Greetings readers: this is the final chapter. I'm very happy with it. I hope you will be too. As always, I don't own the characters in Naruto.
She lay wrapped in his arms still asleep. He kissed her lightly on the back of her neck and on her shoulders. He breathed in the scent of her hair and her skin. He could only savor this for a few more minutes. He was supposed to meet his team in a little while. Maybe he ought to bring Sarina to the session this morning. It could be a test for both her and the kids. Not that he needed to test her; he was more in the mood to show her off a bit.
Sarina awoke. She pulled Kakashi to her and kissed him playfully.
"Good Morning to you too," He laughed. "I've got a surprise. You're invited to our training session this morning."
"Just remember that I have to be at my parents' house at 9:30. The wedding ceremony starts at 1:00, and Arielle will kill me if I'm late."
"It won't last that long. It's only 7:00 now. They won't know how to react to me showing up on time today." He smiled sexily.
He has such a pretty face, she thought. It's a shame he always covers it with that mask. Of course, maybe all that beauty was a secret just for her. She kissed him again, this time running her hands all through his hair. Without the headband, it fell close to his chin without its usual spikiness. It enhanced his boyish features. The scarred eye was the only part of that face that spoke of an unpleasant past, one that Sarina had yet to be acquainted with. She hoped in time he would trust her enough to reveal that darkness to her.
They met Naruto, Sakura, and Saske.
"Sensei, you're on time this morning." Sakura marveled.
"Good morning," he said cheerfully. "This is Sarina Hakano."
Kakashi had brought a girlfriend, a real live woman. They knew something was up. He hadn't been reading those smutty paradise porn novels all week, and he'd seemed a little bit distracted. It wasn't noticeable at first, but then again…
"Way to go, Kakashi-Sensei", interjected Naruto. "You've bagged yourself a babe."
Sarina giggled "You must be Naruto. I've heard a lot about you."
"All good things I'm sure." Naruto beamed. Sarina just giggled again.
Sakura introduced herself. She wasn't sure what to make of Sarina. Saske said nothing in his typical fashion. He merely nodded a cool greeting at Sarina.
Kakashi worked mostly with Naruto and Saske that morning leaving Sarina and Sakura a chance to get to know each other better.
They talked about lots of things. Sarina told Sakura about her travels and things that she had studied.
"Sakura-chan, do you read much?"
"Yes, Sarina-san. I love to read."
"There are a few really good books on the philosophy behind ninjitsu training that I think you could benefit from. I had to read them because I have the responsibility of teaching kids who might one day serve as ninjas."
He'd left them alone because he thought Sakura would benefit from Sarina's perspective, which differed markedly from his. Sarina had taken dance to build her coordination and poise. Yoga had increased her flexiblility, and it also built a calmer aura where she'd once held angst. She channeled her imagination into poetry; she poured her creativity into art. These skills might not earn her any respect from her father, but Kakashi found them essential. Some people were born to be heroes, but these heroes were nothing if no one were there who possessed enough vision to capture their legacy. Their accomplishments would count for naught if there were no one who could teach future generations about the stories.
They'd spent almost every day and night together over the past week and over this time he'd grown to love her. It seemed rather sudden, but she was the first person to understand his life, his passions, and his commitment to the life of a ninja. He decided that moment that there was no reason in postponing his decision. The week had been enough. He knew what he had to do.
Pastel pink roses covered every fixture in the Hakano home. The ceremony itself might be simple, but the reception afterwards was going to be quite grand.
Sarina was running late as usual. Arielle knew where she was. She'd been at his house every night this week. In her opinion, it was scandalous.
Sarina finally showed up, thirty minutes late. She looked happy.
"Sorry, I was late. The training exercises ran late this morning, and I was anxious to get these sketches of the team done."
She pulled out a sketchbook. Inside were pencil drawings of Kakashi and his students. They weren't the best work that Arielle had ever seen, but they were much better than she herself could have produced. They were moments captured on paper; snapshots into ordinary event in the lives of ninjas. Kakashi would be happy with these pictures.
"Just get ready."
Sarina changed into her porcelain pink dress, and sat waiting. Her hair had been curled, and pinned into a chignon at the base of her neck. Atop her head sat a wreath of pale pink roses. She looked very elegant in an understated manner.
The bridesmaids were doing the final touches on their hair and make-up. A knock came at the door. It was Naruto holding a note and a single white rose.
The note read:
"All I have to give you is my heart, my body, and my soul. I offer you my life; to spend it with you would be more than enough. If that is your wish and you accept, take this rose and wear it in your hair as you walk down the aisle. If you're not wearing it, I'll know the answer is no. I know this is rather sudden, but I believe that it is right."
Sarina's eyes filled with tears. This couldn't be real. Was she really ready to take this step? It made no sense, but as he'd said, it felt right somehow.
She took off the pink rose wreath and unpinned her hair. The curls fell loose past her shoulders. The other two bridesmaids stared at her in horror, but Sarina didn't care. She took one of her hairpins and pinned the rose into the curls. Arielle didn't have time to stop her because the music had started. Sarina took her place in the procession. The music started, and she walked down the aisle. Her eyes met Kakashi's, and he smiled when he saw the rose in her hair. It shone as a secret promise of their pledged love. She then took her place in Arielle's shadow one last time.