Chapter Thirteen: Missing In Action

As soon as Sasuke teleported them back to the future he started walking Keiko home. "Umm,.. Keiko,.. there's something that I have to tell you about." He began.

"Really, what's that big brother?" she asked him before he quickly stopped and heaved a heavy sad sigh while hanging his head soulfully.

"Sweetheart, please believe me when I tell you this that this isn't easy at all for me to say to you,.. but the time has finally come for me to go." He told her. "I have my first Anbu Black Op mission coming up and I'm leaving in a few days." He said when all of a sudden her eyes instantly changed back to dark blue.

"Oh." She simply just stated while forcing herself to hold back her tears. "Does Sakura and Sachi know?" she wondered.

"No, not yet, you're the first to know about it so far." He began. "I just don't know if I have the heart to tell Sakura after I promised her that I would never leave her again."

"You have to leave, it's part of your mission." Keiko said while feeling the lump in her throat starting to grow and before she knew it tears were rolling down her cheeks. Sasuke squatted down in front of her.

"Please child, don't cry." He began while placing a tender hand to her cheek and brushing away her tears with his thumb before all of a sudden she threw her arms around his neck and embraced him tightly.

"I can't help it! I love you and I'm going to miss you SO much and so will the rest of your family!" she sobbed.

"I know and believe me I am going to miss you all too and I love you all very much." He told her before planting a kiss on her cheek. "But remember what I told you when I gave you your locket?" he questioned before she broke out of his arms and nodded her head while starting to brush away her own tears.

"That you gave it to me because you wanted to remind me that no matter where you were that I always had your heart." She told him.

"Exactly." Sasuke began. "So I need you to be a big girl and to help watch over Ami for me. She's only a baby after all and your mother will need your help to take care of her. Can you promise me that?" he asked her as she nodded and sniffed before wiping her nose on the back of her hand.

"I promise big brother." She responded.

"And I also need you and Sachi to watch out for each other." He began. "Speaking of which where is Sachi?" he asked her.

"I don't know,…" she began when suddenly she started to realize something. "Oh my goodness! She's probably worried sick about me by now! And Mom and Konohamaru and Kizashi probably are too!" she exclaimed.

"It's alright honey, I'll just text Sachi and let her know that you're here with me and that I want to talk to her." Sasuke told her while he took out his cellphone.

"Okay big brother, I'm going to go home and let my mom know that I'm alright." She told him before she turned around and started running back home to her house while Sasuke started texting his niece.

Meanwhile Sachi had been going on a walk in the woods with Kizashi still desperately searching for Keiko. That was until all of a sudden Sachi had received his text and she breathed a sigh of relief and placed her hand upon her chest. "Thank God, Uncle Sasuke found her." She told him.

"Sasuke's your uncle? I thought that he was your father." Kizashi said questioningly.

"No, I live with my aunt and uncle. My father died before I was born and my mother was murdered by Orochimaru." She explained.

"Well,.. at least you know who your father was." Kizashi began. "My mother died when I was only three years old so I've been spending most of my life living with my grandparents and they don't have a clue who he was either." He explained. "Anyways, enough about me," he began. "you better get back home so your aunt and uncle don't start worrying about you." He told her as she nodded slightly at him.

"Alright, see you later Kizashi." She told him before she waved at him and then turned around and ran away.

…..

"No! What do you mean that you're leaving!?" Sachi hollered angrily once Sasuke had taken her back home with him before all of a sudden Sasuke heaved a heavy sigh.

"I don't have a choice Sachi, I'm an Anbu Black Op now." He told her.

"It isn't fair!" Sachi cried before she turned around and raced outside but Sasuke was able to teleport in front of her and stop her. "First Dad, then Mom, do you really think that I'm going to allow myself to lose you as well?" she questioned while breathing heavily. "What is Aunt Sakura going to think? I thought that you told her that you wouldn't leave her again. And what about Ami?" she wondered as Sasuke sighed again.

"Ami will be fine, she has plenty of people around her that loves her and will take care of her and you do too. And don't worry I will talk to your aunt as soon as I can find her." He said. "You wouldn't happen to know where I could possibly find her do you?" she wondered before all of a sudden Sachi received another text and as soon as she glanced down at it she quickly hid it behind her back away from him. "Sachi, who did you just get a text from?" her uncle questioned her before she took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"Keiko." She replied as Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her.

"Was it about Sakura by any chance?" he wondered as she closed her eyes and hung her head soulfully.

"Yes Uncle Sasuke." She told him.

"Well then where is she?" he asked her as she took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and looked back up at him.

"Apparently Keiko texted her what you were planning to do and now she's trying to take your place on the mission so you won't have to go." She explained as Sasuke suddenly felt his heart starting to pound frantically up against his chest.

"Stay here with Ami, I have to go after her!" he exclaimed before he turned around and then raced out of the house.