Tuesday snuck up on the newfound mother, realizing this was the day that she was supposed to cook dinner for Masaomi, Mikado, Shizuo, Tom, and now Shinra and his girlfriend. Flipping open her phone she dialed Shizuo's number. Waiting for him to answer seemed as if it were a lifetime. A terribly long lifetime of nothing but listening to rings and pauses.

"H-Hello?" The blonde asked sleepily

"Ah! Shizuo! Good Morning!" Atsuko smiled applying lip gloss in her mirror

He yawned and began to speak again "Whatcha need?"

"I need your help, I need to go shopping for dinner tonight! But I can't buy the drinks" She sighed running her fingers though her hair "I'll be over in fifteen, I'm in a hurry too! It's an early release day"

"Fine"

Hurrying out the door with her baby in tow, Atsuko dodged down a few side alleys and into Shizuo's apartment building. Holding Hotaru in both arms, Atsuko began to kick the door with a good deal of force.

"Shizuo-san! Wake up! Get your lazy bum up and help me!" Atsuko screeched

Hotaru, in agreement with her mother, began to wail. This continued for a few minutes until Shizuo opened his door, glaring down at the young mother and the baby. It was obvious that she had gotten some clothes for her baby, for atop Hotaru's little head was a knitted Hello Kitty cap, and a pastel pink coat. Not to mention that the child was in one of those baby carriers that attached to the parent, Shizuo found them to be odd looking, a bit like the tiny little boots on the child's feet. Why did babies need shoes? They couldn't even walk!

"I'm up." He stated darkly

Smiling brightly Atsuko began to walk off, Hotaru gurgling happy within the thin arms of her adoptive mother. Shizuo took a few long strides, falling into step with the young woman, as they trio walked down the streets, a few passersby giving them strange looks. After all, Heiwajima Shizuo was in the company of a woman! A woman with a baby nonetheless! A few took pictures with their mobiles, as proof to show their friends later, though a few smarter ones just kept to themselves, attempting not to gape at the scene.

"Now, you wanted me to buy the booze?" He asked blandly before lighting a cigarette

Nodding, she beamed up at him "I'm going for a traditional Italian meal, and I wanted it to be perfect!"

"You're crazy"

Atsuko left Hotaru with Shizuo and Tom before hurrying off to the teaching job she now regretting taking. Teaching was a hassle she had decided, she needed a new career choice. Not that it was bad to have Masaomi and a few choice students, but, sometimes, it was more of an urge not to suddenly begin killing people. Maybe, she mused, that a telemarketing job wouldn't be so bad, or working at an office.

"Hey there Suko-chan" Masaomi grinned leaning against the young woman's desk as she graded papers before class

"What are you doing here?" Atsuko asked squinting at him suspiciously

He grinned smoothing his golden hair "Skipped out, I wanted to ask what time you wanted me and Mikado-kun over"

Glancing at her watch she made a face "Well, how does seven sound? I'm going to be cooking for awhile"

"Seven is great" Masaomi grinned before grabbing a book off of the young mother's bookshelf "Now would you sign my pass?"

Grumbling she signed the pink slip sloppily. The scrap disappeared, the inky haired adolescent returned to grading papers, assuming that the young man had left. She really didn't understand how her students thought 'orange' rhymed with 'door hinge', next they'd be trying to find something that rhymed with circus. Letting her head drop against the desk she cursed herself for assigning the Full Rhyme assignment.

Atsuko had spent nearly three hours working on her example poem for the class, how did she ever expect these ragtag students to be poets? Not like they were really good for much except being funny and awkward. Shaking her head as she kept it against the desk she sighed, resigning herself to just giving everyone a 'B+'. She nearly died when she felt something touch her neck, swiveling around she punched whatever had just touched her.

"Suko-chan!" Masaomi whined rubbing his side "That hurt!"

"You snuck up on me" She sniffed indignantly before turning her back to him to grade papers

"You looked tense" He grinned sheepishly, "I thought I should just go ahead and rub your pretty little neck"

"No" Atsuko's eyes were dark as she studied the paper in front of her

His hand tentatively touched her neck "Aren't you tired at all? You look nearly dead on your feet"

Atsuko's head dropped back onto her desk as she groaned. She really wondered why she had even befriended this boy. Masaomi watched as her shoulders shook slightly, wondering what he had said to cause such a profound reaction. The bell rang to go to class and he walked out.

"Hey" Shizuo stood in the door as the young woman slipped on her coat

Grinning, she nodded "Shizuo-san, it's a surprise, actually seeing you here"

"Tom sent me to come get you, said something about a boy who liked you a bit too much?" Shizuo shrugged "I owe him one anyway"

"Kida Masaomi?" She cocked her head to the side "Why, I invited him to dinner!"

Shizuo simply shook his head, pulling her out the door. As soon as they made it out into the cool afternoon light he lit up a cigarette, his hands shoved with in his pockets with some form resignation. He looked down at the youth who was currently braiding a little piece of her hair with her eyes wide with some sort of childish amazement. She was wearing his coat again. It still smelled of the youthful cologne that he wore. But Shizuo wasn't too sure who he was just yet.

But he'd be damned if he didn't find out soon.

"They're going to be here soon!" Atsuko wailed from the kitchen "Tom! Shizuo! Someone! Get in here and help me!"

The young woman in question was presently tossing a salad, stir sauce that was bubbling slightly on the stove-top, and check her meatballs in the oven. Tom handed Hotaru, who was presently cooing, to Shizuo and went to aid his sibling. Taking over the duties in the kitchen, Tom waved his sister to finish getting dressed.

Dashing into her room, Atsuko ripped open her closet struggling to find a proper dress. Pulling a pair of tights from her drawer she struggled to pull them on quickly, falling flat upon her face as she fought them up over her knees. The dark, opaque hose went well with the oversized sweater that Atsuko was struggling to force her way into.

"Tom-nii! TOM!" Atsuko screeched looking around her room terrified "Where is my belt? Tom? Tom!"

"It's on the coffee table, you left it there yesterday morning" Tom called from the kitchen "Shinra just called and said he and Celty wouldn't be able to make it."

Atsuko rushed out of her room and snatched the wide belt off the coffee table, looking suspiciously at Shizuo and the sleeping Hotaru in his arms, before running back into her room. She yanked her brush through her hair before jumping at the sound of a knock at the front door.

"They're here" Tom poked his head into his sister's room only to be nearly mowed down.