This is the final entry in the Night Flowers Saga (Night Flowers, The Winds of Spring, Bamboo Woods), after a long time in coming. :D In here will come even more drama, hurt and comfort, but ending with fresh renewal like the rain itself. :D

The set of Shippuden in English dub released many months ago FINALLY had me seeing Itachi Shinden, brought me to tears. It made me decide I was going to finally bring this final entry in the Night Flowers saga to life; high time it was finished, but there were more stories unrelated in making; these have been completed over the last several months: the Itachi/Hanaru tale "The Ronin and the Emperor's Daughter", along with "Mummy Lover" (ItaSaku, past SasuSaku), as well as "The Pink Hair" and "A Fragile Blue Rose" (both in the Konoha Kaidan Trilogy), and now "The Gutsy Jinchuuriki". I've been busy as usual. XD

Disclaimer: I own only Hanaru (except she really is the creation of my best friend); the other characters of Naruto are property of Kishimoto-sensei.

Chapter One

Shower in Two Forms

"What are you talking about, Itachi? What brought on this decision of yours to leave the Black Ops I worked my tail off to get you in?"

"It was a choice I had plenty of time to think over. You know I'm wed now, so it's logical that I leave the operations for her sake and any children we have. You would have done the same for us and Mother. We live in times of peace now, and the Uchiha are in a decent enough place as it is," he finished, taking a breath through his newly repaired lungs - well, one untouched from his battle with Hidan, the other sewn back by Tsunade's ingenious hands - and looked his father square in the eyes.

Fugaku's face was ever lined tightly, but he got where his son was going. "Yes, you are right about this. But let's hope that this isn't going to haunt you when you wake up and look at yourself in the mirror every morning -"

"This won't be a regret," Itachi interrupted. "I'm making the right choice. Imagine what my death would have done to her, or if I was crippled for life. Our child would have been burdened with an invalid for a father. It would have all been my fault, and I can now prevent it. I'm going to become a teacher unless you have any complaints about that, Father."

~o~

Getting married to the woman he loved was one miracle.

Expecting their first child was a miracle on a different level.

The woman he'd known much of his life, the one who broke records in never once joining a three-man Genin squad, never been in the Black Ops as he had, was a war hero like him, his cousin and brother as well as hers, and who was renowned for a technique which left a man's business black and blue - and those men cowering in fear if they antagonized her. The one who softened the heart of the hardened child of war, on another level from his otouto. She was at the top of the universe with him until death did they part.

This morning was relaxing and cloudy, the weather humid. He reclined in his chair, steaming cup of tea in hand as he looked out at the lake which shimmered pearly gray, the flowers bright within the gloom in shades of silver and violet. This was the morning he loved waking to: comfort and warmth.

Although halfway through his temperamental wife's pregnancy, those peaceful mornings would be broken by her screams of demand as well as soon as he got home for the day. He gulped when he thought of her threats to smash his balls until they were nothing but shriveled sacks if he didn't give her the food she craved, do the chores she asked him to do, or even massage every aching part of her body.

Once he got punched to the middle of his abdomen, where he had his surgery over a year ago. He was incredibly lucky he was completely healed by that time. They didn't need Tsunade's wrath that her hard work had been reopened for her hands alone. Despite her youthful henge, she wasn't the spring chicken she used to be. And Sakura had her hands full these days as it was.

Now was the early days of summer, and the baby was due in a few weeks. He was excited for this to be over, but he was also anxious about becoming a father for the first time.

It feels so good to be retired from the Black Ops - thanks to her.

Itachi Uchiha finally brought the steaming cup to his lips. He made it himself, since these days and especially in the final term, his wife was asleep until early afternoon. She was a crazed animal when she was awoken without permission, and he wasn't going to have blackened scrotum any day. Although her hormones had gone down a little since they were getting closer and closer to the actual day. The baby was said to arrive a week exactly before his or her Uncle Sasuke's birthday.

Since the announcement of the pregnancy, his brother and Hanaru's started a whole new competition on a less hostile note: who would be the BEST uncle for the baby? It was Hana-chan who said this was the most ridiculous thing she ever heard, and Itachi couldn't agree more.

The gray clouds parted to show a little sunlight, chancing rain shower with a little cheer. The forecast could be the same tomorrow, which was none other than the baby shower. The first little splatters of water hit that window before his eyes in a few moments to pass. We need all the nourishment we can get. When night falls, there are going to be fireworks - if the weather still permits. Summer was the time for fireworks and flora. He and Hanaru had made sure their gardens and grounds were at their best for the people of the Leaf to come and admire. The grounds of the public parks were at their finest, from sunflowers to lavender, daisies, roses and on. The Yamanaka flower shop had their field days in summer more than spring, where things were still beginning to grow.

"More rain coming? That's the third time this week. I say we got lucky," his koishii said when she joined him on the lounge, leaning against him, her head on his shoulder and making him smile.

"If you ask me, we need all the luck we can get," Itachi agreed, laying his lips on her forehead.

His free hand found its way to the firm growth of her belly; he had to wind up turning his eyes on to assess the child was doing well, but he couldn't see that it was male or female. An ultrasound was offered, but he and his beloved wanted to be surprised. As far as they were concerned, the gender was unimportant. He looked forward to having as many with her, no matter if boy or girl came first. In these times, their children would never know the horrors of war - but he'd thought that way about Sasuke when he'd been born, and yet it happened only later on in his baby brother's life.

If only we can prevent it this time around, but it's out of our hands.

Hanaru had her cup of tea with her and clinked it with his. "To a joyous day coming, saiai," she said, nuzzling her face into the exposed area where his neck and shoulder met. He sighed at the feeling the action produced. He hummed deep in his throat.

"Hn - to the most magnificent wife, and to this little one we made together," Itachi said, rubbing his palm over her belly. She giggled and almost dropped her cup to the floor.

"Don't make me punch you so early this morning, darling."

He chuckled darkly. "Punch me and I could pay you back for the threats you made long before then," he husked, breathing hotly against her neck, his body stirring already as it had been ever since they stopped making love when her fifth month began. Fourth month had her hormones so out of control that she promised to cut his manhood AND his balls off if he didn't take her everywhere they ended up. It was both a nightmare and a dream come true. Then it became a smaller way to quench any unnecessary arousal drives, because he remembered among the Uchiha, it was normal for a man to seek comfort elsewhere while his wife was expecting. He loved her too much to do something so low.

Thankfully, Hanaru answered that question by reaching under the covers at night for him before they went to sleep. That also meant changing the bedsheets and cleaning them right away. She could have ingested if she wanted to, but she was nervous the semen would hurt the baby. He never heard of such a thing, and she was too embarrassed to ask Sakura's opinion.

"Okay, let's not fool around so I can sup you up for the day," Hanaru said, taking a few heavy gulps until there was nothing left. "Don't want to keep the kids waiting."

The kids - she meant her Chuunin waiting. All three of them made that rank earlier this year, and he was proud of them just as she was. To see all three make it on the same time, others not and with a chance later this year, was rewarding. He took them on since his wife went on leave as soon as she found out she was pregnant. Being out there risked loss of the child; she, at first, was disappointed but relented. That didn't mean her three students couldn't come and see her anytime, and she was present when she watched their final matches at the stadium.

The very same spot they watched their brothers make Chuunin.

Someday we watch our children down there. The thought made him smile.

~o~

Sometimes she wished her mother was here so that she could have guided her daughter through pregnancy stages. Instead, she had her girl friends, her mother-in-law and her physician. As well as her poor husband - who was subjected to her hormonal rages - her brother and brother-in-law. They were all here. And Mom and Dad are watching from somewhere; I know it.

She really thought she was going to kill Itachi over the littlest things! Her man, the father of her child - over something he had no control over. She thought she would kill herself.

Lately, it had been raining, providing nourishment to the life ever growing. She loved every season in different ways: spring because it was all about love and growth, summer because it was about fun and happiness, autumn for the color of the leaves, and winter because while it was cold and deathly, it was pristine and pure...and fun to play in when the weather wasn't murderous. The last of them being held in Itachi's arms by the warm fire he would get going by hand, both falling asleep before it.

Spring was the time they consummated and then wed. The happiest days of their lives - just like when he proposed to her before winter began.

Summer would be when their first child was born. They'd be lucky if it was raining again, because it was a good luck sign. Sure, it was foul-looking, but they needed it.

The next day, the shower was held atop Hokage Tower, and the gifts that were opened were wonderful. The baby received a few rare stuffed animals you didn't see anywhere else - and one of them was a genuine monkey in the Hokage hat and robes, courtesy of Konohamaru - as well as a blanket sewn with the white-and-red fan of the Uchiha. Others included a breast pump that made her face turn redder than the tomato color of her late mother's hair. Because there were important people who had to swallow down their laughter for her sake. She had to list them off in her head, avoiding looking them in the eyes:

Kakashi, who else? Just like him to nervously chuckle and lose the right words to say.

Poor old man Jiraiya, Tsunade with him.

Sasuke, her brother-in-law she sometimes got along with. And of course, her brother was so pink that he was fighting to not fall off his feet, laughing his ass off if Hinata wasn't there for him.

Her in-laws; it was a nice change to see stern Fugaku show a hint of amusement while his wife was stifling her laughter with her hand.

Shisui was going to get a "third time's the charm" strike to where it hurt most if he said one thing about her getting such a gift.

And her husband was chuckling, shaking his head and telling her it was wonderful, nevertheless. "At least you have something useful, flower," he said tenderly, pecking her brow at the same time as the clouds began to darken, telling them all it was going to rain soon. At least it was perfect timing, for all the gifts from friends and family were worthwhile.

Who gave her the breast pump? It was Lady Tsunade, none other.

Good God, it was such fun to do the shower. XD I appreciate reviews for this conclusion of the Night Flowers Saga from now to the very end.