Meiko stepped out of her mother's car, on the brink of crying again. She felt a mixture of things - disbelief, horror, shock, and guilt for saying goodbye to her responsibility. Nozomi went to her, helping her back inside. Aki came outside and he eyed them. "She did it, didn't she?"

"YES" she finally cracked. Meiko exploded again in a uncontrollable fit of crying, Nozomi shot him a glare. "Ah, yes. Come inside now - we can...Talk about it"

That night, after a lengthy talk and a shower, Meiko collapsed on the bed, whimpering. As she cried herself to sleep, her thoughts of Miku didn't end there.

In her dreams, Meiko found herself in her living room, with the cries of her daughter bouncing off the walls.

"Aahhhmahh" the baby's whimpers echoed through the room. "MIKU" Meiko began to search everywhere. Her daughter kept crying, but she couldn't find the source of it.

"Miku?" she ran up to her room, and found a blue haired man sitting in her chair. He looked up at her, and glared.

"Why?" It looked like an older version of Reiji. In his hands, he cradled their daughter. "Why?" He brushed the lock of hair from Miku's head.

Meiko shot up, gasping for air. Had Reiji visited her dreams and found out?

Well, she was going to deal with these dreams for years. Until they met again.

All of them.

Timeskip:

Five years later….

Reiji filled out the document, and signed the form at the bottom. "Are you sure this is the last one?"

"Yeah" the manager slowly took it from the 18 year old, who was dressed in a suit and tie. "You can start by working with the tools of the trade - the microphone"

"When will I begin? And what will I do?"

"You'll begin by inspecting the tech" he began to walk towards the door. "The wires and software have to be undamaged, reset, and up to date" he opened the door. "You start in a week and a half"

Reiji sighed in relief as he left Crypton's studio. He smiled and waved at Meiko who stood outside, waiting for him. She smiled back, joy in her eyes.

"Well?" she hugged him. "I got it" he squeezed her. "I finally got it!"

"That's wonderful..." she walked with him as they talked. "I...That video, the one I put up of the song I would sing to you when I missed you..."

"Dear?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah!" she jumped with joy. "It's on the front page of Douga!"

"I wonder what our friends would think about this" he said. "Friends..." she trailed off.

"Oh. Don't worry" he put his arm around her. He knew Meiko was an introvert - but he didn't know that the reason why she stayed alone was to avoid exposing her powers. Reiji though, was pretty much her only true friend. "I'm still here, right?"

"Yeah"

"We'll reach the sky. You'll see" he looked at a family playing with a kite nearby. "And someday, you and I will have a family. I promise."

She looked at him. I wish I was brave enough to tell you that we already have a little girl... she thought.

"Promise?" she whispered.

"Promise" he let her wrap herself around him.

She sighed in happiness. "I'm melting,"

"Melting when I think of you..."

"And it's impossible for me to say -"

"That I love you..."

Meiko laughed as he concluded the last part of her song. She wrote it back when they were in high school, and she would sing it whenever he was waling in the rain with her. He smirked and she playfully slapped at his arm. "You wanna get ice cream?"

"I was thinking about it" she said. "But only if you treat me"

Reiji laughed. She was still a bit of a tsundere now and then.

Reiji led Meiko to the ice cream shop, opening the door for her as she went in.

"Okay" he put a hand on her shoulder. "You can have whatever you want. It's a celebration for you getting a million views, and for me, starting my job"

"Hmm" she looked at the selection. A vocaloid came out to the register. "What can I get for you folks today?"

"Mmm, I'll have leek ice cream" Reiji said, looking at the board. "Whaaat?" Meiko gazed back at him. "What? I like leeks" he shrugged. "But...but..that's so gross!" she waved her hands. "Nahhh, it's pretty good"

"Uh" both of them turned to look at the cashier. "You gonna choose something, or what?"

"Oh" Reiji put aside his discussion. "I'll take a double scoop of leek ice cream, and...what'll you have Meiko?"

"Uh...I'll get blueberry - two scoops"

"I should have known" Rei whispered to himself. The cashier waved at his assistant in the back, yelling their orders. "Okay. That's 798Y"

Reiji fished out a few bills, and gave them as the assistant came with the bowls of ice cream. The cashier smiled and bowed. "Have a nice day"

Reiji and Meiko did the same. "You too" she said. On the way out, she swore she heard the assistant say "lovebirds"

Sitting on a bench, both of them began to scoop away, enjoying the day. Meiko picked a blueberry out and put it in her mouth. "Enjoying that?"

"Yeah" she chewed on it. "Thank you" he nodded and went back to eating his cream. She looked over at him, enjoying a treat that was rancid to her.

"So" she said. "How can you eat that?" she watched him take another spoonful of it. "It's so...Icky"

"Well, I like it" he said. "I think it tastes kind of sweet, yet bland" he looked at the dots in the cream and went back to eating it. "But it's the afterflavor that gets me" he licked at the spoon. Glancing at it, and glancing at her, he smiled and offered her his cup. "wanna try?"

"NO WAY!" she edged herself off the bench, and fell off. Meiko's ice cream fell onto the street, and she looked at it in delayed shock. Reiji smiled and went to her side. "It's okay. You can have some of mine"

"No!" it looked like she was going to cry. Geez. She really could be a dramatic tsundere once in a while.

"Come on" he helped her up. "Just one taste"

"Hmm!" she crossed her arms, sticking her chin up in protest.

"Please?" he pressed his eyebrows up. "I'll get you another bowl if you do"

She rolled her eyes. "Alright" he offered the spoon towards her. Meiko took it, and after looking at it with suspicion, she ate the spoonful.

"Not bad, right?"

"It's terrible!" she made a sickened face. Reiji looked at her eyes and into her mind. It's amazing? I want more! she thought. Reiji put on a sly smile, and he made another spoonful. "I know you like it"

"I do not!" she put a mad face on. What she didn't know was that Reiji could read eyes, and well, she wasn't doing a good job at hiding her true feelings.

"I can see what you're thinking. Remember?" he raised his eyebrow. She now looked more shocked than anything. "Wh..Cheater!" she got into a defensive position. After a few seconds, she calmed, and admitted it. "Okay" she breathed. "I...I liked it" he took his spoon and ate another bite. "Here" he fed her another spoonful, and she took it without any fighting. "Mmm" she said, and he took another bite. The process went on until they had nothing left.

"come on now" he got off the bench, with her following. She wondered what Miku would have liked.

Back at the ice cream shop, the cashier looked up as the couple came through the doors again.

"Back so soon?" he smiled. "She dropped her ice cream" Reiji motioned towards Meiko. She blushed, avoiding eye contact with the cashier. "Ah" he said. Same thing?" he rung up the register. He nodded. "Two leek, two blueberry" he called to his assistant. Meiko raised her hand slightly. "Wait" she said. "Can I change mine to leek?"

Reiji smiled. "Oh ho. Someone's had a change of mind"

Three weeks later...

Miku tossed and turned in her bed. The door creaked open, and a maroon colored head poked out. "Miku? If you can hear me - get up"

At the orphanage Miku grew up at, there was a new program developed to allow volunteers watch the children during Summer vacation - in which Meiko had 'implemented' to give her the opportunity to be with Miku.

So far, four kids never received a caretaker, but now, Miku hoped that she could find just one...

'ZZzzzzzZZZ...'

"Miku"

"Mnnhgh"

"Miku, wake up!"

The tealette shifted in her bed, and moved around to see a slightly older girl with red pony tail drills on the sides of her head. "Teto, go away. Not now." She groaned. Teto slung a pillow at her. "Well, hurry, because today is the day we get our supervisors".

Miku didn't budge.

"Neru might have to wake you up" she smiled as she slid off. Miku shot up immediately at the mention of Neru's name.

"That blonde…." She mumbled, knowing she would pull a prank to wake her as usual. Miku got up, dressed, and followed Teto to the main hall. Miku already knew about the mutant drama occurring in the population, and she assumed Teto and Neru to be two of them, seeing that Neru could communicate with electronics and send messages over them - she was extremely skilled for her age and was called to help around the neighborhood occasionally. Teto was something she assumed, because occasionally, Miku would see wings on her back out of the corner of her eye - she wondered what kind of a shapeshifter had wings. Two other children had powers, but she didn't know them as well as Teto and Neru.

The thing she feared most were shapers. Knowing what they could do, Miku lived with a fear in the back of her head that one would destroy everything or hurt her in the future. She herself had telepathy, and once and a while 'Read' other's minds for information instead of having to learn it. It wasn't as cool as others' powers, but it made her look pretty smart.

Ironically, she didn't know that inside of her, Shaper blood had been passed on to her by Meiko.

Returning to reality, some adults she had never seen before were standing opposite of the few orphans. A brunette Vocaloid stood, and gave instructions.

"Okay, everyone, these people here have volunteered to watch you, for the summer" she smiled. "Today you will get to know them, and hopefully, select which one you want to watch you" she finished. Suddenly, the door shut in the hall, and everyone turned as a teen entered the halls.

"Hi everyone, sorry I'm late!" she said. Miku kept her eyes on this beautiful woman. She had dark blue hair, blue eyes and fair skin, with a tall height. She wore a pleated skirt, along with a teal handbag, and wore her hair down with a sunflower hat.

"Well, as I said before, for you, we're going to have you meet these children, and you have volunteered to watch a child here for the summer" she said. The woman nodded. "I know!" she smiled. Her eccentric vibe made everyone feel better. "Well, now I'll let you all have time with the kids" she said, leaving the room. "Have fun!"

The first few steps were slow, but the line of adults and teens eventually merged, and hugs with smiles were given as everyone talked to each other. Women, Men, and the children conversed, hugged, or got picked up and squeezed. Only Miku was by herself near the corner.

The woman spotted Miku, and when she saw her, she immediately began walking toward her with a smile on her face. The dark blue eyes that resembled Reiji's had turned into a light teal mixed with hints of dark blue, and the infant had turned into a beautiful young girl.

"Hello there!" Miku turned to see the blue haired woman looking at her with a smile. She took the hat off. "What's your name?" she said. Miku looked at her with big eyes. "I..I'm Miku" she said. The woman smiled. "You're very beautiful" she blushed at the woman. "Thank you" Miku said.

"You have beautiful eyes" Miku said. The woman smiled through the contacts. They had made her eyes blue, but really, they had the same eyes.

"My name is Saki Fujita" she lied. "Oh!" Miku moved closer. "That's a pretty name!" she said.

There was one thing though, and that was that 'Saki Fujita' was her mother.

And her real name was Meiko Hatsune.

"Can..Can I have a hug, Miku?" she hesitated, hoping that Miku hadn't developed any suspicions based on her appearance. After all, Meiko in her current state did resemble Miku a bit, except that Meiko had used her powers to shapeshift so that her hair and eyes became dark blue, like Reiji's, who's face was also evident in her daughter. Considering what she had done to her, she didn't deserve a hug from the child in front of her, but that's why she was here. To slightly compensate for years of abandonment.

Miku outstretched her arms lovingly. "Of course!" she hugged Saki, and was surprised when the blue haired woman hugged her tightly and enveloped her in a warm embrace.

Miku felt a strange connection to this woman. To her, she gave off a warm, loving presence that she didn't really feel before. She loved the feeling, and cherished the moment when she had someone who was going to commit to taking care of her, even for only a short time..

"Do I…know you from before?"

Saki began to think of an answer. She knew Miku would probably be suspicious, but not now.

"No" the lie on her lips tore her inside in no other way imaginable. That one word she spoke had shown that she just disowned her only daughter.

Regardless, she had come back for the little girl, but sadly, only for a short time.

'Should I tell her?'

Miku hugged the woman again, and 'Saki' melted, as the best feeling in the world was Miku's arms around her neck for the first time, smiling into her face.

The face that resembled her Reiji and herself.

"So, can I be the girl that you'll watch for the summer?" Miku spoke, twisting her foot in a circle.

Saki smiled and patted her on the head. "Of course! In fact, I was about to ask to be your guardian for the summer!" she ruffled the teal hair, which she had given her, while the style came from Reiji.

"Really? Wow! I'm lucky to have a pretty caretaker!"

She wondered if Miku inherited her father's power. Even if not, she was still going to be proud of her.

Which added to her guilt - selfishly abandoning her daughter to pursue her own life.

But for the moment, she was happy to be with her.

"Hmm! And I'm lucky to have a beautiful little girl like you!" she embraced her again, unable to get enough of contact with her little girl after five years.

But since Saki left her only daughter at the steps of the orphanage, it felt as if something had been ripped out from her and was missing ever since.

And that was Miku.

"Can I have a picture of you?" Saki took out her camera.

"I'd love to!" her vocabulary surprised Saki. Her daughter had become a prodigy by herself.

Reiji had also been a prodigy when they were children. So she had taken after her father. Saki couldn't have been more proud of her.

The camera focused, and Miku smiled, clasping her hands together. The picture was beautiful, and Saki took another, this time of the both of them. The brunette Vocaloid returned to meet everybody, although no one noticed her because of all the excitement in the air. She cleared her throat, but nobody paid a single bit of attention.

"Attention everybody!" The brunette spoke, jarring the Vocaloids in the room. "Now that you've had some time to meet with your summer children, they will be going through routines to prepare them for your interaction tomorrow, so, you are dismissed for today. Thank you for your contribution to these orphans" she finished, and walked out. The other adults eventually left, and Miku was called by the supervising adults at the orphanage.

"Bye Miss Fujita, I'll see you tomorrow!"

"I can't wait to hug you again!" she made the motion, smiling as she did so. Miku giggled, and ran around the corner of the door. Now, 'Saki' found herself alone again. As she walked out of the main hall towards the entrance, she turned back one more time, to get a glimpse through a window of Miku running on the courtyard, laughing with her friends.

"You're it Miku!" The yellow haired girl yelled. The little teal hair bounced and ran quickly as she tried to tag someone else. Some kids used their powers to avoid being captured, so she ran after the girl with red hair drills.

"I'll come back Miku. I promise" she thought. A green woman stepped up to her nearby the window. "Nice choice"

She nearly jumped at the sudden appearance. "OH!" her eyes widened like dessert plates. "Y..Yeah. You came out of nowhere, didn't you?"

"I know. I do that a lot" she smirked. She reached out, giving a hand to the woman.

"I'm Asukara" she let Saki shake it. "Been here for years now"

From her age, she assumed this woman to be around her twenty - twenty two age. Still, she looked pretty young to be in such a place.

"I found her a while ago in a carrier" she said. The blue haired woman became an icicle and froze in place. "Seemed like a scene out of a movie or something - she was so cute"

"She thinks of you like a mother?"

"Yeah" she watched Miku chase Teto around. Teto sprouted wings and began to fly, preventing the little girl from reaching her. Saki laughed. "Guess she's not getting that winged girl, isn't she"

But that suddenly changed. One of the children got too close in a mocking taunt, and Miku tagged him, running as fast as she could. Saki and Asukara giggled as she seemed to zoom up the ladders and slides. He eventually gave up, and chased after Neru, who was on her phone instead.

"Well, I'll leave you alone now" she departed towards the main hall. "See ya tomorrow"

And with that, 'Saki' stepped outside. Standing on the same stairs she placed Miku on, she gazed back at the camera with the photo she took. She looked back at her other hand, and a print of it materialized in her palm. She looked at it, and sadness came along with guilt.

Nozomi arrived minutes later, and opened the car door for a very solemn looking Meiko.

"How was it?" The young woman closed the door. "How was she?"

"..." she handed her mother the picture of Miku she had taken.

"Ohh!" she smiled. "She even looks like you when you were little! She really is a rare little gem" she looked at her granddaughter's face. "Your father was wrong. She has Hatsune eyes" she noted, looking at the deep teal orbs that would suck in anyone who looked at them. "Meiko I…" she turned and Meiko was letting silent tears flow onto her palm that held her face.

Meiko had her hand under her face, crying softly. "She's so beautiful" Meiko whispered, her voice cracking. "Oh sweetheart" Nozomi pulled her daughter into a tight hug. "It's okay" she whispered. "I know you feel bad for what you did, and I know with all my heart that you truly love that little girl" she said. Meiko nodded. "I love her, but...I'm just scared she will deny me, or be mad at me" she gripped her mother's hand. "And I'm still not ready to be a mother just yet" she admitted. Nozomi understood. "I'm still so selfish - I can't even tell Rei he's a father."

"Can she...you know"

"No. I don't think she has it" Meiko whispered. Since Miku was the daughter of two human mutants - especially a Shaper, Meiko had to know - she would accidentally use her powers, and people would know - she could harm others, on accident and be put away or killed like the previous ones. "She has Rei's power - she's able to give herself other's knowledge and she can communicate telepathically" she said. Her mother nodded as she started up the car. Miku was already five - Saki's powers emerged when she was four, and if then, she would have been able to tell if she had the power.

Nozomi changed the subject.

"It's alright" she said, petting her teen daughter's head. "If we can't take her, I want you to visit her now and then, and at least give her motherly love when you do" she comforted her. "I know you have those pressures, and that you want to go into the music industry like many do, and that you have Miku to top that" she felt Meiko break the hug. "Let's go home and show your father this photo" she cracked a smile at her.

Meiko let one show on her face, and she softened up. "Okay" she whispered.

Meiko tried to stop thinking about Miku, so she thought about her life's goal - for years, she had practiced singing, and after deciding songwriting and becoming a singer in the music industry was her thing, she decided to aim for the high bar and find herself among the top singers. Hopefully, she would have enough money to take care of her daughter, even if she didn't tell Reiji he was a father.

And she couldn't wait to see that little girl again.

AN: 'Saki' is Meiko's other alternate form. She changed her appearance to differ from her 'casual look'.