A/N-GLOMPS REVIEWERS... WOOT! you guys rock, honestly...you know why? Ladies and Gentlemen we've hit 200 reviews! I never expected this kind of response to this story...BUT I'M GLAD. Thanks to those who have reviewed the last chapter (takes deep breath as to do all in one breath) --- Kyiri Makrono, Dog of the Dead, Yargy the Pirate Queen, Duckichan87, Loku, ShadowPrincess-Shekailaia, supershark1, Seyann (yes, that Seyann), ReiKai101 and Loki Zentra. (Takes Breath.) Read and Review...
Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto
Chapter 39
"Please take the message to them right away, my wife needs to know." The ANBU nodded and, turning on his heel, hurried up the many flights of stairs to the mirror room. "Hokage-Sama! HOKAGE-SAMA!" Yelled the ANBU at the mirror.
Upstairs Kakashi was just in the middle of reviving his wife however, when the ANBU called in such an urgent voice Mika told him to go, maybe they'll have news of the children. Indeed when he went downstairs and after a moment gave a shout of joy and raced back up the stairs, Mika knew what it was.
Mika had, in her life to the point where she could remember, never felt as much relief as she had when Kakashi came charging up the stairs and said in a joyful tone to Mika and his newly awoken wife that the children had been found by Gaara just outside of Konoha, and were now safe and sound in Hokage Tower. She moved as fast as she could down to the mirror with Kakashi and Seyann right behind her. When she rounded the corner and saw the portal leading to Hokage Tower…and saw her daughter standing there…
She lost it.
"Keiko!" She half shrieked half sobbed. Dimly, she was aware of Seyann responding similarly when she saw Sienna, but Mika had eyes only for Keiko. She could see Gaara standing behind their daughter, gently nudging her through the mirror. With this hint, the girl lunged through the portal, black hair trailing behind her, at her mother. "MOMMY!" She shrieked, tears brimming over in her eyes as she clung to her pregnant mother's legs. Mika carefully pried her daughter off of her legs and knelt down so she could hold her distraught daughter.
"How did you…" She sobbed as she held her daughter. "You're safe…."
Sienna was being held tight in an embrace by both her father and mother, mother admonishing her for releasing Celina when, in reality, that was her mother praising her for having the intelligence to let the Neko out.
Mika felt her daughter sag slightly in her arms. "What's wrong?" "I had to use the sand to get us out of there…" said Keiko. "I'm tired." "Ohh…" crooned Mika. "Well then we should get you to sleep. What…" suddenly Mika let out a sharp gasp, upon seeing her daughter's upper arms where first the chakra ropes and then the real ropes had formed a series of cuts and scrapes, so that it was raw. Fury at Itachi made her start to tremble.
Gaara took note of this and attempted to calm her down with a hand on her sleeve. At this contact, Mika turned to her husband, still holding her daughter. "I want his life Gaara. I want to see him suffer. Please…he hurt our…" She gasped again before saying "He hurt our…"
She began to breathe irregularly, releasing her daughter…
And laying a hand on her swollen stomach.
"Is it time Ka-Chan?" Said Gaara quickly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She nodded and gasped yet again as another contraction hit. Seyann and Kakashi had looked over when Gaara said this only to be confronted with their friend doubled over in pain, still clutching her daughter. "But she's not due for another couple weeks." Said Seyann, confused. "Keiko…" she gasped out "Came early, remember."
Michelle had waited upstairs for the reunions to finish and had just come downstairs only to be faced with her friend doubled over in pain. Looking up at her, Gaara asked "Michelle can you go get Sakura please?" while he started escorting his wife up the stairs. "Take… Keiko…with you…" gasped out Mika, not wanting her daughter to see her in labor and thus in pain. "Sienna too…we're going to be too busy."
Michelle took each little girl by the hand and went through the mirror back into Konoha. The ANBU currently standing guard was none other than her new husband who removed his mask and said urgently "What is it." Michelle released the girl's hands and accepted Neji's hug and kiss. "Mika's in labor. I need to go get Sakura…can you mind these two for a few minutes while I go get her?" Neji nodded and took each of the girl's hands.
It didn't take long and very soon, Michelle was racing up the stairs of Hokage Tower, her cousin-in-law right behind her. Skidding to a stop just before the mirror room, the two composed themselves and hurried inside. Keiko was sitting on the floor with her back to the mirror while Neji attempted to play I Spy with her and Sienna had fallen asleep.
It was now that Michelle noticed how quiet Keiko was. The normally bubbly girl was quiet, withdrawn and not responding to Neji at all. "Neji…take Sakura through the mirror. I'm going to talk with Keiko." Her husband nodded and escorted his old friend through the mirror.
"Keiko what's wrong?" Suddenly a scream came through the mirror and Keiko jumped burying her face into Michelle's shirtfront. "Oh! Are you worried for your mother?" she asked gently. The chatty girl nodded, feeling the material of Michelle's shirt underneath her cheek. "I think I did this to mommy." She said quietly, tears starting to spill over. Michelle gaped, pulling the girl away from her shirtfront to look into her hazel eyes. "Why do you think that?" she said gently.
"Because it was after I hugged her that this happened…did I hurt the baby in mommy's tummy?"She asked, her eyes filling with more tears."No!" Michelle exclaimed. She pulled the girl back close and stroked her black, red streaked hair.
"Mommy's in pain right now, because it was your little siblings time to come. You had nothing to do with it."
"But…I hugged her hard." Michelle laughed gently. "That doesn't make the baby come out sweetie!"
Keiko's tired hazel eyes lit up. "So it's not my fault?" Michelle shook her head. "No." Keiko finally succumbed to her exhaustion, saying as she drifted off "I'm so glad…"
The hours went by. Sienna and Keiko both woke up at one point and were hungry so Michelle took them for Ramen before coming back.
When they got back, however Sakura was at the mirror with Seyann and Kakashi. "Where did you guys go? It's done! Keiko, you have a little brother!" Kakashi picked up his daughter, while Seyann took Keiko's hand and led her upstairs. Michelle went ahead to explain to Mika and Gaara what her daughter had feared in order to prepare them.
Keiko stepped timidly into the room, taken aback at hearing the lusty wails of the newborn. Soon, however Mika had calmed the baby down and was cooing softly to him. "Keiko…come here and meet your new brother." Gaara went over to the door and knelt down in front of his daughter. "Come on." Leaning in closer he whispered an assurance in his daughter's ear "You didn't do this Keiko…" She nodded and he picked her up and carried her over to the bed.
"He's so small." Was the first thing she said of her little brother. Mika smiled tiredly, her black hair fanned out around her on the pillow. "I don't blame you for thinking that honey, he's a little early." Keiko looked at her little brother. He had a shock of red hair sticking out of the top of his head and he opened his eyes and looked at his big sister with a pair of jade eyes.
"His name is Kenji." Said Mika, smiling. "K..Kenji…" said Keiko carefully. She broke into a smile and kissed her little brother on the forhead. Mika rested her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes.
"I'll protect little brother Kenjifrom Mr. Itachi!" she said in a happy voice.
This jolted Mika and Gaara back to reality. Mika opened her eyes and looked at Gaara in the eyes, over the heads of their children. In the joy of the moment, they had completely forgotten.
Itachi had promised to come back for the babies.
A/N- Well. There you go. Next chapter sucessfully completed. With this there is a one-shot in 'Pieces of an Altered Reality'. Enjoy. REVIEW!
