The snowfall from the night before cast a wonderland look to the Sohma estate this year. It was absolutely pristine in every way. A single set a footprints wound their way up to the door of a home on the inside of the family property. Inside, a man and a woman sat in a secluded rear bedroom of the home. The door was ajar, and inside a loud voice rang out.

"That's not possible. You said it would be impossible!" Rin stared, wide-eyed, at Hatori. She stood across from him, on the brink of tears. He sat in a chair nearest the door, trying to remain as quiet and calm as he could.

In a well practiced tone, he replied. "I said it would be unlikely. I did not say it would be impossible, Isuzu. Even with your past and medical history, you're still a woman."

She slowly sank back onto the bed, sitting on the edge and nearly falling over. Mostly to herself, she muttered, "What do I do? What should I do? What can I do?"

"Well, I suppose the first conversation you should have is with Hatsuharu... assuming he is the father?

"..."

If looks could kill.

He quickly tried to put her back at ease. As much as he could, anyways. "Would you like to speak with Mayu? I'm sure she'd be okay with you asking her questions." Indeed, it hadn't been that long since they'd had their own surprise.

"I... no. The fewer people who know the better."

She needed to think. She needed to be alone. Too many people knew already, and somehow that too many included herself.

"I understand. I'll be here if you need anything. Take some time to yourself. You're free to leave anytime, of course."

Hatori got up to give her some time alone. As he turned to close the door, she found her voice again.

"You won't tell anyone?"

"No, I won't. You have my word."

She scoffed internally. She still did not trust anyone apart from herself and Haru. Maybe Kazuma. Definitely not anyone who stood by and did Akito's bidding for so long.

She sat quietly on the edge of the bed inside the small spare bedroom in Hatori's home. She'd always been irregular, there was no hint there. She could hardly remember a time when she was feeling well, so the nausea went unnoticed at first. Eventually it got so bad Hatsuharu threatened to take her to a hospital and have her checked out. She grudgingly agreed to visit Hatori instead, but refused to let Hatsuharu accompany her. Now she sat there, alone, contemplating her future.

"How could I be so stupid. How?"

A child. A baby. Her childhood memories only brought pain. Heart-wrenching pain that made her body ache just thinking about it.

"No. No, no, no...", she sobbed quietly to herself for some time.

Then, there was something else.

The smallest of light. The tiniest flicker of a flame. Hidden deep. A young girl, happy and loved. Playing with her dolls and scribbling in her coloring book. Tea parties with her mother and dress up with her stuffed animals. Her father brushing her hair and telling her bedtime stories. The warm feeling of being loved... of sitting down as a family and enjoying a meal.

Later she would learn that her version of this was all a fake, fairy tale world, but..

"What if?"

What if that type of world could really exist?

Now, instead of remembering the her father yelling at her, she saw Hatsuharu's kind face smiling down at her.

*flash*

Haru brushing the long black hair of a little girl.

*flash*

Haru teaching a young boy how to stand properly in preparation to throw a punch.

*flash*

Haru quietly reading a bedtime story to a toddler.

*flash*

Haru.

She was absolutely terrified.

"And yet...", She thought.

Maybe...

with Haru by her side,

Just maybe...

she could still have her fairy tale.