Chapter 34 - Heartbeats...

Blain: This is the place…? [br]
Nicole: *nods* Yeah… [br]
Blain: Alright… *knocks on door* [br]
Mahabi: Go away!! [br]
Blain: … *bangs on door* [br]
Mahabi: frack off already!! [br]
Nicole: They’re really are pissed…… [br]
Blain: Yeah… *bangs on door* [br]
Mahabi: Look, Jenny!! I told you to- [br]
[br]
I got behind Blain as soon as I noticed the door was opening up. Truth be told, I was kinda scared but when the door finally opened up, I saw Mahabi standing in the doorway looking baffled at Blain… [br]
[br]
Mahabi: … You’re not Jenny… [br]
Blain: … No. Sergeant Blain, 506^th regiment… [br]
Mahabi: … Mahabi… [br]
[br]
Then I peeked around Blain’s shoulder and looked at Mahabi. I think he already noticed me but… You could see he was thinking… [br]
[br]
Nicole: Hi… [br]
Mahabi: … Hey Nic… ……… Why are you here…? [br]
Nicole: I eh…… *sighs* [br]
Mahabi: … Hm…? [br]
Blain: Nicole got something to say to the three of you… But… I got something to say to you guys as well… [br]
[br]
Nicole: I mentioned Blain a lot… [br]
Mahabi: Whoa, wait… You’re “Blain the dead boyfriend” Blain…?[br]
Blain: *smiles and nods* [br]
Mahabi: Oh whoa… [br]
Nicole: Hehe… [br]
[br]
Mahabi: Well eh… Eh… Don’t mention it… So eh… You guys wanna come inside…? Axel and Lattei would love to see you… [br]
[br]
Nicole: Yeah, of course… [br]
[br]
So we got inside. I saw Axel sitting on a chair, staring in blank space and judging by his expression, he was probably wondering where those black spots came from when you stare long enough… Then not long after that, Lattei joined too… I flopped on a bed as the others were taking their seats… [br]
[br]
Lattei: Hey Nic. [br]
Nicole: Hi… [br]
Axel: *glares at Nicole* [br]
[br]
Nicole: *sighs* Guys… I eh… I just wanna say that… I’m sorry for what has happened… I mean… I’m worried about so many things and… A few weeks ago, while I was in the sickbay, I found out that Blain was still alive… And… I was so shocked by that and… Well… It’s difficult… It wasn’t easy for him too… [br]
[br]
Mahabi: … So it really is him then… *looks at Blain*[br]
Blain: *nods*[br]
Nicole: Yeah… So many things happened in the past few weeks… Blain and I both changed dramatically and… It didn’t took long before our differences clashed with each other… We had fights and arguments… But… We managed to work things out, even though we may never fully understand the gaps in our differences… I hope you guys can forgive me for what has happened… And I understand if you don’t… I know what’s it’s like when someone turns your back on you… I know all too well… But… I’ve said what I wanted to say… So… Thanks for hearing me out…[br]
[br]
Then it stayed silent for a long time… [br]
[br]
Mahabi: Well… I didn’t know but… I’ve seen you around with him… And I thought you forgot about us you know…[br]
[br]
Nicole: I know… But really, I didn’t… How can I forget you guys…? You guys are my friends…[br]
[br]
Axel: … Friends……? [br]
Nicole: Well… Yeah… Of course…… We’ve been through a lot and… Laughed together and… Cried together… It wasn’t always easy but… We got through, right…? [br]
[br]
Axel: …… *hugs Nicole* [br]
Nicole: *smiles* [br]
Axel: Friend…! [br]
Nicole: You can let go now, Axel… [br]
Axel: I will… Friend… *smiles*[br]
Nicole: Silly… *smiles*[br]
[br]
Blain: I eh… I got something to say as well… I just wanna thank you for looking out for her… And that you guys protected her… And… I don’t really know how to thank you so… If there’s anything I can do for you guys, just let me know… I’m forever in your debt…[br]
[br]
Lattei: Well, no problem… We had our up’s and down’s but… Like Nicole said, we got through… [br]
[br]
Nicole: *nods* [br]
Axel: I just hope this will end very soon… [br]
Blain: … Yeah…[br]
Lattei: Which reminds me… Do you know how the war is going…? [br]
Blain: Well… In a nutshell… [br]
Lattei: … Yes…? [br]
Blain: The end is in sight… [br]
Lattei: … What? [br]
Blain: Yeah… [br]
Lattei: But… How? I heard the MNAF got obliterated… [br]
Blain: Well yeah, we did… [br]
Mahabi: … Soooo… [br]
[br]
Blain: Well, it’s not a secret anymore… The MNAF was scattered apart by the GUN, and they made sure we couldn’t communicate in order for us to arrange a counter assault. At some point, it was inevitable for us to loose the war after just a month, but that didn’t mean we sit still and watched how everything was destroying itself. Someone we found, had a lot of inside information of GUN, and knew how they operated. So we assassinated the head of GUN, and a mercenary for hire who seemed to know a lot… Seeing as the humans already have an instable government, the hierarchy will collapse, and once it has collapsed, people will fight for the power. And as history shows, when people fight for power, it inevitably comes to an end… The human regime will collapse like a house of cards and all we can do now is to watch how it will collapse… Might take a few more months… Or maybe it’s over tomorrow… [br]
[br]
Mahabi: … You serious…? [br]
Blain: Dead serious… Satellite photo’s show that the GUN is retreating back to the north… I’d give it a couple of weeks and then we can start looking for our loved ones… [br]
[br]
Mahabi: Heh… *smiles* [br]
[br]
Looking around at everyone who started to smile was something I’ll never forget. I looked at everyone, and realized we finally made it. That we were safe for good. But what truly got me, was that when I looked to my left, I still saw Blain sitting next to me. In the flesh, alive and well. And even though we lost a lot of lost ones, I never gave up hope that they will show up one day, just like Blain did… [br]
[br]
Hours and hours passed by while the five of us just kept on talking about all sorts of things. At some point, Blain got called away to assist someone at the base. I stayed with the guys to talk… At some point, the subject changed to Terry and Ceylan… The smiles on everyone’s faces started to disappear… There was something I needed to say to Mahabi… So the two of us went somewhere else… [br]
[br]
Mahabi: … What’s wrong…? [br]
[br]
There wasn’t an easy way for me to tell… But I had to… It was difficult for me to do so, but I owed that to her… So I took his hands in mine… [br]
[br]
Nicole: Mahabi… [br]
Mahabi: Yeah…? [br]
Nicole: I eh… [br]
Mahabi: … Hm…? [br]
Nicole: I talked to Ceylan the night she died…[br]
Mahabi: Oh…? [br]
Nicole: Yeah… I wanted her to understand what I felt for her but… She didn’t… And… I don’t blame her… [br]
[br]
Mahabi: *nods* [br]
Nicole: But… She said she liked someone else… I didn’t want her to… Because… I wanted her for myself… I was jealous… And… She wanted to tell someone that she wanted to be with him while she could, and say everything she ever wanted to say to him… And… That someone is you, Mahabi… She really liked you… Except… She never had the change to say that herself… To you… And… I felt obliged to say that to you on behalf of her… And it’s something I owed her, even though it’s still painful to me… [br]
[br]
Mahabi: … I see… [br]
Nicole: So… Now you know… [br]
Mahabi: *nods* Yeah… [br]
[br]
A few weeks passed by again… The situation only got better and better by the day… Those few weeks were the happiest days I ever had… Being with the guys who looked after me, for better or worse, and with the guy I loved the most, who I thought was dead… But every once in a while, I couldn’t help but to think of Terry, Ceylan and Rachel… I really wished they could have seen this… The end of the war… And I miss them… I miss Terry’s goofy laugh whenever he was telling a joke… Ceylan’s pretty smile… Rachel’s innocent face… But… I hope that wherever they are, they’ve found peace… And I accepted the fact that they’ve passed away… But I couldn’t accept Rachel’s… I didn’t know whether she lived or died… And that was something that was still a hard to accept for me… But the idea that she’s being taken care of by humans was something that comforted me a bit… I don’t think that they’ll execute her for being with us… But that doesn’t mean she was safe from everything else happening… I hope that wherever she is, that she doesn’t have to experience it anymore… [br]
[br]
I went regularly over to the sickbay to let my wounds being taken care of. The cuts I had on my face were healing quite nicely, but for the last few days, it started to sting. I met Rico who was a medical officer, in service of Blain’s regiment. I saw him before, but I never knew his name. While I was sitting there on a stretcher, Rico took care of my wounds… [br]
[br]
Rico: This might sting a bit… [br]
Nicole: *gasps* Ow!! [br]
Rico: You should have come sooner. It looks as if it gets infected. [br]
Nicole: *nods* [br]
Rico: I’ll clean it up, and place a bandage on it. If it gets worse, you’ll know where to find me. [br]
[br]
Nicole: Thanks Rico… [br]
Rico: No problem, that’s what I’m here for… [br]
[br]
So Rico cleaned up the wound and patched it all up. I felt better after that… [br]
[br]
Blain: All done? [br]
Rico: Yes sir, she’s good to go. [br]
Blain: Rico? [br]
Rico: Yes sir? [br]
Blain: Drop the formalities and manners here, alright…? Just call me Blain… [br]
Rico: Yes sir. [br]
Blain: … No, Blain… [br]
Rico: Right, sorry sir. It’s something I still gotta get used to… Hehe… [br]
Blain: Hehe, thanks Rico. Take care. [br]
[br]
The moment we wanted to leave, I saw Shifty barging through the doors, carrying someone… He ran as fast as he could, while yelling for Rico, and as he passed by, I saw he was carrying Vilani… [br]
[br]
Shifty: RICO!!! RICOOOOOO!!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!![br]
Rico: Whoa! The hell happened?![br]
Shifty: I don’t know man!! She was swaying and fell down!! [br]
[br]
The two of them got to the back where Shifty placed Vilani on a stretcher… Blain and I stood at a distance to see what was going on… [br]
[br]
Vilani: Urgh… I feel like shoot…… [br]
Rico: What happened?[br]
Shifty: I don’t know!! Jarod told me Vilani was nauseous for a few weeks!! [br]
Rico: Are you nauseous right now? [br]
Vilani: *nods slowly* [br]
Shifty: You don’t think it has… Something to do with that… That virus right…? [br]
[br]
Vilani’s eyes widened all of a sudden once Shifty mentioned that… Rico took a small flashlight from his pocket and shined in her eyes. He checked her blood pressure as well… [br]
[br]
Rico: No, I don’t think so…[br]
Shifty: I’ll go get Jarod!! [br]
Rico: Vital signs are looking normal, Vilani… What else you got? [br]
Vilani: Serious headaches…… And… I’m dizzy sometimes……[br]
[br]
Rico: Are you dizzy right now…? [br]
Vilani: … Yeah……[br]
Rico: Hmm-mm… [br]
[br]
Rico lifts her shirt up to expose her tummy and listened to it with a stethoscope… Not long after that, Shifty got back with Jarod… [br]
[br]
Jarod: Vilani![br]
Vilani: Hey babe……[br]
Jarod: You ok?![br]
Vilani: I felt better……[br]
Rico: You better stay there, Jarod. [br]
Jarod: What the hell happened?![br]
Blain: I don’t know… Shifty just barged in with her… [br]
Rico: You experiencing backaches…? [br]
Vilani: I had, yesterday……[br]
Rico: Okay… Eh… Does this hurt? [br]
Vilani: *shakes no*[br]
Rico: How about this? [br]
Vilani: No…… [br]
Rico: You feeling tired…? [br]
Vilani: *nods*… [br]
Rico: Are you hungry all the time…? *smiles*[br]
Vilani: *sighs* I admit I ate a lot the past few days… I might have gained some weight……[br]
[br]
Hearing all those symptoms was something that sounded very familiar… Rico checked her stomach again with the stethoscope and felt a specific region of her belly… At some point, he looked up to her and smiled… For some reason, I was smiling as well, knowing what caused those symptoms… [br]
[br]
Rico: You eh… Hehe… [br]
Jarod: What, what’s wrong?![br]
Rico: There’s isn’t any subtle way for me to tell you this so eh… I’ll just say it… [br]
Vilani: What is it……? [br]
Rico: … You’re pregnant…[br]
Vilani: … [br]
Jarod: … What? [br]
Vilani: … You sure…? [br]
Rico: Hmm-mm… [br]
Vilani: B-But… How do you know for sure…? [br]
Rico: Well… It takes about 3 months before the fetus is fully grown. And judging by the position of the fetus and estimated size, I reckon that you’re pregnant for about 4 or 5 weeks, and eh… By now, the fetus is nothing but a very small kitten… You can hear its slow heart beat… *smiles*[br]
[br]
Vilani: O-Oh whoa… [br]
Rico: Here, listen. [br]
[br]
Rico placed the stethoscope on Vilani’s head as he kept the end of it near her stomach. He moved around a bit… Vilani had a big smile on her face as her eyes were getting soggy… I looked at Jarod and he was baffled… [br]
[br]
Vilani: I-I’m gonna be a mommy…! [br]
Jarod: *smiles nervously*[br]
Rico: Who’s the lucky dad…? [br]
[br]
Vilani: Hehe… Jarod is… *smiles and blushes*[br]
Jarod: *blushes*[br]
[br]
Rico: You’re gonna be a dad of a healthy kitten, Jarod… [br]
Jarod: I-I don’t know what to say… I-I-I-I’m speechless… [br]
Blain: Yeah, we noticed that… Hehehehe… Congratulations, the both of you… [br]
Nicole: Congratulations… *smiles*[br]
Shifty: Hehehehe… I never thought I’d live to see this day man… Congratulations…[br]
Vilani: Thanks… *smiles*[br]
Rico: Come on, listen to your kitten’s heart beat… [br]
Jarod: Oh! Yeah! Of course! [br]
[br]
Jarod got next to Vilani and kneeled right besides her… The moment that Rico placed the stethoscope on his head, Jarod’s baffled expression turned into a big smile… He still had trouble to believe it but… He really was gonna be a father… It warmed my heart to see those two… Hehe… [br]
[br]
Jarod: O-Oh whoa… The heart beat is very slow… Is that supposed to be like that…?[br]
Rico: *nods* [br]
Jarod: I-I’m gonna be dad… Oh whoa… How cool is that?! Whaha![br]
[br]
Blain and I looked at Jarod and Vilani… They embraced and kissed each other as they both looked very happy… Jarod kept rubbing gently over Vilani’s stomach… It warmed my heart to see them like that… Blain and I were like that when I was pregnant of Kaelyn… [br]
[br]
Blain: Reminds you of something, doesn’t it…? [br]
Nicole: *smiles and nods* [br]
Blain: Hehe… Come on… Let’s leave these two alone… [br]
Nicole: *smiles* [br]
Blain: You coming Shifty…? [br]
Shifty: B-b-but sarge! I can’t leave my homeboy-[br]
Blain: Come on Shifty… [br]
Shifty: … *bites upper lip*[br]
[br]
And so we walked out of the sickbay… Before we got out of the sickbay, I looked back at Jarod and Vilani as they were kissing each other again… The two of them looked so happy… [br]
[br]
[br]
[br]
[br]
[br]

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment