Disclaimer: JKR owns everything and I don't.
She had been crying again. "What's wrong now?" Marcus asked gravely as he tossed his outer robe onto the couch. He hated when she cried. It made him feel like his heart was breaking into a million miniscule pieces.
Katie glanced away from the window overlooking the gardens. Plastering a fake smile on her face, she replied, "Nothing."
"Liar," he sneered. Marcus inwardly chided himself. He didn't mean to be short with her. Today had just been such a shit day and the last thing he really wanted to deal with was a teary wife.
Katie's face crumbled and silent tears began to leak from her wide, blue eyes. She tried to regain some semblance of control. Marcus doesn't deserve this. He undergoes enough torture being at the beck and call of the Dark Lord… he doesn't want to come home to a wife that blubbers on and on. Breathing deep, Katie sucked back in all the emotion that had threatened to unleash. "I'm sorry, Marcus. I'm afraid I didn't sleep too well last night. I've been completely out of sorts today." She flashed him an encouraging smile as she smoothed her hands over her growing abdomen. "I'm afraid being pregnant doesn't quite agree with me."
Marcus frowned. He knew she was lying. Something was bothering her. Shrugging off his tie, Marcus joined Katie on the sofa and placed his hand over his unborn child. "I think pregnancy suits you to a tee. In fact, today, I was thinking up all kinds of delicious ways in which to keep you in this radiant state," he smirked, as he watched a Katie blush.
"Marcus, you are too incorrigible."
Winking, he said, "I know, luv. Now, why don't you stop worrying about upsetting me and tell me what's really bothering you?"
Katie sighed and shifted closer to him. She watched idly as his long fingers traced quidditch patterns over her stomach. He was so gentle, so kind to her. Whoever would have thought? When they were at school together Katie would have sworn that Marcus hated her, as he was always pulling her hair or trying to severely injure her on the pitch. So different from the loving, dedicated husband he was to her now. "I just get lonely sometimes, Marcus." Katie couldn't look at him. He had already done so much for her. She knew he had to go to work during the day and sometimes at night. She hated to begrudge him.
"Lonely? What about my mother? She's always here."
Wide blue eyes met swirling emerald green ones. "I don't think she much cares for me."
Marcus knew this was true. His mother had wanted him to marry his cousin Mariah. Marcus shivered. The girl was a complete slag. "If it makes you feel better, I don't think she cares that much for me," he quipped, running his free hand through his short, dark hair.
"I don't mean to make you feel bad, Marcus…I just miss my friends, is all," she sniffed quietly. She owed him her life. After the Dark Lord killed Harry and took control of the wizarding world, Katie had been rounded up with the rest of the Order. Not having played a significant role enough to warrant a death sentence, Katie had been auctioned off to the highest bidder. She never thought she live to see the day that she would be grateful that Marcus Flint had outbid Miles Bletchley.
"Oh."
Noting his furrowed brow, Katie gushed, "Don't worry about it. It's nothing I won't get over. Soon enough I will have my hands full with the baby."
He hated when she tried to placate him. He knew it was only because she was trying to be gracious. Katie seemed to regard him as some kind of savior and tiptoed around him as if she was on eggshells. One time, she had broken down and confessed that she worried on end that one day Marcus would realize how worthless she was and cast her off. Didn't she realize he would never let her go? Only from the moment he had watched her being sorted into Gryffindor House had he been completely obsessed with her!
"Why don't you invite Alicia or Angelina over?"
"What? Can I? But, do you think they would be allowed?"
Marcus smiled and swept his finger gently along her jaw. "Sweets, you are my wife, not a prisoner. Of course, you can ask them over. I'm sure Warrington and Montague wouldn't mind at all. From what I understand, Cassius says Alicia is going stir crazy and driving him up the walls."
Katie giggled with delight and clasped her hands together. "Oh Marcus, thank you so much. I've missed Alicia and Angie more than anything!"
He loved when her face lit up. Her smile could bring sunshine even to the darkest corner. "Tell you what sweets, why don't you go owl them now and set up a dinner party for tomorrow evening?"
Katie answered by placing a fervent kiss on his lips and then bounced up and headed towards the parlor, a wide smile gracing her perfect, pink lips. Gods, she's beautiful. Marcus sighed contentedly. Katie Bell was smiling because of him and he would do everything in his power to keep it that way.