The Dawn of Autumn

San Antonio Sunset (IV)

A/N: We've reached the end of the flashback episode.

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Chapter 40 (cont):

San Antonio Sunset

A few weeks later things fell in place in the most perfect way.

Nick found out that Emily was moving to the east coast. In a twist of kismet she was moving to the same little town where his brother lived. It couldn't have worked out in a more perfect fashion.

He took it as a sign that he was destined to keep an eye on her.

He hadn't mentioned Emily's move to Courtney yet. She was still fragile. She was slowly becoming more unhinged as time went on. Talking to her about Emily evoked some unusual responses. Sometimes she cried. Sometimes she got angry. Sometimes she ripped his clothes off and dragged him to the bedroom.

He assumed her mood swings were because of Emily's pregnancy. He didn't know that she was losing her grip on reality. He didn't know that she was obsessed with the brunette next door.

Emily still hadn't told Isaac about the baby. Nick was concerned that she'd gone through with an abortion, but Courtney assured him she hadn't. She'd been watching her very closely.

When Courtney wasn't around, Nick watched her. He followed her when she went somewhere. He lurked around outside the Fields' property. He watched from afar.

The day the moving van showed up next to his house he'd been with Courtney babysitting his 7-month-old cousin. Courtney was sitting with the baby on a blanket in the living room, toys spread all around her. He was cooing and making sweet baby noises.

Being around babies brought out mixed emotions in both of them. It was cathartic, but at the same time it was a painful memory of what they'd lost.

The little boy loved Courtney. Nick watched the soft subtle interactions with a mixture of affection and heartache. He couldn't stop thinking about their baby.

Courtney made the little boy smile a lot. She smiled back. It was nice to see her smile.

"He thinks he's a comedian." Courtney brushed his little cheek with her fingertip.

"Yeah, he's a cool little dude." Nick crouched down to his knees. His cousin recognized him and he grinned a huge gummy smile at him. "What's up, little man?"

"BAH!" The baby exclaimed loudly in excitement. He shook the plush toy in his hand.

Nick laughed and sat down next to Courtney.

Courtney kept her eyes on the infant as he played with a stuffed horse. He was so little. And the world was so big. What if the world swallowed him whole? She couldn't stand to think about it.

Babies were the only pure things in the world that existed, because they were born knowing nothing. They were innocent. Seeing them experience anything in life for the first time was eye-opening. Seeing things through the eyes of a child was magical. There was something special about their milestones. First smile. First giggle. First hug. First "I love you."

Courtney wouldn't get that chance with her child. The world was cruel, and it had taken her baby away from her. Her little angel would forever have to live in her heart and mind.

"I wish we could have met our baby." Courtney stroked the little boy's head, straightening his hair. Her voice was hollow, sad.

It gutted him to hear her talk about their child.