Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 27 ||

Owen's grip on Claire tightened when her body went numb. Maisie stood up quickly, feeling like she was about to cry. "Maisie it's fine, just...go get my car keys okay sweetie" He told her and the girl ran inside the van rummaging through the mess to find the stupid car key. Running out, basically yelling that she found it. Owen picked up Claire, bridal style walking as fast as possible to the car that Maisie unlocked quickly. "Sweetie get in the backseat so you can hold mom" Owen said trying to make it sound like he was calm and in control but inside he was losing it. Maisie was breathing quickly now and when Owen had put down Claire in the backseat, her head in Maisie's lab, he said. "Maisie. Breath" A few short nods, telling him that she was going to do her best. He ran back to the van and locked it.

Before they knew it, they were at the hospital in the ER. Claire's breath was even but the shock, the panic attack had caused had send her into a minor coma as Owen would call it. Maisie had been running her fingers through Claire's red locks, trying to calm herself down with the touch of her mom. Just like Claire does to Maisie when she's upset or scared. Maisie's breathing didn't get any better but it didn't get any worse either so Owen took that as a good sign. The whole ride was nothing but Owen telling himself he was a stupid idiot and that this was his fault. He should learn to keep his mouth shut and that it was true what Claire said. He had to remember to think before speaking.

A few nurses met Owen outside the main doors of the building. Him having called them in advance, warning that he was on his way with a passed out pregnant woman. The fact that she was pregnant was what alerted them. They got Claire on a stretcher faster than Owen had anticipated. He took Maisie's hand and they quickly followed the nurses inside.

A nurse had come up to Maisie and told her it would probably be best if she stayed outside. Maisie refused. Absolutely refused to leave neither Owen nor Claire's side. The nurse eventually gave up, looking up at Owen to tell him that if she got traumatized, it was their own fault. He had looked right back at the woman and said. "She has been through much worse, trust me she can handle this" His hand never leaving Maisie's and his eyes following the nurse out of the room, hoping she wouldn't return.

When they had plugged Claire up to a monitor with all the cables and what not, a male nurse came over to Owen to ask for some more information. He was sitting on the only chair in the room, with Maisie on his lap, who was starring intently at Claire, like she was trying to wake her up with her mind. Owen tried to answer the questions as focused as possible but his eyes kept going back to Claire's unconscious form. "Sir what triggered the attack?" The nurse asked and Owen took a deep breath. "PTSD...mentioning of...something" He sighed and ran his hand over Maisie's hair. "You said on the phone that your wife is pregnant" Owen nodded, not bothering to correct the man. If he had to be honest, they were practically married already, just without the paper. And it wasn't like he had never thought of getting down on one knee for her.

The nurse scribbled something down on his notepad, which made Owen's heart sink and his body go numb. "Will eh...Will the child be alright, is it okay?" He asked. The nurse continued scribbling down for another second before looking back up at Owen. "For now, the fetus is stable but it will worsen and have a lower chance of surviving, the longer she is out" Owen could feel his heart turn in to a black hole that was going to swallow his whole existence. "Can't you eh...Like wake her up, do something" Owen asked. "I'm afraid not sir, we have to let her body go its own course or we could seriously endanger the child" The nurse said and walked off.

Owen sighed deeply, leaning his head against Maisie's. Realizing she had just heard the whole conversation as well. "Is mom going to be alright" She said, almost a whisper. Owen sighed again. "Mom will be just fine" He said knowing that he wasn't lying. Physically fine, that was. If anything happened to their child, she would be destroyed. "Hey why don't we go find some candy?" Owen asked, trying to sound cheerful. Maisie lazily stood up, grabbing Owen's hand. Pulling them towards the door saying "Alright" trying hard to sound normal. Owen knew the girl wasn't feeling well, understandable enough. He didn't blame her, he just felt proud at how much she tried her best to look it.

Returning later with a bag filled with chocolate, because it reminded them of Claire's craving the other day. They started eating in silence, both sets of eyes glued to Claire. Maisie's voice suddenly broke the silence, very low but it was there. "My birthday is in three days". Owen wasn't sure if she had said something or if it was his mind playing games. He turned his head to look at her and saw her expectant look. Yes, he heard her right. "Why didn't you say anything Maisie" A surprised Owen said. The girl just shrugged. "A lot of things have been going on and I didn't think it was important" She said sounding more nonchalant than any kid talking about their upcoming birthday. "We will have to celebrate, buy cake and presents and what not" Owen said and smiled when Maisie started grinning at him.

A couple hours later, Maisie was asleep on his shoulder. Slowly running his fingers over her arm, with his eyes still glued to Claire. Suddenly, his legs started tingling, probably from sitting down for so long and with a 10-year-old on his lap. Carefully standing up and placing Maisie back down on the chair for herself. She woke up slightly and Owen whispered to her that he was just going to stretch his legs and that she could go back to sleep. He walked aimlessly around the room viewing Claire from every angle as he walked back and forth from the window to her bed. Eventually he settled himself by Claire's side desperately holding on to her hand as he leaned over her.

Shaking his head, letting a deep sigh escape through his lips. "Claire..." He started, taking a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Wake up baby...please" Whispering his words to not wake up Maisie but also because in his head, it might reach her if he was as calm as possible. "You know what's unnerving about this hm...That you can't talk back to me...That you can't tell me what an idiot I am and how much I screwed up. You are just lying there, incapable of hearing me tell you how much I love you" A deep sigh escaped, followed by a single tear. "Claire...I love you so much, you amazing human being...god dammit wake up" He laughed at himself and another tear fell. "You can't even hear me tell you how much I want to spend the rest of my life with you, that I want to marry you. Right here right now. You can't even tell me if you feel the same way...If you want to marry me"

So, I kind of played with the roles of physics and life and what not because I'm pretty sure that passing out isn't like this. But you know what, in this world it is!

Yes – DRAMA

What might happen, huh boys?