I heard Hinata activate her byakugan behind us and we all stayed quiet for what was probably seconds but that felt like minutes. All I could hear was my own erratic breaths and the loud thuds of my racing heartbeat. I squeezed Yoichi's hand. Even if my movement was limited, I would protect him no matter what.
"There was definitely someone there but they've disappeared now." Hinata informed us.
I released a sigh of relief and quickly blinked away the hot tears that were waiting to fall in the corner of my eyes. Not only was I scared, I was beginning to believe that this was how life would be until the Ronin clan was stopped. It was an awful feeling.
"Mum, are you okay? You look like you're about to puke." Yoichi laughed a little when he spoke but I could hear the concern in his voice so I put on my happiest face.
"I'm fine but would you fetch your father for me please?"
Yoichi instantly vanished, reappearing seconds after with my pissed off looking husband. Clearly he'd been having an unpleasant conversation with Taku but it wasn't the time to ask him about that. I filled him in on what had just happened. He made a move to chase after whoever it was but didn't take even one step away from me. As frustrating as it was, he couldn't leave my side even for a second. For the type of people we were up against, a second was all they needed. The only way he would be able to act is if Naruto was there, he knew he was strong enough to protect us but it wasn't like the Hokage could just take a week or two off.
"It was probably some guy checking out us beautiful ladies. Have you guys finished inside?" Sakura breezed, having no idea about the severity of our situation.
"Not yet!" Taku shouted from inside.
Suddenly the most awful, blood-chilling scream filled the air. It was from somewhere in the village. Once that first scream died out another soon took its place, until I couldn't even hear the words Sasuke was saying to me. All I could hear and feel was terror. A mixture of jounin and Anbu flickered past us, heading further into the village.
"Hinata!" Naruto was right behind the other ninja, wearing a battle ready expression on his face that I had never before seen on him. "Get somewhere safe!"
She gave him a determined nod and took my hand, pulling me inside along with Yoichi and Sakura. Sasuke stood at the open door, eyes fixed on me and Yoichi. He wanted to help in the village but if something was to happen when he was gone he could never forgive himself. He swore to himself that he would never make the same mistake twice. Thinking quickly, he sent a clone after Naruto, that way he would know exactly what was happening.
Sasuke stood by the open window, the wind whipping his fringe aside to reveal his powerful eyes. He was ready to kill. I touched my forehead to his back, wanting more than ever to give him a hug. It wasn't the right time, I understood that. I closed my eyes and took comfort in just being near him instead, aware that he might have to leave me at any moment. Just as I was starting to relax the strangest thing happened. I could hear Yoichi calling me from far away but he was standing within arms reach on my left. Instinctively, I reached out to grab him, so that I could keep him close until whatever was going on had stopped but he faded away before my eyes like a parting mirage.
"Yoichi?" My heart began to race again as my eyes frantically searched the room for my son. "This isn't funny. Stop messing around...please."
Before I knew it, my feet were moving and I was running through the house. I wasn't aware of anything else except finding Yoichi until Sasuke appeared by the open front door, beckoning me to follow him out.
"Did you find him?" I asked, tears pouring down my face.
"Yes, everything's fine. Come here." He smiled, a crooked kind of smile that I would have realised wasn't his if I wasn't in such a panicked state.
Just as my fingertips brushed his outstretched hand, I heard Sasuke's voice again but it wasn't coming from the man in front of me.
"Emi, don't move." In my heart I knew that it was my actual husband speaking so I froze.
The 'Sasuke' barely a foot away from me revealed himself as a tall man with long black hair and a scar on his cheek and I wasn't even in Sakura's house any more, I was standing in the deserted street. How did I get outside? Someone had placed us all in a genjutsu, I must have been the only one who hadn't realised it. In the time it took me to blink, Sasuke shot past me, his chidori surging through his blade. The man fell to the ground with a thud and released a pained howl before the life faded from his eyes.
With my mind racing, I ran into Sasuke's arms. "Where is Yoichi? Is he safe?"
When he didn't answer me I felt sick. If he was here with me of course he didn't know where Yoichi was. It was just then that we heard our boys furious shouts.
"Get off me! Don't make me use my sharingan on you!"
Two men we with Yoichi, one of them pinning his small but powerful arms behind his back. Yoichi's face was a picture of fury, I couldn't make out the slightest bit of fear on his face.
"As soon as you have him, run back to the house." Sasuke told me calmly, dropping his kunai holster by my feet. He still didn't meet my tear filled eyes but I nodded anyway.
Before I could question his command he and Yoichi had swapped places and Sasuke was fighting the two men. I could barely tear my eyes away from him but I did as he asked, grabbed Yoichi's hand and loved as quickly as my body would allow back to Sakura's house. My mind was telling me to keep going, my heart was pleading with me to return to Sasuke, to make sure he was alright. If it wasn't for Yoichi, I know I would have gone back even though it wasn't the right thing to do. I stole a quick glance at our first born child and was surprised to see his father's holster in his hand and determination blazing in his eyes.
We both simultaneously stopped, as did the other set of footsteps that had been following us. Yoichi handed me a kunai and clutched his own, standing protectively in front of me. The man that appeared sent shivers down my spine, his eyes looked more lifeless than the ones belonging to the man Sasuke had killed minutes earlier.
