Author's Note-Hello, Readers! I'm back with a brand spanking new chapter. This is a big chapter so I hope you're all prepared! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. Only my OCs and my plot.

Chapter 15 *One month later*

"Why has he been gone so long?" I asked sadly. My mother stared at me sympathetically. Eight and a half months pregnant and all I could think about was how my husband was away on a mission.

"He'll be home before the babies are born, I'm sure of it," Mom told me. I sat down next to her and she hugged me. I felt tears in my eyes as I gently rubbed my belly.

"What if he isn't? I don't want him to miss this," I said as I started to cry. I wasn't only upset because he might miss the birth of our children. I just missed him. Even though I always had my mom or Yoshino with me, I was lonely. I just wanted him to hold me. One of my comforts while he'd been gone was that his side of the futon still smelled like him. But even that was starting to fade. I knew that it was selfish, but I just wanted him to come home. There was a knock on the door and Mom released me so she could answer it.

"Hello, Yoshino," she said with a smile as she opened the door. I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes.

"Good evening, Kiko," Yoshino answered with a smile of her own. Mom invited her in and they talked a bit before my mom got ready to go home.

"Try not to worry too much. You don't need the stress. I love you, Sweetie," she said and kissed my forehead.

"Love you, too, Mom." She smiled and headed home.

"Are you hungry, Yumi?" Yoshino asked.

"Sure. Thanks," I said as I tried to smile. She saw right through me.

"What's the matter?" she asked, hand on her hips. I sighed and looked at the floor.

"I miss Shikamaru," I admitted quietly. She sat down next to me and smiled gently. Which shocked me.

"I understand. When I was pregnant with Shikamaru, Shikaku was on a mission. Some of the circumstances are different, but I know how you feel. I missed Shikaku terribly. But everything will be okay." When she finished, she pulled me into a hug. "Now, how about some dinner?"

My due date was fast approaching and Shika still want home. I was beginning to think that he really wouldn't make it. The twins were due in a couple of days and there hadn't been any word about the guys. Mom was cleaning in the kitchen and I knew Yoshino would be over soon to take her place. I heaved myself off the couch and walked to the twins' room, linking my hands under my massive belly. As I leaned in the doorway, the memory of when Shika put the cribs together came back to me.

*Flashback*

Shika was sitting on the floor in the twins' room, staring intently at the assembly instructions for the cribs.

"How's it going?" I asked as I stared at the crib pieces scattered around him. He looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back brightly as he got up and walked to me.

"Great. Just have to start putting them together," he answered. He slid him hand around the back of my neck and pulled me to him, out lips meeting in a soft, loving kiss. My heart fluttered happily as the intensity of the kiss increased. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks and I pulled away.

*End Flashback*

I was yanked out of the memory by a sharp pain in my abdomen. I turned and started to walk back to the living room. Another sharp pain hit and I couldn't help but cry out. My mother rushed to me.

"What's going on?" she asked worriedly. I felt something inside me release and I knew what was happening.

"No, no, no! This can't happen yet!" I cried.

"Yumi, you need to stay calm and tell me what's going on," my mother said firmly.

"My water just broke," I explained.

"Oh, Kami!" she exclaimed. She ushered me towards the door and when she opened it, Yoshino and Hinata stood on the other side. "The babies are coming now!" my mom told them.

"Oh, my!" Yoshino said. They hurried me out the door and to the hospital.

I was laying in the hospital, breathing the way I'd been taught. My mom and Hinata stood on either side of me, holding my hands while Yoshino dabbed at my forehead with a wet cloth. At one point, Ino rushed in excitedly.

"Yumi, I've just gotten word that Shikamaru and the others are close to being home! I'm going to go meet them and I'll try to get Shikamaru here as quick as I can," she told me.

"Oh, Kami! Thank you, Ino!" I cried. She hurried out of the room and Tsunade took her place. She checked to see how far I was dilated.

"Just a little bit longer, Yumi. Then, we can bring these two into the world," she said. She smiled and headed out of the room.

"Yumi, you have to start pushing now!" Tsunade said. I shook my head.

"I can't not until Shikamaru gets here! He has to be here!" I replied as tears ran down my face.

"You have to start pushing or you could harm the babies. Now push!" she insisted. I screamed as I started to push and squeezed my mom and Hinata's hands tightly. The door flew open and Shika stood there, breathing heavily. He rushed to my side and too my hand from Hinata while she and our mothers were rushed from the room.

"You…made it," I said, smiling through my tears. Before he could reply, Tsunade told me to push again and I screamed again and crushed Shika's hand.

"Of course I made it. I wouldn't miss this for the world," he answered. He kissed the back of my hand. "You're doing great. Just keep going," he encouraged. It wasn't long before a baby's cry filled the room. I saw Tsunade hand the baby to Sakura and I relaxed. There was no energy left in my body.

"Keep pushing!" Tsunade exclaimed.

"I …can't," I said tiredly. Shika cupped my cheek and looked into my eyes.

"You have to keep going. I know you can do this. Bring our other baby into the world," he pleaded. I nodded and started to push again. My screams filled the room as Shika kept whispering encouraging words into my ear. I heard crying once again and I knew it was done. My body felt like jelly as I relaxed into the bed.

"They're both okay?" I asked. Shika smiled and pushed some sweat-dampened hair off of my forehead.

"Both of them are fine. You did great. I'm so proud of you," he said as he kissed me. I smiled up at him tiredly. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Shika." Tsunade and Sakura came back, each with a blanket-wrapped bundle.

"Congratulations!" Tsunade said. "A little boy and a little girl." Sakura smiled down at the baby in her arms.

"During the last ultrasound, it looked like this little guy was going to come out second, but he just had to be first." She handed him to Shika and Tsunade handed my daughter to me. I smiled down at the sleeping baby in my arms. She already had thick, black hair. Tears of joy overflowed from my eyes. I looked up at Shika and laughed at the amazement on his face as he looked at our little boy.

"My son," he said softly.

"Let me see him," I laughed. Sakura brought Shika a chair and he took a seat. I looked down at my little boy. Thin, red hair covered his head. "He looks like you, Shika."

"Aside from that trademark red hair," he replied with a smile. He looked over at our daughter and his smile widened. "She's beautiful. Like her mom." I felt myself blush. Shika chuckled when I yawned. At that moment, Tsunade and Sakura brought in two of the hospital's cribs. I yawned again as the two women left.

"Have you thought about any names yet?" I asked. He shrugged. We sat for a while and discussed names.

"What about Shikio?" he asked. I smiled.

"I love it," I answered. "I was thinking Yumiyo."

"Sounds good," he replied. I was looking down at Shikio when he suddenly opened his eyes. Familiar brown eyes looked back at me.

"He has your eyes, Shika," I said as happy tears filled my eyes. Shika looked down and chuckled.

"So he does." Shika watched me as I yawned once again. He placed Shikio in one of the cribs. He then took Yumiyo from me. "You need to rest. Get some sleep," he told me. I smiled up at him.

"Ok. I love you."

"I love you, too. Now get some rest."