To Love and to Love Again Chapter 13: The Past and the Present
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER AND AUTHORS NOTE: I do NOT own Naruto. The awesomeness of the Naruto Manga and World is the creation of Masashi Kishimoto. This is Purely Fanfiction. All things Medical in this entire fanfiction should not be taken as serious medical advice or facts. PLEASE CONSULT AN ACTUAL DOCTOR FOR ANY MEDICAL INFORMATION/QUESTIONS. THANK YOU AND ENJOY!
Sora had gone to Ino's house after karate practice so that gave Sakura plenty of time to get ready. After the whole elevator incident, Sakura had called Sasuke later in the day to actually specify what they were going to do since they never got around to it. As usual, Sasuke was vague and told her to just wear something casual. So she decided to wear some black pants, a beige full sleeves top and a matching jacket. October brought the cold weather down upon them without wasting any time.
She had just finished getting dressed when she heard the doorbell ring. Looking at herself in the mirror one more time, she got her purse and headed down stairs. She opened the door and found Sasuke standing there, looking more casual than she's ever seen him.
"Hi," she said gently as she closed the door.
"Hn," he replied as he began to walk towards his car. Sakura watched him as he walked away and rolled her eyes.
"Five seconds into this so called date and he already managed to make me want to strangle him. That's got to be a world record,"she thought as she sighed and followed him.
They got into his car and buckled up. Sasuke started the engine and began to drive into town. Sakura sat in the passenger's seat and looked around the car. It was completely black, leathery and corporate. The only indication of some kind of other life was the car seat in the back.
Sakura glanced at Sasuke, who was concentrating on the road. She had to admit that he looked nice wearing casual clothes. He looked more approachable.
"So," she breathed, breaking the silence "Where are we going?"
He looked at her from the side of his eyes for a second before looking back at the road.
"Are you hungry?"
"Yeah."
"We'll eat first. Anything you want in particular?" he asked. Sakura thought about it for a while. She really didn't have a preference and she hadn't had a lot of time to go exploring with the restaurants.
"Well how about the Hidden Leaf?" she asked remembering the outing with Ino and the kids. "It's pretty nice over there and I never really got a chance to see the Koi pond outside."
He nodded in agreement and made a turn into the shopping district. After about fifteen minutes, they pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. They were met with a hostess upon entering.
"Welcome to the Hidden Leaf. How many seats would you need?"
"Two."
The hostess nodded and grabbed two menus from behind her and led them to their table. They walked to a different part of the restaurant then where they sat before. This one was a booth that was on the upper level of the restaurant and it was more secluded from the rest of the guests; perfect for some privacy with a great view of the Koi pond down below.
Sasuke and Sakura took their seats facing each other. The waitress asked if they wanted to start off with anything to drink.
"Just water for me," Sakura asked. Sasuke said the same.
The waitress left and said she would be back to take their orders. They both opened their menus and scanned its contents. Sakura was scanning the menu for a bit and noticed that Sasuke had already put his menu down, clearly knowing what he was going to order already. Sakura, having already decided what she wanted as well, kept the menu up in front of her face.
For some reason, she felt as though she had to hide from him right now. The car ride over here had been a silent one and the awkwardness was only growing. She made sure that the menu was directly in front of her, effectively covering her entire face from Sasuke. That is, until the waitress came back.
"I'll have the roasted beef and tomato special," Sasuke ordered as the waitress wrote it down. She turned to Sakura, who still had her menu up in front of her.
"I'll have the baked chicken and vegetable plate." She reluctantly gave the menu back to the waitress and watched her leave. She had no choice but to face Sasuke, who had been looking at her the whole time.
"Are you done hiding from me?" he asked as he lay back in his seat.
"I wasn't hiding from you."
"Hn."
Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She had to keep the fact that he was her boss in the front of her mind. After all, this date was a huge grey area and she didn't want to take any chances. She still had a reputation to keep up after all. Neither one of them spoke for a few minutes until Sakura couldn't handle the silence any longer.
"So why'd you suddenly ask me out?" She folded her hands together and watched as his eyes darted from the wall to her own. Apparently, he wasn't expecting her to ask him that.
"Do I need a reason?" he asked casually. He could tell by the way her eyes narrowed that he had said something wrong.
"Well, having a reason would be nice. It's not like you randomly take people out to dinner just because you feel like it."
"Think of it as my way of saying thanks for letting me and Suki stay at your place the night of the earthquake."
"Oh… well that was weeks ago and you didn't have to take me out to say thank you."
She sat back in her end of the booth. "So this wasn't really a date? This was just a thank you dinner?"
Part of her was relieved. It meant that there shouldn't be any more unease when she was around him. But then there was the other part of her—the one she was feeling right now—that was full of disappointment and embarrassment. "I guess I read too much into it."
She must have been daydreaming because Sasuke's voice brought her back to reality.
"Sakura," he called out. She snapped out of it and looked across at him.
"What?"
"You were spacing out again."
"Oh," she mumbled without argument because she knew she was lost in thought. Her tone of voice didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke.
"She sounds disappointed."
He noticed how her eyes became a little dull after her gave her his reason. Actually, he didn't even know why he told her it was a thank you dinner when it was far from it. What was she expecting him to say? What should he have told her? Sasuke realized that he was getting nowhere with this "date" and decided to actually start a conversation for once.
"How's Sora doing in Karate?" He knew this was a good topic when he saw her form a small smile at the mention of her son.
"He's doing great." Sasuke noticed the shine return to her eyes. "He has a match coming up soon. I guess he's getting a belt with a color on it although I forgot which color."
"Most likely yellow."
"How do you know?"
"I took karate when I was a kid."
That caught her interest. "Really? Wow so I guess you know the order of the belt colors then. So when did you start karate and how far did you take it?"
"I started when I was eight and continued through with different dojos until high school. I'm a black belt."
"That's impressive. Do you still practice?"
"It's not part of my exercise routine but I do it on occasion."
They continued to chat more about karate and working out in general until the food came. They thanked the waitress and began eating, both enjoying the silence for a bit.
"I can't believe I lost him, that Teme" Naruto grumbled bitterly as he strolled into the supermarket.
He had managed to successfully follow Sasuke for about two minutes before he was caught at a red light while Sasuke drove away to kami knows where. Now, feeling completely stupid, he went ahead to fulfill his grocery shopping.
After strolling down the aisles of the store, Naruto paused for a bit and scratched his head.
"What did Hinata want me to get again?" he thought as he tried recalling what she wanted. "I think it was something about…RAMEN!" he shouted as he spotted the ramen section. There was a sign above it that read "50 % off all instant ramen cups TODAY ONLY". With stars in his eyes, Naruto grabbed as many cups of instant ramen that he could carry and walked off to pay for them, completely passing the dairy aisle as he did so.
Sasuke and Sakura had finished their meals. Somehow they had managed to keep the conversations light and flowing throughout the meal and they were now heading out of the restaurant. They were greeted with a cold breeze once they stepped outside.
"What time is it?" Sakura asked as they walked down the street. Sasuke looked at his watch.
"8:15. Are you going to miss your curfew?"
"Wow, Sasuke can joke around? Who knew?"
He pretended not to care about that remark as they continued walking down the street past the restaurant parking lot.
"Uh, Sasuke? We passed the parking lot."
Sasuke continued walking. "You want to go home already?"
Sakura jogged a bit to catch up with him.
"Not necessarily, but where are we going?" she asked, buttoning up her jacket. It was getting a bit chilly outside now.
"Nowhere in particular. I just felt like walking."
"…Okay. Are you at least going to talk to me again?" she asked. He glanced at her. "Because you remember what I told you at the Chinese place. I don't like silence," she reminded.
He shook his head. "You talk too much."
"And you don't talk enough," she said smiling. "But I don't get how a sweetheart like Suki can be so talkative when her father is practically mute."
"I could say the same for you," he returned. "I guess you talk enough for you and Sora combined."
"My baby is an artist," she said proudly. "He doesn't need words to send a message. And he talks to people too. Just not to you and you already know why. But I told you, he'll be nice and polite from now on."
"Right. You'll be able to make it to Suki's party, won't you?" he asked, just to keep her talking.
"Yeah I will." She smiled. "By the way, what kind of stuff does Suki like? I'm going to have to shop for something for the birthday girl."
"If it's pink, she'll love it," he answered as they turned the corner. They walked into a park and strolled over towards the lake that was not too far away. Sakura seemed to like it.
"Oh I didn't know this park had a lake."
"They have rental boats as well, though they only rent them out on weekends. Suki apparently loves it."
She tilted her head. "What do you mean apparently?"
"Itachi is usually the one to take her on boat rides," he answered as they sat on the bench besides the lake. "I've never really had the time to take her myself."
"Well it's not like Suki's all grown up," she pointed out. "You've still got plenty of time to spend with her. You are spending more time with her aren't you?" she asked as she leaned back on the bench.
Sasuke shrugged. "We've gone to the park a couple of times."
"Well that's a start. So have you been feeling any better? More relaxed?"
"Somewhat," he admitted before smirking. "At least as much as I can with people like you and the Dobe anyway."
"Why do you call Naruto 'Dobe'?" she asked curiously. "I know he's a bit hyperactive, but he's sweet and I thought he was your best friend."
"What would you call a knuckled-headed ramen lover?" he asked looking at her. The wind made her hair swing behind her head.
"I'd just call him sweet and loveable Naruto," she answered. "Besides, he has Hinata to make sure he's stable. They really are a cute couple. Neji and Tenten too."
"I guess," he replied, not really caring too much about the topic.
"How did you guys all meet anyway?"
"I've known Naruto since we were kids. We've pretty much been in school together since then. We met Neji and Shikamaru in high school and stayed in close contact since then."
She smiled. "That's kind of like me. Ino and I met in grade school and then I met Tenten in high school and I went to college with her as well. Funny how that works," she mused, looking up at the sky. The stars were clearly visible as they filled the night's sky.
He gave his signature "Hn" before leaning back on the bench. He looked directly over at the lake.
"Sasuke? Say 'Hn' one more time and I swear I'll punch you."
Sasuke snapped his head in her direction. Sakura was still staring up at the sky, looking perfectly composed and serene.
"I'd like to see you try Dr. Haruno."
"Don't underestimate me Mr. Uchiha," she advised facing him. "I may not look like much, but I didn't get a reputation of having "Inhuman strength" for nothing."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that. "Inhuman strength? You?" he asked giving her the once over. He could help but smirk. That statement was just so contradictory to her overall appearance.
"I'm serious, I'll punch you… and it'll hurt," she insisted. Sasuke was trying to keep his cool, but he couldn't help but snicker.
"How did you manage to get that reputation?"
"It's a long story, but my dad had me enrolled in several self-defense classes when I was younger. It came in handy when I came upon some people who just can't take no for an answer. But that shouldn't surprise you. You said yourself that I'm pretty violent."
"Hn."
Big mistake. Sakura sighed, leaned back, made a fist and swung right at Sasuke's left arm. He didn't seem to give any indication of pain, but she swore that she saw his eyes flinch for a second.
"I know that hurt you," she stated, scooting closer to get a better look at his face.
"No… it didn't," he denied. He resisted the urge to grab hold of his aching arm. He knew that was definitely going to bruise soon. "You realize you just punched your boss right?"
"Yeah, I realized that my boss got punched by a little girl like me. Admit it Sasuke, that hurt you."
"Sakura, I'm perfectly fine." His arm was actually throbbing now and he was glad that his jacket was there to cover the probable bruise that was forming right about now.
"I'm a doctor Sasuke, I can practically smell the pain," she drawled. "Oh come on. Is your male ego really so big that you can't even admit that that was actually painful? If it makes you feel any better, you can always think of it as getting punched by a police commander's daughter. Does that make it sound manlier?"
"Are you done mocking me?"
Sakura laughed and leaned back on the bench. The wind was picking up and the temperature was dropping. The wind moved the clouds that were blocking the moon, allowing moonlight to shine down on the park. Sasuke watched as the light made Sakura's fair skin illuminate with a slivery blue glow, making her look like an ethereal being. Her eyes also captured the moonlight, giving them a white shine over the deep green of her eyes.
Sasuke sat there, captivated by her beauty. He knew she was beautiful the minute he first saw her, though he never cared about such things in the past. Back then, relationships were the least of his concerns and he only began dating again solely for Suki's well-being.
But right now, for the first time in his adult life, Sasuke looked at this annoying, aggressive, violent chatterbox of a woman and thought of nothing more than just how beautiful she looked right now under the moonlight.
Sakura looked away from the moon at Sasuke, only to notice that he had been staring at her for quite some time.
"What?"
"Nothing," he said as he looked out towards the lake.
"You were staring at me. Is there something on my face?" she asked uneasily as she dug through her purse for her compact. She stopped when Sasuke's hand came down over hers.
"You're fine." He guided her hand away from her purse. He let her hand go when she dropped the compact back but not before giving it a light squeeze first. "You're cold," he noted.
"Not really."
"Your hands are like ice. You don't have to stay out here, we could go back."
"I'm fine Sasuke, besides," she said as she looked over towards the lake. "It's nice to just be out here and hang out. Between work and Sora, there's just never enough time to go out and be me."
He tilted his head. "I would have thought someone like you would have had more of a social life, but I understand what you mean."
"I know you do," she said softly. "You know, this is actually the first time in over two years that I've been able to go out without Sora," she realized. "Don't get me wrong, I love my son, but I could never bring myself to leave him with a babysitter and have a night off for myself."
"…You're just a good mother," he said quietly. Indeed she was a good mother; the kind of mother that he would want for Suki.
"Thanks. And I know you're a good father," she returned as he turned to look at her. "The way Suki is around you, it's obvious that you're her whole world. Only a really good Dad can make a little girl like her smile so big."
"…Her smiles aren't always real," he replied. Sakura gave him a confused look. "She smiles all the time. She smiles when I can't make it to her shows, or when I come home too late to play with her, or when I drop her off at her grandparents' house to attend to some business."
Sakura looked at him with understanding now. Sasuke stared at his lap and really thought about just how much he's indirectly hurt his daughter. "I never realized just how much I've missed out on her little life… until you made me look at it." He redirected his gaze to Sakura. "Suki puts on a brave face for me. But she needs more than what I can give her."
"I know that feeling all too well. It's the same with Sora. I'm his mother and there's only so much I can do for him. But there are things that I just can't do; things that only a father can do with him." She turned on her side and faced Sasuke wholly. "I guess it's the same with Suki right?"
He nodded. "I'm her father but she's going to need a mother more than she'll ever need me."
"She's always going to need you Sasuke," she said gently. "Believe me. I know what it's like to only have a father. My dad was everything to me. He was my hero. I could never imagine my life without him. He tried his best with me, even though he was busy most of the time. You're a lot like him actually," she thought as Sasuke turned to face her.
"But you're right," she continued. "There are some things, for girls especially, that call for a mother figure around. I get you. You and I are in the same boat."
Sasuke looked into her eyes and saw nothing but understanding. She gets him and he gets her. Sasuke was actually surprised at how much he had opened up to her this evening. He had never been able to talk to anyone about any of this, mainly because it was never brought up. But she made him look at it, and she understood.
"Listen… I have a favor to ask you."
Sakura gave him her full attention and waited for him to continue.
"Yes?"
"On the occasions that call for it, would you… possibly be able to be there for Suki when she needs a woman around," he asked. "Her ballet class sometimes has these mother-daughter events and she always goes with her grandmother. But my mom isn't really able to keep up with her."
Sakura gave him a small smile.
"Of course Sasuke. Just call me anytime she needs to do some girl stuff. Hell, just call me whenever she needs anything. Suki is the sweetest most adorable little girl I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She reminds me so much of myself when I was a child. I know exactly what she needs, having been there myself."
"Thank You," he said with genuine gratitude. He was relieved that she understood what he needed. Of course, he wasn't slow to return the favor. "You know, this can go both ways."
"Both ways?"
"Sora," he clarified. "You said yourself he would need a man's influence in his life. The kid could use it considering you probably baby him to no end."
He received another punch in the same area as before. Wincing slightly, he looked over at the pink haired woman, who was smiling at him nonetheless.
"I can't help babying him; he's my babyafter all. But thank you," she said softly. "I would love for him to be able to do some guy stuff with you. Hey, you can help him with his karate. Since you're a black belt, you could be a really big inspiration for him."
He smirked. "If he's with me, I can pretty much guarantee he'll become a little man in no time."
Sakura smiled a sadly when he mentioned the words "Little man".
"They even think alike," she thought as she recalled all the times when Sai would say that to Sora. She looked at Sasuke, who was looking right back at her. Under the moonlight, his face took on a more mysterious and illuminating glow. It only brought out the darkness of his eyes and Sakura found she was at a loss for words as she became transfixed into his gaze.
He really was quite the man. She tried her hardest to look past the likeness to Sai and see the real Sasuke. The man she was getting glimpse of right now. She snapped out of her trance when she felt Sasuke's hand wipe away the tear the slipped down her cheek.
"Oh," she gasped as she brought her hand to her face. "Sorry, I didn't realize I was tearing up."
Sasuke smirked. "You're too emotional."
"Oh… shut up," she chuckled. "At least I display my emotions a little. You could laugh more often just to prove that you're alive you know. I think Suki sucked out all the fun in you for herself. I'm just happy that's all."
"For what?" He noticed that his arm had slid from her face to rest at her elbow, but he made no attempt to move away. Sakura brought her hand to rest on top of his arm and smiled.
"I'm just glad that you're willing to help Sora. I know how important it is for a boy to have a father figure in his life. He needs someone strong to help him grow up and I'm just glad that you're willing to be there for him. And I'm glad that you're opening up to me."
"Just don't tell the Dobe. I'll never hear the end of it from him. He's on to us."
"How so?"
"He's not completely mental," he said making her chuckle. "I noticed him trying to follow me tonight after I dropped off Suki. I managed to lose him at a red light."
He enjoyed the sound of Sakura's laughter. It made him feel at ease inside.
They remained quiet for a moment, enjoying each other's company. They were sitting in close proximity with their arms still on top of the other. Sakura's fingers absentmindedly played with the cloth of his jacket while he kept his arm in place at her elbow.
Their eyes locked, and Sakura had to crane her neck back since he was considerably taller and practically loomed over her.
The wind blew hard this time, forcing some of Sakura's hair to blow into her face. She visibly shivered and before she could try to move the hair away from her face, Sasuke's hand beat her to it. He gently moved the strands and tucked them behind her ear.
Sakura tried to suppress the blush that was creeping up to her cheeks and was thankful that it was pretty dark out tonight. She noticed that Sasuke's hand came to rest on top of hers again.
"You're still cold."
"No I'm not," she said quietly. "I'm as tough as they come." She noted that his hand stayed in place.
Sasuke looked into her eyes and became mesmerized by the green. He felt his head descend closer to hers. She seemed frozen on the spot as she also noted his descent. Time seemed to go in super slow motion as neither one of them said a word, both waiting for what was to come. Sakura began to close her eyes as Sasuke came close enough to her face to where she could feel his warm breath on her frozen skin.
He was mere inches away… when her cell phone rang, effectively ruining the moment.
They jerked away from each other as if pulled back into reality. Sakura felt her face flush as she scrambled through her purse to reach for her blasted phone. She found it and opened it.
"Hello?" It was Ino on the other line. "Ino? What's up?"
Sasuke watched as she talked on her phone. Sakura's expression changed from flushed to worried as her son was mentioned.
"Tell him I'll be right there. Thanks Ino." She hung up and turned to Sasuke. "Sora doesn't feel well. Ino said he has a fever. I'm so sorry Sasuke but—"
"Let's go," he finished standing up.
Sakura nodded and stood up as well, all the while bewildered that she almost let Sasuke kiss her. She never expected that to happen and was surprised at how she lost her focus when she was around him. They made their way briskly out of the park and back to the restaurant parking lot.
Ino came to the door and opened it to reveal Sakura… and surprisingly Sasuke behind it.
"Is he okay Ino?" Sakura asked as she stepped into the house.
"He has a high temperature and didn't really eat much tonight. He's been asking for you for a while," she relayed as she guided them to the living room where Sora was lying on the couch. Sakura crouched down next to him and put her hand on his forehead. He was burning up.
"Sora? Sweetie, Mommy's here," she said as he began to wake up.
"Mommy," he whimpered. He was dressed in his pajamas and curled up in a blanket.
"We're going home, come on," she said gently as she lifted him off the couch. She carried him to the door and turned to Ino. "Thanks Ino."
"No problem. But… you're going to have to tell me all about… you know…" she trailed off slyly and tilting her head in Sasuke's direction. She smiled when she saw Sakura blush. "You've got some explaining to do later forehead girl."
"Whatever Ino-pig, I'll talk to you tomorrow," she said as she carried Sora out the door. Sasuke was standing by his car with the passenger seat open for them.
He saw that Sora had no blanket and he looked cold. Before Sakura could get in, he took his jacket off and placed it around Sora. It was big enough to cover his little body like a blanket.
Sakura thanked him before carefully getting into the car with Sora in her lap. She was surprised at the thoughtful gesture, but then again Sasuke was full of surprises tonight. He closed the door and got into the driver's side and pulled out.
As they drove back to Sakura's house, he kept glancing in the rear view mirror. He watched her cradling her son and stroking his hair as he snuggled against her. She was whispering soothing words to him and placing soft kisses on his cheeks. She was such a good mother.
If Suki was ever sick, that's the way he would want her to be treated. He would want her to have someone to snuggle with and whisper comforting words to her. More specifically, he would want Sakura to be the one who helps her.
He pulled up to her house and turned the ignition off. "I'll get him from outside," he offered as he stepped out of the car.
He opened the passenger's side door and took Sora from Sakura's arms and held him against his chest as she got out. She placed Sasuke's jacket more securely onto Sora before the three of them went to the door.
They entered and went upstairs to Sora's room, where Sasuke laid him down on his bed while Sakura removed the jacket. She placed his blanket over him and tucked him in. "I'll be right back with some medicine, okay Sora?" she said as she kissed his head again.
She went downstairs with Sasuke after looking at Sora once more. He was still whimpering with discomfort.
"I have to go pick up Suki," Sasuke said as he walked towards the door. Sakura followed him out and closed the door behind her.
"Well, thank you for tonight," she said while handing him his jacket. Before he could take it however, Sakura grabbed his arm and gasped. There was a noticeable bruise where she had punched him earlier.
"Oh my… Oh I'm so sorry about that Sasuke," she cried, running her hand over the bruise. "See I told you that I punch hard. I knew you were in pain."
"I wasn't in pain," he denied, taking his jacket from her. "You don't even punch that hard," he added as he put the jacket on.
"The bruise says otherwise," she scoffed before frowning. "I'm really sorry I punched you. And I'm sorry about all this," she motioned, indicating the abrupt pick up.
"Sakura, stop apologizing. It's annoying." He smirked when she pouted.
"Yeah well… thanks anyway," she repeated. "Tonight was nice." She crossed her arms over her chest. "And remember, you can call me anytime you need help with Suki."
He nodded. "Same here." He held her gaze for another moment. "You should get back to Sora."
"Yeah…"
Neither one moved. They just stood there by her front door, staring at each other. Sakura chuckled and stepped towards him.
Sasuke said nothing as she stood on her tiptoes on planted a small kiss on his cheek. She pulled away shyly and smiled at him before stepping inside her house. "Good night Mr. Uchiha," she whispered before closing the door.
Sasuke turned and walked back to his car. He couldn't help the smirk that made its way onto his face.
Hinata and Suki were in the kitchen waiting for her famous double fudge cookies to finish baking. The timer went off with a ding signaling that they were done.
"Aunty Hinata they're done!" Suki shouted as she bounced up and down in the kitchen. Hinata laughed at her cuteness.
"Let's check on them shall we?" Hinata said as she opened the oven. She pulled the cookies out, noting the stars in Suki's eyes and set them to cool on the counter. "Now, if only you're Uncle Naruto would come back with the milk, we could start eating them."
"I hope he comes back fast," Suki pleaded as she eyed the cookies. They were sitting so close to her, mocking her with their chocolaty goodness.
They heard the front door open followed by Naruto's outburst.
"I'm home! Believe it!" he shouted as he walked into the kitchen. "Hey the cookies are done!"
He set all the shopping bags on the table. Suki bounced up and down with anticipation as she clung onto the back on his leg.
"Uncle Naruto… did you get the milk?" she asked while looking way up at him.
Naruto's smile fell. "Damn, I knew I forgot something. Hinata's not going to be happy about this," he thought as he turned to face her.
"You forgot the milk?" Hinata asked quietly as she eyed the bags that were no doubt filled with ramen cups.
She was giving him her ultra-perky smile… the one she used when she was not a happy camper. "Oh boy…she's pissed. I gotta get on the defensive," he thought as he searched for some kind of shield mechanism. He glanced down and saw they perfect shield… their goddaughter.
"Heeeeey Suki," he sang as he lifted her high into the air. She giggled in delight as he did so. "Wanna see all the different kinds of ramen I got?" he asked as he carried her towards the table.
"But Uncle Narutoooooo," she whined. "Where's the milk?"
"Yes honey… where is the milk?" Hinata asked as Naruto turned into a statue.
"Uhh… haha… well you see, there was a sale on ramen and I kind of forgot about the milk and… ohh boy."
He struggled to find the words. His sweet and lovable Hinata could scare him senseless when the occasion called for it. Her greatest weapon was the lack of some special nighttime "activities" that Naruto couldn't live without. And being the newlyweds that they still are, Naruto didn't want to miss out on any action tonight or any night for that matter.
"Well could you go back and get some?" she asked. "Our goddaughter can't enjoy the cookies we baked without any milk can she?"
Naruto sighed and turned to Suki.
"Pleeeeeease Uncle Naruto?" she asked with those huge green eyes of hers. Naruto sighed in defeat and placed her on the ground. No one on this planet can resist those eyes.
"Alright… I'll be right back," he sighed as he walked to the front door. Hinata followed him and grabbed his hand. She took out a black marker and wrote "Milk" on his palm.
"I'll be waiting for you," she whispered as she gave him a sweet kiss. "Come back soon okay?" she said as she hugged him. Now this was the Hinata he loved.
"Don't worry, I won't forget this time," he promised as he wrapped his arms around her and locked her in a kiss. They broke apart when they heard some giggling coming from the corner. They both turned and saw Suki scurry back into the kitchen with a notoriously bitten into cookie in one hand.
The rest of the night came and went for the city of Tokyo as most of the population went to bed for the night.
But there was another city miles away, that had one figure that was not quite ready to sleep just yet.
Kyoto Memorial Park was still and quiet. The only noise that could be heard was the gentle rustling of the leaves as the wind disturbed the foliage. Tonight seemed to be particularly cold as the leaves from nearby trees broke off from their branches and danced around the graves.
The moon decorated the graves, illuminating them with a beautiful yet eerie white glow. The night's light also highlighted the hair of the lone figure standing in the cemetery. A man, tall and refined, stood in front of one particular grave as he gazed at the etchings carved on the stone.
Rin Haruno Hatake
Beloved Wife, Mother and Friend
Kakashi Hatake gazed upon the memorial of his beloved wife, Rin. For the past twenty-five years, he had been coming to the cemetery as often as he possibly could to spend some time with her. He had lost her all too soon into their short-lived marriage for she had died giving birth to their one and only daughter.
They discovered she was pregnant when they were barely eighteen years old and thus, they married before their daughter was born.
"I'll see you again tomorrow, Rin," Kakashi promised as he walked away from the grave.
His long black trench coat swayed behind him as the wind picked up speed. He was an elegant man with his silvery white hair stylishly pointed out and his tall stature. His eyes were soft and easy, regardless of the scar going down his left eye. In his calmed state, he strolled out of the cemetery entrance. He drove back to his house and parked the car.
He opened the door and was greeted by his most trusted and faithful companions: his dogs. All in all he owned ten different breeds and they were all highly trained police hounds. Kakashi had trained them for his line of work and for one other very important reason: his daughter's protection.
As Kakashi patted his dogs on the head, he walked past them and went into his living room. He walked over to the fireplace to light it up and then gazed at the many pictures the lined the mantle above it. They were all a collection of his daughter through the years. He smiled as he looked at the picture of a little three-year-old pink haired girl with a toy stethoscope around her neck. He recalled the pleasant memories of how she would play with it all the time.
Twenty-one-year-old Kakashi was sitting in his study reading a very interesting book that he picked up at the bookstore called "Icha Icha Paradise". Apparently it was a new series that has just made its debut. He turned the page a let a small manly giggle escape his throat before he heard someone call out to him.
"Daaaaaddyyyy" came a small voice from the doorway.
Kakashi quickly slammed the book shut and tossed it over his shoulder before his three-year-old daughter came into the room. Kakashi smiled at his little girl, dressed in one of his white shirts that were entirely too large for her as it dragged on the ground, with a little toy doctors kit in the other hand. Her short pink hair was held back with a small nurse's cap with a red cross on it, displaying her adorably big forehead.
"Daddy, it's time for your check up," little Sakura announced as she walked over to her father. He picked her up and put her in his lap.
"Okay Dr. Sakura. I'm all yours."
Sakura took the stethoscope from her neck and placed on her father's chest, head and nose. Kakashi tried not to laugh as he watched her face scrunch up adorably in concentration. She pulled away and looked at him.
"Daddy, you're sick. You have to take some medicine," she ordered as she reached for her kit. She pulled out a box of gumdrop candies and gave him one. "Here's the medicine Daddy. Now you'll be all better," she declared as Kakashi took the candy.
"But where's Daddy's kiss?" he asked. "Kisses make it all better."
Little Sakura smiled and kissed her father's cheek.
"Thank you Dr. Sakura."
She smiled crawled off his lap. She packed up her kit and mentioned something about "fixing the doggies" before heading out of the study again. He looked outside his window where he could get a clear view of his large backyard. He could see Sakura running up to the dogs, effectively staining his white shirt in the dirt.
He smiled as his dogs ran up to her and began to play with her. He knew she was safe with them, so he picked up his book and began to read where he left off.
Kakashi sighed as he took the picture from the mantle. He sat in his favorite armchair with the picture in hand while the dogs settled themselves at his feet. They seemed to sense his gloominess as they began licking his hand.
"Yeah… I miss her too," he lamented as he stared at the picture. It had been a few years since Sakura moved out of his house to go to medical school, and barely a few months since she moved out of the city to Tokyo. Kakashi had missed her deeply. Sighing again, he reached for the latest edition of Icha Icha paradise, which was still a popular book series even after all these years, and began reading.
The book was his escape from the qualms of the real world. He was a huge fan of its creator, the legendary Research Engineer and Anthropologist known as Jiraya. Although he was known for his Medical and Law Enforcement contributions, Jiraya had a side job writing novels.
After reading the book for another hour or so, Kakashi headed upstairs. He passed by a special room that was just down the hall from his own. He briefly opened the door and looked inside. It was Sakura's old bedroom. Everything that she ever had as a young girl was still perfectly intact in that room. It was as if she had never left at all. Her bedding and furniture were still there as well as pictures and other things hanging on the wall.
Kakashi had left the room the way it was because in a way, it made him feel like he could keep a part of the past with him; like Sakura was still there and that she would be coming home any day now. He missed her that much. Closing the door, he walked to his own room and retired for the night.
The next morning, Kakashi arrived at the Kyoto Police Department at promptly 9:00 am. Normally he was required to be there around 7:00, but somehow he always managed to end up late. Not that it mattered. He ran the department and answered to no one but himself. As he entered the station, a few officers and personnel welcomed him.
"Good morning Commander," they greeted as he passed by. He returned the greeting with a nod of his head.
He continued to walk deeper into the department until he reached his office. Upon entering, he locked the door behind him and went over to the bookshelf in the back of the room. He scanned the top shelf and reached for one particular book with a large black binding on the back. He pulled on it and slipped it back into its place.
He stepped back and watched as the entire wall made a soft clicking noise and it opened up from the side revealing a hidden passageway. Kakashi walked through the passage and clicked a button on the side of the wall, making the bookcase close off behind him and become the back wall once again.
No one else in the Kyoto Police Department was unaware of this attribute. The KPD was unaware that Commander Hatake Kakashi was much more than just the Commander of the Kyoto Police Force.
He walked through the spacious passage and reached the lift at the end. There was finger print access pad located next to the lift. He placed his hand on the pad and waited for a second as the light scanned his fingerprints and flashed green. The doors of the lift opened up and he walked in.
The lift descended about five floors underground. The doors opened and revealed another branch of law enforcement that was unknown to the police force and the general public all together.
Kakashi stepped out of the lift and entered the area that was thought to be a myth to most: The Kyoto Branch of the CIA.
Commander Kakashi Hatake of the KPD was really Commander of the Central Intelligence Agency, Kyoto division. He was a top-notch CIA Agent and his cover was working for the KPD as a normal officer.
The underground department was different from the simplistic police department on the surface. This place was covered in black metallic walls and sophisticated lighting and architecture. There were Agents walking around all over the place wearing their suits and uniforms and exchanging information and conversation with each other. Again, when Kakashi passed by, he was greeted with the typical "Good Morning Commander".
He nodded at all of them and continued walking. Kakashi was given the utmost respect in the department for his career in the CIA was legendary. He began working for them at the tender age of ten. He was considered a genius in his grade schools days with aptitude and IQ test scores that caught the interest of the government and the Intelligence Agency. He was recruited and trained by the ANBU division, a team of highly skilled and trained Agents, and quickly rose in his ranks from an Agent at the age of ten to becoming Captain and age eighteen and then Commander at age twenty. Now, at age forty-three, Kakashi was still going strong.
"Late as always," a deep voice drawled from behind him. Kakashi didn't even have to stop walking, as he already knew who was behind him. "You know that's not a very good example for the rest of the subordinates."
"And you should know that smoking within the premises constitutes for confiscation of the offensive object," Kakashi replied as he looked over at his longtime friend. "You're not setting a very good example for yourself… Asuma."
Sarutobi Asuma grinned as he put out his cigarette and tossed it in the nearest dispenser. "Yeah, well, you know you could never write up and old friend," he joked as he continued walking with Kakashi. He wore a black jumpsuit similar to a sniper suit with a green vest over it that held multiple pockets to store gadgets and whatnot.
They parted ways and Kakashi proceeded to his real office. He opened the door after placing his hand yet again on an access pad. Once the doors opened, he walked into his other office and took a seat behind his desk. Before getting down to business, he took a look at the pictures that sat on his desktop.
There was one picture of Rin, followed by another picture of Sakura as a child. The next picture was Sakura's college graduation where she was dressed in her black cap and gown… and visibly pregnant. Kakashi always had mixed feelings when he looked at that particular picture.
Although Sakura had proven herself to be able to handle anything, he still wished she had waited to have kids. He knew better than anyone that having a child at a young age would complicate things and change your life completely.
"And your life sure did change," he thought as he looked over at the next picture of an adorable little baby boy with black hair and equally dark eyes; his precious grandson Sora.
Next to the picture was a finger painting that was given to him by his grandson. It was picture of a stick figure with silvery hair and a black coat surrounded by a bunch of dogs with "Grandpa" written across it in a sloppy manner. Kakashi had placed it in a frame.
The phone rang and he pushed the button located on his phone. A large holographic screen phased behind him, displaying his caller in the air.
"Kakashi here."
"Well it's about time you got here Kakashi!" came a booming voice of the speaker. "We still have to meet and settle our match or may the burning power of youth bring you down!"
The caller was a tall man with thick eyebrows and a shiny bowl haircut wearing a green jumpsuit with a black vest that all the Agents wore.
"Guy, is there anything important that you need?" Kakashi asked in his laid back manner. He pulled out his Icha Icha Paradise and began reading.
"We've got to settle the score!" Guy shouted. "I know it can be a little intimating to face off with me, your greatest rival," he crooned suavely as he looked away from the screen. "But that's no reason to hide in fear of defeat."
Kakashi looked up from his book. "Hm? Did you say something Guy?" he asked offhandedly.
"Gaaaahhh that really burns me up! Damn you Kakashi, why do always have to act so coooooooool?" Guy shouted as he raised his arms over his head dramatically.
"Status report Guy," Kakashi ordered as he placed the book down.
Guy cleared his throat and calmed down immediately before saying "We've successful scouted the Tokyo area. No signs of a threat are present."
"And the body guard stations?" Kakashi pressed.
"Lee has reported in this morning from his post in the Academy and says that everything is in order. Your grandson is safe and is doing just fine. We've also received the reports from our undercover Agents stationed at KMC as well as Intel via Itachi Uchiha. Your daughter is also safe and is doing just fine," he concluded.
Kakashi leaned back in his seat and sighed with relief. "Good. Thank you Guy," he said before turning the screen off.
Not even Sakura, his one and only daughter, knew about what he really did for a living. Her whole life, he had just been "Daddy". Never once did she know that he was a CIA Agent. Now that she was a single parent and living away from his protection, Kakashi had several of his most trusted undercover Agents stationed around Sakura and Sora for their protection.
He was forever the protective father and now grandfather.
Kakashi's mind reminisced about the past ten years. His whole life changed on that one fateful day: The day he was sent a new recruit from a special division of ANBU.
Kakashi had been looking for someone to watch over his then sixteen-year-old daughter while he was busy at work and missions. The man that was presented to him was the same age as his daughter.
He was at the top of his ranks in the division known as "ROOT". This Agent was the one he entrusted to care for his daughter; to make sure that no harm came to her from any of his enemies and that she was safe at school and on the way back home.
Never in his life did he imagine that after three years of service, that very same Agent would change his life and Sakura's forever.
He never imagined that that Agent would go against his command and violate his orders.
He never imagined that that Agent would challenge him in a battle of will and determination.
He never imagined that that Agent would be so bold as to declare his undying love to his daughter and that she loved him just as much.
He never imagined that that Agent would marry his daughter and become the father of his grandchild.
He never imagined that Sai, Special Task Force Agent of the ANBU Black Ops ROOT division, the man he hired to keep his daughter safe, would be the one to take her away from him.
Authors Note:
If anyone is confused let me break it down for you. Kakashi is a CIA Agent who used the police department as a cover. Sai was an Agent too and used being an artist and photographer as his cover. Sakura is clueless to any of this. She had to be kept in the dark for her own protection.
If you have any more questions, just ask. We'll let me know what you all think about this chapter. This is where my fic takes a turn into the drama genre. More twists and turns pop out later and of course, some more Sasuke/Sakura moments.
Review because you guys rock.