Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Two

"Carswell?"

Thorne sucked in a startled breath, his eyes blinking open. "What is it? What's happening?"

"S-something's wrong." Cress was standing awkwardly at the bathroom door, holding the side of her stomach. Tears were trickling down her face.

"What?" Thorne bolted up, getting tangled in the blankets and tripping. He blinked, trying to clear his mind and stumbling to his feet.

"It—" Cress sucked in a breath before letting out something close to a scream.

"C'mere, sit down, sit down." Thorne, his heart already pounding against his chest, helped her sit down on the bed, gently propping her legs up. "Where?"

Cress squeezed her eyes shut, her hand still clutching at the side of her stomach. "Here. Something's... it's not right."

Thorne glanced around, trying to remember where he'd left his port. He wasn't sure how fast contractions came, though he was pretty sure Cress was way too early to be going into labor.

Cress's eyes flickered open. She was almost panting. "It's... going away I think."

Thorne hesitated. "What kind of pain was it?"

"I don't know. Sharp. And j-just right here."

Thorne gently rested his hand where hers was.

"Don't—"

"Sorry."

"I don't want it to start again." Cress started to say something else when a cry was ripped from her mouth. She groaned, turning onto her side and almost screaming into the pillow.

Thorne grabbed her port, which she always kept on its charger, and dialed for an emergency hover. He tried to keep his head clear, answering the woman's questions as quickly as he could. All the while Cress was writhing in pain, gasping for breath and tears leaking from her eyes.

"Cress? Thorne? What's happening?" Cinder and Scarlet both appeared in the doorway.

"I don't know." Thorne shook his head, swallowing against the tightness in his throat.

"Is she bleeding?"  the women at the other end of the port said.

"No." Thorne shook his head.

"I'll go open the gate for the emergency hover," Scarlet said, turning and disappearing at the same time Jacin and Winter showed up.

For the first time in forever Thorne's eyes darted right to Jacin. "I don't know what's wrong," he said helplessly.

Jacin was already walking around him. He rested a hand on Cress's stomach and then touched the inside of her leg. "Cress can you tell what kind of pain it is?"

"Sharp," she managed to choke out, still holding her left side.

"Right here?"

She nodded. "Am I loosing her?"

"No, I don't think so," Jacin said with an actual smile.

"Hover's here." Cinder, standing at the window, grabbed some pants for Cress and tossed them to Thorne.

"The hover's here Cress." Thorne's voice caught, sliding his arms beneath her. "They're here, sweetheart."

Thorne met them down in the driveway, glad he was able to save as least a few minutes, as two medical attendants rushed out. He glanced over his shoulder at the rest of the crew gathered on the porch. Jacin was off to the side, talking on his port and Thorne caught the words "Crescent Thorne" and "third trimester."