Part 1- The mission
Kira walked silently along the dirt path, the smallest smile on her delicate face. She breathed in the fresh air and listened to a nearby cardinal sing, and watched two squirrels climb up a tree.
i Naruto...I'm coming home. /i
Although Kira was indeed happy to be home, she was worried. She wondered what the village and the people in the village would be like, considering that she has been gone all this time. She thought about her father. She missed him so much. Hatake Kakashi...
Then, she saw herself standing in front of the village gates. Something she never thought she would do again. She walked through and went to a small booth nearby, where Izumo and Kotetsu, her good friends, were in deep conversation. They both looked excited but nervous. Once they noticed some one coming forward, they both turned their heads. Kira stood right in front of them and waited. At first they looked at her in deep concentration and then their faces were glowing and they had such big smiles on their faces.
"Kira?" Izumo asked getting up. "Is that you?"
Kira nodded and smiled. "The one and only."
"You look so different...so...mature." Kotetsu said looking at her chesty bits.
Kira frowned. "Hey, Kotetsu, my face is here." She said pointing at her nose.
Izumo sat back and didn't take off his smile. "So, Kira. How was your training? Think you finally had enough?"
"Yeah, I think so." Kira answered.
"It's funny that you came back today." Kotetsu said, taking a glance from Izumo.
"What do you mean?"
The two men exchanged knowing looks. Kotetsu looked into Kira's eyes and Kira found him looking slightly awkward.
"Sasuke's back."
Time seemed to freeze and so did Kira's heartbeat...literally.
Kira's eyes seemed to be glued together but she ended up opening them...with great difficulty. She found herself staring at a while ceiling, and noticed that a machine was next to her, making sure her heart was working. Then she remembered...
i I had a heart attack...jeez; I didn't know you could have one at such a young age. So, my cousin came back as well.../i
The news of Sasuke's return was more than Kira could handle. It was already a lot just to try and face Naruto and her father but now Sasuke too? Suddenly, Kira thought training would look good again...
Kira sat up in bed and crossed her legs. She rubbed her forehead and almost fell out of her bed when the some one opened the door.
"Kira-chan, you're awake. Good." said a female voice.
Kira looked at who had come in and she smiled faintly at Haruno Sakura.
"Sakura-chan. It's nice to see you, especially working at a hospital."
Sakura smiled but remained silent. She just looked at the floor, and Kira saw little tears fall to the floor.
"Sakura...?"
Sakura ran over to Kira's bed and threw her arms around her.
"Kira...I've missed you..."
Kira smiled and let her own tear fall out of her eyes. "I've missed you too Sakura."
"You've been away for so long...I haven't seen my dear friend for four years..."
"I'm sorry."
Sakura let go and sat on the edge of the bed, wiping her eyes. "So, Izumo told me what happened."
Kira looked at Sakura, partially with a look of hope, partially with a look of sadness. "Is he really back?"
Sakura nodded. "He is. He came this morning. He's staying with Kakashi, since Kakashi, even if not by blood, is his only relative, besides you."
"What did Naruto do?"
Sakura gave a small laugh. "Naruto was in a mixed mind. See when Sasuke came back, obviously Naruto was so happy, but Sasuke didn't make it seem like he was here because he missed us, which got Naruto angry. See, Sasuke killed Itachi."
"What?" Kira gasped, Sasuke did it. He finally killed Itachi.
"Yeah." Sakura said nodding. "So, when Sasuke came back, all he said was that his mission was completed. Then he asked Kakashi where you were, and Kakashi told him that you went training after that mission four years ago. Sasuke just didn't say anything; he just looked at Naruto and walked away. He's been cooped up in Kakashi's house all day, hasn't said a word to anyone."
"Why do you think he did that?"
"Who knows...no one could ever really tell what Sasuke's thinking, even when we were young."
Kira nodded in agreement, but then looked at Sakura with concern. "And how do you feel about all this?"
Sakura laughed. "Going all therapeutic on me, eh, Kira?" but when Kira didn't respond, Sakura looked sad once more. "I don't know. I mean, I know I still love him, that hasn't changed, and I'm not sure if it ever will. But I also don't want to be in this position forever..."
"Position?"
"I don't want to be waiting for Sasuke forever, I've liked him since I was twelve...and yeah you liked Naruto but you liked Idate too."
"You want opportunities."
"Exactly. And what if Sasuke never changes? I can't date a guy who only searches for power."
"You're confused as hell aren't you?"
Sakura nodded and ran a hand through her hair. "Definitely, but anyway, enough about me...what about you? How was training?"
"Progressive. I don't know if I could get any better."
"Brag much?"
"Oh but I'm serious. My smell is better than the Inuzuka clan, I've mastered the sharingan better than any uchiha and kakashi, I have better sight than Neji, and I have almost perfect control over my demon."
Sakura smiled. "That's great, Kira. It really is. Did you travel much?"
At this, Kira shifted around nervously. "You could say that..."
"Kira?"
"I went back to see Idate."
"No way." Sakura said moving closer. "How is he?"
"Oh, Sakura, he is so handsome. He treated me so well, and it wasn't awkward at all."
"What happened?"
Kira blushed, Sakura gasped.
"No!"
"Yes!"
Sakura giggled. "And? How was it?"
"It hurt like crazy." Kira said. "I don't know what came over us. One minute we are in the lving room, just talking, next we have our clothes off and fooling around."
Sakura laughed. "Oh man, that's too good. Just make sure you don't tell Naruto."
Kira grinned and nodded, then quickly changed the subject."So, does anyone know I'm here?"
Sakura shook her head. "No...I told Izumo and Kotetsu not to mention it to anyone, only Lady fifth knows. She wants you to go see her, when you are up and ready."
Kira shrugged. "I'm ready now."
Sakura shook her head. "No way. You just had a heart attack, you need rest."
Kira grinned. "Oh c'mon Sakura, I have a demon, there is a reason why I'm a fast healer. Don't worry about me. I'm good."
"Well, well, well, look who decided to come back." Tsunade said with a grin.
"Hey there Granny, you are looking as young as ever, you are." Kira said also grinning. "Hey there Shizune."
"Hello, and welcome back, Kira-chan."
"So, Granny, Sakura said you wanted to see me?"
Tsunade nodded and laced her fingers together, and putting them over her mouth. "I have a mission for you."
"That was fast, I just got back."
"Your mission isn't outside the village; in fact it isn't outside your own home."
"Ah." Kira said, knowingly. "You want me to-"
"-get Sasuke talking." Tsunade finished. "Find out why he came back, and make him get out of the house, because if he wont get out, neither will Naruto."
"What do you mean?"
"Naruto is so upset that he won't leave his room. We've all tried, Sakura, Kakashi, even Sai, but Naruto won't budge."
"So, my mission is not only concerns Sasuke, it concerns Naruto as well?"
"Basically yes."
"Joy. What a great welcome back committee."
"Don't get lippy Kira. Anyway, when you succeed..."
"How do you know I'll succeed?"
Tsunade smiled. "Please, your Kira, when don't you succeed? You make it your job to succeed. Anyway, once your mission is completed, I would like you to battle some one, to test your abilities."
Kira laughed, remembering the last time she returned from training, she had to fight her dad. "Kakashi again, eh?"
"Oh no, it's not Kakashi."
"Who is it then?"
"Now why would I ruin the surprise...now, Kira, don't you have a mission?"
Kira knocked three times on the door of her home, her heart beating faster than ever before. Slowly the door opened and Kira was standing in front of her father. Kakashi at first, looked unimpressed, but once his eye was focused, it opened wider.
"Kira?"
"Hey, dad." Kira said, grinning childishly.
Kakashi seemed stunned for a moment but then finally, his eye softened and he pulled Kira into a large hug. Kira returned it, with a smile.
"I'm so happy you are home."
"Me too."
Kakashi led Kira inside and sat in the living room where Kira spent the next half hour talking. At the end, she told Kakashi about her mission with Sasuke and Naruto.
"Well," Kakashi said sighing, "It's not like you have to go out of your way. Sasuke is up in the guest room, and hasn't left it. He won't come down to eat or anything. As for Naruto, well, I bet he will just be happy knowing you are back."
Kira shrugged. "I sure hope so."
Kakashi laid back and looked at the ceiling. "Its pretty ironic, how you two turned up on the exact same day...it was almost like it was planned..."
"Yeah..."
It was true, it had seemed planned, and Kira had wondered about this same fact earlier when she was on her way home. It was pretty suspicious how Sasuke had come back the exact day Kira had come home. Kira, too, laid back and looked at the ceiling, wondering how everything would turn out with Sasuke.
But more importantly, Naruto.