"How is this possible?" Rumple asked walking around Flynn in a circle, examining him closely, almost burning a hole through him with his eyes.
"I didn't get lost and die in the forest as you and our mothers believed. I was kidnapped by elven soldiers and taken back to my home world." Flynn's head swiveled in around along with Rumple's movements, as he spoke. He had been anticipating telling his brother the truth for many, many years now, but it all still seemed incredibly overwhelming eve for him, so overwhelming the he balled up his fists at his sides so tight his knuckles turned white.
"Why didn't you come back? I thought you loved us," Rumple seemed more confused now than ever, and the last thing Flynn wanted was Rumple to be angry with him. "I blamed myself for 297 years. You died because I was afraid."
"No. No….." Flynn swiftly moved closer to him, and Rumple jumped back. "I've been watching you everyday since then. I know you blame yourself, and I know after everything I don't deserve to ask you for anything, but please… release yourself of that burden. My kidnapping was not your fault and you mustn't think that any longer."
"Why didn't you come back?" asked Rumple timidly.
"I couldn't. I was taken back once the Queen discovered where I was. You know the history between the humans and the elves," said Flynn.
"Yes… I remember our mothers used to tell it to us as a bedtime story," said Rumple with fondness.
Flynn smiled a little. "Yes. And you also know that elves are forbidden to spend any time with humans. I tried, Rumple….. many times… I did, but they always kept a good eye on me. I made it to this land a few times. Sometimes I would look into the window and see you spinning with our mothers, but I was always dragged back until eventually, the King grew tired of my shenanigans and said that if I ever came near you again, he would have you killed. So, I had to stay away from you and settle for watching you from afar until I could find a way to destroy my enemies who threatened you."
"And did you?" asked Rumple, as he walked to the pair of armchairs across the room in front of the fireplace.
"I'm here aren't I? Though I much rather to have waited until your curse was cast and broken."
Rumple's eyes widened and he looked up, as he plopped down into the chair. "How do you know about that?" asked Rumple as he watched Flynn sit in the chair then quickly stand back up.
"I'm sorry… may I sit?" he asked, to which Rumple waved a flimsy hand to give him the go ahead. "Thank you. I told you before, brother…. I've been watching you. I know you're every move, every dirty trick you've pulled, every deal you've made, and every heartbreak. Including Baelfire…. And Milah."
Rumple's eyes darted to the floor, both of what used to be the greatest pains of his life was now added to the loss of his unborn child. He hated feeling this vulnerable, and was even more upset that after years of playing the heartless monster, he was now discovering another person who saw behind the mask, and he loathed the fear of someone knowing who he truly was. Close attachments like that were not good in this world where everyone feared him and did not dare cross him. How can someone who knows the truth about the village coward he was inside ever respect him? "I don't want to talk about it," he said coldly, while slouching down in his seat.
"Very well. My original plan was to keep a distance and meet you in the world without magic, but then Hook broke in here and attacked Belle-"
"Hook?" Rumple looked straight at him, and Flynn shivered a little at the expression on his brother's face, one of a killer.
"Yes. Killian Jones aka Captain Hook is the one that broke in here and nearly killed your wife, but succeeded in killing your unborn son," said Flynn.
"Why? I should've…." He shot to his feet and angrily flipped the table over causing the tea set to smash into the wall. "I SHOULD'VE KILLED HIM WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE!" he screamed.
Flynn quickly jumped to his feet as well and clasped his hand on Rumple's shoulder. "Brother, we must be calm. For Belle's sake."
Rumple glanced over to the bed where Belle was still sleeping soundly. He took a few deep breaths and slowly lowered himself back into his seat along with Flynn. He looked up at his brother with those dark reptile eyes.
"I will have his heart for this," he said through gritted teeth.
"No need. I've already taken care of it."
Rumple wasn't sure he heard Flynn right.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Hook…is…dead," said Flynn.
He gazed at Rumple, watching the blood in him slowly boil to the point where his whole face began to turn greenish gold.
"You took that away from me?"
"Brother, I-"
"You jump back into my life, tell me this story like it's going to fix the pain I've been through, and then you take my revenge away from me?!"
"Think about what you have left, Rumple! I've spoken with Belle many times. I did you a favor! Because I know for a fact, she does not want the monster you pretend to be!" Flynn said harshly, but truthfully.
Rumple just stared at him, mouth agape; the amount of activity going on behind his back was startling. Was he really that blind to know someone was coming on the grounds of the castle without his knowledge?
"What do you mean, you've spoken with her many times?" he asked.
"I saved her from a group of robbers on the road who were trying to have their way with her the night after you banished her from the castle." Rumple slumped back down in his seat, and cupped his face with his hands. His breath caught in his throat, fear was taking over again. If Flynn hadn't showed up she would have been defiled, and it would've been all his fault for turning her away.
"She's a strong woman, that one. Has great potential to be so much more," said Flynn looking over at Belle.
"Yeah," Rumple whispered, though he seemed distracted. A lot of information was running through his brain at an alarming rate. "I have a few questions."
"Of course."
"How do you know Hook? You spoke of him as if you knew him."
"As I said I've been watching you you're whole life. I know what he did to you. He dishonored this family, and stole Milah away. Both of them dishonored you. So, since I couldn't be here with you, I decided to bring honor back to this family, and make Hook's life a living hell… Which I'm proud to say I've been successful at."
Rumple chuckled a little. "You did that for me?"
"Yes. Everything I've done has been to either help or protect you. You're my brother, Rumple, and I love you and this family." Flynn twiddled his thumbs a bit, then continued. "I've also been taking care of Baelfire."
Rumple's gaze shot up. "What?! How?!"
"Bae has been in Neverland for the past 249 years. When I discovered that your father had him in his lost boys camp, I traveled to Neverland, where I've been keeping him out of as much trouble as possible, making his breakfast and dinner everyday."
"He's been in Neverland this whole time? Do you know how many years I've wasted trying to get to the land without magic when I could've used the Mad Hatter to get to Neverland?" Rumple was becoming enraged once again, and he moved closer to Flynn, who stood his ground.
"I tried to bring him back, brother, but he didn't want to see you….. I'm sorry."
That was it, the thing he feared most… his son didn't want to see him or have anything to do with him.
"You can't give up, you know. It's your duty as a father. Show him that you love him, show that you're willing to do anything to correct the mistake."
"What do you know of being a father?" Rumple asked in a low grizzly voice.
"Not much. I only know what not to do… You have more questions?" Flynn sat in seat a bit more relaxed, truth be told, he loved this, despite the mild hostility between them, he loved talking to his brother again.
"You said that if you came close to me, the elves would have me killed, so what's to stop them now?"
"Because I slaughtered every one of them about five years ago."
Rumple simply nodded his head. "The Queen wanted you that bad, she would take you away from a loving home? Why were you so important? It seemed to me you were just some random orphan."
Flynn paused; Rumple noticed his sea green eyes fill with the weight of his past and something truly dark and terrible haunt them as he collected his thoughts. Rumple watched him smirk and slouch in his chair.
"Well….. you're not exactly an orphan when you're the one true heir to the throne."
Rumple leaned in slightly, gazing at his brother, who was gazing back at him, waiting for some sort of reaction. Rumple couldn't believe it.
"You're the prince of your home world?"
"Well, the northern part….. It's a pretty big world."
"The Queen was your mother….. That's why she wanted you back," said Rumple.
Flynn nodded and stared into the fireplace, the orange glow making his eyes shine brighter.
"My father, the King, abandoned me here in the Enchanted Forest in the hopes that I would be killed. There was a prophecy a few months before I was born that I would kill my father and marry my mother. As ridiculous as it sounded, my father believed it as truth and took me away. My mother brought me back and hid me away with a blacksmith, Torren was his name, who took care of me knowing full well who I really was, but he raised me like I was his own son. When I found our home burned to the ground and Torren's charred body, I didn't know what to do, then I was taken by my mother again where she revealed to me my lineage, and my father was not to happy to see me. He had discovered I was back in the Elven realm and in hopes to kill me again, he torched Torren's shop, but I wasn't home. As revenge for ripping me away from two homes and his vile treatment of his people, I waged war against him, and I…" Flynn paused. Rumple just stared at him; he could tell it was a subject he didn't like to talk about. So much hurt and pain on his face; it was heartbreaking. "I lost many people under my leadership."
"Is that how you got those scars on your face?" Rumple asked, gesturing towards the scar over his eyes that crossed with the diagonal one across his face.
"One of them, yes. The other was from a panthrizon I encountered in the woods back home."
"Panthrizon?"
"Yes, it's a very large animal that only lives in the Elven realm. It's like a cross between a panther and a black bear."
Rumple nodded his understanding. Flynn studied him for a few more moments. He clenched his fist and jaw, then used the chair arms to hoist himself to his feet. He took out his pocket watch and glanced at it.
"Well, as much as I would love to chat. I must away."
"You're leaving? Now?" asked Rumple in disbelief that after showing himself for the first time in over 200 years, he's ready to say goodbye in 45 minutes.
"I have a meeting with the pirate lords. I'll have to explain why I killed Hook, who was another pirate lord." Rumple rose to his feet as well, standing over him with only an inch height difference.
"They're just pirates…. Do they really need an explanation for killing each other?"
"We may be just pirates, but we have codes and laws that keep us in line like any other kind of government. Killing a pirate lord is like killing a King. An assassination such as this has to be discussed and voted on by the council….. I can only imagine that this will be seen as unusual behavior from me. Other than the clothes I'm wearing, they call me the Gentlemen Pirate for a reason….. I'm reasonable."
"You became a pirate to get revenge on Hook?" Rumple asked.
"Yes, but that's not the only reason."
Flynn began to walk to towards the door. He put his hand on the handle, but stopped and turned to look at Belle one more time.
"She's a keeper, Rumple…. Don't mess this up."
Rumple nodded and Flynn flashed a small smile before opening the door.
"Flynn!" Rumple called, causing him to stop halfway through the doorway and turn back to look at him.
"Thank you for saving my wife."
"I would do anything for you and my sister," Flynn smiled warmly again and at the blink of an eye he was gone.
Rumple sighed and walked back over to the side of the bed where Belle was still sleeping. He plopped down in the chair and lazily rested his head in his hand, while watching his wife sleep soundly. Her soft snores exhausted even him, and he soon found himself closing his own eyes and drifting off to dream land with her.
Far away on the dream island of Neverland, at the very center of the island, a flash of light appeared along with a gust of wind that nearly uprooted the trees around it. When it all settled Flynn stood tall in a now darkened area. He looked around. His eyes settled on a rather tall lad with a mean look. Half his face was shrouded from the hood he was wearing.
"Felix… I thought you were late, but then you do like to brood in corners. You've always tried to be more a threat than just Pan's lap dog," said Flynn taunting him, as he tucked strands of his long black hair behind his pointy ears.
Felix just smirked. "How is your brother, Captain Rider? Still a scared little boy trapped in a man's body?"
"And yet, I know you fear him. The sound of his name leaves you quaking in the hooded cloak of yours. Pan cannot protect you forever, boy. Time to grow up. Speaking of which, where is he? I got a message that Bellatrice wants to see me."
"Yes, I volunteered to meet you and bring you to them. They are waiting for you on skull island."
"Lead the way then, lost boy."
Felix took his cutlass, and hacked at a large leaf in their way, and moved slowly through the path to the other side of the island. Flynn always stayed a few feet behind him; Felix was a dark, misguided, foolish boy, but he was loyal, and Flynn always admired that in any man or women. He had considered asking Felix to join his crew, but thought it best not to ask; that boy loved Neverland too much. They reached the sea quicker than Flynn anticipated, and both climbed into the boat that was waiting for them on the edge. Flynn took the lantern that was lying inside and used his magic to light it. He held the lantern high as Felix rowed. Flynn looked up in to the eyes of the giant skull made of rock. There was dancing light coming out of the eyes. They pulled up to the side, and Flynn hopped out; he nodded his thanks at Felix.
"Wait. Weapons," he said holding out his hand.
Flynn smirked, and unbuckled his belt that held his two rapiers and two pistols, then unfastened the belt around his chest carrying another two pistols and a hunting knife. Felix took them and neatly held them in his hand so that they would not get tangled up. Flynn made his way up the stairs. At the top of the stairs Pan stood waiting for him, flashing his trademark smirk, surrounded by hundreds of smaller skulls lining the walls. Flynn rolled his eyes, but kept marching up the stairs until he reached him.
"Finally," said Peter.
Flynn moved past pan and into the dimly lit room. Inside was a giant hourglass, Flynn wasn't sure what it was for, but he had known it to be there since the moment he moved to Neverland. In the center on a throne made of skulls sat Bellatrice, beautiful as ever, her now dark hair floated in the air from the thin cloud of darkness that surrounded her. She glared at him as a mother would glare at her misbehaved son. She sat up further in her seat, then looked over at Pan.
"You killed Captain Hook," she said in a low brooding voice.
"Yes," Flynn said simply, and he could easily guess why she was so upset that he was dead.
"We still had important business with him," Pan added.
"Yes, well he attacked Belle, your daughter and killed your unborn grandson…. Your shared unborn grandson, and my nephew. How do you both expect me to let that slide? He would have killed her if I hadn't shown up."
Bellatrice sat back in her chair; she stared absently at a spot on the floor as she thought. Flynn was getting aggravated; this shouldn't be anything to think about.
"We are aware of this and will address it later. We need Hook for our plans, so for now to keep the peace, you will leave Hook alive until our plans have come to fruition."
Flynn narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? Hook is already dead."
"Is he?" said a voice from behind him.
Flynn whirled around to see Hook standing in the corner looking up at him over his eyebrows with one raised and a satisfied smirk.
"How?" Flynn wanted answers and he wanted them now. He was furious, and all he could think of now was taking the nearest rock and bashing Hook's head until his brains littered the floor.
"We called upon Calypso. She answered our plea in exchange for a rare object in our possession, and she pumped life into Hook who was close enough to death, but still had a slither of life left in him.
"You two actually managed to convince Calypso to bring that mangy pirate back to life? What could you have possibly given her to do that?"
"Our business, " said Pan.
Flynn looked up at Bellatrice with pure anger and hatred in his eyes. "You would save the man that murdered your grandson? I thought I knew you. I would expect this from Pan, but….. not from you."
Flynn turned and walked over to Hook, who was still smirking at him. "Smirk while you can, Captain. I promise you that after all this is over, either me or Rumplestiltskin will end your miserable life." Flynn glared at him for a few more seconds, as he watched Hook's expression lighten. Flynn wanted Hook to fear him, he knew from their never-ending history together that Hook was truly a coward on the inside wearing the skin of a crass gentleman. He turned around and walked back across the room towards the stairs, passing the glaring looks from the three villains in the room.
"You aren't going to interfere, right?" asked Pan just before Flynn moved to descend the stairs.
"You'll get none from me, but the good Captain's days are numbered."
Flynn left them to conduct their business. He found his weapons at the bottom of the stairs, hanging on a pole, but Felix was nowhere to be found. He attached his belt again and moved to the very edge of the cave. He stared at his reflection in the water. So much was going on at once, he hadn't stopped to truly realize how much had changed since he last saw his brother during their childhood. His looks the most, the wars, the battles, everything. He ran his fingers gently over the scars on his face, the constant reminders of all that he had been through. He thought back to the day he was kidnapped.
289 years ago…
Rumple and Flynn ran happily through the damp forest, their equally messy hair flowing behind them; two eleven year-old boys lost in imagination on a woodland quest. Rumple leaped onto a high log perched in the middle of an open area. Stick in hand, serving as a sword, he pointed it at Flynn who looked up at him from the forest floor with a smirk.
"I found the treasure!" Rumple bellowed. "You'll never get it, pirate!"
"Arrrrrrr… Watch me try, matie!" said Flynn before leaping onto the log next to Rumple with his own stick held high.
They clashed, swinging their sticks at each other, no real form, but they were only boys. Their sticks crossed and crossed again, as they barely managed to keep their balance on the log, stopping occasionally to right themselves up after almost tumbling off, all the while laughing as they did so. Rumple jabbed his stick forward, and Flynn twirled around to avoid it while easily keeping his balance, but Rumple toppled off and on the leaf infested forest floor. Flynn laughed hysterically; a twig snapped and Rumple fell through a giant hole in the ground along with thousands of leaves. Flynn immediately leaped off the log and stared down into the hole with a panic stricken look on his face.
"RUMPLE! BROTHER!" he called, but it was stone silent. Flynn couldn't even hear his brother's whimpers. He didn't know how far he had fallen or if he was even still alive. He was only looking into a pit of never ending blackness. He knew what he had to do; Flynn calmed himself for a few moments then looked around at his surroundings. He spotted a withered old tree branch, barely hanging on, dry and stripped of its bark. He reached out to it; it ripped itself off the tree, coiled round in midair and fashioned itself into a rope. Flynn tied one end around a large boulder across the way, and the other end around his waist. He looked into the dark hole, then turned around and began to lower himself down.
Rumple lie unconscious at the very bottom in a large puddle; his damp hair matted to his face. He stirred and opened his eyes; head pounding and swimming, everything was blurry, the lights shimmering around him confused him. He slowly hoisted himself into a sitting position. He knocked his head around with the palm of his hand to stop the dizziness. As his vision began to clear, so did his surroundings; a little ray of sunlight shinned through a crack of a wall of collapsed rock, causing the water to shimmer off of it. It was dark mostly, but he could tell he was in an underground cavern. He looked beside him, and when he didn't see Flynn next to him, he realized that he was all alone.
"Flynn! Flynn!" he called desperately. Nothing but his own echoes bouncing off the walls could be heard. Rumple collapsed back into the puddle and curled up into a ball. His tears were hot and stung his cheeks like hey were made of fire. He touched his face and realized he had a large gash just below his right eye. He looked at the blood on his fingers, and wished he were back in his house with his mothers. He looked around frantically, he began heaving almost out of his skin; he placed his small hand on his chest to feel his heart thumping like hooves racing on a dirt road.
"Flynn….. I'm scared….." he whispered to himself. He laid down on the rocky surface and rolled over on his belly. He closed his eyes, knowing that he was going to die down here and no one was coming for him. The sound of water dripping from the rocks above echoed around the whole cavern. It was the only thing he could hear, as his mind slipped into nothingness.
"Rumple!" called a voice in the distance. Rumple opened his eyes; he heard it, but it was faint. "Rumple!" This time it was louder; Rumple listened again. "Rumple!" It was clear as ever, and Rumple knew immediately who it was.
"Flynn!" he called back.
"Hang on. I'm coming down!" Flynn yelled.
Rumple hoisted himself to his feet, but was instantly brought back down by a searing pain in his right leg. He collapsed to his knees, and toppled over to roll around over the rocks.
Out of the corner of his eye, Flynn dropped down with a rope around his waist.
"Rumple. Are you alright?" he asked kneeling down next to him.
"I think so. My leg…. It hurts."
Flynn examined his leg. "It's broken, but don't worry. I'll fix you up." Flynn placed both hands over his wounded leg, one on top of the other, Rumple focused on him, watching his hands glow a bright purple; he was always so fascinated by Flynn's magic even though the other people in the village were terrified of him because of it. There was a crackling followed by a sharp pain. Rumple yelped and clutched his leg, then Flynn drew back.
"There. That should do it. Sorry about the brief moment of pain," said Flynn, sitting back with is legs crossed.
"That was brief? It felt like an eternity. IS should have brought that vile of blood you gave me." Rumple tried his leg by twisting it around, there was no pain. He looked over at his brother. "I thought you wouldn't come." Flynn looked at him with caring eyes, and licked his thumb, then ran it across his cheek, healing the gash under his eye.
Flynn sighed, jumped to his knees, and grabbed Rumple's face with both hands. He drew his head back and head-butted him; not to hard, but it certainly wasn't gentle.
"Oww," said Rumple, as he rubbed his forehead. It was their customary brotherly form of expression. They usually did it after dodging whatever near catastrophe they came across, but it always managed to hurt Rumple more than it did Flynn. "We've got to find another way to express ourselves."
Flynn's wide grin turned serious very quickly. He reached his hand out to him.
"Give me your hand, Rumple." Rumple raised an eyebrow, but hesitantly took his hand. Flynn pulled him closer and squeezed his hand in his; their foreheads touched more gently this time. "Rumple, no matter what happens…. I'll always be here for you. I promise you I will never leave you. EVER….. Even if I'm not physically here with you, know that I'm always standing over your shoulder….. always… I will always be in your corner. When I'm there you should never feel scared. You should feel like what we are….. brothers that will take on the world and come out whole every time."
Back to the present….
Flynn smiled at his shimmering reflection in the water; he had kept his promise. All these years, Rumple was his priority. He was so close to the end; he couldn't turn back now. He had the same mission for 289 years, find a way to reunite with his brother, but now he had a new mission, reunite his brother with his son. Baelfire was only a world a way; things were falling into place, now Flynn just needed it to stay that way. He stood tall on the edge of the sea; he looked up at the clear night sky, the stars unusually bright, shimmering back at him; closing his eyes, he tightened his fist. He opened them again; only now, they were a solid bright blue, no whites in them, just a blue light seeping from them like tears. He was engulfed in a bright light that was the same shade of blue, then vanished in a flash with a loud BOOM that was like a thunderclap. The only thing remaining was the dark transmutation circle on the ground where he had stood.
Rumple sat in his chair by the fireplace; it had been three days since the chaos happened and he was still no closer to comprehending it all. He looked over at Belle, who had remained asleep the entire time. Her small frame heaved up and down in time with her breathing. Rumple focused hard on the switchblade he was twirling in his hands, the one his brother had forged for him when they were both small boys. He ran his thumb gently over the symbol on the hilt. The Elven symbol for brother, it had always meant so much to Flynn. The power of the symbol, the meaning of brotherhood; Rumple never understood it, though Flynn always told him that one day he would.
His conversation with Flynn still fresh in his mind, he was sorting out all the information he had learned; several lifetimes worth of knowledge had overwhelmed him when Flynn was here, but he was happy to finally come to terms with it. He poured a bottle of hard whiskey into a small cup and drank it down. It numbed him for an hour or so before he needed it again. Looking over at Belle, telling her was all he could think about. He didn't know how, he knew she would be devastated. She stirred, and quietly moaned in her sleep. Rumple put his cup down on the tray along with the switchblade and moved over to her bedside. He took her hand in his and gently squeezed while holding it close to his chest. Her eyes slowly opened, then fluttered, then looked around.
Belle's vision was blurry, she could only make out colors, everything was an absolute mess. She turned her head; she could feel the warmth around her hand, as she looked over at a blurry mess of colors surrounded by a yellowish white light.
"Belle. Belle," said Rumple over and over.
Belle recognized the voice she was hearing; she was so confused, everything was upside down to her right now, but it was nice to hear a familiar voice beside her. She felt safe suddenly, like a guardian angel was sitting next to her instead of a man. The blotches of color she was seeing began to take shape. Everything began to clear to the point where she was now looking into Rumple's warm yet sad eyes. She was puzzled by his facial expression, such a great pain there. She reached her hand over and cupped his cheek; he immediately nuzzled into her hand and held it there, her palm getting what from the tears falling freely from his eyes. She closed her eyes while trying to remember the events that put her once again in bed with no memory. It came back to her in flashes, the pirate in the library, falling down the grand staircase, Flynn's face looking down at her, moving as if he were carrying her. Her horrified expression said it all; she looked down at her stomach, she ripped back the covers and saw that her belly was now flat. Her whole body felt like it was fading away into nothing, she felt nothing; she was already dead.
"Your fall caused a miscarriage…. Potts came and removed the baby. I'm so sorry, my love," said Rumple.
Rumple grabbed her hand, but Belle pulled away. She turned to face the opposite wall and began to sob, her shoulders shaking from the pain she was feeling in her very soul. She felt like a piece of her was dead. Her child, their child, was gone and should would never get to see him or her. She would never teach her child to walk, read from the book her own mother have given her, teach them to say their first words. It will never happen and all because she wanted to be a hero. She blamed herself just as fast as the second Rumple had told her.
"Do you know what our baby was?" she whispered, still facing the opposite wall.
"Was?" Rumple was confused.
"Boy or Girl? Was our baby a boy or girl?" asked Belle a bit more sternly.
"Flynn told me it was a boy."
Belle paused, he had met Flynn, a conversation she would have liked to be present for, but put a side for now. She was too depressed to ask about it.
"Rohan," she whispered.
"What?" Rumple asked.
"That was the name I had chosen if it were a boy." Rumple wiped away the tears that he now couldn't control; he was in too much pain. Giving their dead son a name made the pain worse, too much to handle. "I want a memorial out in the garden. Plant my mother's favorite flowers around it. He was our son, and I want him to be honored," said Belle.
"Yes. I will," Rumple said quietly before standing up. He stared a Belle, not really knowing what else to do.
"I want to be alone now," said Belle. Rumple bowed to her and left. Belle instantly collapsed under the weight of her anguish and sobbed into the fur blankets while gently rubbing her belly, hoping that this was all a terrible nightmare and she'd wake up to a full stomach again, but she knew it was a far shot away from reality. She was not going to be a mother, and it was all her fault.
"I'm sorry, son. I'm so sorry, my baby boy," she whispered into the bed covers through her tears.
