Heat

As the weeks went by Naruto seemed to bloom, she felt better the morning sickness and fatigue were things of the past, her small flat belly also seem to be gone though. "Shikamaru!" At the strangely pitched cry he ran up the stairs through their room and into the bathroom. "Naruto? Are you okay?" She grinned then grabbing his hand she put it on her bare belly and he sighed then chuckled, ever since she started feeling the baby move she had become determined he feel it too, so far though nothing.

Suddenly he felt a ripple under his palm, "There! Did you feel it?" Shikamaru's eyes grew big, he had felt something, could it have been his son? Then again softly he felt the ripple of movement. "There it is again, surely you felt that." He gently rubbed the spot then leaned back when the movement stopped, "Naruto? Is that what you've been feeling?" She grinned and nodded, "Sometimes he does more, sometimes it's like tiny butterfly wings though, but now he's getting bigger."

Shikamaru grinned sillier than she'd ever seen him before and swinging up his naked wife he spun around in a circle, "I felt it, I felt my son move!" He sank to the floor still holding her closely and she hugged his neck, "I love you baby, thank you for carrying my child. I never would have thought we'd end up together, but I'm glad we did."

Naruto smiled as she watched him rubbing the spot he had felt their child move whispering to the bulge there, 'were my parents like this, did they get excited when I moved? The old man said they were so happy about me, but when they died so did my family... until now, now Shika and I have a little boy on the way too, Shikaikou, 'our little deer love. I'm sure his grandpa will like that name.' She reach down to kiss her husband and the two just enjoyed the first moment together as a family, all three of them.

That night Shikaku and Yoshino did love the name, and the meaning behind it and both had tears when Naruto made them swear to protect and raise their son if anything happened, they had loved Minato and Kushina and had mourned their loss. Naruto and Shikamaru had considered breaking the tradition of naming the child Shika and naming the baby after his father, but they didn't want the enemies of the fourth Hokage to target their child, and so Shikaikou was picked to honour the Nara family ties with the Ino-Shika-Cho group. They all went to bed happy and excited, soon the little boy they were waiting for would be here.

Naruto was still excited about her baby but she wasn't excited about this, "Stretchmarks? You mean after I have the baby these will still be here?" Tsunade chuckled, 'yeah now that he's been a woman I doubt he'll ever smile at some poor woman and declare that she not worry they're really badges of courage... badges my ass!'

"Naruto it's all part of the package your skin is stretching a lot, on the bright side, while they will never completely go away they will fade to silver. Try some moisturizing cream, those with vitamin E or cocoa butter seem to help some, but nothing will completely prevent them, sorry kid." Shikamaru wisely kept his mouth shut, he had already had his argument, he should never have asked her what the red lines under her belly were.

"Is it me or did women really get the harder job, weaker sex my ass. I'd like to see one of those tough ANBU guys do this." Tsunade had to laugh, all kunoichi would have a great friend if Naruto did achieve his dream to be Hokage. "Don't forget more vegetables, even if they do give you heartburn." Naruto grimaced, "I can deal with the heartburn it's the gas I could live without... Shikamaru don't say a word!" Tsunade knew her stomach muscles were going to die, she hadn't held this much laughter in in years. Shikamaru just nodded 'no' and stayed silent, he wasn't called a genius for nothing.

The days were going by faster and faster, Naruto was getting bigger, which meant Shikaikou was too. As Naruto neared her third trimester they all prepared for the big barbecue. Yoshino had the men running around in circles and Naruto sat cleaning vegetables and putting them on kabob sticks to grill. "Naruto I hope we stay close even when you are a man again, it's been wonderful to have another woman in this house."

Naruto smiled at his mother-in-law, Yoshino had shown herself to be, while sometimes bossy, always a loving mother. Naruto also hoped they would always be close. "I've enjoyed this too, and I guess if I ever act to much like a man you can just remind me about the stretchmarks, they can help me remember. And you know we may always try for a little girl one day." The two men winced at the laughter coming from the kitchen with a shared look they got busy trying to look busy.

That night every close friend of the family came for the party, many Naruto hadn't seen since the wedding. She had kept a low profile since several ninja had seen the sexy-no-jutsu, and now that 'Naruto' had been in Suna for over six months, they felt safer. He'd worn makeup at the wedding to help disguise himself, covering the whiskers, plus had his hair up to keep villagers from recognizing him. But tonight she was surrounded by friends, and they all wanted to talk to her. Though Kiba was careful not to be near her alone, he was wary of Shikamaru's jealousy now.

Sakura, Ino, Tenten and Hinata all asked to feel the baby move and Naruto giggled as they touched ticklish spots trying to find the baby. Kiba stood next to Shikamaru, "Hey won't she like turn back after this? Why aren't you jealous of the girls feeling her up?" Shikamaru sighed and nodded before lazily explaining, "Naruto can only be sexually attracted to me now anyway, no matter what they tried. Man I'm sorry about what happened... I just had to get used to the idea that no matter what Naruto looks like, she or he is mine. It's taking a lot of thinking to get used to the fact my wife will look more like a husband in about fourteen months." Kiba did a double take, "Wait... I thought she'd turn back after she had the baby." Shikamaru smiled, "Yeah we did too till we read that most mothers breast feed for six months to a year and one year is best for the baby, so Naruto decided that she won't wean him until his first birthday." Kiba shook his shaggy head and muttered, "Lucky dog."

"So guess this mean I'm not the girliest looking guy anymore huh?" Naruto turned to see Hyuga Neji standing nearby. "Hell no, I think I won that hands down when I bought my first bra." They both chuckled, and then spoke of some of the missions Neji had been on, soon Rock Lee and Shino had walked over too. Naruto sighed, he missed it, he really missed going on the missions to help the village. Then he felt the sturdy little kicks from his son and smiled, rubbing his belly he knew, having new shinobi was a mission too. Strong arms wrapped around him from behind pulling him from his thoughts. "Yen for your thoughts Megitsune..." whispered the deep voice of her husband. Nuzzling deeper into his embrace she whispered her thoughts and more.

Hiashi, Tsume and some of the older generation had gathered at the tables eating and talking, he saw the couple embrace and knew that they were fated to be together. "Your grandson will be very strong Shikaku, a benefit to the village and your Clan." The others quietly nodded their agreement, from Hiashi, there was no higher compliment from the very traditional shinobi. That night as they went home to their beds all of them thought how fast this pregnancy seem to be going by, so much would be happening soon. Naruto only had three more months until her due date. They all had a mission, this village had to except this baby, and they were there to see it through.