Author Notes: Welcome back one and all.

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Suna, Final Morning: Mating Season had been fun this year for both the newly mated demons. Both of them wore one more reaffirmation, a golden sky with pure, white clouds. According to Kyuubi, it was the sign of a coming time of prosperity or joy. "That's what our offspring will give this world," the redhead had spoken. "I love you Naruto." It had given the fathers both a deeper sense of what was to come. The blond had begun his bouts of morning sickness, much to his mouth's displeasure. Kyuubi comforted him though, saying that nothing could make him seem less than he was.

"Wake up Naruto," Kyuubi sang. His blond mate was nestled with his head resting on the fox's chest. He groaned and turned over. "My mate, your heat is gone." Those words coupled with Kyuubi's shaking of his body had finally pulled the Juubi from his rest. He mentally studied himself.

No itchiness, no being flushed and hot, no inexplicable horniness, no weakness "thank Kami," Naruto spoke. He turned up to see his mate smiling down on him, and he kissed the fox. "So, time to head back to the village."

"Yup," Kyuubi replied. He nuzzled Naruto for a while before summoning clothes for them both, a bit more feudal style, kimono-like robes which had the most elegant pictures of each other. Beyond pictures, they moved! The two demon forms ran to each other, and then back around the fabric. Naruto was on the verge of tears, but then he felt something in the pit of his stomach. Kyuubi released him at feeling it through their marks. Naruto heaved into the bucket at their bedside before freezing the contents, the best way to rid the air of the smell. He had not yet had food, so there wasn't much to rid his system of.

"I'm beginning to feel sorry for all the women who have ever gotten pregnant," the blond commented before using a tissue to wipe his mouth. "I'm gonna drink some water. Meet me in Gaara's office." Kyuubi nodded before leaving the room. "Come on kid, you know I love you right? Can you give your daddy a break?" The answer from Naruto's still very very small pup was a forced dry heave, which hurt terribly. "Oh, you want food?" This answer was a strange warmth which Naruto had experienced only a couple times now. "Alright, some cold fruits and some bread, but nothing heavy right? I wouldn't want you getting sick from big people food." His little child was smiling at his father's humor. "I love you too." The blond left the room sparkling clean, fixed the bed, and brought the bucket with him to Gaara's office. The redhead was apprehensive to take it back. "Chuck it in the oasis and forget about it," his blond friend told him. "Anyway, here's the key, and we left the room nice and clean."

"Thank you very much Naruto-San," Gaara spoke before hugging his friend. "Good luck with everything. Have a few bites to eat, and we will see you off. By the way, bring me back some expensive demon clothing won't you?" He was eyeing the robes in wonder. The forms flowed like water, but they were so clear and vivid, and the colors were amazing too.

Naruto ate what he had promised his child, and he took some extra bits for the road. "I guess I won't be shoveling down ramen anymore," he commented. "I might have to give up my mom's cooking too. You don't know what you're missing until you've had a blueberry pancake made by her," he told his child.

"Naruto, I know talking to it brings you much joy, but don't do that around humans okay? They'll find you to be weird or even crazy, until you have a mound that is," Kyuubi warned. "I love you, but please refrain for a while. We will cross the desert quickly and then we can take our time getting back to Konoha." The blond nodded as he nibbled on a freshly made roll. Something about hot dough was so satisfying to the stomach, and the still invisibly small pup settled down happily knowing his or her feeding would come soon.

They set out from the hall, walking up to Suna's main gate. Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, and Shukaku gave them splendid farewells. "Make sure to invite us all Naruto-Sama," Shukaku told him. "I wanna see whether it ends up handsome like you or ugly like Kyuubi." The comment was in jest, but Kyuubi was once again ready to have fun with a raccoon chew toy. "Now go, the desert heat isn't good on a person's body, and it's worse on an unborn." Naruto and Kyuubi nodded, and they faded into the desert.

Kushina and Tsunade: "They're coming back today right?" Naruto's mother asked.

"There'll be trouble if they don't," the Hokage commented. "I wouldn't worry overmuch; Naruto's plenty responsible when it comes to being on time, especially when it comes to you. He and Kyuubi are expected to be back by noon, so have everyone at the gate waiting for them. I'll join you if possible." The mountain of papers suggested that it wouldn't be possible.

Kushina was anxious to see her son again. He had seemed so happy being with Kyuubi, but he was afraid to show his friends the truth about himself…although he had no problems with exposing Kiba and Sasuke. As long as Naruto came back intact and not falling over drooling for Kyuubi in public, she'd be fine.

"He's coming back today," the brunette commented to his boyfriend. Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes, the comic relief is finally returning," the raven spoke. "Do you know when?" Kiba gave him the look of "you seriously don't know?"

In synch, they said "lunch." And then they laughed a bit, Sasuke of course being far calmer about it. Sakura was busy at the vet fixing up a horse's broken leg. She wanted to be there when the blond hero returned. Ino had to beg her mother to shorten her shift at the flower shop. Chouji and Shikamaru were more easily available though. Hinata and Neji just had to finish up practice, and Lee was already waiting at the gate like a statue. Ten Ten needed someone to knock around because of a bad joke, so she anticipated Naruto's return as well.

Surprisingly, the entire Hidden Leaf Village was in a buzz, and here came Konohamaru to lighten the mood. "Get back here you freaking devil cat!" he yelled at Tora. He already had a bloody and sliced cheek, courtesy of her claws. Konohamaru pinned her at last, and Moegi crated the jittery creature. "Hah, can't escape Naruto's number one apprentice." The cat gave that high, right before attack growl/call, and Konohamaru's nose got sliced. The boy screamed and dropped the crate, letting the cat loose once more. "YOU," he spoke darkly and threateningly… "DAMNED FELINE!" The chase was on again, and the rookie nine couldn't help but laugh. Without Konohamaru, they never would have survived the month.

Kushina came up the road. It was exactly one minute to noon. Where in blazes were Naruto and Kyuubi? Since news had spread of their…relationship, a few of them guessed that Kyuubi and he were being naughty somewhere out in the wilderness. A gust of air and leaves spoke otherwise, both young men standing in the gateway.

"Noon on the nose," Sasuke spoke up. "Five bucks Sakura." The pink-haired girl and he had bet on whether or not they'd make it back before noon, and now she was grudgingly pulling out her wallet. Everyone huddled around Naruto, practically running over Kyuubi. "Hey, give him some air." Naruto jumped up to the top of the pole he had gone on when Jiraiya brought him back.

"It's good to be home," he sighed. Then it dawned on him again from a look from Kyuubi. "Oh, guys," Naruto began as he blurred down. "I have news, but we need to go see Tsunade too."

"They all know," Kushina stated. "I put in some embarrassment fail-safes for you. So, no longer in heat?" She hugged her son, and he was very happy to be back in his mother's arms. Naruto hugged back.

"No, I'm…well, not back to normal exactly," he commented. "I had a feeling Kiba or Sasuke would go blurting my secret to the rest of the rookie nine, but I have news besides that, and we still need to go to Tsunade's." A feeling hit his stomach, and Kyuubi cringed. "Oh no," the blond barely got out before expelling the small contents of his stomach. Everyone around him was curious and a bit afraid along with being grossed out. "That has a part to do with it," Naruto added after standing back up straight. Kyuubi held his hand and gave him a worried look. "I'll be fine." His comrades all followed him to the hospital, and the Hokage was currently delivering her mountain of papers.

Naruto!" she called happily. "Thank Kami you're finally back. It's been so boring without you." The blond hugged her back, despite the fact that his ribs were currently in danger. "So, everything back to normal?" she asked.

"Yes, and no," Naruto replied, obviously a bit uncomfortable. "Can we just go to a private room, ALL of us?" Tsunade seemed concerned and led them to an empty examination room.

"Something wrong Naruto?" she asked as he paled. The blond of course threw up in the garbage can and froze the contents. "Okay, that answers that question. Got any specifics for me? Time length, abdominal pain, bleeding?" The boy was breathing a bit hard. Kyuubi could feel what he was about to do.

"Guys, don't freak out on me please," he warned. "I'm only going to say this once, 'cause it's pretty embarrassing. I'm…pregnant with Kyuubi's and my pup." The last part was spoken quickly, and Naruto closed his eyes, waiting for the yelling. All he heard was Tsunade's pen leave her hand and hit the floor. His mate stood next to him, reassuringly holding his hand. Naruto looked at his shocked friends, all of them, even Tsunade, equally shocked. Well, his mother was probably the worst.

"You're…what?" the Hokage asked in disbelief.

"He said he wouldn't repeat it," Kyuubi replied flatly, angry, but in control. The air in the room was thick with the awkward feeling. "We're demons, live with it."

"You impregnated my son?!" Kushina asked hysterically and loudly at Kyuubi. Someone outside the door, make that quite a few people, heard everything. "What did you do to Naruto!" the woman screamed before attempting to punch the fox. It was her son who stopped her, his grip tight on her wrists, his eyes pointing to the floor, a single tear slipping and falling. "Naruto," she whispered, in fear and in sadness. "Are you certain?" It was the tiniest nod, but they all looked at some object to contemplate what had been heard. Kushina's arms fell to her sides, and Kyuubi hugged his mate close to him. "Why?" she asked. Kyuubi was about to roar at her, but Naruto had sent him a message through their bond.

"Because before the deal was done…I could hear it crying out for life," Naruto replied, quiet…serious…worried…but with conviction. "I don't kill people or things that I don't have to. I don't expect you to understand."

"Naruto," Tsunade began. "I hate to do this, but I do need to examine you, to see if this child of yours is healthily growing. Lay back on the table and lift your shirt.

"You dare make" Kyuubi began.

"It's fine," his mate spoke softly. "Calm yourself." Naruto kissed him lovingly, and Kyuubi made submissive and apologetic sounds. The blond undid his top to reveal a very hunky body, and the new reaffirmation.

"That's very astounding," the Hokage commented towards the design. "This is an ultrasound machine. It uses very fine sound waves to show us a picture of what is inside you." Naruto shivered, like everyone does, at the cold gel placed and spread out on his skin. Tsunade hooked the monitor up, and Naruto directed her hand. "Kami above," she spoke softly as she stared at the monitor. "This is…" Sakura nearly fainted. Kushina did. And most of the guys had a very awkward sense of themselves. "How is this possible?" Tsunade asked in disbelief. "Not only do you have a child, but it's strong, growing, and you have no way to birth it, no canal or anything. You do realize that if one doesn't develop, you'll lose it as a fetus."

"I can explain that one," Kyuubi spoke up. He wasn't sure how Naruto would react, so he whispered it in the Godaime's ear. "Our medical practitioners are very skilled. There is little you would need to worry about. Can you tell the gender?" Tsunade was a bit frazzled, and Naruto had to hold her hand steady to keep it from shaking.

"You'll have a very healthy young boy on your hands you two," she stated before drawing the equipment away, separating Naruto from the image of his pup. "I need a moment."

"And we need a few as well," Kyuubi stated as he helped his mate back into his robe. "I'll take Kushina-San back home." He took the woman piggyback, but when the door opened, Kyuubi was internally enraged by what he could see, smell, and hear. "Damn," he spoke before shutting the door. Everyone behind him was curious. "Naruto, you and I will slip out the window. It would seem your beliefs had good founding. There are people out there who spoke of things I will not tell you. Tsunade…keep everyone else safe." Naruto and he jumped from the window into the streets and shot off toward the Uzumaki Mansion.

"Kyuu," the blond began as they stood in the front yard. "What did you hear?" The fox found himself to be trapped by numerous razor-sharp ice pins. He didn't want to tell his mate this, but there could not be any avoiding it.

"Naruto, we cannot stay here," Kyuubi stated. "They called you an abomination!" he yelled, tears falling from his eyes, chakra blowing apart Naruto's entrapment. His mate just stood there, perhaps stunned. "They called you gay, a fag, a demon…a demon whore. Damn it Naruto don't make me say this to you." The fox had collapsed on his knees. Naruto was in shock. "They…said they'd" sniffle, "kill you…your child." Kyuubi was so quiet, and now Naruto was crying.

He fell to his knees…shaking, tearing, falling in darkness. "They," the blond began. "They won't…….THEY WON'T HAVE THE CHAAAAAANCE!" Naruto roared, Kikánugan blazing, both marks glowing white. Kyuubi had never felt such rage. In this state, Kyuubi watched the ten chakra tails form, and then came the danger. A wind more chilling than any other blew over the land. The fox covered Kushina, chanting words to a fire ninjutsu. Naruto's roar was heard by the Leaf Village, and all turned to see the red aurora formed into an enraged face. Shards, no, blades of ice began falling from the sky, and the wolf appeared in the forest. Everything he breathed upon froze completely and shattered. Kyuubi knew he couldn't let his mate keep going, and he allowed himself to transform. Naruto in his state could not recognize his loved one.

"Naruto!" Kyuubi roared. "Wake up Naruto." White chakra gathered in the enormous beast's maw, and the fox barely dodged the freezing bullet which flew past him. The sky filled with clouds, more lethal knives falling over the village. Tsunade had gotten most people into their homes or underground, but there were casualties. Kyuubi could barely do anything against his mate's wrath. "Please stop this mate!" Naruto bit him in the leg, and while the fox felt the pain and the ice work into his system, he managed to bite down on Naruto's mating mark. The Kikánugan spun, the marks lost all glow, and the two titans fell still, everything…still. The progression of freezing was stopped, but Kyuubi would lose that leg soon if it weren't thawed. "Naruto, please," his mate spoke, even with the blood in his mouth and the pain he wallowed in. He nuzzled the Bijuu king, and the golden eyes faded to blue. "Naruto?"

"Kyuubi," he whispered before his form began reverting to its human stature. The fox quickly began healing the wound of his mating mark, and he saw that Kushina had been unharmed. "Kyuubi, your leg."

"I'm gonna lose it, so what?" the redhead spoke with all the confidence he had, even though he was afraid.

"No," Naruto spoke, hugging that leg. Something, perhaps his love of Kyuubi, perhaps his absorption ability, or perhaps something else, thawed the fox's leg. He gave his chakra to the fox, healing the wound, before losing consciousness. The blond's friend's came running, all of them afraid.

"May this village be cursed," Kyuubi told them. "May every human who has ever scorned my mate be cursed!" he yelled. "We aren't safe here. Neither my mate nor my pup is safe here. There will come a day when you need Naruto's help, and when that day comes, don't expect him to answer."

"Guys, get out of here," Tsunade yelled. "The villagers, they're rioting. Get Naruto and Kushina out of here. All of you run!"

"I'll tell him how much you all said you'll miss him, because I know that's the truth," Kyuubi spoke. "Get his mother away from here. Naruto would be crushed if harm fell upon her. Goodbye, my friends," the fox spoke before he closed his eyes. Hand sign after hand sign fell into place, and a separate landscape seemed to appear behind the fox demon. He stopped long enough to look at them all once more. "At least you…cared for him." Kyuubi carried the unconscious blond across the invisible line connecting the two worlds, and then the window crumbled. A tear fell from the fox's eye before the window closed. "You are safe mate. You are safe." Kushina woke just in time to see the tear fall, and her scream of Naruto's name reached Kyuubi's ears. "I am sorry, Kushina-San." The fox prayed to the entities above that he could be forgiven. Tearing apart a family was no small sin. He was broken from his state though as the blond began stirring.

"W-Where am I?" he asked, the unfamiliar golden fields disorienting him. His eyes fell on Kyuubi. "Kyuu?" Naruto began with tears coming to the fold. "What did I do?"

"Nothing Naruto," his mate told him. "Your village abandoned you…not your friends of course," he added after his mate became even more saddened. "Mate, you are safe here. This is the demon world. No one will hurt you here; you are safe."

"What happened to Mom?" he asked.

"She is not happy with me, but your mother"

"WILL KILL HIM!" the woman roared out. "Let me go Tsunade. I'm gonna kill him for this." The Hokage could barely hold her back. "I know you can hear me Kyuubi! Give back my son! Give him back." She collapsed on her knees crying. "Just let me see him Kyuubi."

"Kushina, let it go," the Hokage told her. "Kyuubi did what he had to do to keep the one he loved safe. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" The woman froze. "Naruto would be turning eighteen soon anyway. Just let him go," she yelled in a hurt voice, tears falling from her eyes too. "He's safe. Naruto is safe. That's what counts Kushina. You know how much he loves you, and he won't abandon any of us. Naruto isn't dead. He isn't here, but he's alive. If he stayed here, he might have died. Poison, night attacks, they'd do anything to kill him now that they know. Wait until Naruto returns. He won't abandon you. I know it."

"Tsunade-Sama!" she wailed. It was too painful, all of it just too much for her to bear. Villagers could be heard in the distance, but Tsunade sent every ANBU she had to now quell them. Naruto's friends sadly helped his mother into her house, and they all stayed the night, too sad, too tired, and too afraid to leave. What was true? If only they could see the blond, KNOW he was truly alright.

Kyuubi held his sobbing mate close to him, and their scent drifted into the distance. This window was one Kyuubi knew lead to a close personal friend. Nibi's brother, Fusukayu, lived in a large house nearby. The redhead refused to move Naruto at all in this state. His instincts forced him to comfort his broken mate. "Shhhh Naruto, please rest," he spoke quietly as he rocked them slowly back and forth. Kyuubi changed his scent, made comforting noises, and rubbed his mate's back to keep the boy calm. He also nuzzled the blond, licking away the tears which marred his pure face. "I won't ever leave you Naruto. I love you." His mate cried himself to sleep, and within seconds of this, Fusukayu blurred into sight. "Please my old friend, help me, just a little." The three-tailed tiger man nodded.

"Do you need a place to stay old friend?" he asked, calmly and quietly. Kyuubi nodded. "I have a spare room if you require it…and some permanent clothes which I can lend to your mate."

"How did you?"

"It is the end of the season, who else could he be?" he asked. "It has been nearly twenty years. What finally brings you back here Youko?" Kyuubi rose, carrying his troubled mate in his arms bridal style. "What brings your loved one to be so sad?"

"We have left the human world," the redhead began. "You would not believe it, but he was once human."

"I have seen six-thousand years," Fusukayu replied. "Plus, Zant has known since the beginning of the last month. There have been human to demon transformations in the past, but he is by far the most unique. Still, why have you brought him from his kind?"

"They have scorned him, abandoned him," Kyuubi spoke solemnly as he stared sorrowfully at Naruto's twisted face. "They wished to kill our pup. I had no choice." Fusukayu stopped in his tracks and turned.

"You and he have"

"Yes."

"Youko, my friend this is great news. Ah, I can smell it now, but it is faint, or perhaps simply overpowered. How old?"

"He is nearly twenty days into carrying, but according to the human medical specialist in his village, our pup is very strong. It will be a male," Kyuubi spoke. "She was one of the few who truly cared for my mate, shielding him from harm, comforting him, training him. But the common people who follow her…I will not say it again." Fusukayu put his hand on Kyuubi's shoulder. Only a very select few could pull that off and walk away without a scratch.

"I understand. Humans are foolish," the silver-haired tiger replied. He looked down at the truthfully sleeping beauty in his friend's hands. "Well, most of them anyway. You two have obviously had a rough day; I will not harry you for information. This is strange, being sorry and congratulating you at the same time. I guess…good luck, sums it up?" Kyuubi smiled. Fusukayu was one of the few who he could turn to for support and not be ashamed for it. "You may stay in my house as long as you wish." They blurred to his house, Kyuubi sighing that he had gotten his mate to a place in which he could rest. "I am sorry if it smells too much of mating. I will try to"

"It is no problem," Kyuubi told his friend. "He has already begun having morning sickness. Could you" Fusukayu had a bucket in hand almost instantly. "Thank you." The tiger-man showed Kyuubi to the rather lavish guest quarters, and he watched as his friend placed his mate softly beneath the covers. "Do you have any fresh bread or something light on the stomach? Naruto will wish to eat when he wakes."

"Yes, and if you are up to it, you may join me for dinner this evening," his friend spoke before softly shutting the door.

Kyuubi laid down next to his mate, nuzzling him and comforting the boy in his sleep. "I won't leave you Naruto, not ever," he whispered. That night was full of events. Naruto awoke in shambles, his emotions running wild. Fusukayu had been wounded by his claws, luckily not poisoned. The blond cried and held himself, and he kept begging Kyuubi to let him see his mother and his friends. His fox however was adamant, and he held the only way for the blond to get back to his dimension. Despite instinct, Kyuubi knew letting Naruto back to his world would be dangerous for both him and their pup. He refused despite his mark's searing answer. Kyuubi had to make sure his mate suffered minimal stress. It would be bad for their child. He licked the blond's mark, pinning his body in relaxation, eventually making the mental rollercoaster slow down as well. "When the time is right, we will go back Naruto. I cannot tear you forever from your family, but I cannot let you walk back to your own peril either," Kyuubi told him softly. "Just eat a little bit my mate. You need to nourish both yourself and your child." Naruto froze. He could feel his pup's fear, and it sickened him to be the one who had caused it.

"Will you promise to bring me back before my friends and family die?" Naruto asked his mate. Kyuubi of course nodded sincerely. The blond ate some warm bread and drank some cold milk before crawling into the bed Fusukayu had given them. "I'm still mad," Naruto stated.

"You have every right to be," Kyuubi replied as he gave his mate what reassuring touches his instincts gave him. "But do you forgive me?" there was no answer for a long time, and it crushed the fox's heart.

"I…know what you did was meant to protect me, but it hurts alright?" the blond finally spoke. "I love you, so yes; I forgive you…as long as you keep your promise." His fox wrapped his arms around him. "I refuse to have sex with you until after our child is born though." That was no idle threat, and now Kyuubi felt afraid. Maybe if the blond forgot, six or seven months from now? "If you can go that long, it's love. If you keep pestering me…I'll run where you can't find me."

"That isn't possible," the fox replied. "But I understand. I will wait. Naruto?" His mate turned to him. "I realize that much has happened, but tomorrow, whether or not you want to, we're gonna have to go meet Zant-Sama." The blond let out a breath of annoyance, but he snuggled up closer to the warmth his mate gave off.

"Well, I'll try to not be disrespectful," he spoke in all seriousness. Kyuubi nuzzled his right cheek from behind. "I love you too," Naruto said, before finally falling asleep.

Everything back in his own dimension was just as chaotic. Tsunade was fighting with the council, Kushina was a mess, and the blond's friends were all lost on what to do. Everyone just wished that he'd come back to where he belonged. Their prayers, would go unanswered for a long time.

Sorry for the end people. I guess I just got writers' block. There will of course be a sequel, but I have too many ideas! See you all in my reviewers' circle.