A/N: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 2: Childcare Duty

"Okay, Sakiko's asleep, and if she wakes up then there are some bottles in the fridge."

"I know. It'll be fine."

"I bought some new nappies today, they're in her room."

"I know. We'll be fine."

"I won't be too long and I have my phone on me if you need anything, and Tsunade is on call if you need it."

"SAKURA! I know! It's going to be fine." Sakura glanced nervously at her husband.

"Sorry. I guess I'm just a bit nervous, I've never left her in the evenings before."

"I know that," grumbled Kakashi, running a hand through his spiky hair. "Now go, have fun. It's going to be fine. She's asleep!" Sakura nodded, and at that moment there was a knock at the door. The pink haired kunoichi grabbed her keys and shoved them into her bag. Kakashi bent down and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"I'll see you soon." Sakura nodded, and left the house with a wave. Kakashi sighed and made himself some tea before settling down in an armchair, pulling out a book as he did so.

*0*0*0*

Sakiko's eyes fluttered open. She was normally a light sleeper, and the sudden slamming of the door had disturbed her. Legs kicking in panic, she screwed up her eyes and began screaming. Screaming was good; Mummy always came when she screamed.

Kakashi glanced up when he heard his daughter begin to cry. Marking his place in the book, he moved over to the cot and picked her up carefully. He couldn't smell anything, so she didn't need changing- she was probably hungry. Shifting her weight, he crossed to the kitchen and warmed up a bottle before giving it to her. Sakiko spat it out again. Kakashi tried again, and once more it was rejected. Setting the bottle down, Kakashi moved into her room and set her down on the changing table, undoing the poppers on her sleep suit and taking off the nappy. Like he had already concluded, it was clean but Kakashi changed it and changed it anyway. The screaming never ceased, and Kakashi was kicked more than once, wincing a little- Sakiko was definitely her mother's daughter. Doing up her clothes again, he pulled the little baby into him and began rocking her, not knowing what else to do. Apparently it wasn't good enough though, and the screaming took on a whole new decibel level.

*0*0*0*

"What is it? I've fed you, changed you, burped to you, even sang to you! What do you want from me?" There was a pause in the crying, and a small bubble of hope surged through Kakashi's chest. This was immediately pierced as the crying picked up again. He started rocking her whilst pacing around the small room.

"Shhh, I can't let your mother see you like this! She'd punch me into next week, revive me, and then hit me all over again! Please stop crying!" Sakiko completely ignored him.

"Oh, well of course you ignore me; I'm only your father. It's your mother you shouldn't ignore, but you're going to get me into trouble if you don't stop crying. Please, Sakiko, stop crying…" Kakashi's pleading trailed off as the wails got louder. He knew begging wasn't going to work.

*0*0*0*

One hour later, Kakashi was surrounded by his nin-ken that he had summoned, each of them cowering from the noise. Kakashi had hoped that the ninja dogs would be able to help, but they were just as clueless as he was.

"Look, why don't you just send one of us to find Naruto? Doesn't he have a pup?" Pakkun suggested, removing his paws from his ears. Kakashi nodded.

"Okay. You go over there and don't come back until he's with you." There was nod, and then Pakkun disappeared. Kakashi resumed his pacing and rocking. He was amazed that something that tiny could make that much noise for that length of time. Five minutes later Naruto had appeared. Kakashi looked at him pleadingly as the younger shinobi took in the scene. And then promptly burst out laughing.

"It's. Not. Funny," Kakashi growled as the dogs poofed away.

"Y-yes it is. Give her here." Kakashi passed off Sakiko over to Naruto gratefully, sinking back in to his armchair.

"Now, Sakiko-chan, what's wrong? Has Daddy not fed you yet?"

"Of course I've fed her! She didn't want feeding! And I already changed her nappy."

"Is that so? Well, Sakiko, there's really no need to be crying, is there?" Mercifully, the crying started to dim, and eventually was reduced to a series of hiccups and snuffles.

"There you go." Naruto passed her back to Kakashi.

"What… did you do?" Naruto shrugged.

"It's more practice. Hotaka used to cry all the time, all night long." Kakashi nodded, and put his now sleeping daughter back into her cot. "Anyway, I have to go now. If I don't get back soon then Hinata will be back, and she can't know I left a clone looking after Hotaka."

"Oh, damn, I didn't know you were on childcare duty tonight."

"Nah, don't worry about it. Hotaka's learnt to sleep now, he's snoozing away happily. See you later!" Naruto jumped out of the open window and sprinted away. Kakashi watched him go, before turning to his book. Soon the door opened and Sakura came in.

"Oh, hello. How was it at Ino's?"

"It was good. How was it with Sakiko?" Kakashi cast his mind back to the earlier events of the evening.

"Oh… it was quiet."

"Good. Well, I'll wake her up and just feed her then."

"No!" Sakura turned to face her husband, half bent over the cot. Kakashi sweat dropped. "I mean… I just fed her. Not too long ago."

"Right. Well, I'm going to bed now then. You coming?"

"Sure. Just give me a minute." Sakura left the room and Kakashi could hear the running sound of the shower. Kakashi bent over the cot.

"You better sleep tonight. Do you know how much trouble I'm in if she finds out about your little shouting match?" Sakiko shuffled slightly at his quiet murmuring. Kakashi put his finger into the cot to stroke her cheek slightly and she caught his finger in her hand. Kakashi smiled and prised it off gently. Sakiko sure was cute… when she wasn't screaming.

I wasn't sure about the ending. It seemed a little off, but ho hum. It's finished now. And I don't want Naruto to sound really irresponsible and everything, but Hinata's meant to be at Ino's and everything…