Well, meet me mother and father, meet me down the river road
And momma you know that I'll be there when I check in my load...

~Johnny Cash, "Ain't no Grave"

"My lord, what did you do to Rodolphus?" Bellatrix questioned in all of a sudden, while she lay comfortable in the Dark Lord's arms. His hand was stroking her hair, in a gesture of uncharacteristic tenderness, and, despite the fact that Bellatrix wanted anything but this to end, she couldn't suppress her curiosity. To her great surprise, Voldemort didn't stop his hand's gentle movements on her black curls. On the contrary, he pulled her tightly against him, his hold around her suddenly becoming more possessive, which Bellatrix greeted with enthusiasm. She leaned her head against his bare chest and closed her eyes, wanting the moment to last forever.

"My Bella," he hissed softly, "I did exactly what he deserved."

Bellatrix didn't have to press her mind to realize that Rodolphus would probably be in a big lot of pain for quite a while; after all, that's what you get when you disrespect the Dark Lord like that. She was well aware of the fact that Rodolphus had now probably become one of the Deatheaters lowest members due to his behavior and attitude towards Voldemort, not to think of his failing at the easiest of tasks, Merlin knows why. She knew that perhaps her husband wasn't yet done with the Dark Lord's fury, even though she was well aware of the fact that he had hurt in more ways than one, since it was not only the physical torture he had endured, but also the emotional, as he had been forced to watch Voldemort do all these things to his wife.

Perhaps, Bellatrix thought, she should feel sorry for her husband, perhaps she should be there for him, perhaps she should fell hurt as well when seeing him like that, but she really couldn't bring herself to care. Her moments with her lord were too precious and enjoyable for her to even think of leaving him to be Rodolphus's loving and dutiful wife.

She sat up so she could look at her master's face, for she loved gazing at those powerful, burning eyes of his, she loved every moment that he allowed her to be so close to him. She saw him smile a little, but only a little, so that perhaps it could have been only in her imagination, before he leaned over and kissed her, a lot more tenderly and gently than he had ever had before. Pleasantly surprised by his actions, she kissed him back, allowing her hands to wrap around his neck, as if wanting to show him how much this meant to her. She tried to keep any thoughts from invading her mind as she wanted to allow herself to get lost in her passion once more, but, for some reason, this time she found it to be a lot harder. Images of Rodolphus's shocked and hurt face wouldn't leave her mind, even though she actually didn't care that much about him. And, along with Rodolphus, came all the thoughts she had so desperately repelled from her mind considering her unwanted pregnancy.

"Bella, what are you thinking of?" Voldemort suddenly asked her after breaking the kiss, and Bella felt the hair in the back of her neck stand on edge at how cold his voice was. Had he understood that something had changed in her mind? Of course he had, he is the Dark Lord, and she had been careless enough to let these thoughts slip inside her head once again. Clearly, he couldn't know what she was had been thinking of exactly, since he hadn't directly confronted her, but had demanded to learn what was it that was in her mind. Yet, she thought as she tried to keep her thoughts in order, he could know, but wants me to tell him first.

No, she couldn't risk it. Perhaps he didn't know, and she could possibly alter the truth slightly, by not telling him about the baby. He shouldn't find out, this she had decided days ago. There was no way she would tell him, she couldn't she was afraid of disappointing him and of what would be the consequences.

Luckily for her, Voldemort seemed to believe that it had to do with her husband in first place. "Are you thinking about Rodolphus?" he asked coldly, pulling away from her slightly. She didn't know what to say. Obviously she wouldn't get out of this simply by trying to mislead him, that never worked with him and, in addition, she didn't even want to try to. Maybe she could just tell him a part of the truth, without exposing herself and without making him angry again. She didn't want to be kicked out once again, all she needed was to stay there with him, and everything would be ruined if she angered him. She couldn't disappoint him, she wouldn't.

"My lord, I was simply thinking that he deserves the punishment he got, for his disrespe-"

"Bella, are you hiding something from me?" the Dark Lord asked sharply, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders and pulling her closer, so he was now looking straight into her eyes. She couldn't avoid his intimidating gaze, his eyes seemed like they were searching through the very depths of her soul, and it took all of her willpower to keep her mind closed to him and try to empty it from any thoughts that would give her away.

"No, master, of course not, why would I hide something from you?" she questioned, struggling to keep her voice even and calm, for she hated lying to him with all her heart. She had always loathed keeping secrets from her master, and therefore never did, because she knew he had the right to know everything, and she had never had secrets that he shouldn't find out. Yet, here she was, trying to convince him that she indeed did not keep anything from him, despite the fact she knew he wouldn't be able to lie to him for any longer if he kept staring at her like that.

"Bella, I was under the impression that you, as my most devoted, wouldn't keep secrets from me, from your master," he whispered coolly. "You… disappoint me, Bella, you really do. I never expected something like that from you," he added, his voice feeling like a slap across the face to Bellatrix. She hated this, she hated lying to him, but she couldn't let him know…

"My lord, I am not keeping any secrets, I am only speaking the truth," she said desperately, turning her gaze elsewhere, wanting to avoid his eyes. He, however, lifted her chin so she was looking back at him once again.

"But you are keeping secrets, my Bella," he hissed, his voice now sounding a lot more threatening than Bellatrix had heard it during the whole night. She could clearly see that she was threading on thin ice, refusing to talk to him like that, disappointing him in this way, but she forced herself to keep silent about the pregnancy. He should not find out, she kept repeating to herself, silently, secretly, while struggling to lock away her mind at the same time.

"Master, I… I'm not," she whispered, her voice now sounding like a plead, and she knew that she gave away herself by using that tone in her voice. But she couldn't help it.

"Bellatrix, tell me," he ordered quietly, his tone leaving no room for objections. His use of her full name made Bellatrix realize that there was no possible escape now, tat she had to tell him. She though it could have been just her imagination, but she felt his grip tightening on her arms, as if he was about to rip her apart at any moment. She knew she had to let him know. After all, she thought, trying to somehow encourage herself, maybe things won't be that bad. Who knows, perhaps he'll even want the baby? Even if he didn't, he wouldn't kill her. He wouldn't punish her, he couldn't, she was so devoted to him, she would prove she didn't deserve to get punished for a little brat growing inside of her…

"My lord," she started weakly, trying to find the proper words to say what she had to say without embarrassing herself or upsetting him. "There… There is something you need to know," she stuttered, wishing that she could just leave, go somewhere else, anywhere, she didn't care where as long as she was alone, away from his cold, waiting gaze.

"I am well aware of that, Bella," he commented coldly, "so make it quicker, I don't have endless time to spare with your suddenly acting all weak and cowardly like now."

She gulped ad fought to hold back tears, his words hurting more than any curse he could have thrown at her, but she knew the worst was yet to come. She had to finally say it. "Master, I…" she started, but found herself unable to finish her words. She inhaled awkwardly, trying to find the courage to go on, feeling his burning eyes piercing through her, demanding to receive some explanations soon. "I'm pregnant," she finally confessed, and lowered her gaze on the mattress, waiting for an explosion of anger and a painful round of tortures that was sure to come for having acted so carelessly.

However, this never came. Slowly, hesitantly, she looked up, half expecting to see him smile at her, half hoping that he could be happy at this after all, since he hadn't said anything proving him to be angry at her. Instead, when she looked at him, his face seemed almost emotionless, unreadable as almost all the time, though she could see his eyes glowing with something that seemed like disbelief, like shock, like maybe even fury. She felt her whole body go numb, unable to make a single move. Her brain was as if stopped, she couldn't think of anything to say.

"You're pregnant," he repeated simply, his cold voice never softening, but, luckily, not becoming any angrier, as well.

Relieved that he hadn't punished her, she felt her heartbeats slow down to a more even rhythm, and she thought that perhaps he would embrace this new situation. After all, wasn't he always cold like this? Why would now be an exception, perhaps he did not want to show his feelings…?

Bellatrix nodded, now feeling the fear gradually leaving her, but still nervous to hear his response to the simple, yet so complicated statement.

"You won't be for any longer," he stated finally, his expression never changing.

Bella didn't understand. "My lord, what-"

"Abortion, Bellatrix, have you never heard of it?" Voldemort hissed, making Bellatrix feel like every wall she had built around her at the moment was now falling down. Abortion? So, he wanted her to kill the unborn baby. The idea was a shock to her, not that she wasn't expecting it, anyway. She had considered that option may times since she had found out about her pregnancy, since she originally hadn't wanted the baby, but some long conversations with Narcissa, before she had even taken the pregnancy test, had convinced her to finally keep it, even though she knew it was going to be hard for her. She had come to the conclusion that Rodolphus would be a fairly good father, even if the child wasn't his, and she had decided to raise it with his help, as she would do if she was sure that he was the biological father.

Now, now that she heard her lord telling her that she had to kill the unborn baby, she didn't want to. It was strange, even to her, to want to become a mother and dare defy her master, but she wanted to keep it. Yes, she would be forced to stay out of battles for some time, but she would return, and that wouldn't be much of a problem. She wanted to be a mother; maybe it was the sudden instincts that had risen in her since she had considered a future of motherhood, or maybe it was just that she was beyond honored and excited to be the mother of the one and only child of the Dark Lord, even if he didn't know, even if the child itself never found out. She didn't care, she just wanted to keep it. But her lord didn't.

"Master, please," she pleaded, hearing her voice cracking with desperation she never allowed to herself, but now she could not help it. "Please, I could-"

"No, you couldn't," Voldemort cut her off sharply. "You are going to get rid of this thing, am I clear?"

"My lord, it will be no problem, I will give birth to it and then just-"

"Do not object me, Bellatrix," he hissed threateningly, but she wouldn't stop. She couldn't, not now.

"But it may be yours!" she said desperately, hoping to move him with that, although knowing that she had no chances left. "Please, you couldn't kill your own child!"
"I will not, Bellatrix, you will," he said back coldly, and left he bed, picking up his robes to re-dress.

"Why? Why, I am not asking you to get involved in this, it will be entirely my responsibility! Please, master, just let me-"

"Do not talk to me like that, Bellatrix," Voldemort warned in a low voice, now being fully dressed again, with his wand in his right hand.

"I… I am sorry, master," Bellatrix whispered, knowing that she had crossed the line. However, she attempted to once again try to convince him to change his mind, but he cut her off.

"Bellatrix, do you think I want my servant to leave and raise a child, do you think I want you to become weak and useless because of that thing? Are you under the impression that I ever wanted any… children?" he spat the last word, as if hating the mention to children and only.

"No, my lord, but I will not-"

"I do not want to hear anything else, Bellatrix," Voldemort hissed, "you will get rid of the fetus, or I will do it myself."

After saying those words, he simply turned around and left, leaving Bellatrix alone on the four-poster bed, covered only in satin black sheets, her previously suppressed tears now rolling freely down her cheeks.

A.N/ Hey guys :) I finished the 11th chapter, and, still, I don't know if I am entirely satisfied. Once again, this isn't what I was planning. Oh well… There will be more Bellamort later, just so you know, but still I haven't written anything. There will also be some –or perhaps more than just some- Belladolpus. Yeah, no idea how I came up with that. Anyway, I hoped you liked the new chapter! I want to thank everyone who reads this, and special thanks to those who take the time and leave a review! It means so much to me!

xxx