A/N: Ok I took some liberties with how long the Chounin Exams take, I can't really have it take a month in between the third and final round.

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Chapter 13

Week Twenty-Three

Two younger boys were playing in the grass and trees. Their father could hear them laughing as they messed around play fighting.

"Be careful Little Ones." Their father called.

"Yes Father." The eldest replied.

"I'm going to win this time Niisan."

"In your dreams Asura."

Their father chuckled at his boys rolling around on the ground. They were just having fun and messing around. He wasn't too worried about one of them being hurt. The boys often played around in the forest together. It wasn't often that he would be able to go and watch them. Typically Indra took his little brother out to train and often they spent more time playing around instead. The two boys were what he cared about most in this world. He would love them from now until the end of time.

Pain's eyes snapped open. He had fallen asleep in his walker looking out at the village. Based on the location of the moon he could tell that it was just after two in the morning. Pain had no idea what that dream was about. It was weird and left him feeling confused, but also familiar. He couldn't explain it. He had never had a dream like this before, it felt so real to him. Almost as if it was some sort of memory. It made no sense and Pain knew this was going to bother him for the rest of the night. If he was honest with himself, a lot had been different in the past few months. He didn't truly know how he felt about any of it. What was unnerving was how right it all felt. It felt right having Sasuke here. It felt right to have the twins living here. It all felt so right and that shook Pain down to his core.

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It was just after three in the morning when Kakashi quietly walked into Sasuke's bedroom. Ever since he had decided to stay here he would come in the middle of the night to check in on Sasuke. He had always been sleeping and never even knew that someone had walked in. It was more of a comfort to Kakashi to be able to see that Sasuke was ok and his chakra was in good standing. This time though when he walked into the room, the bed was empty. He could hear crying coming from the bathroom. He turned his head and saw that the door was open, the light wasn't on, but Kakashi was able to see from the small light by the bed being on, a habit Sasuke seemed to have gotten into. Sasuke was sitting on the side of the tub in his sleep clothes. He was crying and Kakashi could just barely see the kunai in his right hand. That was when the faint smell of blood hit Kakashi. In that moment Kakashi knew what had happened, Sasuke had cut. According to Itachi Sasuke hadn't done this in months, something must have happened for Sasuke to do it now.

Kakashi made his way into the bathroom and quietly spoke once he got there.

"It's ok Sasuke."

Sasuke looked up at him and there was nothing but pure, raw pain in his eyes. "Is it ever really going to be ok? It's so hard Kakashi. I'm trying, but it's so hard sometimes. Itachi is going to be so pissed with me for this."

Kakashi spoke as he went and sat down beside Sasuke and placed a comforting hand along his back. "No he's not. He is never going to be mad at you over something as serious as this. He wants you healthy again, but he knows that won't happen overnight. He knows it takes time. I know it hurts. I know it's the hardest thing in this world for someone to try and get over. And I don't just mean the cutting. What you went through Sasuke is horrible. What you are still going through is horrible. There are going to be days where you can handle everything and more. And then there will be days where the weight makes it hard to breathe. On those days is when you need to reach out to one of us so we can help you carry the weight. So it doesn't destroy you."

"Everyone is already so worried about me. Constantly worried and looking out for me. I hate being a burden, I don't want to add to it."

"You can never be a burden Sasuke to any of us. We do what we do, because we care about you. We don't see you as a burden at all. We want to know when something is hurting you so we can help you through it and make it stop hurting. Talk to me Sasuke, what happened tonight?"

"Just a nightmare."

"A nightmare or a memory?" Kakashi asked gently.

"Memory." Sasuke said with a great deal of pain in his voice.

"Do you want to tell me about it?

"No. I just want to forget."

"I can understand that Sasuke, but the only way to forget is to talk about it. That's the only way you'll heal from it and be able to move on. I'm not saying you have to talk to me, but you need to talk to someone about it. If you don't it will keep hurting you and eventually it will destroy you."

"I'm not ready yet."

"And that's ok. Just know that when you are, I'll be there for you if you wish. For now, let's get your wrist cleaned up and get you back into bed. You were tired all day today, your body needs sleep."

Sasuke just gave a nod and softly said, "Ok."

Kakashi got up and grabbed the first aid supplies that were kept under the sink. He made quick work of getting Sasuke's wrist cleaned up and wrapped. He had been hoping that this wouldn't have happened again, but it was only natural that Sasuke would still be having a hard time with everything that happened to him. Just because he had gone months without cutting didn't mean that it wouldn't still happen when a painful memory was brought forward. The only way to truly stop it was to deal with each memory that came up and for Sasuke to learn new coping methods to help him during the harder periods. With Sasuke's wrist cleaned up Kakashi helped to get Sasuke back into bed.

"What were you doing here?" Sasuke asked, as he went and laid down on his left side.

"I come in the night to check in on you. Normally you are sleeping."

"You check in on me every night?" The surprise in Sasuke's voice didn't go unnoticed.

"I do. I want to make sure that you and the twins are ok. I know I haven't really come across as excited about this situation, but I do care about you and they are my sons as well. I don't think I'll be a very good father, but I will always be there for you three and protect you three. There isn't much I can do to help you while you are pregnant, but I can make sure you are safe and make it to term. So I check in on you every night to make sure you are ok."

"That's why you'll be a good father."

"I guess we'll see. Are you ok for chakra?"

"I'm fine."

"I can stay if you want."

"It's ok. I'm gonna try and sleep."

"Alright, but if you need anything don't hesitate to come and get me. I mean it."

"Ok."

Kakashi headed out of the room and back to his. He had no idea how well Sasuke would sleep for the rest of the night, but he knew that he would be able to sleep tomorrow as much as he wanted. They were going to be getting the wood delivered tomorrow and they would be able to start building the apartment. Sasuke wouldn't be able to help them with it so he could just rest if he was tired. Kakashi was hoping Sasuke would get back to sleep and be in better spirits tomorrow.

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Konan walked into the Throne room and saw Pain sitting in his walker looking out at the village. She could sense that something was bothering him almost right away. More and more recently Pain had been having these troubling or conflicting thoughts. His plan had been so simple and clear to him. Then Sasuke showed up and Pain almost instantly started to question everything. Konan wasn't worried about it. She thought Sasuke was good for him. Pain needed to question his idea of peace. He needed someone that could challenge him mentally and bring out his humanity. It had been a long time since she had seen his humanity and she was very glad to see if coming through again.

"What's troubling you?" Konan asked gently.

"A dream."

"That's not like you. Nightmare?"

"No, a normal dream."

"What about it has you troubled?"

"It felt real. It felt like a memory, as if I've lived it before."

"Dreams can be like that sometimes. It's nothing to worry over. What was it?"

"A father watching his two sons play fighting. The one was called Asura, I don't know about the other."

"I'm not understanding why this dream has you troubled."

"Because it was through the eyes of the father. Through my eyes. He called them Little Ones. I could feel what he felt. I could feel his love for them. It felt real Konan."

"That can happen. I don't think you should read too much into it." Konan knew how easy it was for Pain to obsess over little things. She didn't think there was any cause for concern over a dream.

"Hm."

Konan knew that Pain would still be thinking about this dream for a long time, regardless of what she said. She decided to change topics.

"Any word from Zetsu or Tobi?"

"No. I have also not discovered Orochimaru's body."

"He's still alive."

"And in hiding. Tobi wants something from him, my guess would be Sasuke and the twins."

"He wants them gone so Itachi can turn to darkness. If no one will kill him, the next best option he has is for Orochimaru to get him. Still makes no sense though. Tobi knows you never leave here. He knows you are watching. What is Orochimaru going to do?"

"No one can get into the village, not even that snake. The second he steps foot inside I would know about it. And not even a Sanin is strong enough to take me down. This plan seems desperate."

"Which is not like Madara. In order to kill Sasuke the attack has to come from inside, Tobi would know that. There must be another reason for him to keep Orochimaru alive. Maybe to help him not age? Sasuke said Tobi felt younger than what Madara would be."

"Possible. We need to find Orochimaru and ask him before Tobi has the chance to utilize whatever his plan is."

"Just so I'm clear, our original plan to create the ten tails, is that no longer the plan?"

"It stopped being the plan when the Little One walked through our door. For now we play along until Tobi's true identity and plan comes to light."

"We will figure it out. We always do. Sasuke is also very smart, I'm sure he will figure it out one day. We have the time, like you said. We play along and work on making our own plan. We will see peace Nagato."

"I know we will. The Little One is key to that peace. We protect him and the twins with everything we have. When the time comes, he will be ready." Pain said determined more than ever.

Konan wasn't sure what had Pain so confident that Sasuke would be the one to force peace onto the world. She didn't see him in that light. She saw a young man that could be one hell of a ninja with the right training. She didn't see how Sasuke could help bring peace outside of fighting on the right side. Pain always saw people differently though. If he saw something that special inside of Sasuke, Konan had no doubt about it. She was going to make sure the three of them survived this pregnancy and everything that came after it.

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Kakashi walked into the kitchen just after six that morning to see Itachi and Kisame already there. Itachi was cooking some breakfast while Kisame got them coffee. Sasuke wasn't here yet and Kakashi was doubting he would be up this early after last night.

"Morning." Kakashi said.

"Morning. Did you hear Sasuke moving?" Itachi asked.

"No, he's probably sleeping. He was up in the middle of the night."

"Was he ok?" Itachi asked, giving Kakashi his full attention.

"He should talk to you about it."

"You should tell me now." Itachi demanded.

Kakashi let out a sigh. He didn't want to anger Itachi. At the same time though, it should come from Sasuke what happened.

"You need to let him tell you, but he had a bad nightmare last night, around three. I check on him every night around the same time just in case he needs anything or if something is wrong. Last night was the first time he was awake. I found him crying in the bathroom. He had cut last night."

"What?" Kisame asked upset.

"He should have come to me. He knows that." Itachi said frustrated that Sasuke had taken this step back. He had gone months without cutting, he thought Sasuke was past this.

"It's not that simple Itachi, you know that. It's easy to say for him to go and talk to you when the craving is starting. It's completely different for his mind to register talking to you when all he can feel are their hands on him. When he can hear the horrible things that was said to him. And that's before you add in the hormones that are flooding his system. He's going to have slips like this and how you react to them will dictate how he handles them. The last thing any of us want is Sasuke cutting and hiding it."

Kisame came up behind Itachi and placed his hand on his hip. "He's right Babe. We knew it wasn't going to be perfect. It might never be. Just because the nightmares slowed down, doesn't mean it doesn't still affect him. We gotta handle this right. He's got to know he's not in trouble for it. We can't take our frustrations out on him for what they did to him."

Itachi let out a slow deep breath to calm himself down. He knew what they were saying was right. Sasuke wasn't to blame for any of this and it would only make sense that he would have slips. Itachi had been hoping it wouldn't happen, but they were clearly a long way away from that happening.

"I know, I know. Did he say anything last night about it?"

"No. I tried to get him to talk about it, but he wasn't having it. He said he wasn't ready yet. The problem is, I don't think there is a ready for it. I think he's going to have to talk about it as they come up ready or not. Talking about the memories is the only way he will be able to move on from it all. To heal from it. He did seem to be regretful for doing it. He was scared about how you would react though. He thinks you are going to be mad at him for it. I told him you wouldn't be. I think he regretted it the second after he did it, and that's good. That regret will make him hesitate next time and that slight hesitation could be enough for him to go to someone first."

"That is a positive sign. I'll go and speak with him and see if he's hungry." Itachi said, as he stepped away from Kisame and headed out of the kitchen.

"He's stressed." Kakashi said to Kisame regarding Itachi.

"He's feeling useless. He can't help Sasuke carry the twins. He can't find the Hunters and make them pay for what they did to him. He can't even give him chakra anymore. The only thing he can do is make sure the apartment is finished so the twins have a home when they're born. He's stressed to get it done. The twins aren't supposed to be here for thirteen more weeks, but they could come anytime. And that is making him more stressed. The twins won't survive yet, not for another five weeks, and the closer that comes the more stressed he is. Because he's terrified that Sasuke will lose them and he will not only lose his nephews, but his brother."

"I can understand that. They have always been close and the one thing Itachi has always done is protect him. None of this was something he could protect him from. I get feeling useless. I didn't even get him pregnant and yet I feel completely useless to help him. Cooking for him doesn't seem enough. Nothing seems like enough. From what I remember the only time Itachi has ever been stressed is over Sasuke. He makes him human. All of this stress can't be good for Itachi's health though."

"It's not. He's not sleeping much at night from it. His mind is always going over

what needs to be done. Plus everything else that is happening around here. It's a lot for him to take."

"Then we help the both of them. We get that apartment done. Take some of the stress away from Itachi. I can make clones and we work our asses off to get it done."

"That's my plan. Sasori will be back by the end of the week. He can help once he gets here. Work late and get it done early. Framing takes the longest, then it's plumbing and electrical. After that it's just drywall, cabinets and paint."

"How long will it take to frame?"

"The main walls are already done. We just have to do the walls to divide the rooms up and the stairs. A month. If we can get that cut down to three weeks, then plumbing and electrical will be a week. That leaves us with two months to get it finished. The sooner we get it framed the faster we can get it built."

"Is the lumber here?"

"Just got it delivered. It's what we were up for. We can head up. I'll put the food on plates for Sasuke and Itachi and bring it to the room for em. Might as well get started."

"No sense in standing around here waiting. I'll meet you up there."

They both headed out to get started on the day. Kakashi was going to make sure the apartment was done early so Sasuke and the twins would have a home to go to. He also knew from the baby book that women tend to want to nest. Sasuke would soon want to be able to set a room up for the twins and have it ready to go for when they got here. It would be nice to get it done for him to be able to do that. Kakashi was going to make some clones to help out. He would also be working late into the night. He was used to being tired, a few late nights wasn't going to hurt him any.

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Itachi walked into Sasuke's room quietly. If he was sleeping, he didn't want to startle him awake. He closed the door and saw that Sasuke was curled up on his left side sleeping soundly. Itachi thought about walking back out and letting him sleep, but this was something they needed to talk about. It was best to do it now and then let Sasuke sleep some more while he was working on the apartment. Itachi went and sat down on the bed and ran his hand through Sasuke's hair.

"Ototo."

Sasuke took a breath in before he opened his eyes. Sasuke didn't know what time it was, but he was exhausted. After the nightmare he wasn't able to fall back asleep until five.

"What time is it?" Sasuke asked, as he fought to keep his eyes open.

"Just after six in the morning. I'm sorry to wake you up, but we need to talk. When did you get back to sleep?"

"An hour ago. I'm tired Niisan."

"I know, I'm sorry. This can't wait though. Kakashi told me about last night."

"Niisan." Sasuke started, but Itachi cut him off.

"I'm not mad Ototo. I'm worried, but I'm not mad at you. None of this is your fault."

"I did the cuts. That's on me. I didn't even think about it."

"I know. We've been so busy focusing on the fact that you have been controlling the urges during the day. We forgot that we need to focus on the night time too. When the nightmares come and the irrational part of your mind takes over. It's not an easy habit to break. People take years trying to get out of the addiction. Most have to seek professional help to overcome it. I know we haven't talked about it, but have you thought about talking to someone about what happened to you?"

"I'm not ready to talk about it."

"I know, but Ototo, I don't think there is a ready for something like this. You know you can tell me anything and I'll never judge you or be disgusted by you, but maybe you'd feel better talking to a stranger. Someone you won't see every day. Someone that could give you the right advice on how to move forward and leave this all in your past. And I know with you being pregnant you can't seek outside help, I understand that. However, I think you should consider speaking with someone after the twins are born. All I want is for you to be healthy and happy. And the twins need you at your best, that includes mental health."

"Uchihas don't worry about that."

"I know they don't. But I don't want to be like the old Uchiha. I don't want the twins to grow up like that and I know you don't either. I don't want you to grow up like that. It's not something you need to decide now. Take some time and think about it, but you might need to speak to someone about what happened to you and the cutting. I just want you to think about it for now."

"Ok."

There was a knock at the door before it opened. Kisame walked in with two plates.

"Hey, I thought you both might be hungry. Kakashi and me will be up in the apartment getting it started."

Kisame went and placed the plates down on the side table as Itachi spoke.

"Thank-you. I'll meet you up there shortly."

"Take your time. Eat what you want Pup and don't worry about the rest."

"Thanks Kisame."

Kisame gave Sasuke a warm smile and headed out of the room.

"Are you hungry?" Itachi asked.

"Not really."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm sad. I know I should be happy about the twins and being here with you. I know I shouldn't be sad, but I can't seem to convince myself to be happy today."

Itachi could hear the sadness in Sasuke's voice. It wasn't a concern for him that Sasuke was sad, it made sense after the nightmare he had. What was concerning to Itachi was Sasuke thinking he should always be happy right now. He was allowed to be feeling every emotion, including sadness.

"You have every right to feel any emotion that you do. You don't always have to be happy Ototo. It's ok to be sad. It's ok to spend the day in bed and taking time for yourself. You don't have to be happy every day. Just because you are pregnant and excited for the twins, doesn't mean you will be happy this whole time. You are still going through a lot from what happened to you. You get to be sad Ototo. Spend the day relaxing, get some sleep and do some reading if you want. Or look through the catalogue again and see if there is anything you were interested in getting for the room. Take the day to feel sad. You might feel better tomorrow."

"Ok. Are you ok?"

"I'm good Ototo, you don't have to worry about me. I'm going to eat and do some work. I'll come by in a couple of hours to check in on you. If you're sleeping I won't wake you. Take the day for yourself."

Sasuke just gave a nod and Itachi leaned forward and placed a kiss to Sasuke's forehead before he got up.

"Not interested?" Itachi said indicating the plate of food.

"Not right now. I'm too tired."

"That's ok. You can eat when you are ready. Just sleep Ototo."

"I love you."

Itachi gave Sasuke a warm smile as he poked his forehead. Itachi grabbed the plates and headed out of the room. He headed for the kitchen so he could eat himself before he would head up to the apartment. He wasn't really hungry himself, but he knew he needed to eat something or he would be risking his body becoming rundown and getting sick. Once he was finished, he headed up to the apartment. He saw that Kakashi and Kisame were getting the plans organized and starting to tape the floor out for what rooms were going where.

"How was he?" Kakashi asked.

"He's sad today. I told him to rest and take the day for himself."

"He needs to talk to someone." Kakashi said.

"I know. I told him to start thinking about it for after the twins are born. He needs professional help."

"He needs someone he can talk to that he won't feel awkward around afterwards. He can talk to you or me, but it's not the same. He's not going to feel comfortable talking about the more personal side of things that happened to him. This isn't something that he will be able to move past on his own." Kakashi agreed.

"Was he willing to consider it?" Kisame asked.

"I'm not sure. He said he would think about it, but I don't know. We grew up in a harsh environment. The Clan was not one for mental health. It was considered a weakness and any weaknesses were abused out of you. He's having a hard time getting out of that mindframe and only time will fix that. He wants better for the twins, he doesn't want them growing up like we did. I think he'll fight to make the change himself. I know he'll want to be a hundred percent for the twins and that will include recovering from all of this. It's going to take him some time, but he'll get there."

"Is there someone in the village that he would be able to talk to?" Kakashi asked.

"There is. When he's ready I'll set something up. For now hopefully tomorrow he'll be in a better mind set." Itachi said.

"I'm sure he will be. He's also hormonal, that can't be helping." Kisame said.

"It's probably not. I'll go and check in on him in a couple of hours. He wasn't hungry, he just wanted to sleep."

"He's bound to have bad days, he can't be happy and excited every day. He needs to be able to feel whatever he's feeling and know that it's ok. Giving him some time to himself right now is the best thing any of us can do." Kakashi said.

"I know. I'll check in throughout the day, make sure he's eating. What are we doing?" Itachi asked.

"Taping out where the walls are going to go and the stairs. We need to build down here before we can build the next floor." Kisame explained.

Itachi gave a nod and started to help them get everything laid out. He wanted to get this apartment started and hopefully they would be able to get it done before the twins arrived.

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It was just after one in the afternoon when Sasuke woke up. He was still tired, but his need to pee overtook that. Sasuke headed into the bathroom slowly. His back was sore from sleeping so long. He was becoming to get uncomfortable sleeping on the mattress with the added weight. He had gained just over thirty pounds now and he was feeling it. After emptying out his bladder Sasuke went and looked in the mirror. He could see that his cheeks were a little puffy from the weight gain. He didn't even want to think about how long it would take before he lost the weight. He knew he wasn't supposed to be worried about it, but he was a ninja true at heart. It mattered to him that he was in fighting shape. Sasuke let out a sigh as he grabbed his tooth brush. He figured he would at least brush his teeth today if he was going to spend it in bed feeling sorry for himself. Sasuke noticed as he brushed his teeth that his gums seemed to be tender and bleeding. Sasuke rinsed his mouth out to try and get the bleeding to stop, but it didn't seem to help any. This had never happened to him before and he had to figure it had something to do with his pregnancy.

"Pain, are you there?" Sasuke called out. He wasn't really alarmed by it, but it was something Konan should know.

A second later the door opened and Deva walked in.

"Are you alright Little One?"

Sasuke just gave a shrug before he spoke. "My gums are sore and bleeding. Figured Konan should know."

"Let me see." Deva said, as he moved closer to Sasuke.

Sasuke showed Deva and after a moment he spoke.

"Konan is on her way. Though she did say it can be common in pregnancy. You're sad today. Anything you wish to talk about?"

"Not really. Itachi said it's ok for me to be sad." Sasuke said, as he made his way back over to his bed.

"It is ok. No one is happy every day. There is nothing wrong with spending the day to yourself."

"It feels wrong to be sad, like I'm saying I'm not happy to have them."

"That's not it at all Little One. You are very happy and excited for them, but like every parent out there, you also have emotions. You have every right to have days where you feel sad, that won't change once they are here. Being a good parent, doesn't mean you are happy all the time. It means showing your children that you have other emotions and that those emotions are ok. That's how they learn to show theirs. It's very important. Never deny yourself an emotion."

Konan walked into the room and headed straight for Sasuke.

"How are you feeling?"

Sasuke gave a shrug. "My gums are bleeding. Is that from the pregnancy?"

"Let me see."

Sasuke opened his mouth to show Konan, it only took a moment and Konan gave a nod as she spoke. "It's nothing. You have pregnancy gingivitis, it's common with pregnancy. The hormones in your body is increasing the blood flow to your gums and that makes them more sensitive and easier for bacteria to develop. You just need to be careful when brushing your teeth and do it more often to try and keep the bacteria down. It's nothing to worry about."

"Ok."

"How else are you feeling?"

"I'm sore."

"That is to be expected with how far along you are now. I'm afraid that is going to get worse, but there is a difference in being sore and in pain. So let me know if that changes."

"Ok."

"Have you eaten today?"

"Not yet. I will soon."

"You need to eat something. Sad or not, you have two little ones growing inside of you, they need food."

"I'll eat soon. How big are they?"

"Grapefruit size. It's ok to be sad, but remember to eat."

"I will soon."

"Let me know if you need anything."

Sasuke gave a nod. "Thanks."

Konan headed out and Sasuke could see some hesitation on Deva's face.

"I'll be ok. You don't have to worry about me."

"I'll be close by."

"I know."

Deva headed out, closing the door behind him. Sasuke let out a small sigh and sat back in bed. He knew he needed to eat something and he would soon. Right now he just wanted a minute to try and get his head back on straight. He knew everyone said it was okay for him to be depressed, but he still couldn't help, but feel like he was betraying the twins in some way. Sasuke figured he would get up and go make something to eat something healthy and see if that would work to get his mind in a better place. Afterwards he figured he would go through the catalogue and see what ideas he could get for the twin's room. He was hoping that might lift his spirits a little bit. If nothing else, he would be productive today.

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Itachi walked into Sasuke's room a few hours later to see Sasuke sitting up in bed with the catalogue and book in his lap. Itachi had a bowl in his hand with strawberries and a smaller bowl with some chocolate sauce in it. He was hoping a little bit of sugar would work to help Sasuke perk up a bit.

"It's good to see you awake Ototo. I brought you a snack in case you were hungry."

"They smell good."

"They are fresh and I even brought you some chocolate sauce to dip." Itachi placed the bowl down on the bedside table. He noticed there was a plate already so at least Sasuke ate something today.

"Thanks. How is it looking up there?"

"Not too bad. We've been getting everything laid out. Kisame is really good at it and Kakashi seems to be too. They are both very determined to get it done. How are you feeling?"

"Still sad, but getting better. My gums bleed now. Konan checked me over, apparently it's common in pregnancy."

"It's not serious though right?"

"Not at all. Annoying, but not dangerous."

"Good. Find anything good?" Itachi said with a nod to the catalogue.

"Always in this book. I thought I would try and draw out an idea for their room. I thought we could put their name on the wall above their bed. And maybe divide the color up a bit. I thought a nice smokey grey half way up then break it with a strip of white and then a soft blue the rest of the way."

"That sounds nice Ototo."

"There is some dressers in the catalogue, this one would really match the crib." Sasuke said, as he turned to the page he had marked. He turned it around to show Itachi what he was thinking.

"That looks nice and it looks like the same color as the cribs. What else are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking a rug would be nice in the room, not sure what color yet. And I was thinking about getting a chair, something big that rocks maybe. It could be nice to have in the room."

"It would be ya. We can look around for one. There are a few furniture stores in town. What else did you mark?"

"Different toys, play mats for them to be on the floor. Babies need tummy time I guess for them to help build neck muscles. Double strollers, high chairs. I was just marking down which ones I liked. They have some in store, but there is more in the catalogue."

"We can go through it tonight. You can show me all the good stuff you found. You should be getting a letter soon from Naruto, are you curious to see how the Chounin Exams went for him?"

"I guess. It's a little weird not being there and getting to go through it. All I've ever wanted to do was be a ninja and now I'm missing out on something important like becoming a Chounin. I know it's just a title, but I really wanted the title."

"Kakashi says you are already at Chounin level. He thinks you would have destroyed the exams. I know it can be upsetting, but try to remember Ototo, it is just a title. It doesn't reflect your skill level. And you are missing it because you have these beautiful baby boys growing inside of you. That's a lot more special than a title."

"I know it is and I'm never going back there. Not moving through the ranks is just something I have to get used to. Besides, I'd rather be here with you than taking part in some exam."

"And think of all the things you are going to learn once you give birth. You are powerful, I've always said that. You are going to be a force to be reckoned with. I've always said from the moment you were born that you would be stronger than me one day. That you were special, it's in your eyes. This world won't know what hit em. I promise you."

"I hope so. I can't help, but feel like I'm falling behind. I know it's only going to be a few months, but I've been training every day since I can remember and now I'm just sitting around getting fat."

"You are not fat you are pregnant. Big is a good thing, big is healthy. Stop worrying about the weight, you'll lose it. Everyone who is pregnant does. You should be enjoying this. You always eat so healthy, now you get to eat what you want without any regret. Embrace it." Itachi said with a small smirk.

"Are you telling me I should join you in the sugar darkness?" Sasuke said with a small smirk. The first sign of his mood improving.

"I'm telling you, you should dive right in and eat yourself silly. Go crazy."

Sasuke gave a small chuckle to that. "You always do that. Somehow you always know how to make me feel better."

"You have the same effect on me. Always have." Itachi said with a warm smile.

"I know we haven't spoken about it and I'm not saying we have to now, but we need to talk about what happened that night."

"I know we do. I know you have questions and I want to give you those answers. Not right now though. I don't want to upset you or make you stressed, it's not good for the babies."

"I know. I'm not in a hurry for those answers. It can wait, but just know that no matter what those answers are it won't change anything. I'm always going to love you."

Itachi gave Sasuke a warm smile as he went and poked Sasuke's forehead. Itachi still couldn't believe that Sasuke was back in his life. That he had this second chance with his little brother and soon to be nephews. Letting in a shaky breath Itachi changed the subject.

"Your birthday is in two weeks. You'll be thirteen, that's a big deal."

"I don't celebrate my birthday."

"I know you don't. I know Uchiha don't celebrate holidays or birthdays, but we celebrated your birthday together growing up. You're going to be a teenager, we need to celebrate that. We need to get back into celebrating birthdays."

"Can we celebrate holidays?"

"Sure." Itachi wasn't sure what brought on the sudden change in topic, but he was more than happy to do anything that Sasuke wanted, always had been.

"I don't want to be like them, like him. I want these babies to grow up with the smell of freshly baked cookies in the house. I want them to know what it feels like fighting to stay awake all night with the hopes of catching Santa. What running down the stairs to see all of their presents under the tree feels like. What getting dressed up and trick or treating feels like. We didn't get that and it didn't seem important, but it does now. I want them to be kids, not Uchiha, not ninja in training, but just kids. Free to make mistakes. Free to believe in something magical. I don't want them to grow up like we did."

Itachi placed his hand on Sasuke's belly as he spoke. "And they won't. We won't let that happen. We let them play in the mud. We let them throw flour around the kitchen. We leave cookies and milk out for Santa. We decorate for every holiday and we never ever let them forget how much we love them. How special they are."

"I couldn't do this without you."

"Yes you could. But you'll never have to."

Sasuke gave Itachi a warm smile as Itachi pulled back and spoke again. "I'm going to get back to the apartment. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'll be fine. I'm going to hide away today. I'll come up later to see the apartment."

"Whenever you want."

"Don't over work yourself please."

"I'll be careful."

Itachi headed out and made his way back up to the apartment. He was hoping they would be able to get the framing done for the apartment within a week so they will have time to get the rest finished. Itachi walked into the apartment to the sound of hammers. Kakashi and Kisame had made clones to help with the work. The real ones looked over at him and stopped what they were doing.

"How is he?" Kakashi asked.

"He seems to be in better spirits. I brought him some strawberries and chocolate sauce."

"Well that should perk him right up." Kisame said.

"Was he still in bed?"

"He is. He was going through the catalog and getting some ideas down for the room. His birthday is in two weeks. I need to do something for it."

"We need to do something for it. And we should do a baby shower for him." Kisame offered.

"A baby shower? Really?" Kakashi said, not sounding sure it was a good idea.

"Women who are pregnant have em, he shouldn't miss out on it. Besides I thought he was embracing the experience."

"He is. I didn't even think of that. We should do one. In a month we can. I want his birthday to be about him and not the twins."

"No it should be about him. Every day for months it's been about the pups. He deserves a day where it's about him. We could do a dinner, something simple." Kisame offered.

"That sounds good. No baby stuff for gifts though, we can save that for the baby shower." Kakashi said.

"We should do a baby shower soon. They could come early." Kisame suggested.

"We can in a month. See who wants to be involved in it. I don't want Sasuke to know about it. I want him to be surprised." Itachi said.

"He could use more surprises in his life. Is his birthday going to be just us or are you thinking about including the others?" Kakashi asked.

"I'll let the others know, but I don't know who would want to be there for it." Itachi answered.

"Does he have a favorite dinner?" Kakashi asked.

"Omusubi with okaka and tomatoes." Kisame answered.

"You noticed." Itachi said warmly.

"Of course I did. You make it for him at least twice a week. We could get the bakery to make a cheesecake with chocolate covered strawberries and drizzled chocolate on top. Should satisfy his temporary sweet tooth and yours." Kisame said with a smile back.

"I'll see the bakery tomorrow and put the order in."

"Any word from Konoha?" Kakashi asked.

"Nothing yet. Naruto should be sending a letter back soon. He normally does it every week, his late this time."

"I'm sure everything is fine. They were doing the Chounin Exams, nothing ever happens during them." Kisame said.

"What area are we working on?" Itachi asked, as he went and looked at the blue prints.

"We are working on the kitchen." Kakashi answered.

Itachi gave a nod and he went to help them work on the framing. He was going to make sure that Sasuke and his nephews had a home.

Week Twenty-Four

Sasuke sat curled up in bed once again as he opened Naruto's letter and began to read.

Sasuke

Holy crap Kakashi is their father! That is insane. How did he react? How are you doing with all of this? Are you ok now that you are getting chakra from him? You're gonna be able to make the next three months right? Sorry I didn't send you a letter last week, things around here have been insane. You know I went into the Chounin Exams with Sakura and this new guy Sai. He's a real asshole by the way. He kept calling Sakura ugly and he kept saying I had a small penis. Real embarrassing and not true! The first round was harder than I thought. It was a written exam and some of it I had never even heard of. Sakura nailed it of course. She's really smart. You would have too with no problem. We all made it through though and then the next round, we had to go into the Forest of Death. We were all given a scroll, but some of the other teams were given a different one. The whole point was to survive and get both scrolls to the tower before time ran out. We made it, but it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. The third round, we all did one on one battles that were randomly selected to move on to the final round the next day. Sakura got paired up with Ino, they both passed out at the same time, so they were both out. Sai got paired with some older Konoha ninja and kicked his ass without barely moving. I got partnered against Kiba and I so won. It was awesome! Shikamaru made it and so did Shino and Neji.

The final round, everything went wrong though. I fought Neji, it was tough, but I won. Shikamaru fought this Sand ninja, he won technically, but he got her to raise her hand and he said he quit. Ino was pissed, but everyone seemed really impressed. Asuma-Sensei said it shows his strategic mind and that is what he wants to be known for. It also shows a real strength to know when you can't win and to end it. Sai had to go up against this other Sand Ninja named Gaara. In the middle of the battle Gaara started to get really weird. He went into this sand ball that was so hard it couldn't be broken. Then he started to transform into this beast.

Then out of nowhere other Sand ninjas and Sound ninjas started to attack the whole village. It was crazy. Gaara's two siblings grabbed him and got him out of there. Sai went after them along with Shikamaru and I ran after them. By the time I got to Sai he was fighting Gaara and Gaara was this huge animal, turns out he is the one-tailed beast. When he goes into a deep sleep it can come out. We fought him and Sai got taken out, but I was able to use a summoning jutsu that Jiarya taught me to summon a fighting Frog. I was able to beat him. He was really dark, but I think he finally started to see that he didn't have to be that way. I hope he changes, he seemed kinda cool at the end.

But that's not the crazy part. Orochimaru attacked the village. He's the leader of the Sound Village. The Third fought him, but he lost. Orochimaru killed him before he left Konoha. And later I found out that Orochimaru was impersonating the Kazekage of the Sand, Gaara's father. He killed the Kazekage to sneak into Konoha and get the Sand to attack, trying to start a war. Now everything is crazy here. The village is still out a Council and now everyone is trying to figure out what happens now. Part of the village were destroyed so everyone is focused on rebuilding. I'm going with Jiraiya to find another Sanin called Tsunade to hopefully be the Hokage. Everything is all insane now, I have no idea what is going to happen now.

I'll keep you updated on what I know as things happen. Hopefully it calms back down once we have a new Hokage and Council. Don't worry about it though ok? You have enough to worry about. You focus on the twins, they are the most important thing in your life right now. We got the time to work it all out. Oh, I asked Jiraiya about the Ten Tails, he told me what we already know, but he also said that there was supposedly a hidden temple somewhere hidden in the Land of Snow that had ancient scrolls in it that went all the way back to the beginning. I don't know if it's true, but it's supposed to be hidden within a mountain. Maybe Pain would know more about it or Kakashi.

I'm glad you're feeling better. I'll write you back when I can. Just relax and not stress ok? You got my nephews to think about. Think you could send me a picture of your belly? Or would that be weird? I just can't picture you pregnant. I gotta go, we're leaving now. Be safe.

-Naruto

Sasuke couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that Orochimaru would be foolish enough to attack the village. If Tobi's plan was to keep him hidden, letting the world believe he was dead, Orochimaru just threw that right out the window. Now the Third was dead and there was no telling what would happen to him or Kakashi with a new Hokage. He had never even heard of Tsunade before. He had to tell Pain and the others about this. They needed to know. Sasuke grabbed the letter and headed out of his room. The others were up in the apartment working on it. Sasori and Deidara had gotten back yesterday and were helping out. Sasuke knew Sasori would, but he was surprised that Deidara was helping. Sasuke saw Deva standing outside of his room hidden in the shadows.

"We have a huge problem. Grab the others, I'll meet you upstairs."

"Go towards the kitchen, Konan will meet you there." Deva Path said, before he turned and headed towards the apartment.

Sasuke headed towards the kitchen, he knew that Pain was worried about his safety with the Zombie twins back in the tower. They most likely would never do anything, but no one was taking any chances with him or the twins. Sasuke saw Konan in the kitchen cleaning up. She gave Sasuke a warm smile as she spoke.

"It's good to see you up and moving. You've been in your room quite a bit recently. Are you feeling better?"

For the last few days Sasuke had been mostly in his room. He was still feeling depressed and he couldn't seem to shake it no matter how hard he tried. He spent most of his time in bed, between Itachi and Kakashi bringing him food, he didn't have to leave. He knew everyone was worried about him, especially Itachi, but he couldn't help it. He was just sad right now.

"Not really. Is it the hormones?"

"It could be. You are in a new trimester so that can be what is going on with your emotions. We'll keep an eye on it, but remember Sasuke, you've been through a lot. It's only natural that you have periods of being sad or angry. You need to let me know if you are feeling more than just sad. There is sad and then there is depression and suicidal thoughts. You need to let me know if that changes."

"I will, I promise. I'm just sad. Maybe I'll go out later, maybe that'll get me out of this mood."

"I think that's a good idea. Being in bed all day won't help with your mood. You should be outside or doing something. It'll help. If this keeps going for a couple more weeks we can re-evaluate."

Sasuke gave a nod and then spoke, "Pain needs us upstairs. Something happened."

Karin gave a nod and followed Sasuke out of the kitchen. She was going to ask what had happened, but she knew that she would find out once they were upstairs. She also noticed that Deva wasn't with Sasuke, so he must have went to get the others. Once they arrive upstairs they saw that Kisame, Kakashi and Itachi were already there. Pain was sitting in his walker, but Konan could see the concern in his eyes. Ever since his dream last week Pain hadn't been sleeping well. He had the same dream three more times since. Konan didn't know what it meant, but she did know that people didn't have the same dream multiple times for no reason. The world was trying to tell him something, but what, they had no idea.

"What is going on Little One?" Pain asked.

Sasuke answered, as he handed Pain Naruto's letter. "Orochimaru and the Sand attached during the last round of the Chounin Exams. Destroy a good amount of Konoha and killed the Third."

"Whoa, what?" Kisame asked shocked.

He was not expecting that to come out of Sasuke's mouth.

"We haven't been able to locate Orochimaru's body. We knew he must be alive still, but we had figured he would be in hiding. Attacking Konoha during the Chounin Exams and killing the Third, that's a man looking to make a statement." Konan said.

"He wanted us to know that he was still alive. Still powerful enough to be dangerous." Kakashi said.

"But he knows he doesn't stand a chance against myself or Pain. He doesn't know I'm sick. What he does know is that he can't get in here. The second he is hit by Pain's rain, we know where he is. This is more than a show." Itachi said.

"He wants our attention divided. He wants me to send you out. He wants me to send out my Paths after him. He wants our attention focused on him and not on what is going on within the Tower." Pain agreed.

"He's working with Tobi, he wants the attack to come from inside against Sasuke. Either by death or kidnapping. Tobi and Zetsu are partners, it could come from them directly. But also the Zombie Twins as you all like to call them. It's hard to kill someone that can't die. If they come for Sasuke, it could be tragic." Kakashi said, worried about what could happen if Sasuke was grabbed they them. It was one thing to go up against a tough opponent, but to go up against someone that couldn't die. Anything could happen to Sasuke during that battle, to the twins.

"You know, there is a conversation we haven't had yet, maybe it's time. What happens after the twins are born? How do we trust the Zombie Twins to not go after Sasuke or the twins? You want Sasuke and the twins here, and they want to be here. But it's going to be harder to keep all three of them safe once they are born." Itachi said, looking right at Pain.

"It is not something we can do right now. I need you healthy first. After the eye transplant we will then figure out the best way to handle them. The same goes for Orochimaru. We can't kill him yet, he's apart of Tobi's plan and we need to know what part that is. We do need to know where his base is now. I'll send Sasori and Deidara out to scout only. We cannot engage yet, not until after the twins are born and Itachi is healed." Pain said.

"I've been reading the different books in the library. I found an old seal that an ancient Clan used about a hundred years ago before the book was considered lost. Somehow it ended up here, but it's a seal that they would place on children after birth to protect them from being kidnapped or injured. The seal was placed on the child and infused with their father's chakra, so if they were attacked or someone tried to kidnap them, a shield of chakra would protect them. Anyone who tried to touch them through the shield would be burned instantly. The father would also be alerted to his chakra being activated." Sasuke said.

"I'd like to have more research on this seal and the Clan that used it. But it sounds like it could be a viable option." Pain said.

"I'll look through the library and see what I can find on it." Sasuke agreed.

"Naruto also mentioned in his letter about an alleged ancient Temple on the Ten Tails. Jiraiya told him about it. It's located in the Land of Snow. We'll need to wait until after the twins are born before I can send anyone out there to look around. Konan is needed here in case something happens. Kakashi can't leave with Sasuke needing his chakra and Itachi for obvious reasons. I could send you Kisame, but with Sasori and Deidara going out on this scouting mission, I'd prefer to have you closer to home. Once the twins are born we will be able to move around more freely." Pain said.

"That's fine with me. I prefer to stay close." Kisame said.

"We don't tell anyone about this. I'll inform Sasori and Deidara about the attack by Orochimaru, but that is all they will know. Until the twins are born, Little One stay away from Tobi, Zetsu and the Twins. I don't want you alone with them, even with Deva watching you. I don't know how to kill the Twins yet. I'll need to do some research and see if there is a way." Pain said.

"You don't even know?" Kakashi asked surprised. He thought for sure that Pain would have known that.

"I don't. Aside from trapping them someplace they can't escape. They can't die of natural causes and short of cutting their heads off, which might not even work, I'm not sure how to kill them."

"How hard is it to fight Kakuzu and Hidan?" Kakashi asked.

"Hidan is easily angered and he's impatient. You're more likely to be able to play him to make a mistake. A smart strategic opponent and he's no match for them, despite his ninja skills. Kakuzu is the main threat of the pair. He's been alive for centuries and has mastered numerous elements, close and long distance fighting, taijutsu and he's fast as hell. I can barely keep up with him with my Shairgan on, and he's able to fight me with it, without any problems. To top it off, he's extremely intelligent and strategically smart. He also has four hearts, so to kill him, you have to kill all of his hearts. His hearts are actually masks that are attached to his back, that he can turn into fighters." Itachi answered.

"So he's not one you would fight alone." Kakashi stated.

"Definitely not. He's the one that we would need to take out second. We need to eliminate Hidan, and then Kakuzu." Pain said.

"He might not turn against you though. Isn't he loyal to the organization?" Sasuke asked.

"Hard to say Little One. He enjoys destruction and making money. He's within the organization because it gives him both of those things. But that is not what we were originally created for, nor is it what I wish for the world to remember us for. Yahiko started this organization out of war. To create an army that would protect the innocent people within this village. To bring peace to it. Then it was to bring peace to the world. To give those that were poor, security and help. I want to see peace within this world, and if I achieve that without destroying everything that Yahiko wanted the organization to be, then that is the path I will take." Pain said.

"The Zombie Twins want pain and destruction, and they will go with whoever can promise them that. A divide will happen and they will go with Tobi. It's how they are made. We all joined for a reason. They want destruction, I was bored and thought it would be fun for awhile, then your brother ruined me." Kisame said with a warm smirk to Itachi. "Sasori wants family making him loyal to the organization. Deidara is the wildcard. He was forced to be here by losing to Itachi. He could go either way, just depends how angry he really is about it."

"He's young though, only sixteen; that could be teenage rebellion. He seems like the easiest to eliminate though if we had to." Kakashi said.

"He would be. He's young, but he's got power to him. With him though, he's predictable. He fights with explosives and stays away as often as he can. He does not like up close combat and he's crazy enough to blow himself up if he has to to win." Itachi said.

"Oh lovely." Kakashi said sarcastically.

"I think he'll be on our side." Sasuke said.

"It's too soon to tell Sasuke." Konan said.

"Think about it though, he joined because he lost a fight, but no one is keeping him here. He could have easily snuck away when he was on a mission. If he didn't want to be here, he wouldn't be interacting with everyone. He would be hiding out in his room, not playing pool with the other members. He wouldn't be sitting down and having dinner, he wouldn't be willingly doing the dishes when it's his turn. He wouldn't agree to help us build the apartment. He's not acting like someone that was forced to be here against his will. I think in the beginning he didn't want to be here, but that's changed. He sees that you can be a family and I think that's what he's looking for. He even put his hand on my belly to feel the twins kicking the other day. He brought me food. I think he wants a home."

"His tough exterior could be his way of protecting himself. He's young and doesn't have a family, was kicked out of his village at a young age. A young kid that was different than everyone, a little weird, and he was tossed aside. His anger could be masking hurt and loneliness." Kakashi commented.

"He has a point. He has been more active and engaged since Sasuke arrived. He could be starting to see Sasuke as a younger brother." Konan said.

"We leave him on our side for now until something happens that shows us that he isn't. Still, be careful Little One, especially of his hands." Pain said.

"I will." Sasuke promised.

"While you're here, Sasuke I need to run a test on you. At twenty-four weeks you need to be tested for Gestational diabetes." Konan said.

"What is that?" Sasuke asked.

"It's a test for your blood sugar. Women who are pregnant are more at risk of developing diabetes, especially women carrying twins. Your body's blood sugar is also connected to the twins and their blood sugar. I'll get you to drink this sugary drink, it tastes like carbonated orange juice, then an hour later I'll test your blood and we'll see if it's a little high or normal range." Konan explained.

"And if it is higher than normal?" Kakashi asked.

"It wouldn't be unexpected. Two babies means two of everything. If it is higher than normal, we'll do frequent checks of his sugar levels. I can also pick up a monitor from the hospital so he can check his sugar levels throughout the day. It's not a big issue and he might not even have it. He's young, so his sugar levels and blood pressure are naturally lower than average to begin with. That plays well in our favor. Plus before this he ate very well and didn't have an interest in sugary food, so there isn't a build up of artificial sugars in his system."

"So there's a good chance he doesn't have it." Itachi said.

"Yes, but we need to do the testing to make sure, because if he does have it and we ignore it, then we are putting all three of them at risk. We are reaching the end of the second trimester, going on the third. We still have three months left, but this last trimester is the one that we need to be very careful with. Problems that come up within this trimester could be fatal for all of them. So we are going to be doing two ultrasounds a week and I'll be running blood work once a week as well. You will also notice that you are stiff and your lower back will start hurting more as you gain weight. You are also more at risk of blood clots in your legs, so it's important that you are walking around at least once an hour, it doesn't have to be far, but any movement is good."

Sasuke gave a nod and they could tell he was getting worried, but they were all in the last trimester now, they were almost done.

"Try not to worry, everything will be fine. We're down to three months, this is nothing." Konan said, trying to help relieve any worry that Sasuke was feeling.

"She's right. Everything will be fine." Itachi said, as he went over and wrapped his arms around from behind Sasuke.

"I'll give you the drink and then an hour after you finish it, I'll run the test and do an ultrasound." Konan said.

"Go handle that. We can't do anything about Orochimaru or Tobi for now." Pain said, and handed Sasuke his letter back.

"Do you want me to send Sasori and Deidara up?" Kisame asked.

Pain just gave a nod and they all made their way out. Kisame headed up to the soon to be apartment, while the other three headed to the medical room to grab the drink.

"So drink all of it, and then an hour after you finish I'll take the blood work. Don't eat or drink anything but this until the test is completed." Konan said, as she handed Sasuke the drink.

"Ok." Sasuke said, as he took the drink.

"I'll be in here when you are ready. Go and relax and drink."

The guys headed out and went to the kitchen. Sasuke sat down on the stool and opened the drink.

"How are you feeling Little Brother?"

"I'm tired. My legs kept cramping last night and my back is sore."

"You probably need more water in you. That should help with the leg cramping. We should also find you a foam piece to place on top of your mattress. It's time for a little more padding." Itachi said.

"Can we get something like that in the village?" Kakashi asked.

"Ya the few furniture stores will have them. After this test, why don't you and Kakashi head out and check out the furniture shops. I know you were thinking of a chair for the baby room, you could look around and get some ideas. Then you can always get some groceries. We are running low on fruit for you." Itachi suggested.

Itachi would have been happy to go with Sasuke to town, but he wanted to also give Sasuke some time alone with Kakashi as well. Itachi wanted to find out just how committed Kakashi really was. It was one thing to be all there for a pregnancy and another to be there for everything that came after it. If Kakashi truly wanted the twins, he would be happy to do anything to help Sasuke and get things ready for their arrival.

"That sounds good. As long as your sugar level comes back in a good range, we can hit up the sweet shop too." Kakashi said warmly.

"Sounds good. Can we make pizza for dinner?"

"That sounds good. Or we could order pizza if you want. There are some really good pizza places in town and they deliver here." Itachi said.

"Sure. I'm just craving pizza, don't care where it comes from as long as it's cheesy." Sasuke said with a small smile. The first one they had seen in the past two weeks.

"I think we can accomplish that." Kakashi said.

"What are we accomplishing?" Kisame asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Cheesy pizza. We're ordering in tonight." Itachi answered.

"Oh ya, that sounds good. And those garlic breadsticks from Miko's Pizza." Kisame said.

"Now I'm hungry." Sasuke said.

"Lucky for you, you have a drink." Itachi teased.

"How is it?" Kisame asked.

"It takes like orange juice with bubbles, so it's not too bad." Sasuke said with a shrug.

Sasuke said up and tried to stretch his back. His lower back was really starting to hurt, it started a couple of days ago, but he was hoping it would go away by now. Itachi went over and stood behind Sasuke, he started to massage his lower back. Sasuke let out a small moan as the stiffness was starting to decrease.

"I love you." Sasuke said.

Itachi gave a chuckle as he continued to work out the kinks. "Your back is full of knots."

"My little cantaloupes are trying to kill me." Sasuke joked.

"Is that the size of them now?" Kisame asked.

"It is." Sasuke said.

"Damn, they doubled." Kisame said surprised.

"They double every week now pretty much." Kakashi said.

Sasuke finished the drink and bent forward to lean more on the island counter so Itachi would have better access to his back. Itachi massaged Sasuke's lower and middle back to try and help relieve the tension for Sasuke. By the time an hour had gone by Sasuke's back was no longer hurting him. They all made their way to the medical room for Sasuke to get his tests done. Once in the room Sasuke sat down on the bed and Konan took his blood as she spoke.

"How are you feeling? Any dizziness or shakiness from the sugar?"

"No, I don't feel any different. I'm still tired."

"That's common with pregnancy, especially when you are reaching the last trimester. I'm going to run your blood sugar levels, but also iron and cholesterol. You are looking a little pale and with the tiredness it could mean your iron levels are low."

"Would that be a problem?" Kakashi asked.

"Depends on how bad the deficiency is, assuming he has one. Chances are, even if there is a deficiency, it will be low and we can easily work on correcting it."

"Is low iron bad for the twins?" Sasuke asked.

"Extreme low iron yes. Your iron works to provide oxygen to your red blood cells, those cells travel all over your body. It is why when you have low iron you feel more tired and your skin is pale, it's from the lack of oxygen in your blood. Lack of oxygen can be past down to the twins. But like I said, that is for extreme cases and you are not there, nowhere near it. If you were, you would have trouble breathing, you would be covered in bruises from little bumps."

"I don't have any of that." Sasuke said.

"Which is why you don't need to worry."

Konan got the blood ready and then began to start the process of testing it through her system. While that was going she then took Sasuke's blood pressure. It was low, but she had expected that, it normally was. With that done she got Sasuke to lie down for the ultrasound. This was Sasuke's favorite part. He got to see his little boys and hear their heartbeats. The second he saw them and heard the heartbeats, he couldn't help the smile. He had been feeling sad within the past two weeks, but this always made him feel better. He couldn't believe that they would be here in three months. It seemed like he had so much he needed to do still.

"Hi Babies." Sasuke said.

"Look how big they got." Itachi said warmly.

"Heartbeats are good. I'm going to take some measurements." Konan said.

"I can't believe they are going to be here in three months." Kakashi said, still amazed by all of this.

"We got a lot of work to get finished." Kisame said.

"We'll get it done. The apartment is going up faster than we thought with the extra hands. We'll be ready in two months and then we can get the nursery all set up." Kakashi said.

"Do you really think you'll be able to get it done in two months?" Sasuke asked surprised. He was hoping they would be able to get it done, but he knew it was a lot of work.

"Definitely. You'll be all set for when they come." Kisame said with a wink.

"Ok, typically for twins during this week they should weigh around one pound, seven ounces and be roughly nine inches in length. Twin A is right on track for size wise, he is one pound and nine point three inches in length. Twin B though, he's fifteen ounces and only seven inches in length." Konan said.

"He's not even a pound yet?" Sasuke asked worried.

"Is that normal?" Kakashi asked worried as well.

"One twin is always bigger than the other, that is common. Twin B is looking to be the smaller twin, but once they are born, he'll catch up. We still have ten weeks before we might be forced to deliver them. We have time." Konan said.

"What if he doesn't gain enough weight?" Itachi asked.

"If we reach the point where Twin A is taking too much nutrients from Twin B, then I'll be forced to intervene."

"Which would be what?" Sasuke asked.

"There are two things I could do to ensure both will live after birth. The first, I can give Twin B nutrients directly to him. I would numb your stomach and then using the ultrasound I would insert a long needle into Twin B's umbilical cord. Giving him nutrients directly. It's not ideal though, as there is a risk that the amniotic sac will break each time I have to do it. But I could do it a few times a week if we are close to the thirty-five week mark. It would help to let him gain a pound, maybe a pound and a half if we're lucky before delivery." Konan started.

"Please tell me the second option is better than that one." Kakashi said, not really liking that option. It sounded simple, but if the amniotic sac burst Sasuke would have to deliver both the twins right away.

"It's not. Most identical twins share one amniotic sac, but in some cases like Sasuke, they each have their own. It happens more times than you think, especially with how the eggs were implanted within Sasuke. Because they have their own sac, if I had to, once Twin A is large enough and Twin B is getting to be dangerously small, then I would have to deliver Twin A and leave Twin B in."

"Two deliveries?" Itachi asked, now very worried.

"It might be the only way to ensure both survive. If Twin B doesn't start to get bigger by week thirty, then I'll have no choice but to deliver Twin A to save Twin B's life. Twin A will be viable and if he stays on track, around three pounds. He'll be fine and will need to be in an incubator with a feeding tube for about a month. But that will give Twin B all the nutrients that Sasuke intakes, giving him the chance to get big enough to survive being outside of Sasuke."

"Identical twins with two birthdays." Kisame commented.

"You could still celebrate their birthday on the same day. But I don't want you to worry Sasuke. One twin is always smaller than the other and Twin B still has lots of time to catch up. If he stays at this current growth, he'll be fine, small, but he'll be fine to be born as planned. You're doing two ultrasounds a week now so I can closely monitor his growth. Don't worry it's more likely that he'll be just fine." Konan said, hoping it would make Sasuke feel a little bit better about this.

"Eleven more weeks, we just need eleven more right?" Sasuke said.

"That's all. We get you to thirty-five and all three of you will be fine. We've made it twenty-four weeks, we can do eleven more." Konan said, as she wiped Sasuke's stomach.

"She's right Sasuke. He'll gain weight and before you know it, they'll be here." Itachi said.

Sasuke let out a deep breath. "Only eleven more."

"Here are your pictures. And I'll check on your blood work results." Konan said, handing Sasuke a few pictures. She knew he liked to send one to Naruto.

"I think I'll stop at the baby store today too. We don't have very much time left, and I won't be able to be outside soon without risking people figuring out I'm not just fat. Maybe I'll bring a notebook and write down the things I'd like to pick up and then we can start getting stuff every week." Sasuke said.

"That's a good idea. We'll need to start stocking up on diapers too. And we need to get clothes, formula, bottles. All of that stuff. We've only gotten their beds and the swing, both of which will be here next month. We really need to start working on it." Itachi agreed.

"We can do that today. Bring a notebook like you said and then we can start getting stuff for you. You're right, this might be the last time you can be out there with a sweater hiding it." Kakashi said.

"Ok, so you do not have any problems with your sugar, which is good. I think we can be thankful for your taste buds changing enough that you like chocolate otherwise you might have been in serious trouble." Konan said.

"So the sweet shop is still on." Sasuke said with a smirk to Kakashi.

"It would have been no matter what. Your brother would have killed me if we went by it and didn't get him anything." Kakashi teased.

"Not killed, just maimed. I need you alive." Itachi said back.

"What about the rest?" Kisame asked.

"Cholesterol is good. But you have low iron and low calcium, folic acid is good though. So your prenatal vitamins is giving you enough folic acid, but the twins are taking everything else from you."

"So what do we do?" Itachi asked.

"I'm going to give you a multivitamin to take along with your prenatal. The vitamin is good for you and the babies, but it should be enough combined with adding to you diet to get you back up in the normal range."

"Just any type of multivitamin?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, you can get them at any drug store or grocery store pharmacy. As for food, calcium enriched food, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, milk, those are the obvious ones. But also, chia seeds, almonds, and some cereal. Iron enriched foods such as red meat, chicken, turkey, spinach, kale and potatoes are good. Now, the body can only absorb so much calcium and iron in one sitting so it's best to have a serving at each meal or for a snack have a yogurt or cheese, but don't do both. That will maximize the amount your body can absorb throughout the day." Konan explained.

"Sounds good. That's easier than having to worry about my sugar levels all the time so I'll take it." Sasuke said happy with the results.

"We can get stuff today on the way back." Kakashi said.

"And you still get to eat cheesy pizza." Kisame said with a smile.

"Is that for dinner?" Konan asked.

"It is. We're gonna order in. Anything you or Pain want on your pizza?" Itachi asked.

"Naw we're easy. But keep Kisame's sardines away from ours."

"Ew." Sasuke said.

"What? It's good." Kisame said.

"I'm with Sasuke." Kakashi said with a grimace.

"Alright, everyone get out. You are good for now." Konan ordered.

Sasuke got off the bed and they all made their way out.

"You be safe out there and let me know when you are back please." Itachi said.

"I will. And it's not like I'm alone." Sasuke said knowing that Pain would also still be following him.

"I know, but I'm saying it anyways. Have fun and later you can show me what you get." Itachi pulled Sasuke in for a hug, one he easily returned.

"Alright, you need a coat and an umbrella." Kakashi said, once Sasuke moved back.

"And we need to get back to the apartment. Have fun Pup." Kisame said.

They both went their separate ways. Once Sasuke grabbed his coat, umbrella, pen and the notebook that kept his list, they headed out. The first place they went was the furniture store closer to the baby store. They put their umbrellas in the holder and hang their coats up so they wouldn't get the furniture wet.

"So you are looking for a chair?" Kakashi asked.

"Ya, I thought it would be nice in the twin's room. Something big and comfy."

"Sounds good. Color preference?"

"I'm thinking of painting the room light blue and light grey, so maybe light grey or dark grey."

"How big do you want it?"

"Big, and comfy. One you could sleep in."

"Sounds good."

A sales associate came over, but Kakashi simply told him they would let him know if they found anything. Sasuke tried a few of them, but he didn't find any he really liked. Sasuke then sat down on a double wide dark grey suede chair. He sat back and couldn't help the moan that escaped his lips. Kakashi gave a chuckle.

"This the one?"

"Definitely. You should try it."

Sasuke went to get up, but he couldn't seem to get enough momentum to stand.

"You ok?" Kakashi asked, as Sasuke tried to get up but failed.

"It's finally happened. I'm so fat I can't get up."

Kakashi couldn't help the chuckle.

"Ya real funny. Just help me up."

Sasuke held his hands out and Kakashi easily came over and helped to pull Sasuke so he was standing up.

"See, this is why twelve year olds are not supposed to get pregnant." Kakashi said.

"Ya, that's what's wrong with this picture, me being twelve." Sasuke said sarcastically.

"Sure it's not the obvious reason, but it's one of them." Kakashi said with a smile.

"You gonna try it?" Sasuke said with a nod to the chair.

Kakashi went and sat down on the chair and was surprised to find it very comfortable.

"Oh this is nice. You could fall asleep in it."

"Ya I think it'll work."

"Me too. Let's see how we go about ordering one." Kakashi said, as he got up.

They both headed over to the sales associate that approached them earlier. After fifteen minutes the chair had been paid for and a delivery date was set for eight weeks from now. By then the apartment would be done and they would have a place to store it until the room was finished. They also grabbed a foam padding for Sasuke's bed and hopefully it would help him not be so sore. With that done, they headed for the baby store to get Sasuke's list all finalized and ready. Sasuke headed over to the baby clothes first. He was going to get a few things today to start getting things ready. Clothes were one of those things as well as ordering the dresser and changing table. It would take a month for those two items to come in.

"These clothes look so small." Kakashi said, taking in the section Sasuke was looking at.

"They are preemie size. The twins are most likely going to be under five pounds. There is more here than last time." Sasuke said, as he went through them and picked different ones.

He didn't care too much about what the clothes looked like, especially at this age, he just wanted to make sure he would have enough for both twins without having to do laundry every couple of days.

"What sizes should we be getting?"

"Aunt May had said preemie to three months to start and then get bigger sizes once they are getting too small for three months."

"Makes senses. That way you wouldn't have to be going out for clothes until they are a little older."

Kakashi took a look at the clothes as well and to Sasuke's surprised picked out a few that he liked. Once they had about twenty different sleepers and diaper shirts they headed into the main part of the store. Aunt May gave them a warm smile as she went over to them.

"Look how big you've gotten."

"Ya, Kakashi had to help me get out of a chair today." Sasuke said, still not impressed.

Aunt May gave a small chuckle. "It's all part of the experience. I see you saw our new preemie clothes. I ordered some extra in for you."

"Thank-you, that was very kind of you." Kakashi said.

"It was no problem. How are they?"

"Good. I had blood work and an ultrasound today. No diabetes so I'm happy about that. But the one twin is smaller than he should be, he's fifteen ounces and shorter too. We're just hoping he gains weight and will be able to grow on his own without Konan having to intervene."

"That's really common with twins. I know it sounds scary, but it happens with almost all multiple pregnancies. He'll be ok. You only have eleven more weeks to go, you're in the homestretch everyone will be ok. Once he's born he'll make up for lost time you'll see. Don't worry about it too much Sweetie."

"I'm trying. I'm not going to be able to be out probably again until after they are born. I'm getting too big and it's clear that I'm not gaining normal weight. I'm gonna go through and write down different things that we need to pick up and then Itachi will come by throughout the next three months and get them."

"Ok, well take your time and let me know if you need any help." Aunt May said with a warm smile.

"Thank-you." Kakashi said.

Sasuke headed over to the right side where all of the bottles and non-furniture items were. Kakashi worked with him and helped him get everything sorted that they needed for the twins. It was blowing Kakashi's mind all the things that babies needed that he didn't even realise. It took them an hour to get it all written down. Sasuke also picked up some mitts, hats, receiving blankets and soft blankets for them. They then went over to the cash where Sasuke also added the dresser and changing table that would match the color of the cribs.

"Those will match perfectly for you." Aunt May said with a warm smile.

"Ya I think so."

Aunt May rang in the other items and then turned to look at the both of them.

"Am I splitting this?" She asked with a warm smile.

"No"

"Yes."

Both said at the same time. They both looked at each other and Aunt May's smile only got wider.

"Really? We need to have this conversation again." Kakashi said.

"You're not obligated to help pay for things. I am rich. And you're doing enough by giving up your life and moving here. Your chakra is the only reason the three of us are even alive."

"And I told you, I'm all in. That includes helping out financially for them. They're my sons too. We're splitting it."

Sasuke gave a small smile and a nod. He was doing his best not to let his eyes tear up. Kakashi had never called them his sons before. Aunt May divided the total and then both of them paid their part. Kakashi grabbed the bags and they headed out to make a quick stop at the sweet shop.

"Are you ok? You looked like you were getting teary eyed." Kakashi said gently.

"It's stupid hormones, I'm fine."

Kakashi placed his hand gently on Sasuke's forearm, stopping him.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked gently.

"You called them your sons. You've never called them that before. It's just stupid hormones."

Kakashi placed his hand against Sasuke's cheek. "I know we haven't really talked about it. But I care about all three of you. They are my sons, they are our sons. I'm always going to be there for them and you."

"You gave up everything to be here, I'd understand if you didn't want this."

"I gave up a life in Konoha, but I'm gaining everything by starting one here with you and these beautiful miracles. Yes at first I wasn't sure about any of this, about being a father or if I'd be any good at it. I don't know if I will be good at it, but I know I'm looking forward to finding out. I'm excited for them to be here. I wouldn't change any of this. I need you to believe me when I say that."

Sasuke gave a small nod. "Ok."

"Let's go see what sweets these beautiful miracles are interested in." Kakashi said with a warm smile.

Sasuke gave a smile back and together they headed into the store. Sasuke felt the twins start kicking the second he was in the shop, like they knew what was coming. Sasuke gave a small chuckle.

"What?" Kakashi whispered.

"They're kicking." Sasuke whispered back.

Kakashi gave a chuckle to that. Sasuke walked up and put in his order, Kakashi noticed that he got more chocolate covered pickles along with some bananas, strawberries and melon. With Sasuke's sweets they headed out for the grocery store to pick up some food they needed.

"I wonder if your tastebuds will change afterwards or if Itachi still gets his sweet partner." Kakashi said.

"I doubt I will still like chocolate covered pickles. But I'm hoping I'll still like baked goods. A warm chocolate chip cookie needs to still be in my life."

Kakashi chuckled. "You might still like them, just maybe not in the amount you've been eating them. Will you keep baking for the twins or do you want them to be more strict like you were growing up?"

"I don't want them restricted. Growing up it was all about training and working. There was no fun or playing, no toys. I want them to play and have fun. I want them to get flour all over the kitchen making cookies for Santa. They'll eat healthy, but they'll also get treats, birthday cakes. If they start training to be ninjas it will be because that's the life they want and not because they are obligated to be one. I want them to be kids, messes and all."

"I couldn't agree more. That's how it was for me growing up. I knew I would be a ninja since I was three, but my father always made sure I had fun and got to experience the little magics of childhood, like Santa and the Easter Bunny. I want them to know that too. I'm glad we agree on that."

"It's hard to believe they'll be here soon. It seems like just yesterday I was finding out about them. Now we only have eleven weeks at most to get everything ready."

"Could you go longer? Is that an option if everything is fine?"

"Konan seems to be set on thirty-five weeks. I think she's more concerns about what going longer could do to my body. She's already worried about having to do the surgery. The uterus is connected to multiple blood vessels to make it work. She nicks one and I could bleed out. It's extremely dangerous and not something she has ever done before."

"And it's not like you can go to a hospital where she would have a team to help her should something happen." Kakashi said now even more worried about what was to come.

"I'm gonna talk to her at the next ultrasound and see if leaving it in is a viable option."

"You don't want to remove it?"

"It's not that. I want it out. Mostly because it was forced into me. But I don't want it out so badly that I'm willing to die for it. If she finds that it's too much of a risk once she is in there, then I'm ok for her to leave it in if it won't be a problem for me."

"That's a really good way of looking at it. I don't want you to go through all of this only to not be able to raise our sons. If it is safer for you, I'd rather her leave it in. We can ask her more about it next time and maybe she can check with the ultrasound machine just how connected it is."

"I know once they are born you are going to want to go back out there. I know you want to find the Hunters and help figure out pieces of this war."

"Until we discover who Tobi really is and neutralize this war, it's not safe for them or you. Me being out there isn't because I don't want to be with you three, it's to protect you and find the answers we need to avoid this war or win it."

"I know. And if I was in your position I would do the same. I want you to know that I understand and it's ok. But you have to be home one week out of the month and there for their birthday and the main holidays and that includes Christmas Eve. They need to know you and you need to know them. Deal?"

"Deal. Only until this war is over, then I'll be around more and then you can go on missions and I'll take care of them." Kakashi said warmly.

"Sounds good."

They headed into the grocery store and grabbed what food Sasuke needed. On the way back to the tower they also grabbed a few more things from the baking store. As this would be the last time Sasuke could be out until after the twins were born, he wanted to grab a few things so he would be able to bake without having to wait for someone to go to the store for him. With that done they headed back to the Tower.

Sasuke walked into the kitchen and saw that Itachi and Kisame were there already.

"Were you waiting for us?" Sasuke asked.

"No, I sensed you approaching the tower. You've been gone a while." Itachi said, as he took some of the bags from Kakashi.

"We would have been here sooner, but he got stuck in a chair." Kakashi teased.

Sasuke slapped Kakashi's arm. "Asshole."

"You got stuck in a chair?" Kisame asked, trying to hide a smile.

"Smile, I dare you." Sasuke said in a deadly tone.

"In Sasuke's defense, the chair was very comfy and extra-large. And all of his mass is centrally located." Kakashi said.

"Was it just one chair you got stuck in?" Kisame asked.

"Yes, alright, yes I couldn't get up because I'm the size of a baby elephant. And when I am no longer this massive, I will be kicking your asses." Sasuke said, as he went and sat down on a stool.

"Did you find a chair you liked?" Itachi asked as he put the groceries away.

"Ya the one I got stuck in. It really was comfy. And we got a foam piece for my bed."

"We'll get it on there for you. Hopefully, it will help minimize your soreness." Itachi said.

"I hope so. I got the list organized and I ordered the dresser and changing table. We also picked up more stuff for baking. Which I will be doing more now that I'm banished from outside."

"You aren't banished." Itachi said.

"I know. I'm getting too big and it's noticeable. It's ok, I can play outside once they are born. How's the apartment coming?"

"It's going good and up fast. Having the extra hands have helped. It'll be ready for when the twins are born." Kisame said.

"I know you all are working hard to get it up, and I appreciate it, but don't stress if it doesn't work that way. It's not like we'll be out on the street and Konan says the twins will be in an incubator for at least a couple of weeks. We can always get their room ready then if it doesn't get done. Don't kill yourselves trying to get it done." Sasuke said.

"We won't Ototo, but it's going well and we are still on track. We'll get it done."

"Ok, well I'm going to put this in my room and then I'm probably gonna get some sleep." Sasuke said, as he grabbed the bag from the baby store.

"Are you feeling ok?" Itachi asked concerned.

"I'm fine, just tired. I didn't sleep well last night, too sore."

"I'll come with you and get the foam piece on your bed, that should help." Kakashi said.

"I'll come check in on you shortly." Itachi said.

Sasuke gave a nod and him and Kakashi headed down to his bedroom. Once there Sasuke went and placed the bag from the baby shop in the closet while Kakashi got the sheet off his bed to place the foam piece down. Once his bed was ready Sasuke got into bed as he spoke.

"Thanks."

"No problem. How are you feeling besides tired?"

"I'm alright. The foam is helping, I should be able to sleep better."

Kakashi noticed the green light on Sasuke's bracelet was getting lighter, he was going to need chakra soon.

"The light is getting dimer on your bracelet. Why don't you give me the bracelet, and while you are sleeping I'll wear it and get it recharged for you?"

"We just did this five days ago." Sasuke said, as he removed the bracelet.

"It makes sense that the further along you are the more they will take." Kakashi said, as he took the bracelet and put it on.

He then went and placed his hand on Sasuke's stomach and feed some chakra into the babies directly to ensure Sasuke would be ok while he was recharging the bracelet. Sasuke gave a small moan at the warmth that went through him.

"Your chakra is warm."

"Before I leave I'll make sure the fire is set for you. Close your eyes and get some sleep. Once the bracelet is ready I'll put it back on you and then leave you alone."

"I had fun this morning, it was nice to spend some time together just us." Sasuke said, as he closed his eyes.

"Me too. We'll have to find something that we can do together more often."

"I'd like that." Sasuke said softly and Kakashi knew he would be asleep soon.

"Me too. Goodnight."

Sasuke gave a soft moan and Kakashi knew he was asleep. Kakashi sat there watching Sasuke sleep while he feed the babies chakra. He still couldn't believe this was even happening, but he was glad that it was. All he needed to do now was make sure that Sasuke and their sons made it through the next eleven weeks.