~Chapter Three-A Not-So-Blessed Event~
Months later, on a warm spring night, Serena awoke suddenly and felt her abdomen.
"Darien!" She whispered, shaking him fiercely. "Muffin, it's time to go!"
No sooner had the words been said than Darien bolted awake; he rushed effortlessly around the room, grabbing Serena's things as she dressed.
"Are you ready to have a Meatball Head junior?" He teased sleepily. Serena nodded.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"Let's go."
* * * * *
"You're lucky this kid isn't yours!" Screamed Serena, tightening her grip on Darien's collar. "If you had done this to me, I'd kill you!"
Darien winced, but continued to coach Serena. Sweat poured down from her forehead; she pushed again, then fell back on the pillow.
"One more! You can do it!" The doctor urged. Serena, crying from pain and fatigue, gave one final, hard push. A baby screamed just as loud as she had, flailing its tiny arms. Darien peered at it and grinned.
"We have a daughter, Serena!" He announced, squeezing her hand. Serena half- smiled and laid back in her bed. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Nothing evil about that," she whispered before she fell asleep.
* * * * *
"Would you like to hold your son?" The nurse asked softly. Setsuna looked up and, barely noticeable by the nurse, she shuddered.
"No, thank you." Setsuna answered, turning her head away.
"I understand," the nurse nodded. "You must still be tired."
"It's not that-" Setsuna began. She cut herself off when she remembered what the others had told her. Every mother held her new baby once it was born. Those who didn't love and care for their children got them taken away. Setsuna took a deep breath and held out her arms. "I'll hold him."
The second the nurse left, Setsuna stared at her son with disdain and utter hate. In all the years she'd been the Keeper of Time, never had she wished more for death upon anyone or anything. That's what put the most fear in her heart: wishing that the seemingly-harmless child she'd just brought into the world would die, and not fulfil the prophecy in her vision.
The boy, who had momentarily opened his blue eyes, seemed to sense the coldness, hatred, and fear from his mother. He gave her a sad look, then closed his eyes and fell asleep again.
* * * * *
"Crysta's got my crystal blue eyes." Serena observed aloud, beaming with pride.
"Erin's got lovely blue eyes as well," Amy informed them absently. She was too busy holding her own child to give it a second thought. They all were.
Darien, Chad, and Ken were in the hospital cafeteria. Serena, with daughter, Crysta; Amy, with daughter, Erin; Raye, with son, Dominique; Lita, with daughter, Laura, and Mina, with son, Adam, were all sitting in Serena's room, holding their children and talking.
"Laura's going to be strong like her mama." Lita sat up straighter and laughed.
"I still can't believe I'm a mother," Raye remarked, gazing lovingly at her son.
"I hear ya, Raye." Mina carefully shifted Adam in her arms. "My days will be complete now."
A knock came at the door and all five women looked up. A nurse was pushing another wheelchair into the already packed room. In it was Setsuna, holding, as if for show, her son. "What's his name?" Asked Mina. Setsuna only stared at the wall, her face expressionless.
"Are you okay, Setsuna?" Lita put a hand on her friend's shoulder, frowning. That seemed to bring her back; she blinked and swallowed.
"I'm fine." Setsuna assured them. She cleared her throat softly. "His name is Donovan." But sharing this didn't cause her to break a smile, or change her mood in any way.
"He's beautiful," Raye complimented. "And he's healthy, I'm assuming."
"Yes, a beautiful, healthy baby boy." Repeated Setsuna, looking at the sleeping horror in her arms.
"Well," started Serena, wetting her lips, "when the babies are a little bit older, we're going to have another party. Will you come? Raye said would cold have it at her temple, which isn't far. And you should stay here for awhile anyway. For yourself and for Donovan." Serena smiled hopefully.
"No." Setsuna shook her head. "As soon as my body adjusts, I shall bring this…..Donovan back to Crystal Tokyo with me. The King and Queen will help me raise him." Any grins or happy gazes suddenly faded. Laura stirred slightly, but no one, not even Lita, noticed.
"You can't leave!" Serena shouted.
"I am obligated to guard the Gate of Time-not some child that came into my life!" Setsuna snapped. Donovan's eyes fluttered uneasily, but his mother wouldn't have noticed if she were looking right at him.
"Then why did you have your son in the first place?" Argued Amy.
"Like I said before, my visions were unclear. I would be forever in guilt had I terminated an innocent child." She took a deep, troubled breath. "Only now I know better." Setsuna faced Serena. "Would you please ring for the nurse? I'm very tired." Serena gave Setsuna a disappointed look, but buzzed for the nurse, despite her urge to try and convince her friend to stay. The nurse came and stood in the doorway expectantly. "May I please go back to my room?" Setsuna requested. The nurse nodded and pulled her wheelchair slowly out of the room, as the other five women watched sadly. Instantly in unison, Laura and Donovan howled and shrieked.
That was the last time they ever saw Setsuna and her son together.
~Chapter Three-A Not-So-Blessed Event~
Months later, on a warm spring night, Serena awoke suddenly and felt her abdomen.
"Darien!" She whispered, shaking him fiercely. "Muffin, it's time to go!"
No sooner had the words been said than Darien bolted awake; he rushed effortlessly around the room, grabbing Serena's things as she dressed.
"Are you ready to have a Meatball Head junior?" He teased sleepily. Serena nodded.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"Let's go."
* * * * *
"You're lucky this kid isn't yours!" Screamed Serena, tightening her grip on Darien's collar. "If you had done this to me, I'd kill you!"
Darien winced, but continued to coach Serena. Sweat poured down from her forehead; she pushed again, then fell back on the pillow.
"One more! You can do it!" The doctor urged. Serena, crying from pain and fatigue, gave one final, hard push. A baby screamed just as loud as she had, flailing its tiny arms. Darien peered at it and grinned.
"We have a daughter, Serena!" He announced, squeezing her hand. Serena half- smiled and laid back in her bed. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Nothing evil about that," she whispered before she fell asleep.
* * * * *
"Would you like to hold your son?" The nurse asked softly. Setsuna looked up and, barely noticeable by the nurse, she shuddered.
"No, thank you." Setsuna answered, turning her head away.
"I understand," the nurse nodded. "You must still be tired."
"It's not that-" Setsuna began. She cut herself off when she remembered what the others had told her. Every mother held her new baby once it was born. Those who didn't love and care for their children got them taken away. Setsuna took a deep breath and held out her arms. "I'll hold him."
The second the nurse left, Setsuna stared at her son with disdain and utter hate. In all the years she'd been the Keeper of Time, never had she wished more for death upon anyone or anything. That's what put the most fear in her heart: wishing that the seemingly-harmless child she'd just brought into the world would die, and not fulfil the prophecy in her vision.
The boy, who had momentarily opened his blue eyes, seemed to sense the coldness, hatred, and fear from his mother. He gave her a sad look, then closed his eyes and fell asleep again.
* * * * *
"Crysta's got my crystal blue eyes." Serena observed aloud, beaming with pride.
"Erin's got lovely blue eyes as well," Amy informed them absently. She was too busy holding her own child to give it a second thought. They all were.
Darien, Chad, and Ken were in the hospital cafeteria. Serena, with daughter, Crysta; Amy, with daughter, Erin; Raye, with son, Dominique; Lita, with daughter, Laura, and Mina, with son, Adam, were all sitting in Serena's room, holding their children and talking.
"Laura's going to be strong like her mama." Lita sat up straighter and laughed.
"I still can't believe I'm a mother," Raye remarked, gazing lovingly at her son.
"I hear ya, Raye." Mina carefully shifted Adam in her arms. "My days will be complete now."
A knock came at the door and all five women looked up. A nurse was pushing another wheelchair into the already packed room. In it was Setsuna, holding, as if for show, her son. "What's his name?" Asked Mina. Setsuna only stared at the wall, her face expressionless.
"Are you okay, Setsuna?" Lita put a hand on her friend's shoulder, frowning. That seemed to bring her back; she blinked and swallowed.
"I'm fine." Setsuna assured them. She cleared her throat softly. "His name is Donovan." But sharing this didn't cause her to break a smile, or change her mood in any way.
"He's beautiful," Raye complimented. "And he's healthy, I'm assuming."
"Yes, a beautiful, healthy baby boy." Repeated Setsuna, looking at the sleeping horror in her arms.
"Well," started Serena, wetting her lips, "when the babies are a little bit older, we're going to have another party. Will you come? Raye said would cold have it at her temple, which isn't far. And you should stay here for awhile anyway. For yourself and for Donovan." Serena smiled hopefully.
"No." Setsuna shook her head. "As soon as my body adjusts, I shall bring this…..Donovan back to Crystal Tokyo with me. The King and Queen will help me raise him." Any grins or happy gazes suddenly faded. Laura stirred slightly, but no one, not even Lita, noticed.
"You can't leave!" Serena shouted.
"I am obligated to guard the Gate of Time-not some child that came into my life!" Setsuna snapped. Donovan's eyes fluttered uneasily, but his mother wouldn't have noticed if she were looking right at him.
"Then why did you have your son in the first place?" Argued Amy.
"Like I said before, my visions were unclear. I would be forever in guilt had I terminated an innocent child." She took a deep, troubled breath. "Only now I know better." Setsuna faced Serena. "Would you please ring for the nurse? I'm very tired." Serena gave Setsuna a disappointed look, but buzzed for the nurse, despite her urge to try and convince her friend to stay. The nurse came and stood in the doorway expectantly. "May I please go back to my room?" Setsuna requested. The nurse nodded and pulled her wheelchair slowly out of the room, as the other five women watched sadly. Instantly in unison, Laura and Donovan howled and shrieked.
That was the last time they ever saw Setsuna and her son together.
Months later, on a warm spring night, Serena awoke suddenly and felt her abdomen.
"Darien!" She whispered, shaking him fiercely. "Muffin, it's time to go!"
No sooner had the words been said than Darien bolted awake; he rushed effortlessly around the room, grabbing Serena's things as she dressed.
"Are you ready to have a Meatball Head junior?" He teased sleepily. Serena nodded.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"Let's go."
* * * * *
"You're lucky this kid isn't yours!" Screamed Serena, tightening her grip on Darien's collar. "If you had done this to me, I'd kill you!"
Darien winced, but continued to coach Serena. Sweat poured down from her forehead; she pushed again, then fell back on the pillow.
"One more! You can do it!" The doctor urged. Serena, crying from pain and fatigue, gave one final, hard push. A baby screamed just as loud as she had, flailing its tiny arms. Darien peered at it and grinned.
"We have a daughter, Serena!" He announced, squeezing her hand. Serena half- smiled and laid back in her bed. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Nothing evil about that," she whispered before she fell asleep.
* * * * *
"Would you like to hold your son?" The nurse asked softly. Setsuna looked up and, barely noticeable by the nurse, she shuddered.
"No, thank you." Setsuna answered, turning her head away.
"I understand," the nurse nodded. "You must still be tired."
"It's not that-" Setsuna began. She cut herself off when she remembered what the others had told her. Every mother held her new baby once it was born. Those who didn't love and care for their children got them taken away. Setsuna took a deep breath and held out her arms. "I'll hold him."
The second the nurse left, Setsuna stared at her son with disdain and utter hate. In all the years she'd been the Keeper of Time, never had she wished more for death upon anyone or anything. That's what put the most fear in her heart: wishing that the seemingly-harmless child she'd just brought into the world would die, and not fulfil the prophecy in her vision.
The boy, who had momentarily opened his blue eyes, seemed to sense the coldness, hatred, and fear from his mother. He gave her a sad look, then closed his eyes and fell asleep again.
* * * * *
"Crysta's got my crystal blue eyes." Serena observed aloud, beaming with pride.
"Erin's got lovely blue eyes as well," Amy informed them absently. She was too busy holding her own child to give it a second thought. They all were.
Darien, Chad, and Ken were in the hospital cafeteria. Serena, with daughter, Crysta; Amy, with daughter, Erin; Raye, with son, Dominique; Lita, with daughter, Laura, and Mina, with son, Adam, were all sitting in Serena's room, holding their children and talking.
"Laura's going to be strong like her mama." Lita sat up straighter and laughed.
"I still can't believe I'm a mother," Raye remarked, gazing lovingly at her son.
"I hear ya, Raye." Mina carefully shifted Adam in her arms. "My days will be complete now."
A knock came at the door and all five women looked up. A nurse was pushing another wheelchair into the already packed room. In it was Setsuna, holding, as if for show, her son. "What's his name?" Asked Mina. Setsuna only stared at the wall, her face expressionless.
"Are you okay, Setsuna?" Lita put a hand on her friend's shoulder, frowning. That seemed to bring her back; she blinked and swallowed.
"I'm fine." Setsuna assured them. She cleared her throat softly. "His name is Donovan." But sharing this didn't cause her to break a smile, or change her mood in any way.
"He's beautiful," Raye complimented. "And he's healthy, I'm assuming."
"Yes, a beautiful, healthy baby boy." Repeated Setsuna, looking at the sleeping horror in her arms.
"Well," started Serena, wetting her lips, "when the babies are a little bit older, we're going to have another party. Will you come? Raye said would cold have it at her temple, which isn't far. And you should stay here for awhile anyway. For yourself and for Donovan." Serena smiled hopefully.
"No." Setsuna shook her head. "As soon as my body adjusts, I shall bring this…..Donovan back to Crystal Tokyo with me. The King and Queen will help me raise him." Any grins or happy gazes suddenly faded. Laura stirred slightly, but no one, not even Lita, noticed.
"You can't leave!" Serena shouted.
"I am obligated to guard the Gate of Time-not some child that came into my life!" Setsuna snapped. Donovan's eyes fluttered uneasily, but his mother wouldn't have noticed if she were looking right at him.
"Then why did you have your son in the first place?" Argued Amy.
"Like I said before, my visions were unclear. I would be forever in guilt had I terminated an innocent child." She took a deep, troubled breath. "Only now I know better." Setsuna faced Serena. "Would you please ring for the nurse? I'm very tired." Serena gave Setsuna a disappointed look, but buzzed for the nurse, despite her urge to try and convince her friend to stay. The nurse came and stood in the doorway expectantly. "May I please go back to my room?" Setsuna requested. The nurse nodded and pulled her wheelchair slowly out of the room, as the other five women watched sadly. Instantly in unison, Laura and Donovan howled and shrieked.
That was the last time they ever saw Setsuna and her son together.
~Chapter Three-A Not-So-Blessed Event~
Months later, on a warm spring night, Serena awoke suddenly and felt her abdomen.
"Darien!" She whispered, shaking him fiercely. "Muffin, it's time to go!"
No sooner had the words been said than Darien bolted awake; he rushed effortlessly around the room, grabbing Serena's things as she dressed.
"Are you ready to have a Meatball Head junior?" He teased sleepily. Serena nodded.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"Let's go."
* * * * *
"You're lucky this kid isn't yours!" Screamed Serena, tightening her grip on Darien's collar. "If you had done this to me, I'd kill you!"
Darien winced, but continued to coach Serena. Sweat poured down from her forehead; she pushed again, then fell back on the pillow.
"One more! You can do it!" The doctor urged. Serena, crying from pain and fatigue, gave one final, hard push. A baby screamed just as loud as she had, flailing its tiny arms. Darien peered at it and grinned.
"We have a daughter, Serena!" He announced, squeezing her hand. Serena half- smiled and laid back in her bed. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Nothing evil about that," she whispered before she fell asleep.
* * * * *
"Would you like to hold your son?" The nurse asked softly. Setsuna looked up and, barely noticeable by the nurse, she shuddered.
"No, thank you." Setsuna answered, turning her head away.
"I understand," the nurse nodded. "You must still be tired."
"It's not that-" Setsuna began. She cut herself off when she remembered what the others had told her. Every mother held her new baby once it was born. Those who didn't love and care for their children got them taken away. Setsuna took a deep breath and held out her arms. "I'll hold him."
The second the nurse left, Setsuna stared at her son with disdain and utter hate. In all the years she'd been the Keeper of Time, never had she wished more for death upon anyone or anything. That's what put the most fear in her heart: wishing that the seemingly-harmless child she'd just brought into the world would die, and not fulfil the prophecy in her vision.
The boy, who had momentarily opened his blue eyes, seemed to sense the coldness, hatred, and fear from his mother. He gave her a sad look, then closed his eyes and fell asleep again.
* * * * *
"Crysta's got my crystal blue eyes." Serena observed aloud, beaming with pride.
"Erin's got lovely blue eyes as well," Amy informed them absently. She was too busy holding her own child to give it a second thought. They all were.
Darien, Chad, and Ken were in the hospital cafeteria. Serena, with daughter, Crysta; Amy, with daughter, Erin; Raye, with son, Dominique; Lita, with daughter, Laura, and Mina, with son, Adam, were all sitting in Serena's room, holding their children and talking.
"Laura's going to be strong like her mama." Lita sat up straighter and laughed.
"I still can't believe I'm a mother," Raye remarked, gazing lovingly at her son.
"I hear ya, Raye." Mina carefully shifted Adam in her arms. "My days will be complete now."
A knock came at the door and all five women looked up. A nurse was pushing another wheelchair into the already packed room. In it was Setsuna, holding, as if for show, her son. "What's his name?" Asked Mina. Setsuna only stared at the wall, her face expressionless.
"Are you okay, Setsuna?" Lita put a hand on her friend's shoulder, frowning. That seemed to bring her back; she blinked and swallowed.
"I'm fine." Setsuna assured them. She cleared her throat softly. "His name is Donovan." But sharing this didn't cause her to break a smile, or change her mood in any way.
"He's beautiful," Raye complimented. "And he's healthy, I'm assuming."
"Yes, a beautiful, healthy baby boy." Repeated Setsuna, looking at the sleeping horror in her arms.
"Well," started Serena, wetting her lips, "when the babies are a little bit older, we're going to have another party. Will you come? Raye said would cold have it at her temple, which isn't far. And you should stay here for awhile anyway. For yourself and for Donovan." Serena smiled hopefully.
"No." Setsuna shook her head. "As soon as my body adjusts, I shall bring this…..Donovan back to Crystal Tokyo with me. The King and Queen will help me raise him." Any grins or happy gazes suddenly faded. Laura stirred slightly, but no one, not even Lita, noticed.
"You can't leave!" Serena shouted.
"I am obligated to guard the Gate of Time-not some child that came into my life!" Setsuna snapped. Donovan's eyes fluttered uneasily, but his mother wouldn't have noticed if she were looking right at him.
"Then why did you have your son in the first place?" Argued Amy.
"Like I said before, my visions were unclear. I would be forever in guilt had I terminated an innocent child." She took a deep, troubled breath. "Only now I know better." Setsuna faced Serena. "Would you please ring for the nurse? I'm very tired." Serena gave Setsuna a disappointed look, but buzzed for the nurse, despite her urge to try and convince her friend to stay. The nurse came and stood in the doorway expectantly. "May I please go back to my room?" Setsuna requested. The nurse nodded and pulled her wheelchair slowly out of the room, as the other five women watched sadly. Instantly in unison, Laura and Donovan howled and shrieked.
That was the last time they ever saw Setsuna and her son together.