As soon as they were done eating Michael and April finished packing their belongings and continued on their way to their vehicle.

They'd traveled for over two hours when the truck came into view.

"Finally," April sighed with relief.

"Let's get you home," Michael said.

They had picked up their pace when they heard something run through the bushes only a few feet away from them. They glanced to them and as they did, something threw Michael and he fell to the ground rolling.

"Michael!" April shouted.

"Run April!" Michael hollered.

April faced the aswang, who snarled and ran towards her.

April turned and bolted towards Michael, who was back on his feet.

"April look out!" Michael warned.

Before April could heed it, the aswang tripped her. She stuck out her hands as she fell and landed badly on her left one, causing pain to shoot up her arm.

April turned onto her back to see the aswang looming above her, grinning, and then she wasn't there.

Michael had crashed into her and they were in a wrestling match.

"Go!" Michael yelled as the aswang pinned him to the ground.

Michael fought against her and somehow got himself free enough to continue to fight.

April was stuck in her spot. She wanted to leave, to protect the baby, but she couldn't leave Michael. Not this way.

She unshielded her machete and approached the aswang from behind and when she was sure it was safe to, she swung.

The aswang's body collapsed on Michael and her head rolled away.

Michael grunted and shoved her body away from him. He stood and put his hands on April's shoulders.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm okay," April breathed.

"You fell," Michael said.

"I landed on my hands," April told him as she raised them.

Michael examined them and April winced when he gave her left wrist a squeeze.

"You might have broken it." Michael frowned. "We'd better get you to the hospital."

"You have to bury the aswang," April said. "I can wait."

Michael sighed but decided against arguing. It wasn't worth it and she was right. The aswang needed to be buried before someone stumbled upon her body and reported it. So he took a shovel out of his pack and began digging.


After the aswang's body was buried Michael and April climbed into their vehicle and Michael drove to the Emergency Room.

April filled out the papers the secretary gave her and they waited for a nurse to bring them to a room.

It took an hour before a nurse came to lead them to a room and then another five minutes before a balding doctor stepped into the room.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Peterson," he greeted them.

"Hi," April waved.

"So you hurt your hand?" Dr. Peterson inquired.

"Yes," April confirmed. "I fell and landed on the left one badly."

Dr. Peterson took her hand and examined it. "It's not broken," he decided after a few minutes. "Just sprained. So I'm going to wrap it up for you and you're going to have to ice it when you get home."

"Alright." April nodded.

Dr. Peterson grabbed an ace bandage off the counter and began wrapping April's wrist.

"I read on the paper you filled that you're pregnant?" Dr. Peterson asked.

"Yes, I am," April said.

"Do you know how far you're along?"

April shook her head.

"Does your physician know?"

"I just found out yesterday," April told him.

"You'll need to make an appointment with your physician as soon as possible," Dr. Peterson said.

April nodded. "I will."

"But if you want, I can give you an ultrasound right now," Dr. Peterson offered.

April glanced at Michael and looked back to Dr. Peterson. "That would be great."


Dr. Peterson brought them to the ultrasound room and had April lay down. Once she was settled and the ultrasound machine was on, he put gel on her stomach and pressed the probe to it.

Michael, who was sitting beside April, opposite to the doctor and the machine, grasped April's good hand as they watched the screen.

They couldn't see anything one moment, and the next Dr. Peterson was pointing out a humanoid shape on it.

"That's the baby," April said in almost disbelief.

She craned her neck to look at Michael for a moment.

"Our child," Michael said with warmth.

He kissed April and she smiled before they both turned their eyes back to the screen and Dr. Peterson.

"Is the baby okay?" April inquired.

Dr. Peterson nodded. "Everything's normal. Congratulations."

"How far along is she?" Michael questioned.

"About three months, based on the baby's size," Dr. Peterson replied.

"Do you want to hear the heartbeat?" he asked.

Both April and Michael nodded so Dr. Peterson picked up a Doppler and pressed it to April's abdomen.

When they heard the baby's heartbeat April and Michael both sucked in a breath.

Michael had dreamed of how the baby's heart might sound, but hearing it for real was something else. Knowing that it wasn't a dream and that he was both hearing and seeing the child he and April had created...he couldn't think of anything that had filled him with so much amazement and wonder.

He rested his head against April's, feeling so grateful for all she'd given him since they'd first met and she hugged him tight in return.


A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Hoped everyone reading enjoyed the chapter. Only one more left. :)