Never know// Ricky Olson

Creatures

Rowan's pov
The night had been tough with two little ones to take care of, and I was feeling drained. The doctor had given us the green light to leave the hospital, but cautioned us to be cautious over the next few days due to the recent surgery. "Ready to head out, babe?" Ricky asked, and I nodded slowly in response. "Chris and the others took care of shopping for the babies this morning, so we don't have to worry about anything," he added, pushing the wheelchair forward. The babies were safely with Vinny, who had come to help us out. As much as I wanted to be with my babies all the time, I appreciated all the help that our friends were willing to offer. Once we reached Chris' rental car, he informed us that the babies were safe in the hotel with Vinny. Ricky helped me into the car, being careful with my condition, and sat down beside me. "How are you feeling, Rowan?" Chris asked. I admitted that I was just exhausted.

As we made our way back to the hotel, Chris was driving and I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. After a long day of touring, all I wanted was to get some rest in a comfortable bed and see my babies. As we pulled up to the hotel, Chris turned to me and asked, "Hey Rowan, are you staying at the hotel tonight or are you going to be in the 'Motionless room'?" I knew he was referring to the tour bus, which had been dubbed the "Motionless room" due to its constant movement.

I asked Chris and Ricky, who was carrying me inside, if they were going on last tonight, to which they both nodded. "I'll have Spencer watch the little ones while I watch the set," I said, Ricky looking at me with concern. "Please be careful tonight. If you can't make it, we'll understand. I don't want you to put too much pressure on yourself."

I assured him that I would be okay, even though I was still recovering from surgery and feeling a sharp pain. The doctor had warned me that this would happen, but it would go away in a few days. As we entered the hotel room, I saw Vinny holding Rosie and Ryan holding Caleb. I held onto Ricky tightly, grateful to be surrounded by my family.

Chris' pov
I was overjoyed to see all of my dear friends together again. It was a heartwarming sight to see Rowan, who had recently given birth to two beautiful children, holding them in her arms with her loving husband Ricky by her side was such a magical thing to see last night. I could tell that they were both going to be amazing parents, showering their little ones with all the love and care they deserved.

As soon as I saw the babies, I couldn't resist the urge to hold them. "My turn! Hand me one of them!" I exclaimed happily as Ryan handed me Caleb, one of the two little bundles of joy. They were so tiny and adorable that I couldn't help but smile at their cuteness.

Looking around the room, I noticed that Rowan was already fast asleep on the bed. I could only imagine how exhausted she must have been after the long night she had endured. Meanwhile, Ricky was getting ready for the night, putting on his gothic look and applying his mesmerizing makeup. "Your dad is a rockstar," I said with a grin as I tickled Caleb, admiring how much he looked like his father.

A few hours past
Ricky's pov
After In This Moment finished their set, the band members made their way backstage and it was now time for Ice Nine Kills to take the stage. Just before Spencer, the lead singer, was about to go on stage, he stopped to have a quick chat with me. "Hey man, congrats on the new babies! Rowan texted me earlier asking to watch them after our set. I can't wait to meet the little ones!" he said excitedly. I thanked him and mentioned that my wife had just undergone major surgery the night before, and I was a bit worried about her condition. Spencer replied, "Don't worry, man. I'll double-check with her before anything. We don't want to take any chances." With that, he quickly made his way onto the stage, ready to rock the crowd.

As I was enjoying the Ice Nine Kills set, I suddenly began to feel uneasy about something, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. In an effort to distract myself, I decided to text Rowan to check in on her. She replied promptly, telling me that she was feeling stressed because our babies wouldn't stop crying. I felt guilty that I couldn't be there to help her, but I knew that Spencer would be able to assist her once he finished his set. After all, he has plenty of experience with children.

As we were getting ready to take the stage, Spencer rushed by and gave me a quick fist bump before heading out to help Rowan. I felt guilty that he had to take care of my children instead of me. "Come on Ricky, we need to play our show!" Chris yelled at me, urging me to join him on stage. As Vinny, Justin, and Ryan made their way to the stage, I let out a sigh and joined Chris. "I want to take a moment to apologize for Ricky's early departure at our last show. His wife just gave birth to two beautiful children!" Chris announced, and the crowd erupted with cheers. We began playing our heavy songs, but my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Rowan. I hoped that she was doing okay and that everything was under control back there.

Rowan's pov
I watched as Spencer finally made his way into the hotel room, my heart swelling with gratitude. "Thank you so much for watching them for me while I go see the guys. They're asleep now, and I'm hoping they stay that way until we get back," I said, hugging him tightly. Concerned, Spencer asked, "Are you sure you'll be okay? Ricky mentioned your surgery last night." I reassured him, "I'll be okay. I'll text you if I need anything," before leaving the room.

As I made my way down to the elevator, I suddenly felt a sharp pain shoot through my body, forcing me to sit down on the floor for a moment. After taking a few deep breaths to try and calm myself, I slowly got back up and entered the elevator.

As I made my way towards the stage, my heart filled with joy as I watched my favorite band performing live. However, the happiness was short-lived as I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my lower abdomen. I realized that one of my stitches had gotten caught in my shirt, and the pain was unbearable. I struggled to see in the dimly lit concert hall, so I decided to find a nearby bathroom to take care of the wound.

Once I located a bathroom, I carefully tended to my stitches, but blood continued to seep through my shirt. Tears welled up in my eyes as I flinched in pain with every move. I knew I had to hurry back to the stage before Ricky and the others start to get worried.

With shaky hands, I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and texted Ricky, informing him that I would be back at the stage soon. Although I knew he wouldn't see the message until after the set, it still gave me some comfort to know that he was aware of my situation.

As I tried to clean the wound on my side, my hands were shaking with fear. After a few moments of struggling, I gave up and wrapped the wound with paper towels. I knew I had to head back to the stage, but my body was still trembling with anxiety. The band was playing their last few songs of the night, and I started feeling guilty about not being there to watch most of it. I thought of texting Spencer for help but hesitated, not wanting to trouble him with my problems. I picked up my phone to text him about everything that just happened, but before I hit the send button, I turned it off feeling even more guilty. I didn't want him to stress out with my problems while he's taking care of my babies. Feeling exhausted, I waited patiently to get back to the hotel room and rest.

As I was enjoying the rest of Motionless' set, I began to feel an eerie sensation of being watched. I scanned the area around me, but I couldn't spot anyone- no security, no band members, just the instruments and equipment. I tried to brush off the feeling and focus on the music, but the sensation persisted.

Suddenly, Chris, announced that they were about to perform their last song, "Wasp," a track that was co-written by Ricky. I could see the joy on Ricky's face as Chris pointed to him, recognizing his contribution to the song.

At that moment, Ricky turned his gaze towards me and waved. I waved back, but I could tell by the strange look on his face that something was off. Then I realized that I was covered in paper towels, which must have looked odd to him. I frowned slightly, hoping he would understand that it intentional due to the wound opening up, and turned my attention back to the performance as Ricky refocused on the fans.

I stood up from my seat and suddenly felt a firm grip on my shoulder. My heart skipped a beat when I recognized the voice. "Miss me?" he said, his tone suggesting he was enjoying this moment. I froze, my eyes wide open with terror. "How... you're supposed to be in jail..." I muttered, hoping someone would come to my rescue soon. "Listen, Leo... I don't want any trouble. My kids need me," I said, my voice trembling with fear. Tears streamed down my face as I realized how helpless I was in this situation. "Well, it looks like your kids won't have a mother," he sneered, grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder. I winced in pain as my wound opened up again. "RICKY!" I shouted, hoping Ricky would hear me and come to my aid. Ricky looked over, confused, and put down his guitar once he saw what was happening. But it was too late. Leo had already started running off with me. "RICKY, HELP!" I screamed, my voice echoing in the background. "Rowan, I will get you back!" Ricky cried, trying to catch up to us.

To be continued...