Good news, guys! The long waiting is coming to its end! I'm sure you know what I mean, but read this and then we'll talk about it! =)

As much as I love

It was late at night. The cold, yellow light from above the mirror made strange shadows in the bathroom. The dark-haired young woman ran her fingers through her hair, raising her eyes to watch her reflection in the mirror. She sighed. She was pale and her eyes were obviously tired, but she couldn't manage to sleep.

There are moments in a relationship when you ask yourself if it is really the end. Not that Dante didn't care enough of her, on the contrary. Being with him was the best thing she could imagine to have in her life. he gave her everything she needed before she could even know she did. They has been together since almost a year, between a lot of things had happened, but she remembered perfectly their first time together.

It was evening, or maybe night. It was raining in Venice, it was wet and cold outside of Dante's house, they were working on a report for the Foundation after a mission in South America, a really difficult thing, considering that Guggenheim wanted it right after they returned to Venice. They were all really tired, especially Lok and Sophie, and he was beginning to be annoying, so finally they had to let them go home with Cherit. At the end there were only her and Dante, sitting on the sofa, looking from the Holotome to the sheets of paper they had written. They were almost giving up when Dante offered her a cup of tea, and she couldn't help but accept. While he was in the kitchen she tried to go on with the work but gave up after a minute to watch the rain falling on the window at her right side. She stayed silent, enjoying the paced sound of it. And then, without looking, she heard soft steps, Dante sitting next to her and lay the cups on the coffee table in front of her. After it, nothing. Silence. She turned her head to look first at the cups of tea and then at him. And her heartbeat raised. He was silently looking at her, with an expression between thoughtful and sweet. He was beautiful. He caressed her cheek and kissed her lips softly. It happened all so slowly, but still so quickly. It has been wonderful, he has been extremely gentle in everything, though she knew how much he had waited for her.

They didn't need words, it has always been like that, it was like their thoughts were synchronised to each other. She was the only one who was able to hide her thoughts, he couldn't do that, because he didn't want to and even if he wanted she would always guess what he was hiding to her. But with time, she learned to tell him everything, and she began to feel uneasy if she didn't. She began to ask herself if she had ever been in love before meeting him, because she had never felt like that before. She loved him, and he loved her too, but they never thought about doing the things 'seriously'. They hadn't even told the rest of the team they were together, the others realized it when he kissed her in front of them on that mission when she had really risked to die. She smiled weakly thinking of that, remembering Sophie and Lok's faces while Cherit tried to drag them away. But as she knew, they never had to talk to understand each other, and they hadn't programmed a life. It was perfect, but now it was making all more difficult to her.

It wasn't good, because it wasn't programmed. To have a baby. Because that was the problem, and that was why she avoided to be alone with him since the week before. She was pregnant and it was all so strange, unknown and terribly scaring for her. She didn't know were to turn. It was all what she was afraid she couldn't give him: a family. It was probably because she had never had a real family, but when it came from it, she didn't know were to begin. And even if it was wonderful at her eyes, it was something she knew she would never have, like the big dollhouse you see when you're a child which costs too much to be your Christmas present. At that she begin to cry, thinking about Dante's Christmas present for her. Apart of the serious one, he bought her… a dollhouse. She didn't catch immediately the sense, but when she did she just hugged him, breathing softly for don't starting to cry. It couldn't just end up like that.

Not that she feared he would leave her on her own, but they weren't ready for it. And she probably would never be. So, what would have she done, now? How could he tell him? And what would he tell her? Nothing? To don't worry?

She let a bit of water slide in her hand and she washed her face before going to sleep again.

.-*.-*.-*.-*.-*.-*.-*.-*.-*.-*.-*.-*

"And it's all I know about the Aztecs. And counting that I've said more than my story book and that Lok has had to run away, I think it's enough. We have enough clues to find about… two hundreads of amulets, I guess. What do you think?" Sophie looked to the only other person in the room at the moment, but found her looking no were and not paying attention to her. "Zhalia? Hey, are you still with me? Zhalia!" suddenly the woman shook her head and looked up at her.

"What? What's up?" she asked with an annoyed tone.

"Have you heard anything of what I have said?"

"Quite all." answered her casually. "Anyway I'm sure Dante will tell you something I can't tell you." the girl looked at her silently before narrowing her eyes and sit on one of the ancient chairs around the table in Casterwill house's library.

"Yeah… why don't you talk me about it?"

"About what?"

"About Dante." the woman moved on her seat, starting to feel uneasy. "Do you think it's invisible? We all have noticed how you're ignoring him."

"It's none of your business."

"Yes it is. Dante is feeling it, he loves you. Why are you doing it?"

"I love him too, and I'm not ignoring him, I'm just… I don't want to talk with you about it."

"No, I guess you want it, but you're not courageous enough." Zhalia stayed silent, looking at her straight in her eyes and crossing her arms.

"I had some troubles." she said finally.

"What kind of troubles?" the teen had lowered the tone. She was expecting something really bad from her. Zhalia was the kind of girl who made wrong decisions when she was confused or sad or… in trouble. Maybe she had decided to brake with him, or she had been unfaithful for once. It wasn't impossible. She was just thinking about all the possible shits she could have done, but Zhalia stopped her thoughts.

"I'm pregnant."

"What?" she widened her eyes, almost jumping on her seat. "Are you serious?"

"Do I seem like I'm joking?" the dark-haired women started to feel her gloom turn into angriness. And as Sophie was beginning to notice, she wasn't lying and the situation was serious.

"Uhm, sorry… I didn't mean to be harsh." she whispered. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know." answered Zhalia, shaking her head with the most scared eyes the teen had ever seen in her life. She seemed so pale and weak that she felt the urge to comfort her, so she reached her hand on the table with hers. The other girl didn't react, just watched her, for a pair of seconds feeling better with her real problem because of the new one which involved the hand of her team mate.

"Do you want this?"

"If you mean 'was it programmed' the answer is no. But… I don't want to get rid of this baby." she retired her hand. "God, discussing of pregnancy with a teenager who doesn't even…"

"What?" another voice came from the entrance of the library interrupting her before she could say something which would really irritate the girl. Lok had to have listened everything because he had a shocked expression and was almost screaming. "You are pr-"

"Be quiet, Lok!" Sophie ran and closed his mouth with one of her hands, don't letting him go before she knew he would calm down a bit. When she left him he looked at the woman and spoke quietly, being afraid that Sophie would close him out of the conversation.

"How did that happen?" Zhalia raised her eyebrows as Sophie rolled her eyes.

"Do you want the details, Lok?" the teen realized what he had asked and blinked.

"No! I- I meant… doesn't matter." with that he closed the door as the woman stood up and walked to one of the huge bookcases, looking at the titles of the books without really reading them.

"I don't know what to do.".

The other two heard the tremble in her voice as she said that, though she had spoken really lowly. Sophie sat on her seat and Lok did the same with the seat he left before he ran away from 'the Aztecs'.

"I know it isn't exactly what you need to hear, but… you have to tell Dante." said Sophie.

"You're right, it's not exactly what I need to hear. How can I tell him, Sophie? And what can I tell him? He doesn't want to have a family yet and I can't actually see us like a happy couple of parents."

"So you don't want to have a baby? Never?" asked Lok carefully.

"It's a difficult question, Lok... I- I don't think that Dante doesn't want to have a family sooner or later."

"And what about you?" asked the girl with the serious and proud tone she used when she had to make a question she didn't have to ask.

"I don't know were to begin and I don't think some one will ever teach me."

"Come on, that's exactly what every woman thinks when she gets pregnant… you and Dante are a perfect couple, you can do that together-"

"Sophie, be honest! Neither I can see myself as a mother, how could you ever do that?"

"It doesn't matter what she thinks," Lok killed the argument. "but Dante. And I believe you will be a good one if you give yourself a chance." Zhalia crossed her arms and looked at the floor as the little white Titan came out from behind one of the bookcases.

"It's not something you can practise on." said the woman, once again as quiet as she could. "If we'll have this child it will be the only chance to give him a good life. What if I fail?"

"Did you say 'if'? What does that mean?" Sophie cut her off with disbelief in her voice. The woman moved again her eyes to the girl.

"It means that I may don't tell Dante and find another way." again, they were in a good way for an argument.

"You can't do that!"

"It's a possibility, one of the many and for now the best. And if you have better ideas please tell me, 'cause if you can't see it I'm a bit confused about it!" saying this she couldn't help but let out a sob.

The girl stood up and ran to her, hugging her tightly. Soon that single sob called out for more and Zhalia found herself crying in Sophie's arms. One of those things she thought could never happen.

"It's all right, Zhalia. Dante loves you, he always had. Now you just have to love yourself. It's nothing as scaring as it seems, and I guess it seems one of the most scaring things in the world."

"It does." was the only answer, before she inhaled deeply and spoke again. "I don't want to lose him."

"Then go and tell him."

Finally a new story =) not that I had to begin this, I just have to end all my others :\

Anyways, the good news is exactly what you think: the 17th of September here in Italy we'll watch the first episode of the second season! Take a look in my forum about Huntik (you'll find the link in my profile) to know more!

Love, Funnystar-/\-