Shadowed Fury 25

An: After a long wait the next chapter of Shadowed Fury. I hope ya'll had a good holiday season. Enjoy the next chapter!

Kyo growled softly as he sat on the roof of the apartment he shared with his girlfriend. His mind was trying to come up with the perfect plan to try and get his parents together like they were meant to be.

"What's wrong Kyo?" Kaho murmured softly as she rested her head on his shoulder.

She knew exactly what was wrong, but she wanted him to voice it. Since Kakashi had found out about him, his parents were becoming more distant than before. His upset was affecting her too. It upset her when he was upset. Kyo needed to let his emotions out before he went out and did something stupid.

"I thought they would've made some headway since the exams but no… Dad is still being stubborn."

"You know," she said softly. "Not all the blame can be placed on him, Kyo. Mom can be just as stubborn."

"I know," he sighed softly. "I've waited my entire life for them to work their way back to each other, but I'm starting to think it'll never happen in this lifetime."

"Don't say that Kyo," Kaho sighed softly. "They'll find their way to each other someday."

They sat there in silence for awhile. She stroked the back of his neck slowly. It always seemed to calm him down some when he was upset. Then she noticed he'd perked as if he'd thought of something. That normally spelled trouble, and she was sure if he was allowed to go through with it then Kyouran and Kakashi would be very pissed off parents. She was sure they wouldn't kill their only son, but a very painful future would be in store for him.

"Kyo whatever you're thinking about don't do it."

He was about ready to say something when his sister landed gracefully on the roof beside of them. The look in Kaji's eyes told Kyo that she knew exactly what was on his mind. For not being blood siblings they thought on the same page a lot. That sometimes was a good and bad thing. Right at this moment he had the feeling it was a bad thing.

"I'd have to agree with Kaho on this Kyo. Leave it alone."

"If we don't do something Mom and Dad aren't ever going to get back together."

"And that's their choice, Kyo. You can't force that. It'll make them resent each other even more."

"But Kaji…"

"Don't but Kaji me. Leave me out of this. If you do something stupid I have no part of this."

Kyo growled softly at his sister, but he set the idea in his mind and he knew just the person to take this matter to. His mind was made up. Rising slowly he looked at his sister and mate. He leaned down and kissed Kaho softly before he vanished.

"They're going to kick his ass when they get back."

"Yes," Kaji snorted. "Come on Kaho let's go train."

The two women went to train.

Kyo paused before he leapt for the Hokage's roof. He could feel the angry brush of Tsunade's aura. He hesitated on entering right at that moment.

"Take one more step Hatake and I'll knock you for a loop."

The youngest Hatake just smiled softly as he landed softly on the balcony despite her threats. She had a soft spot for certain people in the village. One was obviously Sakura and another was him. Maybe it was his plight with his parents that made feel the soft spot, but whatever it was he would use it to his advantage. "What do I owe this displeasure?"

"Oh come on Lady Hokage I need help."

The blonde looked up at him in confusion. It was rare that Kyouran or his mother asked anything for themselves. The 3rd and 4th had made reports for the two of them and they'd trusted the Shadow Fox thus far and neither had asked anything for their loyalty. They also made mention if they ever needed help then assist anyway that they could. The easy look on Kyo's face made her cave a bit. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she looked up at Kakashi's son. It was clear who his parents were. If she hadn't known how deep the bond between Kaho and Kyo were the boy would've been a girl magnet.

"I'm listening but you have five minutes."

"Lady Hokage I need you to send Mom and Dad on a mission together."

"I don't think so kid."

"Please Lady Hokage. They need this."

"It'll piss them off Hatake and you know that."

"But Lady Hokage, Tsunade please… Mom is dying without Dad beside her. Dad still loves Mom I can see it, but neither of them will take the steps necessary to work things out."

"You know they'll kill you if they find out."

"They won't if they find their way back to each other."

"You have a lot of faith in this don't you?"

Kyo looked out the window and took a deep breath. He thought of what his mother was going through, and he knew that if that happened between him and Kaho he would've gone mad or ended up crying a lot. This had to work, there was no other option in his mind. His parents were shadows of their former glories and he was hoping to see it again one day.

"They need each other more than you know. Bonds like that are the type that can kill a partner if the other dies. Please Lady Hokage they need this more than ever."

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eye and leaned back in her chair. Everything inside of her was screaming not to get involved because it could end badly. The two of them were great assets to the village and losing one would be costly. From what she could understand losing one would mean also losing the other. "Mom and Dad were once a great team, I heard stories that they had worked flawlessly together as a team."

She took a deep breath as she turned her gaze to the youngest Hatake. His eyes were so expressive. He wore his heart on his sleeve.

"Kyo you realize that this might not work the way you want it to."

"I realize that Lady Hokage but as the saying goes 'Expect the worst and hope for the best'."

The older woman shook her head and gave him a Cheshire grin. If the two of them were meant to be they would find their way back to each other, somehow. It would due well for the two of them to get back together again. It would stop some of the animosity she'd come to realize some of the male shinobi held towards Kakashi behind false smiles for what he'd done to Kyouran. There was some parts that it was a shame that Kyouran couldn't move on but on the flip side because of what she is it wasn't possible.

"If this goes wrong I'll sick them on you."

"I wouldn't expect anything less. Thank you Lady Hokage."

He bowed deeply as he felt hope swell inside of his heart for once in the longest time. Maybe someday he'd be able to do things with his mother and father at the same time. Then maybe one day he'd be able to see his parents fight side by side as they were meant to. He dreamed of the day and maybe if this went well he'd be able to see it. Then maybe he could eventually get more siblings. He loved his big sister but there was a secret yearning for blood siblings that they could train together. Shaking his head he realized he'd have to take it one step at a time. His parents had to make it through this mission first.

Kyouran growled softly as she moved towards the Hokage's manor. She'd been summoned for a mission. Since the fight with Kakashi during the exams she hadn't felt right, but there was nothing to be done. He went out of his way to avoid her sometimes. This mission might be the very thing she needed to get herself back in order. With a few steps she was at the door to the Hokage's office. She was pretty sure that the ANBU were getting tired of her entrances through the balcony. Kyouran reached up and placed a soft rapid knock on the door.

"Come in!" the Hokage groused.

Kyouran knew she was in one of her moods again. She walked into the room and shut the door quietly. With a few steps she was standing before the Hokage in a bow. After a few moments of silence Kyouran rose and watched the woman stare at her intently. Something was telling her something was up. That didn't sit well with the demon.

"Kyouran I have a mission for you."

Her wariness went up two folds at those words and that tone. This wasn't going to be good and she knew it. Something had gone down before she got there and the vague hints of her son's scents lingered.

"Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like what's about to be said?"

Tsunade handed the scroll to Kyouran to have her read it. With each sentence anger started pushing through and making her clench her hands. She and Kakashi would have to pose as a married couple to try and draw out some spies from an organization she'd never heard of. It was in the Land of Grass. Taking a deep breath she tried to form the words to refuse the mission.

"With all due respect Lady Hokage I refuse this mission."

"I was told you worked well with Kakashi on missions before."

"No, I work well on missions alone. We used to be able to work flawlessly as a team but we've stopped having the sync we used to have."

"What about Itachi?"

"What about him?" she snapped.

She wasn't sure what had brought the Uchiha up at all. They were talking about her and Kakashi. The two stared hard at one another. The blonde sighed softly as she bowed her head a bit. She'd only worked with Itachi a couple times and the Uchiha had to adapt to her fighting style or get left behind or die.

"Listen Kyouran. This mission requires your specific skill sets and Kakashi was available to go with you."

"No, if this mission is so important I'll go alone. I'm a better hunter without help. And a married couple to boot? That's setting up the mission to fail from the start. We can't pretend to be married if he can't stand me."

"Is that the demon talking or the scorned woman?"

Kyouran closed her eyes with a heavy sigh. That question was a double edged in every sense of the word. It was a question that brought out ever hurt that she'd ever felt in her life.

"Both."

She didn't elaborate. Tsunade didn't have to hear her say it to know what she was thinking.

"Kyouran do this for Kyo and Kaji."

"Kaji hates Kakashi for what he'd done to me. This was Kyo's idea wasn't it?"

The woman didn't have to answer for her to know it was Kyo that started this. She turned to walk away.

"Are you afraid that he doesn't love you?"

That stopped the shadow fox in her tracks. A heavy breath escaped her lips as her head bowed a bit.

"I know he loves me but what hurts the most is the fact he won't allow himself to show it or express it. His indifference to my suffering tells me everything. He's afraid and I can't fault him for that. So with that said I refuse the mission."

"Kyouran I know you don't want to take that step but I'm going to make you."

"As if you could."

"Kyouran…" Tsunade growled then she softened it wouldn't be easy for the shadow fox that was for sure. "Please, I need you for this. Ignore him if you must but please do this for me."

Kyouran sighed softly. It was her job to do as her Hokage asked even if it meant her own heartache.

"Very well Lady Hokage."

Tsunade saw the defeated woman before her and hoped that this would make things better between the pair. She wouldn't know what to do if it didn't.

"You two leave tomorrow morning."

She gave a curt nod and left the room. As she left the room she passed Kakashi. Her heart ached as she passed him but said nothing to him. He'd also paused in his steps as she passed him.

Deciding that it wouldn't take long to pack she went to get into her training gear and headed into the Forest of Death. With a deep breath she started moving through age old exercises. It slowed her breathing and heart rate to the point where it was almost not there. A disturbance brought her out of her trance like state as adrenalin shot through her system. The wind brushed past her telling her who it was without having to open her eyes which calmed her down significantly.

"Is there something you wanted?"

He didn't answer right away but there was something simmering beneath the surface and it brushed against her senses. Their bond rippled with his emotions. She was trying to fight down her own emotions that were threatening to rise to meet his.

"Did you…"

"Oh please. We haven't worked together in years Kakashi, and I don't think I'd request to be partnered with you now."

"Then what's this?"

She heard the paper rustle as he shook his mission scroll at her. Her anger was starting to bubble up but her restraint was good enough not to act on it and slam him into the nearest tree.

"That'd be our son's doing I suspect. Kaji would've ripped your heart out a long time ago if the repercussions weren't so dire."

"The, I die, you die thing right?"

"Something like that."

"I assume you protested it."

"I did but it didn't do any good she insisted. I told her that I work better alone. I also told her we haven't worked as a team in a long time and our abilities to sync are outta tune. Not to mention we can't act like a married couple to save our lives. Love is something I have for you but not you for me."

"Kyouran…"

"Just leave it alone Kakashi. The sooner we flush those idiots out the soon we can get back and not talk to one another again."

He paused as if he wanted to say something but didn't. That shredded her heart a bit more. It was a wonder it was still beating as it was.

"I'll see you in the morning."

She gave a curt nod as he left. The urge to train left her just then. Sighing softly she returned to her house to start packing. She stuffed some clothes and weapons in a pouch in a storage scroll and stuffed it in her bag. Going to her closet her hands froze over familiar red fabric. She pulled out the old dress and felt her heart clench. This was something she was supposed to wear for Kakashi one day, but that seemed like an impossible dream. Against her better judgment she put the dress in the sealing scroll. With a deep sigh she laid the bag by her door and went to lay down. Exhaustion caught up with her easily. Even in her dreams she couldn't find the rest she needed.