~The Hunt~ Javier Escuella AU ✔︎

Twenty-Four- A gift

Charles and Darling hadn't gone far to go bury Arthur. It was where he would've loved, surrounded by beauty, nature, wildlife and facing the west.

The sun was just setting casting beautiful colours in the sky. Oranges, pinks, yellows and blues spreaded out like paint on a canvas. Birds sang their last songs and took their flight. As Charles was sorting out Arthur cross, Darling decided to grab a bunch of colourful flowers not too many but enough to have a nice layout and not too crowded.

As she walked back, Charles had placed the cross in the dirt and leant against the rock so that it wouldn't sink into his grave.

"We'll rest first before we go out to get Susan and get her buried and then I think we should move away from here and head south east towards the city. It will work out better for the baby if they get sick or us. Better health care." Charles spoke calmly as he took the red and yellow flowers and scattered them around Arthur's cross.

"Okay, Charles," Darling spoke softly for once and nodded as she turned away and walked towards the horses that grazed further up as they couldn't come done the hill with the wagon.

As soon as she was away from Charles her eyes watered and she finally broke. Darling hugged Patch's neck and softly cried into her fur coat. Patch neighed softly and leaned into Darling so she could cry in peace and that her sobs were muffled.

It felt like the world was against her and punishing her because of what she did. However, she had no other choice but to fight for her life. Maybe the bundle of joy will turn things around, she hopes that she will be living honest by then.

After wiping away the tears, Darling sorted the horses to the wagon and sat on the seat waiting for Charles.

"Okay, I heard she died up in Beaver Hollow," Charles was about to take the reins but Darling pulled away.

"You rest now, Charles. I'll take it from here," she said sternly, Charles hesitated before nodding. He stayed awake for a short while before drifting off to sleep.

***

When they arrived the sun had disappeared, an eerie silence surrounded them as they went up the trail to Beaver Hollow. Their guns were ready just in case any of the murfree's were around.

Fortunately, they weren't and they had got into the desolate camp. Their belongings still sat in camp and so did Susan's lifeless body. Though, nature grew around her body and flowers rose.

Darling slowly walked over and noticed that Susan's eyes were still open. In her eyes only showed pain and sadness but no fear. Her eyes were once full of life and colour now they were filled with nothingness and dull and grey. Darling bit her lip and kept her tears at bay and knelt down and softly pushed her eyelids down.

She's just sleeping

Charles walked over and helped Darling lift the body and took her to the back of the wagon. They covered her with a blanket and then took off without being noticed.

They didn't travel far for Susan to be buried. They had decided to bury her on a hill that faced the Elysian Pool. The view was breathtaking just like Arthur's. They said a few words before leaving and heading towards Saint Denis.

***

Weeks had now passed, Charles would not let Darling work no more and told her to rest as much as she can. While he worked two jobs, one in the day and one at night.

That means he was hardly home. They lived above the smaller saloon in Saint Denis. Charles worked as a bartender at night but in the day he was a stable hand.

It wasn't much he was bringing in but it was enough for medicine, food and to have a roof over his head.

The bartender, Morgan was very kind about it and said he did not need to pay but he must work and work hard so that's what Charles did.

But one day, Darling wasn't feeling too good. She was become more tired and had a fever. At first she thought it was because she was pregnant but she kept sweating.

However, Charles insisted she saw a Doctor and urgent.

But just as she was about to leave a contraction happened, she had realised she had been having a few of those but this one was strong and lasted a while.

Darling clutched her stomach and slumped against the wall until the pain calmed. But as soon as it calmed it seemed it went again and then a trickle of wet dribbled down her leg and then bursted on the floor.

"No!" She sobbed. "It's too early," she cried, her body collapsed onto the bed that was beside her and her bag fell to the floor which knocked the bedside drawer and made the vase of flowers tumble and fall. The glass smashed and the shards scattered and the water splashed with the flowers separating and scattering.

"Darling?" Charles shouted from the bottom of the stairs as he had just came back home from his day job. He started making his way up the stairs slowly until he heard her scream in agony.

He pushed the door open as he rushed into the apartment. He ran to her room and slammed the door open, there in front of him she was laid on the bed sweating, screaming and crying in pain.

"What's happening?" Charles walked over to her as she sobbed and turned her head towards Charles.

"My water broke! Charles! The baby is coming!" Her knuckles turned white as she clutched the bed sheets.

Charles gulped and stumbled back before running out downstairs and out on the streets towards the doctors.

It wasn't long until Charles came running back in with an elderly man beside him. The elder held a briefcase and quickly rushed to her side.

"I'm sorry to say this, but I'm going to need you to take your coat and undergarments off," Darling nodded and un-buttoned her coat and slipped it off. Sobs still escaping past her lips as she did so. She took her underwear off while the doctor sorted out a towel, blanket and warm water for her and the baby.

"Okay, I'm going to tell you push and the breathe," the doctor spoke calmly to her as he sat at the end of the bed and moved Darling's legs apart.

"And push," Darling screamed Bloody Mary as she pushed.

Where was Susan when you needed her?

***

"Almost there!" The doctor told the woman who was now exhausted, her eyes dropping shut but the pain kept her awake.

"I...I can't. No more," she sobbed ass he wiped away more sweat. Charles grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight.

"Yes you can! One more push," he spoke softly, he pushed back her hair and the winced as Darling squeezed his hand tightly as she pushed one last time. Her jaw clenched and her teeth pushed hard together.

With one last push, Darling sighed and her head fell back against the pillows.

A small cry echoed in the room making Darling smile faintly and opened her eyes again as she looked down at the doctor who washed the baby and dried them in a towel before wrapping it up in a blanket.

"And here she is," the doctor passed her the small baby into Darling's arms.

"Oh, look at her. She's so beautiful. She has my eyes and my nose. But she has his hair," the baby made a little noise and snuggled closer to Darling.

"So what are you going to name her?"

"Isabelle Susan Escuella,"