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Spending the night in the tundra with Sasuke, Katsuro, and Daisuke definitely wasn't how I expected this week without the girls to go. But as I've grown older and wiser, I know that expecting the unexpected is the right way to go about things!

This morning, I awoke with a slight chill running across my skin, the sensation immediately reminding me that I'm no longer at home in konoha, but instead In the notorious tundra of Urufumun.

I peered out the large windows with a blurred gaze, not one to immediately snap awake after opening my eyes in the mornings. Small specks of snow floated down the dark skies, and I sighed to myself, dropping my head back onto my pillow.

For a second it felt like I was back to being fifteen.

This was once my home when I felt like I could never step foot in Konoha again. It was also my safe haven when I felt like the universe was against me. I'd awake every day in this very same bed, it's insane to think that once I'd wake up and loneliness and tear stained pillows, and now-

Now I wake up to my nine year old son sprawled out on top of me and my eldest son practically snoring by my side.

It's the realization that Daisuke's on top of me that snaps me out of my short lived trip down memory lane.

I'm not just a victim of the tainted and dated shinobi system anymore, I'm no longer lonely. I'm a mother now with children who own my heart, a husband who I've loved my entire life, truly the happily ever after I'm not quite sure I've ever deserved.

"Mom? Why're you up so early?" Katsuro groaned, his voice spooking me out of my thoughts. My head snaps over to the fifteen year old, and a small smile tugs at my lips at the sight of him.

He's fifteen, the same age I was when I went rogue and lived out my days between the tundra and different akatsuki bases. But that odd comparison doesn't faze me much, he's still my baby no matter how old!

It doesn't help that he's blinking up at me with those precious eyes (Are they sharp? Maybe a little, but still precious!) and reddened cheeks from the cold.

"I could ask you the same thing." I chuckle, gently removing my arm that was hugging Daisuke to ruffle Katsuro's hair.

Daisuke sniffled a bit in my grasp at the action, twisting and turning for a moment before falling back in a state of deep sleep, having found the perfect position to snooze in for the next hour or so.

It was terribly cute, seeing as both Sasuke and Daisuke sometimes sleep in the same positions naturally. The resemblance between father and son in moments like this is uncanny, both of their faces clear of any worries the world has plagued them with.

And although some of our other kids look much more like Sasuke in the traditional sense, I couldn't help but think at that moment, Daisuke's never looked more like his father.

"It's too cold here, I thought this bed would be warmer but I was wrong." Katsuro huffed, hugging his blankets tighter to himself as he glared out the windows. I snort at that, shaking my head at his antics.

Sasuke was originally the one who was asleep by my side throughout the night. Daisuke joined us as well, happily nuzzled between the two of us as he slept peacefully.

It wasn't until this morning when Sasuke had already woken up and left the bedroom that Katsuro stumbled in with a cocoon of blankets wrapped around him, hoping that the change of scenery would help him sleep through the cold.

News flash: It didn't.

I sigh at Katsuro's haughty glare directed towards the snow outside, glancing down at Daisuke to make sure he wasn't struggling either.

Luckily for him, Dai was clearly basking in the warmth I managed to provide him alongside all of the blankets and pillows I strategically enveloped him in. His head was nuzzled between the juncture of my shoulder and neck, fluffy black hair delicately sprawled around him like a dark halo.

His nose twitched at my actions, clearly not enjoying the feeling of me moving around and disrupting his sleep.

It wouldn't be long before I got out of bed and whipped up a warm breakfast for my Katsu, knowing he could barely handle the cold like I could. Hell, with the way he's trembling by my side I might have to make the breakfast a little extra hot!

Sasuke was already downstairs, conversing with Isamu and some of the other wolves who looked more than happy to have us here in the tundra after so long.

Well, they looked happy to see me. Apparently, some wolves still had a bit of a tude whenever it came to Sasuke walking in and out of the tundra like he owned the place.

Hehe, that's probably my fault.

I'm sure every single wolf here who's old enough remembers how much I'd cry over Sasuke when I was younger, and the fact that he comes from a clan that was once warring against ours for centuries?

Yeah, some wolves are still a tiny bit hesitant to accept him-

Sasuke's fine with it though, unfazed by the side eyes some of the older wolves send his way whenever they're in the same vicinity. It shows when I walk downstairs with Daisuke on my hip. His head lolled onto my shoulder as I happily greeted the wolves and averted their fierce gazes from my husband.

Sasuke looks as nonchalant as ever, leaning against the sleek wooden countertops without a care in the world as I press a quick kiss to his lips and hand over Daisuke for him to carry instead.

Some of the wolves ease up at the sight of me, but others practically flinch when I show Sasuke a bit of affection.

I only find it a little funny.

After breakfast, we all started getting officially ready for the day, with me sending Haruki another hopeful call (To which she ignored) And Daisuke trying on his little training outfit I had Isamu bring us from home.

"If you start to feel bad throughout any of this let me know okay? Don't push yourself too hard. Your dad won't be disappointed if we have to stop early." I warned him as I brushed through his dark locks. He nodded with a small, sheepish blush. Too cute!

All of those small events led up to my place now, out in the open snowy fields with Sasuke and Katsuro by my side. The three of us spectating Daisuke's progress from the sidelines.

Yesterday was the day that we all decided to start training Daisuke here in the tundra. With Hikaru and Hideo's wisdom, Sasuke's intellect and overwhelming strength, Katsuro's guidance, and my emotional support, Dai is sure to have a much more comfortable experience.

At first, I was terribly nervous.

Katsuro is a small boy for his age with raw power greater than anything I've ever seen before, the perfect, scariest combination possible of me and Sasuke. Well, scariest for anyone who'd dare wrong him in the future.

Seeing him struggle in any capacity, whether it be struggling to tie his shoes, or struggling to perform a jutsu properly, always sends me into this overprotective mama bear mode. I just can't help it!

However, early into this training session I realized that there really wasn't a need to worry. Daisuke, my nine year old angel, is quite something with only half of his rinnegan powers.

Since it isn't the full amount, he's able to handle the amounts of chakra that pour into his dojutsu with a bit more ease. In turn, his jutsu are slowly becoming more precise, and he's growing better and better by the second.

He's always been talented, in a way almost similar to his late uncle. Seeing that displayed in front of me is surreal, and I could tell Sasuke feels the same way as he watches Daisuke from afar.

"We created a monster, a really cute one, but a monster." I murmur to Sasuke, unable to tear my eyes away from the absolute carnage in front of me.

Sasuke, equally as shocked as me, nods slowly. "And he's only nine."

"Mama! Did I do good?" Daisuke waves his little hand with a big smile on his face amidst all of the wreckage, large chunks of ice smashed to tiny bits and pieces, craters in the ground, unrooted trees blown far away from their original forest; it was total chaos.

I snort, running a hand through Katsuro's hair as I smile back at Daisuke. "Yes baby of course you did amazing!!" I cheer back, turning to Sasuke sharply right after. "Go congratulate him."

Right next to me, Katsuro shudders. Wrapped up in a huge bundle of blankets, his nose still red from the biting cold that wracks through his body. "You did great! now please can we get out of this snow?!" He complains, resting his head on my shoulder out of his dramatics.

Sasuke rolls his eyes at me and our first born, though he still goes and walks over to Dai to have a more personal one on one talk. I watch as he kneels at Daisuke's side and begins to give him small tips or critiques, to which Daisuke would nod enthusiastically and ask questions himself.

A buzz in my back pocket rips my attention from Daisuke, and I'm quick to grasp my phone in my hand. On high alert for any sign of Haruki, I deflate when I see it's just a text from a group chat I'm in (A chat consisting of Sakura, Ino, Temari, Hinata and myself).

Sasuke and I have been worried sick over Ruki. Although Sasuke's more reserved with his concern, it doesn't take away the fact that she's his baby, the same baby who shut out all of my calls and has apparently been missing out on sleep for the past week with diabolical nightmares!

Good grief!!

"Is it Haruki?" Katsuro asks, hugging himself even further as a white mist escapes his lips. Ironically enough, it's the total opposite of his kekkei genkai, where he'd normally be seen spewing searing hot lava from his mouth at hellish levels of heat.

"I wish, but it's just Sakura talking about some bitchy co-worker." I murmur out the response, eyes skimming through my former teammates' hormone induced messages as she rants about someone to the chat.

"Damn, isn't she the boss though? Can't she fire anyone she wants?"

"Yeah, she already did. That's what the text was about." I snort, ruffling Katsuro's hair again. His hair is longer now, no longer cleanly cut at the sides and taking a form eerily similar to how his fathers was at his age.

With every day that passes by, I think Katsuro just transforms further into the teenage version of his father.

If it weren't for the red hues of his eyes, I'd assume that fifteen year old Sasuke somehow teleported to this era! Well, fifteen year old Sasuke with Tattoos that cover parts of his arms and a knack for big sweaters.

And although Sasuke never really says it out loud, I know he likes the fact that our firstborn takes after him so much.

That prideful motherfucker.

"Damn, 190 missed calls? Haruki must've muted you." Katsuro mutters more-so to himself as he peers over the screen of my phone, scrolling through all of the unanswered calls I sent her way. His words consequently snapped me out of my self induced daze.

Growing a bit tired and desperate, I go through my phone once more in case I missed a call or text from my Ruki. Sadly, it quickly becomes apparent that nothing's changed. Besides the texts from my brother and friends, there's no sign of Ruki reaching out anywhere on my phone!

A frown tugs at my lips automatically. The things I read in her journal had alarm bells ringing all over them, my motherly instincts going haywire knowing that Haruki was living through this right under my nose.

I know she's been acting a bit odd, maybe even extra detached if I were to be a bit exaggerated, but I would've never guessed she was enduring something to such extremities.

And now that she refuses to pick up my calls, I know that she knows that I know she fucked up. What a mess.

It's all just so extraordinarily out of character for her!

A piece of me wants to teleport onto that boat and drag her back home. I want to rip the truth out of her, terrified out of my mind that she's been hiding visions so extreme that they'd leave her restless during the night from me. Hell, she's even been hiding them from Sasuke!!

And as much as Haruki loves me, she'll always be a daddy's girl, I'll bitterly admit it.

Speaking of Sasuke, he's walked back to us by now. At just the right time to hear us mention Haruki's name, his eyebrows raise and he gazes down at my phone with just as much curiosity as Katsuro.

"Has she answered yet?" Sasuke asked, turning to me with worry clear in his gaze no matter how hard he tried hiding it.

I sent him a weary glance, knowing how Sasuke worried extra whenever it came to Haruki.

Sasuke's never played favorites, due to his upbringing he's raised our children carefully and equally. He's always been terrified of creating a similar dynamic for our children to the one he had with his older brother.

Although he loves Itachi, loved Itachi with all of his heart and soul, it'll never erase how he felt inferior even as a child due to his father's differing treatment of them. And in turn, he took those memories into consideration when Masahiko was born.

Two boys, one older and one older who clearly love each other to bits and pieces. Sasuke made sure he was treating them both fairly. It's probably one of my favorite things about Sasuke as a father, he's incredibly considerate and mindful of our kids' needs.

However, he bends his own rules just a tiny bit for Haruki and Runa. Especially Haruki.

They've always been daddy's girls, both of them. But Haruki's always been far more attached to Sasuke than Runa. The elder of the twins was far more independent even as a child.

I remember how she'd run off and climb giant rocks to show Sasuke what she could do on her own, whereas Haruki would sit comfortably in his arms and never stray too far from him.

That doesn't change how he feels about either one of them, of course. Sasuke is fiercely protective over Runa, and the way his eyes soften whenever they land on her face is indisputable. She's his little mini me in many ways, and he adores everything about her!

However, Haruki was the one who suffered immensely during the period of time I was in a coma, a very vulnerable time in Sasuke's life as a parent.

Kaguya's curse uniquely exposed itself in her at such a young age, a phenomenon I never endured as a child. Sasuke was already terrified of the damn thing, as it induced me into an indefinite coma. He must've been petrified when he realized his daughter was a victim as well!

It was the one thing he couldn't protect me from, and to know that Ruki may have been fated to the same life had him holding onto her a bit tighter at times, and his mind going haywire with ways to try and prevent the seemingly unpreventable.

So, I blame it all on the fact that she's always been the one plagued with that generational curse that he's paid extra care to her. It isn't like he's so overtly obvious with it, but at times like this it's difficult for him to hide where his thoughts lie.

"No. Maybe you should call her? She'd probably answer you instead." It's a stretch, but she's always opened up to Sasuke easily. Maybe she'd find comfort in speaking with him first!

What a little traitor, I'm the one who birthed her damnit!!

Sasuke stayed silent at my suggestion. Instead, he just turned back to watch Daisuke attempt a certain jutsu again. Still, his dark eyes were coated with worry, and it's obvious who it's for.

I wouldn't be surprised if he just ditched the tundra and showed up on that boat at this rate-

"Finally we're getting off this boat today!" I exclaim, eyes trained on the beds of my nails as I dip my brush into the bottle of black polish and carefully stroke on some of the pigment. My hair's let loose and cascading down my back, the dark glossy locks pushed away from my face with a fluffy headband.

By my side, Haruki has her hair down in its natural state, a cacophony of spiraling curls that fall all the way down to her waist and frame away from her face, giving her the appearance of an elegant doll as she sets some shimmer onto her shoulders with a fluffy pink powder puff.

I eye her curls for a moment, marvelling over how pretty I think they are.

Ever since we were little I loved her hair, but Ruki normally straightens it, getting rid of the unique and show-stopping pattern. I've never liked it when she did that, although it makes her look like mom's literal clone, I much prefer her natural hair over the straightened version.

Still though, my sister is gorgeous either way.

"I'm excited to try out some popular bakeries they have here!" She sighed dreamily, her head In The clouds thinking of the overload of sweets she's going to gift herself later. My eyes drift back to my nails, focusing on getting them just right for when we dock later today.

A fresh manicure is the perfect starter for a trip!

"Eek it's gonna be so fun! I hear they have a sweets shop where everything they sell is sea themed! Mermaid cake pops and seashell cupcakes! Are you coming with?" She asks, turning to me hopefully with those big sparkling eyes.

"And third wheel you and Inojin? I'd rather not." I snort, to which she pouts by my side.

"I'd never let you third wheel! Plus I wanted it to be just you and me today! We haven't gone out together in a long time." She complains, tugging at my arm and swaying me a bit as if she were trying to convince me.

It's true, Haruki and I haven't hung out on our own outside of home in a very long time. Things are changing though! My time's been taken up by my training with Masahiko, and Ruki's always just...away.

"Please Runa? I've missed hanging out with you! I love our friends but we're sisters y'know?" She asks, smiling hopefully.

A sigh escapes my lips, and I turn to her with a knowing gaze.

"Ruki, of course I know we're sisters. We already see each other every day! And Hiko promised he'd teach me some newer stuff when we land, I can't just miss out on training to go eat some cupcakes. Mind you, I don't even like cupcakes." I sigh, the two of us tending to our own cosmetic tasks as we hold a conversation.

Well, Ruki's paused in her ministrations, powder puff frozen in her hand as she sulks at my response.

"We don't have to get sweets though! How about we go sightseeing? Or we go to that really famous seafood shop-"

"Haruki, I'm going to train for the majority of our time there. I never get to see Masahiko and this is how I want to spend my time with him. We could go out more together back at home, okay?" I assert, eyes still trained on my nails.

I need to get better and grow in my skills, and Masahiko, although absolutely insane, is one of the best people I could have to guide me in the right direction. The other day in class when I saw Haruki effortlessly show the same skill Masahiko spent hours instilling in my brain, I barely believed it!