As Ino lay in a hospital bed, only Tsunade, Naruto, and Sasuke were in the room with her. After he'd sent word to his friends with his Shadow Clones, his best friend had insisted on seeing her through the childbirth, too. He was leaning over her bed now, her hand grasped firmly in his. "Ino ..." He whispered, sounding close to tears.

She placed a finger over his lips, looking pained. Whether from emotion or labor, neither of them could tell. "I know you wanted this for us. I'm sorry I did this to you." She replied.

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm sorry I called you easy." He felt terrible, remembering muttering the insult. "I was just-"

She shushed him again and smiled, humor in her gaze. "It's alright. I am easy." She seemed to purr as she drew her fingers gently over his cheek, sticking her tongue out at him.

Naruto was sitting across the room and he looked over to Sasuke. "I'm sorry too, 'ttebayo. She was yours. I shouldn't have done that to you, especially for so long."

Sasuke, still gripping Ino's hand as another contraction gripped her, nodded. "I know you are. And I forgave you a long time ago. I was just .. upset that this wasn't mine, like I thought. I was .. really excited. But, I have a family of my own now. I've no reason to be bitter anymore."

Naruto nodded and looked down.

Tsunade checked beneath Ino's blanket another hour later. "It's time." She breathed beckoning Naruto to Ino's lower half. "You're going to cut the cords as each one comes out, alright?"

He took a deep breath and nodded, but didn't respond verbally. Ino was groaning in pain, more than he'd ever seen her in.

Sasuke looked him in the eyes and dipped his head. "Go. Become a father. Make yours proud." He brightened at his best friend's words and dipped his head, resolve spreading through him.

He jumped as Ino screamed. It all happened so fast. He could already see the head of his first born. He had the surgical scissors on hand and got in position as his first child was born with a strong cry.

"It's a boy!" Tsunade shouted, raising him high.

"My baby .." Ino smiled weakly, pure love engulfing her expression.

Naruto froze as tears welled up in his eyes. "Kintaro." He breathed. "You're here."

Tsunade nudged him as Kintaro continued to bawl and he quickly cut the cord, separating him from his mother. Shizune rushed into the room and wrapped Kintaro in a blanket then hauled him quickly out of the room.

"M-my boy .." Ino breathed, already exhausted, but Tsunade soothed her.

"You concentrate on resting before the next one decides to make their way into the world." She hesitated, but eventually nodded and closed her eyes.

"You're finally a father." Sasuke patted him on the back and grinned. Naruto beamed, embracing him and the two of them smiled until their faces hurt. He burst into tears and kissed Ino, making her eyes fly back open in surprise. She kissed him back, but didn't move, as she was exhausted.

"I love you, Ino, so much!" He cried onto her stomach. "Yumiko come to me soon, come and meet me! I love you, too, 'ttebayo!"

He was interrupted by Shizune, who came in carrying a quiet Kintaro. She handed him over to Naruto and he smiled down at his 'Golden Boy'. "You're all I could ever ask for, son. No, more than I could ask for. Thank you .. for making me a dad, 'ttebayo." He whispered to him, hugging him close.

As Kintaro opened his eyes slightly to smile up at him, he got to see his son close for the first time. He had bright yellow hair, just like his own, and indeed had whiskers, just as he'd predicted. Although, when he opened his eyes, Naruto was gazing into the soft, gentle eyes of Ino. He was tearing up again as Ino whispered gently to him. "Can I see him, too?"

He sniffed and nodded. "Sorry." He handed Kintaro over and Ino gazed down adoringly at him. "He looks like you, Naruto."

He nodded and smiled. "He has your eyes, though." He pointed out and she giggled, but winced as another contraction struck.

"I think it's time again." Tsunade prompted gently. She groaned and he handed a sleeping Kintaro over to Sasuke. He lowered himself to be just above Ino so that'd he be ready for Yumiko.

But, suddenly, a red chakra began to surround Ino. He jumped back. It was startlingly familiar chakra. "Kyuubi!" He shouted. Ino seemed to be feeling even more uncomfortable and she couldn't sit still. "Kurama, what did you do? How did you get to Ino?" He demanded, forgetting for a moment that Kurama couldn't possibly have any malice towards them.

"Through your touch, as you carried the Yamanaka here." The deep voice rumbled inside of him "The child, I had to save her."

"What do you mean?" He asked, but realized he didn't have time to keep his eyes closed and wait for Kurama response. "Damn!" He growled, frustrated. He placed his hands over Ino's belly firmly. "No time for questions, Baa-chan. But, when the baby comes, get her out as soon as you can. Before she causes more damage to Ino."

"Her? It's the child? How do you she's a-" Tsunade hailed him with questions anyway, but Ino's painful screams interrupted her as the baby's birth came nearer. "No matter, I can see her. She's almost here."

He knew absorbing the chakra from Ino now would surely cause Yumiko's death, as the chakra was already sealed inside of his daughter by Kurama. He just had to wait until she was born and hope Ino would be able to make it that long. He waited what seemed like an eternity until, finally, Yumiko's cry sounded, even stronger and louder than Kintaro's.

She was born looking exactly like him when Kurama used to ake his body. Red eyes, roughened whiskers. He gulped and began sucking the chakra from Ino, back into himself. It didn't take long to free Ino of the beast's chakra. She panted, dropping back down flat onto the bed and closing her eyes.

Shizune instantly put Yumiko on the table she'd brought Kintaro back on. As she gave her a quick health examination, he placed his hand gently on her stomach and felt his own familiar fire, burning at her core. But, like him, it didn't seem to bother her and she had already returned to normal. He breathed a sigh of relief, finally offering an explanation to Tsunade and Sasuke.

"Hinata told me Yumiko's chakra network was really weak, but I completely forgot, I was so tired. Kurama sealed his chakra into Yumiko on the way here to save her. I can sense the Kurama's presence inside of her, so I suppose she's Jinchuuriki, but she'll be fine." He closed his eyes and raised a fist to Kurama with a huge grin. "Thank you, 'ttebayo!" He made sure Kurama felt his gratitude as he returned his fist bump.

After the mess of a birth of his two children, Ino had passed out and was in a deep sleep while he held his son and daughter, also asleep. Sasuke had gone to check on Sakura, promising to return tomorrow.

Once Yumiko had calmed, he could see her features clearly. She had the same baby blue eyes, bright yellow hair, and his trademark whiskers that Kintaro also bore. Naruto spent most of his time gazing at his newborns, thinking about the time that they'd spend together in the future. He imagined them playing together, training together, becoming strong together. He grinned widely and whispered gently to them.

"Yumiko," He began. "You're my li'l baby fox. And Kintaro, you're my li'l .. flower bud." He chuckled and shook his head. "Kinda opposite if I do say so myself. But, it's all right. I love you both the same, 'ttebayo." He curled up as much he could in his chair and snuggled with the twins, falling into a blissful sleep.