Well here it is, my first story in two years! Haha! well this is for GDNK's Chamiko contest. It's my first written work in two years so be gentle! There is nothing I hate more than ignorant little flamers. DON'T LIKE? DONT FUCKING READ!...but i digress. Please enjoy.

Kaa-san

Kimiko sighed softly, restless and unable to sleep. The soft beeping of machines sounded all around the room and the chatting of the midnight staff in the halls of the maternity ward made sleep very difficult for the woman. It amazed her that that other being in the room was able to maintain such a deep sleep. A tiny whimper to her left took Kimiko from her musing and she gazed softly at the tiny life in the clear container next to her bed. Her precious infants whimpers increased and his tiny face began to crunch in preparation for a loud wail. Before her child became more distressed, the young mother sat up in bed, turning to gently lift her son from his bed and cradle him to her chest.

The child settled as he was given access to his mother's milk. Kimiko gazed lovingly at her son, stroking his head as he was being fed. A few minutes later he was sated and began to drift back to sleep. After planting a soft kiss to the infant's forehead Kimiko gently placed him back in his crib. She was barley settled into her pillow before the air shifted, displaced by a new presence in the room. Kimiko's eyes lit up and she whispered softly, mindful of the sleeping babe,

"Chase!"

The man in question stepped from the shadows at the foot of her bed, an uncharacteristic nervous gleam in his reptilian eyes. Sensing his discomfort, Kimiko slid to the left side of the bed and tapped the place beside. Chase was there instantly, laying beside the young woman and drawing her close.

"How are you feeling?" Chase asked softly, staring at her face for any signs of stress

"About as good as anyone who went through twenty hours of labor and nearly died of blood loss" Kimiko laughed softly but stopped when Chase tightened his grip on her and exhaled shakily.

"There was nothing funny about it!" He whispered sharply

It had truly been one of the most terrifying experiences in Chase's very long life. Kimiko had gone into labor a month early. Jack, the only individual with knowledge about the baby's true parentage, had come screeching into his palace, shrieking out a story that had Chase seeing red. Apparently Kimiko, tired of feeling like a beached whale, had insisted on going as an observer to the next showdown. Jack got as far as the part where Wuya had decided to give the eight-month pregnant girl a good punch in the stomach before Chase was was already halfway through the portal that would take him to the hospital. For hours he was forced watch in the shadows, powerless as his lover screamed in pure agony. It was sheer torture watching Kimiko suffer and being completely unable to be at her side. The entire time he was cursing the Brazilian boy who had refused to leave her side despite her urging him to do so.

Chase had been sent into a complete panic when Kimiko had passed out and had nearly thrown Raimundo from the room when she flat lined. Chase had ignored the cries of his son and Raimundo. Instead his ghostly white face had remained entirely focused on the flat line traveling across the screen, praying it would rise after each clear from the doctor. He was on the verge of a complete breakdown when that line had finally been jolted up and Kimiko was brought back into consciousness. After her and the child's safety had been assured Chased had teleported back to his citadel, sank to his knees, and thanked every god he could think of. Wuya had come in moments later cackling loudly.

"You wouldn't believe what I did to that prego bitch today." She had said loudly

"Oh I would love to hear all about it tonight." Chase had replied seductively. Too excited at the notion that the warlord had finally given in to her charms Wuya had missed the completely demonic edge to his voice or the promise of bloody murder in his eyes, a look that would have made the devil himself shriek in terror.

Hours later, after severed limbs and strewn about flesh was left to regenerate, Chase had deemed it late enough for the monks to have left Kimiko to recuperate and teleported back to the hospital.

"I'm sorry", Kimiko said quietly, shaking Chase from his recollections, "You must have been worried."

"Worried?" Chased said incredulously, "I was terrified!"

"You didn't loose your temper did you? When you heard about Wuya?"

"The bitch deserved everything she got." he snarled back viciously, surprising Kimiko and rousing the still slumbering infant from his slumber. The baby's soft cooing caught Chase's attention and he immediately sat up, going completely still as he finally noticed the crib at Kimiko's side.

"Is that…?" he started, his throat suddenly going dry

Kimiko smiled softly.

"Would you like to hold him?"

Chase's eyes snapped to meet hers, a foreign emotion showing in their depths.

"I have a son." He rasped quietly to himself, warmth surging through his chest

"You do Chase," Kimiko, replied cheerily, turning to once again pluck her sleepy child from his nest, "and he would love to meet you." She finished holding out her child to its father. Chase remained rigid at her side, gazing at the bundle with hesitance. Kimiko huffed with amusement.

"Its not rocket science Chase."

Before he could think of a retort a powdery scent stung his senses and a bundle of warm life was thrust into his arms. Chase was frozen, staring down at the sleeping child in his arms. Eventually, he shifted the infant into the crook of his elbow before reaching a gloved hand up to stroke the soft tuft of green tinted ebony hair atop the baby's head. The action caused the child to stir and its eyes began to slowly open until chase was staring into ice blue. It took a moment for chase to register the fact that his son was staring at him, but almost immediately he unfroze and allowed a soft smile to spread across his face.

"Hello there little one." He cooed softly as Kimiko stared at the two with barely restrained happiness.

Throughout her pregnancy she had worried about how her lover would receive their child. When she had first told him the news he was understandably distressed and even a bit freaked out at the notion of conceiving something of his own flesh and blood. It was a completely unexpected situation for someone like Chase, whose entire life had been under his complete, meticulous control. This was a loss of the order that had been in his life for more than a thousand years. Such loss had been jarring, and it showed. It had become painfully obvious to Kimiko that even after he regained his composure he was only keeping up a front for her sake. He was nothing but caring and attentive during her pregnancy, even a little excited but she could see the fear in his eyes, the sheer terror they both shared at the coming future. But seeing him now, cradling their child gently in his arms, she felt that they would be just fine, for a little while at least.

Chase looked up at her unexpectedly, shifting the child slightly in his arms. Kimiko looked at him and saw an unasked question in his eyes.

"What?" She asked quietly, worried that something about their son had upset him.

Chase, sensing her distress shook his head slightly, dark looks of hair falling over his shoulder into the bundle, where a tiny hand grasped a fistful, tangled strands wrapping around little fingers.

"It's nothing love," he replied, looking at his son in amusement, "I was just curious about his name is all."

"Oh," Kimiko breathed in relief before a shy smile spread across her face, "I was kind of waiting for you. I thought we could do it together. I didn't know if you wanted a Chinese name for him or not. You are his father after all."

"I appreciate the consideration," he replied, standing up and handing the child back to its mother before moving to pace at the foot of the bed. "But I think a Chinese name would be suspicious, given the excuse you gave to everyone at the temple."

Naturally Chase and Kimiko's relationship was completely secret. They had worked very hard to make sure their secrecy was maintained, so a pregnancy was quite the conundrum. Not only would she need to explain how a supposedly celibate monk went and got herself pregnant but the question of paternity would need to be answered as well. There were only so many males in the area and it wasn't like Kimiko got out much outside of the quest for shen gong wu, none of the monks did. The boys were probably more shocked than Chase was when she broke the news to them. Clay had whistled loudly and fanned himself with his hat. Omi, despite the fact that he was no longer a child, was a bit confused, since he still didn't quite grasp the notion of sexual reproduction. He would have happily voiced his questions to the very quiet Kimiko had Raimundo not whacked him on the head. For his part, the Brazilian said nothing, only giving Kimiko a long hard stare before quietly leaving the room they were in. Kimiko could here the distinct sound of a vase being smashed against the wall shortly after his disappearance.

Needless to say, after the shock had worn off they had bombarded her with questions concerning the paternity of the child since they themselves were obviously not candidates. Luckily, her and Chase had come up with a solid story beforehand, free of any loopholes the boys could call her out on. She used the perfect excuse of her eighteenth birthday celebration, at which none of the boys were present.

It was a custom in the temple for young monks, on their eighteenth birthday, to be allowed one week on their own to go wherever and do whatever they wanted. It was like a last taste of rebellion before a monk truly settles down for a lifetime of the self-discipline they held in such high regard. It was the perfect venue for a pregnancy, according to chase.

Raimundo, having gone through this rite of passage just last year, understood the situation, but still didn't understand where the pregnancy fit in since sexual contact was still frowned upon, even during this week of freedom.

FLASHBACK

"Just where exactly did you go that you would forget the stern warning Fung had given you?" Raimundo asked with suspicion.

"I went to Paris." She replied with a nervous smile and a red face.

"Oh boy." She heard clay mutter from behind Raimundo who smacked his face with his palm. Poor Omi just looked confused.

"Why would it matter if she was in Paris?" he asked, his yellow head tilting in confusion.

"You see partner," Clay had replied, standing over Omi as a teacher would a student, "It's known as the City of Love for a reason."

"City of Love?"

"Yup cause' there lots of people do-"

"CLAY SHUT UP!"

Raimundo's shout surprised every one, including himself. He looked down, rubbing the back of his head with his hand.

"Sorry," he finally said after a moment, "We're just getting of track a little and Omi's right, by the way, the location really shouldn't have made you forget the rules Kimiko. There must have been something else going on."

Kimiko sighed.

"I was drunk." She said flatly.

"Kimiko!" Raimundo growled disapprovingly.

"What! For your information drinking was not part of the lecture. Yes, I know I shouldn't have drunk to the access I did that night but how was I supposed to know that I would bring some random guy back to my hotel. Stop treating me like I did this on purpose!" Kimiko finished with a sob.

The boys were silent as they watched Kimiko collect herself, taking deep breaths into the palms of her hands before she looked back up to them with a shaky smile.

"Sorry about that guys," she said with shaky amusement, "Hormones acting up." She finished with a tearful smile.

Clay gave her an apologetic look, "Sorry, I think were all just frustrated at the situation, I mean its not everyday we get the news of a new baby at the temple."

Omi took this moment to pipe in, "Although Raimundo didn't mean to upset you that much I still think you deserve a little feces for you're irresponsibly."

Raimundo gave Omi a pat on the back with a sigh.

"Shit, Omi, shit. She still deserves a little shit for her behavior." He said with exasperation.

"Omi's right," Kimiko said, "I was irresponsible and you have every right to be mad, sorry for overreacting."

"I'm sorry too," Raimundo said, giving Kimiko a hug, "As the leader I should have remained calm about the situation. Any way we need to work this out logically. Whose the father?"

Kimiko sighed, "I have no idea."

"What!" shouted Clay and Omi.

Raimundo pinched the bridge of his note as Kimiko gave them a sheepish smile.

"Just how could you not know who the father is?" He asked with a bit of frustration.

"I told you, I was drunk. I didn't remember anything from the night before."

"He wasn't there when you woke up?"

"No."

"What a butt!" Omi shouted

"Ass partner, you mean ass." Clay replied

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Yeah but—"

"Guys! Back on task here!" Raimundo scolded. "Anyway," he turned back to Kimiko, "I guess since you don't know who the father is tracking his sorry ass down would be next to impossible."

Kimiko nodded, "Yeah I'm pretty much on my own for this."

"Not true." Raimundo said, placing his hands on Kimiko's shoulders. "You've got all of us to support you."

"That's right partner."

"Have no fear Kimiko, we most definitely are in possession of your back side."

"Its have your back Omi." Raimundo said with amusement."

"Same thing."

Kimiko laughed, moving to hug all three of them.

"Thanks guys, you're the best."

END FLASHBACK

Well, it wasn't a complete lie. She did go to Paris for the week and both parents certainty did get drunk enough to forget all about protection and that was probably when the baby was conceived. The only difference was that she certainly did know who the father was since he was the one who took her to Paris as a present in the first place. Well they always say that the best lies use as much of the truth as possible.

"You're probably right," Kimiko said, "A Chinese name would be a bit odd since he isn't supposed to have any Chinese heritage. Alright then Japanese names it is."

Chase stopped pacing to look fondly at the child nestled in its mother's arms.

"Did you have anything in mind, Kimiko?" He asked.

Kimiko looked thoughtfully at her son who was beginning to doze off.

"Well," she began, rocking her child gently, "I thought of a couple while I was waiting for you."

Chase return to his place at Kimiko's side and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, embracing his new family.

"Which one is your favorite?" He replied after getting comfortable.

"How about Aiko?"

Chase hummed with approval. "Then we could call him Ai as a nickname"

Kimiko furrowed her brows.

"Isn't that a girl's name?" She asked, staring at him with confusion.

Chase shook his head, "In Japan yes, but it is a male name in China."

"Ah, I see," Kimiko said, realization lighting her eyes, "It wouldn't be suspicious since it just sounds like a shortened version of his original name and it would still allow his Chinese heritage to be acknowledged. It's the perfect compromise."

"So we're in agreement then?" Chase asked.

Kimiko nodded with enthusiasm.

"All right," Chase said, staring down at his son, softly stroking the forehead of the slumbering infant with the back of his finger, "Aiko it is then," he finished softly.

In response Aiko yawned widely, smacking his lips with a gurgle before he was silent once again. The new parents laughed softly.

"Looks like someone's tired." Kimiko said with amusement before turning to return Aiko to his crib.

"He has had a very long day" Chase began with mirth before looking at Kimiko seriously, "so have you, for that matter. You need rest. I should probably go."

Chase swung his legs the edge of the bed and moved to stand up. A hand grasped his forearm tightly, preventing him from standing. He looked to Kimiko questioningly.

"Stay," She said resolutely, "I haven't been able to see you all day. I was lonely without you."

Chase nodded, knowing it would be pointless to change her mind and removed his armor before climbing under the convers and laying beside his lover. Kimiko shifted to lay on her side facing Aiko. Chase embraced her from behind, wrapping his arms around her diminished stomach to pull her against his chest and tucked her head under his chin. He breathed in the sweet scent of her hair and exhaled loudly before gazing at his son slumbering peacefully in bed.

"I'll have to leave in the morning, before the monks come to visit."

"I know," Kimiko sighed, "but I'm content with this right now." She finished before her eyes fell on their son as well.

Both parents were silent as they stared at their child. Kimiko was beginning to doze when Chase spoke,

"I'm sorry I couldn't fully be there for you." He said with quiet regret.

"There was nothing you could do, it's not your fault," Kimiko mumbled tiredly, "Besides, you're here now and that's all that matters." She finished before finally drifting of to sleep.

Chase tightened his hold on her. He took one last loving look at both mother and child.

"I love you both. I will die before any harm comes to my family." He swore with steel in his eyes. The road ahead would be one of the biggest tests of his entire life. For now though, Chase was content to spend this brief moment of peace with his new family. They would worry about the messy details in the morning.

With that, Chase himself began to drift, the soft sound of Kimiko and Aiko breathing guiding him into slumber.

All was silent save for the beeping of machines and the deep breaths of the family slumbering within the room.

A slithering sound broke the silence of the room as a little green dragon slid from the shadows, moving to sit at the foot of the bed. Yellow eyes looked down at the slumbering parents.

"What a mess you both have gotten yourselves into." Dojo sighed before glancing over at sleeping babe.

"That is one cute kid though."

Like it? Hate it? Give a reveiw, tell me what you think

In case you are curious Aiko means love child in japanese. Yes, it is a male name even though it sounds really girly. Ai is also a male name in China meaning love. I thought the names were rather fitting, I just love sappy shit like that. XD