Okay, this one's taking forever and a half to crank out. I know where I want it to go, I just can't figure out how to get it there, so I'm gonna do what I've done with The Spirit Returns. Post what I've got so far and add to it as I finish more. Otherwise it'll probably be 2016 before you find out what happens next for these two.

Akane fanned the smoke away from her face, tilting her head back to awkwardly glare at him.

"Do you really have to do that?" she asked, sounding peeved. Shinya took a long drag from his cigarette, blowing out a series of smoke rings.

"It never bugged you before," he answered smoothly. She rolled her eyes.

"It did, I just never said anything," she covered her mouth and nose with her hand. "That was before I found out I'm having your kid."

Hearing those words, Shinya's eyes widened, his cigarette still resting between his lips. He hurriedly crushed it out in an already-overflowing ash tray on his nightstand, turning away from her before blowing out his last lungful of smoke.

"I don't know how I keep forgetting that," he wrapped his arms around her, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling deeply. She was curled up between his legs, his sheets folded and draped at her waist. Her stomach was still flat, if a bit harder than normal. He had to remind himself it hadn't been that long, not even a week since they'd found out. Karanomori had guessed Akane was about a month or so along, prescribing her anti-nausea meds developed specifically for bad morning sickness. So far, they seemed to be working. He wrapped his arms more tightly around her, kissing the top of her head. "I'm actually looking forward to meeting the little guy."

"Or girl," she corrected him. She laid her head back against his shoulder, biting her lip and moaning as his fingers trailed over her bare breasts, tweaking the tips. She arched her back, gasping in ecstasy. He buried his face in her neck, inhaling deeply.

"I love it when you sound like that," he murmured. His hand trailed lower, pushing down the sheets, brushing against her velvet folds before going deeper. She bucked her hips against his touch, choking on another quiet gasp. He smiled. "Oh, that's perfect, Akane…"

"Oh, Shinya…" she moaned, her mouth falling open. "Ah, ah, Shinya!"

"That's it, Akane," he trailed small, wet kisses up to her jaw, his tongue darting out to lick the corner of her lips. "You know what I like."

She turned her head, surprising him by taking his lips with hers. Her fingers trailed through the sweat-damp hair at the back of his neck, her tongue meshing perfectly with his. In fact, everything about her meshed perfectly with him, from her personality to the way her body fit against his.

"Where've you been all my life?" he hissed between kisses. He licked a drop of sweat from her brow, amazed at the intoxicating flavor of her. She moaned again, rolling her hips in response to his continued ministrations.

"Waiting for you," she answered simply. He smiled again, feeling the familiar warmth on his fingers as she found her release. She shuddered against him, still panting softly. It amazed him that, even now, she could still manage to look so innocent. "Oh, God…"

He chuckled, taking his hand from within her. If there was one thing more delicious than her skin, it was the sweet stickiness now coating his fingers. Slowly, he licked them clean, determined to enjoy every last drop. He gazed in her eyes as he did so, his own burning with passion. She bit her lip when he licked his, his breath catching in his throat when she kissed him again. He'd grown addicted to the feeling of lightning shooting through his veins, the way his heart raced whenever she was close to him. It was as close to heaven as he was sure he'd get.

"Oh, God," he muttered, panting. She smirked up at him, taking his hand and running it slowly across her stomach. "You're amazing, Akane."

She laughed softly.

"I know."

He yelled, smashing the gun into the back of Makishima's head. The man fell forward, unconscious but still breathing. Kougami felt rage twist his guts, his teeth grinding together as he fought the overwhelming urge to shoot the bastard.

"Shinya!"

He turned, watching Akane stagger up the hill. That quickly, his anger faded, his heart content as he rushed to meet her. She watched him with wide brown eyes, the sweetest concerned smile gracing her lips.

"Are you okay?"

"Heh, he didn't put up much of a fight," he touched a cut on her cheek. "What about you?"

"Bruised and sore, but I'll be fine," she looked past him. "Is he-?"

"No," the hard edge returned to his voice. "I wanted to kill him, I don't know what held me back."

"You're not the monster everyone thinks you are," she glanced at the gun in his hand. "Why didn't you want me to come with you?"

"I couldn't risk losing you to that psycho," the words, soft and heartfelt, came out before he could stop them. She stared at him, her pale cheeks taking on a rosy hue.

"Why, Mr. Kougami," she smiled shyly. She never finished the thought, her mind going blank when his mouth fell against hers. Even with one arm, he was able to lift her off her feet, her hands grasping his coat like he was the only thing keeping her on earth. Were it not for the need to breathe, she never would've broken it.

"What'll happen now?" she glanced at Makishima. His eyes hardened again, a sneer cutting through his smile.

"He wanted to bring down the Sybil system," he knelt, slapping cuffs on the man's wrists. "Now he's stuck with it."

Shinya groaned in his sleep, turning on his side. The memory had haunted him for months after Shogo's arrest, the idea he should have shot the snow-haired murderer when he had the chance. The reawakening of the Specimen Case had been the biggest of Akane's short career at the time, of all of theirs. Completely shattering their views of the world they'd come to know. While the city was still locked in the chaos of mass cleanup, Kagari had led them to the heart of the Sybil System, a massive sub-basement room full of human brains.

Learning that truth, that horrible, disgusting truth, had solidified his plans of escape, but they'd come to a screeching halt when Akane had walked in on him. When she'd read what was supposed to be one of his final messages to her. Seeing the tears in her eyes had cut him deeper than ever, had prompted him to tear the letter to pieces right then and there. That was the moment he'd vowed to never leave her side, to make sure neither of them would ever be alone again.

He pulled himself from the dream when the knocking started, the same short, concise sound that had repeated twice a week for the past two months.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," he grumbled sleepily. He dragged his feet on the way to the door, hiding a loud yawn with his hand as he opened it. Ginoza waited impatiently on the other side, looking thoroughly uncomfortable in his T-shirt and sweats. He didn't have his glasses, a towel tossed over his shoulder. Kougami yawned again.

"Hey, Gino," he said. "What's going on?"

"I should be asking you that," Ginoza returned flatly. "I only have so much time for these sessions, Kougami."

Shinya buried his relief behind his usual mask; his and Akane's secret was still safe.

"Sorry," he stepped out, shutting the door behind him. Gino stared at him a moment longer, then turned, starting down the hall. He hurried to catch up. "How's the new hand?"

Gino looked down at the gleaming steel, his lips tightening at the faint whirring as he moved his fingers. He'd lost half his left arm during the Specimen Case, the limb crushed under a heavy crate Makishima had dropped on them from above. He'd also dropped a stick of dynamite, which Masaoka had barely tossed away in time. His robotic arm had been blown to bits, which, thankfully, had been easy enough to replace.

"I'm...getting used to it," he said at last. He pushed his hair from his eyes, his fingers going to the bridge of his nose out of habit. He remembered the day he'd asked Kougami to train him, doped up on painkillers in the hospital after his surgery. He still had trouble believing he'd gone through with it, that he'd managed to endure nearly eight weeks of it. All that had seemed to happen so far was him getting his ass kicked by an android, when Kougami didn't "try to make it easier" by doing it himself.

"You are getting better," Kougami told him. "You just hold back too much."

He rolled his eyes when they got to the gym floor, surprised to see Tsunemori and Kagari side by side on the treadmills. He was red-faced, gasping and spluttering, while she was laughing. Finally, he slapped the off switch, tumbling to the floor even before it had fully stopped.

"I don't know...why...I let you...talk me...into this," he panted pathetically. She laughed again, gradually lowering her speed to a brisk walk.

"Don't brag so much then," she answered easily. She eventually turned hers off as well, grabbing her towel while throwing him his. "Just be glad I was holding back this time."

He groaned loudly, falling back completely. Kougami covered his amused chuckling with his fist, Gino smirking before shaking his head. The kid should've known better than to compete with Akane when it came to running. She'd talked them all into going against her at one point or another, Yayoi being the only one who'd even come close. Akane giggled a moment longer before holding out her hand, a still lobster-faced Kagari taking it begrudgingly.

"C'mon, Shuusei," she was still smiling. "I'll make you a smoothie."

"No way," he protested. He took his hand back, adjusting one of the clips that held back his bangs. "You managed to break the blender last time, remember?"

It was Akane's turn to flush red. She pouted at him.

"Yeah, well, you never told me how to use the thing!"

"I tried to, but you wouldn't listen!"

Their bickering continued this way while they walked out, oblivious to the dark-haired duo now fighting to hold back their laughter. Ginoza was the first to recover, as he remembered the bi-weekly butt-kicking he was about to receive.

"Let's just get this over with," he stalked toward the sparring mats. "I have work to do."

I was originally going to include some post-workout steam for Akane and Shinya, and I might still do that, but I thought the story could use a little more comedy, and it turns out it was the perfect way to finally end this chapter. *squees*