Time to breath
Take me or it's done
I waited for your hard on me
It's only just began
Now only when you want to see
Forever saddening sign
Slowly make me live again
You make it one when you started going
When you started going (going) (going)
'Cause I'm halfway to heaven
And I wanna get close to you
Now I stay off nights
Wanna get it right
You've got one's soul to choose
'Cause I'm halfway to heaven
As I save my heart for you
When I look to the sky
I need no wings to fly
You've got one's soul to choose-Halfway to Heaven-Nightcore
"Naruto! Naruto stop!" Kakashi grabbed the fuming blonde's arm just before her left the village gates. "We got the mission. But first we need to get ready to travel a 3 days' worth. And right now, you have nothing." Kakashi released his grip when the Jinjuriki physically calmed down. "Go pack. Meet the rest of us at the gate in 10 minutes." Kakashi watched Naruto run to his apartment as he quickly made his way to his own place. As so as Kakashi placed his hand on his door handle, Kareta swung it open with two packs in hand.
"O-oto-san…" she stuttered, slightly shocked.
Kakashi took both bags from her and raced back down the stairs. "Kareta-chan, hurry up." The masked kunoichi hurried after her father and in less than 5 minutes, her, Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura fled to Suna.
…
Three days the team traveled across the land separating Konoha from Suna. As soon as they stepped foot in the Hidden Sand, they were led to the hospital where Sakura treated a poisoned Kankuro.
"Look, because we are incredibly venerable at the moment, we were wondering if one of you could stay here until we got our teams together." Baki pulled Kakashi, Naruto, and Kareta off to the side of the room where Sakura was working her magic. Naruto and Kareta both looked at each other, both not wanting to stay.
"I'll stay if you want me to." Sakura volunteered, not looking up from her work.
"No Sakura, we need you with us." Kakashi stated firmly, not letting the pink haired kunoichi protest. "Kareta, you shall stay."
"Kakashi, why?" Kareta wined, forgetting who she was raising her voice at.
"Kareta Obuteh Hatake! Don't even start." Kakashi bit at his daughter, ending the conversation. He stalked out of the room, with Baki and Naruto close behind.
Sakura came over to the frustrated kunochi. She sat them both down and let her friend release angry tears into her red vest. "He keeps treating me like a kid! I actually wanted to fight the Akatsuki, but NO! He's holding me down like he always does." The white haired girl wiped away a tear before it could soil her mask. Naruto walked in slowly toward them and stiffly sat on the other side of Kareta.
"Sakura-Chan, we're moving out." His pained blue orbs moved from the cherry blossom to the withered flower. "Kareta-Chan… I'm sorry. Fan Lady should be here to come get you soon." He said seriously and stood along with Sakura. Naruto gave her a hard look and placed his fist over his heart. "I'm going to bring Gaara back! Believe it!" he smirked and the two kunoichi smiled. They gave their farewells, and just like that, Kareta was alone.
…
For almost 9 hours, Kareta carried boxes, helped group shinobi, and helped with battle strategies if Suna was attacked. She hated not getting any action. She hated sitting around doing nothing, when she knew how strong she is. She may not be at Kakashi's level but she was far past the average Chunin. She placed down the two large crates she was carrying and sat on top of them. "Kami, this sucks! Kakashi is such an ass for this." Kareta grumbled. The storage room door squeaked open and a stressed out Temari rushed over to her, giant fan in hand.
"We're moving out, come on." Temari rushed back out the tiny room. Checking on her twin sword on her back, Kareta rushed after the Fan Mistress.
She and the rather large group of low ranked shinobi, beside Temari and Kankuro, rushed for at least 2 hours until they came upon team 7, team 10, a motionless Gaara, and a healing Chiyo. They all watched silently as Naruto moved toward the old woman to give her his chakra. That's when Kareta looked upon the rest of her team. She took a sharp intake of breath when she saw a much worn Kakashi propped on either side of Sakura and Gai-shishou. When he caught her eye he smiled weakly underneath his torn mask, lone eye crinkling. She could practically hear him saying "this is why I didn't want you to come; now you'll be up all night worrying your ass off." She quickly turned her attention to Sakura, who looked just as bad or even worse. Then her head snapped back to Gai. If he was here and so was Tenten…then where are… Her question was answered when two firm hands landed on either of her bare shoulders. "Neji-kun, Lee-kun…" she whispered softly, not wanting to disturb the silence and the soft murmurs of Lady Chiyo. The worried glances Sakura was sending toward the old woman, and the way the woman was slowly leaning to the side, ready to collapse, she could tell the Sand elder was meeting her end. Kareta bowed her head when Lady Chiyo fell and Gaara arose. He looked around slowly, conversating with Naruto, then looking around at the Leaf and Sand shinobi.
"I am grateful for all you've done. Suna is forever in your debt." Gaara spoke softly, standing at the gates of his village as the Leaf nin were about to take off.
"Ah, it was no problem!" Naruto cheesed. Gaara slowly stoke out his hand and so did Naruto.
"Best friends." Both shinobi said at once while shaking hands. After so the 8 Leaf nin started their 3 day journey back to Konoha. Kareta, Sakura, and Tenten huddled into a group, while the males huddled into another. The adopted Hatake made sure to keep her distance from her father. She was still quite mad at him.
….
It was quiet. Dangerously quiet. He didn't like it one bit. His sandals echoed down the hall as he traveled to where his teacher awaited him with a mission. "Hn." He grunted to himself and folded his arms across his chest. These hallways were just too damn long. He finally came to a large set of doors and slammed the both open. "What do you want? And get straight to the point." The boy's Sharingan eyes flashed so that he could see into the darkness. He narrowed them when he heard dark chuckles.
"My, my little Sasuke-chan what's gotten your hair into knots?" Sasuke glared at him. He needs to stop wasting his damn time. "Ah but yes, your mission. I want you to recruit someone. But not right away, no. I want you to check on her. Her health status, awareness, how often does she let down her guard, etc." Sasuke stared into the darkness.
"What village is she in?"
Orochimaru chuckled again. "Ironically, the Hidden Leaf."
"And her name?..." Sasuke growled. It better not be who he thought it was. In a rush to leave, Sasuke ruined o exit through the door, but not before he heard Orochimaru chuckle, "Kareta Obuteh Hatake…"
….
She glared, and glared and glared. Oh how she stared at him with such hatred, but he didn't even budge. Well maybe it was because he had just settled into the hospital bed and he might have drifted off, but still; he could pay her the least bit of attention.
"Kareta, your making me uneasy…"
There we go! Kareta 'Hnned' and turned in her attention to the window which showed the quickly darkening sky. She stayed all day in the hospital, waiting for Kakashi to be treated. Now she sat in his hospital room a little after 7 (and missing a Ramen date with Naruto and Sakura.) as she waited for him to awaken. "I-I don't think…" she trailed off, not sure how to word her sentence. Kakashi knew she had horrible anxiety problems, and would have trouble sleeping tonight. You can stay over Sakura's house if you wish. I'm sure her parents wouldn't mind." Kakashi said trying to lift her mood. He looked into her pale, worried eyes with his miss matched ones.
"No, no. I'll be fine on my own. I wouldn't want to intrude on her anyway." Kareta started to get up and head for the door.
Kakashi turned his head weakly to see his daughter retreat to the door. "I love you Kareta…" he whispered roughly before drifting off to sleep.
Kareta smiled softly underneath her mask as she looked over her shoulder at her sleeping father. She'll attack him with her anger another day. "I love you too, Oto-san…"
…..
The walk home was quiet and peaceful. It was strange for a late summer night in Konoha, especially since it was only around 8 'o'clock. But the Ice user brushed it off as she continued to walk down the dirt road. She never saw the blazing set of red eyes in the alley ways. She never felt the presence of an extra shadow stalking her. She tiredly climbed the four flights of steps as she made her way to her home. She was about to place her hand on the door knob when she felt a flicker of something in the air. She decided to push it off as a Raccoon. She stepped into the apartment and bent over to unbuckle her knee high Kunoichi boots. She was bringing up the memory when Sakura and her picked them out together a year back, when someone grabbed bother hands and covered her masked mouth. Kareta started to fight the intruder off, driving them against the wall, floor, and any furniture in their path. The person let go when she threw them into the sharpest edge of the couch. She tumbled t the floor, but quickly brought herself up just in time to see a shadow run down the hall and turn left. They were going to her room? Oh, hell no. Grabbing a kunai from the pouch on her right thigh, she ran straight down the hall and turned left. She kicked open her room door (the bastard tried to lock her out, Tch.) and froze in the doorway. He was standing there in her room, reading the note she never bothered to read all those years ago. She was mad. No. Sad. Nope, not that either. She wanted to break down into an emotional wreck at the moment, but her shinobi training forced it back. She felt the salty demons prickle at her waterline as she looked into the blazing red of the Sharingan.
"You never read my note…"
…
Half of him wanted to be mad; the other half just wanted her in his arms. He didn't know what to feel as he eyed his former teammate. She wore her white mask which was attached to what seemed to be a halter top. The top stopped just before her belly button. She wore long black gloves now, which hooked at her middle fingers and came up to her elbows with metal plates shielding the outside of her fore arm and hand. She also wore simple black shorts that came to mid thigh along with her shuriken and kunai pouches. As he recalled she wore Knee-high black Kunoichi boots with implanted weights. About 1,500 pounds per shoe, just an estimation. He looked up at her emotionally frustrated face. He was mad that he couldn't quite remember what her face looked like without the mask on, but he was sure her facial features must have matured, making her look even more beautiful. Her eyes took on a pale lavender hue, mixing with the white. Her hair remained in the same style, choppy bangs, long at the sides, and a high ponytail. He did seem to notice that her hair, even in a high ponytail, reached her mid calf. Her new look fitted her very well, but now he had to put that aside. He wanted to know why she didn't read his damned note.
Kareta did not know what to do. Her ex boyfriend, ex teammate, well ex everything was standing in the middle of her room!
"Kareta, answer me. Why didn't you read the note?" Sasuke bit, throwing the paper on the floor. The air pressure in the room intensified.
"Get. Out." It was low, she wanted to shout it, but her voice failed her.
"Hn."
Kareta dropped her kunai and balled up her hands. "I said "Get. Out" Damn it!" She took two steps closer to him. She bowed her head and sat on her slightly dust layered bed. "Get out before I kill you Sasuke…"
He came closer to her and she tensed automatically. "You won't kill me… you can't…" he said plainly as he lightly traced the rim of her mask with his finger. He pulled down her mask in one swift motion and gave her the most passionate kiss he ever gave her. He made sure to pour all of his emotion that he hidden for more than 3 years into that one kiss. That one kiss that ended far too soon. She pushed him away forcefully, but he didn't stumble, instead he jumped to her window seal and opened it slowly. Their eyes met; emotionless black and angered white. She still couldn't trust her weakened voice. He stared at her one last time and disappeared, and that's when some fucking retard decided to go banging at the door.
Quote: When we are together I stay awake all night. When I'm on my own I cannot sleep. Blessed be God for these two insomnias, and the difference between them.
Me: YYYYEEEEEUUUUUUSSSSS! *deflates in computer chair* I'm finally done with this chapter! Muuuuahahahaha!
Kakashi: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I get no more screen time! Shadows, you're the devil…
Me: Kakashi-kun! I wouldn't say the devil… but eh you'll be back soon, but not before cute little Yamato comes into play! ~.^
Kakashi: But Yamato doesn't even have a famous nickname… Must… get…out…and…steal…Yamato's…screen...time… *Struggles to get out of hospital bed*
Me: I don't say this anymore, because well I DON'T, I don't own Naruto! There happy? Anyway please Review/Comment what you liked about this chapter! You can favorite if you love Gaara *cough* (or this story but mainly the Gaara part) *cough* and look out for moar!
-Shadows