I'm Sorry I Wasn't Here

Boruto could see Kairi walking towards the enemy, ready to fight again.

No, he didn't want her to leave. His hand shot out and grabbed her arm. He wanted to talk to her, he wanted to take her and run far away.

Kairi just yanked her arm free, and continued walking. Paying no mind to him.

"Boruto, you need to wake up," Boruto felt someone shaking him. He opened his eyes to see Sarada was the one shaking him.

"Sarada?" Boruto sat up looking confused. Where were they? This wasn't his room. That's when he remembered. The tournament, the enemy, his Dad saving them, then everything went black, "Where's my Dad?"

"Uh… Lord Seventh protected all of us," Sarada explained, "He…"

"Mommy!" Boruto's attention was immediately drawn to the sound of his little sister's wail. Without wasting a second, he was out of bed looking for Himawari.

"Hang in there Hinata," Aunt Sakura's voice called. Boruto saw her and ran towards the bed she was next to. There lied his unconscious Mom, Himawari was next to her holding her hand.

"It's me, can you hear me?" Himawari asked hoping she'd wake up.

"Mom."

"Big brother," Himawari looked up with tears in her eyes.

"Are you okay Boruto?" Aunt Sakura asked.

"I'm totally fine, but what happened to Mom?"

"She's going to be fine," the pink haired medic assured, "Don't worry."

"What happened Mom? How'd you get hurt?" Boruto asked, but his Mom didn't wake up to answer.

"She ran back to the stadium," Sakura explained, "She tried to save your Dad."

"Why that's crazy?"

"Your Dad had collapsed, and they were going to take him away, so she tried to get Naruto back."

Boruto looked at his Mom in disbelief. Himawari cried as she held her hand.

"So, what…" Boruto asked hesitantly, "happened to Dad?"

Sakura looked at Boruto solemnly, "To protect everyone else in the village, he took the brunt of the enemies attack. You remember what Naruto said right? He believed it was his job to protect everyone, no matter what."

Boruto felt like he got slapped. His Dad really did have the power to protect the village. Whenever someone tried to tell him stories of when he fought in the Fourth Great Ninja war, he just assumed they were exaggerating. But they weren't.

"Boruto," Sarada approached him. She needed to talk to him. She needed to tell him who she just saw. If, that really was her; then during the whole attack, Boruto was being protected by his sister!

"Where's everyone else?" Boruto asked.

Sarada decided to tell him about their teammate first, "Mitsuki… is still in critical condition. In the midst of all that chaos, I guess they stole his chakra. Shizune and her team are treating him, they haven't left his side. And everybody else is just fine, all thanks to Lord Seventh.

Boruto fell silent. Sarada took in a breath, she needed to tell him she saw Kairi, "Boruto, a little bit ago, I saw-…"

Boruto ran past her, not letting her finish.

"Boruto," Sarada called, but he disappeared out the door. Sarada ran after him, he needed to know! Maybe he already knew. Boruto was greatly protective of her when she got hurt. Either way, she needed to talk to him.

Sakura watched her daughter run after Boruto. Then she heard Hinata moan.

"Mommy?" Himawari asked hopefully. Hinata did move, like she was trying to wake up. But she went still again.

"She must be fighting," Sakura thought. It was like Hinata was trying to force herself to wake, but her tired body refused. Was she worried about Naruto?

Sarada looked down the hall but didn't see Boruto. Why did he have to be so quick? Sarada ran down the direction she thought Boruto would go and started looking.

"Sarada?"

Sarada stopped at ChoCho's voice. She looked to see her best friend and her teammates.

"Did you guys see Boruto go this way?" Sarada asked.

"Yeah, we did," Shikadai said, "Why?"

"I need to talk to him," Sarada explained. She almost ran off, but stopped herself, after this, she was going to look for Kairi and she'd need all the help they could get, "I saw Kairi."

"What?" Shikadai asked.

"Sarada, are you sure you didn't hit your head?" ChoCho asked, "A mind is a terrible thing to lose."

"It was her," Sarada said adamantly, "The hooded girl who fought the enemy until Lord Seventh stepped in. It was Kairi, I saw her not to long ago without her hood. She looks exactly like how Boruto described her!"

"But that's-…"

"Think about it," Sarada urged, "You saw her fight. She used the Hyuga's gentle fist. If there was someone that good in the Hyuga we would have heard about it, and when she protected Boruto; she used her whole being to do it."

Shikadai listened to Sarada's statement, and pieced it together: Kairi would had been that age, she did use the gentle fist, and Sarada wouldn't make any assumption or mistake like that… Shikadai was so stunned he actually dropped the clipboard he was using.

"Wait," Inojin trusted Shikadai's insight. If he believed her then… "She is alive...? Boruto isn't crazy?"

"Where is she?" Shikadai asked.

"I don't know, I lost sight of her after I saw her, but she couldn't have gotten too far. I'm going to find Boruto and talk to him. Then we'll look for her after."

"We should also look for the hot guy," ChoCho said, everyone looked at her confused, "You know, just to make sure."

Riku stood in front of the man in the cape, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Recently I came across a scroll that belonged to Kaguya Otsutsuki, it mentioned two enemies of hers that would one day arrive; her clan and a group known as Keyblade Wielders."

Riku scowled. Damn, he already knew a lot. So much, for the World Order. And Kairi wasn't kidding, the Otsutsuki was back.

"I don't know anything about Kaguya," Riku stated, "And I've only heard of the Otsutsuki in old stories."

"Didn't you follow them here?"

"Until today I thought they were all dead," Riku said.

"So why are you here?" Sasuke asked.

Riku crossed his arms, "I'm not obliged to answer that."

Arrogant, rude, no respect for authority. Riku reminded Sasuke of someone, but who?

"You are actually," Sasuke said, "I won't ignore any threats."

"I'm not a threat," Riku said, "Our job is to maintain the World Order. The Otsutsuki broke that order and it's our job to stop them."

"Maintain it?" Sasuke asked, "Twelve years ago, a little girl was taken by a Keyblade Wielder and was never seen again. So, I'm obliged to believe you aren't a threat."

"Wait," Riku looked surprised, "Luxu was a Keyblade wielder?"

"So, you do know him?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "And that means you may know the little girl."

Riku sighed, "She's not little anymore."

Sasuke looked at Riku curiously, "What?"

"You heard me."

Sasuke grabbed Riku's collar, "Don't play games with me boy. I searched for leads for that girl for twelve years. Now tell me about her."

Riku looked more annoyed than scared, "I can't."

"Why not?" Sasuke growled.

"Because she wants to be the one who makes the big reveal," Riku shrugged, "And if I do it for her, she'll kill me."

Sasuke's grip loosened, "Then… she is alive?"

"Seriously, figure it out," Riku got out of his grip. Before they could continue the conversation, Boruto ran past them. He ran until he tripped over a med kit.

"Hey," Riku called as he ran over to Boruto.

Sasuke thought about what Riku just said. Make the big reveal herself? If Kairi was alive and she wanted to hide it, she wouldn't let anyone see her. Hyuga eyes aside, she was cursed with Naruto's face marks. That made her stand out. Then, Sasuke remembered the hooded girl. She kept her hood up, if someone got close, she'd adjust it to hide her face more. When Sasuke tried to talk to her she wouldn't even face him…

Sasuke's eyes slightly widened when he remembered something. When he tried to make her face him, he thought he saw the ends of red hair under her hood.

Riku crouched next to Boruto and helped him up, "Hey are you okay?"

"Yeah," Boruto answered. His eyes then looked to the ninja tool. Riku saw it too.

"That the thing you used to cheat?" Riku asked. While he was looking for the disturbance, he saw what happened in the arena.

Boruto grit his teeth before he started ripping off the gauntlet and tossing it aside, "I just wanted Dad to acknowledge me… and to treat me like I'd come into my own."

"Hate to break it to you, but you didn't. It was lie; you must have known that?" Riku said. He didn't mean for it to come out so harshly, but he didn't know how else to say it.

Boruto didn't argue, "I just wanted to get stronger… so, I could find my sister… but…" Boruto remembered. Kairi came back, on her own. She defended him.

He remembered, how she fought them. How strong she was. He couldn't do anything but stand there and watch as the mysterious girl in the hood, fought back an enemy on her own; that he couldn't fight with the ninja tool. And when it was revealed that it was Kairi all along. All Boruto wanted was to take her and run away, but she pulled away from him.

Why are you still using that thing? Can't you see it didn't work? Leave before you get hurt!

Boruto recalled the words she told him when she first stepped in. Dread filled him at the realization. She knew. She knew he cheated, that's why she said that. She finally saw him again in person after so long… and the first thing she sees him do is cheat.

"She… She must be so…" Boruto didn't want to finish that sentence. Kairi saw him at his worst, how was he going to face her?

"She'll get over it," Riku said. Boruto looked up at him for the first time confused, "Hey, don't be mistaken. She's going to be mad at you and she'll be mad for a while, but that girl loves you," Riku stressed, "She would search worlds for you," in fact she did, "If she scolds you, isn't to punish you or because she hates you," Riku recalled a few times Sora was caught cheating as a kid, Kairi didn't just let him have it, she force him to study, "It's because she believes in you and will do anything to be the best person she knows you are," Riku stood up, as he did he helped Boruto up and pointed in the direction he saw her run, "She went that way. Go apologize to her, now."

Boruto looked at the guy confused. Who was this guy? However, he wanted to see Kairi, so he went in the direction and hoped Kairi was down there.

As Boruto went to look for Kairi, Riku looked up to see the man had left. Where did he go?

"Hinata, hang in there," Hinata could vaguely hear the voices above her. She knew she was asleep, but she was trying to wake up. She couldn't stay asleep. She had to find Kairi!

That was what motivated Hinata as she tried to claw her way back to consciousness. Kairi was alive! She was there in the waking world! She needed to go to her. She needed to hold her. She needed to apologize to her, for letting her get kidnapped. She needed to ask so many questions: Where was she all this time? Was she hurt? Did Luxu hurt her? Did she manage to study? Did she eat enough? Did she have friends? Did she have a boyfriend? She looked old enough to have a boyfriend. What was her favorite food now? Did she still like Ramen? When did she first activate her Byakugan? What did she get for her birthdays? All the birthdays Hinata had missed. All the things Hinata was forced to miss, because her daughter was taken from her for years… Hinata missed too much already. She couldn't miss anymore of Kairi's life!

She also needed to apologize to Boruto… he was right all along.

Sensation filled her eyes. It took Hinata a minute to realize that her eyes had opened.

"Mommy," Himawari said, finally happy to see her awake. Hinata was glad Hima was okay. Once again, she had to apologize to her… for giving up on her sister.

"Oh, thank goodness," Sakura said.

Hinata remembered that it wasn't just Kairi that she needed to find, "Naruto… where is… Naruto now?"

Both Sakura and Himawari looked down in sadness.

"Don't worry," Sasuke appeared, "Naruto's okay."

"Then…" Hinata moaned, "Where's Kairi?"

Everyone in the room looked at Hinata surprised. Hinata began to sit up.

"Hinata," Sakura spoke in a calm tone, "We've been over this… Kairi is-…"

"The girl in the hood!" Hinata practically shouted, "The girl in the hood was Kairi!" Hinata recalled how the girl in the hood protected Himawari and Boruto. Kairi protected her younger siblings!

She saw the girl bite her lip before she spoke again, "It's not safe here!" She motioned to Himawari, "Take her and go!"

"Hinata," Sakura tried, "It must had been a dream, she's-…"

"No," Hinata was not going to be talked into believing Kairi was gone. Not this time! "I used my Byakugan to look into the stadium while you healed Himawari…" Hinata grounded, "It was her!" Hinata felt tears well up in her eyes, "I… I even held her… She was in my arms again…"

"… Yes… Mom… It's me…"

Sakura could barely believe what she heard. That was why Hinata acted like that when she looked into the stadium… She saw Kairi? Suddenly, some things made sense. How the hooded girl cheered for Boruto during the Chunin exams, how she fought so hard to protect him from the enemy, how she ran back from the stadium carrying Hinata, screaming for someone to help her.

Then reality fell hard on Sakura. Kairi was next to her. She was right there! She was alive… she came home on her own… because Sakura convinced Hinata and Naruto to give up on her…

"Really?" Himawari's eyes looked at her mother full of hope, "It was… really Kairi?"

Hinata looked at her youngest daughter and nodded. Hinata then looked back up to Sakura in desperation, "Where is she?"

"She…" Sakura choked, "She carried you back… we had to use emergency treatment… the last time I saw her… we left her in the Lobby…"

Himawari then ran past Sasuke and out the room, clearly heading for the Lobby. Hinata moved to get out of the bed to follow Himawari. Sakura quickly stopped her, "Hinata where do you think you're going?"

"To see my daughter," Hinata said determined, still trying to get out of the bed.

"She's not there," Sasuke suddenly said. That caused everyone to pause and look at Sasuke, "Leave the rest to me."

Boruto found himself at the Hokage's Tower. He hadn't found Kairi, but he hadn't given up. He looked at the red building, "Maybe Dad is…"

Boruto knew his Dad wasn't there. He was just so desperate. He wanted his Dad to be there and not missing.

He ran up to the door to the office. When he pushed it open, he didn't find his Dad; but he did find Kairi. Sitting at his desk like she was the Hokage.

When they made eye contact, they froze. Neither blinked, afraid that if they did, the other would disappear.

A full beat of silence passed, when Boruto finally spoke.

"Kairi?"

Kairi put the photo down and answered, "Boruto."

Boruto, could only stare. She was really there. In front of him, in flesh and blood, was his older sister Kairi.

Kairi looked at him with an unreadable expression. Boruto felt nervous. He had no idea what she was thinking? Was she angry that he cheated? She had every right to be. Her gaze was so intense… it didn't help that she sat at the Hokage's desk. It felt like she had more authority than what she actually had.

"Kairi…" Boruto said again.

"Yes?" Kairi confirmed it was her.

Boruto looked down ashamed, "I'm… I'm sorry," he finally spat, "I didn't want you see that. I didn't want you to see the first thing I do, was cheat… I just wanted… I was tired of Dad treating me like a kid and… I thought if I became a Chunin I would be able to find you… and… I-…"

Boruto heard Kairi stand up from the desk, "So you're saying it's Dad's fault that you cheated?"

Boruto felt like he was hanging by a thread, "No, it wasn't."

"Boruto, I'm not the one you need to apologize to," Kairi spoke in a level tone, but he heard the edge in her voice, "I saw your friend in the crowd. You used that device to cheat against him, didn't you?"

Boruto still didn't look up, "Yes."

"I told you the last time we talked," Boruto heard Kairi walk around the desk, "Your friends are your power. Did you listen to me when I said that?"

"I did…"

"So why did you cheat him? Why would hurt him like that?" Kairi continued as she approached him, "And Mom and Himawari. They saw that. The whole village saw that, you need to understand just how badly you messed up."

"I know…" Was all Boruto could say. He messed up he didn't know how to fix it. He didn't know what to say to make Kairi and everyone forgive him. Boruto's saw Kairi's feet reach the front of him.

"Boruto look at me!" Kairi calmly demanded. Boruto swallowed, he was terrified to look her in the eye. Afraid of the anger and disappointed face that he was bound to see, even if he deserved it. But he did deserve it. So, he forced himself to look up.

His eyes widened. Kairi didn't look angry or disappointed. She looked… concerned. The next thing Boruto knew, she brought him into a gentle hug. For a few minutes, neither of them said anything as Kairi hugged him.

"I…" Kairi finally broke the silence, "I don't know how to do this. I'm not used to being a sister… I know we need to talk about what you did, but I don't want our first real meeting to be me scolding you."

Boruto was still silent. His eyes wide, trying to process what was happening.

"I'm still going to scold you, I will later after I save Dad. Right now, I want to tell you something I never had the chance to tell you," Kairi's hug slightly tightened, "… I love you," the thing she didn't have the chance to say, because she was too young too understand her feelings at the time.

Boruto's eyes began to water, Kairi continued, "I missed you…" Kairi felt tears run down her eyes, "I'm sorry, I wasn't here."

After a few minutes of silence. Kairi wondered if she made him uncomfortable. Afterall he didn't know her that well yet.

"You," Kairi began to distance herself from her brother, "Don't have to say anything. I just got here and I-…"

Boruto closed the distance between them with a hug of his own. He buried his face into her shoulder as Kairi steadied him with her arms again.

"Me too…" Boruto said, "I… I love you."

Kairi smiled; she placed a hand on the back of his head gently. Just enjoying having a hug from her brother.

Kairi looked up. She felt something, like they weren't alone. She activated her Byakugan. On the other side of the wall was another person. Just standing there listening, from the look of his chakra network. He only had one arm.

"Who's there?" Kairi called releasing the hug.

Boruto looked at Kairi confused, then looked towards the door. A few seconds later, Sasuke walked through. He looked at Kairi, who's face was now revealed.

"So, you really are alive."

Sasuke should have his own line of season greeting cards. *Sarcasm*