Crosses and Cages

True Love

My emotions drop to my stomach as I pick up the phone after picking up Sky, "Ayna are you alright?"

She is breathing heavily on the other side of the phone, "Yes, I'm alright, but I'm in labor at the hospital and I don't think this baby is going to take that long."

This baby has been a roller-coaster of events for me. It started just like the last one. Collin and Ayna were going to abort it because they couldn't handle a baby, but at this point it just means that they couldn't be adults about sex. Not that I can judge them, because once again, there was a chance this baby was mine, hence why I am now turning the car around to the hospital to go and see this baby.

Just like the last baby they went through with the abortion. I refused to go with Ayna the day this was happening because I couldn't stand the thought of it happening, considering I have a strict rule with myself, if I create another human being because of some dumb act that I did, than I owe it to that child to take care of it and raise it.

They called me with the news when it was over, and just like last time I was crushed. Destroyed actually. But a few weeks later I was called with a first time conversation I had yet to have with Ayna.

"The abortion didn't go through?" For some reason hope was starting to fill my chest.

Ayna on the other hand sounded rather disgusted, "Yeah, but I can't sue the doctor because they showed me the charts and everyone was pretty sure there was nothing there, and it isn't Collin's fault because we haven't had any sex sense."

I rub my eyes, half out of disgust and half out of confusion, "What are you going to do about it?"

She sighs and I can tell that she is angry, "I guess I have to try to have this baby, but let me be clear, I do not want it. Not even a little bit. I could never love a child with such a selfish on look at life."

I'm stunned by her choice of words, "It's not the baby that made the choice to live through something like that."

"Flint, are you a doctor?"

"Well no, but..."

"But nothing Flint, you don't know what this baby did or didn't do and as far as I'm concerned this child is the spawn of Satan."

"I mean it is coming from your body..."

"Fuck you Flint." Ayna quickly hung up the phone and I was left there stunned over what I had just heard.

Now eight and a half months later I'm on my way to the hospital to finally see this little fighter baby.

When I walk into the room Ayna is screaming, Collin looks like he is about to pass out and the doctors and nurses are scrambling about doing their jobs. Just like with Sky I pull a chair up next to Ayna and hold her hand, considering the fact that chicken shit Collin is too afraid to do it. I rub the side of her hand with my palm and offer her words of encouragement as the baby is born.

Finally when the doctor is done he smiles and says, "It's a girl. She seems a little underweight, which is to be expected, we are going to do some lab work on her and then we will bring her right back in if that is alright?"

I nod, although I almost want to demand that we all be able to hold the baby at least for a few seconds first.

Suddenly Collin pipes up, "Can you uh, do a test on who the father is?"

The Doctor has to think for a second, mumbles to the nurse next to him and answers, "Yes, of course. I will just need you two to go with Nurse Jane and give some blood samples for her to use for reference."

Both Collin and I nod and head out with Nurse Jane.

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I'm woken up to the sound of a baby crying as the doctor walks into the room. She is going to be fine. She has a sensitive stomach, but that is to be expected from a baby that's as early as she is and that should go away soon. And I'm not sure if you are pleased to hear this or not but Mr. Shadowrunner, the child is yours.

Trained from the first time I stand up quickly as possible and take my little baby girl from the doctor, "Hello there little one, so you must be the fighter child that has put Collin and Ayna into so much stress. I have to say, because of that I like you a lot already."

As I look down into her little clouded, but hazel eyes I feel something that I didn't think existed. I thought my dad was always just over exaggerating when he would talk about his fatherly love for my little sister. But he was right, the love a dad feels for his daughter is something that no one can put into words until the day you are holding your own daughter, and even then there are no words, just feelings of love and protection that no one else will ever be able to understand.

I look up and over to Ayna who is still sound asleep.

"Do you know what you are going to name her Mr. Shadowrunner?"

"Yes, Idu, Idu Blaze Shadowrunner."