"Well, Shinji, it looks like you're going to have a playmate, soon." A big bellied Maron said, smiling down at her best friends son. She held her tummy, smiling at the ultrasound.

It was a girl.

She felt Chiaki's hand gently squeeze hers and looked over at him. "We'll name her Natsuki, ne?" She asked, smiling at her husband. Finn Fish...you will be reborn from me...Just as your Access was reborn from Miyako...

The young two year old peered at the monitor, his face looking rather disgusted. "Was dat?" He asked, pointing a syrup covered finger at the place where her baby was growing.

"That's Natsuki...My daughter." Maron was reaching the end of her third trimester, and was getting somewhat anxious. She was due in about two months. Natsuki had grown more and more active in a few weeks, and was rather brutally kicking her. It got to the point where Chiaki could feel it if she kicked when they were embracing. It HURT too.

Chiaki smiled at the wierd look on Shinji's face. "So, you'll have someone to play with now. A best friend."

Shinji seemed to ponder this for a moment. "Wat abat Toki?"

Chiaki watched as Miyako gently stroaked Shinji's hair while Yamato chuckled. "You can have more than one best friend, Shinji. It'll make life more intresting in fact.

Maron smiled at the boy. Maybe life will be kinder to them this time...Maybe they will be allowed to be together...Maybe...

Maron walked up to the apartment, holding her new daughter in her arms. She new that over the past few months, Shinji had grown increasingly anxious about meeting the new baby. While it was still in her stomache, he's rest his ear against it, occasionally getting kicked in the face by the active child.

When she entered the apartment, her husband and friends were there, as well as little Shinji. "Chiaki! I'm home!"

"Maro..." He reached out to hug her, but she passed him, walking towards Miyako.

"Where's Access...I mean, Shinji?" She asked, bouncing the baby.

"Right here..." She pointed downwards, where Shinji was clinging.

"What's up? Does the baby want to see me?" He looked up at her through big, innocent eyes.

"Yeah." Maron kneeled down, smiling big.

Shinji put a finger to his mouth, sucking the syrup off it, cutely. "But I saw her once before...

"She's had her right hand fisted the whole time and she wouldn't open it and I was wondering why...Look, look! See?" She gently pried the baby's hand open and showed the contents to Shinji.

His eyes got rather big. "A black earing...Finn?"

"Her name is Natsuki."

Shinji's eyes began to tear up and he grabbed the baby's hands. "Yeah! I love you, Natsuki! Marry me?!

The other's in the room stared at the boy in shock while Maron giggled softly at the comment. Chiaki smiled, walking up and putting his arm around her shoulders and giving her a kiss on the forehead.

Miyako stared at her son, picking him up. "Oi! Why are you proposing NOW?!"

Maron just giggled. Let this life be kinder to them...let them find happiness...