"Sango! Sango, wake up!" said Lee, gently shaking her. "Are you alright?"

"Hm...? Oh, good morning, Lee!" said Sango. "What's going on?"

"I was worried. You were screaming in your sleep and shouting my name."

"Thanks for waking me up, then. Just another nightmare. It must be from staying up so late last night..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"So, uh, how about breakfast?" asked Sango, getting up from the soft green futon and tying her hair into a loose ponytail. "I'll make sweet rice."

"That sounds wonderful!" he said, kissing her cheek. "Your cooking is always delicious!"

"Okay! It'll be ready in twenty minutes!"

"Hmmm..." Sango sighed, thinking as she walked through Konoha. It was nearly noon, and the summer birds were chirping on the rooftops. "I wonder how Disura and Kakashi're doing..." The two of them had gotten engaged a month ago, or two months after Sango's own wedding. They had gotten married less than twenty-four hours ago, and they had left for their honeymoon when the reception ended at about one a.m. Despite the age difference, they really seemed happy.

"Imagine that," thought Sango. "First Neji and Tenten, Yumi and Shikamaru, Lee and me, Tatsumi and Kiba..."

She paused, thinking back to Tatsumi and Kiba's wedding a month ago. What a party! There was a crazy amount of dancing, awesome food, champagne corks flying everywhere, and... Well, then there was the cake fight. Sango should have known it would happen, knowing how crazy Tatsumi could be. Every person, surface, and wall was completely covered in chocolate cake with fudge icing.

It all started when they were supposed to feed the first bite of cake to each other. Tatsumi smashed it into Kiba's face, he smashed it into hers, she threw a badly aimed (or was it?) piece that hit Ino in the face, and it all went downhill from there. Hokage or not, Naruto couldn't do a thing to stop it - but he didn't want to! Even Gaara, Kikyo, and their kids Hoshi and Hinoiri were there. Everyone had a great time!

"My crazy friends..." said Sango, coming back to reality. "I bet they're at Ichiraku. I'll go meet 'em!"

"Hey, Sango!" Tatsumi called as she came up to the shop. "How's it goin'?"

"Oh, you know, the usual," said Sango. "I've got the most perfect, sweet, charming husband ever, too."

"Not this again!" sighed Ruku.

"Marriage only made it worse," said Jakku.

"It's true, though!" said Sango, faking anger. "But anyway, what's new with you guys? All these missions make it hard to socialize very often."

"Well, I'm leaving the village tonight..." said Ruku.

"WHAAAT?!" Tatsumi shrieked, jumping up and grabbing his shirt collar. "WHAT, THE, HECK, IS, WRONG, WITH, YOU?!" she screamed as she shook him.

"It's-just-for-a-mis-sion-o-kay?!" he said breathlessly. "I'll-on-ly-be-a-few-months!" Tatsumi stopped, slowly releasing him.

"... Why?"

"I was going to tell you before you tried to kill me! I'm going up to the mountains to work on some new jutsu. Tons of thinking time, nothing to disturb me..." he said, glaring at Tatsumi.

"Oh, come on!" she said angrily. "I'm not that - Uh, well, heh heh. Guess I am. Sorry."

"Uh-huh," said Ruku.

"Anyway, Ruku," Sango cut in, "why are you trying to learn so many new jutsu right now? The ones you know are already really powerful."

"I'll show you when I get back."

"So, then," said Jakku, "when should we come to see you off?"

"Don't," said Ruku. He looked down sadly. "Don't come tonight. It's already hard to leave the village for so long. Saying goodbye to you guys'll only make it harder. I hate long goodbyes."

"Aww, look who's all sentimental now," Tatsumi said, smirking.

"Aww, look who I'm about to kill," said Ruku.

"Well, then," said Sango, "I guess I should say goodbye now. I've got to meet the others for training. See you in a few months, Ruku!"

"See ya, Sango!" Sango nodded and leapt away, running nimbly and silently over the rooftops.

"Sango!" Guy-sensei called as he spotted her. "Right on time!" Sango leapt off of the tall sakura tree and landed in front of him.

"Shouldn't a good shinobi always be on time, Sensei?" she asked, smiling.

"Unless you're Kakashi."

"Good point."

"So, Sango," said Neji. "How is married life treating you? We haven't trained together for a while."

"Perfect, thanks for asking. But speaking of marriage, where did - HYAAH!" she yelled as someone tried to kick her from behind and she flipped him over her to the ground. "Oh, there you are, Lee."

"It is nearly impossible to get past you, Sango," he said, smiling brightly. Guy-sensei's chest swelled with pride.

"Well, then," he grinned, "let's get to training so it's easier to get past her!"

"You're on!" said Sango, assuming a fighting stance. She slowly loosened her arm bandages and cracked her knuckles. Lee did the same.

"Remember, Sango and Lee," said Guy-sensei, "when we're training, the rules of husband and wife don't ap-" Sango and Lee immediately leapt at each other in a frenzy of lightning-fast kicks and punches. They attacked, retreated, dodged, and threw weapons so quickly it made the others dizzy to watch.

"-ply," Guy-sensei finished dazedly. "Why do I bother trying to tell them that?" he said sadly. "They're not helpless little genin anymore."

"Sensei?" Tenten said gently. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." he sighed. "Just reflecting a little. It just seems like you guys grew up way too fast..."

"Maybe, but..." Tenten seemed at a loss for words. "Well, we're all still here, aren't we? No one's left the village or anything."

"Right," said Neji, stepping toward them, "and we'll never want to. Especially since..."

"What?" said Guy, suddenly concerned.

"Haven't you heard? Tenten said incredulously at Guy's blank look. "Lord Hokage and Lady Hinata are expecting a baby in seven months. And..."

"And what, and what?" said Guy, starting to catch the hint.

"Well," said Neji, hesitating a bit, "when Lady Hinata married Naruto and granted me the title of clan leader..."

"They gave up any claim to their children becoming the Hyuga heirs," said Tenten.

"Yes..." Guy said uncertainly. "But why does that have any say in your staying here?"

"That's just it. Neji and I don't want to leave because then the Hyuga family would have no heir, and because... well..."

"Just say it already, please!" Guy yelled. "The suspense is killing me!"

"Tenten and I are - well we're," Neji stammered.

"E-expecting a baby, too," said Tenten. Guy-sensei stood open-mouthed and stared wide-eyed at them, not believing his ears.

"Wait one second," he finally managed in a strangled whisper. He turned back toward the fight in the distance. "Sango, Lee!" he called. "Stop killing each other and come here for a second!"

"Okay, I'll be r - OW!" said Sango as she dropped her guard and Lee's kick connected with her cheek, sending her through the air.

"Sango!" cried Lee, leaping up and catching her in his arms. "Why did you drop your guard?"

"Guy-sensei wanted us over there." She slowly wiped the blood off of her face. "By the way, nice contact on that one." They joined hands and walked over to the others.

"What is it, Sensei?" asked Lee. "What is so important?"

"Well," Tenten answered instead, "er... um..."

"Tenten and I are expecting a baby," Neji finished.

"You - I - But - Wh - Who - and - HUH?!" Sango stammered.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" Lee yelled, smiling ear to ear.

"Neji, that's great! Awesome!" yelled Guy, picking up both Neji and Tenten in a backbreaking hug. Sango and Lee joined him.

"Can't... breathe..." said Neji.

"You're killing me, guys!" said Tenten.

"Sorry," Guy said sheepishly as he released them. "But wow! Neji, I never thought you would've - Ah, never mind!" He hugged them both again. "How about we all go out and celebrate? My treat!"

So as Guy-sensei teared up over how fast youth could come and go, the five members of Team Guy headed off to Ichiraku to celebrate. As the sun set behind them, Ruku glanced back toward the village from the main gate and leapt into the cover of the trees.