It's a hundred degrees outside and I'm huddling by the air conditioning, typing up chapter two. This is the first fic that I've written out entirely by hand; it's kind of fun getting to type it over again. I catch a lot of mistakes that way, and do a lot of restructuring. It's neat:)

In case you are wondering, the inspiration for this fic came from the Road to Ninja Movie: the part where Naruto is moping about Sasuke, then goes to look at naked girls to get over his man-crush. I thought to myself: gee, Naruto is pretty obsessed with Sasuke-kun. What would happen if... And the "What if?" plot bunny held a carrot out in front of my nose and beat me until I wrote this fic T-T. I hope you are enjoying it so far!

Thanks for all your reviews and pm's. Here it is, your moment of zen:

Eventually the tears stop. Some time around midnight, curled up on her mother's grave, Hinata wipes her nose on her sleeve and stares up at the stars.

If she's honest with herself—brutally honest—she's known for a long time. Naruto is obsessed with Sasuke: he's all Naruto ever talks about when he gets home from work; he's the only one Naruto spars with on a regular basis. They've been crazy about each other since they were kids. Hinata just never realized what kind of crazy…

No, that's not it. Hinata has turned a blind eye to it. For all her super-human powers of sight, she's overlooked the obvious for years. How many nights did Naruto spend with Sasuke when he said he was working late, or out on a last-minute mission? Hinata had always reasoned that he was the Hokage, and he was busy. Now, Hinata is not so sure.

Chilled, she jolts upright and hugs her knees into her chest. Maybe her imagination is just going overboard—she should talk to someone, make sure she isn't going insane. But who can she talk to? Naruto isn't just her husband. He's the Hokage. She can't tell anyone he's having an illicit affair with Sasuke, a terrorist pardoned only five years ago!

Hinata bites her lip, thinking of all the bad publicity Naruto will get—thinking what people will say about her—if word gets out. Marrying Naruto had finally bought her respect in this village; becoming the Hokage's wife has excused her from her duties as Hyuga heir while still maintaining a respectable station. People can't find out about this. What would her father say? She would bring shame to her family, as usual.

Collapsing back on the ground, Hinata's thoughts chase themselves like rabid dogs. She closes her eyes and massages her temples, but her anxiety does not decrease. At some point, she falls into restless dreams, and wakes up blinking into the morning sun, her back and shoulders aching.

She rises on stiff limbs, wondering if last night's events were only a bad dream.

"Mama! Mama!" a voice calls. Still groggy, Hinata thinks she is hallucinating until she sees two blond-haired, rosy-cheeked children popping into view. She smoothes down her rumpled uniform and forces herself to smile—it's the boys.

She winces when they each throw their arms around her sore back and babble loudly into her ear. It isn't until Uncle Neji rushes forward, places a silencing hand over their mouths, and asks her if she is all right that Hinata shakes herself out of her stupor.

"I'm f-fine," Hinata answers, eyes downcast. "I just got home from a mission and wanted to visit my mother." She runs a hand over the cool stones. "I wouldn't m-miss her birthday."

#

After decorating the grave with wreathes of white lilies, Hinata bades Neji goodbye before he can question her and leads the twins back home. The village is just waking up. It would be blessedly quiet if the twins weren't yammering about their new classes at the academy and arguing about who is more skilled at ninjutsu.

As they near home, Hinata's feet drag, and her heart sinks like a heavy stone in her chest. But, tugged onwards by the children, eventually she makes it to the front door. Lays her hand on the knob. Turns.

"Hinata-chaaaan! Kids!" Naruto shouts, zooming towards them and gathering them all up in a hug. Hinata blinks, stupefied, as Naruto showers her with kisses, then leads her to the kitchen table.

"I knew I sensed you coming home today," Naruto says with a wink. "I made a special breakfast. Who wants ramen pancakes?"

He had sensed her? Hinata plops down into a chair. He certainly didn't sense her last night. But then, he had been…preoccupied.

"Aw, dad, I don't want ramen pancakes!"

"Not again!"

"No complaining Minato, Jiraiya. You'll eat them and you'll like them!"

The kids continue to protest the bizarre breakfast food while Hinata stares blankly in front of her.

Everything is…the same as it always is.

"You okay, babe?" Naruto asks, his face suddenly looming close to hers.

"Ah-h. Uh-huh. Just t-tired," Hinata stammers.

"Not too tired for my breakfast specialty, I hope!" He shoves a plate of ramen pancakes in front of her. Hinata smiles weakly and takes a bite: it tastes like soggy, salty noodles mashed into flapjack form. She washes it down with some milk, which has a vague, sour taste to it.

"Everything is g-g-great," Hinata mumbles, even as her stomach gurgles in protest.

The rest of the morning passes by in a familiar blur: the kids are packed off to school, then Naruto makes a pot of coffee for himself and a cup of chamomile tea for Hinata.

"I took the morning off," Naruto says, the steam from his cup framing his face with silver. His mouth curves into a wicked grin.

"I—ah," Hinata replies, taking a sip of tea and burning her tongue. "I'm awfully t-tired."

Naruto's face falls and Hinata fiddles with the handle to her tea cup, then traces the rim with a trembling finger. "Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah babe?" is his mournful reply. He scoots his chair close to hers and rests his hand on her lower back. The contact burns.

She wants to ask him if it was real. Last night. Him, in bed, with another man. (Wait—not another man, per se. That makes Hinata sound like a man. Another person, Hinata amends, her cheeks coloring.) Her chest aches at the thought of it.

"Naruto-kun, I…" She looks into his wide blue eyes and blurts out: "I'm p-p-pregnant."

His face turns from worried to ecstatic instantly. Shouting, he takes Hinata's hands and twirls her around the kitchen.

Hinata ventures a timid smile, her nightmares banished by the sunshine of Naruto's grin.

"No wonder you're tired, poor thing!" he coos, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her bridal-style to the bedroom. Hinata's smile fades when she catches sight of the bed.

Clean, crisp sheets, white and gleaming in the morning sun. Everything immaculate and in its place. The soft scent of geranium and rose wafting through the room. Hinata's smile returns.

Maybe last night was just a dream, Hinata thinks, allowing Naruto to lay her down on the bed. When he kisses her, she returns it, draws him close. She pays more attention than usual to how he touches her, how he kisses her, reveling in the familiarity, the sincerity.

How could she ever have doubted him? Pushing her misgivings aside, she melts into his embrace, relaxing for the first time in days.

Thanks for reading! Please review:)