"Scars prove that you're still here. That you can move on. Maybe missing a chunk of yourself, but here, goddamn it, surviving."~Ash Parsons

The Cloudless Sky

When Healing Comes

.6

She took her time that particular morning with her routine of getting up, getting dressed, starting her day. Today would be the first time she took Naruto for fuinjutsu lessons. The first time she stepped foot in the Uchiha district since this all began. Shimari wasn't exactly looking forward to it. She knew that Fugaku and Mikoto still were wary of her, of her intentions, of every breath she breathed.

It wasn't a feeling she was fond of knowing that her friends did not trust her.

Shimari took her time that morning. She stood in front of the boiling kettle longer than she usually would. And if Shisui had noticed he was kind enough not to say anything.

Wait… she backtracked her thoughts, turning on her heel to stare at the Uchiha. "Don't have your own place? I don't remember adding you as a roommate on my lease. I mean I can if you need me too, but a little warning would be nice." He shrugs his shoulders stealing the coffee she'd just poured from her hands. She pours another.

"My patrol was in this area last night, I was exhausted and your apartment was closest." He tells her while adding a bit of cream to the cup. She takes a sip of coffee, black like her soul probably was at this point or something. Obviously she was already not having a great day.

She narrowed her eyes at him. Because something about his stance didn't sit well with her. Something was off here. He was trying to hide something from her.

"Shisui, so help me if you think that I believe that load of absolute nonsense then I obviously haven't done justice by you. You know that you can tell me anything. I am always going to be here for you. Quite frankly rather you like it or not." Her late lover had ensured that he made her promise.

Even if he hadn't she still would have. Shisui was more her family than her own brother, but she supposed that's what happens when your clan ostracizes you.

"Dad is sick… and anytime I'm home he calls me by brother's name." Shimari places her cup down, she steps towards Shisui slowly and pulls him close to her. She remembered when her own father died, remembers as the hard shinobi life caught up to him in old age as his mind gave up. It's not a death she'd wish on anyone. Slow and drawn out as time catches up to you, forgetting those around you, forgetting who you are.

Shimari says nothing because she knows that nothing she can say will heal this wound. Only time will ease the pain of having to watch your parents die. She holds Shisui close until she absolutely has to let him go.

"I'm already late, you can stay as long as you need." What she doesn't say is that she'll surely check in on Kagami, see just how much longer he truly had left and if there was anything she could do to ease his transition to death's finite embrace.

Goodness when had she become such a morbid pessimist. Shimari left her apartment and headed towards the Uchiha district. Time to face the day.

…

"I thought you were going to teach me some cool ninja stuff. Writing lessons are not cool ninja stuff." She barely raises her brow at the small blonde. Shrugging her shoulders half heartedly at his whining.

"I thought you said you wanted to be the greatest Hokage ever? The Yondaime was a fuinjutsu master and even he had to start with writing lessons. Besides bettering your handwriting will make being a ninja a lot easier in the future when you are required to file your mission report." She sits next to him in the grassy field, pushing the ink and brush over to him. Naruto makes a face, skeptical because she's sure he doesn't believe her in the slightest.

"You're not gonna yell at me if I mess up right?" She shook her head.

"No I am not. Messing up is a natural progression of learning. If my fuinjutsu teacher had yelled at me everytime I messed up, I never would have wanted to continue learning the art. Now let me show you exactly how the brush should flow for that character before you let the ink drench the page." Naruto's face flushed as he handed over the brush. Shimari smiled gently explaining the steps before handing him back the writing utensil. This exchange continued back and forth for the entire lesson before she declared the lesson over and walked him back to his new home.

Mikoto was waiting for them at the front door. Naruto, while still wary of the dark haired woman, did rush up the steps to show her all his hard work. Shimari watched as the Uchiha matron smiled brightly at him, responding only as a mother would with pride and love.

At least something good had come from all of this. Shimari waves goodbye from the gate, she doesn't enter, choosing to keep her distance here. She still had work to do here. Observations to be made. Also she needed to check in on Kagemi.

Shimari walked through the Uchiha district quietly, hands shoved in her hoodie pockets, head down but not unaware. Over her very long career in ANBU she'd learned how to perfectly appear unassuming while actually taking everything in. It was a skill she had been cultivating and mastering for the better part of ten years. In the eyes of her own clan she'd been a bit of an odd ball. The career and skills she chose to pursue were not typical of Nara women. Looking back she knew now it was why she always felt ostracized from her own flesh and blood, why she felt more at home with the Uchiha Clan. Despite what most believed, ANBU became home to many Uchiha members but had only ever had three Nara clansmen.

Those in the Nara clan supposedly didn't truly believe the necessity of black ops. Her own brother never understood her choice. She'd had a hard time coming into her role because of the backlash from her family. There had even been a time where she almost left that life for her family, but it was because of him she stayed.. Shimari paused her next step. Realizing that even in her own musing thoughts she still couldn't speak his name.

She realized then that Shisou hadn't spoken his name either that morning. Shimari bit her lip. It had been almost eight years since his death, and his name still couldn't pass through her lips. His death had done a toll on all of them. It haunted her now as she carefully made her way to Shisui's home.

The never ending cycle of death and it's finite embrace. Taking those that she loved and holding onto them for the rest of eternity. Shimari sometimes longed for death and the return of all those she'd loved and lost.

"Nara-san, please come in." She blinked owlishly for a moment, as her surroundings came into view. Shimari had lost herself for a moment there. It seemed she had arrived at her destination.

She offered the older woman a slight bow, even after all this time Kagami still kept the same housekeeper, and Shimari held nothing but the highest respect for this woman. "Thank you. How is Kagami-sama feeling this morning?" The old housekeeper sighed at the question shaking her head.

"I'm sure Shisui-kun told you that his father is not well. I'm afraid the old crow doesn't have much time left. I can take you in to see him, but he is not the same as he once was." Shimari patted the housekeeper's shoulder, partly in condolence but mostly in understanding.

"I know Kaori-sama, I know. I still remember how it was when my own father passed. He wasn't himself, I suppose shinobi really don't age well. I'd like to see him please." Kaori sighed, shaking her head but motioned for Shimari to follow.

Kagami was sitting up in his bed, a book in hand, eyes with a sort of vacancy that Shimari could only regonzine as lost. She wondered where the fragility of his mind had taken him too. What memories he was trapped in, as death circled overhead.

"Uchiha-sama, you have a visitor." Kaori's gentle tone drew him from wherever he had gone and he locked clear eyes on them both. He drew in a deep breath as he finally settled his sharp gaze on Shimari.

"So you came back then." She raised a brow silently dismissing Kaori. Shimari could handle any barbs he threw at her, but she did not think the older woman needed to witness any more of his out of character behavior. Koari nodded and left the room sighing as she went.

"Yes well someone has to look after Shisui's knucklehead. He'd get into too much trouble otherwise." Shimari declares quietly walking over and settling gently next to his bed. Kagami may not have always liked her but he too was stuck with her. Besides he'd eventually accepted the parental role she'd given him in her life after the death of her father. And every single act of discrimination from her clan following, her father had been her only protection within the clan after she joined ANBU and once he died she had nothing. No one.

"Yes…." He trails off. Shaking his head, trying desperately to clear his thoughts. Shimari reaches for his hand, she rubs her thumb over wrinkled and spotted skin.

"I'm never leaving the village like that again. I've learned, I know better now. Running doesn't solve your problems. They're still there when you stop. They follow you no matter what. You have to face them. I've faced them and I'll help Shisui face his. You don't have to worry about us still have each other, besides Asahi and your granddaughter are waiting for you." Gentle and kind are the words from her mouth. Thought out and meaningful. As she speaks his name for the first time in so many years.

Shimari let's him go, letting the grip she held onto the past go. Kagami squeezes her hand as tight as he could. He understood.

"Good. I'm glad. I will hold her for you until you can again, as I'm sure you will for Shisui in my place." Shimari sucks in a breath, her throat becoming dry.

"Yes of course." Her voice is not as strong as she wanted it to be, it breaks slightly from the weight of her own conscience. Tears barely being held back.

Kagami lets go of her hand. He closes his eyes. "I think I'm going to go now. Tell Shisui I love him. But before I go tell me what I'm meant to call my granddaughter?" Shimari bows her head to his hand leaving a gentle kiss on his knuckle. A promise.

Even though Shisui was there hiding behind an illusion and had heard for himself. Shimari had sensed him watching over his father since entering the house. It just hadn't been her place to call him on it.

Everyone grieved and healed in different ways.

"Rei. Her name was Rei."

XOXOX

Thank you beautiful people for reading this chapter! I hope that you enjoyed it!

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Lots of love to you all!

Sincerely, La'Rae