Alex's voice broke with admission, "I... I have to push!"
It was both a plea and a confession, her body arched slightly as the pressure mounted again, suffocating and all-encompassing. The overwhelming force that was demanding to be released. Alex was caught between the pain and the instinct to push, the two battling for control over her body.
Mason remained close, his presence the only constant in the chaos that was threatening to overwhelm Alex. He held her hand tightly, his fingers wrapped around hers with a firm, unwavering grip, trying to anchor her as much as he could. His other hand rested gently on to her back, the warmth of his touch meaning to reassure her. Mason spoke to her in a calm, soothing tone, trying to keep the rising panic at bay. "Alex, listen to me," he said urgently, his voice steady but thick with emotion. "I know it's hard, but you can't push yet. It's not time."
His words hung in the air between them, and he could see the doubt flickering in her eyes, terror flashing across her face with each wave of pain.
"Justin, we need to get her to the hospital. NOW!" Mason called out, his voice sharp as he turned to Alex's brother for help.
Alex's face twisted in frustration, her brows knitting together as her lips quivered with the force of the next contraction. She drew in a shaky breath, tears trickling down her face. "Please… make it stop," she pleaded.
The pressure was unbearable, a violent rush of sensation that made her feel like she was losing control. A loud, sharp cry of discomfort escaped her lips, her body jerking slightly in response to the intensity. It was as if every inch of her was fighting the urge to give in.
Mason remained steadfast, his eyes locked on to her, he could feel the tremors in her hand as her grip on to him tightened and loosened in quick succession.
"Alex, I'm right here," he said firmly, his voice low and soothing. "It'll be alright love," he whispered softly in her ear, his voice full of conviction despite the fear that twisted inside him.
With a calm yet deliberate movement, Mason stepped behind her, positioning himself to envelope her in a protective embrace. Drawing her back against his chest, his warmth surrounded her as they both sank onto the edge of the bed. The steady rhythm of her breath filled the silence between them, and for a moment, Alex's fears faded away.
Her breath soon started to quicken again, and Alex's body tensed with the next contraction. For a moment, Alex's face twisted in agony, her breath ragged and uneven as she fought the overwhelming urge to push. But Mason's presence kept her grounded, and she couldn't bring herself to give in—not yet. Closing her eyes, she leaned into his embrace, trying to ride the wave of pain together. Alex's gaze locked onto Mason's as she glanced up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of pain, frustration, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Her breath repeatedly came in short, erratic gasps as she fought to steady herself. Her hands, still gripped tightly around Mason's, were clammy with sweat, her knuckles pale from the force of her grip. As each wave hit it came crashing down on her almost immediately, the familiar urge to push flooding her body with an intensity that made her gasp.
She took a deep breath, her lungs burning as she tried to hold it back, forcing herself to stay still despite the pressure. Her eyes squeezed shut, the sensation of her body wanting to give in to the need to push nearly too much to resist. Her fingers curled tighter around Mason's hand, her grip painful, her whole body straining against the building tension in her lower back. It was suffocating, a deep, pulsing ache that radiated outward, a reminder that this moment was beyond her control.
"I need to push!" She gasped, a hoarse cry escaping through gritted teeth. The sensation of pushing was so instinctive, that it was all she could focus on. "I can't—I have to push!" She could feel a mass of tears threatening to spill over, mixing with the sweat that had already slicked her skin, her breath coming in jagged bursts as she fought to keep herself from giving in.
Mason's eyes widened in alarm as he looked at her, his expression full of concern. The pain was written across her face, and it hurt him to see her like this, to witness her struggling so fiercely. Mason glanced at Justin, his expression calm but resolute, despite the tension in the air. He took a deep breath before speaking, "okay, then let's try," his gaze flicking to Alex.
Justin's frustration was palpable, his brows furrowed in disbelief. He stepped forward, shaking his head. "What? She can't here," he snapped, his voice rising with the weight of his concern.
Mason didn't flinch at his tone, his determination unshaken. "Let her push, and if nothing happens then flash us to the hospital before she needs to push again." His words were confident, even though doubt lingered in the air.
Justin nodded, though his expression was tight with anxiety. This wasn't ideal, the idea of Alex pushing with no professional help left him uneasy.
Mason could see his Justin's hesitation and spoke again with assertion, "Swap with me, so I can go down... there." He gestured to the space between them, his voice shifting slightly more delicate tone.
Without another word, Justin complied, moving to sit behind Alex, offering her a sturdy support. Mason positioned himself in front of her, making sure their bodies were aligned. Alex's breathing was fast and erratic, her chest heaving as if each breath might be her last. Her body trembled with the strain, her face contorting in pain and exhaustion. Her eyes followed Mason, wide with fear, but there was something else there too: a quiet determination. Alex took in a shallow breath and let out a small, controlled push. It wasn't much, just a fraction of what she needed to do, but the strain was clear in her body. She gasped sharply as she released the breath, her body loosening as the contraction slowly subsided.
She collapsed back into Justin, her breathing was ragged, and her muscles felt like they might give out at any moment. But despite the pain, she managed to muster a weak smile. "That was not... fun," Alex panted, her voice hoarse as she wiped sweat from her brow. But just as quickly, the next wave hit, pulling her out of the calm and thrusting her back into the tumult of pain. "Oh no... here we go again..."
Alex's breath came faster, each inhale sharp and desperate, as the next contraction began to build within her. Her face scrunched in concentration, but the urge to push was nearly impossible to fight. She tried to steady her breathing, trying to hold it back, but her body wasn't listening.
"I'm... I'm trying, but I can't—" Her voice broke off as she pushed once again. It was weak, futile even, as if her body wasn't quite ready yet. She slumped back against Justin, panting heavily. Tears welled up in her eyes, the helplessness of the moment overwhelming her. "It's not working... I can't do it." Her voice cracked, and the weight of her defeat settled heavily in the air.
"Alex, just try push harder," Justin suggested, giving her shoulders a reassuring squeeze.
Alex shot him a glare, "You try pushing something the size of a watermelon out of you, and then you can tell me how to do this!" She hissed through gritted teeth.
Mason's heart ached at the rawness in her voice, "I think we should go," Mason suggested, glancing over at Justin. However, before anyone could speak, a sharp slap echoed through the air, and Justin yelped, his hands flying to the back of his head. "Ow!" he exclaimed, spinning around to find the Professor standing behind him, smirking with amusement.
"Well, you heard the boy!" The Professor bellowed, startling everyone. His voice was booming, filled with authority but laced with a strange kind of humor. "Get her to the hospital!"
The sudden outburst broke the tension in the room, and Justin quickly shook off the shock, nodding rapidly. "Right," he muttered, recovering himself and helping Alex move from the bed. He pulled out his wand, looking to Mason, Alex and Juliet who were anxiously waiting. "You guys ready?"
Everyone nodded in unison, a shared determination in their eyes. Justin raised his wand, preparing to cast the spell that would transport them to safety. But just as he was about to make the move, he hesitated, a thought striking him. He turned to look at the Cigam, who was still standing off to the side, leaning casually against the wall, observing them with a quiet amusement.
"Wait," Justin called out, his brow furrowed in thought. "Come with us."
The Professor's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?" he asked, his voice low with confusion.
"Come back to the wizarding world with us," Justin urged. "Maybe you can start your career again? Start afresh?"
For a moment, the Professor was silent, the weight of the offer hanging in the air. His eyes wandered over the group, pausing as he considered the proposition. After a long beat, he slowly shook his head, his smirk fading into something more contemplative.
"Nah, I'm alright here, thanks," Cigam said, his tone surprisingly gentle. He turned his gaze toward the window, his eyes scanning the jungle outside. "It's nice to have the option, but I'd rather stay here. I want to make sure I can kick some butt when I go back there. And honestly, I'm not in the mood for that tonight."
Justin nodded in understanding. He knew the Professor had his reasons, and while it wasn't the answer he had hoped for, it was one he respected.
"I'm here if you ever need me, though," he added, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Thanks, Professor," Justin said, his voice sincere. He offered the older man a respectful nod before turning back to the others.
Cigam gave him a small salute, and with that, Justin turned to the rest of the group.
"Alright, let's get moving," he said, flicking his wand once more. As the group gathered close, Justin's eyes lingered on the Professor for a final moment. Then, with a quick wave of his wand, the air shimmered around them, and they disappeared in a flash of light, leaving the Professor alone in his shack.
The Professor stood there for a moment longer, watching the spot where they had vanished. The hum of the forest filled the air, and he exhaled deeply, a small, nostalgic smile on his face. Then, turning back to his modest space, he muttered to himself, "I'll be here if they need me…"
The shack fell silent again, the only movement the gentle sway of the trees outside.
The Professor paused for a moment, his eyes drifting to the doorway that led to a small, hidden storage closet at the far end of the room. His expression shifted as a glint of tension crept into his gaze. With a quiet sigh, he turned and walked over to the closet, his footsteps echoing softly in the silence. Reaching for the handle, he twisted it slowly, the faint creak of the door echoing through the stillness. The room beyond was dimly lit, but tucked into the corner, slumped in a chair and bound tightly with ropes, was an old man—his face gaunt, his eyes wide with fear and a sprinkle of crumbs in his long white beard…
The ropes around his wrists cut into his skin, and his body was stiff from the lack of movement, but his mind was sharp, each word spoken by the group replaying in his head. The Professor's eyes met Crumbs' in the dim light, and for a brief, fleeting moment, the older man's face softened. But it was only for a moment.
Then with a subtle flick of his wrist, he closed the door behind him, cutting off the outside world from the grim reality inside. He walked over to where Crumbs was sitting, his movements deliberate and cold.
"You heard all of that, didn't you?" The Professor's voice was low, tinged with coldness, almost amused, though his eyes were steely and unreadable. He leaned down, his face coming within inches of Crumbs, who stared up at him, defiant yet visibly weak from his ordeal. Cigam slowly removed the thick masking tape that buried Crumbs' lips.
Once free, Crumbs' lips parted, but his voice was barely a rasp. "You... you won't get away with this," he managed to choke out, his breath shallow. "If you've harmed her… or the child…"
Cigam gave a small, almost pitying smile. "Oh, Crumbs… it's already done…" He placed a hand on Crumbs' shoulder, his grip firm and unyielding.
Crumbs' eyes narrowed in fury, despite his weakened state. He had always known the Professor to be a man of intelligence and cunning, but this… this was beyond any betrayal he had imagined.
Crumbs straightened his posture, and his resolve didn't waver. He was trapped but not broken. "You're wrong," he rasped. "They'll figure it out. Someone will come for me. And when they do, you'll regret it. Justin already knows I'm here in the Caribbean!"
Cigam turned his back with a smirk, shaking his head. "We'll see 'bout that, won't we?"
As he stepped out of the closet, Crumbs was left alone in the dark, the ropes tight around his wrists, the bitterness of betrayal lingering in the stale air. He didn't know how much longer he would remain here, but he knew one thing for sure: no matter how long it took, he would never give up hope. Not while Justin and the others were out there, still believing their friend was just on vacation, unaware of the trap that had been set for them all.