Hey guys, I'm working on this story again and noticed that the first chapter didn't hold the same quality as the other chapters so I updated it! Enjoy! :) This story takes place when Kakashi is Hokage, so Naruto's 23.

(Sophia's POV)

My footsteps hovered just outside the building, clearly a bar, and was thankful I was old enough to head inside. It would be embarrassing to come all this way and not be able to go in. I'd walked past it three times, looking for the building almost hidden in the darkness, thick curtains blocking out the light and any curious heads that might try to peek inside. Though that thought was wasted as I had yet to see a single child on this part of town or one out this late, at almost nine I wondered if I should turn in for the night and come back later. After all, most people came to take it easy on a Friday night and the last thing I wanted to do was intrude. still, I could feel the letter burning a hole in the back of my pants and finally decided to step inside, brushing back the thick curtains and bring a hand up to my face, squinting at the surprisingly bright lights. I walked into the restaurant, following the small hallway and look up when the gentle sound of music hits my ears and my eyes find a comforting environment. Slowly scanning the tables as I tried to slow my beating heart. Was he in here? A thousand thoughts flowed through my mind, only pausing briefly as a throat clears beside me, and I turned.

"Hello," the man smiles, dark brown hair gelled back and a suit on his thinner frame "What can I help you with."

I wonder if he thought I was lost. Maybe I was. I wasn't dressed like the others. They all had loose clothing on fit for the summer sun, I was layered for travelling. My large hood, still placed on my head and shielded my face as I surveyed the crowd. Despite having a mission, the smell of food made my mouth water, this restaurant was clearly popular for more than one reason. Still, I shook the thought, telling myself I'd grab a bite after I found my man. I'd come so far, stopping now would be like tripping at the finish line.

"Hi, I'm looking for Iruka Umino?"

The man looked at me from head to toe, most likely judging me and if I was a potential threat. I wasn't sure if he would let me in or not. Mother said he was training to be a shinobi when she left but that was twenty-one years ago. When I started this mission a part of me wondered if he was even alive. Even now I didn't have much to go on, only a name and the last place he lived. Thankfully after a few conversations with random people and the gatekeepers, I found myself in this part of town. I could only hope he would want to see me.

"Do you see that group of people over there, the four men and the woman?" I turn, following his hand and nod "He's over there, your welcome to talk but don't make a scene."

This should have been an easy task. I remember sitting in my mothers' room, holding her hand softly as she struggled to breathe her last breathes. I hoped she would look at me, talk to me, say something comforting for our last moments together but she wasn't looking at me, she was staring at the far wall, her hands sliding across the bed like she was trying to grab something. I had first thought she was hallucinating, feeling the burning flames of anger as I started to clean out her room. With mother gone this house was too big for me, I'd planned to move to a single bedroom condo and started packing after her body was gone. It was then and only then that I found the small jewelry box she never let me touch. I expected to find gold, maybe some old family jewels but instead I found a bunch of letters. Each one dated for a different time in my life. The first time I found my love, a letter to my love, a letter for my wedding day, a letter for my first pregnancy plus an additional letter before the actual birth, a Letter for my kids and a final letter after her death.

I remember sitting on the bed, reading the letter slowly as tears streamed down my face. There were nine pages in it, each one from a different day she wrote, telling me new things she wanted from me and how proud she was to have been my mother. That letter had healed a lot of old wounds, answered a lot of questions and if I hadn't been blinded from my tears, I wouldn't have knocked over the box and found the last letter hidden under a wrapped in soft fabric. My fingers ran over the faded name and I looked at the picture accompanying it. It was my mother as a child, with a young boy with brown hair held in a high ponytail, a mischievous look in his eyes and his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

The thing that captivated me most about this photo was my mother. She had her eyes closed and a smile on her face as the boy had clearly surprised her, despite everything she seemed undeniably happy. I placed a hand on my heart, feeling a twinge of sadness that despite being twenty-one I hardly knew anything about my mother's past. I should have put the letter back, I should have left the picture with my mother at her grave but I felt my hand reaching for it, turning over the card carefully. There wasn't much on the back of the picture, only 'Konohagakure, 1986.' And wanting to find more answers- I mean deliver this personal letter, I set off for Konohagakure.

I tried to steady my breathing, thinking back to my past and whispered the words mother had taught me under my breath "The wallowing wombat, whispers in the willows." Even now I could hear her saying "Breathe out the fear and in the ease. Little rabbit." Mentally repeating the words in my head as I counted my steps. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five. Even now I could still picture here, sitting in her chair, the thin needle sewing through the tapestry with ease. It had been years since I felt this way, afraid of the world, afraid of the future, it got so bad mother had to take me to see someone, I could hardly say a word without stuttering. I was the one that started this mission and by god was I going to finish it!

I pushed my shoulders back, squared my nerves and strutted towards the table before I had any time to run.

(Iruka's POV)

I smiled, leaning back into the wall of our booth. The area was more closed off allowing us more privacy. With Kakashi as the sixth Hokage, we often had prying eyes watching us. Though it seemed even that couldn't dampen my mood, it was rare that my husband could join us for dinner anymore. I smile, lacing my hand with his under the table. The small jealous part of my mind demanded his attention, even at this level and the small circles he was drawing with his thumb told me he felt the same way. It took everything in me not to lay my head on his shoulder, but this was a group outing and I tried to treat my husband as my friend, not my spouse. I remember how awkward it was being a third wheel for Kurenai and Asuma and tried to avoid reenacting it.

I let out a chuckle as Kakashi told another story about Naruto's childhood, it often amazed me how a scrawny rambunctious child could become a hero, his continuous line of failures all but proving that. It felt like such a long time ago, things were so different now, so peaceful. The village was filling up with new faces and businesses were popping up like daisies. I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sharp jab to my ribs. I watch Genma rolled the long skewer between his teeth seductively.

"What with the longing looks Iruka? Need something to spice up your sex life?"

I snorted at the irony of that, in fact, I wouldn't mind slowing things down. Kakashi was a real animal in the sack, always looking for things to try. I was a simple man and often found myself at the mercy of my perverted husband. Even though it was AMAZING a man could only do so much. I had no doubt my husband had thought of five different activities for tonight, each one worse than the next.

"Just because you have to sleep with everything that has a pulse doesn't mean Iruka is the same way," Kurenai smirks.

Genma either didn't hear or didn't care.

"Oh please, everyone relationship could use a little upgrade." He slides his eyes across the room "Hmm, let's see… Oh. Found one."

All of us turn our heads, trying to find the poor soul Genma had set his sights on and felt my stomach drop when I see her. Genma had a thing for deflowering virgins and the way his eyes were all but racking down her frame like an animal in heat sent an unpleasant shiver down my spine.

My eyes caught the form of a younger girl; I'd say 20 or 21 talking to the owner. I paused a beat longer as she was clearly not from our village. Her clothes layered for travelling, her shoes though mostly cleaned still held slight traces of mud that only a shinobi would notice, a sure fact that she'd been sleeping in the woods.

Her hands subconsciously rubbed her shoulders, indicating that she had a backpack. The size of her backpack must have been large and added to my first assessment that it must have been a long trip. Her face was slightly hidden by a large hood that she only placed down after she confirmed what she wanted to know. Despite all of this she was clearly a beauty, a few days in the forest couldn't hide that. I wasn't the only one that felt my eyes narrowing.

"Watch it Genma, she's young enough to be your child," Guy states darkly, placing another piece of cooked meat between his teeth and a glare on his impressive eyebrows.

"Awe, but the young ones are always the kinkiest." He smirks, rolling his skewer once more, all but daring Guy to make a move.

"Honestly Genma, do you have any self-control." Kurenai sighs

"Nope, that's what women love about me."

"Not everyone." She snorts, once again teasing him about their lack of sexual… well, anything for that matter.

Genma had been gunning for Kurenai since the moment Asuma died. Trying day and night to steal the red-eyed beauty into bed. Some days it's so bad I'm amazed she hasn't punched him yet.

"Give me half an hour and you'll be screaming my name."

"If it takes you half an hour to please a woman, I think I'll pass."

He clicks his tongue with a smile "Abstinence makes a woman very Unhappy Kurenai."

"I'm not abstinent." She admits boldly "I have sex, just not with you."

Wasn't that the truth! Kurenai joined us once or twice a week for a few hours of fun. It hasn't started out like that. We seemed to bond over our mutual pain of losing a loved one and I simply enjoyed having her around. She was always funny, smart, talented and I'd have to be blind not to notice her beauty, even with a child. But after the anniversary of Asuma's death, we had a little too much to drink and that's to kasha's perverse suggestions we would ourselves tumbling into bed. I thought she'd be furious with us but in the morning, she left, talked with Asuma's grave for a few hours and came back. Apparently, that was what she needed to lift the weight of her chest and we all believed Asuma's would want her to be happy, even for a little while.

She got love as a mother from her daughter. Love as a teacher from her students. Love as a friend from everyone else but for a few hours we got to love her as a woman, we got to hold her when Asuma couldn't.

I could tell my husband was smiling under his mask, his hand secretly resting on her thigh. I also smiled, watching Genma's smile faltered slightly. It had always irritated me, the way he could use someone like that and toss them away. Call me old fashioned but I still believed that a woman should be treasured. Unfortunately, that joy didn't stay long as Genma looked up, his smile expanding three times in size and his eyes narrowing like a hunter zoning in on his prize.

I felt my eyes shut, wanting to stop my head as it rotates left. Like I'd feared the young woman was not only staying in the bar but heading over in our direction. I prayed she had somewhere else to be. A big date. A girl's night out with friends. A few drinks at a lonely table with some food to drown out the pain of life. Anything to avoid the hell that would surely break loose should she tempt Genma further with her unknown actions.

The girl was nervous. That was clear. The way her body straightened as she walked, her shoulders squaring off as she tried to work up her courage. I turned back to my food, wanting to leave her be, it would be weird if she caught a bunch of random men staring at her when I caught Genma's smile once more, a smile that did nothing but increase by the second. I was about to warn him to behave when a smaller voice beats me to the spotlight.

"Um." A soft higher pitched voice says. I glance up to see the girl from before standing at our table "H-hi." She squeaks, her tone gentle and unsure. It was clear her confidence was fading fast.

"Hi," Genma says with a sexy grin, rolling the toothpick between his teeth as he all but undressed her with his eyes, making not only the woman uncomfortable, so to do everyone a favour my elbow is sent to his rib's seconds after.

I could see the reason for it. She was quite a beauty, a younger one yes, I'd say her early twenties. Glossy shoulder length brown hair, a full pink pout, soft and plump as she held it between her teeth. A slim build clearly watched with care, a toned stomach and surprisingly muscular arms hidden under her shirt. Long toned legs, wrapped in leggings for easy movement but it was her eyes, that hazelnut brown that seemed to sparkle in the light and the way that her cheeks flushed pink as she smiled, that sent a shiver down my spine. The pure innocence in them was a very rare sight in this life.

Though those innocent eyes widen slightly at Genma's look and I could tell she was fighting the urge to leave as I fought the urge to kick Genma under the table. I did, however, know that Kurani was holding the tip of a sharp blade to his gut, all but daring him to move as Kakashi s hand hovered over his crotch, ready to fry the precious flesh with lightning as well, combining those two it was a sure promise that our resident ladies' man would behave and turned his eyes to her.

"Hi," Kakashi says in a nicer voice, being the Hokage had forced him to work on his people skills and I smiled at the sincerity of his voice "what can we do for you?"

She looks down at her hands, the nerves back once more

"Um..." She states and pauses, chuckling quietly as she tries to calm herself, bring forward that blush once more.

I would almost chuckle, it was like looking at a mini Hinata all over again. I could almost shake my head, I had no doubt she was another hopeful fangirl, travelling from another village to get an autograph or meet with the famous Hokage, Kakashi Hatake. It always started out like this, the blushing and the fidgeting, then the rushed words and finally the item or photo they wanted to be signed. My husband, despite all of his claims of 'not liking children' would still sign every scrap of paper shoved in his face. I knew deep down he liked the attention, even just a little.

"Is everything okay?" Kurani asks gently, clearly used to this response.

Her face calm and her voice even to draw the girl's attention back to her earlier topic. The sooner we could get this meeting over the sooner she could leave.

"No..." she sighs "I mean yes!" She adds quickly.

She groans, a hand on her face, looking up at the ceiling like some higher power was torturing her for the fun of it and to avoid further embarrassment cuts to the point.

'See, here we go' "Are any of you Iruka Umino?" 'Hokage-sama could you please- Wait… what?'

I glance up to meet her hopeful yet unsure eyes. The gentle brown irises look at all the males like she's trying to put something deeper together. Too finally fix a puzzle.

"Sorry, that would be me. I'm Iruka Umino. Well, Umino-Hatake now." I smile and try to stop my rambling after Kakashi places a hand on my thigh, gently squeezing the flesh -I clear my throat and rub the back of my neck "What can I do for you?"

She sighs

"Oh, she's going to kill me..." She whispers and looks to the left, this got every shinobi's attention and within seconds everyone was paying her their full attention, even if it didn't look like it. Was this girl being hunted? Was that why she was running and sleeping in the forest? Was someone after her, or worse, me?

"Um, you don't know me but... You knew my mother. And I don't know what your relationship was with her but," She turns and spins around, trying to grasp the letter she had tucked in the back of her belt and after two spins finally grabs it, taking it out like a well-earned prize and hands it to me "she wrote this letter when I was 6 but she could never find the nerve to send it. She..." She trails off with a sad look "she passed away. About 6 months ago and I wanted you to have it. Deep down she did too."

She hands me a partly faded letter. The pack still sealed, the outer parchment was turning yellow and the black ink was slightly faded from age but all in all, it looked very well handled. I turned it over and saw my name scrawled with care across the front.

This time it was my turn to draw a blank, what did you say to that? Still, I had to say something -A fact accentuated by my husbands' gentle elbow to my ribs "Oh god. Um, Thank you! Thank you very much for bringing this all the way here. I appreciate your effort." She smiles at me "and I'm sorry about your mother."

"It's alright. She was sick for a while. In the end, it was better for her." I watch her twirl her hair, clearly, this wasn't a topic she talked about regularly. She really was too cute.

"Would you like to join us? Genma was just leaving." Kurenai offers, obviously liking the young woman more than our lecherous friend.

If I had been all there, I would have agreed, laughed even but my mind had fallen on the intricate writing. It looks so familiar but I couldn't place the owner of the neatly scrawled writing.

"Oh no, thank you" she shakes her head that blush surfacing again "Really. I'm just passing through."

"Who was your mother?" I ask, more bluntly than I wanted too, which causes everyone to look at me. Mostly in shock but my eyes had only then risen from the envelope to the girl in front of me.

Like the letter, she had a shocking sense of familiarity about her. It was like every second I spent with her I had before. Maybe that was why it was so easy to talk to her, she looked so much like someone I couldn't place or someone… I didn't want to place. Still, despite my rudeness, no one seemed to speak as slowly each person began to notice it as well.

The girl was shocked, taking in my sudden outburst with more elegance than most. and instead of anger simply smiles.

"Why don't you read the letter and find out"

And with that, she was gone, turning to exit the restaurant as quickly as she came. The seconds seemed to tick by, each one of us wondering if that had really happened if she was really real but I knew she was. The envelope was all but burning a hole in my hand, everything in me was screaming to drop it, yet I couldn't. I could do little more than follow my husband's order.

"Iruka," Kakashi's strained voice whispers, all eyes watching the girl leave "open that letter."

Read and Review, people! Peace!

xxxxOneShotGoddessxxxx