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Kakashi teleported into the kitchen. Mei set down the dish she’d been drying, a frown on her face.
“Where are the girls?” Kakashi asked a little breathless.
“Upstairs,” Mei responded instantly picking up on the worry in his eyes. She ripped off her apron. “How many?”
“At least thirty if not more,” Kakashi responded, pulling his emergency pack out of the pantry.
Mei was suddenly gone and reappeared a moment later with her still-sleepy daughters. Mei was surprised that they weren’t upset at being woken up so roughly. Then again her heart was pounding so hard that they could probably feel it through her blouse.
“Roka, Kasumi,” Kakashi called out the back window, a tense calm dripping from the names.
Wide-eyed, the two sons of Hatake Kakashi hurried to the back door when their father opened it for them. Once they were all inside, Kakashi pulled up the trapdoor in the kitchen that led to the cellar. He went to help Mei down but she just jumped, arms full, into the dark hole and landed smoothly. Kakashi smirked at her from under his mask. He couldn’t see her but he knew she was smiling back.
The family head then turned his attention to his eldest son who was following his mother’s example. The little silver-haired head disappeared into the gloom of the cellar. Kasumi however looked nervously first where his brother had disappeared and then up at his father. Kakashi eye-smiled at him. At least one of them still needs me, he thought. He scooped the relieved looking boy up and hopped down into the cellar, pulling the trapdoor closed behind them.
Mei had already pulled the lever behind the second shelf on the right and a stone door slid aside. Behind it was their emergency tunnel.
Mei took off down it with Roka hot on her heels. Kakashi followed with Kasumi in his arms. The tunnel was cool and smelled of the earth. The air was stale and seemed to sigh with their passing. After running for several minutes the tunnel began to slope upward and it terminated inside of a tree trunk. Kakashi and Mei both stretched out their senses but didn’t feel any of their pursuers.
Kakashi set Kasumi down inside of the tunnel and stepped out into the light. After scanning the area he reached back into the tree to help his younger son out when Mei spoke hurriedly, “Kakashi they’re behind us.”
Kakashi grasped both of his sons at once, hoisting them out of the tree. “Stay close,” he commanded. Both boys nodded and shrank into the natural indentations in the tree trunk, using it as cover as they’d been taught.
As Kakashi stuck his head and torso back into the tree, Mei passed their daughters up to him. Mei had a glint in her eye. He took his daughters and got them and himself away from the entryway. A few seconds later muffled screaming could be heard echoing down the tunnel. Mei shut the door tightly behind her and stepped out of the concealed entrance.
“Did you use lava or acid Mom?” Roka asked excitedly, his eyes wide.
“Either way we won’t be able to go back that way,” Kakashi said seriously. “We need to-” Kakashi bit back a curse as he whipped out a kunai and deflected several shuriken. Kakashi stepped away from the protection of the tree to free his range of motion. Mei stepped behind him, grabbing Fujita and Hisano from where the twins had been sitting in the grass. Roka got behind his father, his eager face now pale and frightened. Kasumi didn’t move, already safely in his father’s shadow.
Normally Kakashi would have simply dodged the shuriken, none of them seemed to be thrown with any kind of accuracy, but with his family behind him he didn’t dare. That was when Kakashi noticed a deflected shuriken in front of his face was whipping drops of something everywhere. His eyes tracked it as if in slow motion. Simultaneously a shuriken glanced off of his shoulder guard and bit into the exposed part of his arm. The wound was minor but his eyes followed the splatter in confusion and then dismayed comprehension: poison.
Kakashi threw a smoke bomb, grabbing his sons as he did so. “Mei, run!” Kakashi said urgently. She didn’t have to ask where, this particular escape plan and route set them on a course for the Leaf. The two former kage sprinted off into the forest, their family literally in their hands.
They’d been running for several minutes before Roka piped up. “Dad,” Roka whined. “I can run by myself.”
“Roka,” Kakashi gasped as he jumped from branch to branch, “I don’t really think this is the time.”
“I can keep up, I promise!” Roka continued his argument with an implementation of puppy-dog eyes. The boy didn’t see his mother’s worried expression directed at his father.
“Kakashi,” Mei said hesitantly. She’d noticed that he’d begun to pant after only a few miles.
Kakashi nodded, conceding. They dropped out of the trees to the ground. Kakashi set Roka down and Kasumi immediately piped up. “Me too Daddy! I can do it myself.”
Mei smiled at her sons. They were growing up so fast. Kakashi smiled with his eyes and set his second-born down as well. Then Kakashi and Mei stiffened. Fireball. Mei’s hands were already in motion. How she managed to weave signs while holding both of her daughters was always a mystery to Kakashi. He was stunned every time he saw it. Incidentally a water dragon burst out of the ground, shielding the group from the flames hurtling toward them.
“I guess we didn’t lose them after all,” Kakashi said as the resulting steam hit their faces. “Come on boys, stay between your mother and me.” The family took off again, this time on the ground. Mei was in the lead carrying the girls with Roka and Kasumi behind her and Kakashi bringing up the rear.
When they had gained enough breathing room for a quick stop, Mei pulled up short and set her daughters down. “Now stay right there my darlings. You’ll keep being good for Mommy won’t you?” The emerald green eyes of the pair stared silently at her in answer. They’d been awake for awhile and though they could barely walk they knew enough that something very serious was happening. They continued their quiet demeanor and were soon occupying themselves with the blades of grass around them. Kasumi hurried over to his sisters and began playing with them.
Roka had his eyes on his father, who was summoning a ninja hound. He never missed a summoning ever since Kakashi had promised him a pup of his own one day. Pakkun soon joined the family in the woods.
“What’s up Kakashi? Lady Mei?” Pakkun said amicably. He was hoping he’d get to play with the Hatake pups again but judging by the parents’ faces, that wasn’t on the agenda.
“Pakkun, we’re being chased by a group of about thirty. We’ve cut them down to size but I’m not sure if-” Kakashi noted his eldest listening in. One glance from his father and Roka jumped and pretended to head over and play with his siblings. The boy was still obviously keeping his ear trained on the conversation. Kakashi lowered his voice, “I’m not sure if we’ll be able to make it back to the Leaf before they catch up.”
Mei’s eyes widened but she said nothing. It felt as if a vice had tightened around her heart. She hadn’t thought the situation was that dire but Kakashi was usually the positive one, always pulling out a last minute solution. If her husband thought they needed to ask for help…she didn’t want to think about it.
“I’ve been poisoned and we don’t have time to stop and…analyze the results. If need be, Mei and the children can run ahead and meet up with some reinforcements from the Leaf. ” Mei’s eyes narrowed in displeasure but again she said nothing.
The woman’s look was making Pakkun eager to be gone. “Right, I’ll run ahead and get help in case you need it,” Pakkun clarified. He briefly contemplated in wonder at how it was possible that Kakashi hadn’t already wilted under his wife’s gaze. Kakashi was passive however and Pakkun took off running.
“Why didn’t you tell me you’d been poisoned?” Mei asked through clenched teeth after Pakkun had gone.
Kakashi angled his arm toward her so she could see. “Didn’t have time before,” Kakashi said sighing. “It’s only a graze but it’s clear enough those shuriken were poisoned. I haven’t felt-” Kakashi sought in vain for the correct word as Mei cleaned and dressed the wound. “I don’t feel well anyway.”
“Who do you think the poison was for?” Mei asked quickly. She glanced at their precious children. Roka was standing guard over the other three in such a way that was either adorable or ridiculous depending on how you looked at it.
“If the poison was meant to kill it’s taking its time,” Kakashi said as Mei tied up the bandage on his arm. “Probably meant to put them to sleep until they could be collected. Wouldn’t want to damage the goods.” A bitter tone had crept into the ninja’s voice. “It’s sapping my strength in any case. I’ll be fine,” he added the last part quickly as Mei’s sharp eyes looked him over critically. “We just need to get as much ground covered as possible. If you have to leave me-”
“That’s not going to happen,” Mei cut in. “We had this talk when Roka was born and again with Kasumi. We stay together no matter what.” Suddenly Mei’s eye was drawn in the direction in which they’d come.
Kakashi sighed and stood up. “Then we’d better get moving,” he said, noting Mei’s tight expression. “Roka? Kasumi? Are you two still okay to run?”
“Yes father,” Roka said, pride creeping into his voice. Kasumi simply nodded.
“Come on my sweets,” Mei cooed, picking Fujita and Hisano up in turn. Her voice was charming but she kept a sharp eye on where she felt the enemy ninja approaching. Hisano nuzzled her face into her mother’s shoulder. Fujita was looking around, eyes alert.
“Mei, you lead,” Kakashi suggested and they were off again.
The miles seemed to stretch on and on. Kakashi did his best to keep his speed up. Meanwhile Mei went as slow as she dared for his sake. She could tell he was still having a hard time keeping his usual pace.
After a few miles, Kasumi started to fall behind his sibling. The middle child was only just keeping up with his father, who insisted that Kasumi and his brother stay between Mei and himself. The boy’s little cheeks puffed with the effort as his silver locks played around his sweaty brow, sticking here and there.
Kakashi adjusted his step to get behind Kasumi and scooped him up mid-stride. Kasumi gasped in surprise and then clung onto his father’s dark vest. “I’m sorry Daddy,” the boy whispered.
Kakashi turned, looked at his son, and was surprised to see tears on the boy’s cheeks. Kakashi chuckled and gave the boy a squeeze. Kasumi looked up, confused. “It’s alright Kasumi, you did really well. But what would Uncle Naruto say?”
Kasumi thought for a moment and then looked back into his father’s half concealed face, “he’d say not to worry and that next time I’ll do better?”
Kakashi nodded. “That’s right and will you?”
Kasumi frowned, “I’ll try.”
Kakashi gave his son another squeeze and panted, “that’s my boy.”
“But Daddy,” Kasumi continued. “Roka’s always so far ahead of me. In shuriken practice and hide and seek and he can run farther…”
Kakashi smiled, a certain student of his coming to mind. “Well, all you can do is keep trying. Besides, even if you can’t keep up with your brother in one way, you just need to find your own strengths right?”
Kasumi nodded into a shoulder pad. A short time later Kakashi felt his son’s exhausted body relaxing. Kakashi held Kasumi protectively, keeping an eye on Roka who also appeared to be slowing down. The former Hokage smiled beneath his mask. My tough boys. I hope I made you half as proud, father.
As Kakashi expected, a few miles later Roka had about had it. Kakashi got the boy’s attention and held out the crook of his elbow. Roka’s eyes brightened at the familiar gesture. Without slowing either of them down, Roka made a jump at the handhold, grasping it, and swinging onto his father’s back. Once there the boy gripped the pack until he could get situated. They’d practiced this hundreds of times, and thankfully had to use it less often, so that Kakashi could get them both away quickly in an emergency while keeping his own hands free.
Kakashi was both proud of his sons and disappointed in himself. He and Mei knew that if they had children that they’d constantly be targets. This was much like how Sasuke and Naruto had been targets when they’d been in Kakashi’s care. It was one of the many reasons they’d been assigned to him. Kakashi frowned at the memory of Sasuke emerging from The Forest of Death with Orochimaru’s curse mark. He carefully shoved the thought away.
In order to ensure their children’s survival, Kakashi and Mei had had to teach their children at a young age several skills that some students in the academy had yet to master. The boys at least, young though they were, had to know how to hide, evade capture, and most importantly keep themselves out of harm’s way when he and Mei, especially Mei, were in combat. It was more carefree than his and Mei’s childhood but still, it could have been better. If only-
“Kakashi,” Mei cried and he looked up to see that she was much farther ahead of him than before. He picked up the pace but then realized that that wasn’t what she was drawing his attention to.
The former last Hatake dodged as he felt three kunai coming his way. “Roka, what do you see?” Kakashi panted.
Kakashi felt Roka shift in his perch on Kakashi’s back so that the boy could turn around and look. “Three, no, four right behind us. Two or three, maybe more in the trees.” Then suddenly, “kunai on the left.” The boy gripped his father’s left shoulder to accentuate his statement.
Kakashi dodged, wishing he could use his hands. “Kasumi,” he said, “can you hold onto me by yourself?”
Kasumi nodded in response, lacing his little hands into Kakashi’s gray flak jacket. Kakashi tentatively let go of his son and, when he saw that Kasumi was firmly attached to him, grasped several shuriken out of his pouch. He stopped and turned, brandishing them threateningly.
“Shuriken?” One of the men taunted, “I expected better from a Hokage, retired or not.”
Kakashi waited a moment for Mei to get into position and then let the projectiles fly, duplicating them instantly. Meanwhile, a thin layer of acid mist appeared right in front of the ninja following them. Several of the ninja, stopping for the acid, only shifted their positions to avoid the path of the poorly aimed shuriken. As the shuriken sailed, spinning through the mist wall, the acid deteriorated the thin points of the stars, throwing drops of melted metal and acid everywhere as they continued to turn.
“My eyes,” one ninja screamed as he dropped to the ground. Several more of the followers cried out, their voices high and piercing. The group of ninja on the road stopped dead, more of them covering their faces with their hands as the shuriken passed. The acid burned through their clothing to the skin.
“Was that batch particularly acidic?” Kakashi asked as they took off once more into the trees.
“Nobody underestimates my husband,” Mei said, face set.
“Drop,” Kakashi called. The two kage fell out of the trees to the ground as a wind jutsu cut through the branches. Many severed branches and leaves rained down into their path. Kakashi dodged and weaved through them, conscious of the extra space he needed to leave for his sons who were still clinging to him like monkeys.
Mei, seeing a large clearing on the road ahead, blasted the branches out of her way using water projectiles. Kakashi was ahead of her and she hurried to catch up.
“Get ahead of me,” the silver-haired ninja called, noting the soaked ground. Mei pushed more chakra into her feet as she rushed to comply. As soon as she was on dry ground with her daughters still in her arms, Kakashi weaved some signs.
When the ninja behind them began to cross the drenched area, Kakashi released a lightning storm, using the water to conduct the technique even further. The one stream of lightning that shot from his hands separated into two bolts, then those bolts divided as well. The snakes of lightning danced off of the water and raced into the sky as they spread. The bolts lit up the area until it was too bright to look at.
Kasumi and Roka buried their faces in Kakashi’s vest to avoid the bright light. It was just as well, since most of the ninja who had been hit by the lightning instantly dropped dead. A rumble followed, low at first, then building louder and louder until it was overwhelming. Mei could feel that thunder in her chest as if it was her own beating heart. Then the light and noise dissipated and it was just her husband left standing, facing the men and women who meant to take their family from them. His arms were wrapped awkwardly around himself, holding his sons in place since they’d let go of his vest in favor of covering their ears to block out the noise.
Roka recovered first, removing his hands from his ears and blinking at the clearing over his father’s shoulder. He grasped the man’s shoulders instantly, realizing his lapse, and Kakashi released him, wrapping his now free hand around his trembling second-born.
“It’s alright Kasumi,” Kakashi said reassuringly. He closed his eyes and sighed, “I’m so-”
“Kakashi,” Mei said warningly.
“I know,” he replied, eyes snapping open. He squinted at the sight of some late would-be kidnappers only now entering the far side of the clearing. “Roka, hold on tight.” Kakashi felt small hands adjust their grip on the pack straps.
Kakashi and Mei took off down the road side by side.
After several hours of continuous running the sun began to set. They hadn’t heard from their adversaries in awhile but that didn’t mean anything. “How are you doing?” Mei asked.
Kakashi grunted in response.
Mei’s eyes widened. Worry creased her brow.
“It’s getting dark and we’re going to have to run through the night. It’s not good,” Kakashi summarized. He paused for a moment and asked, “is Roka asleep?”
Mei checked her stride a bit to get behind her husband to look at their son. After a moment she matched his pace again saying, “yes.”
Kakashi nodded. “We can’t fight like this, not with our children here. There’s nowhere safe that we can leave them and if we do anything too big we put them at risk.”
“We’re not leaving them anywhere,” Mei snarled.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” Kakashi said, voice even. “What I’m saying is this doesn’t leave us with many options. We can’t run all day and night until we reach the Leaf. If Pakkun gets delayed for any reason we need a backup plan.”
“I could create a barrier of lava around us until help arrives,” Mei offered.
“While I pass out from the heat and we find out the hard way which of our children has your bloodline limit? No, I think not,” Kakashi responded, his fatigue making him sardonic.
Mei flicked her hair out of her face in irritation. “You may pass out anyway,” she muttered.
Kakashi sighed but didn’t respond, focusing instead on putting one foot in front of the other.
After a minute Mei said, “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”
“We’re both tired,” Kakashi said smoothly. He almost chuckled. “Normally I’d say we should try talking about it again in the morning when we’ve gotten some sleep but I don’t think it’ll work in this situation.”
Mei smirked and carefully maneuvered closer to Kakashi, giving him a peck on the cheek mid-stride.
Kakashi smiled at her with his eyes. “That will keep me going. Besides, can’t give up now,” Kakashi joked, but weariness was already settling over his face like a veil.
You never do, Mei thought as they ran on through the night.
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The sun rose the next morning on the Hatake family still on the road. It would have been significantly more romantic for Kakashi and Mei if either of them had actually watched it come up or if they hadn’t been running all night.
Kakashi was steadfastly watching the ground directly in front of his feet. He was more interested in stretching out his senses for a nearby enemy than watching the road ahead.
Mei, similarly, was keeping an eye on their pace and visually scanning their surroundings. There shouldn’t be anywhere for the enemy to hide now that the family was out of the previous forest but they could still approach from below or above. She kept an eye on that too in case Kakashi slipped up.
She glanced over at her husband. After this night she was convinced that Leaf ninja could run in their sleep. Kakashi’s eyes were only half open, staring blankly at the ground in front of him. His breathing came in even pants and he didn’t seem to be aware of her. He just kept running, on and on in such an even way that he could have been asleep and someone else was controlling his legs. The only indication that he was conscious was when there’d be a crack or hole in the road. Mei would open her mouth to warn him but he’d side-step it gracefully and keep on. They’d long-since tied their sons to Kakashi so that the two of them could let go and sleep without Kakashi having to carry them. Mei’s own arms seemed to be locked into place, holding her daughters who were constantly entertained by the scenery flashing by.
Mei frowned as another enemy chakra signature came to her attention. The enemy was doubling their speed and trying to flank them. With the slow pace at which she and Kakashi were going, the enemy had time for breaks and could catch up easily. This can’t go on, Mei thought, glancing over as Kakashi stumbled on a rock. He caught himself but his facial expression did not change. The coldness of that look made her shiver. It was hard and unforgiving.
“Kakashi,” Mei said gently. His eyes briefly flicked over to her to show he was listening. But Mei was suddenly looking ahead and her breath caught in her throat. She ran harder than ever. “Kakashi,” she repeated, excited now. They both felt it.
Kakashi raised his head to look and a little warmth crept into his eyes. They would soon be leaving the plains and entering another forest but that wasn’t what Kakashi or Mei were looking at. Far ahead on the road running toward them were two figures, one of which looked like he was covered in orange flames.
Kakashi’s eyes flicked to the left side of the road where trees had started to allow the enemy to conceal themselves. “On our left,” Kakashi said.
“Yes, I feel him,” Mei replied tersely as she noticed several of the enemy’s signatures plummet into nothingness.
“Boys wake up,” Kakashi said faintly. Just the same, Kasumi stirred and opened his eyes. Roka was also soon awake and peering around.
Kasumi looked up fearfully into his father’s face. “Are you okay Daddy?” The boy’s lip trembled and Kakashi imagined what he must look like to his three year-old son.
“Daddy’s fine,” Kakashi said. He wanted to laugh or at least chuckle reassuringly but all that came out was a cough. “But I do need your help. Can you still hold onto me if I untie you?”
Kakashi felt Roka nod on his back and Kasumi said, “yes Daddy.”
“Good,” Kakashi said, forcing as much cheer into his voice as he could muster, “because guess who’s coming to see you?”
Roka put his head on Kakashi’s shoulder to better see his father’s face. “Who?”
“Let’s see if you can guess,” Kakashi responded as his fingers clumsily undid the ropes. He nodded ahead down the road and Kasumi, now free, twisted around to look ahead of them.
Roka saw them first, “Uncle Naruto and Aunt Sakura!” He shouted this in his father’s ear. Kakashi winced but not enough for Roka to notice. Kasumi was practically jumping up and down and Kakashi wrapped his arms around his son once more to keep him in place. Mei couldn’t help but smile at her boys’ excitement.
“And you know who else is here?” Kakashi continued, quieting the boys. Mei’s smile became stale.
“Who?” the silver-haired boys cried together.
“Uncle Sasuke,” Kakashi said, his smile fading a bit when he saw his wife’s look.
“Uncle Sasuke? Where?!” Roka cried, looking ahead again at the approaching Naruto and Sakura.
“He’s in the trees, taking care of some bad ninja so Mommy and I can take care of you,” Kakashi said, looking at Mei pointedly.
Mei looked away, glaring ahead. She didn’t have much time to brood however.
A dozen or so ninja burst out of the trees, fleeing Sasuke’s blade. They were all dressed in white but that didn’t mean much to Kakashi or Mei. No nation would openly go after their children so it was always one rouge group or another. Whether they found out the name of the organization or not depended on if anyone survived the combined wrath of Leaf and Mist.
The white-clad ninja knew that this may be their last chance and threw everything they had at the Hatakes, from poisoned kunai to jutsu. It was a whirlwind of unplanned and ill-timed attacks. The air hummed with fireballs, wind-scythes, and water bullets.
Mei spun to return fire when Kakashi grabbed her arm and pulled her into a crouch. Sasuke landed so close that he was almost between the parents as Naruto’s Rasen-shuriken flew overhead. Sasuke’s eyes flashed and a glowing purple skeleton rose around himself and the Hatake family.
Kakashi pulled Roka off of his back and held both of his sons protectively. Kasumi and Roka made it difficult however, since they were squirming to see Naruto’s famous jutsu in action. Mei, trying to quiet the twins, who’d begun to cry, held them tight and leaned into Kakashi as the Rasen-shuriken did its work.
Sasuke looked back to check on his sensei’s family. Kakashi looked like he’d aged about ten years. Besides that the only thing that appeared to be wrong with him was that he was panting profusely and had a cut on his right arm. Mei also looked exhausted and was unbending and re-bending her arms now that she’d set the twins down. However she was also glaring at Sasuke with cold fire in her eyes. Sasuke was used to this and, knowing that a smile from him did anything but reassure her, simply nodded.
“Lady Mei,” said a voice at her elbow. Mei practically jumped out of her skin but tried not to show it. She’d been so focused on Sasuke that she hadn’t even noticed when Sakura had arrived. The medical kunoichi was right beside her though, looking her and her daughters over. She unpacked the diaper bag as she went. “Are you hurt? How are Fujita and Hisano?” The girls had stopped crying now that food was forthcoming. They grasped at Sakura’s pink locks as she smiled down at them. Sasuke smirked at the sight.
All Mei could think to say was, “Kakashi’s been poisoned.”
The smiles flew from Sakura and Sasuke’s faces. Sakura looked up in time to see Kakashi flop over on his side next to his sons, hissing as right arm was jostled. Sakura scrabbled over to him, shooing the pale boys aside. That left Sasuke to change and feed the twins, which he did as expeditiously as possible.
Kasumi was almost in tears but Mei soon had both him and Roka in her arms, whispering reassurances to them. “It’s okay, everything’s going to be okay. Aunt Sakura’s going to take care of Daddy and-” she paused, looking Sasuke in the eye, “and Uncle Sasuke will protect you.”
Sasuke’s reshaped eyes widened but he said nothing. She didn’t usually give him that much credit. Her eyes however made one thing perfectly clear, you’d better do as I said.
“Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura said. “Can you hear me?” She carefully flipped him onto his back going straight for the wound Mei had dressed earlier.
“I can hear fine Sakura,” Kakashi replied softly. He slowly continued, “the poison is meant to subdue and subdue a child at that. I’m fine.” His eyes were half-closed and unfocused.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Sakura retorted. “How long have you been running?” She began work on healing his shoulder. Sakura was both irritated and relieved to discover that Kakashi had been right about the poison. Most of it had even been worked out of his system already. However, it had stolen some much-needed stamina during their ultra marathon run. Sakura observed that Mei was in much better shape even if she’d used more chakra.
“Are Mei and the children alright?” Kakashi asked faintly.
“Yes, but you didn’t answer my question,” Sakura said, mending the blisters on Kakashi’s feet. Kakashi sighed in relief.
“Ask my wife,” Kakashi said, fading. His eyes closed and his breathing became slow and deep. As he drifted off he thought, never thought it’d be so good to hear the voices of my cute little genin.
Sakura smiled as her sensei fell asleep mid-healing. It wasn’t the first time but she certainly hoped it’d be the last. Then again, she thought, that’s what I’d hoped last time too.
“Daddy-” Roka began but Mei shushed him.
“Roka, remember how we talked about Daddy taking a nap?”
Roka’s eyes widened and his silver eyebrows shot into his hairline as he slapped both hands over his own mouth.
Mei laughed. “Well, that’s the long and short of it, yes.”
“Kakashi-sensei, Mei!” Naruto called as he hurried over. Sasuke dropped his guard and the world returned to colors that weren’t so purple in hue.
“And here comes the other four year-old,” Sakura muttered.
“Such disrespect from a subordinate,” Mei teased.
Sasuke “humphed” but he was smiling.
“Sensei’s asleep Naruto. He and Lady Mei have been running all night if not longer,” Sakura paused and turned to Mei for confirmation of her guess. Mei nodded and Sakura continued, “so don’t harass them.”
Naruto’s brow creased in a frown as he heard this and saw Kakashi stretched out on the ground. “Is everyone okay?”
“We’re fine thanks to you three and Pakkun,” Mei said, grudgingly bestowing her gratitude on Sasuke as well.
Naruto brightened at hearing this. Sakura cut into his victory speech before he could even begin. “Lady Mei needs her rest too, but Naruto has to get back to the village.” She glared at him in a, stop trying to avoid your responsibilities, sort of way.
“Shikamaru can handle it,” Naruto muttered.
Sakura rolled her eyes. Troublesome, Sakura quoted in her mind.
“I think what Sakura is trying to say,” Sasuke cut in, “is that we need to hurry back to the Leaf. How would you prefer your family to travel Lady Mei?” Sasuke put this as politely as he could.
Mei wanted to say, not by snake, but even her tired mind knew that that was going too far. Instead she said, “I think we’d prefer by toad-back, if that’s alright with Naruto?”
Naruto grinned, summoning Gamakichi almost before Mei finished her sentence.
“What’s up Naruto?” the great toad asked, eyeing the crowd. Then he saw where Naruto had been fighting. There were trees blasted to bits and large craters still smoking. “Looks like I missed all the action.”
“I’m afraid so,” Naruto said. “I was wondering if you could give us a ride. Kakashi-sensei and Mei are in rough shape.”
“To the Leaf? Sure thing.” Gamakichi said. “Don’t tell Dad though, he says I’m spoiling you.”
Naruto and Sasuke grasped their sensei by the arms and jumped onto Gamakichi’s back where they laid him down once more. Mei and Sakura followed, carrying the boys and twins respectively.
Mei laid herself wearily down next to Kakashi and laughed when their children instantly maneuvered to cuddle in between them. She kissed each of them on the forehead and then laid down her head. She drifted off to the thrum of Gamakichi’s leaps bringing them closer and closer to the Leaf.
“So?” Sasuke said once the Hatake family was resting comfortably.
“So what?” Naruto responded.
“Did you recognize any of those guys or was this just another rogue group?”
“It’s not another village if that’s what you mean,” Naruto said, glaring at his friend.
“Naruto, we can’t rule out the possibility,” Sakura said, her eyes like emeralds. “The attacks have become more frequent lately and this is the largest group ever.”
“All the more reason that it would be difficult for a village to hide,” Naruto retorted, arms crossed. “You think it’s Mist don’t you?”
Sakura didn’t say anything but Sasuke spoke, “or the Leaf.”
This made both Naruto and Sakura start. “How?” Sakura burst out. Naruto was too angry to speak.
“Don’t you think there’s a reason that Lady Mei won’t let Kakashi raise their children in the Leaf?” Sasuke asked. “Wouldn’t it be much safer for them to grow up inside of a village? Why do they live in the middle of nowhere?” Sasuke answered his own question, “because the threat could come from anywhere. They trust the Hokage,” Sasuke nodded at a still-seething Naruto, “and the Mizukage but every village has at least one or more Danzo-types who are in a position of power. I seem to recall being told that Danzo tried to kill Kakashi at one point for the sake of the village.”
Sakura spoke quietly, “Sasuke, the closest person we have, that is, the person most like Danzo, I mean like what Danzo used to do-”
“I know it’s me Sakura you can say it,” Sasuke agreed. “But in case you haven’t noticed Lady Mei doesn’t exactly trust me.”
“Well you did try to kill her once,” Naruto said trying to make the statement light.
The sitting Hokage didn’t have to mention how Sasuke also tried to kill the rest of Team Seven as well. That, more than anything, was the reason Mei constantly gave Sasuke the cold shoulder.
Sasuke glared at the overcast sky. His loose black pants and shirt flapped in the wind with each of Gamakichi’s leaps. “I need to leave again.”
Sakura immediately said, “what? No! You have a home with us in the Leaf!”
“If I’m the reason that the Hatake family isn’t living in the Leaf, if I’m the reason that Kakashi-sensei is killing himself every other day during his retirement to protect his kids because Mei doesn’t want them in the same village as me, then I need to go!” Sasuke practically shouted.
“You arrogant jerk,” Naruto said quietly. Sasuke started and looked at him. Naruto had fire in his eyes. “Not everything is about you, you know? Kakashi-sensei and Mei made the decision to live outside of BOTH of their home villages. If they weren’t living in the Leaf because of you then why don’t they live in the Mist?”
“Naruto,” Sakura said, “we don’t know enough about the Mist to-”
“You’re right Sakura,” Naruto cut her off, “we don’t know. But is Sasuke also living in the Mist?” When Sakura remained silent Naruto continued, “then the reason sensei and Mei don’t live in either village isn’t because of this prick.” Naruto jerked his thumb at Sasuke.
Sasuke glared at that thumb but remained silent. He could find multiple faults in Naruto’s logic but none of them shot down the Orange Hokage’s point. Mei and Kakashi could live anywhere, their children welcomed in any village because even in peacetime villages prided themselves on their strength. If the two former kage lived in the middle of nowhere it was because they wanted it that way, not because they wanted to avoid a certain Uchiha.
The three remained silent for the rest of the trip which didn’t take very long via toad-back. “So what’s the plan Lord Hokage?” Sasuke asked, half teasing and half respectful.
Naruto began to smile but then thought about what his old friend had asked. “What do you mean?”
Sakura rolled her eyes. Sasuke explained, “we don’t want to hop right up to Hokage Tower with the entire Hatake family in tow, especially with Kakashi-sensei and Lady Mei out of commission. It doesn’t exactly inspire calm.”
“But I show up at the tower on Gamakichi’s back all the time,” Naruto protested.
“Not with an unconscious Sixth Hokage with you!” Sakura bellowed.
“Oh, right,” Naruto said sheepishly.
“The tunnels then,” Sakura said.
Sasuke nodded and Naruto ran up Gamakichi’s back to his head. “Hey Gamakichi, take us behind Hokage Mountain would you?”
“That’s the longer way around,” Gamakichi pointed out. “I thought you were in a hurry?”
“We are, but we don’t want to make a scene either,” Naruto said.
“Whatever. You got it.”
Ten minutes later they were at the mouth of the emergency exit tunnel connected to Hokage Tower. Naruto bent down to pick Mei up but when he touched her she woke and looked around quickly. Taking in her company she relaxed and she sat up to check on her babies. When Naruto tried to help her up she refused, “I can walk Naruto. I’m not in as bad of shape as my husband.” She critically watched Sasuke pull a lifeless Kakashi onto his back to carry him. Sakura had already rounded up the children and together they climbed down from Gamakichi’s back.
“Thanks a lot Gamakichi,” Naruto said. “I’ll visit you soon okay?”
“No problem, see you around!” Gamakichi vanished leaving a large plume of smoke in his place. As the group approached the tunnel entrance Naruto felt several of the ANBU guards in the trees around them. As soon as they were within viewing range of the door, one guard jumped down to intercept them. Naruto waited as they started the passphrase and he gave the appropriate responses.
The ANBU smiled beneath his mask. “Welcome home Lord Hokage, I see you’ve run into some trouble.”
Kasumi and Roka, knowing what the masks on these men meant, fidgeted. They grasped at Sakura’s skirt as she reassured them. Fujita and Hisano, however, found the painted lines on the masks fascinating, staring at them without fear from their place in Sakura’s arms.
“No trouble, just a family matter,” Naruto said brightly. Mei smiled gratefully at him.
The ANBU took the hint and let them pass. Naruto passed with a smile, followed by a tired Mei, and Sakura shooing the boys inside of the tunnel. Sasuke glared at the ANBU, daring them to ask why the sixth Hokage was unconscious on his back, before carrying Kakashi inside.
When they entered the tower itself they made their way to the guest rooms. Any Hokage could live in the tower as long as they wished and there were always rooms available. Shikamaru met them in the hall. “Hey I- what happened?” He was looking at Kakashi slung over Sasuke’s shoulder and Mei looking dead on her feet.
“They had a long day,” Sasuke deadpanned.
Shikamaru turned to Naruto to get a clearer answer. Naruto said, “they ran all night. Kakashi-sensei got poisoned. Everything’s fine but they’re pretty worn out.”
“But their kids aren’t,” Sakura said brightly. Mischief gleamed in her eyes. “Guys, how would you like to play with Uncle Shikamaru!”
Shikamaru’s eyes widened. “Actually I was about to go on my official nap break.”
“Nap break?” Sakura asked.
“You’re telling me Lady Tsunade didn’t have one?” Shikamaru challenged.
That shut Sakura up.
“You don’t get an official nap break,” Naruto said and when Shikamaru opened his mouth Naruto continued, “and I dissolve any official nap break policy you instituted while in my absence.”
Shikamaru would have been upset if his shock left room for any other emotion. Sakura and Sasuke craned their necks to look at their teammate. He turned to them and scratched his head smiling, “sensei was a good Hokage and a good teacher.”
“Anyway Shikamaru,” Sakura said handing the twins to him, “you need the practice.” She winked at him and continued down the hall to open the door for Naruto and Sasuke.
Shikamaru’s eyes bugged out. “Sakura? Sakura what do you mean by that?”
As Sasuke passed he looked around his burden and said, “I think you know exactly what she means by that.”
As Naruto passed he said, “congratulations,” with a huge grin on his face. Naruto offered Mei his arm as they continued down the hall and into the guest rooms.
Shikamaru followed looking at the twins in his arms, their green eyes staring up at him. “I’m sorry ladies,” he said walking into the guest rooms and placing them next to their brothers who were already building a nest out of the blankets, “I’d love to play shadow puppets with you but I- I’ve got to get home.” Face ashen, Shikamaru ran from the rooms.
“Sakura,” Naruto said as Sasuke laid Kakashi down with Mei’s help, “is Temari really pregnant?”
Sakura answered with a cheer-filled smile.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Sasuke asked.
“I only found out right before Pakkun showed up with the news about Kakashi so there wasn’t really time to say anything,” Sakura said. Giving the room a once-over she said, “come on, let’s let them sleep.” Even the kids were tired after all, snuggling up together in a big heap.
As Sakura closed the door behind them, two ANBU appeared out of nowhere and stood by the door. Naruto nodded his approval.
Sasuke smirked and thought, showoff.
As if he could hear him, Naruto turned around and grinned cheekily. Sakura slapped them both, lightly, upside the head.
“Well,” Naruto said stretching, “since Shikamaru is distracted from my paperwork for once, how about some ramen?”