Hey people! Did you miss me? I should be working on my oral report, but oh well. Tomorrow.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.

Ch.6: Moonlighting As Baby Sitters

Kakashi had just gotten out of the shower when he heard his phone ringing. Walking over to the contraption, he picked it up and held it to his ear. 'Please don't be Sakura!' he pleaded.

"Kakashi?"

'Damn.'

"Sakura. Why are you calling?" he asked.

"It's terrible! Sasuke has a fever. I'm taking care of him and the kids, but I need help. Naruto's out with Hinata and you're the only one apart from us that Sasuke will trust with the kids. Please?" she asked over the phone.

Kakashi heard the plea in her voice and mentally sighed in exasperation. "Fine. I'll be there soon."

"Really?! Thanks, Kakashi! You're the greatest friend ever!"

Kakashi hung up the phone. 'Yeah, the greatest FRIEND ever.' he thought bitterly and walked dejectedly to his bedroom to change.

A knock at the door was heard and Sakura rushed to open it. "Hello?" she asked hurriedly as she tried not to drop the child in her arm.

"What happened to you?" asked Kakashi.

"These kids all need to be changed and fed and I can't handle them all!"

"No shadow clones?" he asked.

"Too drained to try. Can you take Aiko?"

Kakashi took the pink bundle from her arms and watched as she rushed over to calm the crying Chinatsu. Kakashi sighed as Aiko gurgled against his jounin vest. He smiled under his mask as she looked up at him happily and walked into the house, closing the door with his foot.

"Done!" sighed Kakashi as he wiped the sweat that formed on his brow.

"Not quite. We only finished quieting them and changing them. We still need to feed them." Sakura said panting.

"Crap."

Sakura walked over to the kitchen and pulled out the bottles from the cabinet and scooped the powdered formula into each bottle. 'Sasuke must have told her where the bottles were.' Kakashi thought. She soon came back with five warm bottles of milk and held one out to Kakashi as she put three onto the coffee table.

Sakura picked up Fumio and gently encouraged him to suck on the bottle. She walked over to the couch and sat down while she watched him eat. Kakashi studied her for a minute before doing the same to Aiko.

After they finished the bottle, they both threw a towel over their shoulder and proceeded to burp the newborns. Kakashi patted Aiko until she burped. He was about to put her down when he winced. "Ouch!"

Sakura looked over to him to see Aiko's hand fisted in his hair. "Looks like she really likes you, Kakashi. Maybe she'll think you're her father one day."

Kakashi chuckled. "Or at least her crazy uncle." he smiled. He gently detached her hand from his hair and put her back into her cradle. He walked over to take Hiroki while Sakura put Fumio down and picked up Chinatsu.

Sakura had just finished feeding Chinatsu when she remembered. "Crud! I forgot! I need to make Sasuke some food. Kakashi, can you take care of them while I make some soup?"

Kakashi just nodded and she left Chinatsu in his care as she headed for the kitchen.

Sakura smiled. Sasuke was fast asleep again. She kissed his forehead and picked up the empty tray of food. 'And we have enough leftover soup that Kakashi and I can have lunch.'

She detoured into the kitchen and put the empty bowl into the sink. She took two bowls out of the cabinet and filled them with soup. She stepped into the living room and saw something that touched her heart.

Kakashi was sitting asleep on the couch while holding Kioshi protectively in his arms. She smiled and set down the tray. She plucked Kioshi from his arms and placed him back into the cradle. Snagging a blanket, she carried it over to the couch and covered the slumbering man. She brushed his hair from his face only to have it fall back again. She giggled and tucked the man in. 'Lunch can wait till later.'

She took a bowl of soup and put it in the kitchen and sat to eat hers. After she finished, she grabbed the bottles and the bowl and washed the dishes. Shortly after, she went to the chair near Kakashi and sat. She felt her eyelids getting heavy. 'Maybe a little nap wouldn't hurt.' she thought before drifting off to the realm of dreams.

'Mmm...It's so warm.'

"Wait..."

Sakura sat up sleepily and felt the blanket slide down her torso. She looked confusedly at it through half-lidded eyes. "That wasn't there before." she muttered. She rubbed her eyes and blinked them open. Studying her surroundings, she realized she was now on the couch. "Huh?" A chuckle was heard from the kitchen doorway and Sakura flicked her eyes to the origin of the sound.

Kakashi was leaning on the doorway smiling at her in his trademark way. "I see the sleepyhead is up now."

Sakura blushed at the teasing. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Well, I was asleep for two hours, so you were out for five."

Sakura's eyes widened. "That long?!"

"Yeah. I put you on the couch after I woke up. I thought you'd be more comfortable."

Sakura blushed at the thought. "Thank you."

'Why am I blushing? He was just being courteous.'

'Says you.'

'I thought I got rid of you years ago.'

'Well, I'm back and I'm here to tell you, he likes you and you're starting to feel the same.'

'Ew! He's like, one of my best friends, not to mention, my ex-teacher!'

'Denial!'

'Shut up!'

"Everything okay, Sakura?"

"Huh?"

Sakura looked up to see Kakashi looking worriedly at her. "Sorry, I spaced out there. What were you saying?" she said, a small blush planted on her face.

"Well, I said that Sasuke's fever is going down and the kids are asleep. We can go now. It's already 5:30."

"Oh."

Sakura went to the coat rack and took her coat while Kakashi took his scarf. She scrawled a note for Sasuke saying to not do anything strenuous for a few days and keep warm and left.

Sakura walked down the path of the front yard and watched as white blurs floated from the sky. "It's snowing!" she smiled.

"Yeah." said Kakashi as he stood next to her. "How about I walk you home?"

Sakura nodded and accepted his invitation. They stepped out of the compound and started towards her house, the snow swirling around them.

"Well, here we are." said Sakura. She was glad to finally be home. Not that walking with Kakashi was bad, the comfortable silence that can only be enjoyed by two very close people proved that. It was what her inner self said to her earlier that perturbed her. The idea of liking her old sensei left her feeling uneasy, but her inner self chalked it up as butterflies in her stomach from being so close to him. She disagreed that she was in love with her old teacher, but since the displays of tenderness earlier, he left her with a slight warm feeling.

Kakashi nodded at her statement and started to descend down the stairs that led to her house. He stopped midway as she fumbled for her keys. "Sakura," he said, "would you like to do some sparring tomorrow?"

Sakura nearly dropped her keys. "Wha?"

"I want to see what you've learned since last time. Besides, I could use the practice." he said nonchalantly.

"Um…ah…s-sure!"

Kakashi smiled. "Meet me at the bridge at 7:00 tomorrow morning and don't be late." he said, disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Sakura caught a green leaf as it swirled to the ground. "I should be saying that to you." she said to no one in particular. Turning the key in the door, she entered her house.

Sure, Kakashi didn't mention which bridge they were supposed to meet, but she knew he meant the bridge they used to meet at. She yawned. "Better get some sleep for tomorrow." she said and shut her door with a small click.