Still Raining

Sequel to: On the Street of dreams

Written by: chochowilliams

Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation or the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Summary: There was one woman at the press conference that refused to leave well enough alone. Two years later, she is back and causing trouble for Shuichi and Eiri. She is determined to prove that Aizawa is not the biological father of little Takanori. What if she is right? And as if that weren't enough, what if Mr. Shindou was right all along as well? What if Shuichi really isn't his son?

Chapter Summary: Nami Mataguchi is back and she issues Shuichi a challenge.

Warning: angst, drama, romance, m-preg, language, m/m, hentai

Inserts: Chapter 24: "A Not so Secret Secret", epilogue

A/N: How long has it been since "On the Street of Dreams" was first out? I kept going back and forth over whether there would be one. It was not that I was opposed to the idea. I just did not have any ideas. But here it is. Finally. There will be many surprises. I want to thank sweetsally, Mrs. Hatake Itachi, fahaar, RRW, sun's and stars, Angel of Melancholy, evilanimeprincess121, BloodyRoseSharpThorn, UnratedCrimsonBlood, Acherona, Nusku, tinlizzie81592, glostarz for their reviews and for everybody else I may have forgotten. This one is for you guys.

+---+---+---+

LOOK OUT MY WINDOW

IT'S STILL RAININ'

LOOK OUT MY WINDOW

IT'S STILL RAININ'

THEY SAY TIME HEALS EVERYTHING

I'VE FELT THE PAIN THAT LOVE CAN BRING

IT DON'T GET NO BETTER WITH EACH PASSING DAY

ANY HOPE I HAD IS SLOWLY SLIPPING AWAY

-"Still Rainin', by Jonny Lang, Wander This World

+---+---+

(Last Time)

Shuichi opened his eyes and glanced at Eiri with a heavy heart. His eyes glistened with unshed tears. There was a mix of emotions racing across his face. "I'm sorry about what they said, Eiri. About you being a pervert and child molester."

Eiri shrugged. Truth be known, it had hurt, but he could see where they would think that.

Tohma had quickly diffused that situation by announcing that Eiri and Shuichi did not have a sexual relationship. It was a lie of course, but given the alternative, it was a lie they were all willing to live with. Of course, the press had not bought it because Shuichi was clearly pregnant. Unless the baby was conceived immaculately, it was obvious that the two of them did indeed have a sexual relationship.

Once again, Tohma came to the rescue. He explained the father of Shuichi's unborn child was Taki Aizawa, Shuichi's ex-boyfriend. The couple broke up and Shuichi started dating Eiri before Shuichi realized he was pregnant. Then, unfortunately, Aizawa died in a car accident shortly after finding out he was to be a father. And with the permission of the Aizawa family, Eiri planned on adopting the child and raising it as his own. It was not exactly the truth, but neither was it a lie. Thankfully, the press bought it hook, line and sinker…most of them anyway.

There was one woman who could not leave well enough alone. She made the comment that it was "awfully convenient that this 'supposed ex-boyfriend' just happens to be dead".

+---+---+

Chapter 1: Reemergence Leads to Change and a Challenge

(One Year Later – May – Sakuma- Uesugi Residence - Tokyo, Japan)

A sound curse flowed passed Tatsuha Uesugi's lips as he took in the headline. Yanking the cigarette from his mouth, he crushed it in the ashtray besides its brethren and with the tabloid magazine in his hand, marched through the apartment in search of his long time partner. He found him sitting on the floor of the master bedroom's walk-in closet with a shoebox in his lap.

With a heavy sigh, Tatsuha crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorjamb. The paper crinkled as it was crushed under his armpit. "Ryu," he called softly.

With a sniffle, Ryuichi lifted a photograph out of the shoebox. He ran the fingers of his free hand over the image and gave a watery smile. "My baby has a baby," he whispered softly through his tears as if he did not hear the other man.

Tatsuha rolled his eyes with another heavy sigh. Here we go again, he thought.

Ryuichi laughed softly. "Can you imagine? Me? A grandfather at my age?"

"Like father. Like son," Tatsuha supposed.

Ryuichi laughed at that.

Pushing away from the door, Tatsuha tossed the paper over his shoulder onto the bed and stepped into the closet where he crouched down besides Ryuichi. Draping an arm around his older lover's shoulders, Tatsuha planted a kiss on the side of Ryuichi's head. Ryuichi's brown tresses were soft to the touch. Then resting his head against Ryuichi's, Tatsuha glanced down at the photograph Ryuichi held in his hand. It was a photograph of a very young looking Ryuichi who had a huge stupid looking grin plastered on his face and tears streaming down his cheeks as he held a small screaming bundle wrapped in a yellow blanket. "How old were you?" Tatsuha asked softly.

"I turned fourteen fifteen days before Shuichi was born."

Tatsuha was silent. He could not imagine what it must have been like for his husband. To have it all and then be threatened with losing it all in the very same day. He wasn't sure if he should bring it up, for even now, eighteen years after it happened, it was still a very sore subject. But not without reason, given the turn of events that followed. "Whatever happened to…what's his name? Yuki? Is he still in that loony bin?"

"…Yeah…"

O-kay, Tatsuha thought. "Have you talked to him since...?"

Without having to ask, Ryuichi knew exactly to what Tatsuha was referring. Ryuichi shook his head as a sharp pain ripped through his heart as he remembered the awful events of that day. Of what could have happened. He traced the image of his infant son in the photograph with a nostalgic smile on his face.

Tatsuha wrapped both arms around Ryuichi. "You haven't seen him once after that?"

"…No…"

"Not even when he gave birth to Shuichi?"

Ryuichi shook his head.

"So, the only contact you had with him was through…what? Your manager or something?"

"And our lawyers."

Tatsuha nodded. "…You think he knows about little Takanori and the new baby?"

Ryuichi shrugged.

"You going to tell him?"

Ryuichi shook his head. "No."

"But he's his-!"

"I know."

Tatsuha sighed.

"He gave up his rights…to our son…when he…" Ryuichi's throat closed over. "When he tried to…"

Tatsuha gently squeezed Ryuichi in an attempt to reassure him.

Ryuichi took a ragged breath to try to relieve the tightness in his chest and blinked away his tears. He had mixed feelings over that period in his life. Part of him was glad he had that affair with Yuki because it ended up with them creating his precious baby boy, but at the same time, if Ryuichi had not had that one night with Yuki after the concert at Zepp Tokyo where Nittle Grasper had opened up for some band that has long since disappeared into obscurity, Yuki would not have jumped to the conclusion that Ryuichi's feelings ran deeper than they actually did. Ryuichi would not have had to reject him, which in turn caused Yuki to become an obsessed, overzealous fan who stalked him constantly for the next six months when he tried to blackmail Ryuichi into going out with him.

"Love me! Ryu! Love me!"

Ryuichi tried to shake aside the memories that threatened to pour forth, but like a failed dam, the memories gushed forth unbidden.

He remembered being in the studio with Tohma and Noriko working on their follow up album when there was a sudden commotion out in the hall. Tohma had popped his head out and asked the first person he saw, some sound technician, what was going on.

"There's someone on the roof threatening to jump!"

Ryuichi could not explain it. He couldn't then and he still couldn't, but his blood had suddenly turned to ice. He knew. He knew beyond any shadow of a doubt. Neither Tohma nor Noriko had known about his little tryst with Yuki before that day. But after everything was said and done, most of the people who were at L8r Records that day, knew the whole sorted history between Yuki and him.

He raced blindly up to the roof with his heart pounding so hard it was just this side of exploding. He may not have been in love with Yuki, but he had cared about him a great deal. Besides, he could not stop blaming himself. The guilt started to eat at him at the thought that it would be all his fault if Yuki jumped. If Yuki killed himself, then it would be his entire fault. He could have done something to prevent it, but hadn't.

Through the heavy steel door, he burst. Charging through the blustery January winter wind that was whipping around like ice pellets and pushing his way through the crowd of people who were gawking at the spectacle instead of doing something useful. Panting heavily, that was when he saw him. Balancing on the lip of the building that could not have been more than six inches wide at most was Yuki…a very pregnant looking Yuki.

At thirty weeks, Yuki was threatening to jump and kill not only himself but also the baby he was carrying if Ryuichi did not say that they could be together as a family.

"…Are you going to tell him the truth?"

The sound of his lover's voice drew him out of his thoughts.

Ryuichi was blessed to have a man like Tatsuha by his side. They met soon after Tohma started dating Mika and even though Tatsuha had been nothing more than a child at the time, it had been love at first sight for Ryuichi. Over the years, as he watched Tatsuha grow up, his feelings had only intensified. Then finally, one day it happened. It was a party for Tatsuha's sixteenth birthday party. He managed to get him alone and kissed him. The rest, as they say, is history, despite the eight-year difference. But it had been only a few years ago when L8r Records was dissolved that Ryuichi had been allowed to finally confess his darkest secret to his lover. That Shuichi Shindou had actually been born Shuichi Sakuma. That whom Tatsuha had been led to believe was his husband's baby brother was in reality his baby boy. His son. There had been many tears and a lot yelling and screaming, accusations. Ryuichi had even sported quite a nice shiner for the next few weeks. But in the end, Tatsuha had forgiven him for lying to him and accepted the child that had been born of Ryuichi's illicit relationship with Yuki. Though it was still a touchy subject.

Unfortunately, he was the only one who had. And Yuki was not the only one who had been forced into signing away his parental rights, but Ryuichi had them back now and he promised to make up for all the lost time.

Pushing away from his younger lover, Ryuichi put the photograph back into the shoebox before putting the lid back on.

"It's not like there's anything keeping you from telling him," Tatsuha pushed into the silence. "Not anymore. Not like there was."

Pushing to his feet, Ryuichi shook his head and crossed the closet where he slid the shoebox onto the top shelf. He shuffled some things around and when he stepped back, the shoebox was gone. "So," he said, turning around to face Tatsuha, "what's up?"

Tatsuha studied Ryuichi a few moments longer before walking out of the closet and picking up the magazine from the bed. "Here," he said, handing it to Ryuichi, "take a look."

Throwing Tatsuha a questioning glance, Ryuichi took the proffered paper. His eyes became bigger and bigger as he read the article. Very quickly, his shock gave way to anger. His hands began shaking. The paper crinkled in his hands. "That bitch," he hissed. "She just can't leave well enough alone, can she?" With the paper crushed in his hand, the older singer pushed passed Tatsuha and strode purposefully across the bedroom and vanished out into the hallway.

Tatsuha scratched his head with a sigh. That woman sure had a death wish.

But…

He wished Ryuichi would sit Shuichi down and tell him the truth about his parentage. "Before he finds out some other way," he muttered aloud.

+---+---+

(NG Productions Executive Offices)

The intercom buzzed. Without taking his eyes from the latest sales figures, Tohma reached for his phone blindly. "Yes?"

"Sir," his secretary said, "Mr. Sakuma's on the phone for you."

Tohma sighed mentally. He saw this coming a mile away. Setting the document aside, he told the woman he would take it. "Hello Ryu…Yes, I did se…Ry…Yes, Ryu…" Tohma fought the urge to sigh again. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he listened to his old friend's angry tirade.

Nami Mataguchi. Owner, founder, president, CEO and editor-in-chief of The Trinity and the main instigator in the rising opposition against the parentage of one Takanori Uesugi. Damn bitch has been nothing but a thorn in their sides ever since the press conference over a year ago.

---

"Do you really think that them not having a sexual relationship makes it alright for them to be involved? Mr. Shindou is still a minor."

"Shuichi is sixteen. He will become of age in April and then it will no longer be an issue. Eiri, though we tend to forget, is only twenty-two. Besides, we all grew up together and Shuichi's guardians know and trust Eiri and have supported and allowed their courtship. They have set strict rules and guidelines," Tohma added. "They even granted Eiri permission to marry Shuichi."

"Shindou's family my approve of their relationship, Mr. Seguchi, and you may trust Mr. Eiri with him, but in the end it all comes down to Mr. Shindou being only sixteen years old."

---

The Trinity was a Christian extremist magazine. Meaning, she was one of those people who believed that allowing Homosexuals to marry would inevitably lead to people having sex with animals and that Homosexuals were possessed by Satan and needed to be cleansed by God or that the Harry Potter novels promoted witchcraft. These were just a few of their deluded beliefs (1). There were few, if any, people in Japan, who actually gave the crazed woman the time of day, but unfortunately, the crap she has been spewing was being picked up by reputable media sources and people were beginning to talk.

When it first broke, it was a huge scandal. That Eiri Yuki, self-proclaimed bachelor and ladies man, was engaged to and having a child with an underaged male Neutral. Some of the reporters called Eiri "a pervert and child molester" during the press conference. The situation had quickly spiraled out of control, but Tohma stepped in and took control of things. He claimed that Eiri and Shuichi did not have a sexual relationship. Because Shuichi was clearly pregnant, nobody bought his lie. But he explained the biological father of Shuichi's unborn child was Taki Aizawa, Shuichi's ex-boyfriend, who recently passed away in a car accident. Shuichi started dating Eiri before he realized he was pregnant. It was not really a lie, but neither had it been the exact truth either, but given the alternative, there had been no other option. Naturally, Nami Mataguchi bought not one ounce of that can of bullshit. He vowed then and there to keep an eye on her. After little Takanori was born, she thankfully quieted down. They all believed that was the end of that, but here it was one year later and all that talk about Shuichi and Eiri "not having a sexual relationship" was beginning to backfire because people were starting to realize that little Takanori looked nothing like his "supposed biological father", one Taki Aizawa.

"Dammit Shuichi," Tohma said as his best friend continued to rant and rave his ear off, "what the hell have you done?"

But of course, she refused to stop there. She has also begun hinting at other…details of Shuichi's life that did not seem to jib. At least to her. But then again, what didn't? One incident in particular he remembered clearly. Of course, Ms. Mataguchi refused to come right out and say it, but she insinuated that Ryuichi and Shuichi's relationship was not what it appeared to be. She stated that it was clear what the truth was after she called in a few favors.

"Not what it appears to be? What the hell's that supposed to mean?" he remembered Shuichi asking him.

He sighed. This whole thing has gotten way out of hand. "Look Ryu, I…"

"There's got to be something we can do, Tohma! This has to stop!"

"There's not much I can do, Ryu. You know as well I do that every time we fire back at that 'crazy bitch' she uses it against us. It's a never-ending cycle."

"…Then what can we do?"

"I'm not sure, Ryu, but I'm beginning to think that maybe we should just…"

"What?"

"-amuse her."

"We can't do that!"

Tohma sighed. "If Shuichi is right about little Takanori being Mr. Aizawa's son, then, as much as I hate to admit it, Ms. Mataguchi is right. He shouldn't have any problem submitting to a DNA paternity test."

"But Tohma-!"

"At least then, maybe we can finally get her out of our hair once and for all."

"…Yeah...But I…I'm not…Are you sure?"

"What other choice do we have?"

"Yeah, but Tohma…"

Tohma sighed. "I know, Ryu. I know." If you give in to a terrorist just once, then what was there to stop that terrorist, or others, from demanding more?

+---+---+

(Shindou-Uesugi Household)

The noise was deafening.

Eiri had a splitting headache. Planting his elbows on the lip of his desk, Eiri ground his middle fingers into his temples.

Sitting on the floor besides him, little Takanori was playing drums with several pots and pans he managed to drag out of the kitchen and was using a couple of wooden spoons he managed to find, who knows where, as drumsticks while doing, what only Shuichi would call, "singing". God, this kid was really his mother's son.

Lifting his head, he gazed down at the fifteen month old. He loved his son. There was no doubt about it. He had no regrets concerning his choice to adopt him, but right about now, he regretted having agreed to take him for the week. Takanori was this close to sending him over the edge. Thank God, it was Sunday. Shuichi should be coming by any time now to pick up their son.

A sudden shrill ringing startled him out of his musings. Please let that be him now, Eiri pleaded as he reached across his desk for the phone. "Shu?"

"…Eiri?"

Eiri cursed. "Tohma."

There was a moment of pause. Then, "…What is that?"

"Your nephew."

"Aah!"

"Apparently, Shuichi took him to band practice with him one day and Takanori fell in love with his new drummer's drum set."

"I see," Tohma chuckled.

Eiri sighed heavily.

"How is Shuichi anyway?"

Eiri shrugged. "Fine. I suppose. You would know better than I would."

Tohma sighed over the line. "…You really should try to work things out with him, Eiri."

"There's nothing to work out," Eiri snapped. They actually went out to the movies on Friday night. It was the first time they did anything together, other than going to Shuichi's OB/GYN, since Shuichi moved out. Eiri was hoping it was a good sign. He could not stand being in this house without his pink haired baka.

"Eiri…"

"Was there a reason for this phone call?"

"Actually-"

Eiri started to growl as his son's drumming continued unrelentingly. "Knock it off," he barked as his patience, which had been holding on by a tiny thread, snapped. Even as he watched, Takanori's wide hazel eyes golden like the sun filled with tears. "Shit," Eiri cursed softly as his son's loud wails filled the sudden silence that had descended upon the apartment after Takanori's drum solo was silenced prematurely. He did not need this right now. Pushing away from his desk, he stood up and put the phone on speaker so that he could speak with his brother-in-law and deal with his son. Multi-tasking at its finest.

"Need some help, Eiri?"

"No," Eiri bit as he lifted his son into his arms with a grunt. Man the kid was heavy. What in the worlds did Shuichi feed him? Eiri made cooing, shushing noises as he searched for the boy's pacifier. He ignored the soft chuckles emanating over the line.

"If only your fans could see you now."

Eiri snorted. He finally found Takanori's binki hidden beneath one of the bigger pots. As soon as it passed the boy's lips, his screeches (that was the only to describe them) were immediately silenced. Now that he was partially deaf, Eiri made his way back to his desk chair as he fended off his son's roaming hands. The kid loved to play with his daddy's glasses and his earring. Eiri sighed heavily as he sat down gratefully into his leather recliner desk chair. He had to switch his son from his hip to his lap in the process. "So, what is it that you wanted?" He pushed his laptop away from his son who apparently wanted to break the keyboard. Immediately, Takanori whined in protest. "Other than to annoy the hell out of me?" When Takanori began wiggling, Eiri placed him on the floor.

"Oh, come now, Eiri."

Eiri rolled his eyes. He could just imagine the pout on his brother-in-law's face.

"Can't I just call to say 'hi'?"

Eiri snorted. He watched as his son made his way across the room to the bookcase and began pulling book after book out and tossing them onto the floor. Thank God, the books on the lower shelves were his son's.

"Fine. Fine! After all I've done for you…"

"I'm hanging up now."

"Alright. Alright!"

Having apparently found the book he was searching for, Takanori sat amidst the mess he made and pulled the book onto his lap. His binki was gone, Eiri noticed. Takanori fingered the pages and reciting aloud from said pages as if he were reading. Eiri chuckled at the sight.

"Have you watched the news or read the paper this morning?"

That was a stupid question. "Of course not. You know I don't watch that crap."

"Well…"

Eiri grew curious. "Well what?"

"Ms. Mataguchi is at it again."

Eiri heaved a disgusted sigh. "What the hell do I care?"

"Eiri, she's using the fact that you and Shuichi…separated."

Of course she was. Bitch.

Takanori finished the book he was reading and went in search of another one. Eiri silently cursed. That was the one thing he did not like about having children. They left a heap of destruction in their wakes. Walking disaster areas. He really needed to teach his son to clean up after himself. At one year old, Noriko's daughter could put her toys away after she was done with them. So, he knew it could be done.

"Look, people were speculating that the reason why you two 'broke up' was because he cheated on you. Right?"

Eiri felt his anger swelling up within him. Why they took delight in spreading crap around like that was beyond him. These tabloid reporters and various media for the more "legitimate" entertainment news were the reason why couples, who- if they were normal, average people like the rest of society- would have stayed together for possibly the rest of their lives, broke up. Controversy was their first, middle and last names. Sometimes, despite how two people felt about each other, all the press and tabloid fodder that encircled the couple became too much. It has happened on more than one occasion. The press feeds a bunch of bull about a certain celebrity couple just to stir things up and see how far they can push things and then when the couple breaks up, they all wonder, "what happened?" Gee, I wonder.

It appeared that Takanori was finished reading. He walked back to his drum set and picked up his drumsticks. Dear God, Eiri thought as the noise level rose to deafening heights once again.

"There was also that rumor that he was pregnant again." Tohma had raised his voice over the rising noise level.

The sound of Tohma's voice snapped Eiri out of his thoughts.

That was right. Around the same time Shuichi and he decided to take a little hiatus, rumors began to circulate that the reason was because of infidelity and they all pointed the finger at Shuichi because he was spotted going into the pharmacy and buying an over the counter pregnancy test. That it was for his little sister Maiko didn't stop the rumors from spreading. At this point Shuichi didn't even know or suspect that he was pregnant yet. That discovery was made a few weeks later.

"What the hell does this have to do that bitch?"

"Well, basically, she's claiming that it's 'convenient' that when Shuichi discovered he was pregnant, you dumped him and yet both claim neither of you cheated on the other."

That was not exactly how it happened, but he let it slide. Bitch likes to put together the puzzle her way and not the way it was supposed to be. "There wasn't any."

"I know that, but you have to admit that if you look at it from her point of view, she has a point."

"…And?"

"Eiri?"

"This isn't any different from every other tabloid, but this time she's about three months behind."

"True, but she uses the infidelity angle as a launching point."

"For what?"

"Well, she goes on to say that this's like history repeating itself."

"Huh?"

"Eiri, you guys split up and claim that the child Shuichi's carrying is indeed yours. It's the same thing that happened before with little Takanori. Shuichi claims Taki Aizawa is his biological father, right? And yet the two of them broke up."

Eiri sighed. Why Nami Mataguchi just could not let sleeping dogs lie was beyond him. "So, she still claims that she doesn't believe that Takanori is Aizawa's son?"

"Yes."

"So what?" He was fed up with dealing with her.

"Eiri, she issued a challenge."

That captured Eiri's immediate attention. "What sort of challenge?"

"She's saying that if little Takanori is indeed Taki Aizawa's son, then there shouldn't be any problem with proving it."

Eiri cocked an eyebrow at that. "You mean like a paternity test?"

"Exactly."

"Ya know…" Eiri sighed. "Why does she care so much?" Girl needs to get a life.

"Because Eiri."

"Because why?" he asked, exasperated.

"Because little Takanori looks nothing like Aizawa."

---

"Hey," Shuichi said late one night as he and his fiancé lay in bed. "Eiri?"

"Hm," Eiri asked distracted. He was in the middle of reading a new release from one of his favorite authors.

"Is it alright?"

Eiri's brow scrunched in confusion. Marking his place, he closed his book and set it on his chest. Sliding off his glasses, he set them on top of his book. He turned to look at Shuichi. The kid was propped up by a mound of pillows and looking at the newest sonogram of the baby. Or so the doctor said. He could see nothing but a bunch of black and white swirls. "What?"

"Seeing you're going to be adopting the baby, I was thinking I could, ya know, uhm…"

Eiri sighed. "You want to name the baby after Aizawa."

Shuichi bit his lip and nodded, turning to look at Eiri with those large purple puppy dog eyes of his.

Eiri groaned inwardly. Dammit, he thought. He hated it when Shuichi did that! It was totally impossible to resist. However, as he thought about it, it did not seem like a bad idea. From what he was able to learn about the guy, Aizawa had actually been trying to stop Shuichi from having that abortion when he drove past that day. Therefore, it was very possible that the guy would have made a major transformation knowing that he was going to be a father. Eiri moved his book and glasses to the bedside table and turned over on his side to face Shuichi. He laid a hand on the kids swelling stomach and rubbed small circles on his belly. "Okay," Eiri sighed.

Shuichi smiled wildly, showing brilliantly white teeth. "Really? Thank you, Eiri! I love you!"

"Yeah, well, just make sure he looks like you," he said turning his back on the kid.

Shuichi snorted and rolled his eyes. "Yes, sir. I'll get right on that."

---

When he made that statement, he had not actually thought it would turn out to be the truth. Little Takanori had looked so much like his mother when he was born it had been eerie. He had Shuichi's dark complexion and raven black hair. Shuichi's round face, his big round eyes, tiny nose and big mouth, not to mention, his huge lung capacity. The only hint Eiri ever had of Taki Aizawa (or so he thought) were those dark hazel brown eyes and that had been just fine with him. But over time, Takanori's eyes lightened into an almost golden hazel color. Shuichi's eyes were black but had a hue to them that on most days made his eyes look more purple than black. So it was no wonder people were talking. Even though Eiri had those same golden eyes, he knew he was not little Takanori's biological father. Unfortunately.

But now Eiri sat back and studied his son, really studied him for what seemed like the first time and came to a quick and startling realization. There were hints, little peeks here and there that were unaccounted for. Aspects that he never noticed before. The kid was not skinny like his mother, but was more on the hefty side and was taller than Shuichi was when he was his age according to Ryuichi. A little on the short side, Shuichi was barely over five feet. Takanori's eyes were a little pinched at the corners and they had a little tilt to them that neither Shuichi nor Taki Aizawa had. It was there in the stubborn set of his chin and along his jaw line. His cheekbones.

"Fuckin' hell."

Takanori glanced over his shoulder at the sound of his father's voice. A huge grin crossed his face. Dropping his makeshift drumsticks, he clumsily got to his feet and ran over to Eiri while exclaiming something or other, which Eiri could not decipher. He heard "dada" and maybe "bye-bye", but wasn't sure. Shuichi would have been able to understand what their son was saying. Eiri lifted the boy into his arms and tossed him into the air over his head. Takanori squealed with laughter.

As Eiri looked at his son, he saw someone else looking back and it wasn't Taki Aizawa as he was previously led to believe.

+---+---+

(Across Town – La Noix de Coco Café)

Shuichi placed his elbows on the edge of the table and leaned his chin on his linked hands. He turned to stare out the window of the small internet café located across the street from NG Productions' new Tokyo headquarters and sighed. Before him lay The Trinity opened to Nami Mataguchi's editorial, which was once again bashing him and his family. Not too long ago, she made some hints about Ryuichi and he looking too much alike to be only brothers. What was it about this crazy bitch and appearances? God! Why did she feel the need to interfere? If it was not one thing then it was another.

A buzzing sound caught his attention.

Shuichi's glance shifted from the view of the massive glass structure that housed his record company to his sleek black blackberry that was dancing across the table. The screen was lit up. He really was not in any mood, but he caught his cellphone before it danced off the table. A quick check of the LCD screen had him sighing. For some reason Shuichi had a feeling this was not going to be an inquiry into when he planned on picking up Takanori. "Yes, Eiri," he breathed.

"We have a problem," Eiri said, cutting right to the chase.

"I know," Shuichi sighed. Why did he have to be right?

"Then you saw the article."

"Yes," he answered exasperated.

"…So?"

"So what?"

"So, what are we gonna do?!"

"About what?"

Eiri sighed. He sounded annoyed. "About that crazy bitch?" he snapped.

"Nothing."

"What!? What do you mean nothing?!"

"Just that. Nothing."

"Shuichi…!"

"Eiri."

"Goddamnit Shuichi! She's out to ruin you, you know that!"

Shuichi shrugged. It seems his nonchalant, laid-back attitude was annoying Eiri even more so than his noncompliance to Nami Mataguchi's challenge. "She can try all she wants. I frankly don't care. She can try to pick as many fights as she wants. Not my problem if she wants to come off looking like a five year old."

"Shuichi…" Eiri sighed over the line.

Something inside Shuichi snapped. "What?! Then what the hell do you suggest Eiri?"

"Get the paternity test done."

Shuichi did not have to think about it. He said, "No," immediately.

"Why the hell not?"

"I don't have anything to prove to that bitch."

"That's not the point!"

"I…don't…care. I'm not going to get a paternity test done just to prove who fathered my son. You are his father and that is all that matters." Without waiting for a reply, Shuichi hung up. Dropping his phone back down on the table, he dropped his face in his hands. Dammit all to hell! This was so exasperating. Maybe he could hire someone to get rid of his problem. He was sure Tohma knew someone who could help. That guy had more connections than God did.

"Big brother?"

Startled, Shuichi spun around. A broad grin crossed his face. "Maiko!" He started to scoot out of the booth, but Maiko came to him. They hugged. Then Shuichi held his baby sister out as arm's length. "Wow! Look at you!"

Maiko pouted. She glanced down at herself. "I look fat, right?"

Shuichi giggled. He knew that feeling all too well. "No, you look great. You can't even tell you're pregnant."

"Really?"

"Really."

Maiko slid into the booth opposite him grinning broadly.

"So, how've you been?"

The smile slipped from Maiko's face. She shrugged listlessly. Clasping her hands together on the tabletop, she stared down at her laced fingers blankly. "…Scared," she finally answered in such a soft whisper that Shuichi almost missed it.

Shuichi nodded in understanding. He gave his little sister a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I was too." He reached across the table and covered one of her hands with his own. "But it'll be alright. You'll see."

Maiko lifted her head and tried to smile, but it ended up looking a little sickly as her fears swept over and through her. She still could not believe that she had been so stupid and allowed this to happen. Never had she thought that something like this would happen to her. That she, of all people, would be in this position. Head of her class. Straight A's. Part of the debate team, in Honor's Society, Vice President of the student body and on the school newspaper. Part time member of the archery club. She had her whole future ahead of her. All of the top colleges were vying for her even though she was only a second year. But then she had to cave into peer pressure.

Tears started to trickle down her face.

She'd had a crush on the captain of the swimming team since middle school. But the guy had always been way out her league. Someone like him would never have anything to do with someone like her. So, she just settled on admiring him from afar. But about four months ago, she was invited to a party a friend of a friend was throwing. Her secret crush was there. She had been there only an hour when he started hitting on her. It was a dream come true! This was something she has been wishing and hoping and dreaming about for years! He asked her to dance. She agreed. Then he wanted to take her upstairs. She refused at first, but her friends egged her on. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She should take it. Did she want to spend the rest of her life wondering, "what if"? So, reluctantly, she allowed him to steer her upstairs.

"Oh, Maiko."

"It was only one time," Maiko sobbed. "One time!"

"That's all it takes," Shuichi whispered.

"God!" She buried her face in her hands. "How could I have been so stupid?"

She woke a little while later groggy and alone. That was when it set in. What she just did. What she just allowed to happen. She started to cry. Over her tears, she heard voices in the hall right outside the bedroom. It was him. Silently, she crept towards the door. And that was when she learned the awful truth. She had been used.

Shuichi felt helpless as he watched his sister sobbing. He bit his lip and searched his mind for a way to cheer her up. "Hey! Want me to go beat that asshole up?"

Maiko burst out laughing through her tears.

"Hm?"

Sitting, Maiko grabbed a napkin and patted her face dry. She shook her head.

"C'mon," he pushed.

"Thank anyway, Big Brother, but I already did."

"Really? Way to go Maiko," he praised when she nodded.

Pushing her worries aside for another time, he focused on her older brother. "So, what about you?"

Shuichi shrugged. "Finally stopped puking thank God."

Maiko laughed. "Well, you look great."

Shuichi blushed. "Thanks." At twelve weeks pregnant, he felt like a bloated whale. Like he could try out for the World's Ugliest Dog Contest and win the grand prize.

"Where's my nephew?" Maiko asked, glancing around the café.

"With Eiri."

Maiko nodded and made a little humming noise that Shuichi recognized immediately.

"What?" he demanded.

Maiko blinked. "What what?"

"Maiko."

Maiko smiled. "I was just wondering about you and Eiri."

You and the rest of Japan, Shuichi thought rolling his eyes.

Something caught her eye. "What's that?"

"Huh?"

She pointed at the open magazine. "That."

"Oh!" Shuichi quickly grabbed the magazine and fumbled with as he hurriedly tossed it into his bag sitting besides him. "Nothing you need to worry about."

Maiko gave a weak smile. "…It's that woman again, isn't it?"

Taken aback, Shuichi blinked at his sister.

"What?" Maiko cocked her head to the side. "You think I wouldn't keep up with what's going on with my big brother?"

Shuichi felt like a fish as he opened his mouth and then closed it. He snorted with a quick shake of his head. She certainly was something else.

"So, what's she up to this time?"

Shuichi rolled his eyes. "What else?"

"Takanori?" she guessed.

"Yeah."

"…What if…?"

"Hm?"

"…What if she's right?"

Shuichi gaped at Maiko in disbelief. Not her too! "C'mon Mai!"

"I've seen pictures of Taki Aizawa, Shuichi."

"Yeah and I've slept with him," Shuichi shot back.

"…So, you know it's possible."

Unable to meet her gaze, Shuichi glanced out the large window and watched as the cars zipped passed without a care in the world as something he has been trying to ignore for the passed fifteen months floated to the surface. Doubt.

---TBC---

(1)There are actually people like this. Morons. Should be rounded up before a firing squad.

Preview: "The Challenge is Accepted"

A/N: I'm not sure how long this is going to be. I originally wanted it to a one-shot, but realized that it was too complicated for that. So, what'd you think? Like it? Hate it?