A/N: You guys have no idea how much I truly appreciate you guys and how I love seeing your reviews. Things have been psychotic lately and you are definitely what the doctor ordered. So here's another chapter dedicated to DarkDust27, Sabie0521, 4everfictional, SilverNeira, Sophiebybophie, and Counting Sinful Stars. Thank you for your reviews.

In other news, I'm thinking of quitting my second job. I get more of a response here, from complete strangers around the world who are all incredibly supportive (I love you guys), than I do from the people I grew up with.

And now enough of my ranting and on to the story. I look forward to the reviews for this one.

As Koka recovered, the next few days were almost uneventful. Almost because Koka decided to have Itachi bring over Sasuke to meet Naruto. The Uchiha heir wished he had been able to deny her just once, if only to keep the peace and quiet.

Once the two young boys had met, it was like a whirlwind. Itachi could not tell if the two boys were friends or not. They were constantly arguing and tumbling around, but they rarely left each other's side. Itachi brought it up to Koka.

"They are friends. Few will be closer than they will be." That was all the still healing girl had said. Itachi did not verbally protest his friend's lack of explanation, but he did sigh. The two four year old boys were chaos and it seemed only Mikoto and the female occupants of the shrine knew how to control it.

Shisui and Itachi had been training before returning to the shrine. Koka had finally gotten tired of Itachi's hovering kicked him out using Shisui's strength. The two boys had been ordered to not return until they had finished training for the day. Even Kakashi had gone out.

Upon their return to the shrine, the two boys headed toward Koka's study. They could sense Kaede's presence there, which meant Koka would be there too, even if they could not feel her. Shisui made a note to teach Kaede how to hide her chakra. He had notice it had grown.

The two boys suspected she had begun to use it with Koka, but they were unsure if it was a by-product of training with Heiwa or something else entirely. Neither girls said anything about it to the boys, so for the moment they were content to allow the girls their privacy.

The sight they found in the study made the two shinobi pause. Naruto and Sasuke, who had their backs to the elder boys, were sitting at the kotatsu with Kaede, who was teaching them to read and write. The two younger boys were fidgeting but diligently paying attention to the older girl as she patiently taught them.

Koka was seated at her desk writing something. Itachi silently moved over to the girl and peered over her shoulder. Unlike what she normally wrote in, Koka was filling a blank book with writing. She glanced over at him.

"This one is not for you." She told him quietly.

"What is it?" He questioned just as quietly.

"Stories for children. It's their reward for being good." Itachi nodded. That explained why the two boys were so well behaved at the moment.

"Koka-nee! We finished!"

"Aniki! Look!"

Papers with sloppy handwriting were suddenly thrust into Itachi's and Koka's face. The young shinobi blinked while Koka calmly took the papers are looked over them passively.

"Well done. Wash your hands and I'll tell you a story after lunch." The two boys darted off, their shouts being heard down the hall. Shisui watched them go, shaking his head.

"I envy your skills at controlling them." Itachi shared the same thought but kept his quiet.

"It's not a matter of control, but directing." Kaede said as she stood, heading for the door. Shisui followed her lead.

"Directing?"

"You cannot command a fire but you can channel it." Koka stated quietly as she left the room. The two Uchiha boys followed the girls, not quite understanding the explanation.

Naruto and Sasuke were already in the kitchen with Heiwa, who was filling their bowls with curry. Kaede liberated the ladle from the woman so she could sit with the boys. Koka was already getting out the bowls.

"-and Nee-chan said I was getting better but I still have to practice." Naruto was telling Heiwa about the things Kaede and Koka had been teaching him. It was an enthusiastic recounting with lots of hand gestures.

"I'm way better at it still." Sasuke interjected, causing another argument between him and Naruto.

"Those who fight get no stories." Koka calmly said as she and Kaede took their seats between Itachi and Shisui. The two younger children sat on the other side of the table with Heiwa at the head.

Both boys instantly set about reassuring everyone they were not fighting. It quickly turned into an eating competition between the children. Shisui egged them on and joined in on the competition. Kaede scolded them, though it was clearly halfhearted as she smiled through it.

At some point Kakashi had slipped back in, miraculously eating his food without being seen. The event caught the attention of the three in the food eating contest as they began to challenge him in an attempt to see his face. Heiwa serenely ate her meal like there was nothing unusual going on, a small smile on her lips.

Itachi smiled as he ate his lunch. Even though it was loud and a little boisterous, it was peaceful. He glanced at the small girl beside him. Her eyes were closed, but as if she felt his stare, Koka opened them. Itachi caught the last glimmer of light from her fading vision. She glanced sideways at him, giving him an invitation to ask.

"What was it?" There was a glint in her eye. One that was familiar but he had never seen in her own eyes.

"Chaos." She stated. Her eyes flicked around the group. "Lots of chaos that we will all enjoy." Undoubtedly the other shinobi at the table had heard the conversation but they chose to politely ignore it.

"Nee-chan!" Naruto broke into the conversation without their tact. "You have to tell us the story now!"

Itachi looked to see that they had indeed finished eating. Koka stood and began collecting bowls.

"After we clean up." The kitchen had never been picked up so fast.

Itachi, Shisui and Kakashi joined the two girls as they lead the children back to the study room. The three had been roped into joining the group after Naruto and Sasuke persisted in telling them how Koka had worked so hard on the story.

Extra cushions were brought out and placed around the kotatsu by Naruto and Sasuke so that everyone could sit.

Koka sat down, Naruto and Sasuke on either side of her as she opened the book Itachi saw earlier.

"Once upon a time," Koka began softly, "In a faraway land of a different time, there lived a girl named Emily Stone."