Okay, guys. This is another story. I'm having trouble with You'll Be Safe Here so here's a little something to distract you all. There's no pairing here. I'm going to make a multi-chapter sequel to this though I'm not sure when but there's a plot in my head (and all over my notebook) already. So, yeah. Here's the first "episode" of another fic.

Take note that I am not going to make a follow-up on this fic immediately because I still have an ItaSaku fic to make. It's a non-massacre fic.

The tale of "The Handsome Butterfly and the Pretty Rosebud" is mine. My boyfriend calls me pretty rosebud so I managed to incorporate it in this fic... Sorry if it's a bit. I rushed this story to distract you all from my delayed upload of YBSH's new chapter... And yes, I admit that I'm distracting you. Gomen.

Check the poll on my profile and review! Lots of love!

Foster Child

There was a massive commotion occurring in Konoha's meeting hall. Every shinobi qualified to take on an A-Rank mission was present, counting from all the Chuunins to the ANBU Elite squads. The Godaime had called for them all for a very important announcement. Tsunade could not commence the meeting immediately and this was all because of the absence of the four people she needed here most.

Several floors down from the meeting hall in the Hokage Tower, Sai and Naruto had gone into a bickering the minute they arrived.

"The two of you better knock it off," the pink-haired kunoichi said. "We're already late. I wouldn't want to upset Tsunade-shishou any more if I slam your faces into the wall." Her clenched fists began to glow in a pale shade of green.

Kakashi let his gloved hand on her wrists. When she turned to him, he shook his head in disapproval of her intention to knock both teammates out. "You guys can settle this after the meeting," he said calmly. "The Hokage expects the four of us to show up most for this particular meeting." He let his eyes on each of his teammates and gave Sakura the longest look of the three.

Sakura and Kakashi took the lead but even without looking back, they knew that Sai and Naruto still discovered a way to continue their little dispute about the artist giving Naruto such a rude awakening. It was only 5 in the morning, after all.

Everyone in the hall hushed when the doors swung wide open, hitting the wall behind it loudly. No one expected less from the infamous Team Kakashi. Coming in late; check. A grand and definitely noticeable entrance; check. Now all that was left was—

"An announcement at three in the morning..." Naruto said calmly, not meeting the honey eyes of the Hokage who stood in the far front of the room. When he lifted his head to meet her gaze, he exclaimed. "What the hell, baa-chan?!"

And there it was—Naruto's regular outbursts.

"Alright, alright," Tsunade began, leaving Naruto ignored. "Close the door and let's begin the meeting." She faced Shizune and received the folder her assistant had been carrying the whole time. "This is not a good day for some of you to wake up early, I know," her eyes along with everyone else's were on Naruto for a moment. He shrugged at them and they returned to business. "But I received news from another country and this news is not to be kept several minutes longer. The reason I summoned all you is because more than half of you are going to be sent on A-rank and S-rank missions. And yes, that includes the Chuunins."

An ANBU member raised her hand. When she was given permission to speak, she asked. "Godaime-sama, isn't it a bit too risky to let the newly promoted Chuunins to attend to A-Ranks?"

"We have to take chances now," she said, her face turning grim. "Akatsuki is planning to attack Konoha in a few months." The room roared with whispers and side comments like Tsunade had expected. This was nothing she couldn't stop so easily though. With her hand in the air, everyone hushed in a few seconds and she continued. "Our best chance is to prepare the Chuunins for what they will face soon enough in their life. There will be a new protocol from this day on until the conclusion of the war. All Chuunin teams must be led by one Jounin and one ANBU shinobi."

The disbelief in Gai's face was clearly seen from the platform Shizune and Tsunade were standing on. "But Godaime-sama," stuttered Gai. "They are merely Chuunins. And to prepare for the war, we need a lot of ANBU. Wouldn't it be unwise to decrease the number of ANBU teams by separating them to assist Chuunins?"

"This protocol will be effective until the time of war," Tsunade declared. "The chosen ANBU shinobi to supervise over the Chuunin will be an official bodyguard of the assigned team and will train the Chuunins. Jounins will supervise the ANBU and know when the training has become too severe for his or her underlings. Those ANBU members who are not assigned to any Chuunin teams will undergo special training so prepare yourselves for the strenuous training that you will undergo in a few days." She flipped over the pages and found nothing else to announce to the crowd. "Chuunins and Jounins, you may now take your leave. ANBU will follow me to Training Ground 3 for the reshuffling of your squads. Dismissed."

It wasn't long before Sakura, Ino and Kakashi found themselves walking on the same path on their way home. Ino still lived where she used to while Sakura moved in Kakashi's apartment just a few months ago because of some unfortunate damage her former boyfriend caused. Attempting to cook something nice for her, Kiba left the stove open during their third month together. It wasn't long before they broke up. The reason for their separation wasn't as petty as Kiba burning Sakura's building down. It was more of a responsibility she strictly had to stick to.

A responsibility that went by the name Meredy.

"I haven't seen Meredy in a while. How's your little angel?" Ino asked Sakura as an attempt to break the ice. "Have you adjusted to the life of a single parent? Or is Kakashi helping you out?"

Sakura scoffed. "Meredy's still too young to be running around Konoha too much," she answered dryly. "She's also been busy at home trying to understand geometry. I think she's got it down too, thanks to Kakashi."

The blonde's eyes snapped at Sakura's statement. "Geometry?!" She exclaimed louder than she should have. A passerby looked at her strangely and she managed to tighten her lips in shame. "Sakura, she's just 3 years old. Geometry is not for her."

"Meredy is easily entertained by shapes," Kakashi interjected. "Quite interesting for a child her age to be able to understand angles and dimensions too. Must be something she got from her father because I'm quite sure the child's mother has no greater understanding for shapes than I do."

Ino patted Sakura on the back, noticing the downcast of her eyes. The emerald flame in her eyes died a little at Kakashi's comments about Meredy. "Any news about Naruto's leave yet?" Sakura's heart sank further at the mention of the name. "About his so-called special training?"

Sakura shook her head, feeling her heart sink in further at the mention of the blonde's name. He, like Kakashi, had been great in helping her out during the first time Meredy came in Sakura's life. They were like the girl's uncles and soon the blonde would be gone. Meredy would have one less person to run to.

"I'll see you around, I guess," Ino bid them. The pink-haired kunoichi raised her head only to find themselves in front of a very familiar flower shop. Kakashi and Sakura were halfway home if they were already by the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

When the blonde locked the door behind her, Sakura began walking again but she didn't hear any footsteps behind her. She turned her head slightly, and from her peripheral view, she could see Kakashi standing in the midst of the early morning light with both his hands pushed deep in his pocket.

"If you don't clear the issue about Meredy soon," he started. "People might regard Naruto differently. You've been going back and forth from Waterfall ever since Naruto left with Jiraiya. It won't take long before rumors start flying around. As a matter of fact, they already have."

She knew exactly what Kakashi meant. Just last week, she'd been asked by one of the nosy nurses in the hospital about Meredy. The conversation had started out light and small until the nurse brought up the color of Meredy's hair and eyes. Golden brown, close to Naruto's bright but dirty blonde hair and eyes the same color as the clear noon sky and the jinchuuriki's eyes.

People thought she shared the child with Naruto and that she kept Meredy in Hidden Waterfall for a while before she finally decided to bring the child where she allegedly truly belongs.

It was far from the real story. In fact, she wasn't even related to Meredy at all.

Years ago, when Sakura had first been destined in Hidden Waterfall for her medical mission assignment, she met a sickly young woman, about 3 or 4 years older than her, named Meriju. She was a very special patient and it wasn't long before she and Sakura had started a beautiful friendship. Every month, whenever she went to Hidden Waterfall, her first stop would be Meriju's house. She would first check up on her before she went to work and they would small talk for a while.

She learned that Meriju had a lover whom she meets in the forest. He was of another village, Sakura supposed, if Meriju had to meet him halfway. One day, when she knocked on Meriju's door, the woman looked very homely and weak. She tended to her and by sending her chakra to scan her body, she discovered that Meriju was actually pregnant.

Meriju was a bit young to carry a baby but she managed with the help of the Godaime's apprentice. And instead of being too worried about her youth ruined by her pregnancy, she was very happy for herself and her lover. Sakura stayed in Hidden Waterfall longer than usual every month to tend to her friend. She was there when Meredy was born. The child was blonde, just like Meriju was, only her hair was a few shades lighter than Meriju's. The baby's eyes were blue which she certainly did not inherit from her mother. However, on the day that the child was born, the father was never around. Come to think of it, Sakura had never heard of him ever since she found out about Meriju's pregnancy. He could probably never know about his child too.

Three years have passed and not a single word from him. Well, that was what Sakura assumed since Meriju never talked about him and the fact that Meriju seemed to always be either lonely or mad.

When Meriju had word of his whereabouts, she set out alone, leaving Meredy with Sakura during her stay in Hidden Waterfall, to look for her lover. However, as a civilian, she was not able to defend herself. Apparently, she somehow got caught between Deidara and Sasuke's battle that time. She was found bleeding somewhere in the forest by Waterfall nin and recognized her immediately. In an instant, she was transported back to Waterfall but by then, it was too late. Meriju was dead.

Barely two months have passed since Sakura brought home a very heartbroken child in her arms. Tsunade did not object in her informal adopting of the child despite Sakura's young age. The Godaime was well aware of her disciple's extraordinarily soft spot for children and Sakura's friendship with the Waterfall civilian.

It was only a day ago when Sakura and Tsunade caught wind of the rumors flying around saying that Meredy was Sakura and Naruto's child. No doubt, the blonde was oblivious to those rumors. However, if she did not clear the issue soon, she would be answering to a lot of people, including Naruto.

Sakura met his visible eye shortly before she continued to walk, Kakashi following after her, closing in the distance she set a few seconds earlier.

"I should also find a new home," she whispered.

A hand landed on her shoulder lightly as she continued to walk. The Copy Nin leaned forward to meet her unfocused gaze, his eye creased. "You don't have to, Sakura."

"They're bound to read something else that isn't there soon," answered the kunoichi. "Ino told me this morning… I don't know who started it and I don't care… But people think I'm living with you because I can't cope with the life of a single parent and I turned to you for help." The way her sensei tensed did not go unnoticed. "I know. Absurd, right? I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

Kakashi pulled away from her. "I don't mind, Sakura. Really. What people think is going on doesn't bother me Sakura. So don't worry about it, okay? I know you think you're beginning to be a burden but don't think like that, okay? Besides, the apartment has never been so… Eventful until you arrived."

Yes, since Sakura and Meredy temporarily moved into his apartment, things have definitely changed for him. He seemed more approachable—not that he wasn't in the first place. He communicated and interacted effectively with Meredy more than she thought he would and it made her see him as a good father figure. Sometimes, Meredy would choose to sleep beside Kakashi because he plays with her more often than Sakura does and sometimes gets along with him better than she does with the kunoichi…

It was when Kakashi would say that when she would begin to think twice about moving out of his place. However, she swore to him that her stay would only be temporary because due to an unfortunate series of events, when Sakura got back from Waterfall with Meredy, she found that the previous building she resided in had been burnt down accidentally by another tenant. Fortunately, Kakashi offered her his home as a temporary solution to their problems.

The rest of the journey to Kakashi's apartment was silent but comfortable. After all, she was with him longer than Naruto and Sasuke have. Both she and Kakashi knew that if he were to be asked to pick whom to room with for a whole week, he would pick her, favoring her neat and organized lifestyle as well as being familiar with her as a person.

"We're home," Kakashi's voice pulled Sakura out of her thoughts.

She took note of her surroundings, finally realizing that they were in front of Kakashi's door with Meredy running from the far end of his apartment to greet them both.

"Kakashi-chan!" she exclaimed, throwing herself at the silver-haired jounin. As she pulled away from him, she walked over to her foster mother and hugged her knees. "Welcome back, okaa-chan."

Sakura was still uncomfortable with the way the child addressed her but she had to get used to it sooner or later for she was under orders of the Godaime to take the child under her wing and raise her. When she was 18, she would officially adopt the child as per the Hokage had ordered.

That was a year from now.

She met Kakashi's visible eye. He gave her a thoughtful look, probably sensing her discomfort. After all, Sakura was not at all ready to be a parent so the way Meredy would be addressing her from now on must be some sort of hassle on her part.

"Meredy-chan," she knelt down to meet the child's blue eyes. "Why are you up this early? Go back to bed, okay?"

The blonde child rubbed her eyes. "Meredy couldn't sleep," she mumbled behind her frown. "Meredy heard you two leave and was scared."

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she got back on both feet to enter the unit, shutting the door behind her. With a grunt, Sakura slid her hands under Meredy's arms and hoisted her up. "I'll tell you what," she started. "I'll tell you a story and you go back to sleep, okay?" Meredy nodded weakly at the question.

With that, Sakura carried her across the studio-type apartment to Kakashi's bed, noting the way Kakashi eyed her intently as she gently handled the girl. Once Meredy was tucked in, she sat on the edge of the bed and shifted to face the girl, running her gloved hands through her hair repeatedly to sooth the child as Meredy let her eyes shut.

"Once upon a time," Sakura began. "There was a handsome butterfly and a pretty rosebud who were madly in love with each other. They had a flower child named Lily. One day, the handsome butterfly left his pretty rosebud to search for food.

"Days passed and the pretty rosebud and Lily were beginning to feel sad because the handsome butterfly was not around to kiss them. The pretty rosebud was about to wilt and Lily cried for her mother.

"And then Lily's loving bee godmother came to help, asking her for one wish. Lily wished for the handsome butterfly to come back because she thought the wilting rosebud will become beautiful again if the handsome butterfly gave her a kiss.

"Her godmother went in search of the handsome butterfly and found him near a pond, trying to carry back a cup of water for his beloved flowers. The bee called for her friends and they all carried the cup back to Lily and the pretty rosebud.

"However, on the way back home, they accidentally dropped the cup of water because it was too heavy. Sadly, the handsome butterfly flew back to his flowers and cried with Lily when he saw the rosebud wilting. He hugged his Lily tightly and kissed his daughter. And that was when the rosebud became beautiful again-the moment she saw Lily being loved again by her butterfly. And so, the handsome butterfly, the pretty rosebud and Lily lived happily ever after."

There was nothing but silence in the room after Sakura's story. Meredy's even breathing was enough to tell Sakura that she had fallen asleep by the end of the story. With that accomplished, she stood up and walked towards Kakashi who was still watching her.

He raised a brow at her. "Why did you tell her that story?" Kakashi inquired. "It will only remind her of her mother."

"She's not my child," Sakura told him. "I don't think she ever will be and I plan to keep it that way. Telling her the same story Meriju used to tell her is to keep reminding her that I am not her real mom. I don't want her to believe that I'm her mom. There's nothing I can do for her." Sakura walked past him to the small dining table set up on one side of the room and took a seat.

"What if she wants you to be?" whispered Kakashi. "You took her back to Konoha instead of leaving her in Waterfall alone," he pointed out. "That is enough grounds for her to want you as a mother."

She pushed her face into her palms before running both hands through her hair. "We're dropping the subject, Kakashi-sensei," she snapped quietly. "I don't want to talk about this. At least, not right now. It's bad enough that I've lost a friend and now I have to deal with being a parent early. It's not that I don't want Meredy as a daughter… It's just that it's still too early and even though I'm the closest thing to a mother she has right now, I still don't feel for her in the same way that Meriju did. I'm 17."

"Understood," he nodded before taking the seat across her. "About Naruto?"

Sakura looked up at him, giving him a questioning look. "What about him?"

"His training is beginning soon," his expression grew grim. "He leaves in two months."

"Great," she grunted. "Even Naruto's doing something to help with the situation with Akatsuki. If only we knew who Jiraiya-sama's contact in Akatsuki was… That would have helped. But ever since he… Passed on, Akatsuki's been taking us by surprise."

His eye widened at her thought. Of course. The only way they were able to counter Akatsuki's movements effectively was because Jiraiya had been leaking information to Tsunade. However, ever since his death, there were no more leaks on inside information of the organization.

He held out a finger and pointed to her. "You may be onto something there, Sakura."

"What?"

"About Akatsuki," Kakashi cleared. "The only way we've been able to defend ourselves against them is because we had inside information on their plans and members."

"But the only way to get that information is to find out who Jiraiya-sama's spy is," she paused for a moment, another thought popping into her head all of a sudden. "Or we send someone to infiltrate the organization."

"Sakura," he interjected. "I think we need to talk with Shikamaru and Tsunade-sama about this. It's risky but it's the best shot we've got."

()

So again, check the poll and review. And again, I'm not going to make the sequel immediately. I still have to finish You'll Be Safe Here and I'm starting on my next fic which I have decided to call *drumroll* "Under the Heir."