Dark Escape [SC & Kawashima Thunder]

[sleeplessCartoonist]

The Characters:

​

Name: Jason Brooks


Age: 27


Appearance: Jason stands at about 5'10", with a medium frame and dark hair which is typically neat. He's a bit pale, and is often clean-shaven. His eyes are a golden brown, and he has a pair of rectangular-framed glasses sitting on his thinly-bridged nose. He has a serious look about him, and usually doesn't settle for very casual clothes unless he isn't leaving the house.


Personality: Overall, he's fairly serious. He will lighten up at times, though not for extended periods of time, and he seems to think about basically everything. Jason is intelligent and analytical, and will often think of everything that could possibly go wrong in a situation. He's fairly quiet, though can be very blunt at times. If he thinks he's in the right, he won't hesitate to tell someone so. He's typically very level-headed and stubborn.

 

[BloodThunder27]

Name: Nicole 'Nikki' Brooks ('nee Tang)


Age: 23


Appearance:


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Personality: Nicole comes off as very shy and seemingly cold, but is in fact a very nice and caring person. Although normally serious like her husband (and baby daddy), Nicole still has a fun side and loves to enjoy life. As a Teenager, she used to love watching horror movies, but her views on them have since changed because she's now an expecting mom. Of course, pregnancy comes with its negatives, such as mood swings, constant hunger and (what just about every expecting mom hates) not being able to fit into her favorite pants. She has shown to be very family oriented and loves to spend time with her family. At times she is tomboyish, but is usually feminine. 
On the night before her wedding day, bride-to-be and expecting mom Nicole Tang grew anxious because not only she had dreamed of a perfect wedding, but she wanted to have a family as well. However, she did not expect to be starting a family so soon, as seven months ago, she ended up getting pregnant by her boyfriend of two years. To avoid embarrassment, she and her fiancée decided to get married, having been engaged for four months, with him proposing to her when she was at least three months into her pregnancy. Now seven months into her pregnancy, Nicole is prepared to walk down the isle. Although confident about getting married and starting a new life, she had her doubts about being a good mother. As she held her belly, she waited for her fiancée to come home and be with her. In the meantime, she sat in the living room, in her nightgown reading a pregnancy guide. So far, thanks to her cousin being a nurse, Nicole has been receiving the best prenatal care and has so far been having a stress-free and healthy pregnancy, but of course, she wanted to be able to take care of herself as well, not wanting to put too much weight on her cousin's shoulders.

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

Traffic. He hated traffic.


The morning and evening commute to and from work was always a pain, Jason thought. At least thirty minutes was spent sitting in traffic, and what would be an easy ten minute drive became a great annoyance. He checked the time briefly, before taking another drag of his cigarette. It was a habit he thought he'd quit almost a year ago, though it had resurfaced a month or so back. Granted, it was hardly his fault, he reasoned, with all the stress he's been dealing with, and he would never smoke at home. He was innocent enough.


To get married was a stressful enough thought for him. To be engaged to a pregnant woman was another. While he did love his fiancée, absolutely, he couldn't help but feel that his proposing to her was an obligation rather than an act of love. He certainly didn't feel like he was about to get married. Especially not at that moment, when he was stuck in traffic on his way home from his tedious office job, muttering strings of curses under his breath as he was cut off by another driver. As the cars began to move bit by bit again, he attempted to calm himself.


He didn't mind the thought of being a father too much, though he did question his abilities to raise a child often. However, he couldn't help but weigh all of the cons of parenthood; expenses, lack of sleep, no time for himself, having to change diapers, everything smelling like infant. Jason sighed quietly, sitting up as his exit came into view. He took another drag of his cigarette, sitting back as he was finally out of the traffic jam, moving from a crawl to a pleasant speed. He'd be home soon enough, and he was glad. Now, he wouldn't have to deal with the annoying daily commute or his job for a little while.


Pulling into the driveway, he checked the time again, before getting out of the car and stepping on his cigarette. He approached their home, running a hand through his hair and stepping inside quietly.

 

[BloodThunder27]

When she heard the front door open, Nicole set her book down on the coffee table. Somehow she knew that Jason had a stressful day at work, so she can only hope that her mood swings don't act up like they have been over the two weeks. When she caught the scent of cigarettes, Nicole got irritated, but didn't show it. When he came into the living room, she got up, pulled him into a hug and gave him a kiss. Of course, Nicole loved him very much. "Well, tomorrow's the big day, you excited?" she asked, smiling.

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

He hesitated for a moment, before nodding and smiling down at her, his arms wrapping around her. "Yeah, of course. It'll be great. I can't wait to see you in your wedding dress." Jason said, leaning over to give her a small kiss. Truthfully, he was excited about the wedding. He didn't have a very good reason not to be. Still, he felt the slightest sense of dread when he thought of it, and of being a parent. When he thought about it, however, he didn't quite understand some of it -- he had a stable job, a half-decent house, and he was competent enough not to drop an infant on its head. He pulled away from the embrace after a few moments, pushing his glasses back up his nose and moving to sit on the couch.


"So... how was your day, dear?" he asked, looking up at her.

 

[BloodThunder27]

"Well, woke up a little early because our little prince kept me up all night. But other then that, I had a good day. Went to my Doctor's Appointment this afternoon, finalized on my Wedding Dress, took a three hour nap and now, I get to spend time with you before our big day tomorrow." Nicole then sat down next to her fiancée and his shoulder as a head rest. When she started cradling her belly, she felt kicking, which made her smile. "First we get married, then we get to be parents. Just you, me and our little prince."

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

Jason listened quietly as she spoke, sitting back a bit. He looked over at her when she sat beside him, wrapping an arm around her. "Everything's set up for the wedding, then, and we'll be married tomorrow..." he said with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "...it's going to be wonderful. And, uh... you're going to be a great mom, by the way." he said with a nod, in thought for a few moments. Of course he wouldn't doubt she'd be a good mother, it was himself that he was worried about. He knew he would find it difficult to balance work, family and personal need, and he couldn't help but feel somewhat selfish when he felt as anxious as he did. After a long pause, he sat up. "So, uh... how about dinner?"

 

[BloodThunder27]

The same thoughts went through Nicole's mind as well. Although she thought that Jason was going to be a good Father, she had her doubts about being a good mother. Although Jason's words were comforting, she still had her doubts. While she was ready to be a Stay-At Home Mom, at least for a while, Nicole still worried. However, she did not show it, not wanting to stress or be too hard on herself, as stress is bad for the baby. "I already ate, but there are some left-overs in the fridge. I'm just gonna grab some tea." she said as she pecked his cheek with her nose. When she got up to follow her husband into the kitchen, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. To keep herself from losing her balance, she grabbed onto his shoulder with one hand while holding her stomach with the other.

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

Jason nodded, getting to his feet quietly, walking to the kitchen. He hesitated when she suddenly grabbed his shoulder, and he looked back at her. "Are you alright?" he asked after a moment, turning around and reaching out to support her quickly, before nodding towards the couch in the living room. "Uh-- you should sit back down. I'll get your tea for you, okay?" frowning slightly, he glanced back at the kitchen for a moment. "How much does it hurt? It's not too bad, is it?" Jason asked quietly, shifting anxiously.

 

[BloodThunder27]

Nicole took a breath before letting go. "It hurts at first...Then goes away after about twenty to thirty seconds. Its nothing too bad...Unless its every three to five minutes. That's when you should worry." She then nodded when he told her that he was going to grab the tea for her and went sit back down in the living room, relaxed herself and held her belly. While waiting for Jason to come back, she began to think about what she'd be like as a Mother. Because she still had two more months, it was still too early for her to deliver the baby. Luckily her wedding was tomorrow and not a month or so away, otherwise she'd have the baby during the Wedding, which would not look good. However, she was overthinking it. Maybe pregnancy wasn't as joyful as others made it out to be. Nicole had no idea she'd go through so much while expecting. She sighed as she continued wondering about the impending parenthood.

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

Jason nodded, stepping into the kitchen. He turned on the coffee maker for himself, and poured her a cup of tea. Sighing quietly, he adjusted his glasses and carried her tea into the living room, handing it to her. He then walked back to the kitchen, opening up the fridge and finding what he would have for dinner. He warmed it up in the microwave, pouring a cup of coffee while he waited. He sat in silence as he ate, sipping at his coffee regularly and glancing back at the doorway to the living room every so often. Normally, a man would be jumping for joy if he were to be wed the next day and to be a father in a couple months. At the very least, a man would be expected to show his excitement and glee for such milestones in his life. He sighed, finishing his coffee as he thought. He certainly didn't feel ecstatic, and that alone upset him. Finishing his dinner and getting to his feet, he figured he'd have to exaggerate his delight, at least a little, if he didn't want to upset his fiancée. When he entered the living room, he smiled at Nicole, though it felt a tad forced to him. He sat down beside her, clearing his throat.


"So, we'll be married tomorrow... exciting, isn't it? I can't wait to see your dress."

 

[BloodThunder27]

Nicole took a sip out of her tea after he handed it to her before setting it down on the Coffee Table. "I think you'll love it." she smiled back at him as she rested on his shoulder when he sat down. "So have you decided on where you want to go for our honeymoon?" she asked, pecking his cheek with her nose in a loving fashion. "Tomorrow's going to be the best day of our lives. Then two months from now, we get to welcome a new family member into the world. I hope you have a strong grip." she laughed a bit. However, childbirth wasn't exactly a laughing matter. Although she did not tell Jason, Nicole did get to listen to a bunch of labor horror stories while in the waiting room at the doctor's office, which did frighten her. She didn't know how much pain she'd have to endure when the time comes. Another thing she did remember was her one of her cousins telling her and other relatives at a party about how she broke her husband's hand while giving birth to her third child and another talking about how she was in so much pain that she started beating on her husband, pulled on his hair and even berated him for putting her in that condition while giving birth to her first child. Bottom line, Nicole got to listen to more then her fair share of labor horror stories. So thoughts about childbirth did scare her and she tried not to show it, the fact that she was thinking about it became evident when she looked down at her belly and started cradling it as well as rubbing it.

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

"Well, I've got some money saved up, so..." he paused for a moment, shifting a bit. "It's not... anything too fancy, but there was a nice hotel a couple cities away..." Jason thought for a moment, looking down at her. He sat up a bit, clearing his throat. "...you okay? Uh, thinking about... having the kid?" he asked, after a few moments. "You'll be fine. I mean, it'll... hurt, I bet. But you'll be okay in the end. And we'll get a kid out of it." he said with a shrug, sitting up. "And I'll be right there, if that helps at all. Unless you, uh, don't want to see my face or something. But we'll be okay, in the end."

 

[BloodThunder27]

She gave him a funny look, still cradling her belly, but she still cringed at the thought of childbirth. "Of course I want you to be there. Its your child too." She sighed. "I'm not asking for too much. As long as I get to spend time with you and we don't go to a haunted place, its fine." she said as she tied her hair into a ponytail, not wanting her hair to go all over the place. "Anyway, I have been...having a lot of...Vivid dreams lately about our child. It actually scares me." Nicole seemed a little gloomy when she brushed herself against him. "And I only said that I hope you have a strong grip is because last month when I was talking to one of my cousins at a family party, she told me about how...She broke her husband's hand while having her third baby. I just don't wanna break yours." she laughed a bit, but the thought of labor still worried her. She was overthinking it though, for sure. Not only because it was her first and she doesn't know how it feels, but the stories she heard made it sound worse then it actually is. She took another quick sip out of her tea before laying down on the couch, using her husband's lap as a pillow. Although she felt like she was about to have a mood swing, she ended up feeling light heartburn, but it faded quickly.

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

Jason sat quietly for a few moments, staring down at her, before shrugging and sitting back. "Dreams are dreams, I guess. And you don't have to worry about me while you're in labour." he said with a small smile, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "As for the honeymoon, I picked out a nice, quiet place. We get married, and I drive you out of this city. We get there in a few hours- five, I think -and we get to our hotel. Then we... do whatever for a few days, I guess. There's an art gallery near the hotel, if you're interested. And a beach. Or we could just relax. It's really just about anything you're up to. It'll be quiet and relaxing, and I thought that would be good for a pregnant woman, you know?" he shifted a bit, looking down at her again as he thought. While he did think a quiet, relaxing honeymoon would be good for her, he had also wanted it for him, as well. A break from work was nice enough, but he figured running around a city wouldn't be the sort of break he wanted.

 

[BloodThunder27]

"Okay, as long as we don't have to do anything strenuous..." she blinked. Nicole felt her baby kicking again. At this point, she didn't think she'd be able to sleep the night before her big day. Yawning during the ceremony would probably be one of the worst things she could do. However, getting her 'little prince' to calm down and let his mother rest was a mystery to her, even though there has been several instances that she slept through it. When she turned around to look out into her backyard, she got startled, as if she just saw a ghost outside or something. When she got startled, she held her belly out of protective instinct. However, she must have been freaking out over nothing and it was her imagination...

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

"Yeah, I'm mostly just looking forward to being away from work, actually... and spending time with you, too, of course." he said quietly with a shrug, sitting back. Jason sat quietly, in thought, though straightened up when she moved suddenly. "Are you alright, dear? What's wrong?" he asked, looking down at her. "Does it hurt again?" he frowned, running a hand through his hair and eying her for a moment, before glancing around. "You look almost scared, actually... Are you okay?"

 

[BloodThunder27]

Nicole seemed to be on the fence of hyperventilating, because she was breathing heavily. Whatever she did see...Actually, she'd rather not know. "I...I thought I saw something..." she then took a deep breath. "M-Maybe we should go to bed...Because I lose it again." she said softly as she slowly rose up from laying down. But when she stood, she started feeling a bit of backache. To relieve some of the back pain, she applied a bit of pressure to where she felt the pain. She let out another sigh before looking at Jason. "Maybe its just my hormones acting up again..." With all the hormonal changes and mood swings, there were times that Nicole felt like she was losing her mind.

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

Jason frowned as he got to his feet, looking around again and wrapping an arm around her, before staring at their backyard. He was silent for a moment, before smiling at her. "I think that was just one of the old chairs we have back there. Your eyes are playing tricks on you." he said with a nod, running a hand through his hair. "But yeah, we might as well get to bed. It's getting a little late, and we've got a big day tomorrow." sighing, he started towards the stairs, keeping an arm around her. "And I've got a lot of driving ahead after the ceremony. Where we're going, it's a nice little town. Quiet, relaxing. It's got a couple tourist attractions here and there, nothing too big. And the hotel looks cozy. I don't think they get too many people visiting, though..."

 

[BloodThunder27]

When he got up and held her, Nicole was happy to be in his warm loving embrace. When she closed her eyes, she grab both his hands and tried to get him to touch her belly, wanting him to bond with her and their child. While laying back on him, she looked into his eyes and started pecked on his neck with her nose.

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

Jason smiled down at her for a moment, though his mind was elsewhere. For the most part, he was still worrying over the wedding and, eventually, being a father, though he quickly tried to distract himself with thoughts of the honeymoon.


As they got in bed, he leaned over to set the alarm, before climbing under the covers. He was silent for a few long moments, before smiling at Nicole. "I love you, by the way. I don't think I tell you that enough, but I do. And, uh... tomorrow's going to be great, I can tell."

 

[BloodThunder27]

"I love you too." She smiled back and kissed him before turning to her side, as she couldn't sleep on her back or stomach. Although she was happy, she was still concerned and worried, mainly because she wanted Jason to bond with their baby. Suddenly, her back started hurting, so she sat up holding her lower back. "Babe, I know this is a bad time, but a massage would be great right now." She sighed. Tonight was also the worst night to have insomnia, so she hoped that she could get a good night's sleep...After her fiancée gives her that massage to relieve the backache that she currently had.

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

Jason shifted a bit, staring at her for a few long moments when she asked for a massage, before nodding and sitting up. "Yeah, uh, sure... of course, dear." he said with a nod, moving a bit closer to her. "Tell me if I do anything wrong..." he said, as he carefully began to massage her back and shoulders, glancing over to check the time every so often as he did so. "So..." Jason said quietly, shifting a little. "...uh, think your family's excited to see me? I hope so. I wouldn't want your parents to be upset at me for getting you pregnant or anything. Upset in-laws are the worst, I've heard..."

 

[BloodThunder27]

To Nicole, the massage felt relaxing, but the pain was still there. "Well, they're all happy that I'm getting married. So I would think they're happy for us both. My Mom's not mad at you. She actually wants grandchildren, but she didn't expect it to be so soon. I am kinda worried about my Dad though. Then all my cousins on both sides of my family are happy for me, because I am getting married and expecting my first child. About half of them married young and have two or three kids." she commented. "I do know that my Dad is mad at me for choosing to keep the baby." A couple months ago, early in her pregnancy, Nicole's Father did try to push her to abort the baby, but she refused. She remembered the day she was arguing with her Father, where her Mother defended her choice to keep the baby. The thought of that day made her very unhappy and plays a part in her mood swings. However, she has no regrets over her decision, because she did plan to have a Family, she just didn't expect it to be so soon.

 

[sleeplessCartoonist]

Jason frowned slightly, nodding. "Yeah, okay... well, I know my parents are okay with this. And my brother doesn't really care, so I guess you don't have to worry about your in-laws." he said with a shrug, sitting up a bit. "And, uh, for the record, I'm glad you decided to keep the baby. I mean, of course I'd be, seeing at it's my kid, too, but... uh, you made the right choice. In my opinion." he said quietly, continuing to massage her back. "So... does your back feel any better yet? Or does it still hurt?"