Chapter 9

Monitors continuously beeped and multiple urgent conversations were going on between staff members at the hospital.

"Who found her?" a doctor called out as they moved a bloodied female from a stretcher to one of the hospital beds in the emergency department.

"A local who was driving down the road going home from work. They saw her car crashed into the rocks on the shoreline," an EMT said.

"1, 2, 3," nurses counted as they moved her broken body onto the hospital bed.

Her face was bruised and bloody and her pregnant belly had multiple dark areas with dried blood. There were chunks of glass caught in her tangled pink hair and her clothes were torn in multiple places.

"Poor thing," one of the nurses mumbled as she tried to start an additional IV.

"Do we have heart tones on the baby?" the doctor called out and one of the nurses quickly was applying monitors to her abdomen.

"I'm trying," she replied and moved the monitors around on the bruised abdomen in an attempt to catch the heartbeat.

"Do we have an ID?" a police officer called from the doorway.

"Not right now," one of the nurses replied.

The officer sighed in response. His partner was back at the wrecked vehicle and a team was searching it to gain further information. He shook his head and turned away from the unsettling scene unfolding.

A female doctor entered the room with the obstetrics team and frowned at the patient in front of her. She quickly examined the girl and noted the blood that was starting to form between her legs and her tense pregnant abdomen.

"Heart tones?" she questioned seriously.

"60s."

She frowned deeply, "We need to go to the operating room so we can try to save her and this baby."

The staff all turned toward her with worried expressions. The two physicians began delegating tasks and moving as quickly as they could. There were two lives at stake.

…..

Cheridum was severely damaged and barely made it back to the Ptolemy. Lyle groaned as the cockpit door attempted to open, but was jammed shut from damage done to the outside.

"Sorry Lockon, sorry Lockon," Haro spoke sadly and then added, "Request assistance, request assistance!"

Outside of Cheridum a harem of Haros flew at the green machine and started to work on the cockpit door in an attempt to free the exhausted pilot.

"Lockon?" Allelujah called from outside, "Are you ok in there?"

"Yeah, great," he replied sarcastically and threw his helmet on the floor at his feet.

Outside of Cheridum Allelujah watched the little machines working quickly to open the door and Tieria approached him from behind. The purple haired meister wore a serious expression and nodded his head silently for the super soldier to follow him. Allelujah frowned and followed after him wordlessly.

"Mileina messaged me before I returned with Seravee," Tieria said slowly.

The two moved through the ship to the bridge. Allelujah was starting to feel a knot in his stomach, wondering what Tieria was going to tell him. The bridge was empty except for Marie who smiled at Allelujah when he and Tieria entered.

"Where is Mileina?" Tieria asked seriously.

"She and Miss Sumeragi left together a little bit ago, not sure where they went though," Marie replied.

Tieria grunted in mild irritation and turned around to leave the room in search of the two women. Allelujah watched him briskly walk out and glanced back over at Marie who had a slightly confused expression on her face.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Allelujah shrugged, "I have no idea what's gotten into him, but he wants me to follow him."

Marie nodded, "I'll see you later."

Allelujah smiled at her and turned to catch back up with Tieria. They moved swiftly down the hallway together and arrived at Miss Sumeragi's door.

Tieria knocked without hesitation and spoke briskly, "Let us in."

The door opened and the two meisters walked in to see Sumeragi and Mileina who were huddled over a computer with concerned expressions.

"What the hell is going on?" Tieria snapped.

Allelujah leaned his head to the side and caught a glimpse of a headline on the website they were browsing. His breath hitched in his throat and his eyebrows shot up.

"What's going on?" he asked in a quiet, but serious voice as he repeated Tieria's question.

Sumeragi swallowed uncomfortably and spoke, "One of the Irish news stations released a story about an unnamed pregnant woman being found in a wrecked car on the side of the road. She's in the hospital in critical condition."

Tieria and Allelujah both audibly inhaled. The purple haired meister moved forward quickly in between the two women and started looking intently at the news article that had blurred photos of the accident scene.

"Does Lockon know about this?" Allelujah asked.

Sumeragi shook her head and Mileina frowned with an incredibly worried expression.

"Do we have a positive identification on the victim?" Tieria asked cooly.

"No, but how many pregnant pink haired women do you think there are?" Sumeragi asked bluntly as she enlarged a photo on the screen.

The two men leaned forward and Tieria furrowed his brow as it was a distant shot with emergency crews wheeling a stretcher with the crash victim. His crimson eyes were immediately drawn to the pink spot that was the unidentified person's head. He let out a sigh and his gut clenched.

"Mileina, are you able to zoom in at all?" Allelujah asked.

"I can try," she said with a quiver in her voice.

Tieria placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder as she worked and Sumeragi gave the pair a soft smile. The picture gradually became blurry as she zoomed in and she worked to clear up the image. Even with enhancing the photo, all they could see was pink hair, but no definitive identification. The door to the room suddenly swung open and all four individuals turned to look.

"You guys just left me high and dry didn't you? How about an apology…" Lyle started off and then his voice trailed off as his eyes landed on the computer screen.

Mileina squeaked in surprise and tried to close the photos, but Tieria put his hand on hers and shook his head.

"No use hiding it," he told her and then his gaze went to Lyle who took a slow step forward.

"Who is that?" he questioned with narrowing blue eyes as he got closer.

Allelujah put a hand on his shoulder and Lyle swatted him away with a growl.

"Someone answer me," he bit out as he looked at the photo of a woman on a stretcher with a blob of pink hair.

"We aren't sure," Sumeragi stated, "There was a report about an accident and it's concerning."

"Concerning?" Lyle ground out, "Where was this?"

"Ireland," Tieria snapped, "A pregnant woman was found in a wrecked car on the side of the road. She hasn't been identified and is in critical condition in the hospital."

"Jesus," Lyle sputtered, "Show me the photos, all of them."

Mileina nodded uncomfortably and started going through the pictures. Some showed the emergency vehicles, workers, rescue team, medics, ambulances and car that was crushed next to the rocky shoreline.

"Stop," Lyle demanded.

Mileina paused and leaned back in her chair as Lyle got closer to the screen with a frown. He stared at a photo of the totaled car that was in shambles on the shoreline. The entire front was crushed and airbags were hanging limply. She swallowed dryly as she saw smudges of red in the car and on the deployed airbags which was likely blood.

"It's her."

"How do you know?" Sumeragi asked seriously as Lyle was already turning to leave the room.

"I need the shuttle, Cheridum can't travel right now, it's too damaged," he said as he was leaving the room.

"Lockon, wait!" Sumeragi cried out, "How do you know?"

Lyle paused halfway out in the hall and glanced over his shoulder, "That's her car. I recognize it."

Sumeragi shuddered knowing that the poor woman was indeed Feldt and the door closed as Lyle quickly left them.

"The shuttle isn't very fast," Tieria said to Allelujah.

"No, it's not, but Arios is," Allelujah returned and was gone before the others could blink.

….

The operating room was cold and the surgeons worked diligently on the woman beneath them. She was intubated and her abdomen was cut open at that moment with bright lights shining down on her.

"She's bleeding a little more than I would like," one surgeon spoke and the other nodded in agreement.

"Can we get some blood on standby?" one of the nurses asked and an assistant ran out of the room to gather in from the blood bank.

"Scalpel."

The nurses watched with serious expressions as the uterus was cut open and the doctors worked to get the baby out. They pulled a newborn out and there was no cry.

"Clamp the cord and cut," one of the doctors said and they handed off the newborn to the neonatal team.

The nurse doing the charting at her workstation called out, "What is the baby?"

The surgeons continued working and one replied, "It's a baby girl."

….

"Lockon, hold up!"

The Irishman paused and turned to see Allelujah jogging toward him.

"Let me take you in Arios, it's much faster."

"You don't have to do that," Lyle replied and continued walking.

"Look, Feldt is my friend too, I want to take you to her. It's important we know she's ok and that someone is there for her. I know you'd do the same for me if it was Marie," Allelujah said.

Lyle sighed, knowing that he was right, "All right, let's go"

Allelujah nodded and the pair quickly made their way to the orange Gundam which was having maintenance performed on it by a variety of Haros.

"Hold off guys, we're headed out," Allelujah said and the little robots chirped and flew in a variety of directions.

Back on the bridge Sumeragi, Tieria and Mileina arrived and Mileina went to work readying the systems to launch Arios. Sumeragi quickly told Marie what was happening and tears formed in her eyes hearing about the young girl. She remembered all of the fun times they had shared and the two had grown close. Marie couldn't believe that her dear friend could be dying in a hospital bed at that moment. Her heart clenched in sadness and she squeezed her hand over her chest.

"Be safe Allelujah," she spoke softly as Mileina called out that Arios was ready for launch.

….

"I love you so much," Lyle whispered.

Feldt's heart jumped in her chest and her eyes went to her lap. She gasped at her clearly non-pregnant belly. She was sitting in her comfy reading chair and the man in question was kneeling in front of her with a warm expression on his face. His chocolate hair fell down around his beautiful blue eyes and a blush spread across the girl's cheeks.

"I love you too," she replied in a quiet voice.

The man in front of her meant everything. She had loved Neil, but his brother had become her one true love. He was everything she could have ever wanted. He was kind, intelligent, protective of her and adored her. Her blush darkened and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She wanted to be with him forever. It didn't matter that he was several years older than her. They were right for each other and she desired him in a way she had never desired another man.

"Come here," he said as he reached out to her.

She leaned forward in her chair and their faces got incredibly close. She could feel his warm breath on her lips and their eyes gazed deeply into each other's.

"Will you marry me?"

Feldt gasped and her breath caught in her throat. Lyle's blue eyes were unwavering and the house around them was silent. She swallowed dryly and her heart pounded excitedly. She could think of no one else she'd rather spend the rest of her life with.

She leaned forward further, closing her eyes and their lips met. A jolt went through Feldt's system as they touched and her brow furrowed. Why did his lips feel so cold? So… plastic? Her turquoise eyes shot open at the strange feeling and she sucked in her breath, but found herself choking. She was in a foreign room that was not her comfortable living room in her small house. Instead, a sterile room with white walls loomed around her. She couldn't breathe and she started to panic. Feldt tried to speak, but she felt something down her throat and her fear increased. She started thrashing around in the bed she was in and her eyebrows shot up as she felt restraints around her wrists and ankles. Her lower abdomen hurt and she winced at the pain that shot through her abdomen into her pelvis. She tried to cry out, but her voice came out in a rasp and she was unable to speak. Tears formed at the corner of her eyes as she felt completely helpless.

"Feldt!"

Her body tensed and then immediately relaxed at the sound of a familiar voice. She felt a warm hand grasp her own and she went still.

"Easy there, you're waking up, I'll get your nurse."

Feldt continued to struggle to breath and she attempted to take deep breaths without success. A woman in a hospital uniform came in and smiled at her.

"Oh my, you're finally waking up, let me get the doctor," she said in a hopeful voice.

Blue eyes stared down at her and she squeezed the warm hand that was on her own.

"Hang on Feldt."

Tears started to fall down her cheeks as her throat burned and her lips were wrapped around a plastic tube that was taped to her face. A few minutes passed and then several staff members entered the room and started examining her with stern expressions. A man she assumed was the doctor smiled at her and started to peel the tape off of her cheeks.

"Give me a cough," he said gently to her.

The pink haired girl did as she was requested and gasped as the tube was removed from her throat. She began coughing uncontrollably and the nurse wiped the spit from the corner of her mouth with a washcloth.

"Easy Feldt, I'm right here."

Her body instantly relaxed at the voice next to her and she squeezed the hand holding hers tightly.

"Lyle," she rasped out, her eyes going to his.

"God I've missed you and I'm so glad you're okay," he told her earnestly.

Feldt's hands went to her abdomen that was aching and her pink eyebrows shot up as she realized it was flat. Her eyes widened and she pulled against her restraints.

"Where's the baby?" she gasped in a hoarse voice.

"She's fine Feldt," Lyle said softly and grabbed her other hand.

"She?"

"Yes," he replied.

Tears formed in Feldt's eyes and ran freely down her cheeks as she realized she had given birth to a baby girl and she was alive.

"She's perfect," Lyle whispered and kissed her cheek between the wet tears.

"Where is she?"

"The nursery, she's doing great," he told her.

Feldt looked at the man next to her. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked weary. He also had bruises along his arms that she noticed and wondered if it was from a recent battle. He suddenly looked hesitant and his eyes went to the far wall.

"Feldt…" he started to ask and then trailed off.

"She's yours."

Lyle's blue eyes widened and relief flooded his system. Suddenly he released a breath he didn't know that he was holding. The woman he loved with all his heart had borne his first child. He looked down on her. Her skin was pale and she had dark marks under her eyes. He didn't care about any of these things and he thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He leaned down and kissed her forehead slowly.

"I love you," he said quietly in her ear.

"I've missed you," she replied and then added, "I thought you'd left me."

He smiled at her coyly, "You couldn't get rid of me that easily if you tried."

….

"What's her name?" Allelujah asked as he watched Lyle rock a tiny infant in his arms.

"I don't know."

Allelujah's eyebrows rose and he blinked at the man in front of him in confusion.

"We haven't named her yet. I wanted to talk about it with Feldt, not pick something while she was unconscious," he elaborated as the baby in his arms let out a hiccup.

Allelujah smiled and watched the pair. It was definitely something he never thought he would see.

"She's doing better?"

"Much, they're transferring her out of the intensive care unit today," Lyle replied.

The female infant let out a small growl and then began to cry. The Irishman's eyes widened and he began trying to soothe her by rocking her slowly. He kissed the top of her head lightly and smiled at the light brown hair on top of her head.

"So she got your hair clearly," Allelujah laughed as the baby stopped crying and stared up at her father in wonder.

"Looks like it," Lyle replied, his blue eyes staring down at hers.

At that moment Allelujah thought back to the conversation he had previously had with Marie. As he watched Lyle and his new baby girl he thought it might not be so bad to have a family of his own some day.

"Can I hold her?"

The room around Feldt was quiet and she was so happy to be at home. Her bed was soft and it was amazing to be in silence rather than monitors beeping incessantly around her. Lyle stood next to her bed holding her daughter… their daughter that they had named Erin.

Feldt sat up slowly and held her arms out suddenly then let out a gasp as a sudden pain shot through her abdomen. She placed one hand over her lower belly and frowned.

"Take it easy," Lyle said softly and sat down on the bed next to her, "You're still trying to recover."

"Easy for you to say," she pouted and her seafoam eyes shot down in disappointment.

Lyle reached out and ran his fingers through her messy pink hair, "Yes, it is, but you need to let yourself rest. I'm here and I'm not going to leave you again."

Feldt let out a sigh and leaned back against the pillows behind her. She looked up at her ceiling and inhaled deeply as the curtains in her room fluttered from the outside breeze. Salty air flowed in and and she could hear the birds chirping outside.

"Do you want some tea?" Lyle asked her as Erin let out a coo in his arms.

"I'd like that," she smiled tiredly.

He held the infant out to her and she took the girl gingerly in her own arms. Her eyes misty as she threatened to begin crying.

"Feldt?" Lyle asked with concern as her bottom lip quivered.

"I'm fine," she said quickly and smiled, "I'm just happy."

A slow smile made its way over Lyle's lips and he leaned forward to kiss her forehead softly. Erin again let out a coo beneath them and both of them stared down at her in wonder.

"She's perfect," Feldt said, her eyes watering.

"Yes, you both are," Lyle said and kissed her again.

Feldt blushed at his remark and rubbed her thumb over top of Erin's head that had light brown fuzzy hair. She couldn't believe that she had created this little person and was in awe. Her eyes glanced up to see Lyle watching her with questioning blue eyes from his seat next to her.

"Where are the others?"

"Space of course," Lyle shrugged nonchalantly.

"You never really told me what happened while I was unconscious. I just remember waking up in the hospital and you were with me. Now we are home and I have quite a few questions…" she trailed off.

Lyle let out a sigh, "Let me make that tea and we can talk about it."

Feldt smiled as he got up and left the room. He looked more relaxed than she had seen him in ages. He was in jeans and a white t-shirt with his hair slightly mussed. She heard him rummaging around in the kitchen and her eyes returned to the baby in her arms.

"You're a lucky little girl to have a dad like him," she whispered.

She thought back to her own parents and tears came to her eyes as she remembered all the struggles she had endured with them being gone. She wanted to be there for her own child until she died of old age, not in some accident from fighting for an organization. She didn't want Erin to end up with a childhood that was like hers. She wanted her to go to school, have friends and have normal hobbies like a young girl should. She wanted to see her grow up into a fine young woman, get married and have children of her own. The little girl stared up at her mother with clear green eyes and blinked innocently. Feldt glanced up as Lyle returned bringing two tea cups with steam rising off of them. She took her cup gratefully with one hand while still cradling the infant in her other arm.

"It's done," Lyle told her as he sat back down next to her and sipped his tea.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm no longer a part of Celestial Being. I officially resigned and am a regular citizen," he told her.

She let out a sarcastic laugh, "Regular citizen?"

"You know what I mean," he returned with a small scowl.

"When did you tell them?" Feldt asked as she took another sip of her tea.

"When I was holding our newborn daughter next to you as you were on a ventilator in the ICU," Lyle said seriously with a hardened expression.

Feldt sucked in her breath and he continued, "I didn't know if you were going to wake up. I told Allelujah there was no way I was going back. I knew what was most important. I knew all along and I should have never gone back and left you here the first time."

"Have you talked to anyone?"

"Nope, I think they're giving us our space, plus they need to keep their distance for our safety. If enemies knew, they could use us as leverage in an attack to threaten Celestial Being."

Feldt nodded, he was right. She felt sad knowing that Marie and the others wouldn't get to meet Erin anytime soon.

"So what now?" she asked after several silent moments went by.

Lyle shrugged, "You work from home like you have been, we raise our beautiful daughter and I find a job for myself."

"I could put something together for you so you can apply for a job you find interesting," Feldt told him.

Lyle let out a laugh, "I doubt I'll find anything interesting considering what my previous occupation was."

Feldt smiled, "I thought the same thing, but I love my job and going to teach the college kids every now and then. You just need to find something respectable, like a police officer."

Lyle choked on his tea, "Police officer?! You want me to go from international terrorist organization member to an upholder of the law? That's a pretty hypocritical move."

"Well… what do you like?"

"Alcohol and a good time," he replied.

"Lyle!" Feldt exclaimed and Erin stirred in her arms at the outburst.

"Look, let me think about it," he shrugged, "Right now I just want to take care of my two best girls."

Feldt rolled her eyes and smiled. She couldn't wait to start the rest of her life with the two more important people to her in the country she had fallen in love with. It was truly her happy ending and she looked forward to every moment yet to come with the man she loved and their daughter.