It was a nice day in Konoha. Kids were playing, the Third Hokage was giving counsel to the Forth, bullies were bullying, hookers were fucking, ninjas were either killing, training, or lazying. You know, the usual routine of a ninja village.
And, as usual, a woman was giving birth to a baby in the hospital. Not as usual was the fact that the father of the child had to wait outside of the room. Not because he was too nervous - even though he was anyway - but because it was a risky pregnancy, and the wife had the attention of several medics at the same time.
Usually, it wouldn't be too much of a problem if they were Iryonins. Too bad they weren't. Those were reserved to attend the ninjas of the village, as they should. Not an opinion the father agreed at this moment, as he waits outside the room while the child is being born, worried sick about his wife's well-being.
After a couple of hours, that seemed to the man like an eternity, the rooms open up and a man walks out.
The father runs to the medic as fast as he can "How is my wife?! And little Kaito?! How are they?!" The medic looks into the father of the family's eyes and says "The kid seems to be healthy."
As the man's happiness grows - he is officially a father now, a sense of dread starts to sink into his gut "and..." he hesitates to complete his question. The medic took pity on him and answered the unasked question "Unfortunately your wife, Kimiko Kobayashi, passed away six minutes until 19 hundred hours"
The man felt his world crumble. Everything that made sense to him washing away. He started to remember key moments he had with Kimiko. He remembers seeing her walking through the door of his father's shop when he was 16 years old, the sensation that the world stopped making any noises for that fraction of time.
He remembers when two years later when he was 18 and she was 17 her blushing face when he finally got the courage to ask her out on a date. He remembers that only three dates later (or 2 months) he finally kissed her for the first time.
He remembers the nervous feeling on the night of the commemoration of the new year, as they were preparing to finally have their first hot night.
He remembers how only 6 months later they were doing their votes of marriage. And how that night, after the 'private commemoration', she revealed how much she wanted to have a baby, and he remembers agreeing with the idea - even if he thought he wasn't prepared to raise one.
He remembers how it took a while - a whole year - for her to get pregnant and how she would monthly test if she was expecting. And he remembers how her eyes were shining when she came to tell him the good news. Only, both of them knew there was no need for words and she jumped at him and kissed so deeply that their previous kisses paled in comparison.
That very same day they went to know if the child was a boy or a girl, for she had already decided names for either case. There was no point in waiting for the child to be both born and a month old to name it - she was already attached.
Then... he remembers.
He remembers the doctor saying that for some weird reason, the child - Kaito - was consuming too much of her chakra. They were told that she would most likely have a natural abortion. At most, she could take a daily dose of chakra supplements (not chakra pills, those are for ninjas and would most likely kill a civilian) so she could carry the pregnancy to its end, but by doing so it would all but guarantee she would die.
She didn't have to think about it.
And finally, he remembers her last words before she entered that room. She was being taken by a moveable hospital bed, and she was already in excruciating pain. She begged the doctors to give her ten seconds to say some words for him - and they knew it may be the last words she ever said
"Keishi... if these are my last words..." He tried to interrupt her at this point, to assure her she would be alright, but she gave him that sad smile that said a thousand words, and he knew he had to shut up and let her talk for the next few seconds, or he would regret for the rest of his life. And so he let her finish talking
"... I want you to know I was never happier than when I was with you. I know you are worried about fatherhood, but I know you will be a good father - just as good or better than you were as a husband. Please, just be there for Keita and try to recover from... this." She stopped from talking for a second before she resumed "... Even if I am not capable of being there for Keita-kun, please let him know that I would never regret exchanging my life for his, no matter what he becomes, and that he shouldn't blame himself for my death"
He couldn't bring himself to say anything to her, as his throat felt like a knot and tears ran down his face. But he knew he couldn't let her go without making that promise, so he nodded. The most sincere nod he ever gave in his life and most likely ever will.
And he did it just in time, as the doctors said their time was up and took her into the Emergency Room 12(ER-12).
And now, now he needs to go meet his newly born son. So, he took all the pain he is currently feeling about Kimiko's death and locked it inside his heart, at least temporarily, and brought up the happiness of having a child. Kaito's first time seeing his father's face had to be a happy one. He owned it to Kimiko. And so, he entered the room, took his son, brought up the biggest grin he could and said
"I love you son. And so did your mother, Kimiko"
And deep into his heart, he said
Rest in peace Kimiko. I'll make you proud. Both of us will.
