"I never died!".

The clip of the stove knob filled the extend silence. Henderson sits up to his stiff stance. Trent wipes his hands in a hand towel for a moment too long.

"Rhys, I think it would be best for you to calm down.", Trent says.

"To hell with calm! Why the hell would I be!".

"Rhys. Think of the baby.".

"Of course this baby comes first! Always the baby this and the baby that! I just want to know why the fuck do you think I'm dead!" 

Trent casted a glance to his husband who moved from the counter with a grunt. 
"This way Rhys.".

Henderson's office is what would be expected of a person like him. Orderly, clean with a touch of sports memorabilia. The officer moved towards his file cabinet and with trained fingers flicked through the array of files before stopping on one. 

"Four months ago you were reported missing by your mother. I have been in the field of missing person's before but it has never been so seamless like this.".

He flipped through the file before dropping it open in front of Rhys. The red head's dead eyes stare back at him. His skin grey and waterlogged on the bank.

"Not even a month passed and we found that body. Washed up on the bay shores. The DNA records claim it's a match to you and your father identified the body as you. The whole situation didn't sit right with me. You were buried and cremated the next day and any media talk was non-existent. It just seemed too perfect. Now I know my feeling was correct.".

Rhys felt sick, like someone just took his stomach a weighed it down with sewage. He wanted it to end. How could his parents- his father- do this to him. Not only did he forced to have a child he doesn't want, he kills him off as well. A growing pain wraps around his abdomen. The floor was getting awfully too close. It wasn't until he feels too strong arms hold him up he realized he was on the floor. He was on the floor, in the arms of a complete stranger and with a ringing in his ear. 

He was screaming.

"It hurts! It hurts so fucking bad!", he cried out feeling his abdomen cramp up like it was being squeezed by a clam.

Rhys barely registers Henderson yelling at Trent to start the car and him carrying him outside. He doesn't get to see Eli in tears and screaming wanting to get in with Rhys.

All he feels is the pain. The pain of being thrown away like he was nothing. The pain of knowing he is suppose  to fade from existence. The pain, the pain of the impending birth of his child. The child that caused this. 

All he could do was scream.

He thinks at some point he did stop screaming. Maybe it was when they arrived or when the nurses signed him into a room. He thinks it's when the doctor brought out that huge needle and jammed it into his back. Whatever that mystery jab was, it was soothing as hell.

"I shouldn't have brought it up so early.", Henderson says handing Rhys a glass of water.

Rhys didn't answer until the glass was half empty. "It's fine. It sucks yes but I had to find out at some point." He sighs and looks down at his mound in front of him. "So this is happening?".

"You have time, your waters haven't broken yet. But, you are progressing fine.".

"Where's Eli?"

"He's out in the waiting room with the others. They don't allow visitors that young in here.".

"Those fuckers. I bet he's freaking out.".

"Didn't stop screaming until he started crying. But I believe he has calmed down.".

Rhys fiddles with the hem of the thin sheets. His eyes downcasted and the other hand not occupied found solace in rubbing his tight belly. 

"What do I do…"

"Do what?"

"Do I, am I, am I still Rhys Hanover?".

Henderson let's out a puff of air out his nostrils. "Legally, Rhys Hanover is dead."

"I don't want to be Rhys Hanover anymore, well, not the Hanover part. I just wish I could...change.".

"That is something I can help with."

Rhys perks up at the sound of that. "You aren't shitting me? For real!".

"I have a pal who has connections. He could help with the documentation part."

"Isn't that illegal?".

A small crack in his face that resembled a smile came to his face. "Why can't a cop use their advantages for something good for once?"

It felt nice to Rhys. Just that brief moment, he felt good. That was until he wet himself. The thin sheets becoming flooded with the murky liquid. 

Henderson rang the nurse and she entered with Trent trailing behind holding a duffel bag. The nurse was quick checking his vitals while Trent rests the bag to the side. 

"It seems like you are about eight centimeters now. Not much longer and you'll have your baby. I'm sure you are excited. Most expectant parents are.".

Excited? Well, maybe. Rhys wasn't sure which one. On one hand he didn't want to be in this situation but on the other hand, he's had this cub in him for so long he's just excited to see if it's actually real.

The nurse didn't wait for any other comment and left the room. As soon as the footsteps faded away Trent unzips the bag and Eli pops out. 

Eli didn't give Rhys a chance to react. He swung his hands around Rhys holding tightly.
A small smile was on his face holding the curly hair bound close. His curls smelt strawberries and skin almost like chocolate. Rhys didn't want to let him go.

For a moment, it made him clear his mind of all the thoughts crashing in his head. Made him forget about the impending birth, even though he could feel a contraction coming, and the incoming of Parenthood. Hell, he has been practicing for awhile. So come on Parenthood.

Give it your best shot!