"Are you smoking?!" Shiro asked Kassy. She turned, cigarette in hand.

"No." She replied, eyes wide.

He stared at her. "Then why do you have a lit cigarette in your hand?"

She glanced at it. "Oh, my God! Where did that come from?!"

"Kassy, you said you quit!"

Kassy frowned, taking a drag of her cigarette. "I did quit! I just started again."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. This Rora situation is reminding me of Maeve, and then all the backlash from my book. It's stressing me out."

Shiro gave her a sympathetic look. "I know it's difficult. But this isn't good for you. At all. Come on, don't you wanna stay alive for your kids? Plus, if they inhale the smoke, it's really bad for them too."

She frowned. "I don't know what else I can do."

He took the cigarette from her hand and put it out. "How about... you come find me, and squeeze me until you're feeling better."

She looked at him. "Squeeze you? What the hell does that mean? Like, your dick? Wouldn't that hurt?"

Shiro shook his head. "No, no. Like this." he wrapped his arms around her waist, and held her, giving a gentle squeeze.

"Bitch, you mean a hug? You want me to quit smoking by hugging you?"

"Just try it." he let go of her.

She wrapped her arms around him. "Did I say stop hugging me?"

Shiro laughed. "Sorry, sorry. You feel better though, right? Less stressed?"

"Maybe."

"Is it as good as a cigarette?"

"Maybe."

He smiled and kissed her. "I love you so much, Kassy."

Kassy buried her face in his shoulder. Her phone started ringing.

"You got a call, babe."

"It can wait." her muffled voice came.

"It's from Colleen."

"Ooh, Colleen!" She practically bounded off him, grabbing her phone.

***

"You survived, you crazy motherfucker." Keith smiled, patting Rora's back. "A car crash and then septic shock."

Rora laughed. "No way I'm dying young. You know, I saw a light, and I told God, no buddy, not yet. I gotta watch Pidge grow up."

Pidge, next to her, was crying. "I am grown up!"

"Well, hopefully that'll be true soon." Rora replied.

"I'm the most grown up. I have a baby on the way." Matt said.

"With a woman you got with a matter of months ago." Rora gave him a pointed look. "That just means you don't know how to pull out. Not that you're grown up."

Sam laughed. "She's definitely okay."

"Yep, yep. Yep, love you too. Speak to you soon, Kassy, I'll bring you and Shiro and Ulaz some lasagne." Colleen got off the phone. "Kassy's glad you lived."

"I'm glad Kassy's glad." Rora replied. "Mom, I'm hungry."

"The nurse said you can eat in a couple hours."

She pouted. "I'm hungry now, though."

"Good. You'll still be hungry later, won't you?"

She sighed dramatically and leant her head on Axca. "These people want me to starve."

"You just woke up, darling. It'll take a bit of time." Axca murmured.

"Not you too."

Axca gave soft laugh.

***

"Go on. You can feel if you want."

Lotor's hand was hovering a few inches from Elrine's stomach. He had glanced up at her, as if waiting for the green light, and when she spoke, his hand landed gently. He laughed softly.

"I can't believe my child is within there. I'm to be a father."

She nodded. "It's true."

"And you a mother." he looked up at her. "To our perfect little child."

She smiled, taking his face in her hands and reaching down, kissing him. "I'm so glad you're excited." she murmured.

"I always expected to have children. I suppose, before they were tools to continue the lineage. Now they can be my family. I'm so glad to have found family in you, my perfect Elrine."

She smiled. "When we have our baby, we'll be a real family."

"We already are. We're just growing, darling."

***

"Kassy, please can I go to the bathroom now?" Shiro asked. Kassy had kept him frozen in place for 2 hours, her arms wrapped around him.

"5 more minutes." she murmured.

"You said that 20 minutes ago. I'll be really quick, okay?"

Kassy nodded, and waited for him on the couch. He rejoined her a few minutes later.

She cuddled up to him, head in the nook of his neck. He rubbed her back gently

"You needed this, huh?" he murmured.

"Yep." she murmured back. "I'm never letting go of you now. You'll have to carry me everywhere."

He smiled. "Sounds good."

She buried her face deeper into his neck. "This isn't close enough." she whined, her arms squeezing his ribs.

He laughed. "I know how you feel. I love you."

She rubbed his chest, making a soft whining noise. "I want to be here forever. Don't ever put me through anything else, okay?"

"I won't, baby."

"I wanna marry you." she mumbled.

Shiro paused, before a smile crossed his face. "Really?"

Kassy nodded. "Yeah."

Shiro smiled. "What, right now?"

Kassy giggled. "Yes. If you want."

Shiro laughed. "Alright. Kassy Blackwood, do you take Takashi Shirogane as your lawfully wedded husband?"

Kassy laughed. "I do."

"And Shiro, do you take Kassy as your lawfully wedded wife? I do. You may kiss the bride."

Shiro leant in, and planted a kiss on Kassy's lips. "I now pronounce you, man and wife." He paused, before laughing.

Kassy smiled. "Hey, hubby."

"Hey, wifey." he murmured.

Her smile faded. "We're not really, though."

"We can be really if you want."

She kissed him again. "I do want,"

"So. No ring yet, but..."

Kassy shushed and placed a finger to his lip. "But we're engaged."