Captured

Chapter 31

"Are you okay?" Jak asked me a few weeks later. I was lay across the sofa, clutching my stomach as a wave of pain crashed through me.

"It really hurts," I muttered through clenched teeth. "Something's wrong."

He rose to his feet and nodded. "I'll get Kane," he said, his eyes filled with worry. He left immediately and I squirmed around on the couch, trying to relieve some of my discomfort.

It felt as though the baby was moving around inside of my stomach, rearranging my organs. Tears dotted my eyes as another wave of agony crashed over me and I groaned, rising to my feet in hopes of alleviating some of the pain. When I stood up, a gush of liquid ran down my leg and gathered at my feet and my eyes widened.

"No," I managed to whisper, knowing exactly what this meant.

Jak returned only a moment later with Kane behind him and I met his dark eyes. "The baby's coming now," I muttered, the fear evident in my tone. "It's coming now."

He nodded once, approaching me. "Okay," he said a lot more confident than I was, "it's going to be okay."

"No," I told him frantically, shaking my head, "it's too early. I wasn't supposed to give birth for another couple of weeks! Somethings wrong!"

He shook his head at me, resting his hands on my shoulders. "It's okay, this happens okay, it doesn't mean anything is wrong. Come on, we need to get you lay down."

He moved behind me and gently pushed my shoulders, steering me forwards and out of the apartment. I wasn't sure where we were going but I couldn't think about it, all I could think about was the pain in my stomach and the fear in my chest.

Kane stopped outside a room and opened the door, guiding me inside where there was a bed in the centre of the room. "Lie down," he said, gesturing towards the bed.

I obeyed and lay on my back, holding my stomach when another wave of pain hit me. I whined loudly, my body shuddering and my eyes squeezed shut.

"Is it supposed to hurt this much?" I asked Kane as I heard him move around the room.

"You're having contractions," he answered although I didn't know what that meant. "They're completely normal don't worry."

I nodded, still with my eyes shut and endured several more "contractions" until finally, Kane removed my trousers and positioned himself at the end of the bed. "The baby is ready now," he told me, eyes filled with emotion. "You need to start pushing."

All I could do was nod my head, not entirely sure what he meant until I felt the baby inside of me, beginning to move. The feeling was horrible and I was soon exhausted and covered in a layer of sweat, still with the baby inside me of.

"Keep going," Kane instructed, moving his hand to mine to stroke my knuckles with his thumb.

My cheeks were damp from tears and I tried my best to keep pushing, my body protesting against it. I wanted to rest. I couldn't bear the pain any longer and I was just about to give up when Kane's whisper managed to drown out my screams. "It's nearly out," he whispered softly, gently pulling the baby out of me while I pushed one final time.

I felt empty all of a sudden and my body sunk onto the bed, the smell of sweat clinging to me. I could barely open my eyes when a small, pained cry sounded and when I did, my gaze landed on the small, pale body in Kane's arms.

It was covered in some sort of fluid, it's tiny hands balled at its sides and it's even tinier eyes squeezed shut. The cries were loud and it kicked it's little legs around while Kane stared down with tears in his eyes.

"It's a girl," he whispered.

I suddenly felt wide awake and moved to sit up. Pain erupted in my abdomen but I didn't care. "Give her to me," I ordered as firmly as I could, watching him stare down at my tiny, vulnerable little girl. She looked so minuscule in his large arms and he could have crushed every bone in her body by just closing his fist.

"Kane! Give her to me!"

He ignored me, his tears dripping onto her bare skin. He moved to bend down and my whole body tensed, my own tears spilling down my cheeks. I couldn't stand, I couldn't get her away from him as he moved his face closer.

"Kane," I begged, sobbing softly as I looked at her; so helpless in his arms.

He rearranged her in his arms, stroking his thumb over her temple before pressing his lips to her forehead. Since meeting him, I never imagined him to be capable of an action so soft and gentle.

"How can anyone hurt their child?" He questioned aloud although I was certain he'd forgotten I was even there. His eyes never left hers.

"Please can I hold her?" I begged after another moment of him smiling down at her. He turned to meet my eyes and we stared at each other silently for a moment, more emotion passing between that look than we could possibly put into words.

He nodded softly in response to my question and moved to sit beside me, facing towards me so our daughter was lay in between us. I reached my arms out and sobbed when my hands made contact with her skin. She was so soft, so delicate and breakable. My chest ached as I looked down at her. I never imagined I could love anything so much that it hurt me but I did.

I knew the moment she was placed in my arms that I would die for her. I would never allow anyone to harm something so small and beautiful. "She's perfect," I whispered through my cries, cradling her against me, my cries blurring with hers. "It's okay," I told her gently, taking in her features properly.

Her eyes were small and bright blue, filled with tears as she squealed loudly. She had the tiniest nose in the middle of her chubby little face and an open mouth making the awful noises that filled the room. I hated hearing her cry. It felt like it was tearing me apart from the inside out.

Her little arm reached up and I held her in one of my arms while I reached for her hand with the other. She wrapped her entire fist around my little finger before bringing it to her mouth. I laughed softly when her cries stopped for a moment while she studied my finger in front of her face.

"Everything's going to be okay," I promised her. And I would do whatever I had to do to keep that promise.