Happy Reading!

Rush

By Tsuki's Angel

~Chapter 10~

-Pray for You-

When Natsume was ten years old, he was told to go on a mission to kill people for the first time in his life. Of course, he had no choice but to do what Persona said at the time, so he obliged. The shock of killing someone for the first time in your entire life vibrates through your entire body a hundred times worse than the way it does when someone hits a gargantuan gong when you're sitting right next to it.

But the way Natsume felt at that moment made that seem like absolutely nothing in comparison.

His voice was nothing but a harsh whisper. " What?" It sounded like he had trouble breathing.

Mikan sighed. "I'm going to have a baby, Natsume. Your baby."

Natsume was in a daze. A baby. He had gotten his girlfriend pregnant. During a war. When there were people trying to kill her. And he had a feeling he should say something before she thinks he had gone mute.

"Natsume?"

"Are you positive?"

"Am I positive what?"

"Are you positive that you're…" Natsume looked down at her abdomen and swallowed.

Mikan's eyes followed to where his looked, and then they went back to his eyes. "That I'm pregnant?" Natsume meekly nodded. "I'm pretty sure, Natsume. It would explain a lot of things these past few weeks."

Natsume looked up at her face from where he was crouched on the floor. He knotted both of his hands in his hair and looked at his feet again. "What am I going to do?"

Mikan grabbed his wrist and wrenched it towards her, forcing him to snap his head up. "You aren't going to do anything. But we can find a way."

Natsume looked at her, now with pain etched across his features. "But a baby, Mikan? We're in a war. What if…what if you got hurt? I mean, it would be hurt, too."

"It? Natsume Hyuuga, I did not just hear you refer to our child as an object," Mikan said.

"It's not even a baby yet!" Natsume objected. "It's a…fetus, right?" Natsume tried to think back on that health lesson that he was trying to ignore.

"He or she is what you will be calling him or her, okay?" Mikan clarified.

"How the hell are you so attached to it already?" Natsume said incredulously.

Mikan gaped at him. "This baby's part of me now. It's like a mini you."

"You just referred to the baby as 'it.' You're being hypocritical. And how do you know it's a boy?"

Mikan bit her lip. "I have an inclination, I suppose. And I'm the mother. I can border hypocrisy if I want."

Natsume's mind was already reeling. "How does that make sense? You're not bordering hypocrisy! You just hit it!"This was too much for him to handle. She's a mother? That means that he's a father. That thought scared the shit out of him. Natsume got up from his crouched position. "I need time to think."

Mikan raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to leave me, are you?" Mikan asked, standing up. He could see the fear in her eyes.

"I just need…time," Natsume replied vaguely.

Mikan grabbed his hand and pulled his body down so that his lips met hers. "Come back soon, okay?"

Natsume didn't take his lips off of hers. "Okay."

"Promise?" Mikan whispered.

Natsume kissed her again and pulled back. "Promise."

. . .

Mikan sat on the couch next to Misaki. She was listening to Tsubasa tell her what the current status was on the war.

"This is why Misaki and I have to leave," Tsubasa stated sadly.

"What?" Mikan asked. "You can't go out there by yourself!"

"Mikan," Misaki said gently. "We can't stay together. We're too big of a group. A bigger target is an easier target in this case."

"But you could die," Mikan said.

"So could you," Tsubasa interjected. "Listen, we can't stay in this shabby bookstore forever. We need to help out. You and Natsume will do perfectly fine together."

Mikan didn't have the heart to tell them that Natsume had left hours ago and that she didn't know exactly when he was coming back. She nodded and leaned back against the couch.

"We're leaving later on tonight when things are quieter," Misaki said.

"No!" Mikan interjected. "Go tomorrow morning. Get some rest."

"That would be nice," Tsubasa said, rubbing the back of his neck, "if those damned AAO agents didn't send attacks on people at the crack of dawn."

Mikan didn't know what to say. She wanted them to stay with her. She was afraid that Natsume wouldn't come back quickly enough. It was beginning to scare her.

"Where is Natsume by the way?" Misaki asked.

"He's out," Mikan replied immediately. "He'll be back soon. He told me so."

"Are you sure?" Tsubasa asked. "He's been out for hours…"

Mikan was debating on whether or not to tell them about the big news. She wanted them to stay, but then she would be putting their lives in danger. After all, the AAO agents were after her and Natsume specifically because they were a great threat to them.

Mikan took a deep breath. "He's just in shock is all it is."

"Shock?" Misaki scoffed. "What could be more shocking than a war?"

Mikan swallowed. "A baby."

"A baby?" Tsubasa said. "What baby? How the hell did a baby end up here and why does Natsume have it?" Tsubasa thought for a second. "Did he find it out there?"

"I'm pretty sure the baby would be dead if that happened, Tsubasa," Misaki said. "Mikan, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm..." Mikan said. "I…Well, it's a long story really. It goes back to before the war started. I think it's the day before, actually. I—"

"Spit it out, Mikan!" Tsubasa said.

"I…" Mikan bit her lip. "I'm…well, pregnant?"

Tsubasa fainted.

. . .

When Tsubasa came to, Misaki was pacing the small space in front of the coffee table.

"This is awful," Misaki said. "What are we going to do? This is no time to have a baby. The risk of it all is too great!"

"I know," Mikan mumbled. "I can do it though—"

"You don't understand, Mikan," Misaki said. "You breathe in fumes all the time! The baby breathes those fumes! You overexert yourself, you don't get enough to eat—for all you know, your baby can be born prematurely or worse—dead!"

"Stop that," Mikan said. "I know what I'm doing. I know there is no getting around the high risk of birth defects. I'm hoping to get out of this war soon—with Natsume."

"You can't do that," Tsubasa grumbled, getting up. "Persona—he's not going to let you go. You're the secret weapon in this war."

"Oh, I know," Mikan said. "I'm strong. I can get out of here. I didn't leave for years and come back the same old Mikan I always was. I came back stronger and I'm ready to fight for what's mine."

Misaki stared at her. "I just can't believe you two were so careless. Didn't you even think of the possibility of this happening?"

"At the time? No," Mikan said bluntly.

Red was creeping up Tsubasa's neck. He cleared his throat. "Okay, well now we have to get you out of here safely."

"I'm not leaving without Natsume," Mikan said. "He's all I've got left."

"Well where is he?" Misaki asked.

"He promised me he would come back," Mikan repeated.

"And how long ago was that?" Tsubasa asked.

"He said he needed time," Mikan said.

"You do know what this means right?" Misaki asked.

"It means we are going to wait for him to come back," Mikan concluded. She wasn't going to do anything without him.

"It means we have to go find him," Tsubasa said. "You don't know if he was captured or not. It's best to go out there and search for him ourselves."

Mikan had a small moment of panic thinking about Natsume being captured. She wouldn't live with herself if anything happened to him. She devoted everything to save him. He couldn't be captured when she let him off so easily. He wouldn't let them capture him. He knew that she needed him.

"This academy's huge," Mikan objected suddenly. "How am I going to find him?"

"I bet you have an alice that can do the job," Misaki said.

"I don't," Mikan replied.

"Well then we do it the good old fashion way—we look in the places where he might be," Misaki said.

"He could be anywhere," Mikan groaned. "We're talking about the guy who hid in trees as a kid."

"I'm sure that he's not in a tree," Tsubasa said. "Let's just get moving so that we find him. We don't have time to be debating about nature."

Mikan didn't have a chance to speak when Misaki shoved a scarf in Mikan's face. "Make sure you cover your mouth with this. Stay warm."

Mikan wrapped the scarf around her nose and mouth. It was warm and smelled like Misaki. It comforted her.

"Let's go."

. . .

Mikan was leading the way. Obviously she knew the territory better than them by now. She had been in the war longer than they had. They were running down an empty road when Mikan felt a vibration in her pocket. She took out her cell phone. She hadn't used that thing in weeks. She saw that the code indicated that Ivan was calling her.

She picked up. She had to say something to confirm his identity. She thought of something only they would know. "Isabella is the best baker in the universe."

"Completely false. She sucks," he replied.

Mikan stopped at a corner and looked around for hidden snipers. "Report?"

"Isabella is confined in the hospital for a week," Ivan stated. "She couldn't block an attack quick enough."

"Natsume is currently not with us," Mikan said. "He left and now we're looking for him."

"Why did he leave?" Ivan asked.

"He can't handle the fact that he's gonna be a daddy," Mikan cooed sarcastically.

"Dad…dy?" Ivan said. Even over the phone, Mikan can see his discomfort.

"What a horrible time to conceive a child," Mikan muttered. As soon as she saw an agent, she had to say goodbye. "Report over."

"Wait—"

Mikan hung up and pulled out a pistol. Two shots and the agent was dead. Mikan rounded the corner. The coast was clear and she sprinted as fast as she could straight into the woods. She heard the faint tapping noise of feet behind her. She knew it was Tsubasa and Misaki, so she didn't bother to look behind her. The only place she could think of was the woods. Natsume would go to the woods to think. She didn't follow a direct path. Instead, she wandered off into the brush. The burrs scratched against her legs, but she didn't care. She needed to find Natsume.

Mikan walked for a couple of hours. She made sure that she kept hearing their footsteps behind her. She looked back occasionally to see if they were still there. They had her back, while she had theirs. But suddenly, Mikan realized that she wasn't being followed anymore. She turned around and saw that Tsubasa and Misaki were no longer there. Her eyes widened and her heart started racing.

"Tsubasa?" Mikan whispered harshly. "Misaki?" Mikan paused to wait for a reply, but there was nothing. "Tsubasa! Misaki!" Nothing.

Mikan spun around to catch a scope of her surroundings. She must have been really far into the woods. Natsume couldn't have gone this far. There was no reason to, especially if he was planning on returning to her. Mikan closed her eyes. She tried to think of what to do. She couldn't teleport—she was too weak and there was no telling what it could do to the baby. She could burn down the entire forest to seek Natsume out…but that was too rash. She decided that she had to turn back.

"We should have stayed in Bear's cottage…" Mikan grumbled.

Then it hit her.

Bear's cottage.

Mikan sprinted into the other direction. Why didn't she think of this before? It was so obvious! Mikan couldn't run anymore after a while. Her feet were killing her. Eventually, she just started to walk again and when she reached the cottage, she saw that there was smoke coming out of the chimney. Maybe Misaki and Tsubasa ended up here.

Mikan ran into the cottage and yelled, "Natsume!"

But she was left to shock. Natsume wasn't there. Nor were Tsubasa and Misaki.

It was Narumi.

Mikan's eyes welled with tears. "Narumi!" She ran over to him and launched herself into his arms. "Where were you? Where did you go when the war started? Are you okay?" The questions were flying out of her mouth at a million miles per hour.

"Okay, calm down," he said. "I'm sorry, Mikan, but I have to do this."

Mikan pulled back and sniffed. She looked up at him with teary eyes. "Do what?"

Mikan didn't know what happened next. She felt a something poke into her arm. She looked and saw that Narumi had injected something into her body with a syringe. She began to feel dizzy.

"I'm sorry, Mikan," Narumi said, "but you'll be safe, soon."

The only words that came out of Mikan's mouth were "I hope that won't hurt the baby."

. . .

Mikan woke up quite groggily. She blinked up to see a white ceiling. She heard a faint beeping. She smelled anesthetics and disinfectants. She knew the smell all too well. She was in a hospital. Mikan almost immediately shot up from her position. She looked around frantically. How long had she been out for? All she knew at the moment was that she had the sudden urge to go to the bathroom.

She looked at her arm. There was a needle in it. Mikan paled. What had happened? She looked down and she was in a hospital gown and was wrapped in a warm blanket. There was a glass of water on the nightstand. Mikan downed it in no time. She threw her legs over the bed and tried to stand up on the cold hardwood floor. She ripped the IV out of her arm. She started bleeding and suddenly, she heard footsteps running into the room.

"She's awake!"

"Call the doctor!"

"Get Imai!"

Mikan's instincts took over. Hotaru? She vaguely recalled someone telling her that she was safe. Mikan saw two people run in. They were both familiar. Ivan and Isabella, Mikan thought. Mikan was expecting a hug, but instead, Ivan scooped her up in his arms and placed her down on the bed again. Mikan was trying to get back up but Isabella held her down.

"Let go of me!" Mikan yelled. "Let go! I want to get up!"

"You're bleeding!" Isabella said desperately.

Mikan was beginning to grow exceedingly uncomfortable. She was supposed to be fighting a war, Goddamnit! What was she doing all protected in a hospital? Mikan was growing angrier by the second. She didn't like not knowing what people were doing with her. She didn't like being helpless. No. She didn't want to go back to being the innocent Mikan she was before.

"I don't care!" Mikan screamed. "Why am I in here?" Realization dawned on Mikan. "Where's Natsume?" she breathed.

"Natsume's doing fine," Ivan said, trying to calm her down. "We have to bandage your arm, Mikan. Calm down."

"Where's Natsume?" Mikan screamed. "I want to see him! Where is he?"

"He's not here right now," Isabella said. "Please, Mikan. We have to get you better. You're pregnant."

Tears trickled down from Mikan's eyes. "Tell me where he is," she said, sniffling.

"Don't cry," Ivan said. "Go back to screaming. Just…don't cry."

"Where am I?" Mikan asked, choking on a sob. "How long have I been here?"

"You're at the Imai manor in one of their guest rooms," he replied hesitantly. "It's been about a week and a half."

"Is Natsume in another room?"

"He's…" Isabella glanced at Ivan for permission to go further. He nodded. "He's at Gakuen Alice."

Mikan's eyes widened. "You haven't found him?"

"At the moment, he's fighting the war out there," Isabella said, trying to reassure her. "We can't say for sure, but he's doing his job out there."

"He's out there alone?" Mikan screeched. She struggled against Ivan's iron grip. "I need to go out there! He needs me!"

"Stop it!" Isabella said, worry in her voice. "You can't go out there! What if your baby is born damaged? You have to think about the consequences!"

"I am!" Mikan replied. "I am, okay? I know that my baby is in danger! But I don't want him or her to grow up without a father!" Mikan was full out sobbing now. She stopped struggling, and Ivan let go of her. She covered her face with her hands. "I want to see Natsume…"

Isabella stroked her hair. "I know. We're trying to find him. Narumi was waiting for you at the cottage for a day or so. He knew you would come back there eventually. He told us you said something about a baby, as you told Ivan before. It's a really big shock on Natsume."

"You think?" Mikan mumbled. Her nose was red, and she felt like a mess. She whispered what she feared the most. "I hope he doesn't leave me."

Isabella scoffed. "I don't think you know just how much that boy loves you. He honestly doesn't give a shit about the war or Gakuen Alice's problems. It's you he cares about. And he's only in the war so you don't have to be. It wasn't easy getting you out of there, you know. We lost a couple of people…"

Mikan knew that Isabella didn't swear unless it was serious.

"Who…died?" Mikan said. She didn't like that people were dying for her.

"We're not sure. Some former students, for sure but otherwise, the information was confidential," Ivan said. He took Mikan into his arms as Isabella started wrapping up Mikan's arm.

Mikan heard some more footsteps. A man in a black turtleneck sweater came in. He resembled Hotaru. There was no doubt he was an Imai. Mikan lied down on the bed but couldn't find it in her to relax while Dr. Imai was examining her. He didn't talk to Mikan. He simply gave orders to his fellow nurses as they went off to perform their jobs. Mikan was silent the whole time.

"You're about nine weeks pregnant," Dr. Imai said.

Mikan remained silent. There was really nothing she had to say to that. She knew how to do basic math in her head. She wiped at her eyes because she was still crying. Mikan rubbed her stomach. She could feel the slightest bump there. She smiled at the thought of a baby Natsume in her. She was so preoccupied in her thoughts, she didn't even notice that the doctor had prescribed her prenatal care and other various medicines and left with a diagnosis on her side table.

"I leave you for nine weeks and you get knocked up."

Mikan heard the familiar voice. She knew that voice by heart. It was Hotaru. She tried to get up, but her back was killing her. Ivan had to help her. Hotaru walked toward Mikan and wrapped her arms around her. She noticed that she was really thin. It was unhealthy. Mikan hugged her back with surprisingly strong arms. It was just as Hotaru had thought. She looked weak, but she was strong.

"Hotaru, I have to find him," Mikan said. "I don't know where he went. He could be in trouble."

Hotaru sighed. "Tsubasa and Misaki told me you'd be this way."

"T-they're here too?" Mikan asked.

"Yes," she said. "Mikan, you have to consider the fact that you're lucky you're out of this war. Not many can get out of there. It was hard enough getting you out without having Persona blow our heads off."

"Why do you think that it's okay to leave him in there, then? He's your friend, Hotaru!"

"I'm not leaving him there," Hotaru said. "Nogi is just as anxious as you are. I sent a search party out there a while ago, and as of today, I sent robots to scour the campus. It should be a matter of days before he's found. For all we know, he could show up here all on his own. And honestly, Mikan, you're acting ridiculous. I promise you that he will be here safe and sound."

Mikan knew she was acting selfish and ridiculous. She knew that she was asking so much of Hotaru. She knew that she should be grateful to be out of there, but all she could think about was Natsume. What would she do if he had died? Mikan shut her eyes tightly and thought of Hotaru's promise. If Hotaru said that Natsume would be back, then he would be back. Mikan trusted Hotaru. All she could do now was pray.

Mikan wished that the war would just end. Nobody wanted any more bloodshed. Fighting day and night got tiresome. There was no way that the alice side could end it unless they killed enough AAO agents. After all, it was the AAO that started the war in the first place.

"What are we going to do about the war once Natsume is out of there?" Mikan asked hesitantly.

"We're going to end it," Hotaru said.

Mikan blinked. "H-how?"

"With the help of several faculty members, students from various ability classes, and my own knowledge, we've figured out a series of bombings that will take place when the time is right," Hotaru explained. "We will drop missiles where concentrations of AAO agents are the highest."

Mikan's eyes widened. "Won't that kill students? Hotaru, you can't do that."

"Yes, I am well aware of the students," Hotaru said. "Which is why I am coming up with an advanced technology that will track Gakuen Alice students and faculty and latch onto their skin, being absorbed into the blood stream and creating a nearly invincible shield around the person." Hotaru sighed. "It's very tedious. We have to constantly keep track of all of the escaped, the fighting, and the dead, so that we can specialize trackers to that one person."

Mikan was in complete shock. "That's nearly impossible. People are constantly dying and escaping."

"Yes, I know," Hotaru said. "I'm waiting for a stalemate in the war. That way, the least amount of Gakuen Alice deaths occur."

"In the end, innocent lives will be lost," Mikan clarified.

"Correction: Innocent lives are already being lost," Hotaru stated.

. . .

Natsume fired mercilessly at his enemies.

It had now been a couple of weeks or so since he's seen Mikan after the incident. He left off on a bad note and needed to see his girl as soon as possible to tell her that everything was going to be alright. There was no way he was going to leave her alone. The initial shock was just too much for him. He was going to have to defend her and his child with all he's got. He trusted Tsubasa and Misaki enough to take care of her while he was gone. As of now, he really needed to find a way out of here.

After his gun ran out of ammunition, Natsume realized he was standing in a pool of thick blood. He could smell the salty metal odor that it gave off. It, in fact, almost made him nauseous for it had not been his previous experience of dealing with these things before. Natsume decided to move on to the next section. Really, there was nobody left here to kill.

It was when he reached the next section that he really finalized his statement. There was really nobody left here to kill. So what of it? Natsume sighed as he decided that it was about time he found Mikan. She must be worried sick, and he knew that she needed him more than ever.

"Hey! There he is!"

Natsume whipped his head back. He saw a couple of guys running toward him at full speed. They both wore black hooded coats, and they looked like trouble. He caught his breath. Who the hell were they? Natsume didn't further elaborate on the subject. He began a full sprint in the opposite direction, glancing back every so often at the goons that were chasing him.

The snow crunched very audibly beneath his feet. He almost slipped on ice a few times, but he caught himself. He decided to try to tire these guys out. Turning down several streets gave Natsume the advantage of the chase. He knew where he was going. The guys didn't. If while turning a corner, Natsume found a furtive way out of the chase, he could easily escape to Bear's cottage, where he knew Misaki and Tsubasa probably took Mikan.

Turning around a building, Natsume quickly jumped behind a large wooden cart. He heard the footsteps trailing near him, but they stopped. He took a huge sigh of relief and leaned back against the cart, looking up at the grey sky trying to catch his breath. His mouth was drier than the Sahara.

Natsume almost groaned when he felt a sharp pain in his ribs. A few days ago, Natsume was hit by an AAO agent right in the ribs. He felt as though he cracked a few, but luckily, it wasn't anything major. So he could keep on fighting without there having to be a handicap.

And then all too soon, he heard the footsteps again. This time they were slow. Natsume immediately got up, pointing his gun.

"Hey, dude, chill," he heard a man say.

"Tch," Natsume muttered. He knew that statement. It could never be trusted. "The hell do you want?"

"Put the gun down, first," he said.

Natsume scrunched his eyebrow. "Tell me what you want, first."

The man's companion spoke up. "Oh, Natsume. Don't you wanna see Mikan?"

Natsume would know that voice anywhere. "Naru?"

Narumi took off his hood. "My, my. I found two of my lovely students now."

"You found Mikan?" Natsume asked. His gun dropped to his side. "Where is she? Is she hurt?"

Narumi smiled. "Of course. She's under the care of Hotaru's brother."

"Didn't Imai go with Luca? Where are they now?"

The other hooded man put his hood down. It was a former teacher, Misaki. "We will have to explain later. We cannot give away that information here. For now, just follow us."

. . .

A fire crackled in the fireplace. Warmth filled the library that was currently occupied by a group of friends. Although the room was warm, the aura was bitter cold. Nobody wanted to speak up, but they all had the same question on their mind.

"Do you know what's happening to Mikan?" Isabella asked. "She's not herself at all."

Hotaru crossed her legs. "What do you mean?"

"You know what she means," Luca said.

There was a long pause before Hotaru said, "She's going into hysteria."

"It's because of Natsume, isn't it?" Ivan said from where he sat on the windowsill. "It's so blatantly obvious. She's pregnant, her hormones are raging, and she's going into hysterics. Isn't this just brilliant?"

"You shouldn't blame Natsume," Isabella said calmly.

"I'm not," Ivan said, resigned. "It's just so difficult for her to want him when he's in the middle of a war."

"It's only a matter of time before he shows up here," Hotaru said. "I am a firm believer at that. He would never leave her, and it's only a matter of time before he has to see her again."

"Hotaru," a weak voice said.

Mikan stood in the doorway. She knew that they were talking about her and how emotional she was being. Truth was Mikan didn't even think it was because she was pregnant. In fact, she only felt that she was this way because every time she thought of Natsume being out in the war alone, she panicked. He was not supposed to go to war for her. It was supposed to be the other way around! Her efforts were wasted. All her years with Victoria and Persona…wasted. She couldn't protect him.

Hotaru looked at Mikan speculatively. "What are you doing here?"

Mikan walked in. "I wanted to apologize to everyone."

"What for?" Hotaru said sarcastically.

"I guess…I'm sorry that I disappeared from Gakuen Alice for years. And I'm sorry that I was so rude to you when I came back," Mikan said, shrugging.

"What exactly happened in those years you went away, Mikan?" another familiar voice said.

Mikan turned to find Sumire right behind her with Koko.

"I can explain…" Mikan started.

"Please do," Hotaru said.

Mikan took a seat on the couch. Sumire sat down next to her and Mikan began to talk:

"I met Persona in the forest that day," she started. "And I wasn't surprised that he was giving Natsume another mission."

"What were you doing in the forest? Nothing good ever happens in the forest," Koko muttered. Sumire jabbed him in the ribs.

Mikan continued, "A few things happened, and I guess we had a conversation. I ended up taking Natsume's place as Person's mission dog."

"You what?" Hotaru seethed. "How could you do that?"

Hotaru couldn't believe her ears. Mikan Sakura. The girl that loved to eat Howalon and couldn't solve a math problem to save her life. She took the place of a trained Dangerous Ability student? Hotaru loved her friend, yes, but honestly, way back when they were kids, Mikan was just a klutz. She would fall all over the place. How could she go from that to this?

Mikan jumped. "H-Hotaru, I had to. Natsume could have died."

"And you don't think that you could have consulted me on the matter? Don't you remember when we saved him from Reo when we were kids? Don't you think that we could have done it together again?" Hotaru snapped.

"Of course I thought of that," Mikan said. "But that wasn't the deal. And Persona was way too powerful back then to even consider fighting back. The only way to keep everyone safe from harm was to go to London to train."

"And why couldn't you have told me about this?" Hotaru asked.

Isabella piped up, "Confidentiality. It's one of the terms on the contract."

"Have you wondered why Mikan wears that uniform?" Ivan asked Hotaru.

Hotaru glanced at Mikan. She gave her no more than a glance. Mikan was dressed entirely in black and white with silver embroidery. She noticed that Mikan was wearing a wool cardigan that was tighter around her stomach, a plain pair of socks, and a skirt. A few of the buttons were undone at the bottom of her cardigan, and it showed the small bulge that had formed when she hit ten and a half weeks.

"She doesn't look like she's wearing a uniform," Hotaru said. "She's showing her navel."

Ivan cleared his throat. "Um, yeah. She tends to do that."

Mikan pouted. "Hey. The cardigan was tight fitted before, and it won't button over my tummy."

"Couldn't you have asked one of us for something to wear?" Sumire asked.

Mikan frowned and looked at the ground. "Yeah, but I signed a contract. Even though I'm not bound to it anymore, Ivan and Isabella still are. And I can't leave them on their own. I'm a very distinct form of a DA student, and therefore, I have to wear this ridiculous uniform so that I can hide from my enemies, but recognized by my allies, especially on a joint mission."

"A contract," Sumire stated. "What contract?"

"I just told you. Going to London, train for a couple of years, missions, etcetera."

"Why would you put yourself through that?" Hotaru asked sincerely.

Mikan smiled at this. For once in her entire life, Hotaru was baffled by this reaction. Mikan replied, "I guess when you really love somebody, you'd do anything."

Sumire shook her head. "Why do I feel like I can't argue against you?"

"Cause you know it's true," Mikan said.

"And was getting pregnant part of the contract, too?" Koko snickered.

"Nope," Mikan said unfazed. "It was a complete violation, actually. Very spontaneous, too."

Isabella giggled. "Her contract was fully broken when her necklace came off."

Mikan's eyes widened at Isabella, and Isabella knew that he said something that she shouldn't have.

"Necklace?" Hotaru asked. "You mean that choker you always wore?"

Mikan swallowed thickly. "Yes."

"What about it?"

Mikan didn't want to answer. She looked to Ivan pleadingly. Ivan rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, I really can't put this gently, but she wasn't allowed near you guys. She was given the necklace so that she would stay away."

It clicked in Hotaru's mind. "Electric shock."

Ivan nodded. "That's about it."

Hotaru couldn't say anything to that. She was just plain furious.

That's when abruptly everyone heard a loud bang. The front doors opened and closed. Hotaru's eyebrows scrunched for a mere second before she realized what was happening. Hyuuga is back, she thought. The only way someone can get through the front door is if they have a specialized key. Only two people have that key—Narumi and Misaki. Hotaru left the room before anyone had a chance to speak to meet him at the front door. Luca, who up until now had been sitting in silence, got up to follow her.

The two met Natsume Hyuuga in a large hallway. Luca looked relieved whilst Hotaru looked like she could literally kill someone.

"So you've decided to come back so soon?" Hotaru asked scathingly.

Natsume merely glanced at her. "Where's Mikan?"

Hotaru wasn't perplexed by his reaction. Of course he's tired. He's been fighting for weeks now. Of course he wants Mikan. Those two just barely got together without this war coming through. These excuses did not make Hotaru any more sympathetic. She was not happy with Natsume. Not at all. He impregnated her best friend. In a war. Where thousands of different things could go wrong and leave Mikan with a funeral and broken heart.

Luca put a hand on Natsume's shoulder. "I hope you know that you're really stupid."

Natsume rolled his eyes. "You're not the first person to tell me that."

"Right," Luca said. "Well, I also hope that you know I'm glad you're okay."

"He's not okay," Hotaru said. "Your ribs. What happened?"

"An agent took his gun and basically knocked one in my side," Natsume replied.

"Damn," Luca said, cringing. "I spoke too soon. You need to see a doctor."

"Not right now," Natsume insisted. "Later."

"We know," Hotaru said. "You want to see Mikan."

Natsume nodded. "Where is she?"

"You need to see a doctor, Natsume—" Luca started.

"She's in the library." Hotaru informed, pointing to the said door. "Be sure she doesn't completely tackle you. Those ribs won't hold up." She turned to a confused Luca. "You. Come to the lab with me."

Luca followed Hotaru without further argument. Natsume was momentarily confused, but he made his way down the hallway to the library. He saw Sumire and Koko walk out of the room as he approached. Sumire gave him a light hug, and Koko patted his back before they left him. They knew that he was there for Mikan, so they didn't bother him…for now. Natsume froze in the doorway when he caught sight of his girlfriend.

The walls were covered in shelves, which were lined with book after book. He saw that Isabella sat on the couch while Ivan was engrossed in a novel of some sort. Mikan stood in a spot near the fireplace, looking at the books on the shelves in that particular area. She looked radiant, and she wasn't even trying.

Natsume took off his jacket and set it on the sofa. He didn't hesitate when he made a beeline for her. Mikan heard footsteps and turned around. She nearly had a heart attack when she saw Natsume. Her mouth dropped open, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Natsume," Mikan whispered to herself. "You're home."

Natsume closed the space between them and held Mikan in his arms. She held onto the back of his shirt as tightly as she could. She breathed him in. He smelled like dirt and sweat and guns, but she didn't care. He was home. That was all that mattered.

Natsume picked her up into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and cried into the crook of his neck. Thank God, she thought, Thank God he's alive.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mikan mumbled into his skin. She wouldn't lift her head.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry."

"I thought I was going to lose you," she voiced out loud. "I thought that baby Natsume would never get to see you."

Natsume chuckled a bit. "What if she's a baby Mikan?"

"It's a boy," she said. "I know he is."

"Whatever you say," Natsume murmured.

Mikan picked her head up only to plant a kiss on Natsume's lips. They two of them were so engrossed in what they were going that they didn't even notice that Isabella and Ivan walked out of the room. Natsume eventually lost his breath, and his ribs began to ache, so he set Mikan down gently.

Mikan looked at Natsume curiously. "What's wrong?" Natsume didn't say anything, but Mikan saw that he was slightly hunched over. "You're hurt." Mikan's breathing stuttered. "Oh my God, you're hurt!"

"Mikan, calm down," he said. "It's just a bit of bruising."

"No it's not," she said. "I know what bruises are like. Trust me, I've gotten hundreds. You've either broken or cracked your ribs, Natsume."

Natsume winced at that piece of information. Hearing that Mikan got injured that many times did not do him any good. "Yes it is. It doesn't hurt too badly, Mikan. I know what broken ribs feel like."

"So do I," Mikan bit out. "I broke four of them at once one time. Now judging by the fact that you could lift me up, I say you cracked a few. Any objections?"

Natsume could not argue with the pregnant woman. So instead, he took her face into his hands and kissed the living shit out of her. There was nothing he wanted more than to hold her close. Mikan wanted to object and push him away, but she only had so much will power. Eventually, she just gave in, throwing her arms around him.

Natsume scooped her up into his arms and led her to the couch. Mikan giggled as she was lifted into the air. Natsume chose to sit in the arm chair with Mikan straddling his lap. Mikan looked down at his face, which was illuminated by the fire in the fireplace. She kissed the cut that was on his cheek and pressed her forehead against his. She felt Natsume rub her stomach.

"I'm getting fatter," Mikan pouted jokingly.

Natsume actually laughed at that. Who would have thought from the day Mikan came back that they would end up there in that very spot? Mikan was so cold and emotionless when she came back from London, but Natsume saw dramatic changes in her. She smiled more often. She talked to Misaki and Tsubasa and some of her old friends. She talked to Natsume. She loved him.

"I think you have much more to worry about than getting fat," Natsume grinned.

"Like what?" Mikan teased. "Surely not a war."

"I'm talking about the massive amount of therapy we're going to have to go through to cure our post traumatic stress disorders," Natsume said.

"Oh that," Mikan replied. "Well, it won't be so bad. People already think I'm crazy insane."

Natsume's voice was low and sensuous when he said, "Crazy insane is the new sexy."

"Hm? Do explain." Mikan drew herself closer to him by wrapping her arms around his neck.

Natsume closed the distance by once again kissing her. He ran his hands up and down her spine, feeling the bare skin beneath her wool cardigan. Mikan pulled back and kissed his cheek. Natsume hugged her in return.

"Have you thought about the baby, Natsume?" Mikan asked, feeling Natsume rub lazy circles into her back.

"What about him?"

Mikan was silent for a moment or two. "You're scared." She felt Natsume stiffen. She knew she hit a soft spot. "You know, it's okay. We don't have to fight in the war anymore. He's going to be safe."

"That's not it," Natsume said. "I was going to keep him safe no matter what."

Mikan's eyebrows scrunched up. "Then what's the matter? You're scared of raising a child?" Natsume didn't speak. In Natsume's eyes Mikan saw a terrified little boy that didn't know what to do. Natsume wasn't ready. "That's it, isn't it?"

"I don't know if I can raise the kid right," Natsume admitted. "What if I do something wrong?"

Mikan's eyes softened. "You know you're making it sound like that you're going to do this all on your own. I'm gonna be there, too. And I'm just as scared as you are, but I think that all new parents are like this." Mikan rubbed her stomach. "Hey, Natsume?"

"Hmm?" Natsume said. He took her free hand in his and squeezed it.

"I think you have the potential to be an amazing daddy."

Natsume's eyebrows shot up. "That's an overstatement."

"No, really," Mikan said, shaking her head. "You just gotta be up to the challenge." Mikan grinned as she looked at his amused expression. "And I know you always take up challenges."

"You're my biggest challenge to date," Natsume stated bluntly. Natsume placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Pretty dangerous challenge, if you ask me."

"Do I make you believe in the impossible, too?" Mikan murmured against his lips.

"You better," Natsume said, kissing the corner of her mouth. "Otherwise, I wouldn't take up another challenge like this."

Hello my radiant readers. I'm back? I'm still here? I love you?

I'm on spring break right now. I thought I might as well put away some time to write this, since I haven't updated this since like…last year? Well, here you go. The ending connects with the ending in chapter 8, for those of you that didn't catch the reference since it's been so long. I know it's kind of corny, but oh well.

Reviews are appreciated, as always!