Disclaimer: I don't own anybody that was on the show.
Chapter 4
When Mallory woke up, she saw a starry night sky. She had a monster of a headache and she couldn't remember much. She remembered going into labor, but that was about it. She groaned and tried to sit up, but her back was too weak. She started to fall back down again, but something stopped her.
"Whoa Mal. I don't think you want to lie back down again. Take it easy," Emerald helped her sit back up. Mallory looked around. She saw the tree that was flying towards them. It had landed on the toilet, inches from where her head was laying when she was unconscious. The toilet was shattered.
"It was close," said Emerald. Mallory looked at her. Emerald had changed into her duck form. Even though she had changed her form, she still had little pieces of porcelain stuck in her back and legs. Tears were streaming down her face, but she tried not to show that it hurt as much as it did. "I was behind you when the tree hit," she explained. Mallory was distracted by the sound of a baby crying. She turned to see Tanya sitting on a fallen telephone pole. "Tanya, she's awake," called out Emerald.
Tanya turned to see Mallory sitting up. She walked over to them, carrying something bundled up in the towel. "Congratulations Mallory," said Tanya, handing her the bundle. Mallory took it in her arms and looked to see what it was.
Inside the towel was a dark-tan feathered baby with hair that was red on the top, fading to dark gray on the bottom. The hair was just starting to grow; a little bit was showing. The child opened its eyes, and Mallory saw the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. It's eyes faded from yellow to dark yellow.
"It's a girl," finished Tanya. Mallory let out a sob/laugh and held her new daughter close to her.
They were all startled by the sound of the sirens that came from the Ambulance and Fire truck that came around the corner. A few firemen jumped out of the truck when they saw the three ducks standing/sitting in the debris of what used to be a home.
"Everyone all right?" one of the men asked.
"Mostly, but Emerald needs to get the porcelain out of her back," said Tanya. Emerald stepped out from behind Tanya. Tanya placed a hand on her shoulder.
The fireman gave a small nod and he and another fireman helped Mallory to her feet. "Is that a newborn?" asked one of them, pointing to the child in her arms. Mallory nodded.
"We've set up a hospital shelter not far from here. We'll take you there for any treatments you need." The firemen led them to the Ambulance and helped them in. They were driven to the shelter and they each were given a cot to rest on. A female doctor treated Emerald and another doctor looked at Mallory's daughter. He came back with her in a cleaner towel and said
"She's perfectly fine, although I must admit I've never seen a hair or eye type like she has. What color does the father have?"
"Dark green, and his hair color is dark gray."
"Well, despite the unusual coloring, I'd have to say she's one of the more beautiful newborns that I've seen,"
Mallory nearly blushed. "Well, thank you," The doctor smiled and handed Mallory back her daughter.
-
When Nosedive woke up, he saw nothing but darkness. He had a headache that pounded in his head. At first he tried to remember where he was. Then he remembered about Veranda and Steve. He felt around for a flashlight. He found one, and it didn't work. He heard a moan from his right.
"Steve, you OK?"
"Yea, I'm fine."
Nosedive heard a clicking, then saw Steve's flashlight turn on. Steve pointed it towards the ceiling and it lighted most of the room. Nosedive found Veranda lying next to him. She had one arm next to her face, and she was lying on her side. Nosedive gently shook her shoulder. "Veranda, Veranda," She didn't move. Nosedive felt the slow ache in his heart as worry and dread filled him. He shook her shoulder a little harder. "Veranda, oh Drake no, Veranda!" Nosedive's eyes went warm with unshed tears as he continued to try to wake up Veranda. "For the love of DuCain, please wake up Veranda!"
"Nosedive?" she asked in a weak whisper.
"Yes, oh thank Drake, Veranda, are you OK?"
"Dive," she said in a normal volume. "I can't move my legs."
Nosedive looked down at her legs. "That's because there's stuff on them," he said gently. He carefully removed pieces of wood and returned to her side.
"It hurts to move them," said Veranda.
"Don't worry, I'll get us out of here." He heard the sound of machinery running up above them. Nosedive got up and ran to the base of the steps. "We're down here! We need help!" he shouted.
He was rewarded with the sound of men shouting "Stop the bulldozer! Someone's down there! I heard them!" The rumble of machinery stopped and he heard the sound of men getting ready to move something heavy. He backed away from the staircase. When all the debris was moved away, a fireman came down. Nosedive led them to the spot where Veranda and Steve were. The fireman and Nosedive helped Veranda to her feet and Nosedive carried her outside.
The area was a disaster. Nothing was the same. Nothing was left of the ice skating rink. Pieces of metal and wood had wedged themselves in the cracks that had broken into the ice when the floor was ripped off the ground.
He carefully helped her into the Ambulance and he climbed in with Steve behind him.
When they arrived at the shelter, they were each given a cot to rest on. As Nosedive looked around, he saw Steve in the cot next to him. He didn't know where Veranda went. He looked down the rows of injured or resting people. All the cots were full. Some were out off of theirs and were visiting others. As he looked down the rows, he saw a very familiar redhead and blonde. He got up and ignored the screaming headache. He walked over to them and hoping his sister-in-law was all right.
"Nosedive," said Tanya, a little bit surprised.
"Where's Emerald?" Nosedive asked. He knew that that's the first question Veranda would ask when she got back.
"We saw her walk down that hall with a doctor," said Mallory, pointing to a hallway.
"You all right Mal?"
"Never better. Then again that could be because I had my little girl an hour ago."
"It was a girl? Awesome! So Duke's finally a daddy now, eh?"
Mallory's eyes dropped. "Yea, but I wish I could tell him that."
"Well, the storms over. You could tell him now."
Mallory thought for a second, then opened her com, saying "I hope he doesn't freak out."
-
Duke stared out the window of the Migrator, looking out at the night sky. They had finally gotten out of the first traffic jam, only to run into another one in the next state. They just got out of the second one when Duke's com beeped. He stared at it like it was something that just magically appeared, then rushed to answer it.
"Yea?" Duke's voice was full of hope.
"Duke, it's me,"
Duke suddenly started talking at a fast rate. "Oh thank Drake you're alive! When I heard that there was a tornado I was worried that-"
"Duke, the dream was right."
Duke froze all together. He just sat there with his beak open for a few seconds, then said "Please say you're not kidding."
"I'm not kidding. I had her about an hour ago."
The people around Duke started congratulating him.
"Alright Duke!"
"You go Duke!"
"Congratulations Duke!"
Wildwing had other things on his mind. "Find out who is with her."
Duke understood why Wildwing had given that order. His little brother and his wife were hit by the tornado too, and he was equally worried about them. "Mal, who else is with you?"
"Dive and Tanya, why?"
"Where's Emerald and Veranda?" asked Razorwing.
"Mal, do you know where Emerald and Veranda are?"
Mallory appeared rather nervous. "Um, I don't know where Veranda and Emerald are. You'd have to ask Nosedive on that one"
"It might be a day or two before we get there. You think you could hold out that long?" asked Duke.
"Sure. Tanya's all right, Nosedive's uninjured, and I'm just fine. We don't know about Emerald or Veranda yet, but when we do we'll give you a call," replied Mallory.
"You guys hang in there, alright?"
"We'll do that. Oh, and please try to hurry, because being with my baby jut isn't the same without the you."
"We'll do that." Mallory shut her com and Duke shut his. He shut his eyes while turning his head to look out the window.
"Welcome to the joys of being a father, Duke," said Wildwing.
"But Tanya wasn't halfway across the country when she went into labor."
"True, but it's basically the same thing. You have a child Duke, a daughter that needs both you and Mallory to help her live throughout the years. You'll be able to watch her grow up, and through the good times and bad, she'll know that her daddy will be there for her."
After a few seconds, Skystar piped up. "Well said Wing, well said."
-
As it was nearing dawn, none of the ducks, in either state, slept. In Minnesota, Mallory and Tanya were having a discussion on the subject of childcare when a doctor emerged from the hallway, leading Veranda, who was on crutches, to the room where the cots were set up. He showed her to a cot next to Nosedive. Nosedive was trying to sleep when he saw Veranda walking towards him on crutches. He sat up and watched as she sat n the cot next to him. When the doctor left, Nosedive turned to Veranda.
"Are you all right?" he asked her.
"The doctor said I shouldn't walk on my left leg for about a week and a half. What about you? Are you alright?"
"Other than one screaming headache, I'm fine. Did you find out about Mallory yet?"
"Is she OK?"
"Yep. She got a girl."
"Really? Where is it now?"
"Um, in the nursery, I think. Or what ever they had made from what's left of the hospital. I haven't seen the little lady yet, but Mallory's pretty happy about her. Duke can't wait to see them."
"Is Tanya all right?"
"Other than a few cuts and bruises, she's fine."
"Emerald OK?"
"We don't know. Last we saw of her she was walking down the hall you came from."
"What happened to her?"
"Tanya told me she took porcelain shards for Mallory,"
"What about Steve?"
Nosedive looked at Steve, who was snoring in his cot. "That pretty much answers it."
"Is the team coming?"
"Yep, they said it might be a day or two, though." He got up and sat next to her. She rested her head on his shoulder. "I wish Razorwing and Wildwing were here," she said.
Nosedive gently wrapped one arm around her shoulders and leaned his head against hers. "So do I."
-
A few hours later, just as dawn arrived, Emerald appeared from the hall, being pushed on a wheelchair. All heads in the room turned to see the 12-year-old duck entering the room. No one spoke until she was helped onto a cot and the doctor left the room.
"Emerald!" Veranda hobbled over to her as fast as she could. Nosedive went with her to make sure she didn't fall. They sat next to Emerald and Veranda said "Emerald, are you all right?" Veranda gave her a reassuring hug and Emerald let out a weak smile.
Another doctor came up to them and asked "Is her parent or legal guardian in the facility?"
"Um, her parents are on their way here, but I'm her aunt," said Veranda.
The doctor let off a small nod and said "I'm Dr. Hengs, and your niece has had shards of porcelain taken out of her back and legs. Her injuries were more serious then we thought. She had some shards so deep that we had to cut the wound bigger to get them out. We managed to get the shards out and we have stitched the wounds shut, but she is not advised to exercise her legs or her back for a month or so."
"So basically she has to stay in that wheelchair for a month."
"That's another way to put it, yes."
Veranda gave the doctor a small smile. "I'll be sure to tell her parents that. Thanks,"
The doctor smiled a little and walked away. As soon as he disappeared, Veranda's small smile faded and was replaced by a frown. "How can he be so cheerful? He has to have some family here somewhere."
Nosedive placed a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down Veranda. The only thing that matters now is that we're all alive and that Wing and the others are on their way." He looked around. "You talk with Emerald, keep her company while I tell Tanya and Mallory."
He got up and walked over to where Tanya and Mallory were talking again. "Emerald's back," he said. The upset look on his face told the story.
They got up as fast as they could and walked to the cot that Emerald was sitting on.
"Emerald, are you all right?" Emerald kept silent. She didn't look at them. She just kept her head slightly down and didn't look at any of them.
"She's depressed, just comfort her and help her when she needs it," said Veranda, explaining her behavior.
"What happened?" asked Mallory. "Well, when she took those shards of porcelain, some of the pieces went in so deep the doctors had to cut the holes bigger so they could get them out. They stitched her up and now she has to be in the wheelchair for a month."
None of them looked at all happy. Knowing what they had to do, yet trying to put it off, they told Emerald about how they were. Emerald kept silent throughout all the explanations, but nodded once in while, signaling that she was listening.
When Mallory finished her explanation, Emerald looked at her and said "Can we go see her?"
Everyone was surprised for a second, then Mallory said "Sure, let's go see her."
They helped Emerald into her wheelchair and Tanya wheeled her to the nursery with Mallory, Veranda, and Nosedive. The female doctor working there smiled and asked "L'orange, am I correct?" Mallory nodded and the doctor led them down a corridor and into a room. She led them to a bed in the far right corner. Everyone looked in and smiled.
"Oh Mal, she's beautiful," awed Veranda. The child opened her eyes, and both Veranda and Nosedive awed.
"What's her name?" asked Nosedive.
"We don't know yet, Duke and I haven't really agreed on one."
"Her eyes remind me of a sunrise," said Veranda.
"They remind me of a word in the Ancient Artica language that means 'rising of the sun'," said Emerald.
"What is that word? Maybe we could use it as her name."
"Kolena, that's the word that means rising of the sun."
"I like it. It's different, just like her," said Mallory with a smile.
-
In the Migrator, Duke was getting more tense by the hour. He was always fidgeting, day and night. He couldn't sit still; he was too worried about Mallory and their daughter. Would they still be OK when they got there? What if another tornado hit before they got there? He went through all the "What ifs" he could think of. He couldn't sleep, he promised himself that he wouldn't sleep until both Mallory and his daughter were safe in his arms. He looked out the window and at the ever-presence of the cornfield. There seemed to be no end to it, no end to this vast field. The tan and golden yellow seemed to go on, never ending, never stopping. Just like his love for Mallory. The tan color of the cornfield reminded him of the color of Mallory's feathers… Duke shut his eye to snap himself out of it. From here to Minnesota was nothing but cornfield. There's no way he is going to get his mind off of Mallory now.
When Razorwing's com beeped, everyone jumped. Razorwing rushed to answer it. "Razorwing here,"
"Raze, it's me,"
"Veranda, is everything alright over there?"
"Yea, we're all fine, technically, anyway,"
"What do you mean by technically? Is Emerald alright?"
"Emeralds fine, she's not dead or anything. She just can't walk for a month, that's all."
"She WHAT?"
Veranda visibly cringed. "Calm down Raze, it's nothing serious. She just has around 50 stitches on her legs and back, that's all."
From the background, they heard Nosedive say "Whose being cheerful now?"
"I'm trying to make it sound better than it really is so he doesn't kill me," came Veranda's remark.
"Don't forget to tell them!"
"I won't," she assured him, then spoke to Razorwing. "Dive is begging me to tell you something, but I'm not sure it's a good idea."
"If it's anything related to Mallory, then its probably not. He hasn't slept a wink during the whole trip."
"I hope you guys get here quick, Emeralds awfully depressed having to be stuck in a wheelchair for a month."
"We'll hurry as fast as we can, we're in North Dakota right now, we'll be there soon. Razorwing out." Before Razorwing shut his com, they heard the relieved shouts of their teammates.
To be continued…
Author's note: Everyone's out of character. This needs to be shot.