A/N: Oh, just in case you're wondering, the Inami in this story isn't the Inami in the Naruto world. I didn't even realize there was a girl named Inami until Sis said 'isn't that the one kid's mom's name?' I had to check and yes, it's a lady from the Naruto Bridge episode, but I had forgotten, so yeah. Anyways, in case you were thinking 'geeze, Habit-chan really hates Matsuri', that's not the case. She's just the number one other female character that seems to vie for Gaara's affections. I don't really like her either...reminds me of someone who'd do anything to get what she wants. her personality is based off someone I went to school with. DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

Chapter 5: Don't Mess With Momma

Sei arched a brow at the obvious path of destruction that was left in his mother's wake. He'd never known this side of his mom, even when she'd come home every two months for the first four years of his life. She'd always been sweet, kind, and happy. Until that one day, two years ago, when she'd come home and curled up with him and Rori and cried like Rori did when he was hurt. He'd made a vow to himself then…he'd never let anyone else hurt his mom. Ever. He'd done pretty good, until Sasuke had come along and ruined everything. He'd watched his mom fall for the backstabbing snake and had been unable to do anything about it. He remembered the gunshot he'd heard the night his mom had kicked Sasuke out. He'd gotten what he deserved.

He walked in front of his grandma, Rori's hand in his, and walked to a large officer with blinds that seemed to be in disarray at the moment. He then heard his mother yelling. "And lastly, if I hear any, and I mean ANY cursing while I am here, and I will PERSONALLY dislocate your jaws for you, understood?" he walked until he and his brother were framed in the doorway as his mother appeared to be eight feet tall and pissed. His eyes widened and he smirked…his mom could handle herself. She then snorted and turned, her eyes lighting on them. Her entire demeanor instantly changed.

"Hey, why don't you guys come on in so I can introduce you to everyone." Rori ran to her, immediately clutching at her. She picked him up and kissed his forehead and he put his head on her shoulder, hiding in her hair. Sei made his way over to her a little more slowly. While they'd followed his mother's warpath, he'd pulled his beanie out of his pocket and put it on his head. His hair hung down in his eyes, hiding them as he observed everyone in the room while they only saw hair. He walked over to his mom and rested his head on her lightly, not wanting to seem to clingy, but definitely not comfortable with this.

"Everyone, these are my sons Sei and Rori." she touched each of them reassuringly as she introduced them. Sei noticed the man with silver hair regarding him and he clenched his teeth. That was the guy that always took his mom away from him when he was growing up. Sei swept his hair aside and openly glared at the man, who seemed shocked.

"Sakura, that boy has to be at least thirteen or fourteen years old! I thought you didn't have any kids until-" Sakura halted him with a sigh.

"The eleven months I requested off were because I was pregnant with Sei. He's also why I left D.C. every two months when I was home. I didn't want him to grow up thinking I didn't love him." The man shook his head and glared at Sakura.

"Sakura, you know the rules here. You are taken out of the field when something like this happens. Why didn't you tell me!?" he demanded, but it was Sei that jumped to her defense.

"Because my mom wants to protect us and grandma and everyone else! She has given everyone here everything she is and people like you just come around and make her cry! All you people ever do is make her cry! You with your random gifts and never visiting her! All of you! You're just as bad as those girls that told momma that dad was dead! LEAVE MY MOMMA ALONE!" he screamed and threw his beanie at the man. Everyone there was shocked, including Sakura and Tsunade. Rori started crying again and there were unshed tears in Sei's eyes. He was so mad he was nearly crying. Sakura handed Rori to her mother, who sat down and rocked him. Sakura knelt down and looked at Sei, who couldn't look her in the eyes.

"Baby…how do you know about the girls who told me Gaara was dead?" Tears streamed down the boy's face as he looked at him mom.

"We were walking to the vending machines when I heard someone talking about how Matsuri and Inami had driven away the infamous LT. Dread, Sakura Haruno." he clenched his fists and shut his eyes tightly. "I hate it when you cry momma…I can't stand it because I know I can't protect you from it!" he whispered until she pulled him to her. She smiled gently at him and stroked his hair.

"Baby, baby, it's not your responsibility to take care of me. I'm the one that should be taking care of you." she pulled his face so that she could look at it and she smiled at him, kissing his forehead. She whispered to him a little more and then wiped his tears away. Everyone watched the once highly feared Lt. Commander comfort her fourteen year old son. She didn't seem nearly as cruel now. The rough voice of the silver haired man caught their attention as he pressed a button and talked into it.

"Temari, find Inami and Matsuri and send them to me please." Kakashi looked at the young boy that looked so much like Gaara and sighed.

"You're right, Sei. We haven't been treating your mom like we should have. She is, after all, one of us." he smiled and stood, straightening things up. "Why don't we go to my office and discuss this further. I'm sure there are some things that need to be discussed before our…company…arrives." he looked back at the others present and arched a brow. "I want this room spotless by the time I come back. Hinata, you're in charge." the black haired girl nodded and went about helping to clean up.

Sakura, Sei, Rori and Tsunade made their way to Kakashi's office. Once there, he sighed and sat down on the couch. He smiled and put his hand against the side of his head. "Long time no see, huh ma?" Tsunade scowled at him and threw a granola bar at his head.

"You know down to the second how long it's been since you visited me you brat! After I left your father, you broke off all contact with me!" Sakura sighed and tried to diffuse the situation.

"Mom, Kakashi…please…don't fight in front of my children…" she took Rori and went to sit on the biggest couch so both her sons could sit with her. Rori snuggled up under her left side while Sei curled up under her right shoulder and leaned against her. He watched his grandma and the silver haired man interact. Apparently, this man was his mother's step brother…and his uncle.

"Nice of you to visit us more than your own mother, Uncle Kakashi." He said sarcastically, but hushed when his mother told him to stop picking fights. The man regarded him and then sighed, putting his hands between his knees and rubbing them together.

"Mom, you know dad didn't want me having anything to do with you. He even sent me to military school in another country to keep me away from you. By the time I got out, you were remarried, had Sakura, and was happy. I didn't want to mess with that." he sighed and shook his head, looking at Sakura and grinning.

"Though I have to say, when Sakura showed up at basic I was shocked. You'd said you'd never let one of your kids go into the military if you could help it." there was a snort and Sakura smirked.

"She couldn't. I signed up as soon as I was 18. By then, I was old enough to do it without her consent. You know as well as I do that I wanted to protect people with the gifts God had given me." Kakashi snorted, but nodded all the same.

"Yeah…your cool head in the heat of battle has saved our platoon many times. I wish more of my agents were like you. If they were, perhaps we wouldn't be here." that stung, despite it being a compliment. However, she said nothing and let him continue. "Regardless, the reason I had you come here so quickly is because we've narrowed Gaara's location down to one place." he gave her a look that said this wasn't going to be good. She steeled herself for it. "It's a small but heavily guarded sanitarium outside the small village of Balandalesh." Sakura gasped and put her hand to her mouth. He nodded and pulled a file off his desk. He handed it to her and she looked through it before giving it back to him. She shook her head.

"Some of that data is wrong. Balanadalesh isn't that close to the mountains, so there would be no use to dropping us there. Also, there's a lot of insurgent activity in the mountains. If we landed in the middle of a camp, we'd be needing a rescue, along with Gaara." she pointed out the many mistakes as to why the plan they had was crap, why it wouldn't work, and some rather stupid loopholes that hadn't been thoroughly researched. Kakashi was sweat dropping by the time she was finished.

"Okay, so maybe if the intelligence gathered was actually intelligent, we wouldn't be in this situation…" he said and sighed, looking at her. "This is why we need you Sakura…so things like this don't happen to other people. Gaara's strong enough to handle it. Some of the others wouldn't have survived if you hadn't brought them back." Sakura sighed and looked at her kids. She then looked at Kakashi, her eyes sharp.

"Tell you what. You let me talk it over with my boys and maybe, MAYBE, I'll come back and work as your tactician." he looked hopeful and nodded. It was Sei that added in his own say.

"No field work. If my momma gets shot, I'm going to hold you responsible." he glared at the man, who held up his hands in agreement. Rori lifted his head, tears in his eyes.

"Does this mean mommy's not going to be there to tuck us into bed?" Sakura smiled and kissed his forehead.

"No baby. This just means that while you and Sei are at school, mommy is helping people be safe." Rori nodded and put his head back on her shoulder, not so sure that this was a good thing. It was Tsunade that put her finger in Kakashi's face and ticked things off.

"Number 1, she gets weekends off to spend with the boys. If you need her, call, but only if it's an emergency. Number 2, she gets to see her boys onto the bus and is home by five, at the latest. Number 3, she will not be sent anywhere she can't get back to her boys quickly. Number 4, she can bring the boys with her if she needs to. Those are the only way you will get to have her work for you. And those are non-negotiable. We'll discuss the negotiable things after the briefing." Tsunade watched her son's wide eyes until he sighed and nodded.

"I'll make sure those things happen." he said and stood. He looked at Sei, who just stared back at him. He smirked and walked over to his desk. "Your mom told me you'd be having a birthday soon. She also told me she was moving, so I stopped this from leaving the D.C. area. I'd like to give it to you in person, if you'll accept it." Sei gave him a look and then reached out hesitantly and took the gift with a quiet thank you. It was heavier than he thought it would be. He opened it and stared with wide eyes at the small, custom built laptop that was inside a hard case. He looked up at Kakashi, who smiled.

"Your mom told me you like music and that you're pretty good with electronics. Perhaps when you grow up, I'll hire you to keep people safe as well." he cringed and held up his hands as Sakura advanced on him. "From a safe distance of course." Sei laughed and nodded to Kakashi and hugged his mom.

"It's alright mom. Uncle Kashi's got a long wait ahead of him." Sakura laughed at her son and smiled at everyone else. Kakakshi seemed genuinely happy for once and Rori, well, Rori fell asleep…again.