A/n: Have I ever mentioned how hot DPR Ian is? Oh, by the way. Graphic description is included here so reader discretion is advised.
CHAPTER FORTY NINE - The Dreamer
Third Person's PoV
"I told you I'm fine!" Pangatlong sabi ni Shane sa kanila. "It's just braxton hicks contraction."
Bakas pa rin ang alala sa mga mukha nina Vincent at Hiro. Umirap si Shane. Ayaw nilang maniwala sa kaniyang hindi pa siya manganganak gawa ng pagsigaw nito kanina sa sobrang sakit.
Braxton hicks lang pala 'yon. It's the body's way of preparing women to give birth. Ngayon lang 'yon naramdaman ni Shane dahil nalalapit na ang kaniyang kabuwanan.
"Did you see my water break? No, right?" Pagsusungit niya't tinuro yung laptop. "Don't worry about me and just focus on finding where my husband is. Please."
"I'm still tracking it." Tumitipa ulit si Hiro sa laptop niya. "Saan nga ba nagpunta si Kieran kaninang umaga? Paano siya nasundan?"
"I forgot to bring Max's dinosaur plushie from my office. He went out to get it for him." Kumuyom mga kamao ni Shane, "I'll check on my kids really quick."
She swerved past Hiro's team inside her living room and made her way upstairs where her mother and her children are. Nakita niya silang busy sa panonood ng movie nang walang kaalam-alam sa pagkawala ni Kieran.
Maliban kay Natasha. Tumingala siya pagkapasok ni Shane at umangat mga kilay, umaasang may magandang balita ang anak.
Umiling si Shane.
Nagaalalang tiningnan ni Natasha si Dylan na tumatawa sa pinapanood nilang cartoons.
"Teka, apo. Tayo ako." Hinaplos niya ang buhok ni Dylan at lumapit kay Shane na nagpipigil ng iyak. "Wala pa rin?"
"Divine asked me to go alone." Naiiyak na sabi niya. "I don't know what she wants more from me but I am tempted to go and save him."
Umiling-iling si Natasha. "Not safe. Buntis ka, Shane."
"I don't know what to do." Sumilip siya saglit sa gawi ni Dylan para masigurong hindi niya sila naririnig. "I can't just stay here and do nothing while Kieran's hurt."
"Stay." Malambing na pamimilit din ni Natasha. "Not good for baby if you go. Stay."
Pinanood ni Shane kung paano tumawa ulit si Dylan habang kalong si Max na nagtsu-tsupon. Bumibigat bawat paghinga niya't tinalikuran si Natasha.
"Shane!" Hindi niya siya pinansin.
My babies need their father. I will bring him back.
Pumasok si Shane sa kwarto nila't kinuha ang kaniyang baril at baton na nakatago sa ilalim ng mga damit nila sa aparador. Tinago niya ito sa may loob ng suot niyang mahabang palda.
Napahawak siya sa kaniyang tiyan nang sumipa si Keenan. "Mommy's gonna bring your daddy home, Keenan. Just wait until then, okay?"
Hinalikan niya muna sa mga noo sina Dylan at Max bago bumaba ng hagdan. Sakto namang na-trace na ni Hiro yung phone ni Divine.
"I got the location. I'm sending my team over to rescue him." Sabi niya kay Shane habang sinusuot ang bullet vest niya. "Stay here. I'll bring him back for you."
"I'm coming with you." Shane replied sternly. "And you can't say no."
"Shane, delikado para sa iyo. Nakakalimutan mo bang buntis ka?" Inis na tanong ni Vincent at hinawakan braso ng babae para pigilan siya.
"Divine wants me. She will kill Kieran if she saw Hiro instead." Mariing sabi ni Shane at mapait na ngumiti. "Please? It's Kieran, Vincent. I don't know what I'd do without him so please..." pagmamakaawa niya.
Bumuntong hininga si Hiro, "Okay, fine."
"Are you out of your mind?!" Protesta ni Vincent. "She'll give birth anytime soon!"
"Kahit naman pigilan natin, sasama at sasama pa rin siya. Baka sumabit pa sa sasakyan. That's even more dangerous." Ika naman ni Hiro at binigay kay Shane yung baril niyang caliber 45. "Akin na yung 22 mo. Eto mas gamay mo."
"Thank you." Ipinagpalit niya yung baril. "I just hope I don't have to shoot. Kieran wouldn't like it if he sees me holding a gun."
Napasabunot sa sarili si Vincent sa frustration, "Please bring my friends home alive." Bilin niya kay Hiro, finally conceding. "I'll stay behind to watch tita and the kids."
"Thank you." Yinakap ni Shane si Vincent. "Make sure they don't know anything." Tumango yung lalaki.
"Let's go!" Utos ni Hiro sa mga tauhan niya. Pinasakay niya si Shane sa kaniyang Range Rover na sasakyan. "Relax, Shane. We'll bring him back."
"Dapat lang." Masungit na tugon ng babae. "I want Keenan to see his father."
Tumango si Hiro't pinaharurot na ang sasakyan.
-
The ringing in his ears didn't stop.
He could taste his own dried blood from his busted lower lip. His face felt numb from the bruises he got after getting beaten by a pulp. Kieran controlled his breathing as he lied weakly on the floor, cradling his shoulder where a bullet pierced through.
In a matter of minutes, he's lost a lot of blood from the gunshot wound he sustained.
The pain kept him alive. He knows it's a bad idea to be unconscious after getting shot. He still needs to see his wife give birth to their first baby. He still wants to hold Keenan in his arms and watch him grow. The only thing that kept him sane was imagining his reunion with his beloved family.
It was dark inside the cellar they locked him up in. Abandoned and dusty. There were a few guards, former police officers who Shane revoked their licenses, standing outside. Even if there's a slim chance of escape, he wouldn't even make it outside without getting caught right away.
Kieran's forehead creased when he heard someone yelp behind the door. A few scrapings and a body thud. Two bodies crashing against the door. And then three.
"Kieran? Baby, are you in there?"
He must have lost a lot of blood by now. He could hear his wife's voice outside. It must be the imaginary version of Shane again attempting to keep his eyes open.
"Kieran!"
The doors swung open and light flooded the dark cellar. An eight-month pregnant woman came bursting through holding her retractable baton, breathing heavily.
"S-shane?" Pinilit ni Kieran na iangat ulo niya para tignan kung sino iyon. "S-shane..."
"Oh, my God. No, no, no." Mabilisang lumapit si Shane at lumuhod sa harap niya. Tinulungan niya siyang bumangon saka sinapo magkabilaan nitong pisngi. "What did they do to your face?" Naiiyak niyang sabi.
"M-mukha ko p-pa talaga una mong pinansin." Umubo si Kieran dahilan ng pag-alala lalo ng asawa niya.
"It's the first thing I wake up to in the morning." Sagot naman ni Shane at napatiim bagang nang makita yung dumudugong balikat ni Kieran. "No, no, no, no...they shot you?"
Pinilit ngumiti ng lalaki at pinunasan niya yung tumulong luha sa pisngi ni Shane. Nagiwan ito ng duguang streak. "Are you o-okay?"
"Bloody hell, Kieran! You were the one who's shot and you're asking me if I'm okay?!" Hindi na napigilang 'di taasan ng boses si Kieran. "You could have died! Naintindihan mo ba?! I could have lost you!" Humagulgol siya sa pag-iyak.
Hinaplos ni Kieran buhok ni Shane, "Sshh, tahan na. I'm still a-alive." Kahit sobrang hapdi ng natamo niyang sugat, yinakap niya pa rin ang asawa niya. "I'm s-still here..."
Nakita niya yung mga katawan ng mga gwardya sa may pintuang duguan at walang malay. Halos lahat sila ay binaril sa ulo.
Hiro's men and himself covered for Shane when she went inside the abandoned building that Divine used to own. Puro rifle ang mga dala nilang armas kaya nagagawa nilang bumaril kahit nasa distansya sila.
Pinalibutan nila ang buong building para hanapin kung nasaan si Divine. Tinakpan din nila bawat posibleng exits at makorner yung fugitive.
"Can you walk?" Tanong ni Shane at binalak na hilain patayo si Kieran. Hindi niya magawa sa sobrang bigat. "Can you try standing up?"
Nanginginig na sinubukang tumayo ni Kieran at umakbay kay Shane para suportahan yung pagapak niya sa sahig. "H-hindi ka n-na d-da-dapat sumama."
"You married a stubborn bitch. Do you really expect me to stay behind and let you be their punching bag?!" Inis na responde ni Shane. "If you died, I would have beaten you to death for leaving me!"
Marahang tumawa si Kieran, "P-pinatay mo naman a-ako lalo."
"At least ako ang pumatay sa iyo! Mas tanggap ko pa!"
Kieran laughed at his wife's brutality. Only his laughter died shortly when he saw Divine's figure come up behind them.
"S-shane!"
Sinabunutan ni Divine si Shane at hinila palayo kay Kieran na bumagsak din sa sahig. Dumami yung agos ng dugo mula sa sa kaniyang sugat sa impact nito.
Kinaladkad ni Divine si Shane, "I'm not done with you yet, homewrecker. You ruined my life!"
"You ruined it yourself, you fucking lunatic!" Sigaw ni Shane dahilan ng pagsampal sa kaniya ng malakas ni Divine.
Shane fell hard on the floor.
Kumuha ng sirang wire si Divine at iyon ang ginamit na panggapos sa mga pulsuhan ng babae. Hinigpitan niya pa ito hanggang maging purple mga kamay ni Shane.
"I told you obey me. How was that so hard to do?" Nagbago ang tono ni Divine na tila bang parang siya pa ang biktima. Ginamit niya ang panyo para busalan bibig ni Shane, tinali niya ito ng agresibo. "There, there. Don't cry now. You did this to yourself."
"S-shane..." nanghihina si Kieran na gustong gumapang papunta sa asawa niya. "Shane, I'm coming..."
"Not so fast, doctor." Aniya ni Divine at abot tenga ang ngiting sinabunutan si Shane ulit pataas. "You have a job to do for me."
Hinagis ni Divine ang dala niyang kutsilyo sa harap ng nakadapang Kieran. Sumenyas siyang kuhanin niya iyon. "Do me a favor in exchange for letting you graduate as a doctor. And for not selling your precious daughter."
Kieran's blood ran cold when Divine spoke.
"Take the baby out of Shane and give him to me."
Parehas na lumawak mga mata nina Shane at Kieran sa narinig nila. That was Divine's goal all along.
Bring back her son Andrei one way or another. Even if that means gutting Shane open to steal her son.
"Are you..." kinuyom ni Kieran duguang kamao niya, "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?!"
Divine cackled aloud, sending shivers up his spine. Kinuha ni Kieran yung kutsilyo at kay Divine iyon tinutok.
"Not so fast, doctor." Ngumisi ang matanda't kinuha yung baril ni Shane na nakatago sa hita niya. Tinutok niya ito sa ulo ng babae habang hawak pa rin siya sa may buhok. "Do as I say and she'll live. That is, of course, if she survives from the surgery you're about to do on her. Yes?"
Divine is sick.
She never got to to move on from the pain of losing her son Andrei. Namatay ang sanggol dahil napabayaan niya ito. Hindi niya iyon matanggap at binuntong ang galit kay Natasha. Ngayong buntis si Shane, naniniwala siyang si Andrei ang nasa sinapupunan niya. Bumalik si Andrei para sa kaniya.
Humigpit ang hawak ni Kieran sa kutsilyo't binaba iyon. Lumuhod siya't humagulgol sa pag-iyak.
"P-please...I'm begging you..." binitawan niya ang kutsilyo.
Diniin ni Divine yung baril sa ulo ni Shane at linagay ang daliri sa gatsilyo. Isang hila niya lang...
"Kieran..." Shane whimpered, forcing a smile. It broke her heart seeing Kieran weep like this, begging to save her. "Can you believe this bitch? She's delusional." She said through her muffled voice. Bahagya siyang lumingon kay Divine at binaba ang busal. "Tanga mo amputa. Ginapos mo nga ako pero sa harap naman."
Hinigpitan lalo ni Divine yung sabunot sa kaniya, "Shut up if you don't want to die."
"Look at how pathetic you are. It's your fault your son is dead. Andrei is dead. You. Killed. Him." Shane said each word through gritted teeth.
"Shut up. He's alive! Can't you see?" Tinuro niya yung tiyan ni Shane. "He's inside there right now! My baby is alive!"
"You'll never bring him back, Divine. You'll never reunite with him ever again." Tumulo mga luha ni Shane. May pulang tuldok sa namuo sa noo ni Divine. "Even in heaven, you'll never get to see him." Ngumisi si Shane. "You'll never get there anyway after all the shit you've done here on Earth."
"You're wrong. Shut up! SHUT UP!" Sigaw niya.
"What makes you think he'll want to see his mother who killed him?" Lumamig ang tono ni Shane. "You're a failure of a mother. A failure of a human being."
"I told you...SHUT UP!!!" Hinila niya ang buhok ni Shane at hinagis siya. "YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A SIN! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE EXISTED! MY BABY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALIVE! NOT YOU! YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING—"
Bumagsak si Divine sa sahig nang dilat mga mata niya. May butas sa kaniyang noo. Hiro sniped her through the cellar's window.
Divine died instantly.
Lumalabo na ang paningin ni Kieran ngunit pinipilit niya pa ring magising para hanapin si Shane. Nakita niya siyang nakahawak sa kaniyang tiyan na pinipilit bumangon.
She's alive...
Huminga nang maluwag si Kieran at sinubukang gumapang patungo sa kaniya. Naglaho ang ngiti niya nang mapansing napapaungol siya sa sakit.
"S-shane...?"
Kumurap si Kieran at nakitang hinawakan ni Shane yung hita niya.
May dugo sa kaniyang palad.
Shane cried when she looked at him, "K-kieran...it hurts..."
Naaninag ni Kieran yung namumuong pasa sa tiyan ni Shane. Bumigat ang dibdib niya.
"HIRO!!!" Ginamit niya ang natitirang lakas niya para tumawag ng tulong. "GET A MEDIC!!!"
Napapasigaw na si Shane sa sobrang kirot ng tiyan niya't tuloy-tuloy na siyang dinugo. Kahit masakit pa rin buong katawan ni Kieran gawa ng gunshot wound niya, pinuntahan niya pa rin si Shane para tulungan siyang bumangon.
"No, baby, no." Sinapo ni Kieran pisngi ni Shane at naiiyak. "You'll survive. You'll survive, okay? Just breathe. Breathe, Shane, breathe."
Shane forced a smile, showing the blood seeping through the gaps between her teeth. "I'm not s-stupid. I know w-what this means, Kieran..."
"Stop, don't s-say it. Mabubuhay ka. Mabubuhay kayo ni Keenan. Okay? You'll live, Shane. You'll live. We can get through this, okay?"
With her bloody thumb, she wiped his tears that had fallen from his darkened eyes. "Please s-save...Keenan." Nanghihina niyang kinuha yung kamay ni Kieran para hawakan yung kumikirot niyang tiyan. Umiiling ang lalaki't ayaw pakinggan yung sinasabi niya. "P-please...I l-love this b-baby so much...I-I...l-love our f-family..."
"And you will still see them. Damn it, Shane! 'Wag kang ganiyan!" Tumanaw si Kieran sa labas ng pintuan. Naririnig niya ng dumating ang ambulansya. "IN HERE!!! BILISAN NIYO NA!!!"
Kieran tried to blur out his thoughts.
Major abdominal trauma. Possibility of placental abruption. If not treated immediately, it will kill both the mother and the baby.
"Help is c-coming, Shane...diyan ka lang. Open your eyes for me, baby. Please." Pagmamakaawa ni Kieran na kahit pati siya nawawalan na rin ng dugo. "We still have a dream remember? We still have a dream to live for."
Unti-unti nang bumabagsak talukap ng mga mata ni Shane at lumalayo na rin ang boses ni Kieran.
"You've a-always been the d-dreamer..."
Kieran hugged his wife tightly, "You've always been the dream, Shane..."
The paramedics arrived shortly after.
-
Kieran stayed outside of the emergency room for hours even while wearing an arm sling. The other hand held on to the IV pole for his blood transfusion.
"Maupo ka na muna kasi, Kieran." Sabi ni Timothy na may dalang wheelchair para sa kaniyang kaibigan. "Pagkatiwalaan mo na si Fabi at siya na bahala sa mag-ina mo. You lost a lot of blood too. Tingin mo ba sasaya si Shane kapag nalaman niyang inantay mo nga siya pero nanghihina ka pa rin?"
Tama nga naman si Timothy. Umupo si Kieran sa wheelchair at inabangang matapos yung operasyon ni Shane.
Tinignan ulit ni Timothy yung injury ni Kieran. "Mabuti na lang at 'di nag-shatter yung bullet fragments. Baka dalawa siguro kayong nasa loob ngayon."
Hindi umimik si Kieran.
Nine years ago, he also stood outside the emergency room praying for Shane to come out of there alive. He's doing the same thing right now, hoping both his son and his wife survive.
Nang bumukas ang pintuan, tumayo agad si Kieran ngunit nakaramdam ng hilo. Napahawak tuloy siya kay Timothy na umiiling.
"Sabi sa iyo take it easy lang, pare. Ayan." Sita niya't pinaupo ulit sa wheelchair si Kieran.
Lumabas si Doctor Fabi na may kargang sanggol.
"Doctor Kieran," pormal niyang tinawag ang kaibigan, "this is your son. Keenan Stanley Ramos."
Gumaan ang dibdib ni Kieran at naiiyak na kinuha si Keenan. Hinalikan niya ito sa pisngi agad. He's happy that his son survived despite the high mortality rate placental abruptions bring.
"Hey there, little guy." Marahan siyang tumawa nang mapansing halos mukha niya ang nakuha ng anak niya. Hinihiling niya noong sana kamukha ni Keenan si Shane ngunit 'di siya pinagbigyan. Pero mas nangibabaw ang saya niya nang mapansing nakuha ng bata mga mata ni Shane. "Lagot. Parehas kayong masungit ng mommy mo."
Tumingala siya kay Fabi, "How is she?"
Naalarma siya nang bumuntong hininga si Fabi.
"She's in critical condition right now. Simon's currently operating her—"
"Doctor Fabi," tarantang lumabas ang isang nurse, "we need your help. Quick."
"What's going on?" Singit ni Kieran. "Tell me what's wrong!" Tatayo na sana siya pero tinulak ni Timothy pababa kaniyang balikat.
"Stay here, Kieran." Maawtoridad na utos ni Fabi. "Timothy, ikaw na bahala sa kaniya."
"Tell me what's going on! Fabi!" Umiyak nang malakas si Keenan gawa ng pagsigaw ni Kieran. Pumasok din agad sa loob si Fabi. "Sshh, don't worry. Daddy's here. Your mommy will be fine. Ssshh." Pagpapatahan ni Kieran nang nakatingin pa rin sa pintuan ng emergency room.
Tinulak ni Timothy yung wheelchair, "Tara na. We have to take your son in the nursery. Your wife will be fine."
Kieran glanced back at the emergency once last time.
She'll be fine, he thought. She survived nine years ago. She'll survive now.
Little did Kieran know...
The EKG monitor showed a flat line.