Chapter Six

Minako moved towards the hospital, she was in a huff. Ahead of her, Rei was in the lead making the pace hard to keep up even though she was only walking. Finally, the managed to make it through the front doors and started up when they saw everyone rush out of a certain area and knew it had to be Makoto...

The emotion going through the room was ecstatic. There was no way to explain the emotions going through everyone's heads and they just looked at each other without a word. Duo's grip seemed to tighten around Makoto's fingers harshly and she didn't wince in pain, knowing that it could be a lot worse. This was something that had to come out, and the burden on her chest seemed to ease the pain of losing her child; her one and only child.

Hiiro kept his eyes on Duo, knowing that he was going to expect a large reaction from him but wasn't understanding what he was going through. Yes, he felt the pain of betraying his friend and sleeping with his girlfriend, but adding onto it? First, they had lied to him and now the truth was coming out over nine months later after the deed had already been committed. Sure, they were drunk at the time but it shows the better side of you; how you really feel.

Hiiro hadn't meant to let his emotions get the best side of him. Instead, he wanted to just lay down and rest but something kept egging him on as if it was...fate? Fate was trying to bring these two together with a child and not be married? Slowly, Hiiro watched as Duo let out a long sigh and turned his back to both of them while looking out the window.

"Why did you lie?" Makoto could feel the tears choking up in her throat and she knew what she needed to answer, but it was something she never wanted to admit to anyone other than herself. Why would she want to tell anyone this? This was something personal, and there was never a time when she let someone see this side of her. Slowly, she swallowed down her pride and fiddled with her fingers.

"I was afraid."

He whirled around in surprise, knowing that she had never said those words before. All the while he knew her, he had never seen her show that side. Always, she stood tall and took whatever was going her way head on and ready to fight against it. He looked at her head bent down in shame and felt the guilt move over him. He shouldn't have yelled at her like that, the one that was at fault was Hiiro. He knew how Makoto was when she was drunk, and how she gave into almost anything. During their times together drunk, he didn't take advantage of her and made her stop when things were getting too wild for even him. Of course he wanted her, but only when she was ready; not intoxicated.

"He took advantage of you?" asked Duo, looking up at Hiiro with a glare. Silence seemed to swirl around them as they stood there staring at each other and Makoto kept her head down.

"No," she said, breaking the silence. "I wanted to."

The tense began to thicken like butter, making the two men stick like glue to the floor while keeping their positions locked.

"I wanted her," said Hiiro, looking at the emotions quickly change as Duo's stare intensified. His eyes quickly moved over to Makoto when he heard a sob coming from her direction. Her hands were shaking as they moved to her face, the mask was broken that she had kept on all those years; the emotion of a true woman was finally coming out as the tough exterior crumbled before them.

"Please," she begged. "Don't fight right now...I just want to find my baby."

"Our baby," corrected Hiiro. Duo nodded in understanding, knowing that this could wait for a later time. He still loved her with all his heart and already, he was letting her go from the cage he wanted to keep her in. He wanted so desperately to have her for his own but already he could tell she couldn't be caged. He knew what he had to do; help find her child even if it meant getting himself hurt in the process. Never did he want to see Makoto cry...

Rei Hino let out a sigh as she was stopped going towards Makoto's room. It seemed rather odd looking at these three men. She had places to be, things to do, and most of all two children to save. With a sigh, she brushed her raven tendrils over her shoulder and sighed, sizing up the first man with her amethyst eyes. He was tall, his black hair was let down and curved around his face as it landed on his shoulder. It was rather odd seeing a Chinese man here in this part of the country; or rather she hadn't really seen one that much at all.

His grey eyes seemed to stare up at her for a moment while she scanned his height, his build, and thinking about whether she could take him or not. It was hard to say. His light blue jeans hung around his hips with a black belt keeping them in place, and his dark blue shirt clung to his chest. She was rather impressed with his appearance and smiled inwardly. He was nice looking, and his expression seemed to show that of someone that happened to know how to fight; she liked that.

"...perhaps you would like to help?" asked Quatre, as Minako paid as much attention to him as possible. A smile was over her face while she looked at him with those large blue eyes of hers. She smiled at him and gave him a wink.

"Of course we would like to help. I'm Makoto's friend and there is never a chance that we wouldn't want to help her," said Minako. Quatre smiled and looked down the hall to see Duo exiting the room with a sad look on his face. Once he was in range, Trowa placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him aside. After what seemed like moments of quietly whispering, Trowa turned to them emotionless as Duo continued on his way out of the hospital.

"Is everything alright?" asked Quatre. Trowa nodded.

"It's not my place to say anything," he replied, walking down the hall after Duo. Quatre sighed and knew drama was starting up again. Of course he hated the idea of what happened and the way that Makoto had left but since she came back there was a different air around her...especially with Hiiro there.

"I'm sure your friend is resting and that is perhaps why Duo left. Shall I take you to my mansion and you stay with us?" asked Quatre. Minako bubbled at the idea and turned to the girls as they quickly talked and agreed they would be staying there. Ami handed something to Rei whom nodded in response.

"If you don't mind, I would like to stay here with Makoto for a moment. I'm sure she would like to see a familiar face when she wakes up," said Rei. They seemed to nod and Rei showed her communicator to show she could find her way there with directions. Slowly, she saw the group move out of the building and then started on her way. She was thankful that Ami was a genius when it came to medical. Already she had found a way to give some shot that would completely heal them quicker than waiting weeks for their powers to slowly complete the job. Quietly, she moved towards the room but stopped, feeling that there was another person in there already. She took a seat outside the door and knew it was time for her to sit and wait until they came out...

Hiiro looked over at Makoto without a word, and moved over to take a seat next to her bed. She was silent, looking at him for answers to questions she couldn't answer. Slowly, she looked away knowing that fate had done something to her that she no longer wanted. She no longer wanted to be stuck in the middle of these two men, even though she knew what she should do but she didn't want to hurt the other. It was up to her to make a choice: would she have a father for her daughter and would it be the right father?

A slow sigh escaped her lips and she looked down at the blankets and knew that Rei was sitting outside. She could always feel their presence around her and knew which was. Luckily, Rei was nice enough to stay outside until she knew it was the right time to come in. The choice was all hers, but she wasn't sure if she was going to be making the right choice.

"Makoto." Her name rolled of his tongue as if she was his lover, the one he had adored, and the one he wanted. It made her quickly look up, surprised at the tone in his voice that she had never heard after that night together. It weakened her to hear him speak to her with that tone but she knew the truth of what she was going to do; this is what she had decided long ago and nothing was going to change her mind on what she was going to do.

"Yes?" His eyes trapped hers, and she felt as if she should panic and try to get away from his warm stare; something she had never seen before. His eyes were warm, they were filled with something different that didn't seem to be him. A small smile seemed to creep to the corner of his lips and then she watched them part to let a sigh out.

"I'm a father." She felt her heart crushing as she heard those words tumble from his lips, and wanted to let out a horrifying scream. What was he doing? Was he trying to make sure that she wouldn't go? Was he trying to trap her here with him in a place that she didn't belong? She belonged with Serenity, Ami, Minako, and Rei; most of all with Chibi-usa and Indigo. Makoto didn't want to start falling in love all over again with the man that she had grown apart from. This wasn't the right time for her. She didn't want any of this!

She watched him move up from his chair with the small smile still on his face as he looked down at her and then moved out of the room. Fate had a way of making her life mixed up...