The Hero and the Damsel

Familiar Territory

            Beeping. Following a constant pattern. Be-Beep...Be-Beep. I know that pattern. A heartbeat, but whose heartbeat? Was it mine? As the question came to my mind, a rush of air came forcibly into my nostrils, affirming my question. It was in fact mine. The hospital. I didn't need to open my eyes to realize I was back in this ever-familiar territory of mine. This was becoming more like my stomping ground at this point.

However, there was something off about all these sounds and feelings I had grown used to in my time coming to and from this place. Weight. A rather heavy weight that was on my arm. To be honest, I'm amazed that I could feel the weight considering I'm pretty sure my arm was asleep. Either way, this wasn't a normal sensation, so I chanced a glance at what new apparatus was attached to me and causing this feeling.

Messy, unkempt golden sun colored hair met me as the hulking frame of my fiancé was hunched over my bed in a chair that was too small for him. He was sound asleep on top of my arm but clinging to my hand. How long had we been at the hospital? Toshinori wasn't one to fall asleep in such situations unless he was really drained. He was in his civilian clothes, so he didn't go to work...or perhaps it was too late?

I glanced out the window, but the curtains were drawn, leaving me to only guess. I couldn't see any sunlight, which either meant it was raining or it was nighttime. I could just ask Toshinori. I turned my head back to facing him, contemplating what to say or how to wake him. He was most likely going to go into a frenzied, worried panic considering I was pregnant. Wait...the baby!

I struggled a bit to move my hand out of Toshinori's insanely strong grip, giving up after a few moments and resorting to using my other hand to feel my abdomen. It was still as bulbous as before, and when my hand touched it, I felt movement underneath; inside me. She was all right. My little girl was all right.

As I was quelling my panic and worry over my Sunspot, Toshinori moved, freeing my hand. The movement was quick though, and immediately after it I heard his booming, protective voice. "Ayano! Sweetheart!" Large, strong, comforting arms wrapped around me gently as I felt Toshinori lift me slightly into a hug. "I was so worried about you...you just started coughing and fell unconscious. I brought you here as quickly as I could."

I gave a cough at the amount of strength my loveable dork of a soon-to-be-husband was using before hugging him back. "Babe...I'm fine, but if you keep hugging me like this...you're going to break me and little Hana in half."

There was a jolt that shot through him before he carefully released me and laid me with care back down on the bed. "S-S-Sorry. I've just been r-really worried..." He moved his hand over my stomach, rubbing soothing circles on it before moving his hand up to my cheek and using his thumb to rub the same soft circles there. "I was so worried...a-about both of you..."

I canted my head at him, not entirely sure what had happened, what time it was, or anything that was useful information. "Babe...what time is it?"

Toshinori removed his hand from my cheek and gave a sigh. "About four in the morning." At that he tilted his head down; his long, liquid sun colored bangs obscuring my view of his eyes. "You...Y-You passed out a little after I got home last night. I immediately brought you here, they stabilized you, checked all your vitals as well as little Hana's," at that he moved his head back up and placed his hand on my stomach once more. "And put you in here once they got you properly breathing again. However...they...t-they want you to stay here for the rest of the pregnancy."

I paused a moment and stared at him in disbelief. Toshinori took one quick glance at me before avoiding my eyes altogether. "You...You want to run that by me again, Toshinori?"