The old brass key turned in the lock, sliding the pin and releasing the door. It was a customary sound by now. They had been doing this for months. His wand came through the door first, he locked the door behind him and set the bag of food on the floor. "Turkey club today. Bottled water. I remembered what kind of bread you prefer."

She was tired of turkey though, tired of sandwiches and tired of looking at the same four walls all day long. "Paper?" she asked softly, as she opened the bottle of water and took a deep drink. She was tired in general, but this was one moment she could look forward to in the day, if such a moment existed anymore.

"Right," he dug into his pocket and pulled out a Daily Prophet. "August 18, 2003." The months had passed quickly at first, but now that his research was concluded, now that he was just waiting for life to catch up so this could be over, the days crawled.

She pulled herself to sit up straight, stretching her sore back as she reached for the paper. She scanned the headlines - nothing important, just proof that it was the correct date. "I'm tired today," she said, because she knew he would ask and then the mini-exam would begin. It was the middle of the week and she wasn't having complications, so it would be quick and painless.

"Yeah?" He crouched down and ran his hand over her stomach, feeling movement fluttering underneath. "Well, being tired is normal at this point."

He had done a lot of research on pregnancy before he'd kidnapped her.

She frowned, wanting to bat his hand away from her expansive belly. She didn't want him touching her baby, or anywhere near her baby. "Well, achy too. It's been uncomfortable sleeping. I would sleep better if I had my own pillow," she protested.

"I can bring you a pillow tonight." He was having a hard time getting supplies now. Certain people were looking for him.

"I don't want any pillow, I want my pillow," she said, pushing his hand away this time as she lay back on the couch. She curled her arm around her belly, rubbing as the baby kicked at her.

"Well," he said, his voice obviously irritated. "That's not going to happen." He was still trying to figure out what he was going to do with her and the baby. Maybe a memory charm? He wasn't quite the hardened killer he needed to be to walk away clean from this.

Reaching for her water, she watched him carefully. Whenever she irritated him, she backed off because in the end - he'd kidnapped her and he frightened her. Who would kidnap a pregnant woman and hold her hostage?!

"You know we're making history right now," he said. The edge had left his voice and given way to a kind of amazed fanaticism.

"You're making history while I'm making a baby in a dirty old flat," she pointed out. "I should be at home resting and getting regular check ups from a mediwitch; not sitting in some smelly, old flat getting poked and prodded at by some kidnapper!"

"Hmm. Yes. Probably. We'll have to figure out what to do with that." She just had to burst his bubble.

He went back to the door, holding his wand ready in case she tried to escape. "Enjoy your Turkey."

"No, wait!" she protested again, pulling herself up. She tried to sit up but doubled over. "Where are you going? You can't leave now! I'm too far along! What if something happens?"

"I'll just be down the hall." He stopped with his hand gripping the door.

She shook her head, wincing in pain. The last time she'd tried this, he'd locked her in for two days, only opening the door to shove in food and a newspaper. She was further along now and he might believe her. "Wait... please, I'm scared," she pleaded.

Damn compassion. It always was a distracting variable to science. "Of what?" He closed the door, locking it, and crouched down in front of her again. "

"You're both healthy.

"You can't tell that!" she shouted, giving him a shove. OK, she was very pregnant and could not move very fast. She tried to grab at his wand.

"Hey!" He snapped. Her pulled his wand just out of her grip. A defensive reaction, he swung his other hand and smacked her across the cheek.

She cried out, her head snapping the other way when he hit her. Tears in her eyes, she glanced over at him then sank back on the couch. "You have to let me go home," she said softly, "I need to be with my family... you can't keep me and my baby here forever."

He tugged at his hair, backing towards the door. "I just-- I need to think! I need to figure out what the fuck I'm doing!"

"Let me go!" she begged, sitting up straight again, tears rolling down her face. "Please, you don't want to hurt this baby, I know you don't!"

"If you piss me off I'm going to kill you and dump your body in the country," he said quickly. He didn't think he could do that, but she was making it easier to imagine.

She lay a protective hand over her belly. "Get out! Just get out!" she yelled her hormones taking over again. It was awful and she wanted the whole thing to be over - she wanted someone to find her. But who...?

He got up and walked back to the door, slamming it and locking it again. "Eat your dinner," he shouted through the door before marching down the hall.

Tears on her cheeks, she picked up her water again, sipping slowly to keep from making herself sick. Her baby kicked again and it only made her cry again because she really didn't know if she could save her baby in the end.