It was late and Kaiba was just putting away a few books Mokuba had left out before he went to bed. He re-shelved the last book and leaned back, hands on his lower back. He had been bending over for hours putting away the books. Ms. Kako had finished putting dinner away and had left. Hansley was gone to and Kaiba was up alone in the house, while Mokuba was busy catching some Z's. Kaiba turned when he heard keys jingle. The door unlocked and creaked open. She stepped inside and removed her flats. She pocketed the keys and looked up. "Oh, Kaiba... you're up. I'll get out of your way."

"You're home late." Home... how funny. It was true this place had become home to her. Her bedroom on the third floor, with clothes bought over the year in the closet and soaps and shampoos and her own pink towels in her very own bathroom. Shoes lined near the foot of the bed and her very own, mesh white curtains with lace lining, ones that never remaindered her of Aki. She still hadn't talked with him about the baby, she couldn't after Yugi and Joey went after him in front of his little girlfriend. Téa lived with and loved the Kaiba brother... simply platonic, of course.

"Yeah... sorry. I just had my baby shower." She began tugging on her shoe, unable to get it off her heel. Kaiba walked over to her, seeing her struggle and grabbed her hand and foot. He knelt down and her eyes widen. She held onto his shoulder as he unhooked the shoe and slipped it free from her foot. She smiled, grateful. He stood up and she put her foot down.

"Where's the stuff?"

"In the car, I thought I'd bring it in when it gets lighter. Hey, did you eat?" he shook his head. She was always worried he was eating, being busy at the company and at school and home was no excuse, he had to eat, keep up his strength and health. "I'll make you something." It wasn't that Ms. Kako wasn't a good cook, quite the opposite, she was one of the best, it was just... Kaiba seemed to enjoy Téa's cooking more.

"No, I'm sure your tried and I'm getting ready to go to bed."

"It's only eleven, Kaiba. I know, if you don't want me to cook, I'll--- let's go out tonight... hmm?"

"Out?"

"You know... we'll have dinner together... I'm actually dying for crème brulée." He smirked and nodded. "Great, let me just go change... okay?" he nodded.

"Actually, I need a shower. I'll meet you down here when your done." She nodded and they both headed up the stairs. Now Téa had never been out with Kaiba except on the way to school. It wasn't like it was a date or anything, but she knew his taste, he had an expensive sort of taste, one that required semiformal dress wear. She opened her door and switched on the light. She walked over to her closet and pulled out a blue, fat strap satin blue dress. Why did she had this dress? She didn't know... a dress saved for a reception party. Maybe she had hopes that Aki would come to his senses... that he would leave Yukari Soryo and come back to her and ask her to marry him before the baby was born, but with each month that had past that hope dimmed like a candle burning out. Now she relied on nothing, at least from Aki Ueda.

"Téa Ueda." It didn't sound bad, it sounded... whatever... but one thing she knew her child would care its birth's father's name. Ueda. Whatever she might have. She wouldn't let the child be a Gardner, that name would die with her father... however much she loved him and she wouldn't change her child's last name unless she was taken as a wife. But right now, in this moment of time she was contemplating raising her child alone. She knew the difficulties of that, but... it would seem nice... just the two of them. Taking care of one another... relying on one another of love and survival. She slipped into the blue dress and zipped the sides up. She walked over to her mirror in the bathroom and began to fix her hair. She had it pulled up and she ran her fingers over the top lightly. She looked okay, she supposed, she looked down at her legs and decided the black low heels would be best. She decided one of the worst parts of being pregnant was her feet. The pain, most of the swelling, she had to wear comfortable shoes, but shoes that also looked nice. Tomorrow she had work, so she decided this was the last time, for this week that she would have some fun. She thought going out with Kaiba might be fun. Not as much as when she was with the gang, but it would be a little more relaxed. She headed down they stairs, stupid flight of stairs, it was all good and well when she was in her first month, however now it was just a bother. She finally reached the bottom stairs and found Kaiba, he was wearing his usual white suit and his russet hair just a little damp. "You're going to catch cold." She laughed and he shrugged.

"It's just a little wet." He protested and she shook her head, grabbing a towel that had been left on the railing. She draped over the top of his head, however much she had to stand on the balls of her feet and began to towel dry his hair. Kaiba muttered something inaudible under his breath and she smirked and pulled the towel away, her eyes widen with a wide smile forming and he frowned, making him all that much more desirable, not that she thought him desirable before. She covered her laugh with a soft cough and he ran his fingers through his hair, dryer then it had been moments ago. She waited until it was nice and feather over his head, he looked incredibly handsome; she shivered slightly at the sight. "How do I look?"

"N-nice." She stuttered and bit her thumbnail lightly.

"Ready?" she nodded and he opened the door. She followed him out the door, closing it tightly behind her and she trailed after him to the car.

"You're going to drive?"

"Sure. What else did I get this license for? Might as well put it too use."

"Are you joking?" she wondered as she rounded the car and opened her side as he tugged his door open.

"Not at all."

"So really... this is your first time driving since driving school?"

"Of course not, remember... I drove that motorcycle and my other car. It's... well... it's just been awhile." She got in and pulled the seatbelt over her swollen stomach and he did the same, locking the seatbelt into place. He pushed the key into the ignition and revved up his 2005 Vanquish. HE looked over his shoulder and pulled the car out of the driveway and down to the gate. He pressed a button on the panel near the armrest and the doors swung slowly open. They drove out and when the car was fully out of the driveway the gates swung shut again and they drove off.

The restaurant was full and the waiter led Kaiba and Téa to a table near the windows and left them after taking their drink orders. "Maybe this wasn't a good idea." Téa said softly to Kaiba, referring to when the waiter had commented that his wife looked lovely this evening. They weren't married and had said so, and the waiter had quickly apologized for the insinuation. They brushed it off, but Téa didn't want it to get out that CEO Seto Kaiba had a pregnant girl on his arms the evening of late night dinner. They had never been out together in full public view. Not for dinner, not for anything. He sighed.

"Gardner, I'm not worried, so don't you be either... okay?" she nodded and lifted the glass filled with water and a lemon slice on the edge of the glass and took a small sip. They were just having dinner together, like friends, and if anyone suggested otherwise they were very, highly... wrong. The waiter came back and offered the special and then they ordered. Not much, just enough, Kaiba ordered the grilled chicken Téa decided that sounded good asked for the same and then what she really wanted... which was the crème brulée. Kaiba smirked at her and she cocked her head to the side and said. "Humph!" he bowed his head and she laughed.

They were well done with their meal, but still they sat there, talking among the chatter of the room. "So... do you think after you have the baby you'll still want to dance."

"Yeah... I like it and it's fun. My teacher said she'd love to have me back after I'm done recovering and all."

"Sounds like a plan. College?" she looked skyward and thought a minute.

"I always wanted to go to Julliard." She said with a smile. "However, it's really expensive and not just the school... I mean I would have to get a plane ticket, fly away from Japan and end up in New York."

"It's nice there." He mused.

"You've been?"

"Well, Duel Monsters is a very widespread game. After all my company is one of the best so I have to travel, it's been awhile since I have however." She nodded and then...

"Are you going to be able to get out of here, that head's get pretty swollen, bigger than my stomach."

"Keep talking, Gardner. I'm only presentation the facts." She nodded with a smile. Kaiba looked at his watch and his smirk dropped. "It's really late, we should get going." She nodded and grabbed her purse and they left, Kaiba laying down money on the table, a tip and then paying the bill.Téa waited for Kaiba at the exit when her cell phone went off. She absent-mindedly pulled it out of her purse, who would call at this hour and why was she watching Kaiba, liking the way he moved and the way he pushed his hair out of his face with one hand.

"Hello?" she said, almost dazed.

"Téa!" She blinked out of her daze and turned around.

"Yugi... what is it? Is something the matter?" she hadn't liked the way he said her name with a quick burst and everything. He sounded anxious.

"Téa I have a huge surprise, I know it's late so I want you to come over to the Turtle Shop after work, could you please come?"

"Yes, of course. I'll try. If I can't I promise the next day."

"All right, sorry to bother you."

"It's okay, I'll see you then, good-night, Yugi." And she hung up. She turned around to find herself face to face with Kaiba; both with a startled look on their face. "You scared me."

"Oh. I just got a call... it was your Lamaze class calling, they said they couldn't get a hold of you... but they changed the class to tomorrow." She sighed.

"Just my luck."

"What's the matter?"

"Yugi said he had a surprise for me. Well, I just have to skip on him, doctor says to take care of the baby best and first." Kaiba looked amused by this.

"Do you want me to come with you?" she blinked, startled by what he had just said.

"Are you sure? I mean, thank you, but you don't have to if you don't want to." He shrugged; it didn't matter either way to him.

"I'd like to help."

"Who are you and what have you done with the real Seto Kaiba?" both corners of his mouth actual lifted and she could see his clean white teeth. This smile she had never seen on him before, this amazingly beautiful smile that just didn't fit his face right, mostly because he didn't really use it. She could fall in love with that smile and if things were different between them then they were she could fall in love with him. He had all these good qualities about him. He was fiercely loyal to loved ones and he was very protective, he'd do anything for Mokuba, she remember well when he battled Yugi, not the most admirable thing he had done, threatening his very own life to beat Yugi just to duel Pegasus and in vain for one thing, he along with Mokuba and Yugi's Grandpa had lost his soul. It was Yami and Yugi who recovered the three souls. And his major flaws, he was self-involved and cocky and rude and just plain indifferent about things one shouldn't be apathetic about and yet; it was the good things he did that seemed to redeem him. "Yes, you can come."

"Good. Now, let's get home, I need to check on Mokuba." She nodded her head once and they left the restaurant together.