Chapter 15: Origin

Origin

[Day POV]

"John is... struggling," the teacher, an elderly woman, informs me.

"Struggling? Struggling how?"

"He's not connecting with his classmates and he's not completing his assignments."

"Assignments? What 'important assignments' could he possibly have in kindergarden?"

"Well, the students are required to write their names several times on sheets of paper given to them during different class periods. The students are required to write their names at least three times, but John does not write his at all."
"So? That's a dumb assignment anyway." I'm starting to realize I sound less like an adult father and more like a teenager searching for excuses as to why he didn't do his homework. But still, it is a dumb assignment.

The woman purses her thin lips, "That's hardly a proper reason why John hasn't done his assignments when asked to."

"Look, ma'am, I'm sorry that John hasn't 'done his assignments' but I don't see it as a fit reason to keep him in kindergarden another year. John can write his name." I look at the tiny, silent figure next to me and ask, "Can't you, John?" John nods.

The lady looks unimpressed, "For John to be able to pass to first grade at the end of this year, he will have to make up the assignments." The lady scrolls through something on her comp, "That means he will have to write his name fifty times."

"Fifty times!? You're telling me that, a month into the school year, you've had five year olds write their names fifty times?"

"Yes. And John will have to as well."

-=+=-

John and I are halfway home, his tiny, clammy hand in mine. It makes me think of the t-shirt I'm wearing, which says "Best Dad" at the top, has John's handprints in the middle, and says "Hands down!" at the bottom. He and June got it for me for Father's day last year.

I ask, "John?" He looks up at me in response.

"Why didn't you do the assignments your teacher gave you?"

He shrugs, "I didn't have a pencil."

This surprises me. "Well, you could have asked for one."

"Yes, but the teacher scares me. I was afraid she'd yell at me for not bringing one."

I let out a short laugh, "Well, from now on we'll make sure you have pencils. And I'll talk to your teacher about maybe yelling less, kay?" John grins and nods.

-=+=-

When we arrive home I ask John if he's hungry. An enthusiastic "yeah!" and several minutes later, he's at the table with a steaming bowl of macaroni and cheese. I look at my pile of work on the side table in the living room. I've become mostly a stay-at-home father, but I often take a look at whatever troubles the elector is having with the common people and give some suggestions. June's still an agent, but she tries to stick to less risky missions, for John's and my sake. Speaking of June, I think, she should be home any minute.

A few minutes later, my prediction is proved right. The door swings open and June steps in. Her hair is a bit mussed and her boots quite muddy, but she's still beautiful as ever.

"Mommy!" John jumps up from his chair, blond tufts of hair flying all around. He runs over and enthusiastically hugs June, prompting her to pick him up.

"Hey honey!" I walk over and give June a kiss, prompting gagging sounds from John.

"How was it?" June asks.

"The teacher meeting?" She nods.

"Okay I guess. John, why don't you go play in your room for a minute." June sets him down and John bolts away.

I tell June, "The teacher says he hasn't been doing his 'assignments' in class. He has to make them up to pass kindergarden in the spring."

June's eyebrows furrow, "What were the assignments? Why hasn't he been doing them?"

"The assignments," I tell her, disdain dripping from my voice, "have been to write your name several times. When I asked John why he wasn't doing them he said he didn't have a pencil."

"Why didn't he ask for one?"

"He was scared the teacher would yell at him for forgetting it."

"Hmmm. Do we need to talk to the teacher?"
"I guess. I dunno. How was your day?"
"Good. The mission wasn't too hard, but I'm tired."

Our conversation drifts and flows easily, like the waves of an ocean. Eventually, John comes running from his room and we eat dinner. Life is as I'd always wished it would be.

Chapter 14: The Binding

The Binding

[Eden POV]

I glance nervously at Daniel, who's standing next to me; my best man. He gives me a wry smile and a thumbs up just as the music starts.

My chest immediately tightens at the blare of music. I look up at the door, reflexively smoothing my hair and straightening my glasses. The heavy oaken doors swing inward. First John, one year old now (don't ask me how they got him to understand his job- I have no idea) steps out next to a young girl of about six. John, the ring bearer, is wearing a sharp black suit. He looks first at Daniel, then at me. He grins, little tufts of white-blond hair sticking up everywhere. I can't help but smile at him. The young girl, Adeline May (or Addy as we call her) is Mia's daughter. She drops blue petals from a pink basket as she walks, her little white dress swishing. My breath catches as Tess, looking absolutely radiant in her dress, steps into the hall. She's holding a bouquet of blue and white tulips and her auburn hair is swept mostly up, with curly strands framing her face. I feel my jaw drop and quickly close it again. After Tess gets a yard or so into the hall, June and Mia step out behind her. They're both wearing turquoise dresses that accent the flowers Tess is carrying.

If feels like ages until Tess reaches the altar. When she reaches it at last, she beams at me and I find myself smiling back. Everything is a blur until little John strains to hand us our rings, which are golden and look like interwoven, ivy-like vines. We slip them on each other's fingers. At the minister's command, we say our vows.

Tess begins, "I, Tess...". Tess refuses to use her last name; she claims that since her family abandoned her, she will do the same. Her lacking surname is an ever-present reminder of the scars we both harbor, the scars I hope we can heal together.

She continues, "take you, Eden Bataar Wing for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."

Tess pauses, then adds, "and even after that" with a grin.

I take a deep breath, then say my part as well. "I, Eden Wing, take you, Tess, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life."

I wait a moment and add with a wink, "and even after that," which garners laughs from the audience.

"You may kiss the bride."

For once, I do as told.

Chapter 13: Venit (It Comes)

Venit

[June POV]

"Tulip?"

"No."

"Clarissa?"

"No."

"Petunia?"
"No. These are all horrible."

"Okay... Kinna?"

"No."

"Poppy?"

"No."

"Serephine?"

"It's okay."

Day draws a highlighter across the book, "Awesome."

"Day, what if it's a boy?"

"I have a whole 'nother book for that." 

I laugh and nod, "Go on then." 

Day's beautiful smile appears. "Fiona?"

"No."

"Summer?"

"I like it alright."

"Nessa?"

"That one! I love it. What does it mean?"

"'Ambitious, fierce.'"

"Perfect."

"You're gonna raise a little fighter, aren't you?"

"That's right."

Our reverie is interrupted by a calm beep, beep, beep. "Op!" Day yells, standing up and accidentally dumping the name book in his lap, "That would be the pot roast." He sprints into the kitchen, his cat-like grace evident even now. To myself, I chuckle. Daniel has become quite the homemaker. With how much he hates his job, I'm wondering if he's going to end up being a stay-at-home father.

I glance at the calendar across the room, the sound of Day's footsteps around the kitchen lulling me into a sleepy state. Of course, that's about all I do lately; sleep and eat, what with the baby due in just two weeks. As for me, I'm freaking out about being a mother. A mother? That doesn't sound like me. I can't cook, I hate cleaning, I'm better with a gun then a picture book... I'm worried I'm going to raise a child who doesn't know how to feel or love. Of course, I have Daniel for that. If Day had it his way, our child would be bubble-wrapped and coddled all the time. My way is basically to let the child find its own way and pick it up when it falls. 

I'm pondering early-learning tactics when a pain like lightning shoots across my stomach. I cry out, "Ah!" Frankly, it's less from the pain and more from the panic. "Daniel!" I yell, and hear pounding footsteps follow. Day appears in front of me, "What is it?" I breathe deep, trying to quell the fire in my abdomen, "The baby," I tell Daniel, "it's coming."

-=+=-

[Daniel POV]

I wring my hands as I await being allowed behind the curtain. I hope she's okay.. I hope it's okay. Suddenly a Republic doctor clad in gold colored scrubs yanks the curtain back. He smiles at me and motions for me to come. I step in and see June sitting up, looking at me. She smiles genuinely, however weakly. My first priority is her. I walk over and run my hair through her hair.

"You okay, cousin?" I inquire gently. She nods and grins, then motions with her chin to something behind me. I turn around to see the same doctor holding a wad in a blue blanket. My mind takes a minute to connect the wriggling, wrapped figure and what we're here for. The baby. The baby!

The doctor gives a white-toothed smile and says "It's a boy!"

"A boy..." I repeat, waiting for the information to sink in. Suddenly, it does, "I HAVE A SON!" I yell aloud. The nurses in the Ruby sector hospital turn around, startled by my outburst. The doctor hands over the baby. I clutch him like my life depends on it. I don't even know what... I just... I... I glanced at June and then offer the baby to her. She takes him and coos to him, already very natural with him.

June looks up at me, "I think I know what to name him."

"What?" I reply, my curiosity peaked. "We didn't get to the boy-names book."

With a feeble laugh, June replies, "John."

"John?" My eyes well up, what am I doing? I'm happy- why am I crying? I will not cry. 

"Do you like it?"

"I love it!" I smile at our baby, "John Metias Iparis-Wing." I laugh, joy welling in my stomach like a balloon. June smiles faintly, "And he even has your eyes."

Chapter 12: Fires of Hope, Ashes of the Past

Fires of Hope, Ashes of the Past

[Day POV]

"Okay. You can look now." I pull June's hands away from her eyes.

"Day! It's beautiful!" She exclaims.

"You really like it?"

"I love it." June whispers, fingering the mobile. Her hands brush over the cherry wood crib. I look around the nursery I had made in the months June was gone. The walls are pastel green. The floor is half wood and half cream-colored carpet. Several large picture frames adorn the walls. One of them has a recent picture, of June in a meadow on a sunny day, her belly protruding proudly. The others are empty, to be filled with future baby pictures. Some other decorations are hung, paintings or chains of colorful beads (child safe, of course). I had a lot of time to decorate and research. June fingers the blankets and stuffed animals dispersed about the cozy room. Her hand rests on her stomach and a smile graces her lovely face. I step towards June, enveloping her small, warm hand in my own larger one.

"Now," I say, "There's something we have to think about."

June's eyebrows tilt, "What?"

A gentle pink blush sweeps her cheeks as I say, "Names!"

June looks down, "But we don't even know if it's a girl or boy!"

I laugh, "Then let's think of names for both." June looks as if she's about to say something, but then her communicator buzzes. She sighs apologetically.

"That's okay," I tell her, "answer it."

June picks up the device, "Tess?" She asks. After a pause, "Oh yeah! Sure."

I ask June, "What is it?"

"Tess wants me to go dress shopping with her. Is that okay?"

Lately I've been a bit- okay, perhaps more than a bit- protective of June, but I know I need to be more relaxed.

With a (hopefully) imperceptible grimace, I say, "Yeah that's fine." I'm startled by a buzz on my wrist.

"Oh! It's Eden." I pick it up. Eden says, "Hey, Daniel. Tess is going dress shopping... You wanna hang out?"

I chuckle and say, "Sure."

[June's POV]

I meet Tess at the nearest shopping square. We greet one another with a hug, though my large stomach almost impedes it. I look around at the shops surrounding us. The cool breeze whips strands of my hair around. The sun, almost at it's apex, is deep set in the turquoise sky.

I ask Tess, "Are you sure you want to dress shop here? These aren't bridal shops..." Tess interrupts, "I already got a dress." She says it like a confession.

I look at her, surprised, "Really? Then why are we dress shopping? Can I see the dress?" Questions spill out of my mouth. Tess laughs. She waves at me to follow her, and walks across the parking lot. We reach her jeep and she pulls open the door. Hanging in the car is a gorgeous dress. It's tight at the top, with an empire waist. The sleeves are sheer ruffles. The top of the dress is pale pink, almost white, and fades to a bright fusia at the bottom.

"Tess," I breathe, "it's beautiful!"

Tess thanks me and I continue, "What are we here for?" Tess' face turns serious, her large brown eyes widening.

"Lately," She tells me, "I've been thinking about Kaede."

"Kaede?"
"Yes... I know you and Day didn't know her that well, but she was like a sister to me. I was only with her a short while, but I went through so much and she was always there... Always protective and loving, like family should be."

I nod, "I understand; I lost a sibling too." I smile understandingly at Tess. "Neither of us will ever forget them. I'm sorry for your loss... But what does that have to do with being here?"
Tess flashes a devilish smile at me, "I'm gonna get a tattoo."

That was an honest surprise. "Okay, does Eden know?"

"Err... No. But he'll understand."

I shrug, "Alright then."

Forty minutes later, Tess has a sprawling vine twisting around her neck, and down onto her shoulder. It's an elegant swirl of different greens, accented by a single pink rose bud at the center of the vine.

"The flower will match your dress." I tell Tess.

She smiles, "It will, won't it?"

"What does it mean- the flower?"
Tess grins, "Hope. The whole vine grows out from the flower, see?" She pokes the flower, then winces. Her skin is an angry red color from the needle. Tess continues, "That's hope to me, something that let's new, beautiful, strong things grow from it." I smile, astounded by the thought and meaning Tess has poured into this.

I tell her, "Eden will love it."

Chapter 11: Restored

Restored

[June's Point of View]

I'm huge. That's my first thought when I wake up. My stomach is bulging. It's large and tight. I look around the room. Day is right next to me, asleep. My stare must have somehow disturbed him, because Daniel jerks awake, exposing those bright blue eyes to me.

"June!" He yells.

"Hey." I say quietly.

Day continues, "How do you feel? What do you remember?"

"I feel fine, though groggy and-" I cast a glance at my belly, "heavy. I remember being captured by August, and then you and Pascao coming for me." Day scoots over to me, grasping my hand and stroking my hair.

"That's good, really good." A sudden thought hits me, and I yank back the covers of the bed. I look at my leg. "THOMAS" is etched on it. But it's not fresh, it's scarred. I look at Day, befuddlement clouding my thoughts.

"Day, how long was I out?" Daniel eases me back into a laying position, and pulls the cover up. I see him slyly press the button to call a nurse.

"June," He says softly, "you were out about four and a half months."

"So..?" I look from Day to my stomach and back again.

"The baby's fine." I release a sigh I didn't know I was holding.

"And you? You're fine?" I ask Day. His beautiful faces blooms into a smile.

"Better than ever, know that you're awake!" Daniel leans over and kisses me. A grin sprouts on my face. To my utmost surprise, I feel quite well. Like I just woke up from a very long nap. That is, until a thought hits me. A sinking feeling drowns my ecstasy.

I ask Day, "How far along is it?" Rubbing my stomach. Day sighs, and rubs his neck with the back of his hand. He looks thin. I wonder if he's been eating enough... Four months! I was out almost half a year. Panic and disorientation grip me, anxiety filling my being. I feel like I'm about to hurl.

Day, oblivious, says, "About seven months. Due in about a month and half- July."

I eek out, "July?" before throwing up over the side of the bed. Day presses the nurse call button several more times. He reaches over, stroking my hair.

"Feel better?" I shake my head no. It was early January when August captured me. It still feels like January to me. But its May- late May -or June- I don't even know.

Day crawls onto the bed beside me. The springs squeak as his weight compresses the mattress.

"June," he says softly, "these four months without you... They've been-" Day pauses, shaking his head ruefully, "awful, to say the least." He wraps a protective arm around me. Daniel turns his head towards mine, his ensnaring eyes locking me in their view.

He continues sharply, "I never want to lose you ever again." I nod, and before he can continue with more sappy words, I kiss Daniel into silence.

A sad curiosity fills me, and I ask Day, "Did Tess and Eden get married? They hadn't set the date when..."

Day shakes his head, "No. They set the date for October. I think they would have anyway. They both love the fall and they wanted to wait until we were settled with the baby-"

I interrupt Day, "Do you know what it is?"

Day's face clouds with confusion, "Know what what is?"

I clarify, "The baby, do you know if it's a boy or girl? Sorry for interrupting, but I just realized..." My thoughts seem to be ending in dead ends today.

Day shakes his head, "No, of course not. I thought it could be a surprise." He smiles brightly, and my worries fade a bit. Just then, a nurse walks in. She's older, maybe late sixties. Her mess of white-gray curls is springing all around her dark, kind, wrinkled face. The nurse's face lights up at seeing me awake.

"June, my dear, you're awake!" she exclaims, as if she knows me. A smile shines from her elderly face. I grin politely back, wondering if I'm supposed to know her. As if reading my mind, the nurse says, "You don't know me, but I got to know Daniel very well, that is, because he would never go home," the nurse shoots Day a sharp look that tells me she often told him to go home, and to no avail. "He told me an awful lot about you." The nurse points her pen at me, a clipboard grasped in her other hand. She continues, "I'm Minday. How are you feeling?" I place my hands on my stomach, feeling the foreign size of it.

"Okay. Um, disoriented. Surprised. Nauseous." I laugh nervously.

Minday assures me, "That's to be expected. It's May twenty eighth, ten o'five AM, and sunny out with no humidity." Minday winks at me, pulling the curtains of a window back. Slanting, morning sunlight slides into the room, illuminating it. Minday approaches the side of my bed. "This little thing," she places her hand on my protruding belly, "is due July eleventh, which I hear is very near your birthday."

I smile and nod. "When can I go home?" I ask. Minday laughs. It's a twinkling sound, like wind chimes.

"Darling, you've been in a coma for four months, you're pregnant, and you just woke up. It's gonna be a few days." Minday strides around the room like she owns it, but in a comforting, not authoritative, way. She turns towards us, hands on her hips. "Daniel," Minday says sassily, much like I think an aunt would, "off the bed." To my utter surprise, Day actually listens. He rolls sideways off the bed. Daniel stands next to it, holding my hand. Minday hits a remote next to my bed. It makes a whirring sound, and sits me upward. "We're gonna need to take some blood." Minday tells me, pulling a long tube with a needle on one end, and a tiny canister on the other from her cream colored apron. I nod, and extend my right arm open flat, inside facing upwards. Minday pops open a tiny package, reveal an alcohol wipe. She wipes the crease of my elbow and then ties a rubber band tight around my upper arm. Before I can much think, Minday inserts the needle and is holding an empty canister in one hand, preparing to switch it with the filling one. She unties the rubber band and tells me bluntly, "You look sad." When I don't respond, she says, "Why?" In a gentle, prodding way. Then she casts a sharp look at Daniel, "Go get her some food, would you? She's probably starving." Daniel looks reluctant, but- miraculously -he obeys. When Day leaves, I tell Minday, "I've never seen Daniel listen to someone like that."

Minday says, "Yeah, we've gotten to know each other veeery well." I nod. Minday says, "But don't you think I'm gonna let my question go! Why are you sad? You're awake, you got a handsome hubby who loves you..." I can't help but laugh at that.

"I don't know... I just... I missed it, you know? Four months of pregnancy, four months of Tess and Eden, four months with Day..."

"Child," Minday scolds, "there's many more months left with Tess and Eden, with Daniel, with everyone. And," she adds, "you can always have more of these." Minday playfully pokes my stomach.

"You're right." I tell her. I can't help but wonder if Day and I will keep in touch with Minday after all of this is over. After all, I've only known her for minutes and she feels like family. It's funny, how families expand. The oddest people worm their way into your life and suddenly the need for each other is mutual. Minday looks down at me, taking the needle out. She lowers her face close to mine, taking a seat in the chair next to my bed.

"This isn't just about four months though, is it?" I tense up.

"This has something to do with that scar on your leg, doesn't it?" Suddenly, the pain I felt when August sliced open my leg comes rushing back. I grimace, willing it away. Minday looks at me. "Daniel told me what happened with that boy, Thomas." Only then do I notice the slight rural twang in her voice. It's lilts calmingly, "June, honey, that's in the past now. Ain't nothing you can do to change it, 'cept be better in the future." I nod, a lump rising in my throat. I fight back hot, boiling tears. Minday puts her soft hand over mine, "It's okay to cry, baby, holding it inside ain't gonna do no good." A single tear is leaking down my cheek when the door bursts open.

Pascao flies in, a smiling blur. "JUNE!" He bellows, "You're AWAKE!" Pascao's smile is ridiculously wide, his white teeth gleaming in the florescent light.

Minday scolds, "Pascao! Keep your voice down. You are in a hospital! Not to mention, our little lady here just woke up."

Pascao nods humbly, but his smile doesn't fade, "Yes, Miss Minday." Minday exits the room, shooting me a smile. I silently wonder if Daniel and I’s child will have a sort of grandmother after all.

"Pascao!" I say cheerfully, tears chased away by his unbridled joy.

"How're ya feeling?"

"Pretty good. Look, I just wanted to say thanks-"

"Oh shhh! Just consider it my baby shower gift. I snicker. Pascao asks, "Where's Day? He hasn't left this room for one minute, and now he's gone."

"Minday chased him off, he's supposedly getting me food, which I hope is true; I'm starving."

Pascao laughs and is about to say something when the door bursts open again. Before I can even process who's here, four arms are wrapped around me. One pair is tiny, like a bird. The other two arms are strong and thick, vaguely like Day's. Smooth auburn hair tickles my cheek, and the other cheek is caressed by short blond locks exactly like Day's.

"Tess! Eden!" I exclaim.

They pull back, "We missed you!" I spot a glittering ring on Tess' finger. With a gasp, I pull her hand up.

"Oooooo! An engagement ring." I tease her, admiring the many inlaid clear diamonds accented by a large blue one in the middle. The diamond is so deeply colored that it looks like a midnight sky, but a shade or two lighter. "It's beautiful!" I tell Tess, and everything feels light and joyful. Day bursts in, balancing two trays full of food. I glimpse chocolate cake on one of them, and my mouth waters. Day's face wears shock, a happy kind of shock.

He grins and says, "I think I'm gonna need more trays."

Chapter 10: Bound

Bound

[June POV]

My captor drives to an abandoned warehouse. August may have blindfolded me, but that doesn't prohibit me from feeling every turn. I know exactly how we got here.

Which means I know exactly how to get back.

When the van at last lurches to a stop, I hear Thomas' brother exit the vehicle. His foot falls, carelessly heavy, approach my door. He opens my door and grabs my bound hands. August's hands are like sandpaper; dry, rough, lukewarm, and unfeeling. He yanks me from the car and I almost fall over my own feet. When the soles of my boots at last find traction, I tug against my restraints instinctively. August yanks back and a cold fury rises in the back of my throat. I want to fight him, and I could, if it weren't for the baby.

When we're safely over the threshold, August removes my blindfold. His face is twisted into a leering, pompous snarl. I snarl back as I take in my surroundings. The warehouse is bare except for an enormous cage in the middle of the room, and a rolling desk chair a few feet away from it. August continues to roughly shove me ahead of him. We reach the cage and August pulls the door open, though it protests with a loud squeal from the hinges. August quickly clips a chain onto the zip-tie around my wrists and then shoves me in. I fall onto the cold cement flooring, a grunt escaping my lips. I sit up, and my hand instinctively goes to my stomach, protecting the life inside. August walks away from the cage, holding the chain connected to my hands. I'm forced to scoot closer to the edge of the cage. August clips the chain to a ring on the wall. It's anchored so that I cannot stand up. Absently, I wonder why August procured such a large cage if I'm not going to be allowed to walk around in it. After August has fully secured the chain, he plops down in the chair, not even paying attention to me. Mentally, I measure the width and length of the cage, then determine the alloys and materials in the metal bars. The cage is about eleven feet wide, nine feet in length, and twelve feet tall. It's made of a mixture of steel, titanium, and iron. The bars are each about six inches apart and extend vertically. My eyes flit towards August. He's in the chair, reading a newspaper he must have had shoved in his back pocket. He doesn't notice when I visually inspect the lock on the cage. It's simple, rudimentary even. A simple code lock. August was smart though. He had the cage unlocked before I got here. That way, there was no possible way I could have heard or seen him punch in the code. He smarter than to make it a number I could guess, like Thomas' birthday for example. It's likely that the code is a random number. As far as I can tell, I have no way out.

[Day POV]

Pascao and I sprint back to our apartment. I activate the tracking program in June's ring. Making her wedding ring trackable seemed ridiculous at the time. Not so ridiculous now.

It looks like June is in an abandoned warehouse in the Lake sector. Whoever took her obviously doesn't know who he's dealing with. Goddy trot.

Pascao and I hop down the stairs to the apartment building, taking them two at a time. We emerge into the slanted, blinding sunlight of the fading day. Our feet pound against the asphalt towards the red dot- June -on my sensor.

[June POV]

After I've been sitting in the cage for approximately fourteen minutes and forty-two seconds, August approaches the door. His black leather jacket creaks as he reaches toward the lock. August types in a code. The lock, as I excepted, makes no sound. August is careful not to move his arm when he types the code, only his fingers. He has yet to reveal the code to me.

Stepping into the cage, August smirks at me. He approaches until he's towering over me, looking down. After staring into my eyes for a minute- I suppose he's trying to intimidate me -August crouches down next to me, balanced on the balls of his feet. He says softly, "Before I kill you, there's a few things I want to do." August reaches towards his back pocket slowly and pulls out a gleaming scalpel. He inspects it, moving the scalpel so the light flashes off it. August lowers himself so that he's sitting next to me. From a pocket in his jacket, he retrieves a small stone. August begins to scrape the scalpel against the stone, sharpening it. ShrreeEEEeem The sound of metal against stone is deafening.

Between swipes of the knife, August talks to me.

"Tell me," he orders, "all about my brother."

I correct him, "Half brother." August shoots me a look that tells me he's dying to use that scalpel. I divulge the whole story of Thomas, from our childhood together, to his execution. All the while, August continues to sharpen the scalpel. When I finish, he looks up at me.

A single tear runs down August's deranged face as he says,"He was your friend. Thomas loved you. And you betrayed him!" I put my face as close to Thomas' as I can get.

Then I hiss, "Thomas killed my brother. He was a murderer." Without warning, August's hand shoots out and clasps around my neck.

He squeezes, cutting off my airflow, "Don't you EVER speak of my brother that way."

I nod, only to regain my breath. While I gasp, Thomas locks a hand around my thigh. He begins to use the scalpel to shorten my pant leg, as if to make a pair of shorts. When he has cut all the way around the leg, August slides the knife down the pant, slicing it. He pulls away the cloth, revealing the lower half of my left leg.

August grasps my ankle, and twists my leg around so that my knee is facing the side of my right leg and the outside of my calf is facing upward. It's a very uncomfortable position, and I writhe against it. In response, August digs the tip of the scalpel into the meat of my thigh. I cry out, which seems to satisfy August.

August places the scalpel at the bottom of my calf, about three inches above the ankle. He looks toward me and says, "You will never forget my brother." Then, he begins to slice into my leg. I scream with every ounce of my voice as August slices a vertical cut- about four inches long and a half inch deep -into my leg. I continue to scream as he carves another line, this one going horizontal. August has carved a "T" into my leg. There's blood everywhere, and August wipes it away with his sleeve. He looks at me again, tears now running down my face.

"Can't have all this blood, can we?" I watch as August crumples part of the newspaper that was sticking out of his back pocket, and throws it on the floor. August cleans the scalpel on his pant leg, then pulls a lighter from his jacket pocket. Quickly, he lights the scrap of newspaper on fire. August places the scalpel into the heart of the fire. I watch, entrances, as the blade turns neon orange. I'm still in some sort of trance when August pulls the blade from the fire. He turns slowly, and places it flat on my leg, over the cut. I release an unearthly howl, one born of pain and rage and fire. August turns the blade horizontally and cauterizes the top of the T. The cuts are now closed, and August wipes away the excess blood. The pain leftover is like nothing I've ever felt before. My leg is freezing, burning, going numb.

After five more letters, H, O, M, A, and S, I'm about to pass out. My leg has gone numb, which I take as a blessing. August has etched "THOMAS" into my leg. The scars will be there forever- August was right, I will never be able to forget his brother.

August stands up and places his hands on his hips, proud of himself.

He looks at me and grins, "Alrighty then, glad that that's done. Now, time to kill you." August says it so casually, one might think he was talking about something as simple as going to the grocery.

I say through gritted teeth, my head lolling side to side, "Why go through all that," my hand flops weakly toward my leg, "just to kill me?" I smile, feeling drunk. August's face turns serious, like storm clouds rolling in over the sun.

His eyebrows pull together as he says, "Because I want you to know the pain I've felt. That-" August points at my leg, "is what it felt like when I found out Thomas was dead."

I laugh, "Oh August... August, August, you silly boy." The blood loss has made me woozy, "Don't you know that my brother died too?"

The fog in my head is beginning to clear, "My brother, Metias, was my only family. He was everything, my sun, my moon, my stars, my light. And now, he's gone. Do you know why he's gone? Because your brother-" August silences me with a backhand to my face.

"THAT'S IT!" August roars. He yanks a syringe from his pocket, no doubt filled with a lethal concoction, just as I see a shadow shift through a crack in the warehouse door. I know that Day is here. I need only stall for time.

I look up at August, "What kind of monster are you, that you would kill a soon-to-be mother?" August's face contorts in confusion.

"You're, pregnant?" I nod, "Three months. Hoping for a girl, but don't tell Day." I move to place a hand on my stomach, hoping to play up the sympathy even more, but my restraints hold me back.

August looks at me, and the confusion fades from his face. It is replaced by a cold, blankness, like an expanse of ice stretching in every direction. August bends down, and inserts the needle into my neck. The last thing I see before it all goes dark is the warehouse door blow off its hinges and August's head snap back. Blood spatters my face and everything goes dark.

[Day POV]

Pascao and I burst into the warehouse. I see a man bent over June, injecting something into her neck. Without even thinking, I pull the trigger on my gun. I've shot him straight in the head and he falls onto the floor. June's head barely turns towards me, and she mouth's "Day..." before her eyes seal shut. Panic rushing through my veins, I rush towards June, trying to take in my surroundings. Warehouse. Deadman. Burnt paper. Chair. Cage. Door open. June's leg. JUNE'S LEG! There are gashes up and down June's leg, and dried blood on the floor surrounding her. The gashes spell something, "THOMAS." Burning fury rises in the pit of my stomach as I take in the damage done to June, my June. I yank out a pocket knife and sever the tie around June's wrists. I pull her into my arms and turn towards Pascao.

"Call an ambulance!" I tell him, running as fast as I can with June in my arms. I feel for a pulse. There, faint, but there.

The doctor tries to make me wait outside the medical room, but I refuse. At last, they relent and let me stay, given I wear the proper scrubs. They have inspected June, and haven't told me anything. They inject her multiple times, including giving her a blood transfusion and removing some of her blood. I stay quiet, fearing they will make me leave if I speak up.

At last, I follow as they wheel June into a different room. They transfer her from the gurney she is on to the bed, hooking up multiple machines and IVs. I silently remove my scrubs and sit in the chair next to the bed. The doctors leave and I wait, all the while holding June's hand and willing her awake.

A doctor walks in.

"Daniel Wing?" he asks.

I nod, "What's wrong with June?" The doctor sighs, turning a page on his clipboard. "She was injected with a mixture of drugs. It was supposed to overdose and kill her. But it appears that whoever injected her only got about half in. June didn't overdose, but it shut down her systems. She's okay, and so is the baby, but Mr. Wing..."

"What?" I ask, anxious, and realizing I didn't even know who June's captor was.

The doctor looks at me, "She's in a coma."

Chapter 9: The Kidnapping

The Kidnapping

[June POV]

The way Daniel acts, you'd think being pregnant is making me impossibly fragile. I'm currently about to explode at having nothing but paperwork to do and everyone always fussing over me. With Day still convinced I'm entirely breakable, the one thing I find solace in is helping Eden and Tess plan their wedding.

-=+=-

I roll out of bed, headed for the bathroom. It's seven AM and I'm exhausted. I thought babies were only supposed to prevent parents from sleeping after they were born. I groan and kneel on the freezing, hard tile in front of the toilet. I lean my face over the toilet. After a moment or two, I hear the bed mattress springs squeal, heavy, uneven footsteps come towards me. I hear Day's voice from above, "Heeey, cousin." He says softly, "What can I do for ya?" I moan and wave a hand towards my hair, which is falling all around me. I hear Daniel rummaging through stuff on the bathroom counter. At last, I feel my hair pulled behind me and (badly) tied back. I murmur my thanks and then puke.

-=+=-

The next morning after Day (reluctantly) leaves for work, I hear a few gentle knocks at the door. When I answer it, Tess stands before me, her auburn hair smooth as silk. Her smile lights up the room, despite the rain falling outside. "Hi June! How are you feeling?"

"Better, thanks. How's wedding planning going?"

Tess' smile widens, "Really good, I'm excited, you know?"

"Yeah! You should be. Want to work on decorations today?"

"Sure. I'm thinking something simple, but I can't decide on the color scheme."...

After war, battles, and being on the run, I cherish moments like this. It's so simple, so joyful. Tess and I talk of decorations and color schemes, not of attacks and deaths. It's better this way, though I do tend to get bored. I'm banned from fieldwork, which basically means I'm banned from work, since I'm an agent. Being on house-arrest has me practically pacing the floor.

When Tess leaves after a few hours, I try and find something to do. I search through some nearby housing options, including both actual houses and large apartments. Our apartment now isn't big enough for Day and I and a baby, so we're trying to find somewhere new.

After barely fifteen minutes, I tire of house searching. I want to go train at the track, but my doctor told me to "go easy." Which Day interprets as "Do not move." Instead, I decide to take Macey for a walk. "Macey!" I call out, and she jolts upward from the floor where she was napping. "Go get your leash." Her toenails click away, and I hear the thump as she leans against the armoire to pull her leash from on top of it. Macey comes trotting back in, her thick black leash clamped between her teeth. "Good girl." I tousle the hair on her head and clip the leash to her blue nylon collar. We ride the elevator together and at last step into the sunlight.

Upon returning from Macey's walk, I find that the mail has arrived. Turning Macey loose, I pick up the pile of paper. There's a letter from the bank for "Mr. and Mrs. Wing" which still sounds odd- in a good way- to me. There's some advertisements and junk, but one letter stands out. It's thin, square, and unmistakably plain. In small, blockish handwriting, "Agent June Iparis-Wing" is written, followed by my address. I brush my bangs out of my face and rip open the envelope. I pull forth a piece of note paper and unfold it. In the same handwriting is written, "Dear Mrs. Iparis-Wing, I'm a huge admirer. I myself am only seventeen years old, and am striving to become an agent. I wondered if you would meet me for lunch at the Gonzolas Restaurant on Tuesday, March 4th at 2:00PM. Sincerely, Agustin (Call me August)." Hmm. A fan. I like the sound of that. With a glance at the clock, I notice it is one fifteen. A grin on my face, I quickly get dressed. As I walk out the door, I leave a note to Daniel, telling him where I went, in case he gets home before I do.

When I arrive at the Gonzo, I'm not sure what to do. Do I wait outside? Go in? How do I know which one is August? Was this a good idea? I'm about to turn around and go home when a young man approaches me. His hair is a hazel color, it's between long and short, and is roguishly mussed. He has friendly green eyes and a charming smile plastered on his face. It's accented by a strong, but not square, jaw and some stubble. He wears casual clothes. I know before he approaches me- it's August. He reminds me of Thomas. August approaches me, unfaltering. 

"June!" He greets, then adds, "Can I call you June?" 

I analyze his facial expression, he's confident- surprisingly so for meeting a so-called idol- but also nervous. While August seems trustworthy, something about him puts me on edge.

"Yes, um sure, that's fine. Shall we go in?" 

August tilts his head towards the sky, "It's so nice out, why don't we go for a short walk instead? Is that okay with you?" I nod my assent, and we head down the street. I wonder where August is headed. After we've walked a while, August glances nervously around and stops. 

I stop next to him, "What's wrong?" August looks back towards me, and seems entirely different. His emerald eyes have a wild look in them. His pupils are so constricted that I notice the striations of yellow in his irises. August places his hands on my arms and I tense, suddenly wishing I'd brought my weapon. Before I can make a move, August has pulled both my hands behind me and fastened them together with a zip tie. I immediately start to fight back, kicking out behind me and twisting to face August. His grip is incredibly strong, and after a moment of fighting I remember the baby and go limp. August laughs mirthlessly. 

"That's a good girl." He pushes me toward a nearby van and pulls the door open. August shoves a hand into my hair and forces my head down to tuck me into the car. He slams the door behind me, and gets in the front. We drive in silence for several minutes while I assess every aspect of the car. 

When I've at last memorized each alloy used in the paneling, I say with fire in my voice, "Who are you?" 

August laughs again, "You honestly don't know? You're even more naive than I thought." 

"Thomas. Are you related to Thomas?" 

August doesn't laugh. "There you go. Thomas was my brother- half brother." 

I shake my head, "Thomas didn't have any siblings, he would have told me." 

August slams his hand against the steering wheel and suddenly yells, "Well I guess he DIDN'T!" 

I respond with equal force, "WHAT do I have to do with this!?" The brakes on the van slam, and August whirls around to face me. 

"What do you have to do with this?" His voice is quiet now, calm. It's worse then the yelling. "You are the reason that my brother is dead." 

I lean my face towards his, "No. You're wrong. Your brother is dead because he murdered my brother. Now neither of us have a brother. Call it square." August's face twists up, like he doesn't know how to respond to this. While he's stunned, I hook my hands around the car door handle and lean against the whole door. It begins to fall open. August lurches towards me, roughly grabbing my arm. He yanks me back into the car, pulls the door shut, and drives forward at an alarming pace. I have no idea what awaits me.

[Day POV]

I insert my key into the apartment door and push it open. "June!" I call out as I step over the threshold. When no response follows, I'm electrified with worry. I look around fervently, and my eyes settle on the note. In June's handwriting, it tells me that she has gone to meet a fan (what?) at the Gonzolas Restaurant. My fear settles a bit, and I head straight back out the door to find her.

After speed-walking to the restaurant, I peer through the window, looking for June. She's definitely not there. A blinding glimmer lights up in my peripheral view. I approach the source of the glimmer. It's a Republic crest pin on an outdoor table, the setting sun shining off it. The pin- it's June's. The fire of panic courses through my body. June and I have a code, if something has gone wrong, we each have an item we'll leave. June's is her pin, and mine is my pendant. I don't know how, but I know, June's been kidnapped.

-=+=-

Little does her assailant know, I'm way overprotective. Our wedding rings? They're trackable. I can find her, but I need back up. I don't want Republic soldiers as my back up. Sure, I'm patriotic, but when it comes to June, I do things my way. I click my tongue, turning my mic on. I do the certain amount of clicks with my tongue, as June taught me. 

"Hey, Cousin!" Pascao's joyful voice breaks through the static. 

"Pascao. I need your help. Right now." I tell Pascao where to come, and in just a few moments (though it feels like eternity) he shows up, breathless.

  "Day, what's wrong?" 

"It's June. She's been taken." I'm almost in tears, running my hands through my hair and twisting my ring. 

Pascao's face softens, "You really love her, don't you?" 

I nod, "I do. But Pascao, it's not just that. She's pregnant." A fat tear runs down my face, and I feel one hundred percent weak. Without June, I don't know what I'd do. Pascao's face hardens, "Let's go get her, eh?”