BNHA: Force Within

Megumi stared out the airplane window, one hand resting on her now-visible baby bump. Six months pregnant, and she still couldn't quite believe it. The ultrasound photo in her purse felt like it was burning a hole through the fabric – the first real proof that this was all actually happening.

The flight attendant stopped by her seat, offering a gentle smile. "Would you like some water, ma'am?"
"Yes, please." Megumi accepted the bottle gratefully. Ever since the pregnancy, she'd been constantly thirsty. Her grandmother said it was probably the baby's quirk developing, but no one could be sure. Nothing about this pregnancy was normal.
She hadn't told her father yet. How could she explain it over the phone? 'Hi Dad, surprise! You're going to be a grandfather, and no, there's no father, just a villain who used his quirk on me and then died.' Even in a world of superhuman abilities, that was a lot to take in.
The plane landed in New York six hours later. Megumi made her way through customs, her small suitcase rolling behind her. She'd chosen a loose sweater for the trip, but there was no hiding her condition anymore. The customs officer gave her a sympathetic look when she handed over her passport, probably assuming she was just another young, unmarried mother-to-be.
Her father was waiting in the arrival area, tall and easy to spot with his graying blonde hair. Ben Skywalker had moved back to America after divorcing her mother, but he'd always stayed in touch, visiting Japan when he could and sending care packages full of American snacks that Megumi pretended were too sweet but secretly loved.
"Megumi!" He waved, then froze as she got closer, his eyes widening at her obvious pregnancy. "Oh. Oh wow."
"Hi, Dad." She managed a weak smile. "Surprise?"
He hugged her carefully, as if she might break. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have come to Japan."
"It's... complicated. Can we talk about it at your place?"
The drive to his apartment in Queens was quiet. Megumi could feel her father stealing glances at her whenever they stopped at traffic lights, but he didn't push. That was one thing she'd always appreciated about him – he knew when to wait.
His apartment hadn't changed much since her last visit two years ago. The same photos lined the walls: Megumi as a baby, her parents' wedding day, family trips to Tokyo Disneyland. The sight of them made her throat tight. Soon she'd have a baby of her own to photograph.
"Tea?" Her father asked, already heading for the kitchen. Some habits didn't change, even in America.
"Please." Megumi sank onto his worn leather couch, pulling the ultrasound photo from her purse. Her hands shook slightly as she waited.
Ben returned with two steaming mugs, setting them on the coffee table. He sat beside her, close but not crowding. "So. Want to tell me what's going on?"
Megumi took a deep breath and told him everything. The attack, the strange quirk, waking up alone, finding out about the pregnancy. Her father listened without interrupting, his face growing more concerned with each detail.
When she finished, he was quiet for a long moment. Then: "Have they caught the bastard who did this to you?"
"He's dead." Megumi wrapped her arms around herself. "They found his body. Quirk burnout, the police said."
"Good," Ben said flatly, then immediately looked guilty. "Sorry. That's not... I shouldn't say that. Are you okay? Really okay?"
Megumi pulled out the ultrasound photo, slightly crumpled from being carried so long. "I'm scared. All the time. But..." She handed him the photo. "That's your grandson."
Ben took the photo with trembling fingers. The image showed a clear profile – nose, chin, tiny hands. "A boy?"
"Yeah." Megumi smiled despite herself. "Due in April."
"Does he... can they tell if he has a quirk yet?"
"No, but he's strong. Really strong. I can feel it with my quirk sometimes, like he's..." She trailed off, not sure how to describe the strange pulses of energy she sometimes felt from her unborn son.
Her father studied the photo for a long moment. Then he got up and walked to his desk, pulling something from a drawer. "I was saving this for when you had kids, but I guess now's the time."
He handed her a small, worn book. The cover showed a cartoonish stork carrying a bundle. "What's this?"
"Your baby book. Your mom and I took turns writing in it that first year. All your milestones, funny moments, first words. I thought maybe..." He gestured vaguely. "You might want to do the same."
Megumi opened the book carefully. The first page held her birth details in her mother's neat handwriting, followed by her father's messier scrawl describing her first day home. Little notes filled the margins – inside jokes between her parents, observations about her personality even as an infant.
"Dad..." Her vision blurred with tears.
"Hey, none of that." He pulled her into a hug. "You're going to be an amazing mother, Megumi. And that kid is going to have so many people looking out for him. Speaking of which..." He pulled back, looking serious. "I'm moving back to Japan."
"What? Dad, no, your work—"
"I can work remotely. Already talked to my boss about it. I'm not missing my grandson growing up, and you need all the help you can get."
Megumi started crying in earnest then, pregnancy hormones getting the better of her. Her father held her while she sobbed, just like he had when she was little and scraped her knee or failed a test.
"I'm scared," she whispered against his shoulder.
"I know." He stroked her hair. "That's how you know you're going to be a good parent. The bad ones never worry about messing up."
Later that night, lying in her father's guest room, Megumi opened the baby book again. She found a blank page near the back and began to write:
"To my son: Your story begins with the impossible, but you are so loved. Your grandmother, great-grandmother, and grandfather are already arguing over who gets to babysit first. I don't know what the future holds, but I know you'll never be alone."
She paused, pen hovering over the page, then added: "I can't wait to meet you."