START - Snip From Chapter 6 - It was only later in the night that Gail stirred, feeling the movements of Holly, as her wife sought and found refuge in her arms but it was sometime after that another familiar movement was felt. It was the movement of Holly frantically suffering as she relived the night of the attack in a nightmare. "Don't bother to move. I'll get it." Tracey said mid laugh as she rose to answer the ringing door. It was another Friday night meeting of the Peck Wives Club as Gail had called it. Being pregnant meant a lot of nights in for Tracey and Holly, rather than out drinking with Gail and Steve. "Thanks I appreciate it." Holly made herself more comfortable on the couch, which was virtually impossible when she was this far along. She was in the final days of her pregnancy and now she and Gail were pretty much just waiting for their baby girl to be born. Tracey and Steve on the other hand were just approaching the five months mark. She had enjoyed her pregnancy for the most part and it had sailed by pretty uneventful, now she was ready to meet their baby and be a mom. Holly really wanted to be a mom. "No prob, I could barely move at that stage." Tracey replied "and honestly I'm not looking forward to that again" she laughed pulling the door open and that's when she came face to face with the barrel of a gun…. - Snip From Chapter 6 -

END


HOLLY

I think I'm dreaming…or consciously dreaming. I'm not sure. All I know is that I'm suddenly pulled from a death like state and elevated to a step above death. I am here…well my mind is...here.

Lilacs….

The air suddenly smelled like lilacs. Fresh Lilacs, the ones found in a meadow on a spring morning. The kind that had been dipped in morning dew. Not the horrid musty ones found in cheap perfume bottles. Effortlessly it cascades through my body filling my senses and wash over me like a calming presence. I have always loved the smell of lilacs… Gail buys me lilacs.

I can hear talking.

Its faint. Muffled.

Like whispers in the passing wind. A call from a long hallway or a voice seeking an inattentive audience. My ears strained to listen. My mind fought for clarity but it was babble, gibberish even. Slowly my sluggish mind clawed its way to understanding and the sounds suddenly became words … they were talking about me! It all came crashing back! Memories flooding an already foggy brain and the fear and panic instantly ripped through my spine.

I remembered!

There was an intruder! A gun! Tracey was shot! I was drugged and knocked unconscious! They had come for my unborn child! We had tried to escape. Our fight or flight responses had turned into a full on fight club. Tracey had tussled with the intruder only to be silenced by his silencer and I had been stabbed with a needle.

I had to get out of here!

I had to get help!

I had to get to Gail!

Wake up Holly!

Move! I screamed at myself, but my body ignored me. It was being an ignorant bastard. It held me prisoner, an unwilling party to this deadly plan. Trapping and serving me on a platter for the taking. What had had I been drugged with?

Succinylcholine?

"She's not responding to pain." Someone said.I think I was just slapped on the cheek. The voice sounded distorted or muffled by something.

"Isn't that the point?!" the other questioned anxiously.

"No …you've rendered her completely unconscious. I wanted to induce labour." the reply was strained. "Now I'm going to have to cut her." The person over me replied.

There was still the scent of lilacs in the air.

"Just cut her and let's go! You are wasting time."

"Holly? Can you hear me?" the voice asked.

They knew my name?

There was muffled sounds and shuffling on the ground near me. Like shouting but low and pained.

"Shut up bitch!" the other intruder sounded irritated and seconds later there was the sound of metal bruising skin and a whimpered cry of pain.

Tracey?

"Holly can you hear me? Holly?" my cheek was slapped again. "How much of that thing did you give her?" the person over me asked.

"I don't know man! She was putting up too much of a fight." the other complained. "So I just stabbed her with the injection. Pregnant Mohammad Ali here packs a punch..."

There was a groan from the person above me. My eye was spread open and a light flashed in. "Holly?" I squinted the light was too bright. "Okay she's coming to, you didn't give her too much." Even in my hazy state I could tell the person over me was female. Even with the mask hiding her face, her breasts and small stature gave her away, plus …. she smelled of lilacs. " I'm going to prepare the regional anesthesia."

Slowly my other senses woke. They strained against the dormancy that had overtaken them. Like a colt taking its first steps and stretched their muscles with life and purpose.

I had purpose.

Get help.

Keep calm.

I looked over at Tracey, she laid lifeless, her blood now stained the plush cream carpeting. She was awake…barely. She had been bandaged. Clearly they hadn't come here to kill us but if I didn't get help soon she'd bleed out for sure. Should I fight my way through again? Somehow that felt like a fool's errand. I could barely feel my limbs.

Tracey blinked.

I had almost missed it, but then she did it again. Her eyes slowly moved upward. She was trying to show me something, but what? I watched her again, trying to follow the inaudible direction and slowly it became clear. She was pointing me to under the center table.

To the panic button.

How had I forgotten it? Gail and Steve had only just installed it. Looking back, I had complained bitterly at having it placed at such an awkward angle. I'd fussed that I would never be in a position on the floor where I would need to press the bottom. Now as I laid here, half paralyzed on my back the irony of my situation was not lost on me.

I slowly try to move, my limbs no longer dead but heavy. Our capturers were busy devising the best plan of action to rip my child from my womb. So slowly I reach for under the table. My first effort was futile but I would not be deterred. With life coming to my fingers I reach again, this time pressing the button.

"She's fully awake!" the man snapped grabbing my hand, but he failed to notice the button under the table. I flung my hands at them, trying to fend them off, but their movements were quick to the task, pulling and pinning my zombie like movements.

"Gag her just in case." the woman instructed. "I'm going to give her the regional anesthesia now."

"Can we inject her arms as well? I dont want anymore trouble from her." the man said. The drug worked fast and rendered me limp in no time, but help would come.

Gail would come.

She would not let them take our baby.

Time passed … slow …Had the panic button worked? Did we put battery in it? Where was Gail? I just laid there. I felt nothing and saw only the ceiling. A few times the man passed in my line of sight, he was stout, heavyset. He was also heavily masked. Gloves, black bandanna, jacket. I couldn't make out his race, hair colour, nothing. The only defining thing about him was the way he held his gun.

I heard crying.

My baby?

"It's a girl." The woman said.

A baby girl? We have a daughter... Ava…. I try to turn to get a look but I'm still unable to move. I try again. Still nothing! Fuck! Gail still wasn't here, if they had the baby they were about to leave.

No!

My chest suddenly felt tight and my heart thundered in my chest. I needed to get up! I needed to move! I couldn't let them take her! God please help me to move! I just need to move. Gail!

"She looks healthy." The woman was telling the man. "Wrap her up, so that I can finish this." She handed him my child and I look up as he stands above me with her wrapped in his hands.

"No…" my voice is nonexistent.

I sob. Silently. I can feel the tears sting at my eyes and my heart is no longer thundering, threatening to burst from my chest. Instead, it's heavy. Its dying. I'm about to lose my child. I watch as he bundles my daughter a little closer then straps her in a carrier and picks it up.

"I'm sorry, we have to take her." The woman responds. "… but you dont deserve her."

A lesson?

"Please no…." I cry. My arms are finally waking up and I pull at the restriction over my mouth. I try to do more but my lower half is dead.

"Honey I'm home!" The front door opens and before anyone can comprehend what's happening, Gail and the man both drew their weapons and the woman abandons her task of sewing me up and is now pointing a gun at my head.

"Holly?!"

"Gail!" even with a gun at my head relief washed over me. "Our baby! They have her!"

"Put her down!" Gail shouted. "Now!"

"We can't do that." the man challenged. "Now... dying is a real possibility for you and your wife today." he warned us. "Allow us to take the baby and you both live."

"I can't do that." Gail's response was tight.

"Be smart." He told her. "The longer we stay here, your wife will bleed out. Your friend already has." He said referring to Tracey. "Let us go…"

"I said put her down!" Gail yelled, her voice sounding tense. "I will kill you."

He didn't seem rattled by the threat. I may have rattled him with my attack earlier but he was in his element now. "Allow us to leave with the baby and save your wife and your life…" the man told her.

"Put down my child." Gail repeated.

"I could just kill your wife…" he challenged.

"Save our baby! I dont care about me." I screamed at Gail. "Don't let them take her." I begged Gail but all she did was look to me, then to the man, her body unmoving. She was stone still, her spine stiff against the pressure of the decision she was being ask to make. We all stood in the face off for what felt like hours until the baby's cry broke the silence.

"Times wasting! Can't decide!?" the man suddenly cracked. " Then let me make the choice for you!" he barked and my world went dark.

"Holly! Holly!" I was being called again by a frantic sobbing voice. I open my eyes slowly and see Gail. Her face and clothes are covered in blood. I can feel her hand on me, but it felt more like in me, applying pressure to my body. "Its Detective Peck , I need an ambulance at…." Gail was saying in her phone. " I've been shot … shoulder ... but I need help for my wife, she's been shot in the abdomen and she's was given an illegal c-section. There is too much blood." she sobbed. " I cant get it to stop." she finally notices i'm wake. "Holly stay with me." she begged. "Please..."

"Our...baby?"

Gail stilled, her blue eyes graying and she shakes her head. " I'm sorry. They took her." she says and I suddenly know what death feels like. " Holly! No! Stay awake!"she cries " Keep your eyes open." she tells me but my world empties into darkness.


" Baby wake up …" Gail shook Holly, hoping to wake her. Her wife had been crying in her sleep. "You were having a bad dream." Holly opened her eyes and slowly sat up in bed. " The same one?" Gail asked.

Holly nods and Gail understands.

Gail pulled her close and Holly all but collapsed into her arms, she needed the safety and comfort Gail's arm offered in a night that had been plagued by nightmare.

" I'm sorry." Holly quietly sobbed but Gail only shook her head before kissing her forehead. There was no need for apologies. Holly had nothing to be sorry for. What she had gone through was hard and devastating. To be made a victim and your child stolen from your womb was something no woman should have had to go through...

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter :)