Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Stress isn't good for the baby. Don't cry. Don't. Fucking. Cry. Everyone had come back apart from him. Even the stragglers but Rodolphus wasn't among them.
Bellatrix was stood on the grand marble staircase watching with overly eager eyes as one by one, Death Eaters began arriving back from a mission she would have revelled in, putting the werewolf pack in its rightful place under the Dark Lords heel. She'd had to stay behind of course, her very delicate condition wouldn't allow for such things and after a particularly nasty scare a few days before with agonising pains and slight bleeding, the healer had ordered her off her feet and bedrest for the remainder of her pregnancy which by the calendar was only a few weeks until her due date.
She waited. Watched with growing dread when he didn't show. Feeling eyes on her she glanced to her right and saw Narcissa watching her with open concern, not for Rodolphus of course, but for her, was it showing that much how panicked she was? If she looked as panicked as she felt.. A hand on her shoulder made the dark witch jump and she hurriedly looked up, standing behind her on stairs was the Dark Lord and his grip on her shoulder wasn't kind. "Back to bed, Bella."
"My Lord, Rodolphus.." she began but stopped mid sentence when he gripped her tighter making her whimper softly, not in pain, but he was displeased and that always hurt her more. "Yes Master."
The moment she was back in the privacy of the rooms she shared with her husband she let the concealment charm hiding her swollen stomach fall and placed her hand on the bump, the baby was obviously feeling her stress and she rubbed the place where she felt a sharp kick, "it's ok.. he'll be back, he's ok." But as the moments ticked on she began to think.. no, she couldn't think it, but what if..?
She could cry now, no one could see her, the pregnancy was making her ridiculously emotional that's what it was, because Rodolphus was fine.. he was fine. Fine. But what if..?
The soft click of the bedroom door opened and Bella's heart froze, she was standing with her back to the door and for a moment, didn't dare turn around in case.. in case it was Narcissa coming to tell her Rodolphus was dead. Or worse. Bitten.
But then she heard his voice and his arms were around her, pulling her as close as the bump in front would allow and she was clinging to him smelling blood, dark magic and dead werewolves.
She didn't speak, he understood and just held her tighter. "I'll always come back to you. Nothing could ever stop me."
And she believed him.