"Daddy, when are Ha-chan's parents coming to live with us?"

"It shouldn't be too much longer, Shikari." Hidan sighed tiredly, holding her in his arms on her bed.

"Deidara said that he had a hard time getting away from that one guy though..." The little girl frowned, mumbling into Hidan's neck.

"So you're worried about Itachi?" Hidan blinked.

"A little. I don't want him to turn out like father..." Shikari whimpered. "Ha-chan would hate that."

"Itachi will be just fine. Wait and see." Hidan replied, kissing his daughter's forehead. "Now sleep."

Shikari let out a yawn and nodded, snuggling closer to him. After a few minutes she was fast asleep. Hidan carefully left his daughter's arms and glanced over at Moku's empty bed. He left the children's bedroom and went down to the kitchen. Suki was having a midnight snack with Deidara and looked up when Hidan greeted them.

"Phox arrived while you were putting Shika-chan to sleep, Hidan-sama." Suki informed his fellow Jashinist.

"Thanks." He sighed and sat with his friends. "But I'm not going to get my hopes up."

"We'll find someone that can help Kakuzu, Hidan. Atari's been searching and even Zetsu's been helping." Suki attempted to cheer Hidan up.

"It's not enough, damnit!" Hidan slammed his fist on the table.

"Calm down Hidan, hm." Deidara frowned, cleaning up his spilled drink. "Now go see Kakuzu."

Hidan grumbled under his breath and got up, trudging back up the stairs. He passed his twins' room and arrived outside the master bedroom. The door was left ajar slightly and Hidan stayed out of sight, listening. He heard Phox's voice and then his lover's pained voice.

"I'm afraid your paralysis might be as permanent as Moku's mutism." She said quietly, glancing at the mute male laying on his father's legs.

"There has to be some way of making it easier though." Kakuzu murmured. "Like sign or written language for Moku..."

"If you would like I will shift our research to remedy the symptoms rather than a cure for the paralysis. Things are much harder now that Kabuto has gone insane." Phox said.

"Yes..." Kakuzu murmured. "It's better than nothing."

"You probably won't get to engage in sexual activities though..." She murmured softly.

"... I want to take care of my family..." was his only answer.

"Very well. I will inform the others of your decision."

Phox left the room while Hidan slid inside, unnoticed. Kakuzu's eyes were closed when Hidan reached his bedside. He grabbed the nearby wet rag and began to run it along Kakuzu's face. Thanks to Suki, he looked just as he had before his cells had been torn apart by the Konoha Jinchuuriki's attack. Hidan's sigh seemed to wake his husband.

"Hidan..."

"Oh. Hey Kuzu. Feeling any better?" Hidan feigned a smile.

"What do you think?" He returned sarcastically. "How is Shikari? She didn't visit me today..." He seemed sad and Hidan sighed, sitting on the bed next to his husband and son.

"She's fine. Fast asleep." Hidan leaned over to lay his body on Kakuzu's. "She's worried about Hametsuki though."

"I don't see why." Kakuzu huffed. "The Uchiha is pretty damn strong."

"Yeah..." An awkward silence passed between the pair.

"You are bothered by something?" The injured male finally inquired.

"Of course I am. I'm horny as shit." Hidan pouted, making his lie seem believable.

"Sorry. You could try masturbating." The elder gave a pained smirk.

"Ick. Not that desperate." Hidan nuzzled his face with his lover's. "Why are you so intent on being able to move again rather than waiting for a complete cure?"

"So you heard that, huh?" He sighed, wishing he could put his arms around his smaller husband.

"Answer me..."

"I don't like feeling useless, that's all." Kakuzu sighed.

"Well you'll be useless to me if you can't get it up." Hidan grumbled.

"Please tell me that was a sick joke." Kakuzu's mouth twitched.

"A little." Hidan put their foreheads together.

"Hidan-sama!" Atari's sudden entrance startled Hidan and woke Moku.

"What?" The immortal snapped.

"I've found a lead!" The bounty hunter explained hurriedly, "There's a supurb medicine woman living in some nearby mountains."

"Where?" Hidan straightened his back, determination in his eyes.

"I have a map and I have Sasori packing some supplies." Atari replied.

Hidan left Kakuzu's side and followed Atari down to the kitchen. Deidara sent Hidan a smile on his way to his bedroom and left his own lover with a kiss. Sasori did indeed have a napsack slung over his back and another sat on the table. Suki was putting some food in the napsack last minute.

"I'll stay here with Deidara and Kakuzu-sama to take care of the kids." Suki stated.

Hidan gave a nod then donned the last napsack. Sasori grumbled under his breath as they followed Atari out of the house and then took a new tunnel out of the caves. Atari explained to them what it was he had discovered before they reached the edge of a wooded area at the base of the mountain.

"Apparently this woman's son is extremely violent so no one has visited since he killed a bunch of innocent people." Atari informed the former Akatsuki members. "Rumor is that any travelers they find at night get butchered."

"Whoa, whoa. Wait... This sounds like the bedtime stories Granny Chiyo would tell me." Sasori stopped walking.

"Probably based off the story my mum told me." Atari blushed slightly, "See, it was the only thing I had left to go on so I went to investigate the story further. Turns out a medicine woman really does live on the mountain by my home village."

"At this point, I'd follow any lead." Hidan stated, walking on.

Sasori frowned and dragged his feet after the two Jashinists. By nightfall they had reached an old, run down village. Atari once more took the lead, entering a small supply shop in the center of the village. It was dark inside but to that he paid no heed, revealing a stairway in the back. He made his way slowly down the stairs and into a dimly lit living room. An old woman sat at a kitchen table, fast asleep.

"Mum." Atari shook the woman, rousing her from slumber, "I am back with my friends."

"Oh..? Oh! Right... I made dinner." It was at that point that Sasori let out a shocked exclamation.

"Your stove is on fire!"

"Gah! Not again..." Atari jumped, grabbing a nearby fire extinguisher. "I keep telling you not to cook without Suki or,myself present!" He snapped once the fire was out.

"I wanted to surprise you." She apologized then snapped back, "But you and Suki are hardly ever here these days!"

"That's because we have more important things to do than cook for a woman that should have died years ago." Atari grumbled.

"Like what?" She huffed.

"Helping my friend care for his family until he's able to move again." He answered, looking at Hidan.

"Oh." The woman sighed and got up. "The house is all yours. If you need me, I will be sleeping."

"Thanks mum." Atari smiled then groaned as soon as she was gone. "We'll leave first thing tomorrow."

~Meanwhile~

"Got any twos?" A dull voice inquired.

"Go fish." An equally dull voice sounded.

"Got any threes?" The short haired blond asked.

"Go fish." The long haired blond replied.

"Got any twos?" Suki smirked.

"God damn you!" Deidara shouted, throwing the card at him.

BOOM!

"Deidara!" Kakuzu's voice sounded from upstairs.

"Damn. I miss when I could blame that on Atari, hm."

Lol. Sorry for the delay. As you all may or may not know, I have lost everything I needed to write this story. I lost the timelines, my research, and my plot... Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this update and I apologize for the long wait after that horrifying cliffhanger.