One month, ten days and one hour
One month, ten days and one hour
Through the open window in the kitchen a kunoichi entered the quiet flat in her black and grey attire and placed a food package on the kitchen table as she walked past on her way to the 'sleeping' nin.
She slowly pushed the door to the bedroom open and took a tentative step into the room to find two kunai implanted in her neck.
She disappeared into small clouds and another stepped into the room sighing lightly as she did, "'Kashi, time to go."
She got no verbal response from the ninja in the bed but hoped that the message had got through, but you could never be sure with the copy-nin, "Che, now would be good I am on a mission in an hour and I need you somewhere else."
There was a rustle of sheets and she knew that he would get ready, "Meet me with ANBU."
"Hn."
…
The Uchiha watched as she approached him, leaving the other nin to get ready. She stood still waiting for the copy-nin to meet her outside so that she could take him to where he needed to be.
A tired chakra presence approached and she looked to see the nin before her. She nodded to him then to Kakashi as she started to move in the direction of her destination.
The ANBU stood and watched as they ran over the rooftops at Chuunin pace, must be tired, before turning away for the night, there was no need to watch for any suicide attempts for the rest of the night so he could go and catch up with Shika.
…
As they ran over the roof tops there were no more words exchanged until only a few minutes away from the destination where she stopped and looked the nin in the eye, who up till now had been following her for no apparent reason.
She sighed as she took in his withdrawn appearance, she was sad that he was in this state but hopeful that he would soon change back again.
"'Kashi, just follow me, no questions, ne?"
He nodded, too tired to be himself and defy that straight away by asking 'why?' like she wanted him too, like he would have done at any other time.
"Hn." She nodded and continued for a few minutes until they reached the hospital and she glanced back and saw Kakashi openly flinch at the thought of going in there.
She shook her head and walked in with the copy-nin a few steps behind. Once inside she found the pink haired medic-nin and followed her through the maze which was the hospital. The medic pointed to a door that opened into a private room and then went back to her other rounds for the night.
The kunoichi walked to the door and then put a hand out before Kakashi could enter and looked up into his eye, "Don't do anything stupid."
She stepped back to allow the nin to pass through the door and see who was lying in the middle of starched hospital sheets, while he did not allow any hopes to even form in his mind.
He looked at the bed and there with their head resting on the almost solid pillow, attached to a heart monitor and drip was his 'Ruka.
He took a few steps over to the bed side and slowly lifted a hand to stroke along Iruka's jaw line. The other hand finding one of Iruka's to hold onto. The Chuunin stirred but did not wake as Kakashi sat next to him and smiled for the first time in months knowing that his 'Ruka was home and safe.
"It's been too long 'Ru, one month, ten days and an hour too long." He whispered lifting Iruka's hand to his masked covered lips to kiss it on each of the knuckles.
…
Outside the door the kunoichi watched them together; it was nice to see Kakashi happier. She was currently stood there with Naruto temporary Hokage as Tsunade was away on 'business' in Suna, but he made sure that everyone called him 'Hokage' while he had the chance.
She had prevented him from entering; she knew he wanted to be in there with them as Iruka was important to him just as he was important to her, as they both were.
Naruto was glad that Iruka was back, safe and that Kakashi was going to hopefully be back to his normal self soon. He had really smiled when he had looked through the window in the door for the first time since the Chuunin had gone on the mission.
The kunoichi turned to leave so she could get ready, stupid missions, and drop off her hitai-ate which she had forgotten to take off that morning, when she was stopped by a loud voice coming from the room.
"Iruka?"
A/N thanks for reading and to those who have already left reviews a big thank you. this chapter i have struggled with (mainly the last part) and so any pointers would be greatly appreciated, thanks, kuroda