This is a story written by both KillerMay and I. This first chapter is mine.

:: Author: Boriqua-chan ::

Glancing around the room, Kaede hurried to get out of the house. She shivered lightly at the thought of what would happen if she didn't. Her parents would start singing along to some type of old music—what did they call it, jazz—and they would start handing each other spices to make lunch for that day and just...

Kaede suppressed another shiver and gripped the doorknob tightly, hoping desperately not to be caught. She was always caught, but sometimes they let her slide away. She really hoped this was one of those times. It was rare that she wasn't, but still. She turned the knob, breathing a sigh of relief as she was let go. The sun was warm on her shoulders; they weren't covered by much, unless you counted a thin spaghetti strap that held her shirt on her body. Out her door awaited Hyūga Toyo and his little cousin. Kaede smiled at her boyfriend and walked as silently as she could to his side.

Toyo had beautiful long chocolate brown hair that was held in a ponytail by a white ribbon at his shoulders. Clear brown eyes that could turn lavender at a moment's notice stared at her. He wore a light kaki-colored shirt and dark blue shorts. A kunai pouch was attached to his arm. He gave Kaede a small, loose smile and rested his arm possessively on her waist. His other arm was holding Natsuko shoulders protectively.

Natsuko had bright blonde hair—it was so bright it was literally yellow. The lavender eyes of the Byakugan were framed by a cheeky face. She smiled happily at her cousin's girlfriend a giggled cutely when Toyo rested his arm on Kaede's waist.

"How's the baby, Kaede-chan?" Natsuko asked loudly, a lot like her father when he was younger. Her mother, Hinata, and Toyo's father, Neji, were cousins. It was really hard to say that Toyo was "the son of her mother's cousin" whenever someone asked them whether or not they were related, so they just said they were cousins.

Kaede smiled at the ten-year-old as she thought of her newest little brother. She had four so far. And counting. Seriously, her parents had to be the busiest people in the world. The thought made her suppress a shiver. So far, she had, and this was by age: Akira, who was twelve and already thought like a dirty old man, Jiro, who was six and was the sweetest thing in the world, Ai, who was five and Natsuko's best friend in the world, and two-month old Sakurako, who was named after their mother and was very small. Kaede was sure that the second Sakurako didn't need someone to keep her happy, her parents—Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Sakura—would set to making another one in seconds.

Smiling absently at the feeling of Toyo's warm arm, Kaede said, "Oh she's fine. Mom just says she needs more milk."

Her mother was a medical ninja. Her father...you know, come to think of it, Kaede didn't really know what her father did. All she knew was that he looked buff and beautiful. She didn't even know how her parents met, truthfully. All she knew was that, well, they looked good together and that they loved each other. Sure, they had their fights, but nothing horrible. Kaede wasn't even sure who was stronger—her mother or her father? Her father sure looked like he could kick some ass, but her mother was the ninja in the family. So...toss-up?

"Last time I saw her, she looked sickly," Toyo said, worry creeping into his usually emotionless voice.

Kaede smirked—it was a smirk just like her father's, only with a mischievous glint—and laughed lightly. "Toyo-kun, the last time you saw her was last month," she reminded him. "And then you left the house—very composed—before telling me the next day that my parents scared you."

Toyo huffed as Natsuko laughed. "They're creepy. I mean, your father was—" He stopped himself before he told her about what her father was before he was her father; he remembered, very clearly, when Sasuke had threatened him. The Uchiha's exact words were, and he quoted, Tell any one of my children that I was a nukenin, and I promise you that you will not survive the next day, with the his Mangekyō Sharingan spinning. "Your father looks like he could very easily beat anyone he pleases to an inch within their lives and your mother...no offense, Kaede-chan, but your mother has a short temper."

"Oh, trust me," the oldest of Uchiha Sasuke's children laughed, "I know."

"Hey, Kaede-chan, where's Akira-kun and Jiro-kun and Ai-chan?" Natsuko wondered aloud.

"Akira's over at Cousin Kuku-kun's house," Kaede answered absently, walking to their training grounds. Her cousin Fugaku was half-Puerto Rican, the son of some uncle that died long before she was born. His name was Itachi...at least, that's what she thought. Her aunt was named Luisanna and she had an uncle that was around Fugaku's age. Her family was really crazy. "And Jiro and Ai are sleeping over at Shio and Izumi's."

Her siblings really did have some weird friends. Shio and Izumi were both children of the legendary Nara Shikamaru and Nara Ino; Shio couldn't get off his ass if the world depended on it. They were good kids, yeah, but... Shio was twelve and Izumi was a newborn—Ai was helping take care of her while Shikamaru-san was on a mission, the sweetheart.

"Ooh," Natsuko hummed. Then she moved away from her cousin as she skipped to Grandpa Kakashi. Her thin little arms hugged the older man's waist. "Ojī-san!"

The silver-haired man growled playfully, eyes glued to that little orange book in his hands. "How many times have I told you not to call me that, midget?"

"Ojī-san, Ojī-san, Ojī-san, Ojī-san!" Natsuko sang.