Accidental Surrogate

#Chapter 274 – Bonded

Ella

My head feels…so heavy. I groan, trying to move my hands up so I can press them against my temples, but I can’t move them.

“Easy,” I hear him say beside me and instinctually I turn towards his voice. Where –

“Easy, Ella,” he murmurs, his words thick with emotion. “It’s all right…”

I peel my eyelids apart, then, confused at the effort. It’s like I haven’t opened my eyes for weeks…

My vision comes back to me slowly, the room around me coming into focus with effort. I blink rapidly, looking around at Sinclair, and Cora, and Roger all standing around me, peering at me with worried faces. I feel very suddenly like Dorothy, when she wakes up from her trip to Oz.

“What?” I murmur, my voice thick and my throat scratchy. Suddenly anxious, I try to sit up, pushing at the bed beneath me but –

What the hell were all these wires, tied to my arms?

“Easy, trouble,” Sinclair whispers, pressing his hand to my shoulder, keeping me down. My body responds to his command, relaxing backwards as I look up at him. But…

“Where am I?” I ask, staring at him, and then I press my eyes closed. It’s all just too much.

“You’re in the hospital,” I hear my sister explain. “After the gift, at the temple…”

But her voice fades, almost as if I can’t hear it. I feel my heart start to pound, my breath ratchet up as my memories start to come back to me. Of being on the temple steps of Cora there, and what we learned about each other of Sinclair’s warm arms around me –

–

–

–

And then, nothing – and then clouds – and Sinclair again, and my baby –

Oh my god, where was my baby?

searching for him – he’s here, he has to be, I remember him,

Ella – we met him in the dream –”

hand on the swell of my stomach then, drawing my attention to it, reminding me that he’s

they rest on either side of my baby. Then I close my eyes, resting my head back on the pillow, and search for him. And it’s hard, it’s distant, but…

all the love I have in my heart down our bond, and feeling a little pulse back. He hears me. He tells

open my eyes again, feeling a rush of sudden and unexpected

of air, grasping one of my hands and lowering his head so that

that for a long minute

come flying back to reality after such a hard few weeks, after days

no where else I’d

then his footsteps

room.

and reaching my other hand for her. Sinclair straightens at my side, letting us have our moment as

laughing through the tears that are falling down

help myself, and then glance down at my poor beat up little body. “Um, I think so?” I feel so weak but there is also…a warmth, a stillness in me that feels… I

hair. “Yeah? I gave you back mom’s the

my bed. “Cora!” I scold. “Why?!

”

–

–

– you were dying – of course

shout, frantic and frankly a little mad now. “It’s a gift from a Goddess – from our mom – I worked so hard to get it here, the least

”

my eyes snap to him as I feel suddenly guilty and a little childish, arguing with my sister like this in front of him, especially when I’m clearly so sick. I look up at him, my eyes apologetic, and I see his face instantly soften.

raising a finger to point at her. “But as soon as I’m

these terms, wiping the tears off of her cheeks.

—

Rafe hot on his heels. It’s a man I haven’t seen before certainly not one of my normal

to me. He quickly scans my face, his expression worried. “I have to say, I’m shocked to see you awake –” He quickly grasps my wrist, feeling for a pulse and turning towards the monitors behind them, scanning them

looking up at Sinclair. “Not precisely

confused, and I just shrug. Sinclair stands stoically beside me, still holding my hand. “An intervention from the Goddess, if you will,” he observes, a little humor

he says, turning back to the monitors.

all right?” I ask quickly, working to sit up further and wincing as a sharp pain spikes through my back. Sinclair starts at my grimace, leaning closer to me, scenting me, clearly working to figure

a small monitor tucked in amongst the larger ones. “He’s fine,” he mumbles, almost to himself. “Better, if anything, than he was the last time I was in here.” “Good,” I say, almost under my breath, pleased to have my suspicions confirmed. My baby and I… we are going to make it. “Can I go home?” I ask quickly, hoping to heap more good news

scolds, turning towards me and frowning. “You’re still incredibly weak. You have days yet in this hospital – tests, monitoring…”

pleading. I know that if I ask him, if I want it enough, he’ll pick me up and carry me bodily out of this hospital right now. But he slowly shakes his head too, letting me know he agrees with the doctor. “I want you home as well, baby,” he murmurs, “both of you. But he’s been good,” Sinclair says, glancing at the doctor.