"...keep it."

I can feel the tension just vanishing, now that I've given a definite answer.

The doctor stares hard into my face," Miss Arisato, are you 100% sure this is what you want?"

I nod, "Yes." I can feel Junpei gripping my hand tightly.

The doctor smiles, "If that is your choice, I guess, I can say congratulations now."

I giggle and look at the floor, "Yeah... I guess so."

The doctor walks to his desk and starts to write on my sheet. When he is finished he then hands me the parent care leaflet. "You might want to keep that."

I accept it gratefully.

The doctor sits again and starts giving me instructions.

"Now, as I have already told you the embryo is still too small to be seen on an ultrasound, but we should be able to see it and maybe the heartbeat by the end of next week."

I gawk at him, "A h-heartbeat? So soon?"

He nods, "Yes, so I would advise, if you want to see it, to make an appointment with an obstetrician and they can perform a scan at 6 and a half weeks. Though your first official scan should be at 12 weeks."

I take all this information in.

"Oh and Miss Arisato, I would advise you start taking Iron supplements, as a lot of pregnant women suffer from the Iron deficiency, Anemia and also Vitamin D supplements, as a deficiency in Vitamin D is also common… and can be life threatening."

I gulp. Life threatening?...Crap.

"Stay away from soft cheeses such as Bree, as the chances of it containing the harmful bacteria, Listeria, is very high, so it isn't safe to eat. Also avoid Liver, as it contains a high amount of Vitamin A, and too much Vitamin A is very harmful to an unborn child and increases the chance of miscarriage."

At this point I'm frozen to my seat, staring at the doctor in frightened awe at all the knowledge he is giving me. The doctor notices my stillness.

"Don't let me frighten you though, the leaflet will tell you all you can do and everything you can't, and besides, most women enjoy pregnancy, it is just a minor few who are miserable."

I look at the doctor with an expression that says, that-is-supposed-to-be-comfort?!

Junpei is the first to stand and thanks the doctor profusely as he shakes his hand. I follow soon after. I shake his hand and he hands me the sheet.

"Take this to reception would you? Just give it to Kyoko sitting at the desk and she will put it away."

I nod and say our last minute thanks and goodbyes.

Junpei and I walk down the hall, down the stairs and to the front desk in silence.

The same woman is sitting there from before. I walk up to the front desk and hand the sheet in. She audibly sighs, sets her magazine down and takes the sheet. She skims her eyes across it and pauses for a second. She goes to put my sheet in a baby pink folder, while at the same time her eyes flicker to my tummy. My eyes narrow slightly. She finishes filing the sheet and looks up at me.

"I guess I should say, 'congratulations'…. right?" She says in a nasally voice, dripping in sarcasm.

My eyes narrow into slits and I say in a cold voice, "Yeah, you should, if you were actually capable of being polite." And without another word, I turn on my heels and storm off towards Junpei. He immediately sees I'm pissed off and he glances at the woman, who by now is giving us a look of loathing. I walk through the front doors and Junpei follows after, he grabs my arm when we are out of sight of the centre.

"Hey, hey, slow down. Now tell me what happened." I try to shake him off.

"Nothing, just that stupid woman."

"What did she do?"

I sigh angrily, "She was just being a big bitch, okay. Can we drop it?"

He lets me go and nods, "Ok."

We continue to walk down the street in silence, until,

"So, you're not going to talk about your decision, huh?"

I look at Junpei, " What is there to discuss?"

He looks astonished, "Hmm, a lot actually."

I sigh and rub my head with one of my hands.

"I don't wanna discuss it now, I'm too tired."

He folds his arms, "Okkkk, but you know you HAVE to talk about it sooner rather than later, right."

"Just forget about, Junpei, I'll deal with everything myself."

His brow crinkles, "What is 'everything'?"

"You know, school, work and the doctors… etc etc."

He stares at me then, "Your fucking batty…."

I stop dead, what did he say? IM batty… ME?! Oh fuck no.

"What the hell is your problem?!"

He looks angry now, "Oh, I don't know... How about in a few months you are going to have a frickin' baby! And you don't seem to care!"

I glare at him, "I do fucking care! Besides, you said you didn't judge me!"

"I'm judging you now though."

I recoil like I had been slapped. He… is judging me? I thought he said…. he would support me. I try to smooth my face into an emotionless mask.

"Fine, Junpei, that's ok, I never asked for your help. From now on it's just me and my baby, as it should be."

I start to power walk down the street, but I hear him call after me and the sound of footsteps hitting the pavement. I felt a hand grab my arm. I lash out at him, but he holds tight. I start to hit him but he still doesn't let go, but he makes audible noises of pain each time I whack him, which I take extreme pleasure out of. He fights my flailing arms until he is holding both by hands down. He stares hard into my face.

" Will you let me explain, you bloody fool!"

I thrash in his grasp. " You… don't… have.. to… explain! I… get…it!"

He curses under his breath, "Mina, I didn't mean it like that! I meant I'm judging you because you are still, after all this time, trying to push people away!"

I stop thrashing and stand completely still… what?

He continues, obviously pleased with my reaction. "You are so set in keeping distance from others just to keep them happy, but what about you? You're so sociable, you're probably miserable now."

I keep my head down.

"Please, please don't push us away, don't be like a ghost again, please…." He reduces to begging me… just like last time. I understand his fears, he believes that I'll turn into what I was when Shinji was shot, alive… yet not really living.

"I want to help you, but why don't you want to be helped?"His face crumples, "Don't you trust me?"

I can barely stop the tears from falling, "I do trust you… I trust all of you…. but I don't want to rely on someone… and then lose them."

He looks taken aback. "Huh?"

I sigh, "My parents, my bitch of an aunt…. and Shinji. I loved and depended on them…. but they all left me on my own. I couldn't bear it if anything like that happened to the rest of you. So I wanted to do most of the stuff on my own. So I wouldn't worry you, I would try to be happy, I didn't want you to hurt because of me."

He groans, "You have to let us in Minako, you need someone to confide in, if you don't, sooner or later, the stress will end up making you miserable." He looks sheepish. "I can't promise you everybody will understand right away….. but they would want you to be happy… and so would Shinjiro-senpai.

I blink the tears from my eyes. I cry too easily these days. I whisper. "Thank you Jun." And hug him in the middle of the street. He hugs me right back. When we let go of each other. I smile at him.

"I don't want to discuss my decision today, but…. maybe sooner, rather than later.

He nods understandably. I look up and see the large Hospital off in the distance. I bite my lip. "Hey, Jun?"

"Yeah."

"I am going to the hospital for a bit, ok?"

He looks confused, but realisation dawns on his face, he nods again, "Sure, I'll see you at the dorm…. tell him 'hi' from me, ok?"

"Ok."

Junpei and I part ways at the intersection, and I make my way to the hospital . The walk to the hospital was only 15 minutes long, and gave me plenty of time to think of what I was going to say.

When I arrive, I walk to the elevator and I make my way up to ICU. When I get there, there is still almost 20 minutes of visiting time left. I make my way to his room. I am so familiar with the way now, I don't need a nurse to help anymore. I stand outside his door for a second, preparing myself, and then push it open.

He lay there, sleeping, as always, looking so vulnerable, and yet still looking so strong. He wore an oxygen mask to keep his breathing regulated. I walked up to him slowly. The flowers I had brought with me last them had been replaced with fresh ones, probably by Ken or Mitsuru. I reached out tentatively and gently tucked a strand of hair beside his ear. I whisper, "Hello, Shinji."

I started my usual routine of making sure he was tucked into his sheets properly, I chatted away, telling him how soft the sheets felt and maybe he was too comfortable. Next I checked to see if his pajamas were fixed properly on him. After I was sure he was comfortable. I sat in the chair on the right side of his bed, next to the window.

I gazed into his sleeping face.

"Shinji, I have something important to tell you." I said quietly. "I wasn't exactly sure earlier, but I definitely know now… I'm pregnant."

He didn't move. I took hold of his hand… his fingers didn't curl around mine, "You're going to be a daddy…. Isn't that exciting?" He didn't answer. I took a shaky breath, "I can't get my first scan until next week, as the baby is too small to be seen at the moment, but I'll get a picture and bring it here, so you can see him… or her all the time." I smiled…. but he didn't smile back.

I swallow a lump in my throat. "I-I went to the doctors today. I went with Junpei….. the receptionist was a real bitch, but the doctor was very kind, and we talked all about the baby, and the stuff I can and can't eat. You would have a real fun time trying to find food that is good for me AND food that I would actually eat, cause as you know, I can be a strict carnivore." I grin at him. He doesn't even blink. I force the smile to stay in place. "He gave me a leaflet, it is supposed to have all the basics to taking care of small babies." I hold the leaflet up to him. I want him to reach out and take it, but of course, he doesn't. I put it back in my bag. Then I look back up at him.

"I have morning sickness, nearly every morning now, but I learnt in school it should end around the 3rd month, so I really shouldn't complain too much."

I look up at his face and it remains smooth and peaceful. I look down at my flat tummy. "I wonder if it will be a he or she? If it's a he, I think he'll be more like you…. actually maybe I shouldn't say that, I don't want you to pass your grumpiness of to our kid!" I laugh a little at his expense. My laughter soon starts to sound like a choking sound, so I stop, and grip his hand tighter.

"When I was at the doctors, I started to imagine our little family. You, me and the baby. I thought of family holidays and Christmases' and all that stuff." I take a breath. "I told Junpei all that stuff, but I didn't tell him all of it, so keep this a secret…ok?" His heart monitor continued to beep, I took that as a yes.

"I thought of our baby and you… just together…. bonding. I thought of all the things you would teach him or her, and not just cooking either. I thought of his or her future, graduating college? Maybe? Or maybe opening up their own business- just letting their dreams guide them."

I feel a stinging behind my eyes, but I refuse to cry. "I thought of if they ever got married, you and I would be there, I would probably cry, of course, hell, you might too! Cause I know you're just a softie at heart."

I stroke his hand with my thumb. "If it was a she, you would walk her down the aisle. And give her away to her finacée, I know it would kill you inside, but at least you would know there was someone else out there that loved her almost as much as you do."

I swallow another lump in my throat and my voice begins to crack. "I know if he or she was ever scared or sad, you would be there to hug them close and tell them everything was going to be alright. They'd know they were loved and we would both protect them."

I take another breath. " You know why I thought of all this? Because I know you would be an amazing dad….," I start to feel a tear trickle down my cheek,"… and I realised just how much I wanted to keep our child, because I only just managed to realise that I love them, so so much, and I want them to have a happy life ." I feel a another tear drop down my face." But I'm so scared you'll never wake up, to meet them and that they will never know you."

I lean over bury my face into his arm. "Please, please, please, come back, please wake up….. I need you….." I bring his hand down to rest on my stomach. "They need you…. so please, come back to us."

He doesn't even twitch.

My face crumples and I bury my head in the sheets and bawl.

After I finish crying, I don't know how long I sit there and just stare into space before I hear a nurse enter the room.

"Dear, visiting hours are finishing now, I'm going to have to ask you to go" I wipe my face and nod, I stand up, lean forward and kiss him on the forehead.

"I'll be back soon." I whisper. And then I walk out of the door, the ICU and the hospital. I don't want to go back to the dorm yet and face the others in my state. So instead I head to Paulownia Mall and, while there I decide to talk to the monk, Mutatsu, in Club Escapade. I find him in his usual spot. He scolds me from coming on a school night, but soon starts to tell me about his wife and son. He tells me he is thinking of hiring someone to find them. I encourage him and tell him to try and beg for a second chance. He pounders over my suggestions, thanks me and then tells me to go home and study. I leave him, in a better mood than earlier.

I go back to the dorm and find only Yukari and Ken in the lounge.

Yukari looks up when I approach, "Hey there, where have you been?"

I shrug, "Nowhere, really, I went to the hospital for a while, though."

She looks at me with sympathy, "How is he?"

I plop down into an armchair. "He's ok, nothing's changed."

Yukari nods and drops the subject. Sometimes Yukari can annoy me, but I do appreciate her looking out for me and being interested in Shinjis recovery.

Ken continues to stare at the T.V. screen and drink something from a blue cup, I know he still feels guilty about what happened to Shinji and I sometimes get the feeling he doesn't know how to act around me. I said some terrible stuff to him when Shinji first went into hospital, all that I regret now. I try my best to make it up to him and make him see I don't blame him anymore.

"Whatcha' drinking, Ken? I ask him. He looks up, like a deer caught in headlights.

"Umm, just coffee."

"What? You're in Elementary school Ken, I didn't start to drink coffee until the second year of Middle school."

He shrugs sheepishly, "I-I just like the taste, and besides everybody else here drinks it, so why shouldn't I?

I raise my eyebrow, but say nothing.

… Man I wish I could have some coffee. Stupid No caffeine rule….

I sigh and pull myself out of the chair and walk over to the kitchen, I dig around in the fridge and find a salad with a sticker on it saying, 'Yukari's' on it. I ignore the implied warning and peel the sticker off and throw it in the bin. I then sit at the table and begin to eat it. After I finish I throw the evidence in the bin.

I place my hands on my hips. I'm still bloody hungry!

I root around in the cupboards but only find ingredients, cooking something takes time…. and I don't want to wait. I sigh and decide to give up. I make my way up the stairs to the second floor and sit at the tables in front of the vending machines. I start to draw up a training schedule in my head for tonight, as it is the last night in Tartarus before we end the Dark Hour. I take a moment to reflect on this.

The Dark Hour, finally over. If it wasn't for the Dark Hour, we would all probably just be living our normal lives… but if it wasn't for the Dark Hour, we all probably would not have met. I suddenly feel something wet on my hand, I look down to see Koromaru sitting by my side wagging his tail. I rub his ears.

"Hello boy." He continues to pant beside me. I turn my body towards him. He stops wagging his tail almost immediately. He then leaned his head in and started to sniff me, when he reached my abdomen, his tail started to wag again.

I was astonished, "You know, don't you boy? Koromaru barks once as if to say, 'yes.' I continued to rub his head. Koromaru could literally smell I was pregnant. I really didn't know dogs could do that.

I got up from the chair and made my way up to my room, with Koro-chan hot on my heels. When I was inside, I quickly went onto Google and typed in, 'Can dogs smell when you are pregnant?' And clicked enter.

After about
two minutes of looking I found out that, yes dogs can smell and hear the baby inside the mother and can even smell the change of hormones in the woman. I look down at Koromaru.

"You're a really strange animal, you know that?"

Koro-chan just tilts his head to the side. I giggle at him.

"Well Koro-chan, that's you and Junpei, 2 down, 6 to go."

I shut down my computer, and leave my room with Koro-chan, and head downstairs to the vending machines. I see Fuuka and Junpei sitting there and chatting.

"Hey guys." I say brightly. They both look up.

"Yo, Mina-tan."

"Hello, Minako-chan." I sit down on the bench next to Fuuka.

"So what are we discussing?" I ask as I lean my elbows on the table and hold my head up in my hands.

"Well, Minako-chan, we were talking about what we will do tomorrow, after the battle is over." Fuuka says in her gentle voice.

I grimace, "I think all I want to do is sleep after that."

Junpei tutts and shakes his head. "Come on Minako, live a little! There is plenty of time to sleep, after the party!"

I look at him pointedly," I think I'll be fine, thanks all the same."

Junpei either is too stupid to take my hints, or is ignoring them. For his sake, I hope it's not former.

Junpei continues to prattle on, "Dude, we should totally get Mitsuru-senpai to get sushi!" This catches my attention.

"Sushi?! I frickin' love sushi! Can we have the party tomorrow or the day after!"

Fuuka looks confused then, "But Minako-chan, won't we all be a little tired?"

I turn to her, my mood not at all dampened. "Who gives a crap?! There's free sushi involved!" Junpei woops.

"That's the spirit!"

Fuuka looks a little out of place but ends up giggling at our antics, she even joins when we go up to Mitsuru-senpais room and start to chant 'Sushi' outside her door. Mitsuru comes out a few minutes later with the threat of executing us and we all scuttle off as fast as we can.

When Midnight hits, We all make our way to Tartarus. I could tell that Junpei still didn't know what to say about me training, so I pulled him to the side.

"Jun, please don't make this harder for me than it should be, I know I shouldn't be training, really, but I have to, you understand, right."

He just sighs and says, "Yeah I know, sorry, but I'm gonna watch your back okay, now that your gonna keep the kid, lets just make sure he stays in one piece."

I smile at him," Or she, don't forget, it could be a girl rather than a boy."

He gets a mischievous grin, "Or you could have both."

My eyes widen, "Shut up! Don't jinx me!"

He just laughs and we continue on to Tartarus.

We spend nearly an hour in there before we call it quits.

As we leave, I take one last look at Tartarus.

"Goodbye, Tartarus," I whisper, "Thanks for the injuries….. but thank you for my friends."

I feel Junpei sling his arm around my shoulders and I do the same to him, then we tried to do a three- legged walk home while singing, 'We will rock you' by Queen.

When I climb into bed, later on, I can't help but feel kinda excited for tomorrow…. and quite scared. I place my hand on my belly and smile.

I think I will be just fine.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000

A/N There you go, we will see if she regrets her decision or not. Don't forget, reviews do make the writer very happy :)