Author's Note: Hey, long time, no post! Sorry about that, I've been sick for a while. Anyway, I don't think that the alerts are working, so I'm not ecpecting much until they fix it. Okay, this chapter is my favorite so far. I tried my best to bring out the emotions, but remember, I'm still an ameuture. R&R, please.

Chapter Eleven: Fears

It had been a week since Tatsuya was born, and Zeniba had returned to watch over the bathhouse. Thanks to Haku's magic, Chihiro had almost returned to her normal size.

Haku and Tadashi were now on better terms, and had planned out a premature plan of attack with what little they had, in case Takehiko-Yuu decided to advance now. Aya and Chihiro had also bonded, taking care of Tatsuya and cooking for the males when their planning ran late.

One day, after Chihiro and Haku had eaten lunch, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," said Haku, rising.

"Alright," said Chihiro. 'He just doesn't want to do the dishes,' she thought as she watched him leave the kitchen. 'But he did change three diapers today.' She heard the door open, then a loud band and Haku groan. She got up, quickly becoming worried, until she heard the voice that followed it.

"How dare you not tell us Chihiro had delivered, dragon?" it said, spitting mad.

'Lin,' thought Chihiro, smiling to herself. She opened the door to the kitchen and found Lin standing in the doorway, Haku in front of her, holding a hand to his throbbing head. Behind Lin were Kamajii, Boh, Kisho, and Kaida.

"Lin," said Chihiro, walking into the living room, "please refrain from murdering my mate; I need him to change diapers." Haku groaned again.

"Chihiro!" squealed Lin, hugging her tightly.

"Lin," said Chihiro, face turning red, "…can't…breathe…"

"Oops," said Lin, releasing her.

"Mommy!" squealed Kaida, running forward. Chihiro opened her arms and caught her daughter, hugging her.

"Hey, baby," she said, kissing her forehead. "How have you been?"

"Good," said Kaida. The little girl looked down to her mother's stomach. With a face full of earnest curiosity, she said, "Mommy, why aren't you fat anymore?" Everyone laughed.

Later, they all sat in the living room, Kaida in Haku's lap and Chihiro holding Tatsuya. Kaida was admiring her new baby brother, playing with his fingers and kissing his forehead, which everyone 'awwed' at.

Chihiro passed the baby to Lin. Bouncing him slightly in her arms, Lin asked, "What's his name again?"

"Nigihayami Tatsuya Keitaro," said Haku proudly.

"Wow," said Lin, letting the baby grab her finger, "big name for such a little guy."

"That's what Aya said," said Chihiro, smoothing Kaida's hair.

"Aya?" said Lin, eyes widening. "You mean the goddess Aya?"

"Yeah, why?"

Lin nearly dropped the baby. Haku caught him in midair with his magic and brought the infant over to him. He gave Lin a withering look.

"Since when are you on a first name basis with a deity?" she asked, ignoring Haku completely.

"Since she and Tadashi have been coming over to plan against Takehiko-Yuu's uprising," said Chihiro.

"You mean you know?"

"Yes," said Chihiro, not wishing to go over this with Kaida and Kisho in the room. "Haku told me after Tatsuya was born. Now, ix-nay on the Akehiko-Yuu-Tay."

Lin was about to say something else when Kisho walked over to her. Eyes shining, he pulled on her tunic until she bent to listen to him. Whispering, he said, "Mommy, c-can I get a baby brother or s-sister?" Lin blanched.

"U-uhhhh……" she stuttered, looking for an answer. "Maybe-maybe later, sweetheart."

'Ooh, good cover,' thought Chihiro, smirking. "So what's going on at the bathhouse," she said, deciding that Lin had stewed enough.

"Oh, not much," said Lin, grateful for the change of subject. "Zeniba converted Yubaba's old office into her own guest room, and Boh cleaned the big tub all by himself." Chihiro looked at the boy, who had the appearance of a slightly-bigger-then-average eight-year-old. She smiled.

"Which was good," continued Lin, "because a stink spirit came in right after."

Kaida and Kisho both covered their faces with their hands and scrunched their noses.

"Stinky," said Kaida disgustedly. Lin nodded.

"She's right. I think stink spirits should be banned from the bathhouse. I mean, what good would a bath do them, anyway?"

'She has a point,' thought Chihiro.

"Yes, but they're still spirits, and they still pay," said Haku, still disgruntled from almost having his son dropped earlier.

"Hmph," huffed Lin. Chihiro thought she heard the yuna say, "Fine, you escort the next one," under her breath.

"So when are you planning to return?" asked Kamajii, holding out two of his many arms for the baby.

"Within two weeks," said Chihiro, taking Tatsuya from his reluctant father and giving him to Kamajii.

"Why so early?" asked Kamajii, picking up both Kaida and Kisho and placing them on his knees.

"Oh, just eager to get back," said Chihiro offhandedly. She wished to keep the real reason hidden just a little longer, especially from the children.

The others left a little later, taking Kaida with them. It killed Haku and Chihiro to send her off, but they knew they needed a bit more time to adjust to a new baby.

As they lay in bed that night, Tatsuya in his bassinet a short distance away, Chihiro snuggled into Haku. He looped his arms around her, resting them on her now flat belly. Chihiro rested her head on his chest and sighed.

"What do you want?" asked Haku into her hair.

"What makes you think I want anything?" asked Chihiro, placing her hands on his.

"Because that sigh was different than your usual content sigh," said Haku, moving to rest his chin on her shoulder.

"You know me well," said Chihiro, turning in his arms to face him.

"I do," he said, running his hand along her back. "Now, what do you want?"

"Take me with you," she said, eyes eager. "On your missions; take me with you."

"What?" asked Haku, ceasing his stroking. "No."

"Why not?" asked Chihiro, giving him a pouting look.

"Because," said Haku, looking her directly in the eyes, "it's too dangerous. I will not have you hurt, especially because of my stupidity."

"Haku, I am not a defenseless flower that needs protecting," said Chihiro seriously. "I am your equal; treat me as such."

"Chihiro—" Haku started.

"No, Haku," said Chihiro, cutting him off. "I am your mate. I am with you forever, through good times and bad, no matter what. I stand by your side in times of tranquility and in times of conflict. You need to realize that. I will not stay at home, carrying on as though nothing is happening, while my mate is out risking his life to combat something that could so easily kill him; I love you too much. I'd rather be there with you than safe at home."

Haku was silent. Her words rang true; she was his equal. However, he did not want her anywhere near any fighting. Since his son's birth, Haku had developed an overwhelming and all-consuming fear; losing his mate. The night that Chihiro had gone into early labor scared the hell out of him. He could have easily lost her right there, and there was nothing he could have done. He had never before been scared of her death, except the quick spasm of fear the night that Akio had sent his daughter to the hospital and Haku had learned of their first lost child, and even then, there was a little voice in the back of his mind telling him that everything would be okay.

When Tatsuya was born, however, there was no reassuring voice. There was no guarantee that Chihiro would come out alive. All he could do was hope that her mortal body could fight on and prevail.

Her mortality; that was the problem. She was only a human, there was no magic that ran naturally through her veins that could protect her from death. All she had was her fiery and resilient soul to keep her. And while they had carried her so far, Haku knew that they would give out eventually.

As he thought this, Haku felt tears prickling in the corners of his eyes. He cursed the moon, as it shined bright in the darkness, letting Chihiro see his weakness. She noticed his trembling chin and touched his cheek. His resolve disappeared and his emotional dams broke, letting tears stream down his cheeks. He buried his face in Chihiro's shoulders, sobbing hysterically.

He was mortified and angry at himself for showing such pitiful emotions, until Chihiro held him. Circling her arms around his torso, she sat up as best she could and began to rock him back and forth, shushing him as though he were a small child. Haku wrapped his own arms, strong and muscular, around her waist and continued to cry. Chihiro pressed his head to her chest with her hand, letting him sob.

"It's alright," she whispered soothingly, stroking his hair, black in the darkness. The green shined brightly in the moonlight, wavering as he shook. Chihiro suddenly heard a voice in her head that was not her own.

'Can't…can't lose Chihiro,' it said over and over again. 'I can't lose her. No matter what…I j-just can't.'

She was hearing Haku's thoughts. It had been a long time since she had been able to hear what he was thinking. It usually only happened when he did something that weakened the block he had set up.

'It's alright,' she thought to him, holding him close. 'I'm right here, Haku. Everything's fine.' Haku continued to sob for a few moments, clinging to Chihiro desperately, hiding his face in the crook oh her arm.

Eventually he calmed down. Sniffling, he raised his head and looked at her. She was looking at him warmly, no sign of hatred or distaste for showing such weakness and useless emotions. She kissed him on the lips, reassuringly.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly, tucking her head under his chin and bringing her arms round his neck. He nodded.

"Yes."

"Why would you think you would lose me?" asked Chihiro, lightly kissing his neck.

"When…when you went into labor with Tatsuya," he said, swallowing hard, "I thought…no, I was sure that I would lose you. That everything I loved would be destroyed, and I could do nothing to help. I felt so powerless, so helpless. It's not a feeling I'm well acquainted with, and I don't particularly like it.

"Chihiro," he continued, "you have an earlier mortality then I do. Whereas I can live for thousands of years, millions even, you only live for ninety, and that's stretching it. I couldn't bear to…live without you. And to think that our time could be cut any shorter, it tears me apart. That's why I want you to stay behind, so you'll be safe. The time that I'm absent is nothing compared to living without you."

"Haku," said Chihiro, her own throat constricting. "I didn't know it affected you this much." She laid her head on his chest, listening to the comforting sound of his heartbeat.

"And now you know why I don't want you to come with me," said Haku, running his fingers through her shining almond hair.

"I do," she said. "But you know what? I've had the same fear, only longer. When you wouldn't tell me where you were going at night, I worried. And when you came home covered in blood and looking like something the hounds of hell would've spit up, I became scared of what happened to you while you were away. I couldn't stand it. That's why I want to come with you; so I always know what happens." She paused for a moment. "So will you let me?"

Haku was silent, pensive. "Yes," he said finally.

They sat on the bed like that for a while, Chihiro tucked into Haku, head on his chest, his arms around her small frame, resting his chin on her head.


Okay, I hope you all liked it. Now, I need a favor: I'm trying to write a Naruto fanfic. Problem is, cartoon network is just now starting to show the Return of Itachi arc (I know he's evil, but he's really hot and has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen in an anime. But I prefer Sasuke over anyone, although Shikamaru is far from ugly himself!) Anyway, I need to know how the series ends (if it's ended yet NOOOOO!). If anyone's hooked up with anyone, what happened to Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura (besides becoming Tsunade's apprentice), Ino (besides studying alongside Sakura), Shikamaru (besides becoming a Chunin), and Rock Lee. Also, I know Yamato is Kakashi's temp, and Sai is Sasuke's replacement (and is very confusing to follow I guess he's good), but really, who the hell are they? And who is Pakkun? If you can help me out with this, I would appreciate it. Thanks ! Bye!