Marlene

I laid back on the couch while Liam gently sang and rubbed my belly. Mitch, Wendy, and my brother had arrived as well and were spreading the word online to anyone who could see.

The detective was upset at Harry for leaving. "If the kidnapper calls and wants the money he's going to want to speak to him."

Oh god, what did this woman want from us?

I began to freak out even more than before because as of right now, I felt sick. My stomach was hard and my back was killing me. I felt a familiar pain and I was beginning to panic at the familiar feeling I've only experienced one other time when I was seventeen.

Flashback

My mother had company over as I laid in bed with a fever and cramps. I knew this was going to be difficult, but it was much worse because I had no one to comfort me. No one cares about me as I lay here and end my pregnancy.

The door opened revealing my mom who walked in and sighed. "You've never had period cramps like this before Marlene, this is odd." She told me. I quietly sobbed to myself because she didn't know what was happening to my insides right now. "When the medicine kicks in you come downstairs and say hello to everyone young lady." I nodded quickly.

"Yes, mom." She left a minute later and I quickly ran into the bathroom to throw up. I sat on the ground and cried for an hour before I eventually knew the second pill had done its job and I was about to start this traumatic experience.

The pain was rough and sad, I felt lonely as I cleaned myself up and walked downstairs for a bit to say hello before my mother came back up to see me. This was the worst day of my life.

End flashback

"I need to use the restroom." I sat up and held my stomach. Liam sighed looking at me. "I don't feel very well."

"I'm here for you Marlene," he told me. I felt a big cramp in my stomach and began crying as I walked to the bathroom.

Today was now the worst day of my life.

*

Harry

I drove for a while until I saw the familiar fence and house. The lights were on and there in the front was the car that was last seen at the daycare.

I took my phone out and began calling the detective who immediately told me to stay nearby and not try to interact yet. I took a deep breath knowing that everything would be okay.

I waited on the phone so they could get my location and felt my heart beating fast. When the police lights showed through the woods I felt my heart leap with joy as they got closer and saw me. I stood there while they raided the house feeling completely terrified.

The detective walked up to me and sighed."How did you know Harry?"

I shook my head. "My gut was telling me this." I took a deep breath. "This house belonged to my son's biological grandmother, she's been after my son since he was born." He nodded. Suddenly I could hear crying, it was Oliver's. I ran over and one of the officers held him in his arms. "Ollie!" I ran after him and pulled him into my arms tightly.

"Daddy! Mumma go home!" He cried reaching out for me.

"I know baby, daddy's here now it's okay." I sobbed dropping to the floor to hold him close. "I'm so sorry baby, I love you so much!" I looked up and thanked the officer and immediately they wanted to take Oliver to the hospital to get him checked.

"Mr. Styles your wife wanted you to know that she was at the hospital as well, she was experiencing some pains." I already knew what was happening to Marlene and I knew that this had all been too much for her body to handle.

I stood up walking with Oliver to the ambulance that showed up a few minutes after the police and sat inside with him. They began examining him and checking to make sure he was unharmed. I looked over and out of the house they had pulled out three people. I instantly recognized Emily's mum and Brenda but it was the brunette who had her back turned to me that caught me off guard. I walked off the ambulance and shook my head. "Mr. Styles I'm so sorry! They offered me a lot of money!" Brenda said as they placed her into a police car.

"How could you do this to our family!" She cried and looked down ashamed.

"I needed the money and that woman told me it would be quick and easy!" She pointed to Addison.

"I just wanted my grandson." She looked down and was taken out to the other police car.

"Why couldn't you just accept he was mine!" I yelled at her but was quickly pushed back by the police.

"Sir you will have your chance to confront them another time, don't do anything reckless." I looked over and the brunette looked up at me and I felt my whole body freeze.

There in front of me, alive and well was Emily.

"You fucking psychopath!" I felt every ounce of my body bubble in anger and hatred towards this woman. "You ruined my life! I hate you!" The police grabbed me and took me back to the car but that didn't stop me from yelling at her. "You lied about being dead, Marlene and I cried for you! I will never ever let you see my son again you psychotic lunatic!"

"It wasn't my idea!" She yelled as they shoved her in a cop car.

*

We drove to the hospital and they immediately checked up on Oliver while I found out where Marlene was. Luckily the hospital took us to where my wife was resting. I walked into the hospital where she laid down.

She saw me and then Oliver. "My baby!" Ollie smiled practically jumping out of my arms to hug his mumma.

"Mumma go to the house!" He began crying and holding her tightly.

"Soon baby, we missed you so much." I began crying immediately as I leaned into her. She held me close and kissed my forehead. "He's okay Harry, everything's okay." I looked down at her and placed my hand on her belly.

"Did you-" She had tears in her eyes and nodded slowly. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry." I began crying leaning into her. She sniffled looking down at Oliver and kissing his forehead.

"It's okay, we have our baby back and I'm happy about that." She smiled gently. "It just wasn't meant to be right now, and our angel is in a better place." I didn't say anything for a while until she spoke up again. "Why would she take our baby?"

The sudden memory of Emily made my stomach turn and hatred build up under my skin. "From what she told me, Emily and her mum paid her." Marlene stared at me for a while before shaking her head.

"But-"

"That bitch is still alive and did this to steal our child." I shook my head. "She has no idea what kind of pain she's putting us through." I sobbed leaning into Marlene to kiss her now empty belly.

Our baby was gone and it was all Emily's fault.

*

About a week later, back at home safe and sound, I began the process of a few things. First I felt as if my home had been invaded and felt as if it were only natural for me to get an alarm system installed.

Second, I was going to sue the shit out of the daycare. Apparently, according to a bunch of very supportive parents coming over every day, they had a lot of problems that they wanted to bring attention to. Kids coming home with mysterious bruises and unqualified 'teachers'.

So much for all the research, I had done.

Marlene had been on bed rest and began thinking about working from home in a different department that would have her only have to come into the office once a week. I didn't want her to put her work aside and just be a stay at home mom but in her words "it just felt right."

I took a deep breath as I turned on the alarm for the night and went into our bedroom where Marlene was laying down with Oliver reading him a bedtime story. "Time for bed Ollie." He stood up and wobbled all the way towards me.

"Bedtime!" He cheered.

Marlene stood up and looked a bit hesitant. For the past week, he had been sleeping in our room but with this new alarm system in place, it felt right for Oliver to be able to sleep in his own room now. "Are you sure he's ready?" She said nervously playing with her hands. "I mean what if he gets scared?"

I gently touched her face. "Princess he's been fine this whole week, the doctor said he was completely unharmed and he's been sleeping all night. He needs to sleep in his crib before it becomes a habit." She nodded leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"I love you Ollie, good night baby." He held her face and leaned forward so their foreheads touched.

"Night night mumma." He waved to her as we walked out of the room to his bed. When he was asleep I walked back to the bedroom where Marlene was turning on the baby monitor. She laid back on the bed and tried to get comfortable, failing after a few minutes.

"Tell me what's bothering you?" She shook her head telling me she's fine. "Sweets I know you like the back of my hand, tell me."

She sighed sitting up crossing her legs to sit across from me. "I want to beat Emily's ass. All the pain she's caused you, hitting you, beating you like a fucking punching bag and then she does drugs while pregnant with this beautiful baby." She let out a sob shaking her head. "How is it that she did drugs for nine months and I get scared and lose the baby? I never want to see her again, I never even want to hear her name because I will lose my shit, Harry." I looked down but she quickly lifted my chin up. "How can anyone hurt you like that." She leaned in and began kissing my face holding me to her.

"I should have left her after the first time," I whispered. "It's my fault for staying there." She lifted my face up by the chin and she shook her head.

"Never say that again, what she did to you wasn't your fault, okay." I nodded. "Say it."

"It wasn't my fault." My voice was small.

"Louder, I want you to mean it." I took a deep breath.

"It wasn't my fault." She hugged me tightly and I just let go of all the pain and anger and cried in her arms until we eventually fell asleep.

*

Today was the day of the court where Brenda, Addison, and Emily were all getting charged with kidnapping Oliver. Marlene and I sat in the courtroom while they brought in the woman one at a time. Brenda went first and did a plea deal so she had her sentence reduced down to five years for her testimony.

Addison pleads not guilty and was taken back until her court date with a ten million dollar bail because she was a flight risk. When Emily walked out I could feel Marlene physically tense beside me. I quickly placed my arm around her almost reaching to rub her belly but stopped myself. "Emily Peterson, how do you plead?"

She looked down and sighed. "Not guilty." It was expected. The two lawyers talked back and forth over her also being a flight risk and set the bail at ten million as well. Sure her family had money, but not that much.

They escorted her out, as she walked by she made eye contact with Marlene and quickly looked down.

"Bitch." Marlene stood wanting to leave immediately.

She walked quickly out of the courtroom and down the long hall towards the exit. I quickly caught up to her and sighed. "I know you're upset but you need to relax for me." I stopped her outside of the building and she took a deep breath.

"I just want to get home to Oliver, please just- let's go." She began crying and I quickly pulled her in and held her head to my chest.

This had been a difficult few weeks as it is but I can't even imagine how Marlene must have felt being pregnant and happy one day and then the next, nothing.

I walked with her back to the car and drove us home. Jeffery watched Oliver and I thanked him. "Hey is she okay?" He asked after Marlene went straight to the bedroom to lay down.

"No, she's not but I'm gonna be here until she is." He nodded looking down to grab his stuff to leave.

"I'll let you in on a little secret Harry, Marlene loves animals." I nodded knowing that. "I know she gave up Polly to her friend because of Oliver's allergies, but how happy would she be right now with a small dog or something." He shrugged before giving me a fist bump and leaving.

*

The following week I arrived at the house to find Marlene sitting at the table reading while Oliver sat on his highchair eating a snack. I had my surprise waiting in the living room as I came in to give kisses. "How was work?"

"Good, sorry I'm late." I apologized.

"It's okay, why were you late?" I smiled handing her a box. She opened it and inside was a collar for her new pet. She raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "Kinky, I'm not into collars but I'm willing to compromise." I laughed and shook my head pinching her cheek.

"No Marlene read the tag." She read it and smiled big. "Come here and bring Ollie." She walked over to the living room where she immediately noticed the big box where the puppy cried. She gasped as she looked inside immediately picking up the dog.

"Oh my god! It's so cute!" The dog was a Husky Pomeranian mix and according to the owner, he wouldn't get bigger than a regular medium size dog.

"You love her?" She nodded crying happy tears.

From now on I only wanted to see her cry happy tears.

*

Thank you for reading. Xx

-k