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Time Alone
Within two weeks, Emma was back home with her father. Each of her injuries
had healed. The contusions covering her face and body had almost
completely faded away and she had only a few tiny scratches on her
forehead and neck. However...there was one thing that had haunted her during
the
time she spent lying in Henry's bed..."What if I am carrying his
child?" What would she do had she been impregnated by the very man
she so greatly
hated and feared? She thought of the possibility of perhaps terminating
the pregnancy, if there was anyway to do so...but she couldn't kill a child,
let
alone a child which belonged partly to her...nor could she send the
baby away once it was born. But out of everything, the thought of losing
Henry hurt
the most..."He is my life...my angel...what would I do?" There
was part of her that knew that he would never leave her, but she was still
frightened at
the thought of living her life without him.
Henry had grown so accustomed to waking up to her every morning and
kissing her each night that once she was gone, he felt as though he'd lost
a part
of himself. He missed having her there...or maybe for an even more
selfish reason...he missed the fact that during the two weeks that she
had stayed in
his home, he had not made any transformations. It concerned him at
first..."Why does he remain quiet within me?" He couldn't be quite
sure as to why
Edward Hyde had not emerged...especially on those nights when he slept
by Emma's side, "Surely he would've felt the need to harm her even further."
But as much as he missed her, he was still relieved to have her out
of Hyde's reach.
Henry had tried to prepare himself for whatever may come...whether it
was her realization that they were the same man, Hyde making yet another
appearance right in front of Emma's very eyes and the slight chance
that his beloved might have his child growing inside her...that was what
scared him
most..."Would this small creature be my own? Or would it have his
eyes...his soul...his evil...living within it? Either way, it would have
my
face...Hyde's face...Emma will surely lose her mind."
It often confused Henry as to why no one had made any connections that
might lead them to believe that he and Edward Hyde were one in the same.
The
only consolation was that Hyde's evil burned so fiercely that it must
contort the very face which was normally so soft and good...rendering it
almost
impossible to notice any similarities between them. When the thought
of Emma's possible pregnancy entered his mind, his first instinct was to
murder the
small infant but he didn't have the strength to do such a thing to
a child nor did he believe for one moment that Hyde would allow it to happen.
He was
much too powerful a force to fight...most likely more than usual given
the circumstance. "I couldn't ask her to send it away...it is, afterall,
our
child...no...her's and Hyde's..." He cursed his name every time
he referred to himself as the one who had done the horrible act. "Why
do I keep
thinking such things...I know it wasn't me...it was him...not me..."
Henry locked himself in his laboratory the night that Emma left. He
cried...he screamed...he ransacked the entire room in his fit of anger.
During her stay,
he had tried to restrain all of his emotions because he did not want
to upset her anymore than she already was. He spent two weeks pushing his
fears and
agony aside and focused on Emma's recovery. He would try not to think
about what had happened...he had tried to push the visions out of his mind
to
keep him from weeping as he tended to her each day. But after those
two treacherous weeks of wondering whether Hyde would kill her or not...of
keeping his feelings to himself...Henry was brought to yet another
emotional breakdown, "Hyde!! Why her??" he screamed out into the air...his
anger
and his pain had driven him mad...he turned over tables...he smashed
his equipment to the ground...all the tension he was keeping inside was
being
released. In the midst of his tantrum...
"You really have to learn how to control yourself, Dr. Jekyll. This
infantile behavior will never get you anywhere." Henry stopped and
looked around
him...as if he didn't know where the voice was coming from..."Are
we lost, doctor?"
"Bastard..."
"Now, that's not very nice, is it."
"Don't you dare talk to me about kindness and compassion!! Look what you've done to my life..."
"This is all your own doing. Well...I must admit, I'm relieved you've
brought me out of my cramped, little hiding space...but you brought this
all upon
yourself Jekyll."
"Why are you doing this?"
"It's too easy, my dear Henry. You allow it to happen...hahaha...no control."
"I have control! I can control you...and I will..."
"Is that so Henry? Well then, explain to me why you let me have such
a grand time with your lovely little Emma? Hmmm? Tell me Henry...or...did
you
enjoy it as much as I did? hahaha...it's a shame that you little
prisses like to wait until you're married to explore the wonderful world
of fornication."
"You son of a bitch..." Suddenly...pain...
"Do you see what I mean Henry...look at you! You're a fool, Dr. Jekyll. You think you can control this??"
"No..." he moaned in agony...
"Oh I think so, doctor. I've been waiting long enough...it's time
that I check on our little patient."
Before he would venture to the Carew home, he decided Lucy was due for
another visit. Only this time, instead of forcing himself on her to satisfy
his
disgusting needs, he would ask a favor of her...
He arrived at the Red Rat and threw open the doors like a madman and
stomped about the small club in search of his Lucy. He ran up the stairs,
pushing
aside the various prostitutes who came forward. He went to her room...the
room he had spent numerous nights in with that woman. After violently
pushing open the door, he found Lucy engaged in a business transaction
and was completely enraged. He shut the door behind him...walked slowly
to the
bedside where her gentleman friend frantically began to dress himself,
"Lucy, Lucy, Lucy...what's this? I thought we had something special between
us...I don't like this at all, my dear." He grabbed the customer by
his shirt and dragged him to the door, throwing him out into the hall...slamming
it
behind him and locking the door.
"Mr. Hyde...please..." He walked over and sat down beside her...he began to stroke her hair...
"Oh Lucy...do you think I've come here to hurt you?" she trembled as
he spoke to her softly, "No, my darling, I have a favor to ask of you."
She looked
at him strangely for a moment, then rose from the bed with the sheet
wrapped around her...
"What is this...favor." This was the man who had come to her room regularly
to beat her and force her to perform unspeakable acts...now he was asking
her for a favor? She didn't know whether to run or to laugh right in
his face...
"Lucy darling...you really shouldn't hide yourself from me..." he rose
from the bed and tore the sheet away. "Now...that's...much better...isn't
it?" He
caressed her bare skin with his fingertips and kissed her neck as he
whispered..."There is a woman Lucy. Her name is Emma Carew...I believe
you know
her as your beloved doctor's fiancee..." she nodded..
"What do you want with her?"
"Nothing I don't already have, my dear. We had a brief encounter a few
weeks ago...and as a result...she is now with child...what I need you to
do is to
go to her Lucy..."
"Now?"
"No..not now. When she has given birth. I want you to go to the Carew home...you are to take the child..."
"I could never hurt the doctor...or even--"
She felt his grip tighten on her wrist..."You will do as I say,
Lucy. When the baby is born...take the child...you are to care for it."
she giggled at his
ridiculous idea...
"How will I know when to go? Where would I take it? I can't bring a baby 'ere."
"I will come to you when the little bundle has arrived...and I'm sure we can figure something out before then."
"I can't do it, Sir...it ain't right. Besides, I don't know nothin' 'bout taking care of babies."
"Oh, but you will learn...and you will obey my wishes...if you refuse,
I'll be an extremely unhappy man, and you don't want that, do you?" a look
of
fright covered her face as she shook her head, no. "That's right...during
the night...bring the child here. You will like this my dear. This child
shall be
ours...yours and mine."
"I don't understand why..."
"You dare to doubt me? It's mine, you stupid woman. It has my blood
pulsing through it's veins...it must learn from me...not those two mindless
fools...they know nothing of the world. Our good doctor has proved
this to me numerous times."
"Why do you come to me, Mr. Hyde?"
"Who else would I come to, love?"
He began making more advances to her...she turned away, "Ah, not in
the mood, are we darling? Hmm...well, I can't stay, I must go pay a visit
to our
Emma. Before I go, one last thing. If you have any desire to run to
Henry and tell him of this discussion, I strongly advise against it. I
know everything
dear...I watch every move you make...I can hear every word you say.
Lovely seeing you again Miss Lucy." He grabbed her and molested her mouth
with
his own then laughed maniacally as he left the room. She stood there
for a moment while she let Mr. Hyde's words sink in, "He wants me to
kidnap that
baby...I can't..." Although she was extremely jealous of the
love between the doctor and Emma, she would never do anything to cause
either of them
any heartache. Her first instinct was to run to Dr. Jekyll and warn
him...to tell him to take his fiancee and get away from that evil place...but
then she
remembered what Hyde had said....if she didn't do as he instructed,
he'd surely kill her for being disobedient. She walked over to the window
just as he
as leaving through the doors of the Red Rat...and cried as she watched
him disappear into the darkness...
As he drew closer to the Carew home, he could feel Jekyll trying to
resurface, "Enough..." Hyde clutched at his sides, groaning at the pain
which slowly
grew worse and worse...then he finally arrived at his destination,
"Well, look where we are doctor! Why don't we stop in for a while..." At
that very
moment he let out a blood curdling scream which must've woken up the
entire household. As he fell to the floor, turning back into the tortured
soul, every
light in the house went on. Henry looked up at the windows and panicked...he
froze...he wanted to get up and run, but he was too scared to move...the
sweat was dripping from his skin and he could hardly catch his breath...he
heard a noise...it was the sound of the door...was it opening? Yes...yes
it
was. His eyes widened as he looked around him to find a place where
he could hide from those poor unsuspecting people, "the side of the
house". He
ran to the dark opening and threw himself up against the side of the
building, trying to remain as quiet as possible. The door opened and Sir
Danvers stood
there looking petrified...
"What in the name of God is going on out here? Hello?!?" Emma moved closer to her father's side...
"What's happening?"
"Emma, why are you up dearest? You should be upstairs in bed."
"I heard screaming..." Just then she looked out the door...to the right...and
then to the left...the street lamp was casting shadows all over...against
the
sides of the other houses which lined the streets like soldiers...then
something caught her eye. Against the pavement there was the shape of what
seemed
to be a man...she could see it was a rather large man...the shape of
a head with what appeared to be long hair. Tears filled her eyes and she
began to back
up..."Oh no..."
"Emma? Emma what's wrong?" She began to shake and tried to scream...
"Father...it's him...there..."
"Who is it child?"
"There!! It's him!!! It's Hyde...Edward Hyde...he's come for
me..." A look which horrified Sir Danvers covered Emma's face...the tears
welled in her
eyes...
"Shhh!! Darling, stop screaming...where do you see this?" Henry had
heard her shouting and realized that he was casting a shadow...he backed
farther up
into the dark path, closing his eyes..and prayed. Sir Danvers walked
down the front steps and looked over to the area where Emma claimed she'd
seen the
shadow..."There's nothing here, Emma...come now...look, it's nothing..."
Henry slumped down against the wall...it was a close call...he was grateful
he hadn't been found but at the same time he hated himself for having
upset Emma in such a way when she was in such a horrible state of mind.
Sir
Danvers went back to her, "Emma, let us go inside..."
"No, father please...get me out of this place!! He'll kill me..."
"Hush now, I won't let anyone hurt you...you're safe..." He took his
trembling daughter in his arms, looking once behind him before closing
the door.