AN: This chapter is short but rather important!

Enjoy!

I don't own Pokemon

Chapter 10- The spark

Delia stared out of the window in the living room connected to her bedroom. It was a chilly convenient evening.

Three days had passed since she caught fever and had that horrible nightmare. Luckily the last two nights had been dreamless and more or less peaceful because the advanced pregnancy still tore at her nerves.

In some way Delia had feared again that something could be wrong with her baby. The nineteen year-old mother to-be had started to become anxious again but suddenly remembered the first time she had feared for her baby and the doctor had told her everything went smooth.

But the nightmare she had had still spun around in her head. Every time she went to bed and tried to get some sleep the mother to-be was very afraid it would happen again. It wasn't as if she never had experienced a nightmare before (after her mother had died Delia had been afflicted with terrifying dreams every single night).

Though the one three nights before had just been so… vivid and terrifying. As if someone had really tried to choke her! Delia could have sworn there had truly been something pressed on her mouth. But how was that possible?

Most likely my hormones are acting up again thought Delia as she leant back in the armchair's cushions.

She still wore her silk nightgown but also had her bathrobe on. After three days in bed Delia was still wobbly on her legs but somehow she had the urge to watch the late sunset from the living room. The large windows were ideal for this.

Somehow it helped her to think and relax, she always did that when something troubled her.

The armchair next to hers was unoccupied what added to the loneliness that lingered in the room. Delia missed Giovanni sitting in said chair next to her.

This was the place where she had had her first proper conversation with Giovanni. The memory made Delia smile. Their first chatter had been something she would never forget. A few weeks after they had met they sat here together talking about everything that crossed their minds, trying to get to know each other as good as possible. Back then Giovanni still had to pull every word out of her mouth yet with each passing day she became more and more confident and interested. That was only about two and a half years ago but seemed like a decade-no like an entire life to Delia.

Was I really once that scared of Giovanni? She giggled internally Okay, it wasn't my fault I was that way. Thank goodness Giovanni got me out of this misery!

But then her thoughts swept back to her dream. Could it possibly mean something?

No, that's ridiculous told Delia herself, still lost in thought.

Suddenly she was ripped off her thoughts as she felt her baby's strong kicks. Smiling Delia laid her hand on her grown stomach as she had done countless times before.

"Impatient, aren't we? Don't worry little one, you'll soon be out of there."

Kick

" You certainly have your father's temper! We can't wait until you're with us!"

Delia's smile grew as she was answered with another kick. Her worries were forgotten at once.

Why am I complaining? I'll just accept it!

Now determined to protect the growing live inside her she sat up and continued to pat her stomach lovingly.

"I don't care about nightmares and pain as long as you're safe. I'll protect you, no matter what it takes!"

All of a sudden Delia heard the door creak open. Already knowing who entered she turned around to greet Giovanni with a smile.

He smiled back as usual but looked really tired as he came to her, holding a cup in his hand.

"Hey sleepyhead, still awake?"

Giovanni sat down in the other chair, placed the cup on the small wooden table before he leant forward to kiss Delia on her lips.

"Yes honey. I tried it so hard but it's apparently not possible!"

His gaze changed from cheering into a mix of worried and contemplative.

"Is the nightmare still bothering you my love?"

Delia just nodded, biting her lip.

"Yes, somehow I can't remove it from my mind. I don't even know why I dreamed this. Most likely my hormones are raging again. What's that by the way?" asked Delia while pointing at the cup on the small table.

"I just got some tea with sugar to help you sleep."

Giovanni handed the hot steaming cup to his wife who took it gratefully. She took a few sips as her husband continued talking while raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Don't worry Delia, You know if some wants to harm you he first has to make it past me!" He smirked and made Delia smile.

She chuckled.

"I know Vanni but that's not what's bothering me."

Delia hesitated for a moment. What she was about to confess was totally moronic but she needed to get this from her chest. The fact that she had not gotten a wink of sleep tonight was a clear sign. Somehow she knew Giovanni would not laugh at her, he never would. She swallowed the lump in her throat and continued.

"I'm somehow afraid of the birth! I know that it's nonsense but I can't help it!"

Ok now it was out. Giovanni just sighed and raised his hand to caress her cheek comfortingly.

"Don't worry about that my love! No woman dies nowadays during childbirth, there's always a possibility! Don't be afraid!"

"I know, but that feeling just does not leave me."

Delia sat up and took hold of her husband's hands. They were very large compared to her delicate shaking ones but also cold and felt soothing. This gave Delia the strength she needed.

"I know what I'm asking you to do is ridiculous. I just have the feeling I have ask this from you to feel safe. It's just in case!"

She took a deep breath and pulled all her courage together while clutching Giovanni's hands tight.

"Please Giovanni, promise me. If something happens during the birth, choose our child over me!"

SMACK!

For one second everything was black. The next thing Delia realized was that she lay on the carpet what was odd but nothing compared to her aching face. Tears stung in her eyes as she reached up and held her burning cheek. Her gaze was blurred and she could feel blood dripping out of her nose. What had happened? Had Giovanni just really…No!

Turning her gaze slowly upwards Delia met Giovanni's eyes that were frozen in shock.

No it couldn't be! Giovanni had not slapped her! She refused to believe this, it was just impossible. Giovanni was always so sweet, so caring and gentle. He would never beat her! But Giovanni's furious expression and still raised arm told otherwise.

For a millisecond they stayed that way, staring at each other, trying to comprehend what had happened.

Delia 's mind was still slightly foggy and she was still very weak due to her fever. But it was still enough for her to recall a few of her mother's words. "If anything threatens to harm you, run!"

And so she did.

As fast as her current condition allowed it Delia picked herself up and started to run across the room, controlled by total panic. She nearly slipped and fell but that didn't matter.

The only she could focus on was the door through which she could escape down the stairs, outside, somewhere, anywhere. Delia didn't really care where she went as long as she could put as much distance as possible between her and Giovanni.

With shaking legs and tears streaming down her face Delia reached the door. Before her shaking fingers could close around the handle a sudden wave of lassitude overwhelmed her. No, no! Not now! Piece by piece she slipped in some sort of trance while she fought the tiredness and desperately tried to open the door.

But even through that haze she heard Giovanni's voice and got the second shock in not even sixty seconds.

"DELIA! STOP THIS NOW, THAT'S AN ORDER! COME BACK HERE!"

Was that really her husband? No, that was absolutely impossible!

He's totally out of his mind! I have to get away from here! No!

What was suddenly so wrong with Giovanni? She had never heard him talk that way before! Scared to death Delia let out a small desperate whimper before her world went black.

Her hand slipped down the door handle, leaving traces of smeared fingerprints on the cold metal surface.

Giovanni caught Delia before she hit her head on the wooden door. Slowly he lifted his wife up, carried her to the bed, pulled the covers aside and laid her carefully onto the mattress.

As he returned from his work and the butler had told him Delia could not sleep he had simply put the sedate in her tea. Pills were still forbidden because of that thing inside her could be harmed but he did not care. The parasite would die one way or another. And after what it had made him do tonight the little one's death would be as painful and slow as possible!

Running his hand through his brown hair Giovanni sat on the edge of the bed. He still refused to believe what he had done. He just had lost control as Delia begged him to put their child's life over hers. How did she even get the idea?

But for him the worst was not that he had slapped Delia and yelled at her, no the worst was her expression before she had lost consciousness.

It was an expression filled with terror and fear.

Giovanni sighed desperately and buried his face in his hands. He was at his wits' end. This had been something he could never take back. Giovanni knew he couldn't tell her the whole escapade had been a dream, she had noticed everything. How could he talk himself out of this?

No thought Giovanni. This won't be possible. I'll have to tell her everything, whether I want it or not.

To be continued…

Ok, the ending sucked. Things start to get heated up ;) Next chapter will be far longer, I promise! I'll probably rewrite this chapter (I just wanted to publish this before I go to Italy). Anyway I hope you liked it!

Please review!