Bella sat on the front porch of the house she now shared with Erik, scarcely able to believe in the ten years that had gone by. She was now in her later twenties, while Erik was in his sixties. Time had started catching up with her husband, but at least now he had work suitable for an older man. Translating had been just fine, but she much preferred his more comfortable situation in an architectural office. Mostly he sat in a back office, left alone except by supervisors or those seeking his advice. He offered alternative designs for difficult clients and released the ego he'd clutched to for so many years when only parts of his designs were accepted or they were entirely thrown out. Otherwise, he made sure all the statics calculations were drawn up correctly. Honestly, she doubted there was any field of the firm in which he didn't put his fingers on occasion.

He was happy … if sometimes exhausted. Being so good at so many fields had managed to not earn him enemies, but respect. He could never be a partner, as he hated meeting clients and going to parties. Still, the parties became necessary simply because he knew how much joy dancing at them gave her.

Bella had become a nurse and worked in a home for undesirables, doing the only thing she could to help Erik with their original goal of opening a hospital. It was a remarkably down-trodden place, but she offered the mentally and physically incapable as much love and understanding and aid as possible. She was over-worked, too, and her job was not even full-time. Erik's income allowed it to practically be a volunteer position. It could have been entirely volunteer, but she wanted to stock away a small income for herself, and Erik had signed the papers giving permission for his wife to be in work.

Of course … she might have taken a full-time position if it weren't for Niklaus.

"There he is!"

A seven-year-old boy leaped from the steps of the porch and threw himself along the small stepping-stone pathway. The wrought-iron gate was wrenched open with straining muscles, and overgrown red-auburn hair bounced eagerly as her amber-eyed little boy launched himself at the feet of a single horse-drawn cart. The horse stood with her foot nearest the boy still upraised, as if well-aware of how she could crush the child that had almost dove under her tread.

"Woah!"

In spite of the fact that the mare had almost completely stopped moving before Klaus made it outside the gate, Erik jerked hard on the reigns and then launched himself down onto the sidewalk at his son's side. He winced, bending over at the pain that shot up his leg.

Three years ago, he'd been visiting and extraordinarily important building site commissioned by Trieste's Burgermeister. The man had wanted everyone in the company there to make sure he knew every last person involved. There had been a tragic accident that had killed on sub-contracted laborer, and broken Erik's left leg. He'd been unable to work for months, and now it had healed in his old body in such a way that he had no choice but to take the buggy places.

Now, after a wince and painful impact that left him in a slightly limping stoop, he seized up Klaus beneath the arms and held him to eye level with a worried glare.

"Are you all right?" he demanded of the boy. "Nik, I've told you a hundred time-"

"I'm fine, Papa!" Niklaus promised in his high, piping voice as Arabella hurried down to the gate and joined them next to the street. "Rosie wouldn't step on me!"

"Rosie isn't like a dog, Nik." Erik vented, all but dropping the child back onto the ground. "She's gentle, but large. You could be killed with one wrong move. Do you understand me?"

Bella placed a gentle hand on her little boy's head, her eyes reproachful and reminding him not to let his anger get the better of him. He'd had a very hard time adjusting to allowing his fear to be fear – and not anger – when he'd first had to experience an active child running about their home.

Erik noticed the look, scowled at her, then sighed tiredly as he pulled an apple out of his coat pocket.

"Here. I suppose Rosie deserves a treat for averting disaster."

With a little yip, Niklaus accepted the apple and held it up adoringly to the mare he considered his horse.

"Can I take her in, Papa?" he asked.

Erik motioned towards the small dirt path at the side of the house which the horse and cart had worn down over the spring and summer months.

"She's at least gentle enough to be led." he acquiesced.

The two adults watched as Niklaus struggled – as he often insisted on doing – alone to unhook Rosie from her harness, and then began to lead her away by the bridal close to her old teeth. Erik slipped an arm about Bella's waist, and Arabella leaned her head against his shoulder.

"We have another party at the Burgermeisters' tonight." Erik grumbled. "Did you check with Greta about watching him tonight?"

"Yes. But Klaus is going to insist on reading with you tonight. We'll have to arrive fashionably late."

"I'd rather not go at all. You know that."

Bella turned and pressed a hand lovingly to his chest as she smiled up at him.

"Liar." She teased. "You couldn't survive a week without dancing with me."

"I don't know there will be any dancing tonight." Erik retorted. "Besides... that's your particular pleasure.

"Liar." she accused again. She took his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. When his didn't enfold hers quite as well as they once had, she glanced down at their joined digits with a frown of worry. This caused him to squeeze his fingers gently, but it still caused him to wince and give a very soft Romany curse.

"It's nothing." he told her resolutely. "A touch of arthritis. Nothing serious. I'm lucky it stayed away this long. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes..." she replied slowly, leading him inside. Klaus would follow them in soon enough. If he didn't, Bella wasn't worried about him. He loved talking to that silly old nag.

"Stop looking that way." Erik snapped when he removed his coat. Bella blinked up at him, startled by his tone.

"What way?" she demanded.

"Like I suddenly became frail and feeble like old chipped china." he nearly spat. "I'm not dying, Bella. I'm feeling my age. I'll gladly take it as payment for what happiness we've had."

Arabella nodded slowly and turned away. She didn't want to fight. So often lately Erik took out his own frustrations and thoughts on her – putting words in her mouth. She had no doubt he'd berate her after the party for flirting – or allowing herself to be flirted with – when all she did was hold polite discussions. He was getting irritably paranoid because of his age and slowly encroaching feebleness. Jealousy often clawed at him when he saw some young man eyeing her from across the street or some party room. It was not a violent jealousy … but sometimes his ire still brought back old anxieties and fears that – at this point – only made him more bitter.

"For God's sake, I'm not going to hurt you!" he had snapped at a near roar about six months ago after one social event. "Stop cringing as if I'm Yaakov! There's no one in this city that needs to fear me now, except maybe that cad who tried to get you alone tonight!"

So far as Bella had been able to tell, the gentleman Erik was so insanely jealous of hadn't been trying to get her alone at all. She had a locket around her neck with a likeness of Niklaus within. She always loved to show it off when people asked her about her child. She'd been taking the gentleman closer to a light at the edge of the room – not sequestering herself alone and hidden in some corner with him. Not sneaking outside or into a dark hallway. But Erik could hardly understand that. He saw all men as a threat to his marriage unless they were one of his co-workers or one of their first neighbors. Ones that had earned his trust to some degree.

Other than the issues involving his growing age, though, they still found themselves quite content and happy. Bella didn't hate him for his insecurities. She just wished he could understand her own fear … the terror slowly growing in her that she would not be able to survive the loss of him when the time came.

There was Klaus to think of now, of course. Bella knew that no matter how much she grieved the inevitable loss of her husband, she would never allow it to interfere with the raising of their son. He would be just as lost and sad as she. Maybe more so, depending on how old he was when …

There was a long silence that wasn't quite awkward as Erik removed his coat and began undoing his clothes enough to wash in the water closet. Bella had already prepared his clothing for that night, and it would be hanging up waiting for him. For the time being, though, he would just wash briefly. If Greta arrived before he was properly dressed, she was going to have to live with an old mans' slowness and the fact that he was in shirtsleeves. At least Greta – who lived a few houses down across the street and had grandchildren Klaus' age – was too old and well acquainted with the world to take offense.

"I'm sorry." Erik finally offered, speaking over his shoulder as he stood over the porcelain basin. Bella was tidying up their quaint parlor, looking for non-existent dust as if they didn't hire a maid to come in every few days to assist with keeping the place in order. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

Bella nodded noncommittally.

"Hard day at work?" she asked curiously.

"Not particularly … just … some of the others were teasing about those damned spectacles I put in my desk."

Bella winced. Erik was barely losing any sight at all. But so many of the men Erik worked with wrote in meticulously tiny print, and his eyes were just weak enough where he used the glasses to be certain of what they'd written without having to ask. It was an inconvenience to everyone when he needed to do that. And it was irritating to be teased it was due to his age or cataracts that didn't exist. He could still read newspapers, most books, and sheet music perfectly well.

"So you thought I would pick on you?" she asked in disbelief, making him chuckle.

"As if you never have before!" he acused – but this time with a broad and affectionate smile. They heard the back door slam open and closed as Klaus returned from the little building they housed Rosie in. "Klaus! I've told you to be careful of that door!"

"Sorry, Papa!" their little boy chimed, barreling into the room. "Can we play cards, Papa?"

Erik glanced at the clock uncertainly, but didn't lose his smile.

"I suppose we have a little time..."

Bella finished preparing Klaus' supper in the kitchen while the two boys played a game of cribbage. Then she retreated upstairs to begin the long and arduous process of changing into fine evening clothes for that nights' dinner party and ball. She hated going to the Burgermeisters' house in particular. Their behavior had to be exemplary considering the mans' importance in the city and to the business Erik worked for. His wife was also highly influential, and was the only woman Bella had ever met in Trieste who made her feel looked down on. The woman was never rude or cruel, but she always made Bella feel snubbed. And she had a feeling the woman tried to spread terrible gossip about her, but everyone else in the city who knew her seemed to be luckily oblivious.

There was a knock at the bedroom door, and she glanced up into her cloudy mirror to see Erik's wide eyes gawking at her. She'd chosen a cranberry red gown for the night, with garnet and dark silver jewelry Erik had gifted her two years before. He always loved seeing her dressed in finery with her hair pulled up and away from the nape of her neck. The only thing he ever seemed to resent were the satin gloves, and tonight she was wearing soft ivory ones.

"Ma Belle..." he murmured, holding a hand out. "It's time to leave."