A Second Choosing

Chapter Eleven

“Don’t do this Elizabeth.” I warned. “Austin, take her.” I ordered and he quickly took her looking only at me. “No.” I whispered and then I walked up to the stage to deal with Eli.

“Is it true?” He whispered in my ear when I walked into his side.

“We’ll talk later.” I promised him as the guards came to escort us.

“We’re alone.” Eli said as soon as we were sitting in the room for visitors.

“It’s true.” I whispered looking down.

“You are going back into this and risking our child for what…?” He started slowly and I knew he was trying to keep his temper.

“You won’t understand.” I shook my head but then Elizabeth and Austin walked in and Elizabeth immediately climbed into my lap.

“You’ll come back safe won’t you?” Elizabeth whispered.

“How did you find out?” I asked her.

“I saw the test in the trash.” She whispered, “I never thought you’d be willing to risk your child for me… I never wanted you to do that.”

“I know.” I promised her and just tightened my arms. “I love you though… and even though I love this little thing inside me… I owe you this.”

“You don’t owe me anything.” She whispered but comprehension suddenly flowed through Eli and he pulled me into his side.

“This is about the fire.” He whispered into my ear and I nodded. “We’ll talk tonight?” He requested and I nodded again.

“Be careful.” Austin ordered a few minutes later when the guard came to escort them out.

“Take care of Elizabeth.” I replied and he nodded.

“Let’s head upstairs?” Eli suggested when I finally pulled away and stood up. I smiled some and nodded knowing he was talking about the top of the train.

“Hey Eli?” I whispered when we were up there knowing that he was going to wait for the train to start before he mentioned the baby.

“Yes?”

“What would happen if one of us fell off the train?”

“The train is protected with a force field.” He explained throwing a stone and a second later he caught it as it flew back up. “Even if that wasn’t there though we are vampires… falling off a train wouldn’t even come close to killing us. It’d be painful and we’d need blood but not death.” The train started then and he tightened his arms to keep me steady. “Now…” He started.

“It’s too late to change anything Eli.” I whispered and he covered my hand on my stomach.

“I know.” He sighed but pulled me in closer. “You have to promise me though, Bree… this time… this time you have to do whatever I tell you to. I need you and my child safe.”

“Our child.” I corrected.

“You know that losing your parents wasn’t your fault right?” He questioned even though he knew the answer. We both knew just how much I blamed myself now that I was risking our baby in order to take Elizabeth’s spot in the Choosing.

“I should have been at school.” I whispered shaking my head.

“You stayed home to help.” He shook his head.

“They only let me stay home because I had begged them all night. Daddy was supposed to leave again that afternoon and so… they made me agree to go to school after he left. I would have been at school if I wasn’t so…”

“Scared? Worried? If you didn’t want your daddy?” He suggested.

“Because of me though Elizabeth never got her Dad.” I whispered, “If I had just gone to school like Dad told me to then Dad could have gotten Mom out of the fire first thing and they would both still be alive.”

“You don’t know that for sure.” Eli whispered. “When it is somebody’s time to go then we can’t stop that. It wasn’t your time to go but it was theirs.” He promised softly. “We can’t change that now.”

“Just like you can’t change this now?” I suggested and he smiled some but nodded.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you were pregnant?” He whispered, “Didn’t I deserve to hear it before the rest of the world?”

“Well in my defense…” I started, “I thought I was still the only one that knew. I was waiting until this was all over so that we could completely enjoy the moment not have it… tainted.” I settled.

“We’ll enjoy it completely tonight.” He suggested in my ear and I smiled turning so that I could kiss him.

“That sounds nice.” I sighed but then added, “We won’t be off camera long enough to do anything though.”

“They don’t film in the bathrooms.” He smiled and I giggled blushing some but just putting my face in his chest.