The Shadows Fall: Chapter 20

"I don't think that was Jessica," she said, as he took her hand and lead her out through the bar and outside to the sidewalk.  

He stopped and looked at her, fumbling for his phone.  "It was Jessica.  You saw her, too.  She was all over that old guy."

"I mean, it probably was Tess, not Jessica."

He paused, thinking.  "Tess.  This is that MPD thing, right?  Her alter?"

"I think so.  She certainly was dressed, or well, undressed, just like her."

He finished texting Williams to pick them up, and put his jacket around her shoulders.  "I can't think about this right now, it changes everything."  Then, "Didn't you wear a coat?"

"I left it in there, you ran me out of there so fast.  It was a faux fur anyway.  Imitation black sable."

"Do you want me to go get it for you?"

"No, I'm pretty sure I won't be using it, again.  This whole thing sort of turned my stomach,"  she yawned, "and besides, I'm getting really sleepy."

Within a few minutes, Williams arrived, and Blair was in the crook of Todd's arm, huddling for warmth.

"Good evening, sir."

"Good evening.  Home, Williams."

"Yes, sir."

"Take a drive around Angel Square.  Be sure to pass the waterfront.  And close the partition, will you?"

"Certainly, sir."

Todd got into the back with Blair, and turned to her, almost immediately.   "You look so sexy."

"You do, too.  You're so handsome, Todd."  He leaned in and kissed her, deeply, his hand behind her head.  He held her and closed his eyes. 

Opening them, he looked into her eyes.  "I can't lie to you, as pissed off as I am that you showed up, you were totally hot."

"Really?"

"Yes.  I wanted you.  I wanted you right there."

"And I wanted you, right there," she whispered.

"But, that's nothing new for me, because I want you everywhere.  All the time."

"I know, me, too."  She kissed him.  "I want your hands, on my body, and I want your mouth on mine."

He obliged.  The moonroof was open enough to let in the light of the full moon, which bathed them in a blueish glow as they made love to each other on the ride home.

***

It was after midnight, when they arrived at the penthouse.  Walking into the living room, Starr was still awake, reading by the fire.  "Hi, you two...Mom?" she said, as Blair removed Todd's jacket and revealed her revealing costume.  

"It's a long story, Starr."  Blair removed the stripper shoes and her earrings and plopped on the couch.  She was tired.  Todd saw her put her hand to her belly and rub in a circle.  

"This looks like one of your adventures, you guys."  Starr said.

"Kind of, your mother decided to turn it into one.  She almost blew my cover."

"I did not.  You almost blew something else, I'll tell you."

Starr packed up her e-reader and said, "Um, TMI, guys, I'm going to bed.  You can tell me about this later."  She headed up the stairs.  "Love you both," she said.

"What do we do?"  He said when Starr was out of earshot.  

"I don't know," she answered, tracing circles on her tummy.  He sat next to her, and leaned down and kissed it.  

"Hey, in there."  She put her hand in his hair.

"Are you going to tell Viki?"

"If I don't it'll continue, won't it?"

"Most likely."

"And if I do, it will hurt her so much.  Viki will want to do something about it."

"I know.  But if it were your daughter..."

He stopped.  "Don't say that."

"All right, but isn't it true?"  She suddenly sat up.  "Ow," she leaned forward, holding her stomach.

He became alarmed, "Blair? Are you all right?"

She grabbed his arm, "Something's wrong.  I think...it might be the baby."

He panicked, calling Starr, who ran down the stairs at his bellowing, followed by Jack and Sam, who had heard it as well.  Sam started to cry, as Jack picked him up, and he hugged his brother around the neck.  

"I'm sure it will be okay," Blair lied to her children.  Todd knew her better than that and could see the terror and pain on her face.  

Starr stepped over, and helped Blair up, "Mom, let's get you to the bathroom, maybe some cold water on your face.  It could be gas or something else."  They proceeded, and Todd looked at Jack, worry all over the both of them.

Jack's head whipped around when he heard his father say, "So, is that it?"  he looked to the sky, "I don't deserve this?  I don't deserve my family, or another child.  Is that it?"

Jack stepped toward his father, "Dad?"

"Don't Jack.  If anything happens to your mother or that baby..."

Just then, Starr and Blair returned, Blair was crying silently and Starr said, "Dad, you have to bring her to the hospital.  She's cramping and...there's spotting."

Sam, who was quiet against Jack's shoulder, said, "Mom, I love you."

She cried and said, "I love you too, Little Man."

Todd helped her to the elevator, and Starr said, "I'll stay here with the kids.  Call us, Dad.  Please?"

He nodded as the doors closed.  Starr looked up, "No, God.  Please?  Don't let this happen to them."

Jack took Sam up to bed and had to read him three books before he could rest easier.  Hope slept through the entire thing.  Starr had looked in on her, tearful, and stroked her daughter's hair.  "Thank God for my baby."

She cleaned up their bedroom a bit, lying out her mother's favorite pajamas, and straightening up.  Then, she made her way to the kitchen, and cleaned the dishes of the day, praying all the while that time would pass and they would hear.


Jack stayed in the living room, alone, silent.  Is this my fault?  She was so stressed out.  Dad warned me.  What if I did this to her?  What if I did this to Dad, to the whole family?

***

At the hospital, Todd felt sick.  She was put into a wheelchair, and he had not left her side.  He was shaking inside, and he could feel it, but he did everything he could for it not to show.  Blair was still crying, softly.  He leaned down to her and said, "Babe, you're the best mother I know.  It will be all right.  Our baby will make it this time."  He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been right in that exact spot, before, hearing from Larry that his first child was dead.

Blair was taken into an examination room, and he was denied access.  "Let us do our job, Mr. Manning," said the nurse.  In the past, he could picture himself having fought her, argued, caused more trouble, but at that moment, all he could do was sigh and hope, giving in the fear and sitting, with his face in his hands.  He felt a hand on his shoulder.  "Can I do anything, Mr. Manning?" the nurse asked. 

"No.  You can't.  Unless you can save my baby and my wife."

The nurse sat next to him, "I can't promise that, but I can tell you that anything is possible.  Women often cramp and spot during pregnancy."

"She's lost two other babies," he counted in his mind, "both boys."

"I'm so sorry.  But that does not mean that she will lose this one. Have faith."  She left him.  He thought about her last words.  Have faith.  What the f#uck was that and what did it mean to a person like him, who deserved nothing, except maybe what The Slice and Dice and friends delivered?  Please don't take my baby girl.  Please.  Please let us have this.  Darkness crossed his mind, fleeting.  This is what you reap, Manning.

Larry came into the lounge area and pulled up a chair near Todd.  "Hey, Todd."

"What's with Blair?  Is she going to be all right?"

"Yes, she is going to be fine."

"You said that almost twenty years ago, Larry, right here, in the ER, and our baby was dead."

"Your baby is not dead, Todd."

He looked at Larry with a mix of disbelief and relief.  "It's not?"

"No.  The heartbeat is strong.  Blair's very tired, Todd, near exhaustion.  And, there's been a great deal of stress.  She's relayed to me what has been going on with Jack, it's taking its toll on her.  It's crucial she rests, stays off her feet.  If there is a way, you should lessen the stress and things that might overly upset her. We'll need to keep her here overnight, just to be certain that she stops spotting and cramping.  Once they are out of danger, you can take them home."

Todd half-smiled.  "I...I am not sure that I deserve her.  You know?  How can someone tell if they deserve something, even if they worked so hard to get it and keep it?""  He was a torn man.  When it came to Blair, Larry knew from history that he would be ripped apart with pain if any harm came to her.  Looking down at Todd's fumbling fingers, Larry could see the burn scars on his wrists. 

Larry surprised himself, "You deserve her, Todd.  You deserve her love and you deserve this child.  I'm not God, so I can't even judge you.  But I can tell you that anything that happens to this baby or Blair is not about your being deserving.  You have to let that go."

How?  Whoever is up there can't let me have this.  Once they are out of danger...

"Todd, take my advice.  Don't let her see the doubt in your heart.  That will be a mistake.  Right now, she's in there thinking very much what you are.  She doesn't deserve this happiness, she's going to lose her baby.  You are stronger than that.  You have to get her to stop, so she can rest and recuperate.  Do you understand?  I know it's hard, you've been through a lot, more than I can even imagine a human being surviving.  But there is no big hand out there taking your happiness from you, or dooming your child.  That's not healthy for either of you.  I was there when both babies died, and when Starr almost did.  She will not do well with another loss, you know this."

Todd listened, thinking for a moment that a visit to Ray might be nice.  He hadn't realized, until hearing Larry talk, that he may need to go back to therapy, at least for a while.  So much had happened.  And not everything had been uncovered and dealt with; he had shown himself that a few nights back.  Right now, Blair was the most important thing.  She and their babies.

Larry continued, "All right, now, go in and see her.  But make certain you're ready, Todd.  Don't let self-doubt take over.  Help her will your child to live."  

Larry left him, and he set himself right.  Larry's right.  It's your job, Manning, to keep your wife and children safe.

He walked into the hallway where her room was located, and stood outside for a while.  He wasn't sure how long he'd been out there, but finally, he pushed the door open.  The scene was familiar.  He pushed it down and smiled, going to her side.  "Hey, Mrs. Manning."

"Hey, Mr. Manning."

"I'm going to get comfortable here," he said, pulling a chair next to her bed.  He settled in and jokingly put his feet up on the foot of her bed.  Sinking down in the chair, he said, "Okay, Marilyn, you're stuck with me."

"Who else would I be stuck with?"

"Better not be anyone else," he removed his feet and leaned in and kissed her gently.  Then, he caressed her head, smoothing her hair.  "Everything is going to be fine, Blair."

She clouded up.  "I wanted to...give you this child."  Tears formed in her eyes.

"Hey, I'm holding you to that.  You will.  You will.  In about 4 and a half months, you'll be up all night, or we will be.  I'm looking forward to all this."

She didn't answer, just let the tears spill over onto her cheeks.  "I'm still cramping, I can tell.  I can't.."  She brushed the tears away harshly, "I can't lose..."

"Hey, stop.  Listen, you have to calm down.  Larry said you need to rest.  Come on, no more crying, you know, when you cry, Moonbeam feels it."

"We are not naming this baby 'Moonbeam.'  What, do we live in a commune or something?"

He'd gotten her to smile.  "I'm going to fight for Moonbeam Manning."

"I am, too," she sighed, "not the name, but the little life."  She patted her belly.  "I'm fighting for him."

"I know you are.  Now, to keep up the battle, you have to rest."  He lifted the blanket covering her, and slid onto the edge of the bed next to her, putting himself between the safety bar and her side.  Gently, he lifted her and placed her partially on him.  She carefully turned sideways and put her head onto his chest, her arms curled over her own own, and he wrapped his arms around her.  Waiting, he listened to her breathing until it was even.  He knew she was sleeping, and he silently vowed to hold her all night and keep her safe.  

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