The Day I Forgot

By: Missysillivan

Dedicated to: My best friend, Amanda, who is in love and currently planning her and Kakashi-sensei's wedding. (haha)

Summary: The day he dread had come. Well, okay, he completely forgot about it. But his team didn't! On this one day, Kakashi learns that you can look past the bad, and head towards the good. And where the hell did the damn bull come from, Naruto[IC for the most part

A/n: Here I am, Missysillivan, back with her fourth Naruto fanfiction (third one shot) that's better then ever! This one really came to me yesterday as I was avoiding my summer reading that I have to have done by monday (that's when school starts) I really like how this story came out. Please read and review! As always, no flames, but constructive advice is always welcome, so long as you aren't bashing me, my writing, or the story. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the characters in the story. I only own the plot line.

There are many ways to spend one's free time. Some would go shopping for fun, while others just relax in a nice, soothing bubble bath. There are even those who go and gather 'information' for some of their creative works of arts. I, of course, do none of these.

No, I spend my free time sitting in a nice shady place, away from the foot traffic and city life, away from danger, in a place that's serene and just peaceful, reading my beloved book; Icha Icha Paradise.

So when my much needed free time was disrupted, one could say, I was not a happy camper.

The day had started out great. Just a beautiful September day. September fifteenth to be exact. The leaves were very slowly beginning to change, seeing as though fall was right around the corner; the world beginning to slow down as the days began to shorten.

I had just gotten back from a month long, A-ranked solo mission the day before. It was fairly simple. Sneak into enemy territory, make contact with one of our ANBU who was undercover, get his report, and then come home. Simple.

Of course, not every thing goes according to plan and the ANBU almost got his cover blown. I took lead and pretended to be harassing him which led to a fight, which led to me getting stabbed in the side and breaking my left thumb and pointer finger.

When I got home, I was cured by my former student, Haruno Sakura. She's truly grown from a self-conscious, love-struck twelve year old and into a beautiful, talented, and sometimes scary twenty-one year old. Nine years it took, but she's finally reached the top. Five months ago, a month after she turned twenty-one, she was appointed as the medical captain of the ANBU black-ops. Just one of five ANBU captains. Not to mention she's chief resident at the hospital.

Then, of course, the moment she releases me, the number one, loud mouth, knuckle headed, ninja, in all of Konoha, comes barging into the hospital, out of breath and frantically searching for yours truly.

One would think that him being twenty-one, and older then Sakura by five months, no less, that Uzumaki Naruto would be at least some what mature.

But as luck would have it…

…he's the same immature, loud mouth, periodical idiot he was when he was twelve.

I still haven't figured out how it is that Tsunade had come to the decision to name Naruto her successor. I kind of felt a little bad for him though. He had to give up his position as ANBU captain, however he was able to continue being an ANBU, to ensure that he would at least have a better chance of staying alive. I mean come on, every one knows that the captain will always be in the most danger. Its like the law of ninja hood.

But now I'm just getting off topic.

So he comes running and screaming through the hospital, searching for me, and promptly crashes into Sakura, who was walking along side me, spraining her wrist and causing a few bruises.

It was safe to say that Naruto felt horrible pain after Sakura's returned greeting.

After he bombarded me with questions for five minutes, in which he received no answers, he finally gave up, with some much appreciated persuading from Sakura's part.

So Naruto just followed me to the hokage's office so I could give my report. I faintly remember Sakura saying something about healing her self and then going to catch up with her boyfriend for a late dinner.

Speaking of said boyfriend, it was five years yesterday, the day I returned from my mission, that he returned from his 'avenger escapade' as Naruto likes to call it. The infamous, and apparently still fan girl popular, youngest Uchiha brother had returned when he was sixteen after 'killing' his brother. Of course, there was the rumor that he didn't actually take his older brother's life, but instead crippled him permanently and then let him live and he is currently in the Land of Waves under an alias. Of course, that's just a rumor. I must say, that out the lot of them, Sasuke came the furthest, only second to Sakura by a tiny bit.

When he returned, Tsunade wasn't willing to be lenient towards him, even if he killed three very dangerous people. Orochimaru, Deidara, and Uchiha Itachi had all fallen because of him. He had also killed Kabuto, but Tsunade didn't count him as a big danger. (Haha, take that Kabuto!) Sasuke was forced to serve a months time in the ANBU holding cell, which was like a jail, only more protected. Once he was released, he was placed in house arrest for two months, probation for another three and then was allowed to take the jonin exams. He passed with flying colors. Two months later, he became ANBU and a year later captain. Now, five years later, he was the loving boyfriend of one Haruno Sakura.

They're a cute couple if I do say so myself.

But again, I'm getting off topic.

So with the knuckle head in tow, I made my way to the Hokage's mansion. I gave my report and handed the written, and encoded report of the undercover ANBU and then was promptly given the next three days off. I was officially off call unless an emergency came to light. So for three days, I wasn't a ninja. Just a man who was in love with his Paradise.

So when the following day arrived, there was no doubt in my mind that it was going to be a great day. But of course, I over looked the one fact that my former students kept close to their heart.

September fifteenth, was my birthday.

And I forgot.

Now, most will say, 'how sad (or pathetic) that such a young, sexy (or as Naruto would put it, heavily graying) ninja would forget his own birthday!', but most don't know the truth.

I have never acknowledged my birthday. It just meant I was one more year closer to death, one day longer that I got to live.

A day of mourning.

You see, up until I was five, I love my birthday. My mother would make me a cake and my father would actually take the day off from what ever it was that he was doing, just so he could come see his son and wish him a happy birthday. Then I would blow out my candles and open my presents. I would stay up all night playing with my toys while my mother and father looked on with happy smiles on their faces. Of course, that was before my fifth birthday.

On that day, the fifteenth of the ninth month of the fifth year that I was alive, something horrible happened.

While on her way home from the store, where she had gone to get some milk for the cake, she was attacked, and unfortunately, died.

Not to mention, my father didn't come home that day until almost midnight.

There was no cake. No presents. No laughter. No smiles on the parents' faces. No celebration for the fifth year that I had been alive.

No, there was only mourning, and an unimaginable amount of anger.

Things changed after that.

Every birthday, I spent alone. If I was lucky, my father would appear that day to say happy birthday. If I was really lucky, he would even smile.

But more times then not, I wasn't really lucky. I was barely even lucky.

So I decided that a day that was filled with mourning and celebration cancelled itself out, and would be no more.

My birthday was no more and I stopped acknowledging it.

I still don't know how those three twerps figured out that September fifteenth was my birthday. I know that I never told them.

So now, on my thirty fifth birthday, thirty years since my mother passed, I had a pleasant day off, which I sorely needed, and I had, once again, forgotten that it was my birthday.

But if only I was so lucky that my former students had forgotten along with me.

They didn't.

Now, as I said before my entirely to long speech of the previous day, the day had started out great. A beautiful September day. There was a slight wind coming in from the north, and the heat was bearable. However with the wind, it was perfect.

Perched in one of the trees surrounding the memorial stone, I read by beautiful book in the serene calmness that didn't come often enough.

So imagine my surprise when I sneezed and then opened my eyes, only to come face to face with the knuckle head himself.

"Naruto!" I gasped, grasping the area above my heart. It wasn't really the shock of him being to close, as to the surprise that he had actually found me.

"Naruto! You baka! Get down here! I told you to leave him alone!" The familiar voice of Sakura reached my ears. I looked down to see her standing hand in hand with Sasuke. She was holding three bouquets of white lilies, the flower of death.

"But-"

"Naruto, no excuses. No get down here, this instant!" Sometimes Sakura tends to be very motherly towards her 'boys' as we have been named. Even when Sai and Yamato were apart of team seven, she was the mother of the group. She then turned her attention to me. "I'm sorry about him. Sasuke-kun and I told him not to bug you. Oh! Happy birthday, by the way."

"Thank you." I nodded in her direction before promptly kicking Naruto off the branch.

"HEY! YOU BAST-"

"Are you planning on being home tonight, Kakashi-sensei?" She continued, cutting off Naruto's rant.

"Yes. Why?" I asked, a bit nervous about what she could possibly be planning.

"I just wanted to stop by and drop off your present." She smiled.

I nodded once more and then put the book back up to my face to continue reading. However, I was a little distracted. Why did she have three bouquets?

I watched discretely as Sakura handed Sasuke and Naruto both a bouquet. Naruto was first to walk up to the memorial stone and kneel.

"Hey, ol-" Naruto stopped talking and let out a shaky breath. "I mean, hey, Sarutobi-sama. Its been pretty good lately. I'm sorry I couldn't come on the anniversary, but…I was out of the village in Sound, doing a quick sweep through with teme and the lazy ass." He set the bouquet on the ground and stood up. "You're really missed, just thought you should know."

He took a few steps back so he was on Sakura's left while Sasuke walked forward. He stayed silent, setting the flower besides Naruto, only speaking at the very end as he stood. What I heard…I don't think I could have ever imagines those words slipping through thee Uchiha Sasuke's lips. "I miss you…nii-san…" Neither Naruto nor Sakura looked shocked, or surprised.

When he went back to his place behind Sakura, I saw her wrap an arm around his waist and whisper something in his ear. Sasuke nodded his head and gently kissed her forehead before she stepped away and walked to the memorial stone.

Sakura followed in suit and kneeled, placing the flowers with the others. She took a shaky breath before closing her eyes. "Hey Mom. Dad. I just came today with Sasuke and Naruto. Thought I would say hi. I miss you both. Aunt Ayra comes by every now and then to visit. She normally stays a week every couple of months. She moved to Suna along with her new husband, I think his name is Aki, I can't remember any more." She laughed softly to herself. "Anyway, I better go. There's a lot to do today. It's Kakashi-sensei's birthday an' all."

That's right. Her parents were killed a year and a half ago. If I remember correctly, they were traveling to a small village near the border when they were attacked by bandits. Unfortunately, the only survivor…was the horse.

"Come on." I watched as Sasuke wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led Sakura away with Naruto tailing right behind them.

I feel bad for those kids. Out of the Konoha twelve, those three suffered far greater then any other.

I let out a sigh and closed up my book. This place wasn't so peacefully anymore.

I jumped down to the ground and began walking back to my apartment. It was a fairly short walk, but it was pleasant enough.

Once I arrived at my place of residence, I let my self in and promptly plopped down on the sofa. Another sigh left me as I closed my eyes. Sleep, apparently, was inevitable, because I fell asleep soon after.

Unfortunately, what felt like five minutes to me, was actually several hours in reality. The obnoxious knocking on the door not only brought me out of a nice nap, but immediately informed me that Naruto was on the other side of the door.

You see, there is only two reason for an obnoxious knocking at my door.

1. It Naruto. That explains itself.

2. It is a messenger that carried important news for me that make it a 'you better get your ass to the door right now or I will break it down and come search for you' type of situation. I learned over the years that its only messengers that bang on my door. Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto all, unfortunately, learned my habit of never using the door if its an emergency. Just come through the window. That's why its there.

So, seeing as though its my day off, and there hasn't been any sign of possible hostility in the near future, and seeing as though I don't have three twenty-one year olds crawling through my windows, it has to be Naruto.

Damn. I thought Sakura said she was going to come by. Not Naruto. Sakura and Sasuke I can deal with, but the child-like man that seems to run on endless sugar tends to bring on a quick head ache.

I grudgingly make my way to the door, and the moment I open it, I'm run over.

Naruto was already making his way towards my kitchen as an angry Sakura and the ever stoic Sasuke came up the steps.

"Naruto! Damn you!" Sakura hissed. "I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei." She said quickly as she helped me up.

"No problem. Will he ever, really change?" I asked rhetorically.

"No." Sasuke replied simply.

I moved out of the way as the two entered the apartment. I only just noticed as Sasuke placed a large bag on the table and the cake in Sakura's hands.

"Naruto, get out here and help us." Sakura commanded.

Naruto cursed under his breath as he rejoined the little group and began pulling out plates, forks, napkins, cups, juice, and an assortment of food from the bag while Sasuke moved to put the ice cream in the freezer.

"What's going on?" I asked as I took in everything. This was the first time in thirty years that someone actually came into my home and threw a party of sorts. Sure, over the last nine years the three had taken me out to dinner and had and ice cream, and a lot of the time we were all out on some mission, but this is a first in a long time.

"We're having a party! It's your thirty-fifth birthday, Kakashi-sensei, you didn't seriously think that we were just going to give you a present and then leave you alone, did you?" Sakura replied with her hands on her hips.

Yes. "No. I just didn't expect…well…this."

Sakura laughed before motioning towards the food. "Dig in!"

Naruto had downed half of the food in the first three seconds. Sasuke and I stood beside each other, both sporting similar looks.

Pure shock.

Then there was Sakura, who promptly hit Naruto upside the head.

Hard.

"Baka." She huffed before getting her own food.

The next twenty or so minutes was full of random conversations, laughing at past memories, and of course Naruto. Hell, even Sasuke participated, which is a huge step for the ice block ANBU captain.

"No! Don't tell that story!" Sakura begged as Sasuke smirked evilly.

"Please. Do tell." I chuckled as Sakura looked pleadingly between the two of us.

"We were on a team with Shino, Neji, and Ino for a simple recon through Sound and it was…that time of the month for our dear Sakura." Sasuke snickered as Sakura turned bright red. "Apparently she went to Ino to ask her for something while the guys and I set up camp. However, we continuously heard 'what?' coming from Ino. Then out of nowhere Sakura shouts-"

"Let's not finish that story. Do you remember the time we went on the camping trip with the Konoha twelve and the instructors and there was the huge food fight?" Sakura laughed as she changed topics quickly.

"Yeah! It all started because Ino tripped over Kiba's backpack. Her food flew in the air and hit Tenten, who threw food at Ino, but hit…um…."

"You."

"Right! Thank you Sakura-chan! And then I hit the teme, who just looked annoyed."

"And if I remember correctly, you threw more food because Sasuke wasn't going to play your games." I put in with a laugh.

"I still loved Hinata's face where she was hit with the pie!" Sakura burst into fits of laughter, as did the boys and I.

That had truly been a disastrous day. We ended up sending Gai and Kurenai back to Konoha, which was a day's run, to get more food. So essentially, we starved for two days. Fun times.

"Alright, how about we have some cake?" Sakura asked, still laughing, as she stood up and moved towards the table.

"Okay!" Naruto was at her side in a flash, ready to dig in.

"Naruto! Stop that! We have to sing first." Sakura snapped.

So in turn, Naruto and Sasuke grabbed each an arm and, quite literally, dragged me to the table where Sakura was lighting a three and a five candle.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Kakashi-sensei! Happy birthday to you!" The three sang, well excluding Naruto who just screamed the words, to me.

"Make a wish!" Sakura cheered.

So I did.

I wished for some god damn peace and quiet.

Just kidding.

I wished that things never changed. Never Ever. Never.

They cheered as I blew out the candles. The way they were acting, you would have thought this was a birthday party for three year olds.

"PRESENTS!" Naruto screamed as Sakura cut the cake, passing a piece to each person, and Sasuke got out the ice cream.

Chocolate mint. My favorite!

"Alright. Let me see 'um." I sighed.

"This is from me and ero-sennin." Naruto said proudly as he thrust a small, poorly wrapped, package into my hands.

"This'll be good." Sasuke said off handedly to Sakura, who just nodded in agreement and watched as I took as long as possible to unwrap the object, making Naruto frustrated.

"JUST OPEN IT DAMN I-"

"Naruto! Enough with the screaming!" Sakura hissed while Sasuke shot the blonde an annoyed look.

"Alright, alright." I sighed, yet again. I seem to be doing that a lot today.

Anyway, the moment I removed the wrapping, my eyes grew ten times bigger instantaneously.

"N-no w-way! WHERE DID YOU GET THIS? IT DOESN'T COME OUT FOR ANOTHER THREE WEEKS!!!!" Okay, so now I'm the one screaming. Haha, woops.

Naruto just grinned as a smug look passed over his face for a split second. "Like I said. Its from ero-sennin and I."

I was gawking at the newest volume of Icha Icha Paradise that was in my hands. I could have been on the moon, I was so happy.

"Enough with the porn already." Sakura sighed. "Here. Its not much. This is actually from all three of us."

I must admit. I was a bit anxious when the present was handed to me. It was big, about a foot and a half wide, two feet high, and about a quarter of an inch deep. It was hard, but it felt like there was something on the surface of it.

I opened this present much faster then I did Naruto's, and apparently Jiraiya's, present.

When it was revealed, tears almost came to my eyes.

In the middle, written huge in bubble letters, was 'The Greatest Dad and his Kids' in gold and blue lettering. Surrounding the words was pictures from the time they had first become Genin to the present.

Our first picture we took as a team. Sakura in the middle, all smiles. Sasuke and Naruto both pouting while I stood in the back ground, a hand on each of the boys' heads.

A picture from the bell test. Well afterwards anyway. Naruto was still tied to the pole. We had actually forgotten about him and it just so happened that Sakura had a camera on her at the time. Sasuke and Sakura were on either side of the complaining blonde. One smirking, one smiling, and the other red in the face from yelling at us to untie him.

Several were from after actual missions, everyone sporting at least one bandage. Some were taken during the day, before practice, or after practice. A couple were with the other Shinobi and teachers.

The picture that Sakura demanded be taken just after team seven was reinstated was there too. Sakura, was again, in the middle, but this time her arms were wrapped around both Naruto and Sasuke's backs while Naruto had an arm around her shoulders and Sasuke had his arm around her waist. I stood behind Naruto and Sakura, a hand on Naruto's head. This time, everyone was smiling.

There were quite a few others. Special occasions like birthdays, when Naruto was named Tsunade's successor, there was picture from where each of them became an ANBU captain. There were several of me sitting around reading while they were in the back ground making fun of me. Whether it be pulling their forehead protectors over their left eye or pulling their collars up so it covers the bottom of their faces.

It was a collage of our time as a team.

A family.

Those three were exactly like family. I consider each of them my child, maybe not by blood, but by the over all sense of being a parental. In my eyes, I was probably the luckiest 'father' ever. I had two sons and a daughter, who for the most part, got along with each other and were like siblings themselves. Naruto had always been like the big brother to Sakura while Sasuke was the protective one. My kids had became three of the strongest Shinobi in the village; each one being the apprentice of one of the legendary sennin, even if one of them was evil he was still strong. I wouldn't be surprised if they were named the next sennin.

"Thank you." I choke out.

"You're welcome." Sakura smiled.

"Hn." Sasuke nodded his head as a small smile formed. He was still working on his emotions, but he was getting there.

"Hey, its no problem! Sakura did most of the work anyway!" Naruto laughed.

Sakura and Sasuke both just rolled their eyes.

"Here." Sasuke handed me a package, just a little bigger then Naruto's. "Its from Sakura and me."

I did a slight nod in acknowledgment and opened it. Inside was a small plaque. Written on it was:

Best Sensei Award

Presented to:

Hatake Kakashi

Wow. I must be really liked. Haha. I was at a loss of words. All I could do was smile and whisper a thank you as I stared at it.

I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders and I looked up into the jade eyes of my 'daughter'. "You're worth it, Kakashi-sensei." She smiled.

When I felt a hand on my other shoulder, I turned to see Sasuke smirking at me with that knowing look that spoke for itself.

"Ready to see you're last gift?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"What gift? We only brought the three." Sakura replied, confused.

"Follow me!" Naruto led the way out of the house, all of us were worried.

What ever Naruto had planned, wasn't going to end well for at least one of us."

"Tada!" He yelled a moment later.

Sakura, Sasuke, and I all gaped. There, in the middle of our old training grounds was a bull.

Who looked pissed.

"What. The. Hell." Sakura turned her scary glare on the blonde who laughed nervously.

"Well…have fun." And the knuckle head was gone.

"This'll be fun." Sakura groaned.

"Done." We looked up to see Sasuke standing beside the bull, who only looked even more pissed, who was bound by chakra strings.

"Okay…" At that moment I saw one of Tsunade's personal aides walking by with endless files in his arms. "You!" I snapped.

"What now?" The man groaned, then froze when he saw the bull. "What the hell."

"Tell Tsunade-sama that there is a bound bull in the training grounds." I ordered.

"Um…okay." Then he left.

"Let's go back." Sakura offered.

"Yeah. Lets go back." I sighed.

Well this was turning out to be an interesting birthday.

When we arrived back at my apartment, Naruto was found eating popcorn on my sofa and watching some random TV show.

"Who wants to watch a movie?" Naruto asked as he jumped up.

"What movie?" Sasuke ventured as he helped Sakura clean up the mess at the table, which wasn't a whole lot.

"Uh…um…how about, no…um…"

"How about Kakashi-sensei chooses since its his birthday?" Sakura put out, talking to the blonde as if he was a toddler, which in Naruto's case, he was.

"Okay!" Naruto turned and stared at me intently.

"Um…how about we watch…Rush Hour 2?" I replied, more like asked, but hey, I would do anything to not have Naruto begin yelling again.

"YES! I LOVE THAT MOVIE!" And apparently he still yells.

"Just shut up and put the movie in." Sakura snapped.

"Yeah, yeah. Sheesh." Naruto sighed as he popped in the movie into my DVD player.

I just stood off on the sidelines as the three of them moved around my apartment as if they have lived here all their life. Sasuke was making popcorn, Sakura was putting the collage and plaque up on the bare wall above my fireplace, and Naruto was making himself comfortable on the floor since Sakura called the couch.

After five minutes of moving around, they finally settled. Naruto was on the floor in front of the couch while Sakura claimed the couch, although she let Sasuke sit on it with her. I took the big comfy red chair beside the couch with my popcorn.

By the time the movie ended, it was unbelievably late and Sakura called a sleep over.

I have one question.

Aren't you supposed to ask the owner of the home if you can stay before deciding that you are staying?

Yeah?

That's what I thought.

I get the one team that loves to just barge into people's homes and make themselves at home.

They fell asleep in about the same places that they watched the movie in. However, Sakura kicked Sasuke off the couch and so now he was on the floor with Naruto.

Poor kid. He gets the one girl who really can leave him in a bloody pulp. She had the strength to back up the threat.

I smiled to myself as I leaned against the wall, just watching the three sleep so peacefully.

Even though they have become adults and have become so accomplished in the nine short years that they have been ninja, they are still just kids at heart.

As I laid down to sleep it dawned on me that my birthday had just passed.

And I actually enjoyed the event.

So what if my peaceful September afternoon reading was disturbed by a kid who doesn't understand personal space, this has been the best birthday since…ever.

Maybe birthday's don't have to be ignored.

What do you know. Those three punks, asleep in my living room, had actually taught their teacher something, instead of me doing the teaching.

Yes. Definitely.

Birthday's are a special event, that doesn't have to be forgotten.

My kids taught me that.

And there it is! I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!

iMiSsYsIlLiVaN!