DISCLAIMER ⚠️:

You are about to venture into some PG-17 scenes. If you do not want to read sexual content, including birthing a child and mental abuse, please skip to the next chapter! However, this chapter may be necessary for the storyline.

Thank you.

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A videocam ran in the distance while I zoomed up and down a long hiking trail deep into the woods. "You went from science nerd to super jock in a single accident. When your dad finds out, he will lose his shit." Dexter said, his voice barely audible in the distance.

"I know. Matt and I haven't told Henry or him yet," I replied.

Danielle sunk her feet into the dirt, and our baby, Grace, was ready to pop out. "Poor Henry. He gets left out on many of your family secrets."

"Do you like him or something?" I asked, walking with her as Dexter followed us with a camera. Danielle shoved me nearly off a cliff, but I caught myself. Besides, I could fly. "No genius. I like you." She said with a goofy grin at the camera.

Dexter broke out in chuckles, turning the camera on himself. "There you go, ladies and gentlemen. Dani has a crush on Superboy." Danielle pushed Dexter this time, giggling. I just about thought she would go into labor. Dexter turned the camera back on Danielle and me, zooming in on her face.

"Shut up, Dex," she growled.

"Ooh, pregnancy hormones. They're scarier than you, Sam," Dexter chuckled again, barely losing his footing on a small pebble, but I caught his fall.

"It's okay if you love me, Dani, because I love you too."

Dexter chuckled, weaving the camera at another angle. "Are you two going to kiss?" he asked, puckering his lips toward us.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Maybe." I grinned, slamming my hand into the camera. I wiggled my eyebrows at Danielle and took her hands in mine. I pulled her close, our lips touching as I lifted her into the sky. Then, the video cut out at that very moment.

"Hey, Sam," Danielle turned my attention away from the video on my computer for a second.

"You're about ready to burst," I said, smiling at her and brushing my palm against her baby bump. At twenty, we were so close to welcoming baby number two, Maximus, into the Superhuman Prodigy Project. I wasn't even sure he was my son, but I would still raise him like mine if I could take Danielle, baby Grace, and Maximus away from this hellish place.

Danielle was pregnant again two months after she was pregnant with Maximus. Alexander had added two more twin boys, mostly to cover up that Maximus was our only naturally conceived son, but I only found out about the scandal years later. We argued over names but decided on Noah, named after her brother, who passed at four years old, and Bryce, after her dad died of cancer, shortly after we found out she was pregnant again. Irish triplets-Just our luck. Thanks, Alexander.

"Yeah, I know," she said, holding my hand on her tummy. Maximus kicked my hand hard enough for me to feel it but soft enough to hurt his mother barely, and I blushed, melting into my seat. "Do you have anything new on the project? Anything we can blackmail Alex with?"

"I rolled away from the computer for just a moment, grabbing a stack of papers off to the side, "Not yet, but I'm getting somewhere," I told her.

She jolted as Maximus gave another strong kick in her gut. "I feel like any day now. Max will make an appearance." She said, collecting herself from that minor blow.

I chuckled nervously. "Me too," I hesitated. "Soon, he'll be bench-pressing semi-trucks and flying around the world, saving humanity."

She chuckled nervously this time. "Yep. It's just a matter of time."

Suddenly, Alexander stood in the distance, watching us talk with baby Grace in his arms. Grace was sobbing, reaching out for me, but my ruthless brother refused to let me see her.

"What are you two doing? I told you you couldn't see him." My brother grabbed Danielle's arm, yanking her away. I stood up from my seat with the sudden urge to pounce on him.

"Daddy, help," Grace cried, trying to wiggle out of my brother's arms, but she didn't have the guts to do anything. She was my little girl. She was a superpowers child trained to fear the world and the monster my brother became.

"Leave her alone," I roared. "She's pregnant, okay? You got what you wanted, so never treat her or my kids like that."

"Shut up, Sammie," He spat at me. I stepped forward, ready to do what I had to help Grace, Max, and the mother of my children. "What are you going to do?" He growled, intimidating me. Instead of striking him when I could, I backed away like a coward. "I will never let you see your son if you keep this fucking attitude going," He growled, confirming my suspicions about Max. He was my son. My firstborn son. Soon, two kids would become many more, forcing Danielle to suffer a mother's worst fear. I couldn't save her from Alex. I couldn't even save myself, even with my mighty superpowers. Nobody could save us.

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I found Danielle crying in the break room that evening. She held her stomach, feeling baby Maximus kick and squirm uncomfortably in her belly. Grace was sitting with her, snacking on cookies and milk, at a steel table in the corner, and when she saw me, she held her last cookie out to me, proud to share it with her father.

"Hi, Daddy! Do you want my cookie?" She smiled at me with a toothless grin, still holding it out. "I saved it for you."

"Honey, I..." I stopped before I could reject it, smiling back at her. "Thank you, Gracie," I said, grabbing the cookie from her fingertips and consuming it in one bite. She was a giggling bundle of joy. My bundle of joy, and no matter what Alex brainwashed my kids into believing, I loved them so much.

Grace patted the seat next to me, and I sat beside her. Then she climbed onto my lap, cuddling up as I pulled her against me, tickling her and feeling her jerking around in my arms.

"Daddy, stop!" She muttered through childish laughter. Instead of torturing her, I pulled her back against me, feeling her warmth in my arms. She tilted her head back, her toothless grin returning as she watched me curiously.

More fluttered kicks punched Danielle's gut before a final blow broke her water. "Sam," she called my name. I was deeply involved in Grace's chocolate eyes. "Samual!" she screamed loud this time. Grace and I turned our heads, and my heart nearly leaped from my chest from shock and excitement.

"Danielle, your water broke," I screeched. Danielle groaned in pain, shifting in her seat. "Push, babe," I said.

"I know," she nearly screamed, giving her first big push. "Take my hand, Samual, please," she begged.

I slid Grace off of my lap, pointing to the corner. "Grace, honey, stand in the corner, and whatever you do, don't look," I said urgently.

"Am I in trouble, Daddy," she whined. I placed my hand on her shoulder, my brown eyes meeting hers as I reassured her she was okay.

"Go in the corner and don't look until I tell you, and I will give you a big surprise if you're good," I promised her, pointing to the corner. Danielle still groaned in pain. With each push, baby Maximus was one centimeter closer to safety in my arms, and about seven months later, she would go back into labor with Maximus's twin brothers, Noah and Bryce.

"Grace rushed to the corner, facing the wall, her face in her arms as if she was playing a game of hiding and seek, while I ran to Danielle's side, kneeling on the floor and pulling her pants and underwear below her legs, before I moved her gently to the floor, slipping my palm in hers.

"Push!" I instructed her. She gave a few more pushes before I could see Max crowning between her legs. "You're almost there, babe. Just a few more big pushes," I instructed her again.

"Can I look yet, Daddy," Grace yelled from the corner. I took a deep breath, unable to explain what was happening.

"No, baby, not yet, but soon," I yelled. Danielle squeezed my fist so hard I thought it would break as she gave a final push, strong enough that I could aid her the rest of the way. I kneeled on the floor, gliding my fingers to yank baby Max out alone. "One more big push," I told her. Danielle gave one more big push before I heard Maximus cry in my arms. My eyes met his as we watched each other. He watched me, curiosity filling his mind as his tiny fingers grasped my fingers. Alex took the front after guards rushed in.

"Take the baby," Alex ordered one guard.

"No," Dani screamed and cried in panic. "No-no-NO!" Grace turned around, backing into the corner in fear, when she saw Alexander standing there, and I held Max against my chest, pulling the umbilical cord free from Max.

"You're not taking my son and daughter," I growled.

"Grace, come here," Alex demanded.

"No," she said, stomping her foot-Atta' girl.

"Grace, I won't repeat myself." He roared.

Grace screamed, "NO!"

"Grace!" He yelled back. Suddenly, Grace threw her arms forward as a powerful force pushed from her fingertips, lunging officers into walls. Alex was unfazed, glaring at her. "Stop it, Grace!" He ordered. She threw her arms out one last time, sending the other officers into the wall while the others collected themselves.

"Get her now!" Alexander ordered. I refused to let them take my children away from me. I refused to let them take Danielle away, especially while she was pregnant with two other fetuses. I focused my mind, a force pushing outwards. My brother flew backward, slamming into a wall. He stood up unfazed with blood dripping from his head, dusting himself off.

What the fuck.

"Someone grab Danielle and Grace. I'll get Maximus." He ordered. A dozen officers swarmed Danielle and cornered my daughter while I gave in, letting my brother take Max from my arms. It was no use fighting him. He was an unstoppable force no superpowers could stop. I watched him walk Danielle, Grace, and my newborn son out of the room while I sank to the floor, my palms sinking into my temples.

Alexander was a monster. Unpredictable, powerful, and almost unstoppable. He took my kids from me, no matter how much I fought him, and I thought I would never have them back.