Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, only the plot and the circumstances.
Of Kidnappings and Love
by DarkHonda aka Tal
Chapter nine
"Pregnant?" Captain Mitchell was at loss of words, he glanced at Kelsey. "Are you sure? Pregnant?"
"Yes, Captain Mitchell, pregnant." She said bravely and he gaped at her, she could almost hear Ryan narrating his expression: stupid old fish. She couldn't help but smile a little, her lips twitching despite herself.
"May I inquire of the identity of the father?" He asked when he found his tongue again, Kelsey blushed.
"It's Ryan, Captain Mitchell." She answered truthfully, watching her commander turning into an old fish again, she had to fight back a giggle.
"Ryan? My son?" He asked and she nodded and the older man fell into his chair. "That's a lot to take in, Kelsey," he smiled gently as he rose on his feet and embraced her.
"Welcome to the family." He said and that was just what she needed to hear, smiling she returned the embrace.
"Thank you, Captain Mitchell," she said, her voice shaking with emotions, it felt good to be accepted for once since she returned.
"Please call me Bill."
"I will, thank you, Bill," she smiled weakly, thinking of what next she had to say. "How am I to fight now? We can't afford –" She stopped when Captain Mitchell, Bill, put his arm around her shoulders.
"The suit will protect you until a certain stage, no harm would be done to my grandson or granddaughter, you can be sure of it." He assured her, "We need you still in our ranks, as long as your condition allows it." He glanced at her and she nodded. "What bothers me most is Ryan: does he know you're pregnant?" Kelsey shook her head.
"No, I only found out about the baby after I returned here." She lowered her gaze shamefully.
"Then we should keep this baby a secret, I don't want Ryan or Diabolico to kidnap you again, a baby should not be raised in a demon's lair." He said and Kelsey nodded her agreement.
"When the baby is born…?" Kelsey asked, unsure; she wanted to protect this baby, not wanting her baby to turn into another of Diabolico's servants, like his father.
"When the baby is born, we will all protect him." Captain Mitchell was decisive and Kelsey nodded her face a mixture of pain, sadness and relief.
"I hope this baby would soften his father," Captain Mitchell said gently, "I would like to see your family whole." He gave Kelsey a reassuring smile and she bit her bottom lip. She wanted to believe in that, but could she?
Once the conversation was over she returned to her room quickly, getting into bed, curling under the cover. All she could see was his face, all she really listened to was his voice and she missed him. She could live with him being away, when she at least knew he was fine, but now she had nothing to hold on to, for all she knew he could've been dead. Dead! Tears made their way down her cheeks and into her pillow as sorrow washed her.
"Ryan, I need you." Saying that was almost to admit defeat, to surrender to the fear she held within. She knew he'd want her to be strong, but how strong is strong? There had to be a breaking point, and she couldn't pretend she was alright; everyone was suddenly so worried over her and the baby, but no one considered the baby's father. They left him unconscious on the floor, and they were so sure Ryan would be okay, but it hadn't felt like that. Unconsciously, she reached for the small titanium bird that decorated her neck, running her thumb over it a few times. The cool metal clamed her somewhat, as if a part of his presence lingered. She bit her bottom lip.
"I'm so sorry, Ryan, I wish I could've done something." She wailed, closing her eyes shut, the tears burning the corners of her eyes. A knock on the door, Kelsey ignored, wishing to disappear and then appear again, in Ryan's arms;
"Kelsey?" Dana's soft voice asked tentatively, she slid through the door and closed it behind her. She moved to Kelsey's small desk and then turned to sit on the bed, hugging Kelsey.
"You should've seen how they left him, and I couldn't do anything to help him. We just left, Dana…" she sniffed.
"He'll be fine, Honey, it's Ryan and he's strong. Don't worry about him, he'll manage, you have to concentrate on getting stronger and better for my niece or nephew." Dana smiled, "You have to take care of yourself." Kelsey smiled, those were Ryan's words.
"What, what did I say?" Dana asked, confused.
"Ryan said the same," Kelsey laughed quietly and Dana grinned.
"It seems my brother is a smart man." She said.
"Yeah, he is." Kelsey agreed.
"Now, I brought you lunch, I want my niece or nephew to have pudgy cheeks," Dana said, making Kelsey laugh and wipe a few tears. Now more motivated, she stood up and took the tray from her desk, returning to the bed and eating comfortably. Ryan wanted that, and she wasn't going to upset him by not doing his one request.
***
It was harder to fall asleep now, as the night raged on. It was hard to drift into dreamland without Ryan's warmth to guide her there, or without knowing he'll be there when she wakes up, it hurt when she kept telling herself that he wouldn't be there anymore. That she was alone.
She loved Dana and she appreciated all of her friend's efforts to make her feel better, but there were things she just couldn't provide. Like Ryan's reassuring way to tell her everything is going to turn out okay or how he understood her, sometimes without any words spoken. She missed that.
And it wasn't just that; at the month and change she spent at Diabolico's lair, Ryan became everything, he was there in everything: dinners, bathes, reading… she missed his presence near her, he never spoke too much, and it was just the calmness he offered when he watched her that she was strongly aware the lack of. She wanted to believe things will work out, that Ryan would be back by some miracle, but was there any use to daydream on such a fantasy?
As nights and days raged on, Kelsey was beginning to doubt she'll ever see him again.
A/N: Let me hope this chapter answered all of your questions. Now, next chapter we're going to have a guest, be nice to him! ;chuckles; I wonder what will you all think;) Review, please!