To Space and Back

Prologue

Third Person POV

"You cannot jeopardize this entire opportunity all because you got pregnant, Jenson, its not worth the money or your teams time and effort. I thought you were the brightest of the team-"

     Madeline Jenson was stuck in her head. She couldn't believe she had been so irresponsible to have done something so drastic and permanent and right before her mission too! 

     Her team was counting her- everyone was counting on each other- to be healthy and prepared for this once in a lifetime opportunity and she might've just ruined it for everyone and for what,  a man that she was leaving on earth for the rest of her life?

"- now if you calculate the time from launch to landing, you should be ready to give birth about a month after settlement. Then we will see about recalculating meal plans and-"

"You want me to give birth on Mars?" Madeline was dumbfounded. 

     There was a time and place for a baby, and even though she had ruined the timing she couldn't just ruin the place too! No one knows if survival is guaranteed for an adult let alone a newborn! 

"Madeline darling, you know you can't get rid of the baby?" He sneered.

Madeline could have exploded. Not only was she pregnant but she hadn't seen through to her contract that stated if pregnancy prohibited the survival others, the baby is to be terminated. However...

"No one is endangered, we haven't left yet-"

"I could make it happen." He stated with a sinister grin.

Madeline couldn't believe her ears. If she doesn't continue with the mission, her baby would die anyway. She could feel the tears swimming in her eyes but she forced them back and glared into his eyes.

"Fine." She bit out, blinking to rid herself of the tears.

Madeline forced herself out of the chair in front of his desk and reached for the door to his office.

"-and Madeline?"

"Yes?" She whispered, still facing the door.

"This stays between us, yes?"

" Yes."

"Good."

January 23rd , 2035.

     The air whips her hair around as the press take pictures of her and her team, ready to board and launch for the seven month journey to Mars. She is 2 months pregnant and the world will never know.

     As she boards the ship she sees Fredrick waving goodbye with a cunning smile on his face and she hopes he gets what he deserves.

                                                                              September 20th, 2035.

"aHhhhhhHHuHH!" Madeline screamed in labor. Sweat was dripping from her reddened face as an expert colleague delivered her baby. Her life was flashing before her eyes. There was no epidurals in space so she was doing it naturally and she didn't know if she would make it.

"One last push, Maddie!" Screamed Derek, her most trusted colleague and friend.

During her last push, Madeline felt some type of peace within herself even though her body was in shock. Through the abyss of silence, she heard, "Its a boy!" and when she felt the weight of her baby on her chest she opened her eyes one last time to see the face of an angel.

"Samuel." She whispered and the baby was whisked away. Even when she heard her name being screamed she kept whispering, "Samuel, Samuel, Samuel..."

From then on the colony was one less, leaving 10 men and a screaming Samuel.