October 1986

Milly felt absolutely wonderful. They had left the school's Halloween costume contest hand in hand. She knew they looked ridiculous, both dressed up as punk rockers, but they had won the costume contest, and even posed to get their photo taken for the town newspaper. They had cider and donuts, and left the gym once it started to get too crowded. Everyone lost it over their costumes, even though she saw a few dirty looks as people whispered. Still, she didn't care. She knew how crazy they looked with their wild colored hair, and clothing, but she still kinda liked the fact that for the most part everyone ran up to them excited to talk to them, and treat them like any other regular student despite how they looked. Milly found it funny. It took them dressing like freaks in order to actually get some decent attention. Still, she didn't really care about any of that. All she could keep thinking about was seeing Eric change, or how he looked at her, and how embarrassed he got when it did something to his body. Milly perfectly understood what happened, and was flattered that she was the reason his body had that kind of reaction. She had to keep reminding herself that as odd as Eric acted, he was still just a normal fifteen year old boy.

When in reality, Eric actually wasn't anything but normal.

Tonight she was about to find this out. Eric had pulled her in the direction of the park. Confused, Milly decided to take a quick walk with him knowing it was still early and she wasn't due back anytime soon. Still, she wanted to wash the junk out of their hair, and change into the spare clothes she had. Knowing how bizarre they must have looked, she nervously looked around the dark neighborhood, before figuring if they happened to pass anyone they would just figure with it being this time of the year that they were really walking back from a party. Holding his hand, they entered the park through the North entrance, and passed the boathouse, and pond, before venturing up the gentle slope of a hill, and in the direction of the baseball field. Milly saw the bleachers, and sandbox, and vividly remembered the day she took him to fly a kite for the first time once he really started to respond to different things she showed him. She had picked all things that interested him, all things having to do with flight. She remembered how she tried not to laugh when Eric fell when she told him to let go, and he went down like a sack of potatoes. Just as she helped him up, she had heard Luis yell for her, when she looked up and saw a baseball flying straight towards her. Freezing, she flinched just a little when Eric, with cat-like reflexes, simply stretched his hand out and caught the baseball. She had never seen anybody catch a ball like that. If he hadn't grabbed it at that exact second, she knew the baseball could have seriously hurt her. Stunned, she turned and looked at Eric, amazed who calmly held onto the ball, as if he didn't do anything. His eyes blankly stared forward, when Milly, completely thrilled, looked at him.

"Eric! You did it!"

She threw her arms around him, hugging him tight, smelling whatever laundry detergent Uncle Hugo used against her hoodie. She then for just a flickering second, felt the tiny flutter of butterflies in her stomach from the crush she hadn't admitted to herself that she had been developing over Eric. She could feel his body against hers, and it felt wonderful. Just then she felt the pull of the kite string and she turned. Eric was smiling from ear to ear in amazement, as the two stood back watching the red kite swoop around and fly across the clear blue sky. Now she found herself standing in roughly the same spot. It was nearly pitchblack outside besides the line of street lamps that were further down the path. She looked around, and saw that the park was completely deserted at this time of the night, and at this exact moment it was just the two of them. Smiling, she looked up at the star covered night sky, along with the full moon. Smiling, she looked across at Eric, before she cocked her head to the side. He looked silly with his hair styled up in a colorful mohawk, but he was still Eric, and still really cute. Staring at him, she took a deep breath.

"That day on the bridge...you did catch me didn't you Eric?"

Eric stared across at her, before he smirked, and just like in her dream at the hospital he pretended to think about it before nodding. Milly looked around, and found them still totally alone in the darkness of the park.

"You can fly?"

Eric gave another smirk, and nodded. Looking at him, Milly smiled in amazement, before he let out his hand just like in Peter Pan. Milly looked stunned, before she looked around again. They were completely alone. Milly took a deep breath, and decided not to question it any further. Instead, she locked her grayish green eyes with Eric's dark brown ones.

She took his warm dry hand, squeezing it tight, before suddenly she watched her boots lift off the grass.

She blinked for a second, totally amazed, as Eric calmly held onto her, lifting higher, and higher, and finally they were floating above the trees. Milly was leaning forward with Eric, in the flying position like Superman. Milly eyed the ground below, and saw how tiny the bleachers and sandbox looked from this height, and suddenly she became filled with panic, and squeezed Eric's hand even tighter. He looked at her, totally calm. Looking at his eyes, she saw without even speaking that he was telling her he wouldn't let her fall. That she was totally safe. Holding onto his hand, she smiled, floating there with him and blinked, waiting to snap awake any second. Instead, feeling the cool Autumn air against her skin, she knew that this wasn't any dream.

She was totally awake, and Eric was proving to her that as impossible as it seemed...he could fly.

They continued upwards towards the clouds as Milly threw her head back and laughed. She knew for as long as she lived, she would never forget this moment. If she was dreaming, she just prayed she wouldn't wake up. They zoomed up towards the cold clouds, before Eric floated almost in a standing position with her, still gently holding her hands, before he smiled. Milly looked down at the tiny neighborhood, and the distant lights from the city. She looked around in total amazement, before Eric brought her in closer, and Milly smiled. She knew she was awake, and knew that he was letting her in on his secret. Smiling, she tilted her head, and gently kissed him, before they both smiled and continued flying through the air.

February 2008 - Present.

"Milly?"

Milly's eyes slowly fluttered open. She heard the beeping of machines, before her long eyelashes flicked, before she slowly opened her eyes. Her vision cleared, and she saw Dr. Weaver. It took her a second, before she saw that she was in a hospital room. It was still night, and from what she saw out the window it was still snowing. The room was well lit, and she had an IV hooked up to her hand. Her other hand was being squeezed by Eric who looked a complete wreck. Unfortunately she had seen Eric like this before, several of her other miscarriages had ended like this, her passing out and waking to find her husband trembling, and crying, squeezing her hand. His head was bowed, but the second Milly glanced over, his head snapped up, and she saw his eyes were bloodshot, as tears rolled down his face. He sniffled, before his lips peeled back and he said without any trouble softly...

"Milly?!"

Milly looked at Dr. Weaver, as she felt her heart drop, remembering seeing all the blood before blacking out. Eric had a hoodie on, but she thought she saw a stain of her own blood on the collar of the shirt he wore beneath.

"I lost the baby didn't I?"

Dr. Weaver shook her head.

"No. The baby is fine."

Milly at first didn't think she heard right. She had been used to the devastating news of losing so many children before that she blinked, before she felt the baby slightly squirm inside of her. Her eyes widened, staring at her.

"He's...alive?!"

Dr. Weaver nodded and motioned over to the ultrasound machine that was behind her.

"Eric and I just took a look and listened. He looks totally fine. Also..."

She pointed up at the screen that showed Milly's heart rate.

"Blow, the yellow line is a fetal heartbeat. It's going nice and strong."

"I wanna see him..."

Milly said, trying to sit up. Instantly, Dr. Weaver reached forward, clicked the remote, before her hospital bed slowly went up, putting her in a sitting position. Eric was currently softly kissing her hand, before Milly sighed looking at Dr. Weaver.

"What happened?"

"Just a little bit of bleeding. Some shedding tissue. It wasn't a miscarriage. This happens a lot with people who have high risk pregnancies, and a long history like you've had with your past pregnancies. Your baby is growing, and you need to remember, you have nearly twice the blood in your body while you're carrying him. Were you moving, or lifting anything heavy?"

Milly sighed, looking down at her stomach. Using her free hand to gently rub her stomach.

"I guess I got myself upset. I did something stupid."

Eric was closely listening, and Milly felt horrible.

"I'm estranged from my mother, and I tried giving her a call. She said some pretty typical nasty stuff, and we shouted at each other. I slammed the phone down, got all upset, and that's when I started feeling the cramps."

Eric frowned, and spoke again.

"M-i-i-illy..."

He was struggling, and she knew he was upset. She turned towards him, tears streaming down her eyes.

"I'm sorry Eric..."

Before she could say anything else, Eric got up from his chair, and wrapped his arms around her, sitting on the edge of the bed, and gently kissing the top of her head. Feeling his arms around her made her instantly feel better. Closing her eyes, she sighed deeply, resting her head against his chest. Dr. Weaver smiled, and gently patted her leg.

"I want you to stay overnight to be monitored."

Eric looked up terrified, shaking his head, before Milly sighed, and looked up at him.

"I gotta Eric. They need to keep an eye on him. It's okay."

Eric's chest began heaving, before he sat up and slapped his hands over his ears. He began to pace back and forth, his face growing flush. Milly eyed Dr. Weaver, who watched him with sympathetic eyes, before Milly knew she was the only one to get him to stop this. Dr. Weaver looked down at her and sighed.

"I can give him something to relax?"

Milly sighed, knowing that was probably for the best. Three times before he got so worried about her, much like the time she nearly drowned and he was hospitalized after believing she was truly dead. Usually he was so strong for the two of them, but she knew his weakness was always her. Milly sighed before looking at Dr. Weaver as her husband continued pacing back and forth, eyes snapped shut.

"If you do? Could he please stay with me? He won't be in the way I promise. I'll sleep better if he's here."

Dr. Weaver watched Eric with unsure eyes before nodding and pointing straight at Milly.

"I'll prepare the syringe now. He takes it or he doesn't stay got it? Then we'll show you your baby, and you start relaxing. Gotta get that blood pressure down. I'm only allowing this because you guys have been my special project. You know how I feel about your books. I'll be damned if I let something happen to you or this baby just because your no good mother is a terrible person. Got it?"

Milly nodded, before she looked over at Eric.

"Eric?"

Eric continied pacing, before Milly cleared her throat.

"Eric?"

He stopped, opening his eyes and looking at her. Milly felt exhausted but warmly smiled up at him.

"Dr. Weaver said you can stay, only if she can give you something to relax. If not, you gotta get me tomorrow?"

Eric eyed Dr. Weaver who had already gotten up, and was preparing the syringe. Eric lowered his hands, before nodding, and without so much as a second thought hurried over to the edge of the bed. He sat down and quickly signed...

"I'm sorry. It's just I thought..."

Milly nodded and reached over, bringing his hand over and gently kissing it, she pressed it against her cheek.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what possessed me to try and talk to her. I guess I hoped she had changed but if this wasn't a sign from God I don't know what is."

Eric sadly smiled, before Dr. Weaver walked over. Eric looked up at her, before nodding, and unzipping his hoodie. She saw it was blood in fact that had stained his T-shirt. Just the sight of seeing her blood on his clothing made her remember all those other times he looked very similar to this, sitting by her bedside, squeezing her hand, and crying, always being the one to tell her that she had lost the baby she was carrying. Instead, maybe out of pure luck, tonight wasn't ending in tragedy or heartbreak.

The baby was okay, and Milly swore that she would be doing anything possible to keep him safe, and put her poor husband through this again. No, she was done with her mother, and if she ever tried speaking to her again she would simply refuse. She had made her choices with her, and she no longer felt guilty over all of the years they no longer spoke. She watched as Eric rolled up his sleeve, as Dr. Weaver swabbed his skin, reassured him that Milly and the baby were perfectly fine, but he needed to keep an extra eye on her for these next few weeks. He listened closely, and didn't even flinch when he got injected with the needle. Dr. Weaver then told them that she would be here all night, and only her best nurses would be doing rounds. They wanted to keep her hydrated with the IV, and told Eric maybe before she was discharged tomorrow to maybe get the house ready since she didn't want her using the stairs. Dr. Weaver then got the ultrasound machine, and wheeled it over, before gently pulling down the blankets that were pooled around her waist. She asked her to lift up her hospital gown. Milly did so, touched that Eric helped her carefully, revealing her large swollen perfectly round stomach. Dr. Weaver pulled up a stool, before she took the bottle that contained the gel, and squirted some on her stomach. Milly felt the coldness, but didn't flinch, since she saw how closely Eric was watching everything. She sat back, as Dr. Weaver turned on the machine, and took the paddle, placing it down into the curve of her stomach. Suddenly the comforting thumping of the baby's heartbeat filled the room. Milly was instantly comforted by this sound, and eyed Eric who held her hand. She could tell whatever Dr. Weaver had given him had already started to kick in. His eyes seemed a little glassy, but she smiled down at her, and Milly knew they were okay. She smiled back, before Dr. Weaver pointed to the screen, which showed their baby.

"There's the head, the spine, and the feet. Amniotic fluid is fine. Looks like your little boy is safe and sound."

Milly could nearly cry. She felt her heart hammer, as she stared at the screen.

"He's really okay?"

Dr. Weaver smiled.

"He's fine. I am ordering strict bedrest. Not even to shower. Baths or sponge baths, I know it isn't ideal but I don't want you on your feet for more than five minutes. You can only walk to go use the bathroom, and to keep the blood flowing. Maybe little short walks around the house from maybe the kitchen to the living room. I'll give you some literature on different yoga techniques you can do while sitting. It will help you and the baby, and prepare you for the delivery, which I think judging from his size on the growth chart we can still keep that due date circled. You might get a little light bleeding tomorrow, but nothing to worry about. I want you off your feet, drinking plenty of tea, and relaxing. You gotta keep that baby cooking a little bit longer. I'll allow sex in about a week or so."

Milly raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yeah, no harm done. Besides it will also help kickstart labor the closer we get to your due date. Besides, it's a healthy way to release the correct hormones for you. I encourage it."

Milly, who had been horny basically the whole pregnancy had to admit, as awkward and as hard as it was to have sex with her stomach being this size, she had never experienced orgasms like this before. Dr. Weaver allowed them to look at the baby on the ultrasound machine for a little bit longer, before shutting the machine down, wiping the gel off her stomach, and allowing herself to cover back up. She then told Eric she would get him some clean scrubs to change into, and that she wanted Milly to lay back and get some rest. This evening had been stressful enough as it was. Eric took a second, before slowly saying...

"Thank...you...D...D...Doctor."

Dr. Weaver seemed touched, before getting up and smiling warmly down at the two of them.

"You know, this baby is very lucky. Out of all the couples I've helped over the years...you two hands down are the most in love. That's rare."

Smiling, Milly took a deep breath, before resting her head against Eric's chest.

Later...

Eric and Milly laid together in the hospital bed. Dr. Weaver made sure they were all set, before telling them she would check in later tonight, before pointing up at Milly's heart monitor, and showed him how strong the baby's heart rate was. She reassured her that she had nothing to worry about, and wished them a good night. Eric had changed into the clean scrubs, before pulling the hospital blankets up, as the two snuggled into the narrow hospital bed. Eric had signed that he would be perfectly fine sitting in the chair, but Milly wanted him near her. Laying now in the darkness of the hospital, nothing but the dim glow from the machines casting on them. She stared at him, seeing how stoned he looked from the shot. She smiled, gently brushing some of his hair back.

"I think this baby is different Eric. When I first saw the blood, and started to feel the cramps I honestly thought I was losing him. I know I was so stupid trying to talk to her..."

Eric frowned and signed between them...

"Milly don't..."

Milly nodded, looking down at her huge stomach before smirking.

"Remember the first time you took me flying?"

Eric smiled and nodded. He signed...

"In October? After the costume contest?"

Milly smiled and nodded. Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead right up against his. Staring into his eyes, she softly whispered to him...

"Thank you for giving me this baby. He's going to be magic just like you. I know it."

Eric smiled, gently putting his hands on her stomach, smiling across from her in the darkness as she felt the baby give a series of frenzied kicks within her. Proving to her that he was very much alive, and knew that his mom and dad would do anything to keep him that way.

Halloween 1988

Milly and Eric were curled up together on the couch downstairs. One of the local stations was showing this movie called The Midnight Hour, as well as the full music video to Michael Jackson's Thriller. It was a chilly night, and trick or treating had been last night for the neighborhood, where Milly passed out candy with her mother, while Garry took Luis, and a few of his friends to a haunted house across town. Eric had been taken to visit his aunts with Uncle Hugo, and both didn't come home until late. Eric had flown over afterwards, and had signed to her about how they had actually baked chocolate cupcakes, and had saved one for her. Milly, touched that Eric had remembered her, and smiled as she opened up the small tupperware, and looked down at the frosted cupcake. Even though she had already brushed her teeth an hour earlier, she didn't care, and smiled before asking if Eric wanted to split it with her? Both sat together side by side, eating over the open tupperware, as Milly talked about how cute all the kids looked in their costumes. Eric, licking the frosting off his fingers, then took a second before he signed, with no mistakes that her aunts really wanted to meet her, and that his uncle wanted to visit again Thanksgiving weekend? Milly lit up, touched that she could meet some of Eric's family, and she would love to. He then smirked, before he leaned forward, and gently licked the side of her mouth, causing her to hold back from giggling, as he smacked his lips from the frosting.

She smiled, before asking if he wanted to come over tomorrow after school? Luis and his friend Stephen were being taken by Stephen's dad to go trick or treating at Fairview since their trick or treating was actually on Halloween. Garry was taking her mother out to dinner after work, and she was going to be all alone until at least ten. She smirked, raising an eyebrow, before asking if he wanted to come over and snack on any of the candy they didn't give away and watch spooky movies?" Eric smiled and nodded. School the next day was actually pretty good. They had an assembly where some of the theater kids performed The Legend Of Spooky Hollow. Eric's speech therapy was during this block so he missed it. Milly figured it was just a well since the auditorium was pretty packed, and there were a few pop outs, causing everyone to scream. Milly had in fact told Mrs. Sherman about what had happened at the Halloween party, and she hadn't seen Keith, nor Larry at all. Word about what happened was spreading like wildfire, but Milly was pretending that it wasn't a big deal, even though Cam even approached the two of them during lunch and ruffled Eric's shoulder.

"Hey man. Heard what happened. Way to go man!"

Eric starred up blankly, before Cam told Milly he hadn't been able to make it to Jeff's party, but loved hearing what happened. That Keith was a major asshole and deserved it, and if he tried anything to just let him know. There were plenty of guys around that couldn't stand Keith and his friends, and they were just looking for an excuse to fight. Milly felt slightly uncomfortable, but thanked Cam, figurting it couldn't hurt to have a popular guy like him as some backup in case those jerks tried anything. On the way home, Milly and Eric walked hand in hand towards home. It was a beautiful crisp cool day, and their sneakers crunched against the dry leaves that had fallen on the sidewalk. Milly walked, never feeling more content and happy in her entire life. Now it was later that night. They had the house to themselves, and Milly and Eric had began making out midway through the movie. Before Milly knew it, she was being pressed into the soft cushions of the sofa. Eric was going hot and heavy, and having a really hard time keeping to their rule of hickies on her neck where her mother could notice.

She would have stopped him, but it was feeling too good to slow down. She felt hot all over, and her hands ran through his thick wavy hair. One of his hands had snaked up her sweater, and was cupping one of her breasts. Milly's own hands had unzipped his hands, and were stroking him over his boxers, where she felt how hard he was becoming. He kept moaning, as his lips kept smacking against her skin, nuzzling up against her. Milly was breathing heavily, when suddenly she heard the back door open and Geneva's voice.

"Trick or treat!"

Milly's eyes widened, as she froze, as did Eric. Before he even got a chance to get off her, Geneva and Alex had walked straight into the livingroom and burst out laughing, as both looked up, their hair, and clothes a mess. Their faces flushed from both embarrassment, and from what they were doing.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Eric and Milly looked up, before Geneva laughed with Alex, both leaning against each other looking down. Geneva snapped her bubblegum.

"Busted!" Milly shut her eyes, covering her face with her hand as she turned away laughing.

February 2008 - Present.

Eric brought Milly home the next day. He left early in the morning to make sure the driveway and sidewalk was shoveled and salted. After a few hours, once Dr. Weaver said that everything looked fine, and made Milly promise no more upsetting phone calls. Eric came back, and insisted on pushing her in the wheelchair right up to the car waiting. The entire ride over, Milly kept looking out the window, surprised over how much snow the neighborhood had gotten. Eric drove slow, before pulling into the driveway and parking. When Milly went to open her door, Eric waved his hand, showing her to wait. He hurried around the car, and opened her door. Milly was wearing his jacket, and laughed shaking her head.

"Eric, I can walk into the..."

Before she could finish, he scooped her up in his arms, and used his leg to shut the door. He carried her up the freshly salted back deck step, before carefully opening up the screen door, then towards the backdoor. Milly found the house warm, and was relieved to be back home, and with her baby still very much alive inside of her. Eric brought her into the livingroom where Milly couldn't believe it. He had moved the sofa to the side, and had somehow set up their full sized guest bed from the attic up. It was freshly made, and had all of her favorite things set up around it, including her nightstand, with her lamp, charging laptop, framed photo of them, and books. Milly's eyes widened.

"Oh my God Eric! When did you do all of this?!"

Eric shrugged, even though she knew he had busted his ass to make sure she was perfectly comfortable down here. Smiling, she giggled as he gently laid her down, and she sat up, looking around.

"Wow, this is actually perfect." Eric then motioned to the hallway where the downstairs bathroom was.

He signed... "Walk to the bathroom and that's it. I took the next few days off. You any or need anything I get it for you. Promise?"

Milly smiled and nodded.

"I promise. Thank you Eric...this is great."

Eric smirked, gently cupping her face, before he motioned towards the kitchen.

He signed... "I need to leave the garage unlocked so Sam can grab his snowblower later. After that how does a hot cup of tea sound?"

"Sounds awesome. Thanks honey."

Eric leaned down, kissing her forehead, before leaning down and kissing her baby bump before heading out back. Milly smiled, before she saw that the answering machine and phone was also on the nightstand, and the red light was blinking.

Leaning over, she hit play. There were three new messages. The first one was from Geneva, asking what the Hell was going on? The second was Geneva saying that Andy told her, and that she was so happy the baby and her were okay. That once she was up to it to give her a call.

The third...

Was her mother. Her voice sounded flat.

"Hello Milly this is your..."

Milly hit delete before she could hear the rest of the message, and deep down inside, it felt absolutely wonderful.