A/N: Alright guys, I'm on a roll today. This is the first of many twists.

Mugen showed up back at the house a few hours later, and promptly began to ignore both Fuu and Jin. This didn't bother Jin, as he simply associated it with Mugen's bad attitude. Fuu didn't seem too distressed about either; in fact, she acted like she had been expecting it, and didn't try to make conversation with him. One would have thought this behavior would have ticked Mugen off even more- and it did, to an extent. For the most part, though, he enjoyed the silence. Fuu was also acting very strange…She could be found moving around very oddly, like she was feeling strange or achy or sore. It lasted for the next two weeks, her body feeling out of sync and then vomiting in the mornings.

While out, Jin had found the priest in the village temple, and he would be doing the ceremony at the lake. They wanted a small wedding, so no other villagers were invited; the only person who would be attending would be Mugen (upon hearing this bit of information, Mugen could be seen moping around and grumbling inaudible words). Fuu had gone out and bought an ivory kimono from the market, and a white gi for Jin. She also bought Mugen some clothes similar to what he had worn the day he bathed. 'For traveling' she had told him. Mugen had taken the clothes without a single word to her- he'd been silent to her since he'd come back.

Finally, two days before the wedding ceremony and Mugen's final departure ( he had told them he would be leaving after the wedding), Fuu went to the village doctor about her sickness. She had hidden her behavior from the two men, quite well actually, since they hardly noticed anything at all. She had decided to go see the doctor when her sickness had proven unrelenting.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The room was much like their living room at the house- the ground was raised above sea level, where the doctor's various herbs and tools and medicines sat. Fuu was seated with the Healer; a wrinkled, cheerful old man named Yuri.

"Tell me your ailments, Fuu-chan," he said, his eyes twinkling and kind. Yuri had been here since the village was founded, about sixty years before. He and others had migrated from a northern city, to escape the greediness that had been slowly taking over the country. He had seen many things, and had done many great deeds since that day. Yuri, however, wasn't your "round-about", average doctor. Ever since he was born he had had an uncanny ability to sense people's ailments and sicknesses. It was like a sixth-sense. He knew exactly what herbs and medicines to give people. He was, in a way, a natural- born healer. So, that's why he knew exactly what was wrong with Fuu the moment she entered the room.

She had recounted the past few weeks to him, telling him as best she could how her body felt, about the morning vomiting, and how she tired so easily now. She would walk from one room to the other and feel fatigued. Yuri listened intently to her, nodding and muttering to himself every so often. When she finished, he asked her a question, more of a confirmation for himself, a question that completely threw her off guard.

"When do you start your monthly flow, your red flow?"

Fuu's eye twitched. She felt the blood rise to her cheeks as the realization that an ancient old man was asking her a nearly perverted question, but then she thought about it…

"..I was supposed to start the other week, when all this sickness started hitting me. What wrong me with, Yuri-san? Do you have any medicine or anything that can help me?"

Yuri's eyes twinkled kindly, and he smiled warmly, "Fuu-chan, I don't have any medicine to help, because you're not sick."

Fuu's face went stark white, "Am…Am I dying?"

Yuri looked at her fully, and then burst with rich laughter; he had a deep baritone that was pleasant to the ears. Fuu stared at him, "What is it?" she asked, her face full of bewilderment.

Yuri wiped at the corner of his eye, his laughter now abating. He then smiled at her widely, "All I can really tell you is this: you can't drink any more sake for a long time."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Mugen was napping, half-asleep on his futon in the guestroom that afternoon. He hadn't spoken a word to Fuu in two weeks. It was strange how quickly they had changed towards each other. One day, they were playing and making love on the beach of a beautiful lake, the next, they wouldn't speak to each other. It was a wonder why Mugen was still even here- but he had made a pact with himself to live through the Wedding Day, as a testament of his strength, to show them all that he wasn't weak. He acted like it didn't matter to him, even though it really hurt. Another part of him didn't really want it to end. Sure, he didn't talk to her, but he was still around Fuu, and that seemed to make it just a little better. He still didn't know what was holding him back. Oh well. In two days, he was gone. It was strange, though, still. Whenever Fuu looked at him, really looked at him, he could swear that every time she would tear-up or her eyes get watery, and she would always make it a point to leave quickly or make up some excuse to leave. This really tore at Mugen, much more than he would care to admit, but of course he still acted like he couldn't give a rat's ass.

Mugen awoke fully this time and sat up groggily, wiping his eyes and yawning. Jin and Fuu's wedding (ugh, it still left a bad taste in his mouth) was in two days, and there was nothing else in the world that made him feel so angry, and nothing more in the world that he was not looking forward to. As soon as the ceremony was over and he got a belly-full of food in him, he was leaving, and he didn't plan on seeing

them ever again. They could kiss his ass for all he cared. And so what if they were the other parts of him that made him a whole, complete person? He felt betrayed, and every ounce of guilt he had ever felt towards Jin was gone.

He stood up, stretching and popping his neck and back, nursing his bandaged knuckles (GodDAMMIT). He was about to grab a cup water when he heard a knock at the door.

"Yeah, I'm awake," he called, downing a cup of water. The door opened and Fuu walked inside, closing the door softly behind her. Mugen caught sight of her and his eyes narrowed, "Yeah?" he asked indifferently.

He then noticed that Fuu was crying, and her eyes were wide and fearful. His face remained impassive but inside he wanted to run and grab her, hold her one last time before the end. Tell her everything he wanted to tell her, tell her to run away with him and go live near the ocean. Just like his dream…But, of course, hell would freeze over before he actually did that, so he settled for being impassive and emotionless. Oh GOD, he was turning into Jin.

He shook his head and glared at Fuu, "What is it?"

She put her hands to her face and wiped at her eyes, but the silent tears just wouldn't stop.

"Mugen," she whispered, her voice hoarse, "I…I think we're in trouble…"

Mugen rose a skeptical eyebrow, "What are you talking about? How can there be trouble- you're getting freaking married in a few days, after all."

Fuu shook her head. If only life could be that simple…By the look on her face, Mugen could tell she wasn't kidding. He furrowed his brows and took a step towards her, "Um…Fuu? What are you talking about?"

Even though she was crying, Mugen could almost make out the shadow of a smile on her face, "I…I just went to the doctor…"

"What, are you dyin' or something?" Mugen had a second where panic nearly took over him. The thought of Fuu dying, even if he was giving her the cold-shoulder, was enough to make Mugen throw up. And that didn't happen very often. He let out a silent sigh when she shook her head, and he felt relieve. It only lasted for a few seconds.

Fuu smiled at him, tears pouring down her face, "I…I'm pregnant, Mugen."

There was a second where it felt like the world was suspended. Then, something ripped through Mugen, and his eyes were wide and mouth gaping. He didn't need Fuu to tell him whose child it was. And then, it hit.

Him. Mugen. Kids?

Fuck.