Chapter 26

The pregnancy's first trimester wasn't getting any better. During the first appointment with the midwife, they were told that she was five weeks along... almost two months. Had it been that long? Seriously? Surely not.

A few more weeks passed, and Brie almost had a fainting spell in the middle of the mall. David freaked, but remained calm enough to get her to a seat and call an ambulance. He rode with her to the hospital where the OB/GYN on call tells her that the baby was fine, but that she needed plenty of bed rest and that he wanted to speak with her midwife. God just wasn't smiling on her at the moment. She needed to relax. Thank God, the guys were going on tour soon. She would be going with them so that David could keep an eye on her. This pregnancy was starting out rough and he didn't want her more than a couple of feet away from anyone that could help her if she needed and he couldn't. Even Malachai had been shown how to call 911 and told what to say when he called if his mommy should need it.

When the bus rolled out of Milwaukee, she and Malachai were on it. David kept constant vigil on her every moment he could. If not him, then at least one of his brothers.

Thoughts of the war that started with her assassination were far from her mind. Brie just wanted to be with her family, which was now her son, David, and the rest of the band.

She couldn't sleep. Nightmares were haunting her. Some dark figure with a rifle pulling a trigger, David falling, her holding him as he bled to death, big with the child that they created together. She would jerk awake in cold sweats, screaming. At three months along, she was already showing. At the point in her dreams, she had to be at least seven months.

Dreams were haunting David as well. Brie going into labor early, he would have to choose between the life of his wife, the woman he loved, and his child. HIS CHILD. He still wasn't used to the fact that he was going to be a father, though he reminded himself every morning. Something about the dreams was unsettling.

The guys were starting to notice. One day after rehearsal, Dan asked him as they walked back to the bus. "Dude, are you sleeping alright?"

David rubbed his hand over his face. "No, I'm not. I keep having these fucked up dreams, then I'm having to deal with Brie waking up screaming and inconsolable. Neither of us is sleeping very well and it's taking its toll on the both of us. We're snapping at each other, I'm going off the deep end, she's crying all the time. I still love her, don't get me wrong, but the dreams and the stress. I just don't know what to do."

"Have you asked her what she's dreaming that she's waking up screaming?"

"No. I'm afraid to. My dreams are fucked up enough as it is. I'm afraid to share what I'm seeing at night with her so that I don't freak her out and put her under more stress. I mean, hell, Danny, she's five months pregnant now. That's what, 20 weeks, right? This kind of stress isn't good for her, especially in the state she's in."

"Well, it's not good for you either, brother. Talk to her about her dreams. See what's happening with her. As for your dreams, why don't you tell me about them?"

David stopped and leaned up against the trunk of a huge shade tree. "I've been seeing her either losing the baby or going into labor and it almost killing her. I have to choose who to save, Danny, her or the baby."

"Oooh, shit. That's rough. I'm sure that it's just anxiety over being an expectant father. I had similar dream each time that Nicole was pregnant. Both of my kids and my wife are alive and well. I think you're just having the ‘Daddy- hood’ jitters."

David thought about it, then nodded. "Maybe you're right. Thanks, Danny. I needed that."

"No problem", Dan said. "I thought I'd make sure you were alright or I wouldn't have asked."

"No, man, I appreciate it. Now, maybe I can talk with Brie about what her dreams are about."