Two months had passed, and Kabuto and Ana had settled into a comfortable routine. Most mornings he went out early and performed whatever duties Orochimaru required of him that day. Then he returned in the evening. It reminded Ana a little of old movies she'd seen where the man returned home to his house and wife at the end of a workday.

Of course, she knew very little about his actual work. He shielded her from the horrors Orochimaru made him commit. They would only make her unnecessarily afraid. Instead, he focused on the more menial aspects of his job when he talked to her.

Orochimaru had required his assistance less since his fight against Uzamaki Naruto. When Naruto severely injured him with the Rasengan, Orochimaru's confidence in Kabuto was undermined.

"You have failed me. A ninja as powerful as you should not have been beaten by the likes of him."

Kabuto's eyes couldn't meet those of Orochimaru. He felt ashamed. "I underestimated him. It won't happen again."

"I doubt I'll give you the chance to let it happen again."

"I will not fail you Orochimaru-sama."

'Leave my sight; you disgust me."

He was lucky he hadn't been killed that night. Orochimaru would not hesitate to eliminate him if he displeased him any further. Though his physical wounds had fully healed, little had been done to restore Orochimaru's faith in him.

Kabuto sipped his tea. Other things troubled him as well.

Ana's appetite had increased monstrously, and her love of food was beginning to show. She'd gained a lot of weight since she'd arrived, and she needed new clothes. He thought he would surprise her by taking her shopping. That's why they had come to town today.

She had grown extremely moody, as well. One minute she was all smiles, and the next the most insignificant comment would send her into fits of hysterical crying. He never knew what to say to her.

All of a sudden it hit him, and he realized he should have noticed sooner. Any man who had lived with a woman for longer than a month should have noticed if she hadn't had her monthly cycle. Still he had to know for sure.

"Sit still." He said. He attempted to scan her chakra non-intrusively as he'd been taught during his med-nin training. He touched her shoulder, and then he ran his hand down her back.

Her chakra felt unbalanced. He felt two very different energies flowing through her. The two energies were not battling for supremacy, as they might in a case of demonic possession. Instead, the two types of chakra coexisted harmoniously.

"So what are you going to do about it?" He asked nonchalantly as he poured her another cup of tea.

"About what?"

"The baby." No expression crossed his face.

She couldn't hide it any longer since she was starting to show.

"Well for starters," she said sarcastically. "I'm going to name it. Then I'm going to feed and clothe it. When it gets sleepy, I'll sing to it. I'll raise it, make sure it goes to school, and generally provide for it until it's an adult. You know the usual mom stuff."

"So you want to keep it"

Ana just glared at him.

"That's cool," was his only response.

Another nonchalant answer, she thought.

Inwardly, he was smiling. "I want to be there for you."

"What can you do for me?"

"Well, if you stay with me, you'll at least have a place to live. Not to mention since I'm a medic you won't be stuck if any complications arise. Plus, it'll make it easier when the time comes."

Coming home to an empty house every night had grown tiresome to Kabuto. He'd been alone almost his entire life, and now he had someone waiting for him. Soon it would be two someones.