At home, Rin got Daphne into the shower and put water in the kettle for tea before he called Yukio to let him know everything was all right. Well, it was hardly all right, but there wasn't anything anybody could do about it.

"Hey," he said and sighed when Yukio picked up, his throat tight again.

"How is she?"

"Not good."

A pause.

"I'm sorry, Rin."

Rin rubbed his forehead. The water in the kettle began to bubble.

"Is there anything we can do?" Yukio continued. "Do you need someone to come over?"

"No—no, I think it would be better for us to be alone. She's—" Rin took a breath. "That would be better."

"All right."

"I don't know if she'll want to go in to work tomorrow or not, but could you remind me to call the school? And will you tell Shura? And Mephisto, if you can get a hold of him. Just…just let them know what happened?"

"Yeah, I can do that. Of course, Rin."

"Oh, and will you tell Shiemi that Daph wanted to apologize?"

"There's nothing to—"

"I know. Just. Tell her. Please."

"…I will."

The water in the kettle boiled, whistling through the spout. Upstairs, the water to the shower shut off.

"We'll bring dinner tomorrow," Yukio said.

"That would be good."

Rin massaged the bridge of his nose. There was an aching there that wouldn't go away. He couldn't help feeling like this was his fault. If he had had his own shit under control, he wouldn't have felt the need to tell Daphne to keep it together. She would have talked to him. They wouldn't be as bad off. But there wasn't any point in wishing away the past.

"You should get some rest, too," Yukio said.

Rin sighed. "I'll try."

"Call if you need us."

"I will. Thanks, Yukio. Good night."

"Good night."

Rin hung up then braced himself to go upstairs. He met Daphne in their bedroom in her pajamas, toweling off her hair. She didn't say anything. Neither did he. Daphne climbed into bed. Rin tucked her in, turned off the light, and left the door a little open when he departed.

Down in the kitchen he sat up for the next few hours, trying to compile a list of people to contact to get help for Daphne. Father Michael was the only name on the list, the others vague abstractions like "doctor" and "psychologist." The clock ticked above the stove. Rin stared at the mostly empty paper. He started to drift off.

"Rin?"

And when he didn't respond immediately:

"RIN!"

Like a bolt, he flew up the stairs, down the hall, and threw open the bedroom door when he reached it, his heart beating in his ears. Daphne was sitting up in bed, the sheets thrown back away from her in a heap, and she looked over at him, her face a mask of horror. Her chest began to rise and fall, rise and fall, picking up speed. She was going to hyperventilate.

He hurried over, about to ask what happened, but getting only the beginning of a "what" out before he noticed the blood on her hands. There was a little blood on the sheets as well between Daphne's legs.

She saw his face and started to try to explain. "Rin, I—I…Rin, I, I don't know. I—I am—I was pregnant. I didn't tell you because I was scared, but I was going to soon, and I-I think…I think I just…lost…"

Rin's heart beat once and it turned his blood to ice.

As he stood and stared, she broke down, sobbing all over again. That blow she'd taken from the possessed Greenman. Right to the stomach. It had sent her flying. She—he… A few minutes ago, he'd been months away from being a father. Now… How was he supposed to process that? Daphne didn't take his silence well.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry," she sobbed, covering her face in her hands.

And that was the last thing she said for a while. He stood her up and she bled a little more through her pajamas and onto her legs, so he walked her to the bathroom and set her down on the floor beside the sink before turning the shower on. He left her there and went back to their room, stared at the blood on the bed, then stripped the sheets and carried them to the laundry room. When he went back to the bathroom, Daphne wasn't in the shower.

She wouldn't get off the floor. She just sat there, leaned against the cabinet, sobbing. Steam had filled the room. Rin knelt in front of her, his hands on her knees. She'd bled onto the rug.

"You need to get in the shower, Daph."

She didn't answer him.

"Please get in the shower."

"She wouldn't but he didn't know how else to clean her up.

"Can I help you?"

She didn't respond, but he did anyways, standing her up and undressing her and helping her into the shower. She sat in the bottom of the tub, her head bent back along the rim and sobbed like that until he left to take her pajamas and the rug to the laundry as well.

He listened to her cry while he rinsed everything in cold water, working to get the blood out as best he could before loading the washing machine. Once they were in and the cycle started, Rin put his elbows on top of the machine, leaned his face into his hands, and wept.

What had they done to deserve this?

He made sure he was stable and not red around the eyes before going back up to the bathroom. Daphne was still lying in the bottom of the tub, but her sobs had quieted and she rested with her eyes closed. She opened them when he came in.

"Are you ready for a towel?" he asked softly.

She nodded and he brought her one, turning off the water as well. As he watched the last of it drain, the liquid turned, ever so slightly, and made the shape of a five-pointed star.

He didn't say anything to Daphne, just went to retrieve a fresh pair of pajamas for her. He left her to dress and returned to their room to make the bed. By the time he finished, she was standing in the door behind him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He flew to hug her. "No."

She tightened her arms around his back. She hadn't told him, but he wasn't angry. How could he be? What right did he have? She had to know he wasn't angry, so he stroked her hair and held her snug.

"Can you sleep?" he asked.

"I don't think so, but will you stay with me?"

He nodded and she slipped away to climb into their now poorly-made bed where she curled up into a ball. Rin put on his pajamas. He hadn't even taken off his tie when they'd come home. Daphne wrapped herself around him when he got in beside her, tucking her head under his chin against his throat. Her breath passed across his skin. Her tears rolled from her eyes down his neck. He held onto her.

Neither of them slept that night.