Inuzuka Tsume opened the door, a donut in her hand. She was scowling.

Genma watched her warily. He knew she'd know who was at her door so early, just from the scent. She was an Inuzuka, after all.

"Casanova." She muttered snidely, referring to a legendary man who was known to have seduced a lot of ladies throughout his lifetime.

The shinobi sighed, his hands in his pockets. But he wasn't blushing. The past week or so had robbed him of sleep, embarrassment, and all of his energy. "Hana?"

Tsume glared for a moment, then stepped aside without a word. Genma walked into the Inuzuka main house.

The male walked in and looked around. No sign of Hana.

The clan leader walked in behind him and pointed at a box of donuts, hot and fresh. "Don't touch."

Genma nodded and looked over at his fiance's mother. "Is she here?" He asked bluntly.

Tsume cocked her head to one side and smiled, a hint of fang showing. "Tired?"

The male shinobi nodded, refusing to be riled. "Tomo was up early."

"Tomo." Tsume's eyes narrowed. "One of the three? Three. Three of them."

Now Genma winced, shaking his head. "I know you have heard the whole story from Hana. And you know that I had no clue they existed."

The Inuzuka nodded slowly, her gaze measuring as she watched him.

"Look. I haven't seen Hana in two days. Is she here?"

Tsume shrugged. "No. Veterinary emergency call."

Genma looked ill at ease as he shifted his weight to his right foot. "Not for the past two days, surely. She's avoiding me, isn't she?"

The clan leader gave a soft rumble of assent and nodded, her dark gaze piercing. "She said you were trying to talk this woman into staying."

"In Konoha." Genma snapped. "Not in my apartment. Not with Hana and I once we get married."

"If you get married." Came the smooth if threatening response.

"WHEN we get married." The shinobi avowed. "Look, my parents love those kids already. Hell, even Izumo and Kotetsu are under their spell."

The dangerous kunoichi growled. "Oh, its for THEM that you ask her to stay?"

"Yes. No." Genma looked heavenward and closed his eyes, exhausted. "Well shit, Tsume. Would you want Hana to marry a man that could turn his back on his children?"

There was a long moment of silence, and then the woman cleared her throat. "Are they just your responsibility?"

The male shinobi opened his eyes and looked at his future mother-by-marriage.

Tsume eyed him carefully. He looked absolutely miserable. She sighed. "You want them to go away. You want them to stay. You want things back the way they were and you can't do that. You're fucked."

"100 yen." Genma sighed, then shook his head at her as Tsume looked confused. "Never mind. Look. The kids are cute and all, and I want them safe, of course ...but when I look at them, all I want to do is panic."

Tsume's brows snapped together as she frowned. "That's selfish."

"I know." He said, his voice sad. "I know."

The Inuzuka walked over to the table, deep in thought. She grabbed a second donut and ate it in front of him without shame. Finally she wiped her fingers on her pants leg. "And if the children belonged to you and Hana?"

"I can't take them from Maru!" Genma looked genuinely shocked.

Tsume made a face and waved a hand at him as if he were an idiot. "I mean how would you feel about the idea of kids if it were you and Hana having them. Asshole."

"Oh." This time the shinobi did flush slightly as he turned to stare out the dining room window. He shrugged. "That would be different. We're together and in love. Maru ...well, damn it ...I was on a mission. It was fun. She knew it and I knew it. Not meant to last."

Tsume sighed heavily and sat down at her table. "You're still an ass. Look. First of all, we need to get rid of the killer uncle. Second, you have to take the time to get to know your children. Doesn't matter if they stay in Konoha or not, they'll always be yours."

Genma hunched his shoulders, but nodded.

"Third? Hana will be back later today. And for what it's worth, she still loves you." The Inuzuka frowned and shook her head mockingly. "Don't ask me why, I haven't got a clue."

He gave a weak smile.

Tsume leaned forward and made a 'come hither' motion with her forefinger. Genma leaned in as she yelled in his ear. "And you'd better treat Hana right or I'll tear out your guts and use them to decorate my kennels."

The male flinched, but nodded gamely.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Where have you been?" Izumo asked, looking pissed off.

Genma shrugged. "I told Maru where I'd be." He stopped as Tomo appeared to have heard his voice and came running down the hallway grinning like a mad man. He tackled his father around the knees. "Ooof!"

"Maru's asleep." Izumo huffed, though his temper simmering down a notch. He nodded over at the futon where the woman was lying down, clearly exhausted. "Her bruises are starting to fade slightly, but she still is healing from all the internal damage as well. She just needs time and rest. Which is hard to come by with three kids."

Genma scooped Tomo up in his arms, much to the toddler's delight. "Pway!" He crowed, banging his palm down on his father's head. "Bowns!"

Obediently, Genma 'bounced' the little boy slightly and Tomo squealed happily.

Izumo winced and made a motion across his throat to show that the duo was being too loud. "Kichi's down for a nap. Just where Tomo was supposed to be."

"Boy doesn't look sleepy to me." Genma made a face at his son and the little boy's grin grew even wider.

His room mate rolled his eyes. "Just wait until he's cranky later and impossible to deal with. It'll all be your fault for riling him up when he should be napping."

"No nap! No Zu! No, no, no!" Tomo's voice rose alarmingly with each word.

Kotetsu poked his head out of the hallway. He frowned to see Tomo wide awake and playing with his father. "That's a mistake." He predicted, even as he carried a sleepy eyed Meimei in to put in her make-shift crib.

Genma grew irritated with his friend's comments. "Look, you two are the ones pushing me to 'bond' with the kids." He slid Tomo down to the floor and the toddler threw back his head and protested, lifting his hands in a demand to be picked up again.

"Pway!" Tomo yelled.

"Nap." Genma said firmly.

Tomo shook his head. "No say nap! No say nap! Take back!"

Izumo looked intrigued and actually chuckled. "For Tomo that's almost a speech."

"Go take your nap." Genma enunciated slowly.

"EEEEEE!" Tomo screamed and ran to the other side of the room, next to his sleeping mother. "NO NAP!"

Kotetsu frowned, looking at Maru. He didn't like her color, she was still looking too pale to him. But she was still asleep. "Shhhh." He tried to quiet the toddler.

"Tomo, come here." Genma tried again, speaking clearly and trying to look stern.

The toddler kicked a side table, making the lamp on it teeter.

Kotetsu grabbed the lamp and walked over to put it down on the kitchen table. "Let him wind down a bit, then try to put him down to sleep next to his sister."

Chagrined, Genma shook his head. He pointed at the spot in front of him. "Tomo, don't do that. Come here."

Izumo sighed. "He's only two."

"Like you keep saying, I'm his father. He needs to listen." The shinobi shook his head at his son as Tomo drew back his foot as if to kick the side table again. "Don't touch that."

Tomo kicked the table deliberately, pouting with his bottom lip stuck out.

Maru stirred, but didn't waken.

Genma frowned. "I told you not to touch that. 1 ...2 ...3 ...4 ..."

Tomo threw his head back and kicked the ground for all he was worth. "NO FIVE! NO FIVE!"

Kotetsu frowned at the temper tantrum as Genma crossed the room to pick up the screaming child. Tomo went limp in his arms and the shinobi had to move his hands quick to keep the boy from falling. Then the toddler twisted and screeched and kicked his feet, connecting with Genma's thigh.

"Ouch!" Genma sighed as the toddler bent his back and swung his arms in a furious assault on his poor father.

Maru's blue eyes snapped open, confused as to where she was and what was going on. All she could see and hear was her child screaming. And in the arms of a man. Recognition did not make a dent in her sleep-clouded mind. The only young man in her children's life was a monster. She sprang up automatically.

"Bastard!"

Kotetsu's eyes rounded as sweet, curvy little Maru attacked Genma with a nasty palm strike to the nose and tried to sweep his feet out from under him.

Genma avoided having his nose broken, barely, dropping and throwing back his head even as he cradled Tomo in his arms. He protected the still furious toddler as he rolled away from the unexpected attack, dodging her kicks.

Maru went after him, only to be brought up short by Kotetsu who jumped in to blunt her attack.

Izumo stood on the side of the room, holding a baby Meimei whom he'd jumped in and grabbed at the first hint of trouble. Just in case someone accidentally knocked into the make-shift crib.

"Shhh! Shhh!" Genma held Tomo against his body, letting the little boy cry all over him even though his own nose was throbbing.

Maru attacked Kotetsu with a sharp elbow jab, but he blocked the move and wrapped his hands around her wrists and pinned them behind her. This forced her up next to him, looking up into his face. Blue eyes stared furiously up into his concerned gaze. "He's not your brother."

Concern? Her fog started to lift even as her mouth fell open in distress. She shuddered and looked behind him at a still crying Tomo and a rather shocked looking Genma. "Oh ..."

Kotetsu could tell she'd woken up as she caught her breath. "He's not your brother." He repeated gently. "It's just us."

Maru flushed beet red, steam nearly rising off of her embarrassed face. She tugged on her hands, which Kotetsu still held in his grip. She was right up on him, her front to his chest. "Please ..."

Kotetsu brought her wrists out from behind her and then frowned down at them as he still held onto her. He turned her hands over, trying to make sure he hadn't hurt her.

She tugged on her hands, but Kotetsu wasn't letting go. "I'm fine now." She whispered, horrified by her actions. "I'm so sorry. Oh, I'm so, so sorry!"

Izumo rocked Meimei in his arms, his gaze catching Genma's eyes. They'd known she'd been afraid of her brother, and that the man wanted to hurt the children. But her sheer terror at thinking Yaichiro was holding Tomo was more than they'd ever thought of.

Kotetsu frowned sharply as he rubbed his thumbs over the insides of her wrists. He bent his head, trying to capture her gaze. "It's okay. It's going to be okay."

Maru whimpered and shook her head, letting her wavy brunette curls shield her eyes. "I was ...just having ...a nightmare." She made the rather thin excuse weakly.

Kotetsu shook his head, he didn't believe her for a moment. Inside, he was growing coldly furious with her brother. "You'll never have to worry about him again."

Maru sucked in a shocked breath and looked up at Kotetsu. She couldn't face the resolute certainty he was offering her. Her blue eyes shifted to Genma, but he looked just as determined as Kotetsu. She pulled one hand loose and turned to see Izumo nodded solemnly at her.

All three of them. Aligned and in perfect agreement.

Maru shook her head. "You can't make a promise like that!" She protested.

Her back to him, Kotetsu put his hands on her shoulders and spoke gently into her ear. "We already have."

"No." The woman paled and shook her head. "It's not your fight."

Kotetsu's hands tightened on her shoulder firmly, but not roughly. "It is now."

Her hands shaking, Maru pulled away and looked at Meimei fighting sleep in Izumo's arms. Then she looked over at Tomo, finally quieting in Genma's embrace, his thumb in his mouth even as he hiccuped in the aftermath of his tantrum.

"Kichi." The young mother moaned and nearly ran from the room.

Kotetsu looked at Izumo. Izumo looked back. Both men turned to stare at Genma. The young father nodded grimly. "Bastard has to go."

No one mentioned that he owed any money to the cussing box.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Maru's eyes were stinging from the unspent tears as she stared at her peacefully sleeping daughter.

How had her life come to this?

Someone walked into the room behind her. She knew who it was immediately.

Kotetsu wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, letting her back rest against his chest. They both watched the even rise and fall of the two year old as she napped.

Neither spoke for a long moment until Genma walked in, carrying a much quieter little boy. He laid Tomo down next to Kichi and the toddler sucked his thumb, blinking his eyes for a few moments before he too succumbed to sleep.

Maru hadn't meant to speak, but she found herself talking quietly. Unable to look at either man as she told about growing up with her volatile brother. She continued as she told about her first pregnancy, and spoke about her growing fears as her brother had escalated from cutting remarks about the children to her finding small scrapes and bumps on the toddlers after his visits. She told them how both she and her father had thought them accidents at first, though she'd started to suspect otherwise. Keeping the children out of the way whenever Yaichiro had visited.

Poison leaked out of her soul as she shared how her horror had grown at the escalation of her brother's acts and how she'd had to teach her children to hide from him if he visited when she wasn't home. She felt preternaturally calm as if every word she spoke freed her somehow, sharing her pain made it seem more bearable a burden.

She spoke about how her father had been disbelieving at first. Until, while she was pregnant with Meimei, he had caught Yaichiro trying to kill little Kichi. She threatened to go missing-nin then, but her father had begged her to let him make some arrangements first. But he'd been so ill, and she'd been pregnant.

Kotetsu continued to hold her against him as she finally shared with them what she and the children had endured for far too long.

She spoke of getting away, and then the terror of finding two Mist assassins trailing them. Genma swallowed hard as he stared at his twin children on the bed, thinking about Maru making the gut-wrenching decision to save their lives by sending them to him. A virtual stranger. While going off to what had seemed like a certain death, just to keep the assassins away from her babies.

Genma's life shattered and came together in a different pattern as Maru spoke. What had been a rather abstract concept became real. He was a father. And father's didn't act like he'd been acting, or they certainly shouldn't.

Maru stopped talking and watched her children sleep. Peacefully sleep, without worry and without care.

"I hope you like Konoha." Genma finally broke the silence, catching her attention. "Because now you're stuck with us."

From behind Maru, Kotetsu grinned. He could see the determination on his room mate's face.

"Stuck?" Maru stirred slightly.

Kotetsu's arm tightened around her just a bit. "Found out you have quit-claim papers on yourself and the children."

The woman nodded, knowing she shouldn't let herself be held like this. They must think she was awfully weak and needy. But it felt so good to lean on someone else's strength, even for a moment.

Izumo spoke from the doorway, startling Maru who hadn't realized he'd been listening too. "The children are half-Leaf. We can't let you just take them."

Maru caught her breath in alarm, then fell still as she felt Kotetsu laugh gently. "So to keep them, you have to stay here in Konoha."

Disbelieving, Maru shook her head. "We'll be perfectly safe once we get away from my brother."

"No." Genma gave a rather dry chuckle. "I have to teach my son better manners. And I have a feeling that will take a while."

"Kichi needs to learn to be quiet to be a kunoichi." Izumo nodded thoughtfully. "And to fish."

"Fish?" Maru blinked rapidly, not following this train of thought.

"Climb." Kotetsu added.

"Dance."

"Beat up guys who try and steal a kiss." Izumo smirked as Genma frowned sharply at the thought.

"She's not allowed to date until she's a jounin." Avowed the new father.

Maru rolled her eyes. "Date? Stealing kisses? Fellows, the twins aren't even potty trained yet."

Genma smirked. "We'll let you handle that one. For the other stuff, they'll need us."

Maru sputtered for a moment, then sighed. "You three are impossible."

"Get used to it." Genma remarked. "Now let's let these two sleep."

Izumo and Genma left the room.

Maru put her hand over Kotetsu's, where he had his arm around her. "You can let go now."

With more reluctance than he cared to admit, the shinobi let his arm drop. Maru turned to look up into his face. "I know you feel protective, but I can take care of them once we're safely away and my brother doesn't know where we've gone."

"I wouldn't count on it." Kotetsu frowned and stared into her eyes.

"What?" Maru felt exposed as he watched her, after having shared so much of herself and her deepest fears.

"I don't know how you and your brother come from the same parents." The shinobi said softly, reaching up to tuck an errant curl behind her ear.

The kunoichi felt her mouth go dry. "You ...you already have a girl friend."

He didn't pretend to misunderstand. "We broke up. For good this time."

Maru shook her head slightly. "I know it seems like ...I don't just ...look, I know I've had three children, but I don't just go around and ..." She couldn't complete the sentence.

She didn't have to. Kotetsu's intense gaze gentled as he gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm not looking for anything."

Almost disappointed, Maru blinked. "Oh."

"Hoping though." He teased.

She flushed brightly. "You ...you don't even know me."

Kotetsu actually chuckled. "Don't I? I know you through them." He jerked his chin over toward the sleeping children. "They are bright and smart. Loving and fun."

"Total terrors." She breathed out defensively.

He smiled down at her. "Clean, protected, loved and they have a mother that would sacrifice her own life to keep them safe."

Her eyes teared up again and she shook her head. "I should have been better. I should have gotten them away sooner. I should ... oh."

Kotetsu's lips lightly traced the outline of her own. His breath mingled with hers gently. She drew back and stared up at him.

"Not ready?" He asked.

Mutely, she shook her head.

Kotetsu smiled and leaned in to press a light kiss to the side of her mouth. "Slow is good."

Her stomach turned over in a delicious ache. For the first time in forever, Maru began to realize that freedom from her brother didn't just mean safety for her children. It could also mean a new life. For her.

The shinobi moved his mouth to the other side of her lips and kissed her there in a soft sweep of his mouth.

"I ...I have three children." Maru stuttered, then groaned as she realized how stupid she must sound.

Kotetsu grinned against her cheek. "I know." His hands moved around her to settle at the small of her back. "Trust me, I know."

"But ...doesn't that scare you?" Maru put her hands on his chest, pushing slightly.

"I'm terrified." Kotetsu admitted truthfully. And the thought of how much he already cared for this diminutive woman really did scare him. "This is me ...running." He pressed a kiss just over her upper lip, making her draw in a sharp breath.

"We need to stop." Maru said, even as her eyes closed at the delicious sensation of him nibbling at her bottom lip now.

"I'll agree to go slow." Kotetsu stole her lips, tasting them with his own.

Maru felt his right hand slide down her back and cup her hip, pulling her in closer. This was slow?

What was more effective than a bucket full of cold water? Kotetsu and Maru jumped apart, standing nearly three feet from each other as a sleepy voice asked, "Kotsu? Why you kissing mama? Huh? Are you sick? You sick, Kotsu?"

Kotetsu ran an unsteady hand over his face and eyed the sleepy-eyed little girl who was looking at them with her baby smile.

Genma poked his head into the room. "I thought I heard someone wake up. Heya Kichi."

"Mama kisses me. Did you know that, huh? Mama kisses Tomo, but he's yucky. Right mama? Tomo yucky. I not yucky. Kotsu? Why you kiss my mama? She gives good kisses. Is that why? Huh?"

Kotetsu looked heavenward and whistled tunelessly as Genma's eyes widened.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Well? Hope you're enjoying the story. And here is the suave (and not needy at all) appeal for reviews! :P