Epilogue

10 years later - Hinata 32, Kakashi 41

Hinata walked into her house with an armload of grocery bags, it was going to be her son's eighth birthday and she was determined to make it special. The sight that greeted her though almost caused her to drop all her groceries.

The house was a mess and Kai was running around being chased by a pack of dogs, while Hanabi watched in amusement from a corner.

"Kai, what have I said about playing inside the house with your Ninken?" she asked in a stern voice. Immediately the boy noticing his mom was home retracted his summons and looked at the floor guiltily. Hinata's heart melted looking at her eldest. Kai was identical to his father right down to the similar grey eyes, the only difference was that he had been born with dark hair.

He was a wonderful child who was fun loving, happy, extroverted, extremely well liked by all and was showing a starling proficiency in shinobi skills. They originally assumed he didn't have the Byakugan but to their joy recently he had learned how to manifest it. Something else he had in abundance was energy, and masses of it. What he needed was help reigning that energy in.

"Well…?" she waited patiently.

"Not inside the house" he mumbled.

"Yes, exactly good job. You are a big boy now Kai and you are going to be eight soon. I expect you to remember and respect these rules. Does that make sense?" she followed up and the boy nodded again.

"Okay help your aunt Hanabi clean up while I put away these groceries" she said, giving Kai a quick kiss on his head and throwing her sister a dark look. Hanabi smirked as Hinata walked into the kitchen space.

Kai started tidying up the living room and Hanabi followed her to help with putting away the groceries.

"Isn't this taking the fun aunt thing a bit too far?" Hinata whispered.

"Aww… he had so much fun, and it's his birthday! Ease up a bit will ya. So did you get everything you needed?"

"Yep… just waiting on the cake from the bakery, can you pick that up before coming over tonight?"

"Sure… so is Kakashi going to be able to make it in time for the party?"

Hinata threw a nervous look over her shoulder at her son, who was cleaning with enthusiasm, he seems to have made a game out of it. A more well natured child she couldn't have dreamt up even in her wildest dreams.

Kakashi was unfortunately away on a business trip at the moment and he had never missed one of Kai's birthdays before. Hinata was nervous how tonight would play out just in case he wasn't able to make it back in time. Kai was his fathers biggest fan and Hinata didn't want him to be let down.

"He left Suna yesterday so he should be able to make it back in time. I got a call from him earlier though saying they ran into a sand storm... so I am a bit nervous".

"I'm sure it will be fine," Hanabi murmured.

"By the way, where is Sayuri… you know... my six year old?"

"Ah… well she was practicing piano when I last saw her. I'll go get her".

Hinata threw Hanabi a grateful look over her shoulder.

Despite being six, her daughter had a frighteningly self-sufficient and independent streak. Sayuri was also showing signs of being both strategic and extremely bright. Hinata didn't have a doubt in her mind that she would be known as a prodigy, she had already manifested her Byakugan after all. But... by an unfortunate streak of nature, her daughter had inherited both Kakashi's ash blonde hair and her own pale eyes. On Sayuri they presented as a light violet colour but it gave the child a slightly eerie look that others weren't very comfortable with. This combined with her personality didn't make her the most popular of people. Their biggest worry was that Sayuri was going to be an outcast growing up.

"Hi Mama" her daughter mumbled, walking into the kitchen with Hanabi.

"Hi sweetie, did you practise your piano?"

"Yes…" she nodded solemnly, "is Papa almost home? I have a question for him".

"Is it something I can answer?" Hinata whispered, kneeling down to her daughters level.

"No… I think I'll wait for him" the little girl said after thinking for a bit.

"Okay… but don't forget, you dad might be the Hokage, but I'm a leader too," Hinata said grabbing her daughter and dropping kisses all over her face.

Sayuri squirmed in her arms for a bit before finally giggling like the little girl she was. "Yes, but you don't read real books like papa does".

Ouch… nothing like the honesty of a child. "Ah… right, well he is going to try real hard to be here tonight okay? If not he'll be here by tomorrow morning".

"Kai's going to be sad if he's not here for his birthday" she murmured looking at her brother who now seemed to have moved onto practicing martial arts moves with his aunt.

"Please take that outside or downstairs you two" Hinata reminded them firmly shaking her head. Some babysitter Hanabi was.

The afternoon passed easily after that, Hinata spent the time in the kitchen cooking and getting ready for the party with Sayuri, and Hanabi had gone out to train with Kai. Towards 5 PM she had finished all of her cooking and covered everything. Hanabi left a while ago to go change and return.

Hinata looked around the house making sure everything looked perfect. They had moved back into Kakashi's house as a family only recently. Up until now they had lived in the Hyuga compound because Hinata was still the clan leader and being on site was an essential part of those responsibilities. But now she was getting ready to transition her power to Hanabi.

She had done everything she wanted to as head of the clan. She had brought about some significant changes and set a strong foundation for Hanabi to build and grow on. For her, personally it felt like the right time for change. Time to pursue something different. Plus her kids were growing up now and would need more personalized attention for a few years, so she wanted a job with a bit more work life balance.

The sound of the door handle turning grabbed the attention of the house's occupants and they cried in delight watching Kakashi walk in. Despite all these years of marriage her heart always picked up giddily when seeing him. The kids ran to hug him as he dropped his bags getting onto his knees to grab onto Kai and Sayuri.

Hinata watched on with a smile as they literally climbed him both trying to get his attention. He was a bit bedraggled and looked like he might have had to travel some parts of the journey on foot, but other than that he looked well, thankfully.

"What...you learned a new fight move without me?" he teased Kai while ruffling the boy's hair. "Well you are going to have to teach it to me soon". Kai was nodding vigorously while Sayuri was attached to his other side tugging on his shirt to get his attention so he turned to look at her, "Yes sweetheart, how have you been?".

"Ummm… I've been good" the little girl said with some thought. The most adorable thing about their daughter was how intentional she was in her response. "I have a question for you, a question that mama couldn't answer".

"Hey, that's not fair" Hinata cried out, "You didn't even ask me" she said as she went over to finally give Kakashi a hug herself.

He put the kids down and gave her a teasing look that she returned with a helpless smile. To her great frustration, despite having wanted kids all her life, both of her children seem to like their father more. Hinata gave Kakashi a big kiss as their children gagged in the background and then hugged him tightly again smelling his distinct scent. She sighed contently feeling all her stress melt away now that he was here, and reflected back to their conversation before he had left for Suna.

FB

"They don't like me more, Hinata" Kakashi reassured her while settling down next to her in their bed. With the busy lives they led, the end of the day was often the only private time they got.

"How can you say that, they both idolize you? What am I chopped liver?" she pouted.

"You are an amazing mother, and you take such good care of them, that they take you for granted. That's all. I'm not around as much…" he trailed off looking upset. "So they clamour for my attention when I am here".

"Hey…" she turned his face using her hand. "You are around plenty" she said firmly meaning it with all her heart. "You are here for every important occasion, you come to their school meetings, you train with them, you cook with them, you study with them, and we spend family time every weekend. It doesn't matter if you miss dinner here and there. They understand that your job is demanding".

"Well… that may be true but I'm missing the most important part of their growth" he said sounding frustrated with himself. "I've been thinking of restructuring the Hokage office".

"Oh?"

"Yes… I'm going to hire a few more staff members for the office. They can pre-review proposals, take on more of the administrative burden and lead various projects. That would free me up to be more strategic and intentional in my work but also allow me to spend more time with all of you" he said, putting the book that was in his hand on the nightstand. "What do you think?".

Hinata was struggling to find words for her emotions at the moment. "That.." she whispered, getting teary eyed, "that sounds perfect".

He nodded looking at her warmly dropping a kiss on her head. "What about you, have you given any thoughts to what you want to do next?"

"Yes actually" she snuggled up into his chest and put her ear over his heart, enjoying the steady beat of it.

"I think I might start a non-profit for helping children. I want to help orphaned children and children in low income areas have better access to foster support, education, healthcare and safety in general… you know?" she whispered and he nodded looking seriously at her. She continued, "We are well off, we can donate some of our money… and I know how to talk to people in power and fundraise. Someone just needs to organize and lead it, I think a lot of clans would be interested in helping by donating funds."

"That sounds brilliant and perfectly suited to your strengths. I would be happy to develop a national child support grant for the country too. That way more organizations around the country can apply for funding to enhance their services".

Hinata smiled and looked deeply into Kakashi's eyes nodding before moving to give him a kiss. They had one of those moments that was so common in their relationship where their thoughts were perfectly aligned and words were no longer needed anymore. She snuggled back into his arms as he continued to run his fingers through her hair.

End of FB

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The party was going well, Kakashi thought as he looked around the room. There was a smattering of children here, after all it was Kai's birthday party. But because of Hinata and himself, there were a lot of adults in attendance as well. Most of the Hyuga clan was present and at least one member from all the other major clans were here out of respect.

Kakashi looked around with a critical eye for his daughter. Kai tended to make friends and mingle with strangers easily, but Sayuri not so much. When she got overwhelmed she had a tendency to hide upstairs. He looked for Hinata and found her busily arranging the dessert table now that they had wrapped up with the dinner course. She was setting up the cake so that must mean it was almost time to cut it. Kakashi went upstairs to go find Sayuri.

As expected he sighed as he found her huddled in their bed in the master bedroom reading.

"Sayuri… why are you here?" he asked kindly, moving to sit next to her.

As usual his daughter looked back at him and blinked seriously for a few seconds before answering. "There was no one interesting to talk to".

He couldn't help but laugh at that. "What about your grandpa?" he asked, ruffling her hair.

"He was busy when I checked, and mama was busy, Kai was busy and you were busy too, so I came up to read".

"Ah I see… well next time you see all of us being busy come talk to us anyway okay? We will always make time for you".

She thought about that for a bit and then smiled nodding.

"Alright, let's go," he said, picking her up, "It's almost time to cut the cake!".

"Daddy who is Hatake Kiran?"

He paused suddenly looking at her alert. "Where did you hear that name?".

"It's on one of the letters on your desk" she murmured.

"Do you always review the letters on my desk?" he asked her in surprise.

"Well… I look through the envelopes" she replied shyly.

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"In case I spot anything I want to ask you about".

He laughed again, "okay… well good question! Karin Hatake is one of our relatives, He doesn't live here anymore but I recently asked him if he might be interested in coming back. So we can check later what he said alright?"

Sayuri nodded.

By the time they got downstairs everyone was gathered around the table. Kakashi went to stand next to Hinata slinging his arm around her shoulder with Sayuri still in his other arm. Kai looked back at them with a smile and turned to the smiling faces of the guests in front of him that started singing happy birthday. He finally blew out all of his candles while everyone clapped. Hinata gave Kai a huge hug and kiss followed by Kakashi who wrapped his whole family in his arms. It was hard to think that there was a time all this had scared him.

Thank god… he had been assigned that mission to Kirigakure he thought to himself absently looking at his beautiful wife and family. He got up and started helping Hinata cut and serve the cake.

It was good to be home.

Authors note: And that's a wrap :)! I think some of you asked if I will write more stories, I was thinking of eventually maybe attempting a Shikahina, Sasuhina, Gaahina and maybe even a Itahina and Naruhina.

Thank you for all your support! I'm so glad to see that there were people who enjoyed this story! Take care and stay safe everyone. Much love!