In between beatings, Raph was working away at the ropes that bound him. The crate edges proved to be rather effective at wearing through the rope, but it was slow going.
He knew he should never have brought Hope into this, but getting married, changing his name, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Hope was loaded, so he didn’t even need to risk going back to a life of crime to support himself.
He couldn’t even look at Hope now. Her face was soaked with tears from watching them beat him.
A groan then erupted from Hope and Raph allowed himself to look over discreetly. There was a ripple across her stomach and blood was coming from her mouth. They hadn’t touched her... did they? No, there was no one nearby... oh hell!
The tears were starting down Hope face again. Oh all the time her baby would decide to be born, he would have to decide that now was a good time! She’d already bitten her bottom lip through trying not to groan. Now she couldn’t stop herself and her lip hurt like crazy. Another groan escaped her lips.
“Shut up!”
Hope screwed up her face, silently beginning for a false labour. Up on the crate Raph swore silently and got his second wind trying to break the ropes.
”Don’t groan! Don’t groan!” Hope begged herself.
The next contraction came upon her and she groaned again before she could stop herself.
“I told you to shut up!” the gangster shouted at her.
The next moment was like it was in slow motion: the gangster walked towards her, lifting up his gun. Raphael tore through the ropes binding his arms and was able to throw himself into Hope’s direction – the ropes binding his feet hadn’t quite worn though, so he was still stuck. The gangster shot but instead of hitting Hope, the bullet struck Raphael in the back.
“Raph!” Hope cried.
The gangster snarled and was about to go for a second shot when one of the women stopped him.
“She’s in labour, idiot,” she informed him. “I told you she was too close and we should have waited until after the baby was born.”
He snarled at her but she stared him down.
“Pack it up,” he ordered, finally.
The gang stared moving. The woman picked up Hope’s mobile phone from the table, dialed and put it back down again.
In minutes the gang was gone.
“Raph? Raph?” Hope asked, peering anxiously at him.
“Hey, Hope,” Raphael coughed.
“They’re gone...”
“Good, good.”
“I’m sorry... I didn’t mean too... I tried...”
“I know, beautiful. I know.”
The time seemed to tick away. Hope couldn’t untie herself and still the contractions came. Raphael was too injured to finish releasing himself. Conversation dwindled as both said encouraging things to each other but slowly Raphael’s eyes started to close.
“Raph?”
“... love you...”
“Raph? Raph!” Hope cried.
She heard a noise outside and cried out again as another contraction hit her. Don’t tell her the gang was back again?
A figure in a police uniform entered the warehouse.
“Hello?”
Hope looked up, well, hopefully.
“Over here!” she called.
The officer walked over, swore and started calling for his partner to get an ambulance.
“It’s okay, we’ve been found,” Hope said to Raphael. “We’re going to be okay.”
“Mmm...”
“Raph? I love you too.”
Raphael smiled.