A slow knock came to the door. I knew her scent well even after only just knowing her. " Mom, just open the door."

The door slowly opened. " Did you forget that I invited you? You have no reason to knock." She looked flushed but nodded as she stepped in, closing the door behind her." ... What did you need me for?" I led her to the couch to the far right of the room and sat. She did the same. And stopped for a second only to resume. She sat next to me and pulled me into her arms. " Is everything alright?"

" You know why I called you. You can sense it can't you?" I curled my body into hers " It's why you paused." She stroked my back and hugged me " I know you're pregnant. But..." It was clear that she was withdrawing even before she said anything. " I can't help. I was human, holding a child that was a vampire. It was so painful I almost died." She whispered gravely." I would imagine that as a vampire, it would still be hard..."

" Mom, why are you like this?"

" ...

" You're so strong and commited to everything else but... You give up where it counts."

" No, I-

.
.
I sat up and instantly felt his arms tighten " Ughh, I'm becoming more like you, day by day. Sorry, Mel." He chuckled. His deep voice after waking up made me need to use the bathroom even more. After that, I stepped back out and noticed that Blake was gone. " Babe?"

" I'm right here." He sighed. By the closet, pulling on a normal shirt. I wrapped my hands around his waist and hugged him deeply.
" Hey, I have a question." He nodded, for me to continue. " Katherine is pregnant, isn't she? I didn't notice before but I had a dream..." He nodded. " Yes. She is pregnant with a very strong baby girl." Well at least that much of my dream was true.

Holding my hand and pulling me even closer to him he murmured: " Melody?"

" Blake?"

" I know this time of night isn't ideal... But please hug and sing me to sleep like you always do."

It was to be expected. He hadn't been sleeping well since before that witch announced our capture and brought us here to be executed. He still couldn't rest his body and was always tense and on edge." Of course... Lay down." I chuckled, pulling him towards the bed.

I lie down facing him and pulled him into my arms as I lie upon the pillows. I kissed his cheek and hummed a sweet tune. A melody to help his busy mind rest. I played with his hair and moved it away from his eyes, pushing his dark strands behind his ear. " Has it gotten worse?" I asked gently. " It has. I wake up in the middle of the night a lot, but I don't want to wake you just to help lull me back to sleep. I feel guilty sometimes." Gliding my fingers across his head, I kissed his cheek softly again. " If you need me to help you, I will help you no matter the cost, weight or hour. I want to help you, so that this tension goes away." He nodded, agreeing. He still wanted to protest, but he was looking sleepier and sleepier by the second. I continued humming while gliding my finger in circles around his temple. In a few short minutes, I felt his breath soften. He was asleep already, lying in my arms. His scent and playing with his hair allowed me to sleep as well. But I kept forgetting to disconnect so that he didn't wake up because of my own night problems...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

The sky was a dim and cold blue as I looked back into Blake's eyes " Why is the air between us growing colder? It almost feels like you avoid me, Melody. You know we can talk."

I clenched my teeth and let out a deep sigh " And that's why I won't say anything." I knew that hit him. He looked back at me after a moment. " What are you saying?"

I sighed heavily and leaned into him " I'm sorry. I...can't continue this way. What I mean is it's likely that we'll separate."

He was sad and I knew that... But I didnt care at all." Tell me why. Because I know there isn't someone else... But you aren't telling me anything really. I want to keep this together." He was so sweet and loving and I knew but I couldn't force myself to care like I wanted.

" ... I'm always feeling so... Useless. I guess I'm not remembering what you even found interesting about me..." I glared at him " So tell me, what exactly was it that you saw that made you want me as a partner?"

" Why do I want you as my partner?"

I looked at him seriously.

" If not for you I wouldn't have even fought for my crown. And... " He stopped. He held my hand and laced his fingers between mine.
" Because I love you, silly woman. And you love me too..." He chuckled. He wasn't okay and despite his smile all there was... Was sadness " But why do you insist on hurting me by leaving when I need you by my side the most?"

I said nothing.

His smile hardened and was clearly pained " You stuck with me when it was hard and when things were tough. You little idiot, don't you understand that I can't do this without you? Do you not feel needed? Or wanted?"

I looked away from him and scoffed " Of course you can do this without me, what are you saying?"

" I'm saying that this crown that I worked so hard to get wasn't for me. But for you. If you want to throw away all that we have, fine. But I will never forgive you."

I was growing frustrated and impatient with him. What was I doing that for? He was being honest with me and I was doing nothing but stabbing him in the heart. " And I'm saying that you can't expect me to live this life. I don't want to hurt you, believe me I don't. But you know I never wanted to live as a vampire. Youre asking me to share a burden that's much too difficult for me to bear."

" Than leave." He whispered, looking unphased. I stood but I was shocked that he'd just say that.

He scoffed and bent to my level. " You don't want to leave. That's why you can't move... And if I'm as bluntly honest as you were... Don't say something you won't live up to. Sort out your problems, but you will not.." He growled " I repeat, you will not play with my heart in the process."

" And, honey?" He sighed icily. " Make up your mind and than maybe we can have our next conversation normally. Otherwise, I dont want to see you." He shut the door and I felt it shut more than anything.

He left and I felt the air go from " growing cold " to pure and burning ice.

I woke up and I felt so cold. But I squeezed him tightly in my arms?

" Melody... I saw your dream..." He murmured. " Are you okay?" Tears flooded my eyes and I got up. I closed the bathroom door behind me and slid to the floor. No. No. No. No. NO. I had to remember to disconnect from him, to let him sleep. My issues were my own to face. I always messed something up!

A gentle knock came through the door " Do you want to talk about it?"

" Even if I get crushed under the pressure of all of this, Blake I'll never leave your side. I love you. Even if I have to lose my life I wouldn't want to be anywhere besides your arms!" I cried. I felt horrible. Sadly, my overwhelmingly human horomones overpowered all of my vampire nature. And so I was stuck with human emotions and human habits that were hard to break. That included a subconscious. I was still very much pure of blood, but by blood exchange, not by birth clearly. Even so... I was a defect of sorts.

" Come here than. Don't be stubborn, I want to help you too, Melody." I gently unlocked the door. The door opened and I was suddenly lifted into his arms. I hated feeling like this. " Baby... This is a relationship. You won't need to be crushed under the weight. You've carried a lot of burdens but after my coronation tomorrow... You won't need to struggle or always feel so stressed out. For the first few months or so, I want you to rest. That's my first order, as king, Melody." He lie me back in bed and got in next to me.

I was still slightly teary-eyed and sad but I had to remember to trust him " I love you and I don't want this to come between us."

His hands gently held me, stroking my arm " Mel it won't, I promise. Human dreams are... Weird. They show very skewed versions of the truth, so please don't let it hurt your heart like this."I knew he was at least uneasy but he understood that we were both suffering our own hellish night issues.

.
.
.
.

I gave a short knock. Tristan opened the door, surprised to see me. There was a guard nearby who noticed the king and bowed. He stepped out and closed the door behind him. " Hey, is everything alright?"

" I've had a rough morning, you have no idea." I chuckled. My eyes were probably so red but I opened my arms and pulled him in for a hug. He was surprised but hugged back and gently patted me. " Thank you so much for making my happy. I... I knew that someday she might find out and she'd choose this life. But I also never thought I'd even be alive to see her. It's really... really touching and I'm so happy for you two-"

" Let him breathe, Melody." Blake chuckled. He came in to stand next to me and I gently withdrew. " I'm sorry, I always get like this sometimes." Blake handed me a packet of tissues and looked back at Tristan. " No. You're right. Katherine always felt like she was too far gone even as a child. She's lucky to have someone like you who cares for her as well as you do. So for that, thank you."

Tristan smiled but he sighed " Thank you. Come in and see her."

She lie on the same loveseat I saw in my dream. I moved forward and hugged her, holding her in my arms. " Mom, you've been crying?"

" A lot actually, yeah. How are you feeling?"

" Its actually kind of painful. I have to constantly wear gauze on my nipples and it's all so uncomfortable. I just can't stain every shirt and bra that I have."

I stayed calm. Positivity, I thought." It's alright! Don't worry too much about staining your shirts. If anything, we can always get you new ones. Focus on eating and sleeping well, for the baby's sake and yours, okay?" She nodded.

I lightly stroked her hair and helped her calm down " When I was little, what would you have done? If you could've been there, I mean."

I paused. I knew I would've gotten the chance to love her, most of all. Like a mother would. " I would've sung you to sleep every night. Your dad says you were noisy sometimes... But I know if I had only been able to sing you to sleep... I would've played so many fun games with you two. And I would have read you classical literature before bed. But I imagine you'd be into art so you'd like some dramatic plays and funny things..." She agreed and lie in my arms, content.

I kissed her forehead " I'm not confident. But I'm always willing to help, 100%." She nodded and smiled, content-looking.

I would stay, and I would be here for her and this child, no matter the cost... No matter what.