"We need to get her temperature down."
"Get some more ice. Quickly."
..
"Please Doctor Ootori get some sleep. She's not going anywhere."
"No. I'm fine."
"Then you Doctor Ootori can get some sleep. You've just been ill and"
"I'm fine too, doctor."
..
Ai drifted in and out of consciousness.
..
"Arisu and Chieko?"
"Their fine. Mana is watching them."
"Don't make them worry."
"I don't think I can help that Ai."
..
"How is she?"
"Her temperature is up and down, and won't stabilize Haruhi."
"Don't worry Kyoya, if someone can fight through this, it's her. She's done it before, remember?"
"Too vividly."
..
"Ai please open your eyes."
Ai opened her eyes and smiled weakly at her little sisters.
"Be careful so you don't get sick."
"Don't talk like that."
"Chieko, be good to the twins. Work hard."
Chieko nodded and dried her tears.
"Don't talk like you're dying."
Arisu grabbed her arm and Ai smiled reassuringly to her.
"Of course I'm not dying, I can't trust you three to be home alone without wrecking the house. You think I'm leaving you now? Not a chance."
She coughed. Arisu turned to Kyoya.
"Why is she so sick?"
"The pregnancy has lowered her immune system."
"Arisu."
Arisu turned her face towards her sister and mother.
"It's going to be okay Arisu."
"Ai."
"Your dinner Mr Ootori."
"Thank you."
Kyoya didn't look up at the person who gave him the tray. Haruhi had arranged it. He looked down on the plate. Sandwiches. It suited him fine. He grabbed one and started to eat.
Awful.
He continued to eat.
He looked down on the desk again and one of the scans there. He picked it up. It was an ultrasound picture. There you could clearly se two blobs.
Twins.
Twins are most likely to occur in families with twins already. It wasn't that surprising she was having twins, but it still scared him. Being a father was hard enough, now he was getting two at once.
How am I supposed to do this?
He was scared. Scared because he wasn't in control. He sighed and got to his feet. He knew he couldn't concentrate on his work now.
He walked over to Ai's room and entered. Haruhi was sitting in the chair next to the bed. Sleeping. Mori had been standing in the room, but had to leave because of work. Kyoya knew he would come back later. Mori cared too much about Ai not to. Chieko was lying on the bed next to her, sleeping. Arisu was lying on the other side, awake.
He walked over and pulled of his jacket, laying it over Chieko, before he got some sandwiches he gave to Arisu.
"Anything new?"
The girl shook her head. Her voice was weak and shaking.
"She won't open her eyes?"
Suddenly she turned and hugged him. Kyoya was surprised by first, but hugged the girl back.
"It's going to be okay Arisu. You know Ai, she won't let something like this break her."
"But I can't help being scared, what if something happens to her, what will happen to me and Chieko."
She was crying.
"Chieko and me."
He started to rub her back.
"If something happens to Ai Arisu, you know I will take care of you and Chieko."
"You will?"
"Of course."
Arisu smiled weakly up at him, before lying down next to Ai again. The nurse came in, took Ai's vitals as they did twice a day, before calling a doctor. She came, checked them again before smilingly turned to Kyoya.
"Her has broken."
"How could you have been so stupid as to get sick?"
"I didn't choose to get sick Kyoya. It just happened."
"You know what I mean. Knowing you have a weak immune system, especially now that you're pregnant, you still insisted on taking care of a sick person."
"Who just happens to be your father."
Kyoya sighed and got to his feet.
"I hope this hasn't to do with the promise."
"Of course not."
She could see he didn't believe her.
"Go down and get me something to eat please. I'm hungry."
She needed him to go away before she said something she would regret. He sighed, but left. Ai leaned back against the pillows.
"So why did you do it?"
Her eyes widened as her father-in-law entered the room.
"Your sister-in-laws only did it because it merited them."
"Well I didn't."
She looked straight at him.
"There are more in this life than merits Doctor, like the fact that you are my father-in-law. I cared for you, because you are too much like your son. You would never stop to take care of yourself."
"And you were concerned."
"Yes. No matter what you have done, you are still Kyoya's father. And even thou you have driven him away; he still cares for you because he is your son. That's why I did it."
Silence. Ai looked down at her hands.
"Did you know he came to talk to me before you two got married?"
Ai looked at him and shook her head.
"I told him that if he didn't marry you, I would name him my successor."
Ai turned pale.
"Get out."
He looked surprised at her as she suddenly went out of bed. Flustered.
"Get out."
She was screaming.
"Ai I…"
"Don't come here and tell me I stood in the way of his dream. Don't tell me that."
She tried to hit him, but had no strength at all. He grabbed her.
"Get back to bed Ai. You're still not completely well."
"Don't tell me I broke my promise again."
She was crying, but he got her back to bed.
"Of course I choose Ai. I wouldn't exchange Ai for anything, and I will marry her blessing or not. That's what he said."
Ai just turned her back to him. Her eyes unwillingly to stop now that they had started.
"Please get out."
He sighed, but did as she asked.
"How can you be working so hard now on this beautiful day?"
Kyoya didn't even look up at the man who had just entered his office.
"The world doesn't stop for a sunny day Kaoru."
"But you could."
Kyoya would never admit it, but he had grown quite a respect for the young businessman. Both of them. He had with keen interest watched Hitachiin & Hitachiin design grow, and it thrilled him to see them succeed as much as it had.
"I trust Chieko isn't giving you any trouble."
"Actually I think it is Hikaru who gives her trouble. Poor girl. Really didn't know what she was getting herself into when she accepted the job."
He smiled and sat down in the chair. Kyoya didn't look up form his work, but he knew Kaoru didn't mind.
"Then may I inquire why you have come to my office?"
"Was in the neighbourhood."
Kyoya looked at him for a moment, before continuing.
"And why were you in the neighbourhood."
"I want to talk to you about Haruhi."
Kyoya stopped typing and looked up at him again.
"Is she in any trouble?"
"No more than usual."
"Then what do you want to talk about?"
Kaoru sighed, and tried to stall. This made Kyoya more interested.
"Kaoru."
"She's moving. To the US."