I would like to take the time and thank all my readers. I don't think I've done that for this story, so yeah...

Thank you all so much for reading and an extra special thanks for those who reviewed. A Thank You for all who put this story on their alerts or their favorites and (gasp) put me as an author in their alert or favorites.

You guys rock all around.

P.S.

I'm actually fairly proud of this chapter.


Something was calling her.

But something else was telling her to not wake up, to not listen to the voice in the distance, to just stay elusive...

Stay elusive to what?

"-ata."

What?

"-inata."

I-... have to get up.

"Hinata."

Her eyes blinked open, the light obscured by a figure.

"Hinata is in shock from the news, let her get used to the idea." A woman's voice said calmly. Too calmly – it seemed artificial and gave her no sense of comfort.

However, the face that was obscuring her vision, blurred for a moment before focusing.

"Sasuke." She whispered, lifting her hand to caress his face. His face turned into something she had never seen before, something other than anger or indifference.

His brow was furrowed, his eyes looked deep into hers, and for a moment she forgot to study him, instead she simply basked in his attention- Sasuke was worried.

Why?

"Triplets."

And then Hinata started to hyperventilate, her vision losing Sasuke's face and she just. couldn't. breathe.

"Hinata." It was his voice that kept her from plunging into darkness- quiet, blissful, no children darkness.

"Get a hold of yourself." Sasuke said in his usual harshness. "Your strong enough."

She snorted.

Hinata couldn't help herself. It was exactly the opposite of what he said.

She wasn't strong.

It was exactly what the Clan had been saying all along. She was weak, she was expendable, she couldn't be the heir. The lie in his statement couldn't be more obvious.

She wasn't even ready for one child, let alone three.

"Hinata."

She blinked a few times, not realizing the tears that had escaped in her self pity.

"Prove them wrong." Sasuke stated. It was like he had seen everything she had thought in her eyes and knew exactly what to say.

Prove them wrong?

Yes, of course. Prove them wrong by showing them she was capable of taking care of her own children, without the aid of the Clan.

All she really needed was Sasuke.

"Okay." She whispered, and nodded weakly. Sasuke smirked and kissed her cheek – but froze midway.

What exactly was he going to kiss her for? What would kissing her accomplish?

He straightened and turned to Tsunade.

"Is that all?" Sasuke asked.

"We'll deal with everything else another time. You should both get used to the idea of having three children first." Tsunade said, for the first time, letting sympathy in her voice. She would not lie, she was worried but they had to learn for themselves how to handle the news. She gave them one last look, before walking out.

Silence.

"W-w-we're h-having t-t-tri-trip-"

"Triplets." Sasuke finished. Hinata nodded and took a deep breath.

Sasuke moved to the counter where Hinata's clothes were placed and handed them over to her.

"Change." He ordered. Hinata blinked but did as she was told, all the while watching Sasuke.

Now that Hinata seemed to have recovered, it seemed like the news was just hitting Sasuke- hard.

They walked out of the Hokage's building, the sun still high in the air, people working, toddlers not yet old enough to be in school played in the streets. A slight breeze passed, shaking the Sakura trees that were on the outskirts of the path, from the eternal spring that Konoha seemed to have. All was relatively peaceful and normal.

Normal.

Except for one Uchiha.

What now?

He had nowhere to be, nothing to do and so, was at a completely loss at what to do next.

Hinata stood awkwardly at his side, pushing her pointer fingers together, taking the occasional peek at Sasuke.

Neither noticed the presence looming nearby.

"I'm-... I have to- go do something." Sasuke said, stumbling over his words. Hinata, slightly worried, stepped in front of him to look into his eyes.

"A-are you o-okay?"

"Hn. I'll see you." Sasuke answered, vaguely.

Hinata continued to look at him worriedly and he resisted to roll his eyes- the girl was worried about him, the least he could do was not snap at her.

"I'm fine." Sasuke said, emphasizing how fine he truly was by catching her lips in a kiss. Hinata automatically responded.

Before he could get carried away, he pulled away and walked around her.

At least I think I'm okay.

Sasuke didn't look back as he headed onto the familiar path. Hinata watched him disappear into the distance, her gaze never wavering, intent on his figure. As if his motions would somehow give away the mystery of what he was actually feeling.

They never did notice Neji's chakra signature.


"We need to talk."

Four words that were spoken, not all uncommon, even between men.

They could mean of a simple sport or something as simple as the weather, something to connect for their proffession whether a farmer or business man. It could be for comfort, advice, or for the sake of talk itself with his fellow coworker or a daily acquaintance.

For civilians, that is.

For Shinobi, however, 'we need to talk' would most likely regard a mission – usually reconnaissance – or teammates regarding their teamwork, formations, plans, or even training.

Shinobi were not the type to talk for the sake of talking. Ninjas were trained to be prepared for the gruesome deaths that would (could) befall their enemies- or their squad members.

Sasuke Uchiha was no exception.

In fact, he might – from past rumors of his defect to Orochimaru and his workings since then – have been the worse case scenario. Sasuke Uchiha detached himself – up to a certain extent – from humanity.

Although many Anbu did the same- they were allowed rest, breaks in between those ghastly missions to stray away from the masks of indifference they so heavily relied on.

Sasuke Uchiha did not.

For three and a half years – give or take a few months – Sasuke had not felt pain – that is, emotional – nor had he felt guilt or sadness. No fondness or happiness. There was anger, annoyance (toward the stupid snake that continually avoided their training sessions shortly before the end of Orochimaru's life). Triumph, accomplishment, and more anger

Devoid of any emotions that constantly reigned his peers.

And then he was unwillingly brought forth to Konoha, his ambition met, annoyance removed, and nothing left to do.

His containment was long- long enough to lose track of time, unable to tell between day and night, unable to know whether a day had passed or months.

The sessions with Ibiki weren't exactly helpful.

And when he was released from his incarceration, he knew not what to do. Train? What for? He had killed Itachi- even killed Orochimaru for kicks, what was left for him to overcome?

He was left to his own devices – not trusted to leave the village for anything – wandering mostly, looking for a purpose or at the very least something to pass the time.

That's were sex came in. It was to pass the time.

Although in the back of his mind, his other ambition, from what seemed, to him at least, a distant era, laid dormant- to rebuild his clan.

It was always there during his endeavors, yet he had always found something wrong with the girl he was with

She wasn't a shinobi, her hair was an odd shade, she was too short, she was too tall, her nose was too angular, her eyes: too close, too far, a bland color. Her voice: too loud, too annoying... her arms, her legs, her breasts-

Something was always wrong.

And then with Hinata...

"Kai!" Naruto yelled, hoping to expel the genjutsu- that had to be the only explanation for his presence. Sasuke's eye twitched from his reaction.

"Dobe." Sasuke growled. He grabbed the front of Naruto's shirt and shoved him aside, walking into his apartment uninvited, setting himself on Naruto's old and battered couch.

"W-what's up?" Naruto asked once he closed the door, his voice oddly high pitched.

Can't be he found out we were trying to spy on him, Naruto thought with a cold sweat.

"I'm...with Hinata." Sasuke started, eyeing him strangely.

"Really? I had no idea." Naruto replied, sarcastically.

"I..." Sasuke paused, wondering whether to get annoyed but decided he didn't really care. "I- we were expecting a child." Sasuke finished. He figured quick and simple was the way to go.

Naruto, however, was just a little shocked.

"Wait. W-what?"

"We were expecting a child." Sasuke said, simply, waiting for Naruto to swallow the news.

"H-hi-hin-hin-hi-"

"Hinata." Sasuke provided calmly.

"Pregnant!!!" Naruto yelled, frantic. Naruto paused his flailing to look at him inquisitively.

"What do you mean were?"

"We went to Tsunade's..." Sasuke stopped, a sudden question popped to the forefront of his mind, and baffled him into silence

Why was he telling Naruto?

Why the sudden camaraderie after so many months of awkwardness? All the distance Sasuke purposefully put between them, all the hard work to keep himself isolated from Naruto and – mostly – Sakura.

What would possibly change (he wasn't sure if he was talking about the pregnancy or the relationship that no longer was) with the knowledge he gained?

I don't want him near my children, Sasuke thought without any real resolution.

Naruto was just about as clueless about families as he was.

Naruto grew up without a family, never felt the touch of a mother or a father. While Sasuke could not remember what his family was like prior to the massacre- he had memories but they were just that; memories of which he could look back on, to fuel his revenge and yet once the deed had been done, he felt no need to go back to those. It was still too painful and raw, a fact that Sasuke had a feeling would continue to stay with him, no matter what.

And thus the question remained... why?

"Sasuke?" His eyes flickered to the blonde, meeting his normally bright blue eyes- which were dark just then, heavy with concern for him.

"Don't worry Sasuke, whatever happens, I'll always be here." He stated with unquestionable conviction.

And with a jolt, he realized that that was all he really needed.

To have someone listen to his problems, that someone would be there for him, to tell him that all would be fine, to-

...to tell him he would be a good father.

"I know." Sasuke answered, managing a small smile in return. Naruto was simply shocked into silence.

"We went into a check-up of sorts," Sasuke said, continuing, "Tsunade seemed to find something odd. She conducted a few... tests," he said, still hesitant to even call them that, " and revealed to us that Hinata had actually been pregnant for a month and a half," Naruto's eyebrows shot up in surprise, informing him that they had been together long before what he and Sakura had originally thought, "and that she's actually having triplets."

Naruto's mouth dropped, almost comically as he stared at Sasuke in bewilderment.

And here I thought I would be the first one to start a family, Naruto thought idly, a strange sense of pride welling up inside of him.

Sasuke stared back, his eyes speaking all the words that he was either too prideful or unable to say, – a pleasant change from the usual emotionless stare Sasuke constantly had – Naruto was sure it was a mixture of both.

"Wow."

Silence reigned, more contemplative than anything, Sasuke with his apparent revelation that he was far more human than he originally thought and Naruto, with the weight of the information and the fact that Sasuke gave it to him willingly and without any reason.

"How's Hinata?" Naruto finally mumbled, not particularly sure how to continue.

"She's..." Sasuke felt a blast of shame – for reasons he could not fathom – when he couldn't truthfully answer but made a wild stab from his observations. "-coping."

"Who else knows?" Naruto asked, curious.

"Tenten."

"Thats it?"

"You."

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Does her family know?" Naruto asked more specifically.

"No."

Naruto ran a hand through his hair not in vanity but merely something to do while he thought out everything. His eyes wandered around his apartment. Slightly messy, in that his trash littered certain areas of his floor, along with clothes that he was too lazy to pick up. The one plant he had in the corner, – in great need of water – the piling dishes, and then,finally, his eyes landed once more on Sasuke.

He did not look uncomfortable, he stuck out like a sour thumb in his apartment, yet Naruto was sure he would now have that specific spot on his couch claimed – Sasuke was pretty predictable like that... or maybe he still knew him well enough to have a hunch – and he continued to watch him, not at all expectant yet ready for anything the most unpredictable ninja (how opposite they really were) of Konoha could possibly come up with next. Sasuke had long learned to not have any expectation on his reactions.

Naruto found himself grinning, despite – or precisely because of – what had just transpired.

Sasuke, seemingly aware of what the demon host was thinking, glared at him without any real heat.

"...Dobe."

"Teme."

Maybe he would let Naruto get near his children after all.


Uh... plot development?

So come on! Review! I want to get to at least one-hundred-thirty reviews!

I even started typing up the next chapter as well- Neji/Hinata confrontation!

Don't you wanna know what happens?

Review!!!!