Author's Notes:

I don't own Citrus or any of its characters, no copyright is intended.

This story is set after the events of another called 'Whatever The Future May Bring', so please go and read that story before reading this one so that you will be caught up on everything that has happened so far.

Italics - Means the person is thinking.

Summary for one-shot:

Almost five months has passed since we last checked in with the little family planning to buy a house of their own together and have a second baby, now the three of them have been living in their new house for almost a month, Yuzu is just under five months pregnant with their second child and has a small baby bump growing. Maiya is almost a couple of weeks away from her second birthday and in only a couple of years Mei will take over her Grandfather's place as 'The head of the family business'. And so while their lives are seeming to move forward at quite the fast pace in this one-shot Yuzu comes to really understand the kind of feelings Mei once went through when she was expecting their first child amost two years ago. (Also if you are wondering Matsuri has now graduated from highschool and is currently looking for a job)

This story contains 'Science babies', don't question it, just enjoy it. ^_^

Warning: This contains yuri (girl x girl) pairings, don't like? Don't read simple otherwise enjoy. ;)

...

Late morning having already passed by now, however Yuzu being unaware of this at the moment as the blinding light of the sun's rays were being shielded by the dark purple curtains covering the large window in the bedroom, so that the blonde could sleep without something disturbing her. Unfortunately that not entirely seeming to be the case as another distraction was causing the young Mother to stir in her peaceful rest slightly.

A nagging pain starting to bother her as she soon opened her emerald eyes, blinking a couple of times until her version cleared and settled on the dimly-lit room. Groaning slightly and rolling over on the double bed, reaching her hand over to the other side of her bed, only to sigh heavily and frown when finding out that the space beside her was empty, and missing of her beloved wife who would normally be laying there. Slowly moving to sit up as she stretched and let a yawn escape, before wincing at another sharp pain shooting through her lower abdomen, resting a hand on her swollen stomach and rubbing it a little, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Good morning to you too," her voice coming out in a low tone, giving out a small chuckle when feeling the familiar sensation of the growing unborn baby kicking against her hand from inside her, clearly showing that she was also awake right now.

The blonde running a hand through her long hair, feeling like she should maybe stay in bed for a little bit longer since she was still tired at the moment, but soon shook that thought out of her mind as she wanted to see her wife and young daughter more than going back to sleep for a couple more hours. Shrugging her shoulders as she climbed out of the double bed, leaving her bedroom and heading to the bathroom to give her face a quick wash, before making her way into the kitchen and dining area, hearing that that was obviously where Mei and Maiya currently were.

Standing by the skin in the kitchen Mei rested her hands on her hips as she had just finished making her wife's breakfast for her, as she let out a satisfied sigh, before turning back to her one year old daughter sitting in her yellow, wooden high-chair, seeing her happily eating her breakfast and babbling to herself. A small smile forming on the young Mother's lips, before her eyes caught the sight of Yuzu entering the kitchen and dining area, causing Mei to glance to her wife and greet her contently while the blonde came over to plant a light 'Good morning' kiss on the younger girl's forehead.

"How come you didn't get me up when you woke up?"

Yuzu asked as she leaned against the kitchen counter, looking to the freshly made breakfast Mei had made her and licked her lips, glad that her slight morning sickness was no longer causing her to avoid eating, knowing that she was lucky to not have it as bad as Mei had when she was carrying Maiya it seemed.

"Well you were tired so I decided to leave you sleeping for a little longer, besides I only got up because I heard that Maiya was awake and was calling and crying for me to come get her out of her cot," the younger girl explained as she gave a slight glance to their one year old daughter, while little Maiya happily looked to her two Mothers and smiled to them both, baby food and butter from her toast covering her cheeks as it looked like she had gotten more of her breakfast on her face than actually in her mouth at all.

"I wouldn't have minded helping you with her,"

The blonde said not wanting Mei to go out of her way to look after their young daughter by herself, when she was at home and would be more than happy to help out if she could. However Mei just shaking her head in response, brushing off Yuzu's offer as she just smiled to her slightly and walked over to Maiya's high-chair a moment later.

"Its fine Yuzu, it was only for a little while. Plus I think you need more sleep than me at the moment since I can easily remember how tired I was when I was expecting Maiya," the younger girl simply stated as she soon cleaned up their young daughter's messy face, wiping the tray connected to her high-chair, before lifting the smiling one year old out and putting her down on the floor, so that she could run off to play with her toys in the lounge.

Shrugging her shoulders slightly Yuzu looked like she wanted to say something about this subject to Mei, but decided to refrain from going on about it all, instead just taking her breakfast with her and sat down at the dining table, beginning to tuck in happily as she was clearly glad to be satisfying her empty stomach.

While Mei walked back into the kitchen and started to wash the dirty dishes from her own as well as Maiya's breakfast, the cheerful one year old having wandered back into the kitchen and dining area, as she sat of the floor happily playing with one of her many teddy bears that her family and friends had gifted to her, her two Mothers glancing down to her every so often just to be sure she wasn't getting herself into troubled at all.

"By the way what time are you going to see your Granddad today?" Yuzu asked as she hungrily ate her freshly made toast and boiled eggs, knowing that Mei couldn't cook as well as she could, but was more than overjoyed to eat something that her beloved wife had made for her no matter how it may taste, and honestly it really wasn't bad at all.

"Actually...I think I need to talk to you about that," Pausing a little Mei sighed as she turned from the kitchen sink and looked to the blonde, causing Yuzu to raise her eyebrow slightly, Mei's voice seeming to have a bit of a nervous tone to it.

"I know you haven't been getting that much sleep lately and you were only able to get a long weekend off from work, before you have to go back again. So I was thinking in order for you to have no distractions while you relax...I could take Maiya along with me to visit my Grandfather," she explained as Yuzu widened her eyes a little and looked a bit taken aback about the younger girl's suggestion that she had come up with.

"Are you sure? It might be easier for you to leave Maiya-chan here and let me take care of her by myself; after all I wouldn't mind it at all-

"I know, I know Yuzu but...I...I want you to get more rest, it'll be better for both you and the baby if you do, and you know if I did leave you here alone with Maiya she most likely wouldn't let you have a moments rest. In fact she probably much rather have you play with her the whole time that I'll be gone," the younger girl trying to reason with her wife, causing the blonde to give her a bit of a anxious gaze in reply, it being obvious that she didn't want to trouble Mei with having to take young Maiya along with her, however she could see where Mei was coming from at the moment and understood that she was only thinking of her and their unborn child right now rather than herself really.

Thinking to herself for a few moments more Yuzu still looked like she was going to protest and not go along with Mei's offer, despite she knew the younger girl was doing this for her benefit, but before she could refuse the suggestion Mei cut her off and gestured to their one year old daughter, who was still contently entertaining herself on the dining room floor.

"Besides I've already talked to Maiya about it, and she seems more than happy to come with me," she added as she folded her arms across her chest and caused Yuzu to chuckle a little as she glanced down to their young daughter, catching the one year old's attention a moment later when she called to her simply.

"Oh yeah, Maiya-chan do you want to stay here with your Mommy..." Yuzu paused as she pointed to herself so that Maiya would luckily understand her better, as she just gazed up to her blonde Mother, tilting her head to the side ever so slightly as a wondering expression rested on her face, "or...do you want to go and see your Great granddad with your Mama?" the blonde asked pointing to Mei instead and causing Maiya to look to her birth Mother, Yuzu having a bit of a nervous smile at the moment seeming unsure of herself, only to sigh in defeat when she got her answer soon afterwards from their young daughter.

"Maiya-chan go with Mama,"

The smiling one year old simply replied with her usual beaming grin, causing the blonde to frown slightly, but soon just shrugging her shoulders, guessing that she really shouldn't have been surprised by her daughter's response when it came to the choice of staying at home, or getting the chance to go outside her answer seemed easy enough to know.

"Figures, I should have guessed that's what her answer would be," thinking out loud more to herself Yuzu glanced back to Mei, as she just softened her expression and came to sit beside the blonde at the dining table, resting a caring hand over her's and causing Yuzu to look back to her with an unsure gaze still it seemed.

"I'll be fine with her Yuzu, and I'm sure my Grandfather would like to see her again, he hasn't seen her in months after all. You just get some sleep okay?" Mei giving Yuzu a reassuring smile, causing the blonde to bite her bottom lip a little, seeming like she was hesitating still, but soon just figured that she should give in since she knew Mei likely wasn't going to let Yuzu sway her at all this time. Nodding in response and letting a slight smile form on her lips, while the younger girl just sighed out of relief and embraced her pregnant wife, holding her close as she could feel the blonde nuzzling into her neck lovingly.

"We'll be back when you wake up, okay?"

The younger girl added as she caused Yuzu to just nod back to her with a softer smile, before she hugged Mei back tightly and kissed her cheek lightly, knowing that she didn't really need to worry about anything and should just take Mei's advice and focus more on herself for now. After all it was true that she really hadn't be sleeping well for weeks, and it would most likely start taking its toll on her soon enough if she didn't take this chance and try to improve just how much rest she was currently getting.

...

It not being long before Mei and Maiya soon left for Mei's Grandfather's manor, going to talk to him more about Mei taking over his role as 'head of the family business' once he had retired, leaving Yuzu to now head back to bed once she had finished her breakfast. She had been trying to get a couple more hours sleep, since that is exactly the reason why Mei had decided to let her have the house to herself for a little while, but it just seemed like because Yuzu had already woken up earlier that's how she was going to stay as far as her body was concerned at least.

Sighing heavily Yuzu sat up on her and Mei's double bed, having spent the past twenty minutes tossing and trying to get some more rest, but since that clearly wasn't working out for her at all, she decided to leave her bedroom and go to sit down on the sofa in the lounge instead. Picking up the remote control from the coffee table and flipping through a few of the T.V channels for a few minutes, before the blonde just threw the remote to lie on the space beside her, while she sat back against the sofa cushions and glanced up to the ceiling feeling like she really didn't know just what she should do with herself at the moment.

Soon feeling a slight stinging pain beginning to bother her once again as she looked down to her swollen stomach and rested a hand over where her navel was, rubbing slowly and letting a small smile form on her lips, "I imagine you're feeling just as unsettled as I am right now huh?" she thought out loud in a low voice as her stomach cramps mixed with the little kicks she would receive from her unborn baby every so often, causing her to guess her troubles and lack of sleep was most definitely getting noticed by the growing infant inside of her, and seemed to be having quite the affect on them just like it was for the exhausted blonde.

'I wonder if Harumin's free today...maybe I should call her up...' she thought to herself as she let another deep sigh leave her lips, before she took her mobile phone out of her pocket and quickly called up her best friend, putting the phone up to her ear and waiting while it rang about three times, hoping that the brunette would answer so that she would have someone to talk to at least.

"Hey Yuzucchi, what's up?"

Upon hearing her best friend's cheerful voice on the other line the blonde let a sigh of relief leave her lips, before just smiling slightly and greeting Harumi happily so that the brunette wouldn't get concerned at all from Yuzu not responding to her right away when she was the one that had called her up.

"Hey Harumin, I'm doing okay...are you busy right now?"

Yuzu asked in a bit of a nervous tone as she hoped she wasn't disturbing Harumi's day at all and clearly wanting some company at the moment, causing the brunette on the other line to raise her eyebrow slightly in response, before she simply replied a moment later.

"No not really, why is something the matter?"

"Oh no, there's nothing to worry about...it's just...Mei has gone to see her Granddad today and she's taken Maiya along with her. It's not a big deal...but they'll likely be gone for a little while and..." Yuzu explained speaking in a bit of a rushed voice as she didn't want to worry Harumi at all, however ended up trailing off nervously, as she knew she probably sounded quite pitiful at the moment calling her up like this just so that she would have someone to talk to, and fill the silence that had fallen on her since Mei had left with their young daughter a little while ago.

"And you want me to come round and keep you company until they come back right?" Harumi seeming to easily tell what the blonde was thinking at the moment, causing Yuzu to widen her eyes a little as she was about to defend herself, however just shaking her head knowing that the brunette was right after all.

"Yeah, can you?" she asked as Harumi could easily hear the hopeful tone in the blonde's voice, causing her to chuckle slightly in response, making it obvious that she knew Yuzu too well by this point to not guess what she was wanting in her time of need right now.

"Sure, I'll be there in fifteen minutes tops," the brunette simply stated with a nod and a smile, before Yuzu just smiled as well, glad that she wouldn't be by herself for much longer now that she knew Harumi would be joining her soon enough.

"Thank you Harumin,"

Replying in a soft spoken tone Yuzu hearing her best friend just telling her that it was 'no problem really', before their call soon ended and the blonde put her mobile phone back into her pocket, leaning back against the sofa cushions while she waited for the brunette to come knocking at her front door and hang out with her for the time being until her wife and daughter would return back home to her.

It looking like Yuzu wouldn't have to wait for long at all as Harumi showed up knocking on the front door fifteen minutes later just like she had said she would, the blonde calling her to 'Come in' as she gazed in the direction of the front door, hearing the door open and close before soon seeing her best friend come walking into the lounge greeting her happily. Smiling to Yuzu as she came to sit down beside her on the sofa, while Yuzu just smiled back to her in return.

"Where's Matsuri?"

The blonde asked looking like she was already much more relaxed than she was earlier when she was sitting by herself a little while ago, as Harumi just leaned back against the sofa cushions and guessed Yuzu was just trying to make conversation at the moment so that they weren't sitting in silence, like she had probably been until the brunette had turned up at the door.

"She's in a job interview at my work, but it's only for part-time and not a full time job like what I have in the sales company," Harumi simply answered as her smile softened when talking about her girlfriend, it being clear that she was proud of Matsuri and maybe a little nervous for her as well.

"Well I hope it all goes well for her, I know she has been looking for a job for quite a while now,"

"Yeah she keeps saying as soon as she gets a job we can start saving up for a house together and finally move out of my sister's place," the brunette chuckled slightly as she thought about how her girlfriend seemed to have everything all thought out when it came to planning for their future together, causing Yuzu to chuckle as well, glad to know that her and Mei weren't the only ones moving forward in their lives and working towards a goal for the near future.

"So how are you by the way? How's pregnancy treating you, anymore morning sickness at all?" changing the subject a bit Harumi propped herself up on her elbow, resting it on top of the sofa cushions, as she gestured to Yuzu's swollen stomach, and caused her to just sigh slightly when thinking about all that she had been going through lately with carrying her and Mei's unborn baby, feeling like her symptoms luckily weren't as troubling as Mei had back when she was pregnant with Maiya.

"No luckily the morning sickness and weird cravings for fizzy drinks and salty foods have mostly disappeared now, and although the cramps and constant kicking can be quite bothersome sometimes, the only symptom that's really giving me trouble at the moment is the fact that my sleeping pattern is really messed up and I'm not sure if it's going to improve anytime soon unfortunately," Yuzu explained as she glanced down to her swollen stomach and rubbed it a little again, still feeling slight cramps mixed with light kicks hitting her lower abdomen every so often, feeling that although they were annoying they were bearable and much less troubling than her exhaustion was at this current moment.

Harumi not feeling like she should say anything, guessing that she couldn't really say anything that would make the blonde feel better, and so just gave Yuzu an understanding expression and rested a caring hand over her's, letting her friend just vent to her while also making sure she knew she was here for her and didn't need to bottle anything up at all. The young Mother just smiling back to the brunette as she tightly held on to her hand and mentally thanked her for being here, before she soon continued on, clearly being glad that she could just get all this off of her chest and knew she wouldn't be judged for it or anything.

"I'm not sure what it is, but I'm only able to sleep for about four or five hours at most and then once I'm awake I can't get back to sleep again at all, now I'm exhausted most days and...that's why Mei left me alone here today; she told me to get some more rest and took Maiya along with her so that I wouldn't be disturbed by her at all. But it honestly doesn't seem like it would've mattered at this point since it's obvious my body just doesn't want me to sleep for some unknown reason," the blonde sighing heavily as she felt defeated, not knowing what to do anymore about how bad her sleeping pattern was getting, knowing all too well just how badly it was affecting both her and the baby, but honestly not having any idea for how she could make sleeping easier for herself.

"Maybe you need to go and see the Doctor about it; I mean you could be causing yourself more stress and less sleep if you keep focusing on it all you know," suggesting with a bit of a concerned tone in her voice Harumi tried to think of way she could maybe help out her best friend, but seemed to be unsure of what she could do really since there wasn't much she would be able to try and help with, guessing that Yuzu had likely tried every option she could think of to make things improve with her sleep already.

Just nodding slightly Yuzu just shrugged her shoulders and turned away from Harumi in response, "I've already been to the Doctor, and she said as long as I try to rest more and take things easy as much as I can than my sleeping should start to get better, but...I'm normally busy with work and helping to take care of Maiya," she stated as she caused Harumi to look back to her with more of a curious expression, catching the blonde's attention and soon had her turning back to her again.

"Then what about today? Were you able to rest at all before you called me up?"

Looking a little hopeful Harumi still was trying to stay positive about this, and if there was any way she could be able to help the blonde at all, then she would definitely try it out. However Yuzu just shook her head in response and caused Harumi to look nervous, seeming a little defeated that even though Yuzu didn't have any disturbances stopping her from resting more, somehow she was still having quite the bit of trouble with this sleep issue of her's.

"I did try to earlier, but no matter what I tried I just couldn't get back off to sleep, and when I tried to just relax I just didn't have the motivation to do anything. And if I'm being honest I would have much rather preferred to have Mei and Maiya-chan here with me, I mean I know we've only been living here for a few weeks but...I think I get how lonely Mei used to feel back when she was pregnant with Maiya, and my Mom and I used to leave her alone whenever we went off to work for the day," seeming like she had gotten all of her troubling feelings and thoughts off her chest Yuzu just looked back to Harumi, kind of hoping she would have something encouraging to say to her in order to make her feel better about her current situation.

However the brunette just stayed silent as she was thinking to herself for a little while, before she just shrugged her shoulders and soon held both of her arms out towards the blonde, causing her to lean and settle into her best friend's comforting embrace and nuzzle into her slightly. Yuzu hearing a slight sigh escape Harumi's lips, it being kind of clear that she still was unsure of just what she should say at this point, not knowing what the right thing to say would be and so just staying quiet, and offering her shoulder for Yuzu to cry on instead.

The two close friends just staying in their embrace for a few minutes, before Harumi soon broke the silence that had fallen on them both, "Try talking to Mei about all this, I'm sure she will know what it's like to feel lonely in an empty house, and maybe she might have some ideas on how to solve your non-sleeping problem as well," she suggested with an encouraging smile to the blonde, causing her to nod slowly in reply as she looked back to the brunette and smiled to her in return.

"I hope so at least,"

The blonde thought out loud in a whispered tone, causing Harumi to still look concerned for her, also hopping that talking with her wife would just maybe help Yuzu out with the troubles that she was having at the moment. Yuzu knowing that it would be best to take her friend's advice and talk with Mei about her issues as soon as she returned home later on along with Maiya, so that maybe, just maybe things would improve with her sleeping and she wouldn't be so exhausted all the time, or at least give her more ideas about where to go from here.

...

Harumi staying with Yuzu, talking with her and keeping her company just like she had said she would until the blonde got a text from Mei, telling her that her and Maiya were on their way home and would be back with her soon enough. Thanking the brunette for staying with her and lending her an ear when she needed it, feeling so grateful for her as she watched her close friend leave and waved 'Goodbye' to her, before she walked back into the dining and kitchen area as she sat down at the dining table, waiting eagerly for her wife and daughter to arrive home again.

Finding that she wouldn't have to wait for very long at all as within only ten minutes after Harumi had left, Yuzu heard the front door swing open, followed by the cheerful voice of her young daughter calling out to her, causing her to get up from her chair and go to greet Mei and Maiya back home. Smiling when she saw the two standing in the entrance hallway, putting their shoes away before little Maiya happily beamed up to her blonde Mother and came running over to her quickly.

"Mommy! Maiya-chan is home!" the smiling one year old stated, as Yuzu just chuckled slightly and nodded back to her daughter, picking her up and cuddling her close, causing Maiya to happily nuzzle into her blonde Mother's neck, hugging her back tightly before Yuzu looked to Mei instead and softened her smile.

"Welcome home," the blonde spoke in a low tone as she just caused Mei to form her lips into a small smile, hugging Yuzu just as tightly as Maiya had done as the little family embraced one another for a few moments, before they all parted and walked into the lounge together.

"How is your Granddad Mei, did everything go okay with him?"

Yuzu asked as she put Maiya down on the floor so that she could entertain herself by playing with her toys, while her two Mothers sat together on the sofa and talked to each other, Mei just nodding in response as it was obvious she was happy to be back at home along with Maiya and Yuzu, clearly having missed Yuzu just like the blonde had her.

"He's doing good, and it went really well, seems like things are definitely starting to come together with me taking over the family business once my Grandfather retires in a couple of years. Plus I could tell he was happy to see Maiya again even if he didn't say it, and says he sends his best wishes for you and our second child," the younger girl explained with a content expression as she caused Yuzu to just smile in return, glad to hear that all had gone well with Mei's Grandfather and things were starting to fall into place for her future.

"That was really nice of him,"

"Yeah, so how were you while we were gone, did you get any more sleep at all?" Mei questioned, seeming to be quite eager to know if Yuzu had been able to get any rest while she had nothing to disturb her at all, however the blonde going quite as she looked nervous and turned away from the younger girl, causing Mei to gaze to her with a bit of a concerned expression.

Hesitating to answer at first Yuzu bit her bottom lip as she remembered what Harumi had told her, just shaking her head in reply and causing Mei to sigh in disappointment, looking like she was thinking to herself since this tacit of removing all distractions hadn't really helped with the blonde's sleeping troubles unfortunately. However before Mei could say anything in response Yuzu cut her off and spoke up instead, knowing that she needed to take Harumi's advice and tell the younger girl about what she had been feeling while she was gone, so that hopefully her and Mei could maybe think of another way to help with improving Yuzu's bad sleeping patterns.

"But then I wasn't really settled at all being here all by myself, I mean...I guess I didn't really get just how lonely an empty house can be until I experienced it for myself," she stated, smiling to Mei slightly and causing her to widen her eyes a little, realizing that Yuzu must have been feeling as lonely as she once had been while she was all alone in their home, seeing that she shouldn't have left the blonde when she needed her here, but then also felt kind of glad that Yuzu now knew exactly how she had felt whenever she had left for work and Mei was still pregnant with Maiya.

"It's quite the unexpected feeling...isn't it?" Mei asking after a short pause, softening her expression and caused Yuzu to turn back to her with a bit of a taken aback look, but soon just forming a smile on her lips, as she nodded in reply to the younger girl with seeing the understanding gaze that Mei had in her lavender eyes right now.

"Yeah, it was like I didn't know what to do with myself and just wanted you and Maiya back here with me. I eventually caved and called Harumi up to come and keep me company, honestly Mei...I don't know how you kept allowing yourself to be that lonely when I could have been there for you more," the blonde feeling disappointed in herself that she hadn't really understood just how lonely Mei had been without her until now, ashamed that it had taken her this long to realise it, but Mei simply just shaking her head in response, as she shrugged her shoulders and smiled back to Yuzu.

"It's a feeling that you learn to live with I guess, but then I knew you couldn't always be there for me and I knew I would never be alone for long..." pausing slightly Mei rested a caring hand on Yuzu's swollen stomach, causing the blonde to look back to her with a curious gaze, before the younger girl continued on a moment later, "and neither will you, Yuzu," she stated in a low tone as Yuzu just widened her emerald eyes, before smiling brightly and hugging Mei tightly, feeling her beloved wife nuzzling into her embrace and hugging her back soon enough.

The couple embracing each other in silence for a little while, holding the other close before they soon both sighed slightly and Mei spoke up, causing the blonde to glance back to her now, "But for now I think we should focus more on solving these issues you're having with your sleep, so I intend to be staying with you as much as I can until it is all sorted out. Maybe we should talk to your Mother about it all and see if she can help us," the younger girl suggested as she gave Yuzu more of an encouraging expression, causing her to just soften her smile and nod in reply, feeling relieved that she would have Mei with her to help her work through her sleeping problems at least, and likely wouldn't have to be without out her all that much just yet.

"That sounds like a good idea,"

Yuzu simply replied as she caused Mei to just smile back to her, before she kissed the younger girl on her forehead lightly, mentally thanking her while Mei just brought the blonde into another hug and let her rest against her chest, finally feeling that she was relaxed now. Yuzu nuzzled into her wife lovingly before they both looked back to their young daughter, who was still happily playing by herself while her usual beaming smiling was still resting on her lips, babbling to her teddy bears and other toys, as her two Mothers just sat wrapped in each other's arms and watched their precious daughter from the sofa together.

...

Hope you all enjoyed this first one-shot in this sequel series and the next one-shot should be up in about two weeks from now just you know.

Thank you all for reading by the way. ^_^

Killerchainsaw ;)