Author: Spaghettitoes
Title: In The Blood
Rating: PG-15
Cautions: If you've seen any half decent horror film from the 70s you're fine, if not you could be weirded out by the child. Slight spoilery implied for a beloved cast member.
Characters: Celine, Oliver.
Disclaimer: I have no association with or influence over RTL or AWZ....this is probably a very good example of why.
A/N: I like horror and forget that there are a host of people out there who don't. To someone like me this is a relatively innocuous S/L and of everything this challenge is producing I doubt this is the scariest.



A bead of sweat scored a line through her make-up as Celine looked into the boot of her car; it had been more than she thought she could lift but she was wrong. In fact, today was quite the day for proving just what a pregnant woman was capable of when she set her mind to it. She warmly laid her hand on the top of her stomach and smiled happily as the child within kicked in response.

It had taken a while to understand, to realise just how strong the bond between mother and child could be. Lying alone in the dark she had felt the first time the life inside her moved; every night she would lie and listen to the darkness, to her thoughts and the lines had blurred.

When the first thoughts came to her from the child she immediately ran to the bathroom, an unnatural retching in her stomach and her mind. She didn’t know what had repulsed her, the sensation or the idea but both grew on her in time.

As much as the child was a Steinkamp it was hers and nothing was stronger than the bond between them.

Dealing with Zoe had been difficult but her unborn child had no qualms finding another boarding school for its sister. After all, it was in their mother’s best interests. As was the lesson Richard received for abandoning them and crawling back to his wife. Zoe had called her a bitch, Richard said she was insane, Marian had glared at her – declaring she was just like Jenny and would have nothing more to do with her.

The only person who had listened to her, who had sympathetically tried to understand, was Oliver. He had been such a loyal friend to her and she knew he was unhappy, that he hadn’t been happy in a while. For a moment she had questioned if this was the right way to thank him but then her child had stirred and all doubt faded.

Bending her knees she squat down to pick up her bag, standing upright with a sigh of relief and waddling to the car. She carefully placed the bag beside Oliver’s stomach and smiled at him reassuringly, “This will be much easier if you’d trust me Oliver.”
He mumbled against the tape across his mouth, kicking in the ropes that bound his arms and legs.
Celine smiled, “It’s a long trip, you’ll change your mind!” Stretching up she grabbed the edge of the lid and slowly pulled it down, “And once you see Lars again, you’ll thank me.”