Taisetsuna "Precious" - Version Two

by Aoikami Sarah

Chapter Nine

Iruka and the Hatake girls met up with them at the village gates just after breakfast. The triplets were sleepy but full and ready to see their mother again. They had their packs on and were ready for the trek back to the Wind Country.

"Sorry I didn't get you a going away present," Kakashi played with a pebble with the toe of his sandal.

Oururi scoffed. "Please, don't go changin' on me now!" she half-joked.

"I got you something, Oururi," Iruka pulled the large pack off his back and tossed it to the Anbu woman. "From Hokage-sama."

She made a face and opened the top of the drawstring. "What the…!" The girls crowded her to see inside. The top of a large scroll protruded from the bag.

"It looks like the genuine article. By the time you get back, it'll be blank. You won't have failed and you may still get paid!" Iruka grinned, knowing he'd saved the day.

"Oh, IKURA!" she hugged her friend tightly.

As she turned to explain it to her girls, Kakashi leaned over. "Did you put my present in?"

"Yup, should be enough money for new clothes for all of them for a year or so." He sighed melodramatically. "I should have become Jounin. There's no money in teaching."

Kakashi laughed.

"Well, I guess we should be off." Oururi smiled sadly.

"Oh, I do have a present for my girls." Kakashi remembered and waved them to come closer. He squatted down. "Please, a little closer. Closer." They gave each other worried looks. When they were as close as they could possibly get, Kakashi quickly lowered his facemask and gave each of his daughters a kiss on the forehead. "Yume, Yami, Hikari, you take care of your Kaasan, ok?"

They looked dazed, but nodded in agreement. As they walked with their mother toward the gates Yume piped, "Kaasan! Tousan is so handsome!" Oururi laughed, that tinkling shimmering laugh and gave him one last smile before walking out of the gates.

Kakashi sighed a satisfied sort of sigh.

"You sound relieved to see them go!" Iruka laughed.

"I am, sort of. It won't be for long. Knowing our Hokage-sama, they'll be back." He turned and took in the bustle of the busy village. "For years I was afraid that she had become a monster with no heart, a pure assassin with no care for anything or anyone. She's back, Iruka. She's back already."