Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Fading Part Two

"Uncle Guy can we go inside now?" Sakumo asked.

"Not yet." Guy said holding onto the handle of the front door while looking down at his watch.

Sakumo just sighed. Haruka wiped the sleep from her eyes. They were standing outside their house at 5:58 in the morning holding sleeping bags and packs. Their neighbor, Mr. Yoshida, stepped out to his own porch to grab the morning paper and gave them a wave with a curious look. Kazuhiko waved back a bit embarrassed.

"Now?" Haruka ventured

"Not yet."

"Uncle we've been out here for five minutes! Let us in!" Kazuhiko said feed up with his Uncles tactics.

"No can do. I promised your mother I'd have you home at six o clock exactly." He said striking his nice guy pose. Haruka and Kazuhiko groaned. Sakumo pushed past them and made to open the door.

"Sakumo, ninjas must learn to be patient. Wait for the opportune moment before striking with youthful intensity and Passion! And yet you must also learn to never let it pass you by for you may never get another chance!" Guy said holding his hand over his heart.

"It's 6:01." Sakumo said opening the door. Guy face planted into the ground dramatically.

All three kids stopped in their tracks, their jaws dropping to the linoleum kitchen floor. Kakashi and Sakura were holding hands, leaning across the table with their foreheads pressed against each other. As if the goo goo eyes they gave each other weren't enough they were giggling like love struck teenagers on a date. Giggling! The Hatake children did not think their dad was capable of giggling.

"Hi sweeties! Would you like some breakfast?" Sakura asked jumping up to grab some dishes.

"Hey Guy are you staying for breakfast?" Kakashi asked the man who had just come in.

"No I have to get going. I just wanted to say Happy Anniversary since I did not see you yesterday."

"Thanks Guy, oh and thanks for taking the kids. Did they behave?"

"Of course. We even got in some training exercises after roasting marshmallows." He announced.

Kakashi looked at his kids and almost pitied them. Almost.

"Well my eternal rival, I must be off. I have a very rigorous passion filled training regimen for my new youthful students! They are eagerly awaiting my dynamic arrival." He posed again before heading out.

As the family sat down to eat, Kazuhiko warily sat away from his dad, putting as much table between them as he could. Kakashi said nothing as he sipped his coffee. Sakura ever observant as a mom and kunoichi looked between her son and husband. Just as she was about to say something a knock rapped quickly on the door. She looked at Kakashi but he looked as surprised as she did. Before he could even stand to answer it a masked ANBU member appeared next to him holding out an official looking scroll. Unfazed Kakashi took it and the ANBU disappeared in a swirl of smoke.

"That was rude. They could have waited till someone answered the door." Haruka stated.

Kakashi smiled at her before unrolling the scroll. He scanned it quickly and a frown formed on his face.

"What is it?" Sakura asked looking concerned.

"A special mission from the Hokage. I'm to leave immediately." He said while standing. He drained the rest of his coffee and placed the mug in the sink. He stopped to kiss Sakura before leaving the room.

Haruka sunk in her chair with a pout on her lips. Sakumo bit into his food but did not taste it. Kazuhiko just pushed his around his plate.

"Kaz you have training today, you should eat." His mother said.

"I'm not that hungry." Kazuhiko replied.

"Mom, how long's dad going to be gone?" Haruka asked

"I don't know baby. When he comes back you should ask him. Now eat before your food gets cool." She chide.

Kakashi returned a short time later but instead of his usual jounin fatigues he wore traditional ANBU attire. His red and white porcelain mask hung from his belt. The foreboding feeling Sakura had the day before came back and smacked her with full force. She stood up quickly startling the kids. They looked between their parents noticing the tension filling the room.

"Wait, what kind of mission are you going on? Certainly you're not going alone." Distress evident in her voice.

"Just a simple tracking and surveillance it's nothing to worry about." He assured her putting his hands on her waist.

"Then why the ANBU uniform?" Sakumo spoke up.

"It is a requirement for this mission." Kakashi answered.

"But dad you're not in ANBU anymore." Kazuhiko said.

"Once an ANBU always an ANBU. Remember that if you want to join when you are older. Yes I did leave and was free to do so. But once I joined my life became the property of the Hokage and all the Hokages after. Unlike other shinobi even if I retire I may be called on to serve Konohagakure should the Hokage require me to do so. And I would not have it any other way." He explained patiently.

"And if the ANBU member is too old to continue being a Shinobi what happens then?" Kazuhiko asked.

"I wouldn't know. I've never known and ANBU member who's lived to reach old age." Kakashi answered honestly.

Sakura and the kids wore identical looks of alarm. Noticing how they perceived his words Kakashi strove to do damage control.

"Except for me of course." He joked. His family still looked uneasy but Haruka spoke up then and changed the subject.

"Daddy how long will you be gone?"

"The mission says to expect up to two months but for you I'll make it one." He said bending down and ruffling her hair. She smiled and put her arms around him. Kakashi's arms wrapped easily around her small frame.

"I love you Sweet Pea." He whispered kissing her the crown of her head like he normally did for all his children before each mission.

Kakashi stood up and moved on to Sakumo. He grasped him firmly by the shoulders before pulling him into a tight embrace

"I love you son."

"Love you dad."

Kakashi moved on to Kazuhiko who stiffened and looked down. Kakashi didn't even pause and gathered his son into his arms.

"I love you Kaz. I'm proud of you." He said pulling away with a smile. Kazuhiko stared at his dad for a second before throwing himself back into his dad's arms and buried his face in Kakashi's chest.

"I'm sorry dad." was his muffled reply.

"It's fine Kaz. Thanks for knocking some sense into me." He said nudging his son.

"Hey no fair Kaz! Why do you get two hugs?" Haruka fumed

Kakashi grunted as he fell backwards after being tackled by Sakumo and Haruka. He landed in a heap on the floor with his three kids on top of them. Sakura laughed at the looks on their faces and soon they were joining her.

"Alright, alright you little weirdoes go get ready. I will see you when I get home." Kakashi said standing up and dusting kids off him. They grinned and stuck their tongues out at him jokingly before darting off to their rooms.

"Listen to your mother while I'm gone!" He called after them before turning his attention to his wife.

Sakura smiled as he pulled her against him. Her hands moved up his chest and tangled in his hair. She gently pulled on the silver locks till he was within kissing distance. His hands rested on her hips tracing patterns on them with his thumbs. He kissed her slow and deep. As they pulled away she rested her forehead against his, letting their noses touch. Her fingers still played with his hair.

"What rank is it?" she asked inquiring about the mission.

"S" He said simply

Sakura bit her lip, the fear she had been feeling the past couple days returned, strangling her heart. Kakashi was taken aback when her lips crashed desperately against his. He held her steady and kissed her back.

"I have to go." He murmured against her lips.

"Don't. Please don't. Refuse the mission." She begged in a tone that worried him. She had never asked him to refuse a mission before.

"You know I can't. What's wrong Sakura?" he asked. He brushed some of her hair away from her face.

"I just have a bad feeling. I don't know I can't explain it. Surely Naruto could find someone else to go."

"His hands are tied. Honestly Sakura have you no faith in me?"

"Of course I do but…" She was cut off when his lips claimed hers.

"Just come back to me." She whispered when he pulled away.

"Always." He said. He kissed her once more before pulling on both masks and disappearing in a shower of leaves.

End of Fading Part Two

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