Chapter 21: Arguing

December 2012

Kisara sighed as she gently rubbed her large belly bump. She was close to her due date with a baby girl and she hadn't had the chance to prepare the kids for it. "What do you think they think is going on?" Seth asked, raising his eyebrow.

"They probably think I'm getting fat. I just don't want Darien and Sarah to freak out about having a baby sister." Kisara explained.

"You'll have to explain it to them before the baby arrives. They're going to get suspicious when we bring a baby home." Seth sounded amused.

"Fine." Kisara sighed. She called in the direction of the stairs. "Darien, Sarah! Can you come here?"

Sarah and Darien ran down the stairs and stopped in front of them. "Yes, Mommy?" Sarah asked, excitedly.

"We have some news. I'm having a baby." Kisara touched her belly.

"Cool!" Darien said, eyes alight.

But Sarah shrugged. "What's wrong, Sarah?" Seth asked, concerned.

"I figured that's what it was. You were getting big like Loretta did before she gave Kura a sister." Sarah explained, shrugging again.

"Aw, my little genius." Kisara smiled. She winced as a pain hit her stomach. "Ow." She groaned, rubbing her belly.

"Kisara?" Seth asked, concerned.

"I don't know for sure whether that's anything to worry about." Kisara panted, giving him a weak smile.

"After what happened to my cousin, I don't want to risk it." Seth rose to his feet and went to get the bag.

"We don't even know it's time yet!" Kisara called in a panic.

Seth returned with the overnight bag. "I don't want to risk not being ready if it is."

Kisara nodded. They kept track of the pains until even Kisara couldn't deny it. "Take me to the hospital." Kisara whispered.

Seth called Hali, who arrived to take care of the twins. "Take care, Kisara." He gave her a hug.

"We need to go, don't want her to have the baby here." Seth helped Kisara out of the house.

"Is Mommy all right?" Darien asked, concerned.

"She's having the baby." Hali told him. "But she'll be all right."

"Okay." Darien nodded.

Seth paced the hospital corridor, waiting for Atem to arrive. He finally did, giving him a hug. "How is she?"

"Labor is progressing well and she's handling it like a trooper." Seth nodded, giving him a smile. "She'll have the baby sometime today."

"Good, I'm right here for you, cousin." Atem patted him on the shoulder.

Hours later, a nurse exited the room and found Atem and Seth pacing the hallway. "You have a beautiful baby girl. Congratulations."

"Can I see them?" Seth asked anxiously.

"Of course, your wife asked for you." The nurse gestured to the door.

Seth and Atem walked in and found Kisara sitting up in bed, a baby warmer beside her. "Seth, I'm so happy to see you." She smiled as he hugged and kissed her.

"Is this our daughter?" Seth asked, looking down at the baby. The baby had a shock of white hair hanging over her forehead and had tan skin. "She's got your hair." He seemed amused.

"Yeah, I was surprised by that." Kisara giggled.

"She's beautiful though. What's her name going to be?"

"I was thinking Marissa May." Kisara looked up at him. "What do you think?"

"Perfect." Seth kissed her again.

A few weeks passed and Atem came home one evening to find Hali waiting for him, in a mood he instantly recognized as pissed. "Uh oh, why do I get the feeling I've done something wrong?" he asked, setting down his bag.

"Sit down, we need to talk." Hali gestured to the chair across from her.

Atem settled on the edge of his chair and a pamphlet was thrust at him. "What's this?"

"You are getting this and I don't want to hear any complaining." Hali said firmly.

Atem looked down at the pamphlet, which was about vasectomies. His eyes widened in horror. "Hali, no, no, no! I can't!"

"Why not?" Hali demanded.

"They take a knife to you family jewels!" Atem protested.

"It will ensure that five is all we'll have. I'm done having kids and I want to make sure you don't get me pregnant again by accident." Hali pointed out.

"What if I can't perform afterward?" Atem asked, expressing the fear that first came to mind when he realized what she had in mind.

"There will be nothing wrong with your family jewels, just your pistol will be shooting blanks." Hali's mouth twisted in a scowl. "But if you would like to sleep on the couch for the next six months, that's your choice."

Atem sighed as she walked upstairs. "What am I going to do?" he muttered, hanging his head.

Yugi was working in the game shop that evening and heard the door slam. "Yugi!" Hailey demanded, and she did not sound happy.

"In the shop!" Yugi called back, nervous at her tone.

Hailey came into the shop, holding a pamphlet. "There will be no argument. I insist that you have a vasectomy."

Yugi looked at the pamphlet and groaned, horrified. "Hailey, please don't make me do this."

"Fine, but you can sleep in the shop for the next year." Hailey snapped and walked away.

Yugi sighed, leaning against the back shelves in defeat.

Joey was drawing a new comic book when Luna came in the front door, in a towering rage. "Joseph Michael, we need to talk."

"Sure, what's up?" Joey asked, setting aside the drawing.

Luna slapped the pamphlet down on the table before him. "I don't want to hear any of this 'My family jewels' crap. You're going to have it or you will sleep at a hotel."

Joey picked up the pamphlet and read the title. He looked up at Luna and gave a shrug. "Sure, that's no biggie."

"Joey, I don't want to argue with you, but this is important to me. We have enough kids."

"I agree, I'll get it." Joey nodded.

"Joey, I-What did you say?" Luna asked, stunned.

"I said I'll do it. I agree, we have enough kids. I don't want any more." Joey chuckled at the surprised look on her face. "Anything to make you happy."

"I thought you were going to argue till you were blue in the face about this. I didn't expect you to be reasonable." Luna giggled.

Joey stood up and folded her in a hug. "Hey, when you ask a reasonable request, what else will I be?"

"Like your friends probably are right now." Luna giggled again.

Joey rolled his eyes. "After they get it done they'll see it's not that unreasonable of a request."

"That's why I like you the best." Luna stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

Josiah, Seto, and Seth were also ordered to do the same and Atem got word that he was taking them out to get something to drink. "Hey, you guys drink all you want, I'll drive ya home." Joey assured them, as they sat down in their favorite bar.

"Why are you so gungho about this?" Josiah stared at his brother.

"Because it's no big deal." Joey shrugged again, to groans from the others.

The group ordered drink after drink until they were thoroughly drunk. Joey took them home and helped them each inside. "He drank a lot so he just needs to sleep it off." Joey told Hali, settling Atem onto the couch.

"Thanks for watching out for them." Hali covered him with a blanket as he began to snore. "Why didn't you drink?"

Joey shrugged. "I had a better reaction to it than the other guys."

"Bet Luna was surprised." Hali giggled.

"I'll do it…" Atem mumbled. "Just don' leave me…"

Hali smiled at her husband. "I'll take that as an apology. See you later, Joey."

"'Bye, Hali." Joey headed out of the house and drove home.

Atem woke to a poke in both eyes from sunlight streaming through the blinds. "Ugh, someone turn down the sun." he groaned.

"Daddy, you sick?" a voice asked, and Ryan's face swam before his eyes.

"Daddy just had too much…apple juice." Atem replied, touching his head.

"Apple juice makes you sick?" Ryan frowned.

"A special kind." Atem closed his eyes again.

"Mommy, is Daddy going to be okay?" Atem heard Ryan ask and he felt someone standing over him.

"Atem, I've made an appointment for your procedure for next week." Hali swam into view as he opened his eyes. She placed a cool cloth on his head.

"I still have to do it?" Atem groaned.

"You apologized and said you would. So I made the appointment while you were asleep." Hali gave him a stern look. "You're not changing your mind, are you?"

"No…" Atem closed his eyes. "My head hurts too much to change it."

Ryan giggled. "Daddy's funny on apple juice."

"Apple juice?" Hali raised an eyebrow at Ryan.

"He said a special apple juice made him like this." Ryan informed her.

"Ah…" Hali giggled quietly.

The men had their procedures over the next couple weeks and recovered quickly. "Now we don't have to worry about getting pregnant." Hali smiled, giving him a kiss.

"Good, I don't want to worry about that." Atem smiled. "I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time."

"I know and you're forgiven." Hali smiled. "Thanks, Atem."

"No problem. I'll do anything to make you happy." Atem's smile widened.