The Baby Between Them

Chapter Fifteen

A knock sounded on the hospital room door and Rae looked up, hoping to see a certain rugged police officer walk in. It had been over a week since they'd kissed and he'd been conveniently absent since. Rae had been discharged and allowed to return to school a few days ago, but she still slept at the hospital with Amelia, who was now two weeks old, at night.

She knew from Abi, that Hunter had been visiting Amelia during the day, when he knew Rae wasn't there and she couldn't help but think she'd done something wrong. Maybe she was actually a horrible kisser and he didn't want to have to relive it when he saw her.

She'd texted him a few times and he'd been adamant that he was just really busy and they'd catch up soon. Nash had told her the same thing, adding that Sylvie had him doing all the odd jobs she'd been trying in vain to get Thomas to do for the last few years.

Abi opened the door and walked in with another lady wearing a pant suit and Rae's heart dropped to her feet.

"Raegan, I'd like you to meet someone." Abi had called her by her full name. Another ominous sign. "This is Marie Schultz. She's the hospital social worker."

"Abi, no." Rae whispered, stepping into Marie's line of sight, blocking her from seeing Amelia in her cot. They'd gotten rid of the incubator the same day Rae had been discharged and most of her tubes were gone now as well. Her lungs were stronger and she was drinking milk from a bottle, all on her own. She still hadn't gained much weight though. "She's not strong enough. You can't take her yet." Rae pleaded.

"You're right, she's not ready yet." Marie agreed. "But according to her doctors and other hospital staff..." She pointedly looked at Abi, who was staring at her feet. "She should be well enough to be placed into foster care from next Monday."

"Next Monday?" She asked, shocked. Marie nodded. "But she'll only be a month old! She was early and she's gone through so much. Surely a month isn't long enough! Abi!" Her stepmother finally looked up at her.

"I'm sorry Rae. I warned you this was a possibility. She's strong like you are. You should be proud of that."

"Proud? How can I be proud of that when it means she gets taken away from me. Taken away from all of us?"

"We have to start the paperwork and organising everything for Monday. I just wanted you to meet Marie first."

"Is that why he's here? Did you think he'd keep me calm?" Rae spat, pointing to the door that Hunter was walking through.

"What? Why do you need keeping calm? What the hell is going on?" He asked. His guard immediately going up.

"I hadn't told Hunter this was happening Rae." Abi said, giving a very confused Hunter, a sympathetic look.

"I promised you we'd catch up soon, so I came to visit when I had a chance." He walked over and stood beside Rae protectively and glared at the stranger in the room. "And who might you be?" He asked her.

"Marie Schultz. I'm the hospital social worker. Who are you?" Rae watched as Hunter peaked at Amelia, before turning to frown at Marie.

"Deputy Sheriff Hunter Hughes." He answered formally, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I really don't think law enforcement is needed. We're just having a conversation." Marie said defensively.

"I've also been friends with Rae since she was a toddler, so if you think I'm going anywhere while you have said conversation, you've got rocks in your head." He stated matter-of-factually. Rae reached out and grabbed onto his arm. He uncrossed them and took hold of her hand, giving it a squeeze.

Abi watched and gave a small smile. She loved how protected and loved her stepdaughter was, even if she didn't need protecting right now.

"Fair enough." Marie conceded. "I have the paperwork here for Miss Amelia Mason..."

"Amelia Beckett." Both Rae and Hunter said at the same time.

"I have here that her parents are Richard and Sasha Mason." Marie said, looking at the note on top of her fancy clipboard.

"Oh you mean the psychopathic cop kidnapper who planned on stealing Amelia and then killing her, me and our other sister Lily and tried to kill her husband, who helped her kidnap the cop and just so happens to be Amelia's father, both of who are now in prison?" Rae asked sarcastically.

"Well... Umm..." Marie seemed to be scrambling. "I guess... Yes that sounds about right."

"I don't know who Amelia Mason is..." Hunter said. "But this little one here, is Amelia Beckett. You might want to go check your paperwork. We'd hate for anything to be wrong and cause delays in the process now, wouldn't we." He raised an eyebrow and gave her a shrug. Marie shook her head at them both before storming out of the room.

"Really you two?" Abi said, trying to be mad at them, but failing completely. "I don't want to say goodbye to Milly either, but this is for the best. They'll find someone who will love her."

"And what if they don't?" Rae asked.

"We all know how often children are abused while in care Abi." Hunter added.

"Children are abused in their own homes too, guys." Abi said pointedly.

"I am not my mother!" Rae growled. "I would never abuse Amelia like I was abused!" Hunter let go of her hand, but only so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her close to him.

"I know you're not sweetheart, but being a mother is hard work." Abi said softly.

"I don't care! She's not going anywhere! Not unless it's with me!"

"I'm going to go and talk to Marie. Smooth things over with her and let you calm down."

"Good luck with that." Rae mumbled, refusing to look at Abi.

"Rae..." Abi tried.

"Nope!" Rae replied shortly, cutting her off. Abi sighed and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. The moment it closed, Rae's legs and her emotions gave out on her. Hunter easily caught her and sat her on the chair next to Amelia's cot.

"ReRe, breathe baby." Hunter knelt in front of her, placed his hands on her cheeks and pressed his forehead against hers.

"They can't take her. I won't let them. I'll run away with her before I let some randoms have her."

"You do that and I'll have to arrest you, you know that."

"I know and you know I don't care."

"Yeah, I know." Hunter sighed and kissed her head before standing up and picking a fussing Amelia up from her cot. "Hey beautiful girl. Look at the commotion you're causing. Lucky you're so damn cute." He said to her, kissing her head like he'd just done to her sister. She immediately stopped whimpering and nuzzled her head into his chest. "You're not going to find anything in there to eat girl." He said with a laugh and turned around to hand her to Rae. "I'll go heat her up a bottle. I'll be back in a minute. Breathe her in Rae. She always makes you feel better." So that's exactly what Rae did. She breathed deep, her sisters newborn baby smell and held her close while waiting for Hunter to come back with the bottle.

* * * * *

"It's gunna happen, you know that." Hunter turned around from the bottle warmer in the kitchen and faced Abi.

"She won't let it. You know that." He replied, turning around and grabbing the bottle and testing the warmth of the milk, when the timer went off.

"She'll end up in jail like Sasha and Rick if she tries anything." Abi said worriedly.

"I won't let that happen. Mark my words." Hunter told her seriously and walked back to Amelia and Rae's room.

Abi watched as he walked in and stroked Rae's hair, before kneeling down and giving her the bottle to feed Amelia. They looked like the perfect family. Too young, but still perfect. Her heart ached at everything happening and hoped against hope that a miracle would happen, allowing Amelia to stay with Rae and keep Rae out of trouble.