"And this is Daddy’s room." Ayame stopped in the doorway of Rowen's bedroom, almost everything inside it white.
Kia walked in and looked to the dresser, finding two framed pictures. One of them was of herself, Sage, Ryo, Cye, Rowen, and Raya all cluttered up on the downstairs couch. Kia chuckled when she saw herself, drenched in wine and remembering their party night on the day that she conceived her daughter.
She could only look at the second picture for five seconds before tears starting swelling up in her hazel eyes. It was her wedding picture. Rowen, dressed in a black tuxedo, navy bowtie, and his right arm around Kia's waist. She was dressed in a traditional white dress, pale pink flowers weaved through her long black hair and matching the flower bouquet that she held in her hands.
"Are you okay, Mommy?"
She tried to smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. But can you just leave me alone for a little bit?"
"Okay..." Ayame seemed depressed by her command, but she obeyed her mother and walked out of the room.
The second that Ayame had walked out of the room, Kia collapsed into tears. Every tear that fell from her cheek was of different emotion or crying for a different person. She even cried in anger at herself, wishing that she had never left the ones she loved in the first place. After she wiped her tears with her sleeve and took in a deep breath, she bit her lip and went to walk over to the bathroom that was within the room.
But before she could get there, Rowen stopped her. "Kia?" She turned to see her husband in the doorway. Rowen only had to glance at his wife for second to know that she had been crying. He ran up to her and took her in his arms, allowing her to cry in his shoulder. "Kia! I'm so sorry! It's all my fault!" Rowen cried, hugging Kia tighter.
"Rowen, I missed you so much. Just please... please-"
"What?" Rowen slightly pulled Kia away from him so that he could look into her eyes, "Tell you that I love you? Kia, I do love you! I've never stopped loving you, for god's sake!"
"Rowen..."
"Shh..." Rowen cradled her face in his palms and brought her face closer to kiss her. Kia immediately wrapped her arms around the back of his head and kissed back. He feathered his hands down to her waist and then picked her up.
Kia cried out in surprise, "Rowen!" She soon started to laugh as she realized that he was going to throw her on the bed. Once he did, Rowen climbed on top of her and continued to kiss her.
He broke away a few moments later, "Promise me... Kia, promise me that you'll never leave my sight again."
Kia smiled, brushing her hands on the sides of Rowen's face and leaned up to kiss him soundly. Rowen accepted her answer and entwined his fingers in her raven black hair, giving her the brightest smile while gazing deeply into Kia's neverending eyes.
"Mommy?"
Rowen looked behind his shoulder, seeing Ayame in the doorway. "Come here, Ayame," he replied, smiling. Ayame's face brightened for a moment, then she ran to the bed and jumped to the mattress.
"Hey, Aya," Kia mumbled, running a hand through her daughter's hair and down one side of her fair face. Rowen then rolled off to one side, leaning on his elbow and rubbing his foot against Kia's.
"Are you okay now, Mommy?"
Kia laughed softly, looking to Rowen, "Yeah, I'm fine now, Ayame."
"Gosh, you look just like your mother, Ayame," Rowen replied, smiling as he looked from one to the next.
"I do?" Ayame questioned, raising both her eyebrows.
"Yep. And that is definitely a good thing."
"Well, isn't that just the perfect little family - or should I say Kodak moment." Sage leaned his shoulder against the bedroom doorway. He was looking at Rowen, Kia and Ayame who were all lying together on the king-sized bed.
"Get a camera then, it'll last longer."
Sage laughed, "That's okay. I think I'd rather join the moment!" No one had a chance to object before Sage ran and jumped on the bed in-between Rowen and Kia.
Kia slipped her hands behind her head. "Now we're only missing Natsuki."
"Yeah."
Sage then sat up and reached across Kia to grab Ayame. He sat her on top of his lap and laid down on his back. "You are the cutest little thing, did you know that?"
Ayame nodded, "I know." Her response caused everyone to laugh.
"Really, Aya?" Rowen paused to get another nod from Ayame.
Sage turned his head to Kia. "Now you know how much Rowen spoils this poor thing."
"I don't spoil her!" Rowen jabbed Sage in the side. But he just continued to laugh at his counterpart. Kia just shook her head in slight amusement and helped Ayame down from the bed so that she could escape the room.
Kia watched her go. "It's hard to believe that she's my daughter," she commented, climbing over Sage and slipping herself in-between the two guys.
"Believe it. She is as sweet as they come, Kia. I don't think that I could be any more proud of both of us... or Ayame, for that matter." Rowen sighed, closing his eyes and pressing his head deeper into the pillow that he was resting on.
Kia grimaced at that. "I think I'm going to see if Natsuki is done calling everyone." She sat up and got off the bed, following Ayame's tracks.
Sage leaned up on one elbow, looking to Rowen. "Is she avoiding me?"
"I don't know what she's doing," Rowen replied while shrugging his shoulders.
"Well, I'm going to find out," Sage huffed, getting off the bed and speed walking out the door.
Rowen closed his eyes and pulled his hands behind his head, smiling as he breathed deep. We're finally back together again. Nothing else can matter but this.
"Kia?" Sage peeked into the family room, finding her on the couch next to Ayame, watching cartoons.
She looked up for a second, then back to the TV. "What do you want, Sage?"
He walked over so that that he was next to her. "Is something wrong?"
Kia bit her lip. "Ayame, I'll be right back, okay?" She stood up and gestured to Sage. "Follow me." She led him out to the front porch.
Once they were outside, Sage got in an anxious mood. "What is wrong? Kia, tell me!"
"Sage, sit down, please."
"No. Just tell me what's wrong." Kia sighed and sat herself down on the porch stairs. She folded her hands together in her lap and looked to the side. Sage stepped down from the porch and stood in front of her. "Kia? Are you going to tell me or not?"
"Sage, whatever I say in the next five minutes, just please... please don't get mad at me."
Sage shoved his hands into his pockets, almost afraid for what Kia was going to say. "Sage... I'm pregnant..."
"Nani?!"
"I'm pregnant with your child."
Sage blinked. "How... this can't be happening to me..." He took his hands out of his pockets and covered his face.
"Please don't-"
"Kia, just... tell me that you're lying... please!" She slowly shook her head. Sage exhaled sharply. "Are you positive that you're pregnant?"
Kia nodded, "I took one of those at home pregnancy tests this morning and it turned out a rich blue color." Kia chuckled under her breath, blinking away a weary tear in her eye.
Sage cursed under his breath. "What are we going to do?" He plopped his suddenly heavy body down on the stairs next to Kia. Kia didn't say anything as she kept her gaze on the ground. Even her breathing was hard to pick up in the solitude of silence in the cold atmosphere that surrounded them. "Can't you take birth control?"
"No, it's too late. I have to take it before-"
"What other options do we have?" Sage asked quickly, not wanting to waste any of the time that they had alone.
Kia shrugged. "We have to tell them. I'm not going through abortion and I don't know how to hide my pregnancy."
"Well, can't you tell Rowen that the baby is his?"
"I could, but then what if the baby looks like you?" Kia turned her head and locked her eyes with Sage.
Sage seemed paralyzed for that one moment that they looked to each other, but as quick as flame to flicker out in the wind, he pulled his eyes away from hers and sighed again. But this time, he stood up and walked into the house.
"Sage..." Kia was left out on the porch to fend for herself.
"Hey, Sage!" Natsuki ran into the kitchen from the other room. "I just got off the phone with Raya and Cye and-... are you all right?" Natsuki noticed the extremely drawn expression on his face. It even seemed as though someone was pulling on his face, the way it sagged so.
He sighed, "Yeah... so what did Raya say?"
"Oh... well, she's coming in like... three minutes. I actually just got off their cell phone and they are on their way. "
"That's great."
"I know. And Ryo said that he would be here in matter of half an hour."
"So what's going on, now?" Rowen replied, looking to Natsuki as he waltzed down the stairs.
Natsuki turned to smile at him. "Cye and Ray are on their way over and Ryo will be here in a half an hour."
Rowen laughed, "That is great!" Then he looked down into the family room and set eyes on Ayame. "Did you hear that, Ayame? A friend will be here to play with you!"
"Who!?" she asked, darting her eyes away from the TV. to look at her dad.
Rowen smiled. "Her name is Aoi. I'm sure that you will get along just fine with her."
"Yay!" Ayame shot up from the couch. "I'm gonna get my dolly!" She barely finished her sentence before she ran to the stairs.
Natsuki watched her with a smile. "Well, she seems in a good mood."
Rowen walked next to her but eyed Sage with brief confusion, as he was noticeably slouching in a kitchen chair. "Where's Kia?"
Natsuki shrugged, "I don't know."
"Sage? Do you know?"
He very sheepishly shrugged his shoulder and opened his mouth to reply, but Natsuki cut him off. "Wait... there she is. Outside, on the porch," she pointed at the window, "and there's Raya and Cye!"

"Omigosh! Kia!" Raya jumped out of the car - needless to say that it was still in motion - and ran up to her. Raya helped her stand and then pulled Kia into her, embracing her tightly.

But Kia didn't hug back.

"What's wrong? Kia?"

Before Raya could say another word, Kia burst out into tears and sobs, flailing herself back into Raya's arms.

Cye passed them soon afterwards, but Raya told him to continue on with a wave of her hand. He shrugged, picked up his daughter, and walked into the house.

"Kia! What's wrong? Tell me, please!"

"Raya, I don't know what to do-"

"I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong!" Raya pulled Kia back from her and eyed her with worry.

Kia sighed and dried some of her tears, then moved to sit back down on the porch stairs, "You promise to keep this a total secret?"

Raya nodded, her worry growing that much deeper.

"I..." Kia forced herself to look away from Raya's clear with anxiety eyes, "No, I can't. I don't want to burden my problems on your back."

"Kia, please tell me! I want to help you, really! I promise that I won't tell anyone that you don't want me to tell!"

Kia heaved a great sigh, "Fine. I'm... I'm pregnant-"

"That's great!" Raya paused as she glimpsed at Kia's 'I'm not done yet' expression, "Isn't it supposed to be?"

"Not if I'm pregnant with Sage's child!"

"Sage?"

Kia nodded.

Raya suddenly grew deathly silent, "How?"

"I came back here on Friday and Sage was the only one here ‘cause Rowen and Natsuki took Ayame to the beach or something. I guess that you can say that I still like Sage, so one thing led to another and... well, I'm pregnant."

"Does anyone know?"

"I told Sage, but he didn't do anything to help me. I think he is mad at me and... Raya, I don't know what to do!" She started crying again.

"Kia, calm down." Raya moved to sit down next to her, "You can't accomplish anything by crying. First of all, are you absolutely positive that you are pregnant?"

Kia nodded, sighing slightly to calm herself down just a notch, "I took one of those at home tests and it showed positive."

"What?" Raya started to laugh lightly.

"It's not funny! How do you think everyone else is going to react to this!?"

"Those tests aren't 100% accurate. Tomorrow... or later today, I'll take you to see my doctor and then we can really determine if you're pregnant or not, okay?"

Kia sniffed and nodded, "I don't want to lose Rowen."

"What do you think you were doing with Sage anyways? I'm sorry to say this but you deserved it. You're both married and not to each other!"

"... I'm sorry,"

Raya exhaled, "Apologies can't change anything. Now, c'mon, let's go inside and forget about this for the moment." Raya stood up and started to walk up the porch.

But before she could get to the door, Kia ran in front of her and pressed her hand against the door, preventing Raya from opening it, "Wait a minute, Ray. You promise that you won't tell Rowen or Natsuki until otherwise?"

Raya smiled, "Of course I won't. This is a very serious subject we're talking about, Kia."

"Good." Kia sighed, gaining some lost strength and confidence and followed Raya into the house.

"Raya!" Natsuki ran up to her long lost cousin and hugged her. "This is so amazing! I can't believe you're here!"

"I know! I missed you a lot!"

Kia looked glumly around the room. Her daughter and Aoi, who was now about 3 and had shoulder length gorgeous red locks and emerald green eyes, were playing with dolls. Rowen and Cye were talking off in another corner of the room. Not seeing Sage there, she went off into the kitchen.

She found him there, leaning against the wall and looking out the window. His back was facing her, but from what she saw, it looked like Sage was weeping.

"Sage?" Kia slowly walked up to him.

No answer.

"Sage, please talk to me."

"What do you want me to say, Kia?" He turned around fixing his eyes on hers. "We can't change anything."

"I know, I know, but-"

"But what? I don't know about you, but I don't even want to know what Rowen and Natsuki are going to say about this when we tell them that we fucked up big time."

"... you don't have to put it that way."

"But that is what it was, Kia! We had unprotected sex. That is why you are pregnant."

"Okay. You and I need to settle down. We aren't going anywhere with this."

Sage exhaled through his nose and calmed his tension only a bit.

"Raya said that-"

"You told her!?"

Kia hesitated, "What was I supposed to do when she hugged me and I burst out into tears?"

Sage quieted.

"So I told her and she said that those at home tests aren't 100% accurate. She is going to take me to see her doctor." Kia exhaled heavily, ready to leave their conversation at that.

"Kia..." Sage started to slowly walk up to Kia’s side.

"What, Sage?"

Sage put his hands on her shoulders, "Kia, I'm really, really sorry."

Kia started crying softly again, and Sage took her into him, wrapping his arms around her.

"No matter what happens, Kia... know that I'll stand by you through everything."