Chapter 4

Summary: Nagisa and Naruto get a taste of family. Shisui makes an impression that will last for a long time.

When Nagisa woke up from her first peaceful sleep in a long time, it took her a moment to remember where she was and what she was doing. She was groggy from her rest, and it was strange, seeing how she had been on constant alert for nearly two years in the past, and even longer before she had made the jump. Despite its oddity, it was welcome.

Nagisa sat up and stretched her arms above her head, popping her back as she twisted and slowly became increasingly aware. A smile found its way onto her face when she thought about the previous day. Seeing Naruto again, albeit as an eight year old, made her feel so much more alive. It was as if her whole time in the past, even when working towards her goals, was spent as a shell of her former self. Now that she was in Konoha, with the beginnings of a new family, she felt her heart swell and fill her very being. She may no longer be Haruno Sakura, but she found that being born again as Uzumaki Nagisa might not be too bad.

After a quick sweep of her apartment, Nagisa found that the spacious home contained only the barest hints of furniture, a couple pillows and blankets, and basic facilities like running water and electricity. There were some kitchen appliances, but that was about it. She quickly became glad for the hefty amount of ryo she had spotted left for her by the Hokage. She may still have a decent amount of money from her bounty hunting, but it was nowhere near enough to completely furnish a new apartment, as well as buy other items like groceries, toiletries, and the like. She sighed and opened a storage scroll where she kept several clothing items, a hairbrush, a bar of scentless soap, and some tweezers. To hell with anyone who said tweezers were a useless item to have in the wild. Splinters were a bitch.

With brushed hair and a fresh set of clothes on, Nagisa went out to do some serious shopping. Her stomach growled. Okay, maybe breakfast first, she thought. She grabbed her keys and ryo, and locked her door behind her as she departed from her new home.

Walking through Konoha was a very surreal experience. She had the chance to look around a bit the day before, but it hadn't fully sunk in yet at that point. Plus, that was in the evening. Nothing could compare to the utter liveliness of Konoha in the day. Ninja flitted around across rooftops, merchants advertised their wares, people bought fresh fruits and oven-baked goods, and children weaved through the streets with their friends, laughter ringing through the air as they played with one another. Nagisa had not seen such a hopeful, energetic sight for quite some time. Once the war started, Konoha was drab and dreary, but here, now, without the weight of impending destruction, everything was so bright and happy.

A few shopkeepers greeted her as she passed by on her way to find some breakfast. She returned the gestures with a wave of her hand and a kind smile, until she located a small cafe that she had vague memories of from her childhood. She was lead to a table where she sat and ordered some green tea and a breakfast pastry. As she waited for her food, she extended her senses to the area around her, wanting to just bask in the feeling of so much life around her. That was how she noticed a certain ANBU captain watching her from a rooftop across the street. Kakashi-sensei, she immediately recognized him. Her heart clenched, but she was snapped out of her oncoming sorrows by a polite waitress who arrived with her order. Nagisa thanked her and paid for the food, making sure to leave a decent tip. When she went to look at the spot where her old sensei had been, she found it empty. Interesting.

Once she was finished, Nagisa set out to go shopping. She traveled from store to store, picking out every necessity she could think of (as well as a few outfits and some nice-smelling lotions). She directed a few helpful store-workers to her apartment building where they could leave the bulkier pieces of furniture. They protested at first, even when she promised them she'd be able to take it up the rest of the way, but eventually relented. They probably figured she wasn't capable of lifting the heavy items, which would be a valid observation considering her body mass- should she have been any other woman. She decided not to get offended, as they were just trying to be considerate.

When her shopping bags became too plentiful, and she had to resort to putting some away in sealing scrolls, Nagisa decided to call it a day and head home. She could feel a presence trailing after her as she headed back to her apartment, but didn't bother to do anything about it. It didn't feel malicious, and wasn't trying too hard to conceal itself, so she figured it was safe. Besides, she was an S-Rank shinobi-she could protect herself.

Nagisa fumbled with her bags as she retrieved her key from her pocket, awkwardly clutching her items as she unlocked the door. She sighed in relief when the door gave and she was able to enter into her home and set her bags down. It was when she was halfway through unpacking everything that the chakra signature from before was at her door. She went over and opened it to see Shisui with his fist poised to knock, a surprised look on his face.

"Hey!" he chuckled, lowering his hand. "What's up?"

"Oh nothing," Nagisa replied. "Just doing some shopping, ignoring my stalker… the usual." She smirked at his bashful expression.

"Stalker? Wow, you should get the UPF to look into that. Beautiful women have been known to attract some unsavory types," he said with mock seriousness. They both knew that Nagisa knew it was him, but neither bothered to point it out (Nagisa was too busy ignoring the fact that Shisui had just inadvertently called her beautiful).

"Yeah, whatever," she huffed. "I think I can take care of myself." She stepped back and gestured Shisui into her apartment. "Since you're here, might as well come in. Oh! You can help me put my stuff away." A mischievous gleam could be seen in her jade eyes, but Shisui just gulped and nodded.

Nagisa clapped her hands when they finished putting away all of her various purchases, making her apartment seem more like an actual home. It felt good to have her own space to be in control of, especially after going so long without any sort of stability. "Alright, Uchiha, on to the hard part!" she chirped, leading the wary man out of her apartment building, where stacked furniture could be seen with a little note on it signifying who it was for.

"How are we going to fit all that in an elevator?" Shisui asked, staring at the large couch in particular.

"We're not!" Nagisa said. "We're carrying it all the way up. The stairwell is much wider." She nodded to herself in affirmation.

"Okay, well do you want to get one side and I'll get… the other…" Shisui trailed off as he watches Nagisa lift the entire couch with one hand and carry it towards the building entrance.

"Will you get the coffee table?" she called over her shoulder before disappearing inside and up the stairs. Shisui just stood there helplessly as he tried to process how strong she was and wow his heart was beating really fast. Was that normal?

"Thank you so much for all the help, Shisui-san," Nagisa smiled at the Uchiha across from her. She tucked a lock of brilliant red hair behind her ear. She was still getting used to it not being pink anymore.

"It's no problem," Shisui grinned, though his back- sore from all of the bending over and lifting- disagreed with him. "And c'mon, it's just Shisui. The honorific makes me feel old and I'm currently in denial of the fact that I'm an adult and have responsibilities."

Nagisa just laughed and shook her head, taking a moment to reminisce about Before, and how Shisui reminded her of a strange mixture between Naruto and Kakashi. How that worked, she wasn't quite sure, but it was the best way to explain it. "Alright, fine, Shisui," she relented, rolling her eyes playfully. She was completely ignorant to how his breath stilled for a split second when his name fell from her lips.

"So, I think I have everything done for the day," Nagisa continued on. "I was just going to go fetch Naruto from the academy. Would you… like to come?" Shisui blinked in surprise. He honestly hadn't expected the invitation. He also hadn't expected becoming an impromptu mover, but oh well. Shit happens.

"Of course," he said. "I'd love to." Sakura beamed at him and they left her apartment side-by-side.

As the pair walked through Konoha's streets that afternoon, Nagisa noticed a fair amount of looks directed their way. She couldn't tell if it was due to her status as a newcomer, her vibrant red hair, or if it had something to do with Shisui's presence at her side. All options were plausible; Nagisa just ignored it in favor of making conversation.

"So… how old are you?" she asked awkwardly. She had a decent understanding of the original timeline and how events happened in relation to one another, but there were certain things that she was simply never privy to.

"I'm eighteen," Shisui answered, sending her a curious glance. "What about you?"

"I'm pretty sure I turned nineteen this past March," Nagisa replied. Shisui paused.

"Wait, so how old were you when you… you know?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

"About seventeen," Nagisa shrugged. "It took me a while to adjust to the different time, so I may be a little off." Plus, it wasn't like they had calendars in the war. They were more concerned with surviving to the next day.

Shisui remained in quiet contemplation as they walked.

The academy doors opened and dozens of students spilled out and into the sunlight, shouting to friends and running to family members there to pick them up. It was a jovial scene, and it warmed Nagisa's heart to see the laughter and happiness. No one had been able to spare a moment for laughter during the war.

There was however, one straggler amongst the energetic children that immediately caught Nagisa's eye. He was, after all, the one she was there for- Naruto. The blond child watched longingly as his classmates were reunited with their loved ones after the school day. If one looked, they could easily see the aching loneliness that plagued the young boy.

"Naruto-kun!" Nagisa called, waving at him to catch his attention. The boy immediately perked up at hearing his name, searching for the source. When his eyes fell upon Nagisa, his whole demeanor lit up. He raced over to his nee-chan and tackled her in the biggest hug his tiny body could manage, wrapping his skinny arms around her waist and burying his face in her stomach. Nagisa let out a huff as he collided with her, but returned the loving embrace.

"How was your day, Naruto-kun?" She asked, gently untangling his arms from around her so that she could look him in the face. He beamed up at her.

"It was okay!" he told her. "History was boring because Iruka-sensei talks for a really long time, but we had taijutsu lessons and I think I finally got my new punch right!" he babbled on, eyes shining brightly as Nagisa nodded along and smiled at him.

"I'm glad you enjoyed your day. And even if history seems boring now, you need to know these things for when you become Hokage," she said, shaking her head slightly at Naruto's pout. However, it was wiped away quickly when he registered her words and how she said "when" he becomes Hokage, and not "if".

Shisui stood to the side and watched the warm scene with a fond smile on his face. It was easy to see how much Nagisa cared for the young jinchuuriki, and it filled his chest with a fluttering feeling he wasn't well acquainted with.

"Who's that?" Naruto narrowed his eyes, pointing at Shisui as he finally noticed the jounin. Nagisa turned to look at the man, then back to Naruto.

"This is Uchiha Shisui; he's a friend of mine," she explained, ruffling Naruto's hair. "He was helping me set up my apartment and I invited him to come pick you up with me."

"Hello, Naruto-kun," Shisui tilted his head with a smile and raised his hand in greeting. Naruto seemed unsure, but nodded and mumbled a "hi" before looking back to Nagisa. Shisui wasn't offended- he understood the boy's hesitance. Hardly anyone had ever shown him much kindness until Nagisa, and she was family. He was a stranger.

"So, is there anything you'd like to do before we go back to my place for dinner?" Nagisa asked her tiny companion. Naruto looked up at her in shock. Clearly, he hadn't been expecting the offer, and it tugged at Nagisa's heart to see him so in awe of such a simple gesture.

"Um… could we go to the park?" he asked shyly. "The one by the Hokage mountain with the swings?" Nagisa nodded.

"Of course!" she agreed easily. She looked towards Shisui. "Would you like to come with us? It's okay though if you have somewhere else to be."

Shisui shook his head. "I've got nothing to do. Besides, someone needs to keep you two from causing trouble," he said slyly, giving Nagisa a wink. She just rolled her eyes, a faint pink dusting her cheeks.

"Whatever you say," she said. "Well, let's go!" She offered her hand to Naruto, who carefully took it. He grinned up at her when she swung their hands as they walked to the park, Shisui on the opposite side of her.

"Higher! Higher!" Naruto laughed freely as Nagisa pushed him on the swings. Nagisa laughed as well and complied, pushing him just a bit harder, but careful not to overdo it.

"I don't think I've ever seen the kid so genuinely happy," Shisui commented to Nagisa as she continued to push on Naruto's back every time he swung towards them.

"He just needed someone who actually wanted to pay attention to him. That's why he always pulls his pranks- he wants someone to see him," the red-head replied. Shisui hummed in acknowledgement and watched the two in silence.

"Nee-chan, watch this!" Naruto called and suddenly he had let go of the ropes and was in the air.

"Naruto!" she cried, knowing that he wouldn't be able to stick the landing, and would probably hurt himself. She rushed to catch him, but was too slow.

However, a dark blur flickered past her and caught the boy in its arms. Shisui held onto Naruto and looked over to Nagisa, assuring her with a nod that Naruto was okay. Nagisa sighed in relief and walked over to them.

"You shouldn't worry your Nee-chan like that. You could've gotten hurt," Shisui chastised the boy gently. Naruto was about to protest when he saw the tired, worried look on Nagisa's face. He immediately felt guilty.

"Sorry, nee-chan," he murmured, clinging onto Shisui. Nagisa just walked over and pat his head.

"It's okay, just be more careful next time. I could've healed you if anything happened, but that's no reason to let you get hurt in the first place," she told him. Naruto nodded quickly and clambered down from his place on Shisui's torso.

"Thanks for catching me, Shisui!" he said. "You're really fast! I hardly saw you move," he exclaimed excitedly.

"Well I'd hope so," the Uchiha grinned. "I am known as the fastest shinobi in Fire Country." Naruto stared at him in awe.

"Wow! That's so cool! Wanna play tag?" he asked, his eagerness evident on his face. Shisui lit up and agreed, happy that Naruto had gotten over his initial wariness towards him.

"You're it," he tapped Naruto's shoulder and flickered across the park. Naruto spluttered for a moment before chasing after the older man with a valiant war cry.

"Get back here!" he hollered, garnering a few glares from the civilian parents there to watch their children. They were easily ignored in the heat of the moment, Naruto more focused on catching Shisui than anything else. After a few minutes, Shisui flickered closer to Naruto and cried out as the boy tackled him to the ground by ramming into his knees. He knew Shisui had let himself get tagged, but he hadn't been expected Naruto to knock him over. Shisui just laughed and tickled Naruto's sides, who wriggled away while laughing uncontrollably.

"Now you have to get me!" the boy taunted, sticking his tongue out. Shisui shook his head and got back up, raising an eyebrow at Naruto. The blond quickly sprinted away. Shisui counted to ten to give him a head start, then started jogging towards him.

The two tagged each other back and forth for about an hour when Naruto got tired. He may have incredible stamina- even at his young age- but Shisui was fast, and didn't feel above using his shunshin in a game with an eight year old. Naruto loved that about him- loved how he challenged him and didn't shy away from interacting with him seriously.

"Let's get some dinner into you," Nagisa said to Naruto. She turned to Shisui. "You can join us, of course, if you'd like."

Shisui shook his head. "Nah, I have a mission tomorrow that I need to prepare for. Besides, I've intruded enough," he said. "Thank you though. I'll see you around. And you, Naruto-kun."

"Bye, Shisui!" Naruto called as he started to walk away. Shisui sent him a salute and flickered away. "I like Shisui," he told Nagisa.

"I'm glad," she replied. "Shisui's a good person." Naruto nodded and began to fill their trip to Nagisa's apartment with his cheerful chattering.

After a filling dinner together, Nagisa offered to let Naruto sleep over that night. As they curled up together on their makeshift bed of blankets- Naruto was adamant about having as many as possible to make the floor comfy for them both- Nagisa couldn't help but feel like she was finally home.

NOTE: wow i am on a ROLL getting this chapter out in a timely manner. also it's like 1,000 words longer than I normally do. i'm so proud of myself. Anyways, i hope you enjoyed! I know the first part was a little boring, but i needed to set things up for the future. Please leave a review for me!

xoLuke