onto the floor, and with hands shaking, wailed harder than she ever had in her entire life.
"It felt so real." She told Sasha six hours later.
"That's terrible!" the Human said, eyes wide as the princess recounted the experience.
All of them were sitting at an outdoor table, cups of coffee placed on fine china plates. Frederic lay asleep, as he usually was, in Sally's arms, thumb in his mouth.
"It's just a bad dream." Sally said. "They happen."
"This is the last dream that should be happening to you." Sasha said. "Some of the guards were worried about you. They heard you."
"They did?"
Sasha didn't respond.
Sally looked down at Frederic, lips tight together and eyes large with concern. She wondered if what had happened last night was a dream, or perhaps a vision from... it. A dream was bad enough, but if that thing knew about her son...
"I've never felt something like it. I thought like I had lost him. Sasha, I've never felt like I would lose something so dear." Sally said.
"I know that feeling well." She glanced at the little boy. "We're more alike than you think."
Sally looked at Sasha, her mind slowly coming to terms with what she was saying.
"Sasha, I'm so sorry."
"It's alright. It happened a long time ago. I've moved on. That's why I thought it was the greatest gift to be chosen to raise this little one."
She slowly reached over and rubbed her fingers through the baby's hair.
"It's like I was given a second chance. I've always wondered what it would be like to have a child." She smiled.
The birds chirped, and a trio of gulls called from somewhere over the trees.
"Sasha, I've thought about what you've said. You know, about Frederic."
"Hmm?"
"He needs to stay here." She said all at once. "Things are so complicated, and I don't want to get into it." She closed her eyes and took a breath. "It's classified."
"Classified?" Sasha asked. "It's a military matter?"
"Well, not really. I'm in a very strange position where I know things that nobody else knows, and something major is going to happen. I can't tell you what that is, but I can tell you that it's something I don't want to put you or Freddy into. I don't want to hurt either of you."
Sally felt somewhat hurt saying it. The words were taken with a bit of dismay.
"I know you expected to hear something else from me, but one night can help change your mind or steel your heart. This is what needs to happen."
Frederic reached up and pulled at his mother's fur playfully. Sally looked down at him and put her nose to his face, tickling him with it.
"Oh my precious little one. I wish I could stay with you here forever." she looked at Sasha. "If I don't go though, I'm afraid that he won't have a world to grow up in."
Lady Lyon didn't know if the princess was exaggerating. She could see the honesty in her eyes. She didn't agree with her Highness, but Sally was no liar. She did not play with emotions or lead others astray, and most importantly, she would never do anything to harm those she loved. If she wanted to do this, she truly believed in it. It was all she could do to respect the wishes of Frederic's mother. With a sharp stab to the heart, she self-clarified: his real mother.
"If that is what her Highness wishes, then I am at her service." she said truthfully and with utmost loyalty. "But may I ask one favor?"
Sally nodded. "Of course."
"Do you have a telephone?"
"Yes." Sally said reaching into her pocket. As she did so, Frederic reached up and grabbed her ear, a grin stretching from ear to ear. He laughed as he pulled. Sally laughed back, kissing her son's own ear. With her free left hand, she pulled the phone free and laid it on the table. "You need to make a call?"
"It's not me that needs to make a call."
Sally's smile dropped. She knew what she wanted. Before she could signal any sort of protest, Sasha said, "If things are going to happen as you said, then we need every light in the world that we can muster. True happiness is something in short supply these days. Don't do it for me, do it for him."
Sally looked at the phone, and then to Frederic, who was playing with her hair, grabbing a few strands, and putting them in his mouth, chirping happily.
"Can I get a moment?"
Sasha nodded. "Thank you." She said. "He will thank you for it." She rose, leaving the cup of coffee on the saucer. She leaned over and kissed the baby boy on the brow. "Je t'aime." she whispered to him, before setting off towards the house.
Sally was alone again, phone sitting on the table, wind in her ears, and nervous. It had been a long time since she had called them. She hoped they wouldn't look unkindly on her.
She picked up the phone and dialed in the number for Pietro and Patty, Christopher's grandparents, took a deep breath, and hit dial. Thousands of miles away, a phone in Chicago began to ring. She placed the phone on the table, and hit a button. A hologram stitched itself into existence, an image of an old-fashioned handset with a pulsing circle. A dial tone droned from the speakers. On the third ring, the image became a photo of two smiling older Humans, both with grey hair and kind eyes.
"Good morning!" an energetic male voice sounded, gruff, but well meaning.
"Pietro? It's Sally."
There was a slight pause of light-speed delay, but soon the voice said, "My goodness! It's so good to hear from you, darling! How are you, young lady?"
"I'm doing great! You're up early!"
"I'm always up early! Got to get to the restaurant and open up for breakfast!"
Frederic made a noise that was easily heard.
"What's that, now?" Pietro asked. "Is your signal alright?"
"Yeah." She said. "Is Patty there?"
She could hear the man's voice sound distorted. "Patty! Got a special phone call!"
"Actually, it's something I think you'd both better be here for."
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" an equally energetic female voice said. "Petey, who's on the phone?"
"It's only a princess, my lovely, nothing serious."
"Ah!" she heard her exclaim in an excited tone. "That wouldn't happen to be our princess, would it?"
"Hello, Patty!" Sally giggled.
"You just made my month! I love hearing from you!"
"She loves getting phone calls from you. She has so many recipe ideas for the castle you know."
She was jealous of their love, but in a good way. 90 years old apiece and nowhere near slowing down.
"Actually, there's something I wanted to talk to you about. I'm sorry, but I've been keeping something from you."
"What do you mean, sweetie?" Pat asked.
Again, Frederic laughed. He could not have timed it better.
"That sounds like..." Pietro began.
"Turn on the video call if you have it." Sally advised, now excited. All fear had vanished from her heart.
The photo changed; Patty and Pietro were there in real-time, the only difference from their photo being their clothes. Their warm smiles were picture-perfect identical. Pat's hair was cut short into a bob, and a thick beard covered Pietro's chin. When they saw what was in her arms, they stopped, staring in confusion, but soon, against her expectations, both slowly turned from shock to elation.
"Someone wants to meet you." Sally said.
"Oh my goodness!" Patty said, hands flying to her face. "Is that...?"
"This is Frederic." Sally said, grabbing his little hand. She pointed him towards the image, and waved at them with it. She looked up at them, seeing them close to the screen with beaming smiles, and said proudly, "This is your grandson."
/The End/