Don't Move

Saving Baruch

I can see it is a Human as the eyes are closed still since they artificially speed up their growth since a Kerogen cannot hold a Human baby for more than 3 months.

Once dinner is over, James announces that me and Anax will be taking a break from visits, but that everyone else will be going on visits as per the rules.

"Everyone," James says finally, "welcome Ezra to the family."

Three days later, Anax is nowhere to be found and Baruch never leaves my sight. I decide to take the test and then leave it in Anax room for him to check when he feels ready to do so.

After that, I go to the Mothers' room.

Eden smiles at me as I put on a fake smile then hand her Baruch, "Get your results yet." "I am waiting for Anax," I say honestly. Heidi sits down with her little ones resting in her arms, so I take the Human (Aziza) away from her then I pay attention to the rest of the conversations.

Amoli walks into the room with Athena crawling after her then she sits down with a thud. Her mother, Ellerie, sighs as she looks at her child and says, "How are the twins?" Amoli nods, "As active as Athena." They all laugh but she groans.

Basilah sighs, "I never got to apologize for Norah's impulsiveness." I shake my head, "She did the right thing." Basilah frowns, "Why?" "If she didn't then I wouldn't have been here and I wouldn't have been able to talk to those people," I say seriously. "Those people," Basilah says, "I thought they were your grandparents." Heidi tenses, "You didn't tell me that." "It's not for everyone to know," I say seriously and she frowns at those words, but Eden smiles at my straightforwardness, "not everyone needs to know our life story. It's not important. Me and Heidi are here for one purpose, so let's just leave it at that." Basilah seems upset by those words, but I am not in the best state of mind either. Heidi immediately apologizes, "It is something she doesn't like to talk about and neither do I. Bad memories really. You know how it is." This calms everyone down, but internally I just feel agitated.

Baruch sits by himself as Athena comes over to play with him which I allow.

I hear shouting in the distance as does everyone else. This causes everyone to rush out of the room. I find Tyler and Anax face-to-face, which takes me out of the state I have been in for the past few days.

"You have no right to speak to me," Anax says with anger as Tyler holds his ground while Alisha's eyes are wide as she holds Ezra tightly. "I was just giving friendly advice," Tyler says with his hands up, showing that he means no harm, "I have known her longer and I still don't know everything about her." Anax glares at him, "I don't want you to look at her, touch her, speak her name, nothing." Tyler nods, "I won't, but I hope you will listen." This gets Tyler a sharp blow and I rush over.

"What is going on here?" I ask seriously. Anax hands me the pregnancy test that shows negative, which confuses me. "Okay, and?" I ask and Anax looks at me, now. "It has nothing to do with this, but I felt you would want to know," he says seriously, "your friend here is telling me how to deal with you." I turn to look at him, but Tyler doesn't look at me as I have realized that he knows now is not the time to be defiant.

"I'm sorry," I say, "do you want to talk somewhere else?" He shakes his head and I realise that this is not going to end well, so I step infront of him, "Is he right?" I look at him with confusion, "About?" "That you are not okay? That you need someone to talk to? That you are dying inside?" he asks me and I can see he is hoping he is wrong. I nod, "I'm not going to lie to you. I am dying inside and I don't want to talk about it here." Anax sighs then he pulls me to his room.

"I met in an accident that killed my real parents when I was seven with Heidi. We were arguing," I say seriously, "they died trying to stop us from arguing. Then my grandparents took us in and tried to kill us by abusing us then we went to the ones I called my parents when I first met you. Yes, I lost two set of parents and more." Pain fills his eyes and he sits down on the bed with his head in his hands.

I crouch down infront of him and wipe his tears away, "You don't need to be upset with Tyler. I...he was my best friend. That's all." "But he loves you," Anax says seriously. I hold his hands, "It doesn't matter. Tyler loves his children more than anything. As long as they are happy, he will fight to keep them that way." Anax nods, "I hope the negative test didn't upset you." I shake my head, "No, but I think I hurt Mother Basilah." He laughs, "Oh oh. Playing with fire." I nod, "My grandparents used to say I killed my parents. I was seven. I didn't do it on purpose." He nods, "I know, but Basilah doesn't understand Human emotions." "Are you sure I am not pregnant?" I ask curiously and he points to the test, "Hmm, yeah, I know."

A month flies by once again, so I am supposed to go for the procedure which requires that I take a test to confirm that I am indeed not pregnant as well as other tests to ensure that fact.

Before I go, I hear Amoli go into labour as I think about how kids are so much a part of life.

Once I enter the room, Anax is there with me and Baruch because we have to do the pre-tests.

"You cannot do the procedure," the doctor says seriously, "she's pregnant." My eyes widen, "What?" The doctor nods, "A month along." "But the test was negative," Anax says as the doctor gets the other test to find it negative as well. "Well," the doctor says honestly, "she is pregnant, but I know why she is negative. It's a Huke." Both our eyes widen as we stare at each other. Baruch giggles at our faces.

Soon, we head home and I rush with Baruch to find Amoli crying.

"Amoli?" I rush into the room and find the babies are extremely healthy as well as Athena is safely crawling around the room, "you okay?" She shakes her head as I come closer and she hugs me tightly, "He left and told me he is getting married to another Kerogen who is in the army. Now, Father is insisting that he find someone for me who is Human for now." "Do you not want that?" I ask and she shakes her head. "My mother doesn't, but I don't really care," she says seriously, "but they are discussing it right now, so that I will have someone by tomorrow." I hug her tightly, "Let's focus on better things. What are you naming these two beautiful boys?" "Holden (red eyes) and Waylen (gold eyes)," she says happily, but her eyes are full of sadness.

I pick each of them up and stare at them then I pick up Athena so that her and Baruch can say hi.

After a while, I head to my room only to be summoned to James' office.

Once I enter, I find Anax is already there.

"We need your help choosing someone for Amoli," James says seriously and I sigh as he gives me two files. I open the first file then I look over it but when I open the second file, my heart pounds faster as I stare at this face I thought I would never see again.