Our house, in the middle of our street

It took Nick the rest of breakfast to process the fact that he had a kid. Kids. While he’d long-since come to terms with the fact that Mary was pregnant and that Sylvia liked calling him “Daddy”, that was still a far cry from an actual living, breathing child with his DNA right in front of him.

And there were two, for that matter.

…Of course, he knew that this wasn’t real. He didn’t really have kids- it was a fantasy that Rose had concocted. Apparently, she had gotten so fed up with the fact that she was the last one to be with him this round that she had gotten ambitious- and gone above and beyond when it came to crafting her fantasy of domestic bliss. Nick would have been satisfied for a nice dream of simple married life- the trimmings she added completely blindsided him.

“Excellent work on your table manners, you two!” Rose cooed, doting over the twin blondes like the loving mother she was in this reality. She gave them each a kiss on the cheek as a reward for finishing their breakfast promptly and politely. “Now, go on and watch your Saturday Morning Cartoons while I stay here and have a chat with your papa, alright?”

“Oui, maman!” The two kids said in unison, scurrying off to the living room to go watch TV.

Now that it was just the two of them, Nick finally found his voice. He slowly looked up at his radiant wife, practically glowing resplendently in motherhood.

“…Saturday Morning Cartoons?” He managed to say with just a hint of sarcasm. “Nice touch.”

“Isn’t it?” Rose said, her words just ambiguous enough to conceal the truth. “I thought a nice, easy Saturday would be a lovely opportunity for us both.”

It felt oddly fitting to set the date on a Saturday, given it was the last night before the challenge tomorrow. With how the island played with time, Nick had long since lost track of the days of the week by this point.

“…Rose,” Nick said slowly, looking deeply into her eyes. “Sorry, Rosemary,” he corrected himself, “kids? That’s a little ambitious, don’t you think?”

Rose blinked. “…Well, that’s what I thought too,” she said, touching her hand to her cheek. “But these things happen, you know? Planning for one baby and winding up with two… I’ve never been happier in my life to be so blessed with a surprise.”

Nick raised his eyebrow. A “surprise” was it? In the end, Rose was still playing her part.

She sat down beside him at the table again, and gave him another warm smile.

“Nick… what do you think about a calm, peaceful Saturday date?” She asked.

He could hear the sincerity in her voice. She wasn’t asking just as “Rose, wife and mother of two adorable children” but as Rose, the contestant on Harem Hotel whose date night this was, and who he loved.

“To tell you the truth,” she continued, seeing that Nick was a little speechless at the moment, “I wanted to plan something big and fancy today. You know, to make up for the fact we’ve barely spent any time together this week, thanks to your… work,” she said carefully, subtly nudging him to stay in character.

“Yes,” Nick nodded. “Work. Right.” He decided he could oblige her that much, at least.

Rose’s smile deepened. “But then I realized just how much you love and care about me.”

Oh boy.

Nick bristled, worried for a moment that Rose was going to let her ego take over again. She was a wonderful and loving woman when she was at her best, but sometimes she could get a little carried away.

But looking into her eyes, he saw that wasn’t the case this time. The only thing reflected in her gaze was an abundance of consideration. For him.

“You weren’t avoiding me on purpose,” she said, her voice aching with the faintest tinge of sorrow. “But because you had other obligations.”

Nick winced. “Rose, that’s not-”

“Sorry, sorry, ‘obligation’ isn’t the right word,” she agreed with him, holding up her hand and shaking her head. “It wasn’t that you were obligated, of course it wasn’t. You wanted to spend time with… not me, because your heart… it’s so large. You have so much love to give, and even if it pains me… I can only accept one small part of it.”

She was smiling. But everything he knew about Rose told him that she was on the brink of tears.

Rose… you really are amazing. Not just as an actress (though only a master could conceal her sadness so flawlessly behind a smile like that) but as a woman as well.

“You’re always working so hard for all our sakes, to make everyone happy,” Rose said, taking Nick’s hands into hers. She continued with her ambiguous statements- certainly she could have been speaking of herself and the children when she said “all our sakes” but they both knew in that moment who she was really talking about. She took one hand from his, reached up, and cradled his cheek.

“But when you run yourself ragged day after day, night after night, all for the sake of those you love… who is it that takes care of you?” She asked. “Your dedication is how you show your love, so let me show you the same love. Would that be alright?”

For a moment, Nick wondered if Rose had transformed into an angel. Only when she put it into words did he realize just how tiring this last round had been for him.

Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin’s overwhelming sexual conquest had just been the latest example. Before that, dealing with the two Dawns had taken up a considerable amount of his attention. And then there was Vivian and her date which, while relaxing, had pulled him out of his comfort zone and then some. Gina’s party, and before that, his dates with Kim, Sylvia, and Cinder and Ella. All of which had taken massive commitments of his time and energy.

He treasured those moments with the women in his harem and wouldn’t trade them for anything, of course. But Rose was right- when was the last time that he’d truly been able to make time for himself? To not have to deal with the pressures and stress associated with his position as master, where he could just relax and be Nick, without needing to make sure everything was going properly? This round felt like it had lasted an eternity, and not just because of all the new women who had joined his harem.

Rose could see how much he needed this- her gentle smile said as much. “That’s what I wanted to give you for our date,” she said. “Peace of mind.”

A sigh escaped his lips. “Rose…”

“Ah ah ah, no need to thank me,” she said, placing a finger over his lips. Just like that, the playful Rose he knew and loved had returned. “I’m your wife, remember? It’s my job to make sure you’re taken care of, not just physically, but mentally as well. So go on, relax. Today is your day off, my love. You don’t need to do anything big or grandiose. You have no one you need to impress. It’s just you and me, together.”

“…And Jacques and Madeleine,” he pointed out.

“Ah. …Yes. Of course,” Rose said. For a moment he wondered if she really had forgotten them.

“About them-”

“Aren’t they just perfect?” Rose interrupted him, pressing her fingers together. “The most adorable little angels you could ask for, that’s how I feel anyway.”

Nick figured as much. So this is another part of her fantasy, then. It isn’t just about the white picket fence, the nice two-story house, or cooking up breakfast in the morning. Rose… she really wants it all, doesn’t she? A wife… a mother, even… that… that really something.

Under normal circumstances, he might have chocked this little vision up to another escalation in her rivalry with Mary. Trying to out-wife and mother his current wife and the future mother of his children.

But even with as petty as Rose could be with Mary sometimes, that thought never crossed his mind for a second.

Ever since her maman died, it was just her and her brother. Sure, her grandparents helped a little, but there’s a reason they left that house as soon as they could and came to the United States. Even now, so much of what she does and how hard she works is for his sake, too.

Nick hadn’t forgotten what had driven Rose to come here in the first place. Just because she’d fallen in love with him along the way, that didn’t erase her motivating love for her brother.

“You really do love your family, don’t you?” Nick asked gently.

Rose’s eyes widened like saucers and her mouth twisted into a stunned “O” shape.

For the first time, she was at a complete loss for words.

Of course she would wish for a future like this. A warm, happy family of four, living together under the same roof.

Nick leaned in and hugged Rose tightly, shocking her even more.

“N-Nick? Wh-what are you doing?” Rose stammered, her face turning scarlet in surprise. She squirmed a little, but only for a moment before sinking back into his embrace with a sigh on her lips.

“This is a lovely dream, Rosemary,” Nick whispered into her ear, holding her close. She was still shaking, but not with resistance. The tears she’d been holding back until this point… she couldn’t keep them back any longer.

“I’m… so… happy…” she managed to spit out, trying not to sob and alarm her children. “Thank you for accepting this, Nick. Thank you… for accepting me.”

Their children weren’t real. But maybe someday they could be. Maybe someday… they could have a form of this perfect dream.

I always knew there was a hole in Rose’s heart. Something missing. I never pushed, because I knew… there’s nothing I can do to fill it. But maybe… maybe this… maybe this way, this dream of a family… maybe it’s a start.

Rose had lost her mother. She never knew her father. But she’d kept going regardless. Like a howling sailor fighting a storm at sea, she pushed forward, undaunted by the adversity in her path, pressing on through sheer **** of will.

“You’re an amazing woman, you know that?” Nick pulled back so he could look into her eyes. Her makeup was running but she still looked gorgeous. “I’ve always felt that way, but I want you to know that.”

“…Eh… I… I’m not… anything so special…” she said quietly, her face glowing with delighted embarrassment as a crooked smile broke her features in half. As much as she tried to look composed and mature, her sheer joy pierced through, undaunted.

This was the woman who radiated honesty and sincerity in spite of her best efforts, the woman Nick loved.

…But humility? Modesty? What sort of a betrayal was this?!

“…Don’t say that,” Nick grinned, wiping her eyes with a napkin from the table. “It’s not your style, you know that. Where’s the woman I married, the one who always puffs out her chest and holds her head up high, declaring her superiority for everyone to hear?”

Rose nearly broke down into a fit of giggles. She shook her head slowly, staring at Nick in amazement. “You…! You haven’t married me yet, mister! Getting my hopes up like-!”

She gasped.

“AH!”

The jig was up. In her haste, brought on by the instability of her present emotional state, Rose had inadvertently let slip that this really was a dream, after all. She’d danced around the topic with the evasion of a kung fu master, but in the end, her goose was cooked.

Rose puffed up her cheeks in frustration and swatted playfully at her “husband”.

“You tricked me!” She growled in mock outrage. “Getting me fooled with all those sweet little whispers in my ear!”

“I meant every word of it, sincerely,” Nick assured her. “And you know me well enough to know that, Rosemary.”

She blushed again, and sank back into her seat, still pouting.

“Rosemary.”

“Rosemary.”

“Rose-”

“Aagh, it’s embarrassing!” She wailed, hiding her burning face with her hands. She could handle with when she was playing a part, but now? She was facing him directly and honestly, and she wanted to die of shame.

“Sorry, I’ll stop.”

“…No, don’t,” she mumbled, peeking sheepishly through her fingers before lowering her hands. “…I like it when you call me that.”

Just as Rose knew Nick well, Nick knew her. He knew that, for as big of an ego as she may have had, it was only trumped by how quickly she was to deny any praise that she sincerely felt that she didn’t deserve.

In summary, she was a complicated, annoying woman who it was impossible to get a read on, and most of the time didn’t even know what she really wanted.

And Nick found that to be one of the loveliest things about her.

She smiled bashfully at him, and he smiled back at her. Then he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the lips.

“I meant what I said,” he repeated himself. “You’re an amazing woman. And don’t even try to pretend you’re not.”

Rose batted her eyelashes and bit her lower lip coquettishly.

“Well… maybe you’re right,” she admitted. “I suppose I am pretty amazing, aren’t I?” She leaned back in her seat and fanned herself, looking all high and mighty again.

“…A trick, eh? So that’s what it was.” Nick pretended to be fooled. Acting like that Rose had just been pretending to be modest and humble herself to elicit praise from him. It was a game, and he played along with it, because they both knew just how precious they really were to each other, and how much they thought of each other.

“You are so sweet,” Rose whispered. “Like something out of a dream…”

Her whimsical voice trailed off as she turned and gazed at the doorway, to where their children were playing in the other room. The faint sound of cartoons could be heard echoing through the house.

Rose laughed.

“I hope precious times like this… I hope we’ll have many more of them in the future,” she admitted, turning back to Nick. Her eyes were wet with a sober, somber melancholy, as if she doubted- or feared- that such dreams would be anything more than dreams.

Nick had a question for her. He suspected he knew the answer, but he still needed to ask it, just to make sure.

“Rose… do you want children?” He held her hand as she stared at him with wide eyes. For a moment, the color drained from her face.

Then she smirked.

“Why… more than we have now?” She asked, slipping back into character as east as slipping on a glove. She clicked her tongue. “Two isn’t enough for you?”

He was caught by surprise for a moment.

“Rose, come on, that’s not what I-”

“Yes, I think two is the perfect number,” Rose continued, edging him out before he could express himself further. She looked deep into his eyes, and the weight in her voice changed. “Two children seems perfect.”

It took him a second to process, but he nodded in understanding.

“Wow, that… well, okay then,” he said, his hands slipping back into his lap as he processed the weight of her statement, and what it meant for their relationship going forward.

“I thought I made it very clear already,” Rose continued, her tone a strange mix between playful and a little irritated, like a teacher having to explain something to a child who just wasn’t understanding the concept. “To have a loving family with my husband, two children and a lovely home like this… nothing would be better.”

The smile she gave him was tinged with sadness, and the reason was obvious.

After all… in a perfect world for Rose, it really would just be the four of them together. Her, Nick, and their children, a nice, traditional family.

But Harem Hotel was not Dream Alley. In the world beyond this dream, there were other women Nick loved. Other women he wanted to be with- even start families with.

As much as Rose wanted her perfect little dream, as she’d already said… Nick’s heart had a lot of room for other people, and she only got a piece. It might have been big and warm and enough for her to sink herself into, but it was still just a piece of him.

Mary already went through this herself. She gave it up too. And I… I can live with that. After all, there’s nothing she can do that I can’t! Rose reminded herself, reaffirming her determination to see her wish granted.

So she could be happy, and sad, and both of those things were fine. As long as she could hold onto her dream.

Nick remained silent. Maybe he should have said something to comfort her. But maybe his words would only bring her pain. After all, it was his inability to love only Rose that was causing her so much pain. Anything he said, might just sound like a useless platitude to her ears.

Their eyes met, and that’s when he saw it.

Rose cleared her throat. She reached her hand up to wipe her tears, only to find that she hadn’t shed any.

She smiled.

“As I said,” she continued, “my dream has always been to have a lovely life with my husband, and to start a family with him. With my husband.”

The emphasis was clear. As much as she loved this dream world she’d created for him, she wasn’t about to lie back and start popping out babies for him tonight. They were only married in the dream after all. If they got married for real, well…

Maybe they would talk about it then. But for now…

“So let’s enjoy our perfect day together, shall we?” She encouraged him, holding his hand tightly and gazing adoringly up into his eyes. “We’ve talked enough about such heavy things. You don’t need to do one thing to try and make me happy today, mon compagnon. Just being here in this house with you makes me happier than I ever thought I could be.”

The tears watering her eyes were filled with joy. Nick felt the exact same way.