Delaney watched her husband and though he was tense, he also seemed to grow sort of tired.  He laid still in their bed clenching and unclenching his fists but as the storm raged outside, shaking the windows, he didn\'t lose track of where he was.

Delaney laid with her head propped up on her hand looking down at him and gently running her hands through his long black hair.  He moved slowly and caught her hand in his.  He brought it to his lips and closed his eyes as he pressed kisses to her fingers.  After he was finished he let go of her hand and reached up, taking her face in hand now.

His gemlike green eyes stared deeply into hers and she felt as if he was trying to find something there.

"Are you alright?" she whispered.

He nodded, "I am I just... I just need to look at you.  I need to know you\'re real."

"I\'m real my love.  And I\'m here in our bed with you.  In our home."

"Yes," he agreed quietly before closing his eyes again, "Yes we\'re in Edgewood."

She nodded against his hand before turning so she could lightly kiss it.

Lightning split the sky with a loud crack followed by thunder so loud it rattled the windows.  His eyes shot open again and for a moment his breathing became quick.  Delaney was worried but Vincent looked around, taking in the scene around him, and slowly relaxed again.

"Delaney," he whispered quietly, "I think... I think maybe I\'m alright."

"That\'s wonderful!" she leaned over and kissed his cheek, "I prayed this medicine would work."

"It\'s strange... I still feel tense and sometimes I feel my mind starting to get confused but... but it\'s like the medicine has taken the edges off everything so I\'m able to calm back down."

"Good," Delaney smiled warmly down at him, "Do you think you can sleep?"

Thunder rattled the windows again and the rain pelted harder against the walls.

He swallowed, "Maybe... maybe not just yet."

Delaney snuggled down against him, laying her head on his chest as he wrapped an arm around her.  His skin felt especially hot and she wondered if it was from the stress because of the storm.

"Talk to me," she said, feeling like that would help, "Tell me a story about you and Miles when you were children."

"Alright," he agreed.

As the storm raged outside, safe and warm in their bed, Vincent told Delaney stories of his childhood.  Every so often he would stop, distracted by the thunder or lightning, but his wife would gently remind him of where he was at in the story and he would continue.

Delaney fought to stay awake as it grew later and the storm, at last, began to calm.  Eventually, Vincent trailed off in his storytelling and when she checked she found he\'d fallen asleep.  Relief washed over her as she realized it had really worked.  The medicine Ian had given them had saved Vincent from a terrifying night where he wouldn\'t know what was going on.

She lifted her hand and lightly ran a finger over the scar across her palm.  She wondered where the pirate was now.  There had been no word from him since he left to look for his family.  She hoped he was alright.  It seemed like it must be a good sign that he hadn\'t had to use any of her energy since leaving.  That meant that nothing so terrible had happened to him that he had to pull strength to keep himself alive.

At least she hoped that was what it meant.  The witches hadn\'t really given her detailed information.

Delaney moved to let her arm fall across Vincent\'s warm chest then.  She loved Ian although not in the same way he loved her.  As she looked at her handsome sleeping husband she couldn\'t imagine ever being with anyone else.  He completed her in ways no one else, not even Ian, ever could.

-

The next morning came with clear blue skies and a landscape littered with broken tree limbs, downed trees, and all kinds of other things blown up by the storm.

Vincent was up earlier than his wife.  He laid in bed staring at the ceiling for a while but he knew there was something he was going to have to do that day and there was no avoiding it no matter how badly he wanted to.  Without calling for Harris he dressed and quietly slipped from the room, letting Delaney sleep.

Downstairs in his office, Vincent stared at the date.

Two days.

In two days he and Delaney would reach their last day of being together.  Unless of course, she turned out to be pregnant.  They should know that any day now as well.  Vincent pushed the idea aside though, knowing it was just a wish.

He pulled a blank paper from his desk and sat down.  He stared at the perfect white of the page before sighing and lifting the pen.  This was the first thing he needed to do.

Even though he still had two days to be with her, Vincent wrote out a letter to Daniel asking him to release them both from their marriage contract.  He told the King everything, all the sad details, and hoped he would understand.  Finally, he sealed the letter and gave it to their butler, informing him to have it taken straight to the King\'s City.

With that taken care of, Vincent ordered their breakfast be brought to them in bed.  The next part of his day would be the worst.  Especially after such a good night together.  He slowly made his way back up the stairs as his body protested against the movements and then into their room where he found his wife was still asleep.  Smiling sadly down at her, Vincent got back into bed and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight in case it was the last time.

When Delaney came fully awake a bit later she was happy her husband had ordered their food be brought to them.  She sat up beside him as they ate and drank their tea.  She noticed that Vincent was very quiet though.  She had been gushing with happiness about the medicine working and him not having to ever worry about the terrifying nights again.  He seemed distracted, however giving her a small smile and nodding but otherwise not commenting.

"Vincent what is it?" she asked after a while, "Why are you being so quiet?  It was a good night and this is good news."

"I\'m sorry," he said softly, "You\'re right my love.  It is good news."

Delaney frowned, "There\'s something else isn\'t there?  You\'re acting strange.  What is it?"

Vincent swallowed and didn\'t meet her gaze.  He hesitated before telling her.  He knew once he did that this would officially be the beginning of their end.  It would take away her happiness and likely make her angry with him again.  He sighed and shook his head.

"Delaney we have two days left before our one year mark."

Her face went slack as she stared at him but he didn\'t turn her way.  He couldn\'t.  He couldn\'t bare to see the pain that was slowly filling her eyes.

"Two days," she whispered.  She had lost track of their days together and hadn\'t realized it was already so close.  She dropped her eyes to the plate in front of her but suddenly felt sick.

"We... we don\'t even know if I\'m pregnant or not.  We might not know in two days."

"I know," he nodded, "You will stay here until we know for certain but if you\'re not pregnant I.. I think it might be best if you go to stay with your Aunt and Uncle until we have things settled."

"Settled?" Delaney whispered, feeling as if he\'d slapped her, "What... what do you mean?"

"I\'ve made arrangements for you in case we weren\'t able to stay together," he informed her, "I found a piece of land and a small manor house I think you will really like.  You can stay with your Aunt and Uncle while I send people there to get it ready for you to move in.  By the time it\'s ready we will have the letter from the King releasing us from our marriage."

Delaney turned to look at him in shock now as she felt anger begin to grow inside her.

"You... You bought me a house and land?  How long have you been planning this Vincent?  Did you ever believe we would stay together?"

"I always hoped we would be able to stay together my love but..."

"Don\'t," she snapped, "Don\'t call me your love when you\'re talking about getting rid of me."

"It\'s not... It\'s not getting rid of you Delaney.  We talked about this.  You know this is the arrangement.  You know I\'ve always wanted to make sure you were able to have a full, happy life even if it isn\'t with me."

"I can have a full happy life with you!" she shouted, getting up from the bed then, "I want my life with you!"

Vincent set his food aside and slowly got to his feet, wincing as he moved.  The marks felt fire hot as his emotions grew and he knew they must be bright red.

"I can\'t argue with you about this again," he said quietly, "I love you with my entire being and that is why I know I can\'t keep you here with me if I can\'t give you a family and a good life.  I can\'t be that selfish.  Not with you."

"But you can give me a good life!  You already are.  And we could still have children one day..."

"I can\'t give you a baby Delaney.  I\'m certain of it now.  The poison is burning my body from the inside and I should have known it would keep me from being able to do that.  My body is broken and weak and I can\'t keep up with you.  You deserve so much more from a husband.  You deserve so much more in your life."

"But I love you," she shook her head as tears ran down her cheeks, "How can you do this to me?"

Vincent took a deep breath and at last met her eyes.

"Because my love... I would rather have you hate me and be able to go off and live a full life than love me and be stuck here missing out on everything you\'ve dreamed of."

Delaney glared at him now even as her tears continued to fall.

"I suppose it\'s good you feel that way, Vincent.  Because if you send me away I will hate you for it.  I can promise you that."