The doctor had promised that her morning sickness would subside after thirteen weeks.
He was a freaking liar.
This was the worst she had felt during her whole pregnancy.
Akane laid in her bed, curled under her comforter, tears threatening to come because of the frustrating fact that she knew she had to call in sick for the first time since she started working for the PSB.
She rolled over and looked at the clock. It was 4:30, and she needed to call in by 5.
She took a deep breath and pulled Inspector Ginoza's name up on her communicator and called him.
"Yeah, Ginoza." He answered seconds later.
"Hey." Akane sniffed.
"Akane? What's wrong?"
"I woke up with really bad morning sickness. I can't get out of my apartment today." She said, her throat becoming tight.
"Are you by yourself?"
"Yeah. I came here last night because I needed to work on some things. Kogami didn't feel up to joining me, so he stayed behind."
"That idiot." Ginoza groaned. "I'll let Inspector Shimotsuki know you won't be reporting today. I'll be over when my shift ends."
"No, please! You need rest."
"You need someone at your side, and since Ko is going to be working, it's my job as the godfather to step in."
"Ginoza…"
"What are your latest cravings?"
"Those strawberry pastries that are made fresh just down the street of the PSB. Me and Kogami go there every morning and order 15 to last me through the day."
"Got it. You're lucky that our shifts switch like they do. They're always freshest when we switch off."
"Yeah." Akane nodded. "Thank you."
When they hung up, Akane curled back up on her bed. Ginoza was going to be Kogami's stand in for the day. What could go wrong?
—-
"Inspector Shimotsuki, Inspector Tsunemori will not be reporting in today, so you will be the only inspector on call."
"Aww man." Kagari groaned from his desk, earning a glare from the inspectors.
"Where is Akane?" Kogami asked.
"Did she not tell you? She called in sick."
Kogami was about to say something, but Ginoza interrupted.
"I'll be going over there to help her out, so don't worry."
Mika looked suspiciously at the Inspector. Was he involved with Tsunemori, too? What about when they had lunch the other day? It seemed that he was interested in her and not Tsunemori.
"Give her my best regards." Mika said, trying to be polite. She went to her desk and watched Ginoza and Kogami continue with their conversation.
"Now, give me money." The Inspector said, holding out his hand.
"What? Why?"
"For her pastries. Give me money."
Kogami rolled his eyes and handed him what he had in his pocket.
"This is all?"
"Hey, enforcers don't get a huge allowance like inspectors do."
"Yeah. Yeah. I'll bring her back here when she feels up to it." Ginoza said, leaving the room.
"Hey, Gino." Kogami called to his friend.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
—-
"Hey, Akane. Are you up?" Ginoza asked as he walked in to her small apartment.
"I'm in-" She started heaving, letting him know she was in the bathroom.
He put the box full of pastries down on her table and went to her.
Her head was resting on the edge of the porcelain seat, and her body was shaking.
"See? I knew you would need me here." He said, kneeling down next to her.
Akane looked up at her partner and gave him a pathetic looking smile.
Ginoza stood up and got her a wet cloth for her to clean herself up with.
"Thanks." She said, trying to stand up, but her legs refused to let her.
"Here." Gino reached down and picked her up bridal-style. "Couch or your bed?"
"C-couch is fine." Akane answered, embarrassed that he had to help her like this.
He took her in to her living space and sat her on her couch. He then went to the kitchen and came back a few minutes later with a cup of hot lemon water for her to sip on.
"How did you-"
"Ko kind of gave me the run down on what to do, so he deserves a lot of the credit."
Akane smiled to herself as she took a drink of the water. Kogami really was a thoughtful man when it came down to it.
"Why didn't you tell him you weren't feeling well?"
"I didn't want him to worry."
"You're carrying his child, of course he's going to worry." He said, rolling his eyes.
"I know." She looked down in defeat.
"So." Ginoza said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "What do you need me to do?"
"Well…" Akane looked around the room. "I was going to do some laundry today."
"Is there… Anything else?" He asked, tying not to think of washing her delicate clothing.
"My feet kind of hurt." She innocently said. "Kogami always puts lotion on them when they get swollen like this."
Ginoza wrinkled his nose. "Really?"
Akane looked up at him with huge eyes. She reminded him of Dime almost.
He sighed in defeat and sat next to her. "Fine."
"Thank you." She smiled as she put her feet in his lap.
This was going to be a long day.
—-
"Inspector Shimotsuki I read over the final reports, and they're formatted wrong."
"No they aren't, I did it just like I was taught to." Mika argued with Kogami.
"Our division does things differently from the academy standard. I think Inspector Tsunemori showed you how to format them your first day." Kogami said, stepping behind her desk. "I can show you-"
"No, I think my reports are fine. Go back to your desk, dog." She snapped at him.
Kogami rolled his eyes and did as he was told. There was nothing he could do about it.
"I say just let her screw up." Kagari told him. "It's not our fault if she gets in trouble with Ginoza."
"I guess so." Kogami shrugged.
"What was that?" Mika glared at the two enforcers.
"Nothing, Inspector Shimotsuki."
"That's what I thought."
Kagari stuck his tongue out at her when she turned her back.
Kogami just knew that today was going to be a long work day.
—-
Ginoza was dozing off while he and Akane were watching a crime drama she was in to.
He had painted her toenails after massaging her feet and cleaned her whole apartment, all without sleep.
"These shows are so inaccurate." Akane said as she took another pastry from the box in her lap. "Why are they so good?"
She turned and saw her partner with his arm over his eyes.
"Gino, you don't have to stay here. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, but I'm not leaving your side until Kogami's shift is over."
Akane stared at him and started crying.
"Are you alright?" He asked, sitting up fast.
"I'm sorry. It's just, I hate being such a burden on you and Kogami." She sniffed.
"Please stop crying. It's not a problem. Really." Ginoza reassured her.
"I didn't mean for you to feel obligated to take care of me when he couldn't."
"Are you kidding?" Her partner asked incredulously. "I would do this anyway. Not just because you're my partner, but you're also my friend."
"You really mean that?"
"Of course."
Akane wiped her eyes. "Sorry. I tend to do that sometimes."
"It's okay. Just don't scare me like that again."
She looked up to her partner. "Does crying bother you?"
Ginoza cleared his throat. "I just don't feel comfortable with tears."
Akane laughed. "Kogami is right. You have a secret soft spot that not a lot of people get to see."
"If you tell anyone, I'll deny that I did any of this." He said, pushing up his glasses.
"Oh, don't worry." She giggled. "No one would believe me anyway."
"I wonder how Inspector Shimotsuki is handling her first day alone…"
—-
"Kagari, calm down!" Kogami was restraining his partner from attacking their superior.
"Let me go, Ko! This is the last straw!"
"Only good dogs deserve treats." Mika glared over her shoulder and tossed Kagari's game in the trash.
"You bitch!"
"Ignorant hound!"
"Come on! Can we please not act like children here?" Kogami groaned.
"In case you have forgotten, Ko, SHE IS A KID!" Kagari shouted.
"I may be a minor, but I have authority over you! It just shows how worthless you are to society!"
"Inspector Shimotsuki, really, this isn't necessary." Kogami tried to reason.
"You know what is necessary?" She snorted. "I'm going to go and report you both to Chief Kasei right now."
"What? Why?"
"I didn't even do anything."
"I have been watching you with Inspector Tsunemori." She glared to Kogami. "And with the violent behavior Enforcer Kagari has been showing, that is grounds to get both of your statuses as Enforcers revoked."
"You wouldn't." Kagari glared.
"Just watch me." She said, picking up a file and leaving the office.
Kogami and Kagari looked at each other, then took off behind her.
"They won't let us in to see the chief. You know that, right?" Kagari asked as they raced up the stairs, hoping to beat the elevator.
"I know. Just give me a minute to think."
"We don't have a minute! She's gonna listen to an Inspector over us, and you know it!"
Something clicked in Kogami's brain. "You're right. I have an idea."
"Let's hear it."
"Just go call Gino and Akane and tell them to get over here as soon as possible."
"Okay." Kagari nodded and went to go contact the other two Inspectors.
Kogami reached the Chief's floor and cut Mika off.
"Wait, Inspector. There's something I have to tell you."
"If you're going to ask me to stop, the answer is no."
She stepped around him and started towards the Chief's office.
"No, it's not that. It's got to do with me and Inspector Tsunemori."
Mika stopped and smirked to herself. So he was going to admit to her what was going on, after all?
"I'm listening." She said, turning around.
"Can we discuss this somewhere private?"
"You have ten minutes."
Kogami nodded. "It's all I need."
Akane's apartment was only a few minutes away by car.
—-
"It's about time!" Kagari said as Akane and Ginoza walked in to the lobby of the PSB.
"Where is Kogami and Inspector Shimotsuki?"
"They went to an empty interrogation room to talk. That's all I know."
They raced upstairs, and Gino and Akane walked right in to the room.
"Inspector Ginoza? Inspector Tsunemori? Why are you here?" Mika looked to her senior colleagues in shock.
"Stopping you from getting two of our best Enforcers fired." Akane snapped and walked over to Kogami. "Why didn't you tell me what was going on?!"
"I didn't want to bother you." Kogami responded, rubbing the back of his neck.
"That's not a good excuse, Kogami! Seriously! What am I going to do when the baby gets here?"
"Baby?" Mika stared at the two in shock. "You're pregnant?"