It had been at least three years since Keiko and Daiana had gotten married. By this point, Raphael was nine years old and still learning everything there was to know about the world around him. Keiko couldn't have been any prouder of him even if she wanted to. The way he had come up in this world, the way he'd taken after her... It made her reflect on how far she'd come in her parenting journey. It was frankly a miracle that she was able to find the strength she needed to take care of her son after the rocky start she had with him. Still, if there was anything she was most grateful for in this life, it was having him and Daiana in it.

She couldn't forget everyone else, though. Eddie might not have been perfect, but Keiko was glad to have him as a father nonetheless. Sure, it was weird that he'd married her aunt Arisu and had a daughter with her (especially given that he'd managed to move on just a year after Zelda had died), but Keiko couldn't deny how much he tried to be the best father possible. It couldn't have been easy, after all, even after everything he had experienced. Keiko admired his resilience and dedication, and she loved him for it. She knew he would never be forgotten when he died, and she would always be grateful for everything he had done for her. She'd always find a way to carry on his legacy, even during times when it seemed she couldn't. For now, she enjoyed having him here in the here and now.

Plenty of other changes had been going on during the intervening years. Alice, for example, recently passed away from leukemia. For all her faults, she was as loyal as they came, having worked with the Warden family since before the Warden and the Mistress had even met. It was for that reason that everyone within her circle of friends and allies mourned her so dearly. Bruce, on the other hand, was still alive; but it was becoming clear that he was getting up there in age. So, as a way of helping him, Keiko hired two of Daiana's cousins to step in as bodyguards for the White House. So what if it was technically nepotism? She didn't care. All that mattered was getting to see them work hard at their new jobs and work together as a team.

Keiko couldn't help but admire the sibling dynamic between Bartoloméia and her brother Deiveson as they settled into their bodyguard roles. It reminded her not only of the same kind of relationship Daiana had with her twin brother Maicon; but also that kind of dynamic Keiko had with her own siblings, as well as the one between their aunt Maddie and uncle Ethan. Despite her adamance in the past about not wanting another child, seeing the two cousins working together made Keiko want to reconsider that stance. Perhaps Raphael could benefit a little from looking after a younger sibling. Keiko knew that it would mean a lot of extra work for her, especially given what the future had in store for her, but she had a feeling that it would be worth it in the end. She decided that she would be open to the idea of having another child after all.

After talking this change of heart over with Daiana, Keiko decided that she would tell her father about this. She wasn't sure how he was going to react to such news, but at the same time, she didn't care. She knew full well she couldn't keep it to herself.

One day, a week after her 27th birthday, Keiko decided to approach her father while he was working in his office and talk to him about it there. Without hesitation, she softly knocked on the door and waited for him to answer.

"Who is it?" Eddie called out from the other side of the door.

"It's me, Dad," Keiko responded. "There's something I need to tell you."

Eddie paused for a moment. "Come on in, Keiko."

Keiko quickly scampered into the room and took a seat across from her father's desk.

"So..." Eddie paused for what felt like an eternity but was really an instant. "What was it you wanted to ask me?"

"I want another baby."

Eddie almost fell over backward, shocked by what he'd just heard. "What?"

"You heard me. I want another baby."

"I see. And you've discussed this with Daiana?"

"I sure have."

"Great. Have you decided which of you will carry the baby?"

"Sure have. We decided that I would be the one to carry it."

"Oh. Um... okay." He paused again, trying carefully to articulate the next words to come out of his mouth. "Well, um, at least you two talked it over."

It didn't take long for Keiko to pick up on her father's awkward hesitation. "What's wrong, Dad? You don't seem to be taking this very well."

"What?" Eddie held up his hands as if to defend himself. "No, no, no, you're taking it the wrong way! It's just..." He trailed off as he tried again to articulate the next words to come out of his mouth. "You didn't exactly have the best experience when you were pregnant with Raphael. I'm just worried for you because I'm afraid history might repeat itself, that's all."

"Thanks, I guess, but this really is what I want. I want another baby. Trust me, Dad, I'm in a much better place now than I was nine years ago."

"I know that, sweetie, but..."

"No buts. I want another baby, and I'm going to get it. Please, you have to let me do this. It'll be so much better this time around."

Eddie sighed and let that all sink in. "Alright, I trust you. No matter what you want to do, I'm going to try to support it."

Keiko locked him into a tight embrace. "Thank you, Dad! I'm so glad you're my father!"

Keiko and Daiana started trying for a child a week later, though not without some help from Daiana's twin brother Maicon. It wasn't without some difficulty, however. Eddie had to explain to the two women just how much effort was required for trying to conceive. In fact, he had to explain that it took months at a time before he and Suki were eventually able to conceive Mariko and Alfie.

Despite the struggles (or perhaps because of them), the two wives kept at it for two months. Soon, as if in the blink of an eye, it was Valentine's Day. By this point, Keiko's period had been late for nearly two weeks. Part of her was hoping that this meant she was pregnant again, but she didn't want to be too optimistic. It could've been anything. Then again, she was also dealing with some of the worst nausea she'd ever experienced. Nausea had been one of the first symptoms she experienced while pregnant with Raphael, so maybe she was expecting another child after all. She planned to go with Daiana to the doctor soon to find out.

For now, she had to focus on celebrating Valentine's Day as best as she currently could: staying nearby her bathroom door in case she needed to puke and having Daiana and Raphael dote on her whenever they could. Not even Valentine's Day was immune to the toll that morning sickness was taking on her. There was also something else bothering her. Having another child nearly a decade after her son would come with its own risks, and Eddie, naturally, knew all about it. Having someone who'd been there and experienced it brought both comfort and terror for Keiko. Sure, her father wasn't the best person to talk to on many matters; but he knew more than she did just how scary it could be preparing for another child sometimes. After all, he had to live through it at least once.

As Valentine's Day winded down, Keiko spent the remainder of the day trying not to eat much without it coming right back up. As funny as she found it that she spent this year feeling physically sick, she was still in absolute agony. However, this didn't stop Raphael from bringing her one final gift for that day.

Raphael approached his mother, carrying a container. From the look on her face, Keiko was dying to know what it was.

"What's this?" she asked curiously.

"I don't want to say," Raphael replied with a smirk. "You'll have to open it to find out."

Keiko smirked right back and got up. She then took the gift from her son's hands and laid back down on the bed. Once her stomach stopped doing somersaults, she worked open the top of the container. Peeking inside, she saw a single white rose.

Her eyes grew wide. She sat there, confused, trying to come up with a way to respond. "What's this about, Raph?"

"It's a rose," Raphael replied flatly as he pointed at the flower in the container. "A white rose. It's from that garden Grandpa planted when Grandma died. Remember how I told you about it? How he wanted to have roses in the garden, but white roses in particular, as a way of honoring Grandma? Well, I've been helping Grandpa plant flowers in the garden for a long time. Last week, I saw that the white roses were fully in bloom, so I picked one. For you."

Keiko lowered her head, suppressing a sob. When she lifted her head again, she saw that Raphael had smiled lovingly at her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you, son," Keiko said, still trying not to sob. "It's beautiful."

"Anything for the number one lady in my life," Raphael replied.

The decision to visit the doctor with Daiana was not made lightly. They had established a routine of supporting each other through their respective health concerns, often mirroring the mutual care that they often offered each other in other facets of life. The prospect of revealing another pregnancy seemed monumental enough that they couldn't face it alone. It was a shared journey, and they both had a stake in what was to come.

"Whatever happens, we'll face it together," Daiana said, her hand reaching for Keiko's.

It was a simple statement, and yet it held the weight of their commitment to one another. The warmth from her partner's touch felt grounding amidst the turmoil of emotions that churned within. She had no idea what she'd do without the woman in her life nor did she want to think about it. All she could be at this moment was grateful.

A week after Valentine's Day, the two women went to see Keiko's OB-GYN, Dr. Giese. When she looked through the pair to figure out why they had asked to meet with her, her eyes grew wide.

"Well," Dr. Giese began as the two women took their seats, "I know why you two are here."

Keiko nodded. "Yep, we're here to see if we're having a baby together."

"I figured as much. Anyway, let's get started."

Dr. Giese opened her drawer and rifled through the mess before pulling out a pregnancy test. "If you'll please follow me, Keiko."

Just like last time, Keiko and her doctor followed the pregnancy test into the bathroom. After that, Keiko peed on the test and waited anxiously for the result.

Dr. Giese reached a hand out towards Keiko. "You have nothing to worry about. This will be easy and fast."

Keiko nodded, albeit still anxiously. "Okay."

Eventually, after waiting for what felt like forever, she saw two pink lines staring right back at her.

"Two pink lines means it's positive, right?" Keiko asked as she handed the test back to Dr. Giese.

Dr. Giese nodded. "Yes. Alright, now I just have to run another test."

"What kind of test, Doctor?" Keiko asked. "Is the pregnancy test not enough?"

"Well, sometimes, they can be inaccurate. What I'm going to do now is a simple blood test. It's the easiest way to tell whether you're pregnant or not. If I take a blood sample right now, I'll be able to figure out whether or not you're pregnant in two days."

"I can't wait two days, Doctor. Don't you have another way to tell whether or not I'm pregnant?"

"Not at the moment. In order to find out, I'll have to take a blood sample and test it. That'll take a couple of days. So I hope you're able to be patient."

Keiko sighed in frustration. "Alright, just get it over with then."

"Excellent."

Dr. Giese gently picked up Keiko's hand and wiped an alcohol pad on the crook of her elbow before putting in an IV. She quickly took a blood sample before carefully withdrawing the needle. As the doctor proceeded to tape the wound closed, Keiko gently massaged her arm.

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Giese asked.

"My arm hurts and my stomach is still doing flips," Keiko grumbled. "Otherwise, I'm fine. I've been dealing with the worst morning sickness possible all week, and I doubt it could possibly get worse than that."

"I promise you the nausea won't last. Anything else I should know?"

"Raphael gave me a white rose from my father's garden for Valentine's Day, just a little while ago."

"Was that his only gift?"

Keiko simply shook her head. "No. He also gave me clothes I could wear around the house."

"Oh, okay." Dr. Giese paused for a moment to regain her composure before she stood up. "We're all done. I need you to sit tight here for a while. I'll be back soon."

Dr. Giese went over to the other side of the counter and reached for the phone. As she returned, she noticed Daiana, who had been patiently waiting by Keiko's side the whole time.

"My wife's pregnant, right?" Daiana asked nervously.

"We'll need to see," Dr. Giese explained before walking over to Keiko. "For the record, have you experienced anything else besides nausea and vomiting, Mrs. Warden? Sensitivity to smell, frequent urination, abdominal pain, backache, fatigue, breast swelling, soreness, or an increased sense of smell and taste?"

"Now that you mention it all, yes," Keiko replied. "Yes to them all."

Dr. Giese pursed her lips. "It definitely sounds like you're pregnant, then. However, I'll still have to wait for the blood sample before I can confirm anything, so be patient."

Keiko nodded. "Okay."

The wait for the blood sample results felt like the longest 48 hours in either of the two wives' lives. Keiko had no idea how anyone could stand to wait that long, especially for results that could change someone's life forever. Daiana was calm, as if she had already accepted whatever the outcome might be. Keiko, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves and anticipation. She knew that no matter what the outcome, their lives would never be the same.

"Even if the results come back negative, it'll be okay," Daiana assured her. "We can always try again."

"I know that!" Keiko snipped. "I just wish they'd hurry up and give us the results already!"

Daiana sighed. "I know, but just be patient."

"Okay, I will."

Finally, the long-awaited results came in. Daiana quickly retrieved them and skimmed through the contents to get to the part they'd waited so badly for.

"Well, what's it say?" Keiko asked nervously.

"They're positive," Daiana simply replied. "You're pregnant!"

Keiko gasped. They did it. They'd conceived their first child together. The first thing Keiko did after that was lock Daiana into a tight embrace. In that moment, the world around them faded away into a warm blur— a sanctuary of love and hope. The weight of anticipation melted away, replaced by an overwhelming sense of joy and unity.

As they held each other tightly, the enormity of what lay ahead began to sink in. This wasn't just about them anymore or even about Raphael; it was about building a life together, nurturing a new soul, and embracing the beautiful chaos of parenthood. Keiko could feel Daiana's heartbeat against her own, a rhythmic reminder of the bond they shared— not just as partners but soon as parents.

"Can you believe it?" Keiko whispered, breaking the silence that felt sacred at that moment. "We're going to be mothers."

Daiana pulled back slightly, her eyes glistening with tears of happiness. "It feels so surreal, doesn't it? A little person— a part of us —growing inside you." Her voice wavered with emotion, and Keiko knew that she could hardly contain the swell of love that surged through them both. "I can't wait."