A.N.: Waaaahhh lol XD forgive me guys!! XD (Me in a hyper mode)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Tightening her robe once again, the pink haired kunoichi made her way to the opposite corridor. The whole house was dark and quiet, except for the clinking of glass that was probably made by Migumi downstairs. They put their kid's rooms just opposite to their corridor to give them some personal space but was near enough for her and Neji to walk or run to whenever there are emergencies.
It was a very short corridor with only two large sliding doors facing each other on each side. On the end was a painting of cherry blossom trees.
'Hmm, that painting always reminds me of my mom.'
'Don't go mushy on me Sakura, check on the kids and get some sleep for Pete's sake. I'm ready to go down six feet under.'
Sakura shrugged her demanding 'second personality' off and proceeded to the room to the right. It was Hizashi's room. She faced the elegant looking sliding doors that were adorned with beautiful traditional Japanese painting and quietly slid them open.
Sakura stopped in her tracks and stared at the room.
Tsunade banged her head against the table in exhaustion. She had just came from a very long meeting (and from a very long scolding) from the elders. It was one of their usual weekly meetings, and it just so happens that it took very long because problems kept on coming up. Not to mention that whenever they hear a committed mistake, they would scold Tsunade as though what she did was a very mortal sin.
'Gah, I hate it when those old hags treat me like their windbag puppet.'
KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Tsunade-sama." Shizune's slightly drowsy voice echoed throughout the office. She pushed the doors open while holding a cup of tea on a platter on her other hand.
"Thank God Shizune. I thought the elders wanted a second round."
Shizune didn't know whether she should frown or smile at that comment.
"Here's some tea… it will help you relax… after that you can go to sleep." Shizune replied calmly before putting the cup of tea on the table. Tsunade looked up and stared at her as though she was a ghost.
"What?"
"You're letting me go to sleep? Don't you want me to finish this up?" Tsunade replied groggily while pointing the stack of paperwork beside her with her thumb. Shizune smiled wider.
"Well, I would be happier if you'd do that. But I still have a conscience you know."
"You do?" Tsunade looked like hope had come back to her doorstep. "So maybe you could let me…"
Shizune's eyes narrowed.
"No gambles. You're going to sleep, after you wake up, you need to do these paperwork. Or else…"
The fifth slumped back on her table.
"Yeah, yeah. Or else you'll tell the elders. Fine. I get it." She finished her sentence for her.
Shizune grinned even wider.
"I'm glad that we understood each other. Now, drink your tea."
Tsunade's lips pursed.
'I can't believe that I'm letting my assistant and a pair of old hags control my life.'
"Mom?" Hizashi's voice piped out making Sakura to jump in surprise. She turned around and saw her son, looking very sleepy in his sleeping robes. "Mom, what are you doing here?"
"Where have you been?" Sakura asked, with one hand on her chest. Hizashi stared at her with his milky white eyes.
"I was in the bathroom, mom." Hizashi replied calmly. Sakura let out a relieved grin.
'Maybe I am getting paranoid.'
'You are, since you are lacking sleep! Duh! If you want to stop being paranoid go back to bed! I'm going nuts here! Geez!'
'Yeah, yeah. After I check up on Hikari I'll go to sleep.'
"Oh, I see. You go back to bed." Sakura smiled warmly and tucked her son back to bed. After she replaced the blankets on him she gave him a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room quietly. "Good night sweetheart."
"Night mom." Hizashi's muffled reply came through the doors as Sakura smiled before proceeding to the other room.
Hikari's room was a mess, with her shirts here and there, scrolls lying around her table, pencils on the floor; the list goes on and on. A helpless sigh came out of Sakura's lips, as her eyes traveled to her daughter sleeping quietly on her futon.
'She's Hizashi's exact opposite.'
'Better take a mental note to clean up her room tomorrow… you could barely walk properly!'
Sakura didn't come in since she knew that she would make some noise and probably wake her up. She just grinned warmly on her sleeping daughter before closing the doors and went back to their room. Sakura let out a big yawn and stretched her arms before sliding into the bed and into the arms of her slightly awake husband.
"How are they?" Neji sleepily asked with his eyes closed while wrapping his arms on his wife. Sakura smiled and closed her eyes.
"They're alright."
9 AM…
Iruka let out a big yawn as he made his way to the room where he would have his first session. It was not that early in the morning, but he had to stay up late last night because he had other things to do.
Upon reaching the room he slid the doors open, seeing the usual scenario that he sees whenever he comes in. And as usual, Hizashi was a child that highly remembered him of how Uchiha Sasuke or Hyuuga Neji acted when they were still in the academy. Hikari was across the room and was happily chatting with her female friends.
"Good morning class." He greeted as he closed the door. The class settled down quickly.
"Good morning Iruka-sensei." They chorused in their childlike voices.
Iruka studied them carefully before proceeding.
"Alright, before we proceed with our lesson, I have a small announcement."
A moment of silence… (And one yawn from a student)
"We are going to have a family day tomorrow. I expect you'll all be here with your parent or parents or to some of you your guardians." He explained to all as some students let out a loud moan. "Attendance will be checked, unless you'll have a very reasonable excuse for not attending. Am I understood?"
"When did they start having these 'family days'?" Hikari asked her seatmate. "I don't get it."
"Well miss Hyuuga." Iruka grinned at her and the young girl jumped in surprise when she realized that her instructor heard her. "It just so happens that we teachers decided to hold out a family day, since we want to see of how you are with your parents. How good you get along with them. That sort of way. Or with the ones who take care of you when they are gone to a mission… in that family day we can assess all of you and your families better, and at the same time we can have fun. Besides, some of our teachers need to talk to your parents anyway."
Hikari pursed her lips.
'Brother should be the one to ask permission to them, because if he does maybe even dad could come.'
ANBU Office.
"Any news from the spies recently?" Neji asked in complete monotone while his eyes lay transfixed on a folder that he was holding. It was the same folder that Naruto gave him on their meeting. "Or are they still unreliable?"
"They have gathered some, but not exactly helpful." Naruto replied. He was currently seated on the edge of Neji's table, with his arms and legs crossed while staring at the bookshelf in front of him. "Should we change the spies?"
"Too risky." Shikamaru butted in. The genius leaned against the wall next to the door with his arms crossed, and with a really serious expression on his face. "They have already held their position inside the headquarters, changing them would rise suspicions. What they are lacking is just the opportunity to be able to get near Orochimaru, Sasuke or Kabuto without being suspected."
"Gossip isn't really popular in that headquarters." Neji agreed with a curt nod. He put the folder on the table as his eyes traveled to the lazy genius. "We did give them time…but now they're getting to my nerves."
"Because at that time we just wanted information." Said Naruto defiantly. "We weren't in a hurry back then."
"Time is not exactly with us. We don't know WHEN exactly Sasuke would try to take my children, it's just that piece of information I want to have. Haven't they overhead Sasuke saying something about plotting a kidnapping?" Neji added with a hint of frustration in his voice. Sakura has been getting more paranoid these days, and she wanted to keep her children in her sight which really frustrates him sometimes.
'I think Sakura's paranoia is taking a toll on me as well.'
"I've never seen Sakura so worn out before." Naruto pursed his lips. Shikamaru glanced at him.
"What would you feel if someone as powerful as Uchiha Sasuke will try to get your kids huh?"
"Well I would try to remain calm and think!" Naruto replied forcefully with determination in his voice. Neji groaned and Shikamaru rolled his eyes at the sentence heard. "What? It's true!"
"Yeah right, and you're usually the hot tempered one in us. Look at Neji, he has got much higher patience than you and he's even looking weary." Shikamaru pointed out calmly. Indeed, Neji looked really weary this past few days.
"You have no idea Naruto." Neji added while rubbing his temples. "Sakura's getting paranoid."
"We've noticed." Naruto and Shikamaru chorused.
"She's the mother, a mother usually worries much. Can't blame her." Shikamaru remembered his mother going nuts after he got lost in Konoha when he was young. "Believe me, I'm telling this by experience."
"She wants to keep the kids in her sight… she almost had the crazy idea to go to the academy with them."
"What?" Naruto looked amused rather than shocked at the comment. Neji looked at him.
"Naruto, can you please calm her down? She could hardly sleep and could hardly eat, I'm worried. I'm not really good at consoling people, especially when she's grown a weird immunity against my try hard consoling." Neji added with a small grin.
"Well I won't promise, but I'll try… there's just sometimes that when I try to compliment or console her, she ends up going nuts."
"That's because you add some unnecessary comments baka, what kind of woman would like to be called a 'woman of completely brute force' in their faces?! Honestly, you're just too troublesome. Neji, putting him in a small assignment like that is dangerous. It might add to Sakura's problem."
"Hey! There are also times when my consoling works!"
Outside…
"Achoo!"
"Bless you." Ino rolled her eyes and boredly gave her a tissue. Sakura mumbled a small 'thank you' before sneezing on it again. Ino, Hinata, Tenten and Sakura were huddled together in a small table. They were discussing Sakura's current dilemma.
"Where are the guys?" Tenten asked, looking a bit worried at Sakura who already had dark circles under her eyes. "I haven't seen them."
"No idea." Ino shrugged in reply as she continued to watch Sakura ramble. She was only half listening, but she heard the words 'worried' 'Sasuke' and 'bastard' a few times.
"Sakura-chan." Hinata said firmly, but in a soft tone. "You need to relax."
"How can I relax when that f Uchiha wants my kids??" Sakura almost yelled as she leaned on the chair helplessly. "Even Neji's consoling isn't working anymore."
"What? It works on you?" Tenten smirked at that comment. "Hallelujah. I thought he was the worst in consoling people, especially consoling girls."
Ino had to laugh at that. But her laugh disappeared a second later.
"Honestly forehead girl, you need to stop worrying. Nothing will happen if you keep on doing that and you might end up going mental. What would your husband and kids say about you?" Ino reprimanded her as she slammed her fist on the table. Tenten and Hinata nodded in agreement. "If you relax you'll be able to think clearly, come on, trust the people in the academy too, and Shikamaru."
"I hate to admit it, but she's right you know." Tenten nodded. "It's not like we're leaving them with a ten year old person."
Sakura fell silent at that. A pregnant silence filled the room and Ino was about to take a second swing at Sakura when they heard the door in Neji's room open.
"Oh, they were in Neji's office all along." Hinata commented as she stood up. Naruto and Shikamaru saw them, and a few moments later Neji came out looking equally weary.
"Hi Naruto-kun, Shika." Sakura greeted them in an ill tone as Naruto let out a big sigh.
"It's worse than I had expected."
"Oh she'll get over it." Ino rolled her eyes as she watched Neji sit down with them. He looked at Sakura while everyone fell silent. The couple stared at each for a few moments, and miraculously, Sakura started to smile. A thing Ino and the girls had been trying to do for almost an hour.
"Wha--?"
Everyone seemed confused.
"How the hell did you do that??" Naruto asked Neji while pointing Sakura who is already chuckling. Tenten was at a loss for words too.
Neji was half heartedly smiling before he answered Naruto.
"I don't know. It just works." He replied.
"Somehow, I think they have this weird ESP thing going on." Tenten smirked at the scene. Ino had to rub her temples in annoyance.
"Here we are trying to whack our brains to find something to console Sakura with, and the cure was just a few meters away from us after all. Thanks a lot Sakura, Neji." She said sarcastically.
"Will this work on you Hinata-chan?" Naruto started to stare at Hinata, mimicking Neji perfectly in an attempt to make her smile. Instead of smiling, the stare rather made her blush hard and give out a weird looking smile. Tenten and Ino burst out laughing as Shikamaru and Sakura chuckled. Neji just smiled wider.
Another moment of silence…
"So what were you guys talking about eh? We've been looking for you." Tenten said casually while crossing her arms.
"I have an idea." Sakura chimed, thinking about the sneeze earlier on.
"Eh, just some matters here and there." Shikamaru replied boredly. "Nothing really catchy."
It was already late in the afternoon and Sakura and Neji were both inside Neji's office talking to each other while Neji was still finishing up some work. Sakura was helping him here and there and was offering some company. They usually stay at night, but not the whole night, just until Neji finishes some paper works and some other knickknacks, he hates leaving some unfinished work behind. It would be really lucky for him to be able to finish his work before 6 pm. Paperwork and all of these might be weird for an ANBU head, but he's still the head.
"So, Naruto really does intend to pop the question soon?" Neji asked with interest while his eyes lay transfixed on a folder he was holding. Sakura was sitting on the edge of the table, similar to how Naruto sat earlier this morning.
"Somehow, yes. He's been hinting about it in some of our conversations." Sakura replied with her voice fading away. She was reading something in a folder while they were immersed in a moment of silence.
"Sakura, don't you have any work in the hospital?" Neji asked, sparing her a glance. Sakura didn't look back at him but only smiled. "Usually you're in the hospital on this time."
"Honestly, do you want me to work in this condition of mine? I might go nuts and envision my patient as Hizashi or Hikari." Sakura said casually but Neji was deeply disturbed by her statement. He stopped what he was doing, making Sakura to turn her head. Neji stood up and walked until he reached her front while the kunoichi stared at him all this time.
"Neji-kun?"
Without another word, he suddenly and quietly wrapped her arms around her…engaging her into a very warm hug.
"Neji-kun!" Sakura was half smiling with a shocked look on her face. Neji only tightened his hug, with his eyes looking over at the window where the sun was setting.
"Please, stop worrying Sakura…you know they are in good hands." He spoke so quietly that it was almost a whisper to Sakura's ears. Sakura was moved by Neji's actions and hugged back. She knew she has been worrying him, but she just couldn't help but worry too much sometimes. After all, her family and friends are very important to her… especially Neji and her children.
'I just can't help it…I care for them so much…I don't want to experience what I felt when I almost lost Neji in the attack…I wouldn't be able to bear it if something happens to him or to them…'
And for once her inner mind was silent.
"I…"
"MOM!! DAD!!"
A.N.: Uhh, I know it's a weird way to end it like this, but… I'll save the rest for the next chappie ;)