The man and the woman sit in opposite corners as the sun pokes through the gray mid-winter clouds and the barred window. Both the man and the woman glare at the floor. Both are silent.

"Why aren't you talking?" the man eventually growls.

The woman's laugh is harsh. "Well, 's'cuse me for not knowing what to say. It's not as though last time we saw each other you fucked me" – his shoulders tighten – "and haven't been by to see me since, letting two whole months go by – "

"I didn't think you'd want to see me," he mutters.

"And I think you're an idiot," she retorts. She frowns at the floor as she scratches at its grime. "What am I s'posed to say, love?"

He puckers his hands into fists. "I don't know."

"I mean, I can talk, if you really want me to. I can talk 'bout how miserable I am in here. Or I could talk 'bout how our child – " his muscles clench further and she snorts " – sorry, I forgot, you like to call it the thing – keeps on growing. Or I could talk 'bout how I've got less than a month to live now, since the babe's going to be born in a matter of weeks now – "

"Just – be quiet," says the man, covering his face with one hand.

She peers at him with one raised eyebrow, nails still tracing against the ground. "So now you don't want me to talk?"

"No."

"Not going to have sex with me today, I take it?"

He grits his teeth as additional tension mounts in his muscles. "No."

"So we're not going to fuck, talk, or even look at each other today," says the woman, nodding her head as she rolls her eyes. "Great. Sounds like we have an excellent hour ahead of us. So why're you here, love? What do you want?"

He removes his hand from his face and she shudders as his eyes smash into hers. "I don't know, Nellie."

She studies him for a moment. Then, with effort, she lifts herself to her feet and meanders over to him, her stomach preceding her. When she is less than a foot away, she lowers herself to her knees. She lets three heartbeats pass, then takes one of his hands in hers and settles it against her abdomen.

"You're not going to trick me using this method again, pet," says the man, his gaze on his hand.

"I'm not trying to trick you, love," she says. "I wasn't last time either."

His brow furrows and his fingers tighten around her belly. "I know."

She places her hand over his and laces their fingers together and it isn't until at least an hour has passed that he pulls away.

A/N: Umm. Happy Christmas? xD

Anyway, you girls (. . . I'm assuming you're all girls. Please correct me if I'm wrong!) are awesome. The last chapter of this fic has both less hits AND more reviews than any other chapter so far. Thank you so much for hearing a starving writer's pleas. It's made me incredibly happy. So, if you want to keep me happy . . . you know what to do now. ;]

Only one more chapter to go . . . =s