Love, Actually

Chapter 10

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It was raining, Sakura could see.

The sky was overcast with grey clouds and the thunder rumbled overhead. Rain fell from the heavens in a somewhat heavy downpour that was sure to soak someone within minutes.

But Sakura wasn't wet. She remained perfectly dry. She supposed that there were some benefits to being a ghost here.

As the pink haired medic took a look around, she noticed how familiar the surroundings seemed. With dread in her gut, she suddenly realised why. They were in the cemetery meant for Ninja, and there was a funeral being held.

Many people, both Ninja and civilians dressed in black, were there for the ceremony.

Some of the attendees were crying whilst others looked very solemn. Some stood under umbrellas while some didn't, preferring to get soaked by the rain as it better hid their tears. Every single one of them was staring at wooden coffin that was placed in front of the crowd. The coffin's lid was closed, but a photograph of the deceased was placed on a small table beside it.

Sakura swallowed, seeing a handsome, familiar face. It was Kagerou.

She reluctantly tore her eyes away from the photograph and started looking around for his family, Kagome's family. God, how old was Kagome now? Did she even understand what had happened to Kagerou?

From the earlier memories, Sakura had seen how close Kagome was to the man. How was she feeling now? Was she okay?

Near the front of the funeral gatherers, Sakura finally spotted someone familiar standing under an umbrella. It was Kun Loon. She looked as if she had aged a decade overnight. Tears were trickling down her cheeks and her entire body was trembling. She was sobbing, gasping, as if her entire world had ended and Sakura could practically feel the grief pouring out of her.

Her heart hurt for the woman. And a part of Sakura couldn't help but wonder if that was how she would react if Sasuke ever died. She shoved the thought away before it could fully take root. No, she wouldn't think about it. She wouldn't.

Uchiha Mikoto stood on Kun Loon's left, carrying a sleeping baby in her arms. Sakura guessed that it was most probably Kagome's younger brother. And on Kun Loon's right stood a beautiful woman with long, flowing red hair. Even though she had never seen her before, Sakura couldn't help but find something familiar about her. The redhead had her arms wrapped around the brown-haired woman shoulders.

Her hold was possibly the only thing preventing Kun Loon from collapsing to the ground.

The redhead was looking at her friend but for a moment, she glanced up at Kagerou's photograph. Her stormy violet eyes were tempered with grief. Why was her blonde-haired lover currently out of the village with his team? The redhead could have really used his presence here. She wanted him to hold her in his arms, because when he did it always made her feel like everything was going to be all right, even when it wasn't. The woman swallowed, and turned back to Kun Loon.

Sakura stared at them, all the while wondering where Kagome was. So far, Sakura hadn't seen her. Did she even attend her father's funeral?

She must have, otherwise there wouldn't have been a memory.

Suddenly, Mikoto shifted, and Sakura finally saw the two children standing under an umbrella behind her. Itachi and Kagome were still small in size, so they could have hid behind the grownups without ever being noticed. It was no wonder Sakura hadn't spotted them before.

The pink haired woman felt her heart clench when she saw the expression on the girl's face. Unlike her mother, Kagome's face was blank. Utterly, eerily, blank.

"How old is she now…?" Sakura asked, unnerved. Kagome's face should not look like that. There should be a grief, sorrow, anything! Just not that blankness. Anything was better than that dead look she had currently.

"Three," Kakashi replied, his voice solemn.

"Three." Sakura repeated numbly, closing her eyes. Only three years old when her father died. Three. Good god. Then Sakura's eyes snapped back open, as she seemed to realise something. It had never even crossed her mind before. Until now.

"Sensei," her voice was meek, almost fearful. "Why haven't I seen Kagome's mother and brother in the present before?"

It was true. Sakura had worked in the hospital for almost eight years now, and had been friends with Kagome for four of those years. Yet Sakura had never seen nor heard of Higurashi Kun Loon or Higurashi Souta before. Not even once.

Kakashi let out a tired sigh. "It would surprise me if you had. They both perished during the Kyuubi attack. Kagome was five."

Sakura clenched her fists and a part of her mourned the loss of her friend's innocence. To lose one's whole family at such a young age… Sakura was twenty now, but both of her parents were still alive. She felt slightly guilty for that.

The three Ninja continued to watch the funeral procession and Sakura blinked once in surprise as she recognised the man coming forward to speak.

It was Sarutobi. He looked so young compared to the ancient, imposing and kind figure she knew from her childhood. His hair was still a deep brown and there were fewer wrinkles on his face. As the Sandaime Hokage launched into a speech about Kagerou, Kun Loon trembled harder and sobbed even louder. The redhead started whispering comfortingly in her friend's ear, trying to calm her down. Kagome's face still remained blank.

By the time the funeral had ended, the rain had stopped.

People began dispersing and Mikoto handed the young Souta to her husband, Fugaku. Sakura cracked a small smile (after all this sadness, she needed to smile damn it, even if it was just a little one) when she saw how plain uncomfortable the man looked holding a squirming baby in his arms. He opened his mouth to protest, but when Mikoto gave him a dry stare, he immediately shut up.

Then Mikoto wrapped her arms around Kun Loon as well, and together she and the redhead gently guided their friend away from the cemetery.

"Itachi," Sakura suddenly heard Mikoto call. The woman and the redhead had stopped leading Kun Loon away. Mikoto's head was turned slightly as she stared at the two children still in front of the tombstone. "Kagome-chan, it's time to go."

The boy looked back at his mother, but the girl didn't respond.

Mikoto sighed softly. "My little leaf, you stay here with Kagome-chan and keep her some company okay? Then when she's ready to go, bring her back safe to the Uchiha estate," she instructed.

Itachi nodded solemnly. "Yes, Kaa-san."

Mikoto watched them for a moment longer before turning back and leaving.

The young Uchiha remained by his best friend's side as she continued to stand in front of her father's grave. He found himself looking at the brief inscription on the tombstone. Higurashi Kagerou. Jounin. Beloved Husband and Father. Died in battle. A loyal Ninja of Konoha till the end.

Itachi closed his eyes, feeling a wave of grief was over him as he remembered the kind man who always made the time in his busy schedule to help his daughter and her best friend in their studies because they asked him to, who always poked the boy's forehead as a sign of his affection because of how Itachi felt uncomfortable with kisses from anyone who wasn't his mother, who always loved Itachi as if the boy were his own son.

Itachi would miss him. No matter how many years may pass, Itachi would always miss him.

The boy opened his eyes again and glanced at his best friend. She hadn't said a word. In fact, throughout the upheavals over the past few days (ever since Kagerou came home in a box) Itachi couldn't remember even once where she spoke. Or cried.

No, Kagome hadn't reacted at all. She was just… empty.

"Why don't you cry?" Itachi asked softly. Even he had shed a few tears when he first found out Kagerou was dead. But she hadn't.

Kagome said nothing, and Itachi wanted to cry then and there. His best friend, the girl who had held out her hand to him and had asked him if they wanted to be friends, the girl who had come into his lonely little world with her bright smiles and her joyous laughter and had lit it up like a star. It seemed like that girl had been buried in the same grave as her father, and was never coming back.

"Please," Itachi's voice sounded breathless. "Please don't shut everything out. Say something, Kagome. Anything."

The young Uchiha knew that it was unhealthy for her to bottle her feelings like this.

If she kept doing it, there would come a time in the future where she could no longer contain them. All those suppressed feelings would come exploding out like a raging volcano, and he knew that when it finally happened, it would destroy her.

He never wanted it to happen.

Something in the young Uchiha's voice finally made Kagome look away from the grave and at him. She stared at him with blank blue eyes (Kagerou's eyes, Itachi found himself thinking) for a moment, before anger seemed to ignite in them and a bitter smile crossed her lips.

"What do you want me to say?" she finally asked. There was an indiscernible edge to her voice. "How angry I am with Daddy for not coming back safe like he promised and abandoning us like this? How much I hate seeing Mama sad? How angry I am with her too? Because Mama is supposed to be the grownup but now all she can do is cry. She cries and cries and she doesn't even bother to look after Souta."

Itachi said nothing.

Kagome continued, "Do you want me to say how I hate that I have to be the strong one in my family and take care of my little brother? How much I just want to curl up somewhere and cry and never stop. Is that what you want me to say Itachi?"

"Yes," Itachi finally replied, looking at her with sad eyes. "That's what I want you to say. It's okay if you feel that way about Uncle and Auntie, Kagome. It's okay. That's a normal part of grieving. You also don't need to strong for others. Just be strong for yourself. It's okay to be weak sometimes. Your tears are your own. They don't belong to anyone else. So if you want to cry, then you should cry Kagome. Don't bottle it up. It's okay to let go, you understand? It's okay."

The anger melted away from Kagome's eyes, and she swallowed.

"… It's not okay… I… I still can't believe that Daddy's never coming back…" Kagome said, her voice thick with emotion this time. "If I close my eyes, I can still feel the kiss he gave me before he left on his mission. I can still hear him telling me to look after Mama and Souta while he's gone."

Itachi never shied away from her gaze. He just continued to stare at her with those calm, sad eyes.

Kagome placed her hands over her heart, gripping the fabric of her clothes tightly. "My chest hurts," she rasped out softly. "Why couldn't you have just let me be numb Itachi? Why must you tell me that it's okay to cry…? Why is it even necessary to cry? Well, I won't cry. I definitely won't cry."

She stood completely still as Itachi reached out to brush away something against her cheek.

"You already are," he said softly.

The young girl's eyes widened, and she brought her hands up to her face. They came away wet. She looked at her fingers, and then looked back at her best friend. He was looking at her with gentle eyes, waiting for her to react. A moment later, Kagome's face finally crumpled and she let out a sob. Itachi immediately pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Kagome's own arms came up and seized the folds of his clothes. She buried her face into the side of his neck and started crying in earnest. Her small body trembled with each heartrending gasp that she let out.

The young Uchiha could feel his shirt becoming soaked with her tears but he said nothing. He just continued to hold her.

On that cold, wet day, Uchiha Itachi silently swore to himself that he would become a Ninja strong enough to protect Kagome from the Third Great Ninja War and to prevent her from feeling like this ever again.

Uchiha Itachi also swore that he would never spare anyone who dared to make her cry. (Even if it was himself.)

Sakura couldn't take her eyes off of the scene. Kagome was being embraced and comforted by Uchiha Itachi.

Wasn't that a bit unnerving? She found it hard to reconcile this child with the man ( or boy actually. Only a thirteen-year-old boy) who had been ordered to slaughter his entire clan, including his parents, and did so without even batting an eyelid, all for the sake of preventing a civil war in Konoha.

Sakura had never met him face-to-face before (the clone they fought during Gaara's rescue mission didn't count) while he was still alive, but she had still seen the repercussions of some of the horrible things he had done. Like mentally torturing Sasuke back then they were Genin by making him see the slaughter of his family again and again, so much that it resulted the Uchiha being in a coma for over a week.

Sakura knew that deep down Itachi had the best of intentions, but still, the man had a really shitty way of showing his love sometimes.

It seemed that for now, he didn't though. No, he didn't. Kagome was still crying her heart out, and Itachi was still holding her. He said nothing to the girl, instead running his hand up and down her back in a soothing fashion.

It was sad, but also sweet, really.

As Sakura watched, Kagome, Itachi and the cemetery around them finally faded away and another scene materialised in its wake. This time, the three Ninja found themselves standing in front of Kagome's house again. Judging by the position of the sun in the sky, the pink haired medic could see that it was only morning.

Kagome, looking as young and as forlorn as she did in the previous memory, sat on her doorstep, staring at the ground.

"This is a few days after the funeral," Sasuke spoke up softly, watching the small girl.

Ah. Sakura thought. But at least Kagome wasn't numb anymore.

Suddenly, Kagome looked up. Her expression was no longer depressed. Instead, she looked to be intensely concentrating on something. Sakura watched quietly as a small but relieved smile broke out on the young girl's face and she stood up, taking to the streets in a run.

"Come on," Sasuke told them, and chased after her.

"Where is she going?" Sakura asked, scrambling to follow.

Kakashi said nothing, but, "You'll see," was Sasuke's 'helpful' reply. Sakura rolled her eyes and continued running.

Kagome dashed through the crowded streets like a pro, weaving and ducking effortlessly around people and their wares. She didn't stop running, and she also didn't crash into anyone or anything.

Sasuke, Kakashi and Sakura eventually ended up following her via the rooftops (it was weird to find out that they could still use chakra to stick to surfaces, even if it was only a memory) because the latter two Ninja were still uncomfortable with the idea of just running straight through people.

With the high ground, Sakura was finally able to plot out where the young girl was running to.

The gates of Konoha were as large and as imposing as they were in the past. Sakura watched as Kagome ran through the gates, past the guards who let her go without a word of protest, and towards the four people approaching.

All of them were Ninja. There was a handsome yellow-haired man with cerulean blue eyes who bore a strong resemblance to Naruto. Sakura knew that this could only be her friend's father, the famed Yellow Flash of Konoha and future Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. He was dressed in the standard Ninja gear, with only some minor adjustments to his sleeves. Beside him was a teenager with black hair, black eyes and a pair of orange goggles atop his head.

A pretty girl with brown hair cut into a bob was walking on Minato's other side. The two purple marks on her cheeks reminded Sakura a bit of the Inuzuka clan. She was walking alongside a familiar boy with spiky silver hair and a mask covering the lower half of his face.

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise and she looked to her former sensei, then back to his teenage self several times.

Meanwhile, the adult Kakashi could only stare at his former team in silence, the longing and regret weighing heavy in his heart. Gods, he had really missed them… How long had it been since the scarecrow had seen them all together and alive like this? How long had it been since he'd heard their voices and seen the happiness in their eyes that hadn't yet been tainted by the Kannabi Bridge? (Over two decades, a part of his mind whispered. Far, far, too long…)

As Kagome ran up towards Minato's team, the black haired boy quickened his pace.

"Huh? Kagome-chan, what are you doing here? Where's Itachi-kun?" he asked, adjusting his goggles.

The young girl didn't reply. She was only focused on one man.

Sakura watched as Kagome ran by everyone and straight up to Minato (who looked very surprised to see her) and tackled him in a hug. Since the girl was still quite small, she only came up to the man's leg. But Kagome didn't mind. She just buried her face into his pants and wouldn't let go.

"Kagome-chan, what's wrong?" Minato asked gently, placing his hand on the girl's head.

He was aware of some of the weird looks his students (mainly Kakashi) were giving him, but he didn't care. Kagome was normally a very cheerful and bright child. To see her behaving like this, it meant that something bad had happened.

"Kagome-chan?" he asked again. He already feared what she was going to say.

He felt the girl shudder once against him. "Daddy died." She said it so quietly that it seemed only he had heard it.

Oh. Minato sucked in a sharp breath and he closed his eyes for a brief moment. Higurashi Kagerou had been a friend of his. He had met the man through Kushina (His girlfriend and Kagerou had been good buddies because of the things they had in common with each other. They shared a love of Fuuinjutsu, possessed a unique chakra and were the last known survivors of their clan) and they had known each other for years.

It was painful for Minato to find out that Kagerou had died while he'd been out of the village. Had the blonde also missed his funeral?

Minato was known as the fastest man alive in all the Five Countries, but yet he always seemed to be too late whenever it involved the things that mattered to him. The Jounin's heart was hurting terribly from the loss of his friend, but he knew it was nothing compared to what Kagome was feeling. Her father had been everything to her.

"Oh, Kagome-chan," Minato said softly, kneeling down so he could take the girl in his arms. He rested his chin atop her head. "I'm so sorry…"

"I'm sorry too," Kagome said softly, wrapping her small arms around his neck tightly. "I know you and Daddy were friends, and I'm so sorry that you couldn't make it back for his funeral."

Minato felt his throat tighten in an unpleasant way and he closed his eyes.

He took in deep, even breaths and suppressed his strong urge to break down into tears. This was a three-year-old child who had lost her father, a man whom she was extremely close to, and yet she was the one trying to comfort him? It wasn't right. She was just a little girl. It wasn't right that she had to grow up so fast like this. Minato had last seen her only a few weeks ago. She had still had her innocence then. Now, he could see that it was gone. It wasn't right.

"Sensei?"

Minato opened his eyes to see Rin and Obito staring at him with concern on their faces. They didn't know what was wrong but Kakashi… from his stiff body language the blonde could tell that the youth's enhanced hearing had picked up on what he and Kagome had said. Even though it had been nearly four years now, Kakashi was still very much affected by his own father's death.

"Sensei? What's wrong with Kagome-chan?" Obito asked, frowning.

Kagome slowly relinquished her hold on the man and he let out a soft sigh, shoving his grief away. Now wasn't the time for mourning. Only later, when he was in the arms of his fiery lover, only then would he break down.

"Higurashi Kagerou-san has passed away," Minato said softly.

The black-haired boy blinked once in shock, before he reacted. "No fucking way! Uncle Kagerou has—?!"

"Obito." Minato's voice was sharp. Don't be so disrespectful, were the unsaid words.

Obito stopped his outburst and rubbed at his eyes, now wet with tears. "Sorry Minato-sensei," he muttered, before looking at the girl. "Aw Kagome-chan, I'm so sorry about your dad… I really liked Uncle Kagerou…"

"Thank you, Obito-nii," she replied softly, her blue eyes solemn.

Obito rubbed the back of his head, unsure of what to say next to clear this uncomfortable silence in the air. He was so unused to see her acting this way. She was always so cheerful during all previous times they had met before. His eyes darted over to his teammate standing beside him. She was looking at Kagome in a concerned sort of way. He knew that her mothering instincts were coming out to the forefront.

"Ah Rin!" he said suddenly, hoping to distract the young girl from her grief, "This is Kagome, the girl I told you about! I babysit her and my cousin Itachi sometimes."

"Hello Kagome-chan," Rin said with a gentle smile, "I'm Nohara Rin, Obito's teammate. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Nohara-san," the girl replied politely.

Rin shook her head. "Call me Rin-chan."

There was a pause. "… Rin-chan-san?"

"No, no Kagome-chan." Rin tried not to laugh. "Just Rin-chan."

Kagome bit her lip and hesitated for a moment. "… All right. Thank you… Rin-chan."

Rin smiled. "There, that wasn't so hard was it? It's really nice to meet you Kagome-chan."

"It's nice to meet you too, Rin-chan," Kagome said, her lips twitching up into a small smile. It wasn't like one of her past smiles, but it was a start.

There was another moment of silence between everyone, and soon the three members of Team Minato turned to look at their last remaining member who hadn't spoken at all.

"Kakashi, why don't you introduce yourself?" Rin asked, and by the tone of her voice, it wasn't a request.

The silver haired youth wanted to decline and maybe even Shunshin away (because what was the point to all this?) but he caught the look his sensei was giving him and he sighed softly, knowing there was no way out.

"Hatake Kakashi," he said curtly, and Minato was sorely tempted to smack his anti-social student in the head.

"Higurashi Kagome," the girl replied politely. "It's nice to meet you, Hatake-san."

He flinched behind his mask. Being referred to as Hatake-san reminded him of his father. "Call me Kakashi."

"Oh," Kagome blinked. "Okay. It's nice to meet you, Kakashi-san."

The prodigy nodded and said nothing else.

Minato turned his eyes heavenward and silently prayed for a divine being to grant him some patience. Getting Kakashi to speak more than a single sentence whenever the youth didn't want to was like trying to convince Jiraiya-sensei not to peek at women in the baths. Bloody near impossible.

"Kakashi, do you have anything else to say to Kagome-chan?" His voice was steel. Like offering your condolences for the loss of her father?

The youth let out another sigh

"Listen up," Kakashi began, and after a pair of curious blue eyes met his pair of stoic grey, he continued speaking. "The death of someone precious to you doesn't mean it's the end of the world. Don't be a weak and depressed crybaby who expects everyone to fall at your feet and show sympathy for you. You have to dry your tears, suck it up and get on with your life because if you don't, who will?" he told her seriously.

There was a moment of stunned silence as everyone processed his words. Then came the reactions.

Kagome blinked at him, her mouth falling open in surprise while Minato, Obito, and Rin reeled back in horror. Sasuke stared at the scene with a smirk on his lips while Sakura looked shocked. She glanced to her former sensei standing beside her.

"Really sensei?" she asked, brow raised.

The man let out a nervous laugh. "I swear that I only had the best of intentions."

"Best of intentions?" Sakura repeated sceptically. "She's three!"

"Yes," he agreed sagely, "But she was also smart for her age."

"You… You're such an ass sometimes, you know that?" Sakura rolled her eyes in an exasperated way and turned back to the memory.

"Bakashi! You're an asshole you know that?" Obito yelled angrily, and Sakura let out a laugh when she heard how similar his words were to hers. "There's no fucking need to be so harsh with her! She's only three!"

"I was giving her advice," the younger Kakashi replied coldly.

"Advice?! You call that piece of crap advice?!" Obito screamed, and the two started arguing in full.

Minato slapped his palm against his forehead, closed his eyes and bit down on his urge to throttle his student. He understood that it was Kakashi's own way of trying to help the girl move on from the hurt of her father's death, but was it really necessary? That piece of thinking worked for Kakashi (somewhat), but couldn't the youth see that Kagome wasn't like him?

"It's all right Kagome-chan. Kakashi is blunt like that but I'm sure he means well," Rin said soothingly, fearing that the young girl might just suddenly burst into tears.

But she didn't.

Kagome didn't cry. She didn't even tear up. She just watched Kakashi as he argued with Obito. There was a curious expression on her face, and she wondered if he had also lost someone precious to him, if he had also said those very words to himself to move past his grief. He most probably had.

Meanwhile, Sasuke smiled wryly as he looked at Kagome and the younger Kakashi.

"And that kids, is the story of how I met your mother," he muttered softly to himself, shaking his head in amusement as he tried to imagine Kakashi describing this meeting to Itachi and Isuzu in the future if they ever asked.

What a moment that would be.

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End Chapter

Hello my lovelies. Here's the new chapter. :)

If you find the funeral sad here, oh boy, do I have news for you...

So, I rewrote Kagome's meeting with Team Minato a bit by making her more proactive, with her running out to meet them. She's got sensor type abilities in this story, so she always knows when Team Minato comes back from a mission. I also gave her a reason to know Minato, Kushina and Obito. The first two are friends with her parents, and Obito knows her through Mikoto and Itachi.

Kakashi and Rin haven't met her until that point.

Please let me know what you think!

~Beans