A/N: I'm so sorry I haven't updated this one in so long. Here's Chapter 4. Also, I'm doing away with the huge title before the story.

Disclaimer: Pretty please?

CLANNAD

-BOOK 2-

-USHIO-

PART 1

NAGISA

CHAPTER 4

The Birth of Ushio

The party lasted for a good while. It was late when everybody left. Really late. I locked the door behind Sunohara and turned to face Nagisa. Her face was flushed.

"Well?" I said. She grinned broadly.

"Thank you!" she said. I walked over to her and pulled her close. I kissed her gently. She returned the kiss.

"Merry Christmas," I whispered. She smiled.

"How'd you know I wanted to see them?" she asked.

"It was pretty obvious," I said. She grinned. I pulled her to the room. "It's getting really late."

Nagisa checked the clock. It read 2:43 AM.

"You're right," she said. I laughed when she suddenly gave a huge yawn.

-8-8-8-

The next day, Nagisa's fever returned, hitting its peak almost immediately. She wouldn't show it, but I knew she was in intense pain. When I put my hand on her forehead, I had to retract it quickly; it was that hot. I hated to see her like this. She was only worried about the baby. Sanae called me that afternoon.

"Hello?" I said.

"Tomoya, meet me at Ernesto Host," Sanae said.

"O-Okay," I replied, slightly confused. Okay, Sanae, whatever floats your boat. I hung up and went to our room.

"I'm going out for a while, Nagisa. I don't know when I'll be back," I said. Nagisa gazed up at me and smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine!" she said. I gazed a moment and nodded, grabbing my jacket. I looked over my shoulder once more and head out to meet Sanae.

I didn't like what she told me. I take that back. I was shocked beyond recognition.

"W-What?" I said.

Sanae gazed at me, unmoving.

"The doctors said she and the baby may die during the birthing. It might be wise to consider a hospital birth. It's safer than a home birth."

I stared at Nagisa's mother.

"She wants a home birth."

Sanae smiled sadly.

"I figured as much. When Nagisa was born, they took her away from me as soon as she was out. I never even got to hold her until they deemed it was okay. Of course, Akio got the first lick!" she finished happily.

What a weird family. I sighed deeply and ran a hand through my unusual blue hair.

"This really blows," I muttered. "I guess, if it means Nagisa has a greater chance of survival, we could go with the hospital."

I sat up straight. "Did the doctor…"

Sanae shook her head. "They still don't know. They think it's her illness and the fact that she was never really strong to begin with. The strain could kill her… if she brings the baby to term."

I stared. Was she…"

I stood up, suddenly furious. Sanae blanched.

"NO! We want this baby, Sanae!"

"T-Tomoya! I wasn't suggesting… No! Never!"

I calmed down. Of course. Sanae would never suggest an abortion. I took a breath.

"I'm sorry. It's just… all this stress."

Sanae put a hand on mine.

"It's okay, Tomoya. We're here for you. All the way."

I smiled.

"We're family, after all!" she said.

Family. After all these years, I finally had a family. It seemed foreign to me, having practically grown up all by myself. It made me feel warm inside.

I… finally had a family!

-8-8-8-

I ran as fast as I could. Nagisa. She was the only one on my mind. Please, for the love of God, please be okay! I dashed up the stairs, breathing deeply. It was the 24th of December. I had received a call from Nagisa's parents. It was an emergency. Apparently, she had gone into labor. It was two weeks too early.

I stormed in, snow blowing in behind me. I slammed the door shut and ran to Nagisa's side. She was sweating profusely, and her face was flushed.

"Nagisa!" I breathed. "Take it easy! Everything's going to be fine!"

"Tomoya?" she breathed. "You're here?"

I smiled.

"Of course. I couldn't let you go into labor without me by your side!"

She tried to smile, but it came as a sharp grimace as another contraction happened. Akio paced, his cell phone gripped tightly.

"CRAP! All the roads are closed!"

He threw the phone at the wall in a fit of rage, where it shattered. Sanae held his hand.

"Calm down! This isn't getting us anywhere! Yagi will be here soon!"

Nagisa grabbed my hand and gave it a tremendous squeeze as another contraction racked her body. I opened my mouth and hissed in pain, my fingers being crushed. I pushed it back, watching Nagisa. I'd always heard that childbirth was painful, but that was a lie. As I watched Nagisa, I came to a new conclusion: It was pure hell.

My fingers went numb, and I relaxed, but only just. I stroked Nagisa's face, and she gazed at me, intense pain etched on her features.

"It'll be okay! You're doing great," I crooned. She smiled through half-lidded eyes as yet another contraction came. She gasped in pain and clutched the fouton. Her eyes rolled and her back arched. Sanae paced now.

"Where is Yagi?!"

As if on cue, Yagi burst into the room, heading straight for Nagisa.

"Akio, go fetch some towels. Sanae, go fill a bowl with hot water."

"R-Right!" Akio and Sanae said.

They did as they were told, and she knelt over Nagisa's body.

"You. Keep doing what you've been doing. Encourage her. She'll need it now more than ever."

"O-Okay," I said. Nagisa gasped in pain, and her eyes rolled again. I gently stroked her face.

"Nagisa, keep going! You're doing fine!" I said. Truth be told, she looked horrible right now, but like I was about to tell my wife that! I kept stroking her face, encouraging her.

Hours passed. I was in a daze. Nagisa lost consciousness over and over again; waking up and passing out because of the pain. It was cruel to watch. I wanted to cover my eyes and hide. It stretched on and on with no end in sight. I lost track of time. It felt like an eternity. I was so close to passing out myself. After a while, I felt like my heart couldn't take it anymore. I felt like I had run out of hope. The screams brought me back to reality. I looked down. Nagisa was silent. Her eyes were closed. She seemed to be asleep. So, the screams didn't come from her. My eyes rose to Yagi, who handed me Ushio. She smiled.

"Congratulations. It's a girl."

I tenderly held my baby in my arms. She continued crying. She was the most beautiful thing in the world. She had striking red hair, like Nagisa. I couldn't tell what color her eyes were, as they were tightly shut. I never knew this much love was possible. Pride swelled inside me for Nagisa. I looked at Nagisa.

"Nagisa? Nagisa? Nagisa? Nagisa!"

Nagisa looked at me. "Tomoya?" she said weakly.

"She's here! Nagisa! She's...She's right here!" I said, excitedly.

Nagisa looked at Ushio.

"You can hear her, right? That's our baby. That's our baby crying. Here, look." I showed her to Nagisa. "I got to hold her before anyone else. See?"

Nagisa smiled weakly.

"Oh yeah… She turned out so cute…"

I looked at Ushio, so much love flowing out of me for our little girl.

"This is our little baby, Nagisa. It's our little Ushio."

Nagisa looked up, a small smile on her face.

"Hey there, Shio."

"It's a girl! She's as healthy as can be!"

"Yeah...I'm so glad we could have her here at home with you Tomoya...I'm sorry I had to make Shio work so hard for it, but at least we're all together..."

I laughed slightly. "You did a great job. I mean it."

Nagisa sighed. "I'm sorry… I feel a little tired… Could you let me rest? Just for a minute?"

Sanae looked at Nagisa in worry.

"Nagisa?!"

I looked at Sanae, then back to Nagisa, feeling a slight twinge of fear.

"Nagisa...Wait, Nagisa, not yet...Come on, let's talk, just...just for a little bit, okay? You don't have to say anything. Just listen."

She didn't answer me.

"Come on, you have to look at our baby...She looks like a cute little monkey, doesn't she? See? She's so tiny...Here, I'm gonna call her name, okay? Ushio. Hey, it's Daddy. Ushio? This is Mommy, see? Look at her, see?"

Ushio waved her arms, not liking this. I laughed slightly.

"She's ignoring me. I guess she doesn't understand her name yet…"

Nagisa finally looked at me. I chuckled slightly again.

"I bet she'll grow up before we know it. She'll be starting school. We'll have to go clothes shopping with her. We'll have open house and school festivals to go to. We'll do it all as a family. Even though...Even though I used to make fun of that stuff when I was growing up..."

Once again, Nagisa didn't answer me.

"Nagisa?"

Her arm fell out of my hand. I gasped, surprised at how limp it was. Was she really so weak?

"Nagisa?"

I picked up her hand and placed it on Ushio's cheek.

"Here, it's Ushio's cheek! Come on… hey…"

Her hand fell again. Fear tugged at my heart. Nagisa...You told me you'd always be by my side...You said we'd always be together...You promised me that, remember?...Over and over again...We both promised...That was my only dream...Nothing good ever happened to me until I met you...I thought I had a crappy life...But even someone useless like me finally found something to live for...Right, Nagisa? R-Right? Nagisa...

I remembered our time together. When we had lunch. When we were trying to restore the drama club. When we walked home from school together. When we first met…. All those years ago…. On the cherry blossom hill….

"Do you like this school? I have to say that I love it very, very much. But soon, everything changes...Well, at least it does eventually. Fun things...Happy things...They'll all...They'll all eventually change someday, you know? But...Do you think you can still love this place anyway?" she said.

I did not call out to her. We never should have met...We should have just kept going down our separate paths...We never would have gone out...We never would have gotten married...And...And Ushio would have never been born...Then...At least...I wouldn't have to go through so much suffering...We never should have met...

"NAGISA!"