Megara, Athair, Silaz, Jubilee, Benny, Stave, Anneke, and Margot  are my characters.
Salpinx belongs to Althea.
All other characters belong to Sega 				   
A Mother’s Love

Megara was working in the infirmary.  She was putting away supplies and bandages.  She felt someone tap her on the shoulder and turned to see a Nightmaren cat.
“General Nights wants to see you in his Command Chamber.”  He said.
“All right.  I’ll be there shortly.”  Megara said.  She went straight to Nights’ command chamber.  She knocked on his door.      
“Come in.”  Came his voice.  Megara entered the chamber.  
“What is it, Nights?”  She asked.
“There has been some rumor of the Nightmaren army planning an attack.”  Nights said.  He was hovering in the middle of the room.  “I don’t know whether this is a trap or the rumor is true.”
“What are you going to do?”  
“I’m going to send some troops to check it out and I want you to go with them.”  
“ME?  Why?”
“They’ll need at least two physicians there incase of injuries.  I’m sending Athair, too.”
“When do we leave?”
Nights smiled at her.  “That’s what I like best about you.  You’re always ready for action.  You’ll leave tomorrow.  I suggest you take the day off and rest.”
“Thank you.”  Megara said.  
Then she left his chamber.  She glided to her quarters.  She had a red face.  Nights had just told her something that he liked about her.  
“All right, girl, calm down.”  Megara told herself.  “He didn’t tell you that loved you.”

The next day, Megara was waiting with Athair.  They were outside and waiting for the troops.  Megara had butterflies in her stomach, but Athair looked bored. 
“You got your supplies?”  He asked her.
“Yes.”  Megara said.  “I got everything that you told me to get.”
“Good.”  
Salpinx and Jubilee were in charge of this mission.  They rallied the troops and got ready. 
“Let’s move!”  Jubilee yelled.  The troops, followed by Megara and Athair, began their mission.

They have been moving for hours and Megara and Athair was getting tired.  It was hard flying while carrying medical supplies in packs and keeping up with the squad.
“When do you think we’ll take a rest?”  Megara said breathlessly.
“I don’t know.”  Athair said.
Suddenly, there was a cry of ambush.  Megara and Athair looked around frantically.  They saw what may be hundreds of Nightmare troops attacking.  They were confused and didn’t know where to go for safety.  Megara felt something hit the back of her head hard then everything went black.
                
Two hours later
Nights paced back in froth in his command chamber.  He had heard from some scouts that there were an ambush on Salpinx and Jubilee’s group.  He was worried about them.  All the troops manage to come back, but they were wounded and hurt badly.
The only persons that haven’t return are Athair, Salpinx, Jubilee, and Megara.  He worried about Megara the most.  
“What was I thinking?”  He thought to himself.  “I shouldn’t have sent her out.  I should’ve sent Silaz instead.”
    
    Meanwhile
Megara slowly opened her eyes.  She saw three faces staring down at her, but she didn’t know what faces.  Her version was blurry.  She shook her head and her version cleared.  She saw Athair, Jubilee, and Salpinx.
“Are you all right?”  Athair asked.
“I think so.”  Megara said, slowly sitting up.  She was laying on the ground.  She looked around to see that they are in a tent.  “What happened?”
“Why did I black out?”  Megara asked.  “I remember something hitting the back of my head.”
“A Nightmaren jerk snuck up behind you and hit you with the hilt of his stupid sword.”  Jubilee said.
“Where are we?”  Megara asked levitated off the grass.  
“In the enemy’s camp.”  Salpinx answered in a serious tone. “They’ll take us back to Wizeman’s castle and interrogate us.”
“Just great.”  Megara said.  “I got out of Nightmare for about week and now I’m going back.”
“Megara.”  Came a voice at the outside the tent.  They turned to see a Nightmaren standing at the entrance of the tent.  “Jackle wishes to see you.”
“Well, I don’t wish to see him.”  Megara snapped.  
“It’s an order.”  The Nightmaren said.  “You come either with us willingly or by force.”
Salpinx, Athair, and Jubilee got ready to fight.  Megara didn’t want them fight.  They would be outnumbered. 
“I’ll come with you.”  She said.  She motioned for her friends not to cause trouble.  
The Nightmaren roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the tent.  Megara saw that many guards were guarding the tent that held her friends and Salpinx.  She wondered what was going to happen to them and her.  She looked around to se that a lot of Nightmaren troops were packing up stuff.  The Nightmaren took her to another tent and shoved her inside.  Megara saw Jackle pouring a some liquid into a wine glass.  	       	  
“What do you want?”  Megara demanded.
“Nothing right now.”  He answered.  He held out a wine glass to Megara.  It held some red wine.  “Want some?”
“No thanks, I don’t drink.”  Megara said.  
“Too bad.”  Jackle said.  He set the wine down on a small table.
“What do you want?”  Megara asked again.
“As I said before, nothing.” 
“You must want something since you told that jerk outside to bring me here.”
“Well, yes, I do want something.”
“What?”  Megara asked nervously.
“You.”  
Megara was surprised and stunned.  “What do you mean?  I don’t understand?”
“I like you, Meggie.”  Jackle said approaching her.  “I like you a lot.”
“It’s Megara and I don’t like you.”
“Whatever.”  Jackle said.  “You know that you’ll be interrogated once you get to Nightmare.”
“Yeah, so?”
“Just tell me where the rebel’s base is and I can get you back on our side.”
Megara crossed her arms and said really stubbornly,  “What if I don’t want to be on your side?”
“Don’t be stupid.”  Jackle said.  “You’ll be executed for being a rebel.”
“Then I rather be killed then join Nightmare.”  
“Meggie, don’t be so stubborn.”  Jackle said floating closer to Megara.  “I know you don’t want to be killed as much as I don’t want you to be.”  Then he kissed her cheek.
Megara balled up a fist and nailed him in the jaw.  Jackle fell and hit the ground hard.  He slowly stood up and stared at Megara with hate in his eyes.
“You ungrateful, four legged . . . ”  Jackle said.
“B***h?”  Megara said finishing the sentence for him.  She had a smile on her face.  It felt good to knock out somebody that keeps calling you ‘Meggie’ when your name is ‘Megara’.
“GET HER OUT OF HERE!!!!!”  Jackle yelled at the top of his lungs.
Two Nightmaren guards stepped in and grabbed Megara and dragged her out of the tent.  Jackle face was red with anger.
“What happened?”  Salpinx asked Megara when the guards shoved her into the prisoner’s tent.  
“Let’s just say that Jackle got a little fresh with me.”  Megara said, still smiling.

Reala sat in his throne drinking red wine.  He drained his goblet and thought about how Megara completely humiliated him.  He gritted his teeth when he remembered.
Then he remembered when he had beaten her.  He smiled when he remembered her cries of pain whenever he hit her.  He thought how her blood oozed out of her mouth and nose.  He remembered how she looked when he was through.  She was leaning against the wall in pain.  She had scratches and bruises all over.  He had scratched her arm, chest, and thigh with his claws.  He also remembered that his claws were covered with her blood and had licked them clean after she left. 
He had won that battle, but she won the next one when she humiliated him in front of Jackle.  Jackle told all the officials.  Reala heard them whispering behind his back sometimes.  There were rumors that he couldn’t keep a female under his control.
Reala reached for the jug to pour himself another drink.  It was empty.  In his frustration, he threw it across the room.  The jug smashed against the wall and fell to the floor in sharp pieces.  
Reala couldn’t wait until he could get his hands on Megara.  He would make her pay for humiliating him.  Oh, he would make her pay.  Reala slowly crushed the goblet in his hand without realizing it.

They threw Salpinx, Jubilee, Athair, and Megara into a prison cell when they arrived at Wizeman’s castle.  The floor was ankle deep with water and it was cold.
Megara kneeled and put her wrists into the cold water.  The ice cold water soothed her hurt wrists.  They hurt from ropes that tied her hands behind her back.  They were all bound tightly on the way to Nightmare.
Salpinx was looking for a way out while the others looked at their surroundings.  He found no way out.
“I think that we are going to be here for a while.”  He said.  
“Great.”  Jubilee said sarcastically.

“Sir.”  A Hollow said as it entered Reala’s throne room.
“What?”  Demanded Reala.  
“Jackle has just captured four rebels sir.”  The Hollow said nervously.  “Two Nightmaren and a Nightmaren cat.  The fourth one looks odd.”
Reala stared at the Hollow.  The Hollow trembled with fear.  
“What does the fourth one look like?”  Reala asked.
“She’s all white and has green eyes instead of blue ones.  She looks like a human.”  The Hollow said.
“Tell the guards to bring her to my throne room at once.”  Reala ordered.
“Yes, sir.”  The Hollow said, relieve to be able to leave the room.

The door to the cell opened.  Megara and the others looked.  There stood was a guard.
“You.”  He said pointing to Megara.  “Come with me.  You have been summoned by . . . ”
“What does Jackle want now?”  Megara said interrupting him.  She had a look of annoyance on her face.
“It’s not Jackle.  It’s Reala.”  The guard said.
Megara gasped.  Now she was frightened.  The last time she saw Reala, he was MAD at her.  She had humiliated him in front of Jackle.
“What does he want?”  She asked.
“I don’t know.”  The guard said impatiently.  “Now come on.”

Reala looked up when the door opened.  He saw Megara shoved into his throne room.  She looked at him with fear in her green eyes.  
“Well, well, well.”  He said coming toward her.  “If it isn’t our little b***h.”.
“Stay away from me.”  Megara said moving back.  She back up into the doors and tried to open them.  They were locked.
“I had the guards lock the door.”  Reala said.
“Stay away.” Megara said moving away from the doors and glided backward away from Reala.
“You want to know what you did to me?”  Reala said moving toward her.  There was anger in his voice.  “You humiliated me.  Now people think that I can’t handle a female physician because of you.”	He lunged for her, but Megara moved away in time.  Reala grabbed nothing, but air.
“You asked for.”  Megara said.  “You shouldn’t have beaten me like you did.”
“Let me correct you.”  Reala said advancing on her.  “You were asking for that.”
He lunged for her again.  This time she didn’t have time to move.  He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him.  She panic and kicked and struggled.  He punched her in the stomach several times then slapped her face.
He let her go and she dropped to the floor.  She held her stomach.  Blood oozed from her lips.  He landed beside.  She crawled away as fast as she could, but not fast enough.  Reala kicked her in the side.  The kick sent her flying.  She hit the wall and slid to the floor.
She touched something sharp with her hand.  She looked to see a piece of the broken jug.  It was sharp like glass.  She held it tightly and waited for Reala to get close enough.  When he was close, she stabbed him in the leg.  He screamed in surprise and pain.  
The doors burst open.  In stepped the guards.  They had heard the scream.  Reala put his hand on the cut and glared at Megara.  She had now humiliated him in front of his guards.
“Take her out of here.”  He hissed to the guards.  
The guards grabbed Megara and took her back to the prison.  Reala took out the jug piece and more blood oozed from his wound.
He now hated Megara more than ever.

They threw Megara back into prison.  She hit the water with a big splash.  
“What happened?”  Jubilee asked her.
“Reala, tried to kill me.”  Megara said.  “But I stabbed him with a piece of glass or pottery.”
“Did you kill him?”  Salpinx said hopefully.  
“Sorry, I stabbed him in the leg.”  Megara said picking herself up.  “I think he’ll live.  Then he’s going to kill me for sure now.  I just humiliated him again in front of his guards.”
“D**n, Megara.”  Athair said.  “You got Stave, Jackle, and Reala hating your guts, and the worst one wants you dead.
“Well, excuse me for defending myself.”  Megara said.

         Meanwhile back at the Rebel’s base
Nights hit the table in frustration and anger.  He and a strike squad went out to look for the camp, but they didn’t find anything.  Now Megara and the others are probably on their way to Nightmare Castle. 
“D****t!”  He said to himself.

Silaz waited and worried in the infirmary.  He was worried about Megara.  He knew her for only a month, but he loved her.  Concentrating on treating wounded soldiers and worry at the same time was hard.  He sighed.  He knew that Nights was working on a way to rescue Megara and his best friend, Athair.

Nightmare Castle
Jubilee and Megara were leaning against the wall of the prison while Salpinx and Athair looked for a way out.  
“There isn’t a way out.”  Jubilee said.  “You already looked and you haven’t found anything.”
“We can’t just give up.”  Athair protested.  
“I’m not saying that you should give up.  I mean that you should think of another way of escaping.”  Athair knew she was right, so he landed and leaned against a wall, tired.
“Well, what are we going to do?”  Salpinx said.  “Just wait in here until it’s time to interrogate or kill us?”
“No.”  Jubilee said.  “I think that we should wait until something happens.”
“Like what?”  Salpinx said impatiently.  “Wait for someone to come along and knock out the guards and free us?”
Then they heard a noise outside the prison.  They became quiet and listened carefully.  They heard the sound of something hitting something else.  Like a head.  They then heard the sound of the guards dropping to floor.  
The door opened and there stood a female Nightmaren dressed in gray and black.  She was holding a bundle and was looking at them.  “I’m here to free you.”  She said.  “Don’t worry about the guards.  I knocked them out.”
Jubilee looked at Salpinx and said,  “Something like that.”
“We have to leave now.”  The Nightmaren said.
“Who are you?”  Salpinx said ignoring Jubilee.  
“My name is Anneke and I want to join the rebels.”  The Nightmaren said.  “Please, we got to leave now.”
“How do we know you’re not going to betray us?”  Salpinx said.
“Give her a break.”  Megara said.  “She is freeing us and she said she wanted to join us.”
“Yeah, but she may be a spy.  A spy trying to find out the location of our base.”  He said, not taking his eyes off Anneke.
“I promise you I am not a spy.”  Anneke said.  She looked frighten and scared.  “Please you have to trust me.  Please.”
“Salpinx, c’mon lets get out of here.”  Jubilee said.  “We’ll keep an eye on her.  If she tries anything then we can nail her butt to the wall.”
Salpinx kept his eyes on Anneke.  He still didn’t trust her.  “What is that you got?”  He said pointing to the bundle she was holding.
“Nothing!!!”  She said almost screaming.  She clutched the bundle tightly to her chest as if she were protecting it from Salpinx.
“Calm down.”  Megara said.  “I won’t let Salpinx do anything to you.”
Anneke calm down a little, but she still held the bundle protectively to her chest.  “Please let’s go.”
They left the prison.

Reala had his leg bandaged and was sitting in his throne wondering what was the most painful way for a Nightmaren woman to die.
“Sir!  Sir!!”  A Shleep yelled as it flew into his throne room.
“What!?”  Reala demanded.
“The rebels have escape!”  
Reala stood up and glared at the Shleep.  “How did they escape?”
“The guards were knocked out, sir.”  The Shleep said.  “And the prison was empty.”
“Find them!!!”  Reala yelled.  

The rebels and Anneke made it outside the castle.  They had knocked out several guards and had to hide about a million times, but they made it.
They fly across the Nightmare and didn’t see the group of guards following them until it was too late.  Out of nowhere an arrow hit Anneke in the back.  You could see the point of the arrow sticking out of her stomach.  She fell, but Salpinx caught her and carried her with him.  They hid behind some huge rocks.  The guards searched for them.
“Leave me.”  Anneke gasped.  Blood was oozing from her mouth. 
“No way.”  Jubilee said.  “We don’t leave anybody behind.”
“It’s too late for me.”  Anneke gasped.  She held the bundle to Megara, who was examining her wound.  “Please, take this with you.”
Megara slowly took the bundle from Anneke.  She knew that Anneke was going to die.  It was too late for her.  They would never get her to an infirmary in time.
“Don’t worry.”  Megara said.  “I’ll take it and protect it.”  
Anneke smiled at Megara, then she went limp.  A small tear slid down Megara’s cheek.  Salpinx set Anneke’s body on the ground and crossed her arms over her chest.
“I FOUND THEM!!!!!”  Came a scream.  They turned to see that they were found and were surrounded.  To Megara’s horror, she saw that Reala was leading the group and was with them.  So was Stave.
“Leaving?  Without saying good bye?”  Reala said with a laugh.  
“Let us go.”  Salpinx said.
“Oh no.”  Reala said.  “We have to take al of you back to the castle.”  He looked at Megara with a look of rage.  “Except that b***h!”
Megara wasn’t looking at Reala.  She was looking at Stave.  He was the only one with a bow and arrows.  He had killed Anneke and was the one who killed her friend Chant. 
“Murder.”  She hissed at Stave.
Stave smiled and said,  “Just doing my job.”
“You . . . ”  She started to say, but stopped.  The bundle had just moved a little.  No one else noticed this.  Then she felt someone grab her arm.  She looked to see Reala.
“I waited a long time to do this.”  He whispered in her ear.  He raised his clawed hand and scratched her arm.  Megara screamed in pain as his claws ripped her through her skin.  
Salpinx came forward and made a punch at Reala.  Reala was too busy enjoying Megara’s pain to see Salpinx coming at him.  Salpinx’s fist connected with Reala’s jaw.  The hit knocked back Reala.
Reala’s group attacked them.  Megara didn’t know what was happening.  Her scratched arm was hurting and she was losing a lot of blood.  She could hear Salpinx, Athair, and Jubilee fighting.  A few seconds later, she felt someone pick her up and carried her  away.  She looked up at Salpinx, who was flying as fast as he could.  The others were right behind them with Reala’s group perusing them.
It seemed like hours before they made it to the edge of the Mystic Forest.  The Rebels fly into the forest.  They somehow managed to lose Reala and his party and hide.
They landed to rest.  They were exhausted.  They wanted to fly all the way to the base without stopping, but there was risk that they could accidently lead Reala to the base.  
Salpinx set Megara down.  Megara looked at her arm and gasped.  Her arm was covered in her blood and so was Salpinx’s chest.  She knew if she kept bleeding like this, she will die of blood loss.
“Athair, I need something to stop the blood.”  She said.
“Use that blanket that’s wrapped around that thing that Anneke was carrying.”  Athair said.
Megara looked down a the bundle on her lap.  She had held it tight ever since it had moved and was curious of what it could be.  She carefully unwrapped the blanket and gasped at what she saw.
“What is it Megara?”  Salpinx asked when he heard her gasp.
“Anneke was a mother.”  Megara said as she looked down a the sleeping baby Nightmaren on her lap.
Everyone forgot their fear of being found by Reala and looked at the baby.  It wore an orange and black suit.  It opened its eyes a little, revealing blue eyes, before closing them.
“Awww, he’s so cute.”  Jubilee said. 
“But what’s wrong with him?”  Salpinx asked.  “He’s been so quiet and didn’t make a sound.”
“Simple.  Anneke drugged him to keep him quiet.”  Athair said as he tore the blanket and bandaged Megara’s arm.  “No wonder Anneke was so nervous and so protective of that a bundle.  She had her baby with her.”  He looked at the baby closer.  “I think the drugs are wearing off.”
“Well, that’s just great.”  Salpinx said.  “Now we’re hiding from Reala, we can’t go home because we might lead him to it, and now we have a baby that could give us away.”
“Calm down.”  Megara said.  “I’ll keep him quiet when he’s awake.  I’ll look after him until we get back to the base.”  
“That’ll be fine.”  Salpinx said unconvinced.  
“Reala’s going to catch us if we don’t start moving.”  Jubilee said.  “Megara, keep the baby as quiet as possible.”
“I’ll try, but what do I do if he tries to fly away?”  Megara asked.
“He can’t fly.  He’s way too young.”  Athair said.  He saw the confused expression on Megara’s face and said,  “Baby Nightmarens can’t fly at first, but they soon learn to.”
Megara found this very hard to believe.  She had watched Nights and Silaz fly and do their acrobatics.  She couldn’t imagine there was a time in their lives that they couldn’t fly.
“What do you suggest we do, Salpinx?”  Jubilee asked.
“I think we should head toward the base.  We’re good distance away from it.”  Salpinx said.  “But we should keep an eye out for any of Reala’s group.”
“Think you can fly and manage the baby with a hurt arm, Megara?”  Athair asked.
“I think so.”  Megara said ignoring the protesting pain in her arm.
“Okay, lets go.”  Salpinx said and led the way.

30 minutes later
“The baby is awake.”  Megara announced when she saw the little blue eyes staring up at her.
“Make sure that he doesn’t start crying.”  Salpinx said without stopping.
“Hi, baby.”  Megara said shifting the infant to one arm.  She took her hand touched the baby’s little hand.  The baby, did what ordinary babies in the Waking World would have done, grabs her finger.
“What’s your name?”  She asked even though she knew that he couldn’t tell her and didn’t even know.  “How about I call you Benny?”
The baby smiled and giggled.  Megara took this as a yes.
“How is he?”  Jubilee asked.  
“Benny’s fine.”  
“Benny?”
“That’s what I’m calling him.”
“It’s not a Nightmaren name, but it will do.”

               One hour later
Benny has been quiet.  He had been pulling Megara’s collar and hat.  Megara made sure that he was content.
They haven’t seen Reala’s party, but they kept careful watch.  Megara was scared though she did not show it.  She remembered how Anneke died.  She was flying just fine, until Stave killed her.  She didn’t see the arrow come at her at all.
“We’ll stop here and rest.”  Salpinx said.  “Then we’ll take a different direction.  Hopefully we’ll run into a Nightopian or a scout.”
“I think not.”  Came a voice.  Reala and his party surrounded them again.  Megara didn’t think that this would end.    	
“You are going to lead us to the base.”  Reala said.  
“No!”  Salpinx yelled.
“Yes.”  Reala said.  Then he saw Megara with the baby.  “What is that?
“A baby, stupid.”  Megara said, clutching Benny, who was babbling to himself, to her  chest.
“That child belongs to the Nightmare army.”  Reala said.  “Give it up or we’ll take it from you.”
Megara remembered that Anneke had lost her life to keep Benny away from this hellish army.  She wasn’t going to let Anneke die for nothing, nor was she going to let them take Benny away from her.
“NO!!!”  She said almost screaming.  “YOU’LL HAVE TO KILL ME BEFORE YOU CAN HAVE, BENNY!!!!!!”
Reala was a little surprised to see the fire in Megara.  He hadn’t expected her to act like this.
“Gladly.”  He said drawing out his sword.  
Before he could come any closer to Megara, a yell came out of nowhere and Reala’s party found themselves surrounded my Nights and a lot of soldiers.  Reala’s party and Nights’ began to fight.  Many of Reala’s men died and very few survived.  When the fight was finished,  they killed most of Reala’s party and there was no sign of Reala.  
“Are you all right?”  Silaz asked Megara when he saw her arm.
“I don’t know.”  She said.  “My arm hurts a lot and I have lost a lot of blood.”
“I need to get you back to the infirmary.”  Silaz said when he saw Nights coming from the corner of his eye.  “I need to fix your arm.  Fast.”
“Calm down, Silaz.”  Megara said.  “I saw worst wounds then this and I saw soldiers live.”
“Hello, Megara.”  Nights said.  “Are you all right?”
“Yes, she is all right.”  Silaz said before Megara could say a word.  Nights sworn he saw Silaz narrow his eyes at him.  “I need to get her to the infirmary as soon as possible.  Now if you’ll excuse us.”  He grabbed Megara’s good arm, the one that held Benny, and pulled her away with him.  
Megara was surprised at Silaz’s behavior.  He usually didn’t act like this.  She held onto Benny and gave Nights an I-don’t-know-what’s-wrong-with-Silaz look and let Silaz pull her away from Nights.

“You should be all right.”  Silaz said.  But you’ll be weak for a while, so you may want to take few days off to rest and regain your strength.”
“Thank you.”  Megara said.  She looked at her newly bandaged arm.  Benny was sitting in her lap with a bottle.
Nights glided into the infirmary.  “Megara, we need to talk.”  He said.
“Okay.”  Megara said. 
“Is it all right if we can talk in private?”  Nights asked.
“Sure.  Where?”  
“In my command chamber.”
“Okay.”  Megara said as she took Benny up into her arms and followed Nights out of the infirmary.
Silaz frowned when he saw Megara following Nights.  He hated it when they were together.  He also hated the look on Megara’s face when ever she is around Nights.  He went back to work.

“What do you want to talk about?”  Megara asked Nights when they were in his chamber.
“It’s about Benny.”  Nights said.
“How did you know his name?” 
“Salpinx and Jubilee told me about Anneke and Benny.”
“Oh.”
“I can’t find a place for him.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t find anybody to adopt him.  Almost all the soldiers are an afraid of caring for children during a war.”
“What is going to happen to him?”  Megara asked afraid for Benny.  She looked down at Benny in her arms. He was babbling happily to himself, unaware that he was an orphan and was homeless.  
“I was thinking and thought that maybe you can adopt him.  Nights said.
Megara slowly looked up at Nights.  “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“I would be a horrible mother.”  
“Not from what Salpinx and Jubilee told me.  I think you would make a great mother.”
“But I don’t have the time.  I’m always busy in the infirmary.”
“We’ll find time for you to work and to care for Benny.”
“I don’t have room in my quarters.”
“I’ll find you a bigger room.”  
“I’m sorry, but I’m too young.  I just can’t take care of Benny.”  She held Benny out to Nights.  “Please, you have to find someone else to care for him.”
When Nights took Benny into his arms, Benny let a scream of protest.  He began to cry and reach out to Megara.
“Megara, I think he has gotten a little attached to you.”  Nights said as he tried to hold the struggling baby.
“Here let me gold him.”  Megara said as she took Benny back into her arms.  Benny immediately stopped crying.  He hugged Megara’s neck and held onto her as if he were afraid that someone will try to take him away again.  “It’s okay Benny.  I’ll take care of you from now on.”  Megara looked up at Nights, who watching them with a smile.  “You win.”

Megara moved into their new him later that day.  There was already some baby furniture there.  There was a playpen with a top (For when he starts to fly), a cradle, a high chair and some baby toys.
“Here Benny, you play while I go and rest.”  Megara said as she set Benny down into the playpen.  Benny started to cry when she set him down.  
“Benny, it’s okay.  I’m not leaving you.”  Megara said as she picked him up.  She held him to her chest.  This was the beginning of Megara’s problems.

It had been a week since Benny came to live with Megara.  She hadn’t had a lot of sleep and she is exhausted.  She had no idea that Nightmaren babies like to play always.  She hardly had time to go to the infirmary.  Almost every second, Benny needed her, and it wasn’t doing her hurt arm any good either.
One day, while Megara was playing with Benny, Nights showed up at her door.
“What’s up?”  He asked.
“Nothing, except that I haven’t been getting any sleep for the last week.”  Megara said.
“I came to help you out with Benny.”  Nights said as he picked Benny off of the floor. “You can sleep while I look after Benny.”
“Are you sure?”  Megara asked.  “Aren’t you busy?”
“No, nothing much is happening.”  Nights said.  “Just go to bed and sleep.  Benny and I will be fine.”
Megara did so and had caught on some sleep.

The next day, Nights came to Megara with a visitor.  
“Megara, this is Margot.”  Nights said introducing a young Nightmaren female.  The girl looked to be about 15 years old and her suit was hot pink and dark blue.  “She has volunteered to look after Benny when you are needed in the infirmary.”
“That’s great!”  Megara said.  “I sure can use some help with Benny.  He can a be a handful sometimes.”
“I think Benny and I will get along just fine.”  Margot said.  “I like to take care of babies.”
Megara told Margot everything she needed to know to take care Benny.  Then she took Benny into her arms and said,  “Benny, this is Margot.  She’s going to take care of you while I’m gone.  So be a good boy while I’m gone, okay?”  She kissed Benny goodbye and handed him to Margot.  Margot set him down in his playpen.
Benny watched Megara glide out of the door and watched the door close.  He watched the door a few more seconds before his eyes began to fill with tears.
Margot saw this.  “Benny, she’ll be back soon.  We’ll have a good time together.”
Benny let out a screech and began to cry.

Megara didn’t come back until late that night.  She opened the door to see Margot laying on the couch with Benny sleeping on her chest.  She could tell that Benny had given her a hard time, too.
“Margot, wake up.”  Megara said as she gently shook Margot awake.  Margot opened her eyes and looked up at Megara.  
“What time is it?”  She asked as she carefully sat up and tried not to wake Benny.
“It’s late.”  Megara answered.  She took Benny to his cradle and tucked him in.  He stirred a little, but didn’t wake up.  Megara returned to see Margot waiting for her.
“Thank you for taking care of Benny.”  Megara said.  “I was having a hard time taking care of him and work in the infirmary.”
“How is your arm?”  Margot asked.
“It’s much better, thanks.  Silaz is going to look at it tomorrow and see if he can take off the bandage.”
“That’s good.”  Margot said.  “Who is Benny’s father?”
“Huh?”  Megara asked.  She had never thought that Benny had a father.  She knew that Anneke was his mother, but she had no idea who his father could be.  “I don’t know.”
Margot got a confused look on her face. “Aren’t you Benny’s mother?”	
“No, I adopted him.”  Megara said.
“Oh.  I didn’t know.”
“His mother died while me and some others were escaping from Reala.  You probably heard about that.”
“No, I didn’t.  I was in Nightmare then.”
“Oh, so why did you want to join the rebels.”
“I heard that they let you do what you want and they don’t force you to do anything that you don’t want to do.”
“Were they forcing you to do something in Nightmare?”
“Yeah, to fight.  But I didn’t want to be a soldier, I wanted to be a teenager.”
“Oh, I see.” 
“I don’t like to fight and hate to kill.  I’d rather take care of people than fight.”
“Why don’t you become a physician?  I can take you as an assistant.”
“No thanks.  I’d rather look after Benny.  He’s so cute.”

The next day, Megara took Benny with her to the infirmary.  Silaz looked at her arm and said that it should be healed in another week or so.  
“That’s good.”  Megara said.  
“Yeah.”  Silaz said.  “How’s Benny?”
“He fine.”  She said.  “Night has helped me a lot.”
“Oh, he did, did he?”  Silaz said.  
“He sure did.”  Megara said.  “He got a babysitter for Benny and a bigger quarters for us.”
“Uh huh.”  Silaz said.			                   
“I don’t know what I would do without him.”  Megara said. 
“Megara, if Nights can’t help that time you, I want you to know that you can always come to me.”  Silaz said.
“Thank you, Silaz.”  Megara said.  “I better go.  It’s time for Benny’s nap.  Bye.”
She left the infirmary.  Silaz watched her go.  He loved her, but was afraid to tell her his feelings.  But one day he will tell her and she will love him.

                        The End 
Tell me what you think!!!!!!!  I got the idea for this story and Benny from Delphine’s “Human Armada.”  And please give me suggestions for more stories.