It was dark, the stars shone above him as they watched him waited in the darkness.

He remained still as he saw the two of them approaching, the bounty hunters he hired to retrieve her, a chill went down his spine.

There were only two of them.

As the duo approached, the shorter one approached him and dipped his head.

"We are very sorry," he replied, the feminine looking man dared not look up, he stared at the ground, at Neji's feet.

The man blinked, his pale eyes coated with anger and confusion.

"Where is she?" He demanded, glaring into the eyes of the man whose mouth was bandaged, the man shrugged and glared back at him.

"You didn't tell us there would be soldiers waiting for us," Zabuza bellowed, as Haku quickly stepped between the two men, holding his hand out against Zabuza's chest.

"We were travelling in the forest, avoiding the main road," Haku explained, as he saw the colour slowly draining from Neji's face. "She was unwell, and we needed to bring her to a doctor, all we could find was an outpost – an outpost of the Aburame clan, to be exact."

"The Aburame?" Neji arched an eyebrow. "I thought they were…"

"Their Lord's son seemed to recognize Zabuza-san, and before he could do anything, we had no choice but to leave her in their hands."

Neji sucked his teeth angrily; he slammed his fist into a nearby tree.

"Your services are no longer required," he said, with a wave of dismissal. "Be gone."

Zabuza did not hesitate as he turned around, but Haku remained.

"Sir."

"I told you to leave me!" Neji growled, glaring at Haku as he turned to face the man.

"She was due to give birth at that time," Haku said calmly.

"What of her? And the child?" Neji raised his hands, attempting to seize the man by his shoulders; he shook him off agilely.

"We do not know," Haku dipped his head before disappearing into the woods with Zabuza.

As they left, he looked up at the stars, trying to search for clues, some kind of guidance.

The stars said nothing as they looked at him, shining and glittering like her eyes did.

Somewhere out there, he had a family, a woman he loves and a child to call his own.

But for now, he must return to his place, his cage in the Hyuga Mansion.

For tomorrow, the Queen shall abdicate, following that; his uncle will begin his accession.

Unknown to him, under the same dark skies, far away from the capital, she sat next to the cradle, gently rocking the infant to sleep.

He laid in the cradle, like a porcelain doll in the moonlight; she reached in and let him took hold of her little finger, smiling as he did.

She gasped as she turned around and found him staring at her. Instinctively, she took hold of the child and held it tightly against her chest.

"I mean no harm," he said, Tenten could not see his eyes behind the dark glasses he wore.

Each muscle of her body tensed, as he stepped closer. "I don't trust you, sir."

"You know that I mean no harm," he repeated. "If I wanted, I would've let you die on the childbed; but I didn't."

He reached out his hand, his palm open.

"My name is Shino, Aburame Shino." He said. "I would have greeted you properly, but I am afraid that my eyes are extremely sensitive to the light; I cannot remove my spectacles unless in extraordinary circumstances."

"Even at night?"

"Indeed." He said. "The darkness is my solace – I can see your face clearly, even with the dimmest light."

Tenten hesitated, unsure what to answer back to this strange man.

"At least, tell me your name." He prompted. "I know more of this child in your hands than yourself."

"Tenten." She replied bluntly, as her child shuffled uncomfortably in her tight embrace.

"Just Tenten?"

"I am no noble woman, so yes, it's just Tenten." She relaxed a little, as Shino took another step closer to the mother and child.

"It is a pleasure, Tenten." He said, she was not sure whether his eyes were looking at another direction or fixated upon her.

"Forgive me if I am blunt," he said. "For I am not a man of many words," he paused. "But this child…"

Tenten tensed up again. "What do you want?"

"His lineage, he is a Hyuga, isn't he?" Shino said, without a change in expression.

Tenten felt herself tensing up; perhaps this man in front of her is an enemy of Neji, what if he wanted to threaten him with their lives?

She turned and stared at her child, whose eyes just opened, their paleness basking in the moonlight.

She must protect him, she must protect his father.

"He is a Hyuga." Tenten said, without a blink. "So was my lover."

"Was?" Shino hesitated after the word blurted out of his lips. "I am sorry for your loss, Tenten. Forgive me for interrupting your rest."
Shino nodded at her and treaded out of the room with silent footsteps.

She sighed in relief as he did, pressing a reassuring kiss on her child's forehead.

"It will be alright, Asuka," she said softly. "Our flying little bird."

The child seemed to hear her, as he closed his pristine white eyes and fell into a quiet sleep.

The horses trampled around, as she walked around.

She felt like she was in her element, treading around the training field – the men stared at her half amazed, half intimidated. She changed out of the restricting kimono, and modified some of her clothes into something more comfortable – her long toned leg revealed itself each step she took from the slit that she created. A long red sash fitted her modified kimono, her large iron fan fitted behind her back.

She headed to the open ground, knowing that the Nara soldiers were watching her, either out of curiosity, or that the elders asked them to keep an eye on her.

She smiled as she unfastened the fan, revealing the three long lost purple moons on the surface of the fan.

She took a deep breath and began to twirl around; from a distance, it looked like she was dancing, but the wind swirling around her tell another story.

With a focused gaze, she swept her fan upwards in a slight movement, a gush of wind erupted and hurled itself towards the woods, visual marks were carved on the trunk, and small branches had fallen off as if someone had been chopping it off with a well-sharpened axe.

Temari smiled as she retracted the fan and fastened it back onto her back. The wind brushed her blonde hair, as she headed back to the military camp.

Shikamaru was waiting at the entrance of the camp and the training ground.

He smiled at her as she walked up to him, she was tall, proud and confident – everything he liked in her.

She was a warrior princess, his warrior princess.

As his men stared, he took her hand.

"Aren't I your prisoner?" Temari smiled at him as they walked, Shikamaru sighed.

"You know better," he said, leading her into the main camp.

He sighed as he sat down, Temari followed and sat next to him.

"The Queen is abdicating today, and the Hyugas are celebrating." Shikamaru sighed softly, his fist tightened as he rested it on the table.

Temari reached over and cupped her hand over his hand, gently he took hold of her hand. She said nothing, leaning her head against his neck.

"I do not want to sound like a child," he pressed his hand against his face in frustration. "I just cannot stand those men, celebrating; while my father's soul rest uneasily… they had the audacity to cremate him and spread his ashes in the wilderness."

Temari wrapped her arms around him, cradling his head as she did.

"I met him, right before…" Temari said softly. "Hiashi wanted me to talk him into surrendering."

"Did he say anything?" There was a certain gloominess that lingered in his voice.

Temari smiled as she looked up at him, touching his face. "He told me the story of the Deer King."

Shikamaru smiled painfully, as his embrace around her shoulders tightened a little. "He recognised you," he said softly, leaning his head against her.

"He also asked me to tell you," she turned and cupped his face with both of her hands.

"He is very proud of you." She looked at him softly yet sternly. "He is."

Shikamaru bit down on his lips and pulled her into a close hug.

She could feel his embrace around her, but there were no tears.

Temari hugged him with equal strength, in this dangerous strange land, he was the only one that she could rely on.

"You are family," she muttered softly, not knowing if he heard her. "You are my family now."

Gaara woke up with a pounding headache, as he did, he saw a woman kneeling next to his bed, she was dressed in her nightclothes, her glasses clutched onto the bridge of her nose.

Gaara wondered who she was, he sat up, staring – she resembled someone whom he had saw before.

Yashamaru - she did resembled him, this controlled, serious expression on her face reminded him of his late uncle, who was considered 'too beautiful' to be a Sunan man.

Her name escaped his mind, as he sat up straight in his bed and looked at her.

"Who are you?"

"Shijima," she replied, her voice was soft, yet contained. "Your Majesty, my sister is your concubine."

Gaara nodded as he waved his hand, she stood up, scrambling the loose cloth hanging around her body.

"You are here …" Gaara blinked as Shijima looked down, barely dressed in her night robes.

"I serve my sister Lady Hakuto as a lady in waiting," she nodded, there was a hue of pink across her cheeks. "My services were required by your Majesty last night."

He looked at her face intently, not realising how he had not noticed her before.

He stepped off his bed, Shijima hurried and took his robe off the rack and threw it over his body.

She gasped as he gently yet firmly took hold of her hand, his jade green eyes stared into her dark ones, with great concern.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked, his voice was calm, like the soft waters brushing against the banks of a river.

Shijima lowered her head and shook it. "No, Your Majesty, you drank a little too much last night."

She heard Gaara sighed softly. "I will arrange for your new accommodation," he said, pausing slightly. "Your new title, court arrangements."

"That…" She tried to retract her hand from him, but he held onto her firmly.

He gently patted her hand, there was a certain sadness; it was not like he detested her, but he turned away.

"Escort Lady Shijima away." His voice became colder. "I need to work."

As Shijima left the room, draped in a large robe, from across the hallway, he saw a tall blonde man, gently holding the hand of a woman with dark violet hair that looked like silk from afar.

She nodded politely at them, realising that they were the King's guests from Konoha. She found her sight lingering for far too long upon their entwined hands, and on her slightly swollen abdomen.

"Congratulations," Shijima nodded politely, as Hinata returned a timid nod.

Something inside Shijima churned and burned as she looked at the way Naruto looked at Hinata, there was something in that gaze that was absent from what Gaara had shown her.

Affection, warmth… everything she had ever wanted from someone.

She shuddered, as she bit down on her lips.

Whatever she thinks, whatever she wants – it is not important.

What is important is for her clan to win the King over.

What is important is that her child or her sister's must sit on the throne of Suna.

Everything else is irrelevant.

Sakura was sure, she was almost too sure.

As she approached the study, she hesitated as she heard Sasuke shouting angrily from inside.

She entered, walking into a somewhat distraught Sasuke. He turned angrily at Sakura, sucking his teeth as he waved Suigetsu out of the room.

"Keep watch on them!" He shouted, as Suigetsu left the room with a light shrug.

He turned his attention to her, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"I don't have time," said Sasuke. "If it's medicine, just leave it here."

"Sasuke-kun," she said, the strange confidence she had surged in her. He ignored her calling his name, and she frowned.

"Sasuke-kun!" She said, her voice was calm yet strangely strong, unlike how she was normally in front of him. He turned at her, she was upset for a second, then her expression softened.

"I have some good news to tell you." She smiled as her hand moved up and covered her abdomen. The warm glow surrounded her as she did, Sasuke stood up and stared at her.

"You are with child?"

"Yes," she smiled. "For a bit more than a month."

Sasuke walked up towards her and crouched down, his hand gently cupping her abdomen. There was softness in his expression as he stroked across her abdomen.

Sakura looked at the father of her child lovingly, until she heard his murmurs.

There was coldness as he stared hollowly; a chill-worthy smile sprawled across his face.

"You are having a child, I have mine too." He said, as if he did not notice she was here. "I will find you and then you will have my child."

Sakura felt herself screaming inside her head, her heart ached a little, as she knew fair and clear who he was referring to.

She pressed her hand against her chest, startling Sasuke, as he stood up and held her by the shoulders.

"Take good care of yourself," he said. "You are a mother now."

Sakura nodded, she was unsure whether she was enjoying or frightened by his sudden thoughtful gesture, holding her, he escorted her back to her room and laid her down.

"I will have Karin arrange for care for you and the child," he said, looking at her for one final time, he smiled.

Sakura was not sure whether the smile was meant for her, their child, or the imaginary scene that he had in his mind.

Of Hinata carrying his child.

It became increasingly clear to her, however, that Sasuke Uchiha was not who she thought he was.

He was a madman, if not he was venturing on the edge of madness – a calm bay that could turn into a surging storm in matter of seconds.

And she was in the center of the vortex.

Author's note:

Hi everyone! I am back :D Finally done with my exams, just finishing up my essay so I worked on this and here is another chapter!
The babies are coming ... well we all know don't we :p I hope you enjoy this chapter as always! Don't forget to review and tell me what do you think?

Love as always,

V.S.V xoxo