Strength of Love

by D. Anne Paris

  He let her go and led them to a couch on the other side of the wall. He sat down first and she sat down next to him. He didn't let go of her hand.

  That's got to be a good sign.

  "Elle..." He looked into her eyes and leaned over and kissed her again. It was a long lingering kiss. She couldn't help but sigh when he released her. He leaned his forehead against hers. "God, I can't lose you."

  "I can't lose you, either," she whispered back.

  "I'm sorry about this messed up situation," he told her.

  "I know."

  "I'm not going to leave you, Elle. I need you to believe that."

  Elle looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity of that statement. "I believe you, Tiny, but things are going to change once that child is here. There won't be any time for us anymore."

  "I don't believe that." His fingers gently caressed her cheek. "I swear to you I will make the time."

  Tears pooled in her eyes. He cared so much for her. No one else outside of her family cared as much as he did.

  He reached out and ran his fingers through her hair. "Let's do something fun tonight. Do you want to go into town to go see a movie? What about dinner?"

  She smiled. "Well, it has been forever since I had some Pad Thai."

  A smile lit his face. "Thai food it is!" He gave her a quick kiss. "What else do you want to do?"

  She leaned her body closer towards him and whispered in his ear, "You." Her hand caressed his growing erection and Tiny groaned.

  "You make it hard for a man to think straight," he growled.

  "And you make it hard for me to forget our nights together."

  "Ma kel!"

  Tiny groaned and looked at the monitor. Karen stared at the camera and screamed at it. "We need to shut that off. I can't stand hearing her voice." He got up and walked over to the screen.

  "Kat del foh!"

  Tiny looked at the computer hooked up to the screen. "Shit, which button is the mute button?"

  Elle got up and stood beside him, gazing at the keys on the keyboard. "I don't know. I'm not sure how Daniel set this up."

  "Gat el you assholes!"

  Elle froze and looked at the screen. "Did you hear that?"

  Tiny glanced at her. "Her annoying screams? Yeah, that's why I'm trying to mute this thing."

  "Ha nah never again hek tel!"

  Elle shook her head. "No, I think it's wearing off."

  Tiny looked confused. "What's wearing off?"

  Elle pointed at the screen. "You didn't hear it?"

  "Hear what?"

  "Ja hope all of kel rot in jaka el locking me in here!"

  Elle stared at the screen. "You didn't hear her telling us that she hopes we rot in hell?"

  Tiny gave her confused expression. "No."

  "I'm not tel threat! All of kel are threats!"

  Elle turned towards him. "Did you not hear what she just said?"

  Tiny looked confused and shook his head. "Elle, I swear, all I heard was the jibberish that she's been spewing out these past couple of days."

  She looked back at the screen. "Than that means I can understand her."

  Karen continued. "Oh, I swear if I was guaranteed the Agency wouldn't hurt this baby than I would have gone to them, but all of them just want more power and no one is going to gain power from me!"

  "She didn't go to the Agency because she doesn't trust them," she translated to him.

  "We need to find everyone."

  Chapter 17

  Keith stood unflinching as he interrogated Karen in her room. He had a wireless earpiece and Elle translated everything Karen told him. Since she was the enemy he used his powers on her and grilled her on everything she knew about the Agency. The interrogation lasted over an hour, leaving Elle exhausted. Keith jumped at the chance to find out anything he could from Karen as soon as they told him that Elle could translate what she was saying.

  Tiny stood behind her chair and began to message her stiff shoulders.

  Keith had just finished asking her what she did with his sperm. To his relief there were no remaining specimens left. She also confirmed that Jeri's eggs were also gone and none remained.

  Elle hoped it was the last series of questions.

  "Now I want to know about your baby."

  So much for a break. Elle thought to herself.

  "Who is the father?"

  Karen’s body didn't move at all. "Jason Tucker."

  Elle translated to Keith.

  Tiny stopped massaging her.

  "How did you get pregnant?"

  "I seduced him to sleep with me."

  Elle’s stomach dropped as she relayed the information.

  "Didn't you use protection?"

  "I tampered with the whole box of condoms."

  Elle couldn't breathe. The whole box? Was it the same ones they used?

  "Elle?" Tiny coaxed her.

  "She said she tampered with the whole box of condoms."

  "What? Wait? What does she mean the whole box?" Panic laced Tiny's voice.

  "What did you do to the box?" Keith asked.

  "I poked a whole in all of them with a sewing needle."

  "She poked a hole in all of them with a needle," Elle translated, trying to keep the fear from her voice.

  "Fucking bitch!" Tiny screamed and stormed to the other side of the room.

  "Why did you want to have Tiny's baby?"

  "I wanted to raise it and use it against the Agency."

  Elle translated the information to Keith.

  "Is that still your intention?"

  "No, they are too powerful and would use the child against me." Elle continued.

  "So what is your intention now?"

  "Leave the child with his father."

  "Why would you do that?"

  "Because I don't want it to fall into the Agency's hands. The child could be very powerful and they don't deserve to have such power, especially from me."

  "So what will you tell the Agency after you leave the child?"

  "I had a stillborn."

  "Will you alert them to where we are located?"

  "No, because I don't know where you are at."

  Keith continued to grill her, "What if you did know?"

  "I still wouldn't tell them, because I don't want to endanger my child."

  "Will you ever try to find the child again?"

  "No."

  "Why?"

  "I don't want to have an emotional attachment to it ."

  Keith nodded and turned away from her, releasing his power over her.

  "Nak Snel!"

  "She says, 'What the hell?'" Elle translated.

  Without another word Keith and Dean both exited the room.

  Elle took off the headphones, closed her eyes and leaned back against the chair. Daniel typed on the laptop next to her. Christina stood close by him, arms crossed with a sneer on her face.

  Tiny came up again behind Elle and rubbed her shoulders. He leaned down and whispered. "You did great, Angel. Let's go take a walk."

  She nodded and got out of the chair.

  "Do you still need us, Daniel?" Tiny asked.

  "Nope, I'm good."

  "Ok, we're going to take a walk. If you need us, text us."

  "Will do."

  Tiny took hold of Elle's hand and they walked out of the room and into the entryway. He took her coat from the coat rack and helped her put it on.

  "I need to clear my head." He grabbed his coat and put it on.

  "Me too." Her stomach was tied in a knot ever since Karen said she tampered with the box. Was it the same one they used? She wasn't late yet, but the thought of her being pregnant kept drifting through her mind.

  Tiny opened the door for her and they walked outside. He took hold of her hand and they headed towards the cabins.

  "Tiny, she mentioned she tampered with the box."

  Tiny sighed. "Yeah, I know." His tone was flat, serious, nothing like the Tiny she knew.

  "Was it the same
one we have been using?" Elle held her breath for his answer.

  He kept his gaze in front of them. "Yeah, it is."

  Elle felt her whole body begin to shake.

  Tiny stopped and embraced her. "Hey, let's not panic. Maybe she didn't get all of them."

  Elle couldn't talk.

  Tiny tilted her face up so he could look into her eyes. "Elle, whatever happens, we'll face it together. I'm not leaving you."

  "We used up almost the whole box. All it takes..."

  Tiny swooped down and captured her lips. She opened them and he gently nipped on her bottom lip and kissed it. He released her and looked into her beautiful blue eyes. "You won't be alone. Yes, it's scary to think that you could be pregnant, but you know what? Every time I think of you having my baby it makes me incredibly happy."

  Tears formed in her eyes. "But you're already going to be a Dad to another child."

  "And I'd like you to be its Mom."

  "What?"

  "You heard Karen, she's dumping the kid on me and never coming back. This kid needs a mom, and I can't think of anyone who would be more perfect than you."

  Elle shook her head. "I can't, Tiny."

  Pain laced his face. "Elle, I need you."

  She pushed herself away from him. "I can't be with you just because you need me to be a nanny."

  "That's not why I want to be with you. I need you in my life." He reached out to hold her, but she stepped away, her arms up.

  "No, Jason. I want a relationship that's built on love not on obligation." She started to walk away.

  "Elle, no. You misunderstood!" He walked up behind her and tried to stop her.

  She slapped his hands away. "No! I understood correctly. First I was a great ride for you, and now I would be perfect to help with your kid. Sorry." Tears streamed down her face.

  Tiny grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. "Elle, I love you!"

  Her body froze.

  He wiped the tears from her face. "I love you, Elle. I swear it's the truth. You can have Keith use his power to confirm it."

  She shook her head.

  He got down on his knee and took hold of her hand. "Elle, I want to marry you."

  Her voice was barely a whisper. "How can you love me? You've only known me a few months, and we've only been together..."

  "I've never felt this way about anyone. I don't ever want you to leave me. The question is- do you love me?"

  She stared into his blue eyes and could see his sincerity. Her heart raced. She didn't know what love felt like. What if she was wrong about how she felt? And there was also the possibility she could be pregnant with his child. The world felt like it was collapsing on her. It was too much.

  She pulled her hand away from him and bolted towards the woods. Soon she was running. Her feet slammed into the half melted snow and pushed her deeper into the woods. Her lungs burned from the cold air she sucked in when she ran. When she started to get a pinch in her side she slowed down and dared to look back. Tiny hadn't followed her. She almost wished he had, but she needed the solitude to think things through. She found a fallen log with no snow on it she sat down, staring at the forest around her. It was so peaceful and serene. There were many times at home when she would take a hike through her aunt and uncle’s forest to clear her mind and do some mediation. Now was a great time for her to meditate. She needed to clear her mind and calm her body for a while.

  She focused on her breathing and slowly began to meditate.

  #

  "Son of a...!" General Green threw his golf club out into the green of the golf course. Another shot he missed. This was turning out to be a bad day to go golfing.

  The young caddy looked at him with fear.

  "Well, don't just stand there... go get my club!" he screamed at the dark haired boy.

  The boy ran off in the direction of the club, not looking back at him.

  Green's cell phone began to ring in his pocket. He swore again. Reaching in, he looked at the number and answered.

  "This had better be good news, because I am having a really bad day."

  "Yes it is, sir," Alan replied. "We found the missing the piece of the formula."

  For the first time in months Green smiled. "That's what I want to hear. Was it in Karen's files?"

  "No, it was in the old research facility we stumbled across it when we were sorting through..."

  "I don't care how you found it." He cut him off. "Did you put the formula together?"

  "Not yet, we'll need some... time." Alan's voice held some hesitation.

  "Time!?" Green walked over to his golf bag and kicked it in frustration. There was always something standing in the way of his progressing this project. "How much time are you going to need?"

  "Three months.," Alan squeaked.

  "Three months!" Green pulled out a flat iron with his free hand and began to smack the ground with it. "I have given your team more than enough time to complete this project..."

  "Yes, sir, but you see..."

  "There have been so many excuses for why this project has been delayed and I am getting sick of it."

  "I know, sir but we need to extract..."

  "You need to extract your head out of your ass and finish this damn project. I want to see a live test subject in one month, and I don't care what you need to do in order to get it done!" He hung up the phone, tossed it and swung the golf club. The phone flew up and missed the caddy's head by an inch.

  The caddy froze in shock and slowly turned to look where the phone went.

  "What are you waiting for?" Green screamed at him. "Go get my phone!"

  Chapter 18

  Elle handed Christina another gauze pad.

  "I can't believe you don't have any pain medication!" Karen screamed in the new language.

  "You know, I seem to recall you didn't give any pain meds to Tiny or Dean or Keith when you experimented on them!" Elle snapped back.

  "She complaining about the pain?" Christina asked as she worked on Karen.

  "Yeah,"

  Christina looked back at Karen. "You're lucky we are even here helping you. We could have left you in the woods somewhere."

  "You're such a bitch! If I didn't need you... I'd...Ahhh!" Another contraction hit her.

  Elle ignored her comment and went back to the dresser where all the instruments were laid out. The baby was very close, so she grabbed a blanket to wrap it in. A baby. Her stomach formed a pit. She was two weeks late and she was terrified to take a test to confirm her suspicions. Since their last encounter Elle had stayed away from Tiny, needing space to think through everything. Every night Tiny laid out his sleeping bag and slept the whole night outside of her room making sure she wouldn't sleepwalk. Surprisingly, she didn't, and she began to have some hope that at least her sleepwalking had stopped. She asked herself every night, "Am I in love with Tiny?" and every time she couldn't seem to answer it.

  "Keep pushing," Christina commanded her. "I need the baby blanket."

  Elle walked over with it just as a small head popped out and Christina guided the baby out. Elle handed her the blanket and Christina secured the cord and cut it. She then wrapped the baby up.

  "Do you want to know what it is?" Christina asked Karen.

  "No. I don't even want to see it. Take it out of here."

  Elle looked at the little child, who began to wail. "She doesn't want to know anything. She doesn't even want to see the baby."

  Christina nodded and whispered, "Probably the best for everyone." She handed the baby to Elle. "Go clean up the baby in the other room."

  Elle blocked Karen's view. "Sure." She took the child and headed out the bedroom door. Tiny, Dean, and Keith waited in the hall. Tiny rushed over to her after she shut the door behind her.

  "What is it?" Tiny moved the blanket away from the baby's face still covered in fluids.

  "A boy," Elle told him. "I need to get him cleaned up."

  "Oh, right. Yeah." He moved out of the way and both Keith and Dean
slapped him in the back and gave him a bear hug.

  Elle walked into the room across the hall and headed to the bathroom. They had already set up everything, but she needed to fill the little tub with water. Tiny followed behind her and she handed him his son. When he thrust out his arms, Elle looked at him with confusion.

  "Have you ever held a baby before?"

  "Nope."

  "Okay. Well, first thing you need to do is to keep your hand on his head like this." She took his hand and placed it under the head of the crying baby. "Then you take your other hand and put it under his body. Like this." She took his other hand and placed it under the baby's body.

  Tiny held the little screaming bundle while Elle filled the tub and checked the temperature. When he handed the baby back to her she gently placed him in the tiny tub, careful not to get the area around the belly button wet.

  "It's okay, little guy. We're just cleaning you up," Tiny reassured him. "What do you need me to do?" he asked Elle.

  "Get the fresh towels over there." She pointed to a pile of towels on the table in the corner. She took a washcloth and gently washed the baby's face and head. He continued to scream.

  "He's got a good set of lungs." Tiny held on to the towel.

  "Get used to it. You'll be hearing it often."

  Tiny reached out and placed his finger in his son's hand. "It's okay, buddy. We're just cleaning you up." His little fist grabbed his finger and he stopped and opened his eyes to find Tiny's voice. "That's it, buddy. Hi! I'm your Daddy and this beautiful lady cleaning you up..."

  "Is just a friend." Elle cut him off before he could utter something that would make her uncomfortable. A part of her, though, wanted to hear what he would call her. She wanted to be a big part of his life, but she didn't want it to be just a nanny with benefits.

  "Elle, you're more than a friend to me." His warm breath tickled her neck and sent shivers down her whole body. She kept her focus back on the baby and wiped the arms and legs.

  "Tiny, you're a father now. This little guy needs you." She left the washcloth in the tub and gently lifted the baby towards Tiny.

  He wrapped the towel around the baby and placed his hands under him and lifted him away from Elle. "We both need you." He told her as he looked at her.

  She took an end of the towel and wiped the baby's face and head. She didn't want to get attached to this little child, even though her whole body screamed to hold him and comfort him so he would stop crying.