Flora's POV

About two months  had passes since I discovered I was pregnant, I had, at Bloom's advice, gone to the doctor. He told me that I was progressing just fine, a relief on my part, considering the type of girl I am, I mean, I wasn't about to sit at home and knit footies or anything, I had a business to run. I was the first up this morning, so I took it upon myself to make breakfast, though just the thought of food made me sick to my stomach. My willingness to withstand the urge to vomit lasted long enough for me to finish cooking, then I bolted up the steps and into the bathroom.

After my stomach settled and I freshened up, I headed back downstairs to find Thorn and Bloom fixing their plates. "Thanks for breakfast, Sis" Thorn said sitting down at the table. "How're you feeling?" Bloom asked as she took a seat across from Thorn. "About the same as usual, I'm goin' to get the paper, be right back." I walked outside on the front porch and picked up the paper, taking a moment to take  in the harbor. The skies were cloudless and the air was still and warm. Today was going to be a good day, at least it looked that way, I was proved wrong when I sat down at the table and read the front page. My hands trembled so badly I had to bring the paper really close and squint, almost painfully, to be able to finish reading the article. "Flo? Hey Flora, you OK?" Thorn asked snapping her fingers to gain my attention. Both canines were giving me worried looks. I took a deep shakey breath. "Uh...uh-uh." Bloom took the paper out of my shaking hands and read tensing after a moment. "Oh" she murmered softly. "Oh, Flower, I'm sorry." Thorn looked puzzled and slightly irritated. "What, what is it?" I gulped, trying to steel my nerves before I spoke. "Karnage is back" I whispered barely audiable.

Don Karnage and his crew had vanished after I had escaped, I had no idea where he'd gone, but now that he was back, no good could come from it. I hated Karnage, but even though I hated to admit it, some part of me feared him. The man kidnapped me, threatened me, violated me, striking fear into me. Traumatizing me in the worst ways possible, to some extent, the air pilot had broken me. Though I'd never admit it to anyone, and scarecly dared to admit it to myself, I would always be afraid of him. Always.

I was able to make deliveries just fine, though I was more than a little nervous, especially now that I had a baby on the way. Thorn and Bloom sympathized trying to keep my stress level, and workload, as light as possible. But they couldn't do anything for my mental state, during the day I could distract myself with work and day-to-day things with Bloom and Thorn, and being pregnant. However at night, I was plauged with horrible, vivid nightmares about Karnage returning, taking me away, and hurting me again. I'd wake up shaking and sweaty, gasping for air, I'd never been able to get back to sleep, I'd just lay there lost in though until I deemed it late enough to get up.

Still though, three more months passed with no sighn of Karnage, I was, by now, well into my pregnancy and showing. I thought I would loathe being pregnant with Karnage's baby, especially when I came close to my due date, but no, seven months in and I couldn't help but feel excited by the prospect of being a mother. I, of course, wouldn't act like my own mother did, I would let my child grow and dream and become their own person. "Flora, are you ready? We don't want to keep them waiting." I struggled with getting my shoe on before answering "coming!" I called as I grabbed my coat and ran out of my bedroom, closing the door behind me.

We walked the short distance to Higher for Hire and Thorn knocked on the door. Ever since we met Baloo and Rebecca, who surprisingly aren't married, we ate dinner together at least once a week. Kit opened the door, smiling, and waved us in. "Baloo, Flora and her sisters are here!" Kit and Molly always referred to us as sisters, we were just that close, but it did make me yearn for my real sisters Lani and Talula. Lani wrote frequently, she explained how Mother refused to let Talula write to me, acording to Lani, it was forbidden to even speak my name in her household. Lani did have happy news however, she'd been married to Julius no less, his father was a friends with ours, his family was also quite wealthy. Apparently she and Julius moved to a small island town known as Lotus Cape, i had never heard of it, but Lani assured me she was happy and saw a long happy marriage ahead of her. I told her about what happened to me, and told her to tell Father and Talula if she could, but not Mother, the last thing I needed was her finding out I spent two years in a gang and another year with an air pirate. She sympathyzed and said she'd try to find a way to pass my message along.

I shoved these thoughts from my mind as Molly raced into the room, Rebecca and Baloo following. "Hello ladies" Bloo greeted removing his cap and bowing dramatically. I laughed as I swooped Molly up into my arms. "Well good evening kind sir" I said using my "sophisticated" voice  I often used with Talula when we were kidding around. "How're you feeling Flora, everything going well?" Rebecca asked "Yes, yes, everything is fine."

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Kit asked "I didn't ask, I want it to be a surprise." He nodded understanding. "Have you thought of any names yet?" I shrugged as we sat down in the kitchen so we could talk while Baloo finished cooking. "A few, but I suppose I won't really know until I see the baby, I figure it'll just come to me you know?"  Rebecca nodded "yes, that's how I chose Molly's name, as soon as the doctor put her in my arms, her name just came to me, I couldn't explain it, not even now." Throughout dinner we talked and laughed, and even after we stayed and talked, it was almost ten o'clock before we left, and almost one o' clock before I got to sleep properly.

I sat in the navigator's chair, staring lazily out of the window at the few fluffy white clouds littered across the blue sky. I was feeling sick and tired, so I decided to let Thorn pilot the plane today. Bloom was sitting on some pillows between us reading a book. We were heading home after a two day delivery trip to Graceland, I had to admit that was a beautiful place with lush green fields, diverse forrests, and magnificent purple mountians. I made a mental note go back there, on vacation or something. I had just slipped off into sleep when the plane lurched. I woke with a start. "Thorn?" I asked just as bullets started pelting the plane. No! No, no, no, not him, not now. Bloom and I got to our feet while Thorn tried to take The Skyrunner into evasive manouvers. I heard three loud thumps, and then door was thrust open, and their he stood, Don Karnage, in the flesh, after eight months. It almost didn't seem real, his dark eyes found mine almost instantly. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my Flora, it's been a while since the last time I was seeing you, yes-no?" I swallowed the knot in my stomach, stepped foward, putting myself between Bloom and Karnage. "I don't expect it's any of your business, and just what do you think you're doing to my plane?" I inquired heatedly. I saw the anger flicker in his eyes as he studied me a moment, eyes widening a bit once he saw my swollen stomach. I followed his gaze "it's your's" I said after clearing my throat awkwardly and looking away from him. He came closer to me, that's when Thorn got up and stepped between us protectively. "You keep away from her!" she growled. "Bloom" I whispered as Thorn and Karnage started to argue back and forth. "Contact Cape Suzette Air Force, hurry!" I hissed watching as she quietly slinked away to do so. "Karnage, what is it, exactly, that you want?" I asked stepping out from behind Thorn. "It is you I am wanting, Flora, I am searching for you for many months."

"Well, I'm not coming with you, so you might as well leave." Thorn silenced watching us cautiously, ready to leap into action if need be. "You, you are coming with me if I have to be forcing you!"

"Oh, like you forced me to join your crew, and be your girlfriend, and here's the big kicker, have your child? No, I'm never going anywhere with you ever again, I want you out of my life!"

"Oh, it looks like the Air Force is on their way."

Everyone turned to Bloom who had spoken so casually. "Air Force?" Karnage echoed, before grinning in my direction. "Well Flora, since I'm feeling merciful, I am letting you go, for today. But I am to be coming back for you." With that Don Karnage was gone, we watched his planes fly away, back toward the Iron Vulture no doubt. "Thorn, get us out of here" Bloom ordered as I sagged against the wall and eased myself down to the floor, burying my head in my knees, allowing silent tears to flow down my cheeks.

Things only seemed to get worse as we landed the plane and found a sleek black limo parked in front of the house. "Want us to handle this Flo?" Thorn asked. "No, I can talk" I said I really didn't want to, I wanted to go up to my room and cry. I really wasn't used to feeling this way. As we neared the house, Mr. CEO himself, Shere Khan, stepped out of the car. My stomach knotted painfully. I put on a brave front as I approached with Thorn and Bloom in tow, wearing similiar expressions. "Mr. Khan is there