“Yes,” she told him, her voice rough, its tone warning him to stop. “I know that. But there’s what I know, and there’s what I feel.
“You can’t know, Doctor. You try so hard to prove yourself, to go through the motions of a caregiver. But you’ve never had a child, never lost a child of your own. You can’t imagine what that does to a parent. Even just once. And to be told it has to happen a second time…
“God, yes, I was angry. Angry at you. Angry at the baby for leaving me alone again. Angry at Will, angry at myself for letting it happen to another child. Angry at the whole damn universe for putting me through this!”
Ree had lowered his head. “I thought…you had forgiven me.”
“So did I. But that pain, it stays with you. And the anger. And the fear.
“The fear, Doctor. Do you have any idea? You attackedme. Back on New Erigol, you told me you wanted to end my baby’s life, and then you attacked me. You bitme!”
“I injected you with venom to slow a life-threatening hemorrhage.”
“That doesn’t change how it felt, Doctor! You joke about how dangerous you are, tease others about their fear of you, but you can’t imagine what it’s like to feel like your prey!
“My God, Doctor!” she went on, her voice growing louder with each sentence. “How could you think I could evertrust you to care for my child after that? How could you imagine you could take me hostage, terrorize a whole hospital, and somehow prove to me my baby will be safe with you?!”
“I willkeep her safe! Always!”
“ No!” she screamed. “You can’t have her! I won’t let you take my baby from me!” This was not the hysterical rage she had met him with in her delirium on New Erigol. This was the self-possessed fury and determination of a loving mother. “This is mychild, and I will give birth to her where I wish, raise her how I wish. And Iwill keep her safe, Ree. Safe from anyone who would hurt her—safe from anyone who would take her from me. Including you!”
For a long moment, Ree was silent, gazing downward, breaths rasping slowly in and out. She couldn’t tell if he was chastened or furious; her own emotions were too chaotic at the moment, her hormones on overload. Finally, he raised his head. “Counselor…”
But at that moment, her insides convulsed and she felt hot wetness spilling onto her thighs. “Oh, my God,” Alyssa gasped. “Doctor, her water just broke.”
The contraction worsened, growing more painful until she moaned aloud. “It hurts!”
Alyssa was at her side. “You’re too tense. You need to breathe, Deanna.” She glanced over at Ree, who stood taut, ready to act, but keeping his distance. “Deanna, you need the doctor.”
Once the contraction subsided, she met his eyes, trying to control her breathing. “The baby is mine,” she said.
“Yes,” he replied.
“You know how I feel now.”
“…Yes.”
She held his gaze. “Do your job, Doctor. Prove yourself.”
His tension eased. “Yes. Thank you, Counselor.”
As he moved forward, a throat cleared. The Lumbuan nurses had come forward, the senior nurse at the head of the group. “We can assist,” she said. “Doctor.”
Ree studied them. “You would help a monster?”
The senior nurse fidgeted. “Monsters have babies too, it turns out. And we help babies.”
“Very well,” he said, not wasting time. “Prep for delivery and begin sterilizing the necessary equipment.”
The nurse paused. “Is there anything…different…I need to know about?”
“Nothing of substance. Your experience should serve.”
“Counselor!” Tuvok called from outside.
“Tuvok!” Deanna called back. “The baby’s coming! You can come in!”
“I appreciate the invitation, but I must decline. According to our signal intercepts, the local police have discovered the officer we incapacitated upon our entrance, and are preparing to storm the facility in response.”
“Tuvok, don’t let them get near her! Protect my baby!”
“That is what we all wish, Counselor. We shall protect her. You have my word.”
“Yes,” Ree said. “We will all protect her.”
“I know,” Deanna said. Right now, they all shared a single priority: the safe delivery of the child inside her.
But what would happen afterward?
CHAPTER F
IFTEEN
TITAN