Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. This is just for fun, no profit will be made from this (and I don't want to either). This is purely for my and the entertainment of Naruto fans.

Dedication: To my beautiful, amazing, intelligent, girlfriend Phillipa (Shadow Spirit Dragon-wolf) for being there for me through not only my writing (both fanfiction and my original story) but real life in general. You have been my inspiration and my support through everything.

Warnings: Violence, explicit sexual conduct (no rape!) homosexual relationship, relationship with a large age gap, struggles with belonging, self-hatred, obsession, self-harm, self-experimentation, human experimentation, mental disorders, a dark view of the "afterlife", (bonding of) pain and isolation, self-worthlessness, and male pregnancy.

Pairings: NaruOro, canon pairings (except, obviously, NaruHina).

Summary: Sometimes, the deepest scars are the ones no one can see, but in a world moving into the light even the oldest inner wounds can be seen

Enjoy! :)

Chapter Forty: Firelight

Naruto

Oreo and I are snuggled in his hospital bed. The baby shower went over extremely well. Things I didn't even think about people gifted to our child.

I run my fingers through Oreo's hair, kissing the top of his head. I never imagined this would be my life, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The gifts have been placed in a special location that Oreo is unaware of. I can't wait to show him the surprise! Everyone's worked so hard on it too!

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired, but I'm alright. And you?"

"Happy," I whisper, holding him closer.

Oreo smiles against my neck. "I still don't understand how I make you happy, but I'm grateful that I do."

"Well, once I got to know you, I couldn't help but fall in love. And this child," I say, rubbing Oreo's swollen tummy gently, "is the product of that love."

"Yes," Oreo smiles, lacing our fingers together.

I breathe him in. I can't believe this man was once my enemy and now is the mother of my child.

We just lie here in silence, basking in each other's presence. Slowly, I start to drift off. I'm nearly there when Oreo lets out a scream of pain as he jolts up.

"Oreo!" I exclaim, sitting up as well.

He clenches his teeth, squeezing my hand for a moment then he falls against the giant pillow.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. It was merely a false labour pain."

"Are you sure?"

Oreo nods, closing his eyes.

I watch him then nod. "You'll let me know if something is wrong?"

"You know I will."

Silence fills the air for a short moment until, once again, Oreo hisses in pain. This time, it lasting a bit longer and seemingly more painful than the last.

"Oreo…"

"I'm fine, Kit. He's just preparing me."

"Well… if you're sure…"

"How will I know when the baby is coming?"

"the contractions," Sakura replies. "They come more frequently and the pain is more intense. When his contractions are at least two minutes apart, come and get me."

Oreo's grip on my hand becomes bruising. Tears fall as he gasps for breath.

I hold him close, comforting him the best I know how.

He's able to relax for only a moment before another wave of intense pain comes.

Alright, this can't be false labour pains! I quickly make a shadow clone and retrieve Sakura.

"It's okay, Oreo. You're going to be okay," I whisper, holding him close.

Sakura comes in moments later, my shadow clone disappearing.

"Help him lie back against the pillow."

I do as she says.

"Take deep breaths, Orochimaru." she says as she pulls the blanket down and Oreo's gown up. She presses her palms against his tummy, green chakra dancing against it.

Oreo obeys, closing his eyes.

I hold his hand, rubbing the top of it with my thumb.

Sakura looks at us. "Orochimaru, you're in labour."

"L-labour…?" Oreo barely manages out as another contraction hits him.

"Yes. Now, I need you to listen to me."

"Yes, alright," Oreo gasps.

"Naruto, will you gather Lady Tsunade, Kabuto, Shizune, Hinata, and Sasuke?"

"Get Anko too…"

Just as I make a shadow clone, Oreo lets out an ear piercing shriek of pain.

"Oreo!"

"Naruto!"

"I know!" my shadow clone exclaims, leaving.

Everyone I was told to come, does.

"Check his vitals, set up a large bowl of water, and anesthesia."

Everyone runs around, setting things up.

"Slow, deep breaths," Sakura instructions gently.

Oreo breaths in and out slowly.

"He's going into Eclampsia!" Shizune shouts.

"What's that?"

"It's when a person's blood pressure is at a critical level when they're pregnant," Sasuke replies.

"Oh, but we fixed that…"

"The body is focused on expelling the child, so it makes certain functions not work the way they normally would," he replies.

"Orochimaru-sensei!" anko exclaims, rushing over to her sensei.

Oreo looks at his student with half lidded eyes. "You… came…"

"Of course, Sensei."

"What is the condition of the egg?" Kabuto asks.

"It's dropped about three cenimeters," Sakura replies.

"Prepare to give him the anthethisa."

"No!" Oreo manages to yell out between screams and gasps of pain.

"Oreo, you need that."

"I can handle being cut open! I want to see my son!"

"Orochimaru, please listen. You will see your son, but right now it's imperative that you are put under athethsia."

"No!"

"Oreo, please…"

"I will be the first to hold-"

Oreo starts to shake, blood trickling out of his mouth.

"Oreo!"

"Sensei!"

"Lord Orochimaru!"

"Put him under anthethisa, now! We have to get this egg out! It's pushing against the snakes!"

"N-no... " Oreo gasps. "please…"

I run my fingers through his hair as Kabuto injects him.

"It's going to be okay, Lord Orochimaru."

"N-Naruto…" Oreo gasps as he falls into a deep sleep.

"Naruto, please get off the bed. We need room."

I nod, kissing my lover's lips then tummy before getting up.

I stay close, but out of their way as they prepare to cut into Oreo's tummy. I whisper gentle words of love and encouragement and keep an eye on the equipment as I was taught.

I watch as they make the incision, blood pooling out and onto the towel Granny Tsunade had put under Oreo before they began.

White snakes, covered in blood and muscus like grossiness, slither and hiss angrily in a jumble.

"Calm yourselves," Sasuke says, activating his sharingan.

The snakes still after a bit.

"I need the water," Sakura says.

Shizune grabs the pot as Granny Tsunade and Kabuto keep the area open and infection-free with medical ninjutsu.

Hinata keeps an eye out on Oreo's chakra levels.

Jugo whispers gently to Kieski off to the side, trying his best to calm her down.

Sakura dips her hand into the water, creating a bubble similar to the one she created when extracting the poison from Kankuro.

She places the bubble in the wound as Sasuke forces the snakes aside gently. When her hand reappears, it's holding the egg.

"I need someone to bring me the incubator," Sakura says, turning and holding the egg with both hands, water splattered on her medical gown and on the floor.

Anko rolls the incubator machine over.

Sakura places the egg in the machine, turning it on.

"How long…?"

"It should hatch soon," Hinata says, focusing on the eggs with her Byakugan.

"Stitch Orochimaru up!"

Shizune and Tsunade work on doing just that. Sakura and Kabuto stay near the egg.

I'm torn. I know I could make a shadow clone, but…"

"Lord Naruto," Jugo says from behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder. I nearly jump. "Go see your child be born."

"I…"

"We won't let anything happen to him. Just make a shadow clone."

I nod, doing so. I kiss my lover once again then let my other self take care of the rest.

XXXX

Days go by and the egg still isn't hatching! On top of that, Oreo still hasn't woken up! Apparently he's running some sort of fever on top of the surgery he just went through. Poor Oreo!

My shadow clone keeps me up to date on my loves' condition. I'm so glad I taught myself that jutsu!

For about the past thirty-six hours, none of us have slept. While one group is a waiting the egg to hatch, the other is monitoring Oreo.

Sakura said the actually getting the egg out took about sixteen hours with everything they had to do. It's crazy how time goes by.

I stare at the egg through the glass. I watch as the heat radiates off of it.

I sigh. "Is it ever going to hatch?"

"Patience, Naruto." Hinata says.

"It's been so long…"

"It's a special situation though," Sakura says, using a stethoscope on the eggs once she's removed the glass. "I hear sounds…"

"What kind?"

"Gurgling and hissing. I also hear a heart beat and slight breathing."

"The egg is filled with a great abundance of chakra and fluid."

"So does that mean he's okay?"

"We won't know for sure until he's born, but it seems he isn't in immediate danger within the egg," Hinata replies.

I nod, sighing in relief.

As dawn breaks into the sky, the egg begins to crack.

"Be prepared," Sakura tells Shizune and Hinata.

"Of course," Shizune says, already having the supplies ready.

A small child emerges from the egg. Bright blue eyes with elliptical pupils (Oreo taught me that word!) stare at me, unblinking. Tears fall as I take in the sight of my son.

He has pale skin, just a shade or two darker than Oreo's, a head full of blue-white hair with a few streaks of blond and black mixed in. There are different coloured scales scattered along his tummy, sides, and back leading to his tail.

I gasp seeing the beauty of it. The tail starts off black then is wrapped in layers of gold, dark blue, orange, and splotches of red. A purple, that matches Oreo's clan markings, create a zigzag pattern right in the middle of the front of his tail.

"Hello, precious," In whisper, reaching in the grab him. The baby stares at me.

Suddenly, Sakura grabs him instead and he starts wailing.

"Sakura!"

"He needs to be checked b over!" Sakura calls as she and Shizune rush with the cart of supplies. "Hinata, keep Naruto out of the way!"

"Right!"

"Hinata…"

"The baby didn't get enough nutrients. His chakra isn't stable. I'm not sure what else, but he looks pretty tiny to me."

"But b you said-"

"That b he was fine in n the egg, which he was. But now…"

"I just b want to n hold him."

"You will. Have patience and believe in Sakura and your son."

Preview

Orochimaru

I waste no time opening the case and picking the baby up after I've gently undone his equipment. I walk over to the bed, Naruto right behind me.

We get on the bed, starting at the bundle in my arms.

I unwrap him, smiling at the little toad onez he has on. He stares at me, smiling.

I burst into a sob, holding him close, and rocking him gently.

Next update date:

I hope y'all enjoyed! Until next time :).