Heart of Stone Ch. 22

"We cannot ignore this." Meris said. He, Robbie, Caroline, Nigel, Mary and Aiden were all gathered in her sitting room. The stairs were simply too exhausting for her so people had begun to come to her for these informal evening gatherings. Mary was snuggled next to Aiden on a new, larger sofa.

"What can we do?" Nigel asked. "It isn't as though we can go out there and physically make them stop."

"No matter what we say, Rathbun's group isn't going to listen anyway." Caroline said.

"I agree with you, but that is not who I wish to impact," Meris said. He looked at the gathered group. "Our message has always been that we simply wish to live openly in human society without causing turmoil. If we accept this violence, that invalidates our whole message."

"What do you wish to say?" Aiden asked.

Meris thought for a moment. "That we appreciate the heartfelt support, but we cannot and will not accept or condone violence as a way to further our cause. And that it saddens us that anyone, on either side, was injured."

"Was this an organized group? Or as organized as one could expect in so few weeks?" Robbie asked.

"Yes. I was hoping to have the opportunity to meet with their leaders, but I wished to speak with Mary and Aiden about that. A face to face meeting would have to take place here."

"I believe that would be a good idea," Aiden said. "Make contact and keep me informed."

Mary shifted uncomfortably. Even the small movement seemed to take an enormous effort. Aiden stroked the side of her tummy gently. Nigel looked at her.

"If that's all, I think Mary needs some rest," Nigel said.

"Of course," Robbie said. The others said goodnight and filed out after him. Nigel shut the door and turned to Mary and Aiden.

"We need to talk." He sat down again. "I know neither of you want to hear this, but I think it's time to move Mary to a hospital."

"Nigel-"

"Mary, we can all see how uncomfortable you are." Aiden said.

"Being in a strange place, surrounded by people I don't know isn't going to make me feel better." Mary felt tears filling her eyes. Aiden pulled her closer.

"You're not going to be alone," Nigel said. "I realize that would be even more stressful for you. Aiden and several of the other gargoyles will go with you of course. Jenna and I will be caring for you as always. I'm sure that Caroline will want to visit as well as Robbie and the others. You're a week away from your due date, and I simply don't feel like I'm doing all I can for you here, not mention if the baby is in distress it'll take time to get you to a hospital. In an emergency those few minutes-"

"Where do I have to go?" Mary sounded completely defeated. She knew that she might able to argue with Aiden, or Nigel, but she didn't stand a chance against the two of them together.

"I have two different facilities in mind." He opened his briefcase and took out two brochures. He handed them to Mary. "Both of them are small, private facilities. Both of them specialize in high-risk deliveries. I've had a number of patients deliver at each one of them. I know all of the doctors and most of the nursing staff at each."

Mary looked through the brochures. Both seemed lovely and well-equipped. The Afton House Birthing Center featured a walled garden. The Willows Mother/Baby Center had a spacious solarium. Other than that, the two seemed identical to Mary.

"What are the differences between the two?" She asked.

"As far as facilities, staff training and those types of things, they're about equal. Afton House can give you a private wing. The Willows can't offer you that to start out with, but may be able to make a similar offer in a week or so," Nigel said.

"Both know that they will be under heavy media scrutiny, and will be able to keep Mary safe from unreasonable intrusions on her privacy?" Aiden asked.

"Both have assured me that they can," Nigel said.

"I think that more privacy would be better," Mary said. She turned to Aiden. "Will you be able to rest there?"

"I will be able to rest anywhere you are, dear one."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Mary was amazed at how quickly the arrangements could be made. All the activity stirred speculation, but the only official comment released was to ask for Mary's privacy to be respected. After dark, Nigel and Jenna drove Mary and Caroline to Afton House. Aiden, Esme and Jerel flew, which Mary was sure would cause quite a stir because they didn't take any care to hide. The rest of the gargoyles remained at Beeson Hall, with Calvus as interim leader. By the time Mary arrived Aiden was waiting for her.

There were four other spacious rooms in the wing Mary occupied. Caroline took one, when Veronica arrived, she occupied another, leaving the other two open for Nigel and Jenna. She made it clear that she would take care of Mary most of the time, but when other nurses were needed they were very carefully screened. Anyone who seemed uncertain about Aiden or the gargoyles was excluded.

For Mary, time seemed to stand still while she was cloistered at Afton House. The others did their best to keep her entertained, but isolated from news and the Internet. As the days wore on, she found she didn't mind that so much.

Nigel had recommended a caesarian delivery months ago and she and Aiden both agreed that would be safest. Given the unusual circumstances though, he wanted to wait until Mary's labor started, unless she or the baby were in danger before that. Back when she was sort of off-balance and kind of uncomfortable it had sounded like a reasonable plan. Now, she just wanted it to be over.

Esme told her that gargoyle females always went into labor at night, so Mary was certain that she would too. The baby was most active at night anyway. Each night that passed without so much as a contraction seemed almost like a frustrating failure in a way.

As days turned into weeks, Mary was certain that she was going to be pregnant forever, or until she simply exploded, whichever came first. She slept more than usual during the day. When she wasn't sleeping she would chat or knit with Caroline or Veronica. When her hands were too swollen to allow her to knit, they would play cards.

"Did I tell you that one of my grandnieces eloped with one of her mother Annabelle's gardeners?" Veronica asked. Mary was grateful for Veronica's e-mails with her family. Without them they wouldn't have a whole lot less to talk about.

"No!" Caroline said, her eyes wide. "Was it Elyse?"

"No. Elyse is too afraid of losing her mother's approval. It was her sister, Justine." Veronica said. Mary shifted in bed, trying to relieve a sudden cramp in her back. She'd been getting those cramps since the night before. They weren't strong enough to mention then and they hadn't gotten much stronger, but they were getting more frequent. She figured her body had finally reached a breaking point of some kind.

"Won't Annabelle be just as upset?" Mary asked.

"Of course, but that's the kind of relationship Justine has always had with her mother," Veronica said. "Justine does something outrageous, usually something that Annabelle wishes she had the courage to do herself, and there's a great deal of turmoil in the family until both of them get over whatever little fit of pique they're in."

"This sounds like more than just a momentary thing." Mary said. Another cramp hit her and she shifted again.

"This time it may not be temporary exactly. I'm sure she even has feelings for the young man, but I would bet that the elopement was simply for shock value." Veronica explained.

Mary bit back a groan, and shifted again.

"Are you alright?" Caroline asked.

"I think so, just having a hard time getting comfortable. I guess that's not so surprising." Mary smiled and then turned to Veronica. "So you think she actually loves him?"

"I do, and I think that Annabelle would actually be happy for her if she hadn't gone running off. It's more the loss of the big wedding that's-"

Sharp, hot pain shot through Mary's back with such an intensity that she couldn't bite back a groan.

"Mary?"

"I'm alright."

"No you're not," Veronica said. "Caroline, find Nigel or Jenna." Caroline hurried out of the room.

Mary felt a warm rush of fluid between her legs. "Oh God, this can't be happening now."

"When my first one was born, I didn't feel ready either."

Nigel came with Jenna following closely behind him. "Caroline said you were in some pain."

Mary nodded. "And I think my water just broke."

"Veronica, if you could step out for just a moment," Nigel said. He examined Mary quickly, his eyebrows rose slightly. He adjusted the sheet over her again when he finished. "You're at seven centimeters."

"What does that mean?" Mary asked.

"That this little one is ready to meet you." He smiled. "Jenna, go and get Dr. Park-"

"No!" Mary said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Mary-"

"Aiden wanted to be with me, you told him that he could." Another strong contraction made Mary groan.

"Aiden wants to protect your health and the health of the child." Nigel nodded at Jenna, she disappeared. Caroline and Veronica came back in.

"Can't we wait until he wakes up?" The prospect of going through the surgery alone was terrifying.

Nigel shook his head. "Nightfall is still several hours away. Clearly you're progressing more quickly than we'd realized. I don't think it would be safe for you or the baby to wait."

"I don't want to do this alone." Mary was sobbing. She'd gotten used to being without Aiden during daylight hours. She was able to tell herself that he was away at work or something similar. Even a man who worked from sun-up to sun-down would have been there for the birth of his child. Veronica put her arms around Mary's shoulders.

"You won't be alone, I'll be there if you'll let me."

Mary looked at Nigel. "Can she?"

"Of course. Caroline, would you let Aiden know what's happening?" Nigel asked.

The next few minutes were lost in a flurry of tests, preparations, and Veronica finishing her story about Annabelle and Justine. By the time she was wheeled into the operating room, Mary was trembling, but she wasn't crying any more. The spinal anesthetic was administered and Mary quickly lost sensation below her chest. Nigel came in a few minutes later in a surgical mask and gown.

"Mary, you remember Dr. Afton, and Dr. Park. Dr. Afton will be assisting me. Dr. Park will be taking care of the baby from the moment he arrives. If you feel any pain, or have any difficult breathing, just say so." He instructed. Veronica sat next to Mary's head and two nurses set up a screen at the level of her chest. She recognized one of them as Jenna. The other she thought was the red-haired nurse who took care of her in the evenings.

"Okay." Mary's voice broke.

"Can you feel this?" Nigel asked.

"Feel what?"

"I think we're ready to begin."

"Did I tell you that daughter Constance delivered her second child this way?" Veronica asked.

"No." Mary was expecting pain or pressure or something, but for the moment she didn't feel anything.

"Yes. I was with her when both of her children were born."

"Where was her husband?"

"You may feel some pulling and some pressure," Nigel said.

"Passed out in the waiting room. He's a lovely man, just completely unable to tolerate the realities of childbirth."

"Nearly there, Mary. Any discomfort?" Nigel asked.

"No."

"Good."

A moment later, Mary did feel something change, like a weight had been lifted off of her lower body. Dr. Park moved forward, then she heard a cough and then an angry, hissing screech.

"And there's our rather upset young gentleman." The baby's cries got louder and more lusty as Dr. Park brought him around to Mary's head. The large infant was purplish, and even as drugged as she was Mary could see that there were patches of scaly skin on his chest and legs. His scaly tail was wrapped around Dr. Park's arm, his fists and feet flailing.

"He's beautiful." Mary breathed. Dr. Park turned away. "Where are you taking him?"

"Just to make certain he's healthy," Mary watched Dr. Park and the red-haired nurse examine the squalling infant who seemed much too large for the bassinet they placed him in.

"Have you and Aiden talked about names yet, Mary?" Nigel asked.

"We have, but I can't tell anyone yet." Mary's eyes were on the struggling bundle Dr. Park was attempting to examine.

"Why not?" Veronica was curious.

"It's gargoyle tradition that the child's father is the first one to call him by his name. Is he alright?"

"As far as I can tell, he's absolutely perfect." Dr. Park said.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Mary woke slowly. The pain medication she'd been given made the whole world soft and strange, but it did keep the pain in her lower tummy down to a dull ache. For a few minutes, she kept her eyes closed, trying to ground herself with the small sounds of the room. Water dripped in the bathroom, two people passed by in the hall, speaking in hushed tones. She shifted in bed. A large hand touched her shoulder softly. When she opened her eyes, she could see Aiden in the dim light, smiling down at the baby resting in the crook of his arm. Against Aiden's massive body, even the fifteen pound infant looked tiny.

"He is beautiful." He looked at Mary. "I am so sorry that I was not here when you needed me."

Mary sat up slowly, carefully. "He just wanted to surprise us." He wasn't the pinkish color she'd expected, but he didn't have his father's shifting greens and blues and grays either. The lavender reddish tone was going to take some getting used to, so would the prominent bumps on his forehead that would someday become horns.

Aiden shifted the baby so that he was resting against his broad chest. "He is so small, I fear I will injure him." He got up and sat on the bed with Mary, she snuggled against his side.

Mary laughed softly. "Maybe he's small by your standards. He's twice the size of most human newborns."

The baby stirred and stretched, the flailing of his tail pulling the blanket off. Once the blanket was gone he settled again with a big sigh. Mary and Aiden both laughed softly. "Perhaps he is warm enough for the moment. He was awake through the whole day?"

"Yes. I thought that when they took him out of the operating room he would change, but he didn't."

Mary reached out and stroked one small fist. The baby opened his light green eyes and looked at her. He grasped her finger, yawned and went back to sleep. Mary was tempted to do the same thing herself.

"He is the best of both of us."

"Nigel asked what we were going to name him."

He stroked her back gently. "I have been considering that. I want his name to reflect the duality of his nature."

"What did you have in mind?" Mary asked.

"Garrick Ambrose."

Mary smiled. "After your ancestor."

"And yours."

"I like it. Do the others know?"

"Yes, but Jerel and Esme will not see him until tomorrow night."

"Why not?" Mary could feel her body relaxing into his.

"Because this first night is ours alone."

The baby started to fuss and squirm. Mary smiled a little. "I think he's hungry. Let me call Jenna."

"Why?" He helped Mary sit up.

She blushed. "Because I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do."

"Then I will help you." He unsnapped the right side of her gown to expose her left breast, then shifted the baby carefully. "Can you turn so that your back is to me?"

She turned so that her back was resting against him. Aiden held Garrick in front of her and pressed her nipple against the baby's lips. Garrick started to suck hungrily. Mary supported his head in the crook of her arm, Aiden held the rest of his weight. She relaxed back against Aiden, he wrapped his tail around her leg.

The rest of the world would make up its own mind, Mary didn't care one way or the other. The baby in her arms and her mate behind her was all she needed.

Author's Note: This is the end of Heart of Stone. Thank you all for reading, I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Yes, there are unanswered questions, but life is full of those. Could the world accept the gargoyles as equals? It's hard for most of the world to accept ordinary humans who are different, so I'll leave it for you to decide if Aiden, Mary, their son and the others are accepted.

psyche b.