I'm so sorry about not updating!!!!! So busy!!!! Extreme writer's block!!!
Chapter Two: Celia
"Mom's what?" I asked shakily.
"She's in labor."
Whoa.
"Magnus?" I asked him carefully. "Do you still have that cool car that seems to break the speed limit pretty easily?"
His blue eyes showed that he was confused. "Yes... why?"
I grabbed onto his sleeve. "My mom's in labor," I said quickly. "And I need to be there with her. Will you help me?"
His gaze softened. "Of course I will."
I nodded, then turned around to find another person to push my worries out on.
"CHAAAAAAAAAAAARITY!!!!"
xxx
Charity's POV
Faith rang her hands as she paced back and forth. Her parents were both in the delivery room, and the doctors had said it would be any minute now.
"I don't get this," Faith said, teeth chattering. She really looked like a mess, her hair all messy and eyes wild. "Why does the kid have to be born on my birthday? Couldn't it just wait until tomorrow?"
"Apparently not," Magnus sighed.
Faith then proceeded to begin to bang her head against the wall. This may sound weird, but I was jealous. I had been cut off from my sister ever since I got bitten.
"Magnus?" Faith asked in a breathy voice. "Charity?"
"Yeah?" I replied, digging my nails into the arms of the waiting room chairs.
"Can you give me a gun?"
Nick was off 'chilling' with his friends, but it was obvious that he was worried as well.
Speaking of that, Rob had said that it 'wasn't any of his business' and left. The nerve.
I knew who Faith needed.
Faith's POV
Magnus and Charity watched me with kind, concerned eyes.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I cried. "I mean, just 'cause my mom's having a baby and it seems like it's taking forever even though it isn't..."
Magnus tilted his head to one side. "You need to relax," he told me in his best vampire voice. Gosh, I hate it when he does that.
Carefully, slowly, I took the seat next to him and gripped his cold hand as if I was the one having the baby. I could see the corner of Charity's mouth go up just a bit.
"There," Magnus soothed. "Better?"
"Better." I released a shaky breath.
A worried looking nurse came by and faced Magnus. After the initial 'wow he's hot' look, she spoke to him in a soft voice.
"Hello. Do you think your girlfriend might like some anti-anxiety pills-"
"She's not my girlfriend," Magnus told her sharply. "And no, she doesn't. Faith can handle herself, thanks."
I smiled shakily at him as the miffed nurse trotted off. Wow, I needed those pills, but I have Magnus, so that works out.
"Look," Charity said, yawning. "I'm going to call Sam, ok? You'll be ok with that, right?"
Sam had left as well, but he was already a close friend to me, so I nodded. "Yeah. I'd like it if he was here.
Suddenly, my dad walked out of the room, a worried look on his face.
"Dad?" I asked sharply. "What's going on? Is it Mom? Please don't tell me she-"
He put a hand on my shoulder. "No, Faith," He murmured. "She's not dead. But there are some complications right now. Your mother is losing more blood than usual, and... and they're worried we'll lose the baby."
I had to be as pale as Magnus or Charity right then, because I could feel the blood drain from my face. Every single drop.
"Can't they give Mom a transfusion? Won't that help? Or have a c-section?"
"She can't have a transfusion right now," Dad explained. "And she's past the point where it would be safe to operate. A c-section is the last resort."
I nodded quickly, holding back the tears that clouded my vision.
"Faith?" Dad asked. "Do you need me to-"
"No, no!" I choked out. "Mom and the baby need you. Go."
He hesitated, but Magnus told him calmly, "Don't worry, Mr. de Silva. I'll take care of her."
"Me too," Charity put in softly.
Dad squeezed my shoulder. "Everything will be fine, senorita." I could hear his footsteps fade out of the room.
"He's right, you know," Charity said. "Everything will be fine."
Magnus said nothing, simply drew me close and pressed his lips against my hair. That was all I needed from him. Comfort.
"What's going on?" Sam asked, walking in. In a quiet voice, Charity explained what was going on with my mom.
Hours passed. It seemed like forever, but at 11:56 pm, Dr. Hutchins, one of the women helping out with my mom, walked over to us.
"Faith de Silva?"
I raised my head. "Uh-huh?"
"Your mother is fine... she's a strong woman," She said. "But your baby sister... she's very weak right now. She looks like a fighter, though, so keep your hopes up."
Standing, I squeezed Magnus's hand one last time.
"Be careful," he told me, as if I was going to battle Niki or Bertha again.
"I will," I smiled.
Mom lay in her bed, looking exhausted. Now she was hooked up to a transfusion, but even that couldn't bring color back to her pale face. Her eyelids fluttered, and she looked up at me, then down at the tiny baby in her arms.
"Her name is Celia Mercedes de Silva."
Celia truly was a tiny baby. She was cute, though, with my mom's hair and skin tones, but my dad's Latin facial features. I touched a chestnut curl.
"She's beautiful."
Seeing Celia... and knowing that she may not even be in my life for an hour-the nurses were surely going to go hook her up to some machines in a moment-made me break down. Brushing tears out of my eyes, I raced out of the room, only to find Charity, a grave look on her face.
"What now?" I burst out. She simply hugged me.
"This is going to be so hard..." Whoa. I could feel actual tears falling from her eyes. As she drew back, I realized that I'd never seen Charity cry before, besides when she had to choose between being mediated or not.
"No, seriously," I whispered. "What's going on?"
Sam walked forward, putting his hands on Char's shoulders. "Magnus will explain it to you."
Charity held up a shaky hand to silence him. "Magnus... he got a call from the Blood Coven. The Coven who leads us all. They... um, they were tipped off about you and him... about Sam, Magnus and I all being linked to you besides in business..."
She turned her back to me, face in hand.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Magnus walking up to me. He attempted a smile, but I knew something was wrong.
"Faith," he said gently. "I need to talk to you."
"No!" Charity suddenly screamed at him, making others stare. "You can't take her away from us! You know you can't!"
Magnus shot her a glance. "Do you think I want to, Charity?"
"You love her," Charity whispered. "You're our friend. Why would you let the coven just-"
She cut herself off. "Now's not the time... I see. I'll just..."
She wrapped her arms around me.
"What's that about?" I asked.
"You're my best friend," Charity whispered in my ear. "You know that, right?"
"Right..." I agreed. She smiled sadly, then began to walk off at warp speed. Before I knew what was happening, Sam was hugging me.
"You're always there for all of us," He told me quietly. "And... Char couldn't bring herself to say this... she's too mad... but.." He sent a questioning look to Magnus, who simply nodded. "Magnus isn't doing this because he doesn't care about you."
"Doing what?" I asked.
Wordlessly, Sam went after Charity.
Magnus walked up to me. "Follow me."
And, despite what Charity and Sam had said, I did. He led me out of the hospital, taking my hand. I looked around the alleys we wove around, until we reached a house-Magnus's house.
"Why are we here?" I asked as he sat me down on the sofa.
Magnus's eyes searched my own. Suddenly, he kissed me, his lips meeting mine. Shocked, I put my hand on his neck, and kissed him back, closing my eyes. I was breathless when it stopped.
"W-what was that for?" I panted.
He said nothing, simply brushed his lips against my neck. This... hadn't happened before. I trembled. Something was wrong. But just as I was about to say something, Magnus kissed me again. And this time he kept kissing me. I leaned so that within moments, I was laying on the sofa, Magnus kissing me, his hands cradling my head. Once again, I met him with eager lips. His fingers tangled in my hair, but before I could do anything more, he suddenly lifted his face from mine.
"I love you."
The sharp sting of a needle only brought darkness.
xxx
Predictions?