A/N: This is the last chapter. However, there will be two epilogues: one with the baby and one with the wedding. So enjoy.

"Okay, okay, relax," Shingo said, laughing at me. If he was perturbed by the fact that I was practically strangling him, he didn't show it. He did lift a hand and put it on my arm, but I refused to let go that easily and kept him pinned until he added, "I told Mom that you were going to freak out when you saw us. She was convinced that you would be happy, but I know you better than that. I'm sorry to tell you that you're pretty much an open book to me, Nee-chan."

"Little brat," I muttered. Reluctantly, I released his collar. He made a show of smoothing it down. I rolled my eyes. "Talk, Shingo. I mean it. What are you doing here? What are Mom and Dad doing here? They hate the arcade. And why did you have Chibi-Chibi? Why isn't she with her baby-sitter?"

"To answer in order, I like the arcade. Mom and Dad wanted a fun place to take their grandchild. Chibi-Chibi had to be here for that." He shrugged.

I just stared at him. "What?"

He sighed and mustered up a weak smile, dropping the jovial exterior he had worn so easily. "To tell you the truth, I was pretty surprised when Mom came to talk to me this morning. She wanted to know when I'd figured all of this out and what else I knew. I didn't know what to tell her about Chibi-Chibi… you haven't exactly been dying to share. So I just said that she was your kid and that's all I knew, and the next thing I know Mom's got us in the car and we're driving over to your apartment to pick her up." He screwed his face up. "It was weird, Chibi-Chibi acted like she knew us. She went right over to Dad."

"Oh, well," I mumbled, not willing to go into detail about why exactly that was (namely, that she did know them and that Dad had always been a particular favorite of hers). "But I don't get it. When I told Mom about me and Seiya and the baby, she was really upset. And she hasn't contacted me since then. I thought she was still mad at me." My head was starting to ache.

"She certainly doesn't act like she's angry," Shingo said. "But why don't you go find out?"

He must have sensed my hesitation, because he took my arm and forcefully dragged me over to the table where they were sitting. Dad jumped up as soon as we were close and hugged me, trapping Chibi-Chibi between us. "Your mother told me the truth," he said quietly into my ear. "I always hoped you'd have children someday. I guess I just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon."

Hot guilt flooded through me. "Dad, I –"

"It's okay," he said, pulling away.

My eyes widened. "It... it is?"

"Yes," Mom said, rising to her feet. She hugged me too, giving Chibi-Chibi a little pat on the head. "It is. Your father and I have discussed it, and while I'm still not sure you're making the right decision you've proven yourself responsible enough to more than earn our trust." She gave me a significant look to make sure that I understood what she was referring to. "But from now on, no more lies. No more half-truths, okay? I want to know as soon as something happens, good or bad."

"Okay," I said cautiously. "As long as you get that sometime I won't be able to tell you everything."

"I realize that. As long as you keep me up to date on when you have to go to work, that's all I'm asking for," Mom said, putting a hand on my shoulder and steering me into a seat. She took Chibi-Chibi out of my arms and cuddled her. "Now, what's going on with this little princess? You told me once that she was a relative of Mamoru's, but I'm guessing that's probably not the real truth."

"I can't tell you. I don't really know myself. I just know that she's mine now." I knew that wasn't what she wanted to hear, not after what she'd just asked of me, but it was the truth. I barely understood it myself, how Chibi-Chibi had stayed with us instead of disappearing. By all rights, she should have faded away. But she hadn't. All I really knew was that she was just a kid and she needed someone to take care of her. That was all I really felt I needed to know.

Mom and Dad exchanged looks. "Are you sure she doesn't have a family?" Dad asked.

"Yes. I'm sure. Mamo-chan didn't really know much about his family, so that's why I've been telling people that she was a relative of his. It seemed to be the simplest explanation."

"Someone might challenge you for her," Mom pointed out. "Do you have legal documentation proving that she can stay with you?"

Despite Mom asking me not to lie to her anymore, I didn't see how I was going to be able to tell her the truth if she kept asking questions like that. I frowned and settled on, "No one's going to ask, so I don't see what difference it makes. Birth certificates can't be that hard to make. Taiki can research that." And I didn't say, but was thinking, that I was quickly learning that money could speak volumes.

"I was just asking," Mom said. "This is the sort of stuff you need to think about now."

I softened a little. "I know. I'm sorry for snapping. You guys just really surprised me today. I wasn't expecting to find you here. I thought you were still mad at me."

"I was never mad, sweetheart. I told you, we just needed some time," said Mom, leaning forward and putting her hand over mine. "Besides, I have to admit that now I'm starting to get excited about planning your wedding. I've been looking forward to this day for a long time."

From the surge of warmth in my cheeks, I knew I would be blushing. That would be a hard day, I knew. I'd imagined my wedding with Mamoru a thousand times. I had every detail planned, down to who would've stood with me at the end of the aisle and the colors they'd wear. I'd even flipped through bridal magazines a couple of times to get an idea of what sort of dress I might like to have made. All of those plans were now useless to me. As happy as I would be to marry Seiya, it would be difficult to know that my dearest friends wouldn't be there and that nothing would be happening the way I had thought.

Knowing that Mom was still waiting for a response, I lifted my head and tried to smile at her. "I think I'd like to wait until after the baby is born, at least. I don't really have anything in mind yet. Seiya and I haven't even started to think about that part."

Mom looked sympathetic. She knew what was going through my mind. "It will be a beautiful day, honey, even if it's not what you expected."

"Yeah, it will." I straightened up a little and looked at Shingo. "Will you be bringing Mika-chan? I'd like to get to know her better. She seems really nice."

It was his turn to blush. "Um, probably." The way he glanced nervously at Dad told me that he'd probably been in for an earful at some point, and I felt a bit guilty. There was no reason that Shingo should have been lectured for my mistake. In a lot of ways, he was far more responsible than I was. I couldn't imagine him getting Mika or any other girl pregnant, not before they were both ready for it.

I decided not to bring any attention to it, though. I changed the subject by bringing up Dad's work, and spent the next fifteen minutes listening to him talk about how slowly the repairs were going and how frustrating it was to try and work when all of their files had been pretty much destroyed. I knew he was just venting, so I tactfully refrained from pointing out that he was fortunate their building had been evacuated in time: some places hadn't been, and those losses still weighed heavily on me when I let myself dwell.

At some point Motoki came over and brought us all milkshakes on the house, and the conversation switched to lighter topics. It had been a long time since I'd had the chance to sit down with my parents and my little brother and talk. I hadn't realized just how long until we were all there and I was hearing about things that I should have been there, but which I hadn't been. We used to be a pretty close family, but what with everything that had happened over the past two years that had changed – and it was my fault.

"I'm sorry," I said suddenly, cutting Mom off in the middle of a story about how she'd been cleaning out the attic and she had found a box of children's clothing from when Shingo and I were younger. She'd been trying to take it to a friend of hers who had a couple of small children when Galaxia had struck.

"It's not your fault," Mom said. She seemed to know what I meant even though I hadn't elaborated. "None of that –" she waved her hand to indicate the city "was your fault, honey. I know you, you would've done whatever you could to stop that from happening."

"I'm still sorry," I said, looking each of them in the eyes.

Mom didn't meet my gaze, glancing over my head, and I wasn't sure why until a hand came down roughly on my hair. "If you're to blame, so am I," said Seiya, leaning over me when I tipped my head back. Her eyes were so warm and understanding, it made my heart ache. "So is everyone else."

"And if you're going to blame me for destruction I think you should buy me a milkshake first," Taiki said. She and Yaten were standing right behind us.

"I'll take a lemonade. Milkshakes are too fattening," Yaten said, winking at Shingo. She must have changed after school let out, because she wasn't wearing the uniform anymore. Instead she was wearing a nice blouse and skirt, and I was amused to see that Shingo's face turned pink. Mika might have a little competition there after all.

"I'll get it," Shingo said, standing up too quickly. He hurried away and Seiya laughed.

"That was mean," she said, grinning at Yaten.

Yaten shrugged and Mom said, "He has a girlfriend, he'll have to get used to it. Have you met my husband?" She put her hand on top of Dad's. He was looking at the three of them curiously, but I was pleased to see that there was none of the anger that he wasn't displaying any of the anger that had been there when he met Mamo-chan for the first time.

"No. It's nice to meet you, sir," said Seiya, offering her hand.

Dad stood up and shook it. "And you as well. I understand you're engaged to my daughter."

"That's right."

A funny look crossed Dad's face. I wasn't sure what it meant. He said, "Why don't you all sit down? I think we should get to know each other better."

"Sure." Seiya and Taiki dragged over a couple of chairs. Shingo came back with two milkshakes and a lemonade, which he handed over with another blush when Yaten thanked him. Seiya took a drink of her milkshake and offered Chibi-Chibi a little sip in between answering Dad's questions. I leaned against them both and gazed around the table, realizing that everyone I loved was gathered here. I could, I thought, get used to this.

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