The Altercations With Distance

Dinosaurs and Cowboys

After the Beast stole the knife from the crime scene, he drove home with Baylor resting in his lap. When the Beast arrived back at the hotel the next morning he saw a girl with red hair sitting down outside the office. That's Emma. Dennis told him. Casey's friend. Emma stood up when she saw the man holding the baby. She went over to him, but the Beast stopped her before she got too close.

"That's Casey's baby, isn't it? I heard about the kidnapping on the radio in the office." The Beast saw her scars and knew that Casey wouldn't send an impure his way, but he still didn't trust her. Especially not around his newborn child. 

"Yes." He answered. 

"Can I see him?" She asked. 

The Beast shook his head. "No. He's only hours old. I don't need him getting sick." 

Emma took a step closer, angry that he assumed she was diseased ridden, but the Beast took a step back.

"I'm not sick, you know. She's my friend too. I could help you. That's why Casey sent me to you."

The Beast tilted his head at the girl and gave her a smirk. "You really think that? She sent you here as an errand girl. You conveyed a message. If you want to stay here until she comes, you're more than welcome. But I still don't trust you. I don't even know you." Emma shook her head at the first part. 

"That's not true. We're friends. I was there for her during her pregnancy. That's more than she can say for you. You left her in that asylum alone and pregnant to rot away. You didn't even bother to try and save her this time. You just stole her child."

Within a second, the Beast closed the distance between them and grabbed her by her throat with his right hand. He held his sleeping child in his left arm and raised Emma up off the ground. "Listen, girl, just because Casey likes you doesn't mean I will. I couldn't be there for her. We are lucky she had you, but don't you ever make a comment like that again. Understand?" Emma nodded, grabbing at her throat. The Beast loosened his grip and set her down gently on the ground.

"I have to go take care of my child. You are free to stay here, but do not leave the premises. I will know if you do." Emma rubbed her throat and went back to the office. The Beast would keep an ear out for her to make sure she wouldn't do anything stupid. He went to his room on the second floor introduced Baylor to his new home.

After he found out Casey was pregnant, the Beast and Dennis went to work to fix the room after the Beast destroyed it. Patricia was in charge of painting the room to look like a nursery. She chose a blue background with cowboy and dinosaurs stickers scattered around the walls. Hedwig chose the decorations and decided where to place them. Patricia was also in charge of choosing baby products and clothing.

So when the Beast walked into the room, Baylor was surrounded by dinosaurs and cowboys. The Beast dressed him in a simple blue onesie and put him in his bassinet so he could make his formula. Let me feed him. Please. Patricia begged. The Beast agreed, but it for a few minutes. Patricia took the light and warmed the bottle. When he was finished, she picked Baylor up and sat with him on the couch. "Such a beautiful boy." She whispered to him as she checked the bottle's warmth.

When she was satisfied with the temperature of the bottle, she started to feed the hungry baby in her arms. He drank hungrily, letting droplets of milk go down his chubby cheeks. Patricia used a cloth to clean his cheeks and smiled as she watched him drink. "You have Kevin's eyes." She whispered to the infant. "One day I'll tell you all about him." Patricia burped Baylor after he was done with his bottle and turned the light back over to the Beast.

He watched his son sleep for hours on end, turning the light over to Dennis, Patricia, or Hedwig every once in a while so they could admire the baby. Emma never made a move to leave, nor did she call for help. She stayed in the office until the sun set. Then she went to a room on the first floor. The Beast felt bad for his actions, but he didn't need to hear about what he did to Casey from another person. He felt guilty enough.

The Beast work up with Baylor a few times that night to feed or change him. The baby was a good child who could fall asleep pretty quickly after he was fed or cleaned. The Beast kept the bassinet on the bed beside him so he could keep one hand on Baylor's stomach to feel his little chest rise and fall as he slept. That was the best feeling in the world to the Beast. And soon, Casey would lay beside them and their family would be complete. At least, he hoped it was soon.
The news was swarming with rumors about how Casey's baby was stolen and many devil worshipers claimed they did awful things with him. Everyone was stunned by the events, but no one had an answer. The Beast hoped this would lead to Casey being released from police custody. He wanted her back.

The next morning, the Beast work up bright and early to get Baylor's bottle ready. He turned on the TV to a low volume, a volume only he could hear with his super hearing. He could hear Emma sleeping in her room, so he didn't have to worry about her at the present moment. He planned to later apologize and let her see Baylor. She did help bring him home.

The morning was uneventful. He bathed Baylor in the baby bath Patricia bought and changed him into a green onesie. He fed and changed Baylor and held him in his arms while he slept. It wasn't until late afternoon that his attention was turned elsewhere. "Breaking news!" Matt Maverick boomed on the TV.

The Beast looked up and listened to what the reporters were broadcasting. "No. No, no, no, no,no!" He shouted at the TV. This couldn't be happening. This had to be a dream. This wasn't real. It couldn't be. "No, please, no!" He said again, his eyes glued to the screen.

But it was real. It wasn't a dream. It was happening. Baylor Chaos started crying in his arms and the Beast sank to his knees on the floor in front of the TV.