Was supposed to be the second half of the previous chapter, but I split them up.

Once inside the car, Yuzu fastened her seatbelt, pressed her head against the steering wheel, and gently headbutted it while Mei rested her forehead in her hands. Both felt more tired than they had in weeks and allowed themselves to let some of the fatigue drift from their bodies.

"How are you feeling," asked Yuzu, turning her head and looking at Mei, who was staring out the window aimlessly.

"Raw," was her reply, and Yuzu reached out and placed a hand on her knee. "How about you?"

"Same," muttered Yuzu though she managed a smile. "That was rough."

"That was only our third session," commented Mei, placing her hand on Yuzus. "Is it going to get easier?"

"I hope so." Yuzu sat up and leaned back into her seat, and exhaled loudly. "Sorry, I was a little difficult at the start. I was the one who suggested this, but you're the one that's having an easier time with it. How do you do it?"

"It's because I want to change Yuzu." Mei lifted her wife's hand and kissed it before continuing. "That's it. I've accepted that parts of me need to change, just like you have and that I can't do that with the tools we have. I know you feel the same way, which helped me accept her help. My faith in us, that's it."

"Then, why was I so standoffish with her at the start?" Yuzu groaned in frustration as she ran a hand down her face.

"You're just trying to protect me," chuckled Mei as she brushed some hair out of Yuzu's face. "I could see how worried you were by your pacing when I came out after my first session alone with her. I know that there are things you're concerned about us telling people. There are things about my life that can be difficult to divulge because of the social and personal damage they can do. I love that you want to protect me from that pain, but I have to face it; we have to face it. And it does help that you're there, but I can protect myself more than you think. Besides, I think you subconsciously knew after a few minutes that she wouldn't judge us as you thought. That's why you opened up so quickly."

"I'm sorry if I overstepped." Yuzu held Mei's hand close to her face for a moment before letting go. "I know you don't need me to protect you, but it's hard sometimes. Especially with everything that's happened with us, I don't like seeing you hurt."

"And there we go with that people pleasing we talked about earlier," chuckled Mei while Yuzu blushed. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"Guess not." Yuzu shook her head and ruffled her hair in frustration. "I do trust you, Mei. I trust Hayashi-san when she says that we're taking the right steps. I think it's going to take a while to adjust to this dynamic. Promise me you'll be patient?"

"I've been patient with you for almost thirty years, Yuzu." Mei rolled her eyes and patted her wife's knee. "If I couldn't be patient with you, we would never have worked out. Now can you please take us home? I'd like to take a bath before dinner, and Honoka arrives."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Yuzu chuckled and adjusted herself and the mirrors before starting the ignition, making sure to hold Mei's hand as often as she could during the drive home.

When they arrived, they weren't surprised to find Udagawa's car in front of the house. Still, they were surprised to find Honoka, Hideki, and Airi sitting outside in the backyard, playing some sort of game while Rena finished making snacks for the kids.

"Hello," she said cheerily while carrying a tray of cookies, vegetables, and drinks. "Sorry to drop in, but that husband of mine had a family emergency, and the other two are with my brother. So, here I am."

"You don't need to apologize," said Mei with a friendly smile. "You are welcome here; you know that. You're family."

"I know." Rena smiled back and shrugged. "I hate being in places where people don't expect me; I feel intruding. But thanks for the hospitality. Did everything go okay at the center? You two look exhausted."

"We are," laughed Yuzu as she set down all of her items save for her phone. "It's a lot more work than we realized, and it's only been a couple of weeks, but I think we're making progress."

"That sounds promising." Rena looked relieved at this news and couldn't help continuing to smile. "I'm happy that you two are doing this, I wish my family had at least attempted it, but my sister and I are the only ones who managed to do it and get our shit together. Everyone else either toughed their way through it or never bothered."

"How'd that work out for them," asked Yuzu stealing one of the cookies off the tray, earning her a light tap from Mei as she walked passed.

"Worked for some, not for the others," answered Rena before nodding at the sliding door. "Could one of you get the door, these kids are ravenous, and I didn't know what your dinner plans were, so I didn't start anything."

Yuzu walked to the door, and Mei stayed near Rena and quietly asked, "How are they?"

"They're doing okay." Rena gave Mei an understanding look, knowing why she was so nervous. "Airi had a good day, and Hideki's knee is doing a lot better, but he'll tell you about that. They're both excited to see you."

"They are?" Mei looked a little surprised at this, and Rena chuckled.

"They are, Mei. They missed you two, and Hideki's been worried since his dad told you what you guys are doing. I think he's feeling responsible."

"We'll talk to him," said Mei. "And you and his dad are welcome to sit in on it. I know I've been demanding regarding him, but I value and respect everything you've done for him and us. Please don't think I haven't."

"We know." Rena kept her voice low as they approached the back door. "But don't worry about his dad and me right now. Just talk to them; that's what they need right now."

"What do we need, Mama Rena," asked Hideki from his spot on the edge of the deck; his leg bad leg stretched out in front of him while Airi and Honoka played a board game with him.

"Snacks," declared Rena setting down the tray on the table before pointing at the table. "Also, Mei-san and Yuzu-chan are back."

"MOMMY! MAMA!" Airi scrambled up from the floor, nearly tossing the game to the ground, frustrating Honoka and her brother as she ran to her moms. "You're home!"

"We are." Mei bent down and received the hug Airi was preparing for her. They were quickly joined by Yuzu, who kissed both of them on top of the head. "Did you have a good day? How was your new violin class? Did your new bow work? Are the other children giving you problems?"

"Mei," laughed Yuzu in her wife's ear, sending a tingle down Mei's spine. "Give her a chance to talk."

"I'm sorry, Airi." Mei brushed her daughter's hair back and gazed into the girl's green eyes. "I just wanted to hear about your day."

"It's okay, Mommy," beamed Airi as she hugged Mei. "I had a great day. My new teacher is fun, and the bow worked fine. It felt weird, but teacher said that's cuz it's new and normal school was fun too. We're going on a field trip soon, so you have to sign something for the teacher. I'll go get it."

"Slow down, sweetheart," grunted Yuzu, pulling Airi back as she made a break for it and set her down on the ground. "You have a guest, and we have snacks. Don't you think it's rude to leave Honoka-chan alone while you run around?"

"I'm sorry." Airi grimaced at Yuzu's stern look, but her smile returned. "I got excited cuz it's my first field trip, and they said we get to bring a bento even though it's not bento day."

"Well, then we need to figure out what kind of bento to make," chuckled Mei before poking Airi in the nose. "When is your trip?"

"It says on the paper," sighed Airi, tossing her hands. "That's why I wanted to get it."

"You can show Mama and me the form later. But first, we need to entertain your brother and Honoka."

"A'hm 'ine," said Hideki through a mouthful of cookie while Honoka nibbled on a senbei and tea. "What about you, Honoka-chan."

"I'm doing well," said the girl, her face almost as serene as her mother's. "But I am disappointed that our game had to end so abruptly. I was close to winning."

"You were," asked Airi, getting up, walking over to the board game, and looking at it. "How can you tell?"

"Because I rolled a seven and needed a six to reach the finish line. Well, I did until you knocked away all the pieces."

"Good job, Squirt." Hideki reached up and ruffled his sister's hand, and she began smacking his hand away.

"Stop it," she whined, but there was a slight giggle.

"I'll stop when you stop making messes," growled Hideki, grabbing his sister and beginning to tickle her.

Airi squealed in protest, but she continued to laugh, and Honoka smiled while Mei and Yuzu watched Rena as they enjoyed their drinks.

Eventually, Airi managed to break free and attempted to tackle Hideki, but he remained firm and asked his sister if that was all she had.

"Honoka-chan, help me,' grunted Airi as she continued pushing her brother.

Honoka looked at Hideki's leg, then at the adults, who all shook their heads before saying, "Airi-chan, I don't think that's a good idea due to your brother's injury."

"Huh?" Airi stopped and looked at Honoka, who was pointing at Hideki's leg.

"Your brother's knee, remember? He's injured. It would be fun to join in, but I don't want to hurt him. I'm sorry if that spoils the fun."

"It's okay." Airi grabbed a juice and a cookie from the tray and joined Honoka. "Well, what do you wanna do? It's a sleepover, and we're supposed to have fun."

"I don't know yet, but we can find something." Honoka gave Airi her version of a smile before standing up and straightening the shirt and jeans she'd worn in place of her yukata. "But first, I need to talk to your mothers; then, we can have fun."

"'Kay." While Honoka approached Mei and Yuzu, Airi sat down and continued munching on her snacks and talking to her brother.

"Hello, Mei-san, Yuzu-san. Thank you for allowing me to spend the evening."

"It's our pleasure," said Yuzu with a smile. "You're always welcome to come over. All you have to do is ask."

"Thank you." Honoka bowed slightly in gratitude and then looked at them with a hint of unease. "I apologize for arriving early. My mother and father had an urgent business meeting, and my uncle dropped me off shortly after we knew Airi would be home from music school. My mother wanted me to apologize for her rudeness, but she contacted Udagawa-san to learn that information and hopes you'll forgive her."

"We're just glad you're safe, and someone was here to receive you, Honoka."

"Thank you for your kindness," said the young girl in a way so reminiscent of her mother. "My mother also asked if it would be okay if she called you later, Yuzu-san. She said she had something important to discuss with you, but due to the circumstances..."

"I'll message your mother and tell her it's okay for us to talk when she's got the time." Yuzu smiled at Honoka and then pointed at Airi. "Thank you for telling me, but you're here to have fun and play and be a kid. So, go with Airi and be a kid for a little bit, and we'll figure out dinner shortly."

Mei and Yuzu watched as the tension left Honoka's body, and she thanked them again before running over to Airi and asking for Airi to show her what they could do to have fun.

Cramming the rest of her cookie in her mouth, Airi handed her empty juice box to her brother, grabbed Honoka's hand, and began leading her into the house.

"What am I, dog food?" shouted Hideki at their retreating backs.

"You smell like it," shouted Airi at her brother. There was a loud squeak as Honoka bit back a laugh while Rena and the other adults shook their heads.

"I'll make sure they don't destroy the house," said Rena as she stood up. "Hideki, say what you need to say, behave, and then we'll get ready to go."

"I know, Mama Rena."

Rena pointed at him and made a gesture that Mei and Yuzu guessed was her way of telling him to behave before smiling at Yuzu and Mei and retreating into the house but not before coming back and grabbing a few cookies for herself before returning to keeping an eye on the girls.

When the door was shut, Mei and Yuzu remained seated until Hideki waved them over and said, "I'm not trying to be rude, but I'm kinda stuck here unless I get some help, so unless you wanna help drag me over there, we're gonna have to talk here."

Immediately, Mei and Yuzu were on their feet, and before he could say anything else, they were both sitting on either side of him and fighting to resist the urge to hug him while Hideki began sweating bullets.

"Hi," said Yuzu, smiling at her son and ruffling his hair before patting his cheek

"Hey, Mama." Hideki blushed as she smiled at him, and he scratched the back of his neck. "Hi, Mom."

"Hello, Hideki," said Mei, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for coming to see us. We've missed you."

"I miss you guys too," he said, his voice choking a little. "And I'm sorry for what I did. I shouldn't have run off, and I shouldn't have made Dad talk to you. I'm an adult, I should have told you what I wanted because if I did, you guys wouldn't have gotten into that fight, and you wouldn't..."

"That fight was a long time coming," said Yuzu quietly, rubbing away a tear that slipped down his cheek. "If it didn't happen that day, it would have happened another, and your mom and I would still be doing what we're doing. You can't blame yourself for our mistakes, Sweetie."

"Yeah, but Airi was saying you left, Mama. She said you stayed with Auntie Harumin and Matsuri while Mom stayed here, and you're not even sharing a room anymore. Is that true? You left because of me?"

"Your Mama left because of problems we made, Hideki." Mei's voice was firm, but Yuzu could sense the tenderness. "And our sleeping arrangments are only temporary."

"Is it some kind of stupid therapy thing or something," snorted Hideki as he slumped over and rested his chin in his hand.

"Hayashi-san is proving quite helpful for your Mama and me," said Mei, a little annoyed at her son's attitude. "We only just started seeing her, but she's proving helpful. However, your Mama and I decided we wouldn't share a bed until we felt more comfortable with how things were progressing.

"It doesn't mean we're getting a divorce or anything like that," said Yuzu cutting Hideki off, knowing where his mind was going. "We're doing it because your Mom and I tend to make up, forget about things, and not learn from our mistakes. We're sleeping in different beds because it allows us to think and focus on what we want from this situation rather than just trying to act as if nothing happened. Does that make sense?"

"No," snorted Hideki, his jaw clenching. "But if that's what you guys want to do, I'm not gonna stop you. But do you really need the therapy? You guys have gotten by just fine without it."

"We have," said Yuzu, resting her head against her son's shoulder. "But your mom and I don't want this to end, Sweetie. We're doing this so your sister and you can learn from our mistakes, and your mom and I can be better parents and partners. It's not because we're mad or don't love or like each other anymore; we want to be better people for you and Airi."

"You don't have to tell her anything embarrassing, do you?" Hideki turned to his mother, who sighed. "Like all the stuff about our family? Like about Grandma and Grandpa? Or like how you and Dad met and all that stuff, do you?"

"We already did," said Mei causing Hideki to groan. "But that's because she needs to know these things to help us. Hayashi-san said she doesn't need to know everything but enough to work with. But your Mama and I were told that if she needs more information and we're comfortable with telling her, then we can. If not, then Hayashi-san said she'll find a workaround."

"Great," he grumbled, showing off how much of a kid he still was despite his claims of adulthood. "Just great, now someone else has something they can make fun of us for."

"She's been very understanding," snorted Yuzu, ignoring her son's pouting. "She's even offered to talk to a friend about helping Airi if we feel up to it. That way, you don't feel like you need to do so much, and your mom and I can help Airi with her problems once you leave for college. You're young, Sweetie. You need to enjoy your life in ways we couldn't. You're eighteen and still a kid, so be a kid for a couple more years and have some fun."

"If this were England or America, I'd be an adult already," snorted Hideki as he plucked some grass out of the ground.

"Be thankful you aren't," sighed Mei as she held her son's large hand. "Cherish this time, Hideki. Things will get much more complicated soon, and you'll miss days like this. I know I do."

Yuzu looked behind Hideki at Mei and noticed her wife blink rapidly before taking a deep breath and continuing.

"Okay," said Hideki, confused by his mother's message. "I'll try, but I'm still going to worry about you guys. So don't tell me not to."

"Wouldn't dream of it," chuckled Yuzu, wrapping her arm around Hideki's and squeezing it. "We always worry about you and your sister, so we get it."

"Good." Hideki sighed and gave Yuzu's arm and Mei's hand a squeeze before saying, "But now that we've kinda talked about that stuff, I guess you guys wanna know about my leg, huh?"

Mei and Yuzu nodded and eagerly asked him about his pain and when his surgery was. It took a moment for Hideki to get them to calm down, and when they did, he said that the pain was better and that his surgery had been scheduled for two weeks from the following Monday.

"Just after your exams," commented Mei nodding her approval. "Good, that means you won't have to make them up."

"Mei, come on," begged Yuzu, her mind drifting back to when she'd gotten on Hideki's case about his college plans. "Not tonight."

"It's fine, Mama." Hideki nudged Yuzu with his elbow and puffed himself up a little. "I made the appointment for that day specifically because I wouldn't have to worry about exams. Plus, school is usually dead during the week, and I'm going to be studying from home until I recover. Except for the next set of exams, I'll have to go in for those."

"Can we come to visit you while you're recovering?" asked Mei, feeling a slight sense of pride and sadness that Hideki had prepared something as serious as his surgery on his own. "We'll understand if you don't want us to. Your father's house tends to be more chaotic than here."

"Yeah, but not by much. Me and Airi can get pretty crazy."

"She misses you," said Yuzu as she patted her son on the back. "She wants you to come home. We all do, but we understand why, and when you're ready, we can talk about that and your school plans."

"I wanna come home too," agreed Hideki with a sigh. "I just need a little more time to sort things out. Maybe after my surgery and rehab? If things go well, I could be home in three months. Think you can survive without me until then?"

"We'll manage." Mei squeezed Hideki's hand another squeeze and gestured toward the house, where Rena was running away from Honoka and Airi, chasing her around the living room with some stuffed animals. "Do you have time to stay for dinner, or do you and Rena-san need to get home?"

"I have to stop by work to let my boss know what's going on," grunted Hideki as he bent over to grab his crutches off the lawn. "Sorry to cut my visit short, but I promise I'll talk to you guys soon. Maybe I can stop by for dinner Sunday if Honoka and Airi haven't destroyed the house."

"If you think you can handle it," teased Yuzu, doing her best to help up her son's massive frame and finding him much lighter than he used to be but still challenging to support. "But a phone call would be nice if you can't make it."

"I'll call, I promise. I'm sorry for doing that to you guys."

"We understand." Mei reached up and pulled his forehead down to hers like she did when he was little. "But thank you for coming to see us today; it means a lot."

"I'll try to come by a bit more before my surgery," he promised before allowing Yuzu to do the same.

"We'll hold you to it," giggled Yuzu before removing her forehead so she could kiss his.

Hideki laughed, moved toward the door, and rolled his eyes when he saw Rena on the couch being attacked by a large stuffed penguin and bear.

"Hey, crazy ladies, what are you doing to Mama Rena?"

"Playing," stated Honoka matter-of-factly, though her hair was askew and her face red from exertion as Airi continued making growling noises while Rena screamed in fake distress. "Would you like to join us?"

"Sorry, kid, but Mama Rena and I gotta go. I got one more stop before going back for dinner."

When she heard that, Airi ran into her room crying, locked her door, and said she wouldn't come out unless Hideki promised to stay. Thankfully, it didn't take long for her to open the door as Mei and Yuzu reminded her that Honoka would have to leave if Airi persisted locked in her room, and eventually, the girl relented and allowed them entry. However, she fell into her habit of hiding in her pile of stuffed animals while they tried to talk her down.

It took some doing, but Mei and Yuzu managed to coax her out by saying that Hideki would talk to her, but she would have to come downstairs to talk to him and apologize to Honoka for her rudeness.

She tried to act tough, but when he said he couldn't stay, Airi popped up from the toys, ran downstairs, and clung to his leg, asking him not to leave. It took a promise from Hideki that if he visited, he'd bring a dessert and read her a story on Sunday. Though the story was part non-negotiable, he agreed to do it over video messaging even if he didn't come over. But even after they sealed the deal with a pinky promise, it took a gentle word from Mei and Yuzu's grip to pry Airi's hands off his pant legs so Hideki could make his appointment.

After Airi calmed down, Yuzu asked Honoka and Airi if they were hungry and wanted to help make dinner. The girls said no and asked if Mei and Yuzu could play with them for a while, which the women were happy to do. They bounced between some of the more accessible video games that Mei and Honoka did well on and a couple of board games. Thankfully, Airi's childlike resilience kicked in, and soon she was back to playing, smiling, and even wrestling around with Yuzu while Honoka and Mei just watched in amusement. Though at one point, Honoka's curiosity got the better of her, and she managed to join in for a bit before Yuzu's back twinged, and they had to stop and watch movies to avoid further injury.

Eventually, the girls grew hungry, and while Yuzu cooked, Mei joined the girls in their bath, games, and coloring on the walls with the bath crayons. It took a few minutes for Honoka to understand that she was allowed to draw on the walls, but after Airi showed her that the drawings could get washed off, she began suggesting stories for them to draw that she and Airi would tell Mei while they bathed.

These were eventually relayed to Yuzu over a tonkatsu dinner, rice, and karaage before they cleaned up and returned to a couple more movies and ice cream.

Finally, Airi fell asleep in Yuzu's arms while Honoka began drifting off in her seat between Mei and Yuzu. After handing Airi off to Mei, Yuzu took Honoka's hand, and they put the girls to bed before Mei retreated to their room so she could get ready for bed while Yuzu took a shower.

When she returned to the room, Mei was waiting for her on the bed, dressed in one of her nightgowns and holding a small ointment tube.

"You just couldn't resist," chuckled Yuzu when she noticed a prepared pill and glass of water sitting on her bedside table.

"Not after seeing the look on your face." Mei moved back and pointed at the spot she had previously occupied. "Sit."

"Gimme a minute."

Removing her towel, Yuzu walked over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of pajama bottoms and some underwear. Looking over her shoulder, Yuzu managed to catch Mei catching a peek. When Mei realized Yuzu was looking, she turned her head quickly and tried to look preoccupied, but Yuzu could see the blush on her wife's cheeks.

Acting like she hadn't noticed, Yuzu decided to tease Mei a little, took an almost glacial pace in putting on her pajama bottoms, and managed to catch Mei watching. Unfortunately, the show had to end, and once her pajama bottoms were on, Yuzu grabbed a shirt, though she remained topless as she sat down on the bed where Mei had indicated and leaned over in preparation.

Without hesitation, Mei opened the tube, applied some ointment to her hands, and began massaging it into Yuzu's back.

"That feels good," groaned Yuzu as Mei massaged the area where she'd felt the twinge earlier.

"This spot," asked Mei, pressing a little harder, making Yuzu gasp.

"Yep," grunted Yuzu as she felt a tiny bit of discomfort. It went away quickly, but Mei continued her massaging.

"You've gotten really good at this," moaned Yuzu when she felt Mei's fingers press into the spot again, getting rid of the last bit of tension.

"Years of practice," chuckled Mei before wrapping her arms around Yuzu's shoulders and pulling her back. "That helped?"

"Yeah," sighed Yuzu contentedly at Mei's embrace and how Mei's fingers stroked her hair and skin. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Mei kissed the top of Yuzu's head and rubbed her nose in the blonde's hair. "Just make sure to take your pill tonight."

"I will." Yuzu smiled, and even though it was a little uncomfortable and she was getting cold, Yuzu remained, if only to extend the contact for as long as possible.

"Are you going to get up?" asked Mei after a few minutes of Yuzu relaxing. "Or are you going to keep me, prisoner tonight?"

"Only if you want to," sighed Yuzu when Mei's hand moved to her stomach. "I know we said we'd switch who sleeps where while we do this, but honestly, after today, I think days like this might be good for us to share a bed again. Not just because it'll help the kids, but because I miss you and want to be near you."

"I miss you too." Mei kissed Yuzu's temple and held Yuzu closer to her. "Even after everything that happened, we haven't stopped being affectionate with each other, which I'm thankful for, but having you close at night helps me as well. Also, I agree that it'll help the kids calm down. They're handling this better than we thought."

"Yeah, they really are." Yuzu nodded and sat up so she could put her shirt on, disappointing both herself and Mei, but it was part of their agreement.

However, that didn't stop Yuzu from kissing Mei and caressing one of Mei's ears, making her whimper and break the kiss.

"Sorry," whispered Yuzu returning to the bed and putting her head in Mei's lap, where Mei immediately began stroking her hair. "I shouldn't tease you like that."

"Don't be sorry," said Mei with a smile as her fingers traced Yuzu's face before returning to the soft locks. "It felt good, and I'm content doing this. We haven't done this in a while, and it feels nice to sit here with you."

"I like it too." Yuzu adjusted and buried her face into Mei's stomach, smiling, letting Mei stroke her hair while Mei started humming. It was a lullaby that Mei's mom sang to her when she was little, so Mei sang it to Airi and Hideki.

It was a fitting song as it was a song about a family praying for a child's health at a shrine and how the baby could be cute and peaceful one minute and a terror the next.

Finding it fitting, Yuzu remained quiet as she listened to her wife's soft hums, and soon, thoughts began flooding both their minds. About how they should handle Airi and Hideki plagued both their minds. Ideas on whether or not they should take them to a session sprung up. Not to mention what they should do about the kid's schooling, Hideki's surgery, and Airi adjusting to her new music classes, as well as thoughts about what their subsequent sessions would bring and if they could face them.

These thoughts barraged them endlessly, and eventually, Mei's hand moved to Yuzu's bicep. Taking the hint, Yuzu rolled onto her back, looked up at Mei, smiled at her, and took her wife's hand in hers, and they rested there, silently reassuring one another that they would make it through this.

The lullaby I have Mei humming is called the Chugoku Regional Lullaby from that area of Japan.