The Lion and The Lamb

Leon didn’t talk much after his sister’s death, all that he did everyday was wake up, go to her grave, come back and take a shower before he went off to work, leaving Aaron alone with his mother who decided to move in early to help her son out with his burns. Aaron started to worry about Leo, thinking that with the twins close to being born Leo might not be the farther that Aaron wanted him to be. Three weeks after Sahara’s death, Sheryl began to see that Leon was cutting himself again and tried to stop him, but every time she would, she would see a fresh cut on his arm or wrist. Scared for her son-in-law’s cutting, she talked to Daniel’s mom about checking him back into the hospital, but Aaron over heard their conversation and cried out for them to not take Leo back there. Aaron didn’t want to relive the pain of Leon living back in that place and the nightmares of his love forgetting him started to come back with the though of Leon going back. Taking matters into his own hands, Aaron worked up his courage to talk to his husband about his cutting.

“Please just stop this pain.” Aaron sob, finishing his sentence with a hug. He and Leon where lying down on the family room couch watching T.V, Aaron’s feet were getting better with each passing day and he was now able to walk for short distances at a time.

“I’m sorry,” Leon told Aaron, seeing the fear in his eyes that he might end up killing himself on accident, “I won’t cut myself anymore.” and he sealed his promise with a kiss. However, that was easier said then done.

After Leo’s promise, Aaron would check to see if Leon had made new cuts on his arms. He was happy to find none but he soon discovered that Leo had been cutting on the inside of his thighs, hiding the long gashes he made himself from Aaron and his mom. Once that Aaron found that Leo was continuing his cutting, he became dishearten towards Leon and knew that in the next coming days he would find his love lying next to him, dead in their bed with two deep long cuts in his forearms and lying in a pool of his own blood. Every time he would see Leon, he would move out of the room and just left him alone to morn for his sister. However, with each day that passed, both boys slowly slipped farther into darkness and sorrow.

A month had passed and it was now fall, the leaves where now full with colors of reds, oranges and yellows, falling off the trees that held them and landing softly on the grass below. Usually, by this time of weather, Leon would be out blowing the leaves away and into piles but he did nothing about the leaves this time. He allowed nature to cover his yard and house with the fall colors, drenching the land in leaves. It got colder too, making it harder for Aaron to get out of bed and move around to do the house chores. His mother told him that he should jest rest, but he was too stressed out by Leo’s behavior that it made him unable to relax. Despite his recent happenings, Leon tried to be helpful around the house with Aaron, giving him a smile once or twice a day to tell him that everything was fine. But the smiles soon faded and he was drawn back into sorrow as he though of what Tiffany had done.

Repeatedly her words had been echoing though his head wondering when she would strike next and if so, whom would she strike. He knew that she was not like the other Death Dealers, collecting the dead souls as the passed on into the after life-hell no. she was in another class of her own, killing for the fun of it and collecting souls for her own personal gain. He knew that she was planning something big, but he didn’t know what.

Aaron was at the kitchen sink, cleaning and putting away the dishes one evening in the mid-month, his mind was in space as he daydreamed. He hadn’t been getting much sleep with the twins kicking and Leo’s actions recently, but he tried the best he could to get though the days ahead. Leon was in their bedroom, lying down and getting ready for bed. He too hadn’t been getting that much sleep as his mind was filled with Tiffany’s words and Sahara’s death. He had just laid his head down and closed his eyes when he heard a dish brake in the kitchen; he quickly sat up as he ran to Aaron to see what happen now. His mouth dropped open as he saw Aaron knelt on the floor, his face clench in pain and hissing out as he held his stomach.

“Aaron?” Leon asked, running over towards his love and trying to find out what the matter was, he knew that he didn’t burn himself again but he didn’t know what.

“Leon,” Aaron gasped, taking hold of Leo’s bare shoulder and digging his nails into his flesh. “AH…I think it’s time.”

“What? Now?” Leon was shocked at what he was hearing, the twins where not to be born for another mouth, but with all the stress that Aaron had gone though throughout his pregnancy would probably cause him to give birth a month or two early, which was not good. Thinking quickly, Leon turned off the water and went to get Aaron’s suitcase that he had packed months earlier and then threw that in the back of his car. Once Aaron’s things where in the car, he ran back inside for Aaron and picked him up and carried him to the car, placing him in the front seat before he ran over towards the driver’s seat and started the car.

They didn’t have to wait long for the doctor to come; Puma was at the hospital on call that night so she met the couple at Aaron’s room. She smiled at the two boys, examining Aaron and estimating a time to when Aaron would be delivering. Her smiled got bigger and she laughed as she finished Aaron’s examination and gave them the results.

“It’s a false alarm.” Dr. Puma said, looking at the pair. “Aaron’s just going though some pre-delivery contractions, so relax…you still have another month till it’s finally time.” Aaron gave her a weak smile back and then gave one to Leo who smiled back weaker. Dr. Puma saw that something was up between the two and asked if she could speak to Leon alone. “Is everything OK with you and Aaron?” she asked him out in the hallway.

“Yes, everything is fine.” Leon smiled lightly, giving her a false smile. “Why do you ask?”

“Well…while looking over Aaron I notice that he was been showing some signs of stress. Has anything be happening lately? How’s your sex life.”
“Nothing has been happening and my sex life is fine, though Aaron has cut off all ties of intercourse for the time being.”

“Anything else?” she knew that Leo was hiding something and she knew that it wasn’t healthy for someone to bottle up his emotions and the scars and cuts she saw on Leo was also not a good sign. Leon didn’t answer her at first, he wanted to tell her that everything was fine but the cold hard stare that she was giving him made him break and he asked if there was a place where they could talk in private. Puma lead Leo to her office where he sat down in one of the three chairs that Puma had as she went over to the small coffee pot where she poured him a large cup of black coffee.

“I’ve turned into a complete basket case.” Leon sobbed as he began to pour out his soul to Aaron’s doctor and took the cup of coffee from the good doctor. “Everything is going wrong. It seems like the gods are not favorable with mine and Aaron’s marriage or child birth.”

“What’s been happening?” Dr. Puma asked, taking a seat behind her desk and listening in to what Leon had to say.

“Well…it started with out find-the pregnancy and all- but then the media caught wind of Aaron, it was all down hill from there. We didn’t mind, I did a little, but then that died down- until we got married. I was pissed at how they found out about our engagement, it was then at our reception that I found out that I and Aaron had a Death Dealer on our ass.”

“A Death Dealer?” Puma gasped, taking this matter serious now. “How…who?”

“Her name is Tiffany, but we knew her mostly as Theophania.”

“WHAT, Leon why is she after you two?”

“She wanted to get back together, but I told her that we were over, resulting in her making my life a living Hell, taking my whole family down with me.”

“Have you told Aaron about her?”

“I am too scared, I want to tell him but I want to protect him and the cubs.”

“Leon,” Puma sighed, “If you don’t tell Aaron then you will kill him. You are already killing him now with your actions, please tell him and stop your cutting. If you don’t tell him, then he will probably die.”

Leon sat quite in Puma’s office for the next half hour, staring at the half filled cup of coffee, thinking wither or not to tell Aaron of Tiffany’s true form and of her plans to kill his family slowly and that he might be next in line. With a long heavy sigh, Leon finished his coffee with one long gulp and thanked the doctor for the drink, stepping out of the office and headed back towards Aaron’s room where he saw his love already asleep for the night. A night nurse was at his side, checking on Aaron’s IV bag, she smiled at him as she left the room, leaving Leon alone with the sleeping boy. When the nurse was gone Leo closed and shut the door behind her so that no one could come in. smiling down at his love, Leo caressed Aaron’s sweaty cheek and brushed a few loose hairs out of his face, gently leaning down and kissing him on his cheek as he did. Aaron groaned as he opened his eyes, he had just fallen asleep when Leon woke him up.

“Hi,” Leo breathed with a smile, seeing Aaron looking up into his eyes with a weak sleepy smile. “Can I talk to you?”

“Now,” Aaron asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes and wishing that Leo could wait until the next day. Leon shook his head and pulled up the chair that sat in the corner, taking a seat next to the bed he heaved a heavy sigh once more and took his partner’s hand. “I have some things to tell you,” Leo began, kissing Aaron’s hand and caressing it with his thumb. “It’s very important that you listen, your lives- your and the children’s- hang in the balance.”

“Leo…you’re scaring me.” Aaron didn’t want to hear what Leon was about to say but he listen anyways as Leo began to tell him why he was acting so strange and jumpy.

Leon told him that the reason for his actions lately was because of a girl name Theophania who he had dated eons ago had came back to be with him. Aaron though it was just a joke, but the look that Leon gave to him was not to be taken lightly. He then explained that she was a high-ranking Death Dealer who on occasions, kills for fun. Aaron’s mouth dropped open when he heard this and asked why she did it and though they used to lovers, why she is threading him. Leon then went on to explain that she is the jealous type and can hold grudges for centuries-

“And since I pushed her away for the second time,” Leon said, “she told me that she would kill all the ones that I love, including you. She already took Sahara from me, so that’s why I have been really jumpy and over protected of you.”

“And the cutting yourself is what then?” Aaron asked placing Leo’s hand in his, turning his arm so that they could see his cutting scars.

“To ease my pain and suffering of my sister,” Leo replied as he ran his fingers down his longest scar from joint to wrist that he made when Aaron rejected him and was going to have an abortion. “And the knowing that I am the last of my kind-for now.”

“You should have told me this before, how long has it been since this Theophania threaded you?”

“She told me on our wedding night, I felt so scared that night I wanted to forget, that’s why I fucked you so hard that night. I am sorry for that still.”

“On our wedding night, but when?” Aaron was now confuse about Leon’s talk with his old sweetheart, “the only person that you talked with alone was with-”

“Tiffany,” Leon said, finishing Aaron’s sentence. “I know. This brings me to another issue…” Leon paused for a second, he didn’t want to say it but he licked his lips before he carried on, “Theophania had changed her name after she came to this country.”

“What’s her name now?”

“You know her; she has been your friend for years now…it’s Tiffany.”

Aaron was in complete shock now and laid back down on his pillow, he didn’t know what to say. He was pissed at his love, but he couldn’t be mad at him, he was trying to protect the one thing on this planet he loved the most from the one person who was trying to destroy their relationship and kill them. Leo said nothing farther, he wanted Aaron to sink in the information and process it before he said anything else. After fifteen minutes of not saying anything to one anther, Leon finally got up to leave; he wanted Aaron to have some privacy. As he reached for the door handle he heard a squeak coming from behind him, he sighed as he turned to see Aaron sitting up again, a look of sadness on his face that looked like he was going to cry.

“Please don’t go.” Aaron begged, “I feel safer if you where with me.”

Leo didn’t want to stay, but he saw that Aaron was scared and knew that if he didn’t stay with him then he would be up all night, worrying if Tiffany was going to come and kill while he slept. He let out another sigh as he smiled down at Aaron, nodding that he would stay with him for the night. Aaron smiled brightly and felt hot tears steam down his face; Leo couldn’t help but to smile as he climbed into the hospital bed with Aaron, whipping away his tears as he did. Aaron sniffled and quickly wiped the rest of his tears away, settling down for the night in Leon’s muscular arms. He felt safe and warm with Leon like there were no worries in the world. Leo let out a silent laugh as he watched his love grow sleepy in his arms, letting out a massive yawn and spooning with him in his arms. Aaron soon fell back to sleep, dreaming of nothing. Leon soon fallowed his partner, falling asleep in the hospital bed and keeping Aaron warm throughout the night. As the two slept and dreamed away, a dark figure loomed in the shadows of the room. It didn’t appear till Leon crept into the small bed with Aaron and waited patently till they fell asleep. Once they did, Tiffany stepped out of the shadows with a single rose in her hands-a symbol of her family’s since Lucifer fell from Heaven.

She smiled a wicked smile as she stared down at the boys, gazing at her two Ex’s sleeping away in one another’s arms-it made her sick. Nevertheless, she smiled down at them as she thought of her plans in the up coming month. Gently she placed the rose down on the hospital tray table and walked over towards Aaron, caressing his cheek that made him smirk. She smiled at Aaron’s reaction and at the reaction, which Leon had too, snarling in his sleep as if he knew that she was touching his property. Bending down gently, she gave him a peck on the cheek, causing a new reaction as he groaned out and flinch at the icy cold touch. She then stared at Aaron’s fat stomach that held his future children and Leon’s legacy. She then gave Aaron’s stomach an icy kiss as well before she left, disappearing back into the shadows.

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It had been two weeks since Aaron had came back from the hospital. When they had returned, Sheryl was waiting for them, scolding them on how they didn’t call her. She and David where out on a dinner date the night that Aaron had his contractions. No matter how many times that they told her they were sorry, she kept bring the subject up. Sheryl also was still worried about Leon’s cutting issue and decided that he and Aaron where banned from the kitchen till farther notice. Aaron didn’t mind, nor did Leo ‘cause the thought that the farther away they were from stoves and knifes the better.

Aaron didn’t take Leo’s warning lightly; he stayed by Leon side everyday and clanged to him as if Leo was his sectary blanket. Leon didn’t mind at first, but when his sick days he took up to watch over Aaron where up, he had to go back to work, leaving Aaron home alone with his mom. Aaron didn’t like that and would call everyday at noon on Leon’s lunch brake if everything were okay. Then when his love would come home, Aaron would greet him with a hug and a passionate kiss on the lips, which sometimes escalated into Leon carrying Aaron off to bed where they continued their love fest and then some. On this particular day though was quit different from all the others, mostly the fact was that it was the last day of the month and that it was Halloween. Before Leo left for work at that morning, he had placed a small plastic Jack-O’-Lantern on his pillow so when Aaron would wake he would see his present.

Aaron loved his gift that Leo gave to him, waking up like he always did to find Leo already gone for the day but to find a little something for him to remember him by. He ate most of the candy that Leo packed into the trick or treat bag and wanted to save the rest so that he would be able to share it with Leo. He was outside on the cool fall afternoon, dressed in jeans and a jacket as he sat by the water’s edge and snacking on a lollypop that he found in his goodie bag. Dipping his toes into water, he found that it was not cold at all, but warm so he decided to take a quick swim before Leon got home from work in a few hours. Standing up, Aaron got undressed stripping down to his birthday suit and wading into the warm water. Walking a few feet he leapt from where he was standing and began swimming around, wishing how it would be wonderful for the waterfall was flowing today. Unfortunately, there had been somewhat of a drought and the waterfall was temporally not flowing, making so that he had a clear view of inside the cave that lingered behind the water when it fell. After his swim was finished, Aaron decided to sit on the rocks in the cave while he waited for Leo to return. Swimming into the cave he propped himself onto the bottom rocks so that his feet could dangle in and out of the water. Smiling to himself and looking out at his home, Aaron rubbed his stomach as he felt the life inside him kicked. He didn’t mind the kicking now, but he would soon miss the feeling as his pregnancy was ending and he would be delivering soon. Staring out into the distance, he felt calmed and relax but that soon ended as he began to have shape pains in his stomach and groin. Yelling and hissing in pain, Aaron started to worry if this was the fault of Tiffany or if the twins where coming. He began to time the pains, yelling out with each one and clenching his stomach. Finding it impossible to swim back to shore, Aaron started to climb backwards up over the rocks and into the den that he and Leo shared so many times before. Now taking notice, Aaron saw that there was a big trail of water leading from the rocks. He though that was just water he dripped off his body but a closer look saw that his water had broke and was now going into labor.

“Fuck!” Aaron cried, thinking that it was not a good idea for him to go swimming, or if it was a good idea then he should have swam back to shore rather then coming into the cave. Recalling the speech that his mom gave to him when she was looking after him he began to take long deep breaths in and out, trying to relax the best he could but the contractions where hurting him and he was scared for the twins lives. Thinking what to do next, he began to call for help, hoping that Leo would come home soon and hear his cries for help.

Leon had come home five hours after Aaron had gone for a swim and went into labor. Arriving home, he saw that both Sheryl and Aaron where out. He thought at first that that Aaron had gone off with his mom to another doctor’s appointment, but he knew Aaron better, he would have left a note or called to tell him where he was going. After he was settled in, he began to look for his love, calling out his partner’s name but every time that he called out there would be no reply. Getting scared, he called his in laws to see if they had seen or heard from Aaron today but unfortunately, they didn’t. Running outside and standing of the water’s edge, he called out Aaron’s name louder then ever. Again, there was no reply, again he called out for the last time ever louder but Aaron’s voice didn’t ring back. Going back into the house Leo walked in sorrow and fear, he was about to dial the police when he heard a sharp blood curtailing scream coming from the cave on the opposite side of the pond. Leo’s ears perked up and listened to the echo, trying to figure out if it was Aaron’s screams or not. Again, the scream rang out fallowed by a cry for help from him. Leo’s heart sank as he ran at top speed, rushing into the water and wading as fast as he can to the screams and yells, he recognized the voice and he needed to see what was happening to his love.

“Leon!” Aaron shouted in pain as Leo came into his sight, clenching his stomach in agony as tears rolled down his face one after another. He was in dire need of help, as the contractions started to be closer together, Aaron cried out ever louder as he watched slowly as blood stared to pour from his anus and mixing with the hay and water that lined the floor. There was now a medium size pool of blood now formed around his groin and was getting bigger by the minute.

“Aaron, God…what happen?” Leon asked, shocked to see Aaron in such a tragic state of pain. He rather knew what was going on but just to make sure he asked. Therefore, when Aaron told him that it was FINALLY time he freaked out even more, wondering what to do next as he watching his love slowly give birth to his first child. After a few moments, his common sense kicked in again and he pulled of his shirt that he was wearing and draped it over Aaron’s hips to cover his member so when the doctor came he wouldn’t be embarrassed for Aaron. After he covered his partner, he ran to get help, taking his cell with him and calling the ambulance.

Leon rushed back in his other form, Dr. Puma on his back so that they could rush back to Aaron into before the ambulance did. Dr. Puma was shocked when she found out that Aaron had gone for a swim and was now in labor in a cave in the opposite side of the pound. She didn’t know how they where going to get her patient out, but they needed to find a way before the paramedics did. Aaron was happy to see his doctor but he wasn’t happy at how Leon had to run all the way over to the other side of town to Puma’s office to get her. His contractions where now closer then ever and the pool of blood ha double in size. Puma had never seen anything like this before in his experience in male delivery, but she knelt down in front of her patient and started the delivery, kicking Leo out of the cave as this turning into a delivery room and there where to be no men allowed.

“Alright, Aaron this is what I want you to do.” Dr. Puma said once that Leo had left. “I want you to push as hard as you can for ten seconds, alright?”

Aaron nodded as he propped himself up on his elbows and trying to fight back the tears that where streaming down. On Puma’s word, Aaron began to push as the doctor counted slowly to ten and then releasing when time was up. Again, Dr. Puma and Aaron repeated the delivery process, each time Aaron push made it difficult for him to do so and with each push, more and more blood was added to the pool.

“Alright Aaron, you’re almost there. Just one more big push and then it’s all over.” Dr. Puma said. “Just give it all you got!”

Gulping, Aaron took one solid breath in and pushed with all his might, screaming aloud then ever as he felt the first life inside him come into this world. After what seemed like a lifetime, Aaron finally could relax as he felt it was all over-for now- watched as Dr. Puma pick up his child, and laid it on his chest for him to see his new baby girl. Aaron couldn’t hold back the tears as he held the new life that he just helped bring into this world, crying along with his new doughter with tears of joy. Puma smiled as she reached into her medical bag and pulled out from it a warm towel to wrap the baby in.

“Congratulations Mr. Stone, you’re a mother. Aaron?”

Aaron didn’t hear nor couldn’t hear Puma’s words; all the energy he had was gone and used up for the delivery, causing him to faint. Dr. Puma saw what was happening and saw that he was beginning to hemorrhage. She began to try the best she could to stop it, but no matter how hard she tried to more Aaron bleed out. The paramedics arrived shortly after Aaron fated and they where able to get Aaron out of the cave and into the ambulance, Leo wasn’t permitted in the truck so he had to fallow them in his car. As the ambulance raced towards the hospital, Dr. Puma and the paramedics did the best they can to keep Aaron alive until they reached the hospital. It was a chaotic mess as Puma held on to Aaron cub and try to save her father’s life at the same time, attaching IV needles and pulse clamps to his fingers as the other medics tired to resuscitate Aaron.

Dr. Betty Winters was working in the emergency room this All Hallows Eve, she had just finished up casting a six year older arm’s who fell off his bike when the ER entrance doors open. She saw a mass of paramedics and Dr. Puma- who rushed off to the maternity wing to have Aaron’s doughter looked over- coming flying into the room with Aaron unconscious and still bleeding. Betty quickly rushed towards the group and asked what happen.

“Aaron Stone,” the chief paramedic replied, “Age fifteen, he’s just delivered and is now hemorrhaging rapidly and he still has another kid on the way.”

“What?” Betty gasped out; looking down at Aaron’s sleeping form. “Okay we need…”

“He’s flat lining!” one of the nurses who joined the group notice, seeing Aaron’s heart line dropping rapidly.

“Bring in the cart!” Betty yelled out as the head paramedic and his assistant start to resuscitate Aaron once more. The nurse brought in the crash cart and turned it on, “Charging three hundred! Clear!” and she placed the paddles over Aaron’s naked chest, giving him a three hundred volt shock bust. “Again, charging four hundred!” Betty cried out again when Aaron’s pulse didn’t come back. “Clear!” nothing. Betty charged the paddles again this time at seven hundred, jumping up to as high it can go. Tears began to stream down her face as she told everyone to stay clear and pushed the paddles down towards Aaron’s chest, shocking him to bring him back.

“Clear!” Betty cried out for the tenth time, her voice cracking from the tears. She was going at bringing Aaron back for nearly fifteen minutes now but Aaron showed no improvement. She didn’t want him to die, she was like a second son to her and her husband and also he was their Son-in-Law. Again, Betty tried to bring Aaron back.