Chapter 15: Time’s a Changin’

“How much longer is she going to be here Jason,” Debbie Aysel asked as she paced back and forth in the living room of their house.

“I honestly don’t know Debbie. I don’t know how long goddess pregnancies last. She could be here for as little as a few more days, or several months,” Jason explained as he tried to keep pace with his wife. “You’re not jealous of Theia are you sweetheart?”

Debbie stopped dead as Jason accused her of being jealous. That had to have been the most ridiculous thing Debbie had ever heard. She had tried to get along with Theia, and as much as she did not want to admit it, but, she was in fact jealous of Theia. Theia was a goddess, and the most perfect woman Debbie had ever seen. How could she possibly compare herself to Theia?

“No. Why would I be jealous of Theia,” Debbie asked as she folded her arms across her own pregnant belly.

“I don’t know honey, but you have nothing to worry about. I only have eyes for you,” Jason said as he kissed her soft lips lovingly.

Before Debbie could respond, the baby she was carrying kicked her hard in the uterus, causing her a massive amount of pain. She screamed, and doubled over. Jason hurried to help steady his wife, and led her over to the couch so she didn’t fall over.

“I think the baby is coming,” Debbie said as her face was now a deep shade of red.

Upstairs, another scream was heard coming from Theia’s room. Two pairs of footsteps were also heard as Damien and Mathias ran across the hallway to tend to Theia. Emily ran downstairs to help Jason and Debbie.

“Theia is having contractions,” Emily screamed in a frantic voice as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Really Emily? I hadn’t noticed,” Jason snapped as Debbie let out another ear piercing scream. “In case you haven’t noticed, Debbie is getting ready to give birth to Tabitha.”

All at once, everyone seemed to break into panic. Upstairs, Mathias ran from room to room while trying to pack a bag together for Theia to take to the hospital. Damien had already called the ambulance, and was helping Theia down the stairs by carrying her in his arms.

“An ambulance is coming for Theia,” Damien said while panting.

“What about meeeeeeee,” Debbie screamed. “I’m the one who’s in labor here.”

“So am IIII,” Theia said as she screamed again.

“I’ll call a cab for Debbie,” Emily said as she ran into the kitchen to dial 911.

Mathias stumbled down the stairs with two bags…one for Theia and one for Debbie. As he reached the bottom step, he stumbled and almost fell. Damien had placed Theia gently down in a chair and was on the phone with Gaia within seconds. Unfortunately, the call went straight to her voicemail.

“Gaia, its Damien. Debbie and Theia are giving birth right now. An ambulance is on its way and will be taking them to Saint Mount Medical Center. We will see you when you get there and discuss a plan of action,” Damien said into the voicemail.

As he hung up the phone, loud sirens were heard from a block away. Seconds later, the doorbell rang, and about six Emergency Medical Technicians barged in. Chaos immediately followed, as orders were given, and Theia and Deborah were placed on stretchers and carried into the ambulances.

Jason and Emily went with Debbie and Mathias and Damien went with Theia. The ambulances roared and screamed throughout the town as they sped down the streets. Ten minutes later, a tall tower appeared in front of them as the ambulance raced into the emergency entrance. Almost as soon as the ambulance stopped, the medics jumped out, and raced the laboring women into the labor unit, where they were instantly greeted by doctors and nurses.

No sooner were Debbie and Theia placed into their rooms did Gaia arrive along with Hyperion and Nemea. As much as it pained Jason, he chose to stay with his wife as she would have killed him if he had chosen the goddess over her.

“Get this child out of me,” Theia screamed in pain.

Hyperion stormed into the room as one of the nurses that was tending to her set up her I.V. He gracefully and swiftly walked over towards Theia’s bed, and held her hand gently in his. He then leaned down and kissed her forehead comfortingly. Gaia glided over to Theia’s other side and stroked her daughter’s hair lovingly.

“Shhhh,” Gaia said softly and gently. “It will be all over soon. Selene will be with us sooner than you think.”

“Do you think it’s safe or even wise to have her here Gaia? I mean, we are dealing with just humans,” Hyperion asked with worry.

“For once I agree with him,” Damien said as he leaned up against one of the walls in the room.

An awkward silence filled the small hospital room as Hyperion looked up at Damien and growled. Damien rolled his eyes, as if to say he wasn’t afraid of the god. Before any words could be exchanged however, the attending doctor walked in with a clipboard and file in hand.

“How is our patient doing,” Doctor Gomez asked as he walked over to the marble counter and washed his hands.

The attending nurses rushed to get the supplies they would need for the birth ready for him. Theia was gasping for breath as she had another contraction. Everyone in the room aside from Doctor Gomez looked at Theia with concern and admiration. Mathias however, looked like he was about to be sick and excused himself from the room. It wasn’t like his presence was needed, and he figured that Theia had enough people to help her.

“Theia seems to be doing fine Doctor Gomez,” Gaia said in as calm of a voice as she could have mustered up. “Her contractions are less than a minute apart.”

As Gaia said that, Theia screamed again, only this time she squeezed Hyperion’s hand so hard she almost broke it. Sweat was pouring down her face and her body was soaked in it. Doctor Gomez prepared himself, as did the nurses, and examined Theia.

“I can see the head,” Doctor Gomez said professionally.

Doctor Gomez was a specialist in delivering babies. It was something he could do in his sleep, not that he would. However, something about these people stumped him tonight. They seemed too perfect to be human. In fact, they almost looked inhumane. Doctor Gomez blinked his eyes a few times, and then readied himself to catch Selene when she came out.

“Ok Theia, I see a head,” Doctor Gomez began to say. “I want you to give me three short breaths, then push as hard as you can, and then repeat the process until the baby comes out. Do you think you can do that for me?”

Time seemed to stop. This was it…the moment everyone had been waiting for. Everyone’s hearts, including the vampires, seemed to stop almost instantly. Everyone in the room, except for Doctor Gomez and his staff held their breath, as all eyes were on Theia.

“Oh my god this is it,” Theia thought to herself. “In just a few short minutes my baby will be alive again. Come on Theia you can do this, just push,” she coaxed herself as she let out a deafening scream.

Theia had taken as big and deep of a breath as she could, and pushed as hard and long as she possibly could. Everyone in the room, especially Doctor Gomez, cheered her on. It took her three long pushes until they finally heard the first sounds of Selene’s cry. Doctor Gomez had a pink towel to catch Selene with in his hands, and when she popped out, he caught her in it. He handed Selene over to the nurse closest to him, and she cleaned off the blood that was on Selene. Selene’s blood was so strong to Damien that he had to hold his breath. When the nurse handed Selene to Theia, and Damien saw that there was no more blood on her, he was able to breathe again.

“Oh my little Selene,” Theia said exasperated.

“She’s beautiful, just like her mother,” Hyperion said as he beamed at his wife and child.

“She’s perfect,” Damien blurted out. As soon as he said those two words, he instantly regretted it as Hyperion shot Damien a glare that could have killed anyone if they just looked at him. Dr. Gomez had excused himself to let the family have some privacy for a few minutes.

Theia looked up at Damien with alarm written all over her face. She saw Damien and Selene’s auras as did Gaia. They were a silvery metallic blue, and Damien’s aura stretched out to Selene’s, and vice versa. Selene’s aura was the silver while Damien’s was the blue aura. Hyperion hadn’t noticed them yet, but when Theia gasped, he finally did notice. Hyperion let out a low, warning growl towards Damien. Even though Damien had proven himself to Gaia, he still had a long way to go with Hyperion. Before Hyperion could say anything, Dr. Gomez walked back into the room with a clean pair of gloves on.

“I’d like to speak to the mother of the baby alone for a few minutes if you don’t mind,” Dr. Gomez said. The way he said it however, was more of an order than a question.

Hyperion looked at Theia and kissed her forehead. He was the first to leave, followed by Damien and Gaia. Once they were out in the hallway, Gaia excused herself to go and see how Jason and his wife were doing, while Damien sat down on one of the chairs that were lined up against the wall. Hyperion followed him, and stood right in front of Damien with his arms folded over his chest. He was a tall god to begin with, and with his muscles bulging with anger and hatred towards Damien, Hyperion looked downright scary.

“Your services are no longer needed Damien,” Hyperion said in a dark tone of voice.

“I don’t think that’s for you to decide Hyperion.”

“I believe it is. Your job was to protect Theia while she was pregnant with Selene. Selene is born again no thanks to you,” Hyperion said as an angry scowl played on his lips.

“How many times am I going to have to apologize to you Hyperion? Have I not proven myself by devoting my life to protecting Selene?”

“No, you have not. You are his son and are still not to be trusted,” Hyperion hissed the words as they rolled off his tongue like venom.

To Hyperion, Hades was a very big swear word, and to say it in his opinion was treason against Gaia. Anyone who associated with Hades in one way or the other was evil, and not to be trusted…ever. Damien took great offense to it, though he did see Hyperion’s point. He was the offspring to the ruler of the Underworld, and Damien did kill Selene. Damien was surprised that Gaia had even allowed him to come to the hospital to witness the birth.

“What is your point Hyperion? I would appreciate it if you would get to it already,” Damien snapped back.

“I want you to stay away from Selene…forever. Don’t think I didn’t notice what happened to your auras back in the room. I don’t want her associating with you Damien. You’d be a bad influence on her,” Hyperion said with a sick smile on his face.

“That is going to be impossible Hyperion. Selene is my soul mate. I can’t just abandon her.”

“You were able to kill her!”

“That was different. I was stupid back then. I have learned from my mistake Hyperion. Why can’t you just accept that?”

“You will never be good enough for her. She will hate you. I am trying to prevent Selene from being hurt anymore. You were probably the one who killed Endymion too, weren’t you?”

“No, I was not.”

“Then, who was?”

“I am afraid that I can not disclose that information Hyperion. If his murder wanted to be known, they would have made themselves known by now.”

“This is exactly why you cannot be trusted. You won’t even help us to find the perpetrator so we can prosecute them!”

“Look, even if I wanted to tell you, it’s not your business to know. It is Selene’s business, and only her business. When she is old enough and if she and I ever do meet again, when the time is right I will tell her if she wishes to know,” Damien said squarely.

They both fell silent as some little kids ran past them. They had to be no older than five years old. However, the topic of conversation was not suited for a child to hear, much less a mortal. One of the children had been bouncing a big red ball that had gotten away from him and landed at Damien’s feet. Compared to Damien who was just over six feet tall, the little five year old boy was only about four feet tall. Damien kicked the ball lightly over to the little boy, and offered him a smile as the boy ran away terrified of Damien.

Damien’s response only angered Hyperion even more. Hyperion took a step towards Damien, as he was now standing, and closed the gap between them. He slapped Damien across the face, and towered over him.

“How dare you speak to me that way,” Hyperion hissed. “I am a god and above you! You should be thankful I am letting you even live. If it weren’t for Gaia’s thick head, you would be dead by now,” he added with sincere hatred and malice.

Before Damien could get any other words in, he heard footsteps approaching. Gaia had overheard their discussion and came to silence them both, as other people were starting to notice. As Gaia walked, she walked with grace, and hands folded across her chest. She glared the both of them, but particularly at Hyperion.

“I expected better of you Hyperion,” Gaia scolded. “You always boast about how you follow the laws of the world, yet, here you are breaking them! What if a mortal over hears you?”

Both of Damien’s and Hyperion’s mouths dropped open at her choice of words. Hyperion was being yelled at? Well, this made Damien’s day. He always thought that Hyperion was Gaia’s little pet so to speak and never got in trouble with her, but as Damien looked at Gaia right now, she looked livid.

“You have no right to order Damien around in the way you are. He has proven himself to me. If anything, I should try you for treason and insubordination,” she threatened.

“Your Majesty, I beg your forgiveness,” Hyperion stuttered. “I honestly did not mean any harm.” Hyperion cowered before her as his knees wobbled with fear.

“I am very well aware of that Hyperion, however, you did use my name in vane, and that I will not tolerate. Now, go back to your wife, and I will continue speaking with Damien,” Gaia ordered.

Without another word, Hyperion bowed, and walked with unease to Theia’s room. An awkward silence then grew between Damien and Gaia as they were left alone. Damien was still trying to process everything. He did not understand how or why he and Selene were soul mates, nor did he know what he was going to do about it. Gaia seemed to know what was going on inside Damien’s mind, and broke the awkward silence.

“You must be very confused Damien,” Gaia said as she sat down on one of the chairs that was lined up against the wall.

“I am very confused Gaia. I have always felt drawn to Selene, but I never could understand why until tonight,” he admitted.

“I must admit, I am just as confused as you are about this. I had no idea you two were soul mates. I always thought she would be bound to Endymion forever.”

“Me too.” Damien sighed and shook his head as his mind raced a million miles a minute. He had a decision to make, and one that was not going to be easy. To some respect, Hyperion was right about one thing…he should not be around Selene while she was growing up. “I’m starting to think Hyperion was right though Gaia. Maybe I shouldn’t be around Selene, at least, not while she’s growing up and trying to be human.”

The way Damien spoke, he had such sadness in his voice as he came to this realization. He truly cared for and loved Selene, but he knew the dangers of being around her. The last thing that he wanted was for Selene to be killed again.

“Are you sure that’s what you want Damien,” Gaia asked while looking very concerned.

Damien’s breathing became rapid and unsteady, as if he were beginning to have a panic attack. Life without Selene was going to be boring, but it had to be done. He needed to do the right thing here however, no matter how hard that was going to be.

“Yes, Gaia, I am sure. It’s to protect Selene. I will miss her, but, she is honestly better off without me.”

“I don’t believe you really mean that Damien.”

“What choice do I have Gaia? Theia wants to raise Selene as a human. I am far from being mortal. Besides, if you really think about it, the farther I stay away from Selene, the less threats she will get from my father and his minions. Being away from her is going to kill me, but, as long as she stays safe, the pain will be worth it. Moreover, it is not like I will stay away from her forever. Once her powers are woken up again, I will be able to slowly come back into her life.”

“If that is your final decision Damien, then so mote it be. I will tell Theia the news, and you can say goodbye to Selene if you would like. Do you have any ideas as to what you will do in that time?”

“Are you saying that I am free Gaia?”

“Yes, so long as you do not go back to your father, and behave accordingly, you are free to live amongst the mortals and our kind.”

“Thank you Gaia. You have no idea how much that means to me. I promise I won’t let you down.”

“I will hold you to that Damien. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go and speak with my daughter and son. Once Hyperion leaves the room, you will be able to say good bye to Selene.”

After Gaia said that, she headed back to Theia’s room to speak with them. Damien paced back and forth nervously while biting what little he had of his fingernails. What was he going to say to Selene? He knew that she would not be able to understand what he would say, but he had to tell her goodbye. Surely, the bond between them would have some impact on her future, much less his? He wondered if Selene would hate him for abandoning her.

Damien pushed his thoughts aside as he heard the door to Theia’s room open and saw Gaia and a very angry looking Hyperion exit it. Hyperion glared at Damien as he passed and muttered to him, “make it quick.” Gaia had happened to catch that, and whacked Hyperion on the back of his head.

“You can go in now Damien, though you do not have much time. The doctor will be in again very soon,” Gaia said softly as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Thank you Gaia, for everything. I’ll see you in 18 years,” Damien said as he headed into Theia and Selene’s room.

Before Damien entered the room, he knocked lightly on the door as he opened it and stuck his head it cautiously. Theia sat up on the bed and smiled at Damien with Selene in her arms. Selene’s face had been buried in her mother’s breast, which had been acting as a cushion. As soon as Damien’s entire body was in the room, Selene turned her head to look at Damien and opened her eyes for the first time.

“Incredible,” Theia whispered. “Babies never open their eyes right away.”

“I guess she must know who I am,” Damien said grimly as he sat on the edge of Theia’s bed.

“I am sure Selene will forgive you when she’s older. She won’t know about any of this until her powers are awakened.”

“When will that be?”

“I don’t know. She could be 18, or 21 when it happens.”

“Wonderful,” Damien said sarcastically.

“Gaia said you wanted to say goodbye to Selene?”

“Yes, I do. I feel it is only right. Is that okay?”

“Yes of course it is Damien.”

“May I hold her?”

Theia hesitated for a moment, but as soon as Selene cooed for Damien, she handed her daughter over to him. Damien took Selene carefully in his arms, and looked down at the young goddess. Selene’s green eyes looked up at him with curiosity. Selene had the feeling that she knew him from somewhere, but could not put her finger on it. Then again, she was a newborn baby and the fact that she could even recognize Damien at all was a miracle in it of itself. Damien leaned down and kissed Selene’s forehead gently. Nerves built up inside of him as he tried to desperately put his thoughts into several coherent sentences.

“Well Selene, I guess this is goodbye. You don’t want someone like me in your life,” Damien said sadly. “I am the reason why you have to go through childhood again. I was so stupid and listened to my father who wanted you dead.” Damien paused and looked away from Selene and Theia. “I am so sorry for the pain I caused you Selene. I promise to never put you through something like this ever again,” he promised. Damien reached into his pocket, and pulled out a blue velvet box and opened it up with one hand. He pulled out a necklace with a butterfly on it, and carefully placed it on Selene. “Wear this, and I will always be around. I know you don’t understand a thing I am saying to you, but I can see the wheels turning inside your head Selene.”

As Damien spoke, Selene poked her tiny index finger at the necklace that was around her neck. It was shiny, and had her attention for the moment. She cooed again, and looked up at Damien. Their auras were connected again, and she felt safe in his arms, despite what had happened in her other life. Even though she did not understand a word of what Damien was saying, she could sense the meaning of it behind the gentle touch in sound of his voice. Selene cooed once more, and grabbed hold of Damien’s shirt. She was not ready to let him go at all. Damien let out a sigh, and hugged her gently in his arms.

“Shh, there there Selene. We will meet again someday. It is just that right now you need to grow up without me interfering with your life. If I hang around you, Hades will surely find out about your existence, and will not only find ways to torture me, but he will torture you as well. Always remember that I love you, and will always love you. The butterfly necklace that I gave you has a protection charm in it made especially for you. It won’t be as strong as the one Gaia is going to place on you.”

Damien stood up, and shifted Selene in his arms so that they were both more comfortable. He kissed her forehead again, walked over to Theia on the other side of the bed, and placed Selene gently in her arms.

“Be safe little one, for we will meet again someday,” Damien said as he stuck his hands inside his pockets. “Thank you for letting me stay with you and Jason Theia, and thank you for letting me help you for as long as you have. I wish you and Selene a healthy and safe life together.”

Before Theia could say anything, Damien left the room as quickly as he could. If he had stayed any longer, he would not have had the strength to leave. As he closed the door behind him, Damien heard the sound of Selene crying and it broke his un-beating heart. That was when Damien caught a glimpse of Leon Greene turning the corner; his back turned towards Damien as he rounded it.