So folks, here's another story. Just to warn you, it is mostly told from Kai's POV. It will be short, probably no more than three to four chapters in length but they will hopefully be long chapters.

Thanks to FragrantRose for helping me plan out this fic for it was kind of their suggestion to rid myself of writer's block. Much credit to her for her kindness and support.

Unusual pairings reside in this story and I do not plan on making it too violent. More weepy to be honest.

I do not own beyblade, only my OCs of which there are not many unless you count all the children.

1

On The Way

I'm standing at the front of the church in a dark blue/cream tuxedo trying hard to control my nerves. Today is the big day and I'll dare say nobody, not even myself, expected this would happen. Why is today so special you ask? Because I'm getting married. Every beyblader I've ever met is here, including BEGA. You're probably wondering who the lucky woman is. Well I'm getting to that part. A lot of the girls I know in the beyblading community are too girly. All but one. Naturally, I'm not afraid of anything but right now I'm petrified that my future wife is gonna bail on me. We were dating for two years and then were engaged for another three. So in total, it's been five years since my team and our friends restored the BBA. It's almost back to it's former glory thanks to all the money I donated. After all, beyblading was the only thing I'd ever known. I had given up but Dranzer refused to let me quit on myself. She came back and we whooped Tyson good. My fearful thought train is derailed when the violins and organ start playing that famous melody. 'Here we go. Don't slip up now. I've spent too long getting my vows right.' At my side is Ray, my best man. He sets a hand upon my quivering shoulder and smiled warmly. "Don't worry Kai. It's gonna be okay. We're here for you man. Now quit getting the jitters." "I would if my stomach wasn't empty. Had to prepare for the big feast later." Ray rolled his eyes at me, a gesture I've grown to like over the years. Out of everybody, Ray had supported me the most whilst planning this wedding. And I'm thankful to him.

Looking to my right I see the woman I am about to spend the rest of my life with. She looks breathtakingly beautiful in a long poofy red dress that clings to her curves, dual coloured hair neatly curled and tied high. Yup you guessed it. I'm getting married to Julia from F Dynasty. She's matured greatly over the five years we've been together. God only knows how I asked her out in the first place. Never did I think we'd come this far. Raul is watching us from the first Pugh behind Julia. He's proud of his twin sister. At first he disagreed to me being with her but eventually Raul simmered down and stopped seeing me as a threat. After all, I made Julia happier than anybody ever has. The vicar starts prattling on and I'm halfway to dreamland. Eventually it was time to speak my vows. Here goes nothing. "Julia, I promise you that no matter what happens, be it injury or poor health, I will always be by your side. I'll be that shoulder to lean on when you need it most." Despite my nerves I didn't slip up. Julia went on to speak her vows and they were pretty identical to mine but worded differently. I couldn't be happier to hear those famous words after the I dos. "You may now kiss the bride." Happy though I was, nervousness started to creep in again. Kissing Julia in private was no trouble. But now I had to do it in front of everyone. I lift the veil covering Julia's angelic face and lean down to those plump red painted lips. Julia muttered something about me losing something if I screwed this up before closing the gap, her arms snaking around my neck. My knees almost buckled on me but I stood firm and returned the affection, ignoring all the cheering and applause in the background. I swear it must've been the longest kiss the vicar had ever seen given he interrupted us five minutes later. "I now pronounce thee man and wife. I wish you both a life of happiness together. You look perfect for each other." Julia and I both thank the vicar before heading out to the car.

Screw traditional weddings. Instead of the big fancy cars I help Julia into something more my style. A deep red Lamborghini Gallardo sat waiting for us. I'd had the car decked out with yellow trim and dark blue rims before the wedding. Once Julia was in the front passenger seat I walk around to the driver side. If only Voltaire was alive to see this. Oops, did I forget to mention he was given a death sentence two years ago? The old loon got out of jail and had me kidnapped, tortured and almost slain if Julia hadn't reported me missing. She turned up with the Japanese Armed Forces for crying out loud! That just goes to show that behind the front she puts up, Julia will do anything to keep me safe. Boris had gotten the same penalty due to being involved in the kidnapping and assault of yours truly. We arrive at the venue for our party in no time and bellboys come pouring out of the building to help us with things. I'm not staying at this hotel with Julia despite its splendour. Everyone will be staying at the mansion for the night then I'm kicking them home because tomorrow, Julia and I are going on our honeymoon to Hawaii. We've both always wanted to go there so now is the perfect opportunity. Raul is coming too. I didn't want him to feel left out. First came the banquet and as the groom, I said my piece before it was time to eat. Various others raised toasts but I just knew that Julia couldn't wait to be alone with me. Did I not say how avidly she loves sex? Well now you know. It's a good job I'm an expert in that department. Hell she even suggested threesomes with various other males or females I refuse to name since one of them is married to Tyson. Yeah he and Hilary finally saw the signs and tied the knot last year before their son came into the world a few months ago. I say a few, I more mean one. Oops, I grassed. Oh well. Not like Tyson cared anyway. It's February now and the weather is picking up. The banquet lasted an hour then the party started. Neither me nor Julia were in the mood to dance and nobody dared to make us.

The next morning I cringe at the screaming of my alarm clock. I slam my hand down on the noisy machine to silence it before stretching. Mumbling from my right side tells me that my wife is awake. I'm surprised really. After all the "Dancing" we did last night. Now what dances did we do? Ah who am I kidding? You guys all know what I mean anyway after my confession earlier. I always forget how adorable Julia looks with her messy bed hair. Some of the curls are still visible. "Hey gorgeous. I hope you had fun last night." "You bet I did." Julia's voice lacked conviction but I knew she meant it. Her hands moved in two directions. One went to play with my messy hair and the other, I'll let you decide. We share a fiery kiss that almost lures me into boning Julia again but my little brother-in-law cock blocks me by entering the room. Of course he has the decency to knock first. "Alright you two that's enough. You kept me up all night with that racket." "Sorry Raul, but you know as well as I do that your sister is very demanding." My claim earns me a playful slap on the arm from Julia and Raul stifled a giggle. "Well hurry up and get dressed. I've got a surprise for you." Oh boy now I'm dead. The last surprise Raul prepared for us went horribly wrong. The kid couldn't cook to save his own skin. Since then I've had Ray teach him. Ray's uncle had come all the way from Paris to work for me. His team too. At least we'll never go hungry. I allowed Julia to go into the en suite bathroom first and waited until the shower could be heard. There's a crazy grin plastered on my face as I sneak into the bathroom, a certain body part getting excited. Julia squeals as my arms snap around her waist. She fights back a moan when I begin making love to her for what could possibly be the fifth time in six hours. Not that either of us can complain. Within minutes I have Julia leaning on the bath screaming my name loud enough to wake everybody. It didn't take me long to reach my peak, ushering Julia into the shower so I could groom her more.

Regardless of spending an hour in the bathroom, me and Julia are the first to enter the large dining room. At the head of the table in front of two grand chairs are two steaming plates. I exchange a nervous glance with my spouse before leading her to our seats. If Raul had indeed cooked our breakfast, it looked stunning. Fresh vanilla pancakes layered with chocolate shavings and sweet sauces. As we tucked in, the sneaky little devil watched us from the door. He means no harm. I know this by now. He's curious, sometimes too curious. Either way Julia and I cleared our plates despite the protests of our still full stomachs. Raul came out of hiding once we relaxed in the living room. "So how were they?" Julia responded by embracing her brother tightly. Numerous times she's almost suffocated the poor kid. I show my appreciation with a nod and small smile. Raul's come a long way and I'm proud of him. "I'm happy to hear all my lessons have paid off. If you'd like I'll cook for you every morning from now on." "Raul, don't be silly. We're grateful for the offer little brother. Truly we are. But you'll only exhaust yourself running after us." I agree with Julia. Raul shouldn't feel like he has to make himself useful just to live here. He's a part of my family now. And I promised Julia that I'd look after him if anything happened to her. Everyone else piles into the room an hour later. Our flight isn't until around ten o'clock and it's currently around half seven. Little Makoto Granger is tucked protectively to his mothers' breast, reminding me that I haven't talked to Julia about having children. I've never been fond of kids but I'm the last Hiwatari alive, to my knowledge anyway. We spend the next half hour with our friends before heading to the airport. This time my butler takes us in the limo. I don't trust vandals to stay away from my expensive cars for a week. Getting through the inspection queues takes forever and I can already feel a headache coming on.

After eight hours of flying in my private jet, we finally arrive in Hawaii. I had expected the hot weather and changed into some cool clothes shortly before landing. Raul and Julia were used to this kind of heat having grown up in Spain. We were taken straight to the resort so we could unpack and enjoy the sun. I had other plans however. Keeping my eyes open was a struggle. Julia stayed with me as I adjusted to the time change. I woke up roughly two hours later feeling much better. And she was still there, sitting seductively by my side. I didn't care much about the clothes Julia wore. She could walk around naked for all I cared and no man would dare lay a finger on her. My eyes were delighted to find barely contained large breasts directly in my movement line so I played with them a little. Around Julia's waist was an orange sarong covering red bikini bottoms and sleek sexy legs. "Hello sexy. You didn't have to wait for me." "But then what's the point of the honeymoon if I go off having fun all by myself?" "Alright you win. I'm up. Where's Raul?" "Probably lounging around somewhere." Julia's voice held a hint of amusement and I know what she's thinking. Changing into a pair of royal blue trunks I head to Raul's room with Julia at my side. I'd rented a whole section of the resort just for us. Only a small portion but it's big enough for our needs. Raul was fast asleep on a deck chair by the pool instead of in his room. Makes it easier on us. I take hold of Raul's upper body and Julia grabs his feet. My cold hands bring him back to land of the living too late. He lands in the pool with a scream and almighty splash whilst Julia and me stand laughing at the side. "Not cool! I was having a good dream you bullies!" "Lighten up Raul! Or don't you want to have any fun?!" Raul splashed water at us, getting Julia more than me and her sarong was soaked right through so she took it off, revealing her beautiful tanned legs. She'd always been more leg than torso but I had no complaints.

As the day went on, Julia and I tormented Raul playfully although he just wanted to sleep. By the time night came around the poor kid was shattered. He'd run from little kids trying to escape us. Even five years on all the old teams were still revered as heroes and the little tykes wanted an autograph. When Raul had refused, the big brothers of the boys had threatened to beat him up. Well being the caring big brother in law I was, backed off the younger boys, sending them away with wet pants. Julia slept peacefully at my side but I couldn't sleep. It was still scorching hot even at night. To cool off I get a cold drink that wasn't alcoholic. Once my blood cooled I went back to bed. Julia hadn't woken up so I slipped into the bed silently and gently. Pulling her close I realised the man downstairs had grown stiff again. Many times I had to restrain myself from doing Julia out in public. She woke with small groans, nipping at my neck. "Hey horny. Want some?" "But you need to sleep. I can go without tonight." Julia wasn't having any of my soothing, pinning me to the bed and assuming the dominant position. Instead of fighting I allowed Julia to have her way. After two helpings she went back to sleep and I quickly followed suit. Perhaps I just needed to be worn down to finally drift off. The morning came around quickly and Julia was already awake. I could see her outside sunbathing on a deck chair. My bones and joints refused to cooperate after what happened last night but I forced myself out of bed and over to side. "Hey beautiful. Anything I can get you?" "No thanks. I'm happy just to have you by yourself. Raul is still in bed. We should let him rest today." "Yeah you're right. But I'll torment him tomorrow." Julia smiled, pulling me down into a kiss. I immediately noticed how warm her lips were. We broke after a few minutes in need of air. I sat by Julia's side and went back to sleep although my stomach was complaining at me. Julia allowed me to sleep but stayed by my side.

Our honeymoon went by fast and two weeks later we were back in Japan with dark tans and mine didn't suit me. I should be back to being pale in no time. We spent a few days getting back into our old routines before heading to work. I now ruled Hiwatari Enterprises whilst Julia and Raul worked at the BBA as fitness trainers for beybladers in training. I helped to fund the training of said youngsters along with various other programmes. My back ached after all the love Julia and I had made on our honeymoon. I'll be amazed if Raul had gotten any sleep. And this week was no exception. The cold leather of my computer chair sent a shock up my spine making it hurt even more. Ray was my right hand man since he's the only one on the team who had the mental capacity to help run a company. Kenny was more of a beyblade engineer than a businessman and Max preferred to be in a gym. "Typical of you to come back feeling sore Kai." "Careful. I can fire you instantly." "Relax man." Ray lifted his hands in a defensive fashion with a warm smile on his face. "I can help you know. That massage table is there for a reason Kai." "Oh alright. Although I just spent two weeks being pampered." "Get on that table. Work can wait. I'll tell Lindsey to put a hold on any appointments." Whilst Ray went to speak with the said secretary in the next room from my office I removed my shirt and laid face down on the massage table to right hand side of my desk. Ray wasn't gone long, returning in two minutes. "Alright Kai you're a free man for the day. Now where'd I put that stuff?" "Just take it easy on me. I've suffered every manicure Hawaii had to offer." I glare at Ray when he let out a small chuckle. I cringe at the cold oil he puts on my back but I soon feel its soothing properties. I lose track of the time as Ray rubs away at my sore muscles and before either of us know it, lunch time has arrived. "There ya go. That should do the trick. How do you feel now Kai?" "Like I just took a trip to heaven. Let's go eat I'm starving." "I hear ya pal."

In no time a few weeks have gone by and Julia has been acting weird. About a week ago I noticed she hasn't been going to the bathroom every three hours at home and she throws up in the morning. Raul is concerned too and we both insisted that Julia takes this week off work. I do the same to keep her company. Mariah, Mathilda and Emily come over on Wednesday to visit Julia. Like the loving husband I was, I allow the girls some privacy. I'm not going through the torture of girl talk. Two hours later Mathilda approaches me with a worried expression on her face. "What's the matter Mathilda?" "Kai, you and Julia need to talk." "Is she okay?" Mathilda shies away, telling me silently without words that it's best I ask Julia. Worried that something is horribly wrong I run to her side and pull her close despite not knowing the problem. Mariah and Emily respectively leave the room. "Julia what's wrong? Mathilda said we need to talk." "Kai I." I've never seen Julia this cracked up before. Her soft cheeks are stained with tears that have been shed and more streaks hurry to join them. I can tell Julia's frightened just by how she grips at my jumper. "Julia, tell me what's wrong. You've been sick every morning for weeks now. And it looks like you haven't had one of those monthly girl things for a while." "Then we're on the same page." She croaked, voice breaking. "I don't understand." "Kai…I'm pregnant." The look on my face must be pricelessly washed with shock. Julia has broken down into the crook of my neck and here I am not knowing what to say. What do you say to a girl who just found out she's pregnant and is crying about it? "Julia…how long have you known?" "I…I didn't know until last night. I've been speaking to Emily about this for a while…since I started throwing up and she suggested I do a test." "That's why the girls came over today isn't it? Because you needed support." "And advice on how to tell you. Kai we've never discussed about having kids before. We just got married for crying out loud!"

I hold Julia tighter to me, on the verge of tears myself. I'm the one who is supposed to be strong and not be all blubbery about something like this. Stroking Julia's hair seemed to help her calm down. "It's okay. I've been thinking of asking you about having a child for a few weeks now. My line is at stake and I wouldn't want you to be unhappy. You love kids as much as you do me and beyblading. Now stop crying. It's okay. I'm here just like I promised." "B-B-But." "No buts. I mean, how hard can it be to raise a kid?" "You have no idea." Hiccups crept into the sentence, proof that Julia was calming down. Of course I had lied about talking to Julia about having kids. It was necessary given the situation. I would've left it a few more years. But then again, Tyson would be ahead of me and there's no way I'm gonna let that stand. "Kai are you really okay with this? Being a parent is more than it's cracked out to be." "I'm sure we'll be fine. How far are you?" "A few weeks. I'm going to the doctor next week to get a definite answer. I…I'd like you to come with me. Please." "Okay I'll go. Give me a date and time and I'll tell Lindsey to cancel my appointments for that time period. Scratch that. I'll cancel the entire day. You need me more than ever now. When will we tell Raul? He knows something is wrong." Julia could only shrug her weary shoulders, tears finally drying. I'll have words with Raul tonight. Julia needs to rest and no doubt he'll be furious she's pregnant already. I'm dreading how their parents will take this. They never liked me because of my status. In their eyes I forced Julia to marry me just so I could get a son. And that the smile she wears around me is a frown turned upside down. None of this is true of course. It was Julia's idea that we get married now just to shut them up but it only made things worse. I don't want to tell them Julia's with child but as future grandparents they have the right to know. It's just too bad my parents aren't here to see how far I've come.

The girls stayed until Raul came home, telling Julia to call them if she needed anything. I didn't bother trying to pull the wool over Raul's eyes, escorting him to my office. The look in his eyes is begging me to tell him what's going on. "Raul, we need to talk." Regardless of how nervous I am, my voice does not falter. "Is Julia okay?" I can hear concern in Raul's voice and I can't blame him for being so worried. "Before I divulge this information Raul, promise me you will remain calm." "For you to request that I stay calm means something is very wrong. I did some research today whilst on lunch break. About Julia's condition." Raul's face suddenly turns sour and I step back. Raul doesn't get angry often but when he does all hell lets loose. "She's pregnant isn't she Kai? So early into your marriage Julia gets knocked up. Maybe my parents were right. You just want my sister for breeding." "You're jumping to conclusions Raul! Up until our honeymoon Julia was on the pill. If I'm calculating right, it's due to be refreshed. I never intended for this to happen, Raul. But you should know I plan on informing those wretched in-laws you call parents." My logic seems to burn Raul's anger down to a mere cinder and his face softens once more. "Kai I. I'm sorry I." "It's alright. I understand that Julia means a lot to you. I anticipated you'd be angry that's why we're alone and Julia is resting." "What will you do?" "We've decided to go ahead with keeping it." "But you just…" "I know Raul. It'll be alright you'll see." "I hope you're right Kai. Our father might do something drastic. Does anybody else know about the baby?" "Only Mariah, Mathilda and Emily to my knowledge. I'm going to the doctors with Julia next week to find out how far she is." With his anger now dissolved, Raul's happiness began to show through crying. With a sigh I open my arms and he wastes no time soaking the collar of my shirt. Julia came into the room once she knew everything was alright. We spent the evening planning on how to prepare for the new family member.

Days turn into months and Julia is starting to show. Everyone is happy for us and Tyson has already declared that his son will be the rival of mine. Suits me fine. During our trip to the doctors we discovered the baby had been conceived before we got married. It's been two months since we found out so that makes Julia about three to four months gone now. Most areas of the mansion have been made baby proof. (Not that I plan to let the tyke have full access so young. There are valuables on the higher floors.) And in answer to your possible question, the in-laws are not yet aware of the baby. Julia wasn't ready and in truth, neither was I. I've grudgingly allowed her to invite them over for a few days and we're currently awaiting their arrival. Julia doesn't go to work often, only about a week each month and Mr. Dickenson understands the situation. She's had numerous emotional shifts that sent her into tears that only I could dry. As for me, I do most of my work from home. Lindsay, my secretary, comes to see Julia every couple of days but I reckon her real reason is to see Raul. She's infatuated with the kid but not to the point where she stalks him. Ray came over one day with Emily and to my surprise, a little baby girl identical to him. Rin was her name and she'd been born whilst me and Julia were soaking up the sun in Hawaii. I was a good uncle, according to Ray as I went and got Rin a gift. It was only a plush pink tiger but the kid still loved it. Tomorrow, the in-laws would be here and I'm crapping myself. Before going to sleep I hold Julia tight in my arms, telling her that should her father take things too far I WILL have a restraining order set against him and his wife. I just want our little family to be safe and happy. Julia understands and kisses my cheek before falling asleep. I watch her for a while, hoping that the curse hanging over me wouldn't strike again.

Today's the day. I'm up at around five in the morning. Force of habit after doing so for many years. Raul is up too although he isn't going to work. Said he'll support Julia and me if their dad starts a fight. I'm lucky to have a brother-in-law like Raul. At eight o'clock I can hear Julia moving around so I go to help her and Raul goes to make her breakfast. We receive a call after Julia had eaten saying her parents were on their way from the airport. An hour later there's a knock on the front door. I don't lift a finger to get it since that's what butlers are for. In minutes I'm standing face to face with Mr. and Mrs. Fernandez. Julia got her looks from the woman whilst Raul was his father's twin only in looks. I knew from experience this man was outright fierce with anybody. They immediately notice the bump Julia is trying to hide, giving me a deadly glare. I try to say something but the words won't come out. Not yet. But I know what Julia's father is thinking. That he'd been right all along about me only wanting an heir. "You see, Julia. This tyrant only wants you for your womb. Once he has a son you'll be cast aside." My eye twitches at being labelled a tyrant. I hold my anger around Julia although really I want to hit my father-in-law so hard he'll feel it for months. I manage to speak through partially ground teeth. "With all due respect, Mr. Fernandez, I had not intended for Julia to fall pregnant so early into our marriage. In fact, the baby was already in development before the wedding according to the doctor. Now I would appreciate it you eased off with the slander. I'm aware of my family's history of being power hungry but I can assure I'm walking a different road to all of my predecessors." "I highly doubt that young man. You're forcing Julia to keep the child aren't you? Surely our poor little girl isn't ready to be a mother so soon." "You'll be wise to watch your mouth on my property. I wouldn't want any accidents to clean up." By accident I mean Julia's parents going 'missing' and turning up dead in some random place. To protect my wife, I would go that far. Julia and Raul both know that by now after I almost broke a guys' neck for calling Julia a whore.

Julia's mother has remained silent but her eyes do the talking for her. I have my arm around Julia's waist to let them know she wasn't going anywhere and Julia clung to me in turn. Her eyes were filling with tears so I ask one of the maids to take Julia some place quiet. Raul stays by my side ready to defend against anything his parents would say. "Raul surely your mind has not been polluted into thinking this man actually has feelings for Julia?" "I'm not disillusioned father. I know how much Kai cares about Julia. Sure he's a bit rough around the edges but that's to be expected given how he was brought up. For Kai's sake I'll not go into details. I'm not going to stand here and let you talk about him like he's a piece of gum under your shoes. You have no idea how much Kai has done for Julia and me. I couldn't cook to save my own skin and Kai got me lessons with the best chef he knows. It's thanks to Kai that Julia and I even have jobs. If you're too blind to see how good a man he is then I'm no longer your son. You taught me to judge someone not by their appearance, but by how they treat others. I once saw Kai as a threat. I'm not denying that. But I opened my eyes to what was really in front of me. Julia hasn't been forced to do anything. Kai hasn't locked her in a cage and thrown away the key. Julia's free to see her friends, she can go on a mad shopping spree and Kai will be there with her. The list goes on, father. This is your last chance to accept the truth." Then it happened. I had predicted that Mr. Fernandez would grow violent, requesting for a few police officers be dispatched to the mansion just in case. "You bastard Hiwatari! You'll never get away with this!" "On the contrary I will. Now you may never see your son or daughter again. I gave you a second chance but you abused it. Goodbye, Mr. Fernandez. Have a nice life."

The racket her father made drew Julia from the living room. He was refusing to be taken willingly. Julia knew the outcome, quickly breaking down into tears. Raul and I comfort her with a joint embrace to show their parents just how foolish they had been. Tala arrived just as the officers finally got Raul and Julia's father into their patrol car. "Hey what's going on here Kai?" "The in-laws failed to understand so now they're paying the price." "You had them arrested?!" "Not quite. I'm having a restraining order set against them. I'll be in touch with the precinct later tonight. Get the in-laws released and packed off back to Spain with a dent in their pride. We tried to clear up the murky shadow in the water but they were too blind." Tala considered my reasoning and nodded. He knew better than anybody that if things had carried on the way they were there'd be big headlines about a couple found dead in a few days. Tala stayed for a while, mainly to let us know he and Mariah were getting married in a few months and that she was with child too. Just not as far as Julia. It seems everybody is having kids these days. Maybe Tyson and Hilary have started a baby boom. Tala went home at around four in the evening to check on Mariah. I took a trip down to the police station at about five to uphold my promise. Raul stayed home to look after Julia in my absence. As you can imagine their father was furious. It was at the station where Mrs. Fernandez finally blew her lid. She tried attacking me but I was too fast, grabbing her wrists firmly without causing harm. This action made her realise what Raul was trying to say. I'm aggressive but gentle. With the restraining order in place I had the balls to drive my in-laws to the airport to save them getting a cab. We had a police escort too so that they didn't try anything sly. And I made sure they got on the plane bound for Barcelona. I stayed until the airbus left my line of vision, thanking the officers for their help before driving home. I explained what had happened to Julia and Raul but it was too late to turn back now.

Another three months went by after Julia's parents sealed their fate. Julia was seven months pregnant now and really showing. I helped her around everyday because moving on her own was tiring. Her friends came over occasionally to see how things were going. Even some of the girls Julia had been training had enough love for their tutor that they visited with flowers every week. At every scan I attended with Julia I saw how big our first child was getting. Tala and Mariah often came with us. They were both very supportive and so was everyone else. Truly, I'm grateful to have such caring friends. Brooklyn came over one Sunday with tonnes of gifts for the little one. He said they were all from the team but they were too busy to visit. I had him stay for dinner, making sure his food was meat free since I know how offended Brooklyn would be. Raul was finally making a move on Lindsay after I had words with him. It's now late August and the weather is turning bitter with autumn creeping in. I'm kept up late one night because Julia is suffering pains. I pray the baby isn't coming early whilst rushing her to the hospital. A few hours later after some tests it turns out Julia was just getting stomach cramp. The nurse explained that Julia would probably start getting false contractions soon. This frightened me beyond belief. What if they didn't turn out to be false eventually? Before going home I was given a book by the nurse who had treated Julia that would tell me exactly what to do should Julia go into labour at home. Raul welcomed us warmly upon our return close to midnight. He'd been kept awake with worry for the baby. I settled Julia into bed before sitting down with Raul to explain what the nurse had told me over a cup of hot coco. We eventually go to bed at two in the morning both bone weary from a long and tiring day. My eyes close quickly as I round Julia's baby bump with an arm and kiss her softly.

October arrives but no sign of baby. Julia's worried she may have lost it. We check with the doctor but our child is still healthy. We're told to have patience and not worry by this point. I told everyone the baby was overdue and they were of course very concerned. Emily said that sometimes a baby just doesn't want to leave the warmth of its mother's womb but I know that's just a sugar coated way of saying something IS wrong. I know it. Looking back through my medical record I find that just like my child, I was overdue, born two months after the initial date given for my birth. I didn't tell Julia for fear it might upset her. Her mood swings haven't been so bad save for the times she flew right off the handle if I pressed too hard against the baby. Even Raul has had a taste of Julia's fury. He's doing everything he can to keep his sister smiling. Looking at the calendar on my wall I make a mental note that Mariah's due to give birth next month. Tala must be running around like a blue bottomed fly trying to get stuff ready. I told him to set up a room for baby several months before it's due but he never listens. Such is the way of Tala. I pay him and Mariah a visit in the middle of October. Julia's in hospital waiting for the baby to come along. Raul and Lindsay are with her just in case. Mariah's bump is way bigger than Julia's leading me to believe she might be carrying twins. Or she's just been eating a lot. Despite her protesting I give Tala a hand to decorate their nursery in pale blue and soft sandy brown wallpaper. We also set up the cot, chest of drawers and a toy box where all the toys would go. A mosey basket was placed on Mariah's side of the bed so she could reach the infant easily when it got hungry during the night. Mariah couldn't be angry at me when she saw the room her and Tala's baby would be sleeping in once it was big enough. After all the support my friends have given me it's only fair I return the favour. I forgot to mention that their wedding went well and Kenny popped the question to Ming-Ming.

On the fifteenth of November Mariah was rushed into hospital by a hysterical Tala. The baby was a week early in his books. I'd been with Julia when he came barging into her room babbling about the baby being on its way. Raul and I manage to calm him before he's called to Mariah's side. Julia was happy for Mariah but also sad that she still had not given birth to our child. Some hours later Tala comes back with bloodshot eyes. He explains that Mariah had been carrying twins but one had sadly given up before its life began. They still had a son though and his name would be Tybault Ivanov. Once Mariah had calmed down I went to see how the remaining baby was coping. We all worried about how little he was drinking but the nurses assured us that most boys were like that. If it had survived, Tybault's twin would've been a little girl called Talia. After giving mine and Julia's condolences and congratulations to Mariah I returned to my wife's side once more. Her false contractions were getting worse. I wager that our kid will be born before November is out. We wait painfully for days on end until our prayers are finally answered. Julia's waters broke in the early morning of November twenty ninth. I tried to go with Julia but the doctors denied me access for reasons I'm not sure of. Fighting against them was useless. They sedated me on the sly and ditched my unconscious body in the waiting room. Raul had gone home the night before so he was shocked to find me conked out at nine in the morning away from Julia. He shook me awake and I'm beyond being furious. Luckily for the doctors Raul knew how to defuse my temper quickly. For hours I paced in the waiting room, ignoring my friends who arrived at various times. They tried to comfort me but I wouldn't have any of it. A nurse came up to me in the early evening with a worried expression on her tired face. Eager to know if Julia was okay I gripped her shoulders but not too tightly. Upon hearing Julia had fallen into a coma I fell to my knees fighting back tears.

The nurse went on to explain that there had been some complications during the birth, the main one being that Julia's birth canal hadn't opened up so the doctors had to perform a caesarean. And Julia had refused outright to give birth without me present. As a result, she fell into a dreamless sleep. I had no hope of the baby being alive but apparently I'd passed on my knack for not giving up on life. After being consoled by ten or more friends, a blue bundle was handed to me. I had a son. He was just like me from head to toe. Right now his hair was dark grey but would likely become dual coloured as he grew up. My son woke up, sensing many pairs of eyes on him at once. My crimson eyes met with darker crimson, almost maroon coloured orbs. The little tyke stifled a yawn and waved his chubby little hands around. Although I had just been introduced to my son, I wanted to see Julia. There's no way in hell those doctors will stop me this time. Raul opted to cradle Gou during my absence. Ray tagged along with me for support. I know I'm going to need it. My breath caught half way up my throat when I saw the state of my wife. Her once beautiful tanned skin was pale against the white sheets. Her heart beat was steady but breathing shallow. Fighting against my buckling knees served futile as I crashed to the floor next to the bed Julia was resting in. Ray was in shock, having never seen me this shattered before. I find myself hauled into the chair by Julia's bed and arms around my neck. "Don't worry Kai." Ray soothes, stroking my matted hair in hopes of calming me. "Julia's strong. She'll come back to you and Gou soon I'm sure. Until then, you have to look after Gou. We'll help you. It'll be hard but you've got us. I'll…give you some privacy." "No." The word sounded harsh but in truth my voice was just struggling to cope. "Please Ray. I can't do this alone." "It's alright. If you want me to stay I will." I utter a quiet thank you to my closest friend before drifting to sleep myself. From what I can tell Ray stands by my side for hours holding me protectively to his lower torso muttering a prayer in Chinese.

For the next week I stay at the hospital at Julia's side. Gou was doing well and could go home soon. I prayed every night for Julia to wake up but nothing happened. Everyone had worked out a rota behind my back on who would stay with Julia and when. They even decided to look after Gou if I wanted to stay the night with her but I told them it wouldn't be necessary right now. I was thankful though. I would not ask for help so they took the initiative for me. I really don't deserve the friends I have. After all I did to them in the past. They came back stronger whenever I pushed them away. Eventually I just stopped fighting against their will. It's Monday and I'm taking Gou home for the first time. Raul is staying with Julia tonight. I set Gou down in his mosey basket and move to walk away. Just my luck, he wakes up and starts screaming for a bottle. Ray and Emily had tagged along after seeing how tired I was. They told me to rest and not worry about Gou for a little while. He would not calm for Emily. Maybe Gou knew his mother wasn't here and craved to feel her skin against his own. In the end I took him to bed with me where he finally settled down. Looking down at my week old son unlocks doors in my memory. Mainly sensations I'd forgotten. Namingly the softness of my mother's skin. Hopefully I won't be playing two roles for long. On Julia's pillow sat her beyblade, Thunder Pegasus. The bitchip shone with a warm light that embraced both me and the infant in my arms. I realised then that it knew what was going on. Rolling over I rummage in my bedside cabinet in the middle draw. From it I remove Dranzer and place her between me and Gou. Her image immediately began glowing and the aura spreads to cover us. Gou whimpers a little at the new rush of warmth but he settles quickly, his chubby fingers around my fore finger. I'd be experiencing a lot of moments like this for a while.

That's the first chapter up and done. Number two should be along shortly. This was originally going to be a two chapter fic but I ended up getting more ideas.

If you are confused about how much time goes by, do not worry. I am doing this on purpose to make things short. I plan on chapter three being from Gou's POV (I know I'm telling you a chapter early but there'll be a reminder in chapter two.) Anyway, I'd be grateful for your views and opinions.

Shadow out.