*Note- I am so sorry if any of you have been mad at me for updating this so
late. It's just, this is a very critical part in Phuture, and it was
important for me to know which way I wanted the story to turn. At this
point, it could've turned either way. So, I hope you enjoy!*
Annalise got up from where she was sitting on the bed. She was surprisingly calm, despite the current situation. But, as calm as she was, she didn't have the slightest idea on what to do.
She reached for her suitcase that was meticulously packed for her to go to the hospital. She looked at it fondly, but had to immediately down again due to a sudden rush of pain. She moaned, in spite of herself.
A quick paced set of feet rushed to the outside of the door. Raphael knocked, rather forcefully.
"Annalise... I want you to open this door!" He shouted. He tried at the lock, but it wouldn't budge. "Annalise!"
"Raphael, leave me alone! Please!" She moaned again.
"Annalise, I... Annalise? Are you alright?" Raphael's tone of voice had so suddenly and startlingly became soft and kind. It made Annalise take in a quick breath.
"Raphael, I think we need to go to the hospital..."
"Annalise, open the door! Please, darling!"
Annalise got up to open the door. She unlocked it and let Raphael in. Upon seeing her, he embraced her warmly and stroke her hair. "Oh, Annalise, I'm so sorry my darling. How could I ever have thought of hurting you?" Annalise felt a tear fall on her cheek.
Raphael let her go and searched for the suitcase. "The suitcase..." He mumbled to himself. "Where did I put that retched suitcase?" He looked up at Annalise. She was smiling as she showed him the suitcase she was holding in her hand. Raphael laughed at his own lack of concentration.
He picked her up gently, suitcase and all, and made a mad dash to the garage. He had a blanket and pillow already in the backseat. He set her gently on them. "I'll try to get there as fast as I can... I promise." He kissed her and leapt into the driver's seat.
They were off! Raphael was a crazed father as he looped around cars toward the hospital clinic and ran red lights. Annalise had her eyes closed most of the way there.
They arrived to a screeching halt in front of the hospital. He picked her up again and rushed inside, declaring at the top of his lungs, "My wife's having a baby!! Someone help!"
A very skinny nurse who was sitting at the desk calmly brought around two wheelchairs. "Whose is that?" Raphael asked curiously.
"It's for you, sir." The nurse replied. "And the hospital thanks you for waking up all the patients."
Raphael sat down, feeling defeated. The nurse tended to his wife. "How far apart are the contractions, ma'am?"
Annalise sat down in the wheelchair. "I'd say less than five minutes now."
"Then we haven't much time..." Said the nurse.
The nurse wheeled them to the elevator. The elevator was on the top floor. Raphael started to sweat.
After what seemed like a lifetime, the elevator arrived and they were wheeled inside. The nurse pressed for floor thirteen.
"Nurse," said Annalise. "I don't think my doctor is here yet..."
"On the contrary my dear," she said, "he's been expecting you." Annalise gave Raphael a puzzled look and he returned it.
The wheeled out of the elevator and onto a very empty, dark floor. "Is this the maternity ward?" Raphael asked.
"No."
They continued far down the corridor, to the very end of the hall. They were wheeled inside a very dark room. The nurse turned the light on.
Annalise and Raphael looked around in awe and horror. "What is this place?" Raphael asked.
The room, which was stark white, seemed to have pictures of Annalise's future baby all over the room. There were test tubes and a single operating bed in the middle, which Annalise guessed she would be in a few moments.
The nurse left the room. Raphael got up and helped up Annalise out of her wheelchair. "I don't have a good feeling about this, Raphael..." She said nervously.
"Me neither..." Raphael replied.
There was silence for a moment, but then they heard footsteps coming down the hall. Hard, definite footsteps.
"It must be our doctor..."
The heard the footsteps come down closer and closer to them. Annalise couldn't help shivering. "This very eerie."
The doctor entered with a smile on his face. "So, I hear someone is going to be a mommy soon..."
"Doctor, where is the staff?"
He dug into his pocket and pulled out two pills and handed them to Annalise. "This will help ease the pain."
"Where is your staff?" Snarled Raphael.
"I have no staff. I work alone, other than the nurse you met just now." He noted their confused looks. "Please understand," he continued, "It is absolutely crucial that everything we do tonight is a secret. That is the reason I have no staff with me. I can only trust that nurse because she is my wife. Don't worry Mr. and Mrs. Siren, we will take very good care of you."
"You aren't laying a finger on my wife OR child until I know that you are perfectly capable of delivering children!"
"I am quite capable of that, Mr. Siren. Just trust my efforts... Unless you think you can do better?"
Raphael remained silent.
"Alright then. Mrs. Siren, can you please step over here? ...Yes, that's right. Right there."
The doctor turned to face Raphael again. "I ask that you please leave us, Mr. Siren. I believe that you presence will agitate Mrs. Siren and we need her in her utmost condition for the delivery."
Raphael opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't think of anything that would be a liable reason for him to stay. He walked up and kissed Annalise, and then made for the door.
"Oh, and Mr. Siren? Can you call my wife in while you are out there? Thank you."
Raphael started to grumble to himself as he stepped out. He saw the nurse and took her by the wrist. "If you hurt my wife or son in ANY way, I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life!"
"Mr. Siren," she said as she wriggled her wrist free, "I can assure you that other than labor pains, your wife and son will be in pristine condition." She walked by him and into the operating room.
It would be hours before he saw his wife again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Note- This was where I was originally going to stop the chapter, but since you all are so anxious to get Erik into the picture (me too!), I am making this as kind of a "two for one" deal. Enjoy!*
Raphael fell asleep with his ear leaned up against the crack between the two doors of the operating room. He was half lulled to sleep with the moans and cries of pain emitted from his wife and half cried himself to sleep. The door wouldn't open, and Raphael suspected that they had locked it.
Suddenly, the door swung open and Raphael woke up with a start due to his head being smacked, a screaming nurse, and being trampled by that nurse as she ran away. Raphael watched her go and suddenly realized. "Where are you going?!" He yelled after her. "What happened?!" The nurse could only choke out pitiful weeps as her hurried steps died out in the dark, infinite hallway.
Raphael got up and steadied himself. His head hurt very badly.
After he recovered, he slowly stumbled into the room. He saw his wife holding a little bundle of cloth, humming a lullaby in a happy, low tone. The doctor was sitting on the chair next to the operating bed, rubbing his hand through his sweaty hair. He looked up and saw Raphael. He jumped up and ushered Raphael out of the room and into the hall. The doctor shut the door behind them.
"What's happened?" Raphael said dazedly.
The doctor could only sigh. "Well Raphael, the baby is healthy and happy."
"What about my wife?"
The doctor sighed again, turned around, and leaned a hand against the wall. "I am sorry, Mr. Siren."
Raphael shot a puzzled look. "What happened?" he asked carefully.
The doctor turned around. "Mr. Siren, your wife is surprisingly well. More so than I expected her to be..."
"I don't understand..."
"Take a look for yourself." The doctor opened the door and let Mr. Siren enter.
Raphael saw his blushed, happy wife sitting upright on the bed. She smiled and put a finger on her lips, signaling him to approach quietly.
Raphael couldn't help but smile too, as his beautiful wife gently rocked the baby in her arms.
He bent down next to her and kissed her on her head. "How are you, my darling?" he whispered.
"A little tired, but very happy."
The cloth had covered up the baby's face. "Can I see my handsome boy?"
"Not yet, he's sleeping..."
"Oh, Annalise, one little peek?"
"Not yet Raphael, please..."
But it was too late.
Raphael gently pulled back the cloth covering the baby's face and looked. He was unable to emit a scream before he fainted.
The thud of his father hitting the floor had woken up baby Erik and he started to softly cry. Annalise was too weak to call for the doctor; all she could do was cry with her son. "Don't cry, my darling..." She whispered through tears. She kissed his tiny head and then suddenly and without warning, the cry of her son turned into a beautiful, soothing cry. Her tears had stopped, as if by themselves, and she looked at her son in pure and wondered awe. She rocked him gently in her arms. "What sound is this?" She asked him. "What angel gave you this power?"
Baby Erik cried his mother to sleep and he fell asleep eventually as well. There they laid, snuggled together sleeping, angel and demon, mother and son, both dreaming of a world where they could both be together. Unfortunately, such a world did not exist.
~END OF PART ONE~
Annalise got up from where she was sitting on the bed. She was surprisingly calm, despite the current situation. But, as calm as she was, she didn't have the slightest idea on what to do.
She reached for her suitcase that was meticulously packed for her to go to the hospital. She looked at it fondly, but had to immediately down again due to a sudden rush of pain. She moaned, in spite of herself.
A quick paced set of feet rushed to the outside of the door. Raphael knocked, rather forcefully.
"Annalise... I want you to open this door!" He shouted. He tried at the lock, but it wouldn't budge. "Annalise!"
"Raphael, leave me alone! Please!" She moaned again.
"Annalise, I... Annalise? Are you alright?" Raphael's tone of voice had so suddenly and startlingly became soft and kind. It made Annalise take in a quick breath.
"Raphael, I think we need to go to the hospital..."
"Annalise, open the door! Please, darling!"
Annalise got up to open the door. She unlocked it and let Raphael in. Upon seeing her, he embraced her warmly and stroke her hair. "Oh, Annalise, I'm so sorry my darling. How could I ever have thought of hurting you?" Annalise felt a tear fall on her cheek.
Raphael let her go and searched for the suitcase. "The suitcase..." He mumbled to himself. "Where did I put that retched suitcase?" He looked up at Annalise. She was smiling as she showed him the suitcase she was holding in her hand. Raphael laughed at his own lack of concentration.
He picked her up gently, suitcase and all, and made a mad dash to the garage. He had a blanket and pillow already in the backseat. He set her gently on them. "I'll try to get there as fast as I can... I promise." He kissed her and leapt into the driver's seat.
They were off! Raphael was a crazed father as he looped around cars toward the hospital clinic and ran red lights. Annalise had her eyes closed most of the way there.
They arrived to a screeching halt in front of the hospital. He picked her up again and rushed inside, declaring at the top of his lungs, "My wife's having a baby!! Someone help!"
A very skinny nurse who was sitting at the desk calmly brought around two wheelchairs. "Whose is that?" Raphael asked curiously.
"It's for you, sir." The nurse replied. "And the hospital thanks you for waking up all the patients."
Raphael sat down, feeling defeated. The nurse tended to his wife. "How far apart are the contractions, ma'am?"
Annalise sat down in the wheelchair. "I'd say less than five minutes now."
"Then we haven't much time..." Said the nurse.
The nurse wheeled them to the elevator. The elevator was on the top floor. Raphael started to sweat.
After what seemed like a lifetime, the elevator arrived and they were wheeled inside. The nurse pressed for floor thirteen.
"Nurse," said Annalise. "I don't think my doctor is here yet..."
"On the contrary my dear," she said, "he's been expecting you." Annalise gave Raphael a puzzled look and he returned it.
The wheeled out of the elevator and onto a very empty, dark floor. "Is this the maternity ward?" Raphael asked.
"No."
They continued far down the corridor, to the very end of the hall. They were wheeled inside a very dark room. The nurse turned the light on.
Annalise and Raphael looked around in awe and horror. "What is this place?" Raphael asked.
The room, which was stark white, seemed to have pictures of Annalise's future baby all over the room. There were test tubes and a single operating bed in the middle, which Annalise guessed she would be in a few moments.
The nurse left the room. Raphael got up and helped up Annalise out of her wheelchair. "I don't have a good feeling about this, Raphael..." She said nervously.
"Me neither..." Raphael replied.
There was silence for a moment, but then they heard footsteps coming down the hall. Hard, definite footsteps.
"It must be our doctor..."
The heard the footsteps come down closer and closer to them. Annalise couldn't help shivering. "This very eerie."
The doctor entered with a smile on his face. "So, I hear someone is going to be a mommy soon..."
"Doctor, where is the staff?"
He dug into his pocket and pulled out two pills and handed them to Annalise. "This will help ease the pain."
"Where is your staff?" Snarled Raphael.
"I have no staff. I work alone, other than the nurse you met just now." He noted their confused looks. "Please understand," he continued, "It is absolutely crucial that everything we do tonight is a secret. That is the reason I have no staff with me. I can only trust that nurse because she is my wife. Don't worry Mr. and Mrs. Siren, we will take very good care of you."
"You aren't laying a finger on my wife OR child until I know that you are perfectly capable of delivering children!"
"I am quite capable of that, Mr. Siren. Just trust my efforts... Unless you think you can do better?"
Raphael remained silent.
"Alright then. Mrs. Siren, can you please step over here? ...Yes, that's right. Right there."
The doctor turned to face Raphael again. "I ask that you please leave us, Mr. Siren. I believe that you presence will agitate Mrs. Siren and we need her in her utmost condition for the delivery."
Raphael opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't think of anything that would be a liable reason for him to stay. He walked up and kissed Annalise, and then made for the door.
"Oh, and Mr. Siren? Can you call my wife in while you are out there? Thank you."
Raphael started to grumble to himself as he stepped out. He saw the nurse and took her by the wrist. "If you hurt my wife or son in ANY way, I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life!"
"Mr. Siren," she said as she wriggled her wrist free, "I can assure you that other than labor pains, your wife and son will be in pristine condition." She walked by him and into the operating room.
It would be hours before he saw his wife again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Note- This was where I was originally going to stop the chapter, but since you all are so anxious to get Erik into the picture (me too!), I am making this as kind of a "two for one" deal. Enjoy!*
Raphael fell asleep with his ear leaned up against the crack between the two doors of the operating room. He was half lulled to sleep with the moans and cries of pain emitted from his wife and half cried himself to sleep. The door wouldn't open, and Raphael suspected that they had locked it.
Suddenly, the door swung open and Raphael woke up with a start due to his head being smacked, a screaming nurse, and being trampled by that nurse as she ran away. Raphael watched her go and suddenly realized. "Where are you going?!" He yelled after her. "What happened?!" The nurse could only choke out pitiful weeps as her hurried steps died out in the dark, infinite hallway.
Raphael got up and steadied himself. His head hurt very badly.
After he recovered, he slowly stumbled into the room. He saw his wife holding a little bundle of cloth, humming a lullaby in a happy, low tone. The doctor was sitting on the chair next to the operating bed, rubbing his hand through his sweaty hair. He looked up and saw Raphael. He jumped up and ushered Raphael out of the room and into the hall. The doctor shut the door behind them.
"What's happened?" Raphael said dazedly.
The doctor could only sigh. "Well Raphael, the baby is healthy and happy."
"What about my wife?"
The doctor sighed again, turned around, and leaned a hand against the wall. "I am sorry, Mr. Siren."
Raphael shot a puzzled look. "What happened?" he asked carefully.
The doctor turned around. "Mr. Siren, your wife is surprisingly well. More so than I expected her to be..."
"I don't understand..."
"Take a look for yourself." The doctor opened the door and let Mr. Siren enter.
Raphael saw his blushed, happy wife sitting upright on the bed. She smiled and put a finger on her lips, signaling him to approach quietly.
Raphael couldn't help but smile too, as his beautiful wife gently rocked the baby in her arms.
He bent down next to her and kissed her on her head. "How are you, my darling?" he whispered.
"A little tired, but very happy."
The cloth had covered up the baby's face. "Can I see my handsome boy?"
"Not yet, he's sleeping..."
"Oh, Annalise, one little peek?"
"Not yet Raphael, please..."
But it was too late.
Raphael gently pulled back the cloth covering the baby's face and looked. He was unable to emit a scream before he fainted.
The thud of his father hitting the floor had woken up baby Erik and he started to softly cry. Annalise was too weak to call for the doctor; all she could do was cry with her son. "Don't cry, my darling..." She whispered through tears. She kissed his tiny head and then suddenly and without warning, the cry of her son turned into a beautiful, soothing cry. Her tears had stopped, as if by themselves, and she looked at her son in pure and wondered awe. She rocked him gently in her arms. "What sound is this?" She asked him. "What angel gave you this power?"
Baby Erik cried his mother to sleep and he fell asleep eventually as well. There they laid, snuggled together sleeping, angel and demon, mother and son, both dreaming of a world where they could both be together. Unfortunately, such a world did not exist.
~END OF PART ONE~