Prices to Pay//Michael Langdon

Ocean Blue

About a year later...

"God, I am so fucking tired of this song!" Coco says as she fans herself and the huge thing that is on top of her head.

"If you are so tired of it, darling, then go to your room. I think we'd all be happier in silence," Mrs. Gallant says in a sassy tone, and I smile at her comment, Coco is quite annoying when she doesn't like something.

Although I agree with Evie, I must keep peace and order in this sanctuary, "Ladies be nice to one another, something is coming- I feel it!" I say in hope that my knight in shining armor will arrive soon.

"You've said that everyday for the past fucking year!" Gallant screams at me in frustration.

"Be quiet, child. She is just in mourning, she still has a glimpse of hope that Michael is going to come rescue her," Evie says to Gallant as if I weren't in the room, she feels pity for me. Evie thinks that Michael is another soul that was lost in the apocalypse, but that is far from the truth.

"How do we even know that Michael is a real person? She's just another delusional bitch, stuck inside of some weirdo fantasy!" Gallant says back to his grandmother.

"How do you explain how she got pregnant, darling? It must have been Michael's child, no one talks like she does unless they're in love," Evie smiles at me, at least she believes that Michael is real.

"I don't buy it, not for a second," Gallant says in a quiet and harsh tone as he gets closer to my face. Wiping the spit off of my face, I slap him as hard as I can.

I grab his face, making sure to leave marks of pain, "Doubt me again and you will end up our dinner," I spit in his face. Standing up, I dust off my dress pretending nothing happened. "Layna calls for me, I'm off to my motherly duties," I say walking towards the exit of the room.

Someone runs towards me and starts screaming frantically, "He's here!" Mallory says holding Layla in her arms, it's like all of the odds are on my side for this ongoing war against Gallant. "He's actually here, I just saw him arrive on horses," She says and I grab the one year old from her arms.

"How do you know it was him?" I ask her and Layna coos, speaking in baby language.

"I know it was Michael, I feel it in my bones," She says giving me a smile, feeling glee for Layna and me.

"Did you just say Michael?" Coco says standing up from her seat in shock.

I look back to her and Gallant looks shocked, "No fucking way! There's no fucking way!" He repeats himself, and I roll my eyes.

"What are you still doing here, Mrs. Langdon? Go meet your husband!" Evie says giving me a slight push. "I'm sure you are more than excited to see him again," I smile to her and realize that I should be the one to greet him at the front, I sure do hope that Mallory is right.

Running up the stairs with Layna in my arms, I make my way to the front. Walking down the dark corridors, I find myself at the entrance and I wait for him to arrive. Layna whines so I try to keep her occupied until he arrives, but I'm too exited. He's finally here, I can't believe it. I've been waiting for over a year, and the time has finally come.

Smoke starts pouring out as the door slowly lifts itself up, this is the moment. Layna is quiet while the door opens and I'm beaming with excitement. The door opening is slow, but long enough for me to grab ahold of myself. As if though I were in a movie, Michael appears to me in slow motion- just as beautiful as ever. He looks at me in a curious way, not acknowledging Layna, and cocks his head to the side like some animal looking at it's prey. The door lifts completely and Michael exits the cart with his hands behind his back, something I've never seen him do. His hair is long and luscious and he is wearing some form of eye makeup, he's not the same person, "You've changed," I say in horror, this is not the same man I fell in love with. The aura that I see around him has no light, it's pure black and I can't help but feel resentful towards him.

"Yes, my hair has grown quite long since the last time I've seen you," He says giving me a smirk, he just stands in front of me, not trying to embrace me at all.

"No, you're not him," I say shedding a tear, all of the excitement and anticipation that I've held for him was coming out. We've barely spoken at all, yet I can tell that he is not the same man.

"I'm not who, sweetheart? I'm your loving husband and the father of your child, Michael Langdon," He says smiling. He grabs my chin pulling me into a small, lingering kiss. My eyes stay open as I feel his cold lips on mine, he pulls back and stares into my eyes. "What's wrong, is it the hair?" He asks giving me the same evil smirk. Still holding onto my chin, he begins to pepper my neck with small kisses but I groan and push him away.

"Dad!" Layna says in her small and fragile voice, it was her first word. I'm not sure how she knew that word, no one has ever said it around her. She reaches out for Michael, and he grabs her. Holding her in his arms, he starts to slowly bounce her up in down. She blows out of her lips and Michael runs his hand down the back of her head.

"I'm glad we can finally start our family, together," He says smiling to me, I'm still in shock but maybe I was wrong about him. Maybe there's something that I can't see, maybe there's a small chance that he is the same man I fell in love with. I see the boy inside of him as he holds Layna and it gives me hope. He looks at her with a certain curiosity, but I can feel that he wishes no harm to her. "Is everything okay, Natalie?" He asks looking at me and I snap out of my trance.

I smile to the man in front of me who is holding my child, "You're here!" I say happily, trying to make conversation, and he smiles at me.

"I'm here," He says reassuring me by running his fingers throughout my hair. As I stare into his ocean-blue eyes, I step closer to him and embrace him, laying my head on his chest. He puts his chin on my head and we both stare at Layna in amazement, everything about right now is more perfect that I could have ever imagined.