Hello, my lovelies! Thanks so much for the reviews, really appreciate it! ^_^

In case you're wondering why this update took so long, it's because I had to drag it out of me. Despite the fact that I currently have more time to write, this particular chappie was driving me crazy. Even though I knew how I wanted it to go, I just couldn't find the will to write it down. Ugh. Oh well, I finally finished it. I can finally move on. Hahaha

Oh, and I'm going to be studying abroad this semester! So if you don't hear from me for a while, it's because I'm busy taking a nonexistent Lord of the Rings tour and riding kiwi birds like horses.

Not much else to say, other than as much as I'm lovin' the new Naruto storyline, the latest chapter had me scratching my head and going, "Is Naruto seriously pulling Jesus-jutsus out of his ass? Really, Kishi?"

I don't own Naruto.

Ino

The door burst open without preamble. Sakura sighed, not bothering to look up from her chart. She raked a hand through her short hair, preparing herself for the incoming storm.

Footsteps stomped up to her desk, and palms smashed onto the top, scattering papers. The pencil in her hand snapped in half. "Pig!" Sakura growled.

Ino ignored her friend's anger, a big grin on her face. "Guess what?"

Sakura began gathering the wayward papers, grumbling. "These are important."

Palms smacked the desk again. "Focus, Forehead! I am the important thing right now!"

"Let me guess." Sakura moved the papers away from her friend's violent hands. "You're—"

"Pregnant!" Ino squealed.

Sakura rolled her eyes. Ino hadn't been married to Choji that long—next month would be their one-year anniversary—but ever since Temari had brought Shikari home, Ino had had babies on the brain. She was constantly "pregnant". Last week she was pregnant because she kept craving apples in odd-numbered hours ("I thought I was going to die without one. It happened at three and then again at seven!" "...You were probably just hungry, Ino."). The week before she was pregnant because she suddenly felt like putting blue daisies into an arrangement instead of her usual pink ones. And for some reason, Ino always felt the need to barge into Sakura's office at the hospital and announce her fake pregnancies.

"Really," Sakura deadpanned.

Ino plopped herself down in a chair, her long ponytail swaying with the movement. She leaned over the desk in challenge. "Yes, really!"

The roseate-haired girl smirked. "Did you suddenly wake up at two in the morning again?"

"No." Ino crossed her arms, looking smug. "I missed my period."

That was new. Sakura looked at her with interest. "When was it supposed to be?"

"Yesterday," the blonde proclaimed proudly.

Sakura laughed. "It's probably just late."

Ino shook her head, blue eyes serious. "I'm never late. Ever."

Interesting. Sakura blinked slowly, deep in thought. "Stress can cause missed periods," she guessed.

Ino scoffed. "I know you're a prude and everything, but even you should know that babymaking is not a stressful activity."

A vein throbbed in Sakura's forehead. "I'm not a prude," she retorted. "I just don't have time for men."

Ino gaped at her incredulously. "Who doesn't have time for men?"

"Running a hospital while taking missions on the side will do that to you," she snapped.

"You still seem to be able to make time for Kakashi," Ino said slyly, the look in her eyes confirming that she was up to no good.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "We're friends."

Ino winked. "And?"

"And he's Kakashi," Sakura replied irritably, as if that explained everything. She stood, making her way over to the other side of the desk and placing her hands flat against Ino's belly.

The blonde yelped as foreign chakra filled her abdomen. "What are you doing?" She would have smacked her hands away if she didn't trust Sakura wholeheartedly.

"Probing your uterus," Sakura replied. "Now shut up before I stab you in the ovaries."

It was really early if Ino was indeed pregnant, but being friends with Ino for most of her life came with an unexpected perk—Sakura knew Ino's body really well. Immediately, she felt the presence of an unshed uterine lining, but she kept looking.

Ino's shifted uncomfortably. "Hurry it up, Forehead."

"Hypocrite." Sakura smirked, chakra still searching. "You love invading other people's bodies, but can't take it when other people are in yours."

A blond eyebrow raised. "That's not true. I like Choji in there just fine."

Sakura's face scrunched up, grossed out. "That really wasn't necessary, you know. I don't need to know those thi—"

Wondering why she stopped in the middle of her sentence, Ino looked at her curiously. "What?"

It was there—barely detectable, but there—a tiny disruption of Ino's chakra. Sakura took her hands away, looking around nonchalantly. "Nothing," she replied innocently.

Ino could always tell when she lied, and she hadn't been trying very hard. She snatched Sakura's hand before she could get away. "What!"

"Nothing," Sakura repeated with a smile. "You're just pregnant."

The words didn't have the effect Sakura thought they would. Ino's eyebrows were furrowed, her lips slightly pursed, and her eyes trained on her friend for any sign of a joke. "Really?"

Sakura placed Ino's hand over her own belly. "Really," she insisted. "Looks like all that hard work paid off."

A smile crept across Ino's face, quickly morphing into a full-fledged grin. "I'm pregnant!" she laughed. "I have to tell people!"

Ino had been crying wolf for so long, Sakura wondered if anyone would believe her this time. "You should tell Choji first. He deserves to hear it from you."

"You're right!" Ino jumped up from her chair excitedly. "I have to find him!"

"It's your lucky day." Sakura pointed out the window with her thumb.

Ino ran to the window. Choji was strolling past, a bag of groceries in one of his hands. "Cho!" she yelled.

Sakura watched as Choji looked around confusedly before finally thinking to look up. Reflexively, he smiled softly at the sight of his wife.

Ino started to lift a leg over the window sill, but Sakura grabbed her. "Slow your roll, preggo," she said sternly. "You can't keep jumping out of windows. We're on the fifth floor. Use the stairs."

Instead of the rebuttal Sakura was expecting, Ino pulled her into a tight hug. "You're going to be an auntie!"

The pink-haired medic smiled, hugging her friend just as tightly. "And you're going to be a mommy."

One more squeeze, then Sakura was abruptly let go as Ino practically sprinted out of the room.

She smiled, leaning on the windowsill and winking at a bewildered Choji, still waiting down below. Then she watched as Ino finally made it down to ground level, leapting into her husband's arms. And though she couldn't hear the words, Sakura knew when Ino had spoken them, as Choji's smile seemed to take over his entire face.

Ino clung to him, and he clung to her, and he spun them round and round.

Tenten

Tenten made her way into the Hokage's office. She was already in uniform, ANBU mask in her pack and ready to be worn. All she needed was the okay.

ANBU were required to take a physical after every other mission, as a precaution. Because ANBU worked so closely with the Hokage, its members could never be compromised; the physicals made sure no enemy nin had somehow contaminated the members. Tenten was just waiting on the results of hers—then she could be on her merry way to her assassination mission in Mizu.

She nodded a greeting to Shikamaru, who, from his desk, lifted a hand lazily in return. Then, she turned to face her Hokage.

Naruto ruffled through the mounds of paper on his desk. "Hey, Tenten. Just give me a sec."

Tenten idly wondered if Naruto had known what he was getting himself into when he had wanted to be Hokage. His desk was full of mission scrolls, paperwork, and who knew what else, and it was a miracle he could find anything in that mess.

"Second drawer on the left."

Miracle, thy name is apparently Shikamaru.

Naruto opened the drawer his advisor had mentioned and pulled out a manila folder. "Ah, here it is. Thanks, Shika!"

Shikamaru sighed in reply, evidently used to helping the Hokage navigate his own desk.

Naruto grinned sheepishly, pulling out a single sheet that Tenten knew held the results of her physical. He skimmed it, humming a little ditty as he did so, and looked back up at her.

There was a gleam in his eye, and Tenten didn't like it one bit. "What?" she snapped, forgetting she was speaking to the Hokage and remembering she was speaking to a guy she grew up with.

"I can't give you this mission," he replied simply. His grin grew wider.

Tenten froze. She had never been rejected for a mission before. "Why?"

In response, Naruto held out the paper. Tenten took it from him with more force than necessary, eyes darting over the words. Blood pressure excellent, heart rate superb, reflexes kick-ass. Everything was expected.

Except—

Her eyes widened at the number circled in red, results from her urine test. And her mouth opened at the neatly-printed word next to it.

Pregnant.

"Oh," Tenten said softly, staring at the word as if she wasn't sure it was tangible.

Naruto laughed. "Must be something in the water," he joked.

Shock hit her further. She was pregnant. At the same time as Ino. Kami help her, that girl was going to want to go shopping for a bajillion baby clothes, even though she already knew hers was a boy and no one cares what boys wear. And she would probably drag her to some weird prenatal classes where they act out the birth and scream like banshees and learn how to breathe, as if she hadn't been doing it just fine all her life. And instead of Sakura getting all of Ino's jabbering, it would now be her— and there were only so many complaints about stretch marks that Tenten could handle.

Holy mother of Jashin, she was screwed.

Distantly, she felt gentle fingers wrap around her arm, leading her to a chair. She sat mechanically, grasping a cup of water as it was placed in her hand. Shikamaru's face swam in her vision. "Do I need to get Temari?"

She took a sip of water, shaking off her shock. "No."

Naruto looked worriedly at the woman who had practically fainted in his office. "Are you sure? I could ask Hinata. Or even Ino."

In response, Tenten downed the rest of her water, shotting it back as if it were tequila. Kami, what she would do for some tequila.

She sat for a bit, calming down. It wasn't that bad. She hadn't been expecting it, but Tenten was the type of person who could roll with the punches. And on the bright side, this meant that Neji had to marry her now—illegitimate children were a huge dishonor to the Hyuuga.

Suddenly, she wondered why she had never thought to get pregnant earlier. It wasn't like they weren't going to get married before! This was exactly the thing she needed to light a fire under Neji's ass! That boy was slower than Naruto sometimes.

Tenten chewed her lip thoughtfully. "I've never had a last name before," she murmured to herself.

Naruto and Shikamaru shared a look.

She rolled her eyes, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm fine," she asserted, standing. "But I guess this means I resign."

This was why there were so few women in ANBU—once they had children, ANBU missions were just too dangerous. You never knew if you would make it back.

"I hate to see you go," Naruto replied, looking more happy for her than sad she was leaving. "And I guess this means I'll lose Neji too."

"Probably," she sighed. "You never know with that one."

"Actually," Shikamaru interrupted, "he turned in the resignation forms this morning. You just have to sign them, Naruto."

Tenten's eye twitched. "Are you trying to say," she said slowly, "that he knew I was pregnant and didn't tell me?"

"It's the eyes." Naruto tapped the side of his as if she wasn't sure what he was talking about. "They see everything."

Tenten's eyes turned into slits. "Oh really?"

Shikamaru sighed. Neji was in deep shit, and Naruto was only helping to pile more on top.

"Well then." The weapons mistress bowed sharply. "I'll be sure to have my resignation papers in by the end of tomorrow. Now if you'll excuse me," she growled. "I've got a Hyuuga to slaughter."

And with that, she unzipped her pack, slammed her ANBU mask on Naruto's desk, and stomped out of the office.

Naruto and Shikamaru stared at the door.

"Yikes." Naruto ran a hand through his hair. "I don't envy that guy."

She found him at Ichiraku Ramen, having lunch with their former teammate. Lee was talking animately, gesturing wildly with his hands, and Neji was quietly eating his ramen, presumably listening.

Tenten marched right up to them, and without pretense, snarled, "When were you planning on telling me?"

Lee looked ready to get the hell out of there, and wisely so. On her person, Tenten carried things that could kill a person over a hundred different ways—not including her bare hands. "I think I'll go see if Ayame-san needs help," he said hurriedly, clapping a hand on Neji's shoulder. With a final sympathetic glance, Lee vacated his stool.

Neji slowly put his chopsticks down, his pearly gaze making its way to hers. "Are you sure you want to have this conversation here?"

"Yes," she hissed. "When?"

"Never."

Tenten inhaled sharply. Hurt blatantly ran across her features.

"It was your choice," Neji continued, his voice hollow.

She wanted to smack that blank look off of his face, wanted to force him to feel. "How can you say that?" Her voice quivered slightly. She couldn't believe what he was saying to her—not once did she think about what he was implying. This was their child! Why would she even think of getting rid of it?

"Because you would have to leave ANBU. You would have to marry me."

He tried to turn away from her but she grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her.

"I'm a branch member," Neji continued quietly. "That means that you would be too. And any children we had would be sealed into servitude."

Tenten's expression softened. Despite constantly proving his worth, Neji had a major inferiority complex. "You don't get any say?"

He shook his head, jaw tight with tension. "This is your life. This is your choice."

"And of course I choose you." She rolled her eyes, exasperated. "You know I always do."

The rigidity in his body visibly lessened. Sighing, Tenten plopped herself on Lee's vacated stool and wrapped her hand around his. "Why did you resign?" she asked quietly.

"Because I've made my choice." He slowly intertwined his fingers with hers.

Tenten smiled, her happiness only growing at the gentle look in his eyes.

Hinata

Hinata nervously shut the door, hoping no one was watching them.

Because she was soon to be the clan head, Hinata was forced to live on Hyuuga grounds. As such, she and Naruto were given their own quarters within the compound. He didn't seem to mind very much, too happy to be with his wife to care about where.

But living on the Hyuuga compound meant her family was constantly around. And although it was common courtesy in Hyuuga culture not to spy on anyone else, with eyes like theirs, sometimes it was unavoidable.

She didn't want anyone to peek in on them—this was a moment for herself and Naruto only. She was pregnant, and she was going to attempt to tell him.

It had barely been a surprise when Hinata had found out, as although she and Naruto hadn't been actively trying to have children, they hadn't been actively preventing it either. She had figured it would happen sooner than later, especially since Naruto was...a frisky individual.

Not that she minded.

Ahem.

But now she had to tell him, and she was nervous. What she couldn't figure out was why. She was the heiress of the clan—and was thus expected to produce another heir to succeed her. Naruto was her husband. One plus one equaled…

Also, it didn't take a genius to realize that jumping your young, fertile wife all the time could result in babies, and Naruto was anything but stupid. And if his previous dream of having eight kids was still on his mind, Naruto would be thrilled by the news.

Still, when she saw him huddled at their small table, poring over history scrolls, she couldn't help the fear that flooded her system. "N-Naruto," she said softly.

The man looked up from his work wearily, a smile immediately alighting his face at the sight of her. "Welcome home, Hinata!" Naruto lifted his head expectantly, and Hinata complied, bringing hers down to meet his in a warm kiss.

Bile rose in her throat, but she ignored it, breaking the kiss before it turned into something more. Now was not the time."How was your day?" she asked instead.

Naruto sighed, running his hand through his hair. The blond strands were getting too long, but he hadn't found time to get a haircut. "Long," he replied, gesturing to the mound of papers and scrolls cluttering the table. "And boring. But baa-chan says I need to know this stuff, so I'm going to learn it."

He worked too hard, and it was starting to show. Hinata ran a hand over her stomach idly, mentally noting to cut his hair for him when she got the chance.

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed. "What's the matter, Hina-chan? Do you have a stomachache?"

She dropped her hand quickly. "No," she squeaked, feeling her face heat up. "I was just thinking."

"Are you sure?" he asked, concern in his bright blue eyes. "You look like something's bothering you."

Hinata nodded, quickly reaching into her bag before she lost the nerve. Finding the box she was looking for, she thrust it at her husband.

Naruto's eyes widened excitedly. "What's this?"

"Open it," Hinata encouraged, nervous energy mounting all the same. Feeling a little bit like she might faint, she quickly sat down in a chair beside him.

Smiling with glee, Naruto took the lid off the box, ruffling through the tissue paper. His brow furrowed as he held up a blue pair of baby booties.

Hinata peeked at him from below her lashes, holding her breath.

"Oh! These are for Shikari, right?" Naruto exclaimed. "I can give these to Shikamaru tomorrow. I think they might be too small for her, though."

Inwardly, Hinata sighed. But she had been expecting this, as Naruto wasn't very baby savvy. "There's more," she replied instead.

"Oh." He peered at her, sticking his hand back in the box. "Are you sure you're okay, Hinata? You look kind of pale."

"Just a little tired, Naruto-kun." And about to have a panic attack, but that's beside the point.

Frowning slightly at her, he lifted a pacifier out of the box. An eyebrow raised.

Before he could even open his mouth, Hinata interrupted, "One more! There's one more."

He was really looking at her peculiarly now. But when his hand wrapped around the last item, bringing out of the box, he froze.

Hinata had been very careful—she wanted to make sure there was no way he could misunderstand. She knew he didn't know the difference between two lines and one line, or even knew what the lines were for, but when he glanced at the stick in his hand, blatantly reading pregnant, there was no other possibility.

Naruto was a person whose emotions were always displayed on his face, and as Hinata watched, she saw his expression morph from confused to comprehension to astonishment. His eyes grew wide; his jaw dropped a little. "Wait. You mean that you're pregnant?"

In response, she took his hand in hers, flattening it against her abdomen. She gave him a small smile, a faint nod.

With a whoop, Naruto stood, lifting her up with him and enveloping her in a hug. "Wow!" he gasped. "Hina, that's great! We're going to be parents!"

As he kissed her, letting his hands roam her belly, Hinata had to laugh.

She had truly worried herself over nothing.

A/N: Let me know. :)