Summary: Annie sinks deeper and deeper into depression as her family looks on
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None: The twins turned out to be a boy and a girl, the boy died. AU
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the 7th Heaven characters, nor do I want them, don't sue
Author's Notes: Wow. Another chapter. I'm really getting into this. I hope I'm not moving things along too fast. Thanks a lot for all the wonderful reviews, you all are great. Please keep continuing to do so, it does me good.
When Heaven Weeps: Part Five
Moonbeams flitted across the wooden floor, dancing and flying around the room. Two forms slept, their breathing the only sound echoing throughout. Soft whimpers begin to erupt from the little figure that wriggled around in the cradle at their feet.
"Annie, wake up."
Eric gently rubbed his wife's shoulder, attempting to slowly wake her to feed the baby.
"I'm tired."
Eric sighed and rubbed a bit harder,
"Annie, it's your turn, I've had her every night this past week, I need some sleep."
Annie rolled over heavily and spewed out in a short, sarcastic tone,
"And I'm the one who went through a ten hour labor of hell, have scars to prove it, and, need I go on?"
Eric bit his lip and closed his eyes momentarily as his wife turned back over, her deep breathing already beginning. The soft whimpers coming from Elizabeth were rising in sound. Eric painfully slid off the covers and padded over to the crying baby, picking her up and caressing her back.
"There, there, are we hungry?"
Eric quickly moved out of the room and down the stairs, not wanting to wake up another family member, one was obviously one too many.
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Bacon sizzled as Eric flipped over the meat expertly, Ruthie sat across from him, seated on a stool and having him drill her on her math problems.
"90"
Eric nodded at her correct answer and shifted the greasy mess onto a plate, blotting the fat with a paper towel. Quite proud of himself with finally making a decent breakfast, he carried the plates to the table, where little children sat hungry-eyed.
"Mary, I need you to drive Simon and Ruthie to their dentist appointment after school, I have to be at the church for a meeting with the elders and deacons, and your mom isn't up to it."
Mary scoffed and bit out of an apple, chewing as she spoke,
"Why can't Matt do it?"
Eric rolled his eyes and stuck the now warm bottle into Elizabeth's mouth, she sucked willingly,
"Does it look like he lives here to you?"
Mary swallowed and shrugged,
"Could've fooled me with all the eating, showering, and doing laundry he does."
Eric shook his head and ignored Mary's true comment,
"Get a move on, you'll be late. Lunches are on the counter, age order. Now go!"
Chairs were pushed back, backpacks loaded onto shoulders, lunches grabbed, last minute run-in's for misplaced books, and finally the back door shut for the last time. Eric glanced down at his daughter, still silently sipping on her bottle, he smiled wearily and stuffed a piece of toast in his mouth, most likely the only food he was going to get before dinner. Which he guessed he would have to make as well.
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Annie watched through the half open curtains as her children pulled away from the driveway, heading off to school. She sighed as she wrapped her arms around herself, still clothed in bedclothes and robe. She sat down at her desk, picking the brush up slowly and gingerly pulling it through her tangled hair. She stared into the eyes that shone back at her.
Weary. Worn. Droopy. Cloudy. Cold.
Her heart pounded as she leant in closer, examining her pained face, the expression that was placed, left her surprised. She quickly shook her head, abandoning such thoughts. She was fine. Just a bit tired. She had just had a baby. Two even. Tears sprung to her eyes as she remembered holding little Evan in her arms, his tiny face clenched and wrinkled, still warm in her grasp.
Annie glanced down at her risen arms, as if they were cradling a real baby
"Annie."
She blinked and slowly turned towards the voice,
"What now?"
Eric walked into the room, placing Elizabeth onto the queen sized bed and stripping off her soiled clothes,
"I'm going to change Elizabeth, there's 2 bottles in the fridge, diapers are in the wicker basket on the dryer, there's more in our bathroom, clothes in the third drawer of the dresser over there."
He motioned with his hand and set about cleaning up Elizabeth. Annie just stared. Her voice cracking as if she hadn't spoken in several years.
"Why are you telling me this?"
The emphasized 'me' was evident and Eric winced slightly as he finished snapping the buttons on the child laying before him.
"I have to go the church, there is work for me there."
He spoke clearly and slowly, as if he was talking to a small child. Annie rolled her eyes and set her mouth into a pout,
"Eric, I can't do it all by myself."
Eric gently picked Elizabeth and walked over to his wife, the mother of this child in his arms,
"You'll be fine, you've done this before, remember?"
Annie shook her head and crossed her arms, forbidding the child to be given to her. Eric sighed and was growing increasingly annoyed with Annie, she had a job to do.
"Annie, you can't do this, I have the church, everything will go fine, call me if you need me."
Eric tried once again to give up Elizabeth, but Annie was dead set in her wants. She narrowed her eyes and leaned towards Eric, spitting out,
"I. Don't. Want. To."
Quickly, she breezed out of the room, gone. Eric closed his eyes, lost. He opened them, grabbed the full diaper bag off the bed, reached for his briefcase, and followed Annie's suit. What was he going to do? He was so in over his head.
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Eric leaned back in his chair, watching Lou and the others file out of the room, the meetings over. He heaved a sigh and looked down at Elizabeth sleeping contently in her carrier. The men had looked surprised when they had first met, seeing Eric holding his daughter and feeding her a bottle. It seemed a bit out of place.
But Elizabeth slept through the whole meeting, Eric was thankful for that. The few curious glances from the others didn't help Eric's mind ease any, but what could he do? Nothing, but bring her to work with him. He was tired, so tired. He leaned back even more, attempting to get comfortable, letting the much needed sleep rest over his body.
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Dinner had gone fairly well. The children had made the entire meal, much to Eric's relief, Elizabeth had been screaming the entire evening. He walked her, changed her, fed her, bathed her, jostled her, but nothing worked. He was almost positive she had colic.
Eric dropped his head and looked into the now sleeping face of his daughter. He sighed with utmost relief, he began to slowly sit down, but she stirred a bit and he quickly rose back up. He leaned against the wall for support, afraid he would fall over and drop dead right there.
"Thank goodness she finally stopped, I was beginning to think I wouldn't get any sleep tonight."
Eric shifted his gaze to his wife standing in the hall, hands on her hips, her expression carried a look of annoyance, Eric thought to himself,
'And where were you this whole time?"
But he bit his lip and regained his wits as best he could.
"I really need some sleep, Annie, I can't go on with only a couple of hours. It's just not possible, or healthy."
Annie shrugged and walked off, her voice trailing behind her,
"What do you want me to do about it?"
"Be her mother!"
This was not happening. It couldn't be. Not now. Not to her. Not to Annie. It hadn't happened with any of the other kids. Why now? Because of Evan? Losing the gift of bearing children ever again?
The thoughts raced tirelessly throughout Eric's mind, never ceasing. He had to do something. Before it killed him, or his daughter.
To be continued......................................................................
