..Chapter Eleven..
..
.
..
The house was abuzz with her family moving about. Hinata was running back and forth from the kitchen getting everything ready. She wasn't looking worried, but she did look very determined. Kei was afraid to ask if she could help like she always did. As fast as she was moving she might just get in the way. So, she stood in an entry way leading from the living room to the dining room and just watched. After a while she found watching her mother made her dizzy and turned around to look in the room behind her. Her father was sitting on the floor and talking to her brother. He too was probably just as quick to leave her mother alone. She didn't yell. No, when Hinata got worried and deeply into something if you upset her balance she... just got this quiet sort of scary. It was worse than yelling.
She didn't think she'd ever seen her father yell. He'd always been very patient with her. Sometimes he raised his tone and got very serious with her. And she knew to behave and listen when he called her by her first and last name in the reverse order. Though, he'd always taken his time with her. She never really understood why, but, she appreciated it. Which, is why she probably went to him more often about her problems or worries.
Neji sat in a chair just behind him. Tenten was helping her mother. That woman had ovaries the size of nuggets as far as she was concerned. Anyone who risked the glare of death and voice only demons could love when her mother was in a hurry, it would be the weapons specialist for sure.
Shin wasn't here tonight, much to her disappointment. Apparently he wanted to get all the study time in that he could before the Chuunin exam. She didn't blame him. She just didn't have the drive tonight. Aside from her mother everyone seemed so relaxed. So at peace. It was almost like Christmas in the Hyuuga house.
Uncle Gaara sat next to Kisho on the floor. In the palm of his hand he had a bit of sand. He began molding chakra to make it move and form. Slowly, it turned into a woman. She was dancing in the palm of his hand and making all sorts of elaborated gestures with her hands as she swished her skirt.
She smiled. Yes, it felt just like Christmas. Well, accept for the lack of presents. That was a definite downside.
She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked over. She grinned at Ryu. So, he'd shown up as well? "Your parents here?"
He shook his head. "Nah, they wanted a night to themselves. I gotta say, the guards out there are pretty heavy. They almost didn't let me."
Kei nodded. "Yeah, it seems like dad wants some private time with close friends before the exam starts. He'll be busier than a bee come the day after tomorrow."
"As much as I wouldn't mind the title of Hokage, I wouldn't wanna be in his shoes on that day for all the ramen in Leaf. Dealing with all those heavy politics... it's insane." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and watched Gaara. "On a completely different topic... we should take advantage of the fact that the Kazekage isn't busy and see if he can't train us some tomorrow. Hell, maybe get everyone together."
She arched a brow and looked over at him curiously. "You mean like... everyone? All our parents and have one big hay day in the back training yard of the house?"
His face lit up. "Yeah! That would freakin' rock! When was the last time they all had the day off and got together for a family expo?"
She tapped her chin and though. "You know... I've never actually seen it. I've seen Neji and you guys spar. I've seen Papa and Mama spar... I've seen them all on several different occasions. But, I've never seen the whole family together doing it."
Before she could think more on it he was getting her father's attention. "Uncle!"
Naruto looked up. "Hm?" Gaara and Kisho did as well. Even Neji gave him his attention.
He grinned. "Since you guys all have the day off tomorrow, do you think you can train with us? All of us? The whole family. We've never done it before and I'd love to see Gaara-sama in action."
Neji grinned. "I think it sounds like a great idea." He tapped Naruto on the shoulder. "When was the last time we went had a good match? With each other?"
Naruto was still blinking. But, after a while grinned too. "I've been feeling bored anyway. I think it's a fantastic idea. Gaara?" He turned to him. "Care to show the children tomorrow how it's really done? What do you say to a little game of... cat and mouse?" He waggled his brows.
Gaara rolled his eyes but chuckled slightly. "I don't we have enough room for that game. But... a simple game of hide and go seek on teams... well, that sounds more my style."
"Good, it's settled. Tomorrow we're game on." He looked at Ryu and Kei. "You better be ready."
Kei narrowed her eyes and took on an irritated look. "Aw... Papa... don't underestimate me. I'm a much getter ninja now."
"We'll see." He looked at her with a half grin.
She could help but smile back.
Then there was knock at the door and Hinata seemed to stop completely. She looked at her husband. "Is it...?"
He stood up, ruffling his son's hair. "I'll check." He left the room.
Kei was slightly confused. Her hands were on her hips and she was looking in the direction her father left. She looked over at Ryu. "Did you know we were having more company?"
He shook his head at her whispered comment. "I know even less than you. You live here, I just act like I do."
Kei looked back at the way her father went, eyes intent on the dark hallway. Wouldn't they have told her if there were more people coming? She glanced over at the table and counted with one finger. Her eyes only widened a moment. So, there were two... no three extra place settings. They were having more people. That was odd. Tonight was a family night. Even though Gaara wasn't technically family... well... he was. Her dad and him had been through some hard enough shit together for him to have earned permanent residence if he so chose to or ever retired from Sand.
She looked down the hall again. The first person she saw was her father. And then she saw three others. Her brow furrowed. ANBU? Tonight? Just what was going on here? She slinked behind the wall, behind Ryu, as if afraid for some reason. And yet, she didn't understand why.
Ryu looked over at her. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head. "I dunno... Isn't it weird there's ANBU here on family night?"
He shrugged and looked back at the three people.
"Kei?" Naruto called.
She drifted further behind Ryu.
Naruto looked about. "Kei? Come here, girl. I want you to meet someone."
All three ANBU members turned their eyes on her, or at least she thought they did. She couldn't see their eyes behind those masks.
Naruto frowned as he caught her eyes. "This isn't like you. Come here."
She sighed... and slowly but surely came out from behind Ryu. She walked over to her father and looked up at the three looming figures. And then watched as they took off their masks one by one...There was a woman with pink hair and kind green eyes. The other two were both men. Both had the same coal depths and black hair. She just sorta stared and swallowed a lump she didn't even know was in her throat.
Naruto smiled. "I want you to meet Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke and his brother... Uchiha Itachi."
Her eyes went as wide as saucers. She hadn't expected to meet them so soon. Her whole face suddenly lit up. "Really?!" She grinned up at them. "Papa has told me so much about you! Did you really face Uncle Gaara during the Chuunin exams when the war broke out? I've seen him on a good day and his sand defense really is solid stuff. Papa told me Kakashi sensei taught you to use Chidori and you broke through his armor. Did you?"
When Sasuke had first entered the room and saw the shy face of his child behind the Hyuuga boy he's felt his gut wretch for all the years he'd miss with her. She grown up so beautifully. Her face... it looked so much like his and yet the shape of her hair reminded him quite a bit of her mother. It was... odd... seeing yourself in your child. And then, after having thought she was a shy little thing, thinking Naruto had been wrong, seeing her blast open with excitement made him smile. He was about ask more, but, then she turned to Sakura just as quickly.
"Sakura-chan! When Papa told me how much you loved Sasuke... and why you left with him it made me want to cry. The whole story was so sad." She looked up at Itachi, blinking. "How could you do it? I know the life of a shinobi is not easy... but to kill your own people? I don't understand. You made Sasuke-kun so unhappy." She looked to be frowning.
Sakura was almost too afraid to cry to say anything. She wanted nothing more than to grab the small girl and hold her in her arms as she had when she was born.
Itachi, of all people, knelt down at her eyes level. His voice was soft, but even. "I didn't do it because I wanted to, little one. I did it because I had to. I was ordered to do so. Many lives, here in Leaf, depended on my doing it. Will you forgive me?" His face seemed expressionless, but his eyes were earnest to her.
She seemed to ponder this for a moment. And then, just like that, she nodded. "I can."
He smiled and stood up.
Kei continued to look up at these great people her father had grown up with. They looked so strong, so... powerful. She wondered if they were going to stay for the exams or participate in tomorrow's family time.
"Kei?"
She looked over at her father. "Yes?"
He looked over at Ryu. "You listen to this too. You as well, Kisho." He looked back down at her as Gaara lifted the boy in his arms and walked towards the dining room. Even Neji was following after. "The adults already know, but, you need to know now too. Sakura, Sasuke and Itachi are still rogue ninja in the bingo book. No one can know they are here accept those present. None of you will speak about them beyond these walls, understood?"
"Yes, Papa."
"Yes, Papa."
"Yes, Uncle."
He nodded. "Good."
Since that was done Kei looked back at the three people in front of her. "Are you guys going to play the game with us tomorrow?"
Sasuke arched a brow. "Game?"
She grinned. "Yes, were playing hide and go seek ninja style split into two teams. Everyone is playing. We want to see how much we've improved. The adults want to see how they fair against us. It'd be a honor for you to join us."
Sasuke knelt down, meeting her eyes level. He smiled slightly, more like a smirk. "I'd love to, Kei-chan." His voice was kind and soft.
She blinked, feeling a soft blush come on. Kami, he was just as handsome as her Papa and made her blush just as bad with his nice words. She couldn't help herself and she really didn't know why she did it... but she reached out and embraced him.
Sasuke made a noise and his eyes went slightly wider. The whole room seemed to hold their breath and he slowly looked up at Naruto. He was smiling down at him. It seemed like such a perfect image. He'd waited... twelve long years to hold his child. Twelve years of heartache. Twelve years of pain and hurt. Twelve years of consoling Sakura and feeling like he was dying inside everytime she cried about their daughter. Her small arms around him felt like a god send. A miracle. A small miracle that had changed his life for the better. A small miracle that had brought him and his brother back closer together than they ever had been as children. She was blessing on his soul. His guiding light on nights that got too dark to bear. And everytime he thought about loosing himself to the bloodlust... the hatred in his own soul... her face shined through and told him she was still waiting for him.
He felt something choke in his throat. He felt his chest tighten. How long had he thought of this moment?
The small girl pulled back in his arms and she looked sad for him. "Oh, Sasuke-kun... why are you crying?" Her tiny hands reached out and gently wiped them away. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. Are you ok? Please don't cry, Sasuke-kun. Whatever I did I'm sorry."
He only cried harder. He didn't give a damn who was watching. To hell with his pride and his ego. He hadn't seen her since she was a small thing that could fit in his arms. He hadn't held her since the night they left. He could still see her small face on the night before they let her go, rocking her in his arms as he sang to her.
"Oh, Sasuke... What did I do wrong?"
He smiled despite his tears. "Nothing. You didn't do anything wrong. You're perfect in every way." He reached for her then and hugged back. He shut his eyes tightly and didn't let go for a long time. He wanted to tell her he loved her. He wanted to tell her that she had been his small ray of hope during all those hard cold nights of chasing Orochimaru. He was loath to let go of her and was thankful she didn't have the desire to pull away. If anything she hugged him back with just as much fervor. And she was patient. She waited quietly until he'd stopped crying and managed to get his emotions under control. When he pulled back to look at her she seemed to be giving him an encouraging smile.
"Are you ok, Sasuke-kun?"
He nodded, still afraid to speak, but forced himself to for her sake. "I am."
She kept the same smile. "Would you like to go for a walk with me?" Her face was lit up again. "Maybe I can show you something? What I've learned?"
He looked up at Naruto, who, was looking like he was ready to cry himself. He nodded. "Just stay in the Main House gated area. No leaving."
Kei nodded and grabbed his hand. "I know Papa! Bye!"
And then she was practically dragging him out the door in the living room to the back yard.
Sakura let out a long breath and stared after them. She glanced over as Itachi placed a hand on her shoulder. He smiled only slightly at her and she went back to looking at the door. "I was so sure it would be me to break down. I guess... he's just been so busy being my rock he never let it out himself... And when she hugged him.. it put him over the edge."
Hinata sighed and nodded. "I'm happy your both back. I hope you never have to leave again."
Ryu and Kisho were peeking out a window in the living room, trying to get a glimpse of the two. And so, neither boy had heard anything Sakura or Hinata had said...
ooo
He stared down at the small hand in his own as she drug him along in the night. He thought to ask her to slow down, but, didn't want to. He was happy enough just to have her with him after all this time. He still felt tears on his face. He kept willing them away. He was a strong man. He always thought he had a heart of iron. Even before he came here, when he knew he was going to see her, he hadn't known he was going to break like that. Apparently, noting warmed a cold exterior like your own daughter. Nothing melted you into a pile of helpless mush or turn you into a child of five like your own child telling you it was ok when you were pouring your eyes out while you embraced her.
He was so caught in his own thoughts he barely realized she'd stopped. He almost bumped into her but caught himself. It was with curious black eyes that he stared down at her.
She smiled up at him and he felt himself break all over again. Would he ever be able to look at her and not have the urge to cry his eyes out? He wanted to ask her forgiveness for letting her go. For leaving her. He knew he couldn't. It wasn't time yet.
He knelt down again, meeting her eyes. "Yes, Kei-chan?"
"I have something I want to show you." Her eyes dashed back and forth as if to see if anyone was looking. She caught his again. "I haven't shown anyone else. At first because Kakashi-sensei told me to keep it a secret. But, now I'm just keeping it to myself until the exam. I want to surprise everyone." She was grinning like a mad woman. "Promise if I show you you won't tell anyone?"
He blinked a few times, awed that she wanted to show him her special secret. Him, of all people. She'd barely known him five minutes and already she confiding in him. He felt humbled. "Why would you want to show me over anyone else? Why not your friends?"
She seemed to ponder this for a while. "If I face my friends in the exam, I'll want an ace up my sleeve. I suppose I'm telling you because you're just as strong as Papa. I want a good opinion."
She was a very smart girl. Naruto had been right. She wanted to keep her techniques to herself until she had to use them. He nodded. "Very well, I won't tell anyone." He stood up and patted her head.
She grinned up and him and then looked about. She seemed to spy a long wall of rock in the training area and a large bolder. "Good, that'll give me the most effect."
He didn't understand her meaning, but watched as she dashed off towards the wall of rock. He continued to keep his eye on her as she formed seals. What he saw next completely floored him. She dropped her hand down, clutching her wrist as she closed her eyes. And then, he heard it, the sound of birds all chirping at once. The blue ball of wadded lightning chakra bloomed in her open hand and she ran, picking up speed as she ground it against the wall of rock. Her hand released her wrist and her face took on an expression of heated concentration. She kept it going and kept running. And then once she reached the large bolder she crashed her hand into it. It exploded with light and rubble went everywhere.
His eyes stayed fixed on her, still slightly widened. Her felt pride... excitement and a large sense of awe over his only child. She was far more skilled than he'd ever dreamed of being at her age. She was smarter. As smart as Sakura if not more so. She was fast. She had the control and discipline of someone who'd used the technique for years. He didn't want to say it was his blood that did it. But, he had to ask himself how he'd managed to produce such... skilled offspring.
She came out of the clouds, her face happy with a smiled. She had dirt smudged on her face. "Did you see it? Was it good?"
He still felt like her was in a state of shock, watching as the smoke cleared. Again he was stunned. The size of the blast was five times the size of a hole he'd left as a boy. He looked down at her and then quickly knelt. "How long have you known Chidori?"
She thought for a moment, tapping her lips with one finger. When she seemed to find the answer, she looked at him again. "About six years. Give or take."
He somehow managed to keep himself from falling over in shock. "How many can you do in one day?"
She thought again and looked to be counting her fingers. "Hm... three. But if I'm having a good day and haven't preformed any other techniques maybe four. I only did it once though. And it left me pretty tired."
He kept his jaw from rolling away from his mouth. Four times? Four? Trying to do it more than twice at her age had almost got him killed one time. Naruto had been right. She was very skilled. And no one but him and maybe Kakashi knew just how much. "Does Kakashi know how many time you can do it?"
She shook her head. "No, I haven't seen much of him since he taught it to me. He told me not to do it more than twice or I'd die." She rolled her eyes. "What a bunch of bull that turned out to be."
He thought for a moment, feeling like he wanted to help her. She was his only child and he might never have another opportunity to teach her something depending on things went over the next few weeks. "Would you like to learn how to do it... bigger?"
"Bigger?" Her eyes widened. "I can do that?"
He nodded. "I'll teach you. But, you have to keep it to yourself until the exam as well."
She nodded rigorously. "I will! I promise!"
And so, with a soft smile, he began to show her just how to turn that small little ball of birds into a full bodied powerhouse. He'd never felt so proud in all his life.