Taken Ch. 03

-Sage-

I woke up in the middle of the night, covered in sweat. I felt absolutely awful. "Babe?" I said, nudging Shane. He stirred a bit before opening his eyes. When he did, he looked at me concerned.

"Sage! Baby, are you okay?" he asked, sitting up and turning on the light on the bedside table.

"I don't feel well," I said, feeling another wave of nausea pass over me.

"Do I need to take you to the hospital?" he asked, ready to throw on his clothes and take me wherever he needed to.

"I'm not sure... bucket," I said, covering my mouth with my hand. He jumped up and brought me the small trashcan from our bathroom. I vomited inside of it and laid back in the bed. I closed my eyes as sweat poured from my forehead.

"I'm taking you to the hospital," he said, standing up and walking to the closet to get dressed.

"No, Shane... I think I'll be fine," I said, patting the bed next to me but he didn't budge.

"You don't look good, Love. Let me at least get you a cool rag for your forehead," he pleaded until I nodded my head.

"I'll be right back," he said, worry covering his handsome face. He came back with a wet rag with ice in it. He placed it on my hot forehead causing me to sigh in relief. It felt like heaven...

-Shane-

I didn't like the way she looked. I wanted to take her to the hospital to get her checked out but she refused. I stayed up most of the night, dabbing her forehead and emptying the trashcan for her. She never stopped vomiting, doing so between two and three times an hour. It scared me.

By ten o'clock the following morning, she looked like hell and seemed weak. "That's it, Sage. I'm taking you to the hospital," I said, soaping up a towel to clean her up and get her dressed. She was too weak to argue. After we both were clean and dressed, I picked her up and loaded her into the car.

-Sage-

I squinted at the sun's brightness. I was fading in and out of consciousness as I looked out of my window. "Sage? Sage!" Shane shouted when I faded out again. I knew I was dehydrated. That much vomiting with no fluid intake, that was exactly what was wrong but why?

I looked at his concerned face to let him know I was still here. I had never seen him so afraid of anything before. If I wasn't feeling so bad, I would have felt special.

Within five minutes, we were pulling up to St. Sweeny Medical Center. It was an okay hospital but not as good as Jefferson Memorial. This one was closer anyway. He parked the car and picked me up into his arms and carried me into the Emergency Department and checked me in with the receptionist.

"Her name?" the woman asked.

"Sage. Sage Austin," Shane replied.

He handed her my driver's license, my insurance card (that was through his company), and our marriage license to justify the different last names.

"Right this way," the woman said, passing us off to a nurse.

She did my vitals and put us into out room. From check-in to our room, I vomited three times... the frequency was increasing. After being in the room for about fifteen minutes, the nurse came in and drew some blood. She also did a cath on me because I was too weak to go to the bathroom on my own. The blood draw confirmed the dehydration and after giving me a dose of Zofran, started IV fluids. Thirty minutes into the infusion and I already was beginning to feel better.

Before long, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Shane said and continued to hold my hand. God, I loved that man. When the door opened, a police officer came in.

"Mr. Austin, is it okay if I have a word with Mrs. Austin... alone?" the officer asked. Shane looked at me and I nodded. He got to his feet and walked outside the room.

"Sage? Sage Cooper?" the officer asked, walking closer to the bed. His name badge read 'Greene'.

"Cooper's my maiden name, yes," I confirmed. I was determined to play it cool.

"Mrs. Austin, I'll cut to the chase. You were reported missing over six months ago. We have been on the case for awhile now. Were you taken from the parking garage against your will?" he asked, taking out his notepad.

"No, Sir. I just picked up and left, met Shane and married him soon after," I lied. I lied so well that even I believed it.

"So you were not abducted or in any danger at any time?" he reiterated, scribbling in his notepad.

"No, Sir. I just got fed up with life and left to start a new one," I said, shrugging, "Is that a crime, Officer?"

"No, Ma'am. I'm gonna close this case and inform the people of your past," he said, shutting the notepad and putting it away.

"Thank you, Sir," I said, smiling.

"Sure thing," he said, leaving the room. Shane walked in as soon as he left. He knew what I did. He smiled at me and kissed my forehead.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, concerned.

"A lot better. I love you," I said, looking into those sky blue eyes that I loved so much.

"I love you, too, Sage," he said, taking my hand into his. After another few minutes, there was another knock on the door. Shane rolled his eyes in frustration. "Come in!" he said again. The door opened and this time it was the short, balding doctor, Dr. Abdullah.

"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Austin," he said, smiling, "I was coming in to inform you of your diagnosis. The excessive vomiting is consistent with the diagnosis of Hyperemesis Gravidarum-," he said. He was still talking but my brain went numb. I knew that sickness.

"So you're saying I'm-" I began, but Dr. Abdullah finished my sentence.

"Pregnant, yes, Dear, about eight weeks along," he said, smiling.

I looked at Shane who was weeding through the medical jargon in shock. I smiled at him and kissed him on the lips.

"I'm gonna be a father?" he asked, pointing to himself.

"Yes, Babe... we're going to have a baby!" I said, beaming. I had never been so happy in my entire life! It seemed like everything was falling into place for us... everything was perfect.

[Four Months Later]

-Shane-

I looked down at Sage's sleeping face thanking God that she was mine, though I felt that God may not have anything for me anymore. I am, after all, a rapist and kidnapper and I'm pretty sure He isn't too thrilled with me. Though in the ten months that Sage and I had been together, I've determined that she was just as fucked up as I was. A match made in heaven if I do say so myself.

Her frame was snuggled up against mine, her rounded belly pressed against my side... periodically, I felt my baby girl kicking at me. I smiled to myself... Whatever punishment I endure in the afterlife would be worth it for just five minutes of the perfect life that I am living.

"Shane?" she asked, opening one eye.

"Yeah?"

"What time is it?" she asked, closing it back and snuggling back into me.

"Almost 4:30 in the afternoon," I replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Almost dinner time," she said, smiling. She was too cute.

"What would you like? I'll make whatever you want," I offered.

"Whatever I want?" she asked, trailing her nails along my bare chest and stomach over the bulge in my boxers.

I shuddered at the feel of her teasing touch. "Easy, Nymphette," I said, quickly stilling her hand... I had just finished fucking her after lunch. It was a lazy 'fucking' Sunday. "It's been hours since you've fed my daughter. Feed her and I'll feed you," I said, winking at her.

"Fine," she grumbled, sitting up to stretch, "I'll hold you to that."

"What do you want?" I asked again, sitting up, ready to make her dinner.

"What I want is for you to get dressed so you can take me to the grocery store," she said, slipping flip-flops onto her pedicured feet. My wife was so fucking hot and to make things even better, she was about three months away from being a MILF.

"I'll go to the grocery store if you'd just tell me what you want," I said, helping her to her feet after watching her struggle to stand up.

"I could have done that myself," she pouted, "and no, I'll go in. It's a surprise."

She could be so fucking stubborn sometimes but honestly, that was one of the things that I loved most about her. It would be boring to get my way all the time.

-Sage-

I allowed Shane to wrap his strong arm around me to help me downstairs. He was so sweet. I loved how he attentive he was to me and how he kept me thoroughly satisfied. I didn't hurt for anything while I was with him.

"Dammit, Sage, be careful," he growled as I descended the stairs of the front porch without assistance. I looked over my shoulder and smiled at him. "It's not funny."

I admit, I fucked with him a bit much but he was completely overprotective except, of course, during sex...

He opened the passenger door for me and helped me inside. In no time, he was climbing in beside me. The drive to the grocery store was a quick one. I planned to make chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and green beans. He loved chicken fried steak but it had been awhile since I'd made it.

We pulled into the parking lot and after a few seconds of me trying to convince Shane to let me go inside alone, I was walking inside. After grabbing a hand basket, I walked around, grabbing everything I needed from the shelves.

"Sage?" an extremely familiar voice said behind me, causing my heart to pound audibly in my chest. I closed my eyes and took several breaths before turning around to face my past...

-Malachi-

When she turned around, I felt a surge of emotions wash over my body. Here was the woman that was supposed to be my wife, the woman that had me worried sick for months, the woman that broke my heart standing in front of me with a belly swollen with another man's child.

Her beautiful brown eyes were full of guilt as she looked up at me. We were supposed to be married by now. What the fuck did I do to deserve the shit that she'd put me through? Anger...love...hate...hurt...fuck!

"Why?" I asked, simply.

-Sage-

His question washed over me like a tidal wave... What do I say? He was hurt... I saw it when he looked at me. His eyes rolled over my body and rested on belly... The seed of my betrayal.

"I don't-....Malachi...it just happened. I am so sorry... you'll never know how sorry I am," I said, sincerely.

"Sorry doesn't get my fiancée back. I loved you, Sage... We were so right for each other. Everything was perfect," Malachi said, shaking his head slowly in disbelief, "You were supposed to be my wife, the mother of my children... what happened to us? What did I do wrong?" He asked, his voice breaking.

"You didn't do anything, I promise... It was out of either of our control," I said quietly.

"What the hell do you mean 'out of either of our control'? You fucking ran out on me," the hurt in his eyes turning to hatred, "That's what you told Officer Greene... You fucking left me to be a whore."

His words were worse than a slap in the face. I felt the tears welling in my eyes until they cascaded down my cheeks. "Malachi..." I began but he silenced me.

"Fuck you, Sage," he said to me coldly. I dropped my basket and ran away from him. My heart ached. I never meant to hurt Malachi and I spent the first month with Shane trying to get back to him and now he hated me.

-Shane-

I was sitting in the car when I heard a commotion by the grocery store. I saw Sage running from the store crying. Before I could think about anything, I was out of my car running towards her.

"Baby, what happened?" I asked, grabbing her shoulders. She didn't reply. Instead, she buried her face into my chest and broke down. I looked around helplessly as I tried to figure out what was making her cry.

"Sage, you have to calm down and tell me what happened," I said calmly, trying to calm her down as well. Then, I saw him....her fucking ex. "Get in the fucking car."

I walked over to him and pushed him hard in the chest causing him to stumble back some from the force but this guy was a big, solid motherfucker and I was livid.

"What the fuck did you say to my wife, Asshole?" I shouted, pushing him back again.

"I told her the truth. I know you fucking did something to her! Sage wouldn't have left like that... What the fuck did you do to her!" He shouted, pushing me back.

"Don't be fucking jealous because she made the right choice," I spat, nostrils flaring.

-Sage-

BAM!

I could hear the sound of Malachi's fist connecting with Shane's face from the car. I watched as the blood spewed from his nose...

"Motherfucker..." Shane said before leaning forward and taking Malachi to the ground, punching him in the face, pounding his head into the concrete of the sidewalk. I got out of the car and began running towards them.

"Stop!" I shouted as I ran, "Stop, both of you!" Shane broke concentration, looking up at the sound of my voice.

"Get back in the car!" He shouted, before Malachi gained control by punching him in his mouth. Malachi threw as many hard punches into Shane's stomach as possible. I ran inside the store to get the manager.

The store manager ran outside with me at his heels. "You two need to take this shit off of my fucking property before I call the cops!" he shouted, stopping the tussle.

"Come on, Babe... it's not worth it," I said to Shane, earning me a glare from Malachi.

"I don't know what happened but I know something did," Malachi said, spitting blood, "But if you want to put up this front, Sage... Be my fucking guest... Have a nice life."

"Don't worry, she will," Shane said tauntingly as Malachi walked away.

"Fuck you," Malachi said over his shoulder. I had mixed feelings about what happened. I felt awful about the confrontation and hurting Malachi but I knew that Shane was right: I did make the right choice. I loved Shane with all of my heart and I knew I didn't regret that.

-Shane-

I groaned as I popped my neck and my jaw. That motherfucker had a helluva right hook on him. Sage looked at me, concern painting her beautiful face.

"What?" I asked, the pain causing me to snap a little more than I intended, "Sorry, Babe... you didn't deserve that."

She shook her head and handed me the keys. "What do you say we skip making dinner and get some takeout so I can nurse you back to health?

"I like the sound of that," I said, undressing her sexy, pregnant body with my eyes. I started the car and drove as fast as I safely could so I could get her home and get some treatment.