Chapter 13

Disclaimer: This book ( Lux series ) and all it's characters belong to the author, Jennifer L. Armentrout. I own nothing.

Author's note: Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews and support! To reward you all, I am going to be posting a chapter a day starting now, and ending this Sunday!

Daemon's POV:

I was only capable of staring. Andrew gave a tired wave. "Hey guys..." He said, awkwardly. The room erupted in questions. The others must have heard the all the racket because Dee was the first to whiz past us and throw her arms around Andrew and Ash.

Surprisingly, they both returned her embrace just as fiercely. It was their turn to be shocked when Dawson and Beth entered the room with Ashley, but nothing beat the look on their faces when a very pale, and very pregnant Kat waddled into the room. Andrew rubbed the back of his neck, while Ash continued to stare at Kat's stomach.

"Looks like we've all got some explaining to do." I said. After we all exchanged strained greetings, I asked the obvious. "Not that we're not happy to see you, but how are you alive? We were all there when you..." I trailed off, not knowing how to phrase it.

Ash sighed. "That's what they wanted you to think. The PEP weapon they used on us weren't actually the real thing. They were actually stun guns." Andrew nodded. "In fact, they'd planned to knock us all out and bring us back to Daedalus, but obviously, they were only able to grab Ash and I. Once everything had calmed down and we'd been released, we looked everywhere for you. Then we heard that Nancy was still alive and that you guys had gone into hiding.

General Eaton gave us your location, but couldn't provide us with any protection. He said he didn't have the men to spare. We were on our own." He said, gesturing to their trashy appearances. Ash's face screwed up in disgust as she looked down at herself, but remarkably, she said nothing. Andrew continued. "We were chased by some of Nancy's goons, but lost them a few miles back. We weren't followed." He assured us. Both their gazes bounced back to Kat and Ashley.

"Care to explain that?" Ash asked impatiently. Dawson stepped forward and picked up Ashley. "Guys, this is Ashley. She's 2 years old. She's our Daughter." He said, wrapping an arm around Beth. Andrew's eyes widened and Ash gasped. Dawson continued. "We named her after you, Ash." Astonishingly, Tears ran down Ash's cheeks. "Why?" She asked, clearly shaken. "Remember what went down in L.A. ? Well, Beth was already three months pregnant by then, and what you did saved both their lives. We wanted to thank you somehow, and what better way than to give her your name." Ash took a step towards them.

"Can... Can I hold her?" She asked hesitantly. Dawson smiled and gently placed Ashley in her arms. Ashley stared at her for a moment, as if she was trying to decide something. Then she threw her tiny arms around Ash's neck. Ash laughed and gave her a tight squeeze, before handing her back to Dawson. Somehow I knew that a bond had just been forged between them, and no matter what, Ashley would always have her aunt Ash looking out for her, just like Adam would always have his aunt Dee looking out for him. "Well that's great, but it still doesn't explain..."

He gestured towards Kat. I made my way over to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. Ash's eyes narrowed. "Oh God, please don't tell me it's yours." She said, disgusted. Kat glared. "Of course it's his. Got a problem with that?" She huffed. Ash smirked, but it didn't meet her eyes. "When are you due?" She asked, curious. "Two more weeks." Kat replied grudgingly. Andrew's jaw dropped. "That's soon. How do you plan to get her to the hospital?" He asked. Archer stepped forward. "That's actually where I come in. I'll be delivering this baby." Andrew looked even more bewildered. His head swung in my direction. "And you're okay with this?" I gritted my teeth. "We don't have another choice." I said shortly. He wisely dropped it. "She's been having contractions all week. Stress is mostly what triggers them, so..." Dee trailed off. Ash huffed. "Oh please, like I would let that happen. I have no desire to see that baby being born, and would gladly hold it off for as long as possible." She said, rolling her eyes. "You and me both," Serena muttered under her breath.

I growled, and Hunter stepped in front of her, blocking my glare. My mother and father stepped forward. My mother reached out to place a hand on Ash's cheek. "You look just like your mother." She murmured, tears in her eyes. Both Andrew and Ash gasped. "You knew our mother?" Andrew asked in a choked whisper. My father nodded. "Of course. We knew your father, as well. They were good people. They were with us when we first got here." He said.

"How did you guys come to be friends?" Ash asked, wiping away a few stray tears. My mother was the one to answer. "Well you see, when we got there, your mother and I happened to be the only pregnant female Luxen, so naturally, the two of us could not be assimilated until we had the babies. Because it was just the two of us, the D.O.D put us in the same quarters until it was time to deliver. In that time, your mother and I got to know each other very well. She was my best friend. We both had roughly the same due date, though she went into labor a few days before me. For the first week we were allowed to keep you all with us, but neither of us was naive enough to believe they'd let us keep you forever. We knew at some point they'd take you all away to be assimilated and that there was a good possibility we'd never see you again. Your mother and I were heartbroken. You know, those few days we had with all if you, we spent fantasizing about your futures, about what amazing lives you would all lead. I guess it was our way of coping with the fact that we wouldn't be there with you. But they loved you so much. Especially your mother."

At this point pretty much all the females were crying. Even Kat was crying softly into my chest. Her stomach was pressed up against mine and I felt Adam kick, as if sensitive to his mother's distress. I dreaded the question I knew was coming. "What happened to them?" Andrew asked, uncertainly, as if he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer. My mother closed her eyes and leaned into my father for support.

"As I said, your mother was heartbroken when you were all taken from her. She put up a fight. She tried to get you back, but the D.O.D caught her. I never saw her again, nor did ever see your father." She finished quietly. Ash's shoulders sagged. d voice, Andrew spoke."Do you guys have a place for us to sleep?" Dee volunteered to show them to their rooms, while the rest of us went to bed

...

Katy

I couldn't believe this was happening. Ash and Andrew were alive. I wiggle out of Daemons embrace and left him asleep on the bed. Sleep wasn't happening any time soon. The baby gave hard kick and I doubled over. The kicks had grown increasingly more painful since dinner, like he was trying to kick his way out of me. I hadn't told Daemon, because I knew he would only worry.

Heading down to the kitchen, I fixed myself a midnight snack. After I'd finished, I leaned against the counter and pondered for a few moments about nothing in particular. "Katy?" Startle by the voice, I whipped around, my hands flying to my chest. Ash stood in the doorway, in nothing but a short, sheer, white night gown. Her blond hair was longer than I'd ever seen it, going down to her collar bones. There we large dark circles under those cerulean eyes.

She gave a faint smirk. "You couldn't sleep either?" She asked in a throaty voice. She sounded like she'd been crying. "Not with this little guy using my kidney a his own personal punching bag." I said, rubbing my belly fondly. Her gaze grew curious. She took a few steps towards me and outstretched her hand. "Can I feel..?" She asked hesitantly. I smiled at her and nodded, and she placed her hand lightly on my stomach.

The baby began kicking ferociously and I winced. "Are you okay?" She asked. I nodded. "It's nothing, he's just strong, that's all." She shot me a surprised look. "He? What are you guys planning to call him?" I placed a hand on top of hers. "We were gonna call him Adam, if that's okay with you." I said quietly. She gasped and when I looked up, fresh tears were coursing down her cheeks. "I...Thank you." With that, she slipped her hand out from under mine and left the kitchen. Shaking my head and smiling, I headed back up the stairs to the room Daemon and shared

. I opened the door to find him awake on our bed, arms folded behind his head, and one coal black brow arched. I smiled sheepishly. "I couldn't sleep." I said, hurrying to my side of the bed and climbing in. Daemon chuckled and placed a hand on my belly. "Baby been keeping you up?"

He asked, softly stroking by stomach. "Yeah, but I think I finally got him to sleep." The baby kicked my side, and Daemon grinned. "Or not." He murmured, placing a kiss where the baby kicked. I was about to say something, when something warm and wet seeped between my thighs. Looking down, I gasped when I saw the blood. "Daemon..." I whispered frantically.

Without waiting another second, he'd already scooped me up into his arms and carried me to the medical room, while shouting for Archer and Dee. Meanwhile, I clutched my belly tight and prayed to every god I knew of, that I didn't lose this baby. The cool padding of the medical table pressed into my back as Daemon set me down. In a heartbeat, Archer was there and checking in between my legs. Daemon growled.

Archer ignored him. "Looks like a Placental Abruption." Archer murmured. "Speak english, Archer." Daemon snarled. Archer sighed. "It's when the placenta that is supposed to be attached to the wall of the uterus gets detached. Doctors would suggest a Cesarean, but since that's obviously not an option right now, we'll just have to wait until your due date." I sucked in a sharp breath.

"Is it safe?" I asked in a choked voice. Archer grimaced. "The delivery process will probably last longer and contractions will probably be more painful, but it is still possible to deliver a healthy baby." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Daemon held my hand. "I'll leave you two alone to discuss this." Archer said, closing the door behind him. Daemon wrapped his arms around me. "You'll both be okay." He whispered to me softly. I nodded, and prayed that was true.