Okay all, here is the next chapter. I hope you all like it. Thanks to all those people who read and reviewed and added me to their alerts and faves lists. I am extremely grateful. Replies to anonymous reviewers are below.

Rezzkat: Thanks so much for both your reviews. I'm really glad you like the story, and don't worry about giggling if you found something silly. I do things like that myself. I'm very grateful for your review, and it's nice to know that you appreciated my story enough to read it until the end and not slag it off afterwards. For some reason I've been getting flack for not writing original stories. As in I shouldn't write fanfiction I should write my own work. But I think it' unfair to make a base judgement on fanfics. Anywho, I hope that you enjoy this chapter. There are only two more after this one, so we're pretty close to the end. I hope it keeps your attention.

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The Boy In The Orange Jumpsuit.

Chapter Eighteen – New Lives.

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It had been a few months since the refugees had arrived. Everyone was crammed in, working as hard as they could to find money to carry on with their lives, get somewhere to live, afford education for their children, and so on. Today, there was a great festival. It was a religious holiday for those who believed in the Will of Fire and everyone crowded around at the bazaar. Sasuke pleaded with his mother for them to go and see everything. He'd never seen so many people running around, doing so many different things. In one spot, Sasuke saw fire breathers and he wished he could do the same thing. At another spot, they saw acrobats, who seemed to be flying as they were tossed into the air. It was as they passed a stall, that sold stuffed toys, that Sasuke saw it. A green frog teddy. He looked at it and recalled Naruto's lost frog teddy that he spoke of and then looked at his mother.

"Can we please get this Mother?" Sasuke asked. Mikoto looked at the frog teddy seriously.

"I didn't think you liked frogs Sasuke." Mikoto replied to her son. Sasuke shook his head.

"It's not for me. It's for Naruto. He used to have one but he lost it when he had to move away, and then he had to go to the camps, and he never got it back. So this could be a new one." Sasuke told his mother earnestly. Mikoto smiled at her son.

"That is a very sweet thought Sasuke." Mikoto said. The woman who owned to stall looked at Mikoto and Sasuke.

"You said you wanted for your friend who lost his one before he got taken to the camps?" The woman asked. Sasuke nodded vigorously.

"Yes ma'am. He said it was called Gama-Chan, but they lost it when they had to leave their homes." Sasuke replied.

"How much will it be?" Mikoto asked the woman. The woman shook her head and handed the frog to them.

"Take it. It's not every day I see a young man of your son's age who wants to do something so kind." The woman said. Sasuke grinned widely.

"Thank you ma'am!" Sasuke exclaimed happily. Mikoto smiled as Sasuke ran off.

"He's a good boy. You should be so proud." The woman said kindly. Mikoto nodded.

"I am proud of him." Mikoto said happily.

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Naruto had just come out of the Temple with his family when Sasuke came running up, Mikoto and Itachi close behind him.

"Naruto look what I found for you!" Sasuke yelled out. Naruto and Sakura watched as Sasuke made his way to them. He handed Naruto a green frog teddy. Naruto looked at it in awe.

"It looks just like Gama-Chan doesn't it Mom?" Naruto asked his mother. Kushina nodded, a couple of tears dropped from her eyes and she swiped them away.

"Yes sweetheart. It does." Kushina said gently. Naruto was confused.

"Why are you crying Mom?" Naruto asked.

"Because I'm happy sweetie. It's because I'm happy." Kushina replied. Naruto wasn't sure he quite understood, but he hugged Sasuke gratefully and looked at his new frog teddy.

"Thanks Sasuke." Naruto said happily.

"That's okay." Sasuke replied.

xXxXxXx ONE MONTH LATER xXxXxXx

Mikoto had not been feeling well for the last few months. It was now that she had Sasuke and Itachi in school that she decided to go and see Tsunade at the hospital. She was a woman, and Mikoto felt more comfortable with a female doctor. At any rate, she didn't want to have to ask her husband's cousin or uncle to examine her, it didn't feel right. So Mikoto headed towards the hospital. It was as she was about to enter, that she bumped into Kushina.

"Kushina, how are you?" Mikoto asked.

"I'm alright thank you Mikoto. How are you?" Kushina replied. Mikoto bit the inside of her cheek.

"I'm not sure. Is Tsunade-San busy?" Mikoto asked. Kushina frowned slightly.

"No, she isn't. I just spoke to her. Are you feeling unwell?" Kushina asked. Mikoto nodded.
"I don't know what's wrong with me. I've been feeling run down for the last few months, but I was hoping it was nothing. I'd rather get checked out. I'm the only parent my boys have now. I have to keep myself healthy." Mikoto said softly. Kushina nodded and the pair went in to the hospital to find Tsunade.

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"So that is why we are a free nation." Iruka had just finished explaining the history of Konoha's independence. A very shy girl who was sat a few rows up from Naruto, Sasuke and Naruto, put up a hand.

"I-I-Iru-ruka S-s-sensei?" The girl stuttered out.

"Yes Hinata?" Iruka asked the girl.

"H-how ab-bout the de-de-declaration of K-k-konoha's independence f-f-from Kiri?" Hinata asked. She was very smart for a seven year old. Everyone said it, even Naruto and Sasuke had to admit that Hinata was very smart. She was shy, and stuttered through everything she said, but her marks were the top of the class. Iruka smiled at the shy girl.

"I will explain that in a few moments Hinata. Does anyone else have any questions?" Iruka asked the class in general. No one did, so Iruka went on to explain the answer to Hinata's question.

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"Pregnant?" Mikoto asked in shock. Tsunade nodded.

"I would estimate you're four months along Mikoto. Congratulations." Tsunade replied. Mikoto wondered how she was going to tell her sons they were getting a new brother or sister.

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Itachi walked Sasuke back to Madara's home where they were living with their mother, Obito, Rin, and some of the other children who had come with them on the journey. They saw their mother waiting for them on the front steps, looking thoughtful.

"Mother? What's wrong?" Itachi asked. Mikoto licked at her lips.

"It seems that you are both going to be getting a new brother or sister." Mikoto said seriously. Sasuke wasn't sure if he liked this idea or not. It wasn't something that he'd experienced before. Itachi, on the other hand, was rather calm. He placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"See Sasuke, having a little brother or sister means you have to protect them like I protect you. Don't worry so much. I'll teach you." Itachi told him gently. Sasuke couldn't help smiling. Whatever happened now, Sasuke knew he would have to deal with it like Itachi would, so that he could teach his new brother or sister the right way to act. Things were changing greatly, and it was moments like these where Sasuke wondered what his father was doing.

xXxXxXx SIX MONTHS LATER xXxXxXx

Sasuke had turned eight recently. Itachi was still thirteen, when their mother gave birth to a new brother. Mikoto had smiled as she told Itachi and Sasuke their new brother was named Sai. Sasuke found himself fascinated by his new brother. The baby was so small, and spent a lot of time crying or sleeping or eating. But Itachi had informed Sasuke that he did all the same things when he was a baby, so Sasuke didn't mind too much. He did get a little jealous that his mother spent so much time on the baby. A month after Sai had been born, Sasuke was at Naruto's Uncle Inoichi's house, visiting Naruto.

"What's wrong Sasuke?" Naruto asked him. Naruto himself was due to turn eight soon. Sasuke frowned, not sure whether to tell Naruto what he was thinking or not. He finally decided that, as Naruto was his best friend, he had to tell him.

"My Mother spends so much time with Sai that I hardly get to see her." Sasuke said sadly. Naruto nodded as though he understood.

"I sometimes didn't like that my Mom spent so much time with Sakura. But sometimes, Sakura needed my Mom's time. Just like now, Sai needs your Mom's time. He can't do anything for himself right? So somebody has to help him. Maybe if you help your Mom with Sai, then you can spend some time with her and Sai." Naruto suggested. Sasuke thought about it for a few moments, before nodding.

"Yeah, maybe. He is gonna be my little brother forever. So I should help with him sometimes." Sasuke agreed. Naruto grinned.

"See? You can spend time with your Mom and your little brother." Naruto stated.

"Maybe... sometimes... you can come too?" Sasuke asked. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. We can look after your baby brother together sometimes. Sasori-Aniki says that two heads are better than one." Naruto said. Sasuke agreed whole heartedly, and the two carried on playing together.

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Okay all, next chapter will skip ahead a few years, and then chapter twenty will be the last one. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please R&R and let me know what you think and I will update as soon as I can.