Loving the Devil

Part 13: Giving birth to Little Devil

In spite of what Cruella loved to say to Isaac, her new job wasn't stressful at all; quite the contrary it was almost just a way to spend her time. Because of her pregnant condition, she was even dismissed from carrying the books and so she basically remained behind the counter reading, teasing from time to time her employer and welcoming the clients. And oddly enough, the usual visitors showed up less, while the villains seemed to have discovered their love for literature.

Instead, between the company of Mrs Heller and the one even less pleasant of the new kind of clients, those three months had been really stressful for Belle. And the last day revealed to be the worst of all. In fact, after having opened two boxes of new arrivals and placed them on the right shelves, she realized that she hadn't taken with her the missing book of Harry Potter saga.

"Cruella, would you be so kind to bring me the book on the counter?" she asked in the most cordial tone possible – cordiality all suggested by her tiredness.

The other woman dared to puff anyway, but however after some whispered protests, she stood up and did as asked.

"I'm a pregnant woman, darling! Does it look right to you making me carry such heavy burdens?" she complained when she finally reached her. Even if she was actually holding it with a single hand and even using it as a fan.

Belle, still turned to the shelf, felt free to roll her eyes. "It's a paperback of 293 pages!" she pointed out, letting transpire a slight annoyance this time.

However when she finally turned around, her eyes widened immediately as she remained for some moments breathless, simply pointing at the floor. Cruella looked at her confused and she was already about to make some sharp questions when, following the direction of her finger, she found herself having the same reaction. They remained like that for a while, paralyzed and shocked, until suddenly they both started yelling – in spite of the library's rule of silence -, while Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone fell on the floor, right in the little puddle of water at the centre of their attention.

"Oh my God, Cruella, your waters have just broken! I have to take you to the hospital!" Belle exclaimed, showing her rationality despite the great panic.

The new mommy seemed to have entered a state of trance instead. Apparently numb to physical pain and psychological fear, she simply followed the other woman in the parking, probably planning not to talk until the sight of doctor Whale. But the sight of something else forced her to break that intention before.

"Oh no, darling, we can't take my car! I don't want my leather seats to get dirty!" she started, slightly disgusted at the thought. "Let's take your husband's one… Look, there are even the keys!" added then, referring to Rumplestiltskin's car parked exactly near hers.

Belle hesitated some instants, but in the end let the sense of need overcome her doubts. In less than a minute she helped the other to sit on the passenger seat while she sat in front of the steering wheel. It was there that she had another moment of hesitation and, when she finally decided to start driving, it became finally clear the reason of all that uncertainty. Coming out the parking lot, she almost hit Cruella's car – almost causing her a early delivery -; during the travel then, she risked to run over more than one pedestrian, ignored completely the traffic signals and the engine turned off more than once.

"Wooo, darling, now I'm actually starting to like you more!" Mrs Heller exclaimed, watching almost with pride the audacious driving.

"I'm sorry" the younger woman replied instead. "The point is that I don't have a driver's license!"

After that confession, Belle dared to look away from the road for a moment, preparing herself to receive the reaction. She expected a reproach, a scream or even – considering the kind of person she was dealing with – a laugh; but yet she remained surprised anyway.

In fact Cruella looked just confused and after some moments she simply asked: "What the hell is a driver's license?"

As soon as they arrived to the hospital, Cruella was laid on a bed and carried to the labor room. She was completely awakened from her confusional state now and, starting to feel the contractions more and more painful, she showed a totally human reaction: as every woman in a similar situation she started in fact to curse her own husband, and, exactly as every human being in the moment of need, she didn't want to remain alone. That's why she almost sequestred Belle and even promised her to be appointed godmother of the baby in exchange for a support.

In the meanwhile Isaac, after abandoning quickly the job, remained outside the room alone and he was on the edge of having a heart attack. Actually, he would have really liked to attend the birth of his son, but after a long argument he had promised not to.

If Cruella was acting like a normale mother, Isaac was acting like a normal father – even if, contrary to the average father, he had read many times Farewells to Arms by Hemingway. "Don't let her die. Please, please, please don't let her die": for the second time those thoughts were echoing in his mind and this time the situation was more appropriated actually, since even in the book it was all about a beloved woman and a son.

However only after a couple of hours, when he heard the loud crying of a baby and the well-known voice of his wife, he could verify that he had had surely more luck than Friedrich Henry.

"He's really beautiful…"

It was at least three times that Isaac said that sentence, but he just couldn't find any other words to describe the wonder he had in his arms in that moment – a wonder that looked exactly like him. In his life he had been author of many things: fairytale plot twists, articles, not famous books and poems locked in a drawer; but yet, he had never imagined to be the author of such a miracle. Even if it was a four-handed written miracle, actually.

"I was hoping he had your blue eyes…" he admitted anyway, looking for a moment at his wife.

Laying on the bed, tired and in a confuse state of emotions, Cruella gave him a weak smile. "Even my hair – the real one – would have been a good inheritance" she added in a tone between nostalgia and humor. But it was only saying the next sentence that her voice definetly slipped into bitterness. "Honestly, I hope he also has your heart, darling."

The man looked at her again, this time sadly and just approached her, sitting at her side. He understood completely the implication and also the connected fear; however, he didn't share it: on the contrary, he was convincted that baby Fitzgerald would have grown in the best possible way and that even Cruella would have been healed by that strange madness she had had since for ever. As an author, he couldn't not believe that everyone could write his own story, after all.

"Have you held him yet?" he asked after some minutes of heavy silence. "Do you want to?" he added then, when she saw her shaking her head.

But Cruella shook her head again. Fitzgerald was really a beautiful baby and he was clearly enjoying being in his father's arms, therefore there was no reason to interrupt that calm. They had been forced to live together for nine months, but now would have she been able to continue that relationship for at least other eighteen years more?

"I'm not ready…" she just whispered, looking away.

The truth was that she feared she never would have been.

Chapter 13 is up and baby Fitz is born:) Now I can say that there are only 4/5 more chapters left.

If you are interested, I've started a collection of one-shots about the Heller-DeVil family (sort of missing moments of this story); the title is: "A family with a great story" and you can find it on my profile:)

Also, I've created a group on facebook for Authella fans - even if for now we are really few -, if you want, anyone is welcomed to join us! It's called: "Authella [Isaac/Cruella] Fans".

See you soon with chapter 14!