Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, though there's none of it in this chapter…

Hope you like this new story! Reviews would be splendid.

It was late June when Kichi Iwasaki made a wish. Not just an ordinary wish, though- a wish upon a star, just like her mother always used to make.

Kichi's mother, Nami, was long dead, but her spirit still lived on in her daughter. Nami had died ten years ago, when Kichi was nine. It was so sudden, yet so slow. Nami had always had a weak, stressed heart. When she married Kichi's father, Kisho, her stressed heart seemed to grow stronger. She was in love with him more then anything in the world, and it showed. But then, Kisho began to take long trips, coming back rarely, and usually tired when he came back.

Kichi's father had been gone for five months now. But right then, he was not anyone's father- he didn't feel any obligation to really come home. But he should have, Nami was thinking, he should come home- to see her. It was a bit of a selfish thought, but it was something she wished would certainly come true. In fact, she had wished on a star from her hospital bedroom that very night- the very same thing Kichi had learned from her. Yes, Nami was in a hospital, but not from heart problems.

Her baby was due very soon, and her husband was nowhere to be found. He hadn't been, Nami thought with a sigh, for five months. And those long months ago, at his last visit, he'd only stayed the night. "Got to get back to business." He said, winking at her almost knowingly. That wink had fueled her for these past months. Every time something was to happen, and she would miss him horribly, she'd just think of that wink, and it would all be okay. That wink signified a sort of I'll-be-back-home-soon-I-Love-You sort of thing- even if he didn't say it. He didn't need to say it; it was written all over his face… or so she thought.

Nami had arrived at the hospital about 2 days ago, and had been calling her husband constantly since, but there was no answer. There was always an almost endless ringing, signifying he had his phone on. Nami tingled with happiness when she finally got his voice on the other end of the line.

"Hi, it's Kisho." Came his voice. It melted into Nami's heart, leaving her almost breathless. She tried to sound casual, but it was hard.

"Hey, baby…" she trailed off.

"I can't come to the phone right now, so if you'd please leave me a message after the tone…" Nami slammed the phone down. Their relationship had seemed to have lost all its love. Where was he? Why wouldn't he pick up his phone? He might've been avoiding her, but why? She shook these thoughts from her head .It was no time to be sad- she was going to have a beautiful baby! There was something that certainly lifted her spirits.

Perhaps wishing on stars didn't work, because after that hospital trip, Nami never saw Kisho. Maybe the stars worked in mysterious ways, Nami would sometimes try to reassure herself- though it never worked. Nami couldn't really remember a time when stars had worked for her, except in her mind. They helped her gain confidence, and she felt better after lying out in the stars alone.

For eight years, Nami taught Kichi every thing she knew. She taught her all of the ninja moves she had learned from her mother, even though Nami was not much of a ninja herself; she taught her how to laugh and love and live a moral life. For the last year of her life, Nami had been forced to stay in bed after a heart attack. She was assisted by her eight year old daughter, who looked remarkably like her husband (In girl form of course) It wasn't like it pained her too look at her own daughter, but it reminded her of Kisho more then she cared to remember.

Kichi knew her mother was sad about her father leaving- any sensible person would be. But her mother didn't ever look at Kichi straight in the eyes- without crying. It made Kichi think she disappointed her mother, and that killed her. She tried her hardest to be everything her mother wanted her to be- beautiful, obedient, and, well…. Perfect. But as you would assume, she wasn't even close.

It was odd, Kichi thought, how when her mother died, she never felt that much regret. She never felt like she could have done anything to stop it. Her mother had only named her Kichi, meaning fortunate, because she thought that by having a child, she would be brought happiness, and Kisho would come back. But, of course, he didn't. It almost hurt Kichi when her mother would cry at night- but it didn't.

When Kichi turned 17, she was sick of trying to live exactly as her mother did. She had already had to work two jobs too support her apartment loan, and she was sick of it. So she did whatever she wished, when she wished. She drank, smoked, slept around- whatever she wanted. It was turning into a horrible obsession, and Kichi needed a way out. Then she met Masaki Iwasaki- the perfect man. He brought her flowers every day, wrote her love notes, and spent every penny to make her happy. Then, when Kichi was old enough, they got married, and Kichi was exposed to the bad side of Masaki.

He emotionally and psychically abused Kichi, and it made her wonder if he was the same Masaki that had put little boxes of chocolate and flowers on her doorstep every morning. Now, Kichi was no sob story. She loved her husband very much, and was convinced he loved her as well- he just showed it differently. Kichi began to look forward to his insults- they told her what she needed to improve on. She felt he was making her a better person.

He didn't hit her very often at all- only when she did something stupid. Like, curled her hair when he told her to straighten it, or put too much water in their stew. She knew she was in the wrong, and accepted the punishment- usually a few punches or so- without tears. He was making her beautiful, a better person, and she knew it. What would she do without him?

But then, at age nineteen, Kichi became pregnant. She didn't know what Masaki's reaction would be, so she kept it secret for as long as possible. She took several tests, just too be sure, but there was no hiding it from herself- she was pregnant.

So she was wishing on this star, this opportunity, shining brightly in the sky, hoping it would work for her, unlike it had for her mother. Oh star, she thought, please let my husband be happy with this baby. Let him support it and nurture it and let it bring us together. Just like that. That's all she needed to say? Maybe she was missing something… or maybe it wouldn't work. She was almost frantic, hoping it would hear her plea and listen to her.

"What are you doing out here?" a voice behind Kichi startled her- Masaki's. She trembled in fear. Was this it? Did he know already? "I SAID," he stated once again "What are you doing out here?" Kichi swallowed back tears that were threatening to fall.

"I-" she stuttered, knowing Masaki would never let her forget it if she stuttered in front of him, but not caring "I'm pregnant."

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