The Ink Family Legacy: Generation 5, Chapter 6 Part 4
There were very few non-spoiler pictures this part. I really wanted to use one of the shots of Kira with the baby, but I like suspense. :P
| Part One | Part Two | Part Three |
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"So, you're probably wondering why I've called you all here." Abel began nervously. He had no idea how he was going to explain this, but he figured he better start...
"I've...I've decided that I'm going to take the cure." Abel finally said. "I've been fighting with the idea ever since we got Amy back, and especially now that I'm married with a kid on the way."
"I don't want to outlive Kira by hundreds of years. When she was in the hospital a month ago, that confirmed it once and for all. I don't want her to suffer to have more children. I want to grow old with her. And I can only do that human."
"I don't expect you guys to take the plunge with me." he added. "Please make the decision on your own. I just had to let you guys know, since we're still bonded so closely."
"Abe, you seriously think we're going to let you go through this alone? I don't want to outlive Isis either. I was thinking of investigating the cure so I could buy one for Sobek, too, so he won't suffer." Noah replied.
"Diana doesn't even know I'm a vampire." Seth added. "I'm tired of lying to her, and she's going to notice before long that I'm not aging. And if she went through the same thing as Kira because of me..."
"It's the same for me." Sparrow said. "Even though Tyler would like to become a vampire, the process was too terrifying for me to put him through it. And Robyn...we don't think she's a vampire. She could be like me, but what if she wasn't? I...I couldn't live through her death too."
Abel sighed, smiling slightly. "It sounds like we're in agreement then. But there's still one more factor we have to worry about."
Sparrow nodded. "We have to tell Amélie."
"She's still too young to decide whether or not she wants to be a vampire for life, so we can't make her choose now. But she's going to be very upset that we're not going to be vampires anymore." Abel muttered kneading his forehead. "But we have to be honest with her."
"Why is everyone gathered together?" Amy asked worriedly. "Did something happen?"
"No, nothing's wrong. But Amy, I need you to listen to me carefully." Abel said kneeling down.
"Do you remember when we first brought you home, and we showed you those five bottles? The ones that could make us human?"
"Yes..." she replied cautiously.
"Amélie, the four of us have decided to take the cure. We want to be human for the ones we've married and our children. You saw how hurt Kira was from carrying a vampire baby. I don't want that to ever happen again."
"Amy, you can still chose whichever life you like best, okay? When you're an adult, you can decide whether or not you want to be a vampire. We're adults now, so we have to make the decision now. But we'll all be just as close as before, okay? Just like with Rhyme."
"So...you are leaving me after all."
"Amy, we're not going anywhere, we're-"
"Not now! But one day you're going to die and leave me behind just like Mama and Papa! You weren't supposed to do that! You were supposed to be the ones who could stay with me forever!!"
With that Amy twisted away and sprinted down the hall, away towards the nursery. Abel started to go after her, but Seth held him back.
"Let her cool down a bit. In time, she'll understand."
Abel closed his eyes. They were always saying this about Amélie. He was starting to wonder if it was true.
In the nursery, Amy was busy trying to hold herself together. It was the deepest betrayal she could imagine - their idea of forever was different than hers. When they said they would love her forever, had they always meant such a short time?
Equally bad was her acting so childish in front of them. She had promised Abel that she would be mature! At this rate, he wouldn't wait until his death to abandon her - he would get fed up with her and kick her out.
Trying to keep herself from crying more, she looked around the room for something to distract herself. When she saw her little niece Robyn playing quietly, she knew that she found her answer.
"You're a good girl, Robyn." Amy murmured, hugging her. "You'll play with your Aunt Amy until she calms down, right?"
"Bwee?"
Amy chuckled - Robyn was barely one year old and couldn't really understand her.
"I'll teach you peekaboo, just like I taught Lyra." she decided. "That will be fun, won't it?"
"Here I am!"
"Eee!"
Playing with Robyn really was soothing. This little girl barely had a concept of tomorrow, much less anything else. Sometimes she wished she could be like that.
--- --- --- --- ---
With the decision made, it was time to make the change.
Cures in hand, it was time to say goodbye to what had been a part of them for so long...
The mixture tasted horrifically bitter, medicinal herbs mixed with blood and water. It burned all the way down, feeling like it was winding into their veins...
A rush of blurred vision, of crimson and bats and stars, and then it was over as suddenly as it began. They felt oddly weak and powerful at the same time.
"Okay, that really hurt." Abel whined. "I didn't think the fangs would just retreat like that."
"This is gonna take some getting used to."
"Of course it is." Noah said. "You, Seth, and I were born vampires. We've never known anything else."
"It's definitely unsettling." Seth said, shifting nervously. "I...I can't speak psychically anymore. I'll have to talk all the time."
"I feel oddly familiar." Sparrow mused. "But I've only been a full vampire for seven years, so perhaps that's to be expected."
She then grinned. "I have to go see if Robyn notices the difference!"
"Robyn, do you see anything different about Mommy?" Sparrow asked, cradling her daughter.
"Mee?" Robyn replied, unaware.
"Well, I guess you won't even remember me as a vampire." Row laughed. "But maybe that's for the best. Yes, it's better this way."
Abel made a beeline for Kira, pulling her into the tightest hug he could with her belly.
"Well? What do you think?" Abel asked with nervous excitement.
"God, you look so different! I mean, your face is the same, but minus the glowing eyes...wow, I had no idea they were really that color."
"Abel...you know that you didn't have to do this for me. I knew what I was getting into when I married you. And I would still carry four children through pregnancies like these if they were yours." she said softly.
He smiled. "I know. But I wanted to do this for you, our future children..."
"...and especially this little guy right here. I'm going to start searching with Noah to try and track down more cures."
"So all of us can be together forever without worrying when forever ends."
--- --- --- --- ---
Abel couldn't leave things the way they were with Amy, so he tried to comfort her.
"Amy? You out here?"
"Right here!" she called back, oddly cheerful.
"Amy, can you come down here please?"
Amy launched herself off the slide and pulled Abel into a hug.
"I love you big brother, even if you are a human now."
"Amélie..."
"No, you don't have to worry about me Abel. I'm an adult and I completely understand."
"Then you understand that everyone loves you every bit as much as we always have?"
"Of course! I believe you, Abel. I'm fine, honest."
And Abel could just feel that she wasn't okay at all, but if she didn't talk to him then he couldn't help her. He could only hope that she would see through their actions that they weren't abandoning her.
Amélie occasionally snuck off to the graveyard during Kira's last two months of pregnancy, just to talk to the silent graves. She felt a little better just being there.
Amy sighed. She knew that she was to be an adult and all...
...but she still wished she had somebody to hold her hand.
Amy was deep in one of her thought sessions when Kira wandered over to her one night.
"Mind if I sit here?"
She shook her head, so Kira sat down awkwardly, her belly impeding her movement.
"Nice night, isn't it?" Kira mused.
"Mmm."
"Kira, you're not...mad at me, are you?" Amy finally asked.
"Mad? Why would I be mad?"
"Because I haven't been happy for the baby. And am being all jealous and childish when I should be mature."
Kira smiled. "You may not think so Amy, but I kind of get it. What you're feeling. It's not the same, but...well, there are times I'm jealous of you too."
"You are?!"
"Yep. Abel pays an awful lot of attention to you. Add in the fact that you guys all had that vampire/lost your parents bond made it seem like a circle I couldn't enter. But I trusted him."
"I know that Abel loves you, and Abel loves me. And heck kid, I've lived with you long enough to consider you the kid sister I've never had. And growing up, this baby will love you too. If you think about it, the longer you live, the more people you meet that love you, right?"
Amélie paused. And then, suddenly, the option opened in front of her. More. A longer life could mean more! More people to love her, more people as her family. If Abel had four kids, that's four more family members to love her. If each of those kids had four, that was sixteen. And so on and so on...
Amy jumped up, grinning brightly for the first time in a while.
"Um, Kira? Do you think I could touch your belly?" she asked.
Kira smiled - this was the first time Amy had shown interest in the baby!
"Wow, he's so big already, isn't he?" Amy said.
"He'll be here any day now, so he should be!" Kira chuckled.
"Hey, he's going to be a vampire like me, right?"
"Yeah, looks like it."
Amy smiled at Kira's belly. "I hope he and I can be friends."
--- --- --- --- ---
And then, before they knew it...
"That...that wasn't a good feel."
"Shit, definitely not! ABEL!!"
Abel, as expected, was completely useless.
"The baby's coming?!"
"No, I'm just gritting my teeth in pain as a part for my new movie! YES THE BABY'S COMING!!"
"What do I doooooo?!"
"You know what? Call Amy, tell her to call that doctor. I'll call an ambulance." Kira sighed.
And thus Abel was back in the waiting room, just as nervous as before. He was sure that he'd be this nervous for each and every child, though.
"How long does it take?" he worried. "When is it too long and I should check in? When should-"
Just then the door opened and an all too familiar doctor walked out.
"Well I'll be damned - you really did go human." Dr. Hannah laughed.
"Anyway, both of them are just fine. Didn't need me at all. If the kid ever comes down with any interesting ailments, don't hesitate to call me!"
Abel doubted he would, but he was too busy sprinting for the room. Ah, what he wouldn't give for vampiric speed now!
He was stopped dead in his tracks by the sight of Kira feeding a tiny little blue bundle, though.
"Hey Abel." Kira said softly. "Come here and meet him."
Abel was amazed and proud and terrified all at once as he stared into his son's softly glowing eyes. This was his son. His son. He was a father.
"So, you think his name still fits him?" Kira asked as Abel cuddled the baby into the crook of his neck. "I think he definitely looks like a Jude, just like we thought."
"Hmm...Jude. Jude, Jude, Jude. Yep, that's definitely his name." Abel agreed.
"You did a wonderful job, Kira. Thank you."
Kira smiled. "Worth it, I'd say. Here, give him to me."
"Alright Jude, back to Mama." Abel cooed softly, kissing his son's nose.
Kira instantly cuddled Jude as soon as he was back in her arms.
"I'm still not used to him being outside of me." she murmured. "It makes me uneasy."
Abel had thought that seeing Kira walking up the aisle represented everything he ever wanted, but he was amending that image to this one right now.
Amélie visited after school and got to hold him awkwardly.
She still wasn't very good with babies on her own, but since no one was making a move to help her, she figured she was on her own.
But Jude was very good at holding still for a newborn, and soon Amy was comfortable to give a small smile in Kira's direction. Abel wondered what that was all about, but seeing his sister bond with his son was amazing.
--- --- --- --- ---
And before long, it was time to bring Jude home!
Kira wasn't what you'd call a natural at mothering, but she had plenty of experience from when Sobek lived with them, so she was much better than she had been then. She had a nagging fear that her lack of a proper mother would influence her, but so far it was fine.
Abel and Kira took care of Jude equally, making sure he was getting even care.
So when Kira went off for some time alone - today being a day to learn how to cook for her newly human husband...
...Abel was caring for Jude.
Jude was growing up so quickly that Abel found it hard to believe. The months passed by in a flash, a blur of feedings and diaper changes.
He figured he should enjoy this time while he had it.
--- --- --- --- ---
After all, there was someone else who was growing up fast.
Abel could hardly believe that his baby sister was turning thirteen - a certified teenager, even! It seemed like just yesterday that he hugged that fragile little seven year old in Sunset Valley...
And so, cheered on by a small party of family...
...it was time for Amy to sparkle into adolescence!
Amélie grew up to take very strongly after Jin's side of the family while still being very much an Ink. Although she was older, it seemed like she wasn't quite as mature as she said she would be just yet...
One of Amy's few friends managed to make it to the party, but she suspected he was just there for the cake.
"Hey, happy birthday Amy!" Lyle said with a smile.
"Thanks." she replied. "It was a small party like I wanted, but I'm glad you came."
Amy then went on to chat about something art related...
...which Lyle wasn't really listening to while he was too busy staring at Amy. He was too busy to notice all three of Amy's older brothers glaring at him, too.
Of course, he was more likely to listen when he was being beat in video games by a girl.
"Cheater!" he hissed.
"Aw, you're a sore loser." Amy insisted.
Amélie still had painting as her one true love though. Becoming a teen wouldn't change that!
Though it did change her affinity for Jude, as he was much easier to hold now that she was older.
"Hey Abel?" Kira asked as Amy put Jude to bed. "I was thinking."
"Uh oh, it's never good when that happens."
"Ha ha. Anyway, I was thinking, now that Amy's a little older and it's coming up on Jude's birthday...what do you say we have another baby?"
"Sure you'll be okay after last time?" Abel asked, unable to keep the smile off his face despite his concern.
"Of course. A human baby will be a breeze."
"Well, far be it from me to deny you anything..."
--- --- --- --- ---
"Abel!" Amy called from the bathroom.
"For the millionth time Amy, you'll be fine! High school isn't so bad." Abel called back.
"What if no one likes me?"
"Impossible."
"Okay, but what if they all think I'm weird looking or something? They're going to notice I'm not normal."
"If anything Amy, people will be intrigued. Noah had girls lining the block, all waiting for a shot at him. You'll have to beat them off with a stick."
"You mean that you'll beat them with a stick."
"Oh, I'll just need my fists. Vampire or not, I kick ass."
"Oh, Abel? Lyle's supposed to come pick me up today."
"I know. He's here."
"Abel, be nice to him."
"No promises."
"Mr. Ink, I promise I-"
"Lyle Bloom, is it?"
"Y-yes sir."
"So, you're Amélie's male friend, huh?"
"Y-yes."
"I see. And you're aware that if you touch her, you're dead?"
"Y-yes sir."
"Good. It would be a shame if you ended up like the last one."
"W-what last one?!"
"Exactly."
"Abe, cut it out. We both know that there was no 'last one'. C'mon Lyle, we're going to miss the bus!"
Abel grinned. "Have a good day at school Amy!"
"Y-your brother scares me."
"Oh, don't mind him. He's a teddy bear, really."
--- --- --- --- ---
And just like last time, no sooner had they wished it that Kira was pregnant again! It was great timing...
...because Jude had just become a toddler!
"What's this Jude? A monster is coming to eat you!"
"Noes!"
"Oh yes, it's happening!"
"Oh no, not the tickle attack!"
"Noo~! Papa, no!" Jude giggled.
"Well it's your fault for being so cute, Jude." Abel said matter of factly. "The tickle monster only goes after cute kids."
"Hee hee!"
Little Jude definitely looked very similar to his father, with that same eye shape. His nose seemed to be closer to Kira's shape, though, and his bright gold eyes were a keepsake from Clover.
"Papa loves you Jude, okay?"
"I knows Papa!" Jude replied happily. "Food time?"
"Ha ha, okay!"
Jude was such a happy, friendly toddler that everyone he met was charmed by him. It never took long for him to make complete strangers his friends, even if they weren't all that fond of children.
"Okay Jude, time for bed."
"Okay Mama!" he replied, reaching up his little hands.
Kira couldn't have wished for a better son. He was so sweet and cute...
But it was strange. From time to time, when she she wasn't really watching him, she thought she could feel something...
...sinister.
But that had to be all in her imagination, right?
After all, he was her precious son.
"Goodnight Jude-bug. I love you."
"Love you too Mama!"
"Morning?"
"Yes, I'll be here in the morning."
Satisfied with this answer, Jude settled back into his cot.
Yes, the first offcial member of generation six was here!
Only time would tell how this generation would play out.
--- --- --- --- ---
And chapter clear~!
I have so much love for Jude. That cute face and a trait I've never worked with? Excellent.
I'm still getting used to seeing Abel, Noah, and Seth as humans, ha ha! They looked so strange to me at first, having been vampires from day one. But I really couldn't have vampires forever after, could I? If Jude wins heir though, I'll have to find a way to get him de-vamped too...
Okay, I need to play again to see what kind of baby Kira's carrying. Please comment~!