"So. . . notice anything different?" I asked slyly, keeping my fingers from straying to my stomach after I handed Kakashi a cup of tea.

"Hmm. . ." he said thoughtfully. "Lemme see. . . new haircut?"

"Nope." I grinned.

"I know— you've finally gotten taller!" he exclaimed.

C'mon, you can do better than that! "Guess again."

"What, you're not pregnant, are you?"

"I am!" I squealed. "Four months along!"

Even his fro-lum seemed to ponder the news. "I've gotta say, Sis," he finally said, "that that's the tiniest 'I'm four months along' belly I've ever seen. You sure there's a baby in there?"

I lifted my hand, aiming for his arm, and smacked him.

Seemingly undaunted, he continued. "Are you still training?"

"Oh, goodness, no. At least, not the sparring part. Just basic sensory stuff— Sakura said I could do that much." And she threatened to kill me if I tried anything funny. . . I touched my little bulge, smiling as I thought about just how much the "basic sensory stuff" consisted of locating the baby's head or waiting for it to jab its ankles at me.

"Staying sharp for the little man?" Kakashi laughed.

Good— so I'm not the only one! "You think it's a boy, too?" I pointed accusingly at the buh-dummm next to me. "He's convinced that it's a girl."

"Figures," Kakashi replied.

As we sipped our tea, we kept bringing up things like what we'd name it if it was a boy or a girl; who'd take care of it if anything ever happened to me or Neji; how big it was going to end up the day it was born; how ugly it would be— I had to slap Kakashi again for that one; if it would be blind, like me; if it would have the Byakugan, like Neji; if it would be born without eyesight but also with the Byakugan. . .

"It's getting late. I should probably get going."

I found his waist and gave it a hug, the fro-lum right at my ear. "Come back anytime, Brother."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for having me, Neji. See ya, Sis."

With a pop, he vanished.

"He seems almost as excited as we are. I could hear him smiling the entire time." I unconsciously cradled my belly.

Neji put his hands on top of mine and kissed my cheek. I was glad he was so thrilled about having a child to call his own— every time I'd brought the subject up before we were married, he hadn't seemed too enthused. I didn't think he'd ever tell me what had caused him to have such a change of heart, but I didn't mind—

Something poked me— from the inside— making me jump. "Oh. . . oh. . ." I gasped.

"Keiden?" Neji murmured.

I immediately directed his hands to where I'd felt the small prod.

"What are you. . .?"

"Shh. . ." I breathed.

There it was again! "There. . . did you feel that?" Because Neji didn't answer right off the bat, I held his hands even closer. Come on. . . come on. . .

It had to be an ankle— it just had to be! "It's kicking. The baby's kicking. . ."