Chapter 64

Nathalie struggled and kicked against her captor but made little progress in trying to free herself. The man walking behind them pulled her head up hard by her hair and glared at her. "Calm the fuck down or I will calm you down" he hissed. A cold sweat trickled down Nathalie's back as she looked in to his brown eyes - they were vacant and cold and she knew then thay he would do anything he needed to do to acheive his objective, whatever that may be. She stopped squirming as they entered a different room from the one she had previously been in. She was stunned as the man carrying her placed her on the table with relative gentleness. Blinking several times as her eyes adjusted to the bright lights she tried to take in her surroundings; two men stood by the door watching her every move. A cursory glance around revealed the room to be an exam room - there was a bright overhead light, a scale and an ultrasound machine among other things. Her eyes fell on the metal stirrups at the end of the table and she instincitvely pulled her knees to her chest.

The door flew open and a young man in a lab coat entered nodding perfunctorily to the two guards. "Hi Nathalie" he said kindly. She stared past him at a spot on the wall trying to memorize every minute details of that particular spot. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he flipped open a chart. Nathalie pulled her knees in tighter to her chest in an attempt to make herself as small as possible. The doctor pulled a gown from a drawer and placed it beside her on the table. "I'll need you to change in to that so I can exam you."

Meeting his eyes for the first time she fixed him with a glare. "No."

The doctor sank to the stool in front of her. "Nathalie, I am going to exam you - there is no choice here - the choice you do have is whether you change in to the gown or one of these guys" he motioned behind him, "changes you. It's entirely up to you but I would be tempted to go with door number one."

Nathalie looked from the doctor's kind but determined face to the two menacing guards at the door and knew that he was right. She hated having to give in on anything so soon but did as she was told. Keeping her eyes on the wall behind the doctor, she stripped out of her clothes and pulled the cotton gown on. Trying to block out the sound of the stirrups being adjusted, she took several deep breaths and thought of her children. Her mind drifted to Oliver's first, unsteady steps and Grace's infectious laugh - she needed to survive to get back to them and was willing to do what it took to ensure that.

The doctor reached for her legs to place them in the holders and Nathalie swallowed back the bile that was rising in her throat. "This is going to be a little cold" he announced as he slid the speculum inside her. Her entire body tensed and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out. "It will be a lot easier on you if you relax" he said.

Nathalie glared at him. "Really? Perhaps I could interest you in a rectal exam against your will? Asshole" she spat. "What you are doing right now is unconsciounable and tantamount to sexual assualt."

"I am a doctor performing an exam" he said tapping her inner thighs. "Just relax"

"Fuck you." She stared at the ceiling and willed the tears from her eyes. This would be over soon enough and she just needed to get through it.

"Nathalie, when was your last period?" She continued to stare at the ceiling. "Nathalie?"

Lifting her head she smiled sweetly at him. "I'm sorry" she said kindly "You must not have heard me, I said fuck you." It happened so quickly that Nathalie didn't even have time to prepare for the blow that came crashing across her face. She cried out in shock and pain.

"Answer the doc" the guard hissed.

"No" she said defiantly. Understanding how her answer would frustrate him, Nathalie braced herself for the second slap that came. She swallowed down the pain and closed her eyes as she saw his hand rise again.

"That's enough!" the doctor said. "You will not hit her again."

"Just trying to get your info doc" the guard said moving away from Nathalie.

"Violence will not help" he said as he took her legs down from the stirrups. Covering the lower half of her body with a blanket, he pushed her gown up over her stomach and squirted gel on it. Nathalie shivered from the cold liquid. "I'm sorry about the gel" he said.

Nathalie closed her eyes as he started to ultrasound her stomach. "Violence will not help" she repeated. "Ironic that you just conducted an internal exam against my will -that too is violence."

The doctor ignored her comment and stared at the screen. Making some notations in his chart, he called out to the guard. "You can tell her I'm ready." The guard nodded and left the room. Nathalie kept her eyes glued to the door curious as to who would be coming through next. Her mouth dropped open as the woman she knew to be Nikolas' grandmother came through.
"Jeffrey?" she asked not even acknowledging Nathalie's presence.

"Congratulations Madame - she is nine weeks pregnant."

Helena turned towards Nathalie, who felt suddenly incredibly exposed. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the little whore who thought she could trap my grandson. It's all right my dear, don't be afraid. I will keep you healthy and relatively comfortable until my heir is born. Of course by that time, my grandson will have moved on to a much more appropriate woman and no one will have any further use for you." Helena smoothed down her suit jacket. "Send her back to her room."

********
Anna held her daughter. "You're pregnant?" she whispered. Robin nodded against her chest. "Oh my darling girl" Anna remarked, suddenly emotional. "That's wonderful news."

Robin pulled away from her mother. "We need to get Patrick back."

"We will luv, we will" Anna replied confidently. Looking over to the couch, she smiled as she saw Brenda and Rian. "Hi Brenda."

"Hey Anna."

Anna sat down beside Robin, draping her arm around her. "So where is your father?"

"He and Mac had a lead they were following and said they would call as soon as they know something."

"They're working together?" Anna pulled at her lip. "Then Patrick will be home in no time."

"And Nathalie" Noah added quietly. Brenda looked over at him, trying to read his face.

Anna nodded. "Of course - and Nathalie." She took her daughter's hand in her own. "And how are you bearing up?"

Robin sighed loudly and rose from the couch. "I am fine - fine" she said emphatically. "I am coping just fine, all I want is for my husband to come home - stop waiting for me to fall to pieces - I am everything you and Dad and Mac raised me to be. I am tough and strong and I am fine."

Anna looked at her daughter, the fire blazing in her eyes and smiled. "Of course you are tough and strong darling - but you have a lot going on..."

"Look" she said raising her hands. "I appreciate that you are all concerned about me but right now I want everyone's energy and focus on bringing Patrick and Nathalie home. I will let everyone know if I run in to any trouble."

"Okay" Anna acquiesced. "Then I guess I better get to work."

Robin smiled at her mother. "Daddy has set everything up in the dining room."

Anna kissed Rian on his forehead and stood up. Walking to her daughter, she enveloped her in her arms. "We are going to find him and bring him home to you and your babies" she whispered against her cheek. "I promise."

"Thank you Mom" she whispered back.

Anna gave her daughter a quick squeeze and headed to the dining room. If she knew her ex-husband, and she did, every possible piece of intel would be filed and catalogued for her review. It would be but a matter of hours before she was up to speed and ready to hit the ground. Flipping open the first folder she was greeted by a recent photograph of Helena. Anna picked it up and stared at it, slowly tracing Helena's features. She and Helena had tangled many times over the years but this time she had crossed the line - she had attacked the thing Anna held most dearly in her life, her daughter's happiness - and for that she would not rest until Helena felt every ounce of pain she had caused others.

"You better be ready" she said quietly. "Because I'm coming for you and this time, you won't be coming back."

******
Nikolas' car came to a stop outside the century old mansion in Virginia. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door to the limosuine. He hadn't thought of what he would say to the Harders or exactly how he would take Oliver out of the house, all he knew was that he had to do it. This was his fault - he was responsible for Nathalie and Patrick being taken and he needed to do whatever he could to make it right. He loved Nathalie more than any other woman in his life and he had hurt her and let her down - when she came home she was going to have everything she needed to be happy.

He was about to exit the limosuine when he felt someone's hands on him, pushing him back into the care. "What the hell?" he cried out, struggling against the person pushing him across the seat.

"Easy mate - just trying to stop you from doing something stupid."

Nikolas' eyes blazed furiously. "Who the hell are you?" he asked, reaching for the gun inside his jacket pocket.

His agressor was too quick for him and relieved him of his gun in record time. "Nuh-uh" he said, smiling slightly. "Best be leaving those toys to those of us who know how to use them." Nikolas tried to tackle the larger man in the car but found his arms pinned to his side. "Alright mate - I am a friend not a foe - I'm here to help. You just need to take a few deep breaths and calm down."

"Who ARE you?"

"My name is Aiden Devane and you're walking in to a trap."