Title:
Moment of Truth
Name:
Joy
Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com
Rating: PG-13
The waiting room in the
Seattle hospital was packed as its occupants waited to find out how the gene
therapy treatment was going. Logan and Sebastian found a hospital in the area
affiliated with 'experimental' research. It was actually a hospital Sebastian
used for more complicated procedures he wanted kept under wraps.
Logan paced as Fiona nestled into
Bling's chest, trying not to think about the almost four-year-old son she would
have had by now. Krit was propped up in a chair against the wall holding Jondy
in his arms while she observed the card game going on between Zack and Cindy.
Krit was better but did periodically get dizzy - still adjusting to the new chemical
levels in his brain.
After winning another hand, Zack
took a break from his activities and went to Logan. "They're going to be
fine, Logan. She didn't make it this far only to have things go to hell
now."
Logan huffed a bit as Zack continued
to track with him, "I just hate being out here. I hate being this out of
control. They're everything to me Zack."
Zack could see the sincerity in Logan's eyes.
"I know man… I know. Just remember that Max did her bed rest like a
trooper, which you know was hard. The tear in the uterine wall has healed, and
they've been doing really well."
"But Max's blood pressure hasn't been stable
throughout the pregnancy and before Krit woke up she almost gave up…"
Logan rambled before Zack stopped his movement by grabbing Logan's arms.
Zack held Logan by the shoulders and looked him
straight in the eye, "You got to be the strong one here. You can't go all
to pieces before you get to see Max, or she'll feel it when you're with her.
Take a deep breath and remember how strong Max is…how strong Liam is."
"Thanks," Logan murmured with gratitude in
his eyes.
Zack released his shoulders. "Your welcome…
We're family."
Fiona sauntered up to Logan as Zack moved away.
"I told you he was a good kid," she said with a smile.
"I can see that," he said with a smile
wrapping his arm around Fiona's shoulders and leaning his head to hers. "I
love you, Fi."
"I love you too, Loggie."
"How you holding up?" he asked knowing
this couldn't be a walk in the park for her.
"I think I'm going to spend sometime in the
cemetery with Ryan and the baby. I think it'll help… I keep remembering how
sore I was the first couple days after… You'll really need to pamper her after
this," Fiona said leaning into her brother.
"I will… I wish this wouldn't take so
long."
"I know."
"At least last time, I was allowed in with her
until things went to hell…" Logan muttered dragging his fingers through
his hair.
"This isn't like last time. Max already had her
shot of the serum, and it went well. Now the wait is giving Liam the serum. No
removal of amniotic fluid so less stress to the placenta and womb," Fiona
said rubbing her brother's neck. "They're going to be fine… Hey, your
giving mom that grandson she always wanted."
"No, you did that… I'm sure she takes good care
of him sis." Logan whispered as Fiona broke down into tears in his arms.
"Ryan would be so proud of you… I know Bling is." Logan nodded to his
sister at her husband awaiting her return. She smiled as her husband
approached.
Bling gathered his wife into his arms and comforted
Logan. "How you holding up?"
"About as good as can be expected after last
time," he muttered to his best friend and brother in law.
"Hold on man… Max is the strongest lady I
know…next to my wife of course," Bling said with a grin kissing Fiona's
temple.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max woke up in the dimly lit room
with her husband caressing her cheek looking at her lovingly. "Hey,
beautiful," he whispered with a hint of sensual charm.
"Hey there yourself. How'd it
go?" Max asked drowsily.
"Neither you nor Liam had any
negative reaction to the treatment so we're in wait and see mode," he said
crumpling her hair.
"Thank god," Max muttered.
"Hey… You did great."
"Only because you wouldn't let
me give up," she said snuggling into the warmth of his hand.
"I just reminded you what you
were fighting for. You fought for years to find your family. I knew you had it
in you," he said as he kissed her forehead followed by her lips.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liam was set to make his arrival
into the world on Monday morning two weeks from the present date, leaving Max
and Logan some good alone time. Everybody took shifts at the penthouse guarding
the couple and their unborn child.
"Sweetheart," Logan
whispered as they both caressed her belly on their bed. "Rachel's flight
came in about fifteen minutes ago, and Fiona is bringing her over. Do you want
to get up for Jondy and Zack's surprise?"
Max yawned wide trying to comprehend
the words spoken to her. "Sure. I want to see my brother in love… It
should be a sight." Logan wrapped an arm around Max's back and helped her
to her feet. Liam was presently going through a growth spurt that was
exhausting Max.
She waddled into her living home to
see Jondy and Krit in the kitchen making sandwiches for everyone and Zack
planning the best route to the birthing location chosen by he and Logan. Zack
tried to conceive of every possible way to get there and back. Cindy went to
the airport with Fiona to get Rachel while Bling was doing last minute shopping
for the baby. They had forgotten to purchase a car seat.
"Hello all… I come bearing a
car seat for my nephew," Bling said nearing Max. "You're up…Good. We
can have a proper Cale family meal."
"Not until Fiona and Cindy
arrive!" Max insisted.
"Yeah, where are they?"
Jondy inquired.
"I think they said they had to
go pick something up," Logan said walking Max to a dinning room chair. He
retrieved another for her feet.
"Logan, I'd prefer the ataman.
It's softer," Max said knowing there wouldn't be enough chairs for all of
their lunch guests if she used it.
"But this promotes better
circulation," Logan insisted, not understanding her concern.
"Yes, but …" she started
to say.
"But what? You've been picking
fights with me all week Max," Logan said in frustration.
"I have not… I'm just saying
someone else may need the seat, and I can use the ataman," she said
through clinched teeth trying desperately to keep her temper.
"There's no one more important
then you… now use the chair."
"No… I don't respond well to
commands."
"Max…Logan…
Relax. Come on.
It's the last few days before the baby is born. You really don't want him
thinking you guys hate each other," Bling said trying to calm the couple
that only glared.
"Wow… What's with the
glares?" Fiona asked walking in the door with Cindy but no Rachel.
"Uhh… Nothing," Max said
as she and Logan looked quizzically at one another.
Cindy crossed the room moving away
from the door while Fiona positioned Zack to be closest to the doorframe.
"Glad to hear it wasn't serious," she said gently. The doorbell rang.
"Hey Zack? Get the door please," she said walking toward the kitchen.
Zack swung the door open without
looking through the peephole. "You really should check who it is before
opening the door," Rachel mimicked Zack's words when he had visited her.
Zack gazed at her up and down before collecting her into his arms. One of his
strong arms went around her tiny waist and picked her up to meet his lips. She
threw her arms around his neck as they embraced.
"That would be Rachel, I'm
guessing," Krit said to Jondy who hadn't been paying attention, too
absorbed in preparing lunch. Jondy's eyes locked onto her best friend's small
frame being twirled by her blond brother.
"Put her down… I need my
turn," Jondy insisted as she exited the kitchen.
"No way!" Zack said
staring at his beauty in the eyes. Max was in tears seeing how happy Rachel
made Zack. Krit smiled at his brother's joy as well as his lover's. To Rachel
there wasn't anyone else in the room but Zack, not even Jondy.
Fiona had decided it would be a very good present
for both Zack and Jondy to bring Rachel out to Seattle for the birth of Liam.
Logan agreed wholeheartedly that his in-laws deserved so much for their
tireless effort to save his son that the least he could do was bring Rachel for
a visit.
Zack let his eyes close just holding Rachel to his
chest, feeling her heartbeat and feel her breath. Nothing was more perfect in
the world then having Rachel in his arms. For her part, the fact that her
boyfriend was strong enough to hold her suspended in midair for a great length
of time wasn't unnerving but comforting. She felt like she was floating. When
their eyes met again Zack lowered her to the floor. "My sister wants a
hug," he said sweetly stroking Rachel's cheek.
Her attention turned to her best friend behind her.
"Hey there girl."
"Well, it's about time I'm acknowledged!"
Jondy fussed with hands on her hips. They hugged each other with a great deal
of excitement. "I'm so happy you're here… Not as much as Zack, mind you,
but…" Zack interrupted Jondy by swatting at her.
Rachel stepped around Jondy to address Krit in a way
only a best friend can, "So you must be Krit?"
"Yeah…" he said with apprehension.
"Do you know how much trouble you caused?"
Rachel stated poking her finger into his chest. "You wait until right
before the shot to let her know how you feel, go off half cocked and make my
beloved roommate inject you with something that stops your heart…major
guilt…and you stay in a coma for a month causing my poor friend to remain
catatonic at your side. I am very mad with you!"
Krit stared at the small blonde quite perplexed.
"Uhh… I'm… ahh," he muttered looking from Rachel to Jondy and back
again.
"Go save your boy from my girl," Zack
instructed Jondy.
"You call off your girl! I'm enjoying
this," she responded with a laugh.
"Rachel…" Zack called softly.
She raised an eyebrow at him then returned to
intimidating the chimera. "So what do you have to say for yourself?"
Rachel demanded with out turned hip.
"I'm sorry?" Krit said quizzically. Rachel
narrowed her brow. "I'm sorry I put Jondy through that. I should have
waited for the injection to be done in a safer environment…I shouldn't have
made Jondy give me the shot… I … I… I love her…if that matters. I would never
intentionally hurt her."
Jondy smiled and came to Krit's aid, "Ok
Rachel. Enough. You've asserted 'power of the best friend' and he'll
behave."
"I should hope so… Now introduce me. I've met
Fiona and Cindy. I'm assuming the pregnant lady is Max and the guy with the
glasses in Logan since Fiona was describing the beauty of her husband's dark
skin," Rachel said looking around the room. Krit relaxed, as the proper introductions
were made to all. Diffusing Rachel's focus from him alone seemed wise.
"Lunch is almost ready… Everyone but Max help
set the table," Jondy commanded.
"We're going to need another chair," Zack
said as he brought the glasses out.
"See Logan, I wasn't trying to be
argumentative, I just didn't want to say we were going to need this chair for
the surprise guest," Max said to her smiling husband.
"Sorry… My mistake," Logan said kissing
her cheek.
With lunch ready the family sat down to enjoy it.
Jondy and Krit weren't know for their cooking but they could manage sandwiches.
The conversation mainly focused on Rachel and her stories of Jondy as well as
recent stories of Zack. His general confusion over tipping a musician at a
coffeehouse seemed to get a raise out almost everyone. Laughter abounded, as
Max smiled surrounded by her family. Life couldn't be sweeter, not until the
baby arrived.
Liam seemed to agree… "OUCH!!!" Max yelped.