Chapter 5

"Kakashi-san."

Kakashi looked up from the dishes he was washing to see the ANBU that had entered the house. It was two days after Inochi had visited and the brats were being especially mean. Now, Hinata was taking care of them, changing them for two reasons. Reason one was they would never hold still for him to go through the whole nappy making process. Reason two was they always found some form of excrement to let loose on him. Only shinobi reflexes saved him from even half of those.

"Tsunade-sama?" he asked placing a newly washed pan down. He picked up a dishcloth to wipe his bare arms in. He had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to be able to wash without getting them wet. "Urgent?"

"Yes." the ANBU answered.

"No it's not. You would have told me instantly if it was." Kakashi told him with a smile that was hidden by his mask.

"Just go." the ANBU said before leaving. Kakashi whistled as he continued washing the dishes. He was almost done anyway. Hinata still wasn't finished when he was done so he went to the Akatsuki's room where he knew she was changing them. He looked in to see her sitting on the floor with Itachi before her as she changed him. She was blushing as she did so. Her mind had strayed to the fact that this was Sasuke's older brother she was changing. It was disconcerting to say the least.

"Tsunade called." he said and she nodded only glancing at him for a moment before sending Itachi off with one last pat. Kakuzu plopped himself down where Itachi had just been sitting. He lay down and threw his feet up in a 'let's get this over with' fashion. "For me. I'm leaving now."

"Ok." she said already getting to work with Kakuzu. Kakashi turned and walked up. It was only after he had grabbed his vest that how oddly domesticated that had just been came to him. He pushed the thought aside and hurried over to the Hokage's office.

"Thank you for finally joining us Kakashi."

"Well you see there was this baby crossing the street-"

"Save it." Tsunade said before looking around at all those before her. There was Yamato, Sakura, Sai and now Kakashi. "Now that you're all here I can finally begin with the mission briefing."

"What is this mission about?" Yamato asked.

"The Akatsuki has recently been indisposed of and so now their base is up for grabs. Not many people are aware of what has happened to them but a reliable source has provided us with not only sound proof of it but also information." Tsunade began immediately grasping their attention. Kakashi already knew what and who she was talking about and he already didn't really like where this was going. "This information includes the location of their nearest base. Your mission will be to locate this base and gather any and all information found within."

"How are we sure this information is reliable?" Yamato asked carefully.

"Believe me it's reliable." Tsunade stated.

"Shouldn't Naruto be a part of this mission?" Sakura asked.

"If I wanted him to be he would be. As it is I want a quiet trip. Utter secrecy. No one not even Naruto should know." Tsunade prompted them. They nodded dutifully. She handed the mission scroll to Kakashi. "You leave in one hour. Kakashi stay back a moment."

XXXXX

Hinata was almost panicking. Little over an hour ago Kakashi had left after telling her that he was going on a mission that would last at least a week and a half. During that week she would be alone. Her confidence had eroded since then and now she was worrying about how she was going to manage all ten of them. Sure the ANBU were there but they were guarding could she even ask them to help her? They were ANBU. They did the S-class and top secret missions and this was a simple baby sitting mission, could this even rank as a S-class? It was the Akatsuki after all. Could she be called the client? Would they even listen to her? Would the Akatsuki listen to her? They did so so far but would it stay like that? Hidan and Deidara generally agreed with her; Kakuzu just went along when necessary; Sasori, Itachi and Kisame generally just did as she asked though Sasori scowled; Pein and Konan were generally together and not giving any trouble; Zetsu was weird and didn't do much but curl up by himself or beside Tobi or babble to himself; and Tobi was a nuisance most of the time. He was noisy and energetic and sometimes clingy. He had bothered Deidara quiet a few times by hovering and by playing with him when he was on the verge of sleep. The times he clung to Hinata's leg was another thing. She had been lucky they were asleep for the moment.

"Nah." a soft call came from the doorway. Speak of the devil. Hinata looked over to see Konan crawling in. Behind her was Itachi. His plan to start walking had failed so he was on his hands and knees like most of the others were. Hinata moved over to them and lifted them into her arms.

"'Nata." Itachi greeted her with a soft touch on the cheek. Konan was already resting her head on her other shoulder.

"Hello you two. Sleep well?" she asked and Konan nodded into her shoulder while Itachi gave her a slow nod and a calculating look. She obviously hadn't hidden her discomfort well. There was no use hiding it and they would realise eventually. "That's good. Well for a few days it will only be us. Kakashi-san has been called away."

Konan leaned away to look at her with a frown. Itachi nodded after a moment before touch her cheek softly again and giving her a quick hug around the neck. He at least understood her discomfort.

"So what's next?" Hinata asked them with a smile. She bounced them a little and Konan smiled at her. "How about we play together a little until the others are up then we can find something for everybody to do."

She carried them to the living room where the small box of toys that the ANBU had brought over on Tsunade's orders the day before was sitting. Sasori had claimed the only doll in it as his the moment he saw it and had already put it to use in smacking Kakashi in the head with it twice and Kakuzu had ignored the box completely after spotting a box of monopoly under the book shelf. Itachi reached in and pulled out the rudder kunai that he had picked up the day before and held it still as he stared at it for a moment.

"You had one when you were a baby the first time?" Hinata asked him when she saw him looking at it as if he was remembering something. He shook his head.

" Ss'uke." he answered and she stared at him wide eyed. She hadn't expected him to keep something that reminded him of Sasuke or even to admit that he did. He hit it against his head a little. " 'It a lot."

"He hit you in the head with it alot." Hinata said with a laugh. He nodded also smiling.

"Bam bam." he told her hitting her twice with the rudder kunai then shook his head. "izzy."

"Silly?" she asked. The last word had been unclear. He nodded. She took that to mean 'silly boy. Kunai don't go bam and your using it the wrong way.'

At the sound of the fluttering of papers both Hinata and Itachi looked over in the direction of the book shelf to see Konan over a spilled pile of paper sifting through them from blank sheets. She pulled all the blank sheet to herself and disregarded the others. She easily began to fold them with a serene look on her face until she reached a fold the required more dextrous fingers than she had now.

"Want help?" Hinata asked and Konan nodded with a frown. Doing this would have been much easier normally and it made her wish she was back to normal again.

Hinata had just done the fold for her when she heard a sound from their room. Itachi had moved over to the book shelf and was looking at the books that were at eye level to him. He looked over at her then back at the books.

"Be right back." she told them before getting to her feet. When she got to the room she found Deidara half-way to Kisame who was leaned against the wall away from the door and was rubbing his eyes and yawning. Deidara froze when he saw Hinata before smiling at her and changing course for her. She walked in quietly and scooped him into her arms. Kisame blinked at her before pulling himself to his feet with help from the wall. He used the wall for support as he walked wobbly around to Hinata. The moment he was close enough Hinata held her hand to him. He took it or as much of it as he could with his small hands which was actually only two fingers. He walked with her out of the room. Deidara was playing around with her hair and face happily planting small wet hand kisses on her cheeks. It was a weird sensation but it wasn't that bad just a little odd. When they joined the others Kisame sat beside Itachi and promptly began playing with the rubber kunai Itachi had put down so that he could read. Itachi took it away from him and smacked him with it.

"No." he said. Kisame pouted at him. But crept over to the toy box.

"Be nice to each other." Hinata warned them. She was sitting on the floor with them again but had Deidara in her arms still planting wet little hand kisses on her. She took the hand that was kissing her and gave it a quick kiss before kissing him on the forehead. He stared up at her wide eyed and frozen. He had not expected that but it was nice. He leaned into her chest for a hug making himself comfortable. She wrapped her arms around him holding him still. The others watched on keeping their thoughts to themselves.

There was a knock at the door. Hinata rose carefully still holding Deidara to her. She peered at the front door when it clicked open and Tsunade stepped in.

"Tsunade-sama." Hinata said surprises. She hadn't expected Tsunade to stop by.

"Hello Hinata." Tsunade smiled at her. She looked at the small blond that had curled up on Hinata to watch her with wide blue/brown eyes. "That's a cute one you got there."

"Um... I guess so." Hinata said looking down at the blond bundle in her arms. He was a cute baby really. Tsunade held her hands for him and Hinata lifted him to give him to her. His hands instantly clamped down on her shirt. She tried to pull him off her but he wouldn't left go. He had stared to whine and Hinata knew he would cry soon. "Come on Dei-chan nothing is going to happen to you."

"But I don't wanna!" Deidara whine but Hinata couldn't understand him. He loosened his hold just enough for Hinata to hand him over. He was still as Tsunade took him. She smiled at him but that did nothing to make him feel better.

"He really is cute like this." Tsunade said and allowed Hinata to lead her into the living room where the other three were. She was playing with Deidara's fingers and watching the mouth in his palm lick it's lips in warning. She suddenly realised it didn't have teeth and didn't stay open long. The chakra there was fluctuating. "Where are the others?"

"They're sleeping." Hinata answered with a vague gesture down the hall. "I'm watching."

"I'm sorry I had to send Kakashi away. Now you don't have his help with them." Tsunade said examining Deidara discreetly. He was a healthy baby

"It's not that bad." Hinata told her.

"I really stopped by to check on them. Kakashi told me that they don't have much chakra control or enough to do their own justu." Tsunade told her returning Deidara to her. She bent to pick up Itachi. He came freely but eyed her cautiously. "I was wondering if their chakra levels and coils had been returned to how they were when they were at this age."

"Oh. A check-up." Hinata clarified as she watched Tsunade carefully examine Itachi.

"Yes. Deidara is healthy. Good coils. They will adjust as he grows if it comes to growing up." Tsunade as she continued to examine Itachi. "I read Itachi's file and from what I can tell his chakra then is the same as it is now. There's a little extra but it's very little more but still within the normal range. His eyes seem fine too. He's healthy. I don't think the Sharingan would be a wise choice now. It might kill him with the drain especially the Mangekyo Sharingan."

"Ok." Hinata said. Itachi looked thoughtful as she was put down by his book again. Tsunade took Konan into her arms next. "No Sharingan."

"No." Tsunade agreed and their was silence as she checked the only girl. "She's fine."

"Ok. Kisame is next?" Hinata asked just realising that Deidara seemed to be half-way to sleep again. Tsunade nodded reaching for him. He readily raised his arms for her to take him.

"Oh wow." Tsunade commented when she started her examination. "You have a lot of chakra for your current age here."

"Always." Kisame said smiling at her. Tsunade raised a brow at him

"I think he means he's always had a lot of chakra." Hinata told her and Kisame nodded.

"Kakashi told me they understood and could relate and communicate things to some extent." Tsunade stated and continued to do her examination on Kisame. Hinata watched her for a moment until she heard another small noise from the room the Akatsuki shared. She activated her byakugan to take a look and saw one of them awake. She assumed this was Kakuzu because he was walking out of the room only pausing at one that was curled on himself for a brief moment to look at him before continuing out the door. Hinata moved away from the small group to get him. Tsunade watched her leave with a raised brow but smiled slightly when she returned with Kakuzu trailing behind her. His long brown locks fell into his eyes giving him an almost shy look except for the eyes that watched her from behind them and the stitches marring his face.

"What?" he asked when he was close to his group members.

"Just a check up to make sure there are no complications and to check your developmental level." Tsunade answered finally returning Kisame to the floor beside Itachi. She held a hand to Kakuzu. He eyed her with deep suspicion. He didn't live this long to just trust someone.

"No." he told her folding his arms.

"May I ask why?" Tsunade asked politely.

"No." he answered with a glare that looked too cute on him even with the stitches on his face.

"Look kid-"

"You're the kid miss no-good-loser." he cut her off. His glare wasn't so cute now, not with that snarl. Tsunade looked at him in shock. Hinata watched in a mixture of shock and worry. The others were merely curious. "I don't give a damn what you say. I say no so its no. I don't want a check up and there is no way you're making me take one."

"Are you sure about that?" Tsunade asked eyes narrowed on him.

"I'd like to see you try." he challenged her. "You may be bigger, faster and overall stronger than I am by far right now but I will kill you if you so much as attempt to put your hands on me whether its for a check up or not. I WILL kill you."

Tsunade stared at him and he stared back with intent malice.

"Alright." she conceded and now his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He hadn't expected her to accept so easily. He had been prepared to fight even if there wasn't much of his usual jutsu that he could do. He doubted he could do even one actually. "Have you been behaving yourself?"

Blink. Blink. "What?" Kakuzu asked. She couldn't possibly be talking to him.

"Have you been behaving yourself since you have been here?" she repeated.

"What the hell kind of question is that?" she was crazy!

"A simple one."

"Of course I haven't. I'm Akatsuki remember. I've been real bad. Are you going to spank me?" he retorted in an annoyed tone. He huffed before turning his head to the side with his hands on his hips and grumbling to himself. "They don't make hokages like they used to."

Tsunade glared at him. He was really getting on her nerves now. Why did this one have to have a mouth? Why did the one that could actually talk understandably have to have a mouth? Little pipsqueak. He wasn't even pipsqueak height yet, more like a gnat. She snorted at the thought and he looked at her incredulously. Not so good at hiding your emotions are ya?

"I refuse to let you spank me." Kakuzu said taking her look to mean she would actually spank him just because he suggested it.

"You don't have much of a choice now do you." Tsunade stated in a sadistic tone that had a matching smile his eyes narrowed on her.

"Try me." he said and Tsunade marvelled at how he dared challenge her even now. If only all her ninjas had that kind of determination against their enemies.

"Um... I don't think this is really the time." Hinata interrupted. This didn't seem to be going in a good direction. To be truthful, it hasn't been since the moment Kakuzu refused the check-up.

"Right." Tsunade stated turning away from Kakuzu. "I have to head back to the office anyway. Remember to ask for anything that you might need. You are not alone in this. For now Kakashi isn't here but I am and The ANBU stationed here will do as you ask and run errands for you if need be."

"Ok." Hinata said nodding. She had been wondering if she could do that. She really needed the help with Kakashi gone. In the few days that they had been together she had never realised just how much she relied on him for help with the babies.

"We'll of course try to figure this whole thing out as soon as possible." Tsunade told her reassuringly. So far there were some theories however she wasn't sure if they should be considered good or bad. Hinata nodded. Tsunade smiled and left her to it.

Hinata looked down at the group before her. "Who wants to go play outside? We can go wake up the others too."

"Are you serious woman?" Kakuzu asked her.

"Hey! She didn't do anything to you. Go be mean to Hidan or something." Kisame told him moving to block Kakuzu from getting to Hinata.

"'Nata." Itachi said drawing her attention. He held a hand out to her.

"Oh. Practising walking." she commented talking his hand after shifting Deidara to one arm. "Kisame please walk with Konan. If you're coming Kakuzu please walk with Kisame and Konan."

She began to lead them to the door to the back yard. She moved carefully with Itachi as he walked along with her. Suddenly there was a cry from the room. She activated her byakugan and sighed. They were definitely all awake now. Just great. It's going to be a long day.