Author's Note: Hello! Hello! I'm back with more Unexpected, my peeps! Things have been crazy busy, but I'm not giving up! I love writing this story too much to stop just because of new (and great) elements have entered me and my daughter's lives. I've also taken a gander at some requests for Ninjalogy, so I'll be working on those soon also. In the meantime, I hope this chapter enthralls you all! And as always, thanks for the lovely reviews, favs, and follows!
Just FYI for this chapter:
Dream sequences are in Italic and will be separated accordingly as to not cause confusion. Just in case you need to know.
Unexpected
By: Mad Betrayal
"A friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing…not healing, not curing…that is a friend that cares…"—Henri Nouwen
Chapter 26 ~ An Interlude of Distant Dreams
Over these past nine months since the announcement of Jay being pregnant, Cole had deftly learned how to cat nap. Even now he refused to be lulled into REM sleep, his mind lingering on a blackened landscape devoid of color or substance. But that didn't mean he wasn't content…he could still feel, after all.
Jay shifted slightly against him, emitting a little grunt as he tried to find a more comfortable position to sleep in. He couldn't move much because of his bulk, his enlarged stomach keeping him primarily on his back. Cole reacted instinctively, pressing his lips to his spouse's cool temple and smoothing his hand over the large, hard lump that was Jay's stomach. It was a practiced maneuver he used in which to calm the younger man, and it usually worked… Only…tonight…
Cole felt a kick…and heard a grumble of thunder from outside. It made him vaguely recall a limerick from one of Jay's latest poems: '…Thunder grumbles while the earth rumbles…'
The long-haired brunet shifted again, a whimper and a gasp escaping him. "…Co…Cole…"
Brilliant emeralds immediately snapped open—alert and focused. Cole looked down at his partner's face, catching Jay's aggrieved grimace in the rapid, white flashes of a lightning strike. The storm was worsening from beyond the parted drapes, rainwater slapping frequently against the window. "Jay? Jay, what's wrong?" He asked in a hushed whisper, determined to stay calm.
The heavily pregnant man fisted his husband's shirt as a bout of sharp pain overtook him. With his eyes shut tight and teeth gritted, Jay barely managed to answer. "…I-I need… Take me to the hospital… It's time…they—they want out…"
Cole jumped out of bed in an instant and grabbed the prepped overnight bags from underneath it. With their straps slung over one shoulder and Jay safely in his arms, the expecting couple was out the front door in five minutes flat…Just as another contraction pierced through Jay's body.
"Eeegh! What's this guy made out of? Lead!? Damn, he's heavy! And I only got half of 'im!"
"Aye. But quit yer moanin', man. Less you want Doctor Walker on yer case again."
The foreign voices came from above Cole, and were muffled like someone was covering his ears. He fought to open his eyes, but he couldn't. They seemed either glued shut or too heavy. He could tell he was moving—or being carried rather. Hands gripped his upper body, while another pair handled his legs. His lips struggled to part as he tried to call out to Jay. But all that came forth was a pitiful mess of mumbles.
Where was Jay…?
What was happening…?
"Ada! Is the train ready?! We're almost there! We need to make a beeline straight for the infirmary!" That voice sounded familiar, though, just as equally stifled as all the rest. The hands around his torso shifted to get a better grip on him. "Alright! Great! Be there in five! Omar! Ian! You two go first with Cole! We'll pick up the rear with Jay!"
The black ninja's entire inner being leapt at the name of his best friend. But unfortunately, his body didn't even twitch. Jay… Jay… The voices above him turned into distorted white noise as Cole's mind didn't have the strength to interpret them anymore. A rush of warm air swept over him suddenly and he could feel himself being placed gently on a cool, flat surface. More noise. But a few fragments of clarity were able to reach him.
"…vitals dropping! Get us moving!"
"…cerebral laceration…hemorrhaging found…"
"Hang on, Jay!"
Those final words lingered in Cole's mind and echoed from every corner. He could feel himself slipping into the abyss of his subconscious. Coherence waning. Lucidness fading. Falling…and falling…
"Hang on, Jay!"
Rocky released an ear-splitting shriek as he hovered above the ER entrance behind the private hospital Dr. Sugarbaker worked at, startling a pair of paramedics as they wheeled in another man with an engorged stomach. Cole leapt from his dragon and quickly dispelled him as he rushed betwixt the sliding doors with Jay.
The reception area was peppered with equally flustered people—mostly men, but some women as well. Anxious greens scanned the formation of personnel, hoping to spot a familiar face as they escorted other patients and calmed fretful individuals. Their murmurings and disjointed dialogue filled his ears as he whipped his soaked head about. Luckily however, the ER doors swung open a moment later to reveal Anthony, the male nurse he had talked to previously on the way here.
Adorned in mint green scrubs and bright-eyed and ready, he came straight for the wedded couple pushing a wheelchair. "Cole!" His thick African accent always made the ninja leader think he was saying "cool" instead of "Cole". He stopped in front of the pair and helped Cole carefully maneuver the now red-faced and panting Jay into the wheelchair. "We are ready, but we need to prep Jay for the caesarean operation. You wanted to be present with your spouse, yes?"
Cole was trying to help Jay with his breathing, but looked up at the taller man when he spoke. "Uh, Ye-Yeah, I—OWW!"
Jay was likely trying his best to crush Cole's hand as another painful contraction ripped through him with timely precision. Deep blues glared up at Cole from behind long, sodden strands of chestnut with the wild rage of a wounded animal. "Less talk, more drugs!" He snarled. "Have them give me something right now!"
Cole winced, unable to squeeze back in order to counteract Jay's bruising strength. "Jay…goddamn, honey...oww..." He took a glimpse at Anthony to see him smiling sympathetically.
"Hmm, we had better get him to the OP stat," he said, turning the wheelchair towards the swinging pair of white doors. "Follow me, Mr. Belmonte-Walker."
With his hand clenched in Jay's unrelenting grip, Cole didn't have much choice but to comply anyway.
After checking Jay's vitals, they boarded an elevator, having to travel to the next floor to reach the Delivery/Labor Ward. Jay's breathing had thankfully calmed somewhat, though, his expression was still horribly pained. And Cole—eager to assist in any way he could—unzipped one of the duffel bags he brought and pulled out a towel, draping it over Jay's head and shoulders. Both he and Anthony then got to work in drying off the pregnant brunet as best they could, making sure that his long hair was kept out of his face.
Cole bent down to look upon his spouse's agonized countenance, his concern evident. "How ya holding up, honey? Are you okay?" He asked softly, but Jay just shook his head once before tilting it back. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.
"Cole…" Jay's timbre was surprisingly very soft and controlled—a huge contrast from just a few minutes ago.
Cole smiled, glad that his love was feeling a little bit better. "Yeah, honey?"
Jay lowered his head and sapphires locked with emeralds. A strange smile curved the pregnant man's lips and the hand gripped in his was given an unexpected crippling squeeze. If Cole wasn't already bent over, he would've buckled from the immense pain. It was a little too early for another contraction, and the fact that Jay's expression remained the same was a clear indicator that this particular squeeze was on purpose.
"Just so you know, when this is all over, prepare to sleep on the couch for the rest of your life. Do you hear me?"
Half wincing, half grinning Cole discreetly averted his gaze from the pointed stare of his life partner. "Uhhh…" Would it be better to just agree and chalk it off to the pain talking or pretend like I didn't hear, he wondered.
"Oh look, we are here!" Anthony chimed in, saving Cole from a fate worse than death just in case he had decided to open his mouth. The chrome doors slid open and the trio entered the room directly to the right upon exiting. A team of three other nurses were present in the large, stark white space, each adorned in scrubs, gloves, caps, and masks as they busied themselves with organizing the surgical equipment and adjusting the maternity bed.
Two of the nurses—a man and woman that Cole didn't recognize—quickly ambled over and helped Jay out of the wheelchair. Anthony turned to Cole. "There is an extra set of scrubs for you in the bathroom there. Go and change, Dr. Sugarbaker should be here shortly. We will take care of Jay."
Cole swallowed nervously as his heart jittered in his chest. "Okay, thanks." He looked to his partner as the other refused to let go of his hand. "Jay, I'll be right back honey, okay?"
Though his face was ridden with pain and discomfort, Jay nodded and released his hand. "Hurry back." He winced. "I-I need you…"
Cole's eyes snapped open as he inhaled a choking gasp. People in bright orange suits surrounded him, their faces concealed by thick dark visors. The overhead light was way too intense, and he immediately flinched away from it.
"—three broken ribs, but thankfully they're only minor fractures. Guy's tough as nails… Right ankle's swollen, though…looks like he may've torn a few ligaments… Oh, Cole! You're awake! That's good. We need to draw some blood from you too, okay? For the toxicology screening."
But the earth ninja barely heard the muffled voice. Where was Jay…? He was pregnant and he needed him… He switched his head left to right, eyes searching wildly. "Where is he?" He uttered, his voice sounded scratchy and dry. He could hardly move. A needle was in his arm, a clamp on his finger—an I.V. drip and monitoring wires. A steady beeping sounded in his ears. "Where's Jay!?" Panic struck him like a hammer as he tried to sit up, but hands grabbed at him to keep him down.
"Cole… Calm down. Jay's right there beside you. Look."
The ninja leader snapped his head in the direction the muffled voice pointed to, his anxious gaze falling on the bed next to his. Jay was there, laying at an incline, his heavily bandaged head and neck supported by pillows. He was dressed in a pale blue hospital gown it seemed as his lower half was covered by a peach blanket folded at his waist. His eyes were closed. His body…unmoving.
"Jay!" Cole shouted. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. He had to get to him! Now! But hands continued to tug him back down. He snarled and swung out his arm violently towards the nearest orange suit. "Let go of me!"
"Cole! Argh! Goddammit!"
The beeping increased to a frantic tempo. "Heart rate's accelerating! His pupils are dilated!"
"Cole, you have to—"
"NO!" Cole viciously began to fight against the orange suits and their grabby hands. "Where's Dr. Sugarbaker?! Where are our babies?!"
"What?!"
Jay was pregnant…with twins—two little girls! Where were they?! Did these orange suits have something to do with it?! Did they do something to Jay?! To their family?! Cole screamed in rage and fear, lashing out with his fist and successfully hitting one of the suits and sending them flying. They hit the far wall with a loud and painful thump.
"Shit! Get the sedatives!" One of the suits cried. That voice. "Pump him now!"
Cole continued to buck and holler incomprehensibly until his adrenaline was abruptly staunched and drained. A sudden wave of fatigue overtook him and a cloud of befuddlement permeated his mind. He could do nothing but pant and reach out feebly towards his unconscious best friend—the love of his life—as insistent gravity turning his limbs into lead. Rubbery hands gently held him and lowered him back down onto the bed, his head coming in contact with a soft pillow. He blinked drowsily, though he tried with all his might to rail against the pressures of sleep. His vision blurred as his eyelids drooped, sorrow enveloping his heart.
Something was wrong…but he couldn't stop it… He couldn't save Jay… He couldn't protect his family…
Unable to fight the incoming of dreams, Cole closed his eyes to lament his failure. And as his body relaxed, his gathered tears leaked and rolled down the corners of his eyes.
"Alright. Now you two need to be super duper quiet, okay? We don't wanna wake your mommy."
Two twin, two-year old girls stood at Cole's feet, their bright blue eyes peering up at him with barely contained excitement and glee. One of the girls giggled into her small hands, her pretty blues sparkling. "I can wait see mommy's face! We give pancakes! Bestest birthday pwesent eva!"
The girl's twin sister turned to her with a finger pressed to her lips. "Shhhh! Daddy say quiet, stop yellin'!"
"I not yelling!" The girl shot back with puffed cheeks and pursed lips. "You do!"
The other little girl said nothing and simply mimicked her sister's face as she glared right back. Cole had to chuckle as he witnessed the "heated" exchange. It looked like a stare-down between two angry chipmunks. He shook his head and smiled. These two…Morgan and Jordan… As with all identical twins, they were difficult to tell apart physically: same deep blue eyes, same chubby heart-shaped faces and cute button noses, and the same length of long dark hair naturally streaked with cinnamon and gold. Yep, near impossible. Jay even insisted they wear matching outfits—as he thought it always looked cute when twins did that—and they both favored the same color—yellow.
Although, if a person were to look closer and delve deeper passed the physical, they would discover that the twins succeeded in achieving their own individualism. Even at such tender ages, their personalities were gradually taking shape and being brought to light.
Cole eyed Morgan as she tugged angrily on the hem of her sunflower-printed pajama top. Meet the "Shusher". Morgan was the first-born, exceeding her sister by only a mere three minutes. And oddly enough, she seemed to innately know that she was older than Jordan (and wasn't shy about telling or reminding anybody about the fact either). While just as excitable and jubilant, Morgan also had a bossy side to her. She acted as it were her divine duty AND right to keep her younger sister in check and reel in her wild bouts of goofiness and mischief when deemed necessary.
And speaking of goofiness… Cole shifted his gaze to the younger twin as Jordan was rhythmically patting her puffed cheeks in an deliberately teasing way, which was probably why Morgan was getting a little red-faced and tugging on her top in aggravation. Yes. Meet the "Exclaimer". Jordan liked to—no…Jordan LOVED to rile her sister up when the opportunity presented itself (like now). She was energetic and extremely playful, as she always liked to concoct outlandish adventures for herself and Morgan to partake in…even if it was against her sister's will.
All in all, they were opposite sides of the same coin with both inheriting their parents' stubbornness and ingenuity. However, it was still much too early to eliminate the possibility of more personality traits from blossoming. This was, after all, just the beginning… Cole stooped down and ruffled both of his girls' hair. "Now, now, both of you were being a little loud," he mediated. "Now c'mon, we have work to do. Your mommy's birthday breakfast isn't going to make itself, and didn't you two wanna help?"
At the twins' deflated cheeks and enthusiastic nods, Cole turned around and peeked his head out into the hallway. He checked to see if the coast was clear and motioned for the girls to follow him. Putting on an exaggerated act, he tip-toed passed his and Jay's closed bedroom door like a sneaky cartoon character. Both girls giggled at his antics but were more than happy to mimic him all the way down the stairs.
He led the devious endeavor passed the living room and into the kitchen, flicking the light on as he entered. "Okay, you two go sit at the table," Cole said, opening a cabinet and retrieving a mixing bowl. "I'll grab all the stuff we need." The twins did as they were told, chatting happily all the while about wanting to "comb mommy's hair" and "play it up" later. Cole gave a glance at the stove clock—a quarter after six. Truth be told, any other day Jay would've been up by now and down here making breakfast himself. However, last night… The Master of Earth instinctively licked his lips in sweet remembrance. …He had thoroughly engrossed his beautiful spouse with his amorous affection for a hot and heavy six hours, those two additional hours atop of the norm guaranteeing that the other master wouldn't be up and about the next morning at his standard. Oh yeah…Jay had belted many a passion-filled throe and Norwegian pleas the steamy night prior. Mmm…that glorious Mouth of Lightning… Good thing Morgan and Jordan slept so deeply last night.
Cole couldn't withhold a cheeky grin as he opened the refrigerator door, his viridian depths shining as they roamed the icy compartment for breakfast ingredients. And Jay hadn't even been in heat either. Thus the blame of lust-induced pheromones was non-cohesive. He just wanted to make sure that his precious partner would take this weekend to really relax, especially with it being his birthday and all.
Cole grabbed a cartoon of eggs, but stopped before taking the container of blueberries. Getting an idea, he called out to his girls. "Who remembers what kind of fruit goes in mommy's special pancakes? I forgot?"
"Daddy forget?" He heard Morgan say, but Jordan immediately exclaimed, "Oh I do! Booberries!"
"Thanks, Jordan. That was very helpful." Cole grabbed the blueberries and closed the fridge door. He turned to see Jordan beaming at him. However, Morgan was clearly sulking. The elder twin then pursed her lips determinedly.
"I-I quack eggs!" She volunteered anxiously, but her sister snickered. "Heeheehee, nu-uh! You cwush 'em!"
Morgan whipped her head towards Jordan, her cheeks already inflated. "No I don't!"
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
Cole sighed as he approached the twins as they continued to bicker back and forth across from each other. He placed the ingredients down on the table and smiled patiently at his two little angels. Weren't twins supposed to agree with each other most of the time? Then again…Jordan and Morgan's friendship was quite similar to their mommy and uncle's…
"Jordan, stop teasing your sister—"
"Older!" Morgan snapped, sticking her tongue out at Jordan.
Cole gave her a stern look. "Morgan, you stop too. We're supposed to be having fun, aren't we?" He opened the carton of eggs and took one out. "Alright, here you are, this is your time to shine. I need you to crack one egg into this bowl, okay?"
The elder twin's eyes couldn't have shined any brighter. "Okay! Okay! I do it!" Cole placed the egg in her hand and she handled it as if she was holding a prized heirloom. Jordan surprisingly kept quiet, but Cole thought she was grinning a bit too broadly—the tongue in cheek kind. He moved the bowl closer to Morgan as she stood up in her seat. The egg was big betwixt her tiny fingers, but nonetheless Cole was sure she could break its fragile shell if she—
*CRACK*
The egg abruptly shattered, the shell crunched into a burst of shards with its yolk sticking to her hand and oozing between her clenched fingers. Cole blinked. "Hulk Smash!" Jordan shouted, throwing her hands up into the air in an exaggerated hurrah. Morgan frowned. "Daddy, 'nother."
Cole hesitated for a moment, but eventually conceded once seeing his daughter's determined grimace. Besides, he wanted to see if he saw right. Again, Morgan lifted the egg over the bowl. She was holding it so delicately…
*CRACK*
"Huuulk Smash!" Jordan cheered again. "Oh look, Daddy! Storm 'n Terra!" Jordan jumped down from her chair and ran to greet the family pets. However, Cole was just too dumbfounded by Morgan's uncanny display of strength to hear the two wolf-dogs come in from the backyard's dog door. A two-year old shouldn't be able to break an egg with their bare hands, and not even that. Morgan accomplished the feat by just using her fingers… Did that mean…
"Teeeerrraaa!"
Cole turned his head towards the living room at Jordan's gleeful shout to see his youngest happily hugging the large, one-eyed, silver wolf-dog around the neck. "Terra! Terra! Terra! Terra! Terra! Terra! Terra! Terra! Terra! Terra! Terra—" Terra threw his head back into a howl, as if agreeing that his name constitutes as a song.
Cole rolled his eyes and blew his bangs out of his eyes. Every morning like clockwork this scenario played out. But at this rate… Emeralds found the stove clock again, and his mouth fell soundly agape at the time displayed. A quarter after seven? How could an entire hour have passed by so quickly?! And the batter for the pancakes wasn't even ready yet!
"Stoooorrrm!"
Another roll of the eyes commenced when Cole heard Jordan segued into the repetitious calling of the other pet's name. And what followed next but another howl, only this time from the black female wolf-dog with the crooked tail. Great… "Jordan Jeanette, do you have to do this now?" He asked, getting up from the table. "You're going to wake Mommy."
Jordan cuddled against Storm and giggled, obviously enjoying the soulful bays of the wolf-dogs. She then quite purposefully pointed at her sister. "Daddy! Look Morgan!"
"Wha…?" Cole turned back to his eldest in question. "Morgan Triss!" Morgan stopped and looked at her father with wide eyes just as another egg shattered in her hand. It seems when his back was turned, she had grabbed the carton of eggs and proceeded to try one after another to crack one into the bowl. But each attempt was obviously met with complete and utter failure as bits of shells were scattered along the table and inside the bowl, and egg yolks slimed across the surface as well and even on Morgan herself. None, however, made it inside the bowl.
Morgan's cheeks flushed red. "I…I do it, Daddy! I can!" She pleaded. "Look!" She hastily took another egg in hand, but before she could even raise it over the bowl, she crushed it. Cole moved the cartoon away from her gooey fingers when she tried to reach for another.
"Morgan…" he began carefully. He kept his tone gentle to assure her she wasn't in trouble. "Me and you are going to have a little chat later, okay?" The little girl sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her sticky hand. She looked up at Cole with big doleful eyes. "Okay…"
Cole smiled and placed his hand on her head, grimacing slightly when he discovered it was wet with yolk too. How? He wasn't sure. "Hey, it's fine. Mommy will still get his pancakes, don't worry." Morgan sniffed again, but managed to give a small smile. Cole got up. "Stay here for a sec, while I grab your sister."
The howling had stopped thankfully and when he returned to the living room, he found Jordan rolling around on the floor laughing like a maniac as Storm and Terra took turns licking her face. But the smaller of the two wolf-dogs suddenly jumped to her paws and barked, her crooked tail wagging a mile a minute. Cole immediately knew what that meant. His gaze turned to the top of the stairs to see his beautiful spouse descend them.
Jay yawned loudly as his hands went into a routine practice in tying his long, chestnut tresses up into a high ponytail. He was still adorned in his blue silk pajamas, though the matching robe now encased his lithe figure as well. His slipper-fitted feet padded languidly down the stairs, turning his gait into an accidental sashay of sorts. A delicate, almost nonexistent sway of those trim, silk-clad hips had heat unconsciously pooling at Cole's nether region.
Yes, it was the simple things in life that made him happy to be alive.
Storm met Jay as he reached the bottom, emitting a soft whine in greetings and licking his hand. An adoring smile upturned the lightning master's comely pink lips at the female's salutation and he patted her head. "Mornin', Storm." The black wolf-dog protectively stayed by Jay's side as he traversed the living room towards Cole. Still rubbing his eyes of sleep, the long-haired brunet stopped before his husband to give him a once over. A scarred eyebrow cocked. "That better be butter on your pants…"
"Huh?" Confused, Cole looked down at himself. And lo and behold, there was a dark spot staining the front of his gray sweatpants. Oh, right. He did wipe his hand to free it of the gooeyness from Morgan's hair. He grinned as he lifted his gaze back up to his now bright-eyed partner. "Egg yolk actually," he clarified. "The twins and I were in the process of making you pancakes for breakfast."
"Hmm…" Jay smiled as he closed the gap between him and Cole, giving his husband a loving good-morning kiss. Cole responded immediately and wreathed his arms around the other ninja's waist, not wanting the kiss to end too quickly. But unfortunately, before Cole could deepen the kiss and taste Jay's berry-imbued tongue, the twins intervened and latched on to their mother's legs.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMMY!" They both chorused in unison, causing the wedded couple to end their sweet lip-lock and turn their attention down to their rambunctious children. Jay laughed. "Thanks, sweeties. But don't forget to—Morgan! What happened to you?" The male mother anxiously bent down and touched the eldest twin's egg-soaked hair. Jordan giggled.
"Oh right, uh…had a little mishap," Cole explained vaguely, looking more than a bit guilty. "I'll clean her up, though, Jay. You just relax. I'll take care of everything."
"Nah, it's okay." Jay brushed a crumb of white shell from Morgan's cheek with a grin. "I have to give them both a bath anyway."
"I bweak eggs for—for you, mommy—for pancakes," Morgan picked up the bowl she just so happened to take from the table and showed it Jay. "Look!" She exclaimed proudly, and Jay did, eyeing the contents of the bowl. Broken bits and shards of eggshells made a small home in the bowl, but, again, not a drop of yolk.
Jay sweat-dropped. "Umm, not a bad first attempt at cooking, I guess," he congratulated, not wanting to see the hopeful sparkle in his daughter's eyes diminish.
But Jordan just snickered. "She smash 'em, mommy. She smash 'em good."
"Yeah, J.J., your sister is strong. But that's not a bad thing, because you will be too someday," Jay said, teasingly poking Jordan on the nose. "And you'll be smashing things just as easily." The twins quieted and peered at their mother with nothing short of reverence and love. "Now you two hop on upstairs and wait for me in the bathroom. I have to talk to your daddy real fast, but then I'll be up. Storm, Terra, I want you to go with them. Make sure they don't get into any mischief, especially Jordan."
The twins readily did what they were told, but not without Jordan giving her sister's hair a playful tug first and scampering away giggling. Morgan cried out in surprise, but then quickly started giggling herself and chased her sister up the stairs. The male and female wolf-dogs followed after their charges with happy barks.
"You knew," Cole said, as Jay got back to his feet. "You knew about Morgan's strength."
"I knew I wouldn't be surprised if it showed sooner or later," Jay said, grinning. "They're our children after all."
Cole folded his arms, a thoughtful frown in place. "Yeah, but so young? At two? That concerns me a little, just seems too early."
"I think we'll be able to handle that aspect with little problem," Jay assured, but the optimism lighting his face soon dimmed. "I'm more concerned about when they get older." The long-haired brunet sighed heavily and padded over to the blinds beside the table to open them, letting the early morning's rays of sunlight filter through. Despite the already brightened kitchen, the sun's soft radiance illuminated Jay's features even more. "Is it petty of me to not want them to get pass a certain age?"
Cole walked the short distance to his partner for life and hugged him from behind, his lips coming to settle near a pierced ear. "Are you still fretting about the whole two-guys-raising-two-girls thing?" He asked softly.
Jay leaned back into his embrace. "I've been doing a lot of reading, yanno? I've even talked to Camilla and Mille about what to expect and look for when the twins hit puberty. And honestly, it's not all that different from what us Marked Ones go through once a month, aside from them bleeding and us going into that "heat" thing. Which means we're still gonna have to buy bras and other…womanly things… Ugh…" A slight shudder wracked Jay's body then. "Can you imagine us doing stuff like that?"
Cole chuckled. "Well, I can't say that I'm looking forward to it. But I suppose we'd be in the same boat as to say a single father would be." He turned his head and nuzzled Jay's neck, inhaling his familiar scent. "But I still think we'll be okay, amore. We can—" (Love)
"Ah!" Jay yelped and tore himself out of Cole's grasp, his hand flying to grip the area between his right shoulder and neck. Alarmed and terribly confused, the ninja leader reached out towards his spouse only for him to step further away. What happened? Did he somehow hurt him? Brow furrowed with concern, Cole lowered his hand.
"Jason…stai bene?" (Jason…are you okay?) With the utter of his true name coupled with the sultry Italian words and accent, a blush instantly found its way to Jay's fair cheeks, and he quickly averted his gaze from his husband's fretting emeralds. Seeing this, Cole felt himself relax some, but only slightly. While it was true that many people (including the members of their ninja clan) found out Jay's true name since the priest had let it slip during their marriage ceremony—Cole would never ever forget Kai's exclamation of "Who the hell is 'Jason'!" in a Catholic church for as long as he lived—Jay still forbade the others from calling him by it except for his parents and Cole. Not even Lloyd was allowed the privilege, though that wasn't saying much since the blond only called Jay "Kaasan" nowadays to begin with.
"Ye-Yeah, I'm fine. You didn't do anything wrong, Cole…" Jay muttered, but the Italiano wasn't entirely convinced. Something happened…and why was he avoiding his gaze like that. Cole's eyes trailed to the hand covering the silk-clad muscle between his spouse's right shoulder and neck. That was where Jay's mark was…
"Jason…?" He tried again.
The resigned sigh that passed from Jay's lips confused Cole even further, but fortunately those deep blue orbs found his gaze again. "It…It happened before," he began softly, "A terrible pain had gripped me before…and I hid it from you because I didn't want you to worry about me." A nervous swallow. "And also because I thought it was nothing—refused to believe it could be something. But…after it happened a few more times…a week or so later I started getting very nauseas in the mornings and throwing up." The hand over the mark tightened. "And then we went to the hospital and…"
Jay couldn't finish, his eyes starting to water. Cole approached the mother of his children slowly. And when he reached him, he untied the knot binding the robe to Jay's body and watched as the folds loosened and fell away. As it turned out, Jay's torso was bare beneath the robe and Cole's viridian depths graced over the beautifully hardened abs of his beloved—he had worked so hard to get his figure back—before trailing lower to rest on the sight just below the navel, where a clean and neat horizontal scar stretched across. It was Jay's "birthing" scar, the end result of his cesarean.
His gaze lifted as he took hold of the folds to Jay's silken robe, and the other's hand fell from his shoulder as he peeled and pulled down on the cloth to reveal more lustrous fair skin. And there it was…Jay's mark. An ethereal and elaborate design of a pair of angel wings encircling a six-point star—the Star of Creation. It had been seared into Jay's flesh years ago by "raw fire" and now pulsed with a bewitching, deep blue light.
"Cole…" Jay's voice was barely above a whisper, but the other ninja heard him loud and clear. "…I think this is how my body tells me that I'm—mmmf!"
Overcome with emotion, Cole couldn't resist the urge to claim Jay's lips in a wanton kiss. Jay was pregnant…again! Their family would grow even bigger and stronger, and with it their love.
As the dream faded from Cole's subconscious and his mind's eye was presented with black, he heard the sound of Jay's voice. It lingered and echoed within, his tone inquisitive and hopeful.
"I wonder if our baby will be born around the same time of Jacob and Hakeem's… Yeah, that's right… He called last night while you were in the shower, Cole… Jake called… He…He actually wants to see me…all of us…"
Cole opened his eyes with a groan. His entire body felt heavy with fatigue and a dull ache radiated around his chest and abdominal region. He stayed still and blinked for several long moments, his eyes unable to adjust and identify his surroundings just yet. His mind permeated a fog of bewilderment, but even in its convoluted state, fragments of his recent dreams easily connected and were projected clearly before his mind's eye. He recalled every detail, every word spoken, every emotion expressed—all of it. Everything.
Morgan…Jordan…Storm…Terra… He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his olfactory sense catching a scent that enraptured his heart and soul. Jay… Crisp apples and cinnamon tantalized the back of Cole's tongue. Yes… Yes! Jay's scent! It was actually nearby!
A loud beeping suddenly pierced the fog of his mind and assaulted his ears. He took another breath. He was on his back, under covers…in a…bed. "Awake again, are we?" A muffled, though, familiar voice reached the prone black ninja. He heard a click and a soft light filled the room. "Let's see…it's now 10P.M? Good. Hold on. Let me get you in an incline." A low hum sounded and suddenly Cole felt the bed under him begin to move. Or to be more precise, the upper part of it did. It lifted and in turn, heaved him up with it until he was sitting up comfortably.
He turned his head to see a person in a bulky orange suit and behind the helmed visor, he identified a familiar face. He blinked. "A…Aaron…?"
The Danish doctor grinned, his handsome countenance easily distinguishable behind the clear plating. "Glad you recognize me this time. Hold on…" A gentle gloved hand took hold of Cole's face and a point of bright light flashed before Cole's eyes one at a time. "Good…" Aaron uttered. "Calm and focused and cool as a cucumber. How do you feel?"
Cole winced as a bout of pain rippled through him. "Rips keep creakin'. And I feel very heavy and tired."
"That would be the sedatives," Aaron clarified. "Sorry, but we had no choice. You were just too out of control earlier, and you gave poor Ian one helluva bruised back when you hit 'im and he went flying across the room. Just how strong are you, man?"
Cole didn't answer, his mind too busy trying to piece together what the blond had divulged. He attacked someone…? When…? And why…?
"As for your ribs, three of them are broken, though the fractures are thankfully minor. We had to bandage you up so they'll heal just fine as long as you don't put any strain on them for awhile. But your right ankle's in pretty rough shape, you tore multiple ligaments. Gonna have to stay off it for at least a week, okay? After what you and Jay both been through, you're gonna need to focus on recuperating. Physically and no doubt mentally too."
"Jay." Cole turned his head, now able to see passed Aaron to the bed neighboring his. He couldn't look away. Another cardiogram stood poised next to Jay's bed, as well as an I.V. drip. He took in his best friend's state: closed eyelids, heavily bandaged head—more of the fog evaporated. He'd seen Jay like this before…hadn't he…?
"How…How is he?" His voice trembled slightly. "Is he okay?"
Aaron eyed Cole for a long moment before turning to his other patient—his younger cousin. "Jay's stable, yes," he reported evenly. "We had to perform immediate surgery on his head, as soon as we got down here. He had a very deep five-inch long laceration on the right side of his head. And because of the location of the wound, we had to take extra precaution on closing it—twenty-six stitches in total. We also found multiple contusions along the back of his neck and shoulders, as well as two broken fingers on his left hand as you can tell from the brace."
The blond Nordic stopped to take a breath, his gaze protective and steady on his slumbering kin. "I've…never operated on a family member before. I guess there's some truth to why surgeons shouldn't. I got a little scared when I saw his injury—the severity of it. But I knew I couldn't pass off his operation to another doctor. I knew that I had to be the one to do it."
That's right…Aaron had been searching for Jay for years now. And to finally find him only to perform a life-saving operation on him a few short hours after having been reunited? Definitely not a fun time. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Aaron," Cole said, and the Danish man looked back to him with a small smile in place.
"It's okay. At least I don't have to doubt another doctor's surgical skills. I know for a fact that he'll make a full recovery without any incompetent complications—the both of you will. However, as regrettable as it is, a mild concussion will most likely manifest and he'll have to persevere through it. Good news though, is that we're sufficiently supplied with meds down here. You guys are being treated with top-of-the-line narcotics." A cheeky grin produced a flash of pearly whites. "I can't wait to tell 'im he has a bald spot. But hey, it can easily be covered with a hat or a well-placed headband until the patch grows back. So he shouldn't complain too much."
Down here… It was all coming back to Cole now. His mission to save Jay, his skirmish with two of the Seven Deities—Athena and Zelus, his encounter with the mysterious green spores…the Mana Cetra, and the revelation one of them had provided. And then…he and Jay had somehow gotten teleported with their help. And then… Right…
Cole licked his lips to moisten them. "So…you guys retrieved us from the surface and brought us back to the Honeycomb. Obviously we're in the infirmary, and judging from that space suit you have on—"
Aaron nodded. "Yep. Space suit equals possible foreign contaminant or radiation in the area, and carriers of possible detrimental pollutant equals quarantine. Top screens came up clean, no sign of any poisons or toxins in your bloodstreams, which is great! It's just that…" Aaron was giving Cole that circumspective look again. "…Do you remember waking up before now?" He asked carefully.
"Yeah." Cole took a moment to collect his thoughts, but spoke candidly when he was ready. "Sorry about your colleague. I…wasn't in the right frame of mind. But, Aaron…did you guys see the plants—the glowing green spores?"
"Uh yeah, we did. They were clustered around you two when you suddenly appeared in front of us. And Jay was right on the mark, they did seem to be producing some type of golden pollen, as it had covered your bodies thoroughly. We tried to collect samples of it from your clothes, but it strangely disintegrated—not even any residue was left over. Our scientists are already speculating about it being more of an airborne pathogen and are planning to go on a more in-depth expedition tomorrow. But rest assured we took all of the necessary precautions while bringing you two down here. You guys have been placed in a private and highly secure section of the Infirmary by order of the regime. You need special clearance just to get in here."
"Aaron…" Cole really wished the sedatives would leave his system already. He hated how weighed down and weak he felt. "…the spores are harmless. I mean, yeah, there will be effects from the pollen, but nothing bad. At least…" Images of Jordan and Morgan filled his head, and the absolute elation he felt when he had discovered that Jay was pregnant with another baby warmed his heart. "…At least…I don't think so…"
Aaron stared at Cole for a long while, his expression intrigued. "…One of your clan members said something similar—Brad I believe it was. Before we left to get you and Jay, he said that there was nothing to fear from the spores, that peoples' health wouldn't turn detrimental. He said it with such certainty that I almost felt compelled to believe his word alone. But as you and I both know, Cole, seeing is believing, especially for the scientific minds of the world. But for you and Brad to say relatively the same thing…can't overlook that. But why you two and not Jay? He was exposed to the spores the longest. And why Brad at all for that matter? It doesn't make any sense."
"I…I don't know why he didn't say anything about it," Cole said. He turned his gaze beseechingly to the one in the neighboring bed. "I can't speak for Brad, but maybe Jay was…skeptical about what the Mana Cetra had said—"
"The Mana Cetra? What—Is that what they're called?" Sheer befuddlement twisted Aaron's face. "And what do you mean by what they "said"? Are you saying those spores talked to you?" He shook his head. "Cole…"
"I know it sounds crazy, but that's what happened up there. And even you can't deny that there are forces in the universe that science cannot explain, Aaron. Mankind is very limited. I mean…take us for example—our elemental powers. These powers were brought out from us by a third party. It had nothing to do with bloodline or lineage. We had natural born affinities with the forces of natural, that's all. You know this, right? You know us. You know Jay."
Cole could almost see the gears turning in Aaron's head, but no rebuttal came forth. He knew Cole was right. He sighed. "Well…you got me there." He offered the ninja leader a resigned smile and dipped his head in acquiesce. "Alright, Cole, tell me everything."
And Cole did. He told Aaron all about his mission through the devastated city up top. And it was quite comical to see the Danish man's light blue eyes get wider and wider with each and every sentence disclosed. Like Cole, Aaron couldn't believe power like Athena's technically existed and resided in a mere human being, and that was discounting the other Seven Deities' fearsome abilities. But what really got to the blond was Cole's experience with the Mana Cetra.
"Wait…" He whipped his head back to his unconscious cousin, and then back to Cole. "…So you're saying that Jay—sometime in the future will be able to—"
"Not just Jay, Aaron," Cole reiterated, "other men all over the world also. That's what the Mana Cetra said. That will be the only effects their golden powder will have, and susceptibility is limited. It called the ones that will be blessed by this phenomenon "Destined Marked Ones", and I'm not one of them."
"Is that disappointment or relief…?" Aaron quipped lightly, but then his expression sobered the next moment as he eyed Cole intently. "Wait…is that why you cried out earlier? About a Dr. Sugarbaker and babies?"
Cole sighed and shifted his gaze back to Jay. He wished his bed was closer. "I…had a dream…that's all…" The earth ninja didn't elaborate further. Whether he was too tired or too selfish to relinquish the information, he wasn't sure.
"…You love him." It was a statement, not a question.
Cole eyes didn't stray from his best friend. "Like you love Ada…yeah."
A heartbeat of silence, the cardiogram beeped steadily in the sterile white room. Both of theirs did. In synch. In unison. "Does he know?" Aaron asked quietly. If he was uncomfortable with the subject, he didn't show it.
"Yeah…he does."
"…Unrequited?"
A weak bitter laugh escaped the black ninja then. "If only it was so simple," he lamented.
"Ahhh…complicated." Aaron tsked slightly, but pulled on a smile. "Well, the best and truest love usually is."
Cole wished it wasn't. "Aaron, listen…you can't tell anyone about this—the Mana Cetra. I know it sounds selfish, but I'm only thinking about Jay and his protection. We can't let the regime or the military get their hands on him and put him through God knows what. We can't let them treat him like a guinea pig."
"Well of course not, Cole," Aaron retorted, sounding near indignant. "I would never let that happened to my little cousin. And I sure as hell doubt your friends would either, especially not that scary, red-eyed, blond guy. Whoa let me tell ya, if Kai and the rest weren't there to hold him back when we arrived with the two of you, the entire military wouldn't likely be enough to stop him from breaking into this place to see Jay." He shook his head again. "Sheesh. Talk about protective."
Cole smiled wryly. "Yeah, but Jay is his mother-figure, though."
"I guess, but the guy's gonna pop a blood vessel if he's not careful. But seriously though, I won't tell you that the regime isn't anxious for answers. Aside from the toxicology tests, they've agreed to let you two be until you're more stable for further examinations. If the expedition tomorrow turns up fruitless, then I can't see them setting you guys free any time soon. But hey, maybe being quarantined for a week or two might not be that bad," he ventured optimistically. "It could give you guys a chance to talk and clear things up and most definitely recuperate. And if when they do decide to resume testing, if they can't find anything then they'll have no choice but to discharge the both of you. I'll make sure they do."
Cole hadn't thought about that from that angle. Alone with Jay for a week… It almost sounded like a vacation. Plus, they really did need to talk. He could only hope that Jay would be willing and up for it since his injuries were nothing to sneeze at. Cole decided it would be best to take things slow and see how things played out.
He was getting really tired…
"Wow, this is a lot to take in," Aaron breathed, and Cole watched as he looked to Jay again, a glint of protectiveness and determination highlighting his profile beyond the glass visor. "Okay, let me think about this for the time being. I personally say if this thing is gonna happen then it should happen unexpectedly. Not need to get the world in an uproar about the "possibility" of men being capable of giving birth without any solid proof. Because as far as I can tell—and this goes for the rest of my staff—Jay is still indubitably male. Not a vagina in sight. And that goes for you too." A smirk formed. "Not bad by the way, Italiano."
Cole had the modesty to blush at the unexpected praise. Although he should've expected as much given he was wearing a hospital gown.
"Though I suppose if he did magically form one then it wouldn't be deemed "male" pregnancy," Aaron went on. "Anyway, I'll go inform your friends about your progression. You focus on relaxing and—"
Aaron was suddenly interrupted by a pained groan, and he immediately turned around to face the bed next to Cole's. Jay was moving in a slow and agonized way, his face paling and peppering with sweat as his expression contorted. The notion of sleep evaporated from Cole's mind and body as he tried to sit up a little straighter, his senses on high-alert.
Jay's eyes clenched shut as he continued to moan and writhe. But soon those moans graduated to gasps and pants, until he actively started to scream.
"Jay!"
Aaron started to rush over to his ailing cousin's side when he flinched back in surprise. For flames of blue fire abruptly appeared along the right side of Jay's neck and shoulder, burning and searing that point of flesh alone. Jay continued to scream in agony as the flames marred his skin, and Aaron, getting over his initial shock, ran over to his bedside.
Cole tried to get up himself, but was sternly admonished by the other man. "No, Cole! Stay there! Don't you move!" But the ninja leader ignored him. He grunted with exertion as his aching body railed against him, not wanting to cooperate. But he obstinately numbed the burning pain from his ribs and swung his legs over the side. He scrutinized the gauze binding his right ankle and foot only a millisecond before getting to his feet and hopping/limping over to the opposite side of Jay's bed.
Aaron looked like he was trying to smother the mysterious fire, but Jay was bucking and jerking so wildly that he couldn't get his big gloved hands over it. "I need two nurses in here STAT!" He suddenly yelled, and then looked strictly at Cole. "Try to pin him down while I—"
And just as suddenly as they erupted, the blue flames extinguished themselves in a sizzling wisp. Jay's heart-wrenching screams died down to stifled whimpers and the top edges of the right side of his gown had been burned away, leaving nothing but blackened edges on the garment. Cole and Aaron stared wide-eyed at Jay as his half naked chest heaved with each gasping breath, their sights on the reddened and angry flesh the blue flames left in their wake. Cole eyes traced the intricately designed lines and delicate curves, and his memory presented him with a similar image to match. Only this time…this wasn't a dream…
Two orange suits shuffled quickly into the room, only neither Cole nor Aaron cared. "Cole…?" Aaron's voice was mystified. "You said…"Marked One"…right?"
Cole's heart pounded. "Yeah…"
"Okay…is this the mark…?"
Cole took in the sight of the beautifully etched pair of angel wings and what they encircled so lovingly. The six point star, his mind supplied. The Star of Creation…
"This is real…" he muttered to himself. "This is real."
Author's Note: Time to chill a little on the action and get some drama and exposition in, baby! I hope you all enjoyed Cole's sweet dreams as they were very fun to write. Now for the next couple of chapters we'll see how the rest of the Ninja Clan is doing. Anyone wanna bet that Lloyd is having a meltdown? XP Find out next chapter! Please leave your thoughts!