Disclaimers on everything that I don't own.

Merry Present,

By Winterwing3000

"Hey Mokuba! I'm glad that you guys can come! The whole gang's busy with their own families, so I guess that it's only you two and my mother and I! But… if you wanna go back home and have a family Christmas Eve celebration I totally understand. I'm soo sorry to have bothered you two, you mus-!" Téa ranted as she panicky opened the door, seeing the two Kaiba brothers standing in the biting cold.

"Téa! It's FINE! Seto and I had nothing planned, and holidays are always boring without you! And Seto worried that we might have been bothering you, not the other way around!" Mokuba interrupted hastily. Sighing, the brunette girl nodded, and then sidestepped, widening the door entrance.

Inside, Mokuba saw lights lined up in the hallway, a couple of wreaths and golden candles, and some other small Christmas trinkets. Which meant… once he looked up, the little boy saw the mistletoe hanging above him and his brother… and Téa!

The brunette female grinned then bent down and pecked him on the check. "Merry Christmas Mokuba!"

"You too, Kaiba! Merry Christmas!" Téa said happily, giving him a kiss on the cheek as well. Seto stood there, stunned a moment then blinked at her.

"I'm sorry about that… it's just that I get these... these… stupid mood swings." She pouted, then closed the door as Seto nothing while Mokuba talked a mile per second.

"Téa? Who is at the door?"

"My friends! Are you still going out?" Téa asked, her mother, who emerged from the staircase, dressed in a black dress laced with dewdrops in a flower pattern at bosom.

"Yes, my client wanted me to examine the prosecutor before trial. And… oh. I thought your friend Yugi was coming. But it seems I thought wrong. Who might you be?" Anita asked, looking down at Mokuba.

"Ah, that's Mokuba Kaiba and this is Seto Kaiba." Téa said quickly. Anita narrowed her eyes.

"Kaiba, as in the father of you child, Téa?"

"Um… yeah…" the brunette female looked as if she were a deer caught in the headlights.

"I see, would you mind if I speak to him for a while? I believe that I have some oatmeal cookies in the cabinet. Would you like some Mokuba?" the mother addressed the younger Kaiba sweetly.

Mokuba looked a little hesitant, eyes darting from Téa's mother to his older brother. Something unpleasant was going to happen, he could feel it… but…

"Go on, Mokuba. I have a few words I'd like to exchange with Mrs. Gardner as well. I'll join you shortly." Seto told him. Nodding his raven head, Mokuba went into the kitchen with Téa following him.

"Mr. Kaiba, why don't we go into the living room, I'm sure that you'll feel more comfortable there." Anita said, switching from a mother mode into a lawyer's.

"Hn…" Seto followed Anita, who sat comfortably into the recliner. Seto choose to sit across her, behind the glass coffee table.

At first, it was silent, as Anita observed Seto with carefully trained eyes, taking in every detail and expression. Seto just sat there, emotionless, stoical and stared straight ahead of him and to the wall.

"You're the father of the child that my daughter carries, correct?" she asked, interlacing her fingers as she leaned forward in her seat.

"As Téa said, yes." Seto replied, dark azure eyes piercing her brown ones.

"So are you planning to marry my daughter? Or are you just going to abandon her after the child is born?"

"I have no intention of leaving the child or Téa. However, no I will not marry Téa just because of this. She choose to keep our relationship on a friendship basis."

"Ah, a man of honor, just as I expected from a CEO like you, Mr. Kaiba. You will respect my daughter and take responsibility of what has happen, no? Should there be any problems, I mean…" She questioned in a sly tone.

"I assure you that nothing will harm her. If there is, I will hold myself responsible. Now if we are done, I'd like to get back with my brother." Seto said, dusting his pants of invisible dust and walked to the kitchen.

He didn't like the way she said it. She was plotting something, but what was the question. However… he saw something in her eyes when she asked him whether he'd take responsibility of Téa.

Was she trying to tell him something?

"… Téa! I'm leaving now! Be careful and mind yourself." Anita announced to her daughter, slipping on her black pumps and picking up her crocodile purse.

"Okay Mom, have fun!" Téa said and flashed Seto a smile as he came into the kitchen. But the smile dropped when she noticed his expression. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing much. Your mother just asked a few questions."

"Oh… about what?"

"It's nothing, just about business. And Mokuba, stop eating unless you would like to be sugar high." Seto said dryly to his brother, who was munching away happily on the cookies.

A small smile came to Téa's face, finally convinced that nothing was bothering Seto. "Well, who wants dinner? I've made some salad and pumpkin pie, Mom made some chicken pot pie too."

"Ohhh, pumpkin pie!" Mokuba said enthusiastically, forgetting the cookies.

Téa gave a laugh and Seto just shook his head.

"Thanks for helping me and for coming Kaiba. I really appreciated it." Téa told Seto, while drying the dishes as he washed. Mokuba skittered out of the dining kitchen once the table was cleared. Most likely ran to find his gifts.

"I'm sure Mokuba would have wanted to come over anyways. He's always up for free presents." Seto said blandly, turning off the sink and handing the last dish to Téa.

"Really? I…!"

PING!

The dish shattered as it collided with the ground, having been slipped from Téa's grasp.

Immediately, Seto turned his head to her, eyes somewhat worried when he heard her voice. "Ka…Kaiba? Call the hospital…"

Kneeling down, he asked with a hand on her shoulder. "Is something wrong?"

"I… I think my water just broke." She whispered.

Eyes widening, Seto swore in his mind and called out to younger sibling. "Mokuba, call the hospital now!"

December 24th, 11:25, Domino Hospital

It had been nearly three hours since Téa was in the ER… Seto thought. Just how long does childbirth take?

Seto leaned against the white wall, eyes darting back from the ER doors to the tiled floor.

The rest of the gang, called in by Mokuba, was sitting on the benches, anxiously waiting. The guys were out here while Mai and Serenity were inside with Téa, trying to calm her down.

Yugi and Tristan were sitting down with Mokuba; hands gripped tightly and winced every time they heard Téa cry out.

Joey stood adjacent to Seto, glaring at the CEO.

"SETO KAIBA! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU AFTER THIS! YOU HEAR ME!" Téa threatened, causing all the guys to direct their attention to Seto. Yugi shook his head, a sorry expression on his face.

After all, Téa was always true to her word…

"Uh… I think that's the pain talking. So no worries, Kaiba. But if you die, I'm sure she'll visit your grave afterwards." Tristan piped up, hoping to brighten the gloominess.

"Thanks Taylor, I'm sure." Seto said sarcastically.

"Grr… I DON'T CARE IF I GET THROWN IN JAIL, BUT I'M GOING TO CASTRATE YOU SO YOUR FUTURE WIFE DOESN'T FEEL THIS KINDA PAIN!"

At this, Joey started to snicker. "Sucker up Kaiba, you're in deep." The blond said.

"Stop picking on my brother Joey!" Mokuba defended.

"What? I'm only tellin' the truth. Téa's really gonna kill him after this." Joey thumbed towards the doors of the ER. His digital wristwatch beeped, telling him it was midnight and then there was another shout of pain but a wail broke out as well.

Then a doctor, still in his medic garb (stained with some blood), came out to the hall. He took off his gloves and pulled down his mask. "Your friend is fine. And the baby is a healthy girl! Six pounds and nine ounces, born exactly at midnight of the eve of Christmas! You can go see them once we place them in a room in the ICU. But may I ask who is the father?"

Seto stood up straight and stepped forward. "I am."

The doctor looked a little surprised but then gave him a smile and stuck out his hand. Seto accepted it and shook it. "Congratulations Mr. Kaiba. You have a beautiful wife and baby girl now." said the doctor, and walked away.

Seto looked at the back of the doctor with a raised brow but turned his attention to the squeaking noises from the hinges of the doors. (Joey coughed on his oxygen when he heard the statement). Téa was wheeled out in a wheel chair with a bundle in her arms. Mai and Serenity came out after them, pulling off the garment and handing it to the nurses.

"Hey, yeah… the baby's born… so when do we start?" she asked, twirling her aquamarine hair.

"Soon, dear… very soon."

AN: Voilá! Chapter 23! Now, three more to go!

Ang3l-blue: lol, very much. I can't capture his accent very well… and thank you for your compliments!

KAIBA-LOVER: LOL, don't worry, take your time to read! After all, this fic is coming to a close soon. :sniffs: and I'm gonna miss my baby! And no worries, once this is finished, I'm moving on to Warriors at Heart (another of my YGO fics!). I'll be also working on Options, a Rurouni Kenshin fiction!

LadieAnimeFreak: concept's interesting ne? It came to me when I watched a show of COPS about domestic violence. Blah, it was horrible!

Inuyoukai-san: Is a week and a day really an eternity? Hope not! And you'll have to wait a bit… Téa(Anzu)'s dad might show up, you just have to wait and see!