CHAPTER 33: THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

The truck was shaking so badly I thought my bones would break.

Every bump on the road sent pain straight through my belly. I was lying on Killian's chest, but I could barely feel his hands anymore. My whole body was going cold.

"Hey. Hey, Elena." Killian was tapping my cheek, gently. "Don't do this. Don't close your eyes like that. Talk to me. Say my name."

I tried. God, I tried. "Killian..."

"Yes. Yes, I'm here. I'm here." His voice was cracking. He was not shouting like a boss anymore. He was just... scared. "Don't leave me like this. Please."

Bianca was at the back, holding her own daughter, Tiny Elena, so tight the baby started crying. "Shhh, shhh, baby, shhh," she was whispering, but her own voice was shaking. She was crying too.

Leo was holding Killian's shirt with both hands. "Uncle Killian, why is Aunty Elena's dress red?" he asked. "Did Aunty Elena fall down?"

Nobody answered him. Nobody knew what to tell a child.

Eva's voice came through the speaker. "Killian, her blood pressure is dropping fast. You have about one hour and thirty minutes to the hospital. Keep talking to her."

Killian nodded, but he was not looking at Eva. He was looking at me. "Elena, you remember that day you told me you don't like the bunker food? You said my soup tastes like dirty water?" He tried to laugh, but it came out like a sob. "When we go back, I will learn how to cook better. I promise. Just stay."

I wanted to laugh. I wanted to tell him his soup really was terrible. But the pain was too much. "My babies..." I whispered. "Are they..."

"They are fine," he said quickly. Too quickly. "They are strong. Like you. Just hold on."

We finally saw the hospital. It looked old, broken, one window cracked. But to Killian, it looked like heaven.

The truck had not even stopped well when he jumped down with me in his arms. He almost fell. His leg slipped. His boy had to hold him.

"Doctor! Somebody help! Please!" He was shouting, but his voice was hoarse. "My wife... she is pregnant... she was poisoned... she is bleeding... please..."

Nurses ran out. They were tired. One of them had blood on her own apron already. They put me on a stretcher.

"Please," Killian said, holding my hand, not wanting to let go. "Please don't let her die. I beg you."

"Sir, you have to let go," the nurse said, gently pulling his hand away. "Let us work."

He let go. He just stood there, watching them wheel me away. His hands were covered in my blood. He looked at his hands like he did not recognize them.

"Elena!" he called. "I'm outside! I'm not going anywhere!"

Inside, everything was white and cold. The doctor was a man in his fifties, glasses, tired eyes. He looked like he had not slept in days.

"How far along is she?" he asked the nurse.

"We need to scan," she said.

They did the scan. They did the blood test. I was half awake, half gone. I heard pieces.

"Twins..."

"Five months..."

Then I blacked out.

Outside, Killian was pacing. Up and down. Up and down. Bianca tried to give him water. He pushed it away.

"Killian, drink some water," she said.

"I don't want water," he snapped. Then he immediately felt bad. "Sorry. Sorry, Bianca. I'm just... I'm scared."

"I know," she said. She sat beside him. "Me too."

Two hours passed. Nobody came.

Killian went to the doctor's door and knocked. "Please, is there any news?"

"Please wait, sir," the nurse said.

He went back and sat down. He put his head in his hands.

Then the door opened.

The doctor came out, wiping sweat from his forehead. He looked at Killian, then at Bianca.

"Mr. Killian," he said slowly. "Your wife is alive. For now."

Killian stood up so fast his chair fell. "And my babies? Are they alive?"

The doctor held the paper. "According to the scan and her blood tests, Elena is now five months pregnant with twins."

Killian nodded, breathing hard. "Five months. Okay. So... they are okay?"

The doctor shook his head. "No. I am sorry. The poison has already damaged the pregnancy. The bleeding is not stopping. Her body cannot hold the pregnancy anymore. If we leave the pregnancy there, she will keep bleeding. She will die before morning."

The corridor went silent.

Leo looked up, holding Bianca's hand. "Aunty Elena... is Aunty Elena going to die?"

Bianca quickly held him close. "No, baby. No. Aunty Elena will be fine."

Bianca was holding her own daughter, Tiny Elena, in her other arm. Tiny Elena was crying because she was scared.

Killian just stared at the doctor. "What... what are you trying to tell me?"

The doctor put his hand on Killian's shoulder. He was human too. His voice was soft. "I am telling you that to save Elena, we have to remove the pregnancy. I know what I am asking. I know it is cruel. But if we don't do it now, we will lose her. And we will lose the babies too. You have to decide. Now."

Killian did not answer. He just looked at the theatre door.

Behind that door, I was lying there, not knowing anything. Not knowing my husband was outside, being asked to choose between me and our children.

He sank down to the floor. Not like a boss. Like a broken man. His back against the cold wall.

"Elena..." he whispered, tears rolling down his face, mixing with the dried blood on his shirt. "What do I do? If I say yes, you will hate me forever. If I say no, I will lose you forever."

Bianca sat down beside him on the floor. She did not say anything. She just held his hand.

And behind that door, I lay still. I did not know that when I wake up, I might wake up no longer a mother.