Chapter 26: Who's your mama?

Naruto tossed the dustpan off to the side and threw his arms up in the air. "Finished!"

Lee looked around the room with a satisfied nod. "It does look a lot better than it did before. I am proud of our teamwork. We did a good job. Gai-sensei would be so proud of me!"

Naruto ignored him, still surveying the room. "All we need now are some chairs, a table and some replacement cupboards. No problem. In the meantime, I'm going to go check on the babies."

He peered into the next room and took a look at the couch. Sasuke seemed to be sleeping on Neji and the little Hyuga was completely zoned out, still staring at the mobile.

"Aw, now isn't that cute?" He crept over to the couch to get a better look.

Neji was still staring up into space, not realizing that the mobile had long stopped spinning. Naruto waved a hand in his face, causing him to jolt awake. Blinking rapidly, he struggled to sit up. "I- I'm awake! I'm up!"

Naruto chuckled. "Man, you were so out of it. You were like a zombie!"

Neji looked around. "Wha… what happened?"

"I turned on that mobile thing and you spaced out. You guys really like that thing, don't you?"

Neji snorted. "It's not that I enjoy that stupid thing. I just can't help myself when I see it. It makes my mind go blank. There's nothing I can do about it."

"That explains why you let Sasuke do that."

Neji looked down and blushed. Sasuke was hugging him in his sleep. "H- hey! Get off!" Neji gave him a rough shove and Sasuke woke up. "What the hell's the matter with you?"

Sasuke looked around. "What are you talking about? I just woke up. What could I have done?"

"You were sleeping on me and hugging me."

Sasuke's face turned pink as well. "I told you! I freaking told you that I did that at random! God, I hate this!"

"Naruto, are you harassing them again?!"

He jumped and backed away from the couch. "No, Sakura! I swear I didn't do anything to them! Honest!"

Sakura appeared and ran over to the couch. "You poor, poor babies! I'll help you!"

"But Sakura, I didn't do any- GAH!"

She shoved him out of the way and ran to Sasuke. She picked him up and sat down on the couch with him. "There, there, you poor little, helpless thing, you."

Sasuke frowned. "You don't have to rub it in, you know."

She rocked him and patted his head tenderly.

"Sakura… This is within ten feet…"

Ignoring him, she continued to caress his body.

Then Tenten showed up and started to do the same to Neji. He sat in her lap in silence, knowing that there wasn't a thing he could do about it. He stuck the pacifier in his mouth and waited for her to stop. Then his gaze drifted over to Sasuke, who had started fussing. The only thing was that Sakura had stopped touching him. "What's the matter with you?"

Sasuke let out a whine and fussed more. He seemed to be trying to get away from Sakura.

Sakura held him closer and asked, "Do you have to go to the bathroom?"

"No..!" he whined and fussed again. His face was starting to turn pink. "I… I just… I…" He whined again. "I got that strange urge again..!"

Neji's pacifier fell out of his mouth and he tried to hide behind Tenten. He knew what urge that was and wanted no part of it.

Sakura wasn't getting it. In fact, she held him closer. "What urge? What are you talking about?"

That's right. She didn't know yet. But she would soon find out.

Sasuke kicked his legs and whined one last time before looking at the closest object… which happened to be Sakura's torso. "I can't take it anymore!" He couldn't hold back anymore. The impulse was too great. He had to do it. But why, oh why did it have to be Sakura?! Shutting his eyes in terror, he wrapped his arms around her body in a tight hug.

Everyone in the room blushed.

One second ticked by. Then another. And then, Sakura's face broke into a huge smile. Oh, my God! Sasuke's actually hugging me! Cha! I rock! This is awesome! And he's not even in a lapse! So he loves me after all!

Lee and Naruto watched on jealously as Sakura returned his hug. She held him close to her body.

Sasuke fussed a little, knowing that he was going to be suffocated any minute by his team's only female. Strangely enough, it never happened. She was actually holding him gently in her arms. This was kind of nice. Very nice. It was such a welcomed change from all those times she almost killed him from hugging him too hard. So she was learning after all. He even snuggled into her touch and rested his head on her chest, still hugging her around the middle.

Neji let out a sigh, relieved that it wasn't him this time. How lucky. He stuck the pacifier back into his mouth and sucked on it. This thing was actually pretty nice. He liked it. Slowly as he sucked on it, he started to lose track of everything around him. He was spacing out again. No. No, this was different. He didn't feel right. He felt… strange. He felt as if he were slipping away. He had this same feeling before. Once at the restaurant and again a few times here.

It was another lapse.

He slowly lifted his head up and saw Tenten. She was still holding him. He liked being held. He wanted more. He pulled on her shirt, trying to pull himself up so he could stand. He somehow managed to do that and was now at shoulder level with her. He held onto her shirt and grunted. He wanted a hug. A nice, big, tight one. Just like the one Sasuke was giving to Sakura.

Tenten locked eyes with him. "What's the matter, Neji? Are you ok?"

He grunted again and bounced on her lap. He wanted a hug now. Why wasn't she listening to him? Couldn't she understand him? He bounced again with a few more grunts. "Ug!"

"What did you say? The binky's still in your mouth."

"Ug! Ug, ug, ug!"

"What?" She took the pacifier out of his mouth. "Now what was that?"

"Hug!" He reached up with both arms to show her what he wanted. But in letting go of her shirt, he lost his balance and started to tumble down.

Being a skilled ninja with quick reflexes, she managed to catch him in time and hugged him tightly to her chest. "There. Is that what you wanted?"

He nodded and hugged her around the neck happily. "Mama!"

She moaned. "Oh, no..! Not again! Why do you keep thinking I'm your mother?"

"Mama!" He hugged her again with a giggle. "Mama!"

Sasuke opened his eyes and looked at them. They were hugging each other. That looked like fun. And nice. Hugs were nice. He wanted a hug from her, too. He gently pushed Sakura away and crawled over to them. He sat on the couch cushion and reach up towards Tenten.

She looked down. "Oh… Don't tell me you want a hug from me, too?"

"Uh-huh!" Sasuke reached out for her.

Sighing, she picked him up in one arm. "There. Happy, now?"

Sasuke nodded with a smile.

"I think he is in another lapse like Neji," Lee said.

"I think you're right, Lee. He has that look again."

Sasuke pointed at Tenten's face and chirped, "Mama!"

Sakura's pink head spun. "Huh?!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a minute!" Naruto held up his hands as if to freeze time. "Sasuke thinks you're his mother? But Neji thinks that way, too! So… So Sasuke thinks the same way he does now, too? They both think that you're their mom?"

"But… But what about me?!" Sakura cried. "Then who does that make me?"

"An aunt?"

She scooted over to Sasuke and tapped him on the shoulder. "Sasuke… Sasuke, honey. Who am I? Am I mama, too? Tell me."

He smiled. "Sa-sa."

Her jaw dropped. "So I'm just Sa-sa?! That's it?! Not mama?!"

Sasuke sucked on his fingers and turned back to Tenten. "Mama."

"Oh, for crying out loud..!"

This lapse was lasting too long! They haven't stopped clinging to her yet! Tenten was getting tired of it. Now both Sasuke and Neji thought that she was their mother?! How much worse could things get?

As far as luck was concerned, she wasn't getting any! That is, unless bad luck counted. Right now, both babies were clinging to her tightly. Not only that, but they both wanted her attention. Too bad she didn't have enough to go around. Sasuke pulled on one of her hair buns trying to get her attention. Neji kicked and fussed in a vain attempt to get her attention. Both whined loudly in her ears and thrashed about.

She couldn't take it anymore! "Sakura! Please help me out! Take one of them."

"But they want you."

"I don't care! I can't handle both of them! I only have two arms!"

Sakura took Sasuke from her and tried her best to calm him. But he kicked and fussed, reaching for Tenten. "Mama!" he cried. "Mama! Mama!"

Sakura hugged him. "Shh, shh! It's ok, Sasuke. Shh! Please be quiet. Settle down."

"Mama!"

She looked around. "Naruto! Naruto, where are you?"

Knowing it was best to stay out of the way, Naruto had hid himself behind a bookcase, keeping out of sight. He didn't want to get involved now that both babies were fussing. It was much safer back here in this hiding place.

"Naruto!"

He held his breath. Please don't find me! Please don't find me!

"Naruto! Where are you? Get out here now!" she hollered. "We need help with the babies!"

Yeah, that's kind of why I'm hiding in the first place…

He heard footsteps and then…

SLAM!

"OW!"

Sakura slammed her body against the bookcase, pressing it against Naruto and ramming him into the wall in a very painful sandwich.

"There you are, you littler jerk!"

"Ow! OW! Sakura! Ow! I can't breathe!"

"Then get out of there and help with the babies!"

"You have to let go of the bookcase first!"

"Oh, yeah…" She backed up and watched Naruto tumble out and onto the floor. "Come on and take Sasuke. He keeps fussing."

Naruto staggered to his feet. "So what do you want me to do about it? Hand him to me so I get hurt?"

"By all means. Here!" She shoved Sasuke into his arms. This had to be the first and only time Sakura ever wanted to get Sasuke away from her. "But Sakura, what do I- Ow!"

Sasuke had already started pulling his hair. He fussed and whined and cried in his ear. He was such a handful.

"Do you think he needs a nap?" Sakura asked.

"He just had, like, three today! I don't think that's it!" Sasuke pulled his hair again. "Ow! Stop that!"

"Whaaaaaaa!" Sasuke screamed.

"It looks like he needs a nap, though."

"Just how many naps do you want this guy to have?! That's not the problem! He wants Tenten, so give him to her!"

"I can't. She can't handle both of them at once."

"Do something then! I can't take him!"

Lee came bursting in heroically and struck a pose. "Fear not! I will help out as best I can!"

Sasuke paused and watched Lee's strange antics. It was kind of funny.

Lee hurried over and gave him his trademark smile and thumbs-up.

Sasuke just stared at him.

"Lee…" Sakura started.

But Lee had taken Sasuke into his arms and into the air. "What do you say, Sasuke? How about some training?"

Sasuke grunted questioningly.

"Let us work off all that baby flab you have! Ready, set, here we go!" Lee lifted Sasuke over his head. Sasuke took in his new surroundings quickly and looked back down at Lee. Lee's image grew bigger as he began his descent, getting closer to his face. Lee held Sasuke close to his chest for a moment then lifted him into the sky again. It was like air push-ups. And Sasuke was the weights!

"Is he bench-pressing Sasuke?" Naruto asked, noticing this, too.

"No. It's only bench-pressing if you're laying down. He's just lifting Sasuke like a dumbbell."

"How ironic. Sasuke as a dumbbell."

"What did you just say?"

"N- nothing…"

Lee lifted Sasuke into the air again and again. "And one, and two! And one, and two! And up, and down! One more time! And one, and two! Again! One and two!"

Sasuke gave a shrill giggle and stretched his arms out to either side. He was enjoying this. This was a fun game!

Sakura giggled. Lee was doing a great job and getting some training in, too.

Neji had grown nice and quiet in Tenten's arms, sucking his thumb. However, every time Tenten stopped rocking him, he'd whine and start fussing all over again. Constant motion. He craved it. Tenten sighed heavily and continued to pace the room. She was practically begging Neji to fall asleep just so she could set him down.

Again, no such luck. As soon as she stopped moving, he whined. He wasn't asleep or anywhere near it. This was exhausting.

With a huge sigh, Tenten sat in a chair just to get off her feet for a minute.

Neji looked up, thumb still in his mouth. But he didn't whine. He just sat there. Slowly he blinked and looked around. Then he looked at Tenten and said, "What happened?"

Oh, what a relief! "Neji, are you back to normal again?"

He looked down at his baby body. "As far as normal goes, I guess so." He took his thumb out of his mouth. "I went into another lapse, didn't I? How long did it last this time?"

"Too long. Both you and Sasuke went into a lapse and started calling me mama again."

He blushed. "I- I did? I really called you that?"

"Put me the hell down, Lee! I'm fine now!"

Tenten forced a grin. "I guess Sasuke's back now, too…"

They carried Sasuke back into the room and sat him down in an armchair.

"I'm really worried now, guys," Sakura said. "They're lapses are happening more and more now. They're also lasting longer from time to time. What should we do?"

"Didn't Grandma say that she'd have the cure in a matter of hours?" Naruto added. "She sure is taking her good sweet time. It's been way longer than she said it would be."

"Do you think we should go down there to ask?" Lee suggested.

They all looked at each other. The babies exchanged looks with everyone in the room. They had to decide. Things couldn't continue like this. What was taking so long with that cure? Wasn't it ready yet? Was there a problem of some kind? They had to find out.

Sakura stood up. "I'll go ask. Tenten, stay behind with the boys. There's no way I'm letting them stay behind on their own again."

"So you're going to ask?"

"Why not? We have to find out what's going on one way or another. I might as well be the one to go. Does it really make a difference?"

"Ok, so we have a plan!" Naruto stood up. "So Sakura will go find out what's what with Grandma and we'll all stay behind to look after the rugrats."

"Don't call us that!" Sasuke snapped.

"Ok. We'll stay behind to watch the brats!"

"That's not really that much better…"

So that was the plan. Hopefully nothing could get any worse during that time. But knowing their luck, it probably would.

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