They lay in each others arms, basking in the afterglow. Starbuck was on her side, curled into a ball. Zach lay on his back, his arm slung around her shoulders, stroking one blade. Whatever had happened that afternoon was soon out of their minds. Losing control of your body and mind was scary, but they didn't want to consider that. So they just lay there, her iPod playing once again, soft music designed for what they had just done.
Suddenly, Starbuck began to scream, and seized up. She kept howling, twisting in the sheets. Zach swore he saw long red marks appear on her arms, and one on her cheek. But, they disappeared.
"You fucking bitch, stupid cunt, die, die, die!" Starbuck howled in a demonic voice, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. Suddenly, she was settled, her eyes now closed and her breathing regular. She lay on the floor, the sheet tangled around her waist and legs. Zach got out of bed and kneeled next to her. He swept some of her sweaty hair from her forehead and picked her up. She was still shaking and muttering, but he decided to ignore all that. After tucking her back in, Zach stared down at her for a few moments.
What is happening? he thought.
xxx
"What happened last night?" Starbuck asked the next morning over breakfast.
"You had a nightmare," Zach said, trying to tell the truth and lie at the same time. Starbuck narrowed her eyes for a few moments and then went back to eating her cereal. Then, her cell phone rang and she answered.
"Oh my god. Where are you? I can be there in a half hour," Starbuck sounded panicked. She slammed her phone shut and ran to the bedroom and pulled on random items of clothes. His shirt, her pants, one of his socks, one of hers, and her boots. Not bothering with brushing her hair, she pulled on the wool cap he had given her. "Lisey is in the hospital. Someone tried to kill her."
When they arrived at the hospital, the same one where they had gone after the whole Naomi thing, Starbuck just knew it was bad. Emma had been crying, her eyes swollen and red, a patch of Wendell's shirt wet from her face being pressed there. Emma never cried. In the four and a half years they had known each other, Emma had cried maybe once or twice. Wendell stood with her, his arm around her waist. The two women hugged, gripping the other tightly.
"How long?" Starbuck asked.
"Not long," Emma whispered. "She was pregnant...lost the baby in the attack."
"Oh god," Starbuck said. "Did she-?"
"She had prenatal vitamins in her system," Emma's voice sounded hollow. "The police say it was a random mugging."
"What do you think?"
"I think she was onto something last week."
They held each other for a few more minutes before letting go. Starbuck sat down and pulled Zach next to her. She was still crying, tears clinging to her eyelashes before falling down her cheeks. Like her, Lisey had almost no one. It was just her and her mother. The latter now spent her time traipsing around the country now that her only child was an adult.
In the end, it really was Lisey's family there in the waiting room.
Emma fell asleep on Wendell's chest, emotionally exhausted. He played with her hair, storking it and cupping her face. It hit Starbuck when she looked over at them while looking for the doctor. He's in love with her. Someone loved her little friend and it broke her heart a little. It meant she was growing up.
"Take care of her," Starbuck said softly.
"What?" Wendell asked.
"You heard me. Take care of her or else," she smiled a bit and settled back into Zach's arms. He pressed his lips to her temple.
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Sing to me honey."
Dancing bears Someone holds me safe and warm,
Painted wings
Things I almost remember,
And a song someone sings
once upon a december
horses prance through a silver storm,
Figures dancing gracefully,
across my memory,
Zach's mouth was right by her ear, and his warm, sweet breath washed into her and she felt a shiver go through her and he just held her. It felt right and she almost forgot where they were and what had happened. Lisey was going to be okay. It took a lot to get her down. Clearly the random mugger, if there was one, didn't know Lisey very well. The girl would bite your arm for a chicken wing, and she had kicked men for a bagel. She was going to pull through.
"Hey," Fisher came up to them. "Is there any news?"
"Um, no not yet," Starbuck said. "Do you know?"
"About what?"
"The baby."
"I found the test in her coat pocket. We had a fight....and I told her it was over."
"Normally, I would be mad, but I'm too worried. Emma will kick your ass later."
"Did she-?"
"Yes."
It seemed like hours before they got any news. By then, Starbuck and Emma had gotten food and stopped crying. Emma had kicked Fisher in the shins a few times, and by the time the doctor came, they were absorbed in a rerun of Maury.
"Are you the immediate family?" the doctor asked.
"I'm her sister," Starbuck said. He gave her a dubious look. "Half-sister."
"Despite the 10 stab wounds and the misscarriage, she's going to be fine."
Later, after looking in on Lisey, everyone had to leave. Starbuck, Emma, Zach and Wendell had work. Fisher was staying with Lisey, but was told not to talk to the other paitents, lest he depress them to cutting their life support.
"Zach," Starbuck said as they stood in the parking lot. "When do you want to get married?"
"Whenever you like," he said.
"What do you think of next week?"
"That's fine."
xxx
Author's Note: Sorry for the ending. Had to rush. Computer is still broke and I'm at the library.
Coming up next: The Stach wedding!
Review please. *Eric Millegan eyes*