Nara Residence

"Shikamaru, hurry up we're going to be late!" Temari yelled, glaring up the stairs. "Lazy-ass," She continued under her breath.

"Mom, can you help me put this on?" Arisa had already pulled on her simple, light lime green dress that fell just above her knees, and her fishnet stockings, that rested on both calves and stopped just before her knees, but was holding a red sash up to her mother. She had already tried several futile attempts to put it on. Temari skillfully smoothed the sash around the young girl's waist before tying the end in a neat bow.

"Say thank you," A male voice chided from behind them. Shikamaru was leaning lazily against the stairwell, watching the exchange.

"Thank you," Arisa echoed turning to face her mother.

Training Grounds

When the Nara family arrived at the old training grounds almost everyone else was already there. "Arisa!" Saki yelled rushing over to the Nara family, smiling brightly. The young Uchiha girl was in her usual blue sweater dress, though today instead of leaving it down like she normal did, her hair was pulled up into a bun near the crown of her head, her normal butterfly pin holding back her bangs. "I was hoping you'd get here soon! Hi, Uncle Shikamaru, Aunt Temari." Saki said all in one breath. Saki continued talking to Arisa as she pulled the girl towards the river. Both girls slid off their sandals and stood in the cool water.

Shikamaru noticed that the Uchiha boys were rough-housing a couple yards away. The two boys were very close, you rarely saw one without the other. Most thought it had to do with their closeness in age, and while that was probably a factor, Shikamaru figured that it had more to do with that fact that Sasuke was doing everything in his power to keep a rivalry from springing up between the two. And if that was the case it seemed to be working. Shikamaru's eyes flashed back over to Ryu and noticed that the boy was now wearing the Uchiha fan on his shirt. Now it was going to be even more difficult to tell the two apart at a distance.

"Hey Shikamaru!" Choji waved from his spot on the bench, his arm around Ino who was sitting next to him, hand resting against her visible baby bump. Shikamaru led Temari to the table and started teasing Ino about her pregnant belly, narrowly avoiding her oncoming fist. Temari start talk to Sakura, hoping the medic wouldn't bring up the fact that she had been in to visit her the week before. Thankful Sakura seemed to take the hint and started talking about Ryu and how he managed to do the fireball Justu for the first time. How proud she was of him even if he did ruin their kitchen, but she had been meaning to redecorate anyways.

The Inuzuka's arrival was marked, sometime later; by Amaya running on all fours chasing Ah-Un. Her pixie cut brown hair was falling out of its side ponytail wildly around her face. Kiba and Kanna were holding hands walking to the group, Kanna shaking her head at her daughter , while Kiba laughed. Akamaru walked next to Kiba with Koga hanging out of him mouth by his grey shirt. Koga had been running off and Akamaru was tired of keeping track of him. The boy had stopped struggling awhile ago. Not because he was tired, Koga had endless energy. Kiba knew the second Akamaru set his feet on the floor the pup would be gone.

The Uzumaki family finally showed up just a few minutes after them. At this point the kids had all run off to play, except for Kenji who had fallen asleep in Tenten's lap. The girls were talking, and the men were starting to pour the sake.

Kari immediately took off towards the other girls, her blonde hair flying about. She didn't bother taking off her shoes as she jumped into the river splashing the other girls, which started a water fight. Rini turned to her father, who rested his hand on her head and pushed her in the direction her sister had just shot off to. The young girl fidgeted nervously but Naruto was already making his way over to the other adults. Hinata gave her oldest a soft smile nodding in the direction of the river. Kari yelled out to her sister and then Rini smiled and made her way over to them.

"It's about time you got here dobe." Sasuke took a drink of his sake. Hinata sat down next to Tenten, Kyo seeing his best friend leaned over pushed him. Hinata was about to scold him for being rude, but Kenji eyes opened and then him and Kyo were off like rockets to play in the grass a couple feet away. Hinata kept her eyes on them and she knew that Tenten was doing the same.

"Yeah, Naruto you're always late." Ino agreed, munching on some chips that Choji had brought. Her morning sickness had finally settled, leaving her feeling famished.

"Oi, that's not true! It wasn't even my fault this time!" Naruto pouted crossing his arms.

XXX

"Naruto have you completely lost your mind?" Sakura asked taken aback at his request.

"You're one of the best medics in the world Sakura, so it obvious that you should train some apprentices. Besides didn't you say that we're in dire need of more medics? I even remember you say you wanted some apprentices when we were teenagers!" Naruto nodded to himself as if that had won him the argument.

"Yes, but four or five apprentices? That's insane Naruto! Do you have any idea how much work teaching just one person medical ninjustu? Not too mention now I have children I have to look after and a hospital to run now that Tsunada left."

"Well I was planning on giving some to Ino too, but then got pregnant." Naruto rubbed the back of his head, before sliding the thick file filled with applicants across the table to her. Sakura's eye twitched, "Just think about it?" Sakura sighed but tucked the folder into her bag.

"Okay that's enough talk about work. This is supposed to be a fun day!" Tenten reminded them as she took a drink of Neji Sake. And the evening cared on with no more, or as little talk about ninja work as possible. They stayed until later then they normal would with the kids. It was way past their bedtimes, but the Sake had made everything more relax and the company was good, even if arguments were unavoidable.

"Guys, we're going to go." Tenten told the group as she rocked Kenji back and forth in her arms.

"Yeah, we're gonna head out too. I think it's time to get the kids to bed, all of them." Kanna gestured to a clearly wasted Kiba. Kanna was leaning down to try to get Kiba up when Lee's voice stopped her.

"Please Kanna, let me help you get Kiba back to your house." Kanna agreed knowing that she would never make it dragging him back by herself at five months pregnant. Akamaru walked over to them, he had Koga on his back asleep, while Amaya and Ah-Un walked sleepily next to him.

The others agreed it was getting late and started gathering their kids and heading home.

Uchiha House

Sakura had the file with the applicants spread over her desk. "So are you going to do it?"

"Even if I wanted to…"

"Do you?" Sasuke asked pulling his shirt over his shoulders and tossing it into the laundry.

"I can't." The pink hair medic started shifting the papers into a pile.

"That's not what I asked." Sasuke moved over to the desk leaning against it. "Do you want to?" Sakura made the mistake of looking into his piercing onyx eyes. She turned back forward but could still feel his intense gaze. She gave the slightest inclination of her head.

"But I just don't have the time. I work late hours already. Saki pretty much lives in the hospital already. I mean, she knows all the nurse and some of the patients by name. If she was in the academy that would be different but she still has two years-"She rambled in one breath but stopped when she felt Sasuke's hand on her shoulder.

"We could get a nanny." The idea was immediately shot down.

"I'm not letting a stranger raise our daughter. It wouldn't be fair." It was quiet for a moment before Sakura started shifting the papers again pushing them into the file. Sasuke grabbed her stopped her by grabbing her wrist. Then leaned forward and grabbed the paper she had been favoring.

"Akira Bishoujo," His eyes scanning the paper. "She sounds a lot like you," Sakura took the paper from his hands putting back in the folder. "We could make it work. Naruto's right you want this."

"You're right Sasuke, I want to! I want to ever since Tsunade told me about the lack of med-nin!" Sakura started grabbing her night clothes. "You tell me how we could make it work and I'll do it, ok?" Sakura called over her shoulder heading to the bathroom to shower. Sasuke knew that Sakura was just trying to make a point but that just made him more eager to prove her wrong. If she thought he was giving up, she was wrong.