Itachi's eyes flicked up to the clock on the wall. It was nearly noon and Yuki would be bringing his lunch. That realization made him smile. He set aside his paperwork and reclined back in his deluxe office chair as he waited. He rested his elbows on the armrests and serenely clasped his hands together. He bowed his head and closed his eyes. He had to clear his methodical mind. He didn't want his time with Yuki to be wasted by still thinking about work. It took time to calm his mind, to keep it quiet and empty. After some time his eyes flew open and his brow furrowed. Something was wrong. He looked at the clock again and frowned.

It was quarter past noon. She was late. And she was never late.

She knew how busy he gets at work and how essential it is that she be on time. So why was she late? He stared at the door, deep in thought as he wondered if this was something to be worried about. After all she may have received an emergency call from her friend Ritsuko or perhaps one of the family needed her help…it could have been a number of things really. But still…if that had been the case she should have called to let him know.

Suddenly she burst into the room. It startled him so much that he stiffened and his hands involuntarily gripped the armrests. She panted softly, her cheeks flushed beautifully. Her pale skin always looked radiant with some color. He rose to his feet but she quickly waved him down. "Nothing's wrong, nothing's wrong," she quickly insisted as she approached.

He sat down and pulled her into his lap. She trembled slightly in his arms and her gaze was downcast. Again he frowned. "Yuki…please tell me."

"Nothing's wrong," she repeated softly. Then she randomly giggled and smiled up at him. It was strained, forced even. He narrowed his eyes, he didn't like that. "In fact, it's great news."

He blinked in surprise. He wasn't surprised very often. Given Yuki's timid, panicky reaction he didn't expect good news. "What?" He gently prompted.

Her expression slowly softened with a hint of a genuine smile. "I'm pregnant."

He stared at her, didn't say a single word, he just stared. She swallowed nervously as her smile faded. She knew what he was going to say. It was unexpected, unplanned, wasn't she taking birth control to prevent something like this in the first place? Itachi didn't deal with surprises very well. He liked things in their proper place and order. That is what it took to run a successful enterprise. But a family isn't like a business. Things can't be so well regulated. She lowered her gaze self-consciously. "I went to see a gynecologist before coming here…to make sure."

"How long have you known?" He didn't mean to sound accusing but she flinched all the same. "I was talking to Ritsuko about my flu today…and she…suggested that I take a test," her voice was whispery soft as her cheeks reddened.

Itachi grunted in response. That made sense, being a mother herself Ritsuko was bound to detect the symptoms. But still…he felt numbed by the news. It all seemed too sudden, even though they had only been married for two years. He rarely saw her as it was; now he'd have to share her with a demanding, needy child. Then he realized that Yuki was waiting for a response. He could see how nervous his silence was making her and he didn't want to make her feel that way. He cracked a side smile as he gently rubbed her back. "Mother will be pleased."

Yuki's heart dropped into her stomach. Mikoto had been hoping for a grandkid for some time, dropping hints left and right. So while yes what he said was true, it wasn't what she wanted to hear right now. She wanted to know what HE thought, what HE felt, and that was all he had to say? She lowered her head for a moment as she nervously chewed on her thumb. She should have known. What did she expect? He wasn't the sort of man to be excited about unexpected news…especially when he had made it clear before that he'd wanted to wait to have children. Was he disappointed? Angry? Did he blame her? How could she know if he didn't say anything?

Just then Hidan and Kakuzu walked into the room. Kakuzu removed his fedora and bowed his head silently. Hidan smirked as he eyed Yuki. "So even the great Uchiha finds time for pleasure."

Yuki blushed, Itachi glared, and Kakuzu smacked him upside the head. "Shut your mouth! That's his wife!" He snapped crossly.

Hidan looked down as he muttered an apology. Itachi looked toward Yuki. "Forgive me, dear, but I have work to do," he whispered in her ear. "We'll discuss this later."

His cool, emotionless voice sent a chill down her spine. Discuss? What was there to discuss? She was pregnant. The deed was done, so to speak. Also his coolness annoyed her. She felt a bundle of nerves; excited at the prospect of being a mother but at the same time was worried that Itachi was upset. Still there was nothing that she could do or say about it now without making a scene in front of his colleagues. So she simply nodded and left without a backward glance. She walked out with her head held high, her chin erect; determined to be strong about this. But her hands curled into fists and her mouth twitched, she was about to break. She managed to keep her emotions until she got home and threw herself onto her bed and cried.

The next thing she knew, someone was gently shaking her awake. She panicked because she didn't realize that she'd even fallen asleep. Itachi gently pulled her into his arms and gently shushed her. "It's me," he whispered in her ear. "I'm home."

She pulled away and blinked in surprise. "You're home? So early?"

"I'm quite late actually," he said with a gentle smirk. "It's well past ten o'clock."

"It is?" She gasped in surprise. He nodded. "Oh no!" She cried out. "I didn't make any dinner!"

"No problem," he reassured her. "We can order out."

He walked away to call the local Chinese Restaurant to place a delivery order. When he returned he saw Yuki still sitting on the bed. She bit her thumb nervously and he sighed. "About this afternoon-" he began.

"Are you upset?" She asked bluntly, though still didn't dare look up at him.

He paused at that as he assessed the feelings he had repressed during work. "No," he murmured.

"Disappointed?" She tried again.

"A little," he confessed. Her face fell and he immediately approached her. "Don't get me wrong, the news just took me by surprise."

"And how do you think I feel?" She cried out, her voice bordered on the hysterical.

He looked sympathetically down at her. In her eyes he saw fear, dread, worry; things uncommon in expectant mothers and he blamed himself. He sat down and took her hands in his. He wore a soft smile. "While the news is unexpected…it is not altogether unpleasant." She frowned at that, not really sure what he meant by that. He took advantage of her silence and continued on. "I am a selfish man Yuki; surely you've realized that by now. I don't like sharing you." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in close. He loved the fact that she still blushed whenever he leaned in to kiss her. He delicately tasted her mouth, making her tremble slightly. But now wasn't the time for passion, it was the time for reassurance. He kept the kiss simple and short. "Still I knew that one day I would have to because like you…I wish for children as well."

She blinked in surprise. "You have?" Itachi had mentioned it before but never with any real feeling.

He nodded. "I must have an heir."

She looked exasperated. "That's all?"

"For the company's stability and the continuation of the Uchiha line, yes," he said stoically. She bit her lip to keep her disappointment in check. Of course she should have known he'd see this from a methodical point of view. The he unexpectedly smiled at her with a soft twinkle in his eyes. "But I have other reasons."

"You do?" She asked in a soft tone.

He nodded. "I want a child with my strength and resolve and your sensitivity and beauty. But above all I want to be a better father for my child…than my own was," he confessed softly. It surprised and touched Yuki to hear her husband be so sentimental. He tenderly kissed her forehead as his hand rested against her flat stomach. "Not all change is bad," he whispered softly.

"Oh Itachi," she smiled gratefully as she hugged him. She felt at peace knowing that now he supported her and accepted this child…even if it came earlier than expected.

The next night they went to the Main House where his parents' lived to give them the news. Mikoto was ecstatic and clapped her hands in delight. Fugaku looked immensely pleased. "At last, a male heir," he said proudly. "The future of our family is in good hands."

"And what if it's not a male?" Yuki asked. It was an innocent enough question but Fugaku took it as a challenge. He got close and stared down at her. Mikoto's enthusiasm died down considerably as a deathly silence now filled the room. Itachi came up alongside his wife and took her hand in his. He couldn't directly challenge his father, but he wouldn't let Yuki face his wrath alone. She then realized her mistake and lowered her eyes to the floor.

"The Uchiha heir is ALWAYS male," he said in a deathly cold voice.

Yuki bristled at that. That kind of chauvinistic attitude had always bothered her about her father-in-law. But, as always, there was nothing she could say or do about it. He was the head of the family. Itachi was his heir and co-CEO of the company but that position was conditional on his father's whim. She did not want Itachi's position and ultimately their future to be ruined because of something she said in the heat of the moment. There was nothing else to be done but to nod silently. And that was that.

Fugaku then clapped his hand on Itachi's shoulder. "Well done son, congratulations," he praised him singularly, eyes only on his heir. Yuki's other hand curled into a fist. Why was Itachi being praised? Did he see Itachi as the virile male just doing his duty? Impregnating his wife just to pass on the family name? Her hand trembled angrily within Itachi's as she felt sick to her stomach. How dare he?

To her surprise Itachi gently pulled her into his arms. "Thank you father," he said smoothly. "We're very excited." The emphasis was clearly on the "we." The implication was subtle, discreet, but obvious. He was not going to take credit for it alone. They were in this together. That made Yuki blush with pride and even Mikoto looked pleased with her son's modest but firm stance. Fugaku considered him for a moment but decided to let it drop.

In the months that passed Yuki and Itachi went through many changes, both emotional and physical. Yuki felt exhausted and tired during the first part of the pregnancy. Often when Itachi came home late from work, she'd already be fast asleep. For a while it felt like it'd been days since he'd seen her awake. It frustrated him at first because spending time with her, even if only a few minutes, helped him to unwind from the stress of work. Now he didn't have that help, that outlet, and it took time to adjust to that. But it got better after a few weeks.

By then her pregnancy started to show, much to Yuki's embarrassment. She was upset that she looked "fat" in her favorite dresses and other clothes. Itachi on the other hand felt a strange sense of pride at the sight of her slightly swelled stomach. It pleased him to know that their budding love now had a physical manifestation. And as the weeks and months passed the baby continued to grow and her stomach swelled to a large size. He enjoyed cuddling her close and stroking her stomach. Yuki always felt self-conscious about it but Itachi loved it. "You look as beautiful as always," he reassured her.

Itachi remained busy with work but she kept herself busy preparing the nursery with Mikoto's help. Yuki benefited from her maternal advice, finding comfort in her experience. Ritsuko was also helpful and often came around to cheer her up. Itachi would always bring home a little something for her, just to bring a smile to her face.

Then one day he received the phone call he'd been waiting for: Yuki was in labor on en route to the hospital. He was in the middle of an important meeting at the time, but that didn't matter. He hurried out of the room, flew down the stairs, and jumped into his car. He slammed onto the gas pedal and the car peeled out of the parking lot. Despite the slight advantage he still got stuck in traffic for a while. He cursed repeatedly under his breath as he glared at those around him. For once…he felt impatience, out of control; two things completely out of his element. He couldn't just sit here waiting, he had to be moving. He jumped out of the car and made his way through the stationary cars to the sidewalk. He was going to have to find another way. The subway was nearby, normally he didn't care to use it but this time he was willing to make an exception. It was hot and crowded but at least it moved. His stop was only two blocks from the hospital so he ran the rest of the way.

When he burst into the lobby, his hair was wind-swept and coming loose from its hair band. He adjusted the tie around his neck and re-tucked his shirt in as he approached his family. Sasuke smirked at his unsightly appearance, pleased to see that even his perfect brother could be a mess sometimes. Itachi kissed his mother's cheek in greeting and grabbed hold of her shoulders. "Yuki…is she alright?"

She nodded. "Yes, she's in the delivery room now. She's perfectly fine and things are going well."

Itachi looked relieved. "That is good."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he watched Itachi sit down. "You're not going in?"

"My place isn't there," he murmured as he grabbed a magazine and idly leafed through it. "I trust the doctors to do their jobs."

"It's not a matter of trust, it's a matter of emotional support, you idiot," Sasuke grumbled as he sat beside him. "She would want you by her side."

Itachi considered him for a moment and then nodded as he set aside the magazine. He strode to the front desk and inquired after his wife. The receptionist smiled at him with a faint blush on her cheeks. It was a typical reaction he got often, especially from single girls. She called one of the doctors in who greeted him with a firm but friendly handshake. "You were able to make it!" He praised. "She's been waiting for you."

That caught him off guard. He did not realize that she had wanted him in the actual delivery room. She had never said anything about it before. He was led inside and Yuki was sitting up in bed, still heavy with child. She looked tired and sore. Her long ebony hair hung limply around her shoulders; her bangs were plastered against her forehead, drenched in sweat. He stared at her for a full four seconds. He had NEVER seen her look like such a mess. She noticed him and smiled as she reached out for him. "You came," she whispered gratefully.

He immediately approached, took her hands and kissed her fingertips. "Are you alright?" He asked worriedly.

She nodded. "Its not been easy," she confessed. "But they gave me an epidural so that's helped with the pain."

He sat down beside her as a nurse entered the room. She meandered around the room, refilling supplies and putting fresh clean blankets and sheets in the supply closet. He frowned at her. "Shouldn't you be attending to my wife?" He asked tersely.

The nurse giggled and turned to look at him. "Labor takes a long time; it'll be several hours before she's ready to deliver."

Itachi stared. "Several…hours?" He asked in disbelief.

She nodded. "If you'd like something from the cafeteria I can place an order for you."

Itachi took her up on that offer, though sadly Yuki couldn't eat anything apart form flavored ice chips. She kept sucking on them and they crunched between her teeth. They talked a little as they sat there together but soon she felt sleepy so he encouraged her to rest. "I'll tell Mother and Sasuke how you're doing. I'm certain they'd appreciate an update."

She caught hold of his hand. "But you'll come back right?" She asked, with worry in her eyes.

He smiled fondly and nodded. "Of course, my dear. I will return."

She looked relieved and rested comfortably back against the pillows. He returned to the waiting room and was surprised to see Kisame and Ritsuko there. She rushed over to him. 'Is she alright? Is she ok? Is she-"

Kisame pulled her back against him and gently shushed her. "Relax Suko, I'm sure she's just fine."

"She is I assure you," Itachi said with a nod. "She's resting. The doctor says it will be some time before the actual delivery."

After answering some more questions, he went back to his wife's side. She was still sleeping soundly but he still sat by her side and waited. The nurses came in every now and again to check on Yuki. He would sit up straight, eager to hear that it was time. It had been hours already, how much longer would they have to wait? Wasn't nine months long enough? They reassured him that it would happen soon, but minutes crawled into hours. He felt frustrated by the wait and yet he dreaded the inevitability. What would happen then? What would be expected of him? Not knowing both worried and bothered him.

Suddenly Yuki awakened with a gasp and pressed a hand against her stomach. She doubled over with a deep groan. Itachi jumped to his feet. He reached out to touch her shoulder and she grabbed hold of his arm. He flinched under the tight pressure. Her eyes lit up with fear and panic which terrified him. Before he could speak, two nurses hurried into the room.

"It's time," one of them said and then everything seemed to happen at once. Yuki was encouraged to push. She grabbed Itachi's hand and squeezed so hard that his knuckles popped. Now he understood why Kisame's fingers had been broken when Ritsuko had been in labor with her children. The nurses were sensitive and gentle with smiling, encouraging faces. Itachi felt at a loss. He didn't know what to do. Yuki then looked up at him and burst out laughing. He'd never heard her laugh so hard. "Itachi you look terrified!" She giggled.

He couldn't help but smile sheepishly and nod. At that point the tension in the room relaxed considerably. Yuki responded better to the nurse's guidance and Itachi gently encouraged her as well. Soon a healthy baby was delivered and taken aside to be cleaned up. Yuki collapsed against the pillows, panting softly, and her eyes fluttered closed. Itachi kissed her forehead. "Well done."

She giggled softly. "Is that all you have to say?"

"I'm proud of you," he whispered with a gentle smile.

She smirked at that. "Much better," she gently teased.

Just then the doctor approached them with a bundle wrapped in pink. For a second Itachi felt a sense of dread. Fugaku would be most displeased. He'd never accept a girl as the next heir.

The doctor gently placed the baby in Yuki's arms. Her expression softened as she gently cooed. "Oh Itachi," she gushed. "She's perfect."

He leaned in to look. She looked so very tiny. Her face was red and squished, and she blinked at them with wide dark eyes. She just looked at them as if to say, "Who are you?" That innocence made him soften. During his time in the family business he'd been exposed to the dark side of humanity more times than he could count. His father had gutted out his childhood sensitivity and encouraged coldness and ruthlessness. He had succeeded and now Itachi's heart ached. He did not wish that for this child…his daughter. He reached out and gently stroked her tiny cheek. "Hello little one," he whispered as his voice caught in his throat. "I'm your father."

Yuki watched in awe as she witnessed a softness in her husband that she'd never seen the like before. He looked…human. It sounds weird to say that but he did. Gone was the business, emotionless façade he often had. Was that a tear gathering in the corner of his eye? She smiled as she leaned in to kiss his cheek. To her surprise he turned to kiss her mouth. To kiss her in so public a place shocked her, though it wasn't unwelcome. She gently kissed him back. When he at last broke the kiss his eyes shone with unshed tears. She knew he'd never let them fall. He was too stubborn to allow that.

"Can we name her Kisa?" She asked shyly. "I've always been partial to that name."

He nodded. "It's a fine name."

She gazed down fondly at their daughter. "Kisa Uchiha. It has a nice ring to it."