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Aftermath: Loss and Redemption 2	By : hawker748 Category: +G to L > Love Hina Views: 23128 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Disclaimer: See Chapter Two

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�X� Spoken words

�X� Thoughts

LEMON CONTENT WARNING!!

Love Hina

Aftermath: Loss and Redemption 2

Chapter Three: �All the Time In the World�

By: hawker_748

�It�s funny,� Motoko
mused to herself, as she walked through Hinata. �I never noticed how many
people have children with them.� It seemed to the expectant mother that every
second person was either pushing a baby stroller, or holding a young child�s
hand. �That�ll be Kei-kun and I in under eight months,� she reflected, as she
observed a young couple with a baby girl walking past her.

Motoko�s silent consideration of
the infant population of Hinata continued until she reached her destination,
the bookstore. Walking inside, she looked around for the section on expectant
mothers, feeling unusually intimidated when she discovered that it took up
several shelves, with dozens of titles to choose from. There were few things
that Motoko would admit to being troubled by, but the idea of carrying a child
was on that list. After several minutes of consideration, Motoko made her
choice, paid for it, went back outside, sat on a bench and started reading.

�Let�s see, what should I
expect?� she murmured to herself. Motoko started to read the chapter that
explained to her, in loving detail, all that she could look forward to before
she finally gave birth. �Nausea, fatigue, moodiness, faintness, frequent
urination, headaches, indegestion�� The young swordswoman quit counting at that
point, not wanting to be depressed any further. �I knew this wasn�t going to be
easy, but this is a bit excessive!�

As Motoko sat there, mortified at
some of the worst case scenarios the book outlined, she found herself in the
sudden grip of a strange craving.

Chocolate covered pretzels.

Motoko would have killed at that
moment for a bag of chocolate covered pretzels. She didn�t know why she was craving
that, she�d never eaten a chocolate covered pretzel in her life, but now she
found herself wanting them by the case. Remembering what she�d read about
cravings, and what the doctor had told her, she decided to get something else
instead. She got up, walked into a market, purchased a bag of apples, and
returned to the bench to continue her reading.

As she began eating the apples on
automatic pilot, absently tossing the ravaged cores to the side, she continued
to absorb the contents of the book. Motoko lost all track of time while she
learned what was in store for her, and her concentration was broken only when
she heard someone call out to her.

�Motoko-chan? Is everything al
right?�

�Mutsumi?� Motoko replied in
surprise. �What are you doing here?�

�I just went for a walk,� the
watermelon obsessed woman responded. �Where is Kei-kun? Didn�t you two go out
together?�

Motoko nodded in reply. �Yes, we
went to see the doctor. I just wanted a little time alone, that�s all.�

�I understand,� Mutsumi replied,
smiling cheerfully. �What are you reading?�

�A book on pregnancy,� Motoko
answered, holding the book up so Mutsumi could see. �It�s a little scary.�

�I think it�s wonderful!�
exclaimed Mutsumi as she handed the book back and moved to sit next to Motoko on
the bench. The gleam in her eyes disappeared momentarily as she noticed
something. �Oh my, what are all these apple cores doing here?�

�What do you mean �all these�? I
just had�� Motoko broke off as she noticed just how many apple cores there were
lying about. �I�I ate all of them?� she asked incredulously. �I didn�t even
notice.� With a guilty air she quickly picked up the refuse and tossed them
into an adjacent trash bin.

�You had a craving for apples?�
Mutsumi asked innocently.

�No,� responded Motoko.
�Chocolate covered pretzels.�

A puzzled look came over
Mutsumis� face. �So why didn�t you eat pretzels?�

�Doctor�s orders. She said that
you shouldn�t always trust cravings, especially if they aren�t sensible.�

�I see,� replied Mutsumi, her
brilliant smile back in place. �You know, I once heard that cravings mean your
body is lacking a nutrient, maybe you just needed sugar or salt.�

�That�s possible, I suppose,�
replied Motoko.

Nothing further was said for a
few minutes, as the two women enjoyed the surroundings. Motoko decided that it
was a good time to try to mend some fences with the other Hinata House
residents. Mentally steeling herself, Motoko tentatively asked, �How, how has
Hinata House been, since we left I mean?�

Mutsumi pursed her lips cutely
before she responded. �Everything is good at Hinata House, everyone gets along
well, there isn�t anything to be upset about.�

The evasiveness of that answer
made Motoko�s heart sink. �But what was it like just after we left?�

Mutsumi�s cheerful fa�ade eroded
away as she recalled the first couple of months after the Aoyamas had left.
�It�it wasn�t that good.�

�How so?� Motoko wasn�t certain
that she really wanted to know, but there was no way to turn back now.

�Naru was really upset,� Mutsumi
said reluctantly. �She wouldn�t see anyone for a few days, and we could
sometimes hear her crying. It took us a couple of days to get her to talk to us
again.� Mutsumi had a subdued air about her that Motoko couldn�t ever remember
seeing before. �Even when she did come out of her room, it took a month or so
before she was really happy again.�

Motoko let out a sigh and closed
her eyes, recalling how Keitaro had been after the two of them had left Hinata
House. �Kei-kun was really upset at hurting Naru, but he said that he didn�t
know what else he could have done. The first night all I could do was hold him,
comfort him, while he tried to forgive himself.�

�I didn�t know that,� replied
Mutsumi quietly.

�How could you have? We had to
leave, I don�t think we could have stayed.�

�Motoko-chan, how do you feel
about Naru?�

�She was my friend, I liked her,
I looked up to her. And how did I show my thanks to her? I fell in love with
the man she loved.� Motoko chuckled mirthlessly. �That�s not something a friend
should do, is it?�

Mutsumi pondered what Motoko had
said for a couple of minutes in silence before she spoke again. �You, you could
have tried to let him go. They say that loving someone means being willing to
let them go.�

Motoko looked at Mutsumi and
replied, �But sometimes loving someone means holding on to them with everything
you�ve got. I could have tried to let him go, but I knew in my heart that I
didn�t want to. As much as Naru was my friend, if I had the chance to change
it, I wouldn�t. Kei-kun means everything to me now, and I can�t imagine a life
without him, or his child,� she added a second later, a soft smile on her face,
and gently rubbing her stomach.

�If I�d been in your place, I�I
wouldn�t have been able to let Kei-kun go either,� Mutsumi confessed softly.
She then reached over and gently squeezed Motoko�s hand. �You�re very lucky to
be with him.�

The young swordswoman didn�t know
how to respond to that, so she just stayed silent. After a few minutes, she
gathered her thoughts and asked Mutsumi another question. �So, what now? Can
Naru and I be friends again?� The sombreness in her voice matched perfectly
with the expression on her face.

�Yes, I think you can,� replied
Mutsumi, her expression now having reverted to her normal cheerful one.

�How?� Motoko asked sceptically.
�Naru wasn�t exactly thrilled to see us again.�

�I�m sure she was just surprised.
After all, we didn�t know you were coming back,� Mutsumi answered.

�So what should we do then?� The
air of hope and near desperation was tangible in Motoko�s voice.

�I�d say that you should try to
talk to her in the bath,� suggested Mutsumi.

�I can�t use the hot springs
anymore.�

�Oh? Why not?�

�The doctor said that hot water
can harm unborn children,� replied Motoko.

Mutsumi was at a loss for words.
Her two favourite ways of talking to someone, the hot springs or over drinks,
were off limits to the expectant Motoko. �How about talking to her over tea?�

�I can try, but I don�t know�I
want to make peace with her, but I don�t know if she wants to.�

�It won�t hurt to try,
Motoko-chan,� Mutsumi encouraged.

A half smile appeared on Motoko�s
features. �I hope you�re right Mutsumi.�

The two women stayed on the bench
for a few minutes, both silently contemplating how to ease some of the tension
at Hinata House. Finally, Motoko stood up and said, �I think I should be
getting back, will you accompany me?�

Beaming in response, Mutsumi
replied, �I�d love to.�

The two of them began walking
back to Hinata House, Motoko gently probing Mutsumi with more questions to
catch up on all that had happened in her absence.

XXX

After Kitsune�s unusually abrupt
departure, Keitaro sat back and began to contemplate what the doctor had told
him and Motoko. He had already reset the thermostat in the managers bath so
that Motoko could use it. �Wait a minute,� he thought as a sudden realization
struck him. �How the hell is she going to use it when she gets, well, big?�

This one thought acted like a
match, lighting off many other questions. �What about all the stairs? Should I
have an elevator installed? Where will the baby sleep? What kind of food do we
need? Should we be sleeping on these tatami mats? Is it safe for her to walk
very far?� A sudden wave of fear gripped Keitaro. �Calm down, dammit! The baby
isn�t coming tomorrow!�

Forcing himself to try and calm
down, Keitaro took a deep breath and attempted to clear his mind. �Acting like
a chicken with its head cut off isn�t going to help Mo-chan. I need to be
rational about this.� He took a series of deep, cleansing breaths, and was
relieved to feel himself beginning to relax. The former ronin tried to focus on
the more enjoyable aspects of approaching fatherhood.

�I wonder if it�s a boy or a
girl,� Keitaro mused. �A son would be great, but I wouldn�t mind having a
daughter either.� He smiled widely as he imagined himself holding a baby girl.
�If she�s like her mother or her aunt, she�ll be the most beautiful daughter in
the world. She�ll grow up to be a lovely girl.�

Keitaro�s smile started to fade,
as a more pessimistic side of his personality began to assert itself. �Yeah,
she�ll be gorgeous. All of the guys will be interested in her. Not just the
guys her own age either; no, when she�s twelve or so, all of those pedophile
salarymen out there won�t be able to resist her.� By now Keitaro�s smile had
been replaced by a frown sharp enough to split rock. Not liking this train of
thought, but not able to leave it either, Keitaro�s musings continued.

�Every punk and child molester in
Japan will be after her, and some won�t take no for an answer, and she won�t be
able to protect herself, and then�� A look that promised an extremely slow and
excruciating death was carved onto his features. Mentally debating whether to
send his daughter to live in a convent, or simply buying her a .12 guage
shotgun for her tenth birthday, the overprotective father made an active effort
to think of something less depressing. �The Universe�s punishment for enjoying
sex,� he thought ruefully. �You live in mortal terror of your daughter encountering
someone just like you at that age.�

Keitaro glanced over at the clock
and was surprised at how long he�d been sitting in silent contemplation.
�Shouldn�t Mo-chan be back by now?� he wondered. �She said she wanted time
alone, but hasn�t this been too long?� He got up and started pacing around the
room nervously. �Could she have gotten hurt, or fallen, and I wasn�t there to
help her!?�

Objectively, Keitaro knew that
Motoko could take care of herself. Tsuruko and Seta were the only people who
could realistically challenge her. She wasn�t even afraid of turtles anymore,
so there was very little that could rattle her cage. Objectively, Keitaro knew
that Motoko was fine.

Emotionally however�

Since they�d learned of the
pregnancy, Keitaro had been subconsciously treating Motoko as if she was fine
china, not so surprising if one considered her complexion. He had awful
thoughts about something terrible happening to her if he wasn�t there to
protect her. The pregnancy had given his protective nature a booster shot, and
he fervently, if erroneously, believed that only he could keep her safe. He
continued to pace nervously, threatening to wear a groove into the floorboards,
until he saw Mutsumi and Motoko reach the top of the Hinata House steps through
the window.

Keitaro ceased pacing mid-stride
and practically sprang out of the room into the hallway. In an odd reversal of
roles, Su found herself swept of her feet as Keitaro roared through the halls,
moving like his tail feathers were on fire, not noticing the turbulence he was
creating. He made it to the entrance in a time Olympic sprinters would have
quailed at, and breathlessly made sure that his wife was okay. �Is, is
something wrong Mo-chan?� he gasped.

For a moment, Motoko stood there,
blinking in surprise at the look of near panic on Keitaro�s features. �No,
nothing�s wrong Kei-kun. I just went to get a book, and I stopped to read it
for a while. Then I met up with Mutsumi, and we just chatted a for a while,
that�s all.�

�I didn�t think that you�d be
gone so long, I was worried!� Keitaro replied breathlessly.

Motoko found herself frowning at
his reply. On one hand, she appreciated that Keitaro was concerned about her,
and that he cared for her well-being. She�d admit, guiltily, that she liked
knowing that he worried about her.

But on the other hand, Keitaro
was acting, if only unconsciously, a little condescending, as if she couldn�t
take care of herself. She wasn�t going to accept that at all, and she decided
to nip this little idiosyncrasy in the bud right now. �Kei-kun,� she said,
using the tone of voice that all husbands know and fear, �I said I�d be fine.
I�m not made of glass.�

Hearing Motoko use The Voice, as
he thought of it, Keitaro realized that he�d upset her, and he frantically
tried to defend himself. �But, but, I was just� you were gone for so long��

Sighing in exasperation, Motoko
replied, �Kei-kun, I know you mean well, and I appreciate it, really, I do. But
I�m not helpless, I don�t need to be coddled.�

Relieved that his wife was speaking
to him in somewhat more affectionate tones, Keitaro replied, �I know, I know. I
can�t believe that I let myself get so worked up, I guess I have a too vivid
imagination.� Keitaro found himself staring at the tops of his feet, too
embarrassed to look Motoko in the eyes right now. He did look up when he felt
her hand on his cheek.

�I don�t expect you not worry
Kei-kun, but I promise you I won�t do anything that will jeopardize me or our
child.� The look on Motoko�s face was half affection and half bemusement.

Keitaro reached up and gently
squeezed Motoko�s hand. They stared into each others eyes for a few moments,
and they may have even kissed, had not Mutsumi spoken up and reminded the two
of them that she was there.

�I�ll help anyway that I can, Motoko-chan.�
Her proclamation caused the young couple to realize that they had an audience.
They blushed, moved a little bit further apart, but they continued to hold
hands.

�Thank, thank you Mutsumi,�
replied Motoko self-consciously. Keitaro nodded in agreement.

�So Mo-chan,� Keitaro continued.
�Did you find what you wanted?�

�What did she want?� interjected
Tsuruko, coming up behind the three of them.

�Ah, Tsuruko! I was looking for a
pregnancy guide book, and I found one,� Motoko replied as she handed it over to
her elder sister.

Tsuruko gave the book a cursory
glance. �Good choice, a friend of mine used this for her baby.�

�That�s good, I guess,� Keitaro
added. �So Mo-chan, did you learn anything new?�

�Only that it will be more
difficult than I first imagined,� she replied.

Taking note of the resignation in
her voice, Keitaro made an impulse decision to try to raise her spirits. �Would
you like to go out for dinner tonight? Just the two of us?�

�It�s been �just the two of us�
for most of our marriage,� Motoko answered wryly.

�True, but we�ve never really
been anyplace really romantic,� Keitaro countered.

�I thought �romantic� was defined
by the company, not the location,� teased Motoko. �I think I�m insulted.�

Feeling exasperated, Keitaro pressed
on. �Haven�t you ever wanted to go someplace classy? You know, candlelit,
string quartets, that sort of restaurant.�

Motoko thought about that for a
few moments. �I suppose that would be nice,� she mused. �Okay Kei-kun, it�s a
date.�

Keitaro smiled widely. �Great,
let me go make some reservations.� With this he bid his farewell to Tsuruko and
Mutsumi and went to his room to call in a reservation.

�Quite the catch isn�t he?�
remarked Tsuruko after Keitaro had left.

�And then some��

�Mutsumi?�

�Oh my, was that out loud? Sorry
Motoko-chan.�

Motoko shook her head. �Don�t
worry about it. If you�ll excuse me, I need to read more of this book,� she
said as she headed for the living room to resume her research.

XXX

�Where is she?� wondered Naru. �I
really need to talk to her and I can�t even find her!� Naru had checked
Kitsunes� usual haunts, the kitchen, dining room, living room, and the hot
springs. Naru nearly smacked herself on the head as she realized that she
hadn�t thought to check her room. She walked up to the door and knocked on it,
opening it a few inches as she did so, to see if she was there. �Kitsune? Are
you in here? I�d really like��

The rest of her question would
remain unspoken as Naru noticed that Kitsune was in fact in her room. She was
sleeping peacefully on her futon, completely oblivious to the outside world.
The former ronin was about to quietly walk away when she noticed something else
resting peacefully on the futon. A sake bottle. �No, make that several sake
bottles,� Naru corrected silently. Concern overriding discretion, she walked
in, picked the empty bottles up and put them on the night table.

�Five bottles,� Naru thought.
�She�s really started early.� The smell of alcohol was strong in the room, and
the majority of the odor wasn�t from today. Looking down on the sleeping
Kitsune, �No not sleeping,� Naru corrected, �out-cold,� she felt a pang of
concern over her friends constant drinking.

�Why do you do it?� Naru
wondered, and not for the first time. �To forget? To escape? And if so, what?
Couldn�t you just talk with me? I thought we were friends. What�s so terrible
that you have to drown it in booze?� She thought back to all of the times
Kitsune had gotten drunk, and although Kitsune never got obnoxious when she was
intoxicated, it still troubled Naru that she couldn�t think of her friend
without a drink in her hand. �One of these days I�m going to have to do
something for her. She�s always been here for me, why haven�t I tried to help
her with this?� Naru covered her with a blanket and quietly walked out, closing
the door behind her.

Walking through the hall, Naru
encountered Tsuruko, who nodded to her as she passed. Naru would never remember
what prompted her next action. Perhaps it was her concern over Kitsune, and her
inability to do anything for her; perhaps lingering anger over Tsuruko�s
meddling. Or maybe Naru had just had enough, and felt that she needed to do
something, anything. �Tsuruko,� she called out, a little more forcefully than
she�d intended.

Tsuruko stopped and looked over
her shoulder. �Yes,� she asked pleasantly, seemingly immune to the look Naru
was giving her.

�We need to talk. Now.� It was
not a suggestion, or a request.

�Certainly,� Tsuruko replied
amiably. �What about?�

�Not here. In private. My room.�
�Who�s saying this?� wondered Naru. �I can�t be talking with Tsuruko so
forcefully, can I?�

�After you,� the elder Aoyama
gestured politely.

Naru wordlessly headed upstairs,
Tsuruko following a couple of feet behind her. Naru was walking a little heavier
than normal when she entered her room. She waited until Tsuruko had closed and
locked the door behind her before unleashing over a years pent-up fury and
frustration.

�How dare you take Keitaro away
from me!� Naru shrieked, not at all caring that almost anyone could hear her.

�I beg your pardon?� Tsuruko
asked innocently, not at al ruffled by Naru�s display of temper.

�You heard me!� Naru snarled.
�You made him fall in love with Motoko! You took him away from me!� The
emotionally distraught young woman felt the familiar tendrils of sadness that
always occurred when she thought of Keitaro. But instead of trying to suppress
them, she embraced them, using them to stoke the fires of her rage.

With a surreal sense of calm,
Tsuruko replied, �I didn�t take him from you. And neither did Motoko.�

Naru�s rage went supercritical.
�You caused all of this!�

�Yes, I did meddle, perhaps. I
tried to influence the outcome, certainly. But I didn�t take him from you,�
Tsuruko finished, still smiling benignly.

�You just admitted it!�

��Meddle� and �take� are two very
different things,� Tsuruko explained patiently.

�What�s the difference?!� snarled
Naru. By now her fist were clenched so tightly her knuckles were white, and she
was standing on the balls of her feet.

�To �take� or �steal� would imply
that Keitaro was yours.�

�He was mine! I loved him! He
loved me! And you and Motoko stole him!�

�How did you know that he loved
you?� Tsuruko asked casually.

�He told me! After he broke his
leg!� Naru was bolstered by what she viewed as the absolute truth of that
statement.

Tsuruko took Naru�s triumphant
statement in stride. �And you loved Keitaro?�

�YES!�

�Did you ever tell him that?�

Those six words, spoken in such
an easy-going manner, hit Naru like a falling steel girder; completely
unexpected, and devastating in its effect. She found herself unable to say
anything other than �What?�

�Did you ever tell Keitaro that
you loved him?� Tsuruko repeated.

A memory came rushing back to
Naru. She grabbed at it desperately, hoping to use it against Tsuruko. �YES! I
did!�

A mildly surprised look came over
Tsuruko�s face. �Really? When?�

�Right after they got back�from
the picnic.� The strength left Naru halfway through her declaration, when she
belatedly realized the implication.

�So, you didn�t tell him until
after he was married,� concluded Tsuruko.

�But, but I still loved him! And
he loved me! What difference does it make?�

Smiling in the manner of a
predator that has trapped its� prey, Tsuruko continued. �Do you think that
Keitaro would have gone along with Motoko�s deception if he�d truly believed
that you loved him?�

Naru�s rage was annihilated, a
moth caught in a blast furnace. All her anger, fury and frustration were burned
away in an instant, as she was forced to admit something that she�d tried to
deny for nearly a year. �No,� she whispered.

Tsuruko sighed patiently, like a
parent forced to explain something to an unwilling child. �If I�d thought that
Keitaro�s heart truly belonged to another, I wouldn�t have forced him to marry
Motoko.�

With this reminder some of Naru�s
fire came back. �You still forced him to marry her! If I�d had a little more
time-�

�How long had you known him?�
interrupted Tsuruko.

�Almost two years.�

�How much of that time did you love
him? Whether you admitted it or not?�

�About half,� Naru answered
weakly.

Tsuruko nodded to herself. �Then
you should have told him or stepped aside. You wasted a great deal of time,�
she stated matter of factly.

Tsuruko�s logic was unassailable,
Naru reluctantly admitted to herself. Unwillingly, she found herself mentally
replaying incidents throughout the relationship where she could have told him,
and had even thought about it, but had decided that the time wasn�t right. If
she�d known that there was a time limit, she�d have acted. �I just assumed that
I had all the time in the world,� she thought sadly.

Anger flared up once again. �You
still had no right to do that to us!�

�I did it for my sister.�

�Why did she need your help?�
Every syllable of that question was drenched in venom.

�Motoko did care for Keitaro, but
she�d never acted on it. I wasn�t ready to let her lose him without doing
anything. I may have started the process, but they finished it.�

�You didn�t answer my question,�
hissed Naru. �Why did she need your help?�

�Motoko and Keitaro have a
special chemistry between them. Have you noticed that Naru?� When Naru simply
scowled in response, Tsuruko continued. �Despite intial impressions, the two of
them compliment each other very well. Motoko was dedicated to nothing but the
sword, while Keitaro was dedicated to fulfilling some childhood promise. They
both focused on different goals, but they chased them with an equal vigor.�

�So they�re both driven to
succeed, regardless of the odds,� responded Naru. �So what? Lots of people are
like that. Hell, I worked for years to get into Tokyo University.�

�Yes, that�s true,� replied
Tsuruko. �But you hadn�t been pursuing that dream since you were a child, have
you? Motoko has been trying to live up to my example since she could walk. In
that regard, Motoko and Keitaro are quite similar, �kindred souls� if you will.
And besides, they do work well together. They do make such an adorable little
couple.�

Naru stood there, absorbing
Tsuruko�s soliloquy, trying to determine whether her logic was brilliant or
insane. But before she could come to a decision, Tsuruko fired off another
salvo.

�Even if you ignore all that,�
Tsuruko continued. �There was a more practical reason for me to meddle in
Keitaro and Motoko�s relationship.�

�Oh, really?� spat Naru.

�Yes,� Tsuruko stated plainly.
�Motoko thought of you as a friend, and she would like to again, I believe. You
were her �sempai�, and as such it would have been unseemly of her to try to
make a move on Keitaro, regardless of her feelings for him.� Tsuruko�s smile
grew even wider. �Fortunately, as her big sister, I had no such restrictions
against meddling.�

Naru found that she was having a
difficult time keeping her rage hot. She was still upset, but she didn�t think
that she was capable of erupting anymore. She felt strangely burnt out after
listening to Tsuruko�s explanation.

�After all,� Tsuruko continued,
�There was no guarantee that a relationship between them would work.�

Naru made a questioning noise,
her capacity to speak not up to its usual standards.

�If Keitaro had chosen to stay
with you, I would have not interfered. If Motoko hadn�t fallen in love with
him, I wouldn�t have forced them to stay together. Any number of things could
have changed the outcome, even you Naru.�

�Me?� she replied weakly.

�Yes. I don�t think lowly of you,
or hold anything against you, and if Keitaro had decided to be with you, I
would have offered congratulations.�

�Then why�d you do this to me?�

�You�re not family. My main
concerns were Motoko�s feelings, not yours. For what it�s worth, I�m sorry if I
caused you pain, it wasn�t personal.�

Naru felt numb. She couldn�t get
angry, and she was surprised to notice that sadness wasn�t manifesting itself
either. Her emotions would be back of course, but right now she felt nothing.
The shell-shocked woman barely even noticed that Tsuruko had excused herself
and left.

Naru had often considered,
imagined, dreamed, even fantasized, how a confrontation between Tsuruko and herself
would play itself out. She�d considered many scenarios, but this one had never
even been contemplated. Tsuruko had calmly, methodically, and most infuriating
of all, effectively, dodged or blunted all of her arguments. She�d freely
admitted to meddling, but Naru had been forced to admit that she could have
undone or prevented that meddling. Tsuruko was still partially to blame for the
loss of Keitaro, but Naru hadn�t done much to ensure that it would have been
impossible. �Three little words,� Naru thought to herself miserably.

She sat there, motionless save
for her breathing, considering how she was responsible as anyone else for her
own fate. Naru wanted to blame someone, anyone, but deep down, she knew that
she was deserving of a big slice of that blame herself. �I still have to figure
out how I�m going to deal with Keitaro and Motoko,� she mused. She resolved to
talk to them, but not right now. Right now she just wanted to be alone for a
while, and try to pick up the pieces of her shattered psyche.

XXX

Sound radiates out from its
source in all directions. The closer one is to the source of the sound, and the
volume, determine how well a listener can hear it. Some building materials,
such as foam or fibreglass batting, are effective at suppressing sound, and are
even sold commercially as sound-proofing material. However, wooden floorboards
and ceiling beams not only do not effectively block sound, they can even assist
in the transmission of sound by resonating, allowing someone to hear their vibrations.

Keitaro was in his room, having
just finished making the dinner reservations, when Motoko walked in. Her
greeting was immediately drowned out from overhead by Naru�s opening shriek at
Tsuruko. The Aoyamas looked up in surprise; while they were the subject of the
exchange between Naru and Tsuruko, they weren�t intended to be party to it. But
at the same time, neither really wanted to step away and give the two speakers
their privacy.

Besides, it wasn�t like they were
eavesdropping, right? They could hear Naru clearly, and they didn�t have to
strain, too hard anyway, to hear Tsuruko, so it wasn�t really listening in. It
was like overhearing a conversation between two people sitting behind you on
the bus. Keitaro and Motoko were using similar logic as they struggled to hear
both sides of the exchange.

Keitaro�s eyes widened at Naru�s
blunt admission of how she�d felt for him. He�d known, or at least suspected,
that she�d felt that way, but she�d never actually said it so openly before. A
memory came unbidden, of him in a hospital bed with a broken leg, telling a
retreating Naru that he loved her, of not getting a response back. The anguish
he�d gone through, opening his heart like that, only to be snubbed in return.

�My God,� he realized suddenly.
�If Naru had reciprocated�� He looked over at Motoko and saw that she was
looking at him with fear in her eyes, and he knew that she was thinking along
the same lines as him. Wanting to put an immediate end to thoughts like that,
Keitaro went over and took Motoko�s hands in his. �It doesn�t mean anything to
me anymore, Mo-chan.�

�I saw how you reacted when you
heard that, Kei-kun.�

Sighing deeply, Keitaro replied,
�I made my decision almost a year ago, and I haven�t changed it. I loved you
then, and I love you now.�

�I, I believe you, but, but I
also know that you told her you loved her.� Unlike Naru and Tsuruko, this
conversation was being held at a more reasonable volume, but the tension level
was equally high, if not greater.

Keitaro made a move to eliminate
the inherent tension. �Yes, that�s true,� he admitted, �but while I may have
loved her, now I only love you. We created this,� he continued, placing his
right hand on Motoko�s abdomen, �through our love. What I felt for Naru, it�s
in the past now. I�I still care for her, but I only love you.�

Motoko heard her husband speak
these words, and she did believe him, but she found herself bringing up another
point. �But, my sister did meddle in our relationship, she practically forced
us together.�

�Does that really matter Mo-chan?
Around here when haven�t people meddled in someone else�s relationship?�
Keitaro asked. �Do you love me?�

�Yes, absolutely,� Motoko replied
without hesitation.

�Do you regret marrying me?�

�Absolutely not!�

�Then that�s all that matters. I
love you, and I have no regrets. Sure, our courtship was a little�odd�but I
wouldn�t change a single thing.� With this, Keitaro pulled Motoko into a kiss.

Motoko paused for a moment,
before she melted into her husbands arms and returned the kiss. After a few
seconds, she broke off the kiss and rested her head on Keitaro�s shoulder. �I
know I shouldn�t be jealous or worried, it must be the damned moodiness. I
don�t want to even think about a life without you anymore.�

�Me neither,� Keitaro replied.
�I�d rather die than lose you, or the baby,� he added. They stayed in each
others embrace for a few minutes before Keitaro spoke again. �We�re going to
have to talk to her, you know. To try and make peace.�

�I know. But can we worry about
that tomorrow?�

�Yes.� With a final kiss on
Motokos� forehead, Keitaro disengaged himself from the embrace and said, �Let�s
go get cleaned up, we have a reservation to keep.�

�But how am I going to get
cleaned up?� Motoko asked. �The hot springs are out.�

�You can use my old bath, I
already lowered the thermostat.�

A look of resigned acceptance
came over the young swordswomans features. �Guess I have no choice.� She then
stopped and reconsidered something. �If it�s just me and Kei-kun using that
bath�� A familiar gleam came over her eyes. �Kei-kun,� she whispered throatily,
�could you help me wash my back?�

�Huh? But won�t�� A moment later,
Keitaro came to the same realization as Motoko. �This has potential,� he mused.
�I�d love to Mo-chan.�

With that, the Aoyamas exited
their room and walked arm and arm to the indoor bath, making sure to lock the
door behind them.

XXX

A little later, Naru, Mutsumi,
Su, Sarah, and Shinobu were in the living room chatting and watching TV. Naru
had figured that the best way to get over how she was feeling was to talk with
Mutsumi. She would have liked to talk with Kitsune as well, but the fox-eyed
girl was still dead to the world, and judging by the number of bottles that
Naru had picked up, it was doubtful that she�d be awake until tomorrow. As they
all sat there chatting, Tsuruko walked into the room.

�Has anyone seen Motoko and
Keitaro?� Tsuruko asked.

�I think they�re getting ready
for their night out,� replied Mutsumi. �Why do you ask?�

�It�s time for me to go home.
I�ve enjoyed the visit, but I need to go now.�

�Will you be back?� inquired
Shinobu.

�I�ll visit a few times before
the baby arrives,� Tsuruko replied.

Any further conversation was
forgotten as Keitaro came down the stairs and entered the living room. As big a
surprise as his appearance at the breakfast table had been, how he looked now
caused a few more eyebrows to rise. He was wearing an immaculately tailored
charcoal grey suit, with black dress shoes polished to a high sheen. As
impressive as he had looked when he had gone out looking for a job, now he
looked absolutely debonair and suave; if he�d been holding a martini, a
comparison to James Bond wouldn�t have been far off. Or perhaps Frank Sinatra.

�Wow Sempai! You look great!�
gushed Shinobu.

�Um, thanks Shinobu,� he replied,
his suaveness being replaced by his bashfulness.

Tsuruko raised an eyebrow and
cast an appraising eye on him. �So, where are you two going? I�m presuming it�s
not Mc Donald�s.�

�A restaurant called �The Velvet
Glove�. I�ve heard it�s supposed to be quite good. Never been there though.�

�What�s with the monkey suit?�
jibed Sarah.

�It�s formal attire, you can�t
just wear anything to a place like this,� Keitaro replied patiently.

�So Motoko�s gonna be wearing a
suit too?� inquired Su.

Chuckling softly, Keitaro
replied, �No, no, she�ll be wearing a dress. Don�t know what�s taking her so
long though, she said she�d be right out and-�

�Sorry to keep you waiting
Kei-kun,� Motoko called out from the top of the stairs. �I just had to finish
getting ready.�

Everyone looked up at the sound
of her voice and was awestruck at the sight of Motoko. The expectant mother had
her long, luxuriant hair tied up in a blue silk ribbon, save for two small
strands on either side of her face. She was wearing a simple but elegant
midnight blue silk evening dress that was shoulderless, backless, and appeared
to have been painted on above the waist. Below the waist it extended down below
her knees, but it had a flared leg that went all the way to the upper thigh.
Motoko set the entire outfit off with a small white leather purse and matching
shoes.

But the most startling change was
Motoko�s face. She was wearing make-up, not a lot of it, just enough to make
her normally beautiful face look completely stunning. It caused more than a few
admiring looks from the Hinata House residents, and Keitaro felt his heart-rate
increase. �Don�t worry about me Mo-chan, I don�t mind at all,� he replied when
he was able to get his jaw muscles to close his mouth and speak again.

�You look very nice Motoko,�
added Tsuruko. The residents, even Naru, nodded silently in agreement.

�Thank you sister.�

�Before you go, I should tell
you, I�ll be leaving tonight.�

�Why? You just got here,� asked
Keitaro.

�It�s just the right time. Don�t
worry, I�ll come visit you both later,� reassured Tsuruko.

Motoko walked up and embraced her
older sister. �Don�t be gone too long from us sister.� She then whispered into
Tsuruko�s ear. �Kei-kun and I need all the support we can get.�

�I understand,� replied Tsuruko
quietly. �But I think that you have more support here than you may think.�

�I hope so,� Motoko said softly.
Releasing her embrace, she continued in a normal voice. �It was nice to see you
again sister.�

�It was good to see you and Keitaro
again, and congratulations on your pregnancy. I look forward to meeting my
niece.�

�Nephew,� interjected Keitaro.

�We�ll see,� responded Tsuruko,
qwirking an eyebrow at her brother-in-law. �Take care you two, I�ll leave after
you two go.�

�Goodbye Tsuruko,� called out
Keitaro. �Are you going to be okay travelling by yourself�� The question died
on Keitaros� lips as he realized the stupidity of his concern. She�d be all
right. Any street punk dumb enough to hassle her deserved whatever he gets. �Probably
do the human race a favour, eliminating some of the idiots from the gene pool.�

�Safe journey,� added Motoko. She
and Keitaro then bid goodbye to the others and walked away arm in arm.

Tsuruko watched the two of them
walk away for a minute, before she returned to the room she�d spent the night
in, retrieved her backpack, bid her goodbye to the residents and walked into
the night. She was at the top of the stairs when Naru called out to her.

�Wait.�

�Yes Naru?� Tsuruko replied,
turning around.

Naru walked up to her,
determination set onto her features. �I�ve been thinking about what we�
discussed.�

Tsuruko nodded knowingly. �I
expected that. What have you decided?�

�You, you were right about me not
taking action,� she admitted softly. �But that doesn�t mean that you had any
right to do what you did,� Naru continued with more fire in her tone. �I want
to make peace with Keitaro and Motoko. I don�t want to have to feel like I need
to leave the room when I see them. But you, I�ll never forgive, and certainly
never forget. You and I, we�re �civil� at best. We�ll never be friends, and
we�ll never be close. Just, just stay out of my life whenever possible.�

�As you wish,� Tsuruko replied.
�But remember this: I always take care of my family, and the two of them,
correction, the three of them are family.� Tsuruko then brightened
considerably. �Take care of yourself Naru, and good luck in your future.� She
then turned around and resumed walking away, leaving a smouldering Naru behind
her.

XXX

The walk to the restaurant had
been pleasant, but uneventful. No words had been spoken; the Aoyamas had simply
enjoyed walking through the streets without a care in the world, the pregnancy
forgotten for this one night. Keitaro viewed it as perhaps his last chance to enjoy
a quiet romantic evening with his wife, and without any distractions. For
tonight only, they would have an evening the likes of which they�d never had in
their first year of marriage.

After fifteen minutes or so of
walking, Keitaro and Motoko reached the restaurant, and they were both at a
loss for words upon seeing first hand the d�cor and atmosphere. The place
screamed romance, with candles on each table providing soft illumination, and a
string quartet providing music.

Keitaro went up to the Maitre�d,
gave his name, and quoted the reservation that he had managed to acquire over
the phone at short notice through begging, wheedling, and cajoling, a
humiliating experience that fortunately Motoko hadn�t witnessed. They were
shown to a private table in the corner of the restaurant, after Keitaro had
discretely slipped two 10,000 yen notes to the Maitre�d, mentally reminding
himself to plan ahead next time. The waiter came around shortly, presented them
with their menus, and the two of them took the opportunity to look them over.

They made their selections,
passed on any wine; �No thanks, we�re pregnant,� had been Keitaro�s exact
words, and the two of them sat there, waiting for one of them to break the ice.
Momentarily, Keitaro picked up his wine glass, which, like Motoko�s, was filled
with ice water, and toasted. �Happy Anniversary Mo-chan.�

Motoko picked up her own glass
and reciprocated. �Happy Anniversary Kei-kun. I love you.� They clinked their
glasses together and took a sip. �And to many, many more,� she added.

�Agreed,� replied Keitaro. �I
can�t tell you enough how much I�ve loved the time I�ve spent with you, and now
becoming a father�� He broke off, unable to convey exactly how he felt.

�It�s going to get harder
Kei-kun, especially when the baby comes,� Motoko reminded him quietly.

�I know,� he replied, a resigned
tone prominent in his voice. Keitaro then clasped Motoko�s hand; seeming to
gain strength from this gesture, he continued in a more assured tone. �But
we�ll get through this together. I�ll do anything for you Mo-chan.� The
swordsman in training smiled when Motoko gave his hand a squeeze in return and
smiled softly. �When the baby comes-�

�Wait Kei-kun,� Motoko
interrupted. �This may be the last night like this in a long time, can we just
forget about all of that? Tomorrow we can think about everything, but tonight
just the two of us, please?� The look in her eyes matched perfectly with the
pleading in her voice.

�Of course, Mo-chan, of course.�
Keitaro attempted to find another topic of conversation that wasn�t related to
the pregnancy or Hinata House. After drawing an unexpected blank, he resorted
to talking about what they were currently doing. �So, what do you think? About
this restaurant, I mean.�

�It�s�lovely. First time we�ve ever
had to get dressed up to dine.�

�You look lovely, Mo-chan.� The
candles were casting soft shadows upon her, making her look almost ethereal.
�Where did you get that dress?� Keitaro asked.

�When did you get that suit
Kei-kun?� Motoko replied.

�I picked it up the last time we
were in Okinawa, what about you?�

�I bought this in Hokkaido.�

�Hokkaido,� Keitaro repeated,
giving the dress a closer look. �It was cold the last time we were there, and
that dress doesn�t look too warm.�

Motoko playfully slapped his hand
for that. �You fool,� she said affectionately. �That outfit hardly looks
suitable for kendo, why�d you buy it?�

�Thought it might come in handy
one day. Who knew, I could have decided to take you to a five star restaurant.�

�Really? Well, I bought this
dress for�well, I was planning on surprising you with it one day, when you
returned to the cabin after some errands.�

�Like the time with the French
Maid outfit?� Keitaro asked, blushing as he recalled that afternoon, and what
had happened later.

�I�m surprised that you remember
that outfit Kei-kun,� teased Motoko. �It�s not like I was wearing it for very
long after you got back.� She then noticed that while Keitaro was still
blushing heavily, he wasn�t looking at her directly, but over her shoulder as
if�

With a sudden sense of dread,
Motoko felt a blush come over her, as she slowly, reluctantly, forced herself
to look over her shoulder. Sure enough, the waiter was there with their
entrees, looking completely unfazed, although Motoko thought that she could see
a glint of amusement in his eyes. Salvaging whatever dignity she had left, the
thoroughly embarrassed young woman turned her attention back to Keitaro as the
waiter placed their meals before them wordlessly.

After the waiter left, Keitaro
and Motoko sat there, neither one moving or speaking, until Keitaro started
chuckling in spite of himself, the mortified look on his wifes face striking
him as funny.

�Don�t laugh Kei-kun, this isn�t
funny!� Motoko hissed, even though she felt the first sensations of laughter
coursing through her. Watching her husband vainly attempt to stifle his
snickering eased the tension that she was feeling, and she felt her own lips
twist upwards in a smile. �Okay, maybe it is, but we shouldn�t be laughing.�

�Sorry Mo-chan,� he chuckled,
doing his best to get over his amusement.

�I hope you enjoyed that.�

�Which time? Now, or with the
French Maid outfit? The answer�s �yes� to both, by the way,� Keitaro responded
casually.

Motoko shook her head. �Kei-kun,
what ever will I do with you?� she asked. She sounded half annoyed, half
amused.

�Whatever you want,� quipped
Keitaro.

Figuring that the best way to put
an end to her husbands one-liners was to ignore them, Motoko simply started
eating and Keitaro followed suit shortly after. The meal was excellent, well
deserving of the restaurants� rating, and the prices that the menu had listed.
In the back of her mind Motoko wondered how much of Kitsune�s drinking money
Keitaro had withdrawn to pay for it.

Keitaro also found the food to be
delicious, and he enjoyed the meal immensely, savouring the flavour, and
watching the reflection of the candles in Motoko�s eyes. However, when he was
all but finished, something happened that caused him to nearly jump out of his
chair.

He had swallowed another mouthful
when he felt Motoko�s foot slowly rubbing against the inside of his right leg.
Startled, he almost stood up before he realized what was going on. The unnerved
young man discretely looked around to see if anyone was watching, before he
belatedly noticed that the tablecloths extended all the way to the floor.

�Something wrong Kei-kun?� Motoko
asked innocently. The innocence in her voice didn�t match at all with the sly,
knowing look on her face.

Trying to act casual, Keitaro
replied, �No, nothing at all, just a little jumpy.� He was trying his best to
not make a scene and maintain a slightly bored expression, when Motoko slid her
foot halfway up his inner thigh. The flustered Keitaro saw the look in his
wifes eyes and made a decision. �Check please!�

After settling the bill, which
was more than what they used to spend on groceries for a month, Keitaro and his
bride walked out of the restaurant and began heading back to Hinata House. They
were both in a hurry, but trying not to look like they were rushing, if only to
keep a fa�ade of calmness around them.

The full moon was now high in the
night sky, but neither of them paid much attention to anything but each other.
Keitaro was enjoying the feel of Motoko leaning against him as they walked, the
pleasant scent of her shampoo wafting into his nose, mixing with the unfamiliar
odour of perfume, which Keitaro couldn�t recall Motoko ever wearing before.

Motoko could feel Keitaro�s
heartbeat, even through the suit he was wearing, and that he was breathing
shallower than normal. In addition, despite Keitaro�s attempt to remain
discrete, she�d noticed that he�d made an adjustment to his trousers before
he�d stood up. The fact that she was wearing three-inch heels was all that
prevented her from walking any faster.

In far less time than the
outbound trip had taken, the Aoyamas reached the top of the Hinata house
stairs. There, they paused to collect themselves and put on an air of normalcy
and control. Satisfied that they�d accomplished this, they walked in a slower
stride to the entrance of the residence. Entering, the two of them announced
their arrival, discovering that only Mutsumi was in the living room. The couple
exchanged greetings, found out that Tsuruko had in fact left, and then Motoko
added that she was tired and that it was time for bed.

Keitaro and Motoko walked up he
stairs and down the hallway until they reached their room. Their outward
appearance gave no clue to the hormones that were currently running high in the
young couple. They appeared to be calm and relaxed, and they kept up this front
until the lock on their door was engaged with a �click�.

As soon as the �click� faded,
Motoko grabbed Keitaro and pushed him bodily up against the wall. She then
pushed herself against him and kissed him fiercely. As soon as his head
cleared, Keitaro returned the kiss and wrapped his arms around Motokos� waist,
sliding his right hand up her exposed back, his left arm down to rest on her
rear.

Still kissing Keitaro hungrily,
Motoko reached up and undid the ribbon that held her hair in a pony tail,
quickly using both of her hands to spread it out from its� previous
confinement. She then broke off the kiss and began laying kisses along
Keitaros� neck, causing him to close his eyes and tilt his head back to allow
her easier access.

Keitaro stood there, back against
the wall, immobilized but not thinking about moving. His wifes perfume was
strong in his nose, and he could taste her lipstick on his own lips. He began
to rub and squeeze with his left hand, when he realized that something was a
little off. �Something�s wrong, but what is it?� he wondered, before the answer
came to him in a flash. �She�s not wearing panties under this dress!� he
realized with a shock.

He found himself wondering about
this for a second, before deciding it wasn�t worth wasting time thinking about.
�Just one less thing I have to take off, I guess.� Keitaro resumed his fondling
and also started to rub Motokos� bare back. She moaned softly at his touches,
crushing her lips back against his and resuming the kiss, beginning to slowly
rub herself up against her husband, feeling his erection grow in response.

�Must have been uncomfortable
walking back with that, Kei-kun,� Motoko thought to herself. The last time she�d
felt this type of arousal had been that encounter in the forest about two
months ago. That time had probably resulted in the conception of the child she
was now carrying. It had been more of an animalistic encounter than they were
used to, but neither had minded, judging by the screaming.

Moaning softly into Motoko�s
mouth, Keitaro brought both of his hands up to the back of her neck and worked
to undo the clasp that held the dress up around her neck. Motoko momentarily
broke off the kiss, stepped back and let the dress fall to the floor with just
the faintest rustle. She then turned her back to Keitaro and pressed herself
back against him.

Keitaro immediately kissed Motoko
on the side of the neck, nuzzling her ebony hair aside to do so, placing his
hands on her waist and slowly sliding them up to her breasts. Squeezing them
gently, he was mildly surprised when Motoko let out a gasp. She then craned her
head around and kissed him, all of the while continuing to rub up against him.

Reaching behind her, Motoko took
hold of Keitaro�s tie and used it like a leash, towing him toward the futons.
As he walked, Keitaro dropped his suit jacket, undid the cuffs of his shirt,
and started undoing the shirt buttons. Upon reaching the futon, Motoko turned
and removed his tie roughly, tossing it carelessly aside. She impatiently
waited for him to remove his dress shirt, and didn�t give him a chance to
remove his t-shirt, she just grabbed it and tore it, facilitating its removal.

Keitaro frantically struggled
with the belt buckle, not used to wearing one, and let his pants drop to the
floor, carefully stepping out of them when they hit the ground. He allowed
Motoko to remove his boxer shorts, thankful that she hadn�t simply torn them
off as well, and then he let Motoko pull him down onto the futon.

When they were both on their
knees, Motoko resumed kissing her husband and held herself against him, feeling
the warmth from his body migrate into hers. While still kissing him, she slowly
turned herself around, craning her neck in the process, until her back was up
against his chest.

Luxuriating in the sensations
that Motoko�s hair was causing on his chest, Keitaro placed his hands back onto
her breasts and squeezed once again, eliciting a pleasurable gasp from Motoko.

�Easy Kei-kun. My breasts are
becoming more sensitive,� she reminded him breathlessly.

�As you wish Mo-chan.� He began
suckling on her left earlobe, causing her to hum contentedly, and with her
right hand reach down behind her and gently grasp his erection.

Motoko briefly stroked Keitaros�
shaft before she positioned the tip of it at the lips of her sex and waited for
Keitaro to push himself into her. She drew in a sharp breath as she felt
Keitaro enter her and then pause briefly to insure that he was properly
positioned. When she was ready, she nodded and he pulled himself most of the
way out before pushing back in. She felt him continue his thrusting, and heard
his breathing become more ragged as he increased the frequency of his
movements.

As Keitaro continued his strokes,
he grasped Motoko�s dark nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. He heard
her panting in response, and he leaned his head forward to resume kissing her.

By now Motoko was gasping,
murmuring his name, and moving in time with his thrusts to enable Keitaro to
drive deeper. Her arousal was increased as she realized that Keitaro was
beginning to pant as well, and she could feel the perspiration from his chest
matting her hair against her back.

They kept this up for a while,
both of the revelling in the nearly unmatchable physical sensations that they
were experiencing. Keitaro made an effort to increase Motoko�s pleasure by
moving his right hand down from her breast and down to her sex to stimulate her
clitoris. In response, Motoko reached her arms up over her head and grabbed the
back of Keitaro�s head, kissing him even harder.

Motoko was in heaven; she was
being stimulated both by Keitaro�s organ and by his hand, and she was rapidly
approaching the cusp of orgasm. From the sounds Keitaro was making, he was
close as well. Finally, after untold minutes, Motoko let out a soft cry as she
came, followed seconds later by Keitaro, who thrust himself as far as he could
inside her and held there, releasing two jets of his seed in the process.

The Aoyamas stayed like that for
a few minutes until the waves of orgasm passed over them and they entered the
�afterglow� phase. Keitaro withdrew himself from Motoko and collapsed onto the
futon, completely winded. Motoko slumped next to him and embraced him, not
having the energy required to move either. After a minute, she pulled up the
blankets, turned off the light and kissed Keitaro. He responded as best he
could, battling through his post orgasm fatigue. �I love you Mo-chan,� he said
tiredly.

�Love you Kei-kun. Goodnight.�
With this she rested her head on Keitaro�s chest and closed her eyes for sleep.
Keitaro was asleep within moments, but she was awake for a couple of minutes.
During that time she found herself thinking about what she was in for in the
next eight or so months. She was scared, but she was also comforted by
Keitaros� assurances of being there for her. �Don�t know what I�d do without
you Kei-kun,� she murmured, just as she fell asleep.

The Aoyamas were now both
sleeping peacefully, but they were going to face some difficulties in the near
future, and not all of them were going to be because of the pregnancy.

End Chapter Three

Thanks to crosseyedbutterfly,
dennisud, and UndeadAnimeFan267 for pre-reading this thing. Sorry about all the
(s�) errors this time. I must have been breathing in too much jet fuel fumes.

Author�s Notes: Sorry for the
delay, but this is proving to be harder to write than I anticipated. It doesn�t
help that I got a new job and that I had to move three days drive to get there.
[Moving SUCKS!] Add on settling in, and a crazy, seven days on, seven days off
schedule, and I�m surprised that I�m finished this chapter this early.

Well, I hope to be able to work
faster now, but like I�ve said, I make no promises.
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Aftermath: Loss and Redemption 2