Getting out of the house wasn't a problem. It was getting James to cooperate. When they entered the garage, the reluctant father-to-be dug his heels into the cement and shook his head. "I just realized what a bad idea this is."
"It's going to save my son!" Gabby stated, jabbing him in the side with her keys.
"But think about it." James started. "She's got my DNA inside of her. First, she'll ask for commitment. When I don't give that, she'll ask for child support. I'm too popular to have her showing up in all of my magazine articles asking for money!"
Still sick of his lack of parental feelings, Gabby slapped him across the face. "I liked you better when you'd do anything for me!"
"It is amazing to think we actually complete missions," Logan sighed.
Not a soul said a word, hoping to keep every single head in the game the whole way there. Like they'd almost come to expect, Cosmo was sitting in her driveway waiting for them with something in her lap. She was compulsively twitching while she picked away at a square of yarnwith knitting needles. Her appearance from the day before had sincesince deteriorated.
Gabby hopped out of the car starting at Cosmo's clearly larger belly. She just knew that James was probably on the verge of fainting. Sure enough, he stumbled out of the car and pointed at her in shock. "What is that?"
Without looking up, Cosmo spoke in a crackly voice. "A baby blanket so that little Petunia doesn't get cold without me."
"Without you?" Kendall asked nervously. "Where are you going?"
"I have until tomorrow night," she tossed the blanket aside and got on her hands and knees, stomach hanging round and low. "And I need you guys to help."
"This sounds like it's leading to single fatherhood when I'm all reluctant about co-parenting." Said James.
Before Gabby could hit James again, Cosmo at back, hand placed just below her rib cage as she smiled lovingly. "She's so excited to hear your voice!"
"You weren't this pregnant yesterday." Logan pointed out since no one else would.
Cosmo turned a tired eye in his direction. "I'm aware,"
Logan waited for someone else to ask the next question. When there were no takers, he sighed. "Why?"
"I'm a special kind of case."
Asking for help up, Cosmo struggled to her feet with Kendall's and Logan's help. "I would give you the Chronicles if I want so afraid to get us all killed."
"Listen, Cosmo, those Chronicles are more than likely what saves my son in the long run." Gabby explained. "Either you give them to us or we stay here and read them."
Feeling uneasy, Cosmo shifted her weight. "This isn't how it was supposed to happen."
"How what was supposed to happen?" Gabby asked, getting scared out of her mind.
"Come inside," Cosmo insisted. "When Brendon calls, answer immediately."
Logan helped Cosmo inside, supporting her lower back as they stepped across the threshold. She instructed them up the stairs and into a room stacked to the ceiling with books. James shivered a bit when he stared at the black leather couch on the opposite end of the room. It did indeed have an odd air to it. Gabby could feel things wanting to get in, but couldn't tell what or why.
"You've been reading the Chronicles?" Kendall asked, gingerly closing the book on the floor for only a moment.
"Only so I could be sure I was doing everything right." She explained, taking a painful day on the couch.
"Why do you need to do things right?" Kendall asked.
Gabby's phone rang and she immediately put it to her ear. "Brendon?"
"So I'd say you have about thirty minutes until our little buddy makes an appearance at Casa De Cosmo." He said bluntly.
Her blood froze in her veins as she peered or of the nearest window. "What makes you say that?"
"The fact that I left the room to pee only to find Tony clawing at his face wondering where you were and then smiling and laughing while he whispered 'it's time' as he went on to break through the back door and basically gallop away like a majestically creepy horse."
"Turn to Chronicle 8," Cosmo quietly ordered Logan.
James sat next to Cosmo admiring her roundness while panic ensued around them. He seemed to be the only one at any kind of peace in the growing desperation. He didn't even rush to Logan's side when he gasped sharply. Gabby glanced over his shoulder, still keeping an eye on the front yard.
"What do we do?" Gabby asked frantically.
"Caleb, Carlos, Jack, and I are on our way. Are you ask in a blocked room?"
Gabby looked to Cosmo who nodded. "So says Cosmo."
Brendon was silent for a moment making Gabby wonder if he'd been hurt until he chuckled. "I know who she is now."
"What does that even mean?"
"We don't even need the Chronicles for this! Stay calm and when Tony arrives, I want you guys to trap him in a salt circle okay?"
Hearing how lighthearted be wad about everything made Gabby even more nervous. She hung up and pointed her phone at Cosmo. "Who are you and why is Brendon all of a sudden calm about this?"
Almost as if she'd had no clue about it until then, Cosmo's joints locked and her face fell. "It must be true then."
"WHAT IS TRUE? QUIT THE VAGUE BULLSHIT!"
"From what I can gather from this reading," Logan said analytically. "These Chronicles are in fact a historical account, but something is off."
"Right." Cosmo agreed. "Someone needs to be on the other side, but only one person. Currently, I can sense two."
"Pat and Pete, " Gabby told her.
"No, no, " Cosmo shook her head. "A tall blonde add well as the Angel of Music."
"ALEX IS DEAD?" Gabby asked, unable to handle much more death.
"No! Only comatose. But being the angel he is, he's projected himself subconsciously into the afterlife and I guarantee you he's one of the many trying to get in here. The blondeblonde risked his life against the story. Everything is shifted!"
As if to confirm, there was a knock on the wall just outside of the room. Gabby jumped, but felt no fear. It was definitely a cube from Alex that she was picking up on. "Hey, buddy."
"So explain to me why yesterday you didn't look like this, " James insisted.
Cosmo looked down and smiled. "She knew she needed to come sooner than expected."
"How and why?" James asked, unable to take his eyes off of her.
"Petunia's a smart girl. I'm actually starting to think she hates the name too."
James breathed a sigh of relief. "That's my girl."
Cosmo gently grabbed James' hand and placed it in the middle of her stomach. James jumped back looking like he wanted to cry. "She packs a mean punch!"
"She asked if you could call her Lola when she gets here." Cosmo told him.
Really getting into the conversation, James laughed. "Is that what your name is, sea monkey?"
Cosmo sniffled, but hid it with a sigh. "Take good care of her, okay?"
"Why, where are you going?" James asked.
Cosmo looked at Gabby with watery eyes. "She and Gabby's daughter are going to be really close."
Gabby grabbed her stomach and looked down. She'd forgotten about the demon's words until just then. As sickened as she was, she was also relieved at the thought of saving money on a pregnancy test.
"Where are you going?" James asked again with more emphasis.
"I don't know where he's taking me, but I'm at peace with it."
Kendall yelled in surprise causing everyone else to turn around and gaze at the doorway. Little Tony stood hunched over, face bleeding sure to the multiple scratch wounds he'd opened. His eyes are wild and bloodshot only making the crimson in his irises stand out in an even more sickening way. He breathed heavily through his clenched jaw as if he was enraged. He swept his death glare from one person to the next, settling on Gabby with a deranged smile taking form.
"Your son is mine!" He screeched.
A bright white light encompassed Tony which allowed Kendall to pull a sack of salt out of his pocket. He was to late, however, for Brendon appeared in the doorway with Carlos and Caleb who grabbed Tony by the arms and pinned him in a chair down the hall.
Jack rushed into the room grabbing Gabby and refusing to let go. "This is bullshit,"
"He's going to be okay," Gabby reassured him.
"No, that's not it," he croaked. "Brendon told me we're expecting a girl and that means I can't have a second minion!"
"PRIORITIES!" Gabby shouted, joining the group in the hall.
"Abandon the Chronicles, " Brendon ordered. "Caleb, monitor Cosmo. Kendall, get over here and help me. It's time to go exorcist up in this bitch."