Hey it's me again! It's been a while since I've updated because I've been kind of busy. I hope the suspense didn't kill you. Kidding. Anyways, this chapter… well, it doesn't really explain much of the legalities as to how Black Jack was able to get custody of Yukia, and I'm not a lawyer, so please don't focus on that. I wonder what people think of Yukia's character… Well anyways, please read and review!

Chapter Three

Pinoko sat on the sofa, staring ahead at the television set, and wringing her hands. She could hardly even pay attention to the soap opera—one of her favorites—as her mind was just completely racing. Black Jack had gone into the city a week ago, and she hadn't heard from him since. She considered calling the police, but then thought that he might already be at the station, and was perplexed as to what she should do. Should she call the police? Or should she wait even longer?

She closed her eyes shut and pushed her cheeks together, then rubbed her temples which were starting to throb. She wouldn't be able to take this much longer… Wait a minute, what was that noise?

She scurried over to the television set and used the dial to turn it off, and then she listened. She could hear the familiar hum of a car engine driving up the dusty dirt road to their house. She raced over to the window, and drew back a corner of the curtain. There was his black car, coming up the road.

She pulled her cleaning bandana off of her head and headed outside to meet him. She stood on the front porch, her arms crossed, feeling a sense of anger rushing over her. He pulled up, shut off the car, and then got out of the vehicle. He silently strode forward, knowing it was best not to look at her because she was really angry.

"Honey, what the hell?" she yelled, coming down the steps huffily. "You've been gone for one week, you haven't even called, and I've been worried sick! And another thing—"

He silenced her with a brief, sweet kiss and immediately, her anger went away. She blushed, seeing his smile, and nodded.

"W-Welcome home."

"I'm sorry that I didn't call," he told her seriously. "It would have ruined the surprise."

"Surprise?" her eyes widened, and she stared at him. "Kuro'o, what's going on?"

Black Jack walked back over to the car, and popped open the trunk just as the passenger door opened. A pair of little legs swung out, and Black Jack removed a folded up wheelchair from the back. He unfolded it, wheeled it up to the door, and then lifted Yukia out of the car and into the chair. All the while, Pinoko watched in amazement.

"This, Pinoko," Black Jack said, pushing him forward, "is Yukia."

Yukia lowered his head, biting his lip nervously. He looked utterly miserable, and very quiet. Pinoko could only stare at the boy, her jaw slack, and then she looked up at her husband. She opened her mouth and then…

"Black Jack, you bought a kid!" she screamed at him, waving her hands wildly in the air. "That's the most illegal thing you've ever done!"

"No!" he yelled back at her, irritated.

She crossed her arms and then waited for him to explain. He gestured to Yukia with a sweep of his arm and then spoke.

"His guardians hated him and were unwilling to pay my fees, so I had them sign over custody to me."

Pinoko gaped, and turned around to stare at the little boy, whose misery only seemed to increase the further this conversation went on. Yukia was shaking slightly, and he glanced up at Pinoko from underneath his long, black bangs.

She seems like a nice and pretty lady, he thought. But I don't think she likes me… what if she doesn't like me? Do I have to go back to my aunt and uncle?

"Honey," she said, shaking her head and putting a hand to her forehead, "this is nuts! He's a little kid!"

"Pinoko, you were the one going on and on about having a baby!" Black Jack retorted.

"This isn't a baby! This is a little boy! There's a big difference!"

Suddenly Yukia's trembling; tearful voice brought him to their attention.

"Sorry… I'm so sorry," he whispered, keeping his eyes trained on the ground.

Pinoko's composure softened and she smiled warmly down at him, now feeling guilty for what she had said.

"There's nothing to apologize for. Don't worry." She murmured, crouching down to his level.

Yukia looked up and stared at her, big tears accumulating in the corners of his eyes. He sniffled slightly.

"You're not going to get rid of me?"

"Of course not," she told him, glancing up at Black Jack. "I'm very sorry. We must have frightened you."

She brushed away his tears. "Yukia. Welcome home."

And he laughed.

Black Jack tiptoed down the hallway later that night, hearing Pinoko's voice echoing out from the small room at the end of the hall. It had been quickly made into a makeshift bedroom with only a cot, a nightstand and a lamp, but in time, it would have Yukia's mark on it.

He stepped close to the door frame, and peeked inside. Pinoko was curled up with Yukia on his bed, and she was reading him a story book. The two looked very happy and content together.

Maybe I was wrong, Black Jack thought. She could definitely be a mother.

Yukia's eyes suddenly fluttered and he started to doze off against Pinoko's shoulder, and Pinoko gently closed the book, and slipped off of the bed. She gently pulled back the covers and tucked him in, then shut off the light and exited the room.

"He's quite a sweetheart," she said to her husband, beaming. "He said that I was pretty and nice."

"Well I say that about you too," Black Jack mumbled, kind of quiet. "It's nothing new."

She giggled and asked, "What, are you jealous?"

"No. No, no really."

Pinoko rolled her eyes and headed into their bedroom. He came in as well and shut the door behind them. Pinoko started to change into her night gown and he stood there, watching her.

"You're happy, right?"

"Huh?" she asked, pulling the gown over her head. She released her hair from the collar of the gown and looked at him in slight confusion.

"You asked if I was happy?"

He nodded. She blushed, smiled, and came over to him. She grabbed his hands and squeezed them tightly.

"Honey, I'm always happy, since I'm with you. And now with Yukia, I have a reason to be even happier."

"Yes, Pinoko, I know, but… if we didn't have Yukia… if we didn't… have children."

Pinoko blinked. "Well I suppose I'll be just as happy as I am now. I mean, I wasn't expecting for you to do this." She laughed a little. "I thought that it was okay, I understood why we couldn't have children of our own, and so I'd just… learn to bypass those feelings."

"I… I don't think I want you to."

"Eh?" she looked up at him.

"I mean, I want you to want things in life, and be able to get to them, Pinoko. I want you to be able to be a mother, and I wanted you to go to school just as much as you did. I don't want you waking up years later regretting everything because you couldn't do anything you wanted to."

She smiled and cupped his face in her hands. "Black Jack. I'm happy, please know that. I won't have regrets later on in life, because now I am a mother and I am a wife. And I won't regret any of that."

She hugged him tightly, and he embraced her as well. He smiled as he set his chin atop her head and pulled her closer. Yes, she was happy. And he was too.