A/N: Climax time! I certainly hope this chapter lives up to your expectations. Next chapter will probably be the last one. There's a possibility there may be two more depending on how much detail I put into the upcoming events, but we'll see. For now, enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 6: The Weight of Reality

"Young Mistress, it's time to wake up."

Rin groaned when the curtains of her chamber were suddenly drawn back, light immediately pouring in onto her face. She squinted and held a hand to her forehead, trying to get a good look at the maid that had entered her room. She moved from one side to the other, moving clothes and bringing tea to her bedside. Rin sighed and sat up in her bed, feeling a little more groggy than usual. She ran her fingers through her short, golden hair, fingering locks away from her face. Another moan escaped her, being tempted to fall back onto her pillow.

"I've prepared some Earl Grey for you, Young Mistress."

Rin really would prefer not to have tea so early in the morning, especially since it was the fancy tea she so despised. However she could not refuse the maid's attempt at a polite gesture. So when the saucer and tea cup was brought to her, Rin took it and put it to her lips. The scent of the tea seemed to whirl in the air and suddenly overpower her—it was so strong. Before the tea could pass her lips, Rin felt a rush of dizziness and held the tea cup away from her.

"Young Mistress, is the tea not to your liking?"

"It's... a little too strong."

"My most sincerest apologies."

"Never mind." Rin groaned. It truly annoyed her that the maid that tended to her was so emotionless and seemed to say everything rehearsed, "I think I'll get dressed now."

With that, Rin swung her feet over the edge of her bed and pushed herself out, a pain throbbing in her head. Groaning again, Rin took a few steps toward the changing screen. Rin found that she couldn't get very far, however, when a sudden surge of nausea rose from her stomach. She bent over, coughing and feeling something rise in her throat and into her mouth. When the maid heard a splatter, she rushed over to Rin's side.

"Young Mistress, are you all right?" Her voice at least had a bit more emotion now.

Rin, still breathing heavily and cringing at the horrible taste in her mouth, straightened herself and wiped her forehead. Rin immediately found out that she could not stay standing for long when she found herself collapsing on the now panicking maid next to her. Another surge of nausea struck her.

"Let's put you back to bed, Young Mistress."

Rin was too concentrated on suppressing her squeamishness to reply. Even though she had gotten her wish of wanting to lay back down on her pillow, she dreaded the sickness that seemingly overtook her. The maid moved the covers over her once more and took the tray of the untouched tea into her hands.

"I'll return with some medicine."

"All right..." Rin breathed.

As she heard the door to her chamber close, Rin coughed once again to the nausea that overtook her. She breathed in deeply, trying to steady her breath, moving her hand across her body in an attempt to soothe it. At that moment, she froze in realization as her hand slowly drifted over her abdomen. For the past three months, ever since she and Len had become more intimate, Rin had noticed some changes within her body. Changes that she disregarded at first and wanted to deny, but as her thoughts connected, the conclusion she came to made sense. As Rin's hand lingered over her abdomen a little longer, she gasped when she noticed it was slightly more swollen than what she usually recalled.

Kaito sat in his chamber, standing against his wall, staring up at the ceiling. Miku was coming again today. The more she came, the more he could not suppress himself or hide his burning heart. The mask he wore was quickly falling and he feared that soon enough, she'd sense more than just a mere infatuation from him. The only way to describe Kaito's lingering feeling as that of thirst—it could not be quenched until he had taken what he desired.

His body had broken the chains of restraint when he suddenly moved to his dresser and pulled out something that he had held in his possession for quite a while. It was a small flask with an ominous green liquid flowing around in it—something that he had tinkered with for the past few months—knowing, expecting, planning... He knew he was going to break temptation one day and break his father's rules, but this would allow him further secrecy.

Kaito swished the substance around in its flask again, lifting it to his eye level to observe it more closely. The more he gazed at it, the more the temptation came. This drug would allow him to satisfy his lusts, and fill his cup to the brim with Miku's essence without having anyone else now but him. He walked over to the corner of his room and set out two empty wine glasses and filled them with the finest vintage wine he could find. Then very carefully and cautiously, he poured the contents of the tiny flask he held into one of the glasses. Watching the green substance dissolve into the red wine, Kaito smiled as his heart began to pound once more. Suddenly, a knock on his door.

He quickly clenched his fist around the flask to hide it away from the servant who had entered his room and informed him of Miku's arrival. And with that, he went out to greet her as usual—cheerful, welcoming, but always with that lingering thirst behind him.

"Would you like to join me for some wine?" He asked as they entered the entry hall. The next few words came out a little more hesitantly, "To my chamber?"

Miku paused for a moment, but quickly consented, "Yes, of course."

Kaito couldn't help but smile at this as he turned to lead her down the corridors of the Shion estate, eventually leading her to his chamber. When the door was closed and locked behind them, he turned to face Miku, who stared with an unreadable expression on her face. It took every ounce of his energy not to push her up against his wall and kiss her senselessly—no, not yet... that would ruin everything.

Instead, he led her to the small table in the corner of his room where two already filled wine glasses waited. He gestured her to sit down before him. Miku's eyes did not leave Kaito as he sat across from her and lifted his glass to her.

"And what are we toasting to today?" She giggled, grasping her glass.

"A toast to a long fruitful relationship between our partners and families."

Miku frowned at this, seemingly disappointed, but raised her glass anyway.

Not taking his eyes off of her, Kaito watched as Miku followed his motions when he brought the wine glass to his lips and sipped some of the wine. She had done the same and both set their glasses down on the table. Kaito eagerly watched Miku for a moment, and she eyed him back in confusion for a bit, but then had begun to gradually falter. Her eyes wavered until they finally rolled back into her head. Kaito quickly rushed to her side to catch her, her once warm body quickly growing cold in his arms. Kaito grinned.

The drug—Cantarella—had worked.

Kaito heaved her up into his arms and walked over to his bed, placing her gently down with her head against the pillows. He had begun breathing heavily again as he removed his coat from his shoulders and began to crawl on the bed over her. Strattling her, Kaito lowered his lips down to the nape of her neck, tracing along her skin, heaving a heavy breath and closing his eyes as if being intoxicated.

"I won't leave any trace..." He whispered.

And with that, Kaito began to violently push himself onto Miku, fumbling with her clothes and ripping them off of her body. When it was done, the seemingly insatiable lust and thirst that plagued him disappeared—satisfying a cruel beast that had been following him.

Rin had never been more anxious for midnight to come than that night. With her hands on her belly and her shoulders tensed, she restlessly watched the curtains to her balcony be blown back from the wind. The clock struck twelve and a droplet of sweat rolled down her forehead as the chimes began to sound. Sooner or later, that familiar figure was now sitting on the railing of her balcony, his silhouette backed by the moonlight. Her eyes adjusted and met Len's as he stood up and had begun to approach her. She had to tell him... she had to tell him... but something kept Rin silent then.

As Len came closer, a smile curved his lips. With Rin still sitting on the bed, he climbed next to her and caressed her lips in greeting, moving his own across hers, opening his mouth. Of course, Rin could not resist and she welcomed it, but a part of her wanted to push him away... to at least let him know... She was now against the sheets again, the back of her head against the pillow with Len crawling over her, mouth still on hers. Her responses to Len's sweet fondling of her were there, but they were less and more hesitant with a certain thought creeping in the back of her mind. The time came when she could not hold back any longer.

"Len..." Rin whispered between kisses.

"Hmm?" Len kissed the bottom of her chin and moved his hands along her thighs.

"Len." Rin said again, more firmly now.

Len stopped at this, hearing the tone of her voice and looked into her eyes now, letting out a small sigh. He appeared a little hurt at first, but quickly reverted back to his usual expression of fierce, yet solemn, loving passion whenever he gazed at Rin. He fingered a lock of hair and pushed it behind her ear, trying to read her expression. Len's eyebrows slowly began to arch when he saw that she held an expression of deep seriousness.

"What is it, Rin?" Len began, "Are you not feeling well tonight? Was it something your father said to you? Don't worry, I—"

"No, Len... it's not that."

"Then what is it?" Len reeled himself back so that she could sit up, making herself more comfortable.

"Len, I..." Rin began, her voice trembling a little.

For the first time in her life, she feared Len. For the first time, she questioned how he would react. She questioned if he would reject her. Looking down at herself, her vision slowly began to get blurred before a cold drop chilled her hand. Rin sobbed and covered her face, ashamed to show Len such a weak side of her.

"I don't know how to say this..."

A gentle hand covered hers and was held together and warmed. Tears still streaming down her face, Rin looked up at Len whose expression had not changed—a countenance of complete and utter adoration for her, soft and gentle. With his free hand, Len rubbed his thumb under Rin's eyes, drying the stream of moisture coming from her eyes. Then as if it was part of a remedy, he gently kissed her cheeks to finish wiping away her tears.

"Just say it straight," Len cooed, his voice just as gentle as his eyes, "like how you always are. Pure and direct."

Rin rolled her lips in and nodded, grasping Len's hand a little tighter. She still felt tense and fearful, but she knew Len had to know. For a moment, they remained in painful, crawling silence. Rin breathed deeply, her breaths shaking, realizing how much impact her words were about to make.

"Len, I'm... with child." Rin moved her free hand over her abdomen, "Our child..."

At first Rin's words brushed past Len. For a few long seconds, Len had held his smiling expression before it slowly diminished. When Len had fully understood what Rin had said, his mouth slowly became agape and when he began to grasp the situation, his eyes began to slowly widen. At first his thoughts were slow, trying to grasp the fact, but then they propelled faster and faster into a storm of conflicting emotions.

Even though one would celebrate when hearing news such as this, the truth was that Len felt very little joy at all. As his mind raced faster and faster, his body grew more and more tense. He could hardly find the sense of feeling of happiness and excitement as a father anywhere within him. Rather, he felt immeasurable fear and anxiety. He soon realized why he felt that way as he barely grasped a stream of thought in his overcrowded mind. He and Rin had been able to keep their forbidden relationship a secret from the aristocracy, hiding all conspiracy with just the two of them. There was nothing to expose them as long as they were cautious and tentative. However, they had erred—they had slipped and perhaps became too involved with each other. Len had thought of this possibility in the past, but he didn't think it would happen to them, he didn't think that something like this could ever occur in the dream that they lived in secrecy—it couldn't happen to them. However, here was Rin sitting in front of him, gazing at him with eyes that gradually exhibited more and more panic, and having already conceived a child. One side of Len screamed that it wasn't true, but the other grasped reality—he knew Rin would never lie to him.

What would happen to them now? What they had done was worth at least 20 lashes... and Len shuddered to think what his father would do to him, or even Rin's father to her with the way she's already treated. And now they weren't the only ones involved—a small, innocent life was now caught up in the middle of their situation. Len looked at Rin again, seeing her tremble returning his gaze, seemingly desperately searching his eyes for an answer. Something in his heart churned when he knew he couldn't give her an answer, and instead used all his energy to attempt to mask the nearly erupting feelings that plagued him.

"Len..." Rin scooted closer to him, gripping the sides of his arms and tears quickly streaming down her cheeks. As she spoke, her voice trembled more and more, "I'm frightened... I'm terrified... What is going to happen to us? What will happen to me? What if I can't handle this? How am I to face my father now? How—"

By the time she had finished speaking, Len could hardly understand her. Rin buried her head onto Len's chest and let the tears fall harder and harder. Her moans first escalated into sobs and then to cries. Instinctively, Len wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, bringing his hand up to the back of her head and stroking his hand across her hair. His eyebrows furrowed as he attempted to suppress the coming tears, feeling Rin tense underneath his embrace.

Wasn't the news of having a baby supposed to be a joyous occasion? Rin was going to be a mother and Len a father, but why wouldn't the tears stop?

Long moments had passed and without them knowing, time crawled by and the moon had risen higher and higher in the night sky. Len didn't know how long he held Rin, but after her crying had dimmed, Len pulled her in a little closer.

"It'll be all right..."

"Len..." Rin replied after a moment, looking up at his face, "Are you not crying also?"

At that very moment, Len felt something cold and wet slip down his cheek. The mask he had put on moments before could not take the magnitude of his emotions and shattered. After taking a finger and wiping that single tear away, Len soon found that streams were now falling from his eyes. He began to breathe very hard, gasping for air in between the coming sobs.

"Len?"

Len tightly grasped Rin's head as he lowered his head, contorting his face in agony, "It's all my fault..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Rin, haven't you realized it?" Len suddenly stood up from the bed, his back facing Rin for a moment, before turning around to face her with pleading eyes, "I've only used you! Used you to live a thrill to rebel against aristocracy—rebel against my father. And because of that, look at what we've come to—what I've done!"

Rin reeled back with eyes widened, as if she couldn't believe the words that have come out of Len's mouth. Her eyes turned somewhat fierce for a moment with accusation, but it soon turned to a look of complete thought when she rolled in her lips. Rin looked over Len carefully, as if she could see right past him and he stared right back at her, waiting for some sort of reply.

"Do you not love me?" Rin asked quietly.

Rin could see Len immediately change his expression at her words as he stepped closer to her. Silently, he extended his hand to softly brush Rin's cheek and fold back her flaxen hair. Len opened his mouth to speak several times, but no sound would come out. Finally, he swallowed hard and Rin could have sworn she saw a shade of red color his cheeks.

"Of course I love you..." Len whispered and the tears came again, "But, I..."

"Shhh..." Rin cooed, pulling on his hands, ushering him back on the bed with tears of her own and tremors in her voice, "Perhaps at first we were using each other for our own reasons... but I do not think that's the way it is now."

Rin reached out to Len, brushing her thumb under his eyes to dry his tears as he sobbed.

"Didn't we say that this wasn't a mistake? That this wasn't forbidden? Len, don't you see?" Rin put her hands on the sides of his head and leaned her forehead against his, "We've been repainted. And we've grown to love each other more than anything."

With tears still in his eyes, Len lifted his head and leaned forward to gently touch Rin's lips with his own. He then wrapped his arms tightly around her and pushed his chest against her body, his lips next to her ear. Rin felt the steady pound of his heart beating against her, pumping loudly in synchronization with his breathing.

"Do you feel how my heart beats for you?"

"Yes..." Rin closed her eyes, "That's how I know it's real."

Len sighed, touching the back of her head, "Are you scared?"

"Yes..." Rin managed to fumble out.

Len didn't say anything for a long time after that. He merely held onto Rin, rubbing her shoulders with her thumbs and rocking her back and forth in his embrace. Once again, he turned to his thoughts, sifting through them and trying to find a stream that would take him somewhere. And as time went on, Rin noticed Len's breathing become more even and the tension in his body decrease as if some spell was cast on him to calm him down. When Len's voice finally came, it was gentle and soft, just above the whisper of the wind.

"I am, too..." Len replied, gripping a little tighter, "I'm very scared. But, I think... it's time I take responsibility."

Rin pushed herself away from him and stared into his eyes, trying to read him once more, "What do you mean?"

"I'm tired of keeping secrets. I'm tired of running from my father. I'm tried of using the aristocracy as an excuse for my stupidity." Len continued, "What we did was foolish and perhaps rash... but now I want to set things straight. I need to face the consequences."

"Len... are you—"

"I'll tell my father everything. I'll tell everyone that I love you. I'll tell them that I seduced you. And I'll face what comes my way."

"Why are you doing this?" Rin clearly was objecting, "I'm just as guilty as you are, so why are you shouldering this yourself?"

"I want to start a new life with you... and our child..." Len placed his hand gently on her belly, "And you need to protect our baby until its safe."

Rin placed her hands over his, "What if something happens to us? What if something goes wrong?"

"It'll be all right." Len touched his forehead go hers and smiled, "We'll always be together. I'm drawn to you."

A/N: What did you think? Was the climax worthy? I didn't want the scene where Rin tells Len about being pregnant to be like the part in Breaking Dawn where Bella finds out she's pregnant...I was determined to surpass it, DARN IT. Gawsh I hate that book. T_T More realism, and emotion and less emo male figures and blank female figures plz. Please leave a review, I always appreciate feedback even if I don't reply. :)