"Maka!"
"What?"
"Are you packed yet? Tsubaki's waiting!"
"I'm nearly finished, I promise!"
Soul sighed and then looked at his watch. "Okay, well don't try and carry that suitcase over on your own, alright? I'll carry it."
He heard what sounded like an agreement before he sauntered up to Amara's room.
"Kid?" he knocked on the door softly before pushing it open. "You ready?"
"Si, papa! (Yes, Daddy!)" she called as he made his way into the room. He watched in amusement as she tried to pick up her heavy backpack full of her favourite toys. Maka packed all her clothes into her and Soul's case, but they agreed she could fill her own bag with whatever toys she wanted to bring.
"Ho bisogno di aiuto, piccola? (Need some help, baby?)" he asked teasingly as she huffed.
"Yes please, Daddy." She frowned and then smiled up at him. "I answered in English!"
Soul laughed lightly before scooping her up to cover her cheek with kisses.
"Yes, you did, clever girl!"
"Soul, Amara!" Maka's lilting voice called them softly. "Ready to go?"
"Yes!" They answered together. Soul picked up Amara's bag with ease, while she remained in his arms, and hurried down the stairs. He chuckled when he heard her muttering "Show off," in Italian. He was met with the sight of Maka wearing her hair in two low pigtails, framing her face which was glowing with excitement. She wore a thick winter coat, which barely fit around her bulging stomach and snow boots, just like he and Amara were wearing. Soul felt the breath catch in his throat at the sight of her. Then his eyes narrowed.
"Maka, I said I was going to carry the bag!" he complained as he put Amara down gently and tugged the suitcase handle from Maka's grasp. Maka rolled her eyes.
"I only wheeled it from the room, Soul," she chided him. "No heavy lifting. Baby's fine."
She cradled her bump automatically. She was really big now, but she still had a little way to go. Soul's chest swelled with pride at the sight of her bump, then he melted as he watched Amara scurry over the hug Maka around her waist the best she could.
"Come sta il mio fratellino oggi? (How is my baby brother today?)" Amara asked lightly before pressing a small peck to the bump. Maka laughed lightly and stroked her daughter's hair.
"Why are you so sure it's a boy?" Maka asked softly, her fingers still weaving through Amara's snowy locks. "It might be another little girl."
Amara just grinned knowingly, and answered as simply as she always did: "I just know."
Her parent's shook their heads fondly before scurrying her from the apartment and downstairs to Tsubaki's waiting car.
The journey really wasn't so bad. Maka was comfy enough. Blackstar sat in the front beside Tsubaki, his hand resting sweetly on her knee as she drove carefully through the thickening snow. The snow got thicker the further up north they got, much to Maka's delight. Maka had two seats to herself, as Amara sat on Soul's lap to give her a little more room. Their luggage fit into the back easily, thanks to Tsubaki's sizable car.
Maka was nodding off when she heard Tsubaki squeal quietly.
"Almost there, guys. Ten more minutes." Maka's chest swelled in excitement.
Eventually, they drove up a long drive that opened to expose tens of beautiful grand looking cottages. Each cottage had a generous area of land around them, so it was very private and secluded. They each had a front and back garden, both whited out with the glorious snow, and beautiful wooden structures, with thick wooden walls. Maka had to suppress a squeal of her own as Tsubaki stopped at their very own, large, and gorgeous cottage.
"Here we are," Blackstar shouted as he jumped up and down in his seat. Amara laughed delightfully.
"The cottages have names?" Amara asked as she squinted to try and read the plaque beside their grand, wooden double doors. Tsubaki nodded.
"Yep," she chirped. "That's how we know which one to go to. These cottages don't have any numbers, they have names."
"What's ours called?" Tsubaki squinted into the snow from the car to read the plaque.
"Masen-Thorns, I think? Yes, Masen-Thorns."
"Masen-Thorns," Amara repeated thoughtfully as Blackstar un-did his seat belt abruptly and grabbed the handle of the car door.
"Alright, let's cut this chit-chat and get in there!" he yelled as he threw the door open.
A frighteningly cold gust of wind blew into the car, throwing Maka's hair back and prickling her cheeks like a thousand little needles. She, along with Tsubaki and Amara, squealed in surprise. Soul just grunted in irritation.
"Blackstar," he yelled over the sound of the wind. "It's too cold for Maka and Mara. Let's get the bags in and then get the girls inside as quick as we can."
"I'll help," Tsubaki said lightly as she un-did her own seat belt, along with Soul.
"Soul," Maka said crossly before he could open the door. "I can help."
He shot her a dry look.
"Stay with Mara, okay? We'll be two minutes."
They did move fast. They had the cottage door open and the luggage in within five minutes. Maka had her and Amara's coats zipped up and snow boots tied, ready to exit the car when Soul swung the door open and scurried them out.
"Okay, hurry, hurry, hurry." he muttered loudly over the wind, Maka just laughed lightly and heaved herself from the car, relishing the feeling of the snow crunching under her feet.
"Come on, Soul," she chided him when he tried to push her towards the cottage. "I just want to have a look. It's barley snowing anymore."
Soul gave her a pained look. "I'm sorry. I just want you to get warm."
Maka sighed in defeat. She knew he was just being protective, so she didn't push it. She took Amara's hand and led her up the steps to the cottage.
It was breath-taking. High ceilings with candle lit chandeliers, candle stands in every corner, giving the cottage a warm and cosy glow, especially in this weather. Thick wooden beams, and a gorgeous grand wooden fireplace. The couch was comfy and covered in fur throws, and directly in front of the roaring fire. The kitchen was large and Victorian.
The stairs were wooden and creaky, but Maka didn't care. It gave it more of an old fashioned and weary feel, which she loved. She struggled up the stairs, but Soul's steady hand on her back gave her confidence. He led her to their room, which was stunning. It had a large, four poster king-sized bed, again covered with the fur old fashioned throws she adored. Their room had a fireplace too, only a little smaller. Maka turned around to beam at Soul who was grinning proudly.
"I can't believe you did this," she said slowly, watching as her boyfriend's mouth curled up in a smirk.
"Well, you know," he began arrogantly and Maka chuckled. "I can't help that I'm this awesome. And cool. Can't forget cool."
"Can't forget cool," Maka repeated, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and leant into kiss him, only for a shrill laugh to make her pause.
"Patti," she murmured. "We should go see the-"
She didn't get to finish as Soul pressed his lips against hers and kicked the door shut behind them.
"Are you guys sure?" Maka asked for the millionth time. Kid sighed.
"Of course," Kid said for the umpteenth time. "It's not your fault you forgot some of the groceries, you had Amara to look after, one of us should have brought them. Anyways, the snow fall isn't due till tomorrow. Although, it looks like it might be a bit more of a snowstorm."
Maka had to grin. She did love the snow.
"Okay, if you don't mind. Hey, will you take Amara along? I'm sure she'd like to pick some sweets."
Maka barely got to finish as Amara ran over to Kid to wrap her arms around his legs, her big crimson eyes begging.
"Per favore, per favore, zio Kid? (Please, please, Uncle Kid?)" Amara begged. Kid laughed and rested a hand on her head.
"Certo che puoi venire. (Of course you can come along.)" he told her. "Sono sicuro che vuoi comunque fuggire dallo zio Blackstar, in ogni modo. (I'm sure you want to escape from your Uncle Blackstar, anyways)." Kid spoke a little louder and Amara laughed.
"Sei solo geloso perché le piaccio più di te. (You're just jealous because she likes me more than you.)" Blackstar's voice shot back from the other room, causing Amara the laugh louder and Soul to sigh.
"Guys, please," Soul groaned. "We're trying to make her speak English more, her teachers are still complaining that she keeps speaking in Italian without realising."
Blackstar entered the room with an innocent expression as he leant on the doorframe with a shrug.
"Beh, dovrebbero solo imparare l'italiano come tutti noi. (Well, they should just learn Italian like the rest of us.)" he fired back. Amara laughed musically again and Maka couldn't help but grin.
"Okay, okay," Kid interrupted before grasping Amara's shoulders and leading her to the front door. "We'll be a couple of hours. Patti, are you coming?"
Patti jumped up to follow her meister and grasped Amara's hand.
"We won't be long!" And the door shut behind them.
Maka stood from the glorious wooden dining table she had been admiring and made her way towards the stairs.
"You alright, Maks?" She turned to see Soul stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching her with a smile. She grinned at him.
"I'm perfect," she told him. "I just want to have a little nap. Wake me in a few?"
Soul laughed and nodded.
"Of course. Sleep well." Maka nodded and turned back around to heave her way up the stairs, her hand resting lightly on the top of her ever-growing bump.
She made her way to the exquisite bed and fell into it, peeling up the covers and covering her entire body in them. She curled onto her side and hugged the baby in her belly, and sleep came to her almost instantly.
Ow. Maka groaned a little. What a bad dream. She really felt that. She fell into unconsciousness once more before another sharp pain stabbed her.
Ow. She blinked open her eyes and sat up slowly in bed. What had woken her? She listened closely and could hear nothing but the aggressive whooshing of the wind outside. Maka looked to the window and gasped. The snow was nearly covering her entire window. It had collected on the window frame, but how was it so high?
Maka forced herself from the bed and made her way over to the window, trying to pry it open so she could knock off all the snow so she could see. But it wouldn't budge. She hummed but her attention went elsewhere when she heard Soul speaking frantically down the phone. She made her way towards the door so she could hear his conversation from the top of the stairs.
"Yes, I know the storm came early," he droned, Maka raised her brows.
"Yeah. I know. We're already completely snowed in. The doors and windows are all frozen shut. We're lucky we have all this firewood." He stopped and listened from a while. Maka waited.
"No, we have enough food here. Tsubaki brought a shit load for Star, but he can share. No, you guys just stay there. You were right to pull into a hotel. Is Amara okay? No, it's okay, let her sleep. We'll see you guys tomorrow hopefully. What?!" Maka jumped at his sudden increase in volume.
"Two days? Death, that's – Hello? Hello?"
Maka shout a comment to Soul when a sharp pain shot across her stomach. She doubled over, and then wrapped her arms around her belly, trying to protect it, but there was no threat. The pain seemed to tighten, like the was a coal wrapped around her insides and was squeezing her painfully. And then it was gone. Maka released a very long breath. She felt her entire chest tighten painfully with dread.
No. No. No way, this could not be happening now. Maka slowly made her way downstairs, the sounds of Soul, Tsubaki's and Liz's soft voices comforted her racing mind. She was just about to take the last step down when her stomach began tightening excruciatingly again.
"Gah!" She stumbled forwards, her hand found the back of the couch and she crouched over it. Instantly, there was hands on her back. The voices sounded so far away.
"Maka?"
"Maka, are you okay?"
"What's happening?"
"Oh!" Maka squeezed her eyes shut, as she waited for the horrible pain to release her. It did after a few more seconds and she looked up to meet terrified crimson orbs.
"Soul – " she began, but then - No. This was not happening. It was not time.
"Oh my god," Tsubaki whispered.
Maka's water just broke.