Sry that last chapter was SO PATHETIC, I hated it really. Anyway I stopped all the stories I was planning on writing so that I could start a new batch of stories but it wasn't until 5 hours ago my My Three Loves writer's block was canceled. But right now I feel it's starting to wear off, half of this chapter was written soon after chapter 10 while the rest was written up in the past five hours.

So allow me to present the 10th chapter:

My Three Loves

Chapter 10:

Winter Court Part II

"Kurenai-san I'm not really a yellow, pink, or any kind of light color, girl." I pressed again; this red eyed warrior did not seem to pay much mind to my statements and continued to thumb through fabric after fabric, then. "Wait!" I said a little too loud, the female shinobi stopped and turned toward me a bit surprised "Go back to that purple one." I said looking at the material intently as she flipped the pile back and pulled out the one I had requested. "That is it, a great shade of purple Kurenai-san." I said as I rubbed the material between my thumb and index finger "Lets see, it is called purple haze. Here hold it against your front." I did so and she nodded approvingly "That is perfect and now we must find two more patterns to tie with it." I sighed and groaned at the thought of looking through more fabrics after finding such a lovely color.

I need two patterns that will match the purple fabric. I looked more closely at the fabric and smoothed my hand over small circles embroidered with dark blue thread like snow or stars. We found a faded purple like a mix of gray and purple with black embroiders of bamboo on it. Then we picked out a pale purple almost like a purple, gray, and pink mixture. "Okay now all we need to do is to get your measurements and come back in a few days." I sighed and nodded tiredly and stood on the stool as the shopkeeper shuffled over due to her age and measured my chest, waist, arms, legs, and then my full height.

"Miss will she be for a strict formal gown or an occasional gown?" the old crone said to Kurenai, "Many men have come in here requesting the strict formal, all those rich nobles and such." She stated "This is just occasional." Kurenai said "Ah, I see, no doubt she would not breathe let alone sit in a strict formal." The two nodded as though I were not there. "Yes, those are all the measurements needed and just have the gown sent to my address." Kurenai said as she paid for the fabrics and we left the store.

"Kurenai-san, what is a 'strict formal' gown?" I never wore a kimono before since I did not live in Japan or China, I'm surprise my Australian accent had not cheapened my words.

Before she could answer a very unpleasant groan bubbled from my pit-less stomach.

Kurenai smiled "Tell you over lunch?" she said leading me to a common restaurant "Two orders of green tea and a Sashimi please." Kurenai said to the waitress after seating ourselves. "Of course!" The young lady said and made her way back to the kitchen. "Don't be so stiff." Kurenai said almost motherly, did she know that I've never understood Konoha living? We watched out the window at the couples and kids shopping for outfits or fireworks and toys for the Winter Festival. "A strict formal kimono is what we now call a kimono outfit that erases a woman's figure. It was firmly believed that women should be a perfect cylinder, therefore women wore several layers of clothes to that not once curve would show, and some women still do that for special occasions."

"Oh I see. That seems like a pain in the butt though." I said as I slowly ate my noodles. "Kurenai-san, why did you take me with you to go kimono shopping and then buy me one?" I slowly ate my piece of fish and never looked up at the red eyed lady when she turned and smiled knowingly. "Is it really that hard to figure it out?" I looked up at the shinobi but before I could answer Kurenai began musing to herself "Well the dolt does not really say much, he's more likely to take action than say what is on his mind…" I quickly eyed the tray of fish again and Kurenai noticed "It is Kakashi's way of saying that he wants you to be his date for the winter festival!" My eyes widened and within seconds worry clouded my mind, questions and humiliating scenarios raced rapidly through my head before I could even continue to think. "Undine, Kakashi really likes you…And that is really rare for him to feel, think, and take action on something like that, allowing himself this emotion means a lot to him, and he never once asked for help until now." Kurenai said pressingly when she saw my face go pale.

"I know but…" Kurenai cut me off with a guilt card, "He's really upset that you're trying to leave his sight. He really cares about you, why don't you try to feel the same? Maybe that scar on your shoulder will finally heal." I closed my eyes and continued to eat the slightly steaming ramen, trying to ignore her words. "It's obvious that you're hiding a scar when you bandage your neck like that. I also know that wounds can heal unless you make it so that they take a lifetime to fade." "Are you ready to go get your kimono yet? Who is your date anyway?" I said as I stood up and waited for her. I had to pretend…just a few more weeks. Kurenai sighed, paid, and walked beside me as we looked through various kimono shops.

"His name is Azuma, we usually work together a lot, and he's my boyfriend." "Aw, that's cute!" Kurenai looked almost stunned as she turned to me and saw a real carefree smile. She smiled back and continued walking "So what is the color scheme?! I'm thinking yellow and white!" I said like a little girl, it's best to pretend to ease the suffering. Kurenai thought about it and nodded "If you think those are good choices then I know the perfect store!" we walked a few more blocks on the crowded sidewalks. We reached a store and we immediately found a perfect pattern. A simple cream white fabric as the gown and a white kimono with yellow sunflowers printed faintly on it. We bought and measured the fabric and set off to grab something sweet.

"I told you that those colors were cute." I said as we walked to a small sweet shop next to a small bookstore. "This is a cute store." I said, referring to both. "Yep. Which flavor?" she asked, we were walking across the street towards the stores "Um, anything chocolate or a cookie dough flavor." I thought, trying not to be picky. "Okay, I know you love books so why don't you go look at that bookstore and I'll go get the sweets?" I nodded and we entered the stores. I searched through the fiction books, but nothing interested me, I tried the comical books but still nothing there, I avoided the religious and romance books since neither was in my interest. I finally looked through the cooking, researching, and traveling books. I found about three decent research books on animals, plants, and the stars; a few good cook books on Japanese, European, and Western cooking; but there was little interest on the travel books though there was little material to base off of. "Undine-chan," Kurenai was walking towards me with a small brown paper bag in each hand. "Find anything interesting?" I shrugged and she asked to see which books I thought were interesting. "So you're into the stars and such? It seems you like a lot of things." I shrugged again. "Mostly restaurants serve Western-style food, do you prefer that kind?" she asked, she was absorbing as much information about me as possible it seemed. "Yes, where I'm from it is rare to find Japanese style foods and European is really just a mix of Western. I never had anything other than Western. When I was a kid my family loved Chinese food but I never liked it and when I finally tried it I was sick for awhile but they still tried to get me to try more and more of it." I said flipping through the Western cook book, I didn't notice that Kurenai had left my side for a moment until she pulled the book out of my hands and shoved one of the paper bags in my hands.

Kurenai walked to the cashier with a small pile of books, I stood behind her trying to figure out what books she had purchased. "Um…" I said under my breath when I noticed that the research books and the Western cook book was among the pile along with two romance books. "As a gift for accompanying me today." She said as if answering my question. I smiled and nodded, knowing that if I open my mouth I'll just make things awkward. We left the book sore and headed for my apartment complex, I looked into the paper bag she had given me and found several small chocolate treats "There is a small chocolate cake, a small bag of chocolate covered vanilla ice cream balls, and some different chocolate and vanilla creams." I pulled out a small white bag that was cold to the touch containing a few chocolate balls; I pulled the ribbon off and took one of the frozen chocolates. "Oh cold!" I said to myself when I bit into the chocolate, the vanilla ice cream melted with the chocolate in my mouth.

"What flavor did you get Kurenai-san?' She smiled as we turned the corner down the street where the apartments were. "Strawberry and vanilla, they are my favorite but I also got a small bit of chocolate chip mint cream." I made a face and she laughed. We were finally reached my apartment building and she took her two books out of the bag, "I'll come back to get you when I get the Kimonos in. I'll keep the Kimono with me so Kakashi won't try to find it." I nodded "I wouldn't hold it against him if he tried to, he seems to enjoy prying." We soon said our goodbyes and I walked up the stairs to the floor where we were living on. I unlocked the door and slipped my shoes off to the side.

"…I'm back…" It felt kind of strange to say that after so long, I felt the same as when I had returned home one day a few months after my family died…

(A/N: Amazing! A flashback!)

FLASHBACK

It had only been two months after they died; I was living at a nice apartment until the house was prepared. I had a decent day since I didn't go to school with the others, instead I went shopping and bought enough food and reading material to last me a few weeks at the most. I unlocked the door to the apartment and flipped the lights on without thinking. After sliding off my shoes at the door, "I'm back!" I wasn't thinking and I suddenly realized that I would never say that again, and I didn't even when my friend's moved into my house to keep me company. I didn't really need them there but somehow knowing that there had been life within those walls probably hours ago calmed my nerves, though I ignored my friends a lot. I never announced my return again.

END FLASHBACK (You can go back to your regularly scheduled lives again.)

"Hm? Undine?" I jumped at the voice. Kakashi was standing infront of me with a slightly amused look in his eye. I stared at him blankly "Welcome back." He said with his usual indication of a smile, I smiled back with the best fake smile I had ever pulled "Thanks… I'll go drop these off in my room and get to work on any chores." I said as I started for the stairs. Kakashi nodded and moved aside "What did you and Kurenai-chan do all afternoon?" he said when I was halfway up the stairs; I looked over my shoulder down at him. "Just a bit of shopping. Nothing really big." I turned back around and disappeared around the corner. Kakashi smiled and went back to the couch to continue reading his new favorite book. (Three guesses which one).

I stacked my books and slid them under my bed and decided to put the sweets in the freezer, but I would have to make sure that the boys didn't get a hold of it. I checked on Naruto in his room we remolded as his 'big boy' room. There were little slips of paper covering the edges of his window with strange symbols. "Naruto make sure you never touch those pieces of paper." I told him as he played with his blocks on the floor; he didn't look up at me but nodded as I left. I slipped down the stairs and made my way into the kitchen and hid the bag in the back of the freezer. "And what would that be your trying to hide?" I jumped and slammed the freezer door and turned behind me to find Kakashi leaning against the island. "Nothing for you." I said a little harsher than I would have preferred but he didn't seem to mind. "Of course well there are no chores for you down here so try to find something else to busy yourself with." He said as he made himself some tea.

"Is Iruka here?" I asked not knowing if he had come by for breakfast after I left. "Yes he decided to stay for the rest of the day, he's in his room." Kakashi said going back to the couch. "Thanks." I rushed up the stairs and grabbed the books from under my bed then knocked on Iruka's door. "Iruka, its Undine." I said. He told me to come in and I showed him the books Kurenai bought. "I thought some of these would interest you since I remember you saying that you were going to become a chunnin and teach next year." I said a bit shyly. He sat up from his bed and looked at the books with interest. "These are interesting books, I take it you like Western food?" he said smiling as he looked at all the books. I nodded, "Kurenai-san caught me glancing at them and before I knew it we were walking out the store with them in hand." I said. "Well you picked good books, though I plan to teach the art of being ninja these would be very handy." He said glancing back over the research books. "Oh? How so?" I asked, I did not think he would teach kids to be ninjas. "Well, if one was ever lost without a compass it would be important for him to know how to navigate using the stars; if one were in another country or wounded he would need to know what plants would be safe to heal, eat, or possibly tell where he is but identifying the plant; also it is always important to know what animals are dangerous and others are harmless, you can also find out what country your in by identifying animals that live there." He said easily. "You're a natural at teaching already. But I doubt that while on a mission you could prepare Western-style food." I mocked. "Not necessarily, depending on the recipe you could easily make Western-style food, some ninja say it is much better than trying to make Japanese food because it doesn't require so much ingredients."

"Hm. I think you will make a great teacher some day Iruka-kun." I said shyly as I stacked the books and paced them on the empty bookshelf. "Well I'm going to take a nap for awhile, let me know when you are ready for dinner." I left the room and went downstairs to find Kakashi. I located him lounging on the couch with the TV on low and his Icha Icha Paradise book in hand. I leaned onto the railing and watched him. He flipped the page once or twice but didn't even seem to notice me. "If you're going to spy and or stare at me endlessly then you could at least ask for my permission and sit with me." He said turning the page."Ha. As if anyone would want to stock you." I replied pushing of the railing. "It's not stocking, it's obsessive shadowing. And yes there are thousands of women in Konoha, married or not, that would love the chance to stock, stare endlessly, and/or contain me for as long as they will." I rolled my eyes as I walked over to the couch; suddenly I remembered a conversation Kurenai and I had.

(oh boy another flashback! Someone get me some popcorn)

"Undine I know about the deal you made with Hokage-sama, and I'm furious with Kakashi about the last attack." I looked up at her and the weight of everything fell onto my shoulders. "Kakashi loves you, he's hurt by your decision." She continued. "That's not possible; Kakashi would love or be interested in a girl like me, a convict responsible for the death of the Fourth Hokage." I replied.

"You loved the Fourth didn't you?"

"…how could I…he saved me and protected me from the rest of his people and to keep me safe he put me in prison and then died without ever coming back." Guilt was setting in.

"If you could so easily love the Fourth just from one occasion then why be so stubborn and naïve when it comes to Kakashi, why not love him. Is it because he loves you and not the other way around?"

"No! That's enough Kurenai-san! You know nothing about my feelings for the Fourth or Kakashi, you have no idea what it's like spend year after year living with strangers because you put up the walls and locks to keep from hurting others with your own pain. I'm leaving Kakashi and Iruka and Naruto because I love them and I can't be here forever I could deal with Iruka and Kakashi never coming home. I'm not going to be here long enough to break my locks and destroy my walls. Don't try and pressure me into mindless love."

"Undine?" I found myself standing by the couch just staring at the fabric while Kakashi sat there reading his book. "When the house is finished…will you come visit me?" He looked at me for a moment and nodded silently; I left the room and returned to my room for a nap.

Winter Court II:

3 Days Before the Winter Festival:

Undine speaks with Kurenai and Azuma:

We sat there enjoying the thick tension of heavy silence between the three of us. "Does Kakashi know where you are?" The rugged smoker said plainly, taking a shot from his saki glass. "Yes, I told him that Kurenai wanted me to go out to lunch with her." I replied.

"Undine what is troubling you here, Azuma can keep a secret if you're worried about-

"No, I want to apologize for the way I spoke to you last Kurenai-san. You were right about everything and I wanted to keep it hidden for awhile longer." I said.

"I did love the Fourth and that is why I agreed to raise Naruto because he was his son and I had a debt to pay. At first the only thing I was worried about was being able to function with two strangers hovering over me. I never meant to gain feeling for Kakashi, I'm sure he knows by know of those feelings but I've been pushing him because I'm scared that after all this time I'm moving on to something better, not to mention I just asked the Hokage to build me a house where I would be alone. I do love him but I would never know how to act around him. There's no way I could be graceful in the art of love when I've never wanted to learn." I said.

Kurenai and Azuma exchanged glances and held a look of pity on me. "Undine if you want to love Kakashi back then I can help you." Kurenai said with a smile. "Kakashi asked all of us to help out with planning your date at the festival. One thing will help you in being graceful is to always know his plans so you can be prepared for anything." Azuma said crushing up his cigarette stub. "Alright then let's make plans to make you the best date any man has ever had…" Kurenai said happily.

Well aren't you all surprise and mad that I've come back from the dead to present you with the continuing series of My Three Loves?

I've been in a rut all Summer, I've started three new stories but yet to make them final in any contrast. For details of my future stories please go to my website on my profile. Also October 25 this year Suko-chan and myself will be 'married' just a lil' fun topic for FF. yesterday I was talking with Suko about wedding plans and my brother's friend thought I was being serious! I'm happy to say that he has a small bruise on his head and knee.

P.S. I'd like to thank my Beta for this chapter Suko-Chan