Project Family: New Life

Labor and Delivery

March 5th: The Fredrick House; 11:43am

Deborah paced the living room, a million thoughts racing through her mind. How could Wesley do this? Why would he do this? She thought that mind control was not an ability that Nelson possessed. She stops, feeling another tightening in her stomach, and places her hand there, taking deep breaths in and out. Deborah felt like she couldn't stand very well anymore, and she swore, all she felt anymore, was kicking in her rib cage. 

Matthew walks in and sighs. Deborah had been like this since Wesley just a day ago, and he needed her to sit and relax. He moves over and stops, feeling the tightening stop, and the kicking starting again. He breathes in and continues, placing a hand on Deborah's shoulder. She turns her head to him, staring softly. He smiles.

"Deb, please, sit." She subtly glares, then nods, attempting to walk over to the couch, practically falling into it. Matthew smiles softly at her, then grabs a couple of things to make her feel a little more comfortable since she rarely did anymore. He walks down the hall and finds a blanket and pillow. He grabs them, then his ears perk up. He stops what he is doing and walks further down the hall, finding Benjamin hiding under the stair case, crying in his arms. Matthew sighs and sneaks under the stairs, trying to get closer to the saddened boy. He doesn't know what Benjamin is going through, but he wants to help at least.

"Hey, kiddo. ...How are you doing?" Benjamin's shoulders tense, and his head flies up, staring at Matthew with fierce red, orange, and yellow eyes. Matthew flinches but then stares back, showing the boy that is not afraid of him.

"How do you think I'm doing? Wesley betrayed us." Matthew nods, and sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"I thought so. I'm just trying to help you in any way I can kid. You might not be mine, but, by the gods I will make sure you and your mom are okay." Benjamin heaves a breath and starts crying again, and leans into Matthew's arms, his small body shaking. Matthew carefully wraps his arms around the boy, rubbing his arms softly.

"I got you, kid, I got you. Come on. I think it'd be good for you and your mom to be with one another right now." Benjamin nods but stays clinging onto Matthew's chest. He smiles at this and carefully sneaks the two of them back out from under the stairs. Matthew lifts up the boy, as if he were a toddler, and carries him to Deborah while grabbing the blanket and pillow from earlier.

Matthew walks back in and finds Deborah to be staring at the wall. He stands in front of her and bounces Benjamin lightly. She looks over at her son and reaches her arms out, tears starting to trail down her cheeks. Matthew brings Benjamin over and sets him down on the couch next to Deborah. Deborah immediately hugs Benjamin, bringing him in close to her. He shakes softly, grabbing onto his mother's upper half, the only part of her he can really grab onto without running into her very large stomach. Matthew smiles at the two and wraps the blanket around the two of them, places the pillow behind Deborah's back, and leaves them be, going to check on his kids. He walks up the stairs, knowing that they had been nervous and skittish since Wesley Griffin'ed out on them.

He listens around and hears Samantha whispering to the others from her room on the kid's floor. Matthew carefully walks over and knocks on the door.

"Sam, it's me. May I come in?" He waits as silence follows his last word, then he hears soft rustling, before the door opening. Samantha is standing there, holding Bailey close to her, while her free arm, is holding Woodland close to her leg. Matthew steps forward and wraps them all in a hug. The kids and their father stay like this for about ten minutes before Matthew tenses up, dropping to his knees. Samantha notices first and drops down with him, being mindful of Bailey, while still trying to be of help to her father.