The Black Woman #Wattys2016

The middle.

Declan
A week later (5 months before the beginning)
Alani's heart monitored beeped loudly and echoed throughout the entire hospital room. No one was talking, no one looked at each other. Blake stood by the window, looking down at the place where we were moments before Alani got shot. Dayja sat in the chair beside me with no emotion on her face whatsoever. She just sat there in pure silence. Addis was nowhere to be found.

There was a tiny knock on the door and then a nurse walked in. She smiled at all of us and went over to Alani. "Her tests came back. I'm not sure if she wants me to share this type of information with the whole family but-" Blake turned around to look at the nurse and I lifted my head up from my hands. "Alani had to undergo an ultrasound because of where she was shot at and we had to run some tests to make sure that she wasn't allergic to the medicine or anything. Which one of you is the boyfriend?" She asked, looking at both Blake and I. I raised my hand slowly and she gave me a bright smile. "Congratulations, Mr. Kelly."

She handed me a small piece of paper with Alani's ultrasound on it. I couldn't see anything. "What am I supposed to be looking at?" I asked and Dayja hit me on the arm. "Well you see that little spot?" The nurse asked and pointed to it with her fingernail. "That's your baby." My what?

"Come again?" I asked and looked back down at the picture. Blake screamed loudly and jumped in the air. Dayja ran over to Blake and the both of them screamed. "Your girlfriend is almost a week pregnant." I laughed to myself, she was clearly joking. "You're kidding with me right? You're pulling my leg? She's not pregnant. We used protection...didn't we?"

I looked down in deep thought while Blake and Dayja continued to celebrate. The doctor came in then with a bright smile on his face as well. Everybody seemed so damn happy about this thing but me. "I'm guessing the nurse here already told you all the good news." He said and put up a couple pictures in a bright light. Dayja grinned. "Yep, she sure did. We couldn't be more happier, Doctor."

He wrote something down on his clipboard and flashed her a quick smile. "That's good then. I guess I should get straight to the reason why you're here, correct?" I nodded. "Well, Alani is fine and so is the fetus. She suffers only minor injuries to her upper thigh area as well as her knee where she fell but all in all, she's okay. The bullet scraped her thigh and that was all."

I thanked God in my head and turned to Blake, who looked like he was doing the same thing. "Oh my God.." He whispered to himself and held his head. "I'm so relieved right now. I almost lost my best friend, oh God." He wiped his face with his hands and leaned against the wall for support. "You're so over dramatic." Dayja said and rolled her eyes. I stood up and walked over to Alani's bed and ran my fingers through her hair. "You want us to give you a minute?" The doctor asked. I nodded and they all piled out the door quickly.

"I almost lost you today, love." I kissed her hand softly and held it to my chest. "I can't think of my life without you in it anymore, Alani. Don't leave me here alone." I felt tears start to form in my eyes but I quickly blinked them away. It seemed like all of the emotions I had been holding in were finally coming out. Her heart monitor beeped slowly and she laid there peacefully. Almost too peaceful and that's what scared me.

"Lani, you have to stay here with me and the baby. Our baby. You hear me, baby? I want this to work. I want our family to work. I want to trade my car in for a mini-van. I want to go baby shopping with you and buy stupid little baby magazines and ready them with you at night. I want to name the baby something weird and have you hate me for it. I want to push the stroller while the baby is in it and walk with you guys through the park. I want a family pet and everything. I want to go to work and come home to you nursing our child. You can't leave me.." I whispered and laid my head on her chest. "Don't leave me."
~~
Jason
        "So what's the plan?" Addis asked and opened the door to the hospital. Za tapped something into his iPad and the whole place shut down. There were screams coming from all directions. Everything was pitch black.

"Jason is going up to Alani's room and will get her. I have control over the whole building at this point so no one is getting in or out until Jason gets Alani back out with him. Alfredo and the rest of the gang will be outside guarding the hospital just in case we get some unwanted visitors."

Addis grabbed me and the both of us walked up the stairway to the fifth floor. "You think Declan and them will still be in there?" He asked from behind me. I shook my head no and continued to jog up the staircase. "Nope, he left about an hour ago. I saw all of them leave together so that means Alani is still in here. We'll have her out in no time." Addis kicked open the door to the fifth floor and led me to Alani's room. "I can take it from here." I told him and he gave me a slight nod. "I'll guard the door."

I walked in Alani's room and everything was dark and quiet. My baby girl was sitting up in the bed holding her chest. "Lani.." I whispered and she looked around frantically. "D-Declan? Declan I can't see anything." She said, her voice cracking. "It's ok, baby. I'm here." I whispered again. I grabbed her and held her up bridal style while she wrapped her arms around my neck. "I'm gonna get you out of here, Lani." He laid her head on my chest and we walked out into the hallway. This was almost too easy.

"Tell Za to turn the lights back on in sixty seconds. By that time I'll be out." I told Addis and we split ways. He went back down the stairs to the main floor where the crew was and I went the opposite way to the exit.

A minute later, I was outside and the cold air hit us quickly. Alani shivered in my arms and cuddled closer to my chest. "I'm cold.." She whined. I frowned. "I know, baby girl. We'll get you some heat." I put her down and tried to open the car door but struggled. Alani backed away from me slowly and held her hands out. "J-Jason...no.." She tried to run but I caught her with my free hand. "Let me go!" She tried to scream but her voice was hoarse. "Never again will I let you out of my sight." I said and covered her mouth with my hand.