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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 17, 2016 3:23:32 GMT -5
"Are you always going to order me about?" she asked frustrated that he wouldn't just lay down with her and enjoy the moment. She turned and sat up looking down at him silent and expecting an answer.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 17, 2016 3:39:10 GMT -5
Christian folded his hands under his head and stared at her, pondering his predicament more than her question. "You don't like it when I tell you what to do?" he asked sarcastically. "Go clean yourself up before Hanley gets here," he said flippantly.
Just then the doorbell rang. "Actually, make yourself useful and go answer the door," he said sternly.
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 17, 2016 3:48:05 GMT -5
She threw a pillow in his face as a response, but then got up and left the room to let Dr. Hanley in muttering that he at least would be nicer company.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 17, 2016 4:02:26 GMT -5
Dammit. Was she answering the door because he had compelled her to do so or because she didn't want Dr Hanley to wait while they had it out? Christian was frustrated and shoved the pillow onto the bed and stood up. He magicked the bed so that it was tidy and then went downstairs to meet the doctor.
On the way he considered a new angle. He was angry when he compelled Diana to spend several hours in the linen closet draining him of energy. He was frustrated that his first attempt to seek her obedience hadn't worked, when he ordered her silence. He was also annoyed with her earlier when he made her take a nap. Perhaps he needed some strong emotion behind his commands.
He reached the foot of the stairs and greeted Hanley.
"So, how are you feeling, my dear?" Hanley asked Diana.
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 17, 2016 4:13:46 GMT -5
"Peachy with a side of keen." she answered smartly, "But I'm tired doc. I'm real tired, I can't seem to stay awake."
She didn't remember the extreme fatigue when she was pregnant with Alyx, but the pregnancies were vastly different.
She was hoping for some news or some help. She couldn't continue the way she was.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 17, 2016 12:13:42 GMT -5
"Well it takes a lot of energy to make a little person," Hanley answered with a kind smile. "Let's look you over and see if we can't tell the baby to go easy." He gestured for Diana to sit on the sofa and noticed the simple band on her left hand. He looked to Christian and found a matching band on the man's left ring finger.
Hanley clapped his hands together and laughed, a big smile on his face. The response reminded Christian of how his grandfather had looked at seeing an excited young Christian unwrapping his very first broomstick on Christmas morning.
"I see double congratulations are in order!" Hanley laughed as he surprised Christian with a big hug, pinning the younger man's arms to his sides. "But your mother did not tell me. I only saw her yesterday, that secretive woman!"
"Why were you seeing her? Is she ill?"
"No need to worry my dear boy. When you get old like us, you will find there are fewer people to invite for tea and company. I am surprised it didn't come up, she loves to talk about you."
Christian suddenly felt guilty that he hadn't explained the situation to his mother, but in his meager defense he was still adjusting to the idea of Diana being his wife without wanting to annul the marriage. Diana hadn't even met his mother and now he had a pregnant wife to introduce and eventually a teenage granddaughter. Christian's life was far too complicated.
"We haven't told her yet," Christian explained as he looked to Diana. "It was a spur of the moment thing." That was the understatement of the year.
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 17, 2016 17:01:37 GMT -5
Diana was very fond of Doctor Hanley. He reminded her of a quirky grandfather that she herself had never had. But Merlin's mushrooms, did the good doctor's words make Diana extremely uncomfortable.
Diana didn't even know that Christian's mother was alive. They never talked about it. Was his father alive? No, she remembered now that the reason he had left her was to take over the family business, whatever that was. Diana was a very smart woman, but she had yet to put together any dots when it came to Christian. He was her weakness. Now she found herself married, bonded, and pregnant to a man whom she really knew little about.
She felt sick. She gave Christian a look then went to go sit down.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 17, 2016 17:47:20 GMT -5
Christian had put more effort into learning about Diana after the stink she made several weeks back about him not knowing anything about her. It had taken a lot of effort on his part, first because he wasn't really the type to sit down for long conversations, but also because Diana was not always the easiest person to get to open up. She was less of an open book and more of an enchanted scroll buried in the bottom of the ocean written in a dead language. You could get there, but it would take a hell of a lot of work. Still, Christian had been trying. He hadn't noticed or cared that she asked very little of his past in return. He hadn't kept his mother a secret per se but he also hadn't offered up the information either. Diana's look told Christian they would be arguing over this fact later.
Hanley nodded and promised not to spoil the surprise for Christian's mother, then turned his attention back to Diana. "Well now, let's focus on the new Mrs Ward and our little bundle of joy." He was so pleased with all of the recent developments in Christian's life that he didn't notice the tension in the room between the "happy couple". Hanley dug around in his medical bag for some instruments as he asked Diana questions.
"This won't fully counteract the exhaustion," he said, handing yet another potion to Diana. "Your body needs rest to create its little miracle. But it should help. And I still advise you to take it easy. No stress." Hanley made a point of looking to Christian as he said this, who was leaning against the wall trying to keep out of the way.
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 17, 2016 17:52:44 GMT -5
Diana tensed at her new name. She was still adjusting to the reality of that statement, and other than Christian who teased her with her new moniker, hearing it out loud was startling.
She answered his questions, and when talking about the baby or how she was feeling most of her other thoughts fled. She couldn't believe that it was real, that they were having a baby, that she was actually getting used to the idea and also falling in love with the child inside of her.
With Hanley's last comment Diana looked at Christian too and sighed. What were they going to do?
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 17, 2016 18:21:15 GMT -5
Christian was quiet for most of the appointment, letting Diana answer Hanley's questions and keeping his mouth shut at the doctor's orders for no stress. That wasn't likely to happen. But being present for this moment made Christian uneasy, he was half expecting Hanley to declare she was mistaken and not in fact pregnant but had just caught some sort of flu that mimicked the symptoms.
He was not prepared for an actual pregnancy. They weren't prepared for it. They had men to kill and an assassin to find. They couldn't do that with her pregnant! Christian's concerns came back to him as Diana's seemed to disappear. Every time she spoke she looked less tense and Christian grew slightly paler. What the hell were they going to do?
Hanley took one last instrument from his bag and placed it on Diana's stomach. A dial spun around and made soft whizzing sounds the moment it touched her skin. He smiled instinctively. "Looks like your little boy is doing just fine."
Christian perked up at the statement and took a few steps forward. "You can tell already?"
Hanley nodded. "My dear boy, modern medicine is so much more advanced than the antiquated techniques muggles use."
Christian looked to Diana in amazement. She was carrying his son.
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 17, 2016 18:26:00 GMT -5
Diana's heart leaped into her throat. A boy? She was pregnant with a little boy. Her heart started pounding then as she slowly stood up and looked toward Christian, was he happy?
They were terrified, unprepared, completely out of their element with all of this, but damn if it didn't feel amazing.
She wanted Christian to be happy. "A boy..." she said tentatively then with a smaller smile waiting to see what his reaction would be.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 17, 2016 19:07:25 GMT -5
"You're sure?" he asked with a questioning frown. "You're sure it's a boy?"
Hanley nodded as he packed his equipment away. "I'll see myself out," he said happily. He gave Diana a friendly smile and Christian a strong handshake then left the room. Christian heard the front door open and close.
Christian was overwhelmed by Dr Hanley's confirmation that he was having a son. He stared at Diana in disbelief then slowly crossed the room and sat in the chair in front of the window. "A boy," he repeated. He looked up at Diana, a smile steadily growing on his face. "We're having a son."
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 17, 2016 19:16:24 GMT -5
Diana impulsively hugged the Doctor before he left. In the few weeks she had known him, he had become as close to her as just about any elderly male figure in her life. After he was gone she turned toward Christian and watched him carefully. Her hands rested on the back of the sofa.
She didn't speak though her stomach was doing flips. Please be happy. Please be happy. Please be happy. she repeated over and over in her head.
When he walked away from her to sit down her heart fell. She almost cried out to him, but he turned to her and when she saw the smile she nodded.
She walked toward him her legs shaking slightly until she was just in front of him. She took his large hand in hers. "Our son." she said placing their hands over her still flat stomach where their baby grew.
"Are you...happy?" she dared to ask, hopeful when she saw his smile.
In all the time she had been back with Christian she had never worn such an insecure look on her face. Even when she was struggling with her emotions or anything else she never really showed insecurity until now.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 17, 2016 22:19:52 GMT -5
Christian stared at their hands on her stomach, their wedding bands touching. Was he happy? Christian took a deep breath at the question. He was terrified. Beyond dealing with everything else they faced, they were going to be responsible for a human life. One that wouldn't survive without them. This was very similar and completely different to the news that he was father to a teenage girl.
The shock was the same. His chest tightened. His brain felt as if it had been broken. But now there was also fear. What if he cocked it up? What if he was a bad parent? He could ruin a child.
But still he was smiling.
Christian looked up at Diana's face. "Yeah," he nodded. "Yes, Diana. I'm happy. I'm f*cking terrified but I am happy." He took her by the waist and pulled her to his lap. He smoothed the worry lines on her forehead with the tips of his fingers.
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 18, 2016 0:15:36 GMT -5
Diana wondered what kind of childhood Christian had. Her own was confusing and frivolous, but she remembered the good parts.
As she was brought to his lap she melted in relief.
"Me too." she whispered, "I'm happy." she confessed. She stared at him, memorizing the curves of his face, the edges. She was committing all the details of the moment to her memory, because it was a perfect moment. Yes there was fear and uncertainty, but there was love, and happiness, and warmth.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 18, 2016 1:14:31 GMT -5
In all the excitement Christian forgot about his silly mission to figure out Diana's obedience vow. It seemed so inconsequential compared to the news Hanley had given them. Christian placed his hands on Diana's face and brought their lips together in a tender kiss of celebration.
Almost immediately a buzzing noise sounded from Christian's office. One of his men was ringing him, hopefully it would be Bennett with good news about reversing the Life Bond that was causing both Christian and Diana such great stress. Christian shifted Diana off his lap, slapping her ass with a cheeky grin as he rose and moved to his office. He went inside and shut the door behind him.
In the second drawer of his desk, Christian's newly enchanted mirror vibrated violently and glowed red. Christian picked it up and waved his wand over the glass. Bennett appeared.
"What have you found?" Christian asked, not wasting time on pleasantries. Bennett was accustomed to it.
"Two ways to reverse the Life Bond," the man said proudly. Christian smiled and Bennett continued. "If you don't consummate the marriage within three days of making the vows, the Life Bond deteriorates." This seemed to Bennett to be the best option for a marriage and Bond that was not wanted.
Christian's face fell. "What's the other way?" he said angrily.
Bennett's face showed concern that the first form of nullifying the bond was not well taken. He knew the second was a much more messy endeavor and as a barrister he preferred to kept out of the loop on these sorts of immoral and illegal deeds until after the fact.
"Well?" Christian barked, impatient with the man's pensiveness.
"If one party dies, the other dies too."
"Yes, I know this! How do we break it?"
"If one party kills the other party the Bond will be broken and the survivor is free to life out the rest of their natural life."
Christian's face grew red, then purple. His lips curled into a snarl and his entire body shook as he yelled at the man. "FIND ANOTHER F*CKING WAY!" Christian threw the mirror across the room, shattering it much the same way as his previous mirror. He struck the desk with his fist and growled into the heavens.
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 18, 2016 1:28:30 GMT -5
Diana frowned when he left her, and was downright annoyed when he shut the door behind him. But she reminded herself that he was in the habit of doing such things, and that the business call he was receiving could very well be about Copperbottom or the last board member. Still she wished the celebration had lasted a bit longer.
She chewed on her lip and moved to the kitchen to nibble on a piece of fruit. She heard him yelling however and took off to see what was wrong.
She paused outside of his door, she had never gone in his office before, but after what they just shared, and after what she just heard it gave her courage.
"Christian?" she asked turning the handle.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 18, 2016 1:53:44 GMT -5
Christian threw a paperweight at the wall which cracked the plaster and rained flecks onto the floor. The sound of his rage blocked out Diana's calls and his back was to door. He had no idea she was there, not that it could have prevented him from destroying his office.
There were only two things Christian and Diana did well together and it was nearly the only two things they had done leading up to and following their intoxicated wedding. Fighting and f*cking. The first was the reason they had consumed so much of what they thought was alcohol and had led to the Life Bond, and the second was the only way to seal the disastrous deal.
Bennett would figure something else out. "He'll sort it out," Christian said angrily to himself before punching his desk again. Blood appeared on the desk top.
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 18, 2016 2:10:18 GMT -5
Diana didn't consume that much, she had been careful because of the baby, but she had also been curious, still it led to this disaster and her husband making a mess.
"Christian!" she said louder coming into the room fully, "What happened?" her eyes were wide with confusion and fear as she watched him lash out.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 18, 2016 2:27:21 GMT -5
He saw her as he reached for another heavy object from his desk, intending to smash it against the wall. "I hired f*cking morons, that's what's happened!" He took three very deep, very angry breaths in an attempt to calm down but it did little good.
"There are only two f*cking ways out of our bloody Bond, and we f*cked the first one into oblivion!" Saying it aloud reinvigorated his anger and he punched the desk again, leaving more blood as he did so.
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