Kakashi surveyed his lounge

Crying

Kakashi surveyed his lounge. It looked like a bomb had hit it. The bedroom wasn't much better. At least the kitchen was (fairly) clean. You see, Anko had moved in a few months previously. He heard retching from the bathroom. Anko had been throwing up quite a lot lately- he thought it might be a stomach bug. He heard running water. Then Anko came storming out the bathroom and grabbed the cup of coffee Kakashi proffered. She took a gulp.

"Should you really be drinking that on an empty stomach? Especially since you're throwing up," Kakashi mentioned.

Anko glared at him. "I am going to drink my coffee, and I'd like to see you try and stop me."

"I was just saying-"

"Don't fuck with me, Hatake. It is early, and I've just been sick."

Kakashi shrugged and left it. Any arguments at this time in the morning would likely end up with him leaving for work sore. Anko was definitely not a morning person.

"Anko, I'm going to go now. I think you should go to the hospital and see what's wrong with you. It's starting to worry me."

Anko snorted, glowering over her coffee. "You, worry?"

"Yeah, I do. Bye." Kakashi gave her a quick kiss and headed for the door. He hesitated. "Uh…I love you." He still found it hard to say.

Anko snorted again, but her eyes softened and she hid her smile behind her mug. "Yeah, yeah, love you too. Now go."

Kakashi left the door and yelled over his shoulder: "And tidy up the lounge!"

"Fat chance!" was Anko's reply.

o0o0o0o

Anko was acting funny that evening. They ate dinner in silence, which wasn't usual- Anko was normally bitching about something or the other, but she just sat there looking troubled. Kakashi was concerned.

"Okay. What's wrong?" he asked.

Anko looked up, startled. "Uh…nothing." She avoided his gaze.

"You're talking bullshit, Anko. Something is wrong."

Anko's temper flared and she glared at him. "Maybe there is. I don't have to fucking tell you. Just because I live with you does not mean I have to fucking tell you every little fucking thing that goes on in my life," she snapped.

"I was just asking-"

"Well, don't!"

"Fuck, Anko, I'm worried! I love you, you infuriating woman, I worry about you. Something is obviously bothering you, and I want to know if I can help!" Kakashi shouted, losing his temper.

'You can't. So stay the fuck out of my business. I didn't ask you to sorry about me, I didn't ask you to help. I'm a grown woman, goddamnit, I can look after myself!" Anko yelled the last bit.

Silence followed this outburst. Kakashi picked up his plate and stood up. "Are you finished?" he asked, indicating her plate.

"Yes," she replied shortly, slouching in her chair with her arms crossed. He took her plate and went to the kitchen. He scraped the plates, stacked them, then leant against the counter, gripping it tightly, calming himself down.

Soon, he heard her enter the kitchen. Her arms slipped around his waist and he felt her press against his back.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I was out of hand."

Kakashi unhooked her arms and turned to face her.

"You're not entirely to blame. I'm also at fault," he admitted.

Anko looked at him for a few seconds, then flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

Kakashi hugged her back, surprised, because Anko hardly ever simply hugged him.

"I really do love you, you know," she whispered in his ear.

Kakashi hugged her tighter. Something was definitely not right, but he wasn't going to push. It would only lead to another argument, and he hated fighting with Anko.

"I love you too," he mumbled.

They stayed like that for a few minutes. Then Kakashi heard a muffled sob from his shoulder.

His forehead furrowed and pulled back to face Anko, who let him go and stood there with her head down.

"Anko…are you crying?" he asked, holding her shoulders.

Anko let out a sob and wiped her eyes. "It's…I'm just being stupid…it's nothing…" she mumbled.

Kakashi had never seen her look so vulnerable.

"Anko, it's not nothing. It can't be nothing. You're crying. You never cry," Kakashi said, worried.

Anko raised her head to look at him, and gave him a watery smile. "Kakashi…it's nothing…"

"No, it's not!" Kakashi said urgently.

Anko smiled- it looked a little more real now. She stepped closer and kissed him- his mask was still down from dinner.

"Just leave it," she whispered against his lips and kissed him again.

She pulled back and smiled at him, still in his arms.

Kakashi looked at her, with her red eyes and little smile. He was overwhelmed with a feeling of love and concern for her, and he realized that he didn't want to let her go, ever.

"Marry me," he whispered.

Anko's smile disappeared, replaced by a look of surprise.

"What did you say?"

"Marry me," he repeated. 'I…I…Okay, this is going to sound stupid any way I say it, so…I don't wan to lose you, and...well… yeah…"

Anko bit her bottom lip and she looked down. Then she raised her head to look at him again.

"Kakashi…I…" She broke off, and looked away. Her gaze returned to him. "I'm really flattered you asked-fuck, that sounds cold- but….I can't. Sorry. I can't marry you. If you had asked yesterday, I probably would have said yes, but…I can't," Anko said.

Kakashi frowned. "I don't understand."

"Uh…when I was young, I kinda made a promise to myself. That I wouldn't get married under certain… circumstances."

"….what circumstances?"

Anko let out a laugh. "I'm going to have to tell you why I was crying. And why I was grumpy." She took a deep breath. "I promised myself I wouldn't be a pregnant bride. I'm pregnant. With your child."

kakashi blinked and reached out behind him to the counter for support. "Pregnant?" he whispered.

"Yeah. That's why I've been vomiting. I took your advice and went to the hospital today, and…the health examination results revealed that I'm pregnant."

"You mean…I'm going to be a father?" Kakashi asked.

Anko ducked her head. "Yeah."

"Holy shit," he breathed.

Anko looked up at him, and tears spilled from her eyes.

Kakashi saw the tears and pulled himself together. "Oh, shit, Anko." He drew her into a hug. "It's going to be fine."

"Kakashi, I'm scared. I don't know how to be a mother," Anko choked.

"You'll be great. Anko, you'll be a great mom. We'll do this," Kakashi soothed, letting her cry into his shoulder. "We'll get through this. I'm here for you."

She just cried harder. "I'm sorry, it's the stupid hormones. I can't help it," she sobbed.

"Are you just going to blame everything on the hormones now?" Kakashi asked, trying to cheer her up. He didn't like seeing Anko so vulnerable- it was so unlike her.

She let out a watery laugh. "Yes," she mumbled. She laughed again, and wiped her eyes. "God, I'm being pathetic," she muttered with another laugh.

"Just a little," Kakashi agreed.

She hit him in the chest. "Bastard. You're not supposed to agree." She was smiling.

"Hey, you said it!" he protested, glad to see she was getting back to normal.

She laughed. 'I guess I did." She wiped her eyes and hooked her arms around his neck and tilted her head. Her eyes, although still damp, were sparkling, and she was smiling again.

"Do you know what I think will cheer me up immensely?" she said.

"What?" he asked.

She leaned up and kissed him. She moved her mouth to his ear. "Fuck me," she whispered and drew back, smirking.

"But…can you…I mean…won't it-" Kakashi inquired.

"I can still have sex. I asked. It's safe. Just can't be too acrobatic or rough," Anko laughed, obviously feeling a lot better.

"But that rules out everything fun," Kakashi mock pouted.

Anko laughed and gave him a kiss. 'I guess we'll just have to make up new fun stuff, then."

Kakashi's eye's gleamed. He already had some ideas. "Sounds good to me.'

He grabbed her and kissed her thoroughly before allowing her to drag him out.

o0o0o0o

"Kakashi. I feel bloated. And fat," Anko complained one evening. It was five months since she had found out she was pregnant, so she was due in two months, and she and Kakashi were sitting on the couch.

"Mmm-hmm," Kakashi grunted, reading his book. He had gotten used to his hormonal girlfriend.

CLONK.

Anko's shoe connected with the side of Kakashi's head, thanks to a well-aimed throw.

"I said, I feel fat and bloated," Anko growled.

"Actually, you said you feel bloated and fat, but it's pretty much the same thing," Kakashi said, rubbing the side of his head. That was going to a leave a bump.

Anko blinked, surprised. "You were actually listening?"

Kakashi looked at her and grinned. "Babe, I don't miss a word you say. It would be suicide."

Anko was thrown off stride.

Kakashi laughed at her surprised face. He leaned over and kissed her.

"You're beautiful, babe. Don't worry," he murmured and sat back where he had been sitting.

"Can I read my book now?" he asked.

"Yeah," Anko said, mollified for now.

o0o0o0o

Two months later, Kakashi stood at the ward door, watching his girlfriend doting on their newborn child. It had been a hectic day.

He had almost had a heart attack when Anko had gone into labour, completely freaking out until Anko had told him to, quote unquote, 'get her the fuck to hospital, asshole', and when she was actually pushing the baby out, he had received numerous death threats (You fucking bastard, Hatake Kakashi, you fucking did this to me, I am going to fucking MURDER you, d'you hear me?!). He also reckoned she had come damn near to breaking all of his fingers.

"Kakashi. Get your ass over here and come hold her." Anko's voice broke into his recollections.

He grinned underneath his mask and wandered over. He leant over and gave Anko a quick kiss before turning his attention to his daughter.

"Kaori, here's your daddy. He's going to take good care of you when mommy's not around," Anko cooed before handing Kaori over to Kakashi. The little girl blinked up at the man holding her.

Kakashi gazed down at her. 'She's so…tiny," he whispered.

Kaori squirmed and started to cry. Kakashi looked at her in concern. "Uh…Anko? Your baby's making a funny sound. I think she wants you."

Anko laughed. "Give her here," she said, reaching for Kaori.

Kakashi looked at Anko comforting Kaori, and his heart swelled fit to burst. These were his girls, and if anyone did anything to hurt them, that person would die a painful death. This was his family.

-END-

A/N: Sequel to the sequel. Heh. Ok… I've been told that this story isn't as good as my other ones because it's not that funny. Well, here's my reason as to WHY it's not that funny: If I out in humorous comments, it would seem as if I was making a farce of the fighting and stuff. My friend says I think too much about these things. Hmm……that's a possibility. D Anyhoo, hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of it!! There is a sequel, called Loving.