The Black Rose

"Atticus, it's time," came a small voice from the dark.Atticus was awakened suddenly by being pushed.

"What," he called half asleep.

"Atticus get up, it's time. The baby is coming."

Atticus jumped up, immediately awake. There on the end of the bed was his very pregnant but beautiful life partner, Sokanon, and she was going into labor.

"Shit, I don't know what to do," Atticus said while he started to run around like a chicken with its head cut off.

"Go get Isaiah," she said as she laid down on the bed. "He'll know what to do."

Atticus ran out of the room. He was now just realizing that it was night fall. Atticus slammed into Isaiah's door, and started banging on it.

"Isaiah, it's time," he stopped to listen. "Isaiah… now… Isaiah… help please." Atticus emphasized each syllable with a bang.

Isaiah flung the door open, and without a second glance, he ran up the stairs. Isaiah reached the landing and yelled back, "Atticus: hot water, towels and hurry!"

Atticus nodded and left to get everything. Isaiah immediately went to Sokanon.

"Isaiah, it hurts," Sokanon cried once he opened the door.

"I know," Isaiah said as he bent down to take a look. "Sweetheart, this is going to be really fast."

"I hope so," she groaned as another contraction started.

Atticus came running in the room, he set everything down and went up to Sokanon with a towel and started to wipe her forehead.

"Atticus, I don't think I can do this."

"Yes, you can, just push when he says so. I love you so much," he said as he gave her a kiss.

"Atticus, she is losing a lot of blood."

"Can we do something," Atticus spoke in a whisper.

"I don't know. We could try and give her blood." Isaiah looked very pale.

"I will go to the kitchen." Atticus ran to the kitchen. He grabbed a packet of blood, and ran back. Atticus sat down again at Sokanon's head. "Hang in there, love. We will make everything better. Fight please," he pleaded.

"Atticus, give her the blood," Isaiah commanded.

Atticus gave her the blood.

"I see the head, keep pushing," yelled Isaiah.

About that time, Sokanon refused the blood.

"No love, you need this. Please take it."

"No. I know when my time is up, I am just happy I could give you a baby."

"One more push, and that baby is here," Isaiah yelled at Sokanon.

Sokanon was getting extremely pale.

"Isaiah," Atticus screamed.

"Atticus, I don't know what to do." He held up a beautiful baby girl.

"Look love, its a girl." Atticus held the newborn up, so Sokanon could see her new child.

"Isabelle," Sokanon quietly said, taking the baby. For a moment, pleasure and joy were on her face, and then pain. Atticus quietly took the baby and put her on the bed.

"Isaiah, what's going on?"

"She has lost too much blood."

"Do something," said a very scared Atticus. "I can't lose her."

"I am sorry." Isaiah stood up and put a sheet over Sokanon's face. "I am going to clean Isabelle up."

Atticus cried for days, first he lost someone that he had spent almost 400 years with, and he had also made a beautiful baby girl with her; while Isaiah had to take care of Isabelle, and make funeral arrangements for Sokanon.

Sokanon was buried in the back yard. Over 300 people showed up to wish Atticus good luck, and their condolences. Atticus didn't tell a soul about Isabelle. Only Isaiah, and himself knew.
About a year after Sokanon's death, Atticus told Isaiah that he had to give Isabelle up till she turned 18, because it was for her own safety, and so that she would have a chance to live in the human world. Atticus said that he had found a family with a mother that stays home with their two year old boy, and a father that is a doctor. Atticus left a note, explaining that he would be back to get her at the age of 18.

He sent Isaiah out early one morning, to his daughter's new home. When Isaiah came back, there was one less person in the house, and Atticus stayed locked up in his room for the next 17 year