All that could have been and never was…

"I'm home—"

"Miki! Stop running around, and let me dry you!"

"No! Papa!" I looked up from the doorway to catch my wife chasing our naked five-year-old daughter around the halls with a towel and couldn't help the amused sounds that escaped my mouth.

"Miki," I called to the stubborn girl and grinned when she stopped to listen to me. She really was Daddy's little girl deep down. "Let your mother dry you off. Your favorite Auntie Yukari and Auntie Aigis are coming over soon, remember?"

"Aha! Caught you!" Minako scooped the girl up into the towel and smiled triumphantly. Miki erupted into a fit of giggles, but when her eyes caught mine, she pouted and glowered at me as best as she could from her spot in her mother's arms.

"Papa! You big meanie head!"

I finally stepped out of my work shoes and crossed the threshold into our cozy apartment, making sure to plant a loving kiss on my wife's lips before giving my attention back to our hyperactive child. I tried to kiss the girl's forehead like always, but she just pushed me back with her little stubby arms and stuck her tongue out at me.

"Don't worry, Aki. She'll get over it once Yukari and Aigis get here." I smiled at her words and gave her another quick peck on the cheek. This woman just always knew how to make me feel better. "Now you, Miki… Time for you to get dressed."

"Awww…" she whined in a tone that was adorably upset as Minako carried her down the hall. I just chuckled at their antics while I hung my coat on the hook, and once that was accomplished, I stepped into our living room, inhaling the wonderful smells that congregated there. The table was set with the various dishes we'd be eating once our guests arrived. In addition to Yukari and Aigis, Shinji and Ken were also going to be stopping by, but I kept it a secret from little Miki (as I suspected that she liked them a little too much).

And speaking of the devils, there was a knock on the door. I could hear Miki's happy squeals from her room and my wife's frustrated grunts to get the job of dressing the little tyke done. I turned back the way I came and answered the door.

"Hey, Senpai! Filling in for your wife?" Yukari asked cheekily, and I had to resist the urge to shut the door in her face. "Just kidding! D-don't give me that look. I brought cake!"

"Cake?" came from down the hall, and I couldn't help the grin that spread on my face.

"Yep, cake," Yukari confirmed and invited herself inside with a slight bow. Aigis stepped in after her with a thoughtful expression but said nothing. With a smile, Yukari handed me the package, so she could remove her boots. "It's the cake that she was upset that she didn't get to eat with us last time."

That was all it took to send the little sprite running down the hall at full speed with her half-finished ponytails. Seconds later, Minako was scrambling after her with a ponytail holder and comb.

"Auntie Yukari! Auntie Aigis!"

"I wasn't done with you, Miki!" Minako called after the energetic child, her cheeks flushed from the sudden burst of activity.

"Hey, Miki-chan," Yukari cooed, bending over to give the little girl a hug. "…Now be a good girl and let your mama finish your hair…"

"Don't wanna!"

Aigis lowered herself as well and finally spoke with a mischievous smile, "Shinjiro-san and Ken-kun will be here soon."

"Ehh?" Miki pulled away from Yukari and ran to me with fire in her large doe eyes. "Papa! You didn't tell me that Uncle Shinji and Ken-nii would be coming!"

I pouted down at my little daughter, and she pouted back.

"I wanted to surprise you, Miki… And why are you mad at just me? Mama knew, too."

"Aahhh!" She turned on her stunned mother and tugged on her skirt angrily. I gulped nervously at the glare that Minako sent me in response. "You guys are no fair! Mama! Finish my hair quick!"

"Ah, whatever," Minako gave in with a sigh. "As long as it gets her to behave and let me finish…"

All the females gathered at the sofa and proceeded to gussy up my little girl, and I couldn't help but feel slightly irritated at the prospect of being left out. Then again, fashion wasn't really my thing, so I shouldn't have been complaining. Although, I had to admit that my daughter really was adorable. She had inherited her mother's auburn hair and generally took after her the most. The one thing she got from me was her set of beautiful platinum eyes that were now watching me curiously from the other side of the room.

"Miki-chan will be quite the looker when she grows up," Yukari chirped after pinning a hairclip in my daughter's hair. "I bet she'll be just like her mother and make all the guys' jaws drop!"

"Perhaps I should enroll in high school again when she goes," Aigis suggested jokingly. "Then I can protect her from all the boys like I did her mother."

"Aigis!" Minako's face flushed slightly. "Don't even joke like that. Aki might just take you up on that."

"Hey, I just want what's best for my little girl," I shot back lightheartedly from my side of the room. The room erupted in a fit of laughter, save for little Miki who just looked confused. Our carousing was interrupted by the familiar swift knocks on the door, and before I could get up to answer, Miki dashed past with a speed unimaginable for a child like her.

"Uncle Shinji!" I could hear the little girl cry excitedly from the entryway. Moments later, I heard Shinji's grunt from most likely being forced to pick her up. "And Ken-nii, too! Did ya bring me anything?"

"Just like your parents… Always expectin' something out of me… A-ah, don't cry—"

"Don't worry, Miki-chan. We remembered to get something for you," Ken cut in, his voice growing in volume as they stepped further into the apartment. Shinji came into the room first with Miki dangling off his arm happily, and Ken strolled after them with a gift bag in the crook of his arm. My eyes followed the present in his arm to his dark clothing and lazily landed on the emblem of his Gekkoukan High uniform jacket.

"Didn't have enough time to go home and change because you were out with a girl?" I teased the teenager. Had we all been conversing like this five years ago, I wouldn't have been able to make a joke like that, but living with Minako for so long had brought about a change in my humor. Ken seemed to tense and flush at my question.

"N-no, that's not it. I was—"

"Papa! Don't bully Ken-nii!" Miki interrupted with a huff and hopped out of Shinji's grasp to hug the leg of the aforementioned teen instead.

"My, you're awfully protective of him, Miki-chan," Yukari commented pointedly. Aigis seemed to catch on and added a few words of her own.

"Do you plan to marry him in the future?"

Minako and I both nearly choked at Aigis's question, but compared to the answer that followed, that was nothing.

"Yep! Ken-nii even said that we could. He just said I have to be a good girl and wait until I grow up!" I could already feel the veins in my head popping.

The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.

"…Why did I never hear of this before?" I asked the boy, my tone darkening with every word. The girls looked between each other in distress before Aigis added unnecessarily:

"That's right… A man must first seek the parents' permission for a woman's hand in marriage, correct…?"

"A-Aigis! That's not helping—!"

"A-Akihiko-san! I-I can explain!" The teenager backed away as I prepared to stand up.

Miki's eyes wandered to the table, and suddenly, she detached herself from the boy's leg. "Thanks for the food!" she cried hungrily, taking a seat at the table. The rest of the women exchanged glances before quickly muttering their own thanks and grabbing their chopsticks.

"Wow! These are delicious, Minako! I didn't think it was possible, but your cooking got even better!" Yukari interjected, purposefully extending her arm across the table as a sort of barrier. My anger dissipated from the look Minako sent me at that moment, so I acquiesced and crossed my legs as a sign that I wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.

"I helped Mama, too!" Miki said through a mouthful of rice.

"Well, perhaps what they say about women in love is true," Aigis added thoughtfully.

"Aigis…" Minako hissed in warning, motioning in my direction, but before long, one of her true smiles still managed to sprout to life on her face. "But… thanks guys. It's a shame that Junpei couldn't be here…"

"Yeah, and Mitsuru, too. She said she wanted to come, but some company matters came up at the last second. Oh, and Fuuka said she wanted to come, but…" Yukari trailed off, her chopsticks pressed against her bottom lip pensively.

"It can't be helped. Everyone has work these days," Minako replied with a sigh. "And I wish Koromaru wasn't sleeping right now because he'd be so excited to see you guys… Ah, poor Koro-chan's getting old these days."

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised with how much Miki plays with him every day," I said, much to the horror of the girl in question. She nearly tossed her chopsticks across the table at me.

"I only play with Koro-chan 'cause he wants to play!" she defended with rosy cheeks. Shinji took a seat and purposefully leaned toward me for a moment.

"You guys been feedin' him well?" my friend jokingly whispered just loud enough for only me to hear.

"Have a little more faith in us, Shinji," I answered under my breath just as humorously. I looked past him and noticed how Ken was still squirming uncomfortably from our verbal clash earlier. The gift he and Shinji brought lay forgotten on the floor behind him. "Why don't you give Miki her gift, Ken?"

The teen jumped in surprise and seemed to redden at the prospect.

"Don't worry. It's from you and Shinji, so I can't very well kill you over it." I glanced at my daughter and the corners of my lips quirked upward at how her eyes sparkled with anticipation. Ken grabbed the bag and passed it across the table to the eager girl who nearly snatched it out of his hands in her excitement. Miki greedily fished around in the bag and was pleasantly surprised when she pulled out a… stuffed rabbit?

Minako and I exchanged glances, obviously both recalling a particular encounter from our time in high school when I—

"It's so cute!" she squealed, interrupting my train of thought.

"Now, what do you say?" Minako reminded her in her motherly tone. Miki smiled and cuddled the stuffed animal closer to her chest.

"Thank you, Ken-nii! Uncle Shinji!"

"Hey! Don't try to show us up!" Yukari yelled across the table with her arms crossed. "Compared to our cake, that toy…"

"It will last longer than our gift," Aigis finished despondently. "As much as I hate to say this, we have been… outclassed."

"We had to try to beat your gift from last time, so we had to bring out the big guns," Ken retorted with a smirk. I just threw my arms up in defeat with an exasperated sigh. It seemed that everyone was intent on wooing my daughter these days, and she was only five. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like ten years from now…

The dinner continued without further incident, though everyone was surprised when Koromaru came bounding down the hall at breakneck speed and nearly crashed into the table in his excitement. Eventually, a loud yawn escaped the Miki's mouth, and she rubbed her eyes with her little hands, squishing her face in various ways in an effort to fight off sleep. I found the entire scene endearing and let out an amused breath. Minako's eyes met mine just long enough for us to nod at each other in agreement. I rose to my feet and picked up the drowsy five-year-old. She objected for a moment, but another yawn interrupted her futile protests.

"Come on. It's past your bedtime," I cooed into her hair, but she shook her head, cuddling her new rabbit toy closer.

"But Uncle Shinji and Ken-nii…" We continued down the hall, and Miki groaned once I reached her bedroom. With a shake of my head, I opened the door, carried her inside, and set her down, so I could retrieve her pajamas. I noted with some mild enjoyment that she wasn't taking this opportunity to escape.

"You'll see them again. I promise." My eyes fell on what I was looking for, and with a smile, I held the pajama set out to my little girl who was tiredly pulling the ponytails out of her hair. I didn't miss the way her eyes lit up at the sight of her favorite nightclothes. Once she was all set for bed (minus brushing her teeth, but Minako wouldn't mind one night, right…?), I pulled the comforter up to her chin and nuzzled her nose.

"That tickles, Papa!" she giggled, pushing my face away from hers.

"Hey, I shaved this morning," I shot back, affronted by her implications, but she only laughed harder. "Well, you better get some sleep before your mother comes in here. You don't want to make her mad, right?"

"She won't get mad!"

"You never know. Maybe she could start today," I teased and planted a feather light kiss on her forehead. "Good night, Miki. Your mother and I love you."

"Love you, too, Papa. Good night."

Satisfied, I stood from her bedside and turned the light off, but before I could shut the door behind me, the world began to spin. My cozy apartment disappeared in a swirl of colors and faded into something plain and monochrome. A sickening feeling settled in the pit of my stomach, and I had to resist the urge to retch. I awoke with a start and winced from the brightness of my surroundings.

White.

I was sitting in a hospital room next to someone's bed, but I must've fallen asleep at some point. The sick feeling returned, and I suddenly didn't want to know whose bed I was sitting by. Human nature eventually won, and hesitantly, I looked down. She was calm and quiet, her breathing even and regular, but it was too soft and unfamiliar. This wasn't how she slept at all. It was though she was… comatose.

So that was it. I had been dreaming all along, and this was reality. The swell in her belly became painfully obvious at that moment, and even with all of my willpower, I couldn't hold back my flood of tears at the sight of it.

"If my first child is a girl, then I want to name her Miki!"

I nearly dropped the gloves I was mending and stared at her in shock. "Wh-Wha? Why?"

"Because… you know… Oh! I should've said 'our', huh?"

"W-we'll see," I stammered with flushed cheeks, turning my attention back to my boxing gloves, but I couldn't deny the fluttering happiness in my heart.

I nearly punched the wall in my rage, the salty liquid flying off my face from the sudden movement. Thinking back, I was appalled at my own stupidity. We had done all of those things and not once did the concept of protection cross my mind. It was always just the heat of the moment, but then again, when the world was potentially about to end, did that sort of thing really matter?

"Well, it does now," I thought bitterly, the tears still flowing freely. It felt even worse that I had forgotten about our relationship completely for a while since at the same time, she must've been confused about where this new life had come from. Yet, she was still able to live on for that period as though nothing was wrong. In the end, it must've been painful for her to realize that she had not only been living as though nothing happened between us but also carrying on knowing there was another life growing inside her.

"I should've been there for you the entire time, but I wasn't," I whispered despondently, tracing the curves of her face as delicately as I could with my shaking fingers. There was no reaction.

"Minako, please… wake up! Please!"

"Wow, everyone's here," Minako commented with a whistle. Junpei thrust a thumb at his chest triumphantly.

"Of course! We even ditched the Ending Ceremony in the most epic way ever. You should've been there!"

Mitsuru's face colored slightly from his words. "This is the first time I've…" she trailed off half-heartedly, obviously torn between her heart and her mind. She finally looked up with a smile, her heart having won over all logic. "It was most definitely worth it."

"Definitely," Yukari and Fuuka agreed with nods. Yukari turned to Aigis with an apologetic look and bowed deeply, much to the robot's surprise. "And I'm so sorry I didn't remember you, Aigis! It must've been so painful for you…"

"N-no, not at all," she stuttered back uncharacteristically, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. She was so much more human than nearly a year ago.

Minako turned to me expectantly, her eyes screaming that she needed to speak to me as soon as possible. From the intensity of her expression, it must've been something important and meant for only the two of us. I gave her a small nod before pushing Ken forward in an effort to draw any attention away from our silent exchange.

"Don't you have anything to say, Ken? You're crying, you know."

"N-no, I'm not!" he protested but ran to hug Minako anyway. She gladly embraced the boy and ran a soothing hand up and down his back. "I-I'm not c-c-crying!"

After we confirmed that the world was indeed safe and made plans to celebrate later, we finally descended from the rooftop. When we got to the lobby, several teachers caught and scolded us for interrupting the ceremony as we had. We just took the scolding with smiles, though, and gave each other impish looks. After everything we went through to keep this world safe, this was nothing in comparison. We had faced Death itself, so we weren't scared of some indignant teachers.

Eventually, we all made it back to the dorms in one piece. All of the girls minus Minako were busily drawing up plans for a celebratory party while Ken and Junpei stood to the side and gave suggestions whenever they thought of something. Even Shinji who had surprised us with his sudden recovery was with the group, offering to cook anything anyone proposed. I gave them all a nod of acknowledgement and started up the stairs under the premise that I needed to drop my bag off. Some of them stared after me knowingly, but they said nothing and just carried on with preparations as though they knew nothing.

Once I had made it to the second floor, I saw Minako waiting outside my door with her back turned to me. She was wringing her hands nervously, and when I called out to her, she jumped and nearly ran into my door as if to escape. I couldn't help but chuckle slightly at her jitteriness, but that somehow made me feel all the more uneasy at the same time. She forced a smile and shakily gestured to my room.

"Want to talk in my room?" I asked lamely, and she nodded all too enthusiastically. Whatever she needed to talk to me about, it had to be something big. I led her inside, and raised an eyebrow at the way she seemed to be glaring at my bed. Normally, she would've flopped onto it, rolled around a few times, thrown the pillows around, and generally made herself at home. Now I knew something was wrong. "Minako."

"Y-yes?" she answered a few octaves too high for my liking. I gently took her hand and led her over to the bed, practically forcing her to sit on the accursed thing. Her face burst into color, but she didn't protest. I pulled her petite hand closer until it rested on my chest and laid it flat over my heart.

I took a breath to calm myself before speaking, "I'm just as nervous as you are, so don't be in such a rush. Just… take your time."

She nodded and took a deep breath herself. Minutes passed before she seemed to gain something akin to peace. "I'm afraid of what you'll think. That…" she hesitated, and I had to grip her hand tighter to spur her to continue, "…you'll hate me… or leave me."

"What would ever—?"

"I'm pregnant."

"Shit," was the first word that popped into my mind.

"R-really?" was the first word that left my mouth.

"Yes, and I… I want to keep the child." She looked away in shame, appearing to be on the verge of tears. "This child, whoever it may be, is proof of our… love. I couldn't possibly…" I let the information sink in fully, and once I was sure of what I was getting myself into, I pulled her into my chest with the hand I was still holding. She let out a sharp gasp, and I had to pull away to make I hadn't hurt her.

"Y-you… the baby— I didn't hurt you, did I?" Minako's ringing laughter had never sounded so beautiful before now.

"Aki, I'm only twelve weeks along right now. The most I have to worry about right now are the sun and my diet." Her gaze turned upward in thought for a moment before she added, "And you wouldn't believe how many people told me I looked sick in the past couple of days. In fact, Fuuka almost managed to drag me to the nurse's office the other day… Who knows what would've happened to the baby if I had been forced to drink that horrible concoction of his…"

I suddenly felt glad that I had chosen to accept the knowledge of her pregnancy. With the issue off her shoulders, Minako had practically reverted to her old, smiley self. She looked back at me and leaned in for another hug, which I couldn't possibly deny her. I could feel her snuggle deeper into my chest and sigh contentedly, and absentmindedly, I began drawing patterns of her back.

"So, what are we going to do, Aki?" she asked abruptly, startling me out of my thoughts. "About the baby and everything. I mean, the teachers… well, probably mostly Ekoda, are going to try to convince me to discontinue school when it becomes obvious that… you know…"

"That's up to you," I replied quietly. "But it's not like you to get discouraged by the possibilities. Wouldn't you just fight against all the odds and prove everyone wrong anyway?"

She smiled into my chest and just simply laid there for a while. Finally, she spoke again, "What about… W-well, it's improper for me to have a child out of wedlock. Even you must know that…"

The meaning behind her words sunk in after a moment of silence. Marriage. We needed it to make this work. I thought I had my thoughts sorted when I accepted the fact that my child was slowly growing inside her, but… Maybe I needed some time to reevaluate my feelings? No, that wasn't it, I assured myself with a nod.

Could I even care for a family in my current state?

"Maybe we should change the subject," Minako suggested quietly, her face twisting with dejection for a brief flash. She was just as scared as I was, if not more, about this whole thing, and here I was contemplating the possibility of leaving her. If I left her… did she even have anyone else she could turn to?

"Minako, I…" I rubbed the back of my neck, flustered and unsure of what exactly to say, but deep down, I knew exactly what I wanted and just how to get it. "I may not be the greatest man in the world, but… I'd be honored if… if—"

"Oi! Mina-tan! You're taking way too long in there! The girls said they'd appreciate it if you came down to help and stuff… If I'm not interrupting anything that is…" Tch! Junpei, of all people—

"You know what, Aki? Talking to you made me feel a lot better, so… Thank you. I'm not going to run away anymore." Minako pulled out of my arms and gave me that look I always loved. She felt fierce, strong, in control, and she meant business. The determined woman stood up, opened the door, planted her hand firmly on Junpei's shoulder, and said in the most cheerful voice she was capable of, "Guess what, Junpei? You're going to be an uncle."

"Huh? Okay, Mina-ta— Wait! What?" He looked between us, color creeping up his neck and into his cheeks. "D-don't tell me you two—? What did you do, Akihiko-senpai?"

"Like I said, Junpei," Minako iterated with a smile, "you're going to be an uncle. 'Cause… you're my best friend, right?"

"O-of course!" he shot back and completely turned his attention to Minako with his usual, up-to-no-good smile. "I'm gonna spoil that kid rotten! Just you watch!"

"Looking forward to it. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Minako squeezed past Junpei into the hall and turned back to us for only a moment. "I have to tell everyone the wonderful news."

I stood and moved to follow her downstairs, but the world around me broke into tiny pieces. The scenery fell and shattered around me, and I couldn't help but shut my eyes in response. Subconsciously, I must've known what was coming next. Warily, I opened my eyes and realized that various people were gathered in the room gathering information and making sure she was stabilized. Soon, they turned their attention to me and briefed me on what exactly was going on.

I only half-listened to the doctors talk about her condition. My attention was focused more on the unmoving form of the woman I loved and the bulge in her belly. It has grown significantly larger over the course of a few months, and the doctors seemed hell-bent on informing me of what I already knew: the baby was perfectly healthy and the mother didn't seem anywhere closer to waking up.

The only information that seemed to sink in was the fact that the baby appeared to be female. I nearly broke into a fit of tears, much to their surprise because it was apparently the biggest reaction they'd been able to pull out of me in weeks. I almost argued that it was the only new information they'd given me in recent weeks, but I didn't bother to in the end. The news was causing a conflict between happiness and despair in my already broken heart.

"So… how's the baby been doing?" I nearly laughed at the way Mitsuru's face flushed at the topic, still seeming slightly uncomfortable with the circumstances. Her maternal instincts were being forced into overdrive kicking and screaming, whether she liked it or not. The look she sent me was enough to shut me up before I could even make a sound.

"Doctor said she's doing pretty well, and we should be expecting her anytime now," Minako answered with a smile and lightly patted her large tummy for good measure. After a moment, she added with a wince, "She's definitely full of energy, though… always kicking whenever she feels like causing me grief."

"How are your studies proceeding?" Mitsuru suddenly asked with a cringe, most likely wanting a change in topic.

"Just fine. I thought Ekoda would've gotten me kicked out for sure by now, but… that must be your doing, huh?" I didn't miss the amused smile on my friend's face.

"Well, there should be no reason to force a married woman out of school when her academics are outstanding. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I guess," Minako trailed off unsurely. "Oh, and I should also be thanking you for all of your financial support… For the school expenses, medical expenses, the dorm…"

"Like I told you last time, there's no need to thank me. I'm just doing my job as one of the godmothers of your child. Besides, I have nothing better to spend my money on at the moment, so it's quite alright."

"Oh! It's Mitsuru-senpai and Akihiko-senpai!" We all turned from our spots on the couches to the door and saw Yukari and Aigis. Yukari shook her umbrella off before tossing it in the bin beside the door and moved to join us. "How've you guys been?"

"Okay, I guess," I answered, my attention switching to Aigis, who wordlessly walked past us into the kitchen and began rummaging through the fridge. "University isn't as difficult as all the exams make it out to be."

"And the Kirijo Group has been stabilizing smoothly over the past few months. I have full confidence that it will be just fine if given a little more time."

"That's great…" Yukari plopped down next to Minako and poked her belly softly. "I can't wait until she's born! It's been a while since I last held a baby."

"I've never held one," Mitsuru confessed, flustered, and I nodded in agreement. I'd never held one either.

"Don't worry, Senpai. It comes naturally to women. Maternal instinct, if you will," Minako offered soothingly. She looked off in the direction Aigis went in earlier and gasped. "Aigis! What are you doing?"

"I…" Even Aigis seemed unsure of what she was doing. "I read that your health is of the utmost importance during pregnancy, so I was merely… creating a healthful nutrient supplement for you."

The concoction in question looked dubious, and the color rivaled that of the school nurse's deadly medicine.

"A-ah, Aigis," Yukari chimed in, rushing to the robot's side. "I don't think she needs that. All she really needs is a balanced diet and plenty of rest. P-plus, there are some cases where too much of certain vitamins will cause more harm than good."

"I-I understand. I will be more careful from now on."

"Hey, guys… I just realized that my contractions are getting closer together." I whirled around in time to see Minako wince and realized that she had been doing that quite a bit the entire time we were talking…

"And you didn't bother to tell us this earlier?" I asked in a panic. She just gave me a strained smile.

"I have a high pain tolerance, so I didn't really notice until just now," she answered sheepishly. From the way her arms shook, I could tell she was lying, but I decided not to call her out on it. Instead, I shot Mitsuru an expectant look, which she countered with her all-knowing one.

"Car's already out front," she replied calmly and rose gracefully to her feet, her arms crossed. "Anyone who wants to accompany us should hurry over before we depart."

"A-ah! Wait a sec! I have to grab her hospital bag from her room!" Yukari cut in frantically and rushed up the stairs. Aigis was by my side in a flash and helping me coax Minako to her feet. Once she was standing and ready to go, Junpei and Fuuka burst through the front door, out of breath. Their eyes widened with recognition at the sight of Minako's labored breathing.

"We made it just in time!" Fuuka breathed in relief, and Junpei just let out a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, in time to sit in a car with an angry pregnant lady," he sighed, and he immediately tensed when I shot a dark glare in his direction.

"Where are Shinji and Ken?" I asked irritably.

"Shinjiro-san went to pick Ken-kun up from school. They should be back soon…"

"Mitsuru, I hope you have more than one car out there."

"Already ahead of you," she said with that small smile of hers.

"Awww! She's so cute!"

"She looks just like her mother."

"What's her name?"

"Miki."

"Miki-tama! Uncle Junpei's gonna spoil you rotten!"

"…I do not like the sound of such a pure child becoming rotten…"

"It's a figure of speech Aigis."

"…In that case, I shall spoil her ten times more than Junpei-san."

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Arf!"

"…How did you guys get Koromaru in here?"

"I lied about him being my Seeing Eye dog."

"Shinji…"

"Oh! She just smiled!"

"Mitsuru-senpai… why'd you pull your phone out?"

"…I'm just making some arrangements."

"Arrangements?"

"Photographers, documenters, endorsements…"

"Wait! What types of things are you guys planning on involving my baby in?"

"I just think Mitsuru-senpai is a little flustered from seeing such a cute baby for the first time."

"C-can I hold her?"

"You have to wait your turn, Ken-kun! I called her next!"

"I'm the mother, so I get to decide these things!"

"Miki-chan's so lucky… She has so many godparents…"

"…Arf."

"Don't worry, Koromaru-san. You'll get your turn eventually."

"Arf!"

"I hope you all realize that even though there will be a baby at the dorm that you'll all still be expected to study."

"Aw, what a mood killer, Senpai."

"Iori."

"D-don't look at me like that! I-I got it!"

"Oh yeah… Now that I think about it, isn't your birthday coming up in a few weeks, Akihiko-senpai?"

"Now that you mention it… Yeah! Aki's birthday is in exactly two weeks!"

I opened my eyes when I felt the tiny grip on my fingers and looked up to see that the baby resting on Minako's chest had taken my large fingers into her little hand. She blinked at me demurely, and a small smile spread across her flushed face. Minako stroked Miki's hair, and her own lips turned upward at the action.

"She knows who her Papa is," she said sincerely and placed a light kiss on the child's crown. A pleased gurgling noise left the baby's mouth and she let my fingers free.

"Sanada-san…" I jolted to attention and realized that I was cradling the baby in my arms rather awkwardly. The nurse gave me an embarrassed look as she readjusted my arms, so I was holding the baby properly. "You need to support her head because her neck doesn't have the strength to hold it up just yet," she reminded me softly, and I could only nod numbly.

The baby girl in my arms just cooed contentedly and swung her arms around, as if testing them. A wry smile made its way to my face. She was itching for action just like her parents.

"Sanada-san, if you don't mind me asking…" the nurse trailed off hesitantly and seemed to be debating whether this was any of her business. "Arisato-san… What was your relationship with her?"

"…She was the first girl I was ever serious about," I answered tentatively, adjusting the position of my arms. The infant only stirred slightly from the movement. "She still is. If I had known about her being pregnant before all of this… I would've…"

"Miki-chan, come here," the nurse suddenly crooned, pulling the girl out of my grasp. I would've objected if I hadn't been forced to spill the turbulent feelings in my heart moments before. Guiltily, I accepted it as a form of escape, if only for a moment. "Sanada-san, do you know how to change a diaper?"

"Eh? Ah, no. I've never dealt with a baby before, so…" The kind nurse just smiled and ushered me over to the table.

"It is a must for you to know how to change a diaper. After all, you should do everything in your power to lighten the load on Arisato-san, right?"

I just stared at her incredulously, nonplussed by her newfound interest in my affairs.

"Please don't look at me like that, Sanada-san. I just believe that if there's anything that anyone can do for another person then that person should just do it. Mutualism. Karma. Helping others will bring something good to you… not that I'm doing this with ulterior motives. I just believe that we as humans should strive to help each other. Then we can gain understanding in return."

"…You really talk too much for a nurse."

"Now, Sanada-san, the first step to changing a diaper…"

"Ai-chan… could you change her diaper?"

Aigis gave Junpei a wary look before accepting the drooling infant. Miki smiled and clapped her hands, her legs flying about as though she were in a kung-fu movie. Junpei whistled and lightly tugged on her cheek.

"Ah, look who's already taking after her daddy," he babbled in singsong, making a point to glance over at me. I just grumbled and turned back to the ingredients on the counter and Shinji's strict instruction.

"Why do you only let me hold Miki when she needs her diaper changed?" Aigis abruptly asked. Koromaru barked in reply, and Aigis's expression twisted slightly in return. Miki just innocently popped her mouth, unaware of the mental battlefield. "Koromaru-san says that you dislike the scent of the waste material within her diaper. In which case, why is it that I must always be the one to complete, as Koromaru-san calls it, the 'dirty work'?"

"Junpei's in hot water," I snickered to Shinji, who just smirked before pointedly gesturing back to the formula recipe.

"W-well, Ai-chan…" Junpei's eyes darted around the lounge in a panic. "Oh! It's because it's a job that only you can do!"

"…Then why does Minako also do it?"

"A-ah, that's because, uh…"

"Aki, pay attention to the measurements!"

"…You're both wild cards! It's something that only the two of you can do!"

Aigis was silent for a moment, as if recalling something. "Then, I gained the ability to do this when she touched my Papillion Heart last winter?"

I nearly dropped the bottle I was holding.

"When she touched your what?"

"Goddammit Aki! If you're not going to pay attention—!"

"Arf!"

"Oh, that's right. I suppose I must change Miki's diaper before I pursue other matters any further. She is my top priority, after all," Aigis said with a smile and gently laid the dribbling baby on the sofa. Koromaru faithfully brought the diaper bag to her and watched the process curiously.

"Aki, do you want to learn or not?" I snapped back to attention and gave Shinji a sheepish smile. He merely grunted and pointed to the mess that I didn't realize I had made on the counter. "Get that shit cleaned up. I'm not continuing until you're serious."

"Fine, fine. I got this…"

"No, seriously, Aki. I won't teach you how to make fried rice if you can't even make your baby's formula milk."

"Miki wishes to take a nap with me. Is that alright with you, Akihiko-san?" Aigis called from across the room.

"Yeah, yeah, Aigis." I waved my hand dismissively at her from my spot in the kitchen and wiped up the powder I had spilled. "As long as Miki's happy."

"She also expresses her desire for Koromaru-san to join us on the couch. Is that also okay?"

"Ooh! Does she also want me to nap with you guys, too?" Junpei cut in enthusiastically. My eyebrow twitched with irritation, and my eyes flew to Aigis expectantly. Part of me prayed that Miki wouldn't—

"No, Miki dislikes the way that you rub her cheeks with your chin… I also do not wish to share this time with you, Junpei-san."

"Aww, so cold, Ai-chan!" Junpei wailed in mock-hurt, but Aigis just continued smiling and cradled the little baby carefully in her arms, slowly rocking back and forth. Without waiting for approval, Koromaru jumped onto the cushion next to them and settled down.

"Damn, she really is your girl, isn't she?" Shinji commented next to me.

I grinned and continued wiping the counter. "Damn straight."

"Akihiko-san…"

"Aigis." I gave her a curt nod and turned my attention back to the child in my arms. She was sound asleep, her breathing a soothing sound to my ears. Aigis walked over as quietly as she could, a ghost of a smile on her face at the sight of the life in my embrace. She lightly brushed the infant's wispy hair, her eyes misting over with emotion as time wore on.

"Her name…?"

"Miki. Sanada Miki." My voice was rough from disuse, and I had to clear my throat before continuing, "I had to fill out the adoption papers yesterday. This is what I get for not marrying her before she…"

"Please," Aigis pleaded, her voice strained. "Please don't say it."

It was easy to forget that Aigis wasn't a full-fledged human these days.

"You're the first visitor we've had for a while… I wanted to tell everyone, but…" I trailed off, the pain all too real and my voice cracking with each word. Aigis nodded solemnly, understanding dawning on her.

"Can I… hold her?"

I couldn't trust my words, so I let my body do the honors and nodded.

Aigis reached down and carefully plucked the baby out of my grasp. "Hello, Miki. I am… I am Aigis. I-it's nice to finally meet you."

Miki's eyes slowly opened, and her blue-grey met Aigis's sky blue. She just smiled and blew a tiny spit bubble in greeting. Aigis's eyes widened with wonder and her lips parted to speak words that wouldn't come. The exchange was peculiar, and I suddenly found myself wishing that I wasn't the only one here to see it.

"Such a strange child," Aigis spoke shakily, handing Miki back almost too quickly, and her brows furrowed in a way that I had never seen before. "Why…? Why does looking at her make me feel… as though I want to cry?"

I knew that it was completely inappropriate for the situation, but I couldn't help it. I laughed for the first time in months, and moments later, Miki joined in, laughing for the first time in her life.

"So why am I here again?"

"Since you don't have work or school today, you're the babysitter, Aki," Minako reminded me with a peck on my cheek. "You can hold onto Miki when my hands get too full."

"Don't look so glum, Akihiko," Mitsuru chided with her usual smile. "Think of it as a promotion from gopher, if you will."

"Mitsuru! I didn't know you had it in you," Yukari exclaimed between giggles. Fuuka just remained to the side of the group, examining the area and generally seeming lost in thought.

"Oh! Why don't we try that store first?" Fuuka finally spoke, a smile breaking onto her face. The other women in the group looked to where she was pointing, and I couldn't help but think that going in there would drain all of my manly points.

"Ah! I just saw the cutest dress inside!" Minako cried dramatically, her eyes beginning to burn with determination. I gulped in apprehension.

"Then let's go get it!" Yukari said in reply, dragging my wife forward. Miki's eyes sparkled with curiosity, and her arms reached out in the direction her mother left. I frowned at her, holding her up so we could see eye to eye.

"Please don't tell me you want to go in there, too."

She said something unintelligible and clapped her hands together excitedly before saying something I almost missed. "Ma… ma!"

"Such intelligence… She really must be the daughter of you and Minako," Mitsuru drawled teasingly. I huffed and pushed the stroller that Miki hated sitting in forward.

"I think you've got that a little mixed up. If anything, she's sadistic like her mother." After saying that, I turned my attention back to Miki and nuzzled my nose into her cheek playfully. She giggled happily in response. "…You really are just like your mother, you know."

"What do you mean by that?" Fuuka asked interestedly, and I couldn't help but cringe slightly.

"They both may look beautiful, but when no one's looking, they turn into little devils."

"But you still love them anyway, right?" Fuuka inquired with a smile. I chuckled and planted a kiss on Miki's brow.

"Yeah, I guess I'm whipped," I answered with a sigh.

Mitsuru and Fuuka exchanged knowing looks before pushing me towards the store.

"As lovely as that realization is, Akihiko, we still have much shopping to do. Now let's go."

"Okay Miki-chan! Come here!" I watched in amusement as Ken tried to coax the baby to use her newfound skill in crawling to go to him. She seemed to be debating the pros and cons of leaving her mother's side at the table and crawling toward us by the sofas. Minako looked away from her studies only briefly to give her a soft push.

"Go on, Miki. Go see Papa and Ken. Mama needs to study for entrance exams." Miki looked up at her mother for a moment, and when she realized that Minako wasn't going to give her any more attention, she began her journey towards us.

"Yeah! That's the way," Ken cheered, clapping his hands against his thighs. It was amazing just how much having a baby around changed the boy's attitude… not that it was a bad thing. I stood up from my seat and joined him in his efforts. Miki's eyes seemed to light up when she saw me and worked even harder to reach us. Once she got to the divider between the two areas, however, her palm slipped and her chin hit the floor. Ken winced at the sight while I just prepared myself for what would inevitably follow.

Without missing a beat, she began to wail, her face a bright red, and tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. I saw Minako flinch in her seat and immediately whirl around, motherly instincts already kicked into high gear. With a slight chuckle, I waved her back to her seat and walked over to where Miki had fallen on the floor and was currently bawling.

"Don't worry, Minako. I've got it." She still seemed tense but turned back to her studies anyway. Ken rushed over to join me, concern written all over his face.

"I-is she okay?" he asked timidly. I picked up the crying baby and rubbed her back soothingly, rocking back and forth on my heels.

"Shhh, it's okay, Miki. You're okay." She finally calmed after several minutes of comforting words and soft rocking motions. Her sobs finally subsided, replaced by hiccups and a confused expression. Ken sighed in relief and took one of her small fists in his.

"Gosh, you scared me there for a moment, Miki-chan." I put her back down on the floor, which she obviously didn't like, but before she could burst into another fit of tears, Ken dropped down in front of her and took her hands in his own. "Let's play some more, Miki-chan."

Her eyes brightened and a smile spread from cheek to cheek. "Nii-nii."

"Ah!" Ken looked up at me, a boyish grin growing on his own face. "She just called me 'nii-nii'!"

"Well, you know… She just loves playing with her Ken-nii," Minako teased from the table, her back still turned to us. Ken's face flushed slightly, his eyes darting around the room before finally meeting with mine.

"Does she really?" he asked me excitedly. I bent over with a small smile and put a hand on Miki's head.

"Look at her. It looks to me like she enjoys playing with you. Isn't that right, Miki?"

"Nii-nii!" she cried happily, crawling into the pleased boy's lap and clapping her hands. "Nii-nii!"

"Whatever happened to crawling across the room?" I asked under my breath, standing up straight and stretching.

"Did you say something, Akihiko-san?"

"Nah. Now do me a favor and play with Miki for a bit. I'm going to help Minako study for a while before I have to go fill out some dorm forms. Being the dorm mother is tough work, you know?" I stepped past the two without waiting for an answer and pulled out a chair next to the woman in question. She gave me a curious look and raised an eyebrow at me when I leaned over to look at her practice questions. "Oh, I know the answer to that one."

"H-huh?" She turned back to her study material and made a small "o" shape with her mouth. "Care to enlighten me? I've been stuck on that one…"

I plucked the pencil from between her fingers and took her through the problem as I remembered it. She nodded every now and then when she understood, but when one of the steps was lost on her, she stopped me with a hand on my wrist. "W-wait, how did you get that?"

"Like I said, you use this equation, and…"

"Arf!"

"We have returned," Aigis called, shutting the door behind her while Shinji grabbed Koromaru's collar.

"Not so fast," he warned the dog. "We gotta get you cleaned up before you track mud everywhere.

"Aroo…"

"Koromaru-san said that he just remembered that he had business to attend to upstairs," Aigis interpreted for the canine.

"Oh no, you don't." Shinji lifted the dog and carried him to the bathroom, Aigis faithfully trailing after them. "That excuse won't work on me. It's bath time for you."

"…You were saying?" Minako iterated, waving a hand in my face. I cleared my throat, the heat creeping up my neck.

"You plug these numbers in like this, and…"

"…iko-san? Hello? You've been spacing out an awful lot lately…"

"H-huh?" I jolted awake and realized that I was once again in that same hospital room, Yukari and Aigis watching me carefully. "Miki… Where's—?"

"She is currently resting under the temporary care of Fuuka-san," Aigis answered automatically, her face pensive. Yukari sighed and put a hand on her hip.

"Where's your mind at lately, Akihiko-san?"

"What are you talking abou—?"

"It's like you're living in a dream! Like you're blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. Fact and fiction," Yukari clarified, her voice quieting and brows knotting together. "Are you even aware that Miki's first birthday is coming up? In fact, we're all gathering to celebrate it tomorrow."

My eyes immediately flew to the calendar on the wall and confirmed that she was speaking the truth. When had so much time passed?

"We're all happy that you still care about her," Yukari gestured to the still form in the bed, "but you need to think about what you can do now for Miki. What you're doing right now… would she really want this?"

"But—!"

"We are not telling you to move on, Akihiko-san. We just simply wish… that you would live in the present."

"If she…" Yukari trailed off with a shake of her head, "no, when she wakes up, you'll definitely be the first to know. So for now… live for Miki. She gave you a gift, so you better not go and lose it."

"I… what have I been doing?" I shook my head to clear my thoughts, but the memories of what I'd been doing up until now were getting hazier. My mind was an absolute mess.

"We'll take you to her, Akihiko-san," Aigis reassured me with a smile and gently pulled me out of my chair.

"After we get you back to your normal, clean-shaven self, anyway," Yukari added with a start. "Before we go back, we need to take him to a salon and clean him up. His head's not the only thing that's a mess…"

"Indeed. That would most likely be the best course of action…"

"…I don't get a say in this, do I?"

Their looks answered my question.

"Aww, lookit the birthday girl! Why are you so cute, Miki-tama?"

"Junpei! Don't rub your chin on her cheeks! She obviously doesn't like it…"

"Arf!"

"Eh? I think Koro-chan wants to play with Miki-chan, now…"

"But I'm not done yet!"

"Junpei, stop hogging the birthday girl all to yourself. Give everyone else a turn."

"Ehh?"

"I also wish to have a turn."

"Ai-chan, too?"

"…By the way, who made the cake? If I had been informed of this party sooner, I would have made arrangements…"

"Shinjiro-san did, and I helped, of course."

"Tch. You don't need to shout it to the world."

"Hey Shinjiro-san, you want a turn with the birthday girl?"

"H-hey! What about everyone else?"

"Well, he baked her cake, so he gets priority after me."

"…Hand her over."

"So it seems that even Shinjiro is weak to her charms…"

"Sh-shut it!"

"Can I hold her next?"

"Aahh! No fair, Ken-kun! Of course he'll let you hold her next!"

"Will Koromaru-san and I ever get our turns…?"

"…If you guys keep acting like that, then maybe I'll just hold her for the rest of the day."

"Akihiko-san, stop him!" The tug on my sleeve coaxed my eyes to finally open. Everyone was gathered around in the apartment that I was sure was mine, fighting over a very confused yet very excited Miki. Shinji held her high above his head and out of everyone's reach, most of the girls and Ken futilely reaching for her. Yukari gave me a small smile, letting go of my sleeve, and she gestured to the lively party. "Come on. Don't just sit there. As Miki's father, you have to take control of the situation."

I stood up and held my arms out to my daughter, whose eyes seemed to shine with recognition. "Papa," she called out experimentally, reaching for me. Shinji blinked slowly, the corners of his mouth quirking up slightly, and he lowered the little girl carefully. He left a small kiss on her forehead before finally surrendering her to me.

"Be good for your dad, you hear me?"

"Papa," she repeated, her hand coming up to rest on my face as though making sure I really was here. "Papa!"

"Miki…" I cradled the girl closer to my chest and didn't even bother trying to hold back my joyful tears. "Happy Birthday."

"Mama?" I ran a hand through the child's smooth hair, carefully avoiding the headband, and I chuckled under my breath at her antics. She was resting on the edge of her mother's bed and tentatively slapping her face as if to wake her up. "Ma."

"Yes, that's your mother," I replied, stopping Miki's petite hand before it could make contact with her face again. "We're going to spend Christmas with Mama today because we have to give her our gifts."

I grabbed the gift bag from the floor next to my chair and rummaged through it for Miki's gifts. When I pulled out the first box with bright colored paper, the girl squealed in joy and held her arms out expectantly. She must've remembered her birthday when she was able to tear through the paper and toss it around everywhere without being scolded for it. She didn't really care for what was inside the packages; she just wanted to make a mess.

When I handed her the box, she immediately shoved the corner of it in her mouth, saliva dribbling out and soaking the portion of the colorful wrapping. Miki made an unintelligible spiel before tossing the gift away in frustration. "Gwah!"

"Now, Miki…" I scolded, picking the discarded present off the ground. "Don't throw things like that." I wasn't actually mad, though, and I carefully peeled the giftwrap, opening the box to reveal a stuffed cat.

"Hrm?" Miki grabbed the edges of the box and peeked inside, suddenly curious about the toy within. "Neku," she dubbed it, yanking it out of its package.

"Huh?" I raised an eyebrow, wondering for a moment just what she meant. "Oh! 'Cat,'" I corrected her. The baby raised her eyebrows, taking a moment to comprehend.

"Neku," she insisted finally, intent on sticking with her mispronunciation, and I couldn't help but sigh in response. She was stubborn just like me.

"Minako," I whispered and turned my attention to her prone form. She didn't move, and I didn't expect her to. "Last year, I bought you earrings. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking because later, I realized that your ears aren't even pierced." I laughed slightly, and Miki joined in for a moment before returning to her cat.

"But I learned my lesson. This year, I bought you a necklace. Actually, I bought a matching set for both you and Miki, but…" I glanced over at the laughing infant and smiled wryly. "…she probably won't be wearing it for a long time. Now that I mention it, you probably won't be either."

"And you know what? I was right. I got a present last year and this year, too. It's all because of you that I can look forward to things like this." I smiled at the way Miki was trying to pull her new doll apart and the way she grunted and fell back from frustration when it didn't work. "And they're both right here."

"Merry Christmas, Minako. I… I love you. So does Miki, even though she doesn't get to see you very often…" With a resolute nod, I scooped up the now protesting Miki and the gifts, heading for the door. Visiting hours were only so long, after all. "Come on, Miki. Let's go get some Christmas cake on the way home. Maybe we'll be able to have some with Mama next year."

"Mama!" she cried, reaching back into the room and almost dropping her stuffed cat in her desperation. "Ma…"

I shut the door behind us.

"Aki? Are you okay? You've been spacing out a lot lately…" My vision returned in a mosaic of color and movement, and for a moment, I felt dizzy. Minako's lips were the first thing my half-lidded eyes focused on, but they weren't nearly as appealing as they should've been.

"…Minako?" I tried to shake the fog out of my mind, but it was no use. She laughed, her voice ringing like bells, but I had never felt so sick from the sound.

"Who else would it be?"

"I…" This felt so wrong. I was back within the world in my mind, where everything happened as it should have. Waking up here was like an addiction; it was a habit that I needed to kill. "Minako… You shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be here."

Instead of the deep frown I expected, she gave me that enigmatic smile that I hated. The smile she used when she knew something I didn't. Her soft hands left mine, and she suddenly felt real, despite the lack of contact. The dream Miki poked out from behind her legs and waved wistfully before fading away into the light.

"You realized… but you know… I was glad I was able to spend time with you like this." Tears started trickling down her porcelain face, but she looked away guiltily, hiding her face from my view. "We're both going to have to wake up soon."

"Yeah."

"…Can you promise me something?"

She turned to face me once again, and her cheeks flushed beautifully, her tears glistening like crystals. In my mind, this woman had never looked more stunning than at that moment.

"Please… be there when I wake up. I want you to be the first person I see."

"I promise you."

"H-hey! What's the hurry, Sanada-san?"

"I just have this feeling," I told the nurse simply, tightening my hold on the giggling Miki. The nurse gave me an incredulous look before shaking her head and trying to keep pace with me, which was a difficult feat with her ballet flats.

"But what makes today any different?"

"It's only been two years. I'm not giving up that easily." I finally found her room and burst in without warning. The nurse yelped and followed me worriedly.

"Sanada-sa—!"

I pulled my usual chair up to the bed and sat down, Miki bouncing excitedly on my knee. The world around us seemed to disappear, and in that moment, it was just her, Miki, and me. Her face seemed especially lively in the afternoon sunlight, and for once, it didn't feel like she was just there as part of the scenery. She was vibrant and… alive.

"Mama!" Miki leaned forward and slapped her cheeks just as she had months before. I wasn't sure if I was expecting anything, but regardless, I was pleasantly surprised.

Her eyelids fluttered, and after what felt like an eternity, they finally opened. Her burgundy eyes locked onto my storm-grey ones, and everything felt just as it should've been. A weary smile spread from one cheek to the other, and Miki shrieked in delight. My hand instinctively took hers, my heart falling for her all over again.

"Good morning," she greeted with teary eyes.

"Good morning," I replied, my voice cracking. Then, as an afterthought, I added, "And welcome back."

A/N: I hope you got nice and confused in this just like Aki did. That was the whole point. Blurring the lines between what is real and what isn't, though, it's weird how as it became harder to keep track, I used more and more line breaks (talk about irony).

So there's an answer for MC, but for FeMC, there isn't, leaving some ambiguity with her ending. Yeah, I know that MC "dies," so it should also follow that FeMC does as well. But really, with P4, you're left wondering, "If MC died, and Elizabeth tries to free him… How's he going to come back without a body?" (Insert sad face here.) So this is the result of my writer's liberties and logic's talk over coffee.

Also, I kind of just wanted to write a baby story. :) (And can anyone say mood whiplash?) Plus, I kind of wondered... Aki doesn't seem like the type of person to have protection just lying around (I mean, hell, you had to tell him that he was in love with you, lol), and did you really think you were going to have implied sexual encounters during the school year? ... I thought so.