Friday October 18th

Looking up from her book she was shocked to see the bright sunlight had been replaced by dark menacing shadows. Even the streetlights seemed to dim as fog began to curl around her ankles. From far off she could hear the screams of children, helpless as the monsters began attacking. Panting she began to run, crossing the playground as she caught a glimpse of dark shapes. She screamed in frustration as they slipped around trees and out of sight. Desperate she swung around in a circle, the haunting cries echoing in her ears.

She woke with a scream, her heart pounding and her skin slick with sweat. Shaking her head she realized the ringing of the phone was what had pulled her out of the darkness. Relieved that it had ended the nightmare before it could go any further she sat up, swinging her legs over on the side of the bed and willing her body to calm down.

Angry when she realized she was still shaky after five minutes of deep breathing she jumped out of bed and began pacing. 'Why am I having the nightmare now, when I have not had it in months? What brought it back?' She asked her self, cursing as she stumbled and knocked her shin against the dresser.

Deciding she was calm enough she wandered towards the kitchen and its heavenly coffeepot. Stopping in the middle of the living room she turned towards the closed door on her right. 'Probably not a good thing right now. I need coffee and a shower and then I will feel human enough to deal with everything.' She lectured herself. Despite her words of warning she changed direction, walking over and opening the door gently.

Giving a soft cry she crossed the room to the wall of pictures, children that had been lost to the shadow. Tracing a finger over the smiling faces she greeted each one. 'Jonathan, missing since 2003. You would be ten now. Gracie Ann, I talk to your mom every week. She is starting to lose hope. Leslie, you would be driving this year. Wouldn't that terrify everyone.' Making them all a silent promise she turned, her gaze landing on the picture on her desk. Her breath caught in her throat before she turned and ran out the door.

She was just coming out of the shower when the phone rang, reminding her that someone had called earlier waking her up. Grabbing the bedroom extension she gave a gruff hello.

"Jayden?" The voice on the other line asked.

"Steph? Are you okay? You sound really bad." Jayden answered, pulling clothes out of her closet as she listened to her friend's ragged breathing.

"Yea, but between Paul and the baby I'm going to check my self in the hospital and never come out." The younger girl answered.

"Well you really can't blame the baby. He's not even here yet." The red head laughed, bending over to shake out her hair.

She could just barely make out her friend's next words. "You want me to go to the doctor with you? Where's Paul? The last time I talked to you he had sworn to be with you for everything."

"Yea well, what it is you always say, never believe a man?" Steph answered bitterly, thinking over the events of the morning.

Earlier this morning.

"I can't go with you today to the doctor. I'm not even in town."

Stephanie McMahon Levesque stared at the phone in disbelief. "Please tell me you did not just say that."

Paul glanced at his schedule in confusion. "Your doctor's appointments are every two weeks. Why are you having one today?"

"The closer I get to my due date the more I have to go. Especially with all the complications I've had." She said pointedly. "I told you all this last week." She added in a hard voice.

"It must have gone completely over my head. I'm sorry but I've had a lot going on. Why didn't you say anything this morning when I left?" He asked shutting his eyes.

"I was a little too sick this morning to notice much of anything. I thought you were just going out for a little while, not getting on a plane." She practically shouted.

"This appointment's not that big a deal right? Just a little check up? Why don't you call someone to go with you? One of your friends, then you could go out and have lunch before going back on bed rest." He suggested, desperate to calm her down before she busted his ear drum.

"I don't want someone else and I am on bed rest for a reason. Why don't you just fly home and go with me?" She bit off, rubbing her belly as she felt a few twinges of pain.

"Steph I can't do that. I promised your dad that I would do this for him." Paul argued, hating that he was having to upset her.

"Daddy will understand. I want you here." She insisted.

"That's not possible. But as soon as the show is over I will fly back." He said, trying to pacify her.

"Don't bother."

Slamming down the phone she rushed into the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before the thick yellow bile came up. Gagging at the taste she rocked back on her heels and bent over as much as her large stomach would allow, resting her hear on the cool porcelain.

"Here this will help." Delaney said, placing a cold washcloth on the back of her neck while using another to wipe the sweaty face.

"Thanks" Stephanie croaked.

"Why don't you come in here and lie down. I'll shut the shades so it will be quiet and cool." Laney said soothingly, assisting the fragile woman into the bedroom.

Laying down Stephanie curled her arms protectively around her abdomen as tears ran down her cheeks.

Present time.

"Steph?" Jayden asked, hearing her friend sniff back tears.

"It's okay. Can you come? It's not something I can do by myself." She asked quietly, aching for some support.

"Of course. If fact, why don't I come over now and we can talk about nursery stuff." Jayden answered, her heart cracking at the pain in her friend's voice.

Across Town

Journey looked up from her computer and blinked at the clock. Three hours had passed since she had moved and her muscles where beginning to scream in protest. Looking back at her screen she reread the two measly paragraphs that she had managed to write during that time. Growling in disgust she stomped into the kitchen to get some brain food.

Stopping in front of the refrigerator she spotted a note written in Dave's handwriting. Scowling she ripped the paper off the door, sending the fish magnet flying across the room. Crumbling the paper in her hand she remembered the conversation the night before.

Thursday night

Journey wandered into the living room, smiling as she watched her family battle it out with their football game.

"You all are going to Chicago this weekend aren't you? I want to go."

"Why?" Randy asked glancing back at her. "John's not coming back until next week."

"I get bored at home all alone. And John's not the only friend I have there." She retorted, smacking the back of her head.

"You mean you're scared with Halloween only two weeks away. All the ghosts and goblins are out." He teased back, groaning as his pass was intercepted.

"Don't you have midterms coming up?" Dave asked turning to look at her as game paused to load.

"Yea, for the two classes that let me sign up late. And one of them's English." She groaned.

"What's so bad about that?" Dave asked, lifting an eyebrow at her.

"Haven't you heard her talk? She barely speaks English. Mostly she just points and grunts." Randy said laughing.

Dave waited until she had smacked the young man in the back of the head before motioning for an answer.

"Dave, I am a math person. English is a foreign concept to me. Randy, keep your mouth shut. They want a ten page report for midterm. How the hell do you get ten pages out of anything?" She asked.

"By researching the subject. By actually getting up and doing it." The older man said pointedly.

Grumbling under her breath about slave drivers she pulled out her laptop and hit the key for the search engine. Tying in the topic of her paper she made a face at the number of results it gave her.

Ten minutes later Randy laid down his controller as the final score flashed across the screen. "So are you coming with us? Cause Chicago's got this great new club and a bunch of us are planning on going."

Before she could reply Dave spoke up. "She can't go. She needs to work on her paper."

"Dave!" Journey whined in surprise.

"While you're under my roof it's my rules kinda thing. Get that report done and then you can come out and play." He instructed.

"You can't be serious." She said, staring at him in disbelief.

"But I am." He said calmly, turning off the game.

Journey swung her gaze to Randy, who held up his hands. "Don't get me involved." He said grabbing his keys and heading out the door.

"Tryant"

"Is there something you want to say?" Dave asked, turning to give her a stern look.

Biting her lip to keep her mouth shut she pulled out her notebook and began writing down references.

All women's Care office

Present time

"Mrs. Levesque, if you will come with me." The nurse said, holding open the door between the office and reception area. Leading the very pregnant woman down the hall the short nurse stopped at a scale.

"If you could just weigh in please." The nurse asked, turning to the appropriate page in the folder she carried.

Stephanie turned to her best friend and made a face. "This is the part I hate the most."

Jayden Anderson laughed. "I would have thought it would be the vag exams."

Stephanie waited until the nurse was once again ahead of them before responding. "Are you kidding? The only action I've gotten in the last month has been from my OB."

Jayden burst out laughing, causing the nurse to look back at them reproachfully. "Paul just doesn't want to make things worse. You've had so many problems with the baby." She told her friend once they were alone in the exam room.

"I don't know. Sometimes I believe the rumors that he only married me for my money." Steph said somberly as she changed into the hideous paper gown.

"Don't ask me to go there. I am completely anti-man remember. Personally I think we are all better off without them."

"I might agree with you but only till this baby is born. You just haven't met the right guy yet." She reassured her friend.

"Even if I did meet him I couldn't offer him anything. I just couldn't go through that again." The red head answered, turning to stare at the wall.

"Okay, let's talk about something different before we both get depressed. What's Laney dong today?"

"I made her go have some fun. Poor girl. I hate her being stuck with me but I can't bear the thought of being alone either." Steph said sighing.

"I think she has enjoyed playing nurse. She would have gotten a kick out of coming here today." Jayden grinned at her friend.

Steph grimaced. "I think this is just a little too personable for thirteen." She said adjusting the stirrups on the bed and causing Jayden to laugh.

"Stephanie, how are you feeling today?" Dr. Ross asked, walking into the room.

"Okay right now. Just a slight headache. But I was really sick this morning. I couldn't stop vomiting and my vision was all blurry." She admitted.

"Any belly pain?" The doctor asked making notations in his chart.

"Yea, but I don't think its part of the pregnancy. It seems to be more under my right breast." She said indicating the area. "Is everything okay?" She asked growing concerned at the look on his face.

"Actually, we have a very bad problem, one that is going to endanger your health and the health of your baby."