I begin my life anew

Chapter 5

The next day I awoke to loud whistling, I sat there wondering what it came from, then I remembered Hope had slept over. I walked to the kitchen to see him by the coffee brewer still whistling the same tune. Hope turned his head to me and gave a smile, "Hey, good morning sleepyhead."

I rubbed my eyes and returned a smile back to him, "Happy birthday, Hope." I said with a weak voice. Hope's face continued to hold a smile, it shed some light on the dim morning that was plagued with rain and darkened clouds.

"So Light," Hope walked towards the table with his mug of coffee. "What did you get me for my birthday?" He took a sip from his mug.

I smirked at him, "I'm not telling you, you'll find out later."

Hope gave a slight chuckle, "I wish Vanille and Fang could be here to celebrate today." He let out a sigh.

I gave him a look, it was strange how a subject like that appeared out of the blue, but in a way he was right. After Fang and Vanille had been separated from us unable to be found, it felt as if we had lost family. Nothing seemed the same after that, even years later it still brings us a sense of loss even thought they still might be out there somewhere.

"I didn't ask," Hope turned to me. "How's life knowing you're going to be a mother?"

"It's definitely... Abnormal."

"I guess it's just the fact that there's a person living inside of me," I grinned. "Constantly kicking."

"How does it feel?" Hope became suddenly engrossed in what my answer would be.

"It feels," I paused for a moment to try and come up with the right words. "...Indescribable, actually."

Hope then stood up and walked over towards me, "Could I feel?"

Normally I didn't let others feel my stomach, except for Serah, I supposed though, I could give an exception for Hope, it was his birthday after all. I took his hand and guided it to where the child moved the most. Hope's face, when he had felt the movement of this child was pure fascination. I was joyful as well, every time I felt it I couldn't help but smile. I had started to become impatient with waiting. This was something new to me, it was something to hope for, something better than anything else.

That night though made believe I had hoped a little too much, it was something that couldn't be taken out of thought, no matter what direction it would follow. I remembered Hope and I returned to my house after his party, it was late and we were both tired.

"Light, I'll be back I left my phone in the car." Hope said before rushing back outside.

I didn't even get a chance to respond, by the time I turned around Hope had left. I walked to my room to change out of the tight dress I wore, I never remembered to purchase maternity clothes, probably because I barely left my house after the third month. As I was in the middle of putting my night clothes on, the front door opened and closed so softly it was a wonder how I could have heard it.

"Hope," I called. "Is that you?" I didn't get a response. I called out for him again but still no answer. I began to walk to the kitchen, cautious I was trying not to alert the intruder. As I approached the kitchen, I saw a man... A man who I thought would never return, never in my life...

He stared at me with his soul piercing eyes, "Hello, Lightning..." He said with a tone of anger.

"Caius..." I said practically speechless.

"Surprised, are you?" He began to walk towards me, each step he took echoed throughout the walls. I began to back up away from him, I clutched my stomach in a defensive motion. I noticed my gun blade on the table, forged to aid me in the line of duty, it had been collecting dust for months and now it was time for a reunion with a trusted ally. As Caius was nearing I snatched my blade from the table and slashed his face, he backed away just as the blade made a small wound on his cheek, at that moment his eyes were fueled with fury and like an instant I began to run the opposite direction, back towards my room.

I didn't know why I was running, I never ran from a fight before, it was as if my legs had a mind of their own and decided to flee from a threat. I couldn't run forever though, my house only had the one exit and to attempt to leave with Caius on my heels was not a choice, the only choice was to try and avoid him as much as possible before hopefully, someone, would show up.

I felt a tug on my shirt, it instantly pulled me back and I was constricted in Caius' arms."Caius," I began to yell. "Let me go!" I kicked and screamed, but it was as if nobody could hear my plea.

I elbowed Caius to loosen his grip, when the time was right I delivered a blow to his face. Caius stood back for a second in a moment of stun, I didn't have enough time to escape by the time he had his focus on me again. The taller man shoved me against the wall, a violent shock coursed throughout my body... My chest began to ache as this was certainly taking a toll on my body and harming my child in the process. I looked up with tears in my eyes, Caius looked foggy through my vision but I could still read out his devious smile as I begged for him to stop, I felt his cold fingers wrap around my throat and the floor becoming no more. I grasped his hands tightly entangled around my neck and gasped for breath while tears escaped my red eyes... Was this it? Was this how it ended for me? Unable to fight back, I felt my whole body begin to feel numb... Only one question remained in my mind...

"Where was Hope?"

I was weak... I felt like a failure... How could I protect a child, when I couldn't even protect myself? I couldn't hold out any longer... I felt my world begin to slip away... I looked down at Caius, his eyes red with rage, "You're life has come to an end, Warrior Goddess." He said. I agreed with him, I wasn't able to release myself from his grasp and I felt the end drawing near... I closed my eyes and waited... Waited to be held in Etro's arms.

After about a minute I felt an instant relief in my lungs, I fell to the floor gasping for air. I looked forward to see a commotion between Caius and a person who I couldn't fully recognize. I lied on the floor, with barely a thought in my mind. For a long while I wept in an agonizing pain, my whole body was in a state of shock, it seemed worse than death.

"Lightning..." I heard a voice call out. I looked up and saw Hope, he hung over me with blood trickling down his forehead. "Are you alright, Light?" I stared at him with tears continuously pouring from my eyes, I couldn't even speak, the pain was overwhelming.

When I had the chance to so, I spoke. "H-Hope..." I cried choking on my tears, "...The b-baby..." I pulled on his sleeve trying to ease my pain but it wouldn't work. My chest ached as my heart thrashed against it, my eyes stung from excessive tears but one thing that pained me the most was my child who after I had fallen from Caius' grasp, stopped moving.