• A baby's wail broke the silence in the small home. Itachi turned his head towards the crib and listened as his son cried. It didn't take long for his mother to hurry into the room. The young woman took her son into her arms and sat down in a chair.

    "Shhh...there there..." Ki whispered. She held him close. "Its alright, I'm here..."

    The baby's cries slowly died away. It appeared that all he'd wanted was to be held. Soon the child was sleeping again, content to just stay in his mother's arms. Ki smiled down at her baby. She did not set him back in his crib, rather continued to hold him. Itachi walked closer to get a better look at Ki's face. Her eyes were tired and showed age beyong her years. Besides that, she was the same lovely young woman he'd somehow fallen for.

    "Itachi, look at him..." Ki said. Itachi was surprised to hear his name. Could she...possibly...see him? "Someone is bound to recognize your face in his sooner or later...but what will happen when he is recognized? What will happen when your brother lays eyes on him?"

    "Sasuke won't harm him." Itachi told her, trying to reassure her.

    Ki, showing no reaction to his words, sighed. She stood and carried their son to his crib. Gently, she laid the young boy back down. The baby yawned. Ki smiled and pressed two fingers to her lips, then to the baby's. "Sleep well, Kira..."

    "Ki..." Itachi began. Ki turned around and walked straight through him. Itachi cursed his own foolishness. Of course she didn't know he was there! Itachi watched Ki leave the room, then walked to the side of the crib. His son was content for the moment. Ki was right. The baby shared most of his father's features. Though Itachi saw hints of Ki in the child's face...and in the few times Kira had opened his eyes, Itachi had seen Ki's warm brown eyes.

    "Your mother works hard." Itachi told his son. "When you grow older, you need to respect her..."

    Itachi had no idea how long Kira could remain hidden. He wished that Ki had not chosen to go with her students to his village. Then Kira and Ki would be safer, just for a little while. Who knows what Madara would do to Ki? Or to Kira, for that matter? Itachi had never trusted Madara...and now Itachi feared what he might do to his family.

    Ki returned, humming quietly to herself as she glided into the room. She began straightening up the nursery, putting away toys and dusting a bit. Amazing how this girl, who was now the perfect image of a happy wife and mother, was once a strong-willed bounty hunter with fire in her eyes. Itachi found himself smiling. While he'd come to love the headstrong shinobi, he'd also found himself growing accustomed to this light-hearted mother as well.

    "Sensei! Sensei!"

    Both Itachi and Ki winced and turned towards the doorway. Suzuko, Ki's student and 'daughter,' ran in. Ki pressed one finger to her lips and pointed to Kira. Suzuko silently apologized. When she spoke, her voice was no more than a whisper. "There are people outside asking for you."

    Ki sighed and left with Suzuko. Itachi watched them go. He wasn't worried. The village people were still curious about Ki. She'd come into the village, right out of nowhere, accompanied by two girls. Ki had been very pregnant with their son at the time of her arrival, and her student Katsu was ready to give birth to her child any day now. Ki and the girls set up a residence for themselves, trying to keep out of the public eye. It was hard, though. People were too curious. They wanted to know who these strange women were, why two of them were pregnant, and why the fathers were not with the girls.

    Once both babies had been delivered, Ki and her student had been subjected to countless curious visitors. All seemed to be well-wishers, congratulating her on her healthy son. But Ki knew better. Ki knew they just wanted to meet this strange woman for themselves so they could go gossip about it later. Itachi shook his head and sighed.

    "Watch after your mother, Kira. I'm counting on you..." Itachi said. "Your her guardian now." He reached down, wanting to touch his son. Then Itachi realized with a surge of sadness that he couldn't. He was just a spirit. He had no physical body. And yet, Kira seemed to sense his father's hand hovering just beside his cheek. The child slowly opened his eyes halfway. Itachi smiled slightly and said again, "Your her guardian."

    Kira smiled, as if he understood. Then the child closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.