Sorry about being late. My PC broke down... Thanks for all the comments!
/
Rocket was sitting on a deck chair on the beach. She was dozing to the sound of the waves crashing against the beach. The sun was out and still hot despite the fact that it was 8 o'clock in the evening. Still she preferred this warm weather to the rain and clouds. She also enjoyed the calm, asides the waves, there was only the sound of some tropical birds and animals and sometimes her neighbours.
It was getting towards late august had had been five months since her capture. It all seemed like a bad dream to her now... As if it had never happened but in her heart she knew it had : almost being strangled by Savage, the experiment, the battle, the explosion... Everything was real she just chose not to think about it most of the time.
She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She was unsure why but she just couldn't rest, despite the calm. She couldn't shake off the feeling of nervousness and uncertainty and for some reason she wanted to be left alone. Was this yet another one of the effects of her pregnancy? The child was due in about two weeks and she was already looking forwards to it.
There was a loud splash. Raquel opened her eyes and smiled. Kaldur came out of the sea towards her, the Atlantean had found his swimming trunks and gone for an late evening swim around the same time she'd come down to the beach. He smiled and walked over to her, he'd let his hair grow back to as it had once been when he was a teenager. She watched as he lay down in the sand next to her surveying the waves.
"The water is nice..." He noted "You are sure you do not want to come in for a swim?"
"I'd better not, besides the last time I went in, I almost got eaten by a shark." She reminded him
"He meant no harm..."
"Sure he did..."
Raquel suddenly winced at the feeling of another kick originating from her womb. She was used to it by now but the baby's activities were becoming more and more painful with each passing day, she was willing to bet that the kid had Kaldur's super strength. Realising what was happening to his girlfriend Kaldur put an arm around her shoulders and pulled himself a little closer to her. The pain was only brief but bad enough to knock the wind out of her.
"You are being very brave..." He told her
"Thanks..." She muttered "I don't think we're gonna have to wait much longer..."
"The doctor said two weeks... Are you sure?"
"Call it mother's intuition..."
Kaldur gently placed a hand on Rocket's enlarged stomach, sure enough he could feel movement. He agreed with her it would not be long. They spent a while longer outside watching the sunset. The cool of the night soon settled in. Kaldur got up and smiled to Rocket before without asking permission picking her up in his arms. She was defiantly heavier now that there were two of them.
"What are you doing?" She asked him amused
"You are not yourself. You are with child and I feel like carrying you." He declared
She laughed as Kaldur turned around carrying her effortlessly towards a large, modern bungalo that they called home. The light of the kitchen was still on. They arrived on the patio to see Roy and Jade drinking some wine outside sitting around the round wooden table. They looked over warmly, judging by the late hour Lian would already be in bed.
"We were wondering where you two had gotten off to..." Said Jade
"We were on the beach..." Said Kaldur
"Staying?" Asked Roy
"Sure but not for long... I'm tired" Said Rocket
"I am thirty and shall go and get some refreshments do you want some as well Raquel?"
"The usual please Kal."
The Atlantean smiled and left Raquel with his two other friends. Their new house was located at the foot of a small rocky cliff, it was a modern and luxurious building that all five of them currently called home. He arrived in the large kitchen and opened the fridge. He picked up a jug full of a drink that Jade had made for Raquel apparently to help her through her pregnancy, he personally found it revolting as did Roy but Rocket seemed to like it. He grabbed himself a bottle of bier and went back outside.
He handed his girlfriend a glass and whatever her drink was. Kaldur took a few swigs of bier before noticing that Raquel was starring at him. He gave her an amused smile.
"What?" He asked her
"You drink?" She sounded surprised
"Indeed, you were not aware?"
"The things you learn..." She looked off into the distance "Say when are you two going to tell us how you got off of that island?"
"A magician never reveals his tricks." Declared Jade with a smile "What I can say is that it involved quick thinking, a lot of skill, some luck, a 50 mile swim and 12 sharks."
"Interesting..." Said Roy "Well at least we all came off on top. I mean who else lives here?"
"When Batman said we were going into hiding I thought we were going to be locked in a shed in Alaska and forgotten about not given our own island!" Said Rocket
The two couples spent half an hour talking, listening to the sounds of the small jungle on the cliffs behind the house. The only problem about living here were the creepy crawlies and snakes. Rocket could still remember the time she'd awoken to find Roy and Kaldur standing on the table while Jade chased after a rather large python with a katana... The hero yawned.
"I'm off to bed..." She announced "Goodnight."
"I too shall retire." Kaldur said
"Goodnight." Said Jade and Roy
Kaldur and Raquel headed to their bedroom. As they passed by they opened the door to Lian's room just to make sure that she was still sleeping and all was well. Sure enough the little girl was fast asleep; curled up in a little ball and sucking her thumb. The adults smiled before returning to their room. Raquel changed into her pyjamas while Kaldur got the fan up and running. She left to brush her teeth while the Atlantean repeatedly smashed the fan with his fist.
By the time Raquel returned he had been able to fix the machine. Another problem with living in the tropical part of the pacific was the heat! Even in winter it was warm. Kaldur smiled to Raquel and changed into his pyjamas as well before going to brush his teeth. By the time he made it back Rocket was fast asleep. He smiled warmly and kissed her on the temple before turning out the lights and going to bed.
/
"Kaldur."
It usually took a lot to wake up the slumbering Atlantean but that night it was just one word. His name. It was spoken so softly and silently that he barely heard it, still his eyes snapped open and he lifted himself to look at Raquel lying next to him. The moonlight coming in the blinds shawn enough light for him to see that she was unusually pale.
"Kaldur something's wrong..." She muttered
"I would say that you have just gone into labour." He declared judging by the wet state of the bed "ROY! JADE!"
He jumped out of bed and put on the lights. Apparently her water had just broke but she didn't look quite right. Granted he'd never seen a woman in the process of giving birth; perhaps Cheshire knew a little more. Sure enough the assassin appeared a few moments later, half asleep with her husband came to her side.
"Already?" Asked Roy "Isn't this a little early?"
"Two weeks..." Declared Kaldur, Jade went over to Raquel's side
"Are you feeling ok?" Asked the assassin
"No..." Rocket said weakly
"Call the league! Tell them to bring medical supplies! I don't want to wish Zeta beaming her like this!" Said Jade to the boys suddenly sounding urgent
"Is there a problem?" Asked Kaldur
"She shouldn't be bleeding..." Said Cheshire
/
About half an hour later, Black Canary, Icon, Miss Martian, Nightwing, Batman and Zatanna had turned up. Looks of concern were etched on each of their faces. Kaldur was pacing up and down outside of the room where Rocket was. Lian was asleep in her father's arms. Black Canary and Miss Martian came out of the room looking grave. Kaldur rushed over to them.
"What is happening?" He asked
"She's not doing too good..." Said Black Canary
"Is the child?.." Kaldur dreaded the thought
"The child's fine Kaldur... I can feel it's brainwaves perfectly..." Miss Martian told him "But Rocket... She's human, her body's not built to handle an Atlantean especially not after everything that the Light did."
"What does that mean?" Asked Kaldur
"Kaldur... At the moment, the kid's going to make it but Raquel..."
"No!" Kaldur ignored them
He marched into the room, where Rocket was currently on fluids and the frailest he'd ever seen her. She groaned in pain and turned to look at him, a faint smile graced her agonised face. He returned one to her and knelt down by her bed. He took her hand in both of his. Jade looked at them with sorry eyes.
"I am going to be gone for a few minutes..." Kaldur told her "Hold on..."
"Where are you going?" Asked Black Canary
"To Atlantis, I shall seek Queen Mera's help. She may be the only one who can help..."
"Kaldur! Are you insane?" Asked Nightwing "Aquaman might of forgiven you but you're still target number 1 in Atlantis! You'll be killed on sight!"
"Let them try... I will return as soon as possible." Kaldur declared
"Please Kaldur don't..." Managed Rocket "If I go... The baby needs one of us..."
"Do not talk like that!" The Atlantean commanded "You wait for a little longer then I shall return with help..."
"Promise you'll come back this time!" Asked Raquel
"I swear I will..." Declared the Atlantean
With that he ran out of the room and headed towards the Zeta platform that was in their house. He set the coordinates from Posidonis and teleported away.