Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Fading Part Five

Kakashi Hatake looked at his wife. He hoped she would see in his eyes everything he could not say. Sakura Hatake desperately wanted to touch him one last time but her fingers couldn't seem to close the two inch gap. Their sons were saying something but they could not hear them. A moment later Kazuhiko and Sakumo Hatake slowly began fading from their sight.


Sakura opened her eyes before quickly shutting them against the harsh white light. She watched the spots behind her eyelids fade then tried opening them again. Squinting this time all she could see was white. A white ceiling. White walls. White curtains. It all seemed so familiar yet different. She realized then that she had seen this place many times, just not from this angle.

The hospital, she was at the hospital but instead of playing healer she was the patient. Sakura sat up suddenly, remembering why she was here in the first place. Relief flooded through her when attention landed on the other bed in the room. Kakashi was sleeping. An oxygen mask replaced his cloth one, but when she glanced at his stats on the computer screen they were normal. Her eyes traveled over to the chairs against the wall. Kazuhiko and Sakumo were just starting to rub the sleep from their eyes. They blinked against the morning light coming through the window, and then they noticed her.

"MOM!" they bolted towards her.

"Shh." She held her finger to her lips pointing to their dad.

"It's okay mom. He hasn't woken up yet. You guys slept through a lot." Kaz said.

"How are you feeling mom?" Sakumo asked

"I'm just fine sweeties, a little tired but fine." She assured them.

Their smiles were blinding and they hopped up on her bed warping themselves around her; mindful of her own oxygen mask cords. She yanked it over her head before tossing it aside and pulled them tight against her. She stroked their hair gently. There was a lot she wanted to ask. Many who, what, where, when, why, and how questions. But that could wait. Sakura just wanted to assure herself that they were okay. Their peace was short lived however when three very loud blonds burst thought the room.

"WHY THE HELL DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME SHE WAS AWAKE?" Tsunade yelled at the nurses.

"Sakura- chan…oww damn it Ino! I need to talk to her. I'm the Hokage after all." Naruto complained.

"Forehead, how are you feeling?" Ino asked after plowing him over.

"I'm fine pig." Sakura answered.

"Okay now move you two I need to check her over." Tsunade said shoving past the medic and the Sixth.

"Hey granny Tsunade, she works for me now; wait your turn!" Naruto growled out.

"Her wellbeing comes first boy!" Her demining use of the word boy was a contradiction as she had to look up at Naruto to say it to the taller man's face.

Naruto and Tsunade were then knocked down as Sakura pushed past them. Ino and the boys had jumped back when she had launched herself out of the bed. The room went quite as Sakura threw her arms around Kakashi who just woke up. She shook silently and he held her tight. The adults in the room looked at each other and made a silent unanimous decision to leave. Ino Akimichi pulled her surrogate nephews out with them. Naruto shut the door carefully and Mr. and Mrs. Hatake were left alone.


Tears streamed down the twins faces. Sakumo reached over and tried to pull the scroll out from under his dad who had landed face down. Kazuhiko wiped his nose on his sleeve and pushed against his dad's still form. He rolled his dad over as far as he could to create a gap wide enough for his brother to wiggle the scroll free. They stood and moved quickly back towards the forest, gathering dead branches at the edge of the field. Neither spoke, each boy lost in his own dark thoughts. Mechanically they began to place the branches over their parents in a pyre. The twins had stopped bothering to wipe the tears from their eyes. Their world was blurred and they did not even notice they were no longer alone.

Less than five minutes had passed, since their parents collapsed, before an exploding tagged kunai was embedded into the ground at their feet. Acting instinctively on the training their dad drilled into them, Kazuhiko and Sakumo were already moving back towards their parent's bodies in a series of backflips. They were already forming seals by the time they landed on their feet.

Kazuhiko's Great Waterfall technique blasted through the trees, slamming down on the group of enemy nin. Sakumo's lightning infused wire strings surged through the giant wave. They wrapped around the legs of a shinobi who balanced on top of the water with chakra infused feet. The man was dragged down under the electrified wave. Kazuhiko ran atop the water pulling his chakra imbued ninjato out of the scabbard on his back. Shuriken rained down on him but were deflected by Sakumo's own. Kazuhiko didn't even blink knowing his twin had his back. One of the lucky ones who dodged the wave sprung from the trees, pulling out his katana.

The man and boy clashed under a shower of sparks as their steel blades rang across the field. Kazuhiko danced in, around, and under the older nin's blade. There was a flicker in the flashes of steel and then Kazuhiko was sprayed with blood from his opponent's neck. Two others engaged Kazuhiko before their dead comrade could even sink to the ground. The water from Kazuhiko's attack had receded and the field had turned into a marsh. The mud slowed movement and relentlessly pulled at Kazuhiko's ankles. He jumped back to his brother on dry land. Sakumo flicked his wires out at the two opponents in hot pursuit of his brother.

They deflected the wires to the side. Each began forming seals. The earth sprung up in giant spikes around the two boys threatening to impale them. Sakumo jumped in front of his brother. His hands flew through seals. The air crackled around him and lightning shout out from his palms in all directions splintering the spikes into a harmless cloud of dust. Which was probably what the enemy wanted as they used its cover to appear on either side of the younger shinobi. Their kunai filled hands stretched out aiming for Kazuhiko and Sakumo's throats.

Seven minutes had passed since Sakura and Kakashi had collapsed. The impact from the two enemy shinobi never came. Instead they were driven into the ground at the twins' feet. Each died from a Rasengan to the back. One killing blow was delivered from Sakumo and Kazuhiko's sensei Konohamaru Sarutobi, the other from their uncle and godfather Naruto Uzumaki, the Sixth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf.

Naruto and Konohamaru were not alone. Four masked ANBU, two of which Sakumo was sure were Sai and Yamato, and Guy created a perimeter around Tsunade and Ino both of whom had already started working on Sakura and Kakashi. Their hands glowed green while…

'Wait. Aunt Ino and Granny Tsunade wouldn't be working on mom and dad unless there was something to be worked on.' Sakumo realized. He looked to his brother and could tell Kaz had come to the same conclusion he did.

"Get them back to Konoha." Naruto ordered gesturing to the twins. Konohamaru moved forward to lead them back.

"No. I'm staying with mom and dad." Kazuhiko stated

"Me too." Sakumo said surprising everyone. It was normal for Kazuhiko to defy authority but never once did Sakumo and neither boy had ever disobeyed Naruto. Their parents, yes all the time, but never their favorite uncle and idol.

"Guy, Konohamaru." Was the only thing Naruto needed to say before both boys found themselves thrown over a shoulder of one of the two men, on an express ride through the trees back to Konoha.

Their shouts of protest faded after a few moments. Naruto walked over to Sakura and Kakashi. A lump formed is his throat and his stomach twisted into a worried knot. He held himself back as he watched Tsunade and Ino work on his two best friends. He had grown over the years. He was a seasoned Shinobi and the Hokage. He had seen a lot of sorrows, joys, horrors, miracles. He'd seen it all, but this was one sight he never wanted to see. He knew that He and Hinata could raise the kids along with their own. Financially they could handle it. Yet Naruto knew that even though they loved Sakumo, Kazuhiko, and Haruka just as much as their own children, the Hatake children needed their real parents.

Sai came back with his report. The mission was a success, the enemy was defeated, Konoha was safe. Naruto took it all in stride, looking towards Kakashi and Sakura. It was good news. He should be happy but he just wasn't. Sai noticed his behavior and understanding came into his eyes. Sai had learned a lot over the years on team Kakashi. He was no longer ignorant of emotions and he let his hand rest on Naruto's shoulder.

"They will be okay." The pale man said it like a fact.

"Yes if anyone can make it, it would be those two." Yamato added with just as much conviction.

"I know." Naruto said.

The three men were relieved when Tsunade announced they were right.


Sakura sank into her bed with a grateful sigh. Honestly hospital beds had to be the worst. It seemed as if her husband held the same sentiments since he groaned appreciatively after sinking down next to her.

"It feels good to be home." Sakura said propping herself up on her elbow.

"Hmm." He agreed turning to face her. He let his fingers ghost up and down her side.

Sakura shivered slightly but not from being cold, the whole room suddenly seemed warmer. She pushed her fingers through his silver hair. Kakashi's hand trailed back up and continued on. He brushed a pink lock of hair from her face with his thumb as he tilted her head to him. Their lips met and their kisses turned hungry. His mouth moved to her neck as her hands slipped under his shirt.

BANG

And that was the sound of their bedroom door as it hit the wall from where the kids threw it open. They pulled away from each other reluctantly as the Hatake children hopped onto the bed and started chatting at them while they fought each other for the attention of their parents. Kakashi looked at Sakura with a silent promise in his eyes that clearly said:

'We will finish this later.'

She smiled at him before turning her attention to her daughter.

'Yes later.'


A/N: Fading is finished! Yay! Okay now I will continue with Hatake Strings. Leave a review before you go. Thanks.