An, hi all it's been a while huh? Well I have no excuse other then I had no ideas for this story, that was until I had a scare and thought I may lose my sight, (I'm not and it's now better) but it got me thinking, who was going to continue this if I couldn't… so I vow to finish it, they both deserve a happy ending
Chapter 20. Grief.
A Week later.
Rachel, lay recovering in the hospital bed, her shoulder had been set and her full arm now in a pot. Tsunade attended to it daily.
She felt a lot better knowing she is home.
There worlds Kakashi was discharged, with orders to rest, but he spent most of this time here with Rachel and the other occupants.
The Other worlds Kakashi Obito and Rin where still recovering, it was discovered that Rin was pregnant with Obito's child and because of the stress of battle and chakra exhaustion, she had suffered a small bleed. Tsunade had assured both that the baby was fine, rest was needed.
Obito flat out refused to leave her side, so, here they stayed.
Rachel didn't mind she liked to listen to the story's they each told.
Minato often stopped by, joined in on the conversation Of Obito Kakashi and Rin, Rachel new it must be strange for him, to see his dead students. Then again to know his wife was alive in an alternate universe must be hard for him.
She didn't know how he is feeling about the bomb shell she dropped on him that Tobi is Obito. He had said he didn't harbour any ill feeling towards her for keeping it a secret for so long. But still, so many lives had been lost because she kept it to herself.
That's right, you did it, how many people has Obito killed? Huh because of you? Her dark side taunted.
She tried to tune it out as she listened to the others in the room talk,
You, you, you, you did it you let him run free, you could have stopped him before Marda got a hold of him, did you? Noooo.
It's her worlds Kakashi that noticed, he made his way over to her, taking her hand in his, giving her his famous eye smile.
"Meh, are we not distracting enough?" he asked.
Rachel sighed, "I wish you were, it's hard not to listen to it when Obito is stood there." She answered honestly, "Look at him….. he's so…. Goofy, its how this world Obito should be." Sadness laced her voice.
"Obito made his choice that day, the day he chose to save me, that is the Obito I remember, this man, this Tobi, is not the Obito I knew. Rachel, you did what you thought was right at the time, you didn't know how the plot would change, and you didn't see an alterative world."
"But my choice has cost so many lives, if I had done something sooner?"
"That's it IF, its' a big IF, things could still be the same, stop blaming yourself, help us create a world you want to live in."
She is silent for a while before nodding. Kakashi smiled, under the mask. He looked up to Minato enter the room.
"Ah, Sensi you have impeccable timing." He says releasing her hand.
"Oh?"
"Mmm,, yes she needs distracting."
"Is that so. Well, I have the perfect distraction." He says as he releases the brake on the bed.
Rachel rases an eyebrow up at him.
"Naruto wishes to see you and I have denied my son long enough."
"He wouldn't stop pranking you huh?" Rachel says amusingly.
Minato, winked, and smiled. "He tried, and failed. But I must admit I'm growing wary of looking out for them."
Rachel, giggled.
Minato pushed the bed to the door and made several hand-signs before wheeling her out into the corridor, into another room not too far down the hall. She saw Naruto sat on a chair with his arms folded across his chest, tapping his foot impatiently. His golden locks hiding his face.
"What not pleased to see me?" Rachel says, Naruto lifted his head taking in the sight of her. He bit his lip.
"You got hurt again?"
"I-I did, I'm fine though Tsunade says I'll make a full recovery." Naruto remained quiet and Rachel tilted her head slightly, hiding the wince.
"Naruto?"
"I….. You got hurt again and I couldn't help you.!"
"Awe, honey, it's not your job to help me." She says, trying not to sound patronising. "You're not even a Genin yet, I wouldn't expect you to come to my rescue when you haven't' left the academy." Glancing at Minato who hasn't moved from the side of the bed. "Kakashi tells me you, tried out a jutsu on your own, that you feel frustrated because I'm always getting hurt?" Naruto glanced away. "Is it also that you fear I won't come back?" she asked him.
Silence, he looked up and she saw the unshed tears in his big blue eyes.
"Oh, Naruto, I promised I wouldn't leave again, and I mean it, I was taken, not of my own free will, and I think, you know that. You cant protect me, as much as you want to you can't, not yet." She opened up her left arm "Now, do I get a hug or not? Because I have missed you sooo, much."
Minato lowered the safety rail and lifted his son up on to the bed, Naruto was very careful when he hugged her, she felt the wetness of his tears through the hospital gown.
"It's ok kiddo I'm home now, and I plan on staying."
He stayed like that for some time, before he started to talk and aske questions, Rachel played dumb and said she didn't remember much of where she was.
She asked him what had been happening whilst she'd been away. He excitedly told her about what he and his friends had been up to.
She smiled, nodded laughed with him for a good few hours.
Minato had sat in the vacant chair looking at them with fondness.
When she glanced at him, her eyes where drawn to his lips, she looked away, sure that her face had flushed.
Naruto stayed a little while longer before his dad decided it was time for him to go.
"Can you find your way out of here?" he asked his son.
"Yes!" the boy huffed crossing his arms.
"Alright then I'll see you later." He ruffled his hair affectionally Naruto ran off. Minato chuckled.
"So, back to the room?" Rachel asked.
"Ah, no not yet. I've set this room up with a barrier. Inoichi would like to talk to you."
Rachel sighed, "Not like I didn't see that coming…" she put her head back on the pillow and rolled her eyes.
"You have Obviously been through something." He says glancing at her left wrist.
Rachel glances at his lips and the feeling of being vulnerable hits her.
She frowns as she remembers the other worlds Minato cornering her and taking advantage of her lips.
She remembers despite the fear of how good it felt.
"Rachel?" the concern in his voice snapped her out of the memory. "Are you alright?"
"Y-Yea, sorry," she glances away.
"You don't seem ok?... Did something happen? I mean did the other me do something?"
"No!" she said that far too quickly she knew, still she didn't' look at him.
He approached the bed. "For a moment I thought I saw fear in your eyes." He says razing the bed guard and resting his hands upon it. Rachel stares at his hands. She couldn't' meat his gaze.
"Minato" she closed her eyes, she wasn't ready to speak about it at least not to him. "Fine, I won't deny something happened, but I'm not ready to speak of it just yet." She opened her eyes and looked up at him, "I promise, I will tell you. When I've had time to processed it."
He staired at her a long moment. "Alright, I'll leave it for now. I'm sure Inoichi will discuss it with you."
"Do I hear my Name being mentioned?" Inoichi says popping his head through the door.
"Ah Inoichi, come in." Minato says.
The Mind-walker entered with a broad smile on his face pep in his step, the man glowed happiness. It was coming off him in waves.
"Inoichi your beaming?" Minato says smiling.
"Am I, well I can't help it, my wife is expecting again." He grinned.
"Congratulations." He says clapping the man on the back and shaking his hand.
Rachel clamped down on the guilt, she knew that never happened in the anime. It didn't matter this is a completely new world so anything is possible.
"C-Congratulations!" she says forcing a smile on her face. Both men looked at her, Inoichi pursed his lips for a moment.
"Thank you," he says, "We will talk about that also, from the forced smile, and the guilt in your eyes I can assume that this didn't happen in the Anime?"
She nodded. "Bu-But this is different it's not the same so things can change and happen differently here."
"Yes, that's true, but are you fully convinced of that?"
Rachel hesitated for a moment "I'm…. I'm trying to be."
"That's good." Inoichi says, he glanced at Minato who waved and left the room. Inoichi pulled up the chair.
"There's a privacy barrier up in this room I activated it when I came in, Minato will not here a word of what is spoken here. Now, I want you to be completely honest with me here, how are you feeling about what happened in the other world?"
Rachel put her head on the pillow, "I don't know, there's so much going on in my head that I cant think straight. Everything's all jumbled up."
"That's what I thought. Alright, I want you to just talk, start with what happened when you got there, and as you go along, I'll ask and prod on certain things."
Rachell took a deep breath, "All right, I woke up in the woods, sore but mostly unharmed. I got up went to head back to the villige but that's when I heard a child's cry. I found Naruko. At the time I was too surprised to process it, but thinking back, I was shocked. She looked just like her mom, Inoichi she had her hair, and Minato's eyes."
Inoichi listened, he wasn't all that surprised most of what she said made sense. Being transported to another world slightly different from this one.
When she saw Kushina for the first time, alive, he asked what she felt, "Guilt" she said, he could see it in her eyes as well.
"What did you feel when you saw Minato?"
"I-I knew he wasn't my-I mean this worlds Minato there was no recognition in his eyes. None at all. He viewed me as a threat. Despite me saving his daughter. I was scared of him." She admitted. That coincided with the memory's he had viewed.
She told him about having lunch with them and how guilty she had felt. She told him how she had broken her wrist, falling through the roof of slicks bar.
"He-he was so scary Inoichi, I have never been so scared as I was when he was towering over me, using the battle spirit aura. If-If Naruto hadn't of showed up, I don't know what would have happened."
He nodded, his clone had been prepared to help, if he was needed, but he was better off at conserving his chakra.
"And the kiss?" he asked, that had earned him a glare. "It's not a subject I can neglect." He says leaning Forword slightly, "He invaded your personal space, assaulted you."
"He" she paused. "Assaulted? It didn't' feel like that, I mean yes I was scared, yes, he cornered me, but he looked at me with care, and love. When he kissed me, it felt nice, I-I liked it." She touched her lips, "he didn't pin me, the kiss was gentle."
"You're defending him!" it wasn't a question.
She was surprised by that; he could see it.
"No, I, what he did was wrong, he didn't ask for permission, but he didn't hurt me ether." She says, "And he felt really guilty afterword's. he apologised. K-Kushina said he had been confused because he was attracted to me. Witch if ya think about it made sense, this worlds' Minato has feelings for me then…." She stopped. Her eyes became wide.
"So, you admit he has feelings for you, that is a big step."
"I know, he has, I was just denying it," she says quietly.
"Given your past that's understandable."
"I-I don't know how I feel though?" she looked lost, Inoichi sighed.
"That is something you will have to figure out for yourself."
She pouted, he laughed. "Rachel, you have come such a long way, It's not impossible for you to love. However don't confuse love for caring for someone. It's not the same."
"Then how will I know?" she asked.
"You will know, trust me."
"That's not an answer you know." She huffed.
Inoichi was incredibly proud of her, it seems being in the other world had made her see things differently. He hoped, that this was the start of her recovery.
Minato sat at his desk getting through the dally paperwork that never seemed to go down, on his desk. He kept his mind off Rachel, if he allowed himself to be come distracted nothing would get done.
There is a knock at his door he called for Lord third to enter, he had sensed the mans chakra.
Minato blinked when he looked up, he had his crystal ball in his hands.
"It seems Minato you have someone who wishes to speak to you." He placed the ball on the desk "I would like an explanation when you return it. Something tells me you will be needing it for a while yet." He bowed then left.
Minato looked down at the ball, he placed his hand upon it and channelled chakra. When he removed his hand a face appeared, not just any face, the face of his late wife.
"Oh, thank the Kami do you know how long I have been trying to get Lord third to bring the ball to you?"
"I err."
"Never mind that is Rachel alright?" she asked the concern in her voice and eyes, he realised this was the Kushina from the other world.
"Yes, she's fine, the damage wasn't' extensive, she will recover."
The relief on her face was evident. "That's good to know Ya'know." She smiled, "Sorry, I'm sure this must be a shook for you?"
"Somewhat, Rachel has told me about you." He says, still she looked beautiful.
"Oh, good things I hope?" she smiled again and Minato couldn't help but return it. He nodded feeling tung tied for a moment. It was surreal to be talking to her, he had come to turns with her death, he had to, if he wanted to move on with Rachel.
Even if she didn't want his love. He was content enough to be beside her.
"Well, we just wanted to know if she was ok, oh have you seen our Obito by chance?"
"Ah, yes, Obito Rin and your Kakashi are here recovering there chakra."
"Oh, I see." She appears to shove someone away "Well it was nice talking to you, my husband is getting impatient so I'll hand you over to him."
When he saw himself, it was peculiar. He looked exactly the same.
"I'm glad to know Rachel is alright" he says "Despite the short time she spent with us she made an impression."
"I can imagine, Rachel has a knack for getting into trouble." Minato chuckles.
"Indeed, she does." There is a pause "I'm afraid there is more pressing matters that needs our attention. Well to tell the truththere's a few. One is the shearer amount of paperwork that will come from this."
Minato shuddered at the thought that and it would all be marked as S ranked.
"The second issue is Obito, that is your Tobi, I would like to offer my help in assisting you apprehend him."
Minato blinked, "Thank you, I may take you up on that offer." The other Minato nodded.
"The other issue is, that Rachel's brother wants to move to your world and be with Rachel."
"Ah, now that would be an…."
"A political nightmare. Yes, I know. But Kushina has insist I not deny her this. He's all the family she has left."
"I'll have to think on that."
The other world's Minato nodded.
"Well, for now that's it, when Obito Kakashi and Rin recover send them back I'll have Obito bring me to you and we can devise a plan to catch your Obito."
Minato nodded and the ball went dim.
He sat back in his chair, and thought, Rachel had mentioned that Jex was alive in the other world could he really deny her, her only relative? Even if it meant at least two months' worth of paperwork.
He put the ball in his draw and sealed it. He would have a lot of explaining to do to lord third when he returned it.
He stood and flashed back to the hospital. He was sure Inoichi would be done with Rachel.
He waited outside of the room, he can't here what was being said, but if he wanted to ern Rachel's trust, then he would have to give her privacy with the mind-walker.
It wasn't long before he exited the room.
"Couldn't keep away huh?" he asked patting Minato on the shoulder as he walked past. "Can't say I blame you."
Minato entered the room, he smiled at her she once more looked at his lips, before her gaze met his.
"Did it go well?" he asked as he approached the bed,
"As well as any session with him." She answered not giving anything away.
"Do you wish to return back to the room?"
"Um, no not yet. I kinda need some quiet time, if's that alright?"
"That's fine, though I do have something to tell you, the other world Kushina and Minato got into contact with me. using Lord thirds crystal ball."
Her sea-green eyes widened for a moment
"oh? Wh-What did they want?"
"To see how you were," he frowned "Why do you sound so nervous?"
"O-oh no reason," she smiled but it didn't' reach her eyes, he knows when she is hiding something from him whatever it is, it had something to do with the other world. Still, he wouldn't push her on this, she had said she would talk when she had processed things.
"Do you need anything? Pen paper?"
"No thanks."
"Alright I'll be back later then, I'll leave an Anbu outside of the door."
She nodded and he left. Worry did nag at him but she would tell him when she is ready.
He went back to his office and worked, he felt Sakumo's clone entering his office.
"Hokage-Same."
"Report!"
"It seems Orochimaru has been making clones of Rachel, or at least he tried to, thing is We know Rachel's sole was placed into Chi, the Clone are of Chi, there only one survivor she's week and asking for Jex."
Minto felt a surge of anger at the snake Sannin.
"Bring her here, Rachel has returned to us I'll fill you in when you both return, I'll have Tsunade set up a room for her,"
"Hai, I'm a few hours away now."
"Understood."
The clone popped himself and Minato flashed to the hospital once more, finding the slug princess half asleep in her office, he updated her on what Sakumo was bringing in.
"That sadistic bastard!" the Sannin snarled "His clones they don't live that long and are in a lot of pain…. I won't be able to keep her alive for long."
"Do what you can please.."
She nodded "What about Rachel do we tell her?"
"No, she'll only be upset by it, and she has other things on her mind right now."
"Alright, but I'm not happy about it," she grumbled "I'll set up a room. I'll do what I can."
Minato thanked her and flashed back to his office he pulled the crystal ball out of his draw pulsed Chakar through it, the other him appeared.
"I have a favour to aske of you?" he began, he told him about Orochimaru and the clone, that she's asking for Jex "Tsunade says they don't live long, I feel responsible for Chi, without her there would be no Rachel, the least I can do is offer her brother at her death bed."
"I understand I'll ask him but I already know what his answer will be. Send Obito for him."
Minato nodded the ball once more went dim. Minato sighed he rubbed his head.
He meant what he had said without Chi there would be no Rachel, that thought sickened him, Rachel had become such a big part of his life. He loved her, yes it wasn't the same love as Kushina but that didn't make it any less.
He flashed back to the hospital, and updated everyone in the room except, Rachel.
"That-that sick basterd" Obito hissed, "I take it you need me to get Jex?"
"Yes, if you feel up to it?"
"He's fine, he's more worried about me" Rin says.
"I wasn't!"
"Yes, you were." there Kakashi says, "your chakra returned, yesterday, you just don't want to leave Rin, well you can go and I'll stay until she's ready to be brought home. you're forgetting I have your other eye." Kakashi says pointing to his own Sharingan. "I can take us home when we are both fully recovered."
Obito looked to Rin and then his Kakashi, "Fine Baker don't you dear let anything happen to her, got it?!"
Minato watched the exchange it was strange, to see them like this, this is how his students should have been, instead his Obito, was a deranged killer
Oh, Obito how could you stray so far from your path. He thought.
"Sensei are you ok?" Rin asked.
"Oh, yes, I'm sorry, I was just thinking how nice it is, to see you all like this," he smiled.
"This must be hard for you huh sensei." Obito says.
"it is, but at the same time it's not, I get to see what you could have been and not everyone gets to see how things should have gone, and it's given me some memory's I will treasure for as long as I live." this time when he smiles so do his students.
"Well, I'll go get Jex."
"Oh, one last thing when Rachel comes back, please don't mention this to her, she doesn't need to know, that a chi is alive, I'm not sure how she will Handel it." he admitted.
All three nodded, he turned to his Kakashi stood at the window, and he nodded as well.
Obito stood and shook his hand, "I'll see you soon, sensi" he steps back and Obito disappeared in a swirl.
Rachel sat on her own for a good long while, she tried to sort out her thoughts and feelings, about Minato, but when ever she tried things just got more jumbled up.
She sighed, resting her head on the pillow, she glanced at the door and frowned when she saw Minato walk past, not stopping, she blinked when she saw Jex just behind him.
"What?" she tried to shift to get off the bed, but her shoulder, hurt.
Just then the door opened and Kakashi walked in.
"Why are you sat up?" he asked as he approached the bed.
"What's going on?" she asked, "I just saw Jex?"
"Jex are you sure?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Kakashi," she moved again, and hissed. "Why is my-Chi's brother here?"
"He's on Hokage business relax he planes to see you soon." He eye smiled and gently pushed Rachel back on the bed.
She glared at him, "You're not telling me something, what is it?"
"Nothing, he's here to give Minato more information on your clan." he eye smiled again.
"That's bull-shit Kakashi. My clan wasn't' big enough for that, now what is going on?"
The man sighed, "I have been ordered not to tell you."
Rachel gazed passed him at the door, she couldn't really move enough to go see for herself, and she doubted Kakashi would let her anyway.
She knew he wouldn't defy an order, nor would she want to get him into trouble.
"Fine," she huffed. There wasn't much she could do except wait for Jex to come and see her.
She waited a long time, Kakashi stayed with her though. He stood reading his book.
Rachel couldn't help but worry though. She had seen the Sannin walk past the room more then once, a worried concerned look on the woman's face. And she's sure she saw her crying once.
She saw Minato, and called out, he looked devastated. The sadness and grief in his eyes, made Rachel hold out her hand for him. He walked over took it. He kissed it, and sat on the chair held her hand in both in his, she could feel him shaking slightly. Unsure of whathad caused this but seeing the unshed tears in his azure blue eyes, made her feel uneasy.
Something had happened, something had made him want to cry. She stayed quiet, if he wanted to talk, he would.
For now, It seemed to be enough that she was there with him.
He blinked back the tears before, meeting her gaze.
"Rachel." His voice is raw full of grief, full of emotion. One of his hands came up to her face, he cupped her cheek, she did her best not to flinch, he gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I-I" he swallowed "I wasn't going to tell you this, but, I don't, think I can hide it from you." He says softly. He took a moment to compose himself, however his hand stayed on her face. "Brace yourself." He says "Orochimaru made a clone of you, several in fact,. Only one has survived this long, however it wasn't you he brought back it was….."
"Chi!" she gasped out, she closed her eyes as tears leaked out of them. His thumb gently wipe away the teas. "Jex" she sobs out.
"He's with her, but."
"Take me to him please."
He turns his head to Tsunade, who is leaning against the door her honey combe eyes looked just as grief stricken as Minato's.
"I'll get a chair." She says and leaves.
"Rachel, it was…. The clone, she's so much like you….. it was like watching you die." He choked out.
"Oh, Minato!" she pulled on his hand he stood leant across and hugged her. "I'm here," she says softly. she felt the wetness on her shoulder lightly ran her hand through his hair.
She couldn't imagine how hard that must have been for him. She has yet to see the clone for herself.
The thought of Chi being imprisoned, then seeing her brother older… it must have been such an ordeal for her. to know she was dying and leaving her brother again… Rachel's heart ached, she cried silent tears.
Tsunade may have taken a little longer to bring a chair in then normal but she was thankful. it was just her and Minato, Kakashi had slipped out of the room some time ago.
She grieved with Minato, because when she went in there she needed to be strong for Jex.
What seemed like forever but was only a an hour, Minato pulled away, once more cupped her cheek.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"He's, my brother."
He nods, they both help her in to the chair. Tsunade adjusts her shoulder in a sling, gave her some pain killers. Minato pushes it down the hall. He stops outside of the door and Rachel takes a deep breath, Jex needs her to be composed she can crumble afterwards.
An Anbu held the door open and Minato pushed her in, he quietly left the room.
Jex was sat on a chair holding a pale hand, in both of his, Chi is covered with a sheet, Rachel is grateful.
Jex looked up his eyes that had always held kindness behind them now held so much sadness, it broke Rachel to see it, tears instantly filled her vision.
He looked broken.
He gently let go of chi's hand, and made his way over, he crumpled to his knees, placed his head in her lap, Rachel ran her left hand through his hair. He cried, no, not cried he howled, his body heaved with each sob.
Rachel cried silent tears for her brother.
"T-That's twice now…. That's twice that I have had to say goodbye to my sister…. I-I can't…. Rachel….. I-I can't lose you too…"
"Jex…"
"You're her…. you, you can't die…" he looked up at her as well as the pain and sadness there's something else in his eyes, a protectiveness, "I can't" he shook his head. "No I wont lose you too…" he takes her left hand, runs his fingers across her scars. "But…. You, you have…. You already …. Chi is you…" his words didn't make sense.
"I'm not going anywhere Jex….." she says to reassure him. Part of her is worried for him he's just witnessed a clone of his sister die right in front of him.
"The scars…"
"Are a reminder why I need to stay," she says.
He stands quickly, Rachel blinks at the sudden movement, she sees he's in a defensive stance.
"See I told you he was going to fight us" she looks to her left to see Genma standing there.
"Yea, yea, glare all you want Jex Orders are Orders. Obito says to the right of her.
"Obito?" he looked down at her "Here to take him back, don't worry we know he's just had a loss not thinking straight."
"I'm not going, I can't leave her…. she needs protecting."
Rachel thought he meant Chi for a moment before she realised how intently he's staring at her.
"I have my own protector, and you need to go home and grieve for Chi."
"Really you're not going to acknowledge the Senbon in your leg?" Genma asked,
Jex took his eyes off her, Obito shot forward punching him in his gut, gripping his head forcing him to look in to his eye. "Trust meman you will thank me for this when you wake up." Jex Sagged onto Obito. "Little help here Gen?"
"Yea, yea." Genma walked over and they both took Jex's weight.
"Don't look at me like that." Obito says adjusting his hold. "Jex was willing to protect you at any cost, he's not thinking all that straight right now, fighting the Anbu and Sensei is not a good idea."
"That's right, I'm willing to bet he was going to whisk you off somewhere so he could keep you safe himself. I've known Jex for as long as Obito has, we are, I suppose best friends." Genma says.
Rachel blinked, and then smiled. "I'm glad he has you both please take care of him?"
"Without a doubt." Genma says.
"Catch ya later, oh tell Rin I'll be back tomorrow." Obito says Rachel nods and watches as they disappear.
She's suddenly aware that she's all alone in a room with a dead body, she shivers.
Rachel for all her meddling she does in Shinobi affairs is still just a civilian, a civilian from a world that isn't at war or sees death on a daily basis.
Her skin prickles with unease, maybe a hint of fear, why she couldn't say. Chi had never done anything to hurt her, perhaps it was her own fear of death, or rather the fear of reliving her previous life.
Suddenly Minato is beside her, holding her left hand. she feels the warmth of his touch.
"Are you ok?" he asked softly.
"I don't know." She answered truthfully. "Are you?" she asked,
"No,"
She looked at him she could still the see the loss in his eyes, then again, he's seen Chi.
"I want to see her."
"Are you sure?" He asked.
Rachel nodded, Minato let go of her hand and stood, pushed her chair over to the bed, he moved around so that he could pull the sheet away, after one last glance at her to make sure this is what she really wanted. He lowered the sheet, Rachel gasped, she knew she would look like her, but to see it….. it was like looking at her dead self.
Rachel, couldn't even describe the tangled knots of emotion that thrummed through her all at once. It was clear why Tsunade and Minato are so upset.
A wave of sadness and loss, hit her, that's twice now this poor girl had tried to live. Somehow, she felt a little responsible for that, Chi had died, she had taken over. Chi, was gone, the only person who had really known that at the time had been Jex, he had to cope with losing a sister, and dealing with a traumatised woman who looked like his sister.
Tears, streamed down her face, her heart ached, Chi had just wanted to be a good sister to her brother.
"Rachel?" Minato called.
"I'm, alright." She sniffs, wiping at her eyes. She reaches out with her left hand and lays it on top of Chi's.
"I'm sorry, I hope you Have found Jex, in the afterlife, he was a good brother, thank you Chi, thank you for this body, for giving me another chance to live, I'll be more careful with it from now on, I promise." She pulled her hand away and Minato pulled the sheet back up.
Still the sense of loss she felt is great, she looked up into Minato's eyes and found his just as full of loss.
He moved behind her chair and wheeled her out, he took her back to the private room, Tsunade is there ready to help her back on to the bed.
They both lifter her up, Tsunade fussing over her shoulder as she gets comfortable.
The rest of the day was lost in a sea of loss and grief, even though she hadn't known Chi, she had took on her body. The connection she felt, was of losing a sister.
Inoichi had stopped by at some point, but even he could see she didn't want to talk, he offered words of comfort and to call on him anytime day or night.
She must have fallen asleep, because she wakes, to the nightmares that haunt her, a hand a firm hand is holding her right one down, no doubt to keep it stable.
"Easy Rach."
She recognised the voice, and relaxed, she blinked the room was dim with a small light.
"K-Kakashi?"
He eye smiled, "Sensei didn't' feel right, just leaving you alone, he would have stayed…. But…."
"It's fine, he needs to grieve too." She says.
Kakashi lets go of her arm, and rest his hands on the bed riling.
"So, striped question, how are you holding up? You have been through a lot recently."
"Recently? Try since being in chi's body" slight humour in her voice, "I'm…. ok, I mean yes it hurts, but I'll will be ok, there's a lot that still needs to be done."
"Hum. That's the first time I have herd you this optimistic" Kakashi says.
"Well, things have changed, and I think I have changed too."
"You have," Kakashi says, "For the better I believe."
Rachel smiles up at him.
Thar's a comfortable silence between them, Kakashi stays with her through the rest of the night, just having his presence next to her is enough…
Minato is early to visit her the next day, she can see his eyes are still red, slightly puffy, he offers a small smile, one she returns.
He thanks Kakashi before ordering him to rest.
He sat down next to her on the chair.
"I'm meeting the other Minato today." he says simply "We are going to go after Tobi."
Fear instantly struck her.
"I-Is that wise?"
"We need to do this; he's gone on for far too long now."
Rachel looked down at her hands, part of this is her fault for keeping it a secret for so long.
"Stop blaming yourself," he says "I understand why you kept it from me, and truth be told, you may have been right to keep it from me," he says softly. "Back then I would have been to angry to see properly."
"And now?" she asked
"Now I see that my student needs to be stopped. If I can help him I will, but ultimately…." He left his sentence unfinished.
There is a silence in the room for a moment Rachel bit her lip.
"If-IF you're seeing him then there's something you should know. Though I doubt he would bring it up anyway." she looked up and he cocked his head to the side lightly, Rachel could feel heat flood to her face.
Why am I embarrassed to tell him about this? She thought Is it because It felt good? Or that I somehow betrayed him? No, he took adventive of me…..
"Whilst I was there something happened….. I-I err. That is the other Minato…. He….. kinda let his emotions get the better of him… and well… he….. he." she looked away from him almost feeling shame now. "He… Kissed me without permission... not just a kiss….. something called a Chakra kiss…."
She felt a wave of killing intent for a split second she sucked in a breath, as fast as she felt it, it had gone again, when she looked she saw his eyes had darkened.
He stood and walked away
"Minato wait!"
Before she could call to him again, he had gone.
fear Sat in her chest… I should not have told him that… she berates herself…. Pushing the covers back… she needed to go after him…
"Little one….!"
She sees Sakumo at the door, a little weary but looking ok… his eyes also held sadness.
"Sakumo… "
He hummed approaching the bed…. "Why are you attempting to escape? I thought you were past this?"
"I AM… I mean I need to go after Minato…. I-I told him something… I think he may do something stupid….. "
"Tell me…"
Without any hesitation she did she told him about the other world what had happened there…. and who he is meeting in a short time….
"I see…." he sighed…. "I commend your honesty with him Little one…. I'll go and see what the damage is. You need to rest…"
"Thank you… I know you found her…. Chi…."
"I did. she recognised me as been a friend of Jex, she was very confused and scared….. yet she seemed to be the same age mentally as I remembered her…to be… but she had your body…."
"Thank you for been there for her and for bringing her here." she swallows as more tears threaten to spill.
He nods "I'll be back later…" he leaves she wonders what he will do or say to Minato?
She felt a little bit of guilt, she knew how Minato had felt about her, to here that another version of him got to kiss her first…. She sunk further into the bed…. She had really screwed things up this time…..
Sakumo, had no doubt about Rachel right from the moment he met the woman…. Strange that she be in a child's body. But she spoke like no child.. he knew. Not even as mature as Kakashi had been at that age. He believed her when they very first spoke… Jex had been ready to kill him, had he said no, he had to wonder if the boy new he was out matched…. Still, he betrayed his village for her and worked in the shadows for years, keeping comrades alive who thought he was dead…
He never thought about the day he had to return, and confront his Son and his leader…. But now that he had, he was glad that he had met her…
He found the Yadmin by a stream and a destroyed tree… he sat leaning against what was left of the said tree, looking up at the blue sky…
"In all the years you were with Kushina I have never known you to be jealous…."
"I'm not!"
"Angry?"
"No!"
"Then why the poor tree?"
Minato is silent and Sakumo takes a seat on the grass beside the man.
"I suppose, I'm feeling a little jealous." he admits "I'm more angry that another me could do that to her…"
Sakumo nodded in understanding.
"I don't think he intended to do her harm… if he's anything like you, he probably just wanted to show his love for her… tell me when it hit you that you had fallen for her how did it feel in that moment? did you want to show her you loved her?"
"Yes, more then anything…. But you and I both know, that her past will not allow for it."
"Yes. we do, he does not. He has only been told by her. we have seen first hand what her past has done to her…"
Minato sighs, "Perhaps you are right… just the thought of someone else having her first kiss…. It felt like It had been stolen from me."
"I think she will one day willingly give you her first kiss. Everything in Chi's body is all new to her… now she is accepting it as her own, I have no doubt that she will give you her heart body and soul."
He left Minato to think on it some more. He returned to Rachel, and reassured her that Minato was ok, he just needed some time alone. She is relieved to hear it.
"Now I must go rest, little one."
"Of cause, oh how was Chloe on the Mission?"
"She's a good tracker…. She still needs to be taught on how to be around people, but she has potential."
Rachel smiled "Good I'm glad. I will ask if I can see when everything calms down a little."
Sakumo nodded. In a puff he is gone.
Rachel sat and pondered more on that kiss, and her Minato's reaction to it… she felt… pleased with his reaction somehow. Little butterflies fluttered in her chest at the thought, of Minato been jealous.
Urgh why are all her feeling so tangled up? Why cant it just be simple?
Then again, things are never simple with her… she's from another world. One that is so different from this one… yet. She had always had a thing for Minato. At the time it had been a crush…. Nothing more then that. But the more she wrote about him, the more she felt a connection to him…
Then when she was here, she found that her past prevented her from loving him.
"You look deep in thought?"
Rachel blinked found Tsunade had entered the room.
"Oh, yea guess I was."
"How's the pain?" she asked as she fussed over her shoulder.
"Not too bad."
She hummed. "The healing is going well… I should be able to speed it up in a few weeks' time… provided you don't have any more injuries," her voice is a little sterner towards the end.
"I promise I'll do my best to stay out of trouble."
"Good."
Although the Sannin is smiling Rachel has known the woman long enough to know when something is wrong.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"Why would you say that?"
Rachel gave her a hard stair, Tsunade laughed, "Seriously, kid there's nothing wrong. I'll admit yesterday upset me… but I'm ok"
"Really?"
"Yes," she ruffled her hair gave her a gentle hug before leaving. Rachel didn't' quite believe her though. Something was up with her.
There's a soft Knock on the door she turns to see a sheepish looking Minato.
"I…. Err I'm sorry for earlier."
"it's ok, I should have told you sooner, given you more time to get your head around it."
He approached the bed, she could see he was looking at her lips, she resisted the urge to hide her mouth.
"He's not you." she said "He may look like you, but your different, and way more understanding than he is… he has Kushina… he can afford to be …. A little…. More hostile."
"Well I have the pleasure of meeting him soon." He says "Relax Rachel, I won't let what you said cloud my judgment." He paused "I would like to talk about this more, but I'm aware it's.."
"Minato, it's fine. We can talk more if you want."
She saw the surprise light up in his azure blue eyes.
"If, you're sure?"
"I am." she says. He grabs a chair, although nervous, she wanted to show him that what had happened, despite it been a little scary, that she is fine with it.
Minato watched her closely, he could always tell when Rachel lied, or was about to lie.
"Where you afraid?" he asked, he realised he was almost afraid to hear the answers.
"Yes, he cornered me, there was no way out."
"Did-Did he hurt you?"
She shakes her head "No, what he did felt…" she closed her eyes as if reliving it. He felt a little bit of anger, but he kept it hidden this time. "Good. I can't explain what he did… when his lips touched mine it felt like tiny kisses, but not just on my lips, but traveling down." her face heated up he could tell, she's becoming embarrassed.
"A chakra kiss can very" he says "Sometimes it can create an orgasm right there and then and others it's like it's building. It sounds like he didn't put much chakra into it.."
"You. I mean Shinobi use this?" she asked, her face flushed as red as a beetroot.
"Yes. though not a lot it can become addictive. And if used right can also be used as a tool for extracting information. It doesn't have to be on the lips either, the neck hand and so on anywhere there's a chakra point."
She wasn't looking at him, but Rachel has always been shy about sex, given her past he's not all that surprised.
"I understand this type of thing doesn't exist where you came from, and given what happened to you I understand if you are anxious to to talk about it."
She smiles as him, "Thanks, but I'm alright, for the most part." She breathes in seems to find some courage. "There's a lot I still don't understand about this world," she admits. "Kushina said that she and the other Minato have an open relationship. Although things likethat did happen in my world its rare." she cocked her head to the side "Is that a surprise to you that they… ur..?"
"No, truth be told we did dabble in it." he pursed his lips, "If things like that where not common, I'm wondering how well you will take gay relationships."
Her sea-green eyes widened "Actually, that was more common, we had this thing called Gay pride a safe space to celebrate same sex marriages and relationships."
"That's interesting… did all your people except it?"
She shook her head "No, unfortunately their where a few that thought it was wrong and would attack gay people."
He hummed; he had that problem as well.
"There's more, far more then I could explain," she says half laughing, she looks like she's remembering something, her lips half tug into a smile, before she shakes her head gazing at him. Kami he could sit and stare at her all day if she would let him.
"is…. There anything else you want to aske about what happened?" she asked quietly.
Minato thought about it, and shook his head, "I've embarrassed you enough." He stands, "I should get going, I need to prepare somethings."
"Minato?"
"Hum?"
"You will be careful, won't you?" she asked he could see the worry in her eyes.
"I will, as a shinobi I can't make a promise that I will be back, but I will do everything in my power to return to you."
She smiled and nodded. He returned it and flashed to his office, there he found his other self-waiting for him…. Obito stood next to him.
"Ah, sorry were a little early." Obito trilled off scratching the back of his neck.
The other Minato held out his hand, a warm smile on his face.
He hesitated a moment before taking his hand, with his other he formed a fist, striking the other Minato in the jaw, he staggered backwords and rubbed his jaw.
"Sensei?" Obito says unsure of what the tension between them is.
"She told you?"
"She did…"
"Feel better now?"
"Yes, I do"
"I'll admit I deserved that."
"Yes, you did," he takes a deep breath and composes his-self. "Now to business I have a way would student to capture, if possible."
"About that." The other Minato says, "Kushina thinks she may have a solution, A seal, Obito has already been her test subject, and it appears to have worked. However, we need to get in really close for it to work."
"Understood."
"Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be, lets do this my student has caused enough pain and suffering."
Obito placed his hands on both of the Minato's shoulders, in a swirling vortex they are gone.
An yes, I am already working on the next chapter, though I don't know when I can update again, but I do promise not to abandon this story, it WILL be finished. Tell me what you thought? And do you think my writing style has changed since I first started?