PARALLEL STORIES

The Hokage and her assistant were at the office. They were reviewing the requests for help sent to Konoha by different people, the urgent messages and the recognition tasks that later would be classified as missions, in categories A, B, S etc… They were also counting the available ninjas that remain in the village, their schedules and the completed missions of the past six months. The ninjas were selected in teams of three, each one with different capabilities, as required for every mission.

"Lady Tsunade"

"Yes, Shizune"

"Karin had an accident and dislocated her shoulder. She will be on sick pay for three days"

"mmm I see, she could not be part of this mission then. Instead, Sakura should go".

"I think that Naruto and Sai are free that day"

"No. Sai will go with Karin for the mission next Monday. Kiba also will go with them"

"Lady Tsunade, this is a very risky mission… maybe Karin is not up for the challenge after her accident, she is not 100% physically for this assignment"

"She will be alright" Tsunade said it without a second thought. "For the other mission put Sakura, Naruto and Hanabi in a team. They will be a good set of shinobis to scort the Feudal Lord to the eastern castle" she said it while reviewing some papers.

Shizune stood there pensive. She knew that Karin was not 100% in order to be put confidently in this mission. So, why the Hokage insisted so hard to keep Karin out of the village, assigning her tasks so overlapping, even without caring for her health?

Maybe she could not finally trust her. It was understandable that within the elders in the Council, suspicion was the only thing that describe their feelings when talking about Karin but well, it had been four years and she had not even complained once for how the missions where assigned to her. Others would already quit the village turning into renegades or mercenaries. Shizune thought that maybe she had been too rough on her that day. She felt a little guilty as how she had treated Karin, especially when she read Karin's file. Not even Karin had arrived that day to Konoha from a heavy mission, when she was been immediately sent off to other mission, without a rest. Next time she would be more attentive and would try to give her more days off, off course without Lady Tsunade's knowing.

"Shizune!" Tsunade yelled. "It is not the moment to stand there thinking! There is a lot of work to do! Start with assigning the missions and the chosen ninjas. Sakura's group will part on Sunday. Karin will be off on Monday."

"H..ai" Shizune answered, going back to work, momentarily forgetting about her thoughts on Karin.

While this was been decided in the Hokage's office, in another place in the village a couple chatted quite pleasantly.

"Sasuke!, a letter from mi sister arrived, she says that she is pregnant and that the baby will be borne in October!"

Hanabi ran to Sasuke's arms. He was sitting in a sofa, resting on several cushions. She sat at Sasuke's side in such a way that he could hold her by her side while she rested her head in his chest.

"Well, give them my congratulations; having a family is something that cannot compare with anything, even if you are the Kazekage and been able to have whatever you want. Will you visit your sister?"

"Yes, I think Hinata will need all the help that she can get. I think that since she married with Gaara she has not had a minute's rest. I don't think that he having all the weight of his title has a lot of free time when the baby comes. The same happens with his brother and sister. I still wonder what was that Hinata saw in Gaara and his dysfunctional family that made her marry and go on living at Suna"

"The same that you saw in me" Sasuke smiled at Hanabi and kiss her gently in her lips.

"It is different…" Hanabi smiled back.

"When will you go?"

"I'll ask for vacations when my nephew's birth due date gets closer. Is is soo weird to say 'nephew'"

"I would've liked to have nephews" Sasuke said with a little trace of sadness in his words.

"Well Sasuke, by October you will have your first nephew"

Sasuke smiled and hug her girlfriend. Each day that passed he was even surer that she was the love of his live. She had the ability to say the right thing at the right time. Her relationship wasn't forced, it flowed in such a way that make him feel good about himself. He would not wait too much in making her his wife.

"You would go with me, right?" Hanabi asked

"It all depends on my schedule, Tsunade has me all booked up" He laugh with a pinch of resignation. Hanabi turned serious and a little mad.

"I don't know what's up with Tsunade and you!, why is she always keeping you away at missions? We almost don't see each other!"

"It seems that I am the only one that is been treated this way. It is frustrating to know that after all this years they still don't trust me."

"You are not the only one…"

"What do you mean?"

"… There is someone else that is been assigned endless missions one after the other without rest" Answered an apprehensive Hanabi.

Hanabi was not sure about how to talk to Sasuke about Kairn. She knew that they had something in the times of Taka, but that they had abruptly ended it when he almost kill her in the bridge incident when Danzo was murdered. She was not jealous of her, she knew that both Sasuke and Karin did not have any feelings for each other. Nevertheless, she didn't know how he felt about her, maybe he didn't want to remember how he treated her as it was one of his lowest moments in his life.

Hanabi look at Sasuke significantly. He understood what it was all about. He moved over the cushins so he could lock eyes with her.

"Karin…" He said.

"Yes. She is been assigned lots of mission without rest, like you. This morning we were at a mission where she tripped and dislocated her shoulder. She looked tired since we got out of the village. I run into Sai when leaving the hospital to meet you and he confirmed what I thought. Kakashi, Sai and Karin had arrived this very morning from a mission where they could not sleep. However, whilst they were off duty Tsunade called Karin assigning her another mission with Anko and I where she fell.

Hanabi finished with her speech expectantly waiting for Sasuske's response. She had never touch the subject "Karin" with him as she considered it as a big red button that said "DO NOT TOUCH" in upper cases.

"It seems like Tsunade does not trust us yet. It has been four years and she still does not trust us?" He felt a little frustrated. He felt Hanabi's eyes questioning him, they asked for a response.

"Hanabi…, I hurt Karin so much. Sometimes I surprise myself of what I did. How could I've done that? Sometimes people in moments of madness do things without thinking about the consequences and pain that their actions infringe to innocents. I'm not sure if she would forgive me, but be certain that I will repent to the end of my days for what I did to her" Sasuke was sincere and the intensity of his feelings, translated to his words.

"I don't know Sasuke, but… maybe she can forgive you, you know? My cousin Neji said that he would never forgive the members of the main branch for the death of his father, my uncle. But life showed him the way, the way by which he could forgive, where he could be our cousin, our brother. You don´t know how much he helped my sister to overcome her fears and make her a stronger kunoichi a stronger person. That would not have happened if he would not forgive us. Do not underestimate a genuine ask-for-forgiveness or sorry. I'm not telling you what you have to do, just you can decide, but maybe Karin is just waiting for you to ask her for her forgiveness." She finish talking and gave him a quick kiss on his lips, she rose up and went to bed.

Sasuke was left alone in the dark room thinking about his past and also thinking how he could ask for forgiveness to Karin.

It was a fresh morning, it was not too cold and there were no clouds in the sky. Karin took advantage of her days off and slept all the way to mid-morning. It was almost noon when she woke up. It was a beautiful day and it would even be more when she could bring home her beautiful aquarium.

Karin stood up, checked her wounds and realized that she didn't need the sling, her shoulder did not hurt and she could move her arm without difficulty. No doubts about the Uzumaki's blood run in her veins. Due to the fact that she was not longer mobility impaired, she fixed a large breakfast and took a good shower. She included some aromatic oils in her bath, lavender and vanilla; usually se used roses, her favorite, but that day she wanted to change a little and why not? Lavender and vanilla was delicious too.

She also decided that that day she was going to wear her red blouse. It was a cotton's blouse, fitted to her body, with long sleeves and a boat neckline. It was red wine coloured which made her eyes and hair pop. Regarding the rest, she simply used her usual shorts and black leggings. When she saw herself at the mirror she tought who are you dressing for, for you or Naruto?

Karin with a sassy smile looked at herself in the mirror. She was not one of those women that fought their emotions or feelings when they roared in her chest, claiming modesty or other such silliness. In general she was one of those that surrender with passion to them. This had resulted inconvenient in the past, but it was only because she let herself be carried away without boundaries. This time she will go at it with a little more calm with some restrictions… just some.

She would later think that, she had to accept that she did wanted to get noticed by the blonde. He was a handsome guy, in shape, tall, fun and his lips were very provoking. Why she would not have something with him? It was true that she had not noticed him up to that day, but with the things that he had done the previous night he had made her notice him, she viewed him differently and her interest was now turned to him. Well after all, what could she lose? It was better to try and lose that never have tried at all.

"It is time"

Karin zipped her pouch took the money, the keys and leave her apartment heading to the aquarium store. The day was perfect and the threes all in bloom made of the day almost a dream. It seemed that the village was a pink and warm candy cotton. It was the favorite time of the year for Karin and many others, quite auspicious for romance. Soon it would became known that Sasuke Uchiha asked Hanabi Hyuga to marry him and of course her jolly acceptance. The weading would be celebrated in June just a couple of months after Hanami.

"Hello Naruto! So punctual" Karin smiled confidently and flirty

"Hi Karin…, of course. You said three and here I am" Naruto looked at Karin, she was beautiful. The color of her blouse intensified due to how the afternoon light fell on her, marking in a singular way the features of her face and the lines of her collar bones that peaked out of her blouse. He got closer to her and noticed a vanilla scent mixed with something indescribable that invaded him and make his heart race a little bit faster.

"Come on!" Karin invited and taking him by the hand guided him inside the store.

"You know Karin, last night you didn't tell me why you changed your mind, regarding buying beta fish"

"Well Naruto, is simple. They, the betas, cannot live with other fishes and, you know? Enough with me living alone so that my fishes have to live alone too! I'm tired of that" smiling she pulled him inside the store.

Naruto smiled and he let himself go.