Gravity Don't Mean Too Much to Me

Bandit sat in the waiting room waiting impatiently for her parents.

The images from an hour ago still planted firmly in her mind, constantly reminding her of the situation they were in. She couldn't shake them from her mind, no matter how hard she tried, occasionally the image of her mother's face would pop up from no where and Bandit would begin crying again.

Her father's face had been just as bad as her mother's, although he had looked more angry than scared. Bandit thought he had just been angry at the camera men however, so she couldn't really blame him for the way he gripped the steering wheel, or the way he swore under his breath at no one in particular on the way to the hospital.

It had been awful in the car. Bandit had been left on her own whilst Ray and her father rushed her mother to the emergency room, although she had had Ross for company. However, he had been in so much shock they hadn't said much to each other, he had just held her hand comfortingly.

Bandit didn't know what any of it meant.

She had seen the blood on her mother, that much she knew. She had seen the panicked expression on her mother's face as she grabbed her stomach, as if she were afraid the baby might be hurt. Bandit had heard the piercing screams of her mother, and she had wanted nothing more than to help her. But how could she? She didn't know what was happening, the best she could do right now was to wait as patiently as possible, and reassure her mother later when everything returned to normal.

Ross sat to her left, staring at nothing in particular. Bandit could see that he was concerned for her mom too, although probably not as much as her. No one could understand how Bandit felt right then, waiting to hear whatever news the doctor would bring her.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Ross whispered, placing his hand on top of hers.

"I don't know," squeaked Bandit, her throat oddly dry.

Ross nodded. "I'm sure she'll be okay, I mean, Lyndsey's a strong woman-"

"-can we talk about something else?" She needed something to distract her, anything.

"Oh..okay," Ross paused. "So, how's the guitar lessons going? Is my dad a good teacher?"

Bandit tried to focus on his question. It was hard. "Uhm, yeah. They're going well, Ray just taught me how to play a few simple chords first, then he was gonna teach me a song next week.."

"Hey, well, maybe I could help you out sometime? I haven't seen you a lot recently," Ross tried to smile, but failed.

"Sorry, I've had a lot going on," Bandit grimaced, the trial had been the least of her troubles. "You know, it's been forever since I played Killjoys with Uncle Frank."

Ross looked confused. "Killjoys?"

"Oh, it's a game we play. We both have a separate identity. I'm Lady Sunshine, he's Fun Ghoul."

"So, you fight bad guys?"

Bandit nodded. She was trying her hardest to stay in the conversation, but her mind kept drifting back to her mother. "Yeah, we fight draculoids."

"What do you think my Killjoy name would be?"

Bandit knew Ross was trying to distract her, for which she was grateful. She thought about his question, trying to analyse his personality.

He was a sweet boy, kind, caring. He radiated positive energy, even in situations like this, and he was always there for her. He had a warm personality, you couldn't help but smile when he walked in a room, no matter what mood you were in. Bandit smiled slightly as she thought about him, and he waited patiently for her answer.

"Professor Positive?" Bandit tried, and he smiled. "I'm thinking of something that shows what a nice person you are, but it's hard to think right now."

"No, that's actually a really cool name. Did you just come up with that?"

"Yeah," blushed Bandit, looking away. "My mom came up with my name, it was just something she naturally called me."

"It suits you," Ross said encouragingly. "So, now that I have a Killjoy name, can I be a part of your adventures with Frank?"

"Of course!" Bandit actually managed to smile. "It'll be a pleasure to fight with you."

Ross smiled and looked back at the door Gerard and Lyndsey had walked through. Bandit saw, and felt guilty for talking about games when her mother was in pain, even if it was just a distraction. Would her brother or sister be okay? She couldn't imagine what it would be like if her mother lost the baby, things would never be the same again. She felt the tears again.

Ross turned to say something and saw that she was crying. "Oh, Bandit."

He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight. She sniffed into his shoulder and he could feel her shaking from the impact of her sobs. He didn't know what to do, so he just rested his head on too of hers, waiting for her to calm down.

"I-I'm sorry." She apologised, pulling away from him.

"Don't worry, it's fine," Ross said, keeping hold of her hand. "I'm sure your parents will come out soon. It's been an hour already, how much longer could they be?"

*****************************************************************************************************

Words could not describe the way Gerard felt at that moment.

When those selfish, low life camera men and reporters had hurt his wife like that.. He had the urge to punch anything within a inch near him. He wanted to go back to the trial and rip their heads off, hurt them the way he had hurt Lyndsey. How dare they? He wanted with every fibre of his being to go back to that courthouse, hunt each and every one of them down, and... The things he was imagining would be very satisfying indeed.

He gritted his teeth as he watched his wife crying in pain. She held his hand tightly, and he tried his hardest not to show her how upset he was. He had to be strong for her, if anything, she couldn't see how much pain he was in emotionally, not when she was in such a mess physically and emotionally. Tears threatened to spill with each passing second, especially since Lyndsey was letting hers spill freely.

He didn't trust his voice, he was afraid if he spoke then she'd hear the crack in his voice. She'd know he was too weak to handle this, and if he broke down, then so would she. He had to let her see that there was hope. They couldn't loose this baby, not now, not ever.

Just seeing the baby in an ultrasound, Gerard already loved them just as much as Bandit. He shivered at the thought of loosing either of his children, and looking at the blood on his shirt or on Lyndsey, he felt faint. Not because he had ever been queasy when it came to blood, but because it reminded him of what had just happened, and it made him think of the possibly that they might...No. He couldn't even think it. The baby would be okay.

The doctor's faces were looking extremely stressed, and Gerard tried not to let this bother him. But everytime one of them came in with a look of.. pity on their faces, he couldn't help but feel so helpless. Everything seemed hopeless right now, and he tried to cling to anything that might point to the baby's survival. But with every doctor that entered the room, their expressions were like a punch to the gut.

"Please," Gerard whispered to one of them. "Tell me she's okay."

The doctor's face was solemn. "Your wife is going to be okay, but.. Look, I think we should talk about this outside."

Gerard kissed Lyndsey on the forehead before leaving the room with him. She tried to make him stay, but he whispered that he couldn't. He tried to explain to her that the doctor just wanted to talk to him quickly, but this seemed to panic her more. He didn't trust his voice, so he just gave her another quick kiss before leaving her with a nurse.

The doctor shut the door and folded his arms. Gerard was very aware of the clipboard he held, and the spare gloves hanging from his pocket, the small droplets of blood on his coat. Gerard felt the floor collapse underneath him, and suddenly hands were supporting him and leading him to a chair in the corridor.

Gerard tried to get a grip on himself, but without Lyndsey around to give him a reason to hold it together, it was much harder to stop his tears from escaping. He blinked, which didn't help, and a few tears rolled down his cheeks. He quickly wiped them away, sitting up in his seat to listen to whatever the doctor had to say. He could handle this.

The doctor let go of him, hoovering near him to make sure he didn't collapse again. "Now, what I'm about to tell you won't be pleasant, so I need you to try and stay strong. This is a hard time for you both, but I need you to try and hold it together because this is important."

Gerard nodded weakly. He didn't have the energy to talk. Not now. Not when everything seemed so bleak. If there as anyway he could help his wife, he would have to pay attention. He'd do everything in his power for her, he'd give up his own life for this baby if he had to.

"Okay. Your wife, was she hit in the stomach?" Another nod. "Ah, yes, I can see that in my notes, excuse me. Right, well with the force that she fell, it triggered a strong reaction. You see, any pregnant woman can loose a baby, just by falling down the stairs. Babies are ever so delicate-"

"Just tell me," Gerard croaked. The lump in his throat made it hard to breathe.

The doctor reluctantly nodded. "As you wish. Your wife is having a miscarriage."

A whimper escaped from Gerard's lips. "Can't you do something?" He begged, the tears falling one after the other now. Why keep up the act of being strong? As long as Lyndsey didn't see, he could let him emotions show.

"I'm afraid it doesn't look good," the doctor paused, watching the broken man in front of him put his head in his hands. "We're going to try and get the baby out before it's too late. A premature birth. It might not work however, the baby is very small-"

"-but there's hope." Gerard didn't say it as a question. He looked up at the doctor, his eyes red and puffy. His hands were trembling.

"There's a slight chance we can save him, yes," the doctor assured him, standing up.

"Him?" Gerard felt his stomach plummet, he had wanted it to be a surprise. He decided that was the least of his problems at that moment however. He was overjoyed to hear that he might have a son.

"Oh, I'm sorry-"

Gerard shook his head, signalling it was okay. The doctor nodded back and walked back into the room. Gerard tried to compose himself. He had to get a grip, Lyndsey would be worried about him if he didn't return shortly after the doctor had. He took deep breaths, counting to ten at least six times over, eventually managing to control his trembling. He wiped his face, sat up straight, and told himself everything would be alright. He just had to focus on the fact that he might have a son at the end of all this.

He walked slowly back into the room, the smell of blood greeting him. He rushed to his wife's side, grabbing hold of her hand. She looked up at him questioningly, clearly panicking. The doctor must have told her what needed to be done.

He gulped and decided to try and speak. He needed to reassure her. "Lyndsey," he whispered. "It'll be okay. I'm here."

He couldn't think of anything else to say to comfort her, so he just squeezed her fingers gently. She nuzzled her head into his shoulder as he sat down. He could see the doctor preparing the equipment for delivery. Lyndsey clearly noticed too, as she began to hyperventilate.

"Lynds, Lynds, it's okay," he soothed, rubbing her shoulders. "Everything's going to be fine, I'll be here to help you through it, I promise. I'm not going anywhere."

This didn't seem to help. She began squeezing his hand tight, and although it hurt Gerard didn't pay the pain much attention. "I can't do it, Gerard, not now! It's too sudden! I'm not ready!"

She looked absolutely terrified. "It's now or never." The doctor said sternly, coming towards her as he pulled on his gloves. She whimpered.

"Shh, I'm here, it's okay," Gerard whispered desperately. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her, to take away the pain and fear she was going through. He just couldn't find the right words. "It'll be worth it, I promise. We'll have a little baby boy to hold in just a few minuets. Come on, you can do it."

"B-boy?" She cried, and he realised she didn't know what sex the baby would be. He mentally slapped himself.

"Y-yeah. The doctor said the baby is a boy. We're gonna have a son," he smiled weakly, and she mirrored his expression.

Her hair clung to her sweaty forehead, and she wore a gown from the hospital. Blood had still managed to find a way onto it however, and it made Gerard feel sick. He looked up at the doctor, who was preparing to start.

"Ready?" He asked.

Lyndsey and Gerard nodded in sync with each other. They looked quickly into each other's eyes. No words were needed to be exchanged now. This was one of the biggest moments of their lives.

*************************************************************************************

Frank sat with Ray outside the hospital. They had both decided they need some fresh air.

It was all too much for them to handle. One minuet they had won the case and were in a celebratory mood, and the next Lyndsey was on the floor screaming in pain. Frank had never seem Gerard so angry, he had been livid. He'd whacked the paparazzi as hard as he could out of the way to get to Lyndsey, and Frank sympathised with him.

If anything like that had happened to Jamia whilst she was pregnant, or heck, even if she wasn't, he wouldn't have been able to control his anger. Frank found it shameful to admit that he probably would've stopped to hurt them before driving his wife to the hospital. He wouldn't have been able to control himself, that's for sure. Even back at the courthouse he had been fighting the urge to get out and hit each and everyone of them for what they had done to his friends, but he knew Gerard wouldn't have allowed him to stay behind. There had been a lot of camera men, and being just outside a courthouse, he would have been arrested within minutes.

Frank hated more than anything to see how much this was affecting Bandit. She looked so.... scared. No, that wasn't the right word, she had looked petrified. He knew he should go and comfort her, and she had been left inside with Ross, but he needed to calm down first. The poor girl was probably worried sick about her parents, she needed an adult there to calm her down.

But first, Frank had to calm himself down. He needed to hold it together if he was going to convince Bandit everything was okay.

Of course, he wasn't even sure everything would be okay. He couldn't imagine how Gerard must have been feeling right then. Would the baby be okay? With that amount of blood loss, it didn't look promising. Frank hated thinking that way, but the evidence in front of him pointed to only one possible outcome.

No. Maybe they could save the baby. They were professional doctors, surely they'd find a way. Miracles happened, and if anyone deserved a miracle it was Lyndsey and Gerard. They had been through so much recently, this hardly seemed fair. Why did they get all the bad luck? It was always the good guys.

Ray was pacing up and down, a cigarrette in his mouth. He didn't usually smoke, but he had gone to buy a packet quickly. Clearly he was too stressed to care, and Frank had gladly taken one when he offered. Frank didn't usually smoke either, he had tried it a few times before, but he had quit when he had had kids. He felt guilty for doing this behind his wife's back, but he already felt better as he pressed the stick to his lips.

"I just hope there's some news soon," Ray said worriedly, still pacing the pavement.

"And good news, preferably," Frank added. "I just can't believe what those cowardly bastards did to her.." He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He could feet his pulse speeding up.

"Calm down," Ray instructed, seeing his friend getting tense. "You need to chill. If Bandit sees her Uncle falling to pieces too, how do you think that's gonna make her feel? She's already seen her parents in a mess, don't let her see you like it too."

Frank breathed in another load of smoke, trying to calm down. He knew Ray was right. "I'm sorry, I just can't help but think about them."

"Well, you need to stop," insisted Ray. "Bandit's gonna be traumatised as it is, poor girl."

"I know, I know," Frank hissed. "It's all their fault-"

"Stop it!" Ray demanded loudly. A few heads turned at his shout. Frank had never seen his so angry. "You need to get a grip, man."

"I'm trying my god damn hardest!"

"Well, try harder!"

Frank huffed, putting out his cigarrette. He knew Ray was right, but he was finding it so difficult to control his anger. He needed to vent it somehow, punch a brick wall or something. He looked over at the small park opposite the hospital. There seemed to be no one there, so he decided to go take a stroll over there. You never know, he might be able to clear his head if he were on his own.

He announced what he was doing to Ray, who just grunted in response. He knew he had annoyed him, but they'd make up later. Everyone was under a lot of stress right then, it was only natural they'd be at each other's throats.

He sat on the adult swing set, swinging gently back and forth. He could see the hospital clearly from here, and he spotted Ray walking back into the building. The glass windows showed him that Ray was making his way over to the receptionist, and he watched in little interest as she pointed him back to then waiting room. Of course, he had Ross still waiting inside.

Frank felt guilty for yelling at him. He had forgotten about little Ross. He felt sympathy for the boy. He would no doubt be traumatised by the experience too, perhaps that's why Ray was so set on remaining so calm. He didn't want to upset Bandit or Ross anymore than they already were. Frank sighed. He needed to get it together before he went back in. Ray would take care of Bandit for now.

He looked up at the sky and realised the clouds were looking grey. How fitting. The weather was just like him, gloomy. He put his hood over his hood as the sky started to spit. He felt a little relieved when the rain started pouring, it felt very refreshing. It almost made him forget about what was waiting inside for him.

He could feel himself calming down significantly as he watched the rain hit the floor. He found it so interesting to watch.

Eventually, he got up and made his way back over to the hospital. He was sure he could keep it together now. If not, he'd just have to go back outside and wait until he was ready to go back in again. He wouldn't let Bandit down, not at a time like this. She needed a father figure to talk to, and since Gerard was obviously occupied, it was up to him to talk to her.

He walked into the waiting room and spotted Bandit straight away. Ross was sat on Ray's lap, and they all seemed to be staring at the door Gerard and Lyndsey were in.

Bandit's face was puffy, he could see she'd been crying at some point. She looked up and attempted to smile, but it looked more like a grimace. Frank winced, making his way over to her.

He sat down and silently put an arm around her. Would she talk first? He didn't want to pressure her, especially with Ray and Ross right next to them. Ray seemed to know which direction Frank's thoughts were going in, as he made up the excuse of wanting to go and get Ross something to eat from the main area at the front of the building.

Frank waited for them to be out of site before he talked.

"How are you feeling?" He asked gently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Tired," she sighed, leaning into his side. "Tired, and upset."

He sighed. "I know how you feel."

She was silent for a while, and he thought she'd fallen asleep until she spoke up. "Do you know what's happening?"

"Honestly, I don't know," he hated that he couldn't be more reassuring. "They're probably just checking she's okay. You know, routine check ups."

Bandit frowned. Could she tell he was lying to spare her feelings? She seemed to look doubtful, but she ignored it. "Where were you?"

"Just getting some fresh air. It got a little stuffy in that little room."

She looked up at him curiously. Her little nose wrinkled. "You smell different."

"Do I?" That was his first response. He tried to think of something to say. He couldn't explain that he was smoking again, not to a child. "Well, maybe it was something I ate."

Bandit shrugged. She didn't ask anymore questions about it, which was a relief. "How much longer do you think they'll be?"

"Honestly?" Bandit nodded. "I honestly couldn't tell you. When I was in there.. The doctor seemed very busy. They could be a while."

Truth was, Frank had spoken to the doctor not long after Lyndsey had been wheeled into the room. He had told him that the chances of the baby surviving were slim, but there might be some hope. Frank had been dying to ask more questions, but the doctor had insisted he go stay with the patient. Frank had let it go, of course, how could the doctor help Lyndsey if he was stood outside answering Frank's questions?

"What happened when you were in there?" Bandit asked, and Frank could see how desperate she was for information. He didn't know how much he could tell her.

"Not too much, the doctor just told me to be patient. They're doing everything they can." Bandit didn't look convinced. In fact, she looked on the verge of tears. "Your mom's a strong woman."

"But will she be okay?" Bandit all but begged.

"Oh, honey," Frank hugged her tight, rubbing her back. There had been such desperation in her eyes. "I can't promise you anything, but the doctor's are well trained professionals, and your mom is one of the strongest women I know. I believe she'll be okay, all we can do is send positive thoughts out. Can you do that?"

"Like, praying?" Bandit asked.

Frank didn't like the thought of praying, he'd never believed in any of that. He saw that Bandit was clinging to his every word however, and he just wanted her to feel better. "If you'd like, then yes. There's a little chapel here you can go to, if you'd like."

Bandit shook her head. He noticed she was now crying. "Will the baby be okay?"

Frank gulped. This was something he didn't want to answer. He felt his stomach drop at the question, and he could see that Bandit was loosing faith in the recovery of the baby with each second he took to reply.

"I- I can't promise anything, like I said, but the doctor's-"

"Oh no!" Cried Bandit, causing a few heads to turn. "The baby isn't well, is it?"

"No, no! I didn't mean that, I just.. I can't be certain, B. I'm not a doctor." He couldn't believe how unhelpful he was being. He was meant to be cheering her up. "Look, let's talk about something else, shall we? The trial went well, didn't it?"

The trial felt surprising unimportant compared to this. "Yeah."

"At least we won!" Frank tried to sound enthusiastic. "We can celebrate as soon as this is all over. What do you say? Pizza at my place?"

"We always have pizza," Bandit cracked the tiniest smile. "Can't we eat something else?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know.." Bandit let go of him, putting her hands in her lap. "Just anything that isn't pizza."

"Oh," Frank tried to look offended. Truth was, his mind was still on Lyndsey and Gerard. "I see how it is."

His voice must've come out a little flat, because Bandit looked concerned. "I just don't like pizza every day.."

"Suit yourself, more for me." He gave a weird laugh that sounded distant.

Suddenly, a loud scream came from the door Lyndsey was in, and Bandit made to run to her. Frank held her back with both arms as she struggled against him. He couldn't let her go anywhere near them.

"Bandit, please, sit down!"

"No!" She cried. "Didn't you hear that?"

"Yes, I did. But the doctor has it under control!"

"How do you know?" She demanded, pushing at his arms.

"Please, listen to me. You need to sit down." Frank picked her up and she kicked frantically. Another scream ensued, and the hair on the back of his neck stood up.

He carried her outside the waiting room, placing her on a chair just in front of the receptionist's desk. She was crying, and with shock he noticed that he had a tear rolling down his own face. He wiped it away quickly, he didn't want her to see him upset too.

He wondered what on earth was happening in the small room, and he felt sick at the thought that Lyndsey might be loosing the baby. He tried to compose himself as he looked into the small girl's panicked eyes. He held her arms to the side.

"Look, Bandit, you need to calm down. Your mom is going to be fine."

"Then why was she screaming?" She demanded, looking back at the door to the waiting room.

"I don't know but you need to trust me when I say stay away. That's no place for a girl your age, trust me."

**************************************************************
The pain was excruciating.

Lyndsey couldn't bare it anymore. She just wanted to get the baby out! How long did it take?

It felt as if her skin was being ripped apart, the pain! She pushed as hard as she could, but with every push the pain grew deeper. The room was dark around her, whether that was because she was so faint or if the light was off she couldn't tell. Everything sounded distant and disjointed.

She could hear Gerard saying something in her ear, but it didn't make any sense. She couldn't hear him, his words all sounded the same. She screamed.

The scream didn't even sound like it belonged to her, and she startled herself everytime. She grabbed the metal bars keeping her secured on the bed, but she just couldn't hold on for much longer. Her fingers felt so weak, she could hardly feel any pressure from Gerard's hand. Had he left her?

Another sharp pain ripped through her stomach, and she yelled in agony. She just wanted out, she couldn't handle anymore! Take the baby out! Leave me, just get him out! She thought desperately. She tried to open her mouth to tell the doctor, but whenever she did screams would just come out.

She thought she heard the doctor say something. She couldn't make it out. It was like she was being pulled under huge waves, drowning in her pain. No one could pull her out, she was too deep in. The room was now completely pitch black.

Gerard.. She thought into the blackness. No one could hear her. Only the echo of her own thoughts. The pain was still piercing her, and somewhere in the distance she could hear herself screaming. How odd.

Lyndsey, you can do it! She heard a faint reply. She thought she recognised the voice, but she couldn't remember the name of the person she had been calling. She knew it was important to answer him.

I'm trying! She cried into the darkness. Another jolt of pain. A scream somewhere far away.

Come back to me, Lyndsey! Come on, you can do it!

An Angel's voice somewhere far way. If she could have smiled, she would have. There was no way out, she couldn't see. What was happening? She tried to remember. She knew it was important to fight against the pain, she just couldn't remember why.

Another jolt. Another scream.

Do something! Cried the angel. She wanted to comfort him, maybe bring him into the darkness with her. No. She couldn't let him suffer too. She wanted the angel to stay away. She wanted to tell him, but for some reason she couldn't feel her mouth.

We need to take her into sugery. She needs a C-Section.

She recognised the words, but she couldn't remember what they meant. She didn't even try to figure it out, she was happy where she was. The pain seemed to be growing stronger however, and the screams were breaking through her barrier. She could hear them with piercing volume now, and she wanted to make them stop.

Gradually the darkness started to fade, until Lyndsey could see a bright light above her. She blinked. She could blink. That meant her eyes were back.

She looked around, turning her head. Where was she?

"Lyndsey!" Cried the angel, and she saw a beautiful man rush to her side. His face glistened with tears. She reached out to touch his face, she didn't want him to be sad. Her hand wouldn't move however, and she felt a sudden panic. Why wouldn't her body parts work?

"Oh no, I'd hoped she'd stay unconscious for this," another voice, not as beautiful as the other sighed. Lyndsey wondered who the angel and other man were talking about.

"Can't you give her some drugs?"

"It's too late, I have to operate!"

A warm hand touched Lyndsey's hand. She moved her head to the side, looking at the angel completely. Oh. She remembered his name now. How silly of her to forget. Gerard..

The information came flooding back to her at once, and she gasped. She hadn't realised how much pain she was in until then. It was excruciating! How hadn't she felt it?

She realised the baby must be in trouble, otherwise she wouldn't be laid here, in a surgery. She panicked, remembering the words from the darkness. She understood exactly what was happening now, and she wished she was still oblivious.

"Get him out!" She cried. Her voice was now so loud that it shocked her.

Gerard was squeezing her hand, as if that would help! She could see the doctor holding a knife in his gloved hands, and she started shaking. Gerard 'sshhed' her and tried to soothe her, but that just made her even more panicked.

"She needs to keep still," the doctor demanded, the blade an inch from her skin.

"Lyndsey, calm down! The baby will get hurt!" Gerard said hurriedly, and Lyndsey lay still at the mention of the baby. She'd endure anything as long as the baby was okay afterwards. She'd have to endure it. It couldn't be much worse than the pain she was in right then.

A strange sensation clawed at her skin. It tickled, and she wanted to scratch it. Gerard restrained her hands, and she shot him a look of annoyance. Why wouldn't he let her itch it?

She realised what it was, and held still. The knife was cutting into her. She tried not to think about it.

Suddenly, another strange sensation occurred. She fought the urge to scream. She could feel the doctor's hands inside her.