4,380 words

She stood in the same spot he always occupied; on the fifth spike of the Fourth Hokage's hair.

The skies darkened with heavy grey clouds and she wondered if he'd be able to smell the rain in the air -wherever he is.

He was five months late. Five months overdue on a mission that was supposed to last two months.

The Pinkette tried not to lose hope, but how could she not? Nightmares plagued her sleep, tortured her with long lonely nights and threatened to break her.

The image of him dead in some ditch, never seen, haunted her.

A flash of blue light rippled through the skies and pulled her out of her miserable thoughts, signifying a coming storm.

It only made her heart clinch. When will she ever stop associating lighting with her husband?

She couldn't help it, lightning so happened to be his affinity.

The blackened skies only served to remind her of his all-consuming charcoal eyes that she sometimes swore could set her aflame with one glance.

Sakura was also due any day now -the horror of it was that Kakashi had no idea. If he's alive -if he ever returns- he'll find that their little family grew by one.

He would be shocked, but he'd also be happy. She knew that, but it didn't stop her heart racing whenever she thought of the growing possibility of him never returning home to her and their daughter.

The medic didn't want to think about what it'd mean if he never returned. Didn't want to imagine her daughter growing up fatherless. Didn't want to think of how she'll be lonely and miserable for the rest of her life.

"I thought I'd find you here." She felt his presence before he spoke.

"Hey, Genma."

He stopped next to her, the senbon he usually had between his teeth absent for the first time in years. "It's getting cold."

"I'm okay." She replied monotonously, so used to saying these two empty words to every person who asked about her wellbeing.

She felt his big warm palm on her shoulder. "You don't want to hurt the baby now do you?"

A shiver ran down her spine that had nothing to do with the chill in the air. The idea of hurting anything that's half Kakashi terrified her; this baby was after all the last remaining piece of her lost husband.

"No," the reply was soft but full of agony.

Genma felt his stomach twist uncomfortably at how heartbreaking her voice sounded. He wasn't sure what he'd do if her hormones tipped out of balance and she decided to start crying.

That bastard Kakashi, he better be alive.

"Come on," he said using the gentlest voice he could muster as he laid his arm across her shoulders and pulled her closer to him to capture her some warmth and started leading her back home. "Let's go home."

That was the final straw. Her face twisted up and she burst into tears as heavy as the coming rain.

She sniffed miserably into his shoulder and held onto his arm like her knees might collapse beneath her at any given second. Perhaps he shouldn't have said anything -now he sat her off. Lovely.

The mentioning of 'home' was too much for her to bare when the literal embodiment of that word was absent.

"I'm sorry," Genma told her with feeling, "I didn't mean... I'm sorry. I'm sure he's alive."

The Pinkette gnawed furiously at her lip in failed efforts to stop her streaming tears. It only seemed to make her cry harder.

Genma was about to attempt comforting her with words he didn't believe himself when suddenly, her green eyes widened and her hold on him tightened.

She hissed and then gasped in pain.

"W-what?" Genma's voice quivered with worry, his brown eyes widening as well. "Are you okay?"

"I-I think my water just broke.."

He blinked in shock but quickly recovered, his stomach somersaulting as he realised he would have to play the role of the ever dutiful worried father.

He swallowed thickly, the heavy atmosphere of the coming storm only serving to grate on his nerves, "can you walk?"

"I-I don't know!" She gasped, fear evident in her voice and on her face.

Cursing softly, he bent and lifted her up as carefully as he could.

She frantically latched onto his neck and held onto his shoulders with fingers of steel.

His legs protested against the extra weight, refusing to run at their full speed. The pain from the tightness of her killer-grip on his shoulder only distracted him.

He rushed her to Shizune in the hospital, his lungs aching with effort -or maybe it was the stress of the situation that left him short of breath.

"Oh thank god you found her at the right time." Shizune gasped, pulling him into a tight hug before dashing after Tsunade into the pale room where Sakura was held.

Genma wanted to leave, wanted to go to his home and maybe get some sleep -he did after all only return from his mission an hour ago but he knew the stress won't let him get a wink.

And he also knew that if he left Sakura alone during her first childbirth, Kakashi would haunt him in the after life or send him to an early one if he was still alive.

And so he took in a deep shaky breath and dashed in after Shizune.

Ten hours and twelve bone cracks later, the sound of a crying baby filled the room.

Sakura finally let go of his severely bruised and broken hand and reached for her newborn baby with trembling hand.

The sight of little silver hair poking out of the bundle in Tsunade's arms momentarily distracted him of the agony in his hand; Kakashi's daughter had his hair.

The Pinkette started crying as she held her close to her chest, pressing her little body onto her shoulder and Genma leaned in too to look at the baby better.

Seemingly sensing her mother's distress, the baby continued to wail loudly.

He felt a little sick. What if Kakashi never returned to see her?

Genma who lost his father before ever knowing him knew very well what life was like growing up fatherless; the thought of this innocent little girl growing up the way he did truly made him sick to his stomach.

He reached with his healthy hand and gently stroked the baby's reddened cheeks. Sakura looked up at him with tearful pleading eyes.

The brown-haired man wasn't sure what she wanted him to say but he swallowed thickly and whispered, "He'll come back to see her... I'm sure."

Why did she believe his words was beyond him. But she stopped crying and that's all he cared about at the moment.

Then she gave him a tiny -dare he say shy- smile, "do you... want to hold her?"

Chocolate brown eyes slid from the Pinkette's face to the slowly-calming-down-baby in her arms.

She looked so delicate -easily the most fragile thing he'd ever hold.

Sakura helped him hold her neck right and— what the heck? she really was tiny.

He was afraid of breaking her by simply holding her, that's how frail the baby felt in his arms.

"What's... what's her name?" He asked, mouth a little dry. Was it fair he got to hold Kakashi's child before him?

Sakura worried her lip for a few moments before answering timidly, "Misaki."

Genma let out a shaky breath he hadn't realised he was holding, "Hello Misaki-chan... this is... uncle Genma."

Tsunade snorted rather rudely from somewhere in the room but he ignored her.

Sakura and Shizune chuckled quietly and he stared in fascination as Misaki's mouth opened into a little perfect 'o' and yawned.

Holy shit, she's adorable.

And then Tsunade was taking her out of his arms to clean her.

Genma pouted like the seven-year-old he truly is but let go of Misaki and instead gave his bruised hand to Shizune with a miserable 'please.'

Kakashi refused to let out a scream of pain as his capturer landed another sharp kick at his bruised stomach.

He coughed up blood as he felt his head reel and spin again and again.

Five months of this, how much more can he take?

That's the worst part, the men that held him hostage had no intentions of ending his life. In fact, they were trying their hardest to make him feel the most intense pain imaginable while keeping him alive.

They'd bruise him unrecognisable only to heal him and start over.

He knew of course, that if they kept manipulating his cells that way he'd die regardless of their wishes.

Everyone probably thought he was dead anyway. And maybe they should -he didn't feel far off that.

Poor Sakura, how would she take the news of his unfortunate death?

He had no intention of giving up just yet but Kakashi is a realistic man, he knew there was at least a seventy percent chance he won't make it out alive.

He also wouldn't depend on the entire remaining thirty percent because knowing his luck, that chance would probably be halved a few times.

"You're a persistent one, eh?" The hideous man that landed the previous kick snarled in a deep smoker's voice next to his face.

Spitting the blood in his mouth he bared his teeth in contempt. "Your... breath... stinks."

Another sharp kick to his newly healed ribs cracked them again.

The silver-head hissed in pain which earned him a delighted laugh. "Fighting back won't get you anywhere Copy Ninja Kakashi. Where can I find the Itami scroll?"

The man was clearly stupid if he thought Kakashi would ever give away information that could harm his home. "My ass."

Another kick directed to that same broken rib send waves of agony to every cell in his body.

How shameful would it be if he burst into tears? Kakashi could barely believe he's still alive.

They had him locked in a rotten cell, gave him one meal a day and interrogated him for about five hours each day before healing him and throwing him back in that same rotten cell.

For five months. It was hell.

But he had a wife to protect, that bastard would have to burn him alive before he hoped to disclose any information from him.

"Misaki," Ino cooed at the two months old baby in her arms. "You're so cute baby~"

The silver-haired girl cracked open a green eye and yawned cutely.

"She's so cute!" Ino gushed and tapped Misaki's button nose. "Look at her awww, Mimi you pretty thing."

The Pinkette smiled at the blond, her eyes fixing at her daughter who looked more like her father than any kid had the right to at two months old.

After being thrown into the same cell for the two-hundred-forty-third time, Kakashi has managed to successfully dig a small hole in the thick rock wall.

He worked day and night, chipping away at his jail with nothing but a nail he stole off his attacker.

He concealed the place with his mattress and a carefully threaded genjutsu.

Wasting no time, he pushed out through the narrow space with all his might.

Why did he not Chidori his way out? Good question. Why of course because that would set off all hundred-and-twenty enemies in the area.

Kakashi Hatake is strong, but he is no god.

He couldn't even begin to hope to defeat roughly one-twenty ninjas at once.

Coming face to face with the tall forest trees, he nearly let out a few tears of relief at seeing the world once more.

He had roughly eight hours before they discovered him. Ten if he's lucky.

Going back to Konoha was out of the question. It'd take him five days and by then they'd have caught up to him.

It left him one choice: Sasuke.

He could sense him somewhere in the area, but the Uchiha was hard to track unless he wanted to be found.

Thank god he was no longer an asshole, and actually viewed him as a comrade.

"Kakashi." The Uchiha greeted with a curt nod upon seeing the copy nin. "You look like shit."

"Thanks." The silver-head replied dryly. "...I need your help-"

"Capturing the ones that did this to you." The Uchiha finished for him. "Lead the way."

"Hold up a second," Kakashi said with an impatient sigh. "There's over a hundred and twenty of them. They're after the Itami scroll-"

"I've been tracking them for a while, I know who they are. Just not where they are. So if you'd be kind enough to lead me there." Sasuke cut him off once more.

"Sasuke," Kakashi said as he leveled him with a hard stare. "I said there's a hundred and twenty of them."

"No biggie." The Uchiha smirked at him. "I know a few people who can help us -besides, who said anything about knocking the front door? We're going undercover sensei."

"What is she doing?" Genma asked Sakura when Misaki bit his shoulder with non-existent teeth.

"Her teeth are coming out," Sakura said a little sympathetically. "She bites at things because they're irritating her."

Genma let out a gasp and feigned surprise as he pried Misaki off him. "Is that true Misaki? Is mama raising a little cutie monster?"

The silver-haired infant reached blindly for the cloth covering his hair and nearly punched his eye out with her tiny fists. "Careful boo."

Sakura laughed when Misaki giggled in glee as she successfully ripped the dark blue material off Genma's head in her second attempt and started chewing on it.

"Not nice, baby girl." Genma pouted. "I just washed this yesterday."

That made Sakura laugh harder. It was nice seeing her laugh -but Genma wasn't sure if it was because she finally accepted Kakashi's death or if she truly believed he is coming back.

Or maybe being a mother is so time-consuming she didn't think about it much. He didn't know.

Tenzou walked into the jounin room for the first time in six months.

"Huh?" He blinked at Misaki in Genma's arms, stupefied. "Is that... yours and Kakashi's love child?"

"Ha ha ha," Genma laughed humourlessly. "You wish buddy. This is Sakura's daughter."

Tenzou's mouth fell open, "oh, I had no idea! Congratulations... I have some news."

"Shoot," Genma said. Misaki giggled at the noise.

The brown-haired man crossed his eyes at her and she clapped wildly at him, giggling joyfully.

Tenzou tried to ignore the adorable scene as he spoke. "We believe Kakashi-senpai is nearby."

Sakura mouth fell open and she jumped to her feet in an instant. "Where?!"

Tenzou stared wide-eyed at the feverish look in her eyes. "At the outskirt of Konoha. Sasuke's hawk just came in with a letter -the handwriting perfectly matches Kakashi's."

Sakura was already grabbing her weapon pouch off the shelf. "Genma. Keep an eye on Misaki."

And with that she ran out, leaving both Genma and Tenzou gobsmacked and worried.

"I..." Tenzou trailed off. "Am going after her."

Genma hurriedly shooed him off, getting up with Misaki perched up on his hip, "Hurry and go, I'll get Tsunade-sama."

Tenzou gave a sharp nod and disappeared out of the door.

"Alright Mimi, we're going to see obaa-san." Genma muttered to the infant as he grabbed his weapon pouch and magically fastened it with one hand.

"Opa," Misaki giggled again.

"You know, kid? I fail to understand how you're so giggly when your father has a face as devoid of emotion as a baboon's ass."

"Aas," Misaki clapped happily and Genma nearly dropped her in horror, calling Tsunade becoming secondary in the span of two seconds.

"No no no Misaki-chan, bad girl, don't say that!"

"Aas!"

"I'm so dead."

Trees flashed by as she breezed through the forest, her senses on high alert, searching for his chakra signature -searching for Sasuke's and Pakkun's, anything linked to the copy nin.

She could hear the heavy thudding of her heartbeat in her ears; could feel adrenaline coursing through her veins; and mostly she could feel her stomach twisting into multiple knots.

A year and three months without a word. A part of her was sure she'll dissolve into tears upon seeing him. Even if he wasn't hurt, if he as much as said a word she was sure she'll cry.

She missed his voice, his touch, his arms, his face -everything about him. She missed falling asleep next to him and waking up to his mask-less smiles.

"Kakashi!" She called, as loudly as her lungs would allow her. "Kakashi!"

Her voice rang through the forest and echoed past her as she continued to race forward.

"Sakura?"

She whirled around to find Sasuke approaching her, bloodied and bruised.

Her heart fell. "Where's he?"

"Where's who?"

"Kakashi."

"I'm... here." She jumped at the sound of his voice and nearly passed out when he moved around Sasuke. "'M here Sak."

This better not be an illusion or else someone's gonna die a painful death; She thought vehemently as she flung herself at him, pulling him into a bone-crushing embrace. "You fucking, fucking stupid, idiot. Stupid, you're so stupid oh god, shit, I missed you, fuck, you're so stupid."

"Maa Sakura, you can't insult me and miss me at once..." he smiled into her raspberry smelling hair that he missed so deeply.

"Shut up, idiot!" She cried into his neck, her shoulders trembling with the force of her sobs, "god, I thought you were dead."

He let her cry it out and took joy in watching Sasuke squirm uncomfortably from behind her.

She loosened her bone-crushing hold on him, ripped his torn mask off his face and smashed their lips together in a hungry desperate kiss, not even phased by his beard.

"Okaaaay. I'm leaving." Sasuke grimaced, turning around on his heel and stalking away, "see you at home."

Kakashi laughed against Sakura's mouth, the tension in his body strong enough to cripple a country but her hold on him steadied him -empowered him. He was home right there in her arms.

"Are you okay?"

Was he okay? Yes. Yes he was. He was holding her in his arms; she's breathing, he's breathing. That's all he needed to be okay.

"Few broken ribs..." He told her but she was already moving a green palm across his body, checking his injuries and deciding their severity, healing them a little as she went.

"I need to go see Tsunade." He told her, prying her glowing hands off him. "The sooner I'm done with her, the sooner I can come home."

Sakura nodded once, "but first... I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" He asked a little worriedly, hoping she haven't moved on in his absence or anything like that.

"There's someone waiting for us at home."

Oh god, she did move on, didn't she?

"Who...?" He asked weakly, feeling his heart sink to his stomach .

"Someone I love more than the entire world... someone I love as much as I love you." She whispered, her green eyes glinting with something he had no name for.

His heart sunk further down. "Oh."

"Her name is Misaki."

"...her?" Kakashi asked in confusion. As far as he knew, Sakura wasn't into girls.

"Mhmm... it's a girl." She said with a happy grin.

Kakashi was very confused then but Sakura continued, "She's six months old—"

"Sakura, what are you talking about?" Kakashi demanded, his heart nearly jumping out of his throat in anticipation.

"Your daughter silly." She laughed musically, beautifully -in the way he loved and missed so dearly.

Kakashi froze when her words half registered in his hazy mind, "my...what?"

"Daughter," she repeated, obviously enjoying herself.

Kakashi on the other hand felt like he might pass out as he repeated her words, incredulously, testing the way they sounded rolling off his tongue. "My daughter."

"Well, our daughter," Sakura corrected. "She looks so much like you."

Kakashi blinked rapidly, like that might make his brain processes the information faster. "We have a baby." He repeated, sounding dumbfounded.

"Mhmmmmm," his wife hummed in content. "Let's go see Tsunade so you could meet her, yeah?"

He gave a silent nod.

"Kakashi," Tsunade said, sounding relieved at the sight of him. "I'm so glad you're alive."

"Me too," he said, sounding and feeling weary.

"Sit down, let me heal you properly." Tsunade ordered and before he had the chance to protest, pushed him down so that he was seated on the red couch in her office.

"You look like death," she commented.

"I feel like death." He deadpanned but she cracked a smile.

"You won't feel so bad when I'm done with you, I promise." She assured him as she slipped a green hand beneath his shirt and across his hard chest and then turned her face to look at Sakura. "Genma's in the cafeteria with Misaki, go get her before he teaches her anything else."

"Teaches her what?" Her tone turned dangerous at the end, sending a chill down both Kakashi's and Tenzou's -who got here a few moments ago- spines.

Kakashi nearly forgot how scary his wife is. Jeez.

Tsunade wearily cleared her throat. "Just get her and... go home or something."

"Wait—" Kakashi started to protest but Sakura was already gone like a cool breeze in a hot summer and so he turned to complain to Tsunade instead. "I want to see her."

"You were gone for a year and three months. You can wait an extra hour." Tsunade reasoned she she healed his broken arm. "You can't hold her if your bones are broken."

Kakashi grumbled miserably and slumped back in his seat like a little kid who's candy was stolen.

He's going go give Tsunade exactly one hour to patch up his body.

"What does she look like?" He asked Tenzou on their way to his home. He could barely wait much longer to see Misaki but his newly healed body refused to cooperate with him and instead slowed him down.

"She has your hair." Tenzou shrugged. That's all he remembered from glimpsing the child when he broke the news of Kakashi's return to Sakura.

Kakashi stopped mid-stride but was fast to overcome his shock and jog after Tenzou. "My hair?"

"Yeah." Tenzou confirmed with a nod, "styled into a little ponytail."

"She's only six months old right? How does she have enough hair to be styled into a ponytail?" Kakashi asked, a little incredulous.

"She's your daughter, what'd you expect?"

"I don't have that much hair." Kakashi protested but was cut off by Tenzou.

"Oh, yes you do. Anyway, we're here."

Kakashi swallowed thickly as he stopped in front of his apartment's creamy door. He hasn't been here in over a year.

He could hear an infant's loud giggles from beyond the door and it made his heart skip a beat.

It felt like a dream as he knocked the door -like some twisted prank. It was hard to believe he was a father and he doubted he would before he saw his so-called daughter.

Sakura opened the door with a bright smile and yanked him in, "Hey dear, bye Tenzou!"

Kakashi's sight immediately fell at the little child crawling on the floor and suddenly he was too tongue-tied to comment on how rude it is to slam doors in people's faces.

His mouth dried a bit as bright green eyes looked at him from across the room.

The silver-head was scared of making any unexpected moves that might scare away the baby, but she seemed fascinated by his presence as she crawled her way to his feet and dropped on her butt with a quiet thud.

Wide green eyes peered curiously at him from beneath thick pretty lashes.

There was no questions. Misaki was definitely his daughter -he'd know she's his from a mile away.

Her unique silver hair and bright green eyes screamed 'I'm Kakashi's and Sakura's daughter.'

He carefully crouched down in front of her, his lip quivering as he reached to ruffle her thick hair.

She smiled around her pink pacifier and reached to grasp at his pinky in her hair with her small fist.

Kakashi burst into ugly tears against his well and it seemed to confuse the little girl because she held onto his hand and pushed herself up onto her feet so that she was level with his face.

He supported her weight with shaky hands to prevent her from falling and watched with wide glassy eyes as she rubbed the salty liquid droplets off his face and offered him her pacifier -like it might stop his tears.

But it only served to make him more emotional and he pulled her tiny body into a tight hug, stood up with her in his arms and pressed kisses all over the side of her face.

He could hardly believe his eyes. He had a daughter.

It was absolutely ridiculous and wonderful and he wanted to laugh and cry and dance all at once as he pulled Sakura into a tight family embrace and relished the sound of Misaki's giggles in his ears.

He's finally home.