Current Day
Yesterday
'Thoughts to herself'
Sakura awoke to the cry of a baby. Well, it was actually the screams of a one year old child which, frankly, can be extremely close to the cry of a baby. Sakura grabbed her pillow and held it over her face with a groan. She felt like she'd only fallen asleep a few seconds ago. Her internal clock told her it had been at least two hours, probably close to three since she'd she finally slipped back into her sleeping bag once she'd finally convinced her teammates to actually wear their cloaks while out in the rain, but it sure didn't feel like it. And wearing a cloak was something she would have hoped their parents would have taught them well before they'd even become academy students.
Would no one tend to that crying child? Damn, that kid had a set of lungs. She wrapped the pillow further to cover her ears. Why the hell wasn't the boy's father doing anything? She felt a tiny hand pull on the bottom of her sleeping bag.
Damn it. Sakura sat up tossing the pillow to the ground where her head should be resting. The faintest light was shining into the tent, signaling the break of morning but the three men she was sharing the tent with all appeared completely undisturbed by the child crying at her feet. Sasuke must still be on guard but if he'd heard Yasu crying, why hadn't he come to see what was wrong?
'Because the kid is crying, meaning it wants something, probably food or a diaper change and if Sasuke acknowledges it, that means he has to do something about it.'
She hated it when that inner voice was right. And two of the men in the tent were ninjas who should have woken with just the slightest movements of another person in the tent, much less the loud cries of a child wailing at the top of his lungs.
'They're men. Just like Sasuke, they think as long as they don't acknowledge it, the problem will disappear or someone else, such as you, will take care of it.'
Naruto let out a choked snort and flopped over onto his side. Sakura was willing to bet it was an act. Naruto was usually up with the sun, especially if he'd gotten a good night's rest. She rolled her eyes and wriggled out of her sleeping bag. As she stood, Yasu stretched his arms up to her, asking with a whimper to be picked up. Sakura scooped the child up in her arms, grabbed the diaper bag in the corner and left the tent.
As soon as she was out of the shelter, Sasuke was there, watching her from a few feet away.
"What's the matter?"
"He's crying."
"I could tell that. What does he want?" Sasuke was obviously keeping his distance in case Sakura asked him to help.
"There's two possibilities. He's either hungry or he needs changed and since its first thing in the morning, it's probably both. Here," she tried handing Yasu off to Sasuke, who promptly backed away, unwilling to take the child from her hands. "Oh, fine." she grumbled, pulling the now whimpering child back against her chest. "You start a fire while I change him."
Letting the diaper bag fall from her shoulder to the ground, she knelt down and set Yasu's well padded butt on the nearest large dry rock. His wails had turned into a general fussiness that Sakura knew would disappear with a clean diaper and a little food. Looking through the bag, she found a new diaper and some baby powder. The woman who had cared for Yasu had packed everything the little boy would need for their trip, including notes on his peculiarities. She'd also thoughtfully packed half a ton of baby wipes which Sakura would be eternally grateful for. Traveling with a child was hard enough without worrying about how to keep him clean.
When they had arrived at the designated location the morning before, Jiro, who was actually the son of their client, was packed and ready to go, along with his son Yasu. Their mission was to escort Jiro, the son and heir to his father's estate to his father's home deeper into Lightning country. If only Tsunade had listed Yasu's real age in the mission scroll.
"Is this it?" Naruto asked, landing in front of the gates of a large house. A single imposing guard came to stand at the edge of the gates, half his body hidden by a stone post. With his large form, Sakura highly doubted he was a shinobi but his bulk was probably more than enough to scare off local hoodlums.
"I believe so. It matches the description." The others landed beside him while Sakura approached the guard. "We're looking for the house of Takahashi."
"And who are you?" the guard asked hostilely, one hand resting on the hilt of a katana while the other hand was held poised at the ready next to a rather new looking kunai pouch.
"We are Konoha ninja sent to see the master of this home." Kakashi replied, supplying the letter of introduction from the daimyo.
"Yes, we've been expecting you." The large man said, glancing only momentarily at the scroll before making to open the heavy wood and iron door. Sakura smiled softly to herself, knowing that one push with her chakra-enforced strength and the door would open easily but the man's pride would be greatly wounded. Best not to offend the guard who's territory they were currently entering, he might have unpleasant friends and if there was one thing she'd learned in her male dominated career area, best to let them think they were the stronger sex. Surprised them all the more when she threw them through a wall.
The guard gestured to the largest building of the compound, closing the gate behind them. Naruto, ready to get the show on the road, as it were, bounded through the door with the enthusiasm of a child.
"I suppose it's nice to know some things never change." Sakura mumbled.
"Unfortunately." Sasuke grumbled.
"I know. Can't you just see him at age 80, running around dragging a walker behind him because I've threatened to kill him if he doesn't use it?" Sakura giggled. She could tell Kakashi smiled softly under his mask and Sasuke almost cracked a grin at the image.
"Wow, what a spread!" Naruto said, his hands interlaced behind his head, his elbows sticking out to the side. He spun around, admiring the formal gardens and impressive house that surpassed even those of the Hyuga clan. "What I wouldn't give to live here."
"Maybe you could afford it dobe, if you would stop eating so much ramen. You alone have made old man Ichiraku a rich man."
"Hey, no name calling in front of the client. Can't we set a good impression for once? Sakura pleaded. If there was one thing she hated, it was setting the mission off on the wrong foot.
"Hey, I always make a good impression." Naruto bragged.
Sasuke and Sakura rolled their eyes.
"Just watch the name calling and try to remember you're all adults now, okay?" Kakashi said with an eye crease and Sakura noticed he even had put his precious Icha Icha book away.
When the entire group had reached the main door, Naruto rang the bell. A polite young woman opened the door and led them through an exquisitely decorated hallway to a small reception room where a seated young man was waiting for them.
Kneeling and bowing low, his head near the floor, Kakashi gave a greeting and quick introductions, leaving no time for the usual polite small talk. "Takahashi-sama, it is best if we leave as soon as possible. It is already after noontime but we can get a number of miles before we need to make camp for the night. If you and your father are ready, of course."
The young man before them smiled indulgently. "Hatake-san, I believe you are mistaken. It is my father that is the Daimyo and it's my son and I that you are escorting to my father's residence."
Kakashi's face betrayed no surprise, nor did Sasuke's, but Sakura's did. Actually, it was more like her displeasure. She had the vague feeling that Naruto didn't grasp the importance of that statement as he grinned away with his normal oblivious smile.
A cold resigned feeling settled in her stomach. Tsunade-shishou had done it again. She had tricked them into accepting this mission, misleading them or at least not giving them all the available information, letting them think the two people they would be escorting would be adults. Of course, the fact they had assumed the father and son would be adults was their fault.
Or did the others know they would be escorting a child and she was the only one who had assumed wrongly?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the return of the same young woman who had led them to this room, except she was carrying a small child this time. The little boy looked, to Sakura's eyes, to be about a year old. He had a shock of black hair and a happy grin and bore quite a resemblance to the man seated before them.
"Everyone, may I introduce my son Yasu." When Naruto saw the child, one could practically see the pieces fall into place in his mind. In a display of his maturity, he no longer pointed in outrage and yelled as he reached the conclusion they'd be taking the child with them on this mission but his jaw did drop down to his chest momentarily.
Sakura could only close her eyes and subtly shake her head.
The housekeeper or nanny – what was her name… Emiko, that was it – Emiko had made sure everything Yasu could possibly need was packed and ready for him, everything and more. Sakura had vetoed the stroller, the playpen and the crib saying they could be sent for later but Kakashi had sealed the rest into a scroll using a common ninjutsu. Unfortunately, most of the weight of the original items remained, making it a heavy scroll which was delegated to Naruto and his near infinite supply of energy to carry along with the other supplies.
Emiko had been heartbroken at Jiro and Yasu's departure, tears streamed down her face and her nose ran constantly as she kissed Yasu goodbye. She had tied Yasu to Sakura's chest with a long piece of cloth Emiko said she'd used herself when he fussed and there was work still to be done around the house. She had told Sakura earlier that she wished she'd been able to come with them. Master Jiro had requested she accompany them to care for Yasu but with her mother, her last living relative, ailing she'd been forced to refuse. She had very much wanted to go – more than everything, but her mother needed her more and there was no way her mother could make the trip in her health.
Sakura, always the healer, asked to see Emiko's mother and while unable to do much for the woman's failing heart, she was able to give her some instructions and ingredients for some medicinal teas that might help relieve her suffering. When they returned to the compound, Emiko, with tears streaming down her face, had pressed Yasu's favorite stuffed animal into his arms and hurried away, not wanting to watch them leave.
Sakura's heart went out to the woman. Apparently she had been the one caring for Yasu since his mother died shortly after his birth just over a year ago. It was regrettable she couldn't accompany them on their journey, but Sakura understood her familial obligation. If Sakura read the symptoms right, and she was confident she did, the woman only had a few more months to live, so perhaps Emiko could join the Takahashi family at the Daimyo's compound then.
As unsympathetic and selfish as it was, Sakura really wished Emiko was coming with her because the thought of this several days trip with her boys and a year old child really wasn't on the list of things she wanted to do before she died. Or have it as the cause of her death. If Tsunade, who hadn't seen fit to tell them the child was only a year old, had seen fit to assign the four of them to this mission, there must be a serious threat to this family or she had an ulterior motive. Knowing Tsunade as she did, it was the ulterior motive, and the way things were going, it probably involved a bet and a large amount of money.
Sasuke watched her change the boy's diaper from a good three feet away, obviously interested but apparently afraid if he came any closer he would somehow be roped into helping with the dirty work.
"Haven't you ever changed a diaper before?" Sakura asked, removing the plastic diaper cover. The Takahashi's choice of cloth diapers was made much easier with the use of a sealing scroll. All she needed to do was take off the old offending one, add it to the special scroll just for dirty diapers and feel sorry for whoever had to deal with the results when the contents was unsealed. Or maybe they'd just burn the scroll so no one would have to deal with them. Whatever, as long as she wasn't the one washing them out.
"And where would I have done that? Orochimaru wasn't fond of children that young."
"Perhaps little Asuma or Anko and Ibiki's little ones…" Sakura's thoughts trailed off as she realized he hadn't been in the village when a number of children she knew were born, and even if children were born after his return, a number of parents wouldn't have allowed the formerly missing nin anywhere near their offspring. "Well, you just watched me do it, so next time it's your turn.
When Yasu realized Emiko wasn't coming with their group as they headed out into the rain, he let out a wail that made Sakura's ears hurt. It obviously made the other team member's ears ache as well as could be seen by their pained expressions. Even the father looked pained and Kakashi's usually indifferent expression took on a slightly strained appearance.
Sakura gently stroked the boy's back and walked closer to Jiro so Yasu could see his father was with him. Oddly enough it seemed to offer no comfort to the boy as he struggled to escape the binds of the cloth that held him to Sakura.
"Perhaps he would be happier if you carried him?" she suggested to Jiro.
"No, I doubt it. He's used to being with Emiko almost constantly and I doubt my presence will do anything to reassure him."
Sakura sighed and made soothing noises, stroking the child's back until he eventually quieted down. Offering her a small square of cloth, Kakashi sauntered up beside her. Nodding appreciatively, Sakura carefully wiped the tears from the boy's eyes and the snot trailing down from his nose. She offered the cloth back to Kakashi who merely raised his single visible eyebrow as if to ask if she seriously thought he wanted the cloth back. Realizing her stupidity she tucked it into the wraps of fabric keeping Yasu tight against her chest.
"Sakura, what's the likelihood of keeping him quiet during this trip?"
"How would I know Kakashi?" she grumbled irritably, "Keeping children quiet isn't an instinctual thing all women know."
"I didn't mean to imply it was. I thought as a medic, you would know. Out of all of us, professionally, I had figured you had more experience having possibly worked with children in the hospital."
"Oh." Sakura glanced at him ruefully. "Sorry to snap at you. A screaming child that you don't know how to keep quiet doesn't do much for the nerves."
"Understandable. You're not the only one."
"Wait a minute, you mean something was able to get through that tough outer shell of indifference projected by the copy nin?"
"Yes, well, it almost drove me far enough to bring out my latest Icha Icha to help me forget about the horrible sounds he could make."
Sakura smiled, turning to see his own happy eye-crease. "I'm rather surprised you hadn't whipped that out the minute we left the compound."
"I thought you wanted to start out on the right foot?"
"I did, but no Icha Icha? I'm impressed."
Kakashi changed the subject. "So your thoughts for keeping him quiet for the duration of this trip?"
"It wouldn't hurt to see if there was a pacifier packed in the diaper bag. That might work for general travel. It really would have been so much easier if Emiko had been able to come with. I'm sure she would be able to keep him quiet."
"I always have the Sharingan…"
"Yeah, and I know you're about as willing to use that as I am to use the sedatives I have."
"Ri-" Kakashi's words were cut off by the yells from the two men at the front of the group.
"Dobe!"
"Teme!"
Sakura let out an exasperated sigh as a few blows were exchanged between the blond-haired and the black-haired man, nothing hard enough to draw blood. Turning to look at Kakashi to ask him to stop the pair, she found the man had one of his little orange books out and was reading happily. Well, he had waited until after the other two had started arguing, she rationalized.
"I suppose I should be glad you all lasted at least half an hour longer than the last mission…" Sakura mumbled.
"Thirty four minutes, to be exact." Kakashi replied over the top of his book.
"Yeah, that's a whole new time record for the respectability list." She rolled her eyes and increased her pace to catch up to their client and apologize for her teammates.
Sakura got a new set of clothes on Yasu and sat him up on the rock next to her. He seemed a bit happier, albeit still a little fussy and ready for breakfast. Turning slightly, she packed away the unused wipes and last night's bed clothes.
Wait a minute. The diaper scroll was there, but where was the dirty diaper? She would have sworn she had set it next to the bag…
"I already sealed it in the scroll, Sakura-chan." A soft voice said in her ear. She jumped and sent an elbow backward, hoping to catch the man behind her in the stomach.
"Damn it, Kakashi." She growled. "Stop sneaking up on me!" she spun around, hands on her hips, to find her former teacher several meters away, propped against a tree, Icha Icha in hand.
"If you were more aware of your surroundings…" He replied without even bothering to look at her over the top of his book.
"What would I have you here for, besides reading porn, that is." She grumbled, turning to grab Yasu and the diaper bag. "Oh, I know. Seeing as Sasuke has disappeared again," She plopped the little boy down on Kakashi's lap between him and his book. "You get to watch Yasu while I make him breakfast."
The look on her leader's face, a sort of surprised horror that made her giggle softly. Maybe this mission wouldn't be as bad as she thought. At least it didn't constantly rain in Lightning country, if she was quick enough she could trick her boys into helping care for Yasu and in the process, she'd get to see expressions like the one on Kakashi's face right now. 'Cause ones like that were priceless.
TBC…
Okay everyone, I'm going to need some help here. I don't have kids of my own and most friends' kids are school age by now. There aren't any kids in our family and it's been a long time since I've babysat so most of my information is from the internet, books and my memory so if anything sounds wrong, please PM me or leave a review so I can correct it. I'd also like to note that I'm writing this as I go so future chapters may require some editing of previous chapters, but I'll try to note those as I go.
And thanks to everyone for the reviews and encouragement! I can't tell you how much it helped spur me on knowing people were reading the first chapter and interested in reading more. Thanks to everyone! This was one of the more boring chapters just to fill in background information and I promise there will be more KakaSaku in upcoming chapters.
Reviews, thoughts, suggestions?
