P.S. Sorry for any mistakes I may have missed.

Chapter 14: Sooner Than Expected x But x That's Okay

"Oh Skylar why did you do that? You know how Ging is! Oh my gosh we're in so much trouble!" Hana practically yelled at the top of her lungs in shock, she's in a unreasonable state of panic as she started grabbing the strands of her hair pulling onto it. Skylar just sat back and watched her friend externally freaking out for her.

'Hana is indeed a unique person.' Thinking to herself as she giggled.

"Hana you're acting like you're the one who's pregnant and has to tell Ging about it." She took a bite of her vanilla ice cream carefully and the sweet idea of her baby liking it came to mind, though he or she most likely can't taste anything right now. "But I should be in a panic too..." Taking a moment before speaking again. "After all I practically blew him off and ran away to come and dump my problems onto mama, papa, and of course you Hana. He and I haven't talked since then so now I am little worried." She watched as the ice cream in the cup melt slowly.

Finally calming down Hana asked, "When do you plan to go back?" She looked at her bestfriend intently whilst awaiting for an answer.

"Tomorrow." Skylar paused for a moment thinking about all the possible outcomes and reactions whenever she has this talk with him. "I hope he understands and-"

Reaching across the table, Hana held her friend's hands in hers to ease the doubt storming inside her. 'She must be scared.' She thought to herself before saying, "It's Ging we're talking about here. Weren't you the one who always told me to have a little faith in him?" She smiled. "I mean that is what you two based your relationship on right?"

Skylar looked away from her ice cream to her friend giving her a warm smile. Hana knew how to say the right things to bring confidence and comfort to those around her.

"Of course." Skylar smiled back. 'I have to have faith in Ging.'

#

"This sucks!" Ging turned off the computer screen leaning back in his chair, resting his arms behind his head looking up at the ceiling. "Skylar." He huffed out her name closing his eyes. He wouldn't go as far to say that he felt 'heartbroken' but he is a little hurt by the sudden coldness and lack of communication between them since their last phone call. Not once had she tried to call him, not like he had put any effort in doing the same. But he couldn't understand why she didn't tell him.

Sighing, he got up from the chair and headed towards the bedroom where his phone was at. Flopping on the bed landing on his back, he picked up his phone searching and called the desired number. The ringing while waiting felt like an eternity until the person on the other line finally picked up.

"Hi Ging." Her gentle voice sent delightful chills up his spine and across his arms giving him goosebumps.

"Hey, so uh-how have you been doing?"

"Pretty good, right now I'm hanging out with Hana."

"HI GING!"He heard her yell in the background.

The Hunter let out a small chuckle, "Tell Hana I said hi." after she did they continued on with the conversation. "I thought you were going to visit your parents?"

"Oh I did, that's why I stayed a little longer and since Hana doesn't live too far, I thought it would be nice to pay her a little visit. You don't want her to come by again now do you?" She teased a little knowing Ging most likely rolled his eyes. He certainly didn't want a repeat of what happened the last time Hana came over to their home. "Plus I needed to talk to them about something important. It required more than a day to visit and talk about it." Skylar felt a little nervous for the implication she just gave out. But tried to tell herself that Ging doesn't know anything yet.

'This is my chance.' "What was it about?"

A small giggle escaped her. "Wouldn't you like to know."

He didn't have to see her to know that she was smiling, the feathery lightness of her voice gave that away. 'This isn't exactly how we should talk about this.' Letting out another sigh he prepared to ask her the million dollar question. "When are you coming back?" He flipped onto his stomach as if it would ease the tension of anticipation for her answer.

"Tonight...I was actually thinking about leaving tomorrow because there's something important we need to talk about, and I mean really important."

Ging couldn't help but laugh at the way she sounded. Heck yeah it was important but as long as they were going to talk about it, that's all that truly mattered.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow it is." she looked at Hana who was too busy gawking at a group of men passing by making a smile form on her face. "Bye Ging."

"Bye Sky." When the call ended he idly tossed his phone on a random spot on the bed. Flipping over back onto his previous position, he closed his eyes for a moment before looking at the empty pink box on his bedside table where the pregnancy test was at.

"I should really throw that away."

#

After saying her goodbyes to Hana and her parents, she bought a ticket to go home; but since the airship takeoff time was in a couple of hours, she decided to walk around the area while she waited. There was all sorts of entertainers and little shops nearby. There was a store she stopped by to look at baby clothing and toys but was quickly overwhelmed with the thought of being a mother. Though the idea of raising a child terrified her. Putting the stuff down quickly, she ran out of the store not paying attention to where she was going and missed the man that stood in front of her. Skylar bumped into him rather hard which caused them both to fall over onto the ground.

"Ouch-" the man groaned in pain.

"Oh I'm so sorry!." Skylar quickly apologized, "It's my fault I wasn't paying attention and I-" She stopped when the man looked at her with his big brown eyes all the while wearing a wide smile plastered on his face. 'Oh he's a little...no he's very handsome.' She shook her head, shutting her eyes tight as she tired to rid the thoughts of this random handsome man.

"It's alright, just as long as you're okay. You're not hurt are you?"

Her traitorous heart skipped a beat "N-No I-I'm Okay." The young man had short blond hair and had huge brown eyes that complimented his big smile. His strong features gave him an almost 'too perfect' look. He looked like a man that could cause a great amount of chaos and not be blamed for it. Perhaps even a manipulative politician.

"That's good, soo...are we going to get up anytime soon?" He asked letting out a small laughter. Now realizing their current position, his back was on the ground with his knees propped up and as for her... she's resting entirely on his torso, her hips between his as their chests touched. Having the effect of their faces mere inches apart. Blushing madly she got up quickly and away from the strange handsome man.

"I am so so sorry." Skylar muttered out an another apology for their immodest position. 'It's a good thing Ging isn't here to see this.' Looking down avoiding his eyes she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. She failed to see him get up patting himself off before stepping a little close to her.

"It's alright. How about we make this a little less awkward." She lifted up her gaze to meet his dark eyes when he held out a hand to introduced himself. "Hi my name is Pariston, and you?"

Shaking his hand, "Hi my name is Skylar."

"Do you feel less awkward now?" A mischievous look appeared on his face when he let go of her hand.

"Umm just a little." She tore her gaze away from his. Skylar couldn't believe that this guy, Pariston, was making her heart race like crazy nonetheless making her blush madly. A reaction only Ging could get out of her.

"Don't mind me but I think you're really beautiful when you blush, it's almost exciting in many ways." He took her hand giving it a gentle kiss. "I need to be going now, it was nice meeting you Skylar." The man announced before walking away.

Still feeling a bit dazed by what just happened, Skylar watched him walk away before making her on way back to airship still blushing like a junior high girl.

"I knew I should have stayed in the waiting area."

#

Ging was in deep slumber when he felt someone rubbing his back which could only mean one thing, Skylar was home. Opening his eyes he was greeted with her loving smile and beauty. "Morning." He said sleepily, barely able to keep his eyes open, and judging by the way the sky looked it's safe to say that it's still early in the morning.

Joining him underneath the covers she snuggled close to his frame, giving his cheek a few lazy kisses. "Goodmorning Ging."

"What time is it? And why are you here so early? I thought it would take a day of flying to come here." His voice still husky from sleep.

"It's 4:15 in the morning so it almost took a whole day, the airship traveled a little faster, plus I bought a ticket at an earlier depart time."

Ging opened his eyes looking straight into her golden brown ones. "We need to talk."

She reached and touched his cheek gently, "I know. We can talk about it when we're both up again." She offered and he nodded. Coaxing her to move onto her side, Ging pulled her close to him so that her back pressed against his chest for a comfortable cuddle.

"I love you Ging." Sleep crept up before she knew it and feeling the warmth of his body only promoted her into falling asleep faster.

The Hunter kissed the side of her neck lightly. "I love you too."

#

"It's actually pretty warm out for it being October." Skylar stated looking at the early afternoon sky.

"Yeah I guess it is..."

They'd woken up a little late that morning so Skylar had made them brunch respectively. After eating they sat in silence for a while until Ging suggested they should go outside and talk. The young couple rested against the big tree in their backyard enjoying what mother nature had to offer in the October sky. Ging put a arm over her shoulders bringing her closer to his side, and so they sat in an almost 'comfortable' silence as they relished in the cool fresh air.

At first Ging was reluctant to speak, not trusting himself completely to start it off by saying the right things to approach the sensitive subject with caution. He needed her to open up to him...he wanted her too... just like they always have. Being so consumed in his thoughts he failed to see that the woman next to him started crying when she called his name in a sniffle.

"Sky what's the-" He tried to ask before she interrupted him.

Blurting out, wanting to get the two words out before she held them back longer than necessary. "I'm pregnant!" Tears fell harder from her eyes and all he could do was watch. Taken aback by how fast she ripped the band-aid off, "I'm sorry, maybe it was my fault or ours but I will never ever use a baby to tie you down. Ever!" Her puffy eyes looked into his impassive ones. Speaking through the sobs, "Ging I know that being a Hunter is your passion, you and I fought many times about your leavings. I expressed to you how I wanted you to stay-" she placed a hand over her stomach, "But I didn't mean like this. Ging I don't want a baby, not right now at least. We are so young and I'm not fit to be a mother, this baby it is a mistak-"

"Don't you dare say that Sky." His stern voice cutting her off. Immediately she closed her mouth, keeping herself from saying anything else. "Skylar I don't ever want to hear you say that our baby is a mistake do you understand?" Her tears continued to fall but slower still listening to him. Ging took a deep breath, "Sky...when I came home the other day, I was cleaning our room when I found an empty pregnancy box on the floor." Shock was present on her face so he assumed that she must've forgotten about it. "One thing led to another and I found the stick you failed to hide in the trashcan. I was in shock Sky." He cupped her cheeks speaking lowly, "I was confused, angry, frustrated, I had all of these negative emotions towards you and the baby. But that was when I realized something...It takes two to tango."

He wiped the last of her fallen tears away before kissing her lightly on the lips.

"We were careless, we knew what would happen if we didn't use protection those few times; but in the heat of the moment, we arrogantly did it anyways. It's our fault that this happened, but the baby you are carrying right now...it's ours. He or she is not to blame for this crazy situation we've gotten ourselves into." He saw a small smile form on her lips. "You and I aren't fit to be parents right now, especially me. But together we can do this, we can raise our child in a happy and loving environment. I don't ever want to hear you say that it was a mistake because it wasn't and besides... it was bound to happen." He started to blush, "I thought that maybe one day if we were still together... we would've had kids some day. Though it happened a lot soon that we expected, but that's okay." He smiled before leaning in giving her a tender kiss.

Her heart skipped a beat in reaction to his words, all breath of air escaping her lungs all at once. "You...wanted to have kids?"

"No- well I never really thought about having kids." He took a peek at her seemingly flat stomach. "Well we already have one now, but if our future together means getting married and having kids then I wouldn't mind." Kissing her again he whispered, "As long as it's with you and only you then I'm okay with it." He was blushing madly and so was she, confession is not his strongest suit but he meant every word that he said.

"Everything is going to be OK?" She nervously asked, grabbing the front of his shirt tightly.

"Of course. I promise that everything's going to be okay, just as long as we have each other."

December (4 months)

"Ging come feel these!" Skylar hurried out of their bedroom and in the living room where he was currently occupied with a friend. They were mapping out the island Ging had found not to long ago on one of his journeys and coming up with more possible ideas for the game he's been wanting to create.

"Hello Ms. Skylar." A young man with blonde hair and green eyes spoke.

"Hi List, cute as always I see." She beamed, causing the young man to scratch the back of head nervously while letting out a small laugh.

"Thanks but let's not forget, you radiate beauty at its finest."

"Oh List, you sure know how to flatter a girl."

"I'm right here!" Ging shouted, a little annoyed and feeling a tad jealous at how casual they 'flirted' with one another, List was always a blushing mess around Skylar. Ging liked and respected his friend but hated bringing him over because Skylar absolutely loved the attention she received from him.

Looking at her protruding belly before meeting her eyes, "What is it Sky?" She excused herself and Ging while she pulled onto his arm dragging him into the bedroom.

Shutting the door she opened her robe revealing her undergarments, she grabbed his hands placing them on her breasts.

"Well?" She awaited his answer with a frowning pout.

Blushing immediately from the sudden intimacy, "Sky what are you getting at?" He asked still not removing his hands off her breasts.

"Ging I need you to feel them not just touch." She whined, placing her hands over his promoting him to fondle her breasts.

Good thing she's wearing a bra and that the door is closed.' He thought to himself. "Sky why am I feeling on your breasts?" He finally removed his hands after a few moments of fondling.

"Ging I think they've gotten bigger!"

He rolled his eyes before stepping away from her completely. "Sky isn't that suppose to happen? You're four months along, why are you freaking out so much? They look and feel fine." After they had the conversation about the sudden pregnancy, they went to the doctors to confirm it and estimate how far along she was. At the time she she had been two months. For a while, Skylar was worried that she wasn't showing at all, not even a little. But the doctor reassured her that every mother is different, especially if it's their first born. So as her pregnancy carries on she will start to show more and more gradually.

"But have they gotten bigger?" She practically shouted.

He eyeballed them a little before saying, "Yes but that's fine, they are fine."

"Are you sure?"

'This woman is going to drive me insane.' He took a few steps towards her kissing her as he pulled her robe closed tying it back up. "Feeling better?" He asked after pulling away, their faces merely inches apart as he rubbed her small belly.

She nodded kissing him again. "I'm good now."

"Good...now stop harassing me and stop flirting with List. Aren't you supposed to be going somewhere anyways?"

Skylar's face paled from the reminder. "Crap I totally forgot!"

Ging watched his girlfriend run all around the room packing a small bag for her trip home he assumed. He walked out of the room and back to where a waiting List sat on the floor. "So, how did you like the new feel?" List joked.

Skylar and Ging weren't exactly speaking quietly so he heard just about everything.

Ging smacked the back of his friend's head out of irritation and from the lame joke List just tried to pull. "Just fine now let's drop it."

List rubbed the back of his head chuckling nervously. 'I knew I should have kept that to myself.'

The Zoldyck Mansion

"My beautiful Skylar, come in." Zeno greeted oddly in cheerily way. She slowly entered in his private quarters, a room that was filled with many books and paintings of the entire Zoldyck family throughout the generations. The room was indeed extravagant for it embodied many dragons symbols on the walls, furniture, and tiny decorations. Zeno sat on his throne like chair waiting for her to step closer.

At a short distance a few feet away she slowly got on her knees and bowed to him, her hands touching the ground as she slid them to lower her head. "Father Zeno I am pleased to see you again."

"No need to be so formal child, so please sit up." And so she did, staring intently in his eyes. She saw Zeno as a father figure growing up, but because emotional attachments were looked down upon in her case; she forced herself to detach all emotions for the Zoldyck members...except towards Illumi. "How many doors did you open?" The odd question took her by surprise.

'Why would he ask me that?' But she answered, there's nothing to hide.

"Six...I opened six of the seven gates." Zeno stood from his chair making his way towards her before stopping.

"So I heard. I also hear that you struggled to open the sixth gate, very unlike you Skylar."

She couldn't force herself to look at him, the menacing aura that came from him sent chills all over. "Th-that is true."

"Why is that?" He began to walk around the large room, but never tearing his eyes away from her. "Kyo told me that you stopped using your gifted talents and quit being an Assassin all together when you left. That is fine; but that isn't the real problem, the real problem is that you shouldn't have lost any strength because of it. But perhaps it's something that is taking strength from you." Her heart pounded hard in her chest, her whole being filling with fear. "Let me hear you say it Skylar, I know what the problem is. I just want to hear you tell me yourself... I know you are starting to figure it out."

"I- Why have you summoned me?" A huge mistake on her part, she shouldn't have dodge the question but she had no other choice.

Zeno was surprised how she avoided his question, but he answered her nonetheless. "If you had come to me all those years ago you then you would've been where Kyo is at. Although it's a good thing you didn't go, it's a very dangerous place...especially for a unborn child." He stared at her hard feeling rather disappointed in her for being so reckless with her life. It's his fault for not telling her or Kyo about the whole truth when they were younger, but if only she had seen him prior. "Skylar do you know what you have done?" Zeno took quick strides only to stop to stand a couple of feet away from her face. Angrily he yelled, "You're a foolish child! I accepted your reasons for leaving but have you already forgotten that carrying a child is a curse?! You are too weak to begin with, and nothing in this world is good for you. This is something I can not allow you to do. Get rid of it!"

"NO!" Standing up she looked straight into his eyes with anger. Who cares if he raised her, she will not allow this man who she once called her father to speak down on her. She can take the verbal abuse from him, but not when it comes to her baby. "I can't do that and you know it! I'm having this baby no matter what. Why do you care so much about what's going on in my life huh!? You said so yourself all those years ago...we're not Zoldycks and will never be. Pay attention to your grandchildren instead. Illumi, Milluki, those are your blood. Plus I believe Silva and his wife are expecting a third."

"Skylar I see you as my daughter, you and Kyo are still my children. I don't think you know what could happen to you if you have this child." Zeno sighed. Skylar doesn't know the truth about who she really is. Only he and he alone knows the truth about her, but the fact that she managed to conceive a child is a total surprise. Perhaps she could be saved...or maybe not. "Never mind, I have nothing more to say to you. If you're content on keeping this child then I shall apologize for speaking rashly, but that is all I have to say for today. Just don't ever say that I didn't warn you Skylar."

Zeno turned away from her hiding the hurtful look he had. 'My child, you don't know what you've gotten yourself into.'

"Bye father." Skylar gave him a respected bow before making her way to the door, but before she had the chance to open it-

"Skylar...pay me a visit real soon. There is something I need to tell you." Zeno added before saying his farewells again.

The soon-to-be mother left the room carefully, closing the door upon her exit. Tears threatened to leave her eyes but forced herself to kept them back as she walked the hallways of the mansion.

"Skylar you're leaving already?" Skylar stopped in her tracks when she heard a small child's voice.

Turning around, a ten-year old Illumi Zoldyck stood with a emotionless expression. Everything about him from his snow paled skin, to his short black hair and large dark eyes would scream danger for others. But to her, Illumi was a part of her life. "Illumi," she smiled. "Come here." She knelt to be at his level opening her arms for a hug.

The young child walked into her inviting arms so he could give her a hug.

"Why haven't you visit us... to visit me?" He questioned monotonically.

The former assassin pulled him in a tighter hug hoping that he could feel all the love she had for him. Illumi was only two-years old when she left, and every blue moon she would run into him whenever he was out on a job. He would often spend a lot of time with her then, but it stopped when his father told him that attachments aren't safe. So he to stopped seeing her altogether. It hurt her at first, but it wasn't her child to command. She saw Illumi as a younger brother and cared about him a lot, but now it's clearly obvious that he possesses a heart of stone.

He's no longer the boy who had so much light and life inside him.

"I'm sorry Illumi...will you ever forgive me?" She looked into his empty eyes.

Illumi stepped away starting at her small bump before touching it. "You're going to have a baby like mom?"

She covered his small hand with hers keeping it in place on her stomach. "Yes."

"Are you going to forget about me?"

Leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. "Never Illumi...I'll come back to you one day..I promise."

#

"Do you want to know the baby's sex?" Skylar questioned, she was currently relaxing in the warm water of the bath drawing small circles on her baby bump with her finger. After finishing undressing Ging gently moved her so he could settle himself behind her in the bathtub, and once he got himself settled they both finally relaxed.

Kissing from the back of her neck to her ear giving it a small bite. "No, well I haven't decided if I would like to know the sex." wrapping his arms around her so he could rub her small baby bump, "What about you? Do you want to know?"

"I don't know, I guess we will have to see." She responded, resting her head on his shoulder feeling very much loved in this sweet moment between them. He always made her feel so so loved. "Ging?"

"Hmm?" He continued to rub her belly gently, closing his eyes from the warmth of the bath water that's starting to make him feel sleepy.

"How long are you going to be gone this time on your trip?"

"About a month." He answered nonchalantly.

Her heart sank as it always did whenever Ging would say that he's leaving; but there was nothing she could do about it. "Okay..."

"Don't worry, It probably won't even take me that long so don't be upset Sky." He turned her around a bit so she could face him to meet halfway for a kiss.

#

She's crying... scared for not her life but her and Ging's baby's life. She woke up feeling extremely nauseous, having just enough energy to make it to the bathroom to throw up. Immediately after the third time when she saw blood, she knew she had to make her way to the hospital. With whatever energy she had left she crawled into the bedroom doing all she could to speed up. Skylar felt so scared because no one was here to help her. Ging had left a few weeks ago to seek out another archaeological site so it's just her.

Her head pounded like crazy as she began to lose consciousness. Grabbing her phone she dialed the nearby neighbor's number.

"Hello?" A male voice answered, but before she could mutter out a word she dropped the phone in attempt to stop the vomiting which was nothing but blood. Her vision became foggy, holding her stomach with one hand while the other covered her mouth as blood continued to spew out. Her body weakened and collapsed onto the ground laying on her side.

"Hello, Hello Skylar are you okay?" Panic filled the neighbors voice from hearing the pregnant woman's distress.

"Skylar?!"

"Skylar! Don't worry-"

She tried to reach for the phone to tell the neighbor that she needed an ambulance. But for whatever reason, she just couldn't move. Her vision turned dark, she couldn't hear the neighbors voice anymore.

"I'm...am I going to die? What about our baby?" Asking no one in particular in a low tone.

The last thing she saw was her blood covered hands before blacking out.

AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you very much for reading. Feel free to let me know what you think, comment, review, ask questions, etc. And I will see you next chapter because Gon is on his way in the next few chapters or so. :)

Thatsoneperson