Marie lay on her side wide awake with Stein's arms wrapped around her from behind. His warm body pressed up against hers; it brought little comfort though. She couldn't get that dream out of her head. Stein couldn't get his dream out of his head.

Sleep was a notion that no longer existed and the world was void of all sound. There were only two sounds to be heard. The first was the occasional sniffle that came from Marie as the trauma of the dream resurfaced. Stein would rub her arms or stomach in an attempt to comfort her and the tears would stop…for a while. The second and only other sound to be heard was the occasional "you still awake?" from one of the two lovers. Speaking of which…

"You still awake?" Marie whispered.

"Yeah."

Marie wondered why she had asked that. Of course he was awake. She supposed it was just some sort of subconscious comfort for both of them; a way of making sure they were both still there.

"Marie?" Stein said while exhaling.

Finally something different.

"Hmmm?"

"You know that…I would never let you die…right?" Stein said. His tone sounded flat as usual but there were extracts of pure worry, concern, sadness, and love in his voice that all blended into some abstract sound and emotion.

Marie didn't answer at first.

She hadn't intended it, but Stein felt like shit now. Well how the hell was she supposed to believe what he said? HE had tried to kill her before. He had tried to cut her open. How the fuck could she rely on someone like that?

He understood that must be what she was thinking.

Before he could open his mouth to continue, she spoke up.

"I know you will always try to protect me…I know that." She whispered, reaching a hand around to lace her fingers with his.

"And you know I will always do the same for you right Stein?" she said rolling over to face him.

Now it was his turn to be silent. He still couldn't understand why she wanted him so much. It was so odd to him. She had pursued him to save him from Medusa's grasp, even when they weren't in a relationship. She was loyal to him and was always thinking of how he was feeling. She never missed a beat. Marie could be a bit naïve but she could always tell after a short time if he was lying or not. She risked herself for him….

"Yes." He replied after some time.

He leaned forward and fastened his lips to hers; her small lips fit perfectly against his.

Marie reached up to stroke her finger tips across his face gently, lovingly, soothingly. She moved her fingers up to run through his soft bangs and move them from his forehead a bit. Her hands wandered from his bangs to the top of his head where her finger tips graced it just barely, like a feather. She finally let her fingers touch the screw in his head; she was careful not to move it.

She moved her lips just barely away from his for a moment.

"It's cute…" she giggled, as her fingers continued to run over the metal.

"You're weird Marie." Was all he said before pressing his lips to hers once more.

He really did love her…and it wasn't that horribly long ago that he believed he couldn't understand the notion of love. He had long convinced himself that that emotion was not comprehendible to his heart or mind….but now…

He lifted his large hand to mesh his long fingers into her soft hair.

He heard Marie sigh at his touch.

Stein ran his other hand over her lower stomach.

He couldn't help but wonder…girl or boy? Which would it be? Would their child be smart? Funny? Loud? Oh Lord, please nothing like Black Star. Would the child grow into a perfectionist like Kid? Perhaps if it was a girl, would she be ditzy like Patty or spend too much time on fingernails like Liz? Oh GOD. If he had a son would he be a insanely flirtatious womanizer like Spirit! Or…would the child become….mad like him…

Finally he pulled away and rested his head against hers gently.

"Stein, I want to figure out what's going on…those dreams couldn't have been a coincidence.." she whispered.

"Then what do you make of it?" he asked.

Marie didn't answer. She suddenly looked frightened.

"What Marie? What?" Stein asked urgently.

"I-is there someone else here?" she asked shakily.

Stein couldn't believe what he was seeing. Marie had never looked this scared before…not since that battle with Medusa when he told her he was going to cut her open.

She shook.

"No Marie…nobody is here…it's ok. What's wrong? Why did you think somebody was here?" he asked making her look at him.

"It just felt like somebody was…" she sighed. "But forget that…the dreams. What should we do?" she said.

"I don't know what to do. There's nothing connected with them. We don't have a starting place." He answered.

Suddenly Marie bolted upright and clutched her hands over her mouth and raced towards the bathroom.

Morning sickness… Stein thought dully. Boy was he glad he didn't have to go through with it.

He felt bad though. He could hear her coughing, choking, and wretching over the toilet.

He didn't expect what came next though.

Marie screamed horrifically. Stein threw off the covers and ran into the bathroom to find Marie backed against the wall with her eye wide and pupils shrunken in terror as she stared at the toilet.

"Marie! What's wrong?" Stein egged as he held her shoulders.

She thrust her head against his shoulder and screamed and cried in terror.

Stein didn't even know what to do. He had never seen somebody this shaken up in his life.

"Marie, calm down. Tell me what's wrong." He said firmly trying to get a hold on the situation.

"Birds…" she choked. "I threw up dead birds!" she cried.

What the fuck was she talking about? Was she out of her mind?

Stein pulled her away gently and turned to look.

Nothing. Just dinner as far as he could see.

"Marie…there's nothing there…" he whispered.

Marie sobbed uncontrollably.

"Marie, listen, there's nothing there." He didn't know what was going on but he felt horrible. He knew what it was like to be not right in the head. He knew how painful and terrifying it could be to have something running through your mind that nobody else could understand.

"No!" she screamed at him trying to shove him away, but Stein held her firmly.

He could only think of one thing…he didn't want to…he hated it.

Stein grabbed Marie's shoulders tightly and dragged her back over to the toilet.

"Marie, I need you to take a deep breath ok? Hold onto yourself. Remember how things were before you came in here. You need to look again alright? Nothing is wrong." He told her carefully.

He needed tell her the steps…the stages. You don't just snap out of a craze like this, and he knew it first hand.

"No I can't!" she cried.

"Marie, you have to do it. Something is wrong with you right now ok? You're not thinking strait!" he told her more harshly.

"Let me go!" she wailed.

"Marie, I need you to do this for me. I LISTENED TO YOU WHEN YOU SAVED ME!" Stein yelled, desperate to snap her out of it.

Marie's cries suddenly turned to small chokes and ragged breaths. Her eye was pinched shut.

"Marie…" he breathed.

"Ok…I'll try." She whimpered.

He had reached her. Thank God.

After a deep breath and a long thoughtful pause, Marie's eye cracked open just barely, before opening all the way.

She was shocked at what she saw.

"I-it's nothing." She sputtered.

Stein only nodded and stroked her back.

"I-I just saw-."

"I know….it's ok." He whispered.

"What happened to me?" she asked shakily.

"I don't know, Marie…" was all he could say.

Dear God, what the hell was going on? First these fucked up dreams and now Marie was seeing things.

Why? Why did this have to happen? Was this because of him?

None of this would be happening if it weren't for me…what's wrong with me? Stein thought angrily.

His thoughts were interrupted by Marie rubbing her face against his chest.

"Can we go back to bed? I-I just want to rest…" she whimpered.

Stein looked down at her…she was so far from the strong Marie he knew.

He lifted her up and carried her gently back to bed and laid her down before climbing in next to her. He pulled her close to him and stroked her back.

Silence.

"Marie?" Stein said just above a whisper.

Nothing….she was asleep.

Good. She needs it. Stein thought.

Stein watched her for some time but soon his own eyelids were beginning to droop and before he knew it he had joined Marie in sleep.

No nightmares plagued their dreams but there was no doubt that this wasn't the end of their troubles.

"This is only the beginning…." A voice breathed evilly.

A pair of eggplant purple eyes focused sharply on the two sleeping lovers through a small window.

(A/N: Woah….poor Marie! This is one crazy ass pregnancy. Then again Stein is pretty crazy and Marie is a bit as well so how could their pregnancy be normal? Haha keep reading guys!)