A/N: Hello again everybody! I just couldn't leave well enough alone could I? I promised all you "Friends" series fans that I'd write 'informational one-shots' that would document Anko and Kakashi's path to parenthood. I never said how many I'd write - this may be the only one - if something bad were to happen that is. I will tell you this much, this is high drama, VERY sad, and terrifying all at the same time. I hope I do not disappoint! Anyhoo, I still don't own Naruto even though I think Kishimoto may have actually used one of the jutsus I made up...so let's get this going. Ready? I hope you like the first of the "Friends" one-shots! Enjoy!
Anko rolled on her back as the sunlight slid across her face. She stretched from head to toe, gasping slightly as her pelvic region tugged back a bit. She yawned widely then grimaced at the metallic taste in her mouth. Damn pre-natal vitamins. Who the fuck invented these things? Couldn't they have made them taste better? She suppressed a gag then rolled back to her side to watch the only man she'd ever loved, while he slept.
The only problem was, he wasn't there.
"Kakashi?" she called, sitting up a bit too quickly, getting slightly light headed as she looked around. "KAKASHI?" she yelled louder.
She didn't even hear him when he crossed the bedroom entry and said, "Good morning you two!"
Anko flopped back on the bed and said, "We're not TWO yet. We're still just one."
Kakashi sat down next to her and said, "You're two. There are two of you taking up one space. You became two a while ago after,"
"After?" Anko smiled naughtily at him.
He lay gently across her chest and kissed her. "I think you know how you got pregnant."
She kissed him back and said, "Because you made me that way."
"You didn't protest at the time."
She kissed him again, "How could I? I was too busy enjoying myself."
"Hmmmm…me too." They kissed lingeringly in the morning din until Anko's stomach practically roared in protest.
Kakashi picked his head up and said, "Whoa. I think Junior's demanding some sustenance." He sat up and pulled her into a sitting position.
Anko corrected him, "No, MOM needs some sustenance." She rubbed her stomach, then the area between her navel and her right hip bone.
"Something wrong?" Kakashi asked as he noticed what she was doing.
"Nah, I just stretched this morning, and my stomach hurt a bit. Some of the literature I read about early pregnancy said that the tendons that hold my uterus in place are stretching to accommodate the growth going on inside there. Since the ligaments are stretching, sudden movements could cause some pain in the them."
Kakashi looked at her and said, "What sudden movements did you do?"
"I stretched," she said as if it were nothing at all, because it was.
"Come on then," he pulled her off the bed. "You need to eat and get ready for work."
Anko's stomach grumbled again at the thought of eating – one of her favorite pastimes. "Oooh, a chocolate covered Twinkie with cherry cream sauce, oh, oh, OH, and then, I'd LOVE some cheese – any kind will do – and an apple. A granny smith apple, so sour that it'll make my cheeks pucker, and then, do I have any dango left? It doesn't matter, I'll get more. But on the side I'd like,"
"Uh, honey. No. Just, no. Tsunade told you that you have to eat GOOD food, healthy food because all that junk you like will make you more run down and tired. You need food that will fill you full of energy,"
"You're sounding like Gai,"
"DON'T mention his name in front of my child,"
Anko smiled evilly and said, "How does 'Uncle Gai' sound?"
If Kakashi didn't love her so much, he probably would have maimed her slightly. Instead, he glowered at her and said, "If I may continue?"
"Please," she said as she as she closed her mouth and smiled at him.
"Ahem. Tsunade said good food and that's what I've made you. Of all those things you mentioned, there's only one waiting for you."
"The dango?" she said eyeing him expectantly.
"The apple."
She didn't mind so much, because she could almost taste the sour sweet cheek-puckering flavor the apple would leave in her mouth when she bit into it. It would be the perfect thing to get rid of the horrible metallic vitamin taste that still lingered in her mouth.
Kakashi said, "You're making that face again."
"What face?"
"The vitamin face."
"I can't help it! You take one of those things! They taste disgusting!"
"They're full of iron. You know they're helping with your energy level,"
"I have been more alert the last couple of weeks,"
"So you will continue to take them." Anko made gagging noises at him as they both walked into the kitchen.
She rolled her eyes at him to emphasize her disgust for the vitamins and their horrible taste, but her expression soon changed to joy when she saw her breakfast waiting for her. She dashed to the table, where a small bowl of rice with eggs and green onion mixed in waited next to a shiny green granny smith apple and a small vase with a purple iris in it.
Anko sat down quickly smiling at her breakfast. Next, she looked at the flower, then her waiting husband. "A flower? You know I don't do flowers. Only chocolate ones." She remembered fondly the time that Kakashi had sent her the expensive chocolate flowers when he was on his mission to get information from the sister scientists, Harumi and Hanami.
He said, "But I like that kind. I thought it would brighten your day. Plus, don't you remember where that flower's from?"
She remembered alright, but she didn't let on. Instead, she dove into her breakfast thinking that no one would believe what a closet romantic sap her husband really was. The man could disembowel an enemy without blinking an eye, yet he gives his wife a purple iris with her breakfast. She remembered why Kakashi liked purple irises; they were a reminder of their ruined wedding; the worst and best day of both of their lives.
Anko shoveled hot rice and eggs into her mouth, her stomach reacting to the sudden presence of food with one final squeal. She said around mouthfuls, "Of course I remember. It's very pretty. Thank you."
He walked over to her and said, "You're welcome." He put his hand over hers and she felt something cold touch her skin. She looked curiously at his hand, then at his face. He smiled, crinkling his eyes at her, and then removed his hand. A small chocolate heart was where his hand had been.
She looked down at her tiny chocolate treasure, picked it up gently and laid it ever so carefully next to her apple. Then she turned back to Kakashi and threw her arms around his neck, squeezing the breath out of him.
When he could breathe again, he said, "I can't cut out ALL your favorites completely. A little here and there is ok," and will keep us both sane he thought.
Anko released him and said, "You'd better not cut me off completely from ANYTHING if you know what's good for you." She reached up, poked him in the chin, then ran her finger under it, down his neck, chest, and in a straight line to the top of his pajama pants.
He watched her finger as it went south, his eyebrow raised as he wondered if she'd rather skip breakfast and do the horizontal mambo for a while instead. His wonder was answered as she pushed up the t-shirt he wore and exposed his stomach.
"I thought you were hungry?" he said to her as he took a deep breath, feeling her short nails gently scratch the slight hair on his stomach.
"I am," she murmured at him as she continued to run her fingernails up and down, left and right over his stomach, and lower chest. She leaned forward and put a small kiss to the left of his navel.
She looked up at him and saw him looking down at her. Then she sat up and pulled away from him. He thought don't stop now. That was getting very interesting! He didn't complain long. He watched her pick up the little chocolate treat he'd given her and fold it tightly in her fist. "You'll melt it if you do that," he said.
She said, "I know," then leaned forward to give his stomach another small kiss.
Kakashi closed his eyes and let his head fall back. He stood there; enjoying the feathery touches of his wife's lips as she lightly kissed his stomach and chest. He opened his eyes suddenly and looked at the crack-less kitchen ceiling. He took a deep breath and looked down as he saw Anko wipe her melted chocolate treat across his lower stomach.
She smiled up at him as she inched the sides of his pajama pants down; left, right, inch by inch, but then she stopped just before she exposed him completely. Then, quite suddenly, she lunged at his stomach and began to "clean him up."
"Wheeewwww," Kakashi exhaled as he stood there, the warm wetness of his wife's tongue on his stomach pushing his hormones to thrilling levels.
Anko pushed back for a second, turned her torso toward Kakashi, then she swung her legs around to face him. As soon as she did it, she winced. Her hand went to just below and inside and below hip bone, which did not go unnoticed by her husband.
"What is it," Kakashi immediately asked, squatting, putting his hand over hers.
"That damn tendon is acting up again. I just swung my legs around too fast. Now, stand up again, I didn't get all that chocolate, and I want it!"
"Let's wait a couple minutes, make sure everything's ok,"
"Kakashi. Stand. Up." She glared at him. Kakashi stood up – reluctantly.
One thing that Tsunade had advised Kakashi about pregnant women is NEVER piss them off. He knew better than to piss Anko off any time ANYWAY, but when she was coursing with extra hormones? If she didn't get what she wanted, she'd probably kill him accidentally in a fit of blind rage.
Anko went back to Kakashi's stomach, dragging her tongue roughly against the taut skin, and slight hair. She couldn't tell which was more intoxicating, the smell and taste of the chocolate, or the smell and taste of his skin. Either way, she was enjoying herself, despite the nagging ache inside her right hip bone.
As she continued to pay attention to the love of her life, she began to feel that familiar warm slippery feeling between her legs. As her desire rose, and she began sucking slightly on her husband's stomach, nipping here and there, the feeling increased.
Kakashi suddenly stood rigid against Anko's face. His entire body was a statue. He didn't move, he just stared straight ahead. He sniffed once, and waited, almost falling back into the sexually intoxicated stupor his wife was inducing. Then he sniffed again, his extremely sensitive sense of smell sending alarm bells clanging inside his head.
He didn't smell a gas leak, he didn't smell smoke. He didn't smell a drain backing up. He didn't even smell the breakfast he'd cooked.
He smelled blood.
"Anko," he pushed at her shoulders, "ANKO!"
"WHAT? I'm not done yet!"
"Oh yes you are," he pointed to the floor, where drops of blood were located under Anko's chair. More drops added to the few that were already there.
"Oh my God," Anko gasped as she instinctively pushed her legs back and away from Kakashi to get a better look. A fresh stream of drops fell as she extended her legs. The familiar warm wetness she'd felt was not from her sexual excitement, it was from something far worse. Her pajama pants had a dark blackish stain that was slowly spreading to her legs.
She looked up frantically, terror in her eyes. She muttered, "What do I do, what do I do? Oh my God, I just got used to the idea of being pregnant. This can't be happening!" She grabbed Kakashi by the shirt he still wore, "WHAT DO I DO?"
Kakashi's heart was breaking. He'd never seen Anko is such a state of despair. Seeing her suffering and afraid was something he could never deal with, but coupled with that, the baby she was carrying was obviously in danger. If he didn't get her help soon, with the slow but steady blood loss she was experiencing, she could bleed to death.
He could lose them both.
NO! he screamed inside his head, then he bellowed, "DON'T MOVE AN INCH!" and he disappeared from the room, dashing back to their bedroom, changing his clothes in a flash. He grabbed his robe and ran back to her with it. "Lean forward just a little bit. Let me get this on you. I've got to get you to the hospital. Just lean forward a little bit,"
"Ok," Anko said shakily. As she did, a fresh thin stream of blood trickled to the floor. "NO! No, I can't move! Kakashi, I can't move! If I move, I'll keep bleeding. You have to go. GO! GO GET SOME HELP!"
"I can't leave you like this!"
"YOU HAVE TO!" she screamed at him. "Go get Sakura. Please! You have to go get her. Hurry. I'm afraid."
Kakashi cringed at the last word she said. But truth be told, he himself was terrified.
"Promise me you won't move an inch."
"I promise. GO!"
He lingered a moment longer, taking in the fear on her face, then he decided that he'd do whatever it took to save his wife, and his unborn child. "I've got a better idea." He did a series of hand seals, bit his thumb and slammed his hand on the table next to Anko. Pakkun poofed into existence right next to her.
Pakkun said, "Hey Kakashi and lady." Then he sniffed, "Who's bleeding?"
Kakashi said, "No time to explain Pakkun. I need you to go NOW. Get Tsunade and get Sakura. Tell them Anko's bleeding and she needs blood. Tell them she can't be moved because when she does, she bleeds even more. You've got to hurry. Don't stop for anything."
Pakkun took a moment to look at the floor. Then he looked at Anko's face. She was shaking, and on the brink of tears. He almost couldn't stand it. He LIKED her – she was one of the best humans he'd ever been in contact with. He didn't want anything bad to happen to her because she was the only one who could scratch that one spot on his neck just so…
"Don't worry lady. I'll be right back."
"Ok," she said weakly, "Don't let me down mutt."
Pakkun raised one eyebrow at her at the sound of the nickname she'd given him – that he didn't care much for - and poofed from existence.
Anko started to hyperventilate. "Kakashi," she panted, "What if we lose the baby? What if Tsunade can't save him or her?" She looked at him deeply and said, "What will WE do?"
Kakashi was worried about the baby inside her, but he was more worried about his wife. If she lost the baby, it would be horrible, but they'd be ok. He'd let the baby go, as long as Anko was safe. He'd be heartbroken that his own child had not lived, but if Anko survived, they could always try again - if she wanted to.
"Don't 'what if' yourself Anko. We don't know anything yet. Just calm down. Breathe slowly with me." He breathed in slowly, and out slowly – she followed his rhythm. "There, stay calm. Tsunade and Sakura will be here soon. They'll know what to do." He then pulled the other kitchen chair next to her and got as close to her as he could without moving her. He absently stroked her hair, trying to keep himself from losing control.
It's not supposed to be like this he thought as they waited. It's supposed to be easy. Women have babies all the time – they've done it for thousands of years. Tsunade said so. Then he remembered that women also rarely died in childbirth. He breathed deeply, trying to remain calm.
He felt Anko trembling against him. "Are you cold?"
"A little," she said. He knew that people often felt cold when they experienced blood loss. He wrapped his robe around her shoulders, trying not to move her at all. Then he glanced at the blood on the floor. It wasn't a massive amount – she wasn't bleeding out uncontrollably, but the blood on the floor was increasing slowly.
Kakashi gently rubbed her arms inside his robe when she suddenly said, "I'm going to ask Tsunade how long we have to wait until we can try again."
Kakashi looked at her sternly. "What are you saying?"
Anko got very quiet and said, "I don't feel right. I don't think this is going to turn out well." She got even quieter as Kakashi sat there with her rubbing her arms.
"You're talking nonsense. You've lost some blood, that's all. Maybe you sprained something, or tore a muscle. You said yourself that the tendons are tight. Maybe one was torn."
Anko looked at him pitifully, hoping that something in his voice would make her find some hope again. But as she looked at him, she didn't find it. He was just as worried, scared, and hopeless looking as she felt.
Suddenly Kakashi heard running feet outside the hallway to their apartment. Then he heard the unmistakable sound of the Fifth Hokage's voice as she bellowed, "KAKASHI! OPEN THE DOOR!"
Kakashi pulled the robe tighter around Anko and said, "Don't move. I'll be right back." Anko nodded her head quickly at him. He took off to the door and flung it open. Tsunade and Sakura were running full tilt straight to his door – each carrying two leather Dr.'s bags. Pakkun was right on their heels.
The two medical ninjas – the best Konoha ever produced, burst into the room. Tsunade barked, "Sakura, get her vitals and set up the portable sonogram. I'll start her IV and get some blood into her." Tsunade walked around to see Anko's pale face. She asked her, "What happened Anko? You and that pervert of yours up to no good in the kitchen this morning?" She tried to make light of things while setting Anko up with an IV and some blood, trying to make her feel better. Pakkun walked over to Kakashi and sat next to him, watching what the medical specialists were doing.
Anko shook slightly and said, "We never got around to it because this happened," she pulled the robe apart and Tsunade got a look at what was happening. It looked suspiciously like Anko was having a miscarriage.
Tsunade said, "Sakura, come here and help me get her flat on the floor."
Kakashi said, "Don't move her! She bleeds more when she moves!"
Tsunade said gently, "Kakashi, we have to move her. We have to do a sonogram and see if the baby's still there." At those words, Anko's heart shattered and she couldn't hold in the sob inside her anymore.
She sat still for one moment, the sound of her own sob echoing in the room and inside her head. She was never a praying person, but she did recognize that there were powers greater than herself at work in the world. She began to beg them please don't do this. Please don't take this child from me. I just got used to the idea of having a child and now, do I have to get used to NOT having one? Don't. Please don't do this. She continued to plead in her head, barely listening to Kakashi and Tsunade's continued exchange.
Kakashi said, "But will she be ok? If there's something wrong with the baby, will Anko,"
Tsunade said, "You have to let us work here Kakashi. The longer we wait the less chance we have of doing everything we can."
Kakashi said, "Move her carefully. And hurry. Do everything you can."
Sakura got between Kakashi and Anko's back and said, "Don't worry. We'll take good care of her."
Kakashi and Pakkun took a step back. Then Kakashi ran to what used to be "his" couch, and grabbed one of the decorative pillows on it to put under his wife's head. Tsunade said, "Grab all of them Kakashi, we need to prop her legs up."
Sakura bent slightly and got under Anko's arms. Tsunade gently straightened her legs and wrapped her arms around Anko's thighs. Anko said, "It's starting again!" as she felt another stream of blood leave her. Both Tsunade and Sakura ignored her, lifted her gently, and laid her flat on the kitchen floor.
Kakashi moved quickly, putting the couch pillow under her head. Sakura and Tsunade worked just as quickly and propped up both of her legs. Tsunade said, "Turn the machine on Sakura." Sakura went to work. Then Tsunade said again, "Tell me what happened Anko. I need to know everything."
Anko said, "I was in bed this morning, and I stretched, then I felt a pain like a pulled muscle right here," she pointed to the area inside and blow her right hipbone. "Then Kakashi was standing next to me in the kitchen, and I turned toward him, then swung my legs at him. The pain got a little worse then, but still it wasn't worse than a strained muscle."
Tsunade gently held her hand over the area that Anko pointed to. Then she pushed her fingers gently downward, causing Anko to let out an unrestrained cry.
Tsunade said, "You still feel pregnant, but the way you stretched and moved this morning, I'm concerned that the baby's placenta may have partially detached from the uterine lining."
Anko asked, "Would that cause all the bleeding?"
"Yes, and the pain too. We have to do a sonogram right away, and see if we can find a heartbeat. How far along are you now?"
Kakashi said from behind them, "Just over ten weeks."
Sakura said, "He's talking in weeks already." She smiled at Tsunade who smiled back at her. Then Sakura pushed up Anko's pajama top and pulled down her pants slightly to expose her lower abdomen where a slight bump protruded.
Sakura said, "Sorry about this Anko," as she squired cold jelly on Anko's stomach.
"FUCK that's COLD!" Anko yelled.
"Language Anko," Kakashi said, making Sakura giggle as she remembered all the times he'd said that to her.
Sakura handed what looked like a microphone connected to a long spiral chord to Tsunade. The chord was attached to what looked like a small suitcase, that when opened, the top part looked like a small TV screen. Tsunade placed the end of the microphone looking device on Anko's stomach, on top of the jelly, and immediately, a sound like a microphone being tapped filled the room. The screen jumped with various shades of gray as Tsunade moved the device around Anko's stomach. Then she said, "Kakashi, you may want to get over here." Pakkun looked up at Kakashi, then Kakashi walked forward and immediately squatted next to Anko's head. He looked at his wife, then grabbed her hand. Pakkun walked around so he could have a better look at the screen.
Kakashi asked, "What are you doing? What is that gray stuff? And the dark black?"
Sakura said, "She's still bleeding Tsunade-sama,"
"Ok, Sakura. I have to see what's going on before I know what we need to fix. Keep the fluids going into her." Tsunade pointed to the screen, "Anko, Kakashi, that black area is the uterine space. I'm trying to find the baby to check to see if the placenta is in tact."
Anko started to panic, "She can't find the baby." She squeezed Kakashi's hand tightly, and said louder, "She can't find the baby! There's no baby!" As she panicked, she lost more blood.
Sakura said, "You have to calm down Anko. The baby could be anywhere, or at a different angle than Tsunade is looking at now. Give her a few moments to look around. In the meantime, stay calm or you might make things worse!"
Kakashi couldn't take his eyes off the screen. Loud noises kept coming from the machine, whooshing noises, swishing noises, and then, a faint heartbeat was heard. Kakashi said, "I hear a heart beat. I hear it! Does that mean?"
Tsunade looked at him and said, "That's Anko's heartbeat Kakashi. I haven't found the baby yet. Give me a few more minutes."
Anko's small glimmer of hope melted away. She began to resign herself to the fact that there may be no baby now. That the person that she and the only man she'd ever loved had created may not even have a chance to be born. She thought what color would the baby's hair have been? What color would its eyes have been? Would it have been a girl, maybe a boy? I guess we'll never know now…she quietly prepared herself to hear the worst news imaginable, as she held her husband's hand and waited for the final crushing blow.
Kakashi felt empty. He felt as if he'd been scooped out and made hollow. He could almost hear his own breath as he drew it into his body, ringing emptily through the empty shell he felt he was. He saw Sakura look at Tsunade's face. He noticed that Tsunade would not look back at her. He realized then, that it had been too long. Don't say it, please don't say it.
Tsunade sat up straighter and said, "Anko, I'm going to straighten this leg out, don't worry if you lose any blood. I want to try something."
"Okay," Anko said as she nodded her head quickly.
"Sakura," Tsunade said. Sakura walked around her, and removed the couch cushions that were used to prop up Anko's right leg. Then Sakura lowered Anko's leg to the floor.
"Oh God," Anko stammered as she felt more blood leave her. She winced again as Sakura gently put her leg all the way down.
Tsunade kept working, positioning the device she was holding in every conceivable angle she could. I should have found something by now she though as she tried again to find something, anything that would tell her that a baby still existed inside Anko.
Tsunade had an idea, and slid the device to the opposite side of Anko's stomach away from where she was experiencing pain. She moved the wand around, and found, nothing. She hung her head, then Sakura mirrored her actions.
Sakura reached toward the machine to shut it off, but Kakashi said, "Don't Sakura. Don't do it. Don't make it final." Then he turned, "Tsunade-sama. This can't be it. Please. Try again."
"Yes, Tsunade. One more time just to be sure," Anko echoed her husband.
Tsunade just nodded, and tried again.
Sakura carefully took the pillows out from under Anko's left leg, and slowly brought it to the floor.
Anko lay there, flat on the floor. The blood that had left her felt sticky and cold against her legs, her pajama pants. It's over she though. And just when I got used to everything. Just when I was starting to get used to the idea of sharing Kakashi with another person. Just when I dared to think of names…she lay there pondering how just waking up and stretching could cause such a catastrophe. She blamed herself. She wasn't careful enough. She was a ninja for God's sake. She was sworn to protect every living soul in Konoha, and she couldn't protect her own child while it grew inside her. I don't deserve a child if I can't protect it.
She tried to keep calm, but it was no use. She wished Tsunade would just SAY IT already. Tell her that there was no baby, that there was nothing anyone could do, that it was all over, and that she should report back to work next week. Maybe if she went back to work she could keep her mind on business and not feel how her heart was collapsing inside her right then. That was the answer, go back to work, go on some missions. Then maybe she'd be too busy to feel like dying from grief.
Kakashi wrapped his arm around the top of Anko's head and pushed his cheek against hers. She couldn't stop the sobs that started suddenly. Kakashi was almost overwhelmed himself, feeling like he was about to join her in the grieving. He still listened with one ear, hoping against hope that Tsunade would find something to give them a reason to be happy again.
He listened to the loud noises the machine made. Everything still whooshed, swooshed, whirred, and beat. He could still hear Anko's heartbeat amidst all the other bodily noises.
"Kakashi," Sakura suddenly said. He ignored her. He just wanted to be with his wife in the single worst moment of both of their lives.
"DAMMIT KAKASHI will you look at me?" Sakura barked at him.
"What is it Sakura?" Kakashi turned to her only to see her calm and looking back at him. It was then that he saw Tsunade looking at the screen.
"Be quiet for a minute Kakashi, you and Anko should look here. Tsunade found your baby." And there on the screen was a small grayish whitish mass. It wasn't very big at all, about the size of an adult's thumb, but it was there none the less.
Kakashi stared in awe. There it is. A brand new person. But is it alive? He searched Sakura's face desperately looking for answers. Anko interrupted him immediately when she said, "I see the baby, but is it ok? Tell me, what's wrong with our baby!"
Tsunade looked closely at the screen and continued to move the wand around on Anko's stomach. She was trying to find where or if the umbilical chord was still attached to Anko's uterus. The small thumb-like mass seemed to be very still on the screen.
Suddenly, Tsunade breathed. She said, "Listen you two, do you see that small thing right there?" She pointed to the edge of the black uterine wall, and the small knick that was at the base of what looked like a tiny piece of spaghetti attached to it and the baby. Both Anko and Kakashi nodded. "That's a tear in the placenta."
Anko looked at her, ready to lose her mind, and said, "Does that mean the baby's not going to make it?"
Tsunade said, "From this angle, I can't access where the baby's heart would be. As of right now, I haven't found the heart beat."
Anko looked at Kakashi and said, "It is too late."
Kakashi said back to his wife, "I'm so sorry Anko. I love you."
"I love you," and they embraced with the realization that the plans they were making to raise a family were suddenly not an option anymore.
Sakura said, "Tsunade sama, what if we turn Anko slightly, onto her side a little. Maybe you can see something then?"
Tsunade said, "She's lost a lot of blood Sakura. It's a good idea, but,"
Sakura jumped up, "I'll hang more blood," and she scurried around Pakkun to get to where Anko's IV was hooked up, and added a fresh bag of blood to the tubing. Then she went back to Anko and said, "We're just going to try this Anko. See if we can possibly get the baby to shift, or turn somehow so we can see it from another angle."
Anko just looked at her and said, "Ok."
Sakura got behind her left hip and pushed her slowly onto her side. Tsunade kept pushing and poking at her lower stomach, at the area where the thumb shaped mass that was supposed to be their 10 week old developing baby was. Sakura pushed Anko over a little more, and the image on the screen did change. The thumb shaped mass looked differently, more like it had stubby branches growing off it.
Kakashi stared in wonder, looking at what he perceived to be the buddings of little arms and legs. Then he saw something he couldn't understand. He asked Tsunade, "What is that?" as he pointed down the center of the thumb shaped mass.
"The baby's spine," Tsunade answered him. Then she said, "Sakura, just a little more." Anko felt more blood leak from her as Sakura pushed her mere inches more onto her side. Kakashi watched the screen, seeing the small mass that was supposed to be his baby, turn as Anko did. Then she said it. "There," Tsunade said. "Stay still Anko. Don't move an inch. Kakashi, look right there. Do you see that?"
Kakashi stared in bewilderment. "What the?" was all he could say.
Tsunade said, "Kakashi, Anko, your baby's heart is still beating."
Kakashi looked at his wife and almost lost it completely. Instead he leaned forward gently and placed a kiss on her lips.
Tsunade said, "Put her back down flat Sakura. We've got some healing to do. We've got to get that placenta healed and completely re-attached if that baby wants a shot at annoying its parents in the future.
"Yes Tsunade-sama," Sakura said as she beamed, lowering Anko to the floor slowly.
Immediately both Sakura's and Tsunade's hands were over Anko's lower abdomen. They pumped healing chakra not only onto her skin, but deep into the tissues of her body. The bleeding Anko had been experiencing stopped almost immediately, and soon, the pain Anko had felt was melting away. Then Tsunade and Sakura both bunched their fingertips together and four sets of five fingers were focused on a very small spot on Anko's stomach. Anko asked, "What are you doing now?"
Sakura said, "This is the equivalent of laser surgery. We're repairing the small tear in the placenta. You'll be good as new in no time, and so will the baby." For the first time all day, Anko felt at ease, and so did her husband.
It took the better part of an hour to complete the procedure, but when it was all said and done, Tsunade was ready to dictate the orders. She bellowed, "Anko! You will stay on complete bed rest for 7 days. And I mean COMPLETE bed rest – without the amorous attentions of your husband – that's you Kakashi! AND! On top of that, you will only eat GOOD FOOD, and you WILL take your vitamins. In fact, take two tonight because of the blood loss…"
Anko groaned at the thought of DOUBLE the metallic taste in her mouth.
Tsunade continued, "You will not be permitted to leave your bed other than to use the bathroom, or quickly shower. You are to eat in bed, read in bed, sleep in bed, lounge in bed, do EVERYTHING in bed, EXCEPT the thing that made you this way in the first place."
Anko looked at the quietly observing Kakashi and said, "Hey! You're not going to protest about not being able to do EVERYTHING we like to do in bed?"
He said casually, "Nope. Not after today. Not until Tsunade gives me the green light. I'm not risking losing you or my child again any time soon."
Tsunade said, "Good. If we're understood, Sakura will help Anko shower briefly, then she's to go to bed. If anything else happens, or if there is any spotting, or related pain, send Pakkun immediately and we'll return."
"Yes Tsunade-sama." Then Kakashi turned to Pakkun who'd never left, but had just stayed quietly in the background. He asked him, "Why'd you stay?"
Pakkun said, "I had to make sure the lady was going to be ok."
Kakashi patted his canine partner on the head and said, "Thanks for everything. I owe you one."
Pakkun said, "You owe me many, but you're not likely to pay up."
"I will," Anko said before Sakura could help her up. She said, "Come here mutt," and Pakkun trotted over to her. She reached behind his head and found his spot, THE spot that drove him wild, and she dug her nails in and SCRATCHED. "Thank you, you old flea bag," she said to him as he leaned into her hand, partially drooling from how good the scratching felt.
Pakkun mumbled something, and drooled some more. Eventually, Kakashi said, "I think that's about enough. You've been paid for your services. Time to leave my wife alone."
Pakkun looked up at Kakashi and wished he could flip him off, but paws don't work that way. Instead, he just grumbled, "You're welcome," and disappeared.
Anko chuckled, thinking that the noise sounded foreign, considering what they'd all been through. Sakura then said, "Ready?" as she got low next to Anko and prepared to help her to the shower.
"Yeah, I'm ready for this day to be over." Then she turned to Tsunade and said, "Thank you so much Tsunade-sama. I don't know how we'll ever repay you."
Tsunade just smiled and said, "I'm keeping some "special missions" aside that are PERFECT for the both of you. Don't worry; you'll end up repaying me some day. For now Anko, get cleaned up and get to bed. And drink plenty of fluids to help replenish that blood loss. Sakura will remove your IV before you get in the shower."
"Yes Ma'am," Anko said as Tsunade turned to leave with the equipment they'd brought with them.
Sakura helped Anko get showered, making sure she didn't slip, or bend the wrong way, and undo the healing that she and Tsunade had administered to her, and her baby. Kakashi brought some soft pajamas for her to change into. Then he went to the kitchen and wiped away the reminder of the horrible morning they'd endured, and the loss they'd almost had to face. He also took her blood-stained pajamas and set them aside to be laundered, so Anko never had to look at them and worry about anything.
After her brief shower, Sakura helped Anko dress, then led her to bed where she told her, "If you get out of bed for any reason other than using the bathroom, I swear I'll come back here with some restraints and make sure you can't leave! You'll be reduced to using a bed pan!"
Kakashi appeared and said, "Restraints?"
Sakura said, "WHY did I know you'd appear at the mention of anything that you could possibly construe as perverted?"
Kakashi said, "You know me too well."
"Yes I do, and please Kakashi, leave your wife alone. That goes double for you Anko – give your reproductive organs a rest – 7 days – you heard Tsunade!"
"I WILL Sakura," she put her hand over the small bump that protruded ever so slightly, "I'm not going through anything like that again."
Sakura said, "Just wait until it's time to actually HAVE the baby," she giggled as she turned to walk out. She passed Kakashi, stopped in front of him, stuck her finger in his face and said, "BEHAVE."
"Yes ma'am. When did you get so terrifying?" he said back to her.
Sakura just smiled and said, "I'll see myself out. If he bothers you Anko, let me know. I'll check on you tomorrow."
"Thank you Sakura," Anko said as she settled into bed.
Kakashi walked into the bedroom and climbed on the bed next to his wife. "You scared the hell out of me today."
"I scared the hell out of me today too. I'm sure glad everything's ok now. For the moment anyway."
Kakashi said, "Yeah, me too." He looked around, then he propped his head up on his elbow. "Soooo," he said as he walked his fingers up her arm. "Are ya busy right now?"
"Don't even think about it Hatake."
Kakashi laughed, "Good. I was just testing you. Get some rest; I'll bring you something to eat, unless you want to finish the chocolate you smeared,"
Anko grunted at him. Then she scowled. Then she growled.
He leaned over and kissed her on the nose, "You passed the test again."
He got up off the bed and headed for the doorway. Before he could leave, Anko said, "Kakashi?" He stopped and looked back at her. "I thought we weren't going to be parents earlier today. I was so scared, that if we lost the baby it would break us."
Kakashi came back to her and looked at her seriously. He said, "I have a confession to make. I was willing to let the baby go, as long as they saved you. Luckily, I got both back. You're all I ever wanted Anko. The baby is a wonderful bonus, but you," he paused, "I couldn't bear to live without you."
"You're going to make me cry!" Anko said back to him.
"Don't," he said. With a smile he turned to go back to the kitchen to make the only woman he ever loved, an expertly cut granny smith apple with a little bit of chocolate sauce to dip it in.
A/N: So there you have it! "Friends series informational one-shot," #1 on the books. Did you like it? Did it scare the hell out of you? Did it make you not breathe at times? It sure made ME that way when I wrote it! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. I'll be back with another before you know it. Until then, see you soon!