Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Aftermath: Loss and Redemption 2 ❯ "All the Time In the World" ( Chapter 3 )

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 façade 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 décor 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 façade 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.