Shit, shit, shitshitshitSHIT Haru thought as he rushed over to Mine, Leone right on his heels. Rather than coming to a conventional stop, Haru dropped to his knees and slid the last foot before rolling Mine over and checking her for a pulse. She was still breathing, but it was only barely. "Hey, Mine, don't fall asleep on me now," he said, shaking her shoulder, "Stay awake, you hear me? Hey, Mine! Stay awake!"

Opening her eyes, she blinked slowly before looking at him and smiling weakly. "Hey, Haru," she said just above a whisper, "Can you get Tatsumi for me? I need to tell him something." The fact that she was using his proper name was enough of a red flag for him. "Yeah, fat chance of that, shrimp," he said, pulling another of his boosters out, "I'm getting you to a doctor. So grit your teeth and stay awake, damnit, or I'll come over there after you and drag your tiny butt back." Before she could protest, he jabbed the needle into her leg and hit the button. The drug took effect quickly, and Haru could see her eyes light up and hear her breathing becoming a bit clearer.

"Leone, take her," he said as he got back up and sheathed his sword, " I'm not going to last much longer, and we need to move quickly." She just nodded as she scooped her friend up, and together they dashed up the stands before making their way out of the stadium. Outside, it was utter chaos as the guards fought to regroup. Glancing behind him, Lubbock noticed Leone and Haru coming out of the entrance and could tell something was wrong right away. Unweaving the barrier he had been using, he sent the wires out in a wide net and ensnared several guards at once before dicing them. This gave Haru and Leone the perfect opening, and they took it.

Thanks to the general panic caused by the people that had rushed out of the stadium, they were able to disappear rather quickly as they made their way to the lower districts. As they ran, Mine drifted in and out of consciousness, and Haru grew concerned when the labored breathing returned. It also wasn't good that he could feel his own booster starting to run thin in his blood. He had a few minutes, tops, before he would have to give Leone directions to continue on alone. As if sensing his weakening state, Leone jabbed him with an elbow. "Hey, stay awake, matchstick," she said, trying to smile, "We're going to be fine." He just nodded in reply, too focused on putting one foot in front of the other to talk.

After what felt like hours, they found themselves at Garrick's clinic. Leaning on the door, Haru knocked with what strength remained before standing to one side, panting. He was already starting to fade, and he could tell that Mine wasn't too far behind him. The color in her face was starting to drain, and Haru found himself praying for some kind of miracle. Thankfully, Garrick was at home, and he opened the door only to stumble backwards in surprise when Leone barged into the room. He was about to fire off some smart-ass remark when he saw the state Mine was in, as well as Haru's exhaustion as he came stumbling through the door and closed it. "Help her," Haru managed before his vision went black and he collapsed.

Back at the stadium, the rest of Night Raid was scattering after the successful rescue. After making his way to one of the side streets, Tatsumi ran into Akame as she was heading for the waterway. "Akame!" he said, getting her attention as he caught up to her, "Did you see Mine get out?" "No, I didn't," she replied, her own concern clear. She hadn't seen Haru escape, either, and it was starting to eat away at her. And she could tell that Tatsumi was having mixed feelings about potentially leaving someone behind. "We should try to find Lubbock," she said, turning to continue on, "Haru went to help Mine, and he knows Haru the best. He will know where they went."

"Somehow, I doubt that he knows Haru the best," Tatsumi said, smiling when Akame's cheeks turned darker. She decided to remain silent rather than risk commenting as they moved through the side streets. And as luck would have it, they found Lubbock a few minutes later. Although, it would be more accurate to say that he found them. As they rounded a corner, with Tatsumi in the lead, Lubbock barreled right into him and sent them both down onto the cobblestone.

"Damnit, Tatsumi, watch were you're going!" Lubbock said, sitting up and rubbing his head. Tatsumi, meanwhile, just remained on the ground as he tried to make the world stop spinning. "We're trying to find Haru," Akame told him as she helped Lubbock to his feet, "Did you see him escape?" "Yeah, I saw your boyfriend," he replied, causing her to blush again, "He was with Leone and Mine, although she looked like she was hurt pretty bad." "What?" Tatsumi said, suddenly alert and upright, "How badly? Where did they go?" "Slow down," Lubbock said, holding his hands up, "If I know Haru, then he would have taken her to his doctor friend in the lower districts. I was actually on my way there to check."

"Then what are we standing around here for?" Tatsumi demanded, turning to leave, "Let's go!" Akame and Lubbock followed, with Lubbock smiling at Tatsumi's back. "He's head over heels, isn't he?" he asked Akame, receiving a nod in response. "Was Haru hurt?" she asked. She knew that it was incredibly selfish of her to just be concerned for his wellbeing, but she couldn't help it. Lubbock could tell she was worried, and he just nudged her before smiling. "Relax, he was still in one piece when I last saw him," he said, "Besides, it would take something big to put him down."

She hoped he was right, but she knew that Haru had a bad habit of pushing himself too hard. As they made their way through the streets, Akame noticed a shift in the mood around her. News about their interruption of the execution was spreading quickly. From what she could tell, all of their previous actions paled in comparison to it. They had just challenged the Emperor, his closest advisors and strongest fighter, directly and had come out alive. She could practically taste the tension in the air as they realized that the capital's power was starting to wane. If they couldn't stop a handful of rebels, then what would happen when the rebel army arrived?

The next few days would be interesting for them as the lower districts began to rebel. Shaking her head, Akame forced those thoughts away as she tried to focus. After an hour of walking and dodging patrols, they finally made it to Garrick's clinic. By this point the sun was already starting to set, and both Akame and Tatsumi were hoping that they wouldn't have to spend the night. Taking the lead, Lubbock walked up and knocked on the door while the other two tried to wait patiently. When the door was finally opened, it was by a surprised Leone who then broke out into a mad grin.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," she said, stepping to the side and snickering at her own joke. Lubbock humored her while Tatsumi and Akame moved past them into the main room. The first thing they noticed was Haru sitting in a worn chair, passed out and breathing evenly. "Damnit, girl, what part of 'I need a hand' didn't you understand?" Garrick asked from one of the side rooms. "Oh, right!" Leone replied, rushing over, "Sorry, Doc." "Yeah, yeah, just hand me that knife," he grumbled. Rushing over, Tatsumi went white as a sheet when he saw Mine, unconscious and being worked on.

"What happened to her?" he demanded. "Back off, kid," Garrick growled, causing Tatsumi to take a step back, "She's going to live, but only if I can focus. Now please, everyone shut up." Tatsumi obeyed without question, although he still looked nervous as hell about Mine's condition. "Come on, Tatsumi," Lubbock said, taking his shoulder and steering him for the door, "We're going to need to stand guard." Tatsumi just nodded numbly as they waked out the door.

Meanwhile, Akame had gone over to check on Haru, wondering if it would be better to wake him up or let him sleep. "If you're just going to stand there, take him into the other room," Garrick told her as he grabbed a needle and lighter, "He'd be better off in a bed." For once, Leone didn't have some smart remark, since she was too focused on helping keep Mine alive. Nodding, Akame gently draped one of Haru's arms around her neck before she took him into what a sign generously called the 'post-op room.' It took her a bit, but she finally got him onto one of the beds before setting his sword and bag to the side. Noticing it felt lighter than last time, she opened it and did a quick count. It wasn't good by any stretch; he was down to three of his shots, which made little sense to her.

There were five left when I got it yesterday, so how… she wondered before something came to mind. He had clearly used one during the fight, and he may have been driven to use a second one to keep Mine stable enough to get her here. Placing a hand on his head, she smiled bitterly as she felt some tears coming to her eyes while saying, "You really are a good man." Taking one of the chairs, she pulled it over to his bedside and sat down while taking Murasame off of her hip.

Almost an hour later, Leone entered the room and laid a bandaged Mine down on the other bed. She was still very pale, but the steady movement of her chest indicated that she was still alive. Garrick entered the room some time later with a lit cigarette in his mouth. "Will she be alright?" Akame asked, getting up. "'Alright' isn't what I would choose to describe her condition," he replied, letting a big puff of smoke escape, "Most of her lower ribs were broken or cracked, and she had a bone fragment in one of her lungs. Add to that the general internal trauma from whatever the hell hit her, and I'd say she's damned lucky to be breathing."

He waited a moment to continue, taking another long drag on his cigarette before letting more smoke into the room. "I removed the bone and closed up the cut," he told them as he walked over and opened a cabinet, "I also applied what binding I could to make sure her ribs mend properly. My professional recommendation is that she not be allowed to get out of bed for a week, at least. But then I know what you people do for a living, so I figure these will help." Taking out two bottles, he tossed them to Leone before saying, "That's a general pain killer and a minor accelerant for healing. The later of those is something that is supposed to only be given to soldiers, and it has some wicked side-effects if you take too many."

"Thanks, Doc," Leone replied, smiling. "Yeah, yeah," he said, scratching his head before pointing at Akame, "Before I forget; you're coming with me." "Why?" she asked, instantly on guard. "For a check-up," he answered, heaving a sigh. Leading her back into the examination room, he gestured to the examination table while walking over to the desk. Akame briefly noted that it was the same room Mine had been in, but the sheet on the table had been changed with a clean one. He may be gruff, but at least he works professionally Akame thought as she sat down and waited.

It was fairly routine; he checked her eyes, hearing and blood pressure before treating a few of the nastier cuts on her arms, legs and face. As he was applying the disinfectant to one on her cheek, he asked, "So, how long ago was it?" "How long ago was what?" she replied, confused. "Listen, missy, I've done this job for almost 40 years now," he said as he finished up, "I've treated more than my fair share of young women, and do you know how many of them have lied to me about this?" "I'm still not sure I-" "Alright, let's try a different approach," he interrupted, stepping back and stubbing his cigarette out on the table, "Have you experienced a sudden loss of appetite, or strange cravings? Have you been feeling tired for no reason, or found yourself having to go to the bathroom multiple times?"

With each question, Akame could feel her cheeks growing warmer. She knew what he was hinting at, but a part of her mind was still raging against the possibility. "H-How?" she managed after a few seconds, her voice cracking. "Like I said, I've been at this a while," he replied, taking a chair and almost looking sympathetic, "Also, I burn a special incense in this office since I'm tired of people lying about it right up to the point where I operate. Its effects are mild, but it's the reason why your pupils are more dilated than normal. So, back to my first question; how long ago was it?"

"F-four days ago," she answered hesitantly, trying not to die from embarrassment. "You should know that I'm still bound by doctor-patient confidentiality," he told her, trying to put her at ease, "Nothing we talk about goes past these walls unless you want it to. So, it hasn't even been a week, then?" "No, not really," she replied, "Is that a bad sign?" "Not usually," Garrick told her, "Some women are just faster on the draw, so to speak. Also, these symptoms will continue for quite some time, so be prepared for that. I have some medicine to help with the nausea, but that's about all I can offer without risking some negative effects."

As he got up to retrieve the medication, he stopped and turned back to her. "I don't suppose you've told anyone?" he asked. When she shook her head, he just sighed. "Well, I'm not going to force you, but it wouldn't be a bad idea," he said as he opened a cabinet and pulled a small bottle out, "And while my recommendation would be to avoid strenuous activity, I doubt you would listen to me." Shaking her head, she replied, "I have to keep Haru safe, and it's even more important now than before." "Alright, then I guess we're done here," Garrick said as he handed the bottle to her, "If there's anything you need, or you suspect anything, don't hesitate to stop by. Now then, please send in lover boy from outside."

Akame had to smile at his name for Tatsumi as she left. After poking her head outside to call him in, she resumed her place next to Haru's bed while doing her best to ignore Leone's smile. "So, what did the Doc want?" she asked, trying to sound casual. "It was just a check-up," Akame replied, "He's just being thorough and making sure we're all fine." "So, your 'situation' is under control, then?" Leone asked, smiling sweetly. Her grin just got wider when Akame's face went beat red. "H-how?" Akame asked, unwilling to try to deceive the older woman. "I heard you...clearing your system this morning," she replied, her smile going from evil to comforting, "And besides, I knew something was up when you ate only one plate of food the night before."

"Does anyone else…?" Akame asked, her blush finally under some kind of control. "Nope, just me," Leone told her as she got up and walked over. Putting a hand on her friend's shoulder, she continued, "I guess the question is; do you want anyone else to know?" "I-I'm not sure," Akame told her, looking down, "I'm…scared, Leone. What if…what if he gets mad at me? Or scared?" She couldn't help asking these questions, since the possibility was now very real in her mind. This also meant that Akame was surprised when Leone started to laugh. "I'm sorry, but that's just too rich," Leone said, giggling, "Haru, scared? I don't think there's such a thing. And I've seen him get mad, so I can guarantee that you could handle it. Besides, why would he get mad at you? He loves you too much."

"You really think so?" Akame asked, starting to feel a bit better. "I know it," she told her, squeezing her shoulder, "And I'm willing to bet this will make him love you more. So tell him, Akame." "Tell me what?" Haru slurred as he came back to consciousness. Sitting up, he wiped at his eyes and yawned, giving the two girls a few moments. Akame just sat there in stunned silence, praying that he hadn't overheard the whole conversation. Leone, meanwhile, seemed to teleport away, since the moment Akame blinked she was on the other side of the room and pretending that the view out of the window was fascinating.

Then the moment was gone, and Haru was looking Akame in the eye. "Hey there," he said, smiling, "I'm glad you got out okay." "S-so am I," she replied, cursing herself for the stutter, "How are you feeling?" "Better after that nap," he said, looking around, "How's Mine?" "She's fine," she told him, gesturing to the other bed, "She's probably too injured to fight, but she's going to be alright." "That's good to hear," he said, looking relieved, "So, what was it you're supposed to tell me?" "Uh…" Akame said, hesitating as her emotions raged. On the one hand, she knew that Leone was right and that Haru wouldn't be anything except understanding and caring. But there was also that little pessimist that kept worrying that things would go wrong.

And it was the pessimist that won out. "Right, I should tell you that Tatsumi is here as well," she said, "And he'll probably want to have a word with you about Mine." He could tell that there was something else bugging her, but he wasn't about to push it. He was still exhausted, and it looked like they were going to be spending the night at the clinic. Rolling off the bed, he got up and felt a wave of pain as what felt like every nerve in his body got scraped by sandpaper. Yeah, that's going to smart for a while he thought as he walked around the room. It helped a bit, and by the time Tatsumi entered the room Haru didn't feel like he was walking on pins and needles.

Seeing Mine bandaged up and on the bed, he hurried to her side instantly. "I-is she?" he asked, almost not wanting to know. "Relax, newbie," Haru said, walking up and slapping his back, "The shrimp is more durable than I am, and that's saying a lot. Just give her some time to rest." Nodding, Tatsumi took one of the chairs and planted himself at her bedside. He wasn't about to leave her again, not as long as he was still breathing. Figuring someone would need to stand watch, Haru motioned Akame to follow him as he walked towards the door. Passing through the waiting room, they heard muffled complaining from the examination room, and Haru figured that it was Lubbock's turn for a check-up.

Taking a deep breath of the night air, Haru felt his head clearing up much quicker than before. "So, what was it you really wanted to tell me?" he asked as he scanned the streets. After the day's events, it didn't look like people were too eager to be out at night. The tension was almost palpable, and it was enough to make him feel nervous. If there was anything that he and Akame needed to work out, he would prefer that it be done now instead of after everything kicked into high gear.

For a while, Akame just remained silent as she tried to come to a decision. "Haru, can I ask you something?" she said finally as she tried not to meet his eye, fearing it would reveal her inner turmoil, "You love me, don't you?" "Of course I do," he replied without hesitation, looking surprised. Walking over to her, he put an arm around her shoulders and asked, "Whatever it is, you can tell me, Akame. It won't change anything." Deciding to just go for it, she took a deep breath before turning to him. Taking one of his hands for comfort, she looked him square in the eye and said, "I'm pregnant."

The silence was almost stifling as his brain tried to make sense of those words. "You're pregnant?" he repeated, trying to find his footing again, "I… You're sure?" When she nodded, he took a breath and closed his eyes, willing his mind into order. "It was only once," he said, looking at her again, "I may be good, but one time? How is that possible?" "Maybe the timing was just right?" she offered, trying not to break down right then and there, "Garrick said that it's not unnatural for it to happen so fast, but he did hint that it was unusual." "Unusual how?" Haru asked, instantly on guard.

"I-I'm not sure," she said, stepping back and hugging herself, "Maybe it has something to do with my training. The conditioning they put us through, the drugs they used. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we're both Imperial Arms users. Or maybe he was right, and my body is just 'quick on the draw.' I honestly don't know." Looking at him again, she felt the tears starting to flow as she continued, "I'm scared, Haru. I don't want this to… I don't want to lose you over…"

He understood what she meant well enough. Stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he pulled her in as she started to cry softly. "It's okay, Akame," he said, "I'm not going to run off over something like this. I don't think it's fully sunk in yet, but I'm sure that once it does this will be a happy memory." Pulling back so he was looking at her again, he said, "I guess this makes it official now, since we're about to become parents." That was…something that she hadn't really considered. Parents she thought, still unable to fully comprehend it.

"We're…going to be…parents?" she said, trying the words out. And sure enough, they sounded just as real as when Haru had said it. Smiling at her, he rested his forehead on hers, saying, "I never knew I could be this happy." Putting her arms around him, Akame smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment as much as she could. "I love you so much," she said, figuring she could afford to gush, but only a little. Laughing softly, Haru kissed her briefly. "I love you, too," he replied, his exhaustion forgotten.

The rest of the night passed rather uneventfully, but the next morning was rather interesting. Haru had spent the night on the floor after convincing Akame to take the bed. When he woke up, it was to the sound of Mine and Tatsumi arguing, again. "For the last time, I'm fine!" she said as she struggled to get up. "And for the last time, no you're not!" Tatsumi shouted back, pushing her back down, "You're nowhere near healed yet, so stop being so stubborn and rest!" "I don't need you to take care of me!" "Clearly you do, since you can't get in a fight without getting beaten up," he said, finally calming down, "Why do you have to keep fighting me on this? I just want you to get better, so please…"

For once, he was able to take the wind completely out of her sails. Looking at him in stunned silence, she wasn't able to stop her cheeks from turning a light pink. "W-Well, if you put it like that, then I guess I don't have any choice," she replied as she moved to lay back down, "But don't get too used to this, newbie!" The use of his nickname brought his promise to Haru back to mind, and Tatsumi felt his own face growing hotter as he thought about it. Haru could read the room pretty well at that point. Thankfully, Leone had gone out with Lubbock to stand guard, and Akame had woken up not long after he had.

Taking her hand, he motioned to the door and they left Mine and Tatsumi alone. They would need the privacy. After checking in with Garrick, Haru got a small list of things that the man would need for the coming days. "I won't pretend to know what you all have planned," he said as he handed them the list, "But I'm guessing that it's all going to come to a head in the next few days. I can also guess that there's going to be a lot of hurt people, regardless of your intentions. So, I'm going to need some supplies. Consider it a down payment on your tab, Haru."

Accepting the list, they checked in with Lubbock before heading out, learning that Leone had gone back to the hideout earlier to check in with Najenda. "Oh, Haru, there's one more thing," he said before they walked off, "Tatsumi told me last night, so I figured you'd want to know as soon as possible." "Know what?" Haru asked, not knowing how much he would regret knowing. "Su's…Susanoo is gone," Lubbock told him, looking down, "He stayed behind to hold off Esdeath while Najenda and Tatsumi escaped."

That was a serious blow, and Haru needed a moment to fully come to terms with it. Judging from the way Akame squeezed his hand, she needed it, too. The big man had always seemed indestructible; hell, the first time they had met, he had proven he was damned near it. "Thanks, Lubbock," he replied before heading out. He needed something to take his mind off of this. Two of us have died, and almost twice that have nearly died he thought, trying to keep his emotions in check, how much more death is it going to take to put an end to this?

Little did he know that his question would be answered shortly as they came upon a public display. Several people had been 'tried' and executed as sympathizers for the Revolution. One of the bodies had a strange series of marks carved into it, and while Haru paid it no mind, Akame seemed very interested in it. She stared at it for a few moments, cementing it in her head as she interpreted the message. "Akame, what is it?" he asked, sensing something else going on. "It's Kurome," she replied, looking at him with sad eyes, "She wants to meet me… to end this."