23

Viktor was dragged out behind me by two security guards and placed in the chair beside me. Dr. Ilana said he'd be fine in a few minutes. I stared at his face for a minute, eyes closed, peaceful looking. I felt guilt for questioning if he was truly ready for this. Before me, all he knew were his fists. All he wanted was to win. And then here I come, offering him an umbrella and changing his entire world. I looked at the ultra sound in my hand and hoped he would not come to regret us.

His body jerks awake as his eyes open and he looks around before seeing me.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You took a tumble." I replied and he looked me over now moving to gently touch my shoulders.

"You okay?" he asked. I nodded.

"Yes. I should be asking you that though. I never thought you'd be the fainting type." I said holding up the ultra sound to him. His eyes fell on it before he nodded.

"Twins." he said. I nodded.

"Twins." I responded and he sighed heavily as he took the picture.

"We will have much to prepare for." he said and I nodded in agreement.

"So let's prepare." I replied and he smiled and kissed me lovingly.

Oh how hopes can get so high only to be dropped in an instant.

1 week later

Viktor was training with his father, running with his truck behind his car. I was sitting out on the balcony watching as he ran past the house giving me a gentle smile as he panted and sweated. His father nearly ran up onto his heels trying to get him to focus. I knew I was distracting him, so I decided to go back inside. He was on his last lap anyways and usually stopped by to get some water. I wasn't feeling very good anyways. Damn this morning sickness. I was cramping a lot and I felt maybe I should take something for it. I moved into the bathroom feeling as though I had to pee, but once I was inside and pulled my sweats and panties down, I saw dark red everywhere coating my panties and sweats.

"Oh my god." I whispered in horror. There was so much of it going down my legs. Immediately I took my pants and threw them out into the hallway before closing the door tight and locking it. What the hell was going on!

"Oh no. Oh no!" I said quickly grabbing towels and trying to stop the bleeding from between my legs. How did I not feel this! My mind was spinning. I hear the front door open and gasp. Viktor was here already!

"Astrid?" he calls out and now I am panicking more. My eyes started to water as I hear a knock at the bathroom door.

"I-I…" I couldn't even think of a plausible lie. I just sink to the flood feeling tears fall down my face. He tried to open the door but it was locked.

"Astrid open the door, what's going-" he stops speaking, and I knew that he must have seen the bloody clothes. In seconds the door is broken as he forces his way in. He looked down at me with wide eyes as he sees the mess.

"There's just so much blood." I cried out and before I knew it, he scoops me off my feet and carries me from the room. He moves to the front door and carries me out it. He's moving so fast and I just keep my arm wrapped around his neck, and the towel between my legs. He runs outside and I can see his dad's truck.

"What happened!" I can hear Ivan ask.

"She's hurt. She needs the hospital!" Viktor announced. Ivan nods and Viktor gets us into his passenger side and just holds me on his lap. I don't even register the truck moving. All I do is cry and Viktor holds me close. I can smell the sweat on his body as his hand just rubs my forehead.

"It's going to be okay. I got you." he said over and over in my head. It's the only thing holding me down to the planet right now. I knew what happened, I wouldn't be stupid. I know what happened. Oh God please let me be wrong. There's numerous honking and I notice Ivan honking his horn as he's speeding down the street. Viktor holds me tighter. In an hour, I am in a hospital bed, in a gown, Viktor was sitting in the chair beside me, his fingers together in front of his lips. His knee was hopping fast. His lap was covered in blood, my blood.

"I lost them." I said dryly, face pale.

"We don't know that." Viktor said, and I just looked at my lap placing my hand to my stomach gently. The door of the room opened and in came Dr. Ilana, a professional look was on her face. There was no look of relief. That's how I knew. Viktor immediately stood up and reached out for my hand which I gave. To feel his hand alone gave me comfort.

"So we did run some tests," she started and looked at me sadly, "you did have a miscarriage. Neither of the twins survived. I'm so sorry." I stared at her for a long moment feeling my heart tear into two and drop into my stomach where my children should have been. Before I could comprehend, Viktor was storming out the room. My face fell as I felt my entire world collapse.

"How?" I asked. She sighed and shook her head.

"Your other tests from before came back normal. It seemed this was just one of those miscarriages that happen." she said softly.

"SIR YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN!" someone yelled violently. Dr. Ilana ran out of the room and I swung my feet out of the bed and moved into the hallway. Chairs were flipped and the walls had holes in them. A man in a grey cop suit was trying to subdue Viktor but he threw him off in seconds. Ivan was just turning the corner shouting at him to calm down, but that resulted in a basic painting on the wall getting torn down. I leaned against the wall some feeling weak from earlier.

"Viktor stop!" I yelled. Viktor finally looked at me, panting heavily, his face wet with tears. I could see that this broke him more than his mother leaving. His world was as shattered as mine and neither of us knew what to do in this moment. I just held my hands out to him and his face broke as he moved up to me and hugged me tight crying into my chest so no one would see him. But we knew and I didn't care if anyone saw.

When I was discharged, three of us walked down the hall with the security guard who tried to subdue Viktor. Our hands were linked together and Ivan just walked behind us.

"I will take care of the damages." I said told the security guard.

"No, you won't." Ivan suddenly said and we both looked at him confused. He gave a grizzly sigh.

"I called your aunt. She is on her way here. She said she will be taking care of everything." he said. I wasn't even concerned with the fact they were still in contact. I just nodded as we left the hospital. The whole world didn't make sense to me right now. My aunt called. Donnie called. Bianca called. None of it made sense. My babies were gone. Both of them. Because of nature, because my body just decided to get rid of them.

I wanted to cry more, but it only made my head hurt worse. We pulled back up at my apartment and it was quiet between the three of us. I got off Viktor's lap and got out of the truck. He followed behind and we walked around the front of the truck.

"Astrid." Ivan called and I paused and looked at him. He looked at me awkwardly before looking down and sighing. "I'm sorry." I just stared at him for a moment before nodding and turning and moving inside. Viktor's hand never left mine as we made it back to my apartment. I moved inside, only this time Ivan didn't follow. I looked at him and he looked so unreadable.

"I… I need to go for a run. Clear my mind." he said. His words didn't even register with me even though I just nodded slowly.

"Guess I'll be fine by myself." I said in a deadpan tone. He just winced and looked down wanting to say something before just turning and leaving my sight. I stared at the space he was in before closing my eyes and looking down finally letting a few tears slip. I cleaned up the bathroom in silence and threw away my blood sweats and panties. Time stood still, nothing mattered, nothing was real. I was completely and utterly lost.

Normal POV

Viktor was exiting the apartment complex when Ivan saw him. His father looked confused and he stepped out of the truck.

"What are you doing?" he asked. Viktor just shook his head.

"I needed to clear my head, had to get away. I want to go for a run." he said. Ivan frowned and like a snake, his hand came up and smacked Viktor in the face. It caught him off guard, making Viktor recoil some before he growled and get in Ivan's face, fists clenched as if ready to fight. Ivan didn't even look bothered. He just looked his son in the face without fear.

"No. What you're going to do is go back into that complex and be with your fiancé." he said. Viktor sharpened his eyes on his dad.

"You've never called her that before." he said. Ivan nodded.

"And you will never call her that again either if you don't get back in there and handle your business. I never taught you to run away from a fight even of this nature." he said. Viktor huffed some, his body trying to calm down from that burning smack.

"You never taught me any of this!" he said acidly. Ivan's jaw clenched and he placed his hands on his hips and looked around for a second before looking back at his son.

"You love this girl?" he asked. Viktor looked his father over before nodding.

"Yes." he said. Ivan nodded.

"Yes he says. You want to marry her?" he asked now. Viktor nodded.

"Yes." he said almost weakly. Ivan nodded before placing his hand on the back of Viktor's neck.

"We were both robbed of opportunities with children from the women we love. But you cannot let this break you." he said. Viktor was stunned by his father's words as he was not expecting him to even say anything that was considered words of sympathy.

"You still love her aunt?" Viktor asked. Even when they were both caught together, Viktor assumed it was just a heated passion, reliving some part of their youthful pasts. Ivan nodded.

"I was willing to give up everything for Alicia Creed year ago. I lost my chance. But you are not me. You console your girl. Then we train and prepare to beat her brother." he said before moving back and getting into his truck. "You want to run, you run home." Without saying anything else, Ivan reversed his truck and drove away. Viktor stood there staring at the back of the truck. Never in a million years did he think his father would ever give him advise that would push him closer to his fiancé, who Viktor was sure, Ivan would think was his enemy and never support them. Viktor hurried back inside and ran back to Astrid's apartment.

Astrid's POV

I didn't trust myself to shower at the moment but I washed up just enough to get the smell of bleach off my body. I slid on a grey gown and went to lie on my bed. There was a firm knock on my bed and immediately I knew who it was. I turned and moved quickly to the door and opened it. Viktor was standing there panting heavily.

"I'm sorry." he said, his tone broken. I just pulled him inside and we embraced each other hard. His scent washed over me, the future anger I planned to feel for him for abandoning washed away. "You know I would never let you go through this alone." I just nodded into his chest.

"I know." I said, my tone weak from crying. We pulled back and I looked up at his deep eyes, filled with pain. His hands caressed my cheeks softly.

"We will get through this. Together." he said. I nodded gently.

"Together." I replied and gently our lips found each other in a soft and loving kiss.