Stress And Labour

The doors were always open to family at the Inuzuka compound, he could certainly ensure that much, but it still unnerved him that evening when his older sister came round. It wasn't that he didn't want to see her or anything like that, but she was heavily pregnant. Overdue, even. Having that fact hanging over her made her akin to a ticking time bomb, just waiting for the spark to set off the explosion.

"Hana..." He greeted uncertainly, standing aside to allow his sister in. "Shouldn't you be home?"
"By myself?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.
"You have the Haimaru brothers."
She turned to him with a scowl. "Are you saying there's something wrong with wanting to visit my baby brother?" She half-teased. After about half a second of thought, Kiba forced a smile and shook his head.
"Just concerned is all. Shino back yet?"
Sighing, Hana lowered herself into a chair, getting the weight off her sore feet. "Not yet. What do you think the big emergency was?"
He shrugged. "You want anything to drink?"
"Just water. Where's Tamaki?"
"She's here." He assured her with a nod. "I think she's with the animals. I could call her in?"
"Nah, it's good. She's well then?"
"We all are. As well as we can be at least." He went to get the drinks and tell his own partner who had been at the door. Hana shifted around, trying to get comfortable. Over the past week things had just been annoying. It was a chore just to walk from the sofa to the bathroom at times and with Shino away on an emergency mission, she couldn't help but be tense. She was sore, overheated, having to put up with every single ache and throb and flutter, worrying about all sorts of things...she hated it. At least maybe she could relax a little while there and then.

She stayed a few hours, chatting away happily to her brother and soon to be sister-in-law. Kiba was, in all honestly, relieved. No drama through the day. He'd noticed how tired she was, so he'd offered to let her stay for dinner, and considering what happened next, he was somewhat glad he had.

Hana had fallen asleep, so while dinner was prepared, Kiba and Tamaki remained in the kitchen together, conversing quietly. "She must have been lonely, with Shino gone." Tamaki mused. "I don't think your dogs can exactly be the best company at this stage."
"Maybe not." He shrugged. "She's probably worried."
"About Shino?"
"What else? It's a dangerous case he's on."
"I know I'd be worried if it was you."
"Plus she'll be really on edge considering she has to stay here when all the action's going on."
"Kiba!" called Hana's voice from the living room. He ignored it.
"Bascially, this is the perfect time for her to be stressy as hell."
"Kiba!"
"Just a minute!" He called back, scowling. "It's not that I don't like having her around, but I hate seeing her like that. Does having a baby always do that to people? I know it turned Temari into a complete bitch."
"Kiba, for god's sake!"
"Hang on!" He heaved a sigh as he went to the door. "I just...hate seeing her in a state. She's my sister." He began his journey back to the living room. She herself had stood, making her way to the door. Beads of sweat clung to her forehead, as though she had just awoken from a nightmare. Stress and sleep deprivation were evident on her face. Sighing softly, he offered out his hand.
"You okay?"
She shook her head gently. "Call Shino."
"I can't."
"Leave a message for him, just call him." She pushed past him then, out into the hall, biting back a groan that threatened to break free.
"Where are you going?"
"Hospital."
Kiba felt the blood drain from his face. "No. Not now. Absolutely not."
"Don't worry, ototo. Nothing's happening until Shino gets back."
"Tamaki!" He ran to the kitchen, turning off the cooker. No point in leaving it on if they were about to go out. She shot him a glare, but he ignored it. "Hana. She's, um...it...god, almost a month overdue and it decides to come now!" He was getting flustered. Far more flustered than either of the women as he grabbed the phone.

The forest seemed quiet. The grass in the clearing was stained red, a disaster scene with the odd weapon still embedded. The fighters had managed to drag their injured bodies a little away, but a mobile phone lay open on the ground, abandoned by its owner as it began to ring. Nobody to pick it up, the phone announced its master was unavailable, asking the caller to leave a message.
"Shino, it's Kiba. I know damn well you wouldn't have your phone on if you were in danger, so pick up already." Light struggled to shine through the film of blood covering the screen. "Hana's in labour, so get your butt back here as soon as possible, got it?"
The phone clicked, message ending, and silence once more filled the clearing until a voice yelled the name the first man had been speaking to. Shino stirred slightly, but for the most part remained down, hands pressed to his belly, where while conscious he had been trying to stem a bleed. Now all that held them there was his own weight, muscles too weak to comply with his brain. "Shino." The voice started, rolling him onto his back to get a proper look at him. The details were fuzzy, but he remembered they had been ambushed. Everyone was injured, no doubt, and the attackers certainly had some devastating weaponry. He tried to keep his eyes open, focus on the wavering form above him of the other man. He felt hands on his wound and cried out weakly, trying to focus on that pain, keep it there to reassure himself that he was alive and awake, but all too soon the shadows at the edge of his vision clouded over his whole mind.

Shikamaru froze, watching the shallow breathing appear to cease. He leaned in, face close to check, but he couldn't find any breath, any heartbeat. He couldn't just die, though. No way was he losing anyone on this, let alone a friend. That in mind, he readied his hands over Shino's chest and concentrated his chakra. He could try and keep the heart going while hopefully drawing in friends rather than enemies.

The hours passed by like thick treacle. Hana felt like she'd already been there days on end, and still there was no sign of it ending or even of Shino returning. She sat cross-legged on the bed, gritting her teeth and trying to make as little noise as possible. For the time being, she wasn't doing too well with that particular goal, considering the moans that left her lips, and she certainly wasn't pleased that the only person in the room there and then was Kiba. Kiba, who seemed afraid to approach her, in case she hurt him. Thinking about it, she probably would have if she could, as long as it took her mind off her own pains. "Bastard." She managed to mutter through her clenched teeth. Getting her pregnant and buggering off just as things started. Reaching out as another contraction hit, she snapped out. "Are you just going to stand there gawking or are you going to help? Where the hell is Shino?"
Kiba dithered a moment before coming to her side and taking her hand, ready to reply before she tightened her grip enough to make bones crack.
"Jesus, nee-chan, watch it! I happen to use my hands!"
"Shut the hell up!"
He froze then before clearing his throat and working his fingers, trying to get the feeling back into his hand. "I haven't heard anything back from Shino-"
"Did you even call him?"
"It went to answerphone."
"Call him again!"
"It won't..." He was cut off by another yell of hers. Thinking it over, he decided at least playing along with her whim would stop her panicking too much. "I'll see what I can do." He promised, biting his lip before hurrying out of the room, passing a nurse who was heading in. He made his way down to the bottom floor, highly doubting he would get an answer this time round.

Every bit of emergency treatment that could be given had been given, and now the team was returning to Konoha, failure nipping at their heels and the more seriously injured being carried, nowhere near safe. The journey seemed like it was taking forever, but hopefully, with their retreat, they would make it back without being attacked again.

The sound of a ringing phone sounded off from behind, back in the clearing. One of the injured stirred, reaching for his empty pockets.

"Hey, me again. Things are getting pretty close to go time and Hana's getting antsy. If you're coming at all, come quick."

Silence as he waited in the reception, keeping an eye out for any form of Shino. He'd promised to sit there and wait, and he had been waiting for over an hour while upstairs Tamaki kept the miserable Hana company. "Come on..." He muttered under his breath, tapping his feet. He wanted to make sure his sister was okay, but he knew she would just get angry if he went up there. He took a deep breath, shutting his eyes and drumming his fingers on his forearm. How long had all this stupid stuff been going on? Too long. Kiba was tired, and he didn't even want to begin to imagine how his sister felt. He heard people rushing in and panicked voices, the smell of blood almost overpowering. Cracking open an eye, he took in the sight of the ninja squad before him, the patients being hurriedly seen to.

Well, hell.

"Shino?" He pushed away from the wall, hurrying to the still form of his friend. No response. No reaction. Someone was holding him back, keeping him from getting closer. "Shino! Shino, wake up!"
"Calm down. He needs to be treated."
"Wake him up." Another hand was at his shoulder now.
"Kiba, Hana wants to see you." Tamaki announced. Reluctantly, he stepped away from his friend's bedside and watched him disappear through a set of double doors.
"He'll be okay, right?" He asked uncertainly. "I'm his brother-in-law, he's just become a father, I want to know he'll be okay!"
Tamaki tried to drag him as a solemn-looking nurse turned and shrugged lazily. "We'll keep you updated." He muttered after a moment. Kiba held his ground a moment longer before he let Tamaki drag him away. Lead him back to Hana's room. What the hell was he supposed to tell her?

He approached the door and slid it open, almost terrified. Hana had shifted onto her side, seemingly asleep, the newborn infant in her arms, held close to her chest. He went to sit beside her, brushing her hair off her sweaty face. After a moment, she cracked open an eye. "Hey, Kiba..."
"How're you feeling?"
"Like everything's falling apart." She grinned, snuggling into the bedclothes and sighed. "I haven't slept in over a week."
"Then sleep."
"Is Shino here yet?"
"Uh..." He quietly reached out to take the child from her. "He's coming as fast as he can. I could go see?"
A grateful smile. "Thank you."

It was another few hours before Kiba could see Shino. His friend showed no signs of consciousness despite the fact that the doctors said he was wide awake. He was cradling his niece as he approached the bed, strangely anxious. "Shino." He greeted uncertainly, voice loud and clear. "Shino? You can hear me, right?"
A twitch of his hand, an eye flickering open, an attempt to answer muffled behind an oxygen mask. He took it as an affirmative before taking a seat beside him. "You got my messages?"
Something else muffled, but he gave a slight shake of his head as well. No, no messages. There was a brief silence, the Inuzuka unsure how to speak to his friend, what to say next, but after a moment, the hospitalised man reached over, stroking the side of his daughter's cheek, a curious look in his eyes.
"Oh!" he reached over, gently depositing the infant into Shino's arms. He hadn't been expecting that, and awkwardly held the child to his side with one arm. "This is...well, she doesn't have a name yet, but she's your daughter, and, yeah...God, this is awkward..."
"My...? When...?"
"She was born three hours ago. Hana made me stand outside and wait for you." He explained, laughing a little. "Seriously, the sooner you're healed, the sooner she'll stop putting me through the meat grinder."
Shino tried to take the defensive, but Kiba just grinned wider.
"Sorry, man, I can't hear you. You enjoy your time here with...whatever you want to call her."
He reached up to remove the oxygen mask, despite Kiba's protests. "We decided on names...a week before I left...Kata for a boy...Kakamu for a girl..." He mused, drawing the child closer to his side. "I'll be up and helping in no time."
"As long as you think you can cope with it."
"Considering the facts, I think I am more than capable."
"Just you wait." Grinning, he crossed his legs and leant back in his seat, watching father and daughter 'bond'. If the child had the right traits from her mother, she'd know her father's scent in no time.