I was listening to Mayday Parade's I Swear This Time I Mean It the entire time I was writing this, and it is a truly amazing song. Please check it out people. It almost makes me cry every time I hear it, hence the soppy emotion in this chapter ;)
Percylover008, stay strong girl! Hope you enjoy, this one's for you.
And special thank-yous to SatyrsUnite and Son of the Sea 100896! Can't thank you two enough for all your support! :D :D :D
Four years later.
Leo's POV
It was a wonder I didn't explode. Or implode. Whatever the word is, it's gotta be a miracle that didn't happen to me; so many emotions were racing through me.
Adrenaline had hold of me like a thick, smothering glove, making my heartbeat and my breathing faster. Sickly fear hung like a swamp or something gross in my throat and the pit of my stomach. But something else was there too: a tiny flickering light, like a fairy or something, darted around me comfortingly, reminding me that there's still light despite the bleak darkness of the room I was sitting in.
My heartbeat seemed to echo off the blank walls. I turned my head to see out the one window, a crescent moon hung high in the sky and a crisp late November wind was rustling the branches of a tree outside.
I blew out a nervous breath and drummed my fingers on my knee. Hopefully it would all be over soon, I wouldn't be able to take sitting here much longer. But I wouldn't be able to take seeing her pain, either. I hoped she would forgive me for not being there, for not holding her hand…
"Mr. Valdez?"
My head snapped around toward the door. A short, plump woman was craning her neck around the door.
"Yeah?" I asked, trying to stuff down the nervous quaver in my voice.
She nodded and smiled. "Come with me."
I stuffed my hands into my jeans pockets so she wouldn't see how badly my hands were shaking and followed, leaving the little dark room and walking after the woman down what seemed to be an endless hall.
After passing what seemed like a million doors, the short woman stopped at one and opened it quietly. I tried not to knock her over as I practically leaped in; my heart rate had reached an all-time high, fear clutched at my chest as I turned my head, looking for her…
There.
"Don't wake her," the woman's soft voice advised me as I approached. "She's unconscious, but she'll be okay. Just let her rest. She's exhausted, poor dear."
Anne was lying in the hospital room's only bed, her wavy blonde hair messed up, traces of sweat on her face, her blue eyes closed. Her breathing was steady and even, so unlike mine at the moment.
"Well done, sweetheart," I whispered, my voice catching in my throat as I carefully took her hand, which was lying on the blanket, and rubbed my thumb across it gently. "You were so brave."
Anne stirred a little but didn't wake up. I smiled at her, all my worry gone, evaporated by the sight of her.
"Mr. Valdez?" the nurse said behind me.
"Hm?" I replied without taking my eyes off Anne.
"Meet your son," came the soft words.
A bolt of lightning seemed to pierce me. I turned around quickly without letting go of Anne's hand.
The nurse smiled and held out the bundle of blankets in her arms. I gently laid Anne's hand back on the blanket and reached forward.
"Congratulations," the nurse said, a smile stretching across her plump face. "He's beautiful."
I gazed down at the little sleeping face, and I remember thinking that beautiful was an understatement. This was my kid. This was my baby son. Mine and Anne's.
"Thank you," I murmured to the nurse, who beamed at me.
"I'll let you three have your moment," she said, walking toward the door. "If she wakes up and needs anything, just press the button next to the bed, okay?"
"Okay," I murmured as the door closed behind her. For a while I just stood there and gazed down at my son's face. His skin color was similar to mine, and his soft hair was dark brown, also like mine. I smiled. Maybe he would have Anne's blue eyes. I'd always loved her blue eyes.
I located a chair next to the window and sank down into it, cradling the baby in my arms and gazing out at the moon, sending my thanks to every god I could think of, even the ones I didn't like, smiling like crazy and probably looking weird, but in no way did I care.
Anne's POV
Pain…bright lights…my hair plastered to my face…
Please turn the light off. Just please let me sleep.
Can't get my breath…
Where's Leo?
Leo? Are you there?
"He's not here, sweetheart, I'm sorry."
Leo? Please tell me you're here. I'm scared.
More pain…the prick of a needle in my arm…
"Well done, honey. It's over."
Darkness tugging at me, tempting me...
Don't fight it. Just let go…
Okay…
I'm falling, aren't I? But I don't feel it…
I'm not dead, am I?
I must be…I can't feel the pain anymore.
It doesn't matter. Just relax.
All right…
He's beautiful, looks like Leo…
His eyes are blue, but I bet they'll change…
He's one, learning to walk…whoops! That's all right, sweetie, you're okay, just a little fall…He's not even crying. He's a tough one.
He's three, trying to play with Leo's tool belt…no! No, darling, that's Dad's …good thing you haven't managed to hurt yourself! Thank the gods!
He's ten, got his first bow…beautiful shot…he has got Apollo blood after all…
He's twelve…no! Not him, not so soon…we thought he'd be safe! I guess we thought wrong, this isn't good…
Flashes of razor-sharp fangs, a girl's scream…Carter's? It sounds like her, but I don't think it is…shouting, suddenly screaming his name.
Blood…his blood!
NO!
My scream jerked me awake. It was dark, thank goodness; my head hurt. I could feel sweat on my face and my arms were shaking, reaching forward at nothing, trying to help before it was too late…
"Anne," said a voice to my left, a familiar voice, so gentle, so welcome. "Anne, sweetie, it's okay. It must've just been a nightmare."
"Leo?"
"It's me," he said. My blurry vision adjusted; he was sitting in a chair by a window, visible in the feeble moonlight that came through the window, a bundle of blankets cradled in his arm. "Glad you're awake."
"Oh gods, it was awful, Leo, I saw him, and he was bleeding…" my voice trailed off; I didn't have the energy to say any more.
"Anne, it's okay," Leo repeated. I could see his shadowy figure getting up, still cradling the blankets in one arm, and laying his free hand on my shoulder. "You were dreaming."
"It didn't feel like just a dream!" I croaked, swiping my hair off my damp face. "I was there— they were screaming his name, and I thought—" I paused and swallowed weakly. "I thought he was about to die."
"Everything's okay," Leo said calmly. "You're fine, I'm fine, and the little guy's fine too," he said, glancing fondly down at the bundle in the crook of his arm.
I immediately stretched out my arms. I had to know for myself. "Let me see him."
I could see Leo's warm smile through the darkness of the room as he gently handed me the swath of soft blankets.
My heart melted as I gazed down at the tiny sweet face. Oh my gods, he was beautiful, absolutely gorgeous, and my dream was right: he did look like Leo, dark hair and brown skin, though neither quite as dark as his father's. He stirred a little in his sleep and yawned. Smiling so wide I feared my face might split, I tucked the blankets a little tighter around him, my heart bursting with emotion.
"You said in your dream that they, whoever they are, were calling his name," I heard Leo murmur. "What was his name? I mean, what is his name?"
I closed my eyes for a moment and rocked my son in my arms thoughtfully, while testing the name in my mind. And then I realized why it was so special. Why it was his name.
"Axl," I murmured down to the bundle in my arms. "That's your name. Axl Valdez."
"Interesting," Leo mused. "Axl. I like that. How'd you think of it?"
"I didn't," I laughed. "It's just his name. The A for my name, the L for yours, and the X for our song, Dear X. Don't you remember, that amazing song we listened to on our first date? Isn't it perfect?"
"Oh my gods, you're right," Leo exclaimed quietly. "That's really neat! That's a great name; I love it."
"Perfect," I murmured to the baby in my arms. "Welcome to the world, Axl Valdez."
As if he recognized his name, Axl yawned again and blinked open his eyes. I drew in a breath; his eyes were the same dark blue color as mine.
"Now, where else have I seen eyes that color?" Leo teased, kissing my cheek before gently rubbing his thumb across Axl's forehead. I smiled, but I was too choked up to speak. Axl was gazing calmly up at me with those blue eyes, Leo was right beside me like he promised he would always be, and even though I was tired and definitely looking the worse for wear, I knew my heart was nearly bursting with happiness.
A few tears fell from my eyes and landed one by one on the blankets. I almost felt silly, but Leo kissed my cheek again and I knew he understood, because when I looked at him, even in the darkness I could see a few tears shining in his dark brown eyes.
So, everybody meet the main character for the rest of The New Spark! Yayy! *holds Axl in the air and sings Circle of Life*
Anne: OMG PUT HIM DOWN!
Diamondsgirl: FINE. *huff* But you should be THANKING me. I am going to make him a STAR.
Leo: Just please don't go holding him over cliffs!
Diamondsgirl. FINE! But hopefully he's not as temperamental as his parents.
Leo: *exchanges glance w Anne* Temperamental? Us?
Diamondsgirl: UM, the demanding bonuses and the constant complaining if I use one itty-bitty taser on you! That!
Anne: You mean when we were working on the first story? ALL those years ago?
Diamondsgirl: Years for you, a few weeks for me.
Leo and Anne: *exchange confused glance*
Leo: idk what you're talking about, but I am mature now. *pops collar* I have reformed.
Anne and Diamondsgirl: *exchange skeptical glance*
Leo: I HAVE!
Diamondsgirl: IF you say so…anyway, please review people and tell me what you think of the chapter and the new main character! And before you ask, Axl is actually a legit name, so yeah! Love you all! :D