(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)When I show the girls the pregnancy test result, Alice and Paula get as excited as I am, but Fiona remains frozen in her place. Maybe it is my imagination but she even looks a little bit upset. It takes her a few minutes to digest the news, and then she congratulates me in the coldest way possible and leaves the restroom hastily.“What is her problem?” Paula asks as we watch her leave. “Maybe she is jealous, she is always talking about having a baby… maybe she thought she would have one before Aubrey,” Alice replies shrugging. “That’s childish,” Paula comments. I do not say anything. Knowing how much Fiona wants a baby, Alice is probably right, but ri

(Leopold’s P.O.V)I walk into my office and take a seat while I think about the news I just received last night. I feel as if my heart was going to explode with happiness. Aubrey and I are going to have a baby, in a few months I am going to have a daughter or a son. I feel like the luckiest man on this earth. I lean my head on the back of my seat as I think about what the future holds for us. A few months ago our life was complete chaos and now everything has fallen into place and our little family is going to have a new member. I never imagined being this happy was possible and it is all thanks to Aubrey, this girl completely changed my bitter and lonely life for good, she is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I will always feel thankful that she was assigned to me. I laugh every time I think about how mad I was when Major Anderson informed me she was going to be my Bearer. I was a fool back then and had no idea I was

(A few months later) (Aubrey’s P.O.V.)I put my hands on my round belly as I look out the window, it is a lovely afternoon. "My darling, can you hand me that brush, please?" Leopold says from the top of the ladder.I grunt a little because I do not want to get away from the window, the smell of fresh paint is making me dizzy. I do what he asked me and I return immediately to my place next to the window, with my head practically sticking out towards the street."You can go if you want, you do not have to stay here if the smell bothers you, I have no problem staying here by myself," Leopold says with a smile as he dips the brush into the bucket of yellow paint that we chose for the nursery."No, it is okay, I want to keep you company. Maybe I can not help you paint, but my presence here counts as moral support,&rdq

(A few months later) (Aubrey’s P.O.V.)My eye lids feel so heavy that I have to close my eyes for a moment to rest. I can still hear Grandma and Mabel as they talk to each other seated on the couch next to my bed. I would like to ask them to give me a few hours to sleep in peace but I am afraid to be perceived as rude. The whole family is so excited about the birth of our little Bastian that they did not even wait for us to leave the Bearer Center to come to meet him. Normally, the Matrons do not allow so many family members to be here at the same time, but this time they decided to let it pass because of Leopold’s rank.Leopold is showing little Bastian to Jareth and Roberta in the nursery, while the three of us stay in the room waiting for them to come back."Aubrey, are you paying attention? What do you think about the id

(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)I feel like I am trapped inside a nightmare and I don’t know how to wake up from it. The house is full of Sharks that come and go gathering evidence. I am seated in an armchair in the living room while Alice holds my hand to give me strength. On my lap, I have Bastian’s blue baby blanket. My baby boy is not here, someone took him and forgot his blanket. Bastian must be cold, he must be scared, hungry... I burst into tears again. Alice surrounds me with her arms to comfort me. She says nothing because there is nothing to say. What can you say to a person in a situation like this? There are no words, no possible comfort. The 9th Unit along with other Units is questioning all our neighbors, hoping that someone has seen something unusual that can help us find Bastian's whereabouts. People I have never seen in my life are searching for Basti