Graduation Night

Keiko stood in front of Naruto straightening his tie. She looked up at his handsome face that beamed with pride. Her baby was graduating. Her man and her lover just a baby, her baby…damn. She bit her lower lip and forced back the tears that threatened to fall. Some were from motherly pride, some were from overwhelming guilt. What has she done? And her husband would be there with his lover. Something else she did not want to have to face. She needed to ask him for a divorce again apparently since no papers had arrived yet. Asshole. He left, but he won't let go. How typical. He never let go of his lover either. If he thinks he will ever be a part of this family again he has another thing coming. Oh, the night from hell dared to ensue.

"Mom, Mom, MOM!" Naruto yelled to get her attention. His face was red, and he was pulling at her hands that were using the tie to strangle him.

"Oh, damn!" she exclaimed, loosening it up quickly so he could breathe again. "Sweetie, I'm sorry."

"Thinking about Dad, huh," he stated rather than asked, rubbing his throat.

"How did you know?" she asked, straightening his tie and removing her hands immediately this time.

"Just a hunch," he coughed, pulling her into his arms. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, my baby," she sniffed, allowing the tears to fall.

"Oh, Mama," he murmured, kissing her cheek.

"Are you ready to go?" she inquired, looking up at him.

"Almost," he whispered, turning her so he could look at her in the mirror. His eyes skimmed over her from head to toe, giving her an appreciative glance as her lover. His hands traced her curves that the short black dress clung to quite nicely. He kissed her shoulders moving the thin straps of her dress down her arms to kiss every inch of her golden skin there.

"Naruto, you've got to stop," she warned him as his hands slid around to cover her breasts.

"Why don't we just skip the ceremony?" he asked, turning her toward him.

"Blondie, come on. We can't. Besides, we have your party afterwards." She avoided his searching lips by turning her cheek to him.

"We'll be done by then. Come on." He pushed her face back with his finger on her chin so he could kiss her lips.

"No. You can't skip out on your own graduation. Let's go."

Iruka saw his son standing in the middle of a large group of his classmates with a girl standing next to him with her arm through his. A smile curled his lips as he got close enough to get a good look at the girl – well, her backside anyway. His eyes moved from her black high heeled shoes that tied around her ankles, up her tanned legs, finally reaching the short black dress that hugged her in all the right places. His boy had done very well for himself. His eyes continued upward to the brown curls that were piled on top of her head just like Keiko used to style her hair for formal occasions. Oh, no! It can't be! The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning, stopping him in his tracks. That was his wife? What the hell had he been thinking?

"What is it?" Kakashi asked, grabbing Iruka's hand. He was surprised when his lover jerked out of his grip and continued ahead. What was his problem?

"Naruto!" Iruka called when he was only a few feet away. His eyes widened with shock when his son turned to glower at him while pushing his mother behind him. Dammit! Now he could not see what she looked like from the front. What the hell was the kid hiding her for?

"Father," his boy stated coldly, staring at him such an icy glare he shivered from it.

"Keiko?" Iruka inquired, wondering what the hell was going on when she only peeked around their son at him. God, she was lovely. A lump formed in his throat when her sad brown eyes fell on him, and she nodded stiffly at him without any kind of a smile on her face. In an instant, he knew he should not have come here tonight. He should have never left them a year ago either.

Keiko stared at the two men from behind Naruto. It was childish and she knew it, but it was hard to face them. She had not seen her husband at all in the year he had been gone. He looked the same except he seemed exhausted and jaded with a world weary look to him. Maybe the lifestyle he had chosen did not suit him so well after all. She looked at the white haired man standing next to him who was looking at her with an expression that mirrored her own sadness. What the hell was wrong with these two? They had finally gotten what they had wanted so why did they look so miserable?

"I would say it's good seeing you, but I can't," Keiko stated brusquely, scowling at the two men. She turned her attention to her son, kissing him on the cheek. "Congratulations, Sweetie. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Mom," he rejoined, kissing her on the forehead before he turned to glare at his father. "Well? Do you have something to say?"

"Congratulations, Son," Iruka said, feeling a little awkward which was a gross understatement. He stepped forward to shake his son's hand.

Keiko turned away with her nose in the air to leave the father and son to talk. Her eyes searched the bleachers for a place to sit down among the many family members and friends of the graduates that had already gathered. The graduates would be sitting in the folding chairs lined up in the middle of the gym. She was glad she had worn her hair up because it was so hot in here. In hopes of finding a cool breeze, she walked outside. The high humidity made it possible to feel the still air wrap around her like a hot, damp blanket. She took several deep breaths but did not find any relief from the tightness in her chest.

"Keiko, are you all right?" a familiar soft male voice inquired.

"No, Kakashi, I'm not," she snapped, turning to look at him. She shrieked when she almost came nose to nose with the man. Her arm was quickly seized by him to keep her from falling when she stumbled backwards from his disconcerting proximity.

"I didn't mean to startle you. I'm sorry," he apologized, letting her arm go when she wiggled to get away.

"When will you stop torturing me? What did I ever do to you? I never deserved any of this. Naruto never deserved any of this. You both are selfish bastards and you deserve each other. Just leave us alone," she requested, her voice quavering as tears threatened to fall. She attempted to rush past him but he grabbed her arm again and did not let go despite the furious eyes that fixed themselves on his face.

"I'm sorry I hurt you," he whispered, stroking her cheek as if he were attempting to calm a frightened animal. His eyes locked onto hers while he kept a tight grip on her arm.

"That doesn't take it away. Your apology is NOT accepted. Now leave me alone," she snarled, snatching her arm out of his hand. She paused a few steps away, turning back to him. "Tell your boyfriend he owes me divorce papers. Even if he tried, he can't come back. I'm done."

"Keiko, are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost, dear," Yoshino said, patting her knee after the obviously upset woman took a seat beside her. Shikamaru's mother was no idiot and knew something was wrong. "You did, didn't you? Did one of them say something to you?" She also knew that Naruto's father and that man would be here tonight.

"Kakashi caught me outside just now and apologized. It was more painful than helpful," Keiko murmured, rubbing her arm where he had been holding it. He still had a very strong grip.

"Apologized! What the hell is an apology supposed to do?" she bellowed, her voice carrying through the gym and silencing the crowd. "Shikaku! Go whip their asses!"

"Yoshino!" her friend hissed, completely mortified at this point. She looked over at Shikaku who only stared at the ceiling – he was accustomed to these kinds of outbursts from his wife. The surrounding parents sitting around them were as well because they immediately went back to their conversations which in turn made everyone else do the same thing.

"Just hang in there, dear. This will be over with soon. Then we can go party. Did you buy any adult beverages?" the other woman asked.

"No, I did not! Shame on you!" Keiko could not help but smile at the mischievous gleam in her friend's eyes. The woman did not relax much but when she did it was great. They giggled like teenagers as they sat and talked. By the time the ceremony began, Keiko was in a good mood again and looking forward to the party.

"Sweetie, I'm so proud of you," Keiko said as they walked into the house after the graduation ceremony. They had hurried home to prepare for the arrival of their guests.

"Show me then," Naruto said, pulling her into his arms. He kissed her briefly then brought his lips back to hers quickly for another longer kiss.

Keiko sighed as he pulled her knee up to his waist, moving against her suggestively. She moaned as his tongue slid between her lips stroking hers gently. Her fingers dug into his shoulders while he pulled her tightly against him, rubbing against her as he kissed her.

"What the hell is this?" Iruka asked.

Keiko cried out in surprise, jumping away from Naruto. She was grateful when he moved between her and her livid husband.

"What are you doing here? You were told not to come here!" the irate blond yelled. His mother moved from behind him, cringing when Iruka's fierce eyes lit on her.

"What the hell are you doing? Are you fucking my son? You sick bitch!" he bellowed, lunging toward her.

Naruto grabbed his father by the throat and was standing eye to eye with him. He leaned forward slightly so he could whisper in his father's ear. "I came to her. I took her. I've wanted her for years. I can make her scream like you never could," he taunted the man, tightening his grip around his father's throat.

"Naruto, no! Let him go!" Keiko yelled, pulling at his fingers as his father began turning purple and making disturbing choking noises as he struggled for air.

"Why?" he snarled, tightening his grip until the bastard's eyes bugged out and he foamed at the mouth.

"Please! Please, just let him go! I can't lose you too," she begged, grabbing his arm. If he killed his father, he would be sent to jail ruining his future in general and any chance at one they might have together.

Naruto dropped his hands immediately, watching his father fall to the floor. He stared down at him in disgust as the man writhed and gasped for air. "Get out! This is my house!" he yelled, holding Keiko against his side. "This is the woman I love."

"You're both sick," Iruka choked, slowly dragging himself to his feet. He swayed unsteadily, cowering as Naruto jumped toward him with a raised fist. "I'm leaving! I'm leaving! Don't worry. You'll get those divorce papers," he told Keiko, giving her a piercing stare of pure hatred.

Keiko sank to the floor with tears sliding down her cheeks. She had never done anything wrong yet he hated her. She watched as Naruto followed his father to the door.

"Hey, Dad," the angry blond called after his father had stepped outside.

"What, you sick little bastard?" he snarled with his lip curled in disdain.

"Fuck you!" his son yelled, pulling back his fist and releasing it with all of his pent up anger and frustration.

Keiko covered her ears and closed her eyes, but it was too late. She had heard the sound of bone crunching as Naruto broke his father's nose and possibly his cheekbones while blood spurted into the air in all directions like a gruesome fountain. She took several deep breaths to calm herself. Her eyes slowly opened and looked up to see Naruto standing in front of her. She took her son's offered hand so he could help her stand up.

"It will be all right," he assured her, stroking her back while he held her against him. "I'll always be here to protect you."

"Let's get ready for your party. We can't let him ruin your important night," she said, kissing him briefly on the lips.

"I love you," he whispered, holding on to her.

"I love you too, Sweetie."