The mind churns
The heart yearns
The tears dry
Without you

"You. don't understand. I-I failed him," Blaze murmured softly.

"Failed who?" Autumn asked.

"Bumlets. I failed him. I did everythin' he told me not ta do," she frowned.

"How can ya say dat? How did you possibly fail him?" Autumn questioned softly.

"I promised him dat I'd be alright after he left, dat I'd smile, and eat, and take good care of our baby."

"Blaze, it wasn't yer fault dat you lost da baby. And you do eat, and smile once in awhile. No one expects ya ta smile all da time like ya used to, not even Bums would expect dat of you," Autumn clarified.

"If I'd only come back earlier. if only. if only I'd run faster, or kicked dem harder. I'd still have our baby," she whispered.

Autumn took her hand. "Don't worry yaself silly wid what-ifs. Ya did da best ya could tryin' ta defend yerself. No one blames ya for what happened, and neither should you."

"I just. can't help it," Blaze sighed.

~~~~

"Stinker," Blaze giggled. "I can see ya tryin' ta hide a yawn." She swung her feet off the bed and began to untie her boots.

"I'm not hidin' a yawn!" Bumlets protested. "You yawned foist, and it just. caught on," he explained simply.

Blaze turned to him and stuck out her tongue. "Sure it did." Rolling her eyes, she smiled at him. "'Sides, it's late. We should be gettin' some sleep anyhow."

"Aw, okay," Bumlets pouted and lay back against the pillows.

"Now close yer eyes," Blaze stated.

"Why?"

"'Cause I'm gonna change and it's not proper for ya ta be gawkin'," Blaze explained.

"But. since when are we 'proper' folk?" Bumlets asked.

Blaze tried hard not to snicker. "Since I said so. Close yer eyes." She started to unbutton her shirt as she awaited his agreement to close his eyes.

"No," Bumlets stated stubbornly, crossing his arms.

Stopping, Blaze turned to face him. "No?"

Bumlets nodded once. "No," he stated again. Now it was his turn to hide a snicker. "It ain't like I haven't seen you before," he pointed out.

Blaze started to say something, but stopped when she saw the look in his eyes. They both knew that Bumlets was getting sicker everyday. Maybe he was finally starting to think that he wouldn't sleep besides her for years to come, and that there was no telling how many more times he'd wake up to see another day.

"But dat's different. Ya wasn't sittin' back and watchin' den," she replied.

"So?"

Blaze shook her head. "Boys gotta be so difficult." She saw a devious smirk cross his lips and sighed. Two could play at this game. Blaze fetched her nightgown from under the pillow and placed it beside her on the bed.

"Have it yer way," Blaze smirked and turned so her back was facing him. She could still be difficult about things, and aimed to do just that.

Blaze slipped her pants off first, then her shirt, all the while making sure all Bumlets could see was her back. Without turning, she reached for her nightgown, only to find it missing from her side. "Hey."

"Hey what?" Bumlets asked innocently.

"Hey dat's me nightgown ya robbed me of. I steal things around here, not you," Blaze responded. "Give it here."

"Come get it," he replied. "It's right over here."

Blaze turned her head to see the nightgown safely stashed on the other side of the bed, far out of her reach. Laughing at his antics, Blaze started sliding towards Bumlets, all the while keeping her back facing him. She held out her hand, hoping he'd be nice enough to hand her the nightgown, which didn't happen.

"It's cold," she whined. "Hand it to me."

"Nope, got a better idea." Bumlets slipped an arm around her waist and gently pulled her down beside him.

Immediately, Blaze pulled her knees towards her chest and curled up against him. It wasn't that she was uneasy lying there in front of him, but with her belly starting to grow, she wasn't so sure he wanted to see her enlarged stomach, even if it had hardly grown at all.

Noticing her behavior, Bumlets stroked her back. "Blaze?"

"Mm?" she mumbled.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. ya know. Here, ya want yer nightgown now?"

Blaze tilted her head up to look into his eyes. "Why are ya sorry?"

Blushing, Bumlets searched for the right words. "'Cause I. kinda, made ya well." he stuttered. "I stole yer nightgown and all. ya know, made ya uneasy. I didn't mean to."

Shaking her head, Blaze lifted her head from his chest. "You did no such thing. I just, figured ya wouldn't wanna see me now, what wid da baby growin' and everythin'." Resting her head back against his chest, Blaze sighed. "I mean, I must look pretty bad dese days."

"Nonsense!" Bumlets nearly exclaimed. "Blaze, look at me." Once she had finally raised her head, Bumlets took a deep breath. "Blaze, I love you. Dat don't just change all da sudden cause of a baby growin' inside ya. Plus I know dat belly of yers has hardly stretched at all yet. But dat don't matter ta me. Yer. well, yer beautiful ta me. Ya know dat right?"

Blaze wasn't sure how to reply. "I know. I just thought. it was silly. Ya mean, it don't matter if it looks like dere's a balloon in me belly?"

Bumlets chuckled a little. "No, it doesn't matter ta me. Not one bit." He started to blush again, knowing he should have annunciated his intentions before he stole her nightgown in the first place. "I just. wanted to see you. Ya know, see dat figure I fell in love wid while watchin' ya run off wid me hat."

Blushing, Blaze giggled and slid up to rest her head against the pillow next to him. Uncoiling herself, she took his hands and led them to her belly. "So, dis really doesn't matter?"

"It does matter. 'Cause it makes ya even more breathtakin'," he smiled. "Dat's our baby in dere."

Relaxing under his touch, Blaze smiled back at him.

"Blaze, will you promise me somethin'?" Bumlets asked while his fingers grazed over the bare skin of her belly.

"A coise. Anythin'," Blaze answered.

"Promise me you'll take good care of dis baby. Dat, whatever happens, you put yerself and dis baby foist. I want ya ta be happy, and I want our baby ta grow up with a great mom, and I know ya can be dat."

Looking up into his eyes, Blaze nodded. "I promise, Bumlets."

~~~~

"You get some sleep, Blaze. You didn't fail no one. Remember dat, alright?" Autumn insisted.

"I." Blaze gave up and nodded her head.

"Ya stood by him when he was at his worst, and he loved ya for dat. Ya never failed him, not once." Autumn affixed the damp cloth on Blaze's forehead and smiled. "Now just try and rest for me, okay? Dat cloth should help ya get some well-deserved rest."

Yawning, Autumn stood from the bed. "And I think I'm gonna turn in too. See ya in da mornin'. You and me gotta start plannin' da weddin' tomorrow," she smiled dreamily. "And yer gonna be well enough ta go to me weddin', ya hear?"

Blaze nodded, smiling slightly. "Okay."

"Night," Autumn smiled.

"Night," Blaze mumbled.