modern AU- (Song & Lyrics: Last Kiss- J. Frank Wilson & the Cavaliers)

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It was a dark and stormy night along the outskirts of the town of Dale in Rhovanion county, where the roads were being coated by the rain falling down...mixing with the oil that laid upon the surface from vehicles that passed over it on a daily basis. Along one such road could be seen a broken guardrail that kept cars from going over a steep cliff and plummeting to the drivers doom upon jagged rocks 100 feet below. Down past the rail sat a dark red 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS with black stripes upon the hood ,that had struck this rail and fallen 10 feet down the cliff side only to be stopped from falling the rest of the way by a gnarled tree growing out of the side of the steep cliff side. Inside this car that was perched precariously was a man and a woman who prayed for a miracle to save them...both knowing that wasn't going to happen on this dreary night.

Oh, where oh where can my baby be?
The Lord took her away from me
She's gone to heaven, so I got to be good
So I can see my baby when I leave this world.

We were out on a date in my daddy's car
We hadn't driven very far
There in the road, up straight ahead
A car was stalled, the engine was dead
I couldn't stop, so I swerved to the right
I'll never forget the sound that night
The screamin' tires, the bustin' glass
The painful scream that I heard last.

It was Bard and Elain Bowman's 10 year wedding anniversary today and they both decided they wanted to have a date night out to celebrate it. Earlier , before leaving home, they kissed their 6 year old son, Bain, and their 8 year old daughter, Sigrid, goodbye..telling them to behave for the babysitter , Miss Arwen Rivers. Both children agreed as their parents left with a bounce of excitement in their steps...or at least Bard had a bounce. Elain couldn't very much because of her condition, she was 8 months pregnant with their third child..her and Bard both knew this was the last time they would be able to go out for a while once the baby came. Neither of them knew if it was a boy or a girl since it was decided to be a surprise for the whole family...both settling on a name for either...if a boy Hunter..if girl, Matilda or Tilda for short. They couldn't wait to greet the new addition to the family soon...but tonight...this night was all about them and the celebration of the last 10 years of their lives.

It was very late at night and they were on their way home from their date that consisted of dinner at the famous French restaurant Chez Mirkwood owned by the well renowned Chef Thranduil Oropher. Afterwards it was onto see the premier of a long awaited movie ~ Dracula Untold~ which was a tragic love story about the beginnings of the infamous demon called Dracula, where his people were being threatened and the only way to protect them was to turn to darkness. Elain especially enjoyed the movie..saying something about how the lead actor, Luke Evans, bore a striking resemblance to her husband, Bard...making her feel daring in the inky darkness of the theater as she periodically ran her hand along his thigh...softly giggling as he kept shifting in his seat..giving her heated looks that made her blush at the message of  ~ When we get home...your so going to be punished ~ ...she just smiled big as the film rolled on. That had been several hours ago ....in that time there was even a heated make out session in the back of their Chevelle car up on the bluff that overlooked the city of Dale in the distance, as if they were teenagers once again. Now they both were on their way home to relieve the babysitter...cheeks flushed and knowing smirks on their faces as Bard navigated the muscle car along the rain slicked roads...that was when their heavenly night turned into a nightmare. 

The car rambled along the road as Bard was navigating the vast curves that led home, when rounding a corner he saw a car stalled ahead coming into view suddenly. Bard tried to pump the brakes to stop the car but at that moment it hydroplaned upon the slippery road...he jerked the wheel to the right to avoid colliding with the other car, which made things worse. The car began to careen towards the edge of the road where guardrails were set up at to stop vehicles from going over the brink and down the steep cliff side. The sounds from that night would forever haunt Bards dreams...the tires screeching as they clawed for a grip upon the slick road...the fearful screams from his wife as they fell over the edge... the sounds of glass shattering..the blast of pain in his head as it slammed into the window of his door...then nothing as he past out.

Oh, where oh where can my baby be?
The Lord took her away from me
She's gone to heaven, so I got to be good
So I can see my baby when I leave this world.

When I woke up, the rain was pourin' down
There were people standing all around
Something warm runnin' in my eyes
But somehow I found my baby that night
I lifted her head, she looked at me and said
"Hold me darling just a little while."
I held her close, I kissed her our last kiss
I found the love that I knew I would miss
But now she's gone, even though I hold her tight
I lost my love, my life that night.

Bard's head was pounding ferociously as the sound of rain poured onto the roof of the car mixed with shouts and glaring lights pierced through his window. He opened his eyes and blearily saw a man standing outside his window being held by a rope around his waist...his words were muffled to Bards ears. He felt something trickling down his face and he reached up to wipe it away only to see blood on his hand from the wound on his head. Suddenly a whimper could be heard next to him and his world snapped into clarity as he realized it was Elain making those sounds...he whipped his head around to look at her...mistake as a wave of vertigo washed over him...stealing his breath momentarily before he could focus once again. Gasping for breath he gazed at Elain and he felt a blow striking his chest straight to his heart at what he saw.

 Elain was still next to him but her body was pinned to the seat by a branch that had pierced the shattered window straight into her shoulder....her breathing was fast and labored as her gaze was focused on her husband...small whimpers of pain filtered past her trembling lips. Their eyes met across the way and tears filled both of their eyes...her voice was strained in that darkness as she spoke to him.

"Bard..." then her face filled with a spasm of pain as a small cry fell from her and he knew then that they were running out of time for the baby was coming. He quickly eased over to her and took her hand in his own...tears flowed down his cheeks as he gazed upon her..his throat tightened , making his voice gruff.

"E...Elain, my love...I'm right here. You just hold on baby...help is here. Please hang on for me and our child...okay." she nodded her head as tears kept slipping down her cheeks...he kissed her lips in comfort. As they held onto each others hand the sound of screeching metal could be heard as her door was torn off and another man wearing the uniform of search and rescue...the look of worry in his eyes didn't bode well, then he covered it up as he screamed for something to cut the limb with to free Elain. It didn't take long to free her from the car and they swiftly hoisted her and Bard up to the top where paramedics were waiting at. Within a few moments the blaring sirens rang out as the ambulance flew down the roads to get them both to the hospital. Bard sat in the back holding onto his wife as she screamed in labor...all knew they would not make it in time to the hospital before the baby was born. The attending paramedic watched with each contraction the baby's heart rate dipped precariously low along with Elains as she lost blood steadily...so he turned to Bard to ask the dreaded question....save the baby or the mother.. Bard opened his mouth to speak, but Elain screamed into that enclosed chamber.

"Baby! Save my baby!" Bard sat in shock at his wife's words...seeing the grim line of the paramedics mouth as he began to quickly cut her open and extracted the infant from its mother's womb....Elains screams filled the cabin as Bard watched in horror the birth of his child. It was the sound of the babies first breath and cry that jarred him out of his shock along with the EMS mans words of ...~It's a girl~. Elain gave a weak smile as she gazed upon their daughter and she whispered...~ Tilda...my sweet Tilda...~ Suddenly Elains pressure dropped dangerously low and she passed out... the heart monitor screamed along with the sirens as they drew closer to the hospital. Bard instantly found his arms filled with Tilda as the EMS guy rushed to save Elain, but it was to late..as they pulled up to the doors of the hospital Elain Bowman died in her husbands arms as he held onto their newborn daughter....his heart shattering into thousands of pieces as he leaned down to kiss her cold lips for the last time...knowing he was left alone now to raise three children who were just as shattered as him. Through the years it was their love for each other that saw them through each day...supporting one another whenever the darkness of grief rose up...but none ever forgetting the amazing woman who shared in their life for a brief time...her beautiful spirit always living on in their memories.

Oh, where oh where can my baby be?
The Lord took her away from me
She's gone to heaven, so I got to be good
So I can see my baby when I leave this world.
Oh, oh