Start in Shizu-chan POV, and we switch around a bit. Sorry it took so long! I had a tad bit of writers block but it seems to be gone now. Either way updates will be a little less frequent now as I'm trying to spend more time with my Dad since he's getting a bit sicker and his treatment starts soon. Either way these past few days I've had less time to write, but don't worry! I won't abandon you! Major plot development this chappy too~!

Do I love Izaya Orihara? Yes. I just can't figure out how to tell him that, but lately he seems to be almost depressed. He hides it well when Yuzuki is around, smiling constantly, and even when I'm there he seems happy enough. It's how he looks when he thinks no one can see him that has me concerned. He looks distant and sad, like he's contemplating something hard and can't figure out what the right answer is. It makes me wish I could read minds. The announcement about his condition pretty much shocked most of the world stupid. The "Mpreg" fans -as Erika had used the term—were ecstatic though and several other couples had signed on for human trials as well. Izaya had acted like it was great but ever since then people have also been acting like we're in love. Like we're a real couple. Could that be what's behind Izaya's sudden bout of depression? He was in love with me; he said he had been since we met. Love at first sight, but I really did hate him once! Even so I was in love with him now and I know I should say something I just…don't know how.

"Daddy? You look like you're thinking really hard," Yuzuki says. Izaya was having a migraine and heart burn but he insisted I take Yuzuki out for a while at least. It was Christmas Eve after all. An idea strikes me then and I think I know exactly how to tell him. I smile at my daughter and ruffle her auburn hair gently.

"Yuzuki, I want to find a present for Mom, and I need your help, you wanna?" I get down to her level as I say this.
"Yeah! But…what is it?"
"Well…remember how we told everyone Mom was having another baby and a bunch of other people wanted them too?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, for a long time only a man and a woman could have one, so because of that the governments in most countries decided that only men and women should be married," I explain and she nods .
"They changed it in Canada a few years ago, I don't really remember it though…" She says.
"Well, in Japan they only just finished making it legal, and so I umm…" Crap how hard is this? Her eyes widen though.

"You wanna marry Mommy?" She squeaks, grinning from ear to ear. I just nod and she squeals happily and hugs my neck.
"So…wanna help me find a ring Mommy will like?" I ask sheepishly. It's not late yet, hell, the sun is still up.
"YES!"

Well…nothing too big," Yuzuki chides as I lift her to see the different display cases. I know Izaya doesn't like diamonds the way chicks do. A couple of them catch our eyes though and finally we agree on a platinum silver ring with a single, small emerald in it…Izaya's birthstone. It's simple and yet something Yuzuki says he'll like. I hope he does, my heart feels like it's going to jump out of my mouth now.

"Are you gonna put it under the tree with the other presents?" Yuzuki asks, holding my hand as we walk back home.
"Yeah. Don't forget to sleep tonight though, Santa won-"
"Daddy, Mommy already told me Santa doesn't really exist. Besides, how is one guy supposed to deliver presents to seven billion people on one night? Least of which he doesn't give presents to the poor kids, thus proving the theory null," I hate having a genius for a kid. And the new baby will probably be smarter than Yuzuki too. They say intelligence increases (usually) down the line in a single family, and Kasuka is definitely smarter than I am…I really hope the next one is smart, don't get me wrong, I just wish they weren't so smart that it was scary…or for that matter so much smarter than I am.

"Hi Mommy~!" Yuzuki runs over to Izaya and I see his face flicker back to life as she hugs him.
"Hey baby! Have fun?"
"Yeah! We did!"
"Good~" He says and even though he has a happy-looking smile it doesn't quite reach his eyes. I can add the gift after he goes to bed a little later…it's going to have a note with it too. God my mouth is already dry! I'm not even asking him today!

Izaya

I hate Love. I hate loving Shizuo as much as I do and him not returning it. Yeah, he hardly hates me now, but he doesn't love me either and now I feel like I never should have come back here. Maybe I was too selfish? I know I was, I didn't really have to break up his relationship with someone who made him happy did I? Too late now, she barely speaks to him anymore. I feed the kitten that's currently in mine and Shizuo's room since Yuzuki will know if it were under the tree. In fact we're going to give it to her after she's opened some very specific gifts –namely a large bag of kitten chow and some cat toys and a scratching post. She's been begging me for a cat since she was three, and Shizuo agreed to it too…hell he suggested it. He was taking her to Nekobukuro for a while, a store in the Sunshine 60 tower that lets you pet cats for a small fee if you can't have your own. I smile at the fluffy white thing and scratch her head lightly and she purrs at me, her huge gold eyes narrowing in delight. I hear Shizuo reading to Yuzuki in her room. She can read herself and even though her reading level is an adult one she still likes bed-time stories.

Aesop's fables were her current likes and I have no problem with those. They teach moral points after all, and tonight was a good one for Shizuo. The Bear and the Bee's, about learning to bear a single injury in silence then provoking a thousand. I doubt he will learn that lesson, but Yuzuki might. He also tells her the Tiger and the Fox and the Donkey and the Dog before saying goodnight. I hear his footsteps walk through the hallway and into the kitchen, then the living room. I wonder what he's doing? Before I can put the kitten back into the carrier I hear him coming back towards our room and sure enough he comes in, smiling gently when he sees me playing with Yuzuki's kitten.

"You're still up?" He says softly, closing the door behind himself as he comes towards me.
"Heh, yeah, couldn't sleep. This little thing was too cute," I lie and get up to put her back. Shizuo watches me as he changes into the sweat pants and tee-shirt he likes to sleep in. We climb in to bed and he pulls me into his chest, his arms wrapping around me protectively and –I dared to hope—lovingly. It doesn't take long for me to fall asleep.

"Mommy! Daddy! Wake up! It's time to open presents!" I smile before I open my eyes and I can feel Shizuo's chuckle reverberating in his chest.
"Okay, okay, breakfast first!" Shizuo grumbles. Good thing we hid the kittens carrier inside the closet. It has everything it needs and it's probably sleeping right now…like we just were. I yawn as Shizuo sits up, his legs swinging over the side of the bed.

"Uwa! Yuzuki slow down!" He laughs as I watch her drag Shizuo out of bed…literally. I get up too, one hand rubbing my stomach lightly. I am hungry…and the baby is starting to get big. Shinra said it's normal to start showing much earlier in subsequent pregnancies and so it's no wonder I'm showing already. It's not too bad yet though, fortunately. Only four months…well, on the nose actually. It's been exactly 16 weeks since I conceived today.

I head out too where Yuzuki is sitting at the table staring at the presents under the tree with yearning. Shizuo is making French toast. He knows western cooking fairly well, but it's not as good as mine yet. His French toast is really tasty though and he puts strawberries on all three piles with icing sugar and berry syrup. He does know my cravings at least and I dig in hungrily. I fill up fast because my appetite has been low lately. I force the rest down though not wanting him to worry and call Shinra. I want to curl up and vanish right now. Not die per-se, just…disappear. We finally finish and Yuzuki is at that pile so fast it's scary. Even Shizuo seems a bit shocked.

"Daddy! Here's one for you!" She says picking up the gift I got. A very sturdy personalized punching bag to take his frustrations out on. I made sure it could withstand his punches too by hiding a force meter inside something then getting some poor fool to piss him off enough to punch him. Right where the meter was too.

"And one for Mommy!" It says from Yuzuki on the tag. How cute~! She thinks for a moment before grabbing one of her own.
"Okay! Umm….who first?"
"You first Yuzuki!" Shizuo says and I smile and nod. She thinks a moment before ripping the paper off the book I got her. Grimm's Fairy Tales might be a bit, well…grim, but she simply loves the few she's heard. Her face lights up and she hugs me happily.

"Mommy! I love it!" She squeals and then she looks between us both.
"Mom, you next," Shizuo grins at me and I roll my eyes and unwrap the book Yuzuki got me. Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century.
"Yuzu-chan!" I grin at her and she smiles at me sheepishly so I tug her in and hug her.
"You like it Mommy?"
"Yes, I do!" I kiss her head happily. Then we both turn to Shizuo with identical grins on our faces.
"Your turn Daddy~!" We say at the same time and he shivers a little as if realizing he has two Orihara's to deal with even if she has his last name.
"R-right," He mumbles tugging the paper off. His eyes widen when he sees it but then he frowns a little.

"Won't I break it?" He asks.
"Ne Shizu-chan~! I measured your pounds per square inch of pressure released when hitting something and made this able to withstand a tonne on top of that," I grin and he looks even more confused.
"Mommy made sure you can't break it," Yuzuki tries and he blinks, then nods, then grins.
"Cool! Thanks flea," He tousles my hair and I pout at him.

Shizuo

"Shizu-chan, why don't we let Yuzuki open…the big box?" Izaya asks coyly and I grin and lift it easily over the other presents still in the road, setting it easily down in front of her. She rips the paper eagerly then frowns at the large brown box before opening that, not noticing Izaya hurrying into our bedroom.
"Cat food?" She asks then her eyes widen as she puts the pieces together. Izaya comes back in with the fluffy white fur ball and she squeals in delight.

"A KITTY!" She bounces and Izaya laughs handing it to her and she starts petting it happily. The rest of her gifts don't even come close, a few more books, some clothing, a few games…then of course it's time for my gift to Izaya.

"One more mommy! This one is for you!" She says handing Izaya the box. It's wrapped and the note is inside. My mouth is completely dry, crap, what if he says no? What if he doesn't believe me? He smiles when he reads the initial tag.

"Aww, Shizu-chan, you got me a present~" He teases and I feel my cheeks turn red. He opens it though he gets more confused until he opens it. The note is over top of the ring so he can't see it yet and his eyes first show confusion, then they widen in surprise as he reads the words I barely managed to write. The ones I haven't figured out how to say out loud yet. Then he smiles and for the first time in a while it reaches his eyes which are quickly tearing up.

'Izaya, I know I should be able to say this out loud but I'm a coward so here it is straight. I love you.' It says and as he moves the paper I gather all the strength I can and move so I hold both his hands in mine and get down on one knee.

"Izaya….will you marry me?"

Seliphra: A cliffhanger, just for you my luvvies~! You can guess what he will say of course, and what the reactions of all the others will be~!
Izaya: And if you can guess which of the OTHER men in the Durarara! series is currently preggers in this fic you win a cookie! It shall be revealed next chapter assuming y'all review! HINT: There is only ONE other man from the series pregnant right now.
Shizuo: Oh boy...
Seliphra: I was nervous writing this chapter...really, it was like I was the one asking Izaya for his hand DX
Shizuo: ...Nerd.
Izaya: She writes FANFICTION Shizu-chan, she KNOWS she's a nerd!