"Did you say pregnant?" I asked.

Bella dropped the tea cup delicately in a manner worthy of her noblewoman status and sighed dramatically. "I was quite surprised. It has only been three months since we married."

"Does Anthony know?" Lady Danbury asked, her eyes shining at becoming an aunt so soon.

"No, he doesn't. I had to beg the doctor not to inform him yet. I needed to come to terms with it first." She dropped her head in her hands. "Babies are adorable I admit but can I raise a human being? Am I ready to do so?"

I moved beside her and hugged her. "I'm sure you can, and Anthony would be delighted to have a child with you."

Bella looked at me with teary eyes. "You think so?"

"Yeah, baby mama."

"Don't call me that. I'm not a mother yet." She looked at her stomach and began to stroke it as if passing her love to the unborn child. "I'm going to be the best mother in the world."

"You're with child?"

Bella and I turned to the door that we hadn't heard open. Anthony stood in the doorway with tears in his eyes. Bella stood and walked slowly to him. He held her in his embrace.

"You're with child," he repeated, trying to reassure himself of the good news he had heard.

Bella nodded tearfully. I glanced at Lincoln who stood frozen behind Anthony, staring at the hugging pair with wide, horrified eyes. Poor guy was probably wondering how he was going to be an uncle.

"Bella, Lady Danbury, Lincoln, and I would be on our way now. I'll come visit soon," I said, walking to grasp my husband's arm.

Lady Danbury waved and left through one of the several doors leading to the drawing room. Bella separated from Anthony and hugged me. "I miss you already. I'm waiting anxiously for your return."

"Me too," I cried. Lincoln and Anthony separated us before we started crying like we always did whenever I had to leave Bella at the Danbury manor and return home.

As Lincoln tugged me away, I yelled, "I love you."

Bella, while trying to push Anthony away, yelled back, "I love you too. I love you as well, brother."

"Bella, you're in a state. Take care of yourself," he scolded. However, I could see a smile playing on his lips.

We left the glittery grounds and the luxurious house of the Danburys and began our walk to our small, cozy house a half hour away. Our hands joined unconsciously as we watched the sun go down, the pink and orange hues of the sky like a harmonious symphony for our eyes. This moment was perfect because not many people lingered around the Danbury family grounds so noise couldn't ruin the solitude Lincoln and I could enjoy in the towering pine trees on the street leading back to the main parts of the district.

I sighed, content.

Seven months of marital bliss right after Baines had gotten the death sentence. I was most content.

"Bella's gonna be a mom. So we're gonna have a little niece or nephew," I said to break the silence.

Lincoln smiled, staring at the sky. "She's always loved children. I think she'll make a fine mother."

I grimaced playfully. "You're so British."

"Do you like British men?"

"I love a British man."

Suddenly, he stopped and pulled me closer to him. I could recognise the look of desire in his eyes. "Would you be so kind to the said British man to make a baby with him?"

I kissed him briefly. When I pulled back, he made a sound of displeasure. "Why, certainly."

"Then, shall we get–ngh."

Lincoln's body fell on mine. I held his back as I struggled to hold him up. He groaned as I lowered him to the floor.

"Lincoln, what's the problem? What..." My hand on his back moved to touch his face. A familiar red liquid smeared across the features of my first love.

Blood. Why was there...

My eyes trailed to the blood on my dress. Reaching under his body, I felt a hole. A gunshot hole.

Tears began to fall faster than I could control. I grabbed my husband tighter. "I'm going to get help. Don't leave me y-"

"Andrea, I-I l-love you," he muttered. "A-A-And B-Bella too. Tell her–"

"The bastard's still not dead?" someone said and then, I heard a gun click. I shielded the next shot fired at Lincoln's body with mine. The bullet slammed into the centre of my chest with a force that I'm sure wrecked a few of my ribs. I heard the unfamiliar voice let out a few swear words and then his footsteps run towards me.

The man clicked his tongue. "You naughty girl. Without him in the way, you would have been mine."

I ignored the killer and focused on prolonging Lincoln's life as long as possible.

"Andrea," Lincoln muttered shakily. I choked on a sob and clutched Lincoln closer to my chest.

What a pity. I came into this world this way and I was dying this way. Did it help that I was dying beside my lover?

It did. A thousand times, yes.

I grabbed Lincoln's hand. He squeezed with as much strength as he had.

"Imelda. Lincoln," Bella screamed.

No. What was she doing here?

"Augustine Baines, you scoundrel. Seize him," I heard Anthony shout. The sounds of footsteps and gunshots were dwindling. I could feel my senses shutting down.

Bella grasped both of our bodies. "You have to stay alive. I'm sure Anthony is getting the doctor. You'll be fine." She choked on a sob. "Please don't leave me."

"I l-love you, all of you." I glanced at Bella's stomach. "Even you." I held Lincoln's arm tighter. "I-It's n-not your f-f-fault. L-Lincoln and I w-will be h-happy together."

Lincoln only had the strength to smile at Bella before closing his eyes forever. Although suffering the same fate, nothing could stop the tear that slid down my cheek at my lover's death. Our memories together flashed quickly behind my eyes.

Bella's loud wails seemed so distant that I would have thought her far away had she not been holding me. I closed my other hand around Bella's. She pulled it up to her forehead, already accepting that nothing could be done for me. Even if they tried to help me to the hospital, I would die on the way. 

I would rather die in his arms.

If there was anything after this short life, I hoped to be in a place where I could be happy with Lincoln.

What was it that Victor said to do? Right.

God, accept our spirits.

***

Beep. Beep. Beep.

My eyes opened and then shut almost immediately.

Who on earth left the lights on?

Lights.

My eyes flew open again and darted around the room. The memories of Lincoln and 1807 rushed in, from the beginning right to my death. I could feel tears brimming in my drowsy eyes.

Was it all a dream or did I actually die and return?

I was in a hospital room, far too sophisticated for the early 19th century. I moved my hands. Only two of my fingers cooperated but the little movement was enough to alert the human sleeping with her head on my hand.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Andrea?" When her eyes met mine, they widened, filling with joyful tears. "My goodness. You're alive." She hugged me as gently as she could. "I missed you so, so much."

I felt a little guilty that I couldn't return her excitement. After all, I didn't want to be looking into my younger sister, Fiona's kind eyes.