Author's Note: This is kind of an add-on to my story Always and Forever (the sequel actually), but, aside from a couple references, it works fine as a stand-alone if you haven't read that.

Who's the Father?

Miki awoke to the opening of the dormitory door as her roommate returned from her morning shower, as indicated by her wet blonde hair. The other girl was creeping slowly in, taking care not to awake her cherry-haired roommate, so Miki closed her eyes once more, prepared to fall asleep again. She had no classes today, unlike Rin, so she knew that there was no reason for her to wake up fully. Rin would simply be sitting on her bed studying as usual, anyway; she was never one to chat immediately before class and focused her attention instead on reviewing so that she didn't get left behind.

However, today, Rin acted differently. Miki opened her eyes when she felt Rin's cool hand against her forehead. Meeting the blonde's blue eyes, Miki let her question show in her eyes. "Sorry," Rin murmured softly, gazing at Miki with an odd concentration. "You looked a little uncomfortable, so I was checking for a fever."

She had? Miki hadn't noticed, so she simply smiled gratefully and passed on her thanks. Then, after seeing that Miki wasn't ill, Rin pulled away and began to riffle through her things to find a note Miki remembered her misplacing the night before. Miki kept her eyes open to watch the girl, comforted knowing that her friend cared for her even after she'd lost her memory. She watched as Rin's fingertips lingered on the cloth on the white bow given to her by Gumi, then watched as Rin drew away without tying the bow on her head. Miki's eyes grew sympathetic, knowing that Rin and Gumi hadn't spoken since their last fight, but neither could summon the bravery to speak to the other, and Miki had grown worried that this would be the end of it. Her beloveds, Iroha and Piko, had expressed the same sentiments on their side with Gumi, claiming that seemed to have lost hope in reconciling with Rin.

Suddenly, Miki's stomach lurched. It wasn't sympathy pains, though, and she quickly pulled herself upright in bed, knowing what was happening immediately. Rin looked toward the sudden movement, eyes widening in panic when she saw Miki's glazed-over eyes and the tint of green in her face. Before Miki could figure out what she was doing, Rin had grabbed the trashcan next to her bed in one hand and swung right beside Miki on the bed, placing the can swiftly before her and grabbing the loose tendrils of hair to hold them back, out of her path.

After another moment of sickening tension, Miki leaned her face into the trashcan and toss out all the food she'd eaten in the past twenty-four hours. She winced, hating how disgusting and unladylike this was, and suddenly wished that Rin couldn't see her right now. But, Rin was her best friend, a truly magnificent friend, and she stayed by her side the entire time, cooing comforting words, holding back the cherry-coloured hair, and stroking Miki's back.

When Miki finished, Rin handed her the towel she'd brought back from her shower. Feeling sicker now that she could smell the partially digested food, Miki accepted, embarrassed. Her thoughts were together now, though, so when Rin laughed lightly and commented, "I told you that you shouldn't attend Dell's parties. That guy knows how to get a girl drunk," she felt her panic climbing higher.

She hadn't drunk last night, not one sip. This sickness had nothing to do with alcohol. It had to do with . . . them.

. . .

Miki stood outside the door of Iroha and Piko's apartment, smiling fondly as she listened to the two arguing inside. As usual, Iroha's shouts rang louder than Piko's irritated retorts, and the sound of the two together was so comforting to Miki's ears. She closed her eyes to listen to them and gather herself, slowly drawing in a breath and letting it out so that her stomach fell flat. She couldn't help but smile ruefully. She'd managed to lose weight lately, but, obviously, her stomach would be plump again in no time now.

Knowing she couldn't put it off any longer, Miki gently grabbed the door's handle and pushed it open. The moment she stepped inside, Iroha, who was standing before Piko and shouting at him as he glared up at her from the couch, whipped her gaze over and lit up with a huge smile, forgetting whatever she and Piko had been talking about.

"Miki!" she squealed joyfully, dashing over and wrapping her arms around Miki in a hug. Miki cringed as Iroha's stomach pressed against her own, worried that she'd get sick again. She forced herself to smile as usual when Iroha beamed at her. "What are you doing here, meow? Shouldn't you be studying?"

Miki tried not to seem too tense when she replied, "I had something I needed to talk to you two about."

Iroha drew back then, noting the seriousness in Miki's voice. She tilted her head to the side, curiosity glistening in her eyes, but she must have noticed Miki's nervousness as she didn't press forward like she usually would. Miki was infinitely grateful for that and looked to Piko, who'd yet to rise from the couch as he watched her with the same questioning expression Iroha wore. Taking in her breath once more, Miki forced herself to speak the words, "I think I'm pregnant."

It took a minute for the two others to process the information, but she could tell the moment they did by the flicker of shock that ran between them and the twin pairs of widening eyes. All three of the young adults stood stiff for a moment, Miki waiting for responses that the residents were trying to formulate. Iroha was the first to react, though, and she did so with a smile and a cheer.

"Yes!" Iroha cried out triumphantly, pumping her fist in the air. "Now we can finally get rid of Piko!"

Piko, eyes still showing his concentration as he tried to decode Miki's words, mumbled, "I swear I had a dream just like this when you two came back." Then, he added to Iroha, "There's no connection between Miki being pregnant and my leaving, Iroha. If anything, you should be leaving."

Iroha looked at him as though he were a complete idiot. "What are you talking about, meow?"

He raised his brow at her, unimpressed. "The child?"

Iroha smirked and said, "Well, duh. Obviously, I'm the father!"

There was a moment of silence, and Miki couldn't help but giggle at Iroha's charming statement. Then, Piko informed the kittyler, "You're a girl, Iroha."

She was looking annoyed now, and she wondered, "So?"

With a heavy sigh and eyes sparking with anger, he stared at her. "I don't see you producing any sperm, Iroha. There's no way you could be the father."

Iroha simply snorted in response. "Please, like that's such a chore. Kudos, Piko. You really are a moron. Didn't you know? It's all about heart!"

Piko sighed, looking to Miki, and told them both, "I give up."

. . .

"So, which one of us is the father?" Iroha questioned the blonde who sat before she, Piko, and Miki on the couch in Kiyoteru's apartment. The blonde, known as Lily, had been in the middle of lounging in her own clothes, as Miki recognized by the sheer amount of visible skin, watching television when Iroha and Piko had barged in with Miki in tow, scouring the apartment for Gumi and pouncing on Lily the moment she stated that Gumi was out.

"Are you high?" was Lily's immediate response.

Piko gesticulated toward Miki, who smiled politely, and said, "Miki is pregnant, and Iroha has this crazy idea that it's even remotely possible that the child is hers."

"You're pregnant?"

That was Miku's voice, and Miki turned to see the tealette entering with her arms full of grocery bags, her boyfriend, Kiyoteru, by her side. She was pouting now, her face an odd mixture of disappointment and excitement. "Congratulations," she offered, but it was quickly followed by puppy eyes being shot at Kiyoteru with a, "Why am I not pregnant yet, Teru? I'm jealous." Then, sticking her tongue out playfully and smiling teasingly, she cooed, "Len would've gotten me pregnant by now, old man."

Kiyoteru simply shifted in discomfort, mumbling something Miki couldn't make out in response and causing Miku to laugh.

"Miku, great timing!" Piko said, looking incredibly relieved. Miki's eyes were on Kiyoteru, who was looking away in embarrassment. Miki's face burned red when she recalled that Kiyoteru had been her teacher once, and now he knew that she was pregnant at such a young age. "Who's the father, me or Iroha?"

Miku looked at him curiously and replied, "Shorty, obviously."

Iroha overlooked Miku's naming of her to cheer out in triumph, earning a glare from the blonde on the couch who'd returned to watching television while Piko slammed his forehead into his palm.

. . .

"That's a relief," Miki imagined Piko saying as she stood at their apartment door the next day. It was nearly midnight, terrible as that was, but that was how long it had taken for her to commute here after class since no one was picking up the phone in Iroha and Piko's apartment.

"Aw, now we're stuck with Piko," Iroha might whine.

But, when she opened the door, Miki's heart skipped a beat, and guilt weighed down on her. They were so sweet.

"What about the television?" Iroha wondered to Piko, who was covering the edges of the coffee table with something Miki instantly recognized as an item meant to soften the edges if a baby were to crash into it.

The entire apartment was baby-proofed.

"Miki!" Piko announced, smiling at her. "Guess what we did today?"

Miki smiled. There was no way she could tell them now. This was terrible. They were such sweethearts. She had known there was a reason why she loved them so much.

"We baby-proofed everything!" Iroha announced proudly, grinning from ear to ear. "We just have to do the television now!" Her smile fell when she looked to Miki, who's smile obviously wasn't convincing enough. "What's wrong, Miki?"

"I'm sorry, you two," she apologized, almost wanting to laugh when she saw everything they'd done. "Thank you so much for all this, but I took the test again."

"And?" Piko wondered, freezing in his work when he realized what she was saying.

She sighed and smiled for her beloveds, telling them, "It was a false positive. I'm not pregnant."

Author's Note: Happy birthday Vicki-chan! Vicki-chan is my beloved waifu, and, after my addition to Always and Forever (Why Piko Can't Sleep), she begged me to write this. Hope you LOVED it, sweetie! :)