HAPPY SURPRISE

Four years after their wedding, Aoi had some very special news to give her husband…. once he returned home from his mission, that is.

Aoi had started feeling ill about the day after Kakashi left on his weeks-long mission, throwing up often in the early mornings and a few times later in the evenings, and later begun having severe strange mood swings… one of which caused her to bodily throw Guy through a wall when he wouldn't leave her alone. Everything about it was bizarre.

Finally, during the third week did Aoi go to a doctor to see what was wrong with her. And boy did Aoi get the news of her life…

As she walked home from the hospital, Aoi couldn't help but smile the entire trip home, occasionally putting her hand over her stomach where her little surprise for Kakashi was, lovingly rubbing it.

Opening the door to her home, Aoi was surprised to see Kakashi's shoes already placed neatly in the cubby, meaning her husband had come home earlier than she had expected. "Welcome home, dear. You're back a lot sooner than you said you would be."

"Yeah, we ended up finishing quicker than we thought… and I missed you." Tiny kisses were exchanged as Kakashi hugged her from behind. "I saw on the fridge that you went to the doctors… Is everything ok?" Kakashi had a reason to be worried about his wife; having nursed her back to health when she had a particularly bad case of the flu.

"Everything's just fine, Okami…" Aoi said, smiling up at him, and took a piece of paper out of her pouch to hand to him, "In fact…"

"Well…. What did the doctor say!?" Aoi's smile was a sign of two things: 1) that everything was normal, or 2) everything was just about ready to fall apart at the seams.

"Just take a look for yourself," she said, holding up the piece of paper for him to see, smiling as he took it in his hands and looked from her to the test results back and forth several times. "We're gonna be parents…."

"... I'm…. gonna be a dad…Aoi… I'M GONNA BE A DAD!" Kakashi hugged his wife tightly, spinning her body around the room as both of them laughed in joy at the revelation. And for the third time, Aoi's life at this moment changed once again…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Since the news of Aoi's condition had gotten out (*cough*Might Guy*cough*), all of their friends and other ninja that Kakashi had never talked to had all congratulated the couple on their happy news. The pregnant Kunoichi was also approached by other women and ninja alike, giving her advice for her aches and pains; sometimes gifts every now and then.

When Aoi reached her seventh month, the Third Hokage had given Kakashi time off from any missions away from the village to spend with his pregnant wife until their child was born.

Which brings us to the couple as they say on the swing on their back porch as they enjoyed the warm rays of the sun as Kakashi had his head near her bloated stomach, listening to their child's heartbeat and feeling tiny limbs press against where his hand rested.

"Kakashi… what should we name the child?" she asked, as she gently petted her husband's hair. "We've only got two more months…" By her side was a small book of baby names she had checked out from the library, and so far she had narrowed it down to names that start with 's' in honor of Kakashi's father, Sakumo.

"If it's a girl… I want to name her Suzuki…" he said, smiling as he felt another little kick under his hand.

"Ok… if it's a boy…. I want his name to be Satoshi." Aoi said firmly, feeling a little moody at the moment as she picked up a stick of mitarashi dango that Anko had hooked her on when they had last eaten out together while Kakashi had been setting up the nursery with some of the guys.

"Then it's agreed," Kakashi said, nuzzling Aoi's stomach just a little. "Suzuki for a girl and Satoshi for a boy…" While he would never say this out loud in front of Aoi, or anyone else for that matter, Kakashi was kinda hoping for a little girl who looked like a mini Aoi and be a daddy's girl, that way he wouldn't have to share with anyone…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"YOU ARE SO DEAD WHEN THIS IS OVER, KAKASHI HATAKE!" Aoi's screams of pain echoed down the hallway just as several nurses led Aoi into the birthing room as Kakashi winced at her words. He knew she was only saying that because of the immense pain she was currently in, but Aoi was never one to forget a promise.. And that sounded a lot like a promise to him….

"Kakashi, don't worry about the threats," Hiroto said, putting a hand on his son-in-law's shoulder. "Aoi's mother said much of the same thing to me when she was giving birth to Aoi… actually, now that I think about it… she did also threaten me with being neutered…" The Hakucho Leader had come a few days ago, not wanting to miss this occasion.

"Yeah, Kakashi, don't worry about it," Asuma said, calming his friend down who had paled at Hiroto's words. "When this is all over, Aoi won't remember half of what she says when you'll have your baby in her arms… and I know she'll still love you; it's just the pain talking right now."

"And my wife never followed through with any of her threats against me, if it makes you feel better," Hiroto said, amused at Kakashi's reactions. "This is something every father goes through…"

The waiting room was filled with silence as they waited for the baby to arrive. Every now and then, Asuma would go outside to smoke while Anko snacked on a large box of pocky (which she refused to give Guy any even if he pleaded).

Finally, the doors opened, and a tired but happy looking man in doctor's scrubs came out, causing Kakashi to all but jump out of his seat. "Doctor, is she…?"

"Congratulations, Hatake-San… it's a healthy baby boy, and your Aoi-San is just fine." Kakashi's heart leapt into his throat as it beat a million miles an hour, his body taking him to the room where Aoi laid in bed, her weary eyes looking down lovingly at a wiggling blue bundle in her arms.

"Aoi…."

Ice-blue eyes looked up at him, and the most beautiful smile Kakashi had ever seen graced her lips as she held out a hand for him to hold as he pushed up a seat next to the bed, looking into her eyes for permission before taking the bundle in his arms.

The babe was smaller than what Kakashi had expected, and so light that the Copy-nin could probably hold him with one arm, but he was the most wonderful thing Kakashi had ever seen in his life; small wisps of white hair that matched Aoi's own locks peeked out from the blanket as pale hands reached up for him. He couldn't help but tilt his head downwards to bring it closer to his son, and the tiny hands batted at his masked nose, causing him to smile.

"Aoi… can you help me here?" he asked softly, glancing at her with his uncovered eye, "I have my hands full… I can't reach my mask…"

Aoi reached over to lift Kakashi's headband off his eye and lowered the mask where is sat lazily around his neck so their son could properly see his father's face. The result of her actions were immediate, the baby's tiny hands discovering the new territory as Kakashi smiled, tears of joy and happiness falling from his eyes.

"Aoi… thank you…. Thank you…" he said, his voice thick with emotion as the baby in his arms smiled up at him, his tiny little hands exploring his face. He didn't even notice when the others who had sat with him in the waiting room came in, didn't even care if anyone else saw his face at that moment. "Remember what we decided? If… it was a boy…?"

"Yes…" Aoi said, reaching over with one hand to gently stroke their son's white hair, "Satoshi…welcome to world, Musuko..."