A/N: Oh man, I feel so bad for not having this done sooner. But I never did manage to get the files off of my computer (including the outline for this story! ;o;) So I had to rewrite everything I had for this chapter. I wanted to get this done soon, because last friday was the two-year anniversary for this story! ...It really shouldn't take two years to do twelve chapters, but I only write for fun, soo... I'm sorry about that. This chapter is very Peasley-centric, not quite as much as it could have been, since I pushed an entire scene to the next chapter, but enough that it was kind of strange to write. I also never thought I would be writing an OC paired with a cannon character. It's generally something I don't do, buuut...

You guys will let me know how it goes, right? I always get such kind reviews, and they really help to modivate me when I'm feeling like I can't continue. So thanks, everyone~!

Brave New World

Chapter Twelve: Family

"What are you doing here?" Elaine hissed. She stepped down from the train car carefully, and crossed her arms when he offered his hand to her. Even as she frowned at him, Peasley's lips upturned in a tentative smile.

She was as lovely as she had been all those months ago. Perhaps even more so, he contemplated. Her long, rich brown hair was pulled haphazardly into a bun; it was more attractive than any intricately knotted style he had seen on the women of his court. Her dark eyes were narrowed, piercing his heart in that way that only she could manage to do.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" Elaine's harsh tone drew him back to her. What was he supposed to tell her? Considering he had lied to her in the first place, anything he chose to tell her now would simply upset her more than she already was.

"Elaine. You're beautiful." The rosy tinge to her cheeks was visible even in the surrounding darkness.

"That... wasn't exactly what I had in mind." She turned her head, gazing out into the night, looking anywhere but Peasley's eyes. It was in that moment, as he let his eyes roam her body, that he finally noticed.

She was pregnant.

He dreaded the answer to the question he knew he had to ask next. "Ellie," Peasley began, pausing to swallow the lump in his throat. "You're pregnant." She tilted her head in agreement, refusing to speak. "Who is the father?"

"You know very well who the father is. Don't play dumb." Her eyes met his furiously, and Peasley's breath caught in his throat. "You just... disappeared. What happened?"

He wanted to tell her everything, to explain why he hadn't been able to stay with her at the time. That he was only in the Mushroom Kingdom at the time on business, that even now, he was only here because his pseudo-fiancee had gone missing. He had a feeling that if he told her about Daisy now, it wouldn't go over well. She was already infuriated with him, and in her current state he was risking losing their future together with the smallest of mistakes.

"It was... complicated. Elaine, please come back to the Beanbean Kingdom with me. I will explain everything. I promise." The corners of her lips upturned in a humorless smile.

"You always did have a way with words." The sarcasm in her words stung. He knew he would have no choice but to make the situation clear to her now. Even if it meant losing her.

Losing their child.

"I left that morning," He took a step closer, "Because I had to return to my Kingdom. I suppose... it is still under my mother's rule, but I shall be in charge soon enough." He watched the confusion flash through her eyes. She didn't speak, but waited for him to continue. He took it as a good sign that she hadn't turned and walked away yet. "I would like for you to return with me, to rule with me, Elaine."

Peasley remembered the night they met with perfect clarity.

After a long afternoon of negotiation with the rulers of the Mushroom and Sarasaland Kingdoms, Peasley was looking forward to an evening of solitude before setting off on the long journey home the following morning. The People of the Mushroom Kingdom had always fascinated him, and if given the opportunity he liked to wander the streets, simply observing the differences of his own Kingdom.

It had been on one of these trips that he had met Elaine. She was leaving one of the little shops lining the road, her arms full of supplies. His attention had been drawn to her by the adamant and very loud protesting she was doing as one of the shop keepers tried to help her out the door.

"It really isn't very far. Please, I can handle it myself." She was saying to the Toad as she stepped away. The Toad sighed, obviously defeated.

"Have a good day, then, miss." She smiled amicably at him as he closed the door, then turned around, taking a step.

And was promptly bumped into by two young Shy Guys, sending her armful of supplies flying into the street. Peasley had been watching the scene unfold from the opposite side and rushed quickly to her aid.

It was one of those things he often did subconsciously at first, flirting with her. After helping her gather her things before they were trampled by oncoming traffic, he had flashed her one of his winning smiles. She was instantly weary of his intentions, and tried to shake him the same way she had done the salestoad. But after watching her try to snatch the supplies he was holding back while her arms were still full and nearly drop everything once again, he had already found himself genuinely smitten.

Who was this woman, who was absolutely determined to do everything on her own? She had given him such a look of incredulity when he had offered to walk her to wherever she was going that he had to stop himself from laughing aloud. It was a pleasant surprise to meet a woman who wasn't instantly taken with his looks or his title. Against all her protesting and snippy comments, Peasley managed to convince her to allow him the pleasure of walking her home that evening.

But now she was here, standing before him with all of the consequences of that one evening spent together for the world to see. He had honestly come to terms with the fact that he would never find her again, and definitely not in her current state.

"Are you telling me that you're a prince?" Elaine asked skeptically, making the same face she'd made at him when they had first met. "That... is impossible. No. I will not go with you. I have a life here." She said decisively.

"Elaine, please. I love you. Marry me, Ellie, and come back and rule the Beanbean Kingdom by my side."

"No, no, no," She said, shaking her head. But her voice was frantic, and as Peasley took a step closer, he noticed she was clutching at her stomach. "No, not now." She turned her gaze up to his, her eyes wide and scared.

The baby was coming.

"You have to let me see her." Peasley snarled at Catherine.

"Sorry, no can do, hun. She specifically says she doesn't want to see you." The pitying expression on Catherine's face only served to irritate him even more. Granted, Peasley was fairly certain that Elaine hadn't told anyone here that he was the father of her child. Yet. They would know soon enough, though.

Catherine was only one of the girls making an effort to keep him away from Elaine. It was as if they had some sort of pact to stick together or something. If one of them wanted something, the full force of a dozen other females was sure to be behind it, as well. Peasley would have admired their will if it were any other situation, but this was his child they were preventing him from seeing.

Peasley's hope was raised as Daisy, looking bright-eyed and excited, if a little disheveled, walked briskly to the train car. Luigi trailed behind her, half asleep and probably only there because Daisy had forced him along.

She nearly barreled right past him, so focused on Catherine standing in the way of the door that she probably wouldn't have even noticed Peasley if it hadn't been for Luigi grabbing her shoulder and pointing out the fact that he was there.

"Oh, Peasley! What are you still doing here?" She stopped so suddenly that Luigi nearly ran into her back. Peasley had forgotten that he never told Daisy Elaine's name in all of the planning and plotting they had done.

He took her hand, "It's her, Daisy. Elaine." Behind them, Luigi was looking baffled, but Daisy immediately understood what he meant, her mood instantly sobering.

"Is the baby—"

"Yes."

She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Leave it to Daisy to be thrilled at this turn of events. Peasley could sense how uncomfortable Luigi was, being left in the dark and having to witness the scene in front of him. Peasley was fairly certain that Daisy hadn't yet told him about she and Peasley.

"I'll go see how she's doing for you." Daisy told him, pulling out of the embrace, but not before placing a quick peck on his cheek. With that, she hurried away, Catherine letting her into the room without a fuss. A flurry of voices were heard as the door was open and shut, then silence.

Peasley glanced at Luigi, who was standing to his side, hands shoved into his pockets and eyed Peasley back wearily. Peasley wasn't sure if it was the nerves he was experiencing due to finding Elaine once again, or if it was just long overdue that he speak with Luigi, but something made him speak up in the next moment.

"For your sake, I hope you intend to take care of her." The statement caught Luigi off guard. "My Daisy deserves the best. And if you cannot give that to her, you can be sure I will come after you." They stared each other down, trying to gauge the others' thoughts.

Peasley knew full well that Luigi didn't know what he was talking about. As far as he knew, Peasley and Daisy were engaged to be married. And that might have been the case, once upon a time. But the pair of them were good friends, and their engagement had simply been arranged by their parents. Marrying Daisy would be like marrying his sister. If he had one. It was just impossible.

"You aren't...going to marry her?" Luigi asked hesitantly.

"I will not marry Daisy. I love her, but certainly not in that manner. She is a wonderful woman, but I can assure you that our relationship is strictly platonic." Peasley paused, a small smile gracing his lips. "Even before she and you took off on this journey, I can still recall how she never seemed to stop talking about you." Luigi looked to the ground bashfully. "We never intended to get married, regardless of what our parents want."

"Then why go through all the trouble of running away? Why didn't you tell your parents no?" Luigi recalled the first night Daisy had come to him, the tears in her eyes and her frantic behavior. There was no way she could have faked her actions that night. If he was to believe what Peasley was telling him right now, then that night something had obviously spooked Daisy into thinking that she would have no choice but to marry Peasley.

Peasley sighed, crossing his arms and averting his gaze to the train car, the bright lights inside illuminating his face in the pitch-black darkness. "I suppose it is not my right to tell you this story. You should speak with Daisy about it."

"But—"

The door to the car slid open and Daisy stood in the doorway, looking at both Luigi and Peasley before stepping down. In the short amount of time that she had been in the train, it looked as if all of her energy had been drained; she had lost that subconscious bounce in her step, and her eyelids drooped sleepily, as if the last few days were finally beginning to catch up to her.

"She will see you now," Daisy said to Peasley. At first he was sure he had misheard her—after all, how could a few minutes with Daisy convince Elaine to allow him permission to see her and their child? But she waved a hand toward the sliding door which was still open behind her, and he was instantly in motion.

When the door slid into place behind Peasley, Daisy turned back toward Luigi as he was stifling a yawn. It was already close to four am; Luigi would be sure to ask her about the things Peasley had mentioned in the morning—but for now, his main concern was getting Daisy and himself back to bed.

"...Luigi?" Daisy asked, her voice sounding small in the crisp night air around them. She advanced slowly, the worried look in her eyes becoming more apparent the closer she drew. It was an odd look on her, and it filled Luigi with an unwarranted sense of foreboding. The feeling was strong enough that when she drew close enough for him to reach, he pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her shoulder. Daisy didn't respond to this, other than simply reaching out to run her fingers through his hair. Maybe she had the same feeling, Luigi considered. "I don't want to stay here anymore." She said in barely a whisper.

Luigi looked up, into her eyes. "I want to leave. Elaine has had her baby. We should go. I don't want any more drama, I only want you." She continued, looping her arms around his neck and drawing him closer.

He could understand where she was coming from, but now that Mario knew where they were, he feared that escape wouldn't be as easy as she assumed. Even if they did manage to leave tonight, they wouldn't get far before Mario or Prince Peasley caught up to them. It would be best to wait until tomorrow at least, when they were rested and thinking logically...

Not that the look in her eyes now was assuring him that he would get any rest tonight, let alone be able to think about anything logically if she were within a twenty-foot radius.

She had to have known the effect that those half-lidded eyes had on men, he thought, before his mind stopped functioning, and he pressed his lips to hers. She responded immediately, pressing herself closer, so that her body was flush against his. Luigi's hands slid down to her waist, and Daisy sucked in a breath at the sensation.

Using her gasp to his advantage, Luigi took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, coaxing her lips apart with a new found sense of boldness. In that moment, Daisy came alive. She opened up to him, pouring her entire heart and soul into one kiss.

She knew they were teetering on the edge of—something. Something she fully intended to discover, once and for all.

She gasped as his mouth left hers, burning a trail of hot kisses down her neck. Her hands twined in his hair, pulling a low growl from Luigi's throat. It was something she had never heard from him before, and it set her insides on fire. How she could have never met this Luigi, this bold, demanding Luigi was beyond her.

When he pulled back she panicked, until he brought his eyes up to meet hers, resting his forehead against hers. The dark, husky look in his eyes went straight to her stomach, settling with an odd weight and twisting her insides. She was grateful for his support, because at the moment she wasn't sure she would be able to stand if she weren't leaning so far into him.

"Daisy." His voice was lower than usual, and he swallowed thickly before continuing. "Daisy, you were right." He looked so happy, but her mind was still hazy from that toe-curling kiss. What was she right about? He cupped her cheeks, kissing her chastely. "It shouldn't matter what Mario, or Peach, or your father thinks. As long as you are happy with it, I'll always be by your side."

Oh, that. Of course she was right about that; it took him long enough to work out his issues revolving around the whole subject. She fleetingly wondered if Peasley was responsible for squashing some of his worries—before Luigi's mouth met hers once again, that is.