Katja turned when she heard footsteps. Erik was standing in the doorway and he looked like hell. His hair stuck up at all angles, his eyes were only half open, and he was very pale. He practically staggered into the kitchen and collapsed on a chair. "Erik, are you alright?" Katja asked in concern.

"No," he groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I feel like I've been hit by a train." She instantly started to make coffee and porridge, hoping that the hot food would help him wake up. "You gave me too much."

"Too much what?" she asked innocently. Erik gave her a dirty look, clearly not fooled. He might have been drugged last night, but he obviously remembered that he had been. "I only put in a few spoonfuls."

"'A few'?" Erik cried. "How many is 'a few'? The one time I gave you any, I only gave you a single spoonful! No wonder I feel like this!"

"I'm sorry. I wasn't entirely sure how much to give you," she admitted.

He rubbed his temples as though trying to relieve a headache, which he probably was. "Obviously."

She finished up the coffee and placed a large cup of it before Erik. He stared at it suspiciously for a few moments. Katja sighed and hugged him from behind. "You just watched me make that. There's nothing in it. Besides, I didn't want to do that to you last night. I just wanted to make sure you fell asleep and stayed asleep for at least a few hours. You needed the rest."

Erik seemed to forget that he didn't trust the hot, inviting coffee in front of him and took a long drink. "Why did you do it Katja?" Erik demanded.

"Don't be too upset with me," she pleaded. "Please Erik, I just did what I thought was best. I'm sorry that you feel like this. I didn't mean to make you sick. All I wanted was to prove to you what I already know. I don't have to hide from you. You didn't hurt me."

"That's because you gave me laudanum," he countered. "You don't have dreams when you're drugged. I hurt you when I was having a nightmare."

"It's a step in the right direction," she replied. "Besides, now everything's off your chest. Since you aren't trying to keep me in the dark anymore, I know to look out for danger. Now with two of us on guard, you don't have to carry the burden all on your own."

"I suppose you're right," Erik murmured. As awful as it sounded, Katja almost liked having Erik like this. He was far more complacent and agreeable than usual. She just wished that it didn't have to take drugging him to get him like this. But luckily, the coffee seemed to help him wake up a little and he seemed slightly more alert. After taking another drink, Erik continued with, "I should be mad at you. In fact, I should be furious, but I'm not. This is still far less than I deserve for hurting you last night."

Katja sprinkled some cinnamon and sugar in the porridge and gave a bowl of it to her husband. "Here, breakfast will help you feel better. And this isn't what you deserve, so don't say that. You know I forgive you for what happened last night. It was an accident."

Erik reached up and gingerly touched the bruises on her neck. Every time his calloused fingers touched her skin, he flinched as though he were the one who was hurt instead of her. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean it."

She took his hand and brought it from her throat up to her cheek, relishing the feel of his caress. "I know. I know. Quit apologizing Erik."

"How can I? Look what I did to you!"

"Look at what you did to yourself!" she replied, putting her hands on his bandaged wrists. "You're just as hurt as I am, if not more." She pointed to the bowl sitting in front of him. "Now you need to eat. It'll help make you feel better."

He stared at her in disbelief. "Are you ordering me around? Nadir was right. What happened to the quiet girl who had to be told it was okay to sit in a chair?"

"She got married," Katja responded with a playful smile. "Now if you don't start eating, I'm going to feed you myself."

"You wouldn't dare…" he started to reply, but was interrupted by Katja sticking a spoonful of porridge in his mouth. "Alright, maybe you would."

There was a knock on the door. Erik and Katja exchanged a glance. He stood and headed to the door. Katja started to follow her husband, but he motioned for her to stay put. She wondered who on earth could be here. It was too early for visitors. Could this be the danger that Erik was so worried about? Would someone who wanted to hurt him be so brazen as to knock on the front door?

Her fears were alleviated when she heard her brother's voice. "Hello Erik? How are you? Where's my little sister?" she could hear Fredrick ask. Katja suddenly began to panic as she realized her brother would see the bruises on her neck, and he would lose it. Erik seemed to know it too, as she could hear him trying to convince her brother that she was too busy and couldn't be bothered, but her brother was stubborn and wouldn't listen. "There you are," Fredrick's voice rang out from behind her. "Wie gehts, kleine Schwester?" She turned and offered him a small smile.

His eyes grew wide and he rushed to her then lifted her chin so he could get a better view of her neck and the bruises. "Fredrick…" she started softly, but he whirled back around to face Erik who was standing in the doorway, rage burning in his eyes.

"You bastard!" Fredrick roared. "You promised that you would keep her safe!" He stepped in front of his sister, as though to protect her. "How dare you lay a hand on her!"

"Fredrick!" Katja cried as she saw him approach Erik, clearly intending on striking her husband, who was making no attempts to defend himself. She grabbed her brother's arm, trying to pull him away. "Fredrick! Stop! It was an accident!"

"How could it be an accident?!" her brother demanded. "You don't accidentally choke someone!" He swung at Erik, but Katja leaped in front of her husband. She would have been hit if Erik hadn't anticipated her movement, but he was able to pull her out of the way at the last second.

There was suddenly something bothering her lower stomach. It wasn't exactly painful, just uncomfortable, but she didn't know what it meant. She knew it was too soon for the baby to come and began to panic. Erik led her to the couch and helped her sit. "Are you alright?" he asked in concern. "Is it the baby? Do I need to send for help?"

"I think I'm okay now," she replied as the discomfort disappeared as suddenly it came. "I think it was just a false alarm. It's too soon for the baby anyway. It was only for a moment."

Erik sat beside her. "Are you sure? I don't want to take any chances."

"No, no, I'm fine," Katja insisted. "I'm…" Her hand went to her stomach. She felt it again, just for a moment. "I'll be alright."

He turned to Fredrick. "Fetch a midwife. And hurry." Her brother, though clearly still angry with Erik, nodded and began to head for the door.

She pressed a hand against belly, where she was feeling it. For a moment there was nothing, but then Katja felt it again, and suddenly everything made sense. "Fredrick, no wait! I know what it is! It's nothing to be worried about."

Her husband didn't seem convinced. "What's wrong?" Katja took his hand and pressed it against her belly where hers had been a moment before. There were a few seconds of silence before it happened again. Erik yanked his hand away and stared at her with wide eyes. "What was that?"

"The baby's kicking," she explained with a beaming smile.

Slowly, almost timidly, Erik put his hand back on her swollen stomach. "Does it hurt?" he asked softly, almost as if the thought was causing him pain.

"No, not at all," Katja replied quickly, trying to reassure her husband. "It's a strange feeling, one I'm not used to, but it's not painful. Just odd." Katja just happened to glance at the clock. She had to do a double-take before she processed what time it was. "Oh no Erik!" she cried. "You're going to be late for rehearsal!"

Erik pulled out his pocket watch and swore. "Damn, you're right. I have to go. I love you."

"Don't tell me things I already know, just go!" Katja ordered. Erik kissed her quickly before disappearing out the door.

As soon as he was gone, Fredrick, who Katja had forgotten was even there, stepped forward. "What really happened? Why do you have those bruises?"

"Nothing happened," she replied with a shrug. "Erik just had a bad dream, and he lashed out in his sleep. It wasn't anything that he or I could control."

"You're acting like this is absolutely nothing!"

"That's because it is!" Katja protested. "Fredrick, I don't expect you to understand, but I'm not afraid of Erik. I love him and I trust him."

"And what happens next time?" her brother demanded. "He'll kill you!"

"No, he won't! Erik was so upset when he woke up and found out what happened. He's very sorry."

"Sorry isn't going to heal those bruises," Fredrick snapped. "I ought to take you to Vater. He'd talk some sense into you."

Her eyes grew wide. "No! Vati mustn't know! He'll be so angry!"

"Exactly! He'd end this nonsense!"

Katja sounded like a child trying to avoid trouble. "I can take care of myself Fredrick. I don't need you and Vati to run my life for me anymore!"

"The last time you said that, you got yourself into that mess with the gypsies."

"That was different," Katja replied quietly. "I'm not a naïve little girl anymore."

Fredrick rolled his eyes. "Well the reason I came today was to invite you to dinner, but I don't think you're going to be coming."

"Tell them that I don't feel well or something. That I'm too tired from the baby. Make something up, please Fredrick," she begged. "That's all I ask."

He let out a heavy sigh. "Fine. Against my better judgment, I'll do it. But I want you to know that the moment you so much as sneeze suspiciously, I'm taking you straight to Vater, even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming."


German Translations

Wie gehts, kleine Schwester?-How are you, little sister?