(lol, forgot the disclaimer.)

-Gestation: not quite 4 months, a Friday morning, Aoko's final day at school-

Aoko sighed as she attempted to button up her skirt as Light was slipping his jacket on. She glared at him because of how easily his clothes went on. As her skirt was the smallest size available. Which, Light had questioned her about and severely reprimanded her for such a stupid move. It was no wonder her body was so weak, she hadn't been feeding it!

And of course, he had put a stop to that. Stupid girl, no wonder she had hypertension. He noticed her struggling with her skirt and moved over to her, placing a hand delicately on her stomach, noting the small, nearly nonexistent, bump was carried more up towards the top.

"You're gaining weight. That's good." He kissed the side of her face.

"Noo, no it's not." She whined. "My skirt doesn't fit." He rolled his eyes and moved over to her bags, fishing out the light pink pants that obviously went with a jogging suit.

"Here." He handed it to her. "It's your last day and you have to wear something, explain the situation and they shouldn't care." He stated, moving out of the room to get breakfast.

Aoko rolled her eyes at his back, and looked at the work-out pants. "….Mou." She realized with a small grimace she didn't have a choice.

"See? More comfortable." He moved over to her, handing her an apple and a poptart. "I'll walk you to school." He leaned forward, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"Oniichan, do you have to do that in front of me?" Sayu frowned, getting up and taking her dishes to the sink.

"Does it bother you?" Light asked his sister. "You're going to be an aunt soon, I'm sure you know."

"Haaai!" Sayu smiled brightly and then grabbed her bag. "I'm going to school now." She announced, heading for the door to escape any possible mushy romance stuff her older brother planned to pull with Aoko.

Light let out a sigh and moved to grab his books and then handed Aoko her bag.

"Aoko!" Kaito greeted as Light and Aoko approached the school. Kaito blinked and then looked Aoko over, trying to guess why she was so casually dressed. "Why are you dressed like that?"

Light wrapped an arm around the girl. "Because." He said simply, "that's none of your business."

"Actually, nothing else fits right now…" Aoko confessed, causing Kaito to blink and look her over.

"Aoko… if nothing fits you should go on a diet." He teased.

"No." Light snapped. "She doesn't a need a diet, the reason her clothes are too tight is because she's pregnant. So don't suggest stupid things like that." Kaito stood still for a long moment, the words attempting to compute.

The information was processing much like downloaded information and seemed to have hit a snag.

"She WHAT!?"

Download Complete.

-

Aoko had decided to sit at the back of the room with only Akako for company. And Akako was cruel. She sat with her head in her hands, pregnancy hormones getting the better of her as Kaito now wanted nothing to do with her.

"Aoko-kun?" She looked up as Hakuba slid into the seat beside her. "Are you alright?" Aoko merely covered her face again, out and out sobbing.

"I-I don't think so, I feel sick, I'm dizzy, my life is being controlled, and my best friend wants nothing to do with me." Saguru winced and watched as she continued to sob. His heart bled for her. He wanted to hold her, tell her that he could save her if she would just help him with the case. But he couldn't, she wasn't his and he feared what might happen should another person decide to lay a hand on the girl.

For her safety, he sat at a distance, watching with a heavy heart as her life was torn to pieces and all she could do was cling pathetically to them and try to put it all together again. She was failing.

He could tell by her pale skin, red lips and cheeks and her once bright, cheerful, and exuberant eyes were starting to fade, turning listless the longer she was around that Yagami boy. And today was it. After the bell rang at noon she would be gone.

"It's…. You've said so yourself Aoko-kun, Kuroba-kun is an idiot."

"Maybe…" Aoko wiped her eyes. "But honestly… I feel like an idiot."

"Don't. It's not your fault-"

"I think I need to throw up." Aoko got out of her seat and left the room, leaving Hakuba let out a frustrated sigh. If he could just get her to say SOMETHING that could be investigated.

Her life was being controlled? No, it was normal for some people who really wanted the other to live to start controlling what the sick one is doing.

Aoko was probably taught how to avoid conversations and even though she was depressed, she still held her masks in place.

-Gestation: 5 Months-

"Damn it!" Hakuba slammed his fist on the table in anger, causing the detective beside him to jump slightly and spill some coffee, luckily no on himself.

"Please refrain from loud out burst while I'm trying to drink coffee. It is rather hot, you know."

"S-sorry." Saguru sat back down in his own chair. "It's just… we're running out of time, already Aoko's five months pregnant."

"I'm aware." L stated, typing away on his laptop.

"You said if I could find evidence against Raito before her baby was born we could save Aoko." Hakuba snapped.

"That remains true. Please try to remain optimistic we've only lost a month and a half." L said calmly.

"But-but, I was expecting this to take no time at all, isn't there anyway we can have a better chance of winning?" L sat still for several seconds.

"….Yes. I suppose now is a good enough time to call them." With out another word he open several files on the computer and started typing as fast as fast as he could, causing Hakuba to blink at the surprising speed. Saguru really couldn't believe anyone could type so fast and finger peck. Possibly faster then even his own four hundred words a minute. Also, he had to admire the incredible aim he had to possess in order to have minimal typos.

"What are you…?"

"Hakuba-kun, in twenty hours we are departing for the airport."

"Understood."

-

-Gestation: five months and two weeks-

Aoko hadn't been taking the idea of not having school well at all, either that she was upset over her friend reacting so cruelly about the news, or the final words she exchanged with a number of girls at that school. Either way Light was happy she was going to be staying in the house from now on.

He glanced back at her, watching her sleep with the covers barely over her hips. She slept a lot, mostly because he told her too. From what he could see, she was getting healthier.

"You're not actually starting to like her, are you?" Ryuk asked, a half joke. Light scoffed and went back to the death note.

"Don't be ridicules, the only thing I want from her is that baby." He stated, starting to write again. Ryuk chuckled again and Light rolled his eyes.

He heard her shifting and resisted the urge to look over, lest Ryuk start suggesting stupid things again.

He heard her sit up and then turned to face her. "You alright?" He asked, eyebrow raised. Aoko stared at him a minute, then placed a hand over her stomach.

"I-I think it's moving." She stated, feeling something squirm inside her.

"Oh?" Light stood up, moving over to her and dropping to his knees to so he could easily place a hand on her stomach. Aoko moved hers out the way winced as it started moving again.

She looked at Light's face, having no doubt he could feel it. She couldn't read his expression, it was a look she'd never seen on his face before.

"…Hi." He said finally, hand still on her stomach. "it's going to be hard waiting for you to come out of there.." Aoko held back a giggle as Light talked to the small baby forming inside her.

-

Hakuba learned pretty fast when L said 'we're' he actually meant 'You.' So instead of 'We're leaving for the airport in twenty hours' it was 'You're leaving for the airport in twenty hours.'

So. Saguru found himself at Tokyo central airport awaiting the arrival of three people. L Had said that he would be able to recognize them immediately and sent Hakuba on his way.

Problem: Hakuba had never met these three people, and had NO idea what to look for. A plane from London. Was that all he had to go on? Could he hold up a sign? What could he put it on?

"You the guy, Hakuba Saguru, who was sent to pick us up?" A voice came from behind him, causing him to jump nearly ten feet in the air.

"Y-Yes, I'm Hakuba Saguru." The detective spun around to face them. Was he sure these were the people to help? One looked rather young dressed in white pajamas and had white hair, the another was dressed in black leather and was currently chomping on a chocolate bar, the last was dressed in black and white stripes with a tan vest and concentrated on a handheld videogame.

It had been the latter who has asked the question. Hakuba looked them over again and then led them outside to the waiting car.

Maybe this was right, L wasn't exactly the picture of normal, or what came to mind when one thought world's greatest detective.

-

As days went on and turned to weeks Aoko felt herself starting to crack. She wanted now more then ever to curl up on someone and just cry. Cry for the situation she'd gotten herself in, cry for her father, cry because Kaito wanted nothing to do with her now.

But mostly she wanted to cry because of how rotten and trapped she felt. She couldn't cry to Light, he was causing all this unhappiness, she couldn't cry to Misa (her new self-proclaimed best friend.) she was only acting on Light's orders, Aoko could tell Misa didn't like her. She couldn't cry to Kaito, he wouldn't care. She couldn't cry to Hakuba that'd get her and possibly him killed. And she couldn't cry to Keiko, because Keiko would undoubtedly tell the others.

Maybe… she could talk to Akako?

"…Raito." Aoko decided she'd take the chance. She wouldn't have to tell Akako anything, that girl knew everything already.

"Yes, Aoko?" He looked up at her, turning his chair to face her.

"W-would it be alright if I went to visit a friend tomorrow?" She tried. He stared at her for long moment, looking her over for a sign of betrayal. Honestly, since he'd felt the baby move, he'd been a good mood, and that probably impacted his decision.

"…That's fine. I have something to do tomorrow anyway…" he confessed. "I'll have Misa accompany you then." He turned back to his writing.

"Thank you, Raito." She said softly, watching him still. He glanced back at her as he felt her eyes on him.

"Yeah…" He shrugged. "Just tell me when it moves again." Aoko agreed and got out of bed, heading for the bathroom to become sick and then clean up.

"Ne, I'm going to take a bubble bath." She informed him. Light acknowledged her and continued his writing, finding it was increasingly difficult to concentrate when he kept thinking about her taking a bubble bath. He gave a frustrated sigh and closed the Death Note.

-

Misa stuck beside Aoko like she was supposed to and Aoko didn't really expect to get a chance to lose her, she also didn't think it would be wise with Light so god damn paranoid.

She reached the witch's house and glanced up at the creepy exterior and could have sworn the house creaked a warning for her stay away. It was the exact replica of what a haunted house might look like, except there was no lightening in the background and it was broad daylight.

"Your friend lives here?" Misa asked, a little shaken. Aoko nodded, moving slowly to the door, wincing as the stairs beneath her creaked and threatened to break.

"You'd better let me go ahead of you little Aoko-chan, I weigh less."

"…I thought this was my friend, Misa. I'll ring the door bell." And that she did, wrapping her hand around the thick rope and yanking so the big brass bell let the residents know they were there. Misa eeped and hid behind Aoko. The younger took a deep breath and entered the house as the door opened on its own.

"A-Akako-chan? Are you around?" She looked around her, searching for the dark haired witch. Misa kept close behind, liking the place less and less.

"Why Yes, Nakamori, I am." Came a silky smooth voice as a tall girl came out of the basement, smiling beautifully, her pearl necklace shining brightly despite the fact there was no close to no light illuminating the area. "Did you need something?"

"Well… I was wondering if you would tell my future…" Aoko confessed. Misa blinked, her gaze snapping to the witch. Akako looked Aoko over carefully, watching the girl sweat uncomfortably as she waited for an answer.

"Why ever would you want to know that, Nakamori?" Aoko resisted the urge to twitch. If Misa ever wondered how Aoko could stand her being around this encounter with Akako was answer enough.

"W-well…" Aoko started. "I-I have hypertension, I was just wondering if-if I'll survive giving birth to… my child." Misa rolled her eyes, she could tell Aoko her lifespan, but she didn't want to.

"Yes.." The witch touched her lips carefully, catching on to what Aoko really wanted. "I think that can be arranged, follow me to the basement."

"I-Is Misa allowed to come too?" The blonde asked. Akako raised an eyebrow, taking an automatic dislike for the girl.

"I suppose, if you must." She waved a hand to toss it aside and started down the spiral stairs that led to the basement. Aoko let out a sigh of relief and followed after her, trying not to think about what was contained in the jars they passed. Akako brought them to a black cauldron and turned to Aoko, cutting off a lock of her hair and tossing it into the cauldron.

The cauldron bubbled a bright red for a minute, threatening to overflow and spill messily onto the floor. It stopped just at the rim and turned a gold mixed with swirls of blue and, glowing brightly.

"How interesting." Akako leaned over the cauldron, inspecting the inside.

"What?" Aoko leaned over to look, hoping to see something as well but was slightly disappointed when she didn't, just the blue and gold swirls.

"Well Nakamori, according to this you're destined to a long and healthy life." She said boredly, "Is that enough?"

"N-no…" Aoko hesitated to answer, watching the taller girl's face. Akako just smirked slightly.

"Well, I could have told her she's going to have a long life." Misa rolled her eyes. Akako raised an eyebrow.

"…Yes, so you could…" She looked slightly over Misa's shoulder, almost as if she could see something Aoko couldn't. Misa stiffened.

"Raito takes such good care of her, there's no way she could die."

"There is always an unexpected variable." Akako said evenly and then turned back to her cauldron. "Nakamori, your life, though it wasn't before is now full of hope, though your soul is tainted black with depression, golden strand of hope encircle your future, you would be wise not to shove friends away in this dark time in your life."

Aoko blinked and then nodded, she'd have to think about that later. Misa stared at the girl for a few seconds.

"Could you tell Misa's future too?"

"I could, but on occasion it won't work on someone with a bond to a shinigami."

"Wh-what?" Misa blinked as Akako smoothly cut a strand of Misa's hair and dropped it into the cauldron, watching it bubble and fade to pink and swirls of black.

"Your heart and soul are tainted, nothing but dark misfortune lies in your wake." Misa was silent for several seconds.

"What does that mean?" She asked slowly.

"Nothing. I can't be sure of my accuracy with a Shinigami so close to you, Amane Misa. It would be wise on both your parts not to tell Kira-san of this encounter."

Aoko nodded and looked at Misa.

"D-did Aoko tell you!? Cause if she did then Misa can have her Raito back and Aoko will be gone." She said triumphantly. Akako rolled her eyes and reached into her pocket, blowing purple sand onto the girl.

"You will forget this encounter, Amane Misa, you will go to Yagami Raito and tell him you had a lovely time meeting Nakamori Aoko's friend and the three of us merely discussed trivial things he wouldn't give a damn about." Misa's eyes darkened and she nodded.

"Akako…"

"If you are not after Kaito, Nakamori, I have nothing against you." She stated. "Now please, it would be in your best interest to return to him and wait silently for your white night to save you from the clutches of your dark one."

Aoko blinked, wondering if Akako had read the whole fortune or left things out. But, at least she could leave the residence with hope.

"Thank you Akako-chan!" She smiled brightly and led Misa back to the subway and back home.