An update? So soon? Wow!
Thank you ShadowChronicler666 for helping me with the idea. Love you! And yes, Noble 'seed' is VERY potent...
thank you Hylla for reviewing and getting the right answer!
on to the chapter!
Chapter Eight
'I have the stomach flu...please tell me I have the stomach flu...!' Meiko mentally panicked as she waited for her results. She stared hard at the pregnancy testing stick as if it would make time go by faster. Setting it down on the counter beside the sink, she got up from her spot on the side of the tub. She paced back and forth in the small bathroom to pass the time. A couple minutes later, she picked up the stick once more. The sight of the little blue plus sign made her heart drop into her stomach. "This can't be happening..." She mumbled to herself.
She was pregnant.
With Byakuya's child.
'I have to tell him.'
*page break*
Meiko stood outside of Byakuya's office door, clutching the pregnancy test wrapped in a silk cloth. She didn't know how he would react. Would he be happy? Or...would he be pissed and never want to have anything to do with her again? She felt the sting of potential tears in the corners of her eyes. Taking a deep breath, Meiko knocked on the door. Her heart raced as she waited for his reply.
"Enter."
She opened the door and stepped inside, shutting it behind her. Meiko leaned on the door and took another deep breath. 'Here goes nothing...'
Byakuya stared at the woman before him, shocked that she had actually knocked for once. But...something in her demeanor told him that something was bothering her. "Meiko? Are you alright?"
Meiko shuddered. 'My name...' She straightened her back and looked him in the eye. "Byakuya...there's something I have to tell you..."
*page break*
"Hawk, are you sure this is a good idea?" Marcus asked in a whisper. He, Hawk, and Halibel were leaning against the door with and ear against the door. Hawk waved a hand at him. "Of course. This is payback for the video she took of me and Soi Fon with Yoruichi..."
"You mean the one she gave to Urahara?" Ha libel whispered. Hawk nodded.
*page break*
"Meiko, is something wrong?" Byakuya had gotten up from his desk to stand in front of her and placed both palms on her quivering shoulders.
"Byakuya...you remember that night...when we made love?" She asked him. Her voice was trembling. Holding up the little bundle, she continued. "Something happened."
The noble didn't know what to think. Did something bad happen? Did he...oh god...did he give her a disease? Did she give him a disease?! "What happened...?"
"I'm pregnant, Byakuya."
*page break*
The three eavesdroppers fell back in absolute shock. Meiko?! Pregnant?!
*page break*
Byakuya was frozen, wide eyed at her declaration. 'It must be some sick joke she and the Wanderer cooked up. Yes, that's it.' "Is this some sort of joke?" He asked harshly, roughly grabbing her arms. Meiko glared at him with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"You son of a bitch..." With that, she slammed the test down on his desk and shouted. "Take a look for yourself, you bastard!" Meiko opened the door, taking a second to gape at the three on the floor on front of her. They were listening?!
Meiko growled and stormed off, trying desperately to will the tears away.
"Meiko...? She's...gonna have a baby?" Hawk wondered out loud. Halibel got up from the floor and went after her. The remaining two on the floor looked over to Byakuya, who had his back to them. They got up, running in the direction Meiko and Halibel went.
Byakuya turned toward the door and slammed it shut. 'I really messed up this time.' He picked up the bundle on his desk and opened it, revealing an odd looking plastic stick with a little blue plus sign on it. It was a pregnancy test. A positive pregnancy test. 'Meiko is...pregnant...with my child.' His heart clenched painfully within his chest. "I am going to be a father." He whispered to himself.
*page break*
"Meiko...why didn't you tell us?" Hawk pleaded. "You know that we wouldn't be assholes if you told us first!"
The woman he spoke to turned to him, pausing her frenzied packing. "I thought the baby's father was supposed to be the first to know!" She shouted, then continued packing all of her things to move back into her old room. Meiko could barely see through her tears. "I can't believe...he thought I was joking." She stopped and held her pillow to her chest and so bed into it. "Even I wouldnt joke about something so serious."
Marcus sighed and hugged her from behind. He didn't know what to say, so all he could do was hold her.o
"What hurts the most is that I still love him with all my heart."
Halibel kissed her forehead. "Listen, he probably didn't know how to react. Maybe he's scared."
"Scared? Ha! If you're scared, you don't say something so horrible!" Hawk shouted. He snatched up Meiko's bags and carried them to her old room. Marcus pulled away and followed him, leaving the two ladies in the room. "Meiko..." Halibel began softly. "You need to talk to him."
Meiko wiped her face. "Why? He doesn't want to have anything to do with me."
*page break*
Byakuya stood in his bedroom, silently observing the emptiness. He really messed up. All of Meiko's things were gone. The only thing he had left of her was the pregnancy test. Hawk hated him now, and frequently bumped the noble's shoulder with his own when he walked by, glaring at him. 'I should have expected it, after the way I spoke to her. But now...it is too late.' Byakuya felt the sting of long-unshed tears, but willed it away. He had no right to cry. This was his doing.
*page break*
Hawk laid back on the roof, one hand cradling the back of his head and his other arm holding Soi Fon close to him. Their silence was broken when Soi Fon spoke.
"Hawk...I've seen the nasty looks you're giving Captain Kuchiki. And it needs to stop."
The man she spoke to sighed heavily. "He's an ass. And he broke Crow's heart. I can never forgive him for that."
"He is the father of her child too. Don't tell me you won't let him see his own baby." Soi Fon whispered. After a moment she sat up. "Well. Let's go. Everyone's congratulating her right now. I hear they're going to throw a little party."
Hawk nodded and followed her inside. 'Please let this make her happy. I can't let my baby sister be sad.'
*page break*
"So this 'Crow' woman is carrying Kuchiki's child?" Sosuke drawled as he swirled his wine. The Quincy leader across from him chuckled and nodded. "Yes. I also hear that she is quite powerful. Despite her shortage in the quantity of her reitsu, she makes up for it in density. Her reitsu alone is powerful, but...we may need that child. He or she is the product of a noble captain, and a Royal Guard woman. Such power will surely help with our...plans." Juha Bach sipped his wine before continuing. "It will also be perfect for luring Kurosaki Ichigo out of hiding. You know how he feels about a damsel in distress."
Aizen smirked. "Yes. I do."
TO BE CONTINUED
So ? How was that? I'm sorry about the cliffie...the power went out in my neighborhood and my poor phone is dying. But, I do hope you enjoyed it:)
love you all!