- February

a/n yes, I skipped a month, but I really couldn't think of much to fill January. I'm running out of ideas. :P

After a large inter- rookie nine discussion, it was decided that there was going to be a party on the last day of February. It was supposed to be a combined party to celebrate the new head of the Hyuga clan, (Hinata hadn't exactly told anybody she hadn't yet. While Sakura said it was okay to tell everyone the baby news a few weeks ago, she hadn't had the chance she was so busy setting up a nursery.) Valentine's Day, and for just because. It was one of the first days everybody would be back from some sort of mission.

Normally partying wasn't something shinobi did, but after the last Great War, a carpe diem fervor seized the group. They recognized now how fragile life is and any given mission, one of their comrades had the possibility of not returning, so they should all enjoy each other as much as possible while they're still around.

The party started at eight at night in the basement of the Nara household. Both of his parents were on some mission, so Ino decided it was best to be held there. Hinata got there promptly at eight, and quietly slipped in. Because of the cold weather, she wore her cloak. She normally wore it on missions during the winter months, but seeing as it was warm and very loose, she wore it there. Everybody was already there, even Neji. (He was always the 'fifteen minutes early' type anyways.) The basement was how she imagined it. Wooden panels covered the wall and the carpet was a deep moss green. There wasn't much junk or anything lying around either. There were just a few leather couches, a coffee table, and a larger table in the back for booze and snacks. Music was playing softly in the background.

She walked in, looking for a place to sit, preferably away from Shikamaru and Temari, who were making out wildly on a recliner in the corner. In the spirit of carpe deim, the two were slipping away from their villages constantly to spend time together. The kages weren't too pleased about that. She found a spot where most of the furniture was set up around a coffee table and everyone was playing some sort of card game.

"Hey," Ino piped, walking back from the liquor table with a full glass of alcohol. They were underage to drink, but once again, carpe diem. "I haven't seen you in forever! Why is that?"

Sakura from across the table smirked from behind her hand of cards.

Hinata just shrugged.

"Booze? Ino held out her cup to Hinata.

"No thanks," Hinata squeaked.

"I swear," Ino said in a huff, "you can be just as straight laced as your cousin," She rolled her eyes over at Neji. "But at least he took the cup. He gave to Lee right after, but we were having with Lee a little while before you got here." Lee was currently passed out behind one of the couches. "Take it." Ino pushed the cup in her face once more.

"R-really I can't." The girl propped her feet up on the couch and curled herself into a ball as best as she could under the cloak she was still wearing.

"And why not?" Ino raised her voice. Sakura put her cards down. Kiba and Shino followed suit. If there was going to be any entertainment tonight, this would be it. Everyone else at the table paused their game and looked up. Hinata caved, got up, and whispered into Ino's ear.

"WHAT?!" This made even Shikamaru and Temari stop and look up. "Cloak off. Now." Ino demanded. Hinata gulped. All the attention was on her once again. Her hands went up to her neck, she unpinned the leaf broach, and the cloak slid down.

Were she carrying only one kid, she would've looked almost full term. A deafening silence was heard in the room. Ino thankfully broke the silence. "How in the world did you keep that a secret for that long?" Ino's hand motioned toward Hinata's gigantic stomach.

"It's not like I meant to, it's just weird to bring it up. I wasn't even allowed to tell anybody until a week weeks ago." Her pale eyes looked down. It looked like she was about to cry. Sakura thankfully picked up on the cue and filled everybody in on what happened.

"And to think I thought you finally let your inner slut out," Ino joked. "But either way, I'd love to babysit the kid."

"Kids" Hinata corrected. "Three." Sakura hadn't filled them in on that part.

Ino raised her eyebrows. Somebody whistled in the background. Ino was pretty sure it was Shikamaru.

After a while Tenten spoke up. "Anybody up for another round of poker?" Everyone agreed, including Nara and his girlfriend. Thanks to Ino, tomorrow at this time, Hinata was pretty sure about her not-so-secret anymore situation.