Chapter 2 Hospital

The helicopter sat down 30 minutes later in the back parking lot of a small, squat, nondescript office building in the center of a run down office park on the outskirts of Independence, Kentucky. As soon as it landed, the back door of the building swung open and a team of 6 people ran into the parking lot with a gurney and medical bags ready. Ceri's transfer was completed in less than a minute, and she was rushed right into the building and into a large hospital sized elevator. Trent and I hurried along with the team, and the elevator started a downward decent as soon as the doors were closed. We went down several floors and the elevator opened into a pristine hospital emergency room, which was bustling with activity, all seeming to be readying themselves for Ceri's arrival. They transferred her into an examination room, and Trent and I were led into an adjacent waiting room, with all the comforts of home. Trent went out into the corridor to speak to his doctors, and after about 20 minutes he returned.

"According to my lead physician, Ceri is stable, and she actually looks to be in pretty good health, other than her weight. She will need to undergo numerous tests over the next few days, but today and tonight they are just going to let her sleep under close monitoring. You can go in and sit with her now. I'm off to get Quen." He kissed me somewhat distractedly, and turned to rush out the door. He stopped then, as if he forgot something, and turned around and strode back to me and pulled me into a long, deep kiss, with his arms wrapped around me so tight I could hardly breathe. Then he turned and hurried out of the room without another word.

All right, he's distracted, I thought as a doctor came in and led me into Ceri's room. Ceri looked like she was sleeping, her eyes closed and her fair translucent hair fanned out on the pillow. I reached out to take her hand, but then thought better of it.

"Please take her hand, Ms. Kalamack, it may give her some comfort, if she can feel it. We just don't know for sure yet if she's in a trance caused by a spell or by some organic issue. I think your touch can only help." Ceri's doctor told me, and then hurried out of her room.

I reached for my friend's hand and then held it between both of my hands and started to silently cry. I had missed her so much. She had helped me so many times, offered her support and friendship, never questioned my loyalty or ever thought less of me for being a demon. She had been such a comfort to me during some of the lowest moments of my life. And when she had named her baby after me, it had made me feel so accepted, so loved. I had been suppressing my grief over her death for the last 6 months because I knew Quen's and Trent's grief was so much rawer, and I had needed to stay strong for them. But my heart had broken a little when Ceri died, and it was a crack that hadn't healed. I wanted this person to be the real Ceri so bad that it was a physical pain.

My tears slowly dried up and I laid my head on our joined hands and closed my eyes, and prayed. Please god, make Ceri whole again, and if this isn't our Ceri, let us find out soon, before all of our hearts are broken all over again.

Ceri was still asleep when the door to her room opened so fast and with such force one of the hinges broke. Quen strode in with a look of anguish on his face that broke my heart. Trent followed him, with a similar gate. It was easy to see their resemblance in the way they walked almost in step. Quen had practically raised Trent after first his mother and then his father had died when he was in his early teens. Although Trent had been molded into the future Elven leader by his father, Trent had learned a lot about honor and love from Quen in the years after his father's death. But it had taken finding Lucy and falling in love for the first time to make him follow Quen's lead and start to behave honorably.

He had always loved deeply, but he had hidden his feelings so well that no one thought he actually had any. I remembered when Quen had been so sick that everyone was sure he would die. Trent had fallen apart. It was the first time I had seen the caring person underneath his cool businessman facade. And he had reacted badly, taking his anguish and fear out on me. I should have hated him for his cruelty, but I didn't. I never had.

"Ceri!" Quen said in a loud whisper. "Is it really you? Oh my love, have you come back to me?" He turned his eyes to me with a question in them that I couldn't answer. And knowing that, he turned away, his expression so hopeful, and so distraught, that it brought tears to my eyes, again. I stood up and gave him a quick hug, and then stepped away to let him sit in the chair near her bed. He sat down slowly, took her hand, and bowed his head over it. In all the years I had known him, I'd rarely seen him show even the slightest emotion. It was overwhelming to watch him succumb to his feelings. A thought niggled in the back of my head about whether we'd done the right thing telling him about Ceri before we had confirmed her identity.

Trent put his hards on Quen's shoulders and gave them a squeeze. Then he walked over to me and held out his arms and I went silently into them. Seeing Quen in such anguish, I thanked God again that I had found someone that loved me deeply and unapologetically, and that I loved just as much. Trent was still clearly upset, but he cared more about the pain I had experienced sitting alone with Ceri, than with his own pain. How could I have missed this part of the man when I used to hate him? He cared deeply and passionately for those he loved. I raised my eyes to his, and the love I saw there for me and for Quen made me speechless. I hugged him tight, and leaned my head on his shoulder.

Trent led me out of the door, so we could give Quen some privacy, and he could talk to Ceri's doctors. There was no change in her condition, and they didn't plan to start any treatments or tests until the next day, so they suggested we go home and return after the tests were complete. Trent went in to talk to Quen, and then came out and took my hands and led me to the elevator. "Quen is going to stay here with Ceri, so I think we should go home. You look very tired and I know I am. Let's get some rest and then we can talk about our next steps." Trent said, sounding less hopeful than he had earlier. "You need to keep rested, the baby is taking a lot out of you."

I didn't say anything, but I did give him a sideways glance. He and I disagreed about how much extra rest I needed, but I wasn't going to argue with him while he was in such an emotional state. I'd just store my annoyance up for a future discussion.

We knew the baby was a boy, and that he had the markers for both demon and elf DNA. We had no idea how that was going to effect his development, so I was being monitored, as well as poked and prodded, constantly. So much blood had been drawn in the last few months that I felt like a pin cushion. I didn't like the constant tests, but I understood how unique our son was, so I usually just gritted my teeth and went along with it. Sometimes, though, it really ticked me off to have my life changed so dramatically, and I had a tendency to take it out on Trent. Our arguments were invariably followed by fantastic makeup sex, so neither of us got too upset over our disagreements.

We were rushed back into the helicopter, and were soon back at Trent's compound. Trent had put 50% of all his assets, including his land and real estate holdings, into my name, for legal reasons he said, but against my wishes. So technically it was my compound as well as his. But I knew I would never feel as if it were mine. I had finally been persuaded to let him put my name on the holdings as a place holder until our son was born, and then Trent had promised to transfer everything to him. We hadn't picked out an actual name yet, either, because I wanted our boy to be named after his father, and Trent wanted him to have his own identity, quite the opposite of how people thought each of us would want to name our son. We had 6 more months to come up with a suitable name, so our disagreement was lighthearted and teasing.

Unbeknownst to Trent, I prayed every night that our son would be born completely elven, with none of the demon DNA expressing itself in any way. And I also hoped that Trent could do some genetic tampering and get rid of our son's demon DNA altogether, so he would never have to worry about his children being demons. I knew it was hypocritical of me to want Trent to do genetic tampering, but when it's your own children it's different. I now knew why my parents had agreed to my own genetic treatments.

Once we were back at the compound, I tried to sneak out to go back to the church, but Trent figured out my plan and convinced me to take a rest. He had some work to do, so he said he'd join me later. Honestly, I was too exhausted to argue with him. I just about got into bed before I fell asleep.

When I woke, there was a warm body next to me, snoring lightly. I snuggled closer to my husband and went back to sleep.

We were back at the clinic at 10:00 am the next morning. I normally would have slept in much later, but because I was so worried about Ceri I woke early. Trent had already gone to the clinic, but had come back with the helicopter to pick me up and bring me to the clinic. He didn't want me to travel in the helicopter by myself in my condition. That was just so weird I couldn't even argue with him about it. I just shook my head, and acted happy to see him, and really I was. I hated helicopters, although I would never admit that to him. He seemed to love them. It went along with his obsession with technical gadgets. He had given me a really thin cell phone after we'd gotten married, but I rarely used it. I did agree to carry it with me, so he wouldn't microchip me in my sleep one night.

At the clinic, Quen looked really tired, but also somewhat hopeful. Ceri had woken up sometime during the night, and had been able to eat something. She still hadn't shown any signs of recognition, but she did seem to remember how to take care of her own basic needs, which the doctor thought was a very good sign.

Trent had used his charm or threats to get Vivian to agree to see Ceri and she was due to arrive on his private jet the next day. He had apparently talked to her when I was sleeping the day before. I had saved Vivian's life, but she still liked Trent better. But then, who wouldn't? He was charming, and handsome, and had a body made for sin. Well, she better keep her mind on her job, and off of my husband. Yes, I was jealous. But then, who wouldn't be?

"Rachel, the doctor thinks it may help if you talk to her. As her oldest friend, maybe you'll be able to jog her memory." Quen told me, having obviously taken over as the main contact for Ceri's doctors. I was surprised to see that Trent was allowing him to take on that role, or maybe Quen just did it, as Ceri was his love. Trent did not seem upset by Quen's dominance, although I knew Quen was the only person in the world that Trent would allow to tell him what to do. And maybe me, but no one but he and I knew that.

I went to sit next to Ceri's bed, and saw that she was awake, but staring straight up at the ceiling, not moving. "Ceri, how are you feeling?" I took her hand in mine, and she turned to look at me, but there was no recognition in her eyes. But I thought I saw a spark of maybe, curiosity? "Do you remember anything? Where have you been for the past few months? Do you want to see Ray?" I quickly looked over at Quen and winced. Maybe they didn't want Ray to see her and get confused in case it wasn't her mother. And that made sense. She didn't seem to recognize the name, though, and her gaze went back to the ceiling. I felt pretty stupid just sitting there, I wasn't sure what to say. I was saved by the door opening and Ivy and Jenks came into the room. Jenks was sitting on Ivy's shoulder and they both looked upset. Shit, I knew I should have called Ivy immediately, or at least as soon as we got home from the clinic. I guess Jenks must have called her, or Trent.

"Tink's a Disney whore, what's going on Rache? Why didn't you let Ivy know about Ceri right away?" Jenks asked sounding peeved. Ivy just looked at me questioningly.

"I guess I was still in shock yesterday. Do you want to sit here, Ivy?" I asked, really sorry I'd forgotten her.

"I guess your priorities are different now." Ivy said, accusingly.

I said nothing. I wasn't going to let her make me feel guilty. Yes, my priorities were different. Trent and the baby came first now. But I didn't want to get into an argument at Ceri's bedside, so I just nodded and left the room.

Trent was standing just outside the door, and he smiled and put his arms around me as soon as he saw me.

"Thanks for letting Ivy know, I don't know how I forgot to tell her." I told him.

"Of course, yesterday was a huge shock, you did exactly what you had to do. I'm used to dealing with a thousands things at once because of all my business interests, that's all. I knew you'd want her to know, but I wasn't sure if the doctor would think it was a good idea to let both Ivy and Jenks visit at the same time. But she said it would be acceptable, and they both wanted to come, so..." Trent explained as he pulled me into a tighter embrace.

I reached up and gave him a quick kiss, and said, "Thank you." He looked pleased by my acknowledgement of his thoughtfulness, and moved to pull me into a longer, deeper kiss. "How are you feeling? Are you tired at all? We have to keep you healthy as well!" Trent asked, with a concerned tone.

"I'm fine. I'm pregnant, not sick." I said, exasperated. "It's a natural bodily process."

"Not in our case, no, it isn't. Although your doctors seem happy with how things are progressing so far. Everything seems normal, thank the goddess." Trent said, not at all offended by my snarky attitude.

"How is Ceri really doing?" I asked, wanting to get his attention off my condition.

"Well, there are a lot of tests set up for today and tomorrow. We will know better after they are complete. She is awake but doesn't seem to remember anyone or anything for that matter. I am having the body exhumed, too, so my labs can run some forensic tests on it." Trent said, very matter of factly.

"Ok, but you don't need to give me any details on that, please." I told him firmly.

Trent looked at me sideways and then let go of me as Ivy and Jenks left Ceri's room. My mind drifted off as he gave them a full run down on Ceri's condition, her doctor's thoughts, the tests that were going to be run.

"Give us a few minutes, and we'll go back to the compound with you. Rachel needs to rest." Trent told my partners.

It was my turn to look at him sideways, but I held my tongue as he ushered me back into Ceri's room. We said our goodbyes to Quen. Ceri didn't acknowledge our presence so there was no use saying goodbye to her. On our way out of the clinic Trent stopped to have a short conversation with her doctor, and then we all went to the helicopter to fly back to the compound.

Maggie had made us a light brunch, but as both Ivy and Jenks had begged off, we were sitting by ourselves at the dining table.

"Should I call Al? I am kind of afraid to tell him about Ceri, but he may be able to get some information from Newt on where she came from." Al was the demon that I had been visiting in the Ever After for the past two years as part of an agreement to rescue Trent from the demon familiar auction. Our weekly lessons had ended after Trent and I were married. Al said it was because he didn't want the putrid elf smell coming from me to contaminate his rooms. I really think he was afraid the other demons might harass me and him if they found out about my marriage to an elf. Whatever reason, it was a relief. But we still talked at least once a week, like two old friends gossiping about our neighbors. Trent didn't like our friendly relationship, but he was so relieved that I didn't have to go into the Ever After each week that he didn't say much about our weekly chats.

"I don't know. He was pretty upset about Ceri's supposed death. Will he fly off the handle and do something stupid? I don't like the idea of him knowing about Ceri." Trent worried.

"I don't like it either, but I don't want to speak to Newt again. She's even crazier than ever, I think." I didn't trust her with Trent, and I'd promised him I wouldn't be alone with her, so Al seemed like the best alternative.

"Will we be able to continue to keep your pregnancy a secret from him?" Trent asked, with a worried frown.

"Maybe we should tell him?" I wasn't sure keeping such an important secret from Al was smart, but I had agreed to Trent's desire to keep the secret. And he hadn't changed his opinion.

"Absolutely not. I don't trust him at all. He abandoned you just because you married someone he didn't like. What kind of friend does that?" Trent said with the conviction of someone with a deep loyalty to all those he cared about.

"I can't disagree, but I don't want him to find out some other way. He'd be furious. I know he'll be supportive, it could be a demon baby, that's what I will tell him, anyway. He won't know until the birth, that's he may be 100% elf. I understand that you don't trust him, but he's always been good with the girls. He likes children, although he'd deny that to his last breath. Please, we can use him on our side if anything ever happens with the demons." I cajoled.

"Ok, but I want to be in on the conversation when you tell him, and about Ceri, too."

I sighed. "Of course, let me call him." I was actually really glad Trent had agreed, and I didn't mind him being on the call, as long as the two of them remained civil.

I got my scrying mirror out of the oak desk in the sanctuary, and sat on the couch with Trent next to me. "Al, Rachel calling Al. Come in Al."

"Rachel, can you call back, love, I'm kind of busy right now, ah, cleaning!" Al said in his 18th century British accent.

"Al, this is kind of important, and I think you are going to want to know what has happened. It involves Newt and...Ceri. And Trent's here, so please speak out loud so he can hear you. Plus I have some really good news for you." I spoke out load so Trent could hear.

"Ah, twitchy witch, you have your elf there? You know it really isn't good form to marry your familiar. But if that's how you keep him under your thumb on that side of the lines, then so be it." Al teased both Trent and I.

I could see Trent's ears turning red.

"Stop teasing, Al. Trent is not my familiar, never has been, and I don't have him under my thumb. We are equal partners, you know that. If you can't play nice, I am going to hang up, and you won't get the news." I told Al, but really for the benefit of Trent. I didn't want the two of them going at it, again.

"Alright, Rachel, but I'm busy, so get to it." Grumped Al.

"Well...Newt dropped off a person in my sanctuary yesterday, a real live person, but she never told me where the person came from. She literally dropped her off as she misted out. She dropped in just to drop her off." I told Al.

"Sorry, love, but what's this gift got to do with me? Are you giving me a familiar?"

"Good, goddess, no!" Said Trent vehemently.

I gave him a sideways glance, hoping he would take the hint, and shut up.

"Look, Al. This person looks exactly like Ceri. Exactly. She hasn't spoken to anyone or shown any sign of recognition of anyone, even Quen. But she's awake, and apparently healthy. Do you have any idea where she may have come from?" I told Al, in a rush, trying to get it all out to him as fast as I could.

Al said nothing.

"Al! Al, are you still there?"

"But, but, you got her dead body from KuSoks. She's dead and buried. Isn't that right, Trent? He left her body for you." Al said, the shock apparent in his voice. He rarely spoke directly to Trent, so I knew how upset he was.

"Yes, Al." Trent said wearily. "We got a body that looked like Ceri. I'm having some forensic tests run on the body to see if it was subject to a doppleganger curse, or anything else they can detect. I am at a loss, like Rachel, as to who is who. The new Ceri will also go through a bunch of tests over the next few days. Maybe we will turn up something. I am just as shocked as you! We both are!"

"I will have to see if I can catch Newt in a lucid moment to get something out of her. I am not hopeful, but it's worth a shot. This is pretty unbelievable. Let me know what you find out. I have to run, children."

"Wait, Al. I, I want to let you know that, umm, Trent and I are, we're going to, umm, have a baby." I told Al, in a soft voice, as though saying it softly would keep it from shocking him.

"I know that, love. Why do you think that I let you off your weekly lessons? You smell more like your elf than yourself at times and you have since you came back from your little vacation. I honestly don't know how you two did it, an elf and a demon, but I expect it's something to do with Trent's father's genetic manipulation, itchy witch. Trenton, do you know what your father did to our Rachel?"

"You knew?" I said, mad at his duplicity. "And you didn't say anything? You haven't told anyone else have you?"

"Of course not, it would not be a good reflection on me for my demon student to be impregnated by an elf. Besides, with any luck, you'll have a demon baby and then we can tell everyone. We'll have a party!" Al said, excitedly.

Trent and I exchanged a look, agreeing silently that we wouldn't tell Al that we both were praying that our son would be more elf than demon.

"Let us know if you find out anything from Newt. Goodbye, Al." I hung up quickly before he could ask any questions.

Trent and I sat and looked at each other, stunned that Al already knew about the baby.

"I guess that went over better than I expected." I said.

"But he didn't really help at all." Trent said.

"Give him some time, he may be able to come up with something from Newt. I don't want to talk to her, so this is a much better choice."

"Goddess, no, you can't talk to her, who knows what she would do!" Trent said, vehemently. "Let's go take a rest, and then we can go back to see Ceri tonight."

"Oh, are you tired?" I asked, a little concerned.

"I'm not really tired, but I do want to go back to bed. Do you want to go back to bed, Mrs Kalamack?" Trent asked in a low, husky voice, laced with desire.

"Please." I agreed, as the desire in his eyes lit my own fires of passion.

Trent quickly pulled me into our bedroom, our mutual need rushing us along. Trent pulled me into a long, deep, passionate kiss as soon as he closed the bedroom door. My desire sparked as he pressed me against the door and started kissing my neck and shoulders. We moved quickly to the bed, tearing at each other's clothes as we went, too fevered with desire to stop touching long enough to worry about buttons and zippers. When our mutual needs had been satisfied, we laid on the bed in each others arm, whispering loving and soothing words, giving each other the strength for the trials we knew we would be facing in the days ahead. We fell asleep in each other's arms.

I woke and turned to see Trent was already gone. I knew he needed to get some work done, and make sure security was covered with Quen effectively occupied with Ceri's care for the immediate future. He also wanted to check on his daughters, and talk with their nanny to make sure everything continued to be as normal as possible for them.

At 6:00 Trent returned from his office and we ate dinner with the girls, and then spent an hour playing with them, trying to keep their routine as normal as possible. Trent read them a bedtime story, and we put them to bed, with their nanny/bodyguard sleeping in their room to make sure they were safe and tended. Trent had hired her from the Withins after having been impressed by her when he broke into the Withins' compound to steal Lucy in an Elven Quest designed to test his leadership abilities. She seemed like a very capable person, with just one odd quirk. She liked Jonathan. He seemed to have no interest in her, however. It had to be because she wasn't an elf, as she was a very attractive woman. Jonathan was a complete snob, but I wouldn't ever say that to Trent.

After the girls were asleep, we walked hand in hand out to the helicopter that had just landed, and got in for the flight to Ceri's bedside.