Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto series…But If I did I would be rich by now ^_^

This was a request from RaihnSage, but there is a little twist to it though. Her original request was that I should make a one – shot with the whole Sarutobi family where they should all be alive, and be living happily. I had a very hard time thinking on how to do it, and instead. I thought of a one – shot continuation of one of the endings I created. I'm sorry whenever I have these Jnana moments it just has to come out, and RaihnSage's request gave me a wonderful idea. Don't worry all of the family members will be featured. I'm sorry about that, really I am. ~Ciao ^_^

"Speaking"

(Thinking)

"Jubi speaking"

*Sound effects*

I Dream of My Family

Our story will continue on the day where most children are supposed to be happy. A where life, happiness, and a new beginning should be celebrated by the child and his family, but. Not for this boy. Today was supposed to be his special day, he's

supposed to feel blissful about this special day, but without his sister to celebrate it with him. It was pointless to celebrate such a joyous event.

Keiichi returned home soaking wet, and his head held low. This was the second time this year he had lost someone precious to him, his best friend Mamoru, and then, his little sister Kiseki.

His little hand held the door to his home, and slightly pushed it open.

"I…I'm home" He dully said.

It was quiet, he misses his sister's laughter; he misses his sister's smiling face, but. What he missed the most was her sweet voice calling him Nii –san. He looked at his fully equipped home, and yet still felt empty.

Suddenly he heard his mother's footsteps.

"Welcome back…Keiichi" She greeted with a hurtful smile.

Keiichi looked at his mother's face and knew that she is still hurting inside. He slowly walked closer to her and hugged her. Kurenai looked at her son and caressed his hair. She then held his chin and raised his head. She saw his eyes quivering in

sadness, and gently cupped his cheek.

"It's okay Keiichi…You can let it all out" She whispered.

He was embarrassed to cry in front of his mother, but he couldn't handle the heavy burden in his heart. He knew he was in the verge of crying, and hid his tears on his mother's stomach. His head, buried in his mother's stomach shielded him from

embarrassment in front his mother. She could feel the hot tears her son poured, she knows that she couldn't bring her daughter back, this is the best she could do for now.

"Why on earth are they still doing this to her? Don't they know that she can't do anything to harm them?" He cried.

Kurenai couldn't answer. She knew that people can hold a grudge that can even last for years. She didn't know what to say to her son, and continued to caress his hair. She tried to contain her tears, but, remembering her daughter's face before she

died was so painful that tears started pouring from her eyes. It was hard for her to see her son filled with sadness. She knew it will be hard to find a way to make him smile again.

"It's not fair Mother, it's not fair" Keiichi cried. "She didn't have to die…"

Kurenai crouched down and wiped her son's tears. "I know…"

Keiichi hugged his mother and continued to cry. Kurenai carried her son and sat on the couch. She hugged her depressed son in her arms and comforted him for a while.

The silence in their home was deafening. The whole time all you could hear were their footsteps flushing through the floor, the noise Kurenai was making while she was preparing dinner, and the sounds of their chopsticks hitting their dinner bowl. The

only time they uttered a single sound was when Keiichi was about to go to bed.

Kurenai sat on his bed and tucked him in. She looked at his sullen face and kissed his cheek.

"Goodnight Keiichi, sweet dreams" She stood up, walked towards the door, and before she left she took another glimpse of her son.

When the door closed, Keiichi turned to the other side of the bed and tried to get some sleep.

(Humph, how can I have sweet dreams?) He thought to himself.

A few minutes later, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

That night, he couldn't get any rest at all. Before his mother left the room she wished him sweet dreams, but, all he had were nightmares.

He found himself in a dark place, there was very little light. The ground is covered by a thick blanket of fog, and the air was as cold as ice. He took a few steps and felt that someone was watching him.

"I-is anyone there?" He uttered.

But no body answered.

(I must be kidding myself; no one is here again –)

"Nii –san…?" A cold voice echoed.

"Kiseki?" He blurted.

"Nii –san…Help me" She begged.

"DON'T WORRY KISEKI, NII –SAN'S HERE TO SAVE YOU" He barked.

He sprinted towards the sound of his sister's voice. It felt like her ran for hours looking for his sister, and just when he was about to lose his breath. He saw his sister's figure in front of him.

"Kiseki…? Kiseki!" He ran towards the figure and wrapped his arms around her. "Kiseki, I finally found you, you're –"

But when Keiichi looked at his sister's face his happiness turned into fear. The cheerful face he used to see on his sister turned into something horrible. Her gaping left eye flowed with blood; the wounds on her body were deep and severe, and even

though she had a smile on her face her flesh slowly burned off of her.

"Nii –san, you came for me" She smiled.

"K-Kiseki…What happened to you?"

"Y-you don't like it?" She sadly asked. "Well then…"

Keiichi looked at his sister and tried to shake her from her silence.

"Kiseki, is there something wrong?"

Suddenly Kiseki grabbed his throat and gave him a big grin.

"Nothing is wrong…Nii –San" He mocked.

"W-what have you done to Kiseki?"

"Oh, I didn't do anything to her"

"L-liar, bring her back to me"

"You know what? I've got a better idea. Let me take you to her instead" He tightened his grip around Keiichi's neck and strangled him some more.

(N-no, K-Kiseki…I'm sorry…)

Keiichi suddenly woke up with a cold sweat. He sat up and found himself in his bedroom.

"I-it was…Just a dream?"

He laid himself down on his bed and tried to go back to sleep, but he was too scared. He then decided to accompany his mom in her room.

Kurenai also found it hard to sleep. She didn't know the reason why, but she felt like she had to be awake.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* "M-mother…Are you still awake?" Keiichi asked.

When Kurenai heard her son's voice she quickly stood up and opened the door.

"Is there something wrong Keiichi?" When she looked at her son's face she knew that he had another nightmare. "Did you have another bad dream?"

Keiichi looked at his mother and nodded. Kurenai let her son in, and closed the door. Keiichi laid himself down on his mother's soft bed and hid himself under the covers. Kurenai smiled and laid herself next to him. She pulled down the covers and revealed

Keiichi's face. Keiichi looked at her dumbfoundedly. She pinched her son's nose and hugged him closer to her.

"Come on, let's go get some sleep"

"…Okay"

They both closed their eyes and travelled in the land of nod.

"Hey Nii –san, wake up" Kiseki continuously poked her brother's face with a stick.

Keiichi slapped the stick away from his face and continued to sleep.

"Oh come on, really?" Kiseki took a little while to think on how to wake her brother up. "Ah, I know!"

She scurried towards the nearby lake and grabbed a bucket full of cold water. She then returned to her brother and splashed his face with it.

"Arghh! Cold, cold, cold"

Kiseki let out a guffawed laughter and pointed at him. "That was the only way to wake you up"

"Why you Kiseki" Keiichi pounced on Kiseki, but when he was about to tickle her. He stopped.

"Uh, Nii –san, what seems to be the problem?"

"Say that to me again" He blurted.

"Say what?" She asked.

"Say it again…My name" He asked.

Kiseki smiled and said his name with the sweetest voice. "Nii –san"

When Keiichi heard his name he started to cry as he gave his sister a hug.

"Kiseki, this is really you?"

"Yes, Nii –san"

He lets go of her and wiped his tears. "Is this still a dream?" He asked.

Kiseki looked at him and sighed. "Sadly…Yes"

Keiichi looked at his surroundings and found himself in a peaceful field of flowers on the edge of the ocean.

"At least we're alone…"

"Uhh, that's the other thing…" Kiseki pointed out.

"Do you mean that we're not the only ones in here!" He asked.

"Yeah, Papa is right there with Mama right now" She pointed out.

When Keiichi looked at the direction Kiseki pointed at, he saw his mother's hands cupping his father's cheeks.

"A-Asuma?" She uttered.

Asuma grabbed her hands and kissed them fervently. "Yes Kurenai, it's me" He smiled.

Kurenai was led to tears and pounced on Asuma. "I thought I'll never see you again" She cried.

Asuma wrapped his arms around her body and kissed her tenderly.

*Ahem* Keiichi interrupted.

Kurenai looked up and turned beet red. She quickly lets herself off of Asuma. In turn, Asuma stood up and helped his lady stand up as well.

"Sorry Keiichi, I thought we were alone" Kurenai explained.

"Well, you weren't the only one who thought that"

"Papa, are we ready to show them the surprise?" Kiseki suddenly interrupted.

When Kurenai heard her daughter's voice, she quickly turned around and saw Kiseki tugging he father's arm.

"K-Kiseki…?" She uttered.

Kiseki looked at her mother and smiled. "How've you been…Mama?"

Kurenai held her daughter's cheeks to see if it was really her. When her warm palms touched her daughter's soft cheek, she quickly grabbed hold of her and hugged her tightly.

"M-Mama…?"

Asuma looked at them and smiled.

"Come on, you'll have time for that later. For now, we have a surprise for you"

"A surprise?" Keiichi asked.

"Nii –san you already forgot?" She giggled.

"Forgot what?"

"It's our birthday today, remember?" Kiseki giggled.

"Y –you remembered?"

"Of course silly, come on lets go. The food might get cold"

Kiseki grabbed her brother's arm and ran far, far away.

"Kiseki, where are you going?" Kurenai screamed.

Suddenly Asuma grasped his lady's hand. "Don't worry we're going there as well"

"But, she left us behind…" She pointed out.

"Not exactly, I told her to do that so that I could give you a romantic stroll" He explained.

Kurenai elbowed his gut and grunted. "Humph, it's so typical of you"

Asuma rubbed his gut to ease the pain. "Oh, come on now I –"

Kurenai kisses his lips to shut him up. "Now, let's have that romantic stroll then" She smiled.

When the children arrived at the designated spot, Keiichi lets go of his sister and catches his breath.

"*Huffs* *Huffs* Kiseki *Huffs* Where are you taking me?"

"To my favorite spot"

When Keiichi opened his eyes, he saw a picnic blanket placed on the ground next to the lake. There was an array of amazing food on the picnic blanket, it was so inviting that Keiichi wanted to take a pinch.

"Nii –san, you can't eat that" Kiseki warned.

"Why not? You told me that we'd better hurry or the food will get cold."

"…I lied" She confessed. "But don't worry, we'll eat them later"

"Okay great, then what are we supposed to do now?"

"Can't we just play like we used to?" She suggested.

Keiichi looked at his sister and smiled. "Whatever you want"

For hours the children played. Asuma and Kurenai took a along romantic stroll towards the designated place. They all took their time to spend time with the ones they really loved. And as the parents closed in the children, Kiseki stopped playing.

"What's the matter Kiseki, I thought you wanted to play longer?"

"I still do Nii –san, but my time with you is up" She said.

"What does that mean?"

Kiseki stood up and held her mother's hand. "It means you get to spend time with Papa now" She smiled.

"Come on Keiichi, we'd better get going" Asuma threw a life vest at Keiichi.

"What are we going to do?" He asked.

"We are going sailing" Asuma answered.

"But, I don't know how to sail"

"It's okay, neither do I"

"What –?"

"Okay, see you later girls" Asuma grabbed Keiichi behind his collar and dragged him towards the ocean.

Kurenai waved at her two boys and smiled. (I wonder what's up his sleeve this time...?) She thought.

Asuma was thrilled to spend time with his son. He wanted to tell him so many stories of his youth, teach him new skills, and get to know his son better. He wanted to do it all, even if though he'll never be by his son's side.

"Okay Keiichi, are you ready?" Asuma cheerfully asked.

Keiichi wobbled on to the boat and slowly sat down.

"Are you okay Keiichi? I didn't know you were this sea sick!"

"I'm not sea sick" he answered. "I'm just scared"

"Scared of what?"

"You don't know how to even sail a boat right?"

"Yeah…So?"

"What if we sink all of a sudden? What if sharks will blast through the boat? Aren't you afraid of that?"

"No, not really"

"And why not?"

" Because, I have this…" Asuma dug into his flack jacket and took out a book. "Ta - Da! Sailing for dummies, I've been reading this in case we have an opportunity like this"

"You knew we were going to have an opportunity like this…?"

"Yeah" Asuma answered. "Now where is that darn page…?"

Keiichi looked at his father and smiled. (He has always prepared, for a meeting like this…?)

"Okay I reread all the important stuff, are you ready?"

"Yes"

"Okay then, let's go!"

Asuma pushed the boat off shore, and began his adventure with his son. He led the boat as far as Keiichi wanted, as long as they still caught a glimpse of land.

"Okay Keiichi, this is far enough" Asuma took down the sail, and let the boat drift for a little while.

Keiichi was so excited to see what's in the water and looked over the boat. He saw his own reflection, and then his dad's.

"I can't believe we look alike" Asuma chuckled.

"What's wrong with looking like you?" Keiichi asked. "I don't find anything wrong?"

"Ahh, trying to get on your father's good side are we?" He joked.

"Not really" Keiichi answered.

Asuma looked at his son's reflection and saw his young self. A child filled with hopes and dreams, a child who lived with curiosity, a child that had the heart of a great ninja.

While Keiichi admired the oceanic life below Asuma sat down and rocked the boat. Keiichi looked at his father's weary face as he lit a cigarette.

"Humph, even in heaven you're still smoking" He scoffed.

"Of course, that's why it's called paradise"

Keiichi sat next to his dad and looked at him while he smoked.

"Doesn't my smoking bother you?" Asuma asked.

"No, not really, Shikamaru – senpai smoked all the time. So I kinda got used to it"

"Huh, imagine that? Shikamaru got my smoking down" He said to himself. "So you're calling him Senpai now eh? Has he taught you anything useful?" He asked.

"Yeah! He taught me all these cool tricks that you could use with your shadow" Keiichi shared.

"Already? I guess you're a quick learner" He complimented.

"But, it wasn't easy. I pushed myself very hard to perfect all those skills"

"I know…"

"How'd you know?"

"I've been watching you. I don't want to visit you very often coz you might think I'm just there to haunt you" He joked.

"…Dad?"

"Yes Keiichi?"

"Thank you"

"Thank you for what?"

"For giving me the best birthday ever" He smiled.

Asuma looked at his son and smiled. "You don't have to thank me…" He then wrapped his arm around Keiichi and brought him closer. "It's my job"

Back on shore, Kurenai spent the time teaching Kiseki to make crowns out of the flowers surrounding them. Kiseki had a lot of difficulty with this handicraft, but with her mother's determination and encouragement she made one.

"Ah, Mama look it is finally done!" Kiseki cheered.

"Let me see" Kurenai took the floral crown from her daughter and observed it. "Yup, it's finished alright"

"Yay, now to put it on" Kiseki grabbed her finished creation and placed it on her mother's head. "There perfect" She smiled.

Kurenai smiled at her daughter as she held the crown on her head. "It's very beautiful Kiseki"

"…Too bad you can't take it with you" She sadly uttered.

Kurenai's smile disappeared. She saw her daughter in the verge of tears. She held Kiseki's cheek and wiped her eyes.

"Don't worry Kiseki, there is a way for me to bring it home with me"

"H-how?" She cried.

"I'll remember it right here…" Kurenai takes off the crown and held it against her chest.

Kiseki started crying; she immediately hugged her mother and tightened her grasps.

"M-mama…I missed you" She cried.

Kurenai held her daughter's cheeks and wiped her tears with her thumb. She fixed her daughter's bangs and was surprised to see Kiseki's left eye missing.

"Kiseki –?"

"Don't…" Kiseki stopped her mother's hand. "The guy said that it wasn't part of his creation…So he had to take it out…He said that I looked ugly with it…Mama, was I…Ugly?"

"Kiseki…" Kurenai didn't care of Kiseki's appearance. She continued to look at her daughter's face and smiled. "No, you are not ugly…"

"But he said –"

"I don't care what he said, I know you are and always be beautiful…You're my daughter"

When Kiseki heard her mother's caring words she dug herself deeper into her mother's embrace.

"Thank you…Mama"

In the land of dreams, time had always been the enemy. They entered with the sun up, but now the moon shone brightly in the sky. Asuma and Keiichi returned to shore and had a feast with their family. The atmosphere is solemn and is lit by a swarm of

fireflies.

"Kiseki watch this" Keiichi clasped his hands together and caught a firefly. He then excitedly showed it to his sister.

"Wow, me next, me next" But, when Kiseki caught one she immediately noticed the bug's flickering light right through her hands. (…Time's already up…?)

"Kiseki, what's wrong?" Kurenai asked.

"Ah, it's nothing" She lied.

Asuma knew that his time is up as well. He stood up, walked towards Kiseki and held her shoulders.

"I'm sorry guys, but, you have to go…" He sighed.

"What!"

"You can't stay here forever; if you do you'll never wake up"

"You can't be serious!" Keiichi reacted.

"You have to go…" Kiseki sadly uttered. "If you don't, you might not see us again"

"But, Kiseki –"

"We understand" Kurenai blurted. She grabbed Keiichi's arm and brought him closer.

"But Mom –"

"KEIICHI, as you're father I want you to stay with your mother…Remember the task I wanted you to do for me?"

Keiichi looked at his father and nodded.

Asuma looked at his son and gave him a thumbs up. "I know you can do it, even without me" He assured.

"Yes, I won't fail you. I promise"

"Nii –san, good luck" Kiseki said with a hurtful smile.

"Kurenai…" Asuma uttered. "Take good care of our son okay?"

Kurenai wiped her tears and nodded. "You take good care of her too…"

Asuma held his daughter's shoulder and smiled. "Naturally"

"Oh, and Nii –san…Happy Birthday…"

Keiichi noticed that their surroundings were hastily fading. And before you knew it he woke up with the feint sound of I love you. He sat up and saw his mother still asleep.

(Don't worry dad, I will protect mother until the end…I will become a better ninja than you…) He thought.

Back in the land of dreams, Kiseki kept an eye on a particular white door.

"Kiseki, what are you doing?" Asuma asked.

"I'm waiting for them" She answered.

"But, you'll never know when they'll be visiting or not" He mentioned.

"I don't care, I'm waiting for them"

"You're pretty stubborn aren't you? Alrighty then, I'll wait with you" He then sat on the ground and invited her to sit on his lap.

Kiseki smiled when she knew her father will cooperate with her. She gladly sat on his lap and felt safe in his warm embrace.

The end

To my dear readers

Okay I did my best to finish this on time….And surprisingly I finished on Christmas day in the states…So Merry Christmas! Hope you like the twist ~CIAO ^_^