Monochrome

Chapter 1: Singles

Trigger Warning: blood, and giving birth.

Monochrome

Chapter 1

Singles

It happened one stormy night. Much to the young mothers horror. The pain didn't happen all at once, it was like climbing stairs. Each step hurt worse than the last. She knew it would be like this, she knew there would be pain. Locking herself in a rarely used storage closet and spread out an old used paint cloth and sat against the old painted gray walls.

Hours...it took hours till she finally heard a cry. She lay back and panted trying to regain some sort of composure. The 'what ifs' started to play up on her. She had hidden the fact that she was pregnant from everyone by wearing extra baggy clothing. Her simple job cleaning the subway wasn't going to pay for diapers, formula, clothing, the like for this little baby.

She was scared...

So she did the only thing she thought she could do. She wrapped the baby up in a clean cloth from one of the bins and put her into the basket she had with her. She had nothing else to give her. She was too scared to write a note. Not even a name...what could she ever name this child? It wasn't like she didn't want her, she just couldn't keep her.

So she did the only thing she knew she could...she placed her just outside the guard shakes door and kept walking.

Paperwork, lots and lots of paperwork. Ingo looked over the newest incident report that was given to him. It wasn't unusual there, people had altercations, fights, words being tossed around, and oh the illusive Karens.

Emmet sat at his desk next to him. Humming as per usual, he always seemed so upbeat even though it was almost quitting time.

Emmet didn't mind long hours, he had an exciting day on the doubles line. He even got to see a new pokemon he had never seen before. They were finding new pokemon every day.

There was a soft cry from beyond the doors.

"Another cat no doubt." Ingo told his brother who nodded.

"We better go bring it to Lath before it finds itself on the tracks." Emmet pulled on his jacket and hat in unison as his brother.

Just as soon as Emmet opened the door he stopped. Ingo looked over his brother's shoulder wondering what was going on.

"What seems to be the delay, Emmet?" His brother stepped over something. Ingo looked down at the infant.

She wasn't crying too hard, actually she was very weak sounding. Ingo bent down and collected the infant into his arms in an attempt to keep her warm.

"My my...why would someone stow this as cargo?" Ingo asked, he had experience with children before, maybe young trainers, or lost children along the subway.

"That is definitely not cargo." Emmet said as he opened another door to what appeared to be a stock closet and pulled out a few things. Cloth, pins, and a small blanket.

"She doesn't need to be out here in the cold like this. Autumn is still cold at night. Come along then and allow us to show you to your temporary station." Emmet said to the newborn.

Walking back into the office Ingo placed the infant down on the blanket that Emmet spread out on his desk.

"Go ahead and change her while I call for reinforcements. I'm afraid we must call Officer Jenny. She will want to know about this so she can launch an investigation." Emmet nodded as he wiggled this infant's foot.

Of course the infant was much too young to giggle just yet, much less talk, or even turn over. Emmet felt her foot again and shook his head.

"She is so cold...no wonder why you were crying." He put the diaper onto the infant. They technically kept the diapers in the coin bins in the bathrooms along with the pads, tampons, and tylenol.

Ingo came back a moment later to see his brother with the infant swaddled in his jacket and sitting back against his chest.

"She looks comfy." Ingo said with his usual emotionless expression. Emmet knew better, inwardly Ingo was smiling. He was amused.

"She even fell asleep." He said in a hushed tone. Ingo leaned over his brothers shoulder. The infant's rosy cheeks could barely be seen over the cloth that she was snuggled up in. It was technically a table cloth, but it would do for now.

There was a soft tap on the door and in walked Officer Jenny.

"Good evening boys. Ingo said you found a baby?" She leaned over to see the infant. "Ah, she has a bit of fluid on her skin. Meaning she wasn't washed after the mother gave birth. I'd dare say she was born in the station." Both brothers looked at one another in horror. They knew what this meant. Jenny would be investigating the station.

"Of course, we'll cooperate as best we can, officer." Ingo told the woman. The officer walked toward the door and turned back around.

"Until then...I suppose the infant is the subway's responsibility." Jenny said. Uh oh...

"Wait...what?" Emmet looked down at the sleeping infant. "Our respo...but why?"

"Because she is evidence...plus you look cute holding her. Just call it...training." Training...? Emmet liked training. "Besides, we can't just keep the kid at the station. We don't have anyone to watch her." This was a bit...unusual.

"Alright, how hard could it be?" Ingo said as he looked down at the infant.

Jenny rolled her eyes, saluted, and left the twins to care for the infant.