"So what is he so cheerful about?"

Kaere spared a glance toward Lussuria, who looked like he might burst from excitement. "He's…just being weird," she replied. Her gaze returned to the mixing bowl she was currently adding ingredients to, trying to focus on the cookies she was going to make. How am I supposed to divide these without looking weird? I actually did want to give some to Squalo. She glanced to her stomach and frowned. It's been a week since I found out. I haven't told any of my friends yet. I don't know if I really want to tell them…it's so weird to think about me having a baby.

Lussuria grinned and opened his mouth to speak, but froze when he saw Kaere's glare. "It's a secret~" he stated, though it obviously pained him.

Hana rolled her eyes. "It's nothing, right? You're just being stupid."

Beside Kaere, Chrome seemed to tense. "Are…you alright?" Kaere raised an eyebrow.

"Ah. Yes, I'm fine. Just…well you seem different somehow and I can't figure it out," Chrome admitted. She tried to smile, but looked very nervous.

The girl's shoulders drooped. Should I tell them? They will find out eventually anyway. Maybe I should just say it. Save them some time. She lifted her gaze toward Lussuria, who gave her an eager look. "I guess…you can say it…"

He released a squeal of delight that made every girl in the kitchen cringe. "Kaerin is pregnant~" he announced.

Her face turned pink as questions were asked, not sure how to go about answering all of them. "L-look, I just…found out last week so…I-I don't know a lot about it yet and…"

"Congratulations, Kaere-chan! I'm so happy for you!" Kyoko said, moving to hug her.

"Haru wants to feel the baby!" Haru's hand went to Kaere's lower stomach and was quickly pushed away. "But what if it-?"

"I-it's not old enough…to kick or anything so…"

"I knew it last week," Hana stated. "Congratulations. Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?"

What? I didn't really think about that. I've been so worried about who the father is. She frowned and turned back to her mixing bowl, standing at the counter. "I…I don't know…"

"Does the father know?" Kyoko inquired innocently.

"Y-yeah…"

There was a pause. "So who is the father?" Hana asked.

Kaere opened her mouth to say that it was Xanxus, but froze when she felt an arm wrap around her from behind. She looked back at the man and blushed pink. "I-I thought…you had a mission today…you can't be in here…"

"Voi! I come back early and that's all you have to say?!" Squalo demanded.

"…you have blood in your hair…"

"So is he the father then?" There was skepticism in Hana's voice.

She bit her lip and was unsure of how to answer. Unfortunately, the man behind her had no trouble answering for her. "Of course it's mine," he growled.

"Don't let Bossu hear you say that~" Lussuria scolded. "What if he heard that and got angry? You wouldn't want him to do something terrible, would you?"

After everyone had made their Valentine's Day treats, Kaere pulled Chrome aside and found herself frowning. "Um…Chrome…? I was wondering…what are you doing the day after tomorrow…?" She ignored the way that Squalo continued to hold onto her, an arm wrapped around her waist from behind. One hand was firmly planted on her lower stomach.

Chrome blushed pink and half-smiled. "I-I'm not doing anything. Do you need something? Did you want more books?" She had been supplying Kaere with new books since the other girl had been forbidden to enter her lab. It had been a week since the ban was placed and the girl had quickly become bored with the books in the base.

"No…er…Squalo, can you let me talk to her alone?" She gave him a fierce glare until he left, leaving her alone with Chrome and Lussuria. "Alright so…I-I'm going to need someone to…help me plan my wedding. Bianchi-san left town and…she said that if you want the maid of honor position…" She was swept into a hug and smiled. "So that's a 'yes'?"

"Of course! Kaere-chan, I would be honored! It would mean everything to me!"

Not to mention, Lussuria hates you the least out of all of my friends. Of course, Kaere would never say this to Chrome. It would sound weird and just be rude in general. "Ah. We're going to look at floral arrangements tomorrow so…j-just be here around ten in the morning. We'll meet you by the gate."

"I'll be here," Chrome assured her, beaming.

Once her last friend had gone, Kaere frowned to herself. I'm getting married in three months. It's a lot of planning to do in a short time, but it's not like I have much else to do. Xanxus won't let me near the lab. So I can't even mess with Levi by giving him a new virus. What am I supposed to do? She heard Lussuria start to tidy up the kitchen and sighed. "Do you…think that everything will work out?"

He glanced over his shoulder at her and tilted his head. "Hm. Maybe, maybe not. Depends on Bossu, you know. But if his patience so far is any indication…of course any man would be mad if his wife gave birth to another man's child!"

"…you're so helpful, Lussuria…how are you single?" Seeing him wince, she smirked. "If anyone needs me…I'll be in the library." Kaere walked through the foyer, the sitting room, and into the library where she wandered the aisles in search of reference materials. Let's see…prenatal care…newborn care…child development…She settled in the chair they had brought from her old house with a large stack of books beside her and began reading. There's so much to worry about with kids…makes you wonder why people want them so desperately…Not that I don't want this one. I mean…before I got…like this…I never really wanted kids.

"Kaere, Bel-senpai keeps throwing knives at me," Fran said as he entered the room.

"Ushishishi~ The frog peasant is the only one the prince can hurt now," the blonde stated, following close behind. He walked around behind Kaere to look at what she was reading. "The princess wants to know about babies?"

"Er…well since I'm having one…I might as well learn about them…" She turned the page and cringed. "…they…can be startled by sound…even in the womb…?"

"That's weird." Fran settled in front of her chair on the floor, tugging his hat down to shade his eyes. "I still can't believe you're pregnant."

"The princess is having a peasant baby," Belphegor said with disdain.

"My baby is none of your business…either of you…"

Fran yawned widely and dug around in his pocket, producing one of the cookies that Kaere had baked. "Does Tsuna know yet?" He saw her grimace. "I thought he was like your brother. Shouldn't you tell him?"

"I'm…not ready to tell him yet," she replied. I don't know how he would handle it. Skimming the page, she found her mind wandering. She wondered what the baby would look like. What their interests would be. What they would grow up to become. If they grow up, she thought with a deep frown. If they're Squalo's…I'm sure Xanxus won't let them stay here. He might do something unspeakable. Her hand wandered to her lower stomach, staring at her scarred fingers. "I…won't let anything happen to them…"

"I won't either," Fran agree. "I won't let anything happen to them, Kaere. I promise to protect them with my life."

That's a weird thing for you to say, but I won't turn down extra protection. She gave him a half-smile and looked back to the book. "So…I finally get to leave the day after tomorrow…"

"To plan your wedding. I heard. It sounds fun." Fran leaned his head back, propping it against her leg. "If we had a wedding, it would have a lot of flowers. All purple. And I would find a way to make it the happiest day of your life, Kaere."

"Ushishishi~ The prince would have a private wedding and after the ceremony, the princess would go to the prince's room and-"

"Th-that's enough…both of you. I mean…there's enough tension as it is…between Xanxus and Squalo…" Kaere heard footsteps on the stairs and sighed in irritation. "Speaking of which…you should probably leave me alone. He won't like seeing you so close to me." Neither of them moved. The footsteps moved through the sitting room and Xanxus glared at the two other men. "Ah…Xanxus…" Kaere moved to stand and nearly tripped over Fran, being steadied by Belphegor reaching out to grab her arm. "Er…thanks…?"

"Shishishi~ Wouldn't want the princess's baby to get hurt," he taunted.

Kaere saw the fury quickly growing in Xanxus' eyes and walked over to him. "Um…so did you need something?"

"Why are you hanging out with those brats?" he growled.

"…I don't have any other friends…and you were asleep," she replied simply. Kaere smirked and held up the child development book. "Here. I want you to read this."

To her surprise, he actually took it from her and looked at the cover. His jaw clenched in irritation, but he tucked it under his arm. "Fine. Do you know why I'm here, woman?"

"Looking for me. Why else would you have left your office?" She followed him out of the library and through the sitting room and foyer. In the kitchen, Lussuria had finished the dishes and had left her cookies sitting out on a plate beside his.

Xanxus glared at the plate of chocolate-dipped butter cookies. "You didn't make these."

"Lussuria made those…I made the cinnamon ones." She watched him eat one and half-smiled. Why does that make me happy? Why do I feel proud? It's weird. I'm sure Squalo won't eat any; he's still afraid of me drugging him. The half-smile blossomed into a malicious grin.

"What the hell are grinning about? Did you drug these?" he taunted. Despite the accusation, he helped himself to another.

"I've said it before…I don't have to drug you at this point, do I? I already have you." Kaere tilted her head and leaned back against the kitchen counter. "So…? Why were you looking for me?"

He smirked down at her look of curiosity. "We're going out tomorrow."

Heat spread across her cheeks in a blush. "R-really? We're…going out for Valentine's Day? Like a date or something?"

"Are you that excited about a date?" His smirk fell as it dawned on him that with her in her condition, they would be limited in regards to what they could do. There would be no killing targets. There would be no intimate encounters after the date. Not the way he wanted it. He didn't want to risk anything happening to the baby so he had to be especially careful. It almost pissed him off, but he managed to calm himself. Valentine's Day would be special either way.