A/N: Welcome to my new and current story... My friend was beginning to threaten me about posting it because she really wants to read it... Damn you NARWALS! Anyway i hope you guys enjoy it and let me know if you enjoyed it, didn't enjoy it ect.
"Normal speech"
"Dream/memory"
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Onwards to the story!
Nurses laughed and smiled at the little silver haired girl, running up and down the corridors of the hospital, stopping to tell them every now and again that she was getting a brother right then. The nurses congratulated her and smiled before they walked off again and she continued her excited running.
"Kasumi, where are you?" She heard her name being called and ran at full speed with a huge grin on her face as she ran into the smiling man and he picked her up. "There you are, where have you been my girl?" Sakumo asked her as she giggled and wiggled in his arms.
"I've been telling everyone about my nii-chan tou-san." Kasumi said excitedly with a giggle and Sakumo laughed.
"Well if you're good and calm down a little bit we can go in and see kaa-san and your new nii-chan huh?" Sakumo laughed as he carried the nearly two year old back towards the room he just came from and Kasumi was trying very hard to contain her excitement. He pushed the hospital door open gently as Kasumi grinned manically when she saw her mom sleeping in the hospital bed and she was turned to the left to see a little crib sitting there and Sakumo put her down as she peered over the edge of the cot and prodded the baby's cheek gently before giggling softly.
"He's so cute… What you going to call him?" Kasumi asked as the baby had opened his eyes and was currently gripping her finger.
"Your kaa-san and I were thinking of calling him Kakashi… What do you think 'sumi?" Sakumo asked, getting onto one knee next to her as he watched the new siblings interact.
"You want to call him scarecrow, really tou-san?" Kasumi laughed and Sakumo laughed nervously.
"Well you were named Kasumi because you were born on a misty morning like your name and this little guy is so small and scrawny we thought he looked like a scarecrow…" Sakumo said nervously before Kasumi bumped into him and grinned.
"It's cute… Hatake Kakashi and Hatake Kasumi, the greatest shinobi of Konoha with their tou-san, the Legendary White Fang!" Kasumi shouted and Sakumo shushed her and she blushed and giggled again. "I'll be the best Nee-san ever…"
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Kasumi was literally vibrating in her seat now, sitting in the day care as winter had rolled around and it was the last day of school and she had just turned two a few weeks ago on November 1st.
Today her mom was finally coming home after being in the hospital with what she heard the doctors saying were complications with Kakashi or something like that. She didn't care as long as her mom was better and finally coming home with Kakashi as well, now she could spend more time with them and live up to being a great Nee-san to little Kakashi.
She sat patiently, waiting for her tou-san to pick her up and maybe kaa-san had come with him with Kakashi. She'd seen a few of the kids in her class be picked up with the whole family, going out to celebrate the end of the year. Finally, she noticed her tou-san walk in with a bundle in his arms and Kasumi got up excitedly but not as excited as if she saw her kaa-san there as well and she walked over to her tou-san, thanking her sensei.
"I thought kaa-san was going to be here too." Kasumi pouted as she trudged through the snow, holding her tou-san's hand and watching her feet kick up the white fluff on the ground.
"She really did want to come with me but the cold weather catches in her chest and she was exhausted from coughing on the way home from the hospital… What counts is that she's finally home, am I right Kasumi?" Sakumo asked with sadness for his daughter who was obviously a little upset her kaa-san couldn't come along and fetch her with them as one family like they use to do at the end of each term.
"Yes… tou-san." Kasumi said with understanding but her voice still had the slight disappointment to it and Sakumo thought about what could cheer her up when Kakashi wiggled in his other arm and he smiled, stopping and stopping Kasumi as well as she looked at Sakumo with confusion and worry.
"Would you like to carry your little nii-chan the rest of the way home Sumi?" Sakumo asked with a small smile as he knelt down in front of his daughter and she beamed.
'Can I?" She asked as Kakashi looked at her, smiling with a gummy mouth as he held onto her finger when she prodded his rosy cheek gently. Sakumo gently positioned her arms and set Kakashi in them, placing her hold tightly and correctly before he steeped back and Kasumi was beaming down at Kakashi in her arms as she rocked him ever so gently.
"Let's go home." Sakumo said almost contently as he placed his hand gently between Kasumi's shoulder blades and led her home as she watched where she walked and held tightly onto Kakashi as she talked to him and cooed at him the rest of the way home. They reached the warm wood style house as Sakumo quickly closed the door and sat down, taking his shoes off first and hanging his coat up while Kasumi continued to keep Kakashi amused.
"I'm going to put him down for his nap… Why don't you head up to see if your kaa-san is still awake?" Sakumo asked her as he took Kakashi gently from her as he was nodding off already, fluttering his little eyelids determined to stay awake.
"Hai tou-san." Kasumi said excitedly as she sat hard on the step and began to rush and remove her boots and coat before she sped upstairs in excitement. She opened her parents room excitedly, taking a big breath to begin telling her kaa-san what she did before she froze, hand still on the door handle and mouth closing slowly into a frown of disappointment.
Her kaa-san was already asleep and it was only six in the evening but she let her sleep since she looked so tired like during the last few weeks of being pregnant with her nii-chan and tou-san didn't seem too worried about the change in her and so neither did Kasumi. Maybe kaa-san was just sick and she had to rest to get better, it must be hard having to provide for two for nearly a year. Kasumi smiled sadly as she softly closed the door and turned around to head back down the corridor, dropping her smile and watching the floorboards pass as she walked to her room to get her clothes and head for the bath she heard her tou-san preparing a while ago.
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Sakumo gently closed the door to a crack to Kasumi's room after tucking her in and giving her good night kiss but he had seen the sad smile and the disappointment in his daughter's eyes yet there was nothing he could do. He walked silently along to his room and gently opened the door to see his beautiful yet still tired raven haired mistress sitting up in bed with a small tired yet sad smile.
"Kasumi must be upset… Why didn't one of you wake me?" She asked gently, deeply concerned for her daughter by the sad look on her husbands face as he smiled sadly and slid into bed next to her, gathering her gently into his arms.
"Kasumi said you needed your rest as you looked tired and she wants you to get better so you could all play together." Sakumo said almost monotone and his wife sighed, leaning into Sakumo's warm and comforting embrace.
"Except I won't ever be getting better… Why haven't you told her?" She asked, looking up into her husband's dark eyes that were filled with guilt and pre-grief. Sakumo looked back into her sparkling blue eyes, the same ones Kasumi had and he sighed sadly as he laid down properly and turned the light off with his love tucked in his arms.
"How could I tell her? She's been so excited and worried about you, it would greatly affect her to hear…" Sakumo swallowed hard and ignored the sting in his eyes as he blinked in the darkness. "To hear that her beloved kaa-san who gave her a wonderful nii-chan would never get better and wouldn't live to see her next birthday…" Sakumo said softly with sadness in his voice as he felt arms squeeze him gently.
"But it will be harder to wake up one morning and find your kaa-san is no longer alive…" She sighed tiredly. "Let's all just spend the day together and then we can tell her together but let's keep the complications out of it. Night love." She said, kissing Sakumo's cheek as she settled into his side and she fell asleep while Sakumo stared up at the ceiling with a sigh and eventually fell into a restless sleep.
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Kasumi raced downstairs in the morning… She could smell her kaa-san's specialty blueberry pancakes any day and a lot of other stuff cooking which could only mean one thing… PICNIC DAY!
"Kaa-san!" Kasumi said excitedly as she ran into the kitchen and saw her mother's gently smile as she worked coolly behind the stove and Kasumi hugged her legs. Kasumi snuggled closed with a huge smile as she heard her kaa-san's quiet laughter before she was picked up and watched her kaa-san flip the pancake with one hand.
"You could have woken me up yesterday you know?" She said gently as she sat Kasumi on the counter next to the stove and Kasumi looked down while her legs kicked slowly.
"I know… You just looked tired so I wanted you to sleep and get better. School's finished now anyway so I get to spend time with you and Kakashi nii-chan everyday." She said with a grin and her kaa-san smiled gently as she focused on the food and Kasumi sat there watching.
"Ne kaa-san… Where's tou-san and Kakashi-nii?" Kasumi asked after a while as the stack of pancakes grew.
"He had a meeting to get to this morning and the Hokage said he would like to meet Kakashi so he took him along. They should be back soon sweetie." She said, passing her a pancake as Kasumi took it with a grin and ate it quietly. "So are we really going on a picnic today Kaa-san?" Kasumi asked excitedly as she watched her mom take a roast out of the oven.
"Yes we are sweetie. Since I got pregnant we haven't had a lot of family time and it would be nice now that your little otouto is born now." She said and Kasumi jumped off of the counter top with an excited shout as she rushed up stairs to get dressed and ready for the family outing. She left her silver hair down and put on a lavender coloured little winter dress with white fur trimmings with white stockings underneath and grabbed her toy dog before she zoomed back down stairs and ran straight into her dad with a hug as he entered through the door.
"Whoa, hey there my big girl. Seems you already know we're going out for the day huh?" Sakumo said with a slight laugh as he ruffled her hair and she pouted as she stepped away and fixed it.
"Of coarse and kaa-san even made her specialty pancakes." Kasumi grinned and Sakumo laughed slightly as he shifted Kakashi in his arm. Kasumi took her tou-san's hand as she led him into the kitchen and he sniffed the air and smiled at his beautiful wife.
"Smells wonderful Nozomi." Sakumo said as he moved next to her and kissed her cheek as she grinned at him and Kasumi copied like a little replica of her mother but the silver hair, the same blue eyes and the same delicate peachy skin tone. Nozomi just giggled slightly before smacking Sakumo's hand with a wooden spoon when he tried to steal something out of the pot she was working on. Sakumo just grinned and left to get dressed into his off duty clothing while Kasumi sat in the dining room and drew some pictures while she waited.
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Nozomi sat with a sigh on the soft ground under a little covered place for parents between Sakumo's legs and leaned back against his chest as they watched Kasumi playing on the playground. She had Kakashi sleeping on her lap with Sakumo's arm wrapped around her as they watched their daughter.
"Any idea of how to tell her?" Sakumo asked with a sigh as he nuzzled Nozomi's neck gently.
"No clue… I've been thinking about it since last night but I agree with you, she needs to know." Sakumo said sombrely.
Kasumi had sped around the playground as she looked at the monstrous monkey bars. She'd seen older kids play on them and kids like her play on them normally with their tou-san or kaa-san supporting them as she narrowed her eyes up at them. She walked with determination to the start where she climbed up and grabbed the first cold wrung and gently slipped her body off to hang on her arms as she gritted her teeth and moved to the next one slowly.
Nozomi and Sakumo watched her with pride and slight worry as they watched Kasumi move from wrung to wrung. She was half way across when her hand slipped and she let go with surprise… It was pretty far for a two year old. Sakumo had gotten up quickly and raced over with chakra-powered legs and caught her before she hit the ground and they skidded along the ground before they came to a stop.
Sakumo half groaned and half sighed when they stopped and felt Kasumi in a little ball in his arms as he looked down. Kasumi was shaking and half sobbing as she had her arms curled up to her chest and Sakumo sat up with her and rocked her gently, shushing her.
"Sakumo, Kasumi, are you okay?" Nozomi asked as she was walking slowly over to them with Kakashi in her arms. Sakumo smiled at hi wife when Kasumi looked out towards her and sniffed with tears still clinging to her eyelashes.
"We're okay, right 'Sumi?" Sakumo asked down at his little girl still shivering slightly in his arms before she began to full out sob.
"I'm sorry!" She cried and kept repeating over and over as she turned back into her tou-san's chest and Sakumo laughed as Nozomi smiled gently, getting on her haunches next to them as she brushed the snow off of them.
He picked her up and they headed back over to the covered area and he sat down again with Nozomi and Kakashi following as they sat huddled together until Kasumi had stopped crying.
"Let's eat, shall we? Blueberry pancakes always make you smile." Nozomi said with a smile as she opened the picnic basket but Kasumi stayed close to her tou-san's side after her little scare as they ate and she stopped crying.
Kasumi enjoyed the ice cream even in the cold weather. She was feeling better after her little fall and consoling words from her tou-san and kaa-san, even Kakashi made a sound at her which, made her giggle and Kakashi smile with gums at her.
"Have you enjoyed your day sweetie?" Nozomi asked, sitting with Kasumi in between her and Sakumo as she brushed her fingers through Kasumi's damp hair.
"Uh-huh!" Kasumi said excitedly with the spoon still in her mouth and Nozomi smiled tiredly at her daughter.
"We didn't just come here to spend time as a family today though 'Sumi." Sakumo said gently as he could see confusion in his daughter's blue eyes, still with the spoon sticking out her mouth.
"Last time we came you told me about having an otouto, so what's it this time?" Kasumi asked, digging her spoon back into her ice cream cup with her tongue sticking out to the side.
"You've noticed kaa-san hasn't been well right?" Sakumo asked as Kasumi's face fell and put her spoonful of ice cream back into the tube and turned her worried and confused blue eyes on her parents.
"You're gonna get better, right kaa-san?" Kasumi asked, holding tears back because her kaa-san IS going to get better.
"No… I'm not going to sweetie…" Nozomi said with a sad smile as she touched Kasumi's cheek and she flinched away as her tears began again and she put her ice cream down and stood up.
"No… No, you're, you're lying! You can't die kaa-san!" Kasumi yelled at her parents as Sakumo couldn't bare the look on his daughters face and Nozomi was crying as well as she gave Kasumi a sad smile and shook her head.
"The doctors say I have less than a year to live. I'm so sorry sweetie." Nozomi said as she tried to shift closer to Kasumi who stepped back as her tears finally fell and she choked a sob before she turned and ran into some bushes.
"Kasumi!" Nozomi cried and reached for her as Sakumo stood up and took her hand, looking at the bushes Kasumi just disappeared into.
"I can't fit through there but I'll be quick enough to go around and use my ninken if I have to. Just sit here and relax love." Sakumo said as he kissed Nozomi's lips and her tears before he took off to find their daughter.
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Kasumi raced through the bushes, pushing them away with her hands as she cried and her vision blurred but she couldn't and didn't want to stop as she kept running and pushing the plants away. She jumped out on the other side and ran straight into someone.
Fugaku had been walking with Minato and arguing about something before he felt something hit his side and he looked down to see a little girl had run into him and was sitting on the ground and crying now and he growled.
"Wait Fugaku." Minato said when he saw Fugaku make a move for the girl, probably not a pleasant one as he grabbed his friend's shoulder as he looked back with confusion.
"Parents should have better control over their children." Fugaku growled as he crossed his arms and looked away with a 'hn' and Minato smiled sheepishly. He walked around Fugaku and got on his haunches in front of the girl and touched her shoulder gently.
"Hey, are you alright?" Minato asked as the girl's sobbing had died down slightly and she looked up at Minato as she lowered her hands and trying to stop her crying and Minato smiled at her.
"I'm Minato, what's your name and what's wrong?" Minato asked as he picked her up onto her feet gently and dusted her off and Fugaku 'hn'ed' again.
"She ran into me, that's why she's crying idiot." Fugaku said, looking at the girl but his arms were still crossed.
"I-I'm so-sorry shinobi-san." The girl stuttered with a rough voice, which clued Minato in that she was crying before she ran into Fugaku. "My name's Kasumi." She said up to Minato, she still looked miserable.
"Well it's nice to meet you… Did you get lost?" Minato asked bending over slightly so he could speak on level with the two year old who shook her head.
"I ran away…" She pouted with a new round of tears in her eyes and Minato narrowed his eyes in sympathy for the truly and really upset little girl.
"Did something bad happen?" Minato asked and the girl looked down at the ground.
"Kasumi!" A voice called and Minato looked up to see a man coming down the road. Kasumi looked back with sadness before she tried to run again but Minato caught her around the waist and picked her up, he'd sort this out. Kasumi kicked and screamed at Minato to let her go as the figure got closer and Fugaku gapped.
"You won't believe who her tou-san is… I'd put her down if I were you dude." Fugaku said as they saw Konoha's White Fang jogging down the road towards them.
"Yeah, I see the resemblance now. He looks more worried than pissed." Minato said as Sakumo stopped in front of them and snatched the girl up into his arms and held her in a tight hug as the two chunin stood awkwardly. The girl eventually stopped kicking and screaming before she cried and fell asleep quickly and Sakumo shifted her onto his back and smiled sheepishly at the boys.
"I apologise if she caused you two any trouble but thank you for catching her for me." Sakumo said as Minato smiled and Fugaku scowled like usual.
"She ran into me…" Fugaku muttered before Minato grabbed him with a sheepish smile and a hand over his mouth and he flailed.
"Not at all White Fang-sama, we were just worried when a really upset little girl ran into us… Is there anything we can do to help sir?" Minato asked and Sakumo smiled proudly at the two young shinobi.
"No but thank you. You may call me Sakumo, what are your names if I may ask?" Sakumo asked and Minato let go of Fugaku.
"Namikaze Minato."
"Uchiha Fugaku."
"Thank you Minato-kun and Fugaku-kun, I'll put a good word in with the Hokage but I must be going now. Nice to meet you and thank you once again." Sakumo said as he turned and left the two teens standing in the road. Minato turned to Fugaku with a huge foxy grin.
"It pays to be nice to people sometimes." Minato laughed before he had to run down the street for his life with Fugaku chasing him with fire jutsus.
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Sakumo sat at his desk, drinking his tea quietly. It had been a rough day and Kasumi had stayed in her room for the rest of the day while Nozomi slept. Kakashi was sleeping in his cot next to his desk while he wrote some reports… It looked like the countries were gearing up for something big and he knew his input would be vital…
It wasn't easy being praised as Konoha's White Fang, second to none but to the Sannin and the Hokage himself. Sandaime had always praised his mind and power even if he thinks he's just adequate when it comes to his skills… He was still human and could make a mistake at any vital moment. And having his wife dying slowly and two kids to look after, his mind and priorities might just shift ever so slightly and his mind preoccupied more than usual.
He sighed down at the paper on his desk as he continued to write the report and try not to think about it. Nozomi was his angel who he thought was an Uchiha at first with the black hair. She had come as back up on his mission he was failing quite dismally and they got along well and even worked well together for the rest of the mission. He was twenty-five at the time and Nozomi was twenty… Three years later they got married and had Kasumi where there were one or two complications but everything turned out fine… It was only when it was too far along with Kakashi that the doctors found out she had a fifty percent chance of surviving the birthing and wouldn't live long afterwards.
Nozomi came to terms with it quickly but Sakumo couldn't bear to think about it too much. Kasumi looked a lot like her even if Nozomi said she looked more like himself. Kakashi already looked a lot like himself and Kasumi looked like Nozomi but with silver hair.
Sakumo sighed as he sat back in his chair… He wasn't getting anywhere with his preoccupied mind and the house was dead quiet so he gave up. He picked Kakashi up and turned off the lights before checking to make sure the house was secure as he headed upstairs into the warm bed as he put Kakashi down and curled around his sleeping wife as he drifted off.
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Nozomi sighed tiredly as she stood by the stove and watched the snow outside as it drifted down gently. Kasumi hadn't been out of her room for three days but at least she was eating the food that was left outside of her door and bathing as soon as she knew the coast was clear. Sakumo said to leave her to her own thing… For an adoring little girl the news must have hit her hard as she ran away for the first time ever.
"Kaa-san?" A voice called and Nozomi looked up with confusion to see blue eyes peaking around the doorframe but not looking at her.
"What's wrong sweetie?" Nozomi asked as she turned the stove off and pulled off her apron as she stepped around the counters.
"It's not fair…" Kasumi whispered and Nozomi tilted her head slightly as she watched her daughter who still had yet to look at her.
"I know it is… I'll never get to see what kind of kunoichi you grow up to be, or who you marry or even your graduation. I won't get to the point of grey hair and match your tou-san." Nozomi laughed slightly with tears in her eyes that held slight fear in them and Kasumi looked up the first time and Nozomi gasped, putting a hand against her mouth. Eyes exactly like her own, holding the same fear and sadness as they also watered up.
"I… I was wondering kaa-san…" Kasumi said gently as her eyes migrated to the floor once again. "Can you show me how to make your pancakes so when you're gone I can remember you?" Kasumi asked and Nozomi sobbed slightly again before nodding and bending over slightly with her arms open and Kasumi ran into them as mother and daughter hugged for a while.
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Sakumo breathed a sigh of relief as he entered into the familiar warm scent of home. It had been a long mission even though it was only for two days… The other countries were getting lethal. He took another breath as he pulled off his pouches and shoes and stopped, lifting his head to sniff at the air and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion with a smile.
"Blueberry pancakes?" Sakumo wondered out loud as he followed the smell to the kitchen quietly and looked around the corner with a smile. Kasumi had a smile even if it was slight with red eyes as Nozomi made pancakes, showing Kasumi everything as she added, as well as writing the recipe and assisted Kasumi with most of it slowly.
Sakumo didn't have the heart to disturb the peaceful scene before him as he sat quietly in the shadow of the doorframe and was sure Nozomi knew he was there anyway… She was still just as sharp with her sense even though she hadn't been on duty since she was pregnant with Kasumi.
He could still see Kasumi was deeply affected by the news about Nozomi as he was. He was lucky, his parents had lived until he was twenty-six before they passed away and Nozomi was similar, loosing her parents close to the time he lost his. He couldn't imagine loosing one of your parents as such an age where life seemed unfair and still confusing to the youngster and he fears he may never see her be truly happy and not burdened ever again after this because there was still his son that would need some help growing up and he knows his parenting skills are off when he was frustrated at the slow pace Kasumi was developing.
Nozomi was patient and just laughed at him when he asked why he couldn't start teaching Kasumi the arts of ninjutsu when he got sat down in his office and the development of the human body explained to him… He'd never forget the disturbing yet interesting lesson that ended the best way ever… Creating Kakashi if he had to admit anything.
It was times like these where he wished he was an Uchiha and could record everything happening in the kitchen currently as both his wife and daughter had batter all over them as Kasumi tried flipping a pancake even with Nozomi's help.
Kasumi stared at the water pouring down outside of her classroom with her chin resting on her palm as her sensei droned on about something… Math she thought it was. School came around quickly and she could make pancakes now as well as a few other things before she had to go to school again.
She'd like to think she was a very observant little girl, already being praised as a so-called genius but she got just above average marks so she didn't think she was a genius at all… The term only came around when Kakashi began to sit up and shuffle to his feet, standing while holding something and apparently that was a sign of being a genius? Uncle Jiraiya was a confusing man anyway…
But apparently Kakashi being called a genius had made her kaa-san and tou-san happy so she didn't say anything else… That was when her kaa-san collapsed in front of her a few weeks ago and wouldn't wake up. Tou-san was on a mission and Kakashi was crying and she panicked when she came home from school to find her lying on the floor in the kitchen and water boiling over.
It was lucky Jiraiya had been staying with them and had just arrived for lunch to the scene just after Kasumi did. He handled everything and tou-san had come home a week later from his mission. Kasumi visited her kaa-san every day at the hospital but she only just noticed her condition.
Slowly every day her kaa-san did less and less and would get tired and out of breath from just climbing the stairs in the house but Kasumi had looked past that… Avoiding the fact her mother was weakening and going to die soon. Kasumi's lower lip trembled as she saw the tears gathering in the bottoms of her eyes as she focused partially back on class and wiped them away with a rough swallow of emotions, she didn't want to seem weak to her classmates or her sensei who was a nice man and knew of her situation already… Tou-san thought it would be best if one day she had to leave class urgently… He never said why she would leave urgently in front of her but she knew.
Kasumi wrapped her arms around her chest that ached dully and made her torso feel stiff. This always happened when her sensei would drone on in class and she would watch the autumn leaves fall… It was coming up to Kakashi's birthday soon.
"Sensei, may I please be excused?" Kasumi asked, not even caring she interrupted what her sensei was saying before he waved her out and he carried on with his lecture… Something about Konoha's origins involving Uchiha and Senju. She stood up and left quietly down the hallways and staring at the dirty scuffed floors from just after their break when the boys would rough around and play ninja.
She stepped into the bathroom and splashed water over her face as she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked tired and she felt tired as she wiped the excess water from her face and shook her hands out before she turned down the halls and left school… It was nearly finished anyway. She walked down the roads and wished she didn't wear a dress right then, her hands felt cold and she wanted pockets to put them into and she stopped outside a building she remembered walking past with her tou-san and kaa-san.
"If you want to become a big strong kunoichi like your kaa-san, then one day you'll be going here. It's the academy where they teach you how to be a ninja." Her tou-san had said to her once and she huffed sadly as she sat on the swing outside the building under a tree and stared at the building as orange, brown, red and yellow leaves fell around her as she swayed gently. A bell sounded as children began to leave the building with smiles on their faces and talking to friends… She didn't really have any friends. All she needed was kaa-san and tou-san but now she was loosing one, maybe she should get one friend to replace… No she could never replace her kaa-san but someone else would be nice to keep her entertained when her thoughts turned to her kaa-san, someone other than family.
There was a tap on her shoulder and she turned around to see a girl with short brown hair and brown eyes looking at her with slight concern but also friendliness.
"You're in my seat." She smiled at Kasumi who looked at her dumbfounded and jumped off, stepping away and looking at the ground.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was taken." Kasumi said and the girl just smiled and jumped on the swing before tapping the space next to her.
"It's big enough for two." She said and Kasumi shrugged as she joined the other girl silently as they watched the kids leaving for the day. "You're in my class, aren't you?" She asked suddenly with a gently smile on her face and Kasumi shrugged.
"Sorry, I haven't really noticed who was in my class this year. I'm Hatake Kasumi, maybe you remember my name for attendance." Kasumi said as she watched the ground sway.
"That's right, Kasumi, you are in my class. I'm Rin. Nohara Rin, I sit in the front row in the middle isle, you walk past me every morning and smile slightly as you move to your seat. Nice to finally meet you Kasumi-chan." Rin smiled and Kasumi smiled slightly as well.
"Yeah… It's nice to meet you too Rin." Kasumi said. They stayed silent for a while as the swing rocked and some parents came to fetch their kids from the academy while others just walked home with friends.
"You seem distracted in class lately though…" Rin began. "Is something wrong… You didn't even come back for the rest of the lesson?" Rin asked, concern in her voice and Kasumi sighed.
"My mother is sick and… She's not going to get any better." Kasumi said as she felt her eyes sting with tears and she took a shaky breath so she didn't cry.
"Well if you keep thinking like that she's not going to. You need to believe she will get better and then she will." Rin gave her a big smile and Kasumi choked back a sob, she was not going to cry in front of a stranger.
"A year ago, the doctors told her she only had a year left to live. They couldn't do anything." Kasumi said softly as Rin listened.
"I'm sorry…" Rin said, leaving the sentence hanging in the cool air of the afternoon for a while as the wind drifted lazily.
"Do you come here often?" Kasumi asked after a while as the last few kids left and some of the academy senseis left as well.
"Everyday… My mom works in the infirmary here and I wait for her on this swing. What made you come here today?" Rin asked as she swung them gently as the sun had started to set, earlier each day, which made Kasumi frown further.
"I started walking and ended up here… I had walked past here with my parents before and told me a little about the academy. I'm thinking of becoming a ninja like my parents." Kasumi said as she stared at the building, eyes far away in the memory.
"I'm thinking of becoming a ninja too but I want to focus on medical ninjutsu like my mom studied even though she's not a ninja she entered the academy and had chakra control but dropped out and became a medic." Rin said, staring at the academy with a smile and Kasumi looked at Rin for a while.
"So why don't you just do like your mom did?" Kasumi asked and Rin giggled.
"It's amazing to help other people sure but I want to go out there and help. Statistics say that ninja mainly die on the battlefield due to blood loss of minor wounds that if treated quickly would have allowed them to live." Rin said and Kasumi's brows raised slightly with slightly wider eyes.
"That's an interesting statistic, now I know who one of the people are in class who are smarter than me." Kasumi said sarcastically and Rin giggled.
"You do well, there's nothing to be sad about. You do better in P.E. than I do." Rin laughed and Kasumi smiled.
"Thanks Rin… For keeping me company this afternoon." Kasumi said with a small smile and Rin grinned at her as the sunlight turned orange.
"Sumi!" A voice called as two dogs ran up to them and Kasumi greeted them with Rin petting them gently as well.
"Boss has been worried about you." The young little pug said, sitting on the Bullmastiff's head.
"I guess he must be… I'll see you in class Rin and it was nice talking to you." Kasumi said as she jumped off of the swing and Rin stood up as well.
"If you want to hang out some time just ask… I'll see you next week Kasumi-chan." Rin said before she ran into the academy and Kasumi ran with Bull and Pakkun back towards her school where she was scooped up into Sakumo's arms quickly as the life was hugged from her.
"Are they from the new litter your pack had?" Kasumi asked down at the two dogs chasing each other, still puppies and Sakumo sighed with a slight laugh.
"I've been trying to train them today and I'm sure you can see how that turned out." Sakumo laughed and Kasumi smiled slightly. "Did you forget we made plans to see your kaa-san today?" Sakumo asked, sitting Kasumi on his hip as his two youngest ninken trailed behind them in the orange sunset.
"Actually I think that's why I went 'awole' as you ninja would call it." Kasumi grinned and Sakumo laughed slightly. They walked into the hospital and Sakumo put Kasumi down as they entered Nozomi's room and Kasumi instantly rushed to her side. Nozomi was sitting up, reclined in bed with an oxygen mask on but she still smiled at Kasumi and removed her mask and brushed her hand against Kasumi's cheek. Sakumo left the room to fetch Kakashi from the children's ward where he was playing peacefully and more controlled than Kasumi had ever been.
"How was your day sweetie?" Nozomi asked as Kasumi jumped up on the bed next to her and sat parallel to her kaa-san, facing her as her one leg dangled off the side.
"It was fine… Like usual but I finally met someone in my class and she kept me busy because I wasn't feeling well near the end of the day." Kasumi said sadly as she stared down into her lap… She didn't want to see her kaa-san in that state.
"Are you feeling better now?" Nozomi asked as she leaned forward with effort and brushed her hand through Kasumi's long silver hair. Nozomi also knew that when Kasumi didn't 'feel well' it was because she was thinking of her and everything that was happening.
"Yeah, a little… Rin's a nice person." Kasumi said as her fingers fiddled in her lap.
"I want to give you something." Nozomi said suddenly and reached under her pillow for a small little box and handed it to Kasumi who took it and opened it. There was a small silver locket in there with engraving lines that look like a wolf as she opened it and smiled at the family photo inside as she looked to the left of it and read the little inscription.
'If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together, there is always something you must remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is: Even if we are apart, I'll always be with you.'
Kasumi kept wiping at her tears as she read the inscription over and over and kept looking at the family photo and sniffling. Nozomi took it gently from her hands and reached up to clip it around Kasumi's neck.
"When you become the kunoichi I know I'll be proud of… Don't wear it on missions or it could get lost okay?" Nozomi smiled as she brushed the back of her knuckles against Kasumi's cheek as she nodded and smiled, fingering the little locket.
Sakumo came in with Kakashi squirming in his arms as soon as he saw Nozomi and Kasumi and Nozomi smiled and Kasumi also smiled at her little otouto. He put the squirming almost one year old down on the bed as he curled up on Nozomi's lap and took Kasumi's hand as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
"He's so fickle." Sakumo laughed as he saw the little dummy bobbing in his mouth.
"What do you expect, he is your son." Nozomi laughed slightly and Sakumo looked hurt and Kasumi smiled slightly, even if she got that hollow ache in her chest as she fisted the locket around her neck. She knew she needed to enjoy this time while it lasted, as she knew her kaa-san was getting weaker by the day, anyone could see that.
Kasumi quietly listened to her parents talk and poke fun at each other and she could see her tou-san also seeming to have the same hollow ache as she did as he kept bringing his fist up towards his chest but stop as it gets half way there as he puts his relaxed hand down again or into her kaa-san's hand. She looked down at her hand still being held gently by Kakashi's little hand and she smiled sadly… He probably wouldn't remember this, which was sad yet she feels he's lucky in some way he didn't have to remember loosing his kaa-san at such a young age.
Sometime during the night, Kasumi fell asleep with Kakashi and soon enough Nozomi followed and Sakumo took his two kids home, sleeping soundly yet sadly as he noticed the frowns on both of their faces.
A/N: Quote on locket from Winnie the Pooh