Deliverance

Vishous

-I stayed down on my knees for maybe a second or maybe it was five hundred years staring at the glaring light that was sure to leave mark on my golden skin, it was not until Fritz and... Butch? Yeah I think Butch.. picked me up and took me to my room, there was something wet on my face but I just couldn't focus on anything but the look of hurt in my shellan's eyes. The desolation and hatred mixing in the gaze of my female was something I would never forget, that was a wound just too deep. I'd take the punishment bestowed upon me anytime. Somehow I ended up on my bed with an anxious doggen spreading salve over the blotched burns, already beginning to heal thanks to the Chosen’s blood. I was staring at the ceiling when the phone rang, I blindly reached over to grab it, answering without looking at the screen- What? -my voice dripped with venom, even in just that one word, the male on the other end seem to freeze then I hear a stuttered "Sir, sorry to bother you but this lady…" I heard the scream and I shot up on the bed like my ass had a freaking spring, a double checking the phone screen... my... shellan.. I growled to the phone- Where the fuck is my leelan? -my grip on the phone tightened- I'll kill you if you've done anything to her, feel me? -I could almost feel the fear coming through the phone "No sir, she" I heard the phone moving to the side for a moment "lady what’s your name?... lady?...." -he cursed softly- "I already called 911 but she insisted on calling you, sir. She's in labor and..." another scream. I was already charging towards the door, dressed and weapons fucking strapped on. I went from pissed off to cold calculation- You stay there with her, feel me? I’m on my way  -with that I ended the call and barged through Butch's door- Cop, haul ass, my shellan is in labor -his eyes flew open and he was on my heels as I headed for the doors. A nearby doggen went wide eyed and moved out of the way although she was yelling "Sire, it's daylight! Sire!" That barely registered as I reached the door, ready to break the goddamned thing down and fucking fly there-

Jodi

*it happened in the blink of an eye… the unforgiving surface of the sidewalk beneath me replaced by a pad that wasn’t much softer as the ambulance I’d heard screaming in the distance screeched to a halt behind my truck, the EMTs moving in a well-trained whirlwind, hoisting me onto the stretcher and into the ambulance in a flash, my unexpected hero admirably squeezing into the narrow space afforded in the rear and awkwardly holding my hand, wincing when my grip tightened with the flaring pains, sirens blaring as the tires chewed asphalt to St. Francis, the  rear doors flying open and in an instant I was inside, staring up at the ceiling as it whizzed by in a streak of buzzing fluorescent lights, my shrieks broken up by a cacophony of voices, shouted orders and stats crossing in the air over my head* “…reach the father?” “…2 more units of O+…” “What kind of name is Vishous?” “…7 minutes apart… get her into delivery…” *my eyes squeezed shut, brow dripping with sweat as I screamed through another contraction, white hot agony tearing through me and leaving me breathless, clenching the rail of the gurney with a shaky hand in a frail attempt to gain my bearings, looking down at the snakes’ nest of tubes and wires piled on top of the sheet, my eyes drawn to the bloom of deep red spreading across the thin blanket they’d draped over my legs* Is my baby okay?! Is the sun still u…oh FUCK! *letting the question die, I grit my teeth against the next contraction, the pain clenching my belly in an iron fist and twisting cruelly as the gurney crashed through the door of the delivery suite, a rainbow of shapeless bodies in scrubs moving around me in a flurry to hang bags of fluid and attach countless monitor cables*

Vishous

-I ignored the shouts coming from behind me, the heavy footfalls that told me my brothers were at my back and just as my hand is about to grasp the doorknob, a wall of warriors slammed me against the massive wooden door. I hissed and tried to squirm out of the prison of banded arms that held me in place against the oak panel. I was so fucking close and could not be out there with my shellan. I snarled snapped my jaws…fuck anyone who dared fucking keep me away from my loved ones- Get the fuck off me, NOW! -my growl shook the shutters in their frames and it was only when Butch came into my line of sight that I actually started to focus "Calm down, my man. You can't go out right now, you'll die" he looked me squared in the eye and said "if you're dead you're no good to them, feel me?" he placed his hand on my shoulder and now I could feel the entire Brotherhood standing behind me. Apparently word really did travel fast... then a female's voice interrupted my thoughts, Beth’s voice soft in an attempt to soothe "V? Fritz and I can go ahead to make sure Jodi is ok" slowly Rhage and Z gave way to me and I turned around to face the female that was sporting the sweetest of smiles. There was something wrong with my throat because I couldn't fucking find it in me to answer... so I just nodded-

Jodi

*my whole world seemed to be hanging on the ticking hands of the clock hung above the swinging double doors of the suite… 6:41…. 6:42… it was at least another 20 minutes until sundown… fuck, I couldn’t do this…not without Vishous…. my inner stream of panicked thoughts became a string of outer hysterics and screeched curses as the pains sped up, waves of agony cresting to tear me apart as the contractions began to piggyback one another* “….her sister’s outside…” “…6 centimeters…” “…bring her in…” *I blinked through the pain to focus on the scattered words. Sister? My sister was nowhere near…* “Jodi?” *craning my neck to turn toward the voice, clutching at the small measure of relief at seeing a familiar face, reaching out to take her hand and holding tight* Oh God, Beth! Oh, fuck where’s V? This hurts… Jesus, this hurts… *she smoothed a hand over my forehead to sweep sweat-drenched hair from my eyes* “He’ll be here soon. The sun’s nearly down… Just try to hold on a little longer, okay?”

Vishous

-Beth and Fritz had left a while ago and I was pretty sure I was digging a hole on the floor while I counted the seconds until I could leave this fucking place. Brothers had gathered around me, each of them trying to give me comfort in some kind of way, perhaps the only way I'd allow. Each had found a place to park their asses and all of them were trying to avoid looking at me... except Z. I tried very hard not to care about his intense stare but when it came to him, it was rare when he had something to say and apparently this was one of those days. He pushed himself off the wall and walked to me, then clapped a hand on my back. That gesture said it all. I nodded in acknowledgement and then my eyes caught the time on the clock just as the shutters lifted off the windows. I nodded towards the brothers, looked at Butch and made a run for it, dematerializing as soon as my foot was out the door. My particles scattered and took form just outside St. Francis Medical Center, and bless his fucking heart... Fritz was outside waiting for me. I would worry later about the shit that was going to go down after I flew through the doors and plowed into the delivery room to find Jodi surrounded by Beth and a bunch of other humans I did not care about "Sir.. you can't be here, I'm sorry... please"-

Jodi

“…8 centimeters…” “…this baby’s coming fast…” *my throat was raw from screaming through the seemingly endless barrage of contractions, frantic eyes holding Beth’s as I tried to breathe, barely managing to pull air into my lungs before another hit, mask-covered faces darting around me to get into position as the attending settled at the foot of the bed and maneuvered my legs into place* “Who are you?...” “Sir, you can’t be here…” *And that was all I heard, letting out an anguished sob as the doors slammed open and you were at my side, my hoarse voice straining to lift over the chaos around me* V? Oh, thank fuck… Nallum, I’m so sorry I left. I know you didn’t mean to… *my shriek pierced the air, leaning forward as a nurse jammed pillows behind my back to sit me up* “…baby’s heart rate’s dropping…” “…10 centimeters, let’s do this…” Vishous, I can’t! *Shakes my head furiously, eyes wide with fear* I can’t do this!

Vishous

-everything appeared to slow down the moment I forced myself inside the confines of the delivery room, I flew to Jodi's side and my gloved fist closed around your sweat soaked hand, shooting a terrified look at Beth who had stepped back from the bed as I took my place by my female’s shoulder. Vitals were exchanged, everyone seemed to be moving and yet kept their post around my shellan's bed. Brows cranked down in concentration, taking every ounce of my effort to not growl, squashing the desire to kill the male that was tending to my leelan, his hands somewhere no one but I should be close to. My face reflected nothing but composed calm, a stark opposite to what I was actually feeling. I tried to put the controlled emotions into my voice- Ssshh, leelan, yes you can do this, true? -I wiped the sweat off your forehead before I gently ran my thumb over your cheek- you need to do this for our young

Jodi

*nods slowly and grabs your arm, cradling it to my chest as a contraction bolted through me, my head snapping around to see the doctor sitting at my feet* “The baby’s crowning, you have to help me here, Jodi…take a deep breath and 1…2…3… PUSH!” *leaning forward I sobbed a cry and pushed, panting through the minor relief I was granted as I ran out of breath* “We’re almost there, Jodi… this is the worst part… deep breath and 1, 2, 3…PUSH!” *I swallowed hard and did my damnedest, looking up at your face and digging my nails into your forearm as I pushed with the last of my ebbing strength, falling back onto drenched pillows as a weight is lifted from me, weakness blanketing me until my limbs felt like lead, barely able to hold my grip on your arm, gasping a shallow laugh when a lusty wail broke through the din of the delivery room*

Vishous

-my eyes trained on your face, willing myself to be here for you in whatever way I could. Shitkickers cemented to the floor, I wiped sweat off your forehead and leaned in as you bore down, hiding my wince as your nails sank into my arm with your efforts. Barked commands sailed through the air around me, finding myself counting along with the doctor at my female’s feet, murmuring soothing words of encouragement that seemed pitifully useless against what you were enduring, the scent of your blood filling the air around me and all I could do was stand there... fuck, how did females survive this? Or the males for that matter?... my gut wrenching watching the pain etched across your face. Then... all of a sudden, the moment you sagged back onto the sweat drenched bed I heard it, the rising wail coming from… somewhere... it felt like I was moving through water when my head snapped to where the noise was coming from. The doctor held my young in his arms, his delicate pink skin covered in patches of spattered blood and other fluids I tried not to think about, rubbing a fist against the center of my chest at the feeling that welled there when I caught of him. I had a family. I still held the reason for my existence in my arms but now this tiny life had appeared to fill a place in me I didn’t know existed. The young’s cries snapped me out of my daze and my face broke into a fanged smile. Just like that.... I was a father-

Jodi

“Your son, Jodi…” *I unlocked my fingertips from around your arm and untangled myself from the twist of tubes and wires to raise my hands as our son was wiped clean and wrapped into a blanket, the squalling bundle tucked into the crook of my elbow, the tuft of black hair standing out against the pastel flannel, tiny pink mouth bowed…rooting at my chest, quickly tugging down the faded gown and bringing him close, heart fluttering when his eyes blinked open to reveal pale diamonds, I looked up at your face as the young settled against me for his first meal, studying you while the terror in your savage features melted away, smiling as the word left my lips…* Sahvage… His name is Sahvage…Fuck, I love you, Vishous.

Vishous

-I was at loss at words and I think it was safe to say that didn't happen often, I watched in complete awe as the young passed from the arms of the human woman to my shellan, the bundle seemed so small and fragile... I was almost too scared to touch him just in case I did something wrong. However, I did get on that tiny hospital bed as much as I could and wrapped an arm around you as I watched my young feed for the very first time. I met your dark eyes with my diamond ones and repeated his name- Sahvage, son of Vishous -my chest puffed up with the pride I felt in hearing that, I pressed my forehead against yours  and whispered silent words of devotion to both you and my young in the Old Language. Then, I flipped back to English and whispered- I fucking love you too, Jodi. So much -then I claimed your lips in the sweetest and most tender of kisses and whispered- Happy Anniversary, shellan mine

Jodi

*the bed sank under your weight and I shifted to make room for your giant form, exhausted but elated as the center of my universe huddled within the confines of the bed rails, the noise of hospital staff checking readings and removing trays of instruments, ignoring the nurses that whisked soiled linens away and made quick work of cleaning me up, turning my head toward the door I inclined my head toward Beth with a grateful smile as she faded into the periphery and disappeared into the corridor, my mouth lingering on yours as I stroked a fingertip gently over his little fist, lips curving into a smile at your words… so much had happened… a year together passing in the span of a heart beat* Happy anniversary, my warrior. *raising my eyes back to yours as our son mewled and snuffled contentedly against my skin* Take us home, Vishous. I want to go home.