Okami

by keoo19

"Happily Ever After" is how the fairytales go, right? But what happens after the curtains close? When the bliss of ignorance fades away? You're left with the reality of two people trying desperately to cling to their own shreds of happiness. All bets are off with a man who will do anything to get his family back, and a woman scorned who's just tired of fighting. KakaSaku, Rated M.

1. Okami

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Welcome to my story! I've had this drafted for years, if you can believe it. I wanted to be able to shed a different light on Kakashi and Sakura. Not necessarily their slow, budding love and how it came to be, but what happens after all of that. The realities of relationships and how nothing is ever really perfect. And although in the Naruto Universe it seems the good guys always prevail and there is always a happy ending, I wanted to paint a picture that although they seem invincible, our favorite Shinobi are in fact, human.

So come along with me on this journey, and don't expect this story to completely follow the Shippuden story line. To be honest I've missed a lot of it, lol.

Hope you enjoy! XD

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Okami

---

"Sakura?"

"Hm?"

"Can you get that?" The sound of a doorbell reverberated throughout their apartment. She groaned and rolled over; nuzzling her face into the neck of her lover as she moved closer to him, tightening her embrace.

"But I'm asleep," She whispered. She heard a sigh.

"I just got back." She moved her head and placed light kisses across his stubbled chin.

"I can tell, you haven't shaved in a while." She responded jokingly. She heard another sigh. "We can just stay here and do this. They'll leave eventually. Besides, haven't you missed me?" Her voice was seductive, as her kisses traveled to his mouth. She heard him groan against her, his resolve slipping. The doorbell wouldn't stop ringing.

"Sleep, Sakura. I need sleep first." He lightly pulled back and placed a kiss on her brow. She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. And I need—" Now it was the sounds of a baby's cry that echoed throughout their apartment. The shrieks stopped them in their tracks. Sakura's eyes widened as they both shot up. She was faster though, due to the 8 hours of rest she got from her relatively short shift at the hospital. Her lover on the other hand, battered and sore from his last mission, was at a disadvantage. That was confirmed by the grunt that escaped his lips, instant regret from moving too fast. Sakura let out a low 'Ha ha' before grabbing her robe and racing to the door.

"No fair!" She heard from the bedroom.

"Life isn't fair!" She sung back, a smug look on her face from successfully avoiding baby duty. "Now," Irritation flooded her body as she wondered what the hell could be so important that she had to be interrupted from her sleep at—she glanced at the analog clock that hung in the foyer—5 in the morning?! Her brows furrowed. Her irritation increased. Her shift was in two hours and she already planned on being late seeing as though he just got back from his long mission and she intended to sleep in with him. Someone better had been dying—

"Hatake—Haruno-san?" Her eyes narrowed as she flung the door open and the boy in front of her, no older than 13, quickly sunk into a bow. She could feel the nervousness coming off of him in waves. Even in this Village she was infamous for her short-temper. He must've drawn the short end of the stick to deliver a message to her at this hour.

"Well, what is it?" She asked impatiently, beckoning him to raise. Only when he did, he never met her eyes. They stopped at her chest. "Kid." She said firmly, snapping him back to reality as she secured her robe tighter around herself. He blushed and shook his head in embarrassment as his fingers fumbled through his satchel and produced an envelope.

"An urgent message from Konoha, Haruno-san." She snatched it from his fingertips and he bowed again, disappearing into the early hours of the morning.

"Tsk." She smacked her lips and closed the door as she ripped open the letter. The chicken scratch that would be barely legible to anyone else she read with relative ease. Her grip on the paper tightened and her heart clenched painfully as she re-read the letter hoping for a mistake or, knowing him, a 'Just kidding' scribbled at the end with a smiley face. She exhaled shakily, her limbs suddenly feeling like lead. This one letter forcefully shattered the temporary bliss she'd been in for the past 6 months.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" Hikaru said, as he bounced Sakumo in his arms. The baby cooed in response, his previous vexation from the doorbell interrupting his sleep all but erased as he giggled in delight. "That's better isn't it?" Hikaru placed a kiss on the baby's brow, earning him more giggles. He pulled his eyes from the bundle in his arms and back to Sakura, causing him to immediately move to her frozen side. "What happened? What did the letter say? Is everything okay?" She blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. She stared up at him, her expression frozen, before looking back down at the current bane of her existence. She read it again.

'Dear Sakura,

It's been so long hasn't it? I hope you have been well and the weather there hasn't caused too much frizz to your hair. I would love for this to just be a pulse check but unfortunately the purpose of my letter is dire. Kimiko has fallen extremely ill and can no longer travel. She has been requesting her mother more and more frequently. I know you had three months left but, Tsunade-sama and I agreed that it's in all of our best interest that you come back effective immediately. By the time this letter reaches you, your replacement should be checking into the Hospital. Tsunade has done all the preparation and trained her here herself, so your changeover should be quick and seamless. I know it's last minute and putting together arrangements to travel with a child so young will be tough so I took care of that for you as well. Your travel arrangements have been sorted and will also be attached to this letter. It's scheduled for Friday. Be safe and, this goes without saying but, I can't wait to see my son again.

All regards,

Kakashi'

She drew in a deep breath as she looked at her son with soft eyes and reached for him. His chubby arms reached back and she grabbed him; holding him tight against her person, her hands caressing the back of his head as she bounced softly. It was the only solace she could seek at the moment. Hikaru plucked the forgotten letter from her fingers as she bounced and paced, watching his mouth form in a grim line.

He was having trouble reading it.

She rolled her eyes. "I have to go back to Konoha." She stated dejectedly. He looked up at her.

"So soon? Your assignment isn't over for another three months." She turned away from him as a tear brimmed her eyelid. She focused on the clock. '5:23' it read. They continued on in a tense-filled silence for what felt like an eternity. She felt him silently urging her for more details. She knew once she said it out loud it would be real. Her temporary bliss would be broken and she would be tossed back to real life. The trainwreck that it is.

"You know how Kimi was supposed to travel here?" He nodded slowly. "She can't. She's sick. And she's been asking for me. Tsunade ended my assignment early and sent my replacement. I have to go back to Konoha." She finished, repeating those daunting words and realizing that lead-limb feeling from when she first read the letter didn't really go away. She moved from the foyer to the living room and slowly sat down in her plush rocking chair, her manicured foot pushing her back and forth as she soothed her baby back to sleep. He followed her and sat on the couch adjacent to her position.

"If she's sick why didn't he call? Or send word sooner? You could've had her transported here before her condition got too bad for her to travel…" She drowned him out as he went on with theories that absolutely made the most sense to any sane human, the hundreds of different alternatives and possibilities that could've been taken before getting to this one. But he didn't know him. He wasn't sane.

She wasn't going to say out loud what she was thinking; that this was all just a manipulation tactic created in the sick mind of Hatake Kakashi. She heard different statements being thrown about Kakashi being an irresponsible parent, to which she rolled her eyes to, and how she should've brought Kimiko here with her, earning another eye roll.

With all of Kakashi's faults he was an amazing father, and dare she say it, if possible, being a parent made him an even better Shinobi. She wasn't sure how that was even feasible, seeing as though he hit elite status at the tender age of 6. But this time she had no energy to defend him, and the reason being the letter she received this morning.

There was no way Kimi was extremely ill. Kakashi would call her if Kimiko fell and got so much of a scrape on her knee, just to keep her included on every single moment in their daughter's life. She received messages in the mail nearly every day with pictures and updates on her training progress, the young prodigy they had, along with packages of all of the makeshift creations Kimi had put together in daycare on any given day. No, the fault was not irresponsibility at all. In a sick way, it was sweet, she realized with a small shake of her head. Kakashi missed his son and would do anything to see him as soon as possible, even if that mean sabotaging Sakura along the way.

With Sakumo back asleep, she slowly raised and walked back to the Nursery. He followed her. She didn't want to leave her temporary bliss, this bubble of safeness filled with her false reality either. But it was only but so long she could keep a man from his son. If taking a 9-month assignment to the Hidden Village of Cloud so soon after Sakumo was born wasn't a punch to the gut, getting into a relationship with another man who had full access to him while he didn't had to have been the icing on the cake. She wondered in what form retaliation would come. She assumed this was only the beginning.

"Sakura…is there nothing you can do?" She kissed her beautiful baby and smoothed his tufts of silver hair.

"Stay asleep this time, Mo Mo." She looked at him longingly once more and sighed, turning back around. She leaned lightly against the wooden crib. "Hikaru." She whispered. He walked toward her, enveloping her in a hug, his arms wrapped loosely around her waist. She felt a kiss atop her head.

"I know, you have to go back. I just wish—"

"I know." She stopped him, smiling sadly. She put some space between them, her fingers tracing his arm down to his hand and she gently pulled him back to the bedroom. It was Monday, and if she was to leave Friday, it was time to pack.

"I'll travel back with you. I don't want you to go alone." She turned at him slightly.

"You would do that? Will they let you? What about…?"

"The mission was S-Class. Mandatory leave is only a week, but I have about a month saved up that I can take." He responded with a small smile. "Besides, it's a week-long travel with the baby and I don't want you going it alone. I'll check today if I can find tickets on your ferry." Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Last minute? That will be so expensive…" She whispered. He closed the distance between them again.

"For you, I'd do anything, Sakura." She reached onto the tips of her toes and placed a grateful kiss on his lips. Although traveling with Sakumo was never troublesome, the boy was indifferent to almost everything and was only ever irritated when he was awoken from his slumber (much like his father), she would enjoy the company on her long journey. If only to remain in her safe bubble for a little while longer.

Her life was about to change again. She did her damndest at damage control the first time around; a long assignment to Kumogakure as a Medical Liaison seemingly dropping into her lap. The Hidden Leaf Village and Hidden Cloud Village had a long history of friction, stemming back to the death of the Second Hokage and then later the kidnapping of Naruto's mother, Uzumaki Kushina.

Since the last Great War and their acceptance into the Allied Shinobi Forces, Konoha has long since forgiven the sins of their forefathers and as a token of peace, created a program where the Medical Ninja would train those here in this Village and one from Cloud in Konoha to share technology. Shizune had went before her and it was supposed to be Ino next but, well, extenuating circumstances caused Sakura to argue she would be a better fit. Which of course took a lot of fighting on her behalf, due to her, at the time having a three-year-old growing like lightning and a 6-month-old, but Sakura wanted to be as far from Kakashi as possible and nothing would stop her.

She would've taken both of her kids if she had her way, but there was no way the Copy-Ninja was going to allow his daughter in her formative years to be raised in a foreign country. Much to her chagrin he argued to keep Sakumo as well, but he was still so young and still breast-feeding so Sakura's only bargaining point was split custody. Kimiko would visit with her father every other month, and then spend the last three months of Sakura's tour here with her before starting at the Academy.

But Kakashi couldn't wait, could he?

She also hadn't seen her daughter in two months; Kakashi was sent on an S-Class mission that absolutely needed his expertise, and he didn't trust anyone else traveling with her. He was very protective of her, and she didn't blame him. She would do the same thing. So yes, it was time to return to her real home, and face whatever road that may lie ahead. Along with her two beautiful babies, Kakashi also imparted on her the tendency to run away from her problems.

"It's going to be a long week, isn't it?" Hikaru stated, bringing her back from her thoughts.

"It is indeed. I figured I should start packing before heading into the Hospital to meet my replacement who is no doubt already here." She said with a roll of her eyes. He backpedaled toward the bed, gently tugging her arm with him.

"Packing? Earlier you said you wanted to stay just like this," In a swift moment she was back into his arms and they both fell back into the bed. He placed hasted kisses along her brow, her nose and then finally her mouth.

"This is no fair, you're using this against me. You said you had to sleep." She retorted playfully.

"Yes well, life isn't fair." He mocked her in a sing-song voice as he rolled on top of her.

Unfortunately, he was about to see just how unfair life was to her.

---

The journey in itself wasn't long, but the trepidation she felt in her soul from returning back home made the trip feel like an eternity. She was absent, Hikaru mentioned to her on more than one occasion, but he did his best to ease her worry. Even though there wasn't much he could do. He was about to be landed in the middle of Kakashi and Sakura. And as much as their co-parenting relationship has improved, that was a fate she wished on no one.

The Village gates were in the distance and she breathed slowly to disentangle her stomach from knots. The tiny hands of her sleeping baby held on to her fingers. He was secured in a carrier on her front, as Hikaru walked a couple of paces behind them with their packs. She inwardly groaned as she felt more than two chakra signatures. More like five. 'Great. A welcome party.'

As they slowly approached the entrance, she saw figures in the distance materialize. She felt the air shift.

Her toddler was getting faster in her absence, she realized, but she was still only just a toddler. In a swift movement she unclipped the carrier that held Sakumo and lifted him in her arms.

"Hikaru," She called. He felt the movement as well and dropped their packs, gently grabbing the baby from her arms.

"Mommy! Mo Mo!" She allowed herself to be tackled to the ground by her daughter and was quickly barraged with kisses all over her face. Sakura held her tight as the knots from her stomach released and emotions swelled in her body.

"My sweet, sweet girl. I've missed you, Kimiko." Tears welled in her eyes as she sat up and smoothed the long silver tresses of her daughter straddling her lap. She let them fall freely as they both rocked and she whispered comforting words in her ear. "I'm back, baby." Kimiko placed her tiny palms on her shoulders and pulled back, her green eyes mirroring Sakura's pair with tears.

"For good this time?" Sakura's heart twinged painfully, remembering what the separation of parents often does to innocent children. She pulled her back into her embrace.

"For good, Kimi. For good."

"Yayyy!" The warmth quickly disappeared as Kimiko shot up. "Daddy, Daddy! Mommy said she's back for good!" The knots in her stomach came back as Sakura rolled her eyes, remembering the "dire" letter she was sent. Another figure seemed to materialize out of nowhere.

"Is that right, Okami-chan?" The deep baritone of his voice sent shivers down her spine. She couldn't differentiate if they were good shivers or bad shivers. She never could. "I'll take him off your hands now, thanks." Kakashi quipped, donned in his usual Shinobi attire minus his flak vest. He gently plucked Sakumo from a wary-eyed Hikaru and immediately spun him around.

"Da-Da!" She heard Sakumo babble. She was all but forgotten about as Kakashi playfully bounced him in his arms. Kimiko held onto his legs, her eyes bright as she wagged her brother's foot. Hikaru picked up their forgotten packs. Kakashi soon walked over, casting a large shadow over her, and outstretched a hand.

"Oi, Sakura, I didn't see you there." She rolled her eyes again and took the gloved hand. Kakashi swiftly lifted her. "How have you been?" He asked, never taking his eyes off of the baby as he touched their noses together, eliciting a squeal of delight.

"Never better." She grumbled, dusting herself off as she turned to grab her pack from Hikaru. Kimiko then latched herself onto her mother's leg. "Before I forget, Kakashi." Sakura started sharply. "Stop using your daughter as a pawn." He finally looked at her, a look of feigned surprise in his eyes as he shifted Sakumo to one arm and placed his free gloved hand over his heart.

"Sakura-chan, I would never. Kimi miraculously recovered once she heard you were coming but she was oh so sick. Isn't that right, Okami?" She looked down to her daughter who was tightly holding on to her leg, and puppy dog eyes stared back at her. She placed her hand over her mouth and coughed twice. Sakura rolled her eyes again, ruffling the hair on her head. Kakashi was putting their time to good use, turning her daughter into a con-artist. He turned to Hikaru. "And who's this?" 'So it begins.' Sakura thought. Kakashi outstretched his hand that Hikaru grudgingly shook.

"Yamamoto Hikaru. We've met." He responded, annoyance not hidden in his voice. Kakashi hummed in response.

"Have we?"

"Plenty of times," Sakura muttered under her breath. Kakashi rubbed his masked chin.

"Ah. Old age must finally be getting to me. None the matter. I'm Kakashi. Her husband." Sakura, trying to keep a lid on her emotions, smacked a hand to her forehead.

"Ex," She enunciated. Kakashi tilted his head in disagreement.

"You may have taken your last name back but last I checked it doesn't finalize until the end of the year, my dear wife." She casted an apologetic look to her boyfriend. She tried to warn him of Kakashi as much as she could but there were just some things you couldn't prepare for. Sasuke, Naruto and her Shishou finally made their presence known once the "touching" reunion was over.

"If it isn't my favorite ex-lover." Sakura groaned and doubled over, her hands on her knees.

"Sasuke please. Have I not suffered enough already?" He laughed in response, pulled her up and enveloped her in a hug.

Then he patted her bottom.

"Sasuke, not too much. Watch your hands." Kakashi said firmly, then proceeded to blow his lips on Sakumo's stomach. The boy erupted in giggles. "Did you miss daddy?" He said excitedly, all seriousness in his voice gone. Sakura swatted Sasuke's wandering hands away.

"Teme, I thought we agreed I would get to hug her first!" Naruto said, annoyed, as he sharply pulled Sasuke off of her. "I missed you so much, Sakura!" He picked her up and swung her around.

"It's true, we've missed you, Sakura. Mo Mo just a tiny bit more." Her Shishou said in a baby voice as she crowded Kakashi, tickling her son's stomach.

"Tsunade-sama," Hikaru said as he bowed, pack still strapped to his back. She finally turned away from the cooing baby.

"Hikaru. Thank you for taking care of my apprentice in our stead. We truly appreciate it." She smiled as he raised, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"We were doing a fine job of that on our own, weren't we, Mo Mo—"

"Kakashi, that's enough." Tsunade said in clipped tones as Sakura glared in his direction. Kakashi rolled his one good eye.

"I was talking to my son, Hokage-sama." He grumbled under his breath.

"Yeah, right, Hatake. Now, while I'm sure Sakura greatly appreciated the welcome party, she's had a long journey and I'm positive there is nothing she would want more right now than to set her things down and take a bath." Sakura sighed in relief.

"Yes, I'm so tired I just want to go home—"

"Home! Home! Home!" Kimiko chanted, pulling at Sakura's top. Sakura's head whipped back around to Hikaru as he stared back at her, his features expressionless. She didn't really have a home here, did she? There was the home that she and Kakashi shared, but that was her, erm, previous living arrangements. While there was more than enough room, there was no doubt in her mind even bringing it up to her ex-husband would result in a death stare. She rubbed a tired hand over her eyes. In all her worrying she didn't think this far forward about the trip back to Konoha.

"I mean…" She started with a sigh. "It's not late, I'm sure we can check into a hotel." She gave Hikaru a reassuring smile.

"Mommy, you're not coming home?" Kimiko whimpered, puppy dog eyes with tears ready to flow and a pouted lip to boot. She almost rolled her eyes. Oh brother, what has Kakashi done?

"Sakura, it's fine. I'll drop my bags off and check in on the Cloud Ninja currently stationed at the Hospital. We can meet back up later." Hikaru said softly as he grabbed at her waist. Sakura sighed again.

"Thank you for being understanding." She whispered, placing a quick peck on his lips. When he released her, she turned to Kakashi, his eye glaring holes through her. A couple of feet down right beside him was their daughter. Arms crossed, same expression. Even Sakumo looked on with his signature bored expression. This time she did roll her eyes. She went and procreated with a man who held the strongest genes in the world. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Hikaru, I'll show you around. Kakashi, I'll be around later for dinner. Come on Teme!" Naruto simultaneously slapped a hand on his back as he dragged Sasuke along, much to his dismay. "So, how have you and Sakura been…?" He started as they walked through the Village gates. Sakura huffed a sigh as her Shishou finally approached her, baby in tow.

"I made sure I was here to soften the blow a bit, Sakura. But you know Kakashi. Stubborn to a fault and refuses to let go." She embraced her in a half-hug with an apologetic smile as Sakumo was secured in her free arm jostling with her long blonde tresses. Sakura hugged back, just grateful for the first genuine reaction (outside of Naruto) since she's arrived through the gates.

"I mean I still do have Mr. Ukki," Kakashi teased, speaking of the first plant Team 7 gifted him as Genin. "As long as he's still alive…" He laughed as Tsunade released her, passing Sakumo to her at the same time.

"Full mission report on my desk Monday morning, Sakura. It's good to have you back." The current Hokage said with a backward wave as she walked back to her office. Sakura waved back sadly as her last barrier of defense just left. She sighed. Kakashi approached her side.

"Home then?" He asked and she nodded in response. They both started walking the all too familiar path to house Kakashi bought for them, their family. She softly patted Mo Mo on the back, bouncing him playfully. It was as if by muscle memory, she shook free of one of the straps of her pack and Kakashi scooped it up, swiftly securing it to his back, all while holding his daughter's hand.

"Daddy?" Kimiko said. Without another word he grabbed her arms and lifted her high above his head plopping her down on top of Sakura's pack, grabbing her small legs to secure her there. She immediately started braiding his hair and singing.

Unknowingly, Sakura's heart swelled. This was how it always was, for as long as she could remember. Whether it was Kakashi returning from a mission or Sakura, long before Sakumo was born. And even during her term, Sakura returning from her missionary and humanitarian assignments pregnant as hell until Kakashi forbade her from leaving the house. They fell into this routine of theirs so normally, as if Sakura hadn't been gone for the last 6 months. As if they hadn't been broken up for the last year. As if everything between them wasn't so… irreparable.

"Mommy, did you hear me?" Kimiko said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Hm?" Her daughter huffed in annoyance.

"I said Daddy taught me something new and I want to show you!" She narrowed her eyes at Kakashi whose face was stuffed in a children's book, unaffected by her glare. He shifted Kimiko on his pack with the hand he still had on her knee.

"Kimi," He started in a soft warning tone. "I thought we said that was big wolf and little wolf's secret?" She plopped her arms down on his unruly mass of hair and huffed a sigh, her chin propped up by her forearms.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I forgot." He patted her knee.

"It's alright, Okami-chan." Sakura never stopped boring holes into his head and he snapped his book shut, stuffing it into his pocket as he felt the oncoming argument.

"Kakashi—"

"Look—"

"No, you look." She grabbed his arm lightly, her expression schooled. "I thought we agreed we would slow down on teaching her Ninjutsu, and when we continued, we would do it together." Kakashi stopped, his lone eye looking up to his daughter whose eyes switched between both of her parents.

"Kimi, catch the butterflies for Daddy, okay?" He bent over and let her down.

"Okay!" She ran off a couple of paces ahead of them, chasing the butterflies currently swarming. Sakura pursed her lips. They paused momentarily on the path as he sighed.

"Sakura. You know this girl is gifted beyond anything we could imagine. She's even going to the Academy a year early! She was getting restless—all I taught her to do was walk on water—" Sakura's eyes widened.

"Walk on—Walk on water, Kakashi, you mean one the one thing I was able to beat those knuckleheads in?! You know how much that meant to me! I told you—" He touched her arm lightly and she snatched it away. He grabbed the bridge of his nose.

"Sakura, I know. I brought Kimi out when I had Genma's Genin team and that's what they were learning. She begged me, and you know I couldn't refuse her. It wasn't on purpose to spite you." Sakura turned away from him in anger, crossing her arms as tears welled in her eyes. She furiously wiped them away as she felt him close the distance behind her. Kimiko had Kakashi wrapped around her finger. From the time that girl opened her bright green eyes, he was a goner. She would know, it was her eyes she would use in manipulation against Kakashi many a time.

"Why was she even out there…" Sakura whispered, still turned away from him. He placed a hand on her forearm, this time she didn't swat it away.

"There was a bug going around the daycare. They dropped her off to me and that's what his team was learning. He was out sick, and I took over for the day. That's all." He finished, his tone barely above a whisper.

"Kakashi, I wanted to teach her that." She responded, turning her head slightly. He shook his head.

"There's only but so much I can hide from her, Sakura. She's always with Naruto and Minato while he's training him, and you're not here to hear her complain—" Anger bubbled inside of her as she quickly turned to face him, poking a finger in his chest.

"That's rich, coming from you, Kakashi! Continue to remind me how I'm not present in my daughter's life!" She spat. He raised his head in annoyance.

"You know that's not what I meant, Sakura."

"She favors you, Kakashi! Idolizes you! I feel like you turned her against me—"

"You left, Sakura! You did! You packed up and left us!" He yelled back. There it was, the inevitable argument. The typical calm and collected Copy Ninja ran his hands through his hair as he tried to regain his composure. He swears, she's the only one that can get him riled up like this.

"You pushed me there! You gave me no choice!" She yelled back harshly. His head jerked back. Sakumo started to stir as she bounced him frantically in her arms. Kakashi scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"No choice, right? You had plenty of choices. You chose to leave. You chose to take a damn near year-long assignment in a faraway country. And you damn sure chose to have that random man, raising my son—" Kimiko ran back up to them, her hands clamped loosely together.

"Mommy, Daddy look!" She crouched and opened her hands carefully, a butterfly rested in her palms. Sakura's glowering eyes immediately softened as Kakashi took a knee beside her and kissed her brow, the movement causing the butterfly to flutter away.

"Beautiful, my little wolf. Let's go home now." He raised and grabbed her hand, throwing a pointed look back at Sakura's tear-filled eyes. A look saying that this conversation was over. She blinked them away quickly as they continued to walk the short path that was left. Such a familiar path, now filled with so much dread.

Where did she go so wrong?

It was so easy to paint her as the bad guy. She filed for divorce. She took their son and left the country. She got into a new relationship. No doubt, in the court of love, right now Sakura was the villain. But he knew. He knew every little step along the way that pushed her there. Kakashi knew.

He pushed open the steel fence to their home, a home she admittedly missed a lot. Kimiko bounded through the gate on the path to the door and with a few quick steps Kakashi followed, twisting the key in the lock. She sighed heavily as she stepped into the entryway, the familiar scent of Jasmine filling her nostrils.

He dropped her pack by the door and pulled his mask down, kicking off his shoes as she did the same. They both walked toward the living room. Kimiko came behind them both, straightening their shoes and placing them on the rack. She once again unclipped the carrier that held Sakumo, preparing to place him on the pile of arranged pillows it seems that Kakashi set up, before he moved beside her & plucked him from her hands.

"Relax." He said calmly. "You've been traveling for a week. Let me run you a bath. Dinner will be ready by the time you're done." She pressed her lips together and nodded, all fight gone from her body. "Mo Mo, let's run Mommy a bath, okay?"

"Okay!" He repeated back to him as Kakashi chuckled heartily and disappeared down the hallway. She plopped down on the couch & tipped her head back. Just as she closed her eyes, she felt tiny limbs crawl on top of her and curl into her frame. She embraced her immediately.

"Mommy?" She heard a small voice say.

"Yes, baby?" She paused.

"Are you mad that Daddy taught me that?" Sakura's eyes snapped open as she searched her daughter's wondering pair. Kimiko was too smart for her good. She didn't know how she got so lucky, and then she remembered who she married. Kakashi was a prodigy himself, graduating the Academy at 5 and already engaged in the Third Shinobi World War by 6. Everything and everyone this man touched was blessed and she could expect nothing different for his offspring. The chakra that Kimiko sucked from Sakura during her pregnancy was a clear indication she would no doubt inherit her father's natural prowess. She sighed.

"Remember how Mommy told you how she struggled to become strong?" Kimiko nodded her head fervently.

"And now she's the strongest!" She exclaimed, giggling and grabbing Sakura's bicep. She smiled.

"Yes, exactly. When Mommy was growing up with Uncle Naruto and Uncle Sasuke, they were born strong."

"Like Daddy said I am." Sakura tapped her nose.

"Just like Daddy said you are. Well, there were only a couple of times while Mommy was growing up that she could show she was strong, and one of those times was when she learned to walk on water first. That was so special to Mommy." Kimiko's eyebrows furrowed as she put a tiny finger on her chin.

"But Daddy said he taught you how to do that." Sakura shook her head and laughed. Leave it to Kakashi to claim a victory wherever he could.

"Thats right, Okami-chan. And that's why Mommy wanted to teach you. With Daddy. Together." Kimiko blinked.

"As a family?" Sakura nodded.

"Yes, as a family." She whispered, kissing her nose. A blush spread across her little features.

"Mommy is leaving some parts out of that story, little wolf." Kakashi said warmly as Sakura stiffened. Kimiko popped her head up to stare at her father, leaning against the wall behind them with his arms crossed. "She left out the part that even though she struggled growing up and there were only a couple of times she could show she that was strong, she grew up to become the strongest Kunoichi in the land. Stronger than Uncle Naruto and Uncle Sasuke." She clapped her hands.

"And Daddy right?" Kakashi chuckled and moved toward them, sharing a look with Sakura as he plucked Kimiko from her lap.

"Right. Stronger than Daddy, too." Kimiko blushed again. "Now run along, little wolf. Get ready for your bath while Daddy helps Mommy with hers." She kissed him on the lips and skipped to her room. He plopped on the couch next to Sakura. She scooched over to give him some room as he spread his arms across the top of the couch. Sakura looked away.

"You didn't have to lie to her." He furrowed his brows.

"What lie, Sakura?" He questioned. "The three of us have known for a while you've long since exceeded us in brute strength, not to mention your tactical and medical knowledge. Forget Naruto and Sasuke, how many times have you saved my ass, on and off the battlefield? I don't know where I would be without you." He stated matter-of-factly as she looked away and frowned. "You keep counting yourself out, as if the only things you can give to Kimi are these little experiences. A big part of why she is the way that she is, is because she came from you, Sakura." She turned back to him, her eyes wide while his pair was sincere. "While I would love to take the credit for our little genius, you formed her in your womb and you carried her for 9 months while she sucked the living daylights out of you." She scoffed at that part.

"Boy did she." She remarked snidely, remembering her relatively tough pregnancy.

"She has my beautiful locks and gorgeous face—"

"Watch it," Sakura warned. He smiled and held his hands up.

"But those are your eyes, Sakura. Your brains. Your strength. You created our little monster." He said with a laugh, but quickly turned serious as he cautiously took her face in his hands. "I'm sorry for teaching her that without you. I know you said you wanted us to teach her together and I took that from you." She swallowed as she stared at him, raw emotion plastered on his bare face. She smiled softly.

"Thank you, Kakashi." He smiled back, his eyes briefly scanning her lips. She froze.

"Wait—" Sakura quickly hopped up and around the couch, heading toward the bathroom where he ran her bath. He followed.

"Your apology will only be accepted based on how good this bath is." She said quickly to erase their closeness from her mind. Like father, like daughter. What a con-artist. She weaved through their master bedroom and was not at all surprised to see it exactly as she left it, her large vanity in the corner in front of the window with her makeup set out, the Byōbu with her robe strewn across the top, even down to their deep red bed set. Kakashi was a man of habit and not at all a fan of letting go. Once she reached their bathroom, she turned to shut the door but a foot stopped it.

"Do you need help?" She rolled her eyes.

"Nice try, Kakashi. I'm going to bathe, then bathe Kimi and Mo Mo. We will eat dinner, and I'll put them to sleep, but then I'm leaving. I'll be back in the morning before she wakes." He let out a resigned sigh.

"Wouldn't be me if I didn't give it a shot."

"I would expect nothing less." She responded, closing the door shut.

---

"Good night, my little wolf." Sakura whispered, as she brushed the silver strays out of Kimiko's face. She continued to stare lovingly at her daughters sleeping form, her tiny palm still gripping Sakura's top as she laid beside her.

It was to their surprise that when Kimiko was born, she came out with a shag of silver hair and piercing green eyes. Not to mention tearing through Sakura's uterus upon her departure, and the copious amounts of chakra she consumed as she was forming. Her baby was a lightning affinity, almost a direct opposite of Sakura and as a result took a lot of power away from her during her pregnancy. Kakashi jokingly called her a wolf, the way she ravaged Sakura's body, and it fit too, her fiery personality showing itself very early on.

She lightly kissed her brow once more before carefully disentangling herself from the little limbs. She missed her daughter immensely, and as much as she saw her and spoke to her via video call or saw her pictures through the mail, it could never beat holding her. This was Sakura's heart outside of her chest.

She exited her daughter's bedroom and walked back down the hall to the living room. Kakashi was laid back in his chair, a beer propped on one knee while "The Art of Ninjutsu" was held in his other hand. He wasn't reading it though; she noticed his eye dancing from laughter as Naruto animatedly explained his latest adventure of training his son, Minato. Hinata sat on the couch, playfully rolling her eyes and Sasuke sat next to her, a smirk on his lips as he drank his own beer, and they all watched the charades play out in front of them.

This is what she missed the most. Her family.

At their matured age of 26, there was a lull of peace time in their lives, actually allowing them to slow down and smell the roses. They were lucky, luckier than most Shinobi their age who didn't get to see the fruits of their labor, giving their all in duty to their Village. Protecting the Will of Fire for the Village Hidden in the Leaves and everything they upheld as Ninja in this world. Growing to see the next generation take over. She was grateful.

Naruto, literally preparing to be the next Hokage, learning about diplomacy and paperwork, laws and treaties, the more unseemly side of the position. Sasuke, content on just being home and focusing on the restoration of his Clan. He's come such a long way. His return to Konoha didn't go unpunished, although they did go easy on him. He was sentenced to 5 years of House Arrest, of which he only served three for good behavior. But during that time he struggled with drugs, using them as a coping mechanism for his lifelong trauma and pain. But upon being reinstated as a Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, he was able to find new purpose again. Unfortunately, it was too late for Sasuke and Sakura; his drug abuse driving her away and eventually led to him admitting himself into rehabilitation. Now he's clean, sort of, and settles on using medicinal herbs to calm his psyche.

But then there was Kakashi. Unsurprisingly still in his prime and just as fast as the newest generation, if not faster. Fatherhood looked good on them, Kakashi especially. He never thought that he wanted kids growing up; his lack of a childhood and also watching the burden it put on everyone. Not only that, but the fate of the Shinobi world as they know it changes with the seasons; outside entities will forever be hungry for power and as a result, they will always be one conflict away from war. But he watched Naruto and his son and was inspired.

Sakura inwardly smiled, remembering the presentation Kakashi put together explaining all of the pros, and according to him there were no cons, of having a child together. His biggest bargaining points were that they were already married, at the top of their careers, it was peace time, and, everyone else was doing it. It was a long fight, seeing as though it was Sakura's body that would be sacrificed and she would take the brunt of it. Despite the changes going on inside her body Kakashi waited on her hand and foot. Watching him dote on her grew her love for him. Sakumo on the other hand, he was unplanned.

"Sakura, you have got to see how big he's gotten!" Naruto exclaimed, pulling her out of her thoughts and into their conversation. "He's going to be putting me on my ass soon." He finished with outstretched hands. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Soon? You sure it hasn't happened yet, Naruto?" He looked away sheepishly.

"He may have gotten the upper hand on me once or twice." He grumbled, scratching the back of his head as Hinata shook hers and laughed.

"Once or twice. Right." She retorted, giving a pointed look to her husband. Sakura stretched her hands over her head and yawned.

"I would love to finish this reunion, but I've been on the road for a week, and I want to sleep in a proper bed." Sasuke raised.

"I have to stop by the hospital, anyway." Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"Natsuki on shift tonight?" He threw her a playful glare back.

"Mind your business. Speaking of business, will you be staying with your lover or your husband tonight?" Sasuke countered. She frowned.

"My children are asleep. I'm headed to the hotel." Sasuke rolled his eyes as he moved to the door.

"Yeah, for tonight. God knows you two can't stay away from each other. Hence the 1-year-old in the nursery. Probably why you ran away to Cloud—" Naruto clapped a hand on his shoulder, quickly interrupting him as Sakura stuck her tongue out.

"Alright, it is getting late. We can argue about the two love birds tomorrow. Sakura, I'll take you to where he's staying." She nodded.

"And I'll check on Minato. No doubt he's put Tsunade-sama to sleep already." Hinata said with a laugh.

"Naruto, can you wait for me outside?" Sakura asked. He nodded warily, looking between Kakashi and Sakura, the former staring daggers at the latter, before closing the door softly. The house was soon quiet again. Tension filled the room.

"Sakura," He started, pulling his mask down. She sighed. She already knew what was coming.

"Kakashi, I told you I'll be back first thing in the morning. She won't even know I left." He looked to the ceiling.

"She climbs into bed with me sometimes, you know. Tonight of all nights would be the one considering she knows you're here." She threw him a pointed look.

"She climbs into bed with you because I'm not here and she thinks you're lonely." He narrowed his eyes. "Besides, you said she's been up since early this morning waiting on me to arrive. She's like a log in there." He sighed, using the arms of the chairs to lift his body. He moved toward her. She crossed her arms, preparing to stand her ground. "Kakashi, I'm in a relationship, I'm not spending the night with you." He closed the distance between them, lowering his head to her neck. He was close and she could smell him, the familiar deep musk that tantalized her senses. Her insides tingled, her mouth parting slightly to exhale shakily. "This is why Sakumo was born…" She whispered. His lips ghosted across her neck; so close she could feel his breath fan across her skin.

"Do you regret it?" He whispered back. She bit her lip as her resolve hardened. She weakly placed her hands across his chest and pushed him lightly. She sighed, closing her eyes.

"No, I don't regret my son. But we were not together when we conceived him, nor were we together when he was born." He softly grabbed her chin and her eyes opened, staring back into his onyx one piercing her soul.

"I don't regret him either." He paused. She knew what was coming. "Do you regret us…?" She looked away from him, his gaze making her nervous. This is how it always started. She pondered a moment before she responded, intending on wording her reply very carefully because anything she said afterward would be twisted by his manipulative mind.

Did she regret it?

"No. Our children are the smartest I've seen. Kimiko has advanced further than what I could've ever imagined. Even Sakumo's strength as a 1-year-old is impressive, although he's super lazy. Kind of like his father—" He rolled his eyes at her avoiding the question.

"Us, Sakura. Not our kids. Us." 'Damn it.' She thought. "It's no secret that I don't believe we shouldn't be together, working on our relationship. I never wanted this separation, Sakura." She took a step back out of his grasp and tightened her jaw.

"And you think I wanted to be divorced at 26? What do you think caused this Kakashi? Who do you think caused this?" She sniped. "Is it easy?" He rolled his tongue across his cheek as he turned away from her, heading to the kitchen. She followed him.

"Is what easy, Sakura." He drawled, grabbing a bottle of sake from under the cabinet with a glass to boot. He quickly poured himself a shot, downing the drink in quick succession.

"Is it easy for you to sit in your delusional bubble and pretend that you don't know the reason why we're separated? Is it easy for you to forget everything you've done? What about what you didn't do?" She snapped. His face was schooled, expressionless. Just as it always was when she decided to bring up his faults, when she decided to bring up reality. "You. Weren't. There, Kakashi. You stopped seeing us! You stopped seeing me. We broke up long before Sakumo was born because you ran away first. Did you forget that? Mission after mission, Kimiko having to ask me if you didn't want to be at home, did you really think I started this, Kakashi?" He looked away from her, his eyes lowered. A twinge of remorse falling over his features. "I almost died with Sakumo. Twice, Kakashi. And where were you—?"

"How many times do I have to apologize for that, Sakura? I can't change the past. I can't change—" She pointed a finger at him.

"That's just it, Kakashi! You can't change. I gave you every opportunity to save us. I wanted this family to work so bad. Because when it's good, it's great. But you cannot handle difficulty, Kakashi. You run away at the slightest provocation and all I wanted you to do was fight for me." Tears started to well in her eyes as the feelings she fought off for the last 6 months started rising in her. She turned around and leaned against the counter so her back was to him.

"I did fight, Sakura. But you fought back against me and still left." He whispered. "Left me for him." She gripped the edges of the counter so hard her knuckles turned white.

"Hikaru held my hand as I hemorrhaged. He stood by my side as I bled out. Giving birth to your son. By the time you started fighting, it was too late, Kakashi. My fight was gone." She heard his hand tighten around his glass and she exhaled, pushing off of the counter.

"Why is it so hard for you to believe that I've changed, Sakura?" She slipped into her shoes and stood, her hand grasping the doorknob. She blinked away her tears and pulled open the door.

"Because I've believed you before, Kakashi. Now look at where we are."

---

She let her mind wander as she walked with her head laid against Naruto's arm; her hands clutching onto his bicep as the only sound that could be heard was their footsteps on the Village path.

This is what she has been avoiding. This is why she ran.

Kakashi was so smooth. The way he took care of their daughter, and ran her a bath—he even helped her put Sakumo to sleep. She assumed that his plan was to see her, and woo her, and get her back on his side, not remembering that they've played this game before. Like Sasuke so eloquently stated, that's how they got Sakumo. He wants his family back now, but where was he when Sakura fought to keep them together? He took one mission after the next, on a quest for power.

Kimiko grew rapidly and was getting stronger and stronger by the day. Their daughter was a prodigy and would undoubtably be the face of the new generation, right after Minato. She was walking up trees from the moment she could stand and summoning chakra by the time she figured out how to put her fingers together. And Kakashi…he was obsessed with teaching her.

Not in a bad way, at first.

At first, he was excited for her growth just as any father would be, taken aback by the joys of parenthood and all the things his little human accomplished. But then it turned into something more. Soon he was consumed with getting stronger. For her, he would argue. So that turned into mission after mission and training session after training session, so all he would have time to do when he was home would be to kiss them goodnight before he headed out again.

'I'm doing it for you both, I'm not getting any younger, Sakura.' He would say. And he wasn't, she would agree. But at what point would he sit down? At what point did he want to relish in all he accomplished and just be present? She gripped tighter on Naruto's arm as her thoughts consumed her.

"Now would be a good time as any to ask what's on your mind, Haruno." He stated, his eyes still on the road ahead. She looked up at him. "At least before you pop a couple of my blood vessels," He joked. She sighed in response, letting go of his arm and running both of her hands through her hair.

"It's Kakashi." He hummed.

"Yes, it always is." She smacked his arm. "Hey, you know I've been rooting for you two since my wedding, so I guess I am a little biased." He responded, rubbing the sore spot she just hit.

"So remind me again how anything conducive will come from this conversation." She grumbled, focusing on her feet as she kicked a rock. He stopped.

"Because no matter what, my loyalty is to you, not the old man. And I kind of like Hikaru. He's in love with you, you know." She groaned, placing her hands on her forehead.

"I know, I know, I just—I don't need this right now. I don't need Hikaru's testaments of love and I damn sure don't need Kakashi trying to get the band back together." She said with a roll of her eyes. "It's all just too much and that was the main reason why I wanted to get away." Naruto frowned.

"Yes, but…you ran away with your star-crossed lover. If you really wanted to get away you should've took both of your kids and split by yourself." Another smack to his arm. "Okay, okay, Sakura." She sighed again.

"Naruto, the mission to Cloud was my ticket out of here and it just so happened that Hikaru was from there." She shook her head as they continued their path to his hotel. "And I love him too, I think." She whispered the last part.

"You think?" He asked. "Sakura, you're not just with him to spite Kakashi are you? Cause that's kind of—"

"No! Of course not!" She responded incredulously. "I mean, Hikaru was there. My pregnancy with Kimiko was tough but it was combated by love. Sakumo…I love my baby, but Sakumo was an accident and I went through hell. I almost died and where was Kakashi? Away on a quest for power. He stole a play right out of Sasuke's handbook while his wife was bleeding out in her hospital bed." Naruto looked down at her, his face full of sympathy and pain as he recounted almost losing his friend. She grabbed his arm again, leaning back on his shoulder. "I ran away because when it mattered, Kakashi wasn't there. It didn't suit him. When I wanted our family to work, it didn't suit him." She blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay as her chest tightened. "I can't forgive that, and I don't know if I ever can. And now he wants to make things work because he sees me with someone else? I just…this is just too much for me, Naruto." They arrived at the steps of the hotel and he faced her, grabbing her shoulders.

"So make a decision, Sakura. As much as you hate Kakashi right now you're taking a play out of Sasuke's handbook too." She looked away. "You can't run away from your problems forever."

"Well, for once, I have one thing on my side that I never had. I have time." Naruto gave her a tight hug and kissed her brow.

"I'll see you, Sakura." He called and she nodded before she started up the steps. Her night was long from over.

She headed over to the receptionist and smiled.

"Room for Yamamoto? He should be expecting me. Haruno Sakura." The receptionist nodded before producing a key for her.

"Right down the hall, Miss. Room 4." She smiled again before turning in the direction he pointed. She used the room key to open the door and was greeted by the scent of candles, the dark room illuminated by their light. She shook her head and laughed softly.

"And what's this, Hikaru?" He appeared before her shirtless, donning only his black Shinobi pants relative only to Cloud Ninja. He took her hand and pulled her into an embrace and began kissing the top of her head.

"A proper homecoming." He whispered. She sighed into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Take these off." She quickly did as he asked, shedding the outfit that she favored while working in Cloud Country. A gray tunic top that was cut low, a criss-cross mesh top hiding the spillage of her bountiful breast that her two children blessed her with. She stepped out of her thigh-length spandex shorts and kicked her panties aside and allowed Hikaru to promptly lift her and carry her over to the bed, placing kisses on her neck all the while. "How was dinner?" He asked, dropping her softly on her back against the plush mattress. She tipped her head back to allow him more access.

"It was good," She breathed noncommittally, running her hands through his long blonde hair, loosing it from the ponytail that was secured at his nape.

"Your teammates?" He put a knee between her thigh, opening her legs up wider as he explored her body with his hands, his fingers electrifying her skin wherever they touched.

"Good," She said again, in between hasted kisses she pressed against his mouth, her hands tugging at his pants.

"And Kakashi—" She huffed angrily, her head plopping back against the pillows, her arms following.

"Hikaru. You have me here. Naked. Kid-free. And you want to talk about Kakashi?" Her voice was high-pitched and filled with exasperation as she looked back at his light brown eyes incredulously. She propped herself up on her forearms, looking down at her body before meeting his gaze again.

"It's just, whenever he's around, he tries something." She rolled her eyes before exhaling and rolling herself off of the bed. She walked to the bathroom and grabbed a robe that hung on the hooks before switching on all of the lights.

"Go ahead and blow out the candles, Hikaru. The mood is ruined." She heard him sigh and watched as he ran a hand through his loose hair, allowing it to fall and frame his face. His pants hung low on his frame, so low that she could see the cut of his muscular figure as it shaped into his pelvis. She shook her head in disappointment. She was this close…

"Sakura, I'm serious. The last time he came to Cloud, he made dinner reservations for all of us. At two different locations! He went to the Hospital and told you one place, and then came to the mission tower and told me another! I waited for two hours before I found out that I was fooled!" She frowned and moved to sit back on the bed, securing the robe around herself and crossing her leg. Again. She told him Kakashi was a master manipulator…

"Yes and he told me that you were running late with your reports. Hikaru we were both fooled. I know. I just…I don't know what you want me to do." He shook his head and moved to sit beside her, pulling her into his arms as they sat beside each other. "My divorce doesn't finalize for another 6 months. I tried to stay in Cloud for the majority of that time, but as you can see," She raised her hands and dropped them in emphasis. "Our co-parenting has come a long way. It use to be so nasty. Hikaru, I just need you to give me the time to continue to make this split amicable. And I just need you to trust me." He looked away.

"Sasuke said that you and Kakashi were going to get back together. He said that's what always happens." She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Yeah, well Sasuke is on drugs and loves the discomfort of others so I'm sure he said that to make you squirm. You can't take anything that man says serious." She said with a laugh.

"He was talking to Naruto when they thought I wasn't listening. Naruto agreed with him." She frowned. Naruto was such an enemy of progress.

"They're both idiots." She grumbled. No wonder Naruto said he liked Hikaru. He was probably trying to soften the blow if he ever got found out. She'd pay him back later.

"Sakura, you know I want to be with you." He said using a finger to lift her chin and meet his gaze.

"I know. It's just a sticky situation but I promise, with time—"

"You didn't say it back." He interrupted. She furrowed her eyebrows.

"I didn't say what back?" He pulled away.

"You didn't say 'I want to be with you' back, Sakura. You know what, you always get like this when he's around—" She stood and threw her arms at her side.

"Hikaru, damn it! I can't deal with a pissing contest between you two!" She placed her hands on her face before pacing. "If it's not one thing it's another! I'm asking you to trust me." He stood as well, stopping her and putting his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm trying, but you have to understand where I'm coming from! How can I compete with him?" She watched his expression as he searched her eyes. Her shoulders dropped and her head followed, lying on his chest.

'He's in love with you, you know.'

She could only imagine how he felt, Kakashi trying to trump him at every turn, using their kids to his advantage. She couldn't blame him either. There was literally nothing he could do. He was always so patient. But the look she saw on the man's face was one of someone who was tired. And it wasn't like Sakura was being awfully helpful. She played into Kakashi's little games.

There was a means to an end, she hoped. The more she kept Kakashi tamed, the more civil their divorce was, and the easier it was on the kids. She was just thinking of the kids. At least that was what she wanted to believe. And that this wasn't a sick attempt at her trying to distract herself from the inevitable.

What Sasuke said did have truth to it, as wrong as she hoped he was. She and Kakashi always found their way back to each other. But every single time it was the same thing. Except this time, Hikaru was caught in the middle. And she didn't want to hurt him. She would hate to. He didn't deserve this. He was the sweetest man with the kindest heart, stepping into a role he didn't have to, taking Sakura with two kids and a fucked up baby-daddy situation. His patience was probably wearing thin.

"I want to be with you too, Hikaru. And I'm sorry." They started as great friends, Hikaru being placed in Konoha during the liaison program. He was harmlessly there for her while a very pregnant Sakura went through her breakup with Kakashi. It was her who made the first move, selfishly pulling him into this mess. And she knew how Kakashi was. She's known him damn near her whole life.

This man was 30, a phenomenal Shinobi, and smart as a whip. He even held the position of the Raikage's bodyguard for many years. Not to mention he's boyishly handsome; he had long blonde hair that he typically fastened in a low ponytail and the lightest brown eyes, and his dimples made an appearance whenever he smiled. He was a catch, to say the least. Sakura figured that much even before she noticed how all the Kunoichi in Cloud ogled him. Much like the women here look at Sasuke. But here he was, spending his best years running after Sakura and her complicated predicament. She sighed again, trailing her hands up to his neck.

"I'm so sorry. You don't deserve—"

"Aht. Aht. You're not getting rid of me that easily." She pulled her head off of his chest to look at him smiling down at her. She felt her heart flutter.

"I'm dropping Kimi off in the morning. And Kakashi will be with Sakumo all day. I'll check in at the Hospital for a few and then we can spend the day together." He kissed her forehead.

"I'd love that." He responded softly before looking around. "Well, the candles are still lit. Do you want to finish what we started…?" She rolled her eyes in pleasure.

"I thought you'd never ask."

---

"You don't have to come with me everywhere you know," Sakura grumbled as she jostled her baby on her hip. "You are getting way too big for this Sakumo. When will you start walking?" She whispered in feigned anger before nuzzling her nose into his cheek. He grabbed it and squealed.

"Separated or not, I miss your company, Sakura. I'm awfully lonely nowadays." She rolled her eyes as Kakashi opened the door to the daycare center and allowed her to walk through. "And he does walk, just not for you because he knows you'll carry him regardless. Stop babying him." She frowned as she walked through.

"But he is a baby." He fell into step with her as Kimiko skipped to catch up with her father's much larger steps. "And don't tell me you're lonely. I seem to remember women loving the "single father" look on you." Sakura said sarcastically. Kakashi stopped and threw her a pointed look, his eyebrows raised as a smile tugged at his lips behind his mask.

"Are you having me followed, Sakura? Because jealousy does not suit you." He said playfully as he leaned against the counter. He placed an elbow atop the wood and his palm in his hand as he glanced back at Sakura's disgruntled expression. Kimiko jumped up and down in excitement, completely ignoring her parents. "If you want to start this we can, but this is not a battle you will win, Mrs. I'm going to run away with my lover to Cloud." He finished with air quotes. If possible, her frown ran deeper. She huffed and turned away. "Put him down, Sakura. Let the boy walk." Sakumo held on tightly to Sakura's top as she tried to detach herself from the boy. After many displeased whimpers later, she tried placing him on his feet, only for him to fall forward on his knees and start to cry.

"Kakashi…" She said his name in annoyance and pointed her hands at the bawling baby in front of her.

"Sakumo." Kakashi said firmly. The boy slowly quieted, his cries turning into whimpers as his lip pouted. "Come over here. Stop giving your mother a hard time." She watched as he unsteadily raised his chubby limbs from his knees and teetered over to Kakashi, who scooped him up once he grabbed the fabric of his Shinobi pants. Sakura crossed her arms and huffed. "You spoil him too much."

"That's exactly why you're spending the day with your dad." She said with furrowed eyebrows at the sight before her. "And I'm not spoiling him. His sister started walking at 8 months and then never wanted to be carried again." She started, throwing a playful look at Kimiko. "I'm just trying to cherish as much time as I can before he starts walking up trees too." The daycare receptionist smiled before walking up to Sakura.

"Mrs. Hatake, it's so good to see you again." She said warmly. Her smile wasn't returned.

"It's Haruno." Embarrassed, the woman blushed before looking over to Kakashi, and then back at Sakura.

"My apologies, Ms. Haruno." Kakashi shook his head and laughed as Kimiko ran up to the older dark haired woman and hugged her.

"Don't mind her, Fumiko-san. She only changed it back a few months ago and it's barely official." Sakura narrowed her eyes at him while Fumiko gave her an apologetic look. Kakashi placed Sakumo back down and made for the exit.

"Bye Mommy! Bye Daddy!" Kimiko said excitedly as she ran into the daycare center littered with other children.

"Let's go, Mo Mo." Sakumo followed Kakashi, his stance bo-legged as they walked to the door. "Do you want to come to the park with us?" He asked. She pursed her lips.

"I'm about to check in at the Hospital."

"Then what about later? Do you want to come back and pick up Kimi with me?"

"I wanted to go see Kurenai. It's been so long."

"We can—"

"Kakashi." She stopped and faced him. "We have to get used to this." He swallowed and nodded slowly.

"You'll be back for dinner, right?" She touched his arm lightly and gave him a soft smile.

"Yes. I'm assuming I'm cooking?" He scoffed.

"I mean it's only fair considering I cooked for 7 yesterday." She rolled her eyes.

"Mo Mo doesn't count. I'm still breast-feeding." He looked down at her chest.

"Mhm. Yes I can tell." She smacked his arm and he held his hands up in surrender. "Don't blame me. Blame your son who has truly blessed you—"

"Kakashi!" He laughed.

"Okay, okay. Message received."

"And remember we have another hearing on Monday." He visibly tensed and she could tell he was frowning behind his mask.

"How could I forget." He drawled sarcastically. She crouched down and touched her nose to Sakumo's.

"Be an absolute tyrant for Daddy today, okay?" She said with a giggle before kissing him on the forehead. He gave a nearly toothless grin; his bottom two incisors peeking through his gums. She gave him a wave before walking the path to the hospital. He watched her retreating behind and shook his head.

How did it get this bad?

"Up you go, Sakumo." Kakashi grabbed the boy by his arms and placed him on his shoulders. He felt the familiar tug of his hair as Sakumo held on. He placed his hands firmly on his legs as he started for the park.

"Mama!" He squealed as he continued to watch her form disappear into the crowd.

"Mama's not coming, Mo Mo." He felt the tugging of his hair stop and he could almost hear the frown on the boy's features. "Same, Sakumo. Same."

How could he mess up something so perfect?

He got the strongest Kunoichi in the land to marry him, create a life together, have two kids for him—was he fucking stupid?

The short answer was, yes. Yes he was.

But it wasn't that simple because life rarely is. Despite the hell she put him through to actually court her, Sakura made everything so easy for him. She made it easy to love her. She made it easy to cater to her. She made it easy for him to be a father. But these are things Kakashi realized in retrospect. Because life would just be too simple if he realized what he had while he had it, right?

He shook his head as he softly bounced up and down to jostle the baby atop his head, earning him giggles in return.

How could he ask for more? He had a daughter and son that a blind man could tell were his. His daughter was an exact replica of Sakura in every single sense. Her personality, her features; no wonder Sakura went through hell during her pregnancy. Kimiko took everything from her. The way her mood could light up an entire room or tear down a dynasty just depending on how you made her feel. Her outspokenness was definitely something he could do without and has gotten him in trouble many a time with Sakura. And he didn't know if this was just a kid thing or something she got from his wife but man was this girl a snitch. But most of all her heart. Her kindness and willingness to help everyone around her, she could get that only from the Pink-haired beauty.

While he couldn't claim much, what she took from him he couldn't be more proud. She was a lightning affinity, just like him, with a natural knack for ninjutsu that would definitely rival his prowess at her age. She was strong and she was fast, and smarter than anything he'd ever seen. She was developing quickly too. Even without the aid of a Sharingan, Kimiko could replicate anything he taught her at her level fairly easily, earning her an early spot at the Academy. Just like him. The only difference was one of them was being prepped and primed for war, while the other was raised around love.

Any man would argue that they'd want a son to roughhouse and pass down their ways to, but he couldn't have been happier that he had Kimi because in more ways than one she fit the bill. But not only did he have Kimiko, he had a son. One that was the spitting image of him too, save for the eyes. Sakura's genes fought hard on that piece considering not a strand of pink hair could be seen on his kids. To which he was grateful of course.

He knew Sakura was teased about it when she was younger and having civilian parents he assumed they dealt with things differently. Kakashi on the other hand… he was never really known to let things go. And he taught Kimi how to fight. Despite Sakura's 'sticks and stones' speech, she knew what to do if ever placed in a bullying situation and he would gladly take the consequences afterward. And he'd teach the same thing to Sakumo, too.

As long as Sakura didn't take him away again.

He's only seen his son twice in the last 6 months. And just thinking about it had his stomach twisting in terrible knots.

'But we were not together when we conceived him, nor were we together when he was born.…' He heard Sakura's voice echo inside of his head. And they weren't. His son was completely unplanned, and everything about her pregnancy with him led to their demise.

Where exactly did he go wrong? It seems he confused Sakura making everything so easy for him to mean he didn't have to put in any effort. When Kimiko started sprouting like a plant and he saw she had a hunger to learn anything and everything he felt that his duty as a man—as her father, he needed to be able to teach her. And while Kakashi was older he in no way was out of his prime. And he wasn't going to let fickle things like age cause him to grow outdated.

He wanted to be able to run circles around Kimiko until she was old and grey, and he would do anything to make sure he could do that. Which involved endless training and the honing of his skills. He had to continue to be a student of the game and keep his mind sharp. The apprentice almost always outgrows the master, and Kakashi grew obsessed with not letting that happen. He didn't realize that he was sacrificing his family in order to do that.

But Kimiko understood. Her mother did a fantastic job of explaining that her father was just out saving the world again. And whenever he came home he was never empty handed. He brought trinkets from every part of the world, new jutsu and books for Kimi to read when she was older. In short, she idolized him. And she thought he was her superhero. He just didn't realize what that did to Sakura until it was too late.

It was hard to raise a child so hungry and so demanding by yourself, Kakashi realized this explicitly over the last six months. Sakura was the real superhero. Because he could teach her everything he knew about the ninja world until he was blue in the face. But who taught her she couldn't take things that didn't belong to her? Sakura. Who taught her modesty and respect? How to be humble? How every kid was not created the same but we treat everyone the way we ourselves would want to be treated? Sakura did that. Who taught her proper manners? How to communicate? He consistently failed in that department, so of course it was Sakura.

If something happened to their daughter today which took away her ability to be a Ninja she would still turn out to be the most kick-ass kid he's ever had the pleasure of laying his eyes on. Why?

Because of Sakura.

And doing that alone can take a lot of out a person. Not at first though. At first she was understanding, he was doing it for the greater good. They made the decision together to raise their child a Shinobi and there were so many sacrifices that came with that to ensure she lived a long life. But after a while…

There were no amount of "I'm sorry's" that could fill the empty space left in their bed at night. Somewhere along the line he forgot Sakura needed to be loved too. She needed to be poured into. Her dreams and desires fed and nurtured. After she finished wiping Kimiko's tears, who would wipe hers? Kakashi practically left her alone.

'You pushed me there! You gave me no choice!'

Could he honestly argue that? Once he recognized the irreparable damage he did to their marriage, he tried reconciling. But only way after Sakura's pleas for him to stay fell on deaf ears. He got hurt on a mission and it was only confined to his bed did he realize what he was literally driving away from him. The woman who dropped everything to nurse him back to health. And they briefly got back together, after realizing Kakashi accidentally planted another seed. And he promised he would change he promised he would stay. But what did the dumbass Ninja who could figure out his enemy's moves before they made them do? Who could decipher plans and intel written in the most difficult codes?

He couldn't figure out how to fix his marriage.

He got better and went back to doing the only thing he knew how to do without a shadow of a doubt. What he could do with his eyes closed. What he was manufactured to do from such a young age. What didn't require thinking, and emotions, and compromising, and work. What Sakura made so easy for him. Being a phenomenal Shinobi.

How could he imagine the stress that would put on her body? How could he know that continuously breaking her heart would directly lead to the complications she experienced? He couldn't know. Because he wanted to learn about everything in the world except how to take care of his own home. So much so, that he was even gone while she gave birth to Sakumo.

He couldn't blame Sakura for not forgiving him. He couldn't even forgive himself.

He basically handed Hikaru his perfect life on a silver platter.

And now what could he do about it? Sakura left him, for good this time. And every single time he thought about living out the rest of his days without her, co-parenting, watching a Cloud bastard love her and take care of their kids like he was supposed to, it made him sick to his fucking stomach.

He dropped Sakumo on the ground and sat himself on the park bench. He bent over, pushing up his hitai-ate and rubbing a tired hand against his normal eye.

"I don't know how we're going to do it, Mo Mo. But we're going to get Mama back." Sakumo clapped his hands together, not at all understanding the depth of Kakashi's words but just elated at the familiar sound of his mother's name.

"Mama!"

"That's right, Mo Mo."

He was going to fight for his family back and he'd do whatever it took.

---

"After this we should probably get some training in—Ow!" Naruto rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head and turned around to see his perpetrator. A very pissed pink-haired kunoichi. "Oh, hey Sakura." He said sheepishly. She fumed as she stood with her hands on her hips.

"Don't "hey" me! Why are you trying to destroy my relationship?" Naruto immediately raised his hands as Sasuke who sat in the swivel chair right beside him began to laugh. Earning him a smack to the back of the head. "And you too, druggie. What's wrong with you idiots?" Sasuke frowned.

"I only tell the truth. You should expect this behavior from me. It's Naruto you should be mad at." He grumbled before being forcefully pushed into a vacant stool so Sakura could plop herself in between them.

"Are you two trying to get me broken up with?" Sasuke shrugged.

"Better to happen now before the inevitable comes." She raised her hand to smack him again before Naruto pulled her into a half hug from his seat.

"Sakura, Sakura I think you've gotten it all wrong."

"I do now?" Naruto furrowed his eyebrows.

"Well, only my part. Sasuke definitely said what he said."

"And I'm not taking it back." She eyed daggers at the dark-haired man.

"But what I said," Naruto started in forced tones, trying to calm the waves of anger coming off of her. "Was that is what usually happens, but I think you're turning a new leaf."

"You think?" He shrugged.

"I mean only because for as long as I can remember you two could never leave each other alone."

"Yeah, right after he stole you from me." Sasuke quipped before bringing chopsticks full of noodles to his lips.

"Was that before or after you checked yourself into rehab?" She threw back at him just as sarcastically.

"Hm. After." She rolled her eyes.

"You two idiots just stay out of my business, okay?" Naruto pouted.

"Are we still invited to dinner on Sunday?" Sakura leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Of course. See if Shishou will bring Minato."

"Pfft. You know Baa-chan loves having him to herself Sunday nights. But I'll do my best."

"I'm going to try and bring Hikaru." The two men froze beside her.

"You mean…" Sasuke started.

"Are you sure, Sakura?" She nodded.

"So you'd prefer him to die by Kakashi's blade versus breaking up with you. I guess that keeps your hands clean." Sasuke finished with a shrug.

"You know he's going to have to get use to him sooner or later. Who knows how many women he's brought by the house while I was gone." She muttered while throwing a pointed look to Naruto, to whom shoved his face in his bowl of ramen. "Naruto," She said in a warning tone.

"Sakura you just told us to stay out of your business." Another eye roll. It was a loaded question, anyway. Because did she really want to know the answer?

"Speak of the devil," Sasuke retorted. Naruto shook his head.

"Which one," He whispered under his breath as Sakura glared.

"My love," Hikaru said as he walked up behind Sakura. She tipped her head back and he placed a peck on his lips. "Are you ready?" She smiled.

"I am. See you idiots later!" She called as she walked away hand in hand with Hikaru. Sasuke shook his head.

"He seems like a decent guy. What a shame."

"What's a shame?" Kakashi asked as he sat himself in the recently vacated seat. Naruto slapped a hand to his forehead.

"Teme, it looks like we won't be training today after all." Sasuke's eyes narrowed as his hair was currently being pulled at by tiny baby hands.

"It's a shame that Sakura's dragging an innocent man through you two lovebird's pile of dogshit." Kakashi hummed as he produced a baby bottle from his flak vest. He repositioned Sakumo in his arms, coincidentally giving him more access to Sasuke's hair, and began to feed him.

"It is, isn't it?" Naruto frowned.

"When are you planning on letting her go, Kakashi?" He turned to look at the man.

"What do you mean when? Who said I ever planned on doing that?" Naruto groaned.

"The divorce proceedings, presumably." Kakashi waved him away.

"Meaningless formalities."

"And the name change?"

"Simple paperwork. She can always change it back."

"And if she doesn't? And at the end of the year you two actually get divorced?" Kakashi frowned, using his foot to turn the stool slightly side to side, soothing his son as he ate.

"I'm not going to waste my time thinking that far."

"Maybe it's time you accept it's over." Sasuke offered, trying to free strangely strong hands from his hair. Kakashi narrowed his eyes in response.

"It's been 6 years. I married her and had two kids with her. Whenever you accept she left you, I'll do the same." Sasuke shrugged.

"Touché."

"It's time for a nap, Mo Mo." Kakashi whispered to his son as he lifted him, finally disentangling his fingers from Sasuke's hair. He pulled a small bib from a different pocket and placed it on his shoulder before beginning to burp him.

"Kakashi-kun. Coincidence running into you here, isn't it?" He looked up to see Ayame behind the counter at the Ramen stand. He smiled as a burp erupted from the small body, followed by giggles.

"Hm. Coincidence huh," Sasuke remarked snidely.

"Don't mind him," He started apologetically. "It's the drugs." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"When are you people going to believe I'm clean."

"Whenever you get clean." Kakashi replied.

"You should bring Kimi by the restaurant today. I can have dumplings ready for her." Ayame said. Sasuke raised his eyebrows at her using their daughter's nickname so comfortably.

"Kimiko's at daycare. They had fingerpainting today." Kakashi said, ignoring the informalities as he started to soothe Sakumo to sleep.

"No worries, maybe I can bring it by later?" Kakashi gave her a pointed look as Sasuke's face scrunched up.

"Maybe another time?" She nodded slowly and threw him a look back before disappearing behind the curtains. Naruto looked back and forth between the space she previously inhabited and Kakashi.

"You're still having her come by the house? Does she know Sakura's back in the Village? Don't you know what she'll do if she finds out?" Naruto asked skeptically.

"Not to mention her so casually calling her Kimi. And making her dumplings, which just so happens to be her favorite dessert. Let me guess why—Oh, because it's your wife's favorite dessert." Sasuke added.

"No, she's not still coming by the house. And I'm not sure many people know she's back. She only arrived yesterday." Kakashi responded in his defense. "Besides, Sakura won't find out. And don't you two have your own business to worry about?" Naruto sighed as he raised himself from his seat.

"Yeah, we've been hearing that a lot lately." He said with a roll of his eyes. "Well, I'm going to go pick up my son. And go see my wife. Who I'm still with by the way." He said with a playful shove of Kakashi's shoulder.

"Well then, I'm going to go stop by the Hospital. I'll have them prepare a bed for you, Kakashi. For, you know, when Sakura finds out you have women around her daughter again." Naruto shuddered at the rather explosive memory.

"Whatever." Kakashi said. "Tell Natsuki I said hi."

"Shut up." He watched the two men walk away and slowly raised, carefully dropping Sakumo into the carrier strapped to his chest. After he secured him in, he sighed.

"Sakumo, let's make a stop at a restaurant."

---

He closed the door behind him and pulled his mask down, kicking his shoes off afterward. The smell of food wafted past his nostrils and he sighed. Is this what everyone wanted him to let go? Coming home to a freshly cooked meal?

'I think the fuck not.' He thought. Kimi straightened his shoes and placed them on the rack next to the door. Sakura came from behind the kitchen and wiped her hands on his green shuriken-printed apron that was secured at her back. He raised an eyebrow once he noticed she was only wearing her bindings and spandex shorts. Yeah, he definitely wasn't giving up this view.

"Mommy! Look what I made!" Kimiko ran to the kitchen and latched herself onto Sakura, showing her the painting she created. Sakura bent over slightly to peer at it and he watched her features soften.

"It's so beautiful, Okami-chan." She said in a whisper as she grabbed it from her fingers and held it up. It was a painting of their family, Kakashi towering over her with gray lines stemming from his head illustrating his gray hair, and her much shorter form with pink lines that went down past her stick figure hips. She chuckled at Kimiko and Sakumo's little bodies, green dots for their eyes. "I'm going to make a copy for Daddy so we can take it everywhere with us, okay?" She jumped up and down, clapping her hands. Sakura smiled in return before looking at Kakashi who was still standing at the door. "And how was Mo Mo today?" She asked, reaching for the baby as he chewed on his knuckles.

"An absolute angel." Kakashi said softly, drinking in her features. She was air-drying her hair, her long pink tresses falling past her shoulders in waves, the tips of them that stopped just above her buttocks still wet and dripping onto her shorts. The closer she moved to him to grab Sakumo, the more he could smell her. Jasmine. He could never get enough of her scent, so even after she left to Cloud he littered the house with it. It gave off the impression that her presence was still there, taking up space in every room. "He had two bottles and a nap." He finished, holding up two gloved fingers.

"That's a shame. Hey baby!" She bombarded his tiny face with kisses. "Did you miss Mommy?" More kisses.

"We did." Kakashi whispered under his breath as she walked back over to the living room and sat on the couch, one of her legs folded under the other as she laid Sakumo down.

"Dinner will be ready soon, it's just in the oven. How was your day? Any offers of women trying to be Sakumo's step-mom?" She asked with a laugh. Kakashi shook his head, remembering himself and produced a brown paper bag.

"Here, I got you something." She snatched the bag with one hand while the other was busy tickling Sakumo's stomach. She opened it cautiously, but then her features immediately lit up.

"Dumplings? You got me dumplings?" She screeched. "God, they don't make them like this in Cloud!" She finished, her voice distorted by the syrup-coated dessert already in her mouth. "Okami-chan, Daddy got us dumplings!" Said toddler jumped over the couch, hanging over Sakura's shoulders and reaching her hands into the bag.

"Yum, my favorite! Thank you, Daddy!" He smiled at the sight in front of him. Nope, not letting go.

"Full disclosure, I stopped by the Ichiraku Restaurant today." Sakura stopped, her mouth full of dumplings but her features displaying disgust. Kimiko grabbed the bag and bounded for the kitchen.

"So you got them from her." She stated. He shook his head before sitting beside her. She looked away and started tugging at Sakumo's feet dejectedly.

"No. She offered to make them for me, but I went to go tell her that I didn't want them and that you were back home. She didn't like that much." He finished while scratching the back of his head. "So I grabbed them on the way home from the side of the street. You know that old man, who looks like your grandfather?" She smiled in remembrance.

"You mean the one that's always sweet on me?" He pursed his lips.

"Yeah, that one." He grumbled. "I told him you were back and he gave them to me for free. He even said if you come back tomorrow evening he'll have a fresh batch just for you." He watched her features light up again, so child-like, and in that moment he noticed there really wasn't a difference between her and Kimiko.

"Kimi, please save some for me!" Sakura called, her appetite returning once she realized his so-called mistress didn't make these. "Oh and, Minato wants to come over to play with Kimi in the backyard later. So I'll supervise them before I leave." Kakashi couldn't hide the disappointment in his face. "But it will be after dark, they said something about pitching a tent under the stars I think." Kakashi reached over her to palm Sakumo's face playfully.

"How was your day? Did you get to see Kurenai?" Sakura slapped a hand to her forehead.

"I completely forgot. I'll stop by first thing after breakfast tomorrow." He furrowed his eyebrows.

"So what did you do all day?"

"I went to the Hospital,"

"All day?" He watched her expression and she hesitated, as if she contemplated telling him. "You don't have to hide him from me, Sakura." She sighed.

"You sure?" He nodded. "So can he come to Sunday dinner tomorrow?" He felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. He bit the inside of his lips and now was as good a time as ever to regret agreeing to Sakura's "No mask around the house rule" whenever they didn't have company. Something in his stomach started churning. Her bright green eyes stared into his and he was immediately reminded of Kimiko whenever she asked him to stay up past her bedtime.

"Yeah, of course. The whole team is coming, why not?" He bit out, offering her a smile. One thing he was sure she never deciphered was when his smile was fake. She threw her arms around him and he immediately inhaled, snaking one arm around her bare waist from their position on the couch.

"Thank you, Kakashi." She pulled back before scooping up Sakumo. "And I promise to be civil if you'd like to invite someone as well." He nodded, giving her another smile as a lump formed in his throat. "I'll go bathe the kids really quick." She said before damn near skipping down the hall-way. "Bath time, little wolf!" She called. He heard Kimiko groan and turned to see her little body sitting at the kitchen table, her face covered with syrup and her hands just as sticky. She used her hands to push herself and her chair back from the table. He watched as her toddler fingers basically touched everything in sight and he rolled his eyes. Might as well clean up her mess.

He sighed as he lifted himself from the couch and walked to the kitchen to grab a wet rag and started on the mess she left.

"Why the fuck did I agree to that…" He whispered to himself. That was the complete opposite of what he was trying to do. Welcoming this bastard into his home? But it was Sakura's fault. Whenever she looked at him with those eyes, how was he supposed to say no to her? He didn't want to invite anyone. He actually made a list of every woman he had to formally cut off now that Sakura was back. The last thing he needed was her catching wind of bathhouse rumors like last time. He shook his head in memory.

He could've easily went to Ayame's restaurant today, taken her peace offering, dropped a sleeping Sakumo off with Kurenai for an hour and slide to her apartment by lunch for an "afternoon delight." But he was literally on his redemption tour, trying to change his ways.

Ayame almost cried today when he told her his wife came back. He knew she liked him, a little more than liked, and the sexual agreement that they had wasn't enough to satisfy her. It never was. It never was with any of the women that he was with. But that's not what it was about for him. It was about relief, because he was a man. He didn't see himself falling in love with another woman. He only wanted Sakura. He only ever wanted her, even when he was away for weeks and months. He just wanted to make it back to her.

But here Sakura was, literally replacing him. Sunday dinner was their thing. Their tradition. For their family. He felt this was the beginning of the end. How the hell was he supposed to get her back? If he thought he was mature enough to hear about Hikaru, he was lying to himself. Even Sasuke cringed from time to time when he would watch Kakashi and Sakura, no doubt thinking about what he fucked up. And Kakashi would tease him about it of course. Taking his woman.

Oh how quickly the tables have turned.

Just as he finished cleaning up sticky fingerprints he heard squealing in the bathroom.

"Kakashi, I'm being overpowered!" He heard Sakura yell. He bounded down the hall and pushed open the lightly cracked door to see Sakumo slamming his hands down into the water repeatedly, and Kimiko, naked, standing confidently in the bath next to her brother with a bucket full of water. Sakura was laughing in the corner, soaking wet. It seemed Kimi already got her once.

"What's this, little wolf? Two against one isn't fair." He said with a chuckle.

"Mommy said I had enough dessert and she won't change her mind!" He placed his hands on his hips. "Pick a side or pick to be splashed!" He moved forward, his bare feet stepping in puddles of water covering the tiled floor. He used a hand and pulled Sakura's smaller, wet form behind him.

"What Mommy says stands Kimi." He said.

"Very well!" She shouted. He watched as her little arms jostled the bucket in her hands, preparing to throw it at them. He quickly snatched it from her and dumped it on her head and she screamed.

"No more dessert, Kimi." He watched as she pouted and sat down in the bath, water splashing around her. She crossed her arms, her wet, silver hair covering her green eyes. Her brother, unbothered beside her, continued to play with his toys. He couldn't stop the laughter now. "Sakura go get cleaned up. I'll finish with these two criminals." She mouthed a 'thank-you' before slowly backing out of the bathroom with her hands up in surrender.

He grabbed the deserted rag and continued to clean Kimiko's body.

"Daddy," She started.

"Yes Kimi," He hummed.

"How come Mommy doesn't want to be a family anymore?" He froze. His daughter was smart.

"What made you think that?" Her face was scrunched up in a frown.

"Because she has a new family with Hikaru-san." She whispered. That churning feeling he felt in his stomach earlier came back. He sighed.

"We will always be Mommy's family, okay? There's nobody she loves more than you and Mo Mo."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Does Mommy love Hikaru-san more than you?" He frowned. Kids and their damn questions.

"Kimi what are you and Minato planning on doing later?" Her features lit up.

"He's going to show me his frogs!" She went on about the toad summons that Naruto undoubtedly passed on to his son, but his thoughts were consumed with her previous statement as he finished cleaning her up and then moved on to Sakumo.

Did Sakura love the Cloud bastard more than him?

He was there for her, he guessed. But what else did he really have to offer Sakura other than he wasn't Kakashi?

"Let's get you criminals dried off and ready for dinner."

Sakura let her head hit the wall that she was leaned against outside of the bathroom door. A single tear trailed her cheek. Her heart clenched painfully as her daughter's words echoed throughout her head.

What was she doing to her family?

---

She slowly spun her straw in her drink as she sat at the bar, a hand cupping her cheek.

"Sakura, did you hear me?"

"Hm?" She looked over to Hikaru beside her, his eyes shone with concern.

"Is everything alright?" She sighed before pushing her drink away. The alcohol was no doubt diluted by the ice cubes that had long since melted.

"Yes."

"You're lying."

"Also yes." She said with a sad smile. "I miss Cloud." She lied again.

"I have to admit, these Konoha bars do pale in comparison," Hikaru said with a chuckle. "I only have a couple of weeks here before I have to go back but, have you ever thought about…" She turned to face him.

"Thought about what?" He pursed his lips.

"What you'll do at the end of the year. You know, where you will go once everything is finalized." She furrowed her eyebrows in thought and there was a long silence.

She actually didn't think about that. As much as she loved Cloud, Konoha was her home. And she was sure Hikaru would say the same about his country that he grew up in. They had been friends since mid-way through her pregnancy and lovers for her last six months in Cloud. But this conversation never came up. He mentioned in passing that he would love kids and she could see that by how he was with Sakumo and Kimiko whenever she would visit. He probably wanted to raise his children in his own Village. He's never actually raised the question though, and she's assuming because she's only 1 year postpartum and just started seeing her abs again. This pregnancy was way worse than her first and completely upstaged it in terms of emotional turmoil.

The thought of any expectation right now was making her head hurt. Maybe it was the alcohol…

Her daughter just openly admitted she feels like her mother is trying to desert her. How could she leave her now? And trying to take Kimi with her would go just as well as it did the first time. A fucking disaster. She sighed.

"I haven't thought that far honestly. Before this week I hadn't bothered even thinking past my 9 months in cloud and then that got cut short…" He nodded in understanding. "Can we head back? I'm not feeling too well." No, it couldn't be the alcohol making her sick. It was that feeling that she dreaded coming back to Konoha.

That feeling that everything she was doing was actually a mistake.

He put a hand at her waist and helped her out of her chair, taking her hand as he led her out of the bar. They walked through the cool summer night back to the hotel and she was lost in her thoughts the whole way. So much so she barely noticed him opening the door to the hotel room.

He slowly stripped her and graciously offered one of his shirts. She laid in bed and he cuddled closer to her, his arm hanging loosely around her waist. It wasn't long before she heard the telltale sounds of his heavy breathing signifying he was asleep. Earlier she and Kakashi watched Minato and Kimiko play for hours, and even that would make a fully rested parent tired. But she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that arose in the pit of her stomach.

She slowly eased herself out of Hikaru's grasp and rolled off of the bed. In a swift movement, she pulled his shirt off and threw back on her own clothes. She slipped her sandals on and quietly exited the room, moving quickly from the hotel back into the cool night.

Her steps were quick at first, filled with purpose. But as that uneasy feeling continued to fill her body, she felt tears well in her eyes then start to fall, and before long she couldn't control it. Her hasted steps turned into an all out run, ugly sounds emanating from her throat.

She was on autopilot. Her body took her home.

She walked through the steel gate to their door and produced a key to open it. She moved through the house with as much stealth as she could muster. It was late and everyone would be asleep, even Kakashi, the expert ninja that he was, slept like a log and his own home was the one place he felt comfortable enough to let his guard down and not be awoken by the sounds of footsteps and doors closing. Having kids made you immune to that, she guessed. That and his ninken always being on alert if there was any indication of real danger.

She slowly opened the door to their bedroom and her heart swelled at the sight.

Kimiko was in her night dress, cuddled next to Kakashi. His arm was laid against the pillows above her, the other arm was securely wrapped around Sakumo as he lay face to face with him. He was shirtless, their comforter tossed every which way. He must've been especially lonely tonight, to bear two kids in their bed and still be as dead to the world as he was currently.

This is what she was running away from. This is the image that she has been fighting so hard to forget, so hard to lock away in the back of her mind.

She was scorned and she knew it. Somewhere along the line in her marriage she felt unappreciated and forgotten, unloved even, as she took the brunt of the responsibilities of taking care of their family. But what she saw in front of her made her forget all of that. She once again ditched her clothes, grabbing Kakashi's much larger Jonin shirt that lay forgotten on the floor.

She crept into bed beside them, her Okami, her wolves, big and little alike.

And as her daughter turned to cuddle up to her, and she felt that large hand that was previously splayed across the top of the bed pull her closer, she calmed.

She felt bliss, and even more strangely, she felt her bubble of safeness return.

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Chapter one complete! See you soon for Chapter two! ;P