"Ma I'm not sure about this," Hiro whispered to the bush. He was in the Fuuka senior school uniform and despite his hunched posture was very tall. Gangly almost.

"You want to date this girl right?" the bush whispered back furiously

"Yes," he whined.

"Then slouch down open your top buttons and for god sakes ignore her!"

"Okaa-san said never to slouch" he said to the steadily increasing irate bush.

"What would Okaa-san know about getting girls?! And flex your muscles I helped in creating them so you damn well had better show them off!" the bush rustled furiously at her son.

"Shh! here she comes!" Hiro then tried to do everything the bust had told him. He hunched down and while flexing his fore arms and completely ignored the group of girls passing. He was starting to fear he looked constipated and that this wasn't going to work when the bush violently kicked a near by cherry tree causing the blossoms to swirl around him and at just that moment one of the girls looked over at him taking in this picturesque scene.

"Hey Hiro," she said causing the entire clique to turn and face the boy standing surrounded by cheery blossoms.

"Oh hey..." He nodded "...Hitomi right?" he then turned away and ignored the group again. The herd of girls gave tiny squeals as they conferred before pushing the girl Hitomi from the group.

"Hey Hiro remember when you asked if I was busy this Sunday?" She lent over showing of her breasts through her open buttons trying to catch the aloof boys attention.

He would not fall for it! he would not fall for it! He would not look! His Ma had told him about this particular weapon of girls and he knew if he looked he would loose. But it was so tempting..."oh yea I forgot about that, hope you gran feels better..." he ignored her again.

"Er yea about that," the other girl sweat dropped "it seems she made a full recovery since lunch, weird huh? But that means I'm free this Sunday after all!" she smiled cheerily at him.

He glanced side long at the perky school girl and not down her top like he wanted to "that's nice" he said nonchalantly. His Ma also told him not to give in to easily to make her think he was doing her the favour of going out with her.

"Oh," Hitomi seemed to hesitate and then she withdrew to the safety of the group for consoling. He watched alarmed as they walked away. This wasn't supposed to happen! He whirled around to face the bush "she's walking away! I knew I never should have listened to you! I had my chance and blew it!" he started after the girls to beg Hitomi for another chance when the shrubbery reached out and tackled him to the ground.

"Just leave it she'll come back!" bush and boy wrestled together while other students passed by giving them strange looks and a wide berth. The bush barely had time to scramble back into place and kick the tree again before Hitomi did indeed run back. Hiro still spread out on the ground had no place to go if he shot up suddenly it would look very uncool so he laid sprawled out on the path and acted as if this was what he intended to do.

"Hiro-what are you doing down there?" Hitomi asked puzzled.

"I'm lounging," he said in his best monotone voice which he didn't think was very good considering he had been wrestling just a few short moments ago. Please let him look windswept and dangerous instead of scruffy and pathetic!

"Oh well I was wondering if maybe your not busy on Sunday...now that my gran is feeling better..." Hitomi trailed off blushing to embarrassed to go any further especially since the tousled boy stood up and there seemed to be even more cheery blossoms swirling about "...its okay you probably already have a date I'll just go..." she made to leave but the tall boy grabbed her hand stopping her.

At this point the bush had taken to shaking the tree vigorously trying to get the last stubborn cherry blossoms to fall and give her son a heartthrob image.

"I'll meet you in town at 5 don't be late," he gave her a small smile.

"Ah okay!" she said louder than she would have like "thanks!" she bowed and then felt stupid so she ran back to her friend before the other boy realised what he had gotten himself into and tried to cancel. She was so excited!

Hiro waited until he couldn't see Hitomi's retreating figure any more before leaping up and down squealing like a girl. "She said okay! I have a date!"

The bush stood up and Chie in all her camouflage gear hugged her son and together they both jumped up and down squealing "He has a date! He has a date!" they didn't mind the strange looks they were getting probably because they couldn't see past the tears in their eyes.

XxXx

"Okaa-san! Okaa-san!" Mira ran into the kitchen excitedly her chubby seven year old hands grabbing the apron Aoi wore. "Kanna found a puppy today after school but her parents are allergic to animals so she can't keep it can we?"

Aoi looked down at her little girl who begged her with such adoring eyes. She was so cute with her short brown hair and big brown eyes almost like a puppy herself with such a begging face as she tugged cutely at her apron strings. So innocent. "No."

"Please?" the little girl begged earnestly stretching on her tippy toes to hug Aoi's waist.

"No," as cute as her little girl was and despite how her little begging face would cause even the most cold hearted men to smile at her and get her whatever she wanted she learned it from the best; Aoi herself. "No I told you after the rabbit incident no more animals."

The little girl slammed herself down on her heels. Her big cute eyes narrowed evilly and she stalked away with her nose in the air "Fine! I'll just ask Ma when she gets home!" All innocents had dissolved at the refusal to be replaced by calculated arrogance.

Aoi sighed and rolled her eyes. Was it possible to hate your kids?

Aoi's thoughts of child murder were stopped as the back door opened and her eldest child floated into the kitchen. "I take it went well?"

"It went brilliantly! I have a date this Sunday!" He squealed "with Hitomi the cutest girl in my year!"

"He did brilliantly! the whole pretending to forget her name? Genius!" Chie clapped her son on the back taking off her foliage and setting it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs "I always knew you were my son!"

"Thanks Ma," he said shyly both of them beaming with pride "but I'll never be as good as you were in school, I can't even get our Student Council President to remember my name let alone write me love notes!"

"Heh heh well you know," Chie rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly at Aoi's raised eyebrows "I thought I told you not to talk about that in front of your mother?"

"Its okay! she was there!" he continued oblivious to her Ma's impending doom "wasn't Okaa-san the one that rescued you from those screaming mob of girls after one of your gigs?"

"Yeah, yea she was," though Chie now wondered who was going to save her now "hey do you know what your going to wear on Sunday?" she tried to get her son to stop causing her trouble.

"Oh My God your right!" he squealed dashing from the kitchen to his bedroom "Its Friday I only have two days to prepare!" he must be taking the stairs two at a time Chie judged by the thumps "what will I where?!"

"Love letters? Gigs?" Aoi asked slowly placing the mixing bowel down on the counter with deliberate threat.

"Well kids they say the darndest things" Chie chuckled nervously ready to run.

"You know," Aoi said moving closer to Chie "I always wanted to make love to a rock star..."

Chie quickly sensing that her death was not imminent smiled lasciviously "Oh baby you know I only sing for you"

"Hhhmm you better I'm not sharing my wife with Fujino-sama," their kiss was somewhat sloppy as they were both laughing.

"Eeeewwww, not in the place where I eat!" both women broke apart to see Tanki in the doorway Mira in his arms.

"Aoi why is the least liked Senous here?" Chie asked never taking her eyes off the grinning man.

"Actually Chie-Chie-chan your the least liked Senous now release my sister so I can have my dinner sometime this centaury" Tanki placed his niece on the ground and pulled up a chair uncaring that the woman with grease paint was glaring at him.

"Didn't I throw you out last week?" Chie said as she gave up and settled at the top of the table.

"Yes you did and it really made me remember the days when you were afraid to look us in the eye," Tanki said as he reached for a bread roll.

"Stop or you'll spoil your dinner," Aoi slapped the roll out of her brothers hand as placed the salad bowel in the middle of the table "deserts going to be late tonight work kept me longer than I expected."

Tanki was going to complain but Chie's glare stopped him. Mira appeared at Chie's side distracting her from wishing death or at least a severe case of herpes on her brother in law.

"Ma, Kanna found a puppy today after school but her parents are allergic to animals so she can't keep it, can we?" Mira asked making sure her big eyes were gleaming slightly from unshed tears.

Chie patted her daughter on her head and smiled lovingly at her "of course we can sweet heart."

"Whoa your letting that kid near animals after what she did to the rabbit?" Tanki asked shocked. He had investigated crime scenes that had been nicer than what happened to Mr Fluffy.

"That was an accident!" the child snapped at her ex favourite uncle before going back to cute and innocent.

"Oh yeah, I'm not sure that's a good idea actually," Chie wavered, what happened to Mr Fluffy had been awful but her little girl had grown up since then and it would make her so happy. Every child should have a dog right?

"I told you before Mira that your not getting the dog," Aoi set a pile of plates in the middle of the table and glared at her daughter. Honestly the little girl had Chie wrapped tighter around her finger than she did! Chie was far to soft on the girl.

Chie and Tanki both watched as identical pair of eyes stared stubbornly at each other. A few minutes of tense silence followed before Mira looked away huffily and Aoi went back to serving dinner.

"Honestly if that's what she's like at seven your screwed when she becomes a teenager," Tanki said gleefully. He couldn't wait, it would be like world war three!

"Its because they're so alike," Chie said rubbing the pouting Mira's head "go get your brother for dinner."

"Yes Ma," she hugged Chie's waist "i love you way more than Okaa-san!" she glared at Aoi who rolled her eyes and then flounced out to get her brother. Chie sweat dropped, when Mira became a teenager she was moving out. She glared at Tanki who was laughing as he set out the plates.

Mid way through dinner Tanki once again started to laugh. Chie looked up from talking with Mira who still wasn't talking to Aoi and asked much to her folly "what's so funny?"

"Do you know what everyone around this table has in common?" He asked with a devilish smile.

Before Aoi or Chie could stop him Hiro innocently asked "what?"

"Everyone here has been inside of Chie!" He hollered thumping his fist on the table not noticing the horrified faces of the tables other occupants.

"OW!" Tanki landed hard in the dirt outside the house Chie holding the door closed with one hand as Aoi on the other side was making a furious bid to whittle down the number of brothers she had.

"And your lucky I don't let Aoi at you!" she glared.

"You dykes just can't take a joke!" He whined rubbing his bruised elbow.

"Is that right?" Chie left go of the door handle and Aoi burst out of the house the a deranged animal. Tanki's eyes went wide as he scrambled from the dirt down the street Aoi hot on his heels with the Curtain rail she had ripped from the kitchen.

"In vitro insemination doesn't count you perv!" Aoi shouted smacking her brother with the curtain rail.

"Ow! Aoi I'm sorry! It was only a joke!" he called over his shoulder as he duck to avoid the next swing.

"Its not funny!"

"Ma, how long do you think they'll be out there?" Hiro asked.

Chie shrugged "until she catches him, come on inside we can warn uncle Kenji that uncle Tanki will be staying with him again."

"Okay," they turned to enter "what do you think I should wear to my date?"

XxXx

Haruko flung himself to the ground as an object whirled passed his head at a frightening speed. The helmet he had on tumbled off his tousled blond head and his big glasses went crooked. Where was his mummy?

"Come on Champ, get up!" the harsh voice called from in front of him.

He reluctantly did so picking up his helmet and putting it back on. He straightened his glasses and resignedly took the bat again.

"Okay here's a fast ball!"

He once again hit the dirt as a ball even faster than the one before flew at him. He really wanted his mummy.

"Hit the ball not the ground idiot!" yelled an aggressive man from the stands.

"Don't call him an idiot dad!" the other voice yelled back and before they could get into a shouting match and embarrass him even more Haruko got up again. He hated baseball. But his mother had got off work early to practice with him and his grand father had hired out the stadium so he had to play. "There see? He's up! That's my boy!"

He smiled weakly at his mother who beamed back at him. He really wanted his mummy...

"I'll tell you what he can do!" yelled his grandfather from the stands and then scrambled over the wire fence onto the pitch like a much younger man, though why he didn't just use the door which was closer Haruko didn't know. "He can practice his running!"

Haruka wanted to sigh but knew that his mother and grand father would take it as stroppyness. He didn't even get time to wallow in self pity about having such weird relatives as his grand father crumpled up his news paper and started to swat him with it.

"Run! Run! You little yellow bellied coward!"

He ran as fast as his short little legs could carry him every now and again getting swatted by his grandfather that was getting yelled at by his mother to stop hitting him. He heard a commotion over the yelling and turned to see a man running away from a knocked down old lady with her bag. He pointed this needlessly to his mother who already had seen this and took off running his grand father hot on her heels still waving the crumpled up news paper.

"Stop! In the name of the law!"

"Oi! You, young lad! Stop or my daughters going to clobber you!"

Haruko shook his head watching as his mother soon caught up to the mugger who at this stage looked both frightened and confused. He watch as his mother tackled the man to the ground pinning him and putting her hand cuffs on him. His grandfather was helpfully swatting the young man on the head and lecturing him loudly about being nice to frail old people. His mother returned the bag safely and lifted the bewildered but thankful old woman back onto her feet then dusted her down rather hard.

When he said his mother got off early from work he didn't really mean it. This sadly wasn't the first time she had stopped everything to go chase a criminal, the scariest time by far was when she had seen a litter violation and had climbed down the ferias wheel leaving him alone at the top. His mother never really got of work...

"Hello there young man," A nice smiling guy with a long trench coat on started to talk to him "I lost my puppy in those bushes over there could you help me find him?" he knelt down so they were at eye level and Haruko almost felt sorry for the perv "I can give you sweeties?" the old man wheedled. Haruko wearily raised his hand and pointed turning his face away as from out of no where a big angry blonde tackled the perv and another set of hand cuff were produced.

His mother was doing over time...

"Get that nasty flasher daughter!" yelled his grandfather holding onto the mugger with one hand and waving his paper with the other.

The beat up perv joined the mugger on the pitch at the sidelines cheering him on as he dove in the dirt trying to avoid being hit by his mothers 'nice' and 'easy' balls. Both men were warned about running away and both didn't want to have matching lumps from their first and last escape attempt.

He really wanted his mummy...

It was just after a woman with unpaid parking tickets joined the mugger and perv that his prayers where answered. Striding purposely across the park to the pitch was a stern woman in a business suit. He dropped his little bat and ran to her at such a speed that his grandfather was slightly impressed.

His mummy picked him up and he buried his face in her neck so he could get away from his mother.

"Haruka! Haruna-sama! I told you Haruko doesn't like baseball!" Yukino glared at the two blondes as her son clutched her suit. Her eyes took in the two hand cuffed men and the woman who was restrained by a belt due to Haruka having nothing else to bind her with "did you leave him alone again to catch those?" her chin jutted towards the guiltily looking trio.

"No! Only when I was catching the mugger! He caught the perv and Dad was with him when I got the lady for unpaid parking tickets!" Haruka defended herself urgently knowing that if she didn't placate Yukino right now she would be sleeping on the sofa.

"Perv?!" Yukino's vein throbbed at her wife who seemed to have lost all colour in her face. Haruka knew she was in trouble now. "Call for the patrol car to pick these people up and then meet me in the car." Yukino's voice was very quite and controlled. Which meant that Haruka was in deep deep dodo.

"Ho Ho your in troubbbble!" Haruna laughed pointing at his only child.

"Shut up dad!" Haruka grouched as she retrieved her jacket to get her radio to call the station. "Remember Yukino's your vice-president if she's mad at me just think of what she'll do to you for cutting out on the meeting she planned for today."

Haruna went pale then moaned "she's going to bury me in paper work!"

"Ha!" Haruka called victoriously hand over the radio "yeah their at the park besides the baseball pitch." she put the radio away and then knocked out the mugger and the perv she glared down at the woman with unpaid parking tickets "do I have to knock you out as well?"

"No!" the woman gulped shaking her head furiously.

"Good then stay here and wait for the police car." Haruka walked away trusting her reputation as a crazy bitch cop would hold the woman there. It had for everyone else she did this on.

"Haha you are so whipped!" Her father laughed walking beside her "actually running to do what your wife says!" he made the universal whipping noise that butch partners everywhere hated with a passion.

She glared at her father "I'm going to enrol Haruko in ballet if you keep that up!" she threatened.

"No you wont," her father said confidently "Yukino says he's joining swimming with Fujino's grand-brat."

"It could happen," Haruka muttered then said louder "and its not as if I'm the only one afraid of Yukino. Your the one that shelled out all that money to those endangered panda's when Yukino was pregnant!"

"Have you ever had to deal with a hormonal vice-president?" Haruna shuddered "its scary. Boy was I glad when you told me Haruna would be an only child."

The last bit was lost on his daughter as Haruka had that dreamy expression on her face again. His daughter was such a sap. Yukino looked beautiful when she was pregnant, scary as hell with those mood swings but so beautiful. It almost made Haruka want another baby except Yukino was scary as hell...

Her and her father parted ways at Yukino's black BMW. Her wife sat in the drivers seat face like thunder. Yukino was also scary as hell when she's not pregnant. Haruka resignedly got into the car. Haruko was already fast asleep in the back. Without a word Yukino started the engine and drove away from the park.

"Why did you do that to him Haruka?" Yukino's voice wasn't as rage filled as she imagined it would be instead it was sad.

"The swim team Yukino that's like the whippiest sport ever! why don't you just sign him up for golf or bowling?" Haruka whined keeping her voice low.

"He likes swimming Haruka! its his choice." Yukino hissed back.

"Oh damn its just I had all these ideas of having a macho son," Haruka looked out the window "someone who would go to Karate tournaments with me and who would follow in my footsteps."

Yukino's voice softened "he could still do that Haruka he's only nine."

"Yeah but I think he's gay" Haruka grabbed onto the dash board as Yukino swerved the car in surprise. Haruko was oblivious to the sudden motion and resulting honking.

"Haruka he's only nine you don't even start thinking about that until your a teenager!" Yukino said angrily "and so what if he is a lot of gay men are cops!"

Haruka looked at Yukino pityingly "honey he's a better sewer than me, he's terrible at sports, when he talks its in this high pitched voice and he has the gay gene." This was her last chance to straighten out her son and she seemed to have failed.

"Haruka there was so many things wrong with that statement," Yukino said in disbelief.

"I blame you, you know, always cuddling the boy," Haruka placed her ankle on her knee and slouched forward stretching the seatbelt to its max. "All's he ever says is 'mummy this' and 'mummy that'."

And then it clicked in Yukino's head. She started to laugh softly and took the chance at stopping at a red light to lean over and kiss Haruka's cheek. Haruka looked put out by Yukino's laughing and demanded to know what was so funny. "You, your so funny," Yukino smiled "you don't like the fact he runs to me instead of you."

"What that's not it!" Haruka said harshly but the blush on her cheeks said otherwise.

"Your jealous. Haruka he loves you so much! Your the only person who cant see it," Yukino smiled affectionately at the blonde "do you think he would stay so long at the park if he didn't want to spend time with you? He's your son Haruka he would have walked away or gone home if it bothered him that much."

Haruka didn't interrupt but she did seem to be listening.

"He watches the news every night just to see if your on it, what other nine year old does that?" Yukino giggled because it was very funny to her. Haruko hero worshipped his mother so much that he could barley speak in front of her in fear of saying something that would lessen him in her eyes. It didn't matter how many times Yukino told him that would never happen that his mother loved him very much and always would he still barely spoke a word in her presence. Now she finds out Haruka's doing almost the same thing trying to win the boy over...it was just funny.

"When he comes home from school who does he show his tests to first?" Yukino asked

"...Me." said Haruka still not quite convinced.

"Who does he get to check his home work?"

"Me."

"And who does he drag to his teacher meetings?"

"ME!"

"sSshhh," Yukino glance furiously at the back seat but her son was still sleeping. You would have to be a heavy sleeper when one of your mummies could break the sound barrier without any real effort.

"Oh sorry!" Haruka whispered double checking her son. "So he really does like me?" she asked and when Yukino nodded she looked extremely please with herself.

"Guess who likes you even more?" Yukino said as the security guard opened the gates to their home.

Haruka grinned as Yukino parked the car and unbuckled her seat belt and slid across to straddle her wife. "It better be you," she said before kissing her wife. Damn business suits were a pain to get off. The car door slamming alerted them to the fact they were now completely alone in the car.

"Oops," Haruka said noticing their son had made his escape.

"Move you in the way of the tinted screens," Yukino nudged Haruka to the side and pressed a button. There was a whirling noise as black screens rose to cover the windows. It wasn't the first time Yukino had fooled around with Haruka in her BMW. The first time Haruka's dad had caught them and they ended up married two days later. Good times.

XxXx

The door to the Fujino residence slammed shut violently shaking the house to its foundations. Further bangs followed as a teenager through her bag against the wall and stomped up to her room and violently slamming that door as well.

Shizuru looked up from reading the business section of the news paper. Natsuki stubbornly kept her head down and continued concentrating on fixing the small engine in her lap. Shizuru continued to stare at her and the longer she did the more Natsuki seemed to fidget.

"Aren't you going to go see what's wrong?" Shizuru asked finally.

"No if she wanted to talk about it she would have came and asked to talk to you," Natsuki still concentrated on the device in her lap aware that if she did look Shizuru in the eye she would find herself outside her eldest daughters room about to have a heartfelt talk. She hated those. It was unfortunate for her that her kids had inherited Shizuru's need to express and talk about their feelings.

"Yes but if she wanted to get your attention she would stomp and bang about like you do when your upset," Shizuru pointed out placing her paper down on the table.

"I promised Saeko I would fix this for her," Natsuki furrowed her brow as she came to a rather stubborn nut.

"Okay if you think that's best," Shizuru took up her paper again and knew it was only a matter of time before Natsuki stomped up the stairs.

Natsuki silently fumed. She could feel Shizuru's passive aggressiveness poking at her. It also didn't help that her own curiosity and guilt were also preying on her. What sort of parent was she if she let her child suffer and not try to help? She growled and continued to fix the motor, she was not going up those stairs, she would not give Shizuru the satisfaction! she fidgeted with the engine for another few moments getting no further and actually making more mistakes. She slammed the engine down on the table and declared as if it was entirely her own idea because it was "I'll go see what's bothering her!"

Shizuru was glad that the newspaper hid her smile as she turned the page. Natsuki stomped of up the stairs and a few moments later Saeko peeked into the room. Saeko looked the most like her with her wavy blond hair and they had the same sharp features and face. The difference though was she had blue eyes, Shizuru had no idea where they came from.

"Is Natsuki-mama going to check on Natsumi?" she asked using both hands to pull out a kitchen chair.

Shizuru nodded still paying more attention to her paper. When Saeko didn't leave right after and continued to hover Shizuru became aware that she might have to endure her own emotional talk. She slowly folded up her newspaper, well at least she like these talks, just not when she was trying to read the business section. "Yes Saeko?"

Saeko continued to fidget and avoid her eye something both her children had learned from Natsuki "I don't want to do flower arranging anymore..." she said quickly hoping to get it all out in one go "I want to take swimming instead!"

"Oh, okay," she was a little disappointed but didn't mind much if Saeko was happy with it "may I ask why?"

"Haruko is taking swimming," Saeko blushed and studied the far wall. Saeko could blush just as well as Natsuki.

"Ara," she smiled amused and Saeko glared at her though it had a long way to go before it was as intimidating as either of her mothers "lets just not tell Natsuki-mama why you changed okay?"

Saeko nodded frantically "she would really hurt Haruko if she found out I like him! She was really mean to Shinji-san,"

Shizuru's smile froze. She never like Natsumi's ex boyfriend anymore than Natsuki did but she was a little sneakier in her monitoring of the two. She was glad when they broke up but Natsuki was spitting at the thought of some boy rejecting her daughter. The result wasn't pretty.

"Besides I don't like he likes me that way he barely talks!" Saeko complained "if it wasn't for his blonde hair and deep blue eyes and adorable glass, I don't know why I would like him!"

Shizuru just laughed and picked up her paper. She used to pick her partners based on looks as well but Saeko had a lot more growing to do before she learned that they weren't everything.

XxXx

Natsuki stood outside her daughters door she was debating where or not to knock or just pretend she did and go back down to the safety of the kitchen. Though she suspected Shizuru would somehow know if she did. Resignedly she knocked and walked in when the answer didn't come right away.

"Jeeze what's the point of knocking if your not going to wait for an answer!?" her eldest shouted at her turning away so she could wipe at her eyes.

"I only knock because your other mother makes me now what's wrong?" Natsuki growled sounding harsher than she meant because she was uncomfortable.

"Nothing..." Natsumi sniffed and turned away from her.

"Okay then," she had tried. She was making her way to the door relieved when Natsumi spun back round to face her, her short blue hair swinging with the motion.

"How do you know if someone likes you?" Natsumi asked urgently well aware of her mothers escape attempt.

Oh it was one of those talks Natsuki really hated those talks "well er they tell you?" she answered unsurely.

"Not all the time, how did you know Shizuru-mama liked you?" Natsumi asked chewing the ends of her short blue hair thoughtfully.

Shizuru-mama felt me up in my sleep then destroyed a whole district of people that I didn't like and talked me out of crushing a flower, Natsuki somehow didn't think that was appropriate or even believable because who would believed their mother was really a princess? "she told me. I was always a bit dense when it came to that sort of stuff. Even when she told me I didn't get it fully I thought she meant she loved me as a friend."

"Oh, well how did you tell her you liked her?" Natsumi asked brow furrowed.

Kissed her in the Perfect World then destroyed said Perfect World and then told her in a hospital bed after a near death experience. She didn't think she could tell her daughter that either. "I kissed her," there that was safe enough.

"But how can you know if someone likes you without them suspecting that you think they like you?" Natsumi asked seriously. Natsuki felt a headache coming on. She eventually gave up her hope of escaping and crossed fully into the room to sit beside her daughter.

"Okay who is it that you think likes you?" that would be easier.

"Er am," Natsumi looked uncomfortable and Natsuki thought good at least she's not the only one "well you see I think Mina likes me the way you like Shizuru-mama."

"Mina as in the girl I let up into your room?" Natsuki was now going over every opinion she had of the blonde from her unfaulted politeness and easy smile to her helpful nature and pleasant outlook. She knew there was something she didn't like about the girl.

"She's not like that!" Natsumi glared at her "its not as if she leers at me in PE or swimming!"

"You take swimming with this girl?!" Natsuki demanded.

"Gah! If I'd have known you would be like this I would have talked to Shizuru-mama!" Natsumi said just as hotly "Mina's really nice and kind and would never treat me badly! She's funny and smart and gorgeous, she probably doesn't even like me that way anyway! She has the Student Council President after her! She would never want to go out with me instead." Natsumi's eyes burned with rage and to Natsuki's shock something that she was way to young for. That she would always be to young for in Natsuki's eyes.

They were both quiet for a while before Natsuki said "guess I don't have to ask if you like her back."

Natsumi flushed and coughed awkwardly "I guess you don't."

"Cake," Natsuki said randomly or so it seemed to Natsumi "I always know your mother loves me when she gives me her last bit of cake, especially if its that double chocolate fudge with vanilla ice cream," both girls stopped to indulge in the beautiful image of the cake before coughing and looking away from each other.

"So I should take her to a cake shop?" Natsumi asked tentatively.

"No," Natsuki said firmly "your way to young. If I catch you near a cake shop with Mina or anyone else I'll confiscate your mountain bike."

"Mama!" Natsuki cried nudging Natsuki but she was serious.

They sat in awkward silence again Natsuki wondering if she was finally free to go when Natsumi spoke up trying to fill the void "there's something wrong with the breaks on my bike."

"Oh I'll take a look at that," Natsuki nodded and silence resumed.

"You know you can leave now," Natsumi took pity on her mother. Natsuki shot to her feet and headed towards the door without another word "Mama!" Natsuki stopped and looked back. "Thanks. I love you."

"I love you to kid," she shut the door behind her. "I mean it, no cake shops for you!"

XxXx

Haruka marched into the school and straight to the waiting area of the principles office she would have continued straight in but noticed someone else in the waiting room. "Ha delinquent what are you doing here?!"

Natsuki got up from the chair she had been waiting in "I got a phone call Saeko seems to be in trouble because of your little brat!"

"My brat?! Your the delinquent if anyone got anyone else in trouble it would be you and your snot kid!" Haruka thundered at Natsuki who on hearing the insult to her youngest daughter puffed herself up.

The combined screaming of the two adults alerted the principle to their presence outside her door. She wearily took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. Some days she wished she had listened to her father and became a lawyer.

"Yukino-san nice to see you outside the office," Shizuru smiled as the smaller woman finally joined them.

"Likewise Shizuru-san, parking's a nightmare outside," they both embraced.

"Don't hug the enemy Yukino!" Haruna yelled waving his arms.

"Suzushiro-sama a pleasure as always," Shizuru bowed Natsumi following suit. Natsuki and Haruka were still screaming in the background.

"Hmph how's your father still burning in hell?" Haruna asked Yukino didn't even bother to look embarrassed to used to the other man.

"Yes my father is still in California," Shizuru smiled pleasantly "he just bought an airline there. He was asking about you just the other day."

Haruna's response was caught of as the door to the principles office swung open and Haruko and Saeko both came out. Haruko had his arm around the smaller girl who looked close to tears. At the sight of both sets of parents he hastily removed it and blushingly put as much space between the two as possible.

"Haruko what happened?" Yukino asked going to her son.

"Yeah what did that boy do to you Saeko?" Natsuki asked glaring at Haruko.

Haruko took one look at his mother and wouldn't answer. Haruka looked like she was about to spit nails and wishing she could arrest everyone in the room. There was no way he was going to tell her what happened. Instead he looked at the floor his foot dragging back and forth on the carpet avoiding his mummy's eyes.

Natsuki took her daughter in her arms to comfort her still glaring at Haruko "its okay sweetie you won't have to see that boy again, I'll make sure of it."

"Like I would want my kid anywhere near yours, convict!" Haruka snapped taking Haruko's hand. Just before Yukino could tell them both to shut up Saeko spoke up.

"I don't want to stay away from Haruko!" she cried wiggling until she escaped Natsuki. As soon as her feet touched the floor she made her way to Haruna's side gripping his slightly larger hand with hers. "It was Ichigos fault he's the one that pulled my hair!"

All the parents looked at the children.

"Tell us what happened Saeko," Shizuru said softly to her panicking daughter.

"Ichigo pulled my hair and-" she broke off as Haruko tugged her arm, the two children stared at each other having a conversation that the adults were not invited to "you have to promise you won't get angry at Haruko!" she said her face becoming red in her seriousness.

"Of course we won't get mad at Haruko," Haruka said glaring as Natsuki muttered something she couldn't hear.

"He wouldn't let go of me so Haruko made him! He rescued me!" Saeko spoke her tone full of worship. Haruko flushed and still wouldn't look up from the ground, his mother was going to kill him for helping a Fujino.

"Be that as it may we don't allow fighting in this school," the principle had finally decide the coast was clear to leave her office "and Haruko making the other boy let go of your hair does not make him breaking the other boys arm acceptable."

"You broke his arm?!" Yukino said abashed.

"Don't treat girls like that," Haruko whispered saying his first words since leaving the office. He was not going to look his mother in the eye.

"Well he was just right!" Haruka smacked the boy on the back prideful. Haruko looked up shocked to see his mother beaming down at him. He tentatively returned the smile.

"What?!" the principle said shocked.

"Yea the boy did right, any man that hurts a woman need a good seeing too!" said Haruna nodding "its fair and square!"

"Who's this Ichigo kid?!" demanded Natsuki.

"I do hope you will give that boy a talking to about bullying girls," Shizuru said to the principle who was starting to regret coming out of her office.

"O-of course bu-" The principle tried to say.

"Good then we will be on our way and I hope a repeat of this will never happen again," Shizuru turned to leave the others following her leaving a very bewildered principle behind.

At the car park Saeko released Haruko's hand only after much cajoling from her parents "you have to come to my house tomorrow to play!" she said to Haruko who was looking rather lost.

"Am, we have swimming remember?" he said tentatively to the excited girl.

"Oh yeah, well you can come the next day then and I'll even share my cookies with you!" Saeko declared hugging her bestest friend in the world goodbye.

"Okay," he smiled because Saeko's mama made the best cookies around and she rarely shared.

"Oh great their becoming good friends," Haruka sulked and Nasuki found herself nodding also disgusted.

"Friends?! Ha! that little girl is on the pull!" Haruna declared on his way past "Fujino taught that one young! She's reeling in her man!"

It was hard to say who looked more horrified Natsuki or Haruka. It was even harder to say who looked more amused with their spouses Yukino or Shizuru.

"There is no way my little girl is marrying into your family Suzushiro!" Natsuki scooped up her child and started walking to her car.

"Like my son would even want to marry your daughter, Delinquent!" Haruka lifted her own child and started towards her own car.

"Yukino-san," Shizuru bowed.

"Shizuru-san," Yukino bowed.

They both separated and went after their families.

XxXx

Nao stopped at the red light and watched as a young woman stumbled across the road her short skirt wrinkled and bunched up indecently. The way she swayed and glared against the dim light of the afternoon told Nao that she had had a really fun night. That use to be her. Partying all night having wild one night stands and then crawling back to her room praying that someone would end her misery or at least kill the marching band in her head. Good times.

How had it come to this?

She was driving a people carrier her oldest son age 9 in the front seat and her two other little boys 7 and 5 in the back. The eldest were kitted out in football uniforms and the youngest was complaining madly about not being old enough to join the team. She used to be a party queen staying up at all hours climbing into and out of bed with a different man or woman, depending on her fancy, each night. Now she was married to Rei who was pregnant with their fourth child, they were hoping for a girl this time.

She eyed the big pic nic basket set between her two boys with something like disgust. She had been up since half seven making sandwiches and healthy snacks for the team. It was her turn, all the parents had made a roster. It was hard to believe she actually follows a roster now. She even goes to parents meetings and gushes over the crapy gifts her children bring her back from school. She was even a stay at home wife...

How had her life turned into a sitcom from the 50s?

The lights changed just as the young woman managed to make it to the other side of the road. She lurched there for an alarming second and threatened to fall backwards into the traffic. At the last moment she dove forwards to throw up leaning heavily against the unlit street light. Nao remembered that too...

Guess she was lucky.

When had she grown up?

The bickering in the car got louder but since the kids had learned to talk that had become the sound track of her life so it didn't overly annoy her. She parked in the designated area for parents and turned to look in the back. Her boys realising that she was no longer driving and could therefore concentrate on shouting at them stopped bickering at once to smile angelically at her.

"Jinto take the basket for your brother and go sit in the stands," she snorted at Jinto's salute. He got his bad comedy from his other mother "don't wonder away I mean it, I have to make a phone call so I'll be there in a little bit." she glared at them just to make sure they understood disobeying would involve sever consequences. All three nodded and left the car.

She reached down and picked up the car phone making sure to keep her kids in sight at all times, and dialled. The phone picked up on its third ring.

"Hey baby you caught me on a light shift, how are the boys?" Rei's voice carried cheerfully through the phone. When they had just been friend the endless cheer of the doctor had annoyed her no end but after 12 years together and three kids it was one of the things Nao loved most about her.

"The boys are great, its me that has the problem," she said down the phone unbuckling her seat belt.

"Problem? Honey what's wrong?" the concern in Reis voice made her smile. There was only room for one high strung woman in their relationship and Nao claimed the monopoly on that role a long time ago.

"I've just realised how boorish my life has become so I thought some after phone sex would living it up," She waved at the Yamada family and gestured for them to go on ahead.

"Phone sex hhmm? Does that mean I get paid for this?" Rei easily swung from concerned to teasing.

"I have double chocolate fudge ice cream in the house," Nao coaxed undoing the top button of her jeans.

"Ooh in that case, what are you wearing?" Rei said in her best sexy voice down the phone. They were both struggling not to laugh.

Nao was just about to reach orgasm when she had to stop due to the Mr Nanaka heading towards her car. He was the self appointed morality monitor and all around nosey bastard. The last thing Nao needed was for him to catch her with her hands down her pants in front of a preteen football pitch. He already thought she was perverted enough.

"Sorry love got to go Snoopy is on his way over," Nao said as she buttoned up her jeans.

"Damn that Snoopy I was going to start in with the paddle and call you my filthy slut," Rei said listening as her wife went into fits of uncontrollable laughter "I'm adding a back rub to the payment you have one heavy assed daughter."

Nao laughed again "no problem but you don't actually think that ice creams for eating do you?" she waited until Rei got her meaning all the while Mr Nanaka was creeping closer. "No I really have to go now. Love you."

"Love," Rei yawned placing her hand over her swollen belly "you to. Make sure Jinto doesn't injure anyone again, it doesn't matter that's its the way you play, Nao, they're only kids!"

"Will do, bye," she hung up and got out of the car locking it after slamming the door "right you, you nosey bastard what the hell do you want?" She glared at the startled little man. Well no one ever really grew up completely.

XxXx

Maki shot through the door like a rocket and straight into his mothers arms. He was hyped up on sugar and bouncing in a way that could only be achieved by a six year old on a candy high. This alone made Reito worry. They had always been careful what they fed their children especially since they all seemed to take more after his sister than him.

"MISSION ACCOMPLISED!" he yelled making Mai wince.

Though Reito noticed that she was smiling in a very self satisfied way. His worry grew. He had come home early from work hoping to have a nice quite day with his loving family. Why did he ask for so much?

"What mission?" he asked wondering if he really wanted to know the answer as Mai seemed to try and casually wave the question away.

"Oh nothing important, now would you like carrots or peas with your dinner?" Mai turned to walk into the kitchen seeming to ignore him.

His eyebrows scrunched together. Something was wrong "peas please, now what mission?" he repeated.

"Nothing don't worry about it," Mai said as she reached up to take out a tin of peas. But Mai made a colossal error. She had sat Maki down as she reached for the peas and his son had always been easy to bribe. That was the reason he stopped taking him on his shopping trips because he always reported back to Mai what it was he bought her for her birthday or Christmas or just because he loved her. Bribery was a two way street he thought narrowing his eyes at his wife's back.

He caught Maki's eye and jerked his head towards the hall. Maki stood a minute confused and Reito rolled his eyes. His kid wasn't the brightest bulb in the box. He walked out into the hall and waved for Maki to follow him. He glanced at Mai's back fearful that she would turn around and spoil his attempts at espionage. Eventually Maki got his message and followed him out into the hall. Reito searched his pockets for a bribe. Damn he ate his last chocolate bar in the car on the way home!

"I'll give you 100 yen to tell me the mission plan," he whispered all the while keeping watch encase Mai caught on to her grievous error.

"Nu uh," Maki shook his head unimpressed by the offer. This was more due to the fact he didn't really know what number came after 50 than any loyalty he felt towards his mother.

"Okay," he cast around in his memory trying to think of something his son wanted "I'll buy you that little sports car toy you've been looking at every time we go shopping?" The to was only twenty yen but he refused to get him the car on the grounds that there were to many of the little death traps floating around the house.

His sons eyes widened and he nodded frantically up and down. Reito was a little disappointed in his sons bargaining skills but reminded himself that he shouldn't expect that much from a six year old. "She gave me lots of chocolate and then told uncle Takumi and Auntie Akira to take me out for ice cream!" Maki spilled eager to get his toy.

Reito closed his eyes and shook his head. Before marring Mai he would never have thought she could even think of cruelty but when she became his wife it became obvious she had a mean streak a mile wide in her. Usually she confined this to some very pleasurable evenings in the bedroom but now it seemed to have leaked out. He ruffled Maki's short brown hair and moved into the kitchen.

"Dad, when I'm I getting the car?" Maki begged.

"Next time we go shopping so you better tidy your room up for it 'Kay?" he didn't even finished his sentenced before Maki whizzed off to clean his room. He was going to be one tired kid tonight.

"That was mean what you did to poor Takumi."

Mai turned around puzzled and then she spotted or failed to spot Maki and she tutted "so you found out then? Little traitor."

"Takumi and Akira are trying to do the responsible thing and see what having children is like before stumbling into it like we did," he chided gently "after forcing a sugar rushed six year old on them they might never want to start a family."

"You think so?" Mai asked hopefully.

"Mai, you have to give Akira a chance, Takumi's serous about her they've even been together longer than we have." His wife was just so over protective of her little brother. He wouldn't be surprised if Takumi was still a virgin.

"I know but Akira just isn't right for him. She keeps pressuring him into things and he's just to nice to say no!" Mai's eyes flashed and he realised that he would get no sense out of her tonight. He sighed and kissed her throbbing fore head "what time will dinner be ready at?"

"Six" Mai said turning away from him "...I'm sorry its just Takumi needs me to look after him..." she turned back to her husband he nodded.

"I know you feel you need to protect him," he left it at that because Mai needed to realise on her own that she was doing Takumi more harm than good by interfering in his relationship. She would get there eventually it would just take awhile. Maki got his slowness from her. "Besides," he added more cheerfully picking up his paper to go read in the living room "its your night to put the little monster to bed and he's all hyped up on sugar."

He watched in satisfaction as Mai's eyes widened in panic. He quickly escaped before she could rope him into taking care of their son. Mai was no Shizuru when it came to elaborate plans.

"Reito sweetie," Mai called in her sweetest sexist voice seeming to promise him unspeakable pleasures should he do one tiny little favour for her.

He just grinned and closed the bathroom door in her alluring face. Something's just weren't worth the price.

XxXx