Meeting the Grandparents

When I finally woke up the next morning I could hear shuffling and growling. Instantly I was alert and was about to call on my power when all of a sudden a wave of soreness hit me so hard I wasn't sure if I'd be able to stand on my own.

'Hei' I called out, but there was no response. Pushing back the soreness I started to feed as much energy as I could to him while slowly standing and making my way for the door. I needed blood, oh I could feel I needed it, the thirst was too strong. When I got to the end of the hall I picked up a kunai and stood, listening. By the sounds of it sensei was still here, mom was screaming and two other voices I had never heard were debating, arguing with mother.

"Why didn't you tell us we were grandparents?!" exclaimed a woman causing me to freeze. Mother had told me about them, I had found out how they had driven mom away and anger boiled in my veins though that time I could control it.

"Because you chased me away mom, hell I wouldn't have come back if Lady Tsunade hadn't asked for my help." Mom's voice was strained, tired and pushing past her limits. Damn it, why did they have to stop by now of all times. She and I had both been expecting them, mom knew they were bound to find us but damn this was quick.

"We did no such thing. Sakura you needed to go, you needed to train in the real world. It was the only way you'd get stronger." she said, voice strong and stubborn. Well at least I knew now where mom got that from.

"Please Mrs. Haruno, Sakura needs her rest. Perhaps you can see her another time to discuss this and..."

"You have no business here vampire, what do you know of family ties." the woman hissed. So they truly were those type of people, no wonder mother didn't want me near them.

"Mom!" I heard mom exclaim and in a blink of an eye I was standing in front of my mom and preventing her from being seen by her own parents. The woman with pink hair glared at me before hissing.

"And who the hell are you." she hissed, causing my mother to take in a breath of air.

"The question is who the hell do you think you are. This is her house, Lord Itachi is her company and you have no right to disrespect either of them." I growled out, only causing my thirst to grow. Mom placed a hand on my shoulder then, signaling that she knew how thirsty I mush have been.

"You nothing but a child, get out." the woman hissed reaching for her kunai only to have it sealed and the gravity around her keeping her from moving. Her eyes widened then, everyone's did and before I could do anything else Itachi-sensei pulled me back and mom stepped forward.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't go home as soon as I got home mom but I'm really not feeling good right now. I promise, the instant I'm feeling better me and Izakura will stop by." she said. The woman gave a suspicious look to mom, almost as if mom couldn't be trusted. Then, the man standing next to her nodded and pulled her back.

"Fine, get better soon honey. Lets go." and with that the two were out of the house. As soon as the were gone I took to a knee and took in deep breaths. It hurt, oh god did it hurt to stand.

"You shouldn't have gotten out of bed." mom said, cooing a lecture while she moved to the table and lead Itachi-sensei to the chair where I would be sitting. A sigh escaped my lips, I would have to wait longer.

"Here." Itachi-sensei said while handing me a cup full of blood. I was trying so hard not to take it, to resist it but in the end my hunger won over. In a blink of an eye, as soon as I could no longer hold my hunger back I drank the blood down. He smiled.

"Thank you Itachi-sensei." I said, tone of voice soft and unsure.

"Hn."

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"They were my grandparents weren't they?" the question was sudden, too sudden even for me but the truth was that I didn't like leaving things untended. If I could have I probably would have introduced my self for who I really was in front of them but mom hadn't told them for a reason.

"Yes honey, they were. Itachi-san thank you for yesterday and now but we can manage now." mom said, bowing and showing her gratitude. A hiss escaped my lips then, that one cup of blood may not have been enough to quench my thirst but it was enough to give me the strength needed to stand.

"What did you do yesterday Itachi-sensei? Why was mother that way?" I demanded, applying more gravity to his body than to anything else in the world.

"Nothing, she simply..."

"I just felt sick all of a sudden and when I started to break down Itachi-san caught me. Don't worry Izakura." mom said, her tone of voice sounding as if though she were telling the truth. I looked at her uncertain but let it go.

"Where is Hei?" I asked, still not sure whether I'd be able to trust sensei after everything that had happened.

"He is talking with Sakuno, she wishes to train him to better protect you." Itachi-sensei spoke. Again his tone of voice calm and cool.

"Why? He trains with me." I asked defensively, not liking the fact that Hei had gone so willingly. As far as I could remember, and knew, he hadn't liked anything about Itachi-sensei let alone his blood animal.

"He needs it." Itachi-sensei insisted, his tone of voice

"Fine fine, mom I'm going to go get ready to go visit grams and gramps, later." and with that I took another blood bag out of the fridge and made my way to my room. Mom could handle Itachi-sensei and the questions he had.

By the time I was out of the shower Itachi-sensei was gone, thankfully, and mom was ready. My katana was strapped to my back, ready for a fight and Hei was sitting by my bedroom door.

'Welcome back.' I send out, holding back the hurt and the anger I felt at the fact that he had gone to train with another.

'My pardons for leaving you my lady but I was promised your safety.' he said, causing me to nod and walk forward. Mom looked at me then, relief showing on her face. Normally I'd be in my favorite outfit but considering I'd be visiting my mother's parents I thought it'd be best to look nice.

"Thanks." was all she said with a smile before sighing and heading for the door. Instantly Hei stood and joined my side as I followed mom out. It was cool out that night, and the moon was big. The night of the full moon had always fascinated me, it still fascinated me only now I understood why. Hei loved the way the moons rays hit his fur, it brought out its maroon strikes, the same color as my hair. When we got to my grandparents porch I sighed, I had a feeling they weren't going to allow Hei inside.

"Listen, whatever happens, whatever they say that will never change the fact that your loved. Got it?" mom said, voice sad, heavy, worried and most of all ready.

"Of course mom, I know that." I said, about to hug her when suddenly the door swung open and before them stood her grandmother.

"Are you girls going to stay out here in the cold or come in?" she asked, her tone of voice hard. Hei tensed but the slightest shake of my head stopped him from acting. No way was I going to start anything here, not yet.

"Hai, mom this is Izakura, my daughter and your granddaughter." mom spoke, causing the woman's gaze to turn to me. Her eyes were moms green, a lighter shade but green none he less. She didn't look old, which was probably because mom was only eighteen when she had me, that and the woman was a hunter, that meant it was hard for us woman hunters to age as drastically as mortal women did.

"It's nice to meet you." I said while bowing formally and keeping my head low. No way was I calling her grandma.

"She's formal, I'm glad you managed to teach her manners. Get in." she said. My anger rose then and my hand instinctively went for Hei's fur. As soon as she noticed Hei she stepped out, weapon in hand. Hell no! My katana was out and blocking her from Hei's reach so fast mom hadn't seen it.

"What are you doing granddaughter? He's one of their spies." she growled out but keeping her space, staying put.

"He's kind Haruno-san, a good animal, a better friend and my protector." I growled out causing her to slightly turn and see mom.

"You've taught her no respect, leave her with us and..." but before she could finish her sentence a hiss escaped my lips and I added pressure to my blade, causing her to go quiet.

"My mother has taught me everything I need to know to survive in life, she's my best friend and my mentor therefore you have no right disrespecting her." I hissed out before my other hand went up and kept her husband in play. There was no way these people were my mothers parents, parents were people who cared about their children, who encouraged not discouraged. "Don't move." I warned him. Mom stayed silent the entire time, she wasn't sure what to say and I didn't blame her.

"Mom, may I?" I said, looked at her, I wasn't worried about keeping my eyes on the two. My sense's were stronger, my reflexes were faster and most of all I had Hei and mom at my side to back me up. There was no danger in what I was doing all in all. Mom looked at me with sad eyes, she knew what it was I was asking for and she knew that they'd find out sooner or later. With a sigh she nodded.

"But take it inside Izakura, and for crying out loud let them move." she said, her voice tighter, angry that I had been forced to act out.

"Hai." was all I said before withdrawing my weapons and allowing them to lead the way inside. Hei followed, he stayed at my side and never left me, he guarded me and my mother, he was alert and ready to fight.

"What is the meaning of this?" both of them asked, mom turned to me. I sighed before looking down at Hei.

"Stand down, please Hei. They're no threat." I said with a grin.

"The hell we aren't young lady, now why do you allow that, that thing to follow you around?!" demanded grandmother earning another growl from me.

"For starters Haruno-san I suggest you stop disrespecting him in my presence, and secondly I'm getting to that. I don't know who my father is so I can't go into too much details of the truth but the reason why he follows me around is because he is my blood animal."

"Impossible, only vampires have blood animals, companions formed from their blood."

"I'm a half breed Haruno-san, listen mom I came here intending to play nice but I just can't. They're insulting Hei, and me." I said, voice angry, cold and most off all hurt. Thankfully though since my grandparents didn't know me at all they couldn't tell, but mom could. She nodded her head and as soon as she did I stood up.

"I'm sorry that you don't like me, that your ignorance binds you to such hate but we can't change what or who we are in life. Mom I'll see you at home." and with that Hei and I were out the door, running away form that wretched place. Hei tried to stop me countless times but I didn't want to, I couldn't. If I did I'd break down crying, I'd show weakness out in the open and that was not something I was willing to do. Before I knew it I found my self outside the Uchiha compounds and sighed. What the hell had driven me, made me go there was beyond me.

'My lady, please.' Hei reached out to me but I was lost, I was burying my self in my mind. Then, before I could reply I was in a defensive stance and Hei was growling. Laughter, an evil, menacing laugh could be heard then.

"Come out and face me coward." I hissed, allowing my self to tap into some sort of power. Instantly I felt him, he was behind the bushes and waiting. "I can sense you, come out!" I scram and threw a kunai to where he was hidden. Instantly he was standing in front of me, eyes burning crimson and black. They were like Itachi-sense's. Damn.

"Just because your special to that son of mine doesn't mean I approve of you as his student young one." he growled out. Instantly I bowed. Damn it all, one thing was to piss sensei off, another was to piss off the man who could be the father of my father. Shit, me and my temper.

"My pardons Lord Uchiha-san, I did not know who you were." I said, bowing slightly while Hei watched.

"Feh, you don't seem to be so special to me. Just some little girl playing with weapons." he growled out, releasing his power. Instinctively Hei moved to my side and it no longer bothered me. Instead I glared and reacted, I allowed the gravity around my to grow, to push down and add force to those who wished me harm. He started to growl and with it his blood animal appeared. His tiger looked much like him self, arrogant and dangerous.

"Stand down pup." his tiger growled, causing Hei to snarl and show his fangs. Hei may not have been around long but I trusted him in keeping me safe, in fighting for me to the end just as he trusted me.

"You stand down down." I hissed, withdrawing my katana. As soon as the moonlight hit it I felt my power grow, control become second nature and my eyes burning with power, mimicking his own.

"Never." both growled out but before I could act both he and I, Hei and his own tiger were bowing and submitting to Lord Madara, leader of the Uchiha clan.

"Lord Madara." both of us breathed out. He looked angry, upset and to hell if I was going to make it worse.

"Stand Fugaku-san, and leave her be. She is our responsibility, the young one of this clan and Master Itachi's student. Respect her." he said, voice dangerously low.

"She challenged me my Lord, I was only acting on instinct. She is after all part hunter." he said, trying his best not to show the dislike in his tone of voice, however I had a feeling that if I could tell then so could Lord Madara.

"She was defending her self, she is clearly unstable. Leave us." and with that he was gone. Damn, how the hell Mikoto-san had married a man so, so arrogant was beyond her. Once he was gone I sighed and stood up straight.

"I'm sorry about that Lord Madara." I said, petting Hei's fur and sighing. Touching him always calmed me.

"No need, so why the long face child?" he said, a twinkle to his eye and something I had come to read as a grin. No one had ever seen his face, he always kept it hidden. Why? Who knew but no one ever questioned him.

"Just met my grandparents, both sides mind you. Lord Madara if I may, have you found any news as to who father is?" I said, suddenly hopeful and anxious. Maybe, just maybe if I found him, talked to him he and mom would be able to get back together, would be happy and we could all be a family again.

"No, I'm sorry young one, but we are working on it. Have you had any progress?"

"No, mom won't answer any questions. Lord Madara, what do you know about Itachi-sensei?" I couldn't help but ask, worried as to why it was he had been there and why, how it was he had managed to make mom cry so easily. Lord Madara's eyes went serious then, and he grew silent. That answered my question, and told me how he wasn't going to be able to say anything.

"No worries, now will you excuse me Lord Madara. Its about time I go pick mom up from grandmas."

"Take care." and with that he and I both took our leaves. I picked mom up from grandmas, worried about her and sure enough found her distressed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make things worse for you." I couldn't help but say, earning a nudge from Hei.

"It's not your fault honey, they just won't change with the world."

"Mom, they yelled at you didn't they?" I said, voice soft, restrained. The fact that they had hurt her was one thing but making her feel guilty was wrong.

"That's not important, lets just get home." and with that she lead forward, she moved ahead and past me. I stayed behind mom, giving her the space that she needed while thinking things through on my own. There had to be some way, some form to track down my father and ask him for help. There's no way he could, would be able to leave her, leave us knowing he had a family waiting for him. Could he? Would he? Well that was just something I was going to have to find out.