ISFNE Chapter 17
Grams POV
Simon had been nothing but dedicated to keeping Allison comfortable. He kept track of her temperature, her eating habits, her pulse, and continued to do everything he could. She didn't improve, though she had seemingly plateaued.
"Her temperature still doesn't spike, but she continues to sweat and heave and every time I check her pulse it's faster than it should be. Nothing helps, I don't understand it at all," he said in frustration one day.
"So she's still by all indications, healthy except for her pulse and her symptoms?" I clarified.
Simon nodded distractedly. Though I couldn't explain the latter I found it interesting that Simon was oblivious to a simple explanation for the former. I kept those thoughts to myself though.
"I think I'm going to have to cancel for tomorrow."
"No, Simon, you should go. I'm perfectly capable of watching over her while you're away. In fact, I insist you go. You've been cooped in here too much," I prodded gently.
"Fine," he said uncertainly, "if you're sure…"
"I am."
Allison POV
I felt a tug as I fell asleep and immediately recognized that I was being pulled to the halfway room again, I didn't have the energy to resist truly but I dug in my heels anyways trying to get the message across. Shockingly, he stopped the moment I resisted and I stumbled while regaining my balance.
Faith, surely you understand that I could not get to you in time even if you told me. I just need to talk to you, I heard him say distantly. Suddenly, I heard distant screaming and felt as though fire had been set to all of my limbs and as I woke, I slowly realized the screams were my own.
Marissa POV
Eric fell to the ground clutching his head making both Max and I jump into action to help. He waved us off as he stood slowly.
"What happened?" I asked fearfully.
"I think she went into labor," he said, crestfallen, "And I didn't connect with her."
"There's still hope, Eric, she'll drift back in, she has too."
Simon POV
The night had been going fine but I couldn't focus at all on my date, Clara. We'd been briefly introduced at the apartment and then we'd all driven over split between two cars. Clara had a four-seater but Kyle's car only held two. He and Chloe had gone together while Grant, Kate, Clara, and I went in Clara's car. Clara was nice, if a little clingy but it wouldn't have mattered if she'd been perfect in every way, my heart wasn't in it. I'd won her a cat stuffed animal already to go with her witch costume but the night was young. I hadn't had the motivation to come up with a costume and was trudging around in a sweater with pumpkins on it instead, a gag gift from Grant last year.
"Hey, Si, I'll bet I can get that last penguin before you. Kate can add it to her collection," Grant teased.
"Oh, get it, Simon, please? I love penguins!" Clara asked.
I secretly rolled my eyes but took Grant's challenge regardless.
It was a ring toss booth, I dutifully paid my two dollars for 5 rings and the competition was on. The first three bounced predictably but as I got a feel for how the rings bounced, I landed the fourth and, after bouncing off two other bottles, somehow my fifth one also landed. Two rings earned me two smaller prizes or a medium one like the penguin. I was about to choose but was interrupted by a different booth manager coming up and taking the penguin down for his customer. I looked at Clara and shrugged while Grant laughed and teased me about it being a draw since neither of us had gotten the penguin. I took a pair of stuffed bears instead. Just as they were handed to me, my phone began to ring in my back pocket. I grabbed the two bears and stuffed them under one arm as I grabbed my phone. It was Grams, and there was a voicemail from earlier.
"Hey, Grams."
"Simon, I'm sitting outside, I'm not allowed in, where are you?"
"What do you mean? Where are you?"
"At the hospital, of course! Didn't you get my voicemail?"
"No, I just saw it now, what's going on?"
"She just started screaming and writhing-"
"Wait, Allison-"
"Allison's in labor and I don't think it's going well."
I felt the blood drain out of my face. Goddamnit, I knew I shouldn't have come tonight. "What happened?" I asked desperately.
"I don't know, she's in a lot of pain, I called an ambulance."
"I'm on my way," I said, hanging up before she could say anything else. "Kyle I need your keys," I stated urgently.
"Simon, what's going on?" he asked in confusion.
"Please, I need your keys," I said again.
"Si, you're white as a sheet, are you feeling okay?" Kate asked.
"Damn it, Kyle, please, I don't have time!" I shouted desperately.
He tossed me the keys at my outburst, he'd known me long enough that if I was this set on anything it was important. I turned and took off running toward the parking lot. "Wait, I'm coming with!" Chloe said. I paid no heed, unlocking the car, throwing the bears on the passenger seat, and peeling out before she joined me.
Allison POV
I was in so much pain I felt like I could barely breathe. My children wanted out and they wanted it now. I was set up in the delivery wing and though I'd begged for Grams, there had been such a flurry of people that I'd been told about twenty times to lay down and try to relax, which was hard to do when I felt like someone was trying to rip out my insides through my back. I was attached to what felt like a million different machines and could see my heart-rate getting slower. I'd really chosen an awful and painful way to die. I felt tears come to my eyes unbidden, I didn't really want to die. I'd been talking such a big game with Eric but wasn't a life better than no life? Forgive me, Lord, I prayed. I felt someone grab my hand as I faded out.
Eric POV
She walked the line of fading out completely as she drifted back into her unconscious. Faith, focus on me, I commanded.
I felt her connect weakly, I can't- she started but I cut her off immediately.
No, you don't get to make excuses, I said. I need you to do something for me.
I don't want to die, she said, her voice so distant and weak, so full of pain and fear. I hated it, and if possible was even more resolved to bring her through this.
I'm not going to let you, love. But I need you to do something for me, I said gently. I need you to open our connection. I felt the sting of absolute mistrust through my emotional tap and cringed at it, Faith, I ask you for something I know I have no right to ask for, but I need you to do this. You need you to do this. She didn't respond. I felt our connection stretch thinner and thinner before suddenly feeling her thrust open the doorway to her consciousness. That was my cue. I sent some of my own energy across and felt the connection strengthen slightly.
I gripped Marissa's hand as she gave a terse nod and sank my fangs into her neck to drink deeply before removing myself, forming a fledgling bond, strong enough that I could siphon off of Marissa's energy but weak enough that it would easily be broken after our rescue mission.
Whatever happens now, love, we're in it together.
Simon POV
I burst through the doors of the hospital and headed immediately to the waiting room. Grams was thankfully sitting there. I quickly ran over to her and hugged her promising I was going to get back to Allison and then went up to the desk.
"Where is Allison Freedman? I need to see her now."
"Sir, of what relation are you to Ms. Freedman?"
None, but I need to see her, please let me back there-"
"Sir, this hospital operates under 'family only' unless requested by the patient. I'm sorry but I'll let you know when she's available for visiting."
"She's going to want me back there," I said trying to stay calm and think fast, "I'm her boyfriend and I'm supposed to coach her."
The nurse looked at me and I could tell she was warring on whether to risk being wrong with my bluff. She paged a doctor to take me back.
Allison definitely wasn't doing well. I ran to grab her hand, noting the sweat on her brow, her slowing heartbeat, and her general unresponsiveness to my presence. She cried out in pain every so often as a contraction ripped through her but remained otherwise unresponsive.
"What's wrong with her?" I asked the doctor.
"We can't pinpoint anything. We're doing everything we can, but she's already in labor. We're just working toward a safe first delivery," He responded.
Suddenly, I felt Allison's grip tighten and her heart-rate spiked. She sat up and let out a scream of anguish and nearly wrenched my hand off from the strength of her grip as another, more powerful contraction came.
She collapsed, panting, sweat dripping off of her, and turned faintly to see whose hand she was holding. "Simon?" she asked in confusion, moving to pull her hand back.
I gripped it tighter, "No, keep gripping, it can help with pushing. I'm here for you," I said, tucking some stray hair behind her ear.
A nurse came over and dabbed at her forehead and changed her IV bag when Allison was again seized with a contraction.
"Simon!" she spat out, tears streaming down her face. "I can't do this! I'm going to die."
"No, you won't, Allison, because you are a fighter," I said kneeling next to her, gripping her hand tightly. "You have to fight, Alice," I pleaded.
The heart monitor didn't even seem to know what to do. Her heart-rate would fall rapidly and then spike suddenly back to normal, she seemed to drift in and out of consciousness and finally delivered the first child; a girl. I sighed and girded myself for an arduous second delivery; Alice wasn't out of the woods yet.
Eric POV
Marissa and I were valiantly trying to keep up, but Faith was draining us, fast. I suspected we wouldn't have much energy at all when done saving her life. I continued to supply her with bursts of energy as I would feel her fade pulling from my own and Marissa's power, but knew what I really needed to do though I was scared what it's repercussions might be on both Marissa and myself. I needed to give more than small bursts.
"It's going to get dicey here, I wouldn't blame you for backing out," I warned Marissa.
"I'm yours to use, Master," she said, her gaze meeting mine evenly, honoring me with my title, something she so would so often forego. Her address gave me more insight into her commitment than any words ever could. She was mine to control, and though she valued our partnership she was always willing to step into her place of duty, it was a sign of absolute trust and confidence.
I squeezed her hand and began. I carefully gathered complete conscious control over my power and energy and allowed a small siphon of Marissa's power to pour into my own and then waited for Faith. I felt her begin to fade and sent another shock of energy toward her.
Faith, find your own control over my power again. I'm opening the bond completely so you can take as necessary.
I garnered no response, she was in too much pain, but I suddenly felt a large draw. I figured all was safe but found out I was wrong as I felt another follow closely behind and turn into a continuous draw that scared me. It thankfully would come and go, but the long draws were scary. I was supplying all my energy to Faith and using Marissa's to keep myself sustained but I didn't know how long I could continue. It stopped quite suddenly after more than an hour on and off. I sighed in relief and was about to close off her access when suddenly a huge pull like an undertow brought almost everything I had and my consciousness itself careening across the bond. I found myself sucked dry of any energy and bombarded with a random collage of images. A blurry hospital room, a full sized bed, a busy street, and a fuzzy image of two interlocked hands, and then suddenly nothing as I was released and the connection firmly closed off again.
Faith? I called out immediately, near delirium. Faith are you alright?
I was met with silence. The bond was still intact though. I deflated instantly as I flipped to reality. She'd survived. She was alive. There was still hope. I distantly heard Marissa scream as I passed out cold.
Simon POV
I massaged my hand absentmindedly as I watched the doctors scurry about to take care of Allison and the two children, who had, been spirited away for routine cleaning and preliminary tests. I had gotten up to check everything was okay with the doctor but as I sat down I once again locked my hand with Allison's, running my thumb over the top of her hand as she lay unresponsive, completely exhausted. I was able to pull aside a nurse and ask to get Grams back here.
I sat with her in silence as they tried to get Allison conscious again. After the longest hours of my life, she slowly woke, disoriented and weak but demanding to see her children. The nurses brought in the two babies and placed them in Allison's arms, both surprisingly content and quiet. She shifted slightly to accommodate them and smiled at the little boy and girl in her arms. "Come see," she said to Grams and me. We both carefully stood as I went around to the other side of the bed. It was silent except for some small noises from the babies and the beeping of the heart monitor beside us.
"Do they have names?" I finally asked.
A faint smile played across her face, "Yes." She held out the girl to Grams who accepted her easily shifting her comfortably in her arms. She them turned to me and I knew she expected me to hold the boy.
"I couldn't," I started but she merely smiled and shook her head.
"Come on, I want you to," she said, her voice still small and weak. I acquiesced and carefully picked up the boy, sitting in a chair next to the bed.
Alice looked at us both holding the twins and smiled like she had the best secret in the world. "Grams and Simon, meet Eleanor Joy and Solomon James."
I saw Grams' face light up with shock and her eyes filled with tears as she looked from the girl to Alice and back to her namesake. "Allison, I… She's so beautiful, I'm so honored," she said leaning forward to kiss Allison on the forehead.
I was looking at the boy in my arms, stunned at the gift Allison had given Grams.
"You know she's going to be absolute handful, she's destined to be troublesome as I was in my childhood," Grams said with a watery smile, making Allison grin too. She then turned to look at me, "Well?" she asked somewhat nervously.
I looked down at the boy, Solomon, in awe. "They're both beautiful, Alice," I said with a smile. She seemed relieved before suddenly letting out a large yawn.
"We'll let you sleep now, dear," Grams said gently, "You've had a trying day, and a lot of recovering to do."
I stood and gently shifted Solomon in my arms as we put the two back down to bond with their mother, briefly seeing two soft blue eyes peek out before closing in slumber again. The children seemed as exhausted as the mother. As I turned to leave, Alice weakly reached out, grabbing my arm.
"Simon."
I, of course, stopped immediately something about the action catching me completely off-guard. "Thank you for staying with me," she continued, "I-I was really scared and I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" I repeated in surprise, sitting back down and taking her hand between both of mine, "You have nothing to be sorry about. That was probably the bravest thing I've ever seen."
"Brave? How can it be brave when I wanted to give up halfway through? If I was ready to give in and die?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes.
"It was brave because you continued despite all of that. Because you didn't give up."
A few tears escaped, trailing down her face, "Thank you," she mouthed with a sniffle. I sat with her in silence for a few moments as she composed herself and then, before she could say anything or draw away, I kissed the back of her hand quickly and stood up, "Sleep well," I said before walking out realizing as I left what had been so singular about the interaction; it was the first time she'd initiated contact with me.
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It was nearing three thirty in the morning when I finally got back to the apartment. I parked Kyle's car, climbed the stairs, and unlocked the door with the utmost care to make no noise but the moment the door swung open I found it was all for naught. Kate sat at the dining table, which was right across from the door, reading a book and immediately looked up as I entered.
"Kate, please," I whispered pleadingly, "I know what you're about to-"
"Guys, he's back!" she yelled out, paying my requests no heed.
"Damn it, Kate, we're gonna get complaints for the noise!" I hissed. She disregarded me completely as she was immediately joined by Kyle, Chloe, and Grant all of whom were looking less than pleased with me. There were a few beats of awkward silence.
"Um, hi guys?" I asked.
"What the hell, man?" Kyle finally said.
"Guys I'm sorry, I just-"
"Explanation. Now." Chloe said in her tone we would have usually given her grief for, saying things like 'okay, fine, mom'. No one seemed remotely in the mood.
"Come on, Si," Kate prompted, "We deserve an explanation seeing as you left five of us to ride back in a four-person car. Thanks to you I had to ride in the trunk since I'm the smallest of us and now I think I'm going to have nightmares about being kidnapped that way so you better have a damn good reason why you went careening off with Kyle's car, ditching your date and leaving your friends with not even a word of what was going on," she got out before finally taking a deep breath.
"Guys-" I tried before being bombarded with questions.
"Why'd you take off like that?" "Was Clara really that bad?" "Who's Allison?" "Is it Grams?" "Is she okay?" "Are you okay?" "Is this some sort of crisis?" "Why were you gone so long?" "WHO IS ALLISON?" "Where did you go?" "Why are you just now getting back?"
"GUYS!" I yelled throwing my hands up in defeat as I walked away and sank into one of the chairs in the living room. "Do we have to do this right now?" I asked more quietly.
"YES!" They all answered in unison.
"Fine," I said in resignation, "this is possibly going to take a while, you guys should get comfortable…"