"Come here! Come here, birthday girl!" Kakashi gestures for Sora to walk to him.

Sora uses the couch for support as she stands and gazes at Kakashi curiously. Her silver hair has now gotten longer past her ears. She uses one hand to hold herself up with a bit of a wobble, but she eventually lets go of the couch and slowly totters to Kakashi across the living room. I snap a photo of her as she falls into Kakashi's arms.

"Those were her first steps!" I exclaim.

"It's taking you a bit longer than Takashi to walk," Kakashi looks down at Sora. "But it's understandable considering you were born premature."

"She's still come so far in her first year!" I smile lovingly at Sora.

"I can't believe she's a year old already," Takashi smiles at a Sora from the couch.

"You learned to walk before reaching your first year," I turn to Takashi. "As soon as you got the hang of it, you were everywhere! Now I know how my parents felt with me…" I smile with a sweat drop.

"Let's hope she's calmer than you two," Kakashi holds Sora up.

Sora reaches for her father's mask and pulls it down, smiling at seeing his face. Kakashi can't resist her sweet smile and plants kisses on her rosy cheeks.

"Her cheeks are so kissable," I crawl over to them and start kissing Sora on the cheeks too.

"You both are going to smother her," Takashi watches with a sweat drop.

"Come here so I can smother you too," I make my way over to Takashi and pounce him with kisses.

"Hey! Mom! Stop it!" Takashi laughs as he tries to fight me off him. "I'm eleven years old!"

"I'll smother you with kisses when you're at any age!" I continue to hug him.

Takashi laughs as I continue to smother him. Kakashi and Sora watch happily.

It's the next morning. I'm at the village gate with Kakashi and Takashi, Sora in her father's arms. I'm wearing my black cloak over my usual ninja outfit with my black messenger bag across my shoulders.

"Where will you be heading?" Kakashi asks.

"I'm meeting with Sasuke," I reply. "I should be with him by tonight."

"Do you know when you'll be back?" Takashi asks.

"As of now, I'm not sure…" I reply.

Takashi looks down with a sad gaze. I lower myself to him with a warm smile.

"Remember," I take a gentle hold of Takashi's face. "We'll always be in each other's hearts. You, me, your dad, and Sora."

"I know," Takashi smiles.

"Take care of your sister and father," I say.

"I will," Takashi nods.

I press my forehead against his and then turn to Kakashi and Sora. Sora stares at me curiously as I take a gentle hold of her face.

"Mama will return," I smile at her. "Please be a good girl for your father…I love you."

I press my forehead against hers and gaze up at Kakashi. The past few nights of love making flash through my head as he gazes at me, causing me to blush. As always, he knows what's going on through my head.

"Damn you, Kakashi…" I close my eyes, holding back a smirk.

He chuckles as he and I bring our foreheads together. After a moment, we let go and I make my way down the dirt trail. They watch as I eventually disappear from view.

"So what do you have planned now that mom will be away?" Takashi asks his father.

"I've got plenty planned with Sora," Kakashi turns to her.

"I don't doubt that…" Takashi watches as Kakashi walks off with Sora happily and follows them.

Kakashi is outside in the yard with Sora, playing with dolls in the grass. They're having a tea party on a pink blanket while also having lunch. Sora sits across Kakashi on the blanket with her other dolls siting next to them.

"Make sure to eat your food," Kakashi holds a small piece of sandwich to her. "You've got to make sure you eat well to grow big and strong."

Sora turns to her father and happily eats the piece of sandwich, nodding her head to the sides a bit in a dance while chewing. Kakashi watches in awe at her as she continues to play with her dolls.

"You look a lot like your mother," Kakashi says. "Only you've got my hair and eyes."

Sora continues to pretend feed a doll her tea.

"I'm hoping you've got my personality too," Kakashi continues. "And it seems like it so far."

Sora crawls over to her father's sandwich and grabs it, holding it up to him. Kakashi pulls his mask down and takes a bite out of it.

"Yum!" Kakashi smiles.

Sora giggles up at her father happily and feeds him another bite of his sandwich.

Takashi is out with Maiko and Haruo, strolling the village after having lunch. They walk through the busy streets this afternoon.

"Those burgers were delicious!" Haruo exclaims.

"Yeah, I'm stuffed," Maiko agrees.

"That new burger restaurant really is thriving," Takashi says.

"How's your little sister?" Maiko asks.

"She's doing well. She's hanging out with my dad."

"She has your mother's looks but your father's hair and eyes. She's so cute!"

"Say, you've got your mother's hair and personality, right?" Haruo says. "But I don't know if you look like Lord Sixth."

"Yeah, he's always got a mask on, so it's hard to tell if you look like him."

"Yeah, I get that a lot…" Takashi replies.

Takashi gazes down in thought for a moment.

"Hm? What's up, Takashi?" Maiko asks.

"It's just…" Takashi hesitates to say. "I don't know…I find it difficult to find what I have in common with my dad."

"How so?"

"He and I don't have a lot in common…both in personality and appearance…"

"Yeah, you're more like your mom," Haruo nods. "Except, you're not as beautiful as her," Haruo recalls an image of me and blushes a bit.

"Don't do that…" Takashi gives him a side glance.

"Why are you so worried about it?" Maiko asks Takashi.

"I don't know…" Takashi looks down. "Sometimes I just wonder…"

"Uncle Takashi!" He hears from behind.

Takashi turns to see Boruto running up to him.

"Hey, Boruto," Takashi smiles.

"Do you have time to train with me, Uncle Takashi?" Boruto asks.

"Sure! Though you usually train with big bro Naruto…"

"He's been pretty busy as Hokage…" Boruto looks away. "He hasn't had much time for me…"

"Well, I'll train with ya, for sure!" Takashi cheers him up.

"Thanks!" Boruto gives him that cheeky grin that resembles Naruto.

"Alright, guys," Takashi turns to Maiko and Haruo. "I'll catch you later!"

Takashi waves at them as he and Boruto take their leave.

Kakashi is preparing dinner at the table after cooking. Sora sits in her high chair as she patiently waits for her food.

"I'm home!" Takashi announces from the front door.

Takashi enters the kitchen and walks over to Sora.

"How's my little sister?" He snuggles Sora, causing her to laugh. "What's up, dad?" He waves at his father and takes a seat next to Sora at the table.

"Welcome home," Kakashi serves the food.

Kakashi takes his seat at the table and they begin their meal.

"How was your day?" Kakashi helps feed Sora.

"It was good," Takashi eats his food. "Just came back from training with Boruto."

"How's he doing?"

"Doing well. He's got a lot of potential. Oh, and Aunt Hinata and Hima send their greetings to us."

"How nice of them."

"Yeah, Boruto has been pretty bummed out with big bro Naruto being Hokage… He hasn't had the chance to spend a lot of time with him."

"He's got a lot to do."

"I hope it works out for them."

Kakashi continues to eat as he watches Sora carefully chew away at her food. Takashi watches how Sora eats her food in a particular way, the same as Kakashi does. Takashi can't help but laugh a bit.

"What?" Kakashi looks up at him at the same time Sora does as well.

"You both eat the same!" Takashi continues to laugh.

"Hm?" Kakashi turns to look at Sora and she meets his gaze as well, their brows raised.

After a moment, Kakashi and Sora break into a bit of laughter.

"Seems she's just like me after all," Kakashi chuckles.

I'm sitting at the edge of a cliff, the sun setting in the distance. A small photo of my family sits in my hand a I sit with my right knee up to my chest. My eyes stare at Takashi, seeing how much he's grown. He's looking more like his father.

'He'd be an exact clone of Kakashi,' I think to myself. 'Takashi just has my eyes and hair.'

I then gaze at Sora as she's being held by Kakashi in the photo. Her adorable smiling face warms my heart seeing how strong she's been since her premature birth.

'And Sora would be a clone of me if she had my eyes and hair,' I continue to think to myself with a smile. 'She's a trooper indeed.'

I continue to gaze at the picture of my family, a sense of love and peace washing over as I smile. Sasuke appears, standing to my right.

"Welcome back," Sasuke greets.

"Thanks," I smile.

"How was your year off with your family?"

"Even more…enlightening."

Sasuke takes a photo out of his family and gazes down at it.

"It sure would be nice of you to pay a visit," I say.

"I will soon," Sasuke nods.

The both of us gaze out into the setting sun, a breeze flowing by.

"It really does hurt to be away from our families so much," Sasuke says.

"And it doesn't help when our children don't know why we're gone," I add.

"But it's really all for them."

"So they can have a better future."

We take one last gaze at our family photos before tucking them away.

"Well, let's get back to it," I give Sasuke a smile.

"Hn," Sasuke closes his eyes with a slight smirk.

After that, Sasuke and I vanish in a blink of an eye.