There was nothing in the world more wonderful than waking up to Erik's tender kiss. Katja wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her into a sitting position and their lips met again, his hands running through her sleep-tousled hair. "I love you," he whispered, his hot breath tickling her ear.

"Good morning to you too," she replied with a sleepy smile. He pulled her closer, kissing her passionately. Neither she nor Erik were making any attempts to hide their desire. Katja fell back against the bed, Erik on top of her with a hand on each side of her head to support his weight.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, ruining the moment between them. Katja let out a sigh as they both looked over. "Horrible timing as usual Nadir," Erik growled.

He tried to kiss her again, but Katja pushed him aside. "Go answer the door," she ordered. "Nadir is waiting for you. Let me get dressed. I'll be out in a few minutes." Erik shot one of his famous glares at the door before reluctantly getting up to let Nadir in.

As she heard the front door open, Katja stretched lazily with a yawn and slowly climbed out from her warm blanket cocoon. She walked into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her hair. When she came back into the bedroom and began to get dressed, she could hear Erik and Nadir's voices. "What did you do to her?"

"I don't understand what you're asking," Erik replied.

"Katja seems like a completely different person from when we first met her. What happened to the timid girl who didn't dare speak to us until she was backed into a corner?"

"Well, Katja's back home in Germany where she belongs. Of course she's far more comfortable here than she was back in Paris. And she knows us now. When she was too scared to speak to us, it was because we were total strangers. And you and I both know that she hasn't had the best of luck with strangers, and that's putting it mildly."

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" Erik demanded.

"But she's not the same person," Nadir protested. "She's warm and outgoing, practically glow-" The Persian froze mid-word. "No," he gasped in surprise. "She isn't…"

"She isn't what?" Katja asked lightly as she walked into the room.

The men spun around to face her. "Good morning Katja."

"Good morning Herr Kahn," she replied before continuing with, "I'm not what?" The two men exchanged a glance. "I'm not what?" she repeated, this time a little more forcefully.

"I was just wondering if you had been feeling alright," Nadir answered.

Katja deliberately put her hand on her stomach. She knew that Nadir was watching her movements carefully. She had seen Erik do this enough that could play this game with him, at least for a little bit. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked innocently.

Nadir didn't seem fooled. He gestured towards her hand. "I just thought that perhaps your stomach was bothering you."

She gave him a beaming smile. "Not at all. In fact, I feel absolutely perfect."

Erik put his arm around her waist, his hand going to her stomach as well, their fingers entwining. "Alright, leave her be. I don't want you upsetting my wife."

"What he means is he doesn't want you to upset the baby," Katja clarified, finally answering Nadir's question.

"Under normal circumstances, I'd be offering you my congratulations, but with your, ah, unique situation, I find myself needing to ask…" Nadir trailed off, leaving the implied question unasked.

Her husband squeezed her hand gently. "Unless the doctor is horrible at math, or Katja's symptoms started inconceivably late, the child is mine." Katja felt her heart swell. It was the first time Erik himself had directly claimed to be the father.

The Persian was quiet for a moment. Katja knew that he knew that they hadn't been married nearly long enough for them to know if she was pregnant unless they had been intimate before they were married, which was the case. However, instead of chastising them like she half expected, he smiled. "Well in that case, I do offer my congratulations."

"And what would you have done if it weren't the situation?" Erik demanded.

"I don't know," Nadir replied truthfully. "I'd have to figure out how well you two were taking it." He thought for a moment. "Offered my condolences perhaps."

"That wouldn't have done any good," he countered.

"No I suppose not," Nadir said. "But I wouldn't have been able to do anything if that were the case."

"Well thankfully that's not the case," Katja interrupted. "So there's absolutely nothing for us to be worried about." She rested her head against her husband's chest. "When are you leaving us Herr Kahn?"

"This morning," Nadir answered. "My train leaves at eleven."

"What? It's already nine o' clock!" Katja gasped "You're leaving so soon?"

"I'm afraid so. Two days flew by didn't they?"

"But you just got here! Surely, you can stay here for a few more days!" Katja insisted. "I mean, we've barely had a chance to catch up with each other!"

Erik hugged her around her waist. "Careful Nadir or she'll follow you to the train station. She followed me in the middle of the night in her nightgown. And I'm not sure I can stop her from doing the same to you."

"You were going to leave me and the baby! I didn't have any other options!" Katja nestled closer to her husband and showed him the gold ring on her finger. "But now you're stuck with me and I don't have to worry about you leaving."

Nadir's mouth was hanging open. "You were going to abandon your child?!"

"No!" Erik cried. "I didn't know about the baby! Katja followed me to tell me. If I had known… I'm here now aren't I?"

"Yes you are," Katja replied. "And that's all that matters."

Nadir glanced at his pocket watch. "I'm afraid I must be going."

"Now?" Katja shook her head. "I mean, your train isn't for a couple of hours. You could stay for a while longer."

"I have to get to the station still, and I'd rather not have to run to catch my train," Nadir explained. "I'm getting too old to be doing that sort of thing you know."

"But…"

"Katja," Erik interrupted. "Nadir has to go or he'll miss his train trying to get out of here. You're awfully persistent."

She hugged the Persian tightly. "Don't be a stranger, you hear? Despite what Erik says, you are free to come whenever you wish. And of course, you'll have to visit once the baby comes."

"We'll see," he responded, returning her hug. "I think I may be able to return in a few months, but I can't make you any promises."

Erik and Nadir clasped hands. "Be careful," the Persian warned softly enough that Katja couldn't hear. "Keep her safe."

"I will," he replied just as quietly. Erik raised his voice to a normal level. "Goodbye Nadir."

"Goodbye."

Her husband put his arm around her as Nadir walked out the door. "Bye!" Katja called after him. She turned to Erik. "Do you think we're ever going to see him again?"

"I don't doubt it," Erik answered. "He lives to annoy me." He studied his wife for a moment. "You know he's right."

"Right about what?"

"You're not you. I mean, you are, but you aren't the scared girl I rescued from the cage in a gypsy camp. You're so different. You're friendly and outgoing and excitable and the exact opposite from the girl I saved."

"Well I'm not the only one." She ran her finger across his shoulder before playfully poking his nose. "You're not so scary anymore are you?"