Chapter 1

His eyes stared wearily up at the ceiling as he listened to the sound of screaming tearing through the house. This was the second time tonight and it had been going on now for almost five minutes. He gave a heavy sigh as he glanced towards the clock on his bedside table; it was nearly two am. Gritting his teeth he crammed his pillow over his head and prayed someone would do something about the screaming soon before he had to sort it for himself.

The thought almost instantly made him feel guilty. Groaning at his own selfishness, he forced himself out of bed and down the corridor towards the room the screams were coming from. The one causing all the noise was just stood in the middle of the room; his head tilted back, his body rigid and his face screwed up with the effort of screaming. Hesitantly he pulled the boy into his arms and held him. This caused currents of intense pain to ripple through his body, but he refused to let go.

It took a while, but the screams died down into sobs and then into whimpers. His body then became limp and heavy as he fell into a state of unconsciousness. Sighing heavily and with little else he could do, he moved the boy into bed and tucked him in. For a few seconds he found himself staring down at him, almost amazed by how calm and peaceful he now looked. Then exhaustion hit him, forcing him to shuffle his way out of the room and back to his own.

Sinking back down into his own bed, his eyes returned to staring up at the ceiling. For a few long minutes he just lay there praying he wouldn't be disturbed again tonight. Something told him that was unlikely and as much as he might have hated it he knew this was his punishment. This was what he deserved for what he'd done and nobody could tell him it wasn't.

Mai made a noise of disgust as she stared down at the already noticeable bump growing from her stomach. Four months gone and she was already starting to feel too fat for every single item of clothing she owned. Picking up one of Joey's t-shirts she slipped it on, before digging around for something comfortable to wear with it.

'You know you ought to go out like that,' a voice teased from behind her, 'who knows, it could catch on.'

'That's not funny,' she turned round to face him. 'How would you feel if you had nothing to wear?'

'Depends on who'd see me,' Joey smirked, 'and anyway, Ahna's offered to lend you some of her maternity stuff.'

'Great,' she rolled her eyes, 'add to my inferiority complex by getting me to dress like her. Geez Joey you always know the right thing to say.'

'You're not inferior to her Mai,' Joey's expression was suddenly serious.

'Aren't I?' Mai turned away. 'You dated her first, you were engaged to her first, you… She had your child first. I think that makes me inferior, don't you?'

'But you're the one I love Mai.'

'And you never loved her?' Mai flicked her gaze back up towards him.

'You know what my relationship with her was like,' Joey's gaze lowered, 'how can you even ask if love had anything to do with it?'

'Because I listened to your rants in the months which followed the end of that relationship, you don't get that angry over the betrayal of someone you never cared about.'

'Okay, so I cared about her,' Joey shrugged, 'that doesn't mean I loved her. Mai you're my Calcanto, how many times do I have to tell you that? I love you and only you. Hell I'd marry you right here, right now if you'd let me.'

'Joey,' Mai turned away from him again, 'I've already told you; ask again after our daughter is born. How many more times?'

'Mai I'm going to ask you every single day until you say yes,' Joey crossed the room and took her into his arms. 'Please Mai, make me the happiest man in the multiverse and marry me.'

'No,' she kept her voice as firm as possible, 'I will not get married pregnant and I will not allow my pregnancy to be the only reason we're getting married. When our daughter is born and all social expectations are off, you can ask me again and then I'll think about it. But right now the only answer you're going to get from me is no.'

'Fine,' he kissed her, 'but can we at least discus names?'

'For what?' Mai blinked at him.

'For our daughter.'

'But she already has a name, remember?'

'But she was only named Jo in that timeline because I died. I didn't die this time, remember? So why can't we give her a different name?'

'Because I don't want to give her a different name; I like the way Josephine Lutoni sounds.'

'But Josephine Lutoni isn't very Silkoneon.'

'So? I'm not Silkoneon, so why should our daughter have a Silkoneon name?'

'Can't we at least consider other names?' Joey sighed. 'I mean, I think Lillyannu Lutoni would be nice.'

'But she doesn't look like a Lillyannu.'

'Then what does she look like?'

'A Jo.'

'I'm not going to win, am I?' He pulled a face.

'Whatever gave you that idea?' Mai smirked back at him.

'Am I ever going to get a say in this relationship?'

'Not if I can help it.'

He gave her an amused, narrowed eyed look, before kissing her again.

'So what are your plans for the day?'

'Sleep,' Mai groaned as she rested her head against him, 'I feel like I've been awake forever.'

'Didn't sleep well again last night?' Joey frowned.

She shook her head and he wrapped his arms lovingly around her. For a few moments there was a tranquil kind of silence.

'Well there's nothing to stop us from spending the day in bed you know,' Joey's voice was almost sly. 'I mean, Covo is taking Ahna and Crovell out for the day, Korin's gone to visit some of her friends in the Temple of Mov and it's not like the rest of my household will fall apart if I don't give them detailed moment by moment instructions for just one day.'

'So you've finally worked out your people don't constantly need you with your fingers gripped tightly to the steering wheel in order to survive then?' Mai shot him a cheeky look.

'I know, it's about time, right,' Joey laughed. 'So what do you say to you, me and the bed? I mean, you wouldn't have to worry about getting dressed...'

'Joey!' She hit him playfully.

'Oh come on, don't tell me you're not in the least bit tempted.'

'Well I am tired...'

'Then it's decided,' Joey kissed her again, before making his way towards the door, 'you get yourself settled; I'll be back in a minute.'

'Tristan!'

For a few long moments Tristan's face was filled with an almost dazed looking expression. Then something seemed to click and a polite little smile pulled across his face.

'Hey Serenity, Téa said something about you staying with her for a few days.'

'She and Yugi have promised to take me to see my brother,' Serenity grinned at him. 'Can you believe I'm an aunty?'

'Will this be the first time you've seen the baby?'

'Yeah,' she nodded, 'we're going tomorrow afternoon.'

'Well I hope…' the rest of his sentence was cut off by a loud yawn. 'Sorry.'

'You look really tired,' Serenity frowned at him, 'are you okay?'

'I take it nobody told you that's not exactly my favourite question anymore,' he yawned again. 'I'm fine... just a little sleep deprived.'

'Should you really be driving then?' She indicated towards the helmet in his hand and the bike behind him.

'I needed to get away for a while,' he shrugged and leant back against the bench he was sat on.

'Why?'

Tristan hesitated and for half a second a confused little expression filled his face. Then he just shrugged, got to his feet and put his helmet back on.

'Do you have plans?' Serenity studied him for a moment.

Tristan said nothing; instead he shrugged again and made his way towards his bike. Not sure quite what to make of his response, Serenity followed him.

'Why don't you come back with me to Téa's?' She placed a hand on his arm.

Again Tristan didn't reply. Instead his whole body appeared to tense.

'Tristan, are... are you okay?' Serenity frowned at him. 'Tristan?'

'Sorry, I forgot what I was doing there for a moment,' Tristan got onto his bike and placed the key into the ignition.

'Forgot what you were doing,' Serenity tried to keep the concern out of her voice, 'are you really that tired?'

Once again Tristan responded by shrugging back at her.

'Tristan I'm worried about you, are you sure you should be driving?'

'I'll be fine,' turning the key, he fired up the engine, 'I just... I really have to get home.'