Mouse
In the middle of the night, Mouse got out of bed and walked out of her room. Which was really Taylor's but she was sleeping in it. The thing was...she wasn't awake when she did it.
Fafnir rolled over in bed to see Mouse's back go out the door. He wasn't worried, but when she didn't come back, he became so. He got out of bed and padded towards the door. He sniffed the air. Bets came to his side. Where'd she go?
I don't...know. You go get Tay, I'll start tracking. Fafnir followed his nose to the slowly banging door. Bets slipped back inside and tugged at the sleeve of Taylor's pajama top with her teeth.
Wake up. Mouse went somewhere. We don't know where, and the front door's banging.
Taylor
Taylor yawned, rubbing his eyes.
"She sleep-walks?" he looked confused, then towards the door.
With a yawn, he scratched Bets behind the ear.
"Ok, let's go find her."
He got up, put on some slippers, and began to follow the malamute.
Mouse
Bets padded down the street, following the scent of her mate. When they caught up to Mouse and Fafnir, Mouse's eyes were closed and she was still fine but Fafnir was quite dusty and sporting a lot of scratches and limpming. Vampires, demons, all out for an easy sleeping meal. He said briefly. Mouse kept walking, heading somewhere in her sleep.
Poor baby.
Shut up. It has not been fun.
I was expressing sympathy, oh brave and wounded wolf.
That's alright then. Vampire! Fafnir lunged and gradually brough the vampire down so he could bite through its chest and jerk his head backwards, bringing its heart with him. It dusted. Bleeaargghh. He coughed in disguest. Mouse stayed oblivious.
Taylor
"Holy crap!" Taylor exclaimed, "that was a... a..."
He shook himself, trying to get the picture out of his head.
"Ok, weird."
He carefully made his way up to Mouse, put a hand on her shoulder and closed his eyes. This stopped her walking any further.
"We can't wake her up," he whispered in wolf, "it'll only scare her. Something..."
He frowned a little, his stomach feeling weird all of a sudden.
"This is... something weird's happening here."
MOuse
Mouse frowned in her sleep, then stepped away from Taylor's hand and started walking again, cutting across the road.
Inside her womb, something moved. ^Isshe?^ ^Yes.^ ^Good.^ ^Yes.^ ^Warmthlovehappiness^ ^Laughtermotherhappylaugh^ ^Nightcoldwarmthhere^ ^Lovestrengthgohere^ Mouse moved towards what they said. ^Lovemotherlovelovelove.^ Mouse's face was peaceful.
This is really, really odd. Bets looked at Fafnir. Does she do this often?
She's never done it before...
Taylor
Taylor was momentarily distracted, but opened his eyes in time to see the car coming down the street...
"Oh no..."
He quickly rushed toward Mouse and slowly plucked her from the road and into his arms - carefully so as not to wake her. He felt a twitch in his stomach, but concentrated enough to get them out of the way of the car.
The driver yelled obscenities at them being in the road, but didn't stop. Taylor sighed with relief, watching it leave.
Mouse
Close. Fafnir said after he got his heart out of his throat. Way, waaaaay too close.
Don't need to tell me twice. Bets shuddered. Mouse shrugged off Taylor's arms and headed across the road again.
^Yesyesyes.^ ^Lovelovelovemother^ ^Badbadbadthingstoppingmotherus^ Mouse frowned. ^Thiswaythiswaythisway^
She walked steadily through the streets, heading towards something she didn't know what. But compelled to do so. She knew that she was moving, somehow...but it didn't matter. Nicer to stay here where it was warm and safe and she was loved unconditionally. The sound of a heartbeat pulsed through her ears.
Taylor
Taylor rubbed his arm, shivering from the cold, as he began to follow her again.
He not only felt the weird feeling in his stomach... or maybe lower... but he semeed to be hearing murmurs in his head.
They weren't quite voices, and they weren't his imagination. They weren't the nearby insects or animals - he'd hear them clearly. It was getting unnerving... he wasn't used to not understanding.
Mouse
Mouse walked and walked, and they followed her. Finally, they made their way to a grassy area which had a large sign bearing the legend 'Mohawk Park' and she lay down on the grass under some trees and cradled her head on her arms. ^We'reherewe'rehere!^ The voices sang happily. ^LoveloveloveloveLOVEmother.^ Fafnr and Bets came warily closer and then Bets knelt beside Mouse. Fafnir stayed up, senses on high alert. ^BeautyPEACEquiet...^
Ok, we've stopped. Why here? Bets laid her head on her front paws. What's so special about this place?
It's away from people... Fafnir said softly. Quiet. And there's trees everywhere. Granted, it's probably not really that deserted but it seems that way. Which makes me think it's not Mouse. She usually avoids parks like the plague.
^MOTHERLOVE!^ ^Ssshhh.^ ^Shhhhh...^ ^Lovelovelovehappinesslaughterwarmth.^ ^Beautysoftnessgentlequiet.^
Taylor
"Mother love?" Taylor whispered to himself, then shook his head.
"Damn these voices in my head."
He dug the heel of his right hand into his right eye, crouching beside Mouse so he'd know if she moved.
"There's a lot of animals here... they're watching out for us Fafnir, don't worry. They're watching from the trees... the bushes. They know me."
Mouse
Fafnir shrugged. My job to guard. Pack. Alpha bitch must be protected at *all* costs. She has the pups.
And don't you just love that uncomplicated thinking? Bets sighed.
^LOVELOVELOVE!^ ^SHHH!^ ^Wakemothernonono.^ ^Shhquietrestsleep.^ ^Healmothersavemothersafemother^ ^Lovelovelovemother.^ ^Warmthheartbeatsafetywarmthlove...^ ^WARMTHHEARTBEATSHHH!^ Mouse jerked and woke up and the voices wailed.
"Uh, wha?" She looked around dazedly. "Um. Grass?" She frowned. "Why am I sitting on grass when I fell asleep in a bed?"
You walked. Fafnir stated.
"I did?"
Taylor
Taylor was holding his head trying to concentrate, which was really good for this time of night/morning/whatever. He barely noticed when Mouse awoke.
"Love? Shushing... Warm something... what, heartbeat?" he murmured to himself, completely confused.
Why couldn't he hear it?
Then he flinched as Fafnir's cold nose touched him.
"Faf'?! What... Mouse?" he looked confused, "oh! You're... um... ok."
He looked embarrassed as he scratched his head.
"Yeah, you were sleep walking. This is where you led us."
MOuse
"I did?" Mouse crinkled her nose. "My feet are sore..."
Correction, your feet are bleeding. Bets said dryly.
"Oh, so they are. Ow." She studied her feet. "Mental note, next time wear shoes."
^MotherBLEEDohNOhelpHELPMOTHER!^ ^IhelpIhelpshhhHEAL!^ ^NotworknotoworkNOTWORK!^ ^Ohohoh!HELPMOTHER!^ ^Healpleasehealheal.^ ^SADNESSGRIEFPAIN!^ ^LOVE!Lovelovelovewarmthheartbeatbeatbeat.^ ^LISTEN!Heartbeatbeatbeat...^ ^Warmthheartbeatbeatbeat...^
Mouse put a hand on her stomach, frowning.
Taylor
"I know she's bleeding," he murmured to the voices, still not knowing where they were ocming from.
Maybe he was oging crazy after all. Maybe Tanya hadn't done something in her last treatment.
He began to take his slippers off and put them onto Mouse.
"Yeah, it's a bit cold," he said out loud, cringing a little.
They were a bit big for her, but it was better than nothing. It was too cold out.
"Are you right to walk home, or do you want me to carry you?"
'I AM listening, but I'm not hearing,' he frowned in thought to the last cry in his head.
MOuse
^WHOWHOWHO?!^ ^Other?^ ^Notmother.^ ^Notus.^ ^NOTUSNOTMOTHER! WHOWHOWHO?!^ ^Otheroutsidewarmth...^ ^Poorother.OUTSIDECOLD!^ ^Wesafewarmloveloveloved.^ ^Loveother?^ ^?????^
"I think I can walk..." Mouse got shakily to her feet and tested the soreness. "Need to wash my feet clean when I get home. They'll be all...icky."
^LOVEOTHER?OTHERLOVEUSLOVEMOTHER?^ ^Loveother?^ ^Yes.Loveother.^ ^Helpmotherothergood.^ ^Othernice?OTHERHELPMOTHER?^
"And my head feels all...echoey." She shook her head, frowning. "Odd. Let's start walking. I'm cold." Fafnir and Bets pressed up against her legs and she laced her fingers into their fur, shivering. She was only wearing an overlarge t-shirt and boxers. It made her look about thirteen.
Taylor
"AH! God!"
Taylor fell forward onto his left hand as his right held his head.
"Who? Who? Who asks who? My God!"
He cringed, now obvlivious to his surroundings.
"Who are you?! What mother?! What..."
Then his eyes widened as the voices continued to yell.
"Mouse is a mother," he realized, speaking softly so she couldn't hear, "who are you? Why are you talking to me?"
MOuse
"Tay, are you alright?" Mouse's brow creased in concern.
^WHOYOU?!^ ^WEARETHREE!Threeheartbeatbeatbeatmotherlovemother.^ ^Lovewarmthhappiness.^ ^POOROTHER.NOTWITHMOTHER.^ ^WARMTHLOVEHAPPINESSLOVE.^ ^HEARTBEATBEATBEAT.^ The three sang loudly, realising there was a person outside who could hear them.
"Tay..." Mouse put a hand on his shoulder. The nagging beginnings of a headache was forming behind her eyes.
^LOVE!MOTHERLOVEMOTHERLOVEMOTHER.^ ^WARMTHHAPPINESSSECURITY.^ ^HEALMOTHER.^ ^YES!HEALMOTHER.^ The voices demanded. ^OTHERHELPNOW!^ ^Otherniceyes?^ ^Thinkso.^ ^Knowso.^ ^Loveother?^ ^OTHERLOVEUSMOTHER?^ ^Motherloveother.^ The three thought about that for a moment. ^MOTHERLOVEOTHER?IFYESTHREELOVEOTHER.^ ^WEDO?^ ^^^YES.^^^ They announced together. ^Loveothergoodthinksoyes.Warmthlovehappinesslaughter.^ ^Belovedothermotherwarmthlove.^
Taylor
"Three what?!" Taylor exclaimed, holding his head, "who's the other?! I can't..."
He shook his head, desperately trying to hear. Why couldn't he hear the voices clearly? Nothing like this had ever happened to him before. Maybe something was wrong with his power?
Mouse
Mouse kelt down beside him. "Tay, what's wrong? What are you going on about?"
^YOUAREOTHER!^ ^NOTUSNOTMOTHER!^ The voices chorused. ^THREEUS! WEARETHREE!^ ^Warmthlovefriendliness.^ Mouse blinked and put a hand to her stomach.
"Who...what?"
^MOTHER!^
"Ok, I'm offically weirded out now."
Taylor
"I am the other?" Taylor looked confused, "Taylor. I'm Taylor. Who are... wait. Mother. Is Mouse mother?"
His eyes began to grow wide with both confusion and worry.
MOuse
^^^MOTHERISMOTHER!WARMTHLOVESECURITY!^^^
Mouse blanched. "Tone it down, would you?"
The three huddled together, crying.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry..." She ran her hands over her stomach, crooning. "Ok, we have babies who are talking to you, me...us. How can they do that?"
Taylor
"I don't know..." Taylor shook his head, glancing up at her, "this..."
He took her hand and stood up beside her.
"This has never happened to me before," he searched her eyes, "I mean, I'm hearing unborn... babies for crying out loud."
He frowned.
"You're having triplets. And they hear me."
Mouse
"Triplets..." Mouse's eyes went wide. "And I'm guessing by your reaction, hearing them this soon or ever when they're still in utero is not a normal alien thing, huh?"
Taylor
"I... I don't know," Taylor shook his head, "my power's too rare, and... I don't know many people with it."
He ran his fingers through his hair.
"It never happened when mom was pregnant. I... I hope something isn't wrong with me."
Mouse
"It's probably just the babies." The corner of Mouse's eye twitched. "After all, we don't exactly know what they are."
^^^???????^^^
"Don't you worry yourselves about it," she told them firmly.
Taylor
"You can feel them with your empathy," Taylor realized, a smile growing on his face, "I don't know how I'm hearing them, but I can tell you something... The main thing they're talking about is their love for you."
He smiled and leant forward, engaging her in a prolonged kiss.
MOuse
^Otherfather?^ ^Mothersayyes.^ ^^^FATHER!^^^ They chorused.
"I think you just got yourself elected," Mouse said softly.
Taylor
"Oh God," Taylor chuckled, leaning his forehead against hers.
"I heard them. Up here."
He tapped his temple.
"I don't hear them like I hear the animals. They'r ein my head... which is even more weird. I can only hear when they yell... otherwise it's just faint whispers that I just can't make out."
He hesitated, kissing her again.
"Well... it's going to be interesting."
Mouse
"I love you...I don't think I say that nearly enough. So many guys would freak and run. You're so good to me..." Her eyes overflowed with tears.
^Don'tcry!^ ^Motherpleasedon'tcry!^
Taylor
Taylor shrugged.
"Je t'aime. Je dois prendre soin de vous. Protégez-vous. Soyez là pour vous."
He kissed her again, then bent down a little and put his arms around her.
"Let's get you home."
And he lifted her into his arms, and began back down the street.
MOuse
Mouse made him out her down a few streets on and they walked back to the Hanson home. Amazingly, no one had woken up to find out that they'd left the house. They crawled back into their respective beds and Fafnir laid against the door and Bets crawled into bed with Mouse.
We do not want a repeat. They told her firmly and she and Taylor both laughed softly before kissing once more then falling alseep.