Rennoshin watched Hanzo and his wife, Mariko, enter the clinic. The woman's stomach was rather large, no doubt she was pregnant with his child. Although he never said anything, Ren had always been jealous of Mariko. She was with Hanzo, the man he loved, and was married to him with their child soon on the way.

She was always coming here to check on the baby, which he had lied about. The baby was hurting Mariko's body in more ways than one, although Ren wasn't one for killing, he didn't want to cause the woman to kill herself over something like that—but he didn't want to give her surgery either, because he was holding a useless grudge and due to danger of actually killing her.

"Dr. Ren," Hanzo said, smiling softly as he patted Mariko's head, "Mariko is felling rather ill, could you take a look at her? She's been getting very weak as of late."

"Hanzo, I said I was fine. I bother Dr. Ren enough as is it." Mariko sighed loudly as she placed a hand on her face, "Besides, I just want the baby to have a happy life, even if I'm not around."

That statement proved that Mariko knew she was close to her death.

"Stop saying such things! You are the mother, you'll be around for it as long as you can!"

Suddenly, Mariko's body crouched over and Ren called over a few nurses. The baby was no longer waiting, it was coming with no patience. Hanzo began to slightly freak out, causing Ren to hold him back.

"Let me be there for her!"

"I can't! She requested me not to let you near her during this time! Mariko doesn't want you to see what would happen!"

Hanzo gave a confused look, "What are you talking about, Ren?"

Rennoshin bit his lip and balled his hands into fist. He just gave it away. Now Hanzo was going to suffer the great agony of having to raise a child by himself, lonely with out someone he loved.

The guilt began to built up in only a matter of seconds. It was tearing away at Rennoshin's heart. How could he have let this happen?

"Hanzo, the baby," He stared, "The baby made Mariko weak, to the point where she'd die if she ever gave birth." Hans's face was shocked and worried, the two emotions clashing together like enemies. "...I didn't say anything because I didn't know how Mariko would react or say, and she didn't tell you because Im sure you were over joyed to have a child with her."

"..." Hanzo stood silent.

"I'm sorry, but I do not think Mariko would be able to look you in the eye. However, someone must take of the child—"

"You take care of it." His tone was cold and hard, as if it were a thick sheet of ice trying to hide something from the human eye. "I cannot live knowing that I wasn't aware of my own wife's problems..."

"Hanzo, you are this child's father and nothing will change that! Think about what Mariko might say!" Rennoshin was beginning to panic. He's seen too many people give up on powerless infants to death, losing the chance they had at having something special in their lives. "She'd want you to stay and raise this child, Hanzo! If you don't, how do you think she'll feel? Even if she's dead, Mariko can still feel emotions from the afterlife; she's be angry and sorrowful that you didn't do the one thing she wants you to do!"

Hanzo's eyes shone with regret for a moment, as if he were actually seeing all of those expression on his wife's face. Rennoshin knew he hated it when his wife was sad, and was rather scared when she was angry, but that still didn't stop him.

"I don't care, Ren. I can't raise a child on my own, I have many other things to do with my life! I want to keep this child, but I can't!" Hanzo's eyes brimmed with tears. "My duties as a ninja and son of a warlord prevent me from doing so!"

"Then let me and Kuma help you! We'll both be willing to help you in anyway we can, Hanzo!"

The ninja's eyes only cried more tears as his nodded, wiping them away slowly. "Although Kuma would be a wonderful mother figure, I feel as if I pressure her with too may things. Rennoshin, you should help me instead. You'd be a great figure for them to look up to."

Rennoshin nodded his head, knowing what he might get himself into. "Alright...I'll do everything I can to help you, Hanzo."

~Years later~

"Mama!"

Rennoshin turned his head, his long blonde hair flowing behind him. He softly smiled as a little boy, Masanari, ran up to him. Masanari was the spitting image of Hanzo, nothing about Mariko remained in him but some of her personality.

"What is it, Masanari?"Although being call 'Mama' and 'Woman' didn't really bother Rennoshin, it still kinda made him feel as if he;d left something behind the moment he agreed to help take care of Hanzo's eldest son(Hanzo had taken in a two more boys, those of which were left behind by their parents) all those years ago.

"Is father coming home today? I wanna show him my new ninja skills!"

"And how has the training with your brothers going?" Rennoshin asked, raising an eyebrow playfully as the other two came out from their house. Although it wasn't the castle Hanzo's father had asked them to live in, it was still a well built house. "You know he'll as about that, Masanari."

The boy puffed out his cheeks and narrowed his eyes, "Why are you always teasing me?"

Rennoshin chuckled as he patted Masanari's head, "Because it's fun. Are you three ready to go meet your father at the port? It's his birthday today so let's surprise him!"

"Really?!" the youngest, Hiroaki, asked with wide and bright eyes. "Cool!"

"It sounds fun..." the middle, Jiro, mumbled slightly, a small smile gracing his lips as he nodded slowly. "...Are we gonna see the others?"

"Most likely. You know they follow you father around. Let's go, and don't run off again!" Rennoshin said, glaring at them remember the last time they had done something like this. "We won't do anything next year if you do."

All three boys nodded, even though Rennoshin had been glared at Hiroaki and Masanari.

"Happy birthday, Father!" Hiroaki shouted as he jumped on to his father shoulders. Hanzo smiled brightly as the other two went to greet him. Rennoshin watched, smiling to himself.

This was something he never thought would actually happen—the day he actually called Hanzo his husband and said that all four of them were his family, along with the time of having Hanzo confessing feelings hidden away in shadows.

"Welcome back, Hanzo, I'm glad to see you're alright."

The ninja gave the blond a quick kiss on the lips, "It's nice to see you again as well, Ren. Did you bring them here for greeting or are we going out?"

Rennoshin nodded his head and smiled, taking Hanzo's hands in his. They walked down the streets, watching their sons climb the trees and play—of course, with the contest reminder of Rennoshin's to be careful—as they practiced throwing kunai at the request of their father.

"Hey." hanse slightly nudged Rennoshin's side.

"Yes? What is it?"

"I'm glad this all worked out well. I've never been happier." Hanzo's smile was bright and relaxed. "Do you think Mariko is happy as well?"

"Of course she's happy. Her family is going up healthy and strong, knowing that she's watching them."

Hanzo kissed Rennoshin's cheek, "I bet she's happy I'm happy with someone I also love."