XIII.

Erik waited impatiently as the doctor examined Malika inside their bedroom. He hoped that she wasn't pregnant. He hoped it was something else that had made her sick. He paced nervously as Lukcas and Linka walked up to him. "What is the matter with our sister Monsieur Garnier?" Linka questioned him.

"I am unsure." He responded truthfully.

"I hope she is alright." Linka responded softly.

"Me too." Erik agreed.

Erik heard the door open and close quietly. "Monsieur Garnier. I need to talk to you in private."

Erik glanced at the Malika's two siblings then said, "Why don't you two go back to your rooms. I will summon you when she is feeling better."

Though the two did not wish to leave, when they saw Erik glare at them they took off quickly. Erik then led the doctor into his study and closed then locked the door. "So what is the wrong with her?"

"She's pregnant. Two months to be precise." The doctor responded while Erik sat down.

"What! She cannot be pregnant!" He exclaimed.

"How often do you have sex with her?"

"Every night if I can." Erik responded.

The doctor laughed softly. "You shouldn't be so surprised then. I will be back to check up on her in a month. Make sure she is comfortable."

"Wait a minute. Will I still be able to have sex with her?"

"Only until the fifth month. For now she needs to rest. I suggest lots of liquids so her stomach will settle. Then you might want to try some soft foods. It seems that she will be having some morning sickness over the next few months." He answered then left Erik in a daze. A baby? This wasn't right. She couldn't be pregnant. There had to be a way to fix this. But how?

xxxx

Malika heard the door open and close gently. She lay on her back with her hands over her stomach. "Malika. Are you awake?" Erik's voice penetrated her thoughts.

"Yes Erik. I am. It is sort of hard to fall asleep when your stomach is hurting." She replied as she felt the bed being weighed down.

"Did the doctor tell you what was wrong with you?" He questioned her.

"Wrong! What is wrong with having a child!" Malika inquired as she struggled to sit up.

"Nothing." He muttered quietly.

"Erik, I am having this baby whether you like it or not." Malika said firmly. She glared into his eyes.

"No. I've decided it would be best if you didn't." Erik told her while taking her hand.

She pulled away from him. "I am going to have this baby. You are not going to stop me."

"Your body belongs to me last time I heard!" He snapped at her as she gasped from the fierceness of his words.

"I thought you were going to marry me. I thought we were going to raise this child. Weren't those your exact words? You told me Erik. You say I lie and you are so truthful, but in reality you have been lying to me! All i've ever been for you is a body to lay with. You don't want to change. You'll never change!" Malika responded sadly as she felt tears roll down her cheeks.

"I don't lie!" He shouted suddenly then grasped her left arm in a bruising grip. "And you are not having this child. I'm making sure of that."

"No Erik! Erik please don't! How could you kill a child!"

"It's not even born yet."

"You are going to have to kill me in order to kill my baby because I won't let you!" Malika shouted then rolled off the bed and began to make her way towards the bathroom when Erik caught her and pulled her back to the bed. He angrily shoved her onto the middle of the bed and tied her down so she could not move. Tears flowed down her cheeks as he glared in her eyes. "You're selfish Erik."

"Selfish? What do you mean by that?" Erik questioned her.

"You want to kill our baby because you won't be able to have sex with me."

He snorted then laughed softly. "Don't be stupid. Have you forgotten about this!" He asked her as he pulled off his mask then pointed to his marred skin. "It will be better if the damn thing doesn't make it into this world so it won't have to suffer a fate like mine."

"You're wrong. Children deserve to be born. I want this baby. I'm keeping it." Malika replied while staring at him with determined eyes.

"Name one advantage to keeping this child Malika. One!"

"You will be a father." She responded as she looked pleadingly in his golden eyes.

He growled low in his throat. "Not good enough. I'm scheduling another appointment with another doctor tomorrow."

"Wh...Why?" She questioned as a cold shiver spread through her body.

"You're going to have an abortion."

"No!" Malika screamed at him. She struggled against the rope that bound her hands. "I won't! You can't! Erik no!" She began to weep even more for their unborn child. How could he be so cruel? How! "You said you would marry me, you said you would want this child!"

"I changed my mind!" He snapped at her as he looked away from her teary face.

"I hate you Erik! If you go through with this I will never forgive you! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" She screamed loudly then suddenly went quiet. "I hate you." She murmured to herself then turned somewhat on her side and cried softly until she could cry no more.

Erik sat on the edge of the bed listening to her tears dissolve into soft breathing and assumed she was asleep. He untied her hands then gently pulled the covers over her body as she slept softly. Erik sighed softly then left the bedroom to have the chef prepare her some soup.

xxxx

Erik returned from the kitchen feeling tired and worn out. Could he really have her go through an abortion? He couldn't stand it if they did have the child and it looked like him. A knock suddenly interrupted his thoughts. He opened the door and saw Charles, his butler, with a package. Erik had told him earlier that he wanted ever book available on pregnancy that money could buy. From the look of the box, he was going to do some hefty reading.

After Charles had left, he opened the package and picked up a book then started thumbing through it. He sighed to himself as he did so. Why were women so damned complicated? The thing hadn't even been born yet and she was defensive of it. If he could slip her the right medicine to induce labor then they wouldn't have to deal with a child. He sighed once more as he remembered her last words, 'I hate you!' They rang loud in his head.

She would get over it, he decided. However, she would never forgive him if she had an abortion. At least knowingly. He grinned to himself for figuring out a way. He could retrieve some labor-inducing medicine, give it to her, and then when she had her abortion she would be none the wary of why it had happened. He would tell her that he wanted her to have the baby and that way she would trust him again.

Erik smirked then put the book he was reading on his desk and went over to the bed. After undressing he slipped under the covers with her and pulled her into his embrace. He nuzzled her neck with his lips softly. "Leave me alone."

"But cherie, I changed my mind." He lied to her as he kissed her neck.

"You have?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes. I want our child. I just am unsure of how it will turn out."

"Everything will be fine Erik. Even if our child has your deformity I will love it." Malika told him as she turned in his arms.

"I hope so." He replied.

"I'm tired."

"Then sleep. Chef is making you some soup to have later. I will wake you up then."

"Erik." Malika said his name before falling asleep.

"Hmm." He responded.

"Thank you."

Author's Note: Before you jump my case about making Erik evil, just believe me when I say it is going to work out! I'm not a baby killer. So that much should give you a clue. Thank you for the reviews and I should have chapter fourteen up by next Wednesday. Thanks again!