There. I am posting a second chapter today because chapters 4 and 5 both are not that long. Also, it took me a while to post chapter 3; I'm just making up for lost time.
Pssh, I really have six more chapters completed, but I will post them when I see fit.
Thank you for reading this story so far, and have a wonderful day/night (whatever time it is for you when you read this).
After Zelos left, Sheena stayed put in the room for over an hour. She sat in the same chair mulling over thought after thought. But the more she thought, the more confused and agitated she became. Many times tears of frustration wetted her cheeks.
She finally couldn't take it anymore.
"Dammit!" She hissed, and she dug her face into her hands. "What's the use of thinking!"
Then she began to slowly breathe in and out. "Okay, Sheena, just stay calm," she told herself.
When she finally calmed herself down, she totally sunk into the cushioned armchair, relaxing her recently tense muscles. But her relaxation was interrupted by the movements of the baby within her.
"Woah, settle down in there," she said to her large stomach. She began rubbing it.
"This is actually kinda cool," she thought, as she stared at her bulge. A small smile crept onto her face, but was quickly replaced by a horrified expression when she remembered all the stories told to her about childbirth.
"Okay," Sheena said softly out loud while she shook her head. "Let's not think about that. I still have a couple months, right? Maybe."
She leaned her head against the back of the chair. "A nap sounds good," she thought. "My whole body aches. My feet, my back. Ughh..my head. And now I have to go to the bathroom again." She let out a hefty sigh. "I should get up."
It still took her two minutes to finally get the motivation to get up. And when she did, she grumbled her way back to her room.
After relieving herself, she darkened the room by closing the curtains, and she turned on the ceiling fan, for she wanted both the breeze and the soft, soothing noise. Then she exaggeratedly made her way to the bed, where she crawled in next to the softly snoring Sen.
"I hope you don't mind my company, little guy," she murmured close to his ear. Sheena found another pillow, and she put that to rest in between her legs. Now, she breathed a content sigh.
"Ah, this is better. Much better than thinking." And while pushing thoughts out of her head, she fell asleep.
It was almost six o'clock when she woke up, and her wake-up was caused by a certain boy jumping on the bed.
Seeing her eyes flutter open, he came crashing down right next to her.
"Come on, mommy! I wanna eat!" he complained.
Sheena's only answer was a grunt and gentle push. But the gentle push didn't stop Sen. He regained his position next to her. "Come on! All you do is sweep!"
"No, I don't sweep, I sleep, Sen," she muttered, annoyance prevalent in her voice, as she tried to turn over. Her actions were unsuccessful.
"Wake up, Okaa-san!" He said again, while he now began to poke her.
"Fine, fine, kiddo," she said, finally giving in. Sheena wiped the sleep from her eyes, and with the not really needed help of Sen, she sat up. Sen jumped down from the bed and grabbed Sheena's hand, a big smile on his face.
"Let's go," he asserted, as he struggled to pull her forward.
"Slow down, kiddo," she complained, in the time when she was standing up. "I just woke up."
"Wait. How long have you been up?" she sleepily asked, while putting up her hair in a neater ponytail.
"Uh, I don know. A while," he said. "I was playing with Sebasen!"
"Ah, I see."
"Wait! Get back here!" she called to the boy as he reached the door.
"What? I'm hungry!" he protested as he walked in place in annoyance.
Walking over to him, she stated, "Look at this mess. What are we going to do with it." Sheena ran her hand through the boy's black hair. "Pfft, it really is just like mine. It's so messy."
"You put in ponytail a lot, mom. Wike yours," he piped in, pointing at her hair and smiling. The smile changed to a pouty frown. "Now, can I go!" he whined.
"Well let's put it up first, okay."
After his hair was up like hers, she looked at her work in triumph, her hands on her hips. Sen just looked at her in annoyance, so she sighed and opened the door for him.
A couple minutes later she was at the dinner table with Sen. Some of the maids were already setting food on the table.
"Hey, Sebastian," she called, when she saw him. "Where's Zelos? Isn't he going to eat?"
"No, not right now, Miss Sheena," the butler kindly replied. "He said he isn't hungry."
"Well, I'm not hungry," she grumbled, her chin supported be her hand. "But I know that's not the reason," she quietly said to herself.
After dinner, Sheena left Sen in Sebastian's care, while she went to look for the master of the house. With the intel she received from his butler, Sheena found herself in front of his room. After taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.
"What do you want, Sheena?" She heard from behind the door.
"Can I come in?" she asked.
"Sure, why not, It's unlocked," she heard him say. "Come in, my demonic banshee."
Sheena held back her annoyance, and opened the door. He was sitting on the bed, reading a book, not even looking up at her once, while she walked closer to him.
She could tell he wasn't in a good mood at all, especially by his choice of words and his tone when he just recently spoke. His face was like stone as he stared at the book. By her guess, he wasn't actually even reading it.
She cleared her throat. "Hey, you said you wouldn't say anything until you saw Sen's eyes. Well, he's awake."
Zelos just continued staring at the one page of his book.
Growing annoyed and a bit uneasy, she went to grab the book, but her hand was nudged out of the way with the very same book she was going to grab.
Zelos set down the book, and fixed his blue eyes on Sheena's honey-brown ones. The uneasiness began to grow even more inside her.
"No," he simply said, his tone sharp.
"What? No to what?" she asked, puzzled and a bit taken back.
"I'm not looking at the boy, and I'm having nothing to do with your problems."
Sheena staggered back with her eyes opened wide, her strength leaving her body.
"But, Zelos…" she said in a shaky voice.
"I am not the kid's father or that baby's father," he said with boiling anger, as he pointed at her stomach. "I know nothing of this. I don't know what you got yourself into, but whatever it is, I'm not mixed in it, nor do I want to be."
"But Zelos," Sheena said, her voice was wavering even more. She gulped, and took a deep breath. Now with a more confident voice she added, "But Zelos, Sen has your eyes. I'm sure he's yours. I'm sure." Her confidence was already beginning to leave her again.
"Hunny, I said 'no'. And do not just assume that since he's supposedly my son, I'll just happily help him. And do not just assume that just because you're my number one hunny that I'll just help you with all your problems."
"Zelos, I can't do this myself," she practically whispered.
"No, Sheena," he said in a raised voice, his anger and irritation growing. "I would usually love to help you, but not this time. I won't act or be the father!" He said this part in even a louder voice. "There's no way in this world that I will be a father to these kids nor will I help them. You'll have to do this alone." And with those last words he quickly left his bed and stormed out of the room.
"Zelos?" she called after him, bewildered by his extreme level of anger. With the knowledge that he wouldn't be turning back around, she hung her head. A quiet rage simmered inside her, as well as a growing wave of disappointment, heartache, and abandonment that began raging through her being. She knew that Zelos wouldn't react kindly to being a father so suddenly, but she had no idea that he would be so enraged and so against it, that he wouldn't even do it for her. Bitter and angry tears formed in her eyes, but she wiped them away before they could spill down her pale cheeks.
She silently left the empty room and avoided any human contact until the time was ten o'clock.
Then she quietly entered the bedroom where the innocent boy was now sleeping again. Sebastian or one of the maids must have put him to sleep. She sat on the bed beside him, and she softly stared at his resting form, his chest faintly but surely rising and falling.
"I know I shouldn't blame you," she whispered, knowing full well that her words were falling on quiet ears. "Just bear with me, okay? I don't know how to be a mother nor if I'm being a good mother so far, but just know I'll try. I have no idea what's happening, but I know somehow I am your mother. The way you act around me, and the feeling in my heart is enough proof that I am your mother. And even though I may not like these circumstances…the suddenness of everything…I will try my best to figure things out, to take care of you. You are my responsibility now, and I will do what I can, even if it's alone." She ended with choked back sobs.
Despite what she said, Sheena was scared. She had no idea how she was going to be a mother and take care of them, especially alone, and inwardly, she was screaming at the world for the unfairness she had to deal with. The pregnant woman buried her face into her shaking hands, struggling to keep her anguish inside her. In spite of her efforts, fat tears rolled down her face and fell on her swollen stomach. She didn't know how long she stayed there in that state, but eventually she made a decision: she would ask Raine Sage for her advice. She was already the mother of two, and the bearer of much knowledge.
The thought of going to Mizuho was entertained in her mind, but Sheena was too frightened to go to her hometown. She didn't know if they knew what was going on there, or if they were left in the dark as she was. If they were oblivious, she was fearful of their reaction to her suddenly being a single mother. Mizuho's very strict of sex outside of wedlock, and she did not know if she were married or not.
Pushing Mizuho back out of her mind, Sheena thought of Raine, and with the intelligent woman in mind, Sheena began packing her things. She quickly made a trip to the kitchen to gather some food for traveling. She put the food in her bag, after she came back to her bedroom. With everything packed, she put back on her socks and straw sandals, as well as her haori. Then she carefully picked up Sen, and she stole out into the early night.
The ninja choose the silent alleys, attempting to avoid any contact with others. When she reached the gate she looked back at Meltokio. The lamps were all lit and the people were beginning to finish their tasks for the night. Her sad gaze rested on the direction in which the Wilder mansion was located, before turning and leaving the city she neither liked nor hated, just before the gates closed.
Poor Sheena...I am sorry for making you go through so much, but it will all get better eventually.
"Ooh-oo child, things are gonna get easier. Ooh-oo child, things'll get brighter...Some day when your head is much lighter...Some day, yeah we'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun...Some day when the world is much brighter..."