Always Be My Baby

by Kris Black

Summary: After going over lines for TDM, Kyoko and Ren have a night of passion and the result could not only cause a scandal, but ruin both of their careers. How will the two lovers withstand the trials of their love?

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Skip Beat! the manga or the anime. I do not own any characters listed in this story except those you don't recognize. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money is being made off of the story as a whole, or in part.

AN: Okay, okay, I know that this was a LONG wait for an update, and I won't make excuses except for two words: Writer's Block. It happens to everyone. Luckily, today when I sat down at the computer words just started spilling out of my head again, woot! Lucky me, I was terrified people were going to start coming after me with pitchforks and torches ^^.

In other news, visit my new website (complete with a blog). I am really proud of it:

krisblack (dot) webs (dot) com

Enjoy the chapter guys!

"Ren, I- I can't."

"Kyoko-"

"Ren, I don't want you to feel obligated to marry me because I am pregnant, please…"

"I don't want to marry you only because you are pregnant, Kyoko," Ren replied, standing up fully and pulling her face between his hands. "I want to marry you because you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. Don't you deserve a little bit of happiness all for yourself? I could give you that, we could be happy."

Kyoko moved back out of Ren's hands and looked at his feet for a few moments before turning back up to look into his face, trying her best to control her emotions.

"Ever since finding out about the pregnancy – even before that with the paparazzi, I have been being pulled around like a doll, and for a while I think that I lost myself. I've been being pulled and pulled, stretched and until now I haven't really realized it. But my limit has been reached if I get stretched any further I won't be able to return."

"Kyoko, I'm not trying to pull you anywhere, you don't have to do anything you want to do."

"I know that," Kyoko sighed. "I know that you mean the best, you always do for me. But if you think for a moment, you'll see that this isn't the best method! You don't have to marry me."

Ren gently closed the ring box and put it back into his pocket. Kyoko never realized his feelings for her, no matter how hard he tried. He was sure that if he had just said that he loved her outright then she would have refused him a lot more harshly than she just did. In fact, even with the baby she might even attempt erase him completely from her life, just because of her fear of love – even though she was the most caring person he had ever met in his life.

"You're right," he managed to force the horrible words from his mouth. "I don't know what I was thinking. Of course there will be a better way."

Kyoko smiled at him as if nothing happened and Ren attempted a small smile back. He swallowed a lump in his throat. He was glad that she was so naïve when it came to things such as this so that she didn't realize that his proposal was absolutely serious. As long as she thought that he was only doing it for her own good, their relationship wouldn't change as it was now and he wouldn't lose her completely. Kyoko wouldn't shut him out of her life.

The shooting continued and Ren tried to act although nothing happened. He, Kyoko, and Yashiro continued to eat lunch together and sometimes at night they would play mah-jong together in Ren's room. Almost a week passed the same. In the morning everyone would wake up and eat breakfast. They would shoot before and after lunch. The shooting would wrap up before seven usually and Yashiro, Kyoko and Ren would all hang out in Ren's living-room portion of his hotel room until it was time for everyone to return to their own rooms for some much needed sleep.

Kyoko was growing incessantly hungry throughout the whole day, as such she would usually keep a snack on hand on the set and could be seen munching on chips, granola bars, carrots, anything to keep something in her stomach that had been feeling queasy lately. Other than that, she was usually content.

Another day of shooting passed and Yashiro, Ren, Kyoko and Kyoko's bag of cookies all returned to Ren's room for a night of mah-jong. Ren passed Yashiro a beer, himself a soda, and Kyoko a water before they all settled in to be beaten by Kyoko – who was ridiculously good at the game.

"How did you get so good at this?" Yashiro whined for the umpteenth time when Kyoko beat him once again.

"It's a secret," she would wink, as always, frustrating the losing manager more.

"It's almost time to return to Tokyo," Ren changed the subject.

"I can't believe that we are leaving tomorrow!" Kyoko sighed. "I wonder if the paparazzi issue has blown over yet."

The game completely forgotten, Yashiro joined in.

"Unless they got some new scoop on you, which I doubt, I am sure that everything is going to be fine."

"But that doesn't mean you don't have to be careful," Ren lectured.

"I know," Kyoko replied softly.

"Especially considering your delicate condition," Yashiro added.

Ren and Kyoko went into an eerie quiet, like they did every time Yashiro mentioned her pregnancy. Ren had felt it necessary to tell his manager, even though he despised talking about personal issues, considering it could affect any number of things in the future.

"You two have to get over this awkwardness about the baby situation soon, if not that kid is going to end up just like you," he joked.

Ren glowered at Yashiro, a sure sign that he wanted him to shut his mouth promptly. He should have cut his manager off after his third beer. Kyoko stood up quietly and smiled at them.

"I need to get back to my room and pack the rest of my things. I can't believe that I have waited this long to do it."

Ren nodded, understanding Kyoko's need to flee the situation. She bowed slightly before leaving, shutting the door almost silently behind her. When they got back to Tokyo and were less stressed about her stalker, shooting and the whole thing that happened here, he was determined to talk to her about everything. He was still dead set on having her marry him.

"It's not like you to put such important matters off, Ren."

Ren could swear that that man could read his mind sometimes.

"I'm not putting it off; I am waiting for a better time. This situation is rather delicate and if I mess up even the slightest it could ruin everything."

"That's true," Yashiro commented. "Talking to Kyoko about matters of the heart would be like walking through a mind field."

"Thanks for the pep talk."

"That's what I am here for."

Kyoko knew that when she was upset she would clean fanatically, so it didn't surprise her that upon the return to her hotel room she instantly began cleaning. She had packed her suitcases before, but she had needed an excuse to escape. She knew that she should probably talk to Ren about everything, but she really needed some time to gather her thoughts and figure out exactly where she stood with everything that was going on around her. After organizing the necessities that she had left out alphabetically, Kyoko settled into bed and began to think.

She was sure that that crazy Beagle stalker was going to strike again, she just wasn't sure when or how. When Ren had told her to trust her she hadn't lied – she did trust him with her life. However, she still wanted to tie a bat to her leg to thwack that beagle good if he ever came near her again. She wanted to control her own destiny, not let the men around her contort her to their will, although she was sure that that isn't what Ren had tried to do.

What she had said to Ren a week ago had been true – she did feel as though she was being pulled along without any say. It was her choice to be with Ren, which had resulted in her pregnancy; she understood that. She was taking responsibility for her actions and she was going to take care of this baby. She also knew that Ren wanted to be there for the child, he had told her that much and she respected that. She knew what it was like for a child to grow up without a father, and then without a mother. She wouldn't wish for that fate for any child let alone her own.

Ren was going to be a part of their child's life, she accepted that.

When Ren had proposed to her it shocked and terrified her. There was no way Ren actually wanted to marry her, and thankfully she had turned him down without having bound him to her. Ren was a wonderful man who was only trying to do what was best, but Kyoko wouldn't force him to do something so drastic. She cared about him that much was true. But she refused to allow him to marry her and suffer through a marriage that had no love, because she could no longer fall in love.

Kyoko looked up at the ceiling and sighed heavily. If Shotaro hadn't ruined her heart, would things have turned out differently?

She rolled over onto her side and prayed that sleep would take her soon.

The next morning when Kyoko woke up she felt surprisingly well and not queasy at all, which was certainly different. Usually she would feel nauseous and immediately head for the bathroom.

'Maybe this means that I am getting further along and I am done with morning sickness,' she thought happily.

She continued on with her morning routine of showering and getting ready before she packed the rest of her things. Deciding that it was best if she left now to say goodbye to Director Ogata, she headed down towards the set. They weren't quite wrapped up with filming completely, but her scenes were done so she got to leave early.

On the way she ran into his manager and put her head down, trying to pretend that she wasn't there so the manager wouldn't see her.

"Ah, Kyoko-chan!"

'Crap,' Kyoko thought, but greeted the manager anyways.

"Thank you for helping Sho this time. I think that the only reason that he has been able to overcome his work this time and succeed is because you were there for him."

'Please don't say that,' Kyoko thought darkly and pictured shooting the bastard with an arrow. Her demons swarmed.

The manager continued, unaware of Kyoko's increasingly dark mood.

"Just watch and see how that boy is going to develop."

"No thanks," Kyoko said in a brisk, polite voice.

The manager merely smiled at Kyoko and took her leave.

"Why should I watch him develop? I'm not his mother," Kyoko grumbled as she went the opposite way towards the set.

When a chill ran up her spine as a warning Kyoko paused. She looked both ways in a frantic attempt to find what she was looking for. Something abominable was coming closer to her; she could feel it in her bones. She began to panic slightly; she knew exactly what was coming closer.

A light breeze blew down her neck and she screamed, jumping away from it.

"Y-You!" She yelled at the stalker when she turned around.

"Hey Kyoko, it's been about ten days," Reino commented, looking her up and down.

She wished she had that bat that she had thought about strapping to her leg last night right about now.

"I knew that you would come again! I never listened to that stupid idiot when he said you wouldn't. What do you want with me? Oh right, you're here to torment me again, aren't you?" Kyoko practically shouted, pointing a finger straight at him.

"No problem. If you want it that much, I can certainly add you to my list…"

"I don't want it! If you aren't here to torment me, then what exactly are you here for?" She demanded.

"Like I was saying…" he began but Kyoko didn't catch a word of it.

Whispering had started up around them. People were staring at them, wondering if they were really who they appeared to be.

"Isn't that Reino from Vie Ghoul?" One whispered.

"Doesn't she look like Mio from Dark Moon?" Another replied.

"I want to take you to the demon world," Reino's voice cut in.

"Take me to the demon world, huh?" Kyoko asked and her demons were suddenly released, floating around her in an army-like swarm.

She glared at him evilly.

"I'd like to see you try. I have changed since the last time you met me, you damn monster!"

"Are you sure that you want to do this here?" He asked in a drawl. "I'm sure that you have noticed that we have onlookers."

Kyoko glanced back at the crowd and took a deep cleansing breath. She was determined to finish this once and for all.

Kyoko hadn't been in her room, which wasn't unusual, Ren noted. He tried to keep himself calm as he walked down the hall to Momose's room. Often Kyoko would go there and hang out with the only other girl around her age on location. He softly rapped on the door he knew was hers.

"Hi Momose-san," he greeted with a smile. "Is Kyoko here?"

"Ah, actually, I'm pretty sure that she said something about going to meet Director Ogata before she left," Momose replied. "She is probably in the lounge."

"By herself?"

"That's right, why?"

Of course Momose probably thought the stalker situation was done with. Kyoko hadn't been left by herself since the incident, except to walk herself to her room from Runs, which was in the same hallway.

"Thank you, but I have business with the director too. I had better go," Ren blurted out as he rushed down the hall.

'That girl,' he thought. 'She knows that her stalker is staying in this hotel, yet she still insists on going places by herself. Didn't she say that that guy was an inhuman monster? What is she thinking? Does she seriously think that she can fend him off herself?!'

Kyoko stood her ground as she stood in front of Reino like it was a show down. She had led him here, away from onlookers who undoubtedly had cameras on their phones and who could talk to the press.

"I have changed since before," Kyoko warned again. "I'm going to defeat you this time. I have a secret weapon!"

She pulled out Corn from the pouch, the one thing that she had remembered to tie to her leg, and threw it at her stalker.

"That's an anti-evil talisman!" She cried.

It had been so strong that before this moment, she couldn't even touch it. Ren's kissed had super-powered it to be the ultimate talisman.

Reino caught it easily and stared at it. His eyes widened and he threw it back instantly, Kyoko barely managed to catch it.

"You should throw that away," he said. "It is ingrained with a massive amount of negative energy from its original owner – even more than what you could have possibly put into it."

"I won't throw it away just because you said to you creep," Kyoko said as she clenched the stone.

"Fool. The emotions held in that are not of an ordinary child from an ordinary household. That person, the previous owner, if they couldn't break away from that prison it is likely that they are now broken or gone from this world."

Kyoko froze. Gone from this world? Was he saying that Corn was dead? Kyoko was shocked for a second - no, it wasn't possible for Corn to have died. He was a fairy, so he wasn't in this world to start with. That was the solution.

"So what? I already knew that much. Corn wasn't from this world. He was from the fairy world."

Reino looked at her for a moment like she was the crazy one.

"Anyway, you should seriously consider throwing that stone away or getting it cleansed." He warned. "Let me see it again."

"No way!"

"Just give it to me!" Reino argued and advanced, she stepped back.

"No, you'll turn it into something evil!"

"I'm trying to help you and save you from being cursed, just give it to me," he demanded and grabbed her by the arm.

Kyoko tripped and fell on her butt and Reino descended. Kyoko instantly threw up her arms to fend him off, engaging them in a weird grappling situation. Kyoko strained against him, keeping her grip tight around her precious stone.

When Reino was suddenly pulled off of her, Kyoko couldn't do anything but stare up in shock. Ren was standing above her, looking angrier than she had ever seen him and holding on to her inhuman stalker.

"R-Ren," she managed to whisper.

Ren tightened his hold on Reino's arm. When Reino flipped his hand out of the grasped and retreated far away from Ren looking terrified, Kyoko sat up onto her knees weakly to look at him while Ren looked stunned. Sensing that the stalker wasn't about to do anything, he quickly helped Kyoko up to her feet.

"Are you alright?" he asked worried.

She nodded and they both looked back to Reino who had started panting.

"You…" He panted as though he had just run a marathon. "Who are you Tsuruga Ren?"

He paused slightly and Ren looked taken aback and worried. How did this person know so much about him? Was Kyoko actually right? Was this guy some sort of inhuman being? In any case, it was probably better to stop him before he got carried away.

"That is a false name, isn't it? In the past, you must have been overs-"

Ren recovered from his shock quickly and chuckled.

"False name? That is a rather unusual way to put it, but 'Tsuruga Ren' is certainly my stage name. What of it? We don't need to know anymore about me, stalker-kun. Stop trying to change the subject."

"So what, are you going to hit me Tsuruga-san?" Reino asked. "If someone like you hit me, I wouldn't be able to get off as lightly as I did with Fuwa Sho."

Ren glared. How in the world did this guy get all of this information?

"Nobody is going to get hit. But, that is only if you never come near Kyoko again, do you understand me? I don't tolerate people messing with people I care about."

"Fine, I don't particularly care about dying, but I am afraid of pain. Kyoko, throw that thing away, its evil."

"I will never throw it away!"

Reino walked away, leaving Kyoko to stare at him. Why hadn't it been that easy for her to get rid of him? The silence that followed was unsettling, giving that Ren was still exceptionally angry. Kyoko knew that the dark prince had already come out, so now she was treading on dangerous ground. She hated when Ren was angry.

"Thank you for saving me," Kyoko said, hoping to break the silence.

"What was said before…"

"When me and that monster were grappling?"

"No, what he just said. What does he want you to throw away?"

"It's…" She hesitated.

"So now you have a secret that you can't tell me?" He demanded. "You're even so close to that guy that you'll let him call you by only your first name."

"He decided that by himself!" She defended. "And besides, it's not like you haven't held secrets from me Tsuruga Ren. Will our child even his father's real name?"

AN: That's all for now. I know that a lot of you were hoping that Kyoko would accept Ren's proposal but don't worry – he isn't giving up yet! I love the end of this chapter. Look forward to more updates soon.

Please remember to review. Reviews are better than Kyoko grappling with Reino in the mud.