Chapter 26

Home At Last

Tsunade looked up from the stack of paperwork at the sound of the door to her office opening. A frown was firmly in place – and she was getting ready to yell at whichever unfortunate chunin was pulling desk duty tonight. After all – how many times does she have to tell these fools that they should never barge into her office? Was that really so hard to remember?

The words of anger never made it past her lips when her eyes took in something other than an overworked chunin. Her frown transformed into a full blown smile when she saw Shizune framed in the open doorway...looking a bit weathered...but none the worse for wear. In an instant Tsunade was across the room and she wrapped her arms protectively around the younger woman. Shizune returned the show of affection – sighing softly into her shoulder – but soon pushed free of her. Tsunade looked down at the woman's face and saw she was ready to give at least a cursory report. Sighing – Tsunade returned to her desk – taking up the mantle of Hokage once more.

Only then did she notice two others standing at the entrance to the room – Ibiki and Crow to be exact. She motioned for them to join Shizune, and once all three were in position she leaned back in her chair...suddenly nervous to hear just how this mission turned out. Still – she had a job to do...for the good of Konoha.

"Report!"

Crow stepped forward – as ranking ANBU he was technically in charge of the whole mission. To anyone else, the ANBU captain would have looked fully alert...but Tsunade had been doing this long enough to be able to tell when one of her tools is overworked. The man looked exhausted – in how his armor showed blood and dirt – and in how his shoulders sagged ever so slightly.

"The mission to retrieve Kakashi Hatake has been completed, Hokage. No loss of Konoha life occurred – although the woman carrying the Copy-ninja's offspring did not survive. In addition, several Konoha shinobi obtained injuries – some severe in nature – as noted in my report."

With that said, Crow stepped forward and presented her with the mission report. This would be only a summary report – the true detailed filing would occur during the ANBU debriefing at their Headquarters – likely right after they were finished here. Still – there was enough detail provided to catch her up to speed on the important aspects of the mission.

She took a moment to read the document over...forcing herself not to skip ahead for any mention of Kakashi. After all – every injury incurred during their mission deserved her full attention...no matter how worried she was for Sakumo's brat. She returned her focus to the injury list and paused at a few of the more serious ones, such as Badger's hands and Neji's eyes. What the hell did these kids face out there?

She shifted her attention to Shizune. "Can I assume Badger and Neji are being tended to?"

Her aide nodded. "Yes, Lady Tsunade...and members of their perspective clans have been summoned for assistance."

"Good. Let me know if my skills are needed."

"Yes, Hokage."

Tsunade returned to the listing...broken bones and miscellaneous scratches on the majority of the backup team...the ANBU retrieval squad fared a little better – with two notable exceptions...Mouse and Iruka Umino. She glanced at Crow.

"How bad are Mouse's injuries?"

The ANBU captain's eyes shifted toward Shizune before he spoke. "Thanks to the skilled backup you sent, Hokage, I expect Mouse to fully recover...although he may require some follow-up for his arm injury. Perhaps Shizune could provide it?"

Tsunade wondered briefly at the odd request. Normally ANBU injuries were treated solely by ANBU medics – unless a clan technique was required – as in the case of Badger. She glanced over at Shizune and noticed the deep blush coloring the young woman's cheeks. Ah – now the request made sense!

"I'm sure that can be arranged Crow. Now – what about Iruka Umino? Your notes don't go into much detail on his injuries."

Surprisingly Ibiki answered her question. "His injuries should heal fully – but I'd suggest light duty until he...readjusts...to life in the village again."

She blinked in surprise. "Readjusts?"

Crow chuckled a bit while Ibiki responded. "It turns out our headstrong Academy Teacher transformed himself into a passable ANBU under Crow's tutelage. It may take a bit of time for him to regain his Sensei sensibilities."

"Sensei sensibilities?" Tsunade didn't try to hide her confusion.

Crow scratched at the back of his head and took up the explanation. "Well – for starters he probably shouldn't be around pre-genin armed with kunai or shuriken until he loses some of the ANBU reflexes he's learned over the weeks spent with us. I don't think the parents would be too happy if their precious toddlers returned from class missing a finger or two."

Tsunade's eyes went wide at the implications of his words and then narrowed dangerously. "Are you seriously telling me that you've ruined my best Academy Sensei, Crow?"

The ANBU took an involuntary step back from the crushing wave of anger she knew was emanating from her. "No Hokage – not ruined – just...tainted a bit."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Tainted?"

Ibiki stepped in at Crow's obvious discomfort. "Lady Tsunade, Iruka Umino is still the same caring Sensei you've always known – he just has a bigger bite now to go with that bark he's always so quick to use. In fact it was those very sensibilities that helped tame Wolf."

She frowned – deciding she'd get no where with this until she met with Iruka herself. She glanced back down at the report...then back up at Crow and Ibiki.

"Why isn't Kakashi Hatake listed with the others injured? Are you trying to tell me he came through this unscathed?"

Ibiki stepped forward with a thick bundle of papers and placed them on her desk. "His case required a bit more detail than the others. You'll find his injuries are listed in chronological order – the first sheet was provided by the civilian medic, Chuutetsu. You will also find reports from Iruka Umino, Shizune and a detailed description of Bear and my findings on the Wolf factor."

She met the Interrogation expert's eyes. "So where is the Brat now?"

Shizune cleared her throat. "Kakashi is at the hospital in the critical care wing undergoing surgery on his arm to repair damage caused by his Uncle which we were unable to fully address in the field. There were other less serious injuries – all at least partially healed by myself, Iruka-sensei or Chuutetsu over the course of the mission. Plus he's suffering from chakra exhaustion...again."

Tsunade found herself relaxing after that report. She'd been expecting far worse after the Brat was gone for so long – especially after seeing what shape Team Kakashi had been in when they returned. She frowned. She'd need to let the kids know they could stop working on the nursery.

-- --

Ibiki stood outside the cell where Akuma was being kept. He'd questioned Kakashi at length about how long the jutsu would last before they'd have to deal with Orochimaru's cousin once more. It was the one and only time the Copy-ninja hadn't been able to give him a straight answer. He had absolutely no idea if the jutsu would wear off – all he knew was Akuma had to actually release the technique back in Kurogane's complex.

Ibiki sighed and nodded once to the guards outside the cell. If there was any change at all, they would notify him immediately – meanwhile he needed to double-check the results of the autopsy done on the young woman who'd carried Kakashi's offspring. Something about the way Kakashi and Tenzou had described the fight with Akuma and Kabuto made him uneasy, and he couldn't quite explain it.

The young medic-nin who met him outside the autopsy room looked to be around the same age as the kids in Kakashi's team. Ibiki rubbed at the back of his neck. When the heck did he get so old?

The young woman stared at him with wide eyes – obviously intimidated by his presence. She presented him with a thick file folder and then disappeared back behind the steel doors as soon as the papers were in his hands. He frowned and started flipping through the records. That frown deepened, and he reread a particular passage three times before slamming the file shut and heading toward the Hokage Tower. Lady Tsunade was not going to like this – not in the least.

-- --

Iruka sat across from Chuutetsu trying to understand the commerce structure he was describing for the part of the world his city was located in. It seemed far too complex to ever work – but the medic assured him that Euros were the going currency for a good portion of the world now. Iruka stifled a yawn and Chuutetsu finally took pity on him.

"Iruka-sensei, why don't we call it a day? I'm sure you have much more interesting things to occupy your day than learning about my country's financial affairs."

This time Iruka didn't try to hide his yawn. "I'm so sorry Chuutetsu. I just can't seem to stay focused today. But we'll have plenty of time later this week to chat about it. You are still coming to my class to talk to my students, right?"

The medic chuckled. "How could I possibly pass up a chance to inform the children of Konoha that even their beloved Iruka-sensei is fallible? I look forward to showing them that there is more to the world than the Five Great Countries."

Iruka scratched at the back of his head. "Well – don't be surprised if their questions lean more toward your adventures with the ANBU and your part in the rescue of the Great Copy Ninja. Luckily there will be plenty of time in the future for you to educate them."

They shared a comfortable laugh until one of the ANBU appeared next to them – startling Chuutetsu, while Iruka simply greeted the man with a smile.

"I'm glad to see you're back on duty, Badger. Are your hands fully healed already?"

The ANBU flexed his fingers slightly before responding. "They are nearly there, Iruka-sensei – thank you for inquiring."

Iruka smiled. "How can I help you Badger?"

"The Hokage requests your immediate attendance at the Tower."

With the message delivered, Badger disappeared – leaving Iruka to ponder what the summons might mean. "Looks like you get to make dinner again Chuutetsu."

The medic shrugged. "It's the least I can considering you're letting stay here."

He smiled and bid Chuutetsu goodbye, glad Lady Tsunade agreed to let the medic stick around. He stepped outside and then headed toward the Hokage Tower at a steady run.

Once in the Hokage's office, he sat alongside Neji, Shizune, and Ibiki. The Hokage continued to ignore them all while she studied the file in front of her. At last, she glanced in their direction. Iruka swallowed a lump in his throat when the woman's golden eyes narrowed and fixed on him.

"How certain are you, Iruka, that the girl was carrying three fetuses?"

He scratched nervously at the scar across his nose. "Very, Hokage. Neji confirmed the numbers using his Byakugan."

He watched as Tsunade's gaze shifted to the young jonin at his left. Neji's eyes were far from completely healed – one was still bandaged – but his clan confirmed there would be no permanent damage after a few months of steady treatments. Still, it was disconcerting seeing the Hyuga looking less than perfect.

"My scan of the woman showed three healthy fetuses right up to the moment she was sealed within the pod, Hokage."

Shizune nodded at Neji's statement. "She was still healthy when I last saw her as well, Lady Tsunade."

The Hokage sighed and shook her head slowly. Iruka felt an uneasy feeling grip his stomach. "Lady Tsunade, why exactly would you be questioning the number of fetuses in the girl?"

The Hokage rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hands – looking far older than she normally did. "It's probably nothing...and you are forbidden to utter a word of this beyond this room...but it appears our autopsy squad was only able to discern two separate fetuses within the girl's womb."

That said – she dismissed the four of them and sent them on their way. Iruka spent that evening with his dreams riddled with scenes of what Orochimaru might do to even one of Kakashi's offspring. When he woke the next morning he found a plain wrapped box on his kitchen table.

He glanced around the apartment but found none of the wards or traps had been triggered. And Chuutetsu was still asleep in the back room. He frowned at the strange package before stepping over to it and seeing – in very neat writing – his name written on the very top of it with a warning to open it alone. Sighing, he reached to open it. Inside – under layers of red tissue paper – sat a painted ANBU mask. Next to it in the box was a simple note: Use this the next time you are called to aide us. You've earned it...and your name...Owl...

Iruka lifted the bone white mask out of the box reverently and examined the deep red swirls around the eye holes, and the feathering marks around the edges. Sure enough – the mask held the stylized look of an owl's head. He smiled and then carefully repacked the mask and went in search of someplace to hide it until he ever needed it again – and after the past couple of days – he had the sinking feeling that he may actually need it someday soon.

Once hidden – he returned to the kitchen and started making breakfast for himself and his new roommate. He wasn't sure what tomorrow might bring them all – but if nothing else, his ANBU adventures had taught him to enjoy each day as though it might be his very last.

-- --

Kakashi yawned as he stared at the boring white ceiling for the tenth day in a row. It didn't seem to matter how many times he said it – the Hokage evidently didn't want to believe him when he said he was feeling fine. He rolled onto his side until he had a clear view out the only window in a room with so many alarm jutsu and chakra wards that, even if he was fully healed and held a maximum of chakra, he would be hard-pressed to escape unnoticed.

Outside the window rain was falling steadily, washing the entire village in shades of gray. Every now and then the wind would whip the rain into the window pane – usually followed by a blinding flash of lightning and, a moment later, a sharp crack of thunder.

The storm was getting closer – and by the look of it, it was going to be a bad one. Another flash of lightning and booming roll of thunder and Kakashi's mind filled with a vision of the last severe storm he'd been in. He closed his eyes and was pulled back into the memory of that final battle with Kurogane – to the moment when his Uncle's eyes lost their light and Kakashi's hand was pulled out of the man's chest. He knew with certainty that he'd used his Chidori to finish the bastard off – but he still found these memories to feel almost false to him. After all – Wolf's persona had been fully engaged at the time...while Kakashi's awareness was struggling to survive within the confines of his mind.

Another flash of lightning – still visible through his closed lids – was followed quickly by a resounding crash of thunder. The window shook in its casing while sheets of rain pounded against the glass. Another vision from Wolf's final incarnation nearly caused Kakashi to cry out. The Chidori was raised once more – but this time it was aimed straight for Iruka's heart.

Kakashi snapped his eyes open – ending the vision with the motion. His heart raced at the implications – and he had just about regained control of his body when the door slid open to reveal the Academy Teacher holding a closed basket. Beside him were Naruto, Sai and Sakura.

Kakashi couldn't quite stop the groan from escaping his lips at the sight of the teacher...and Iruka's usual grin transformed almost instantly into a scowl.

"Well Kakashi – I see Lady Tsunade was lying when she said you were looking forward to visitors today!"

Kakashi's eyes went wide and he held up one hand in what he hoped was a placating motion. "Ah – now don't be that way, Iruka-sensei...of course I'm up to having visitors."

Naruto took the open invitation and pushed past the Academy Teacher – Sai and Sakura a step behind him. After all – this was the first time they'd been allowed to see him since his return. From what Ibiki had eluded to Kakashi, there were some psychological issues his team needed to work through before being allowed to see him in his current state. Although, considering everything he'd been through – his current state really wasn't all that bad.

His arm received some additional work – including a rather complicated surgery – to bring it back to one hundred percent...so he was currently sporting an external support structure consisting of a series of metal bars and screws piercing into his bones at various points. Yes – it looked a bit scary to the average civilian – but it shouldn't be too intense for hardened shinobi.

His back was still undergoing treatments to finish the healing that Iruka and Shizune started out in the field – but all that was left from that was a thick scar – again...nothing too morbid there. His eye was given a thorough check up and passed with flying colors, and the damage done to his throat by the collar and his Uncle's fingers was barely visible anymore.

Most of the electrical burns from Kurogane's punishments were no longer raw – although they were still slightly discolored across his chest and very sensitive to the touch – but the Hokage had promised him that with a few more treatments even they would fade away.

So he smiled under his mask at the trio that made up Team Kakashi and waved them closer. He couldn't help but chuckle at how careful they all were being at their approach...almost as though they were afraid he might vanish if they moved too quickly. By the haunted look in their eyes he realized that was likely a very accurate observation.

Trying to think of some way to ease the growing tension in the room, Kakashi shifted his attention back to Iruka – who was only now entering into the room. "So Iruka-sensei...what's in the basket? Have you finally decided to have a date with me?"

Seeming to sense his attempt to lighten the mood in the room, Iruka played along with him. "I've told you before, Kakashi-sensei...you just aren't my type."

"Mah – but I've been told I'm everyone's type."

Iruka chuckled at him while setting the basket on top of the empty bed next to his. "You misheard them, Kakashi. They probably were trying to tell you that you think you're everyone's type."

Kakashi placed a wounded look on his face. "Are you telling me our kiss meant nothing to you, Iruka?"

A faint blush crept up Iruka's cheeks while the comment finally seemed to break the trio out of their silence. Naruto's face scrunched up in disgust. "You kissed Kakashi-Sensei? That's just so wrong!"

Sakura's green eyes went wide as she looked between Iruka and himself as though trying to discern the truth from the lies. A slow smile crept across her lips as she leveled her gaze at Kakashi. "So you've actually let someone see your face?"

Meanwhile Sai stepped closer to Kakashi's bed and glanced back at the blushing chunin before speaking. "So how was the kiss Kakashi-senpai?"

Pushing down a laugh, he sighed dramatically before answering. "Well...it was good enough to bring me back from the dead."

Iruka's face grew another shade darker as he opened the basket and reached into it to start pulling out what appeared to be takeout from the ramen stand he and Naruto liked frequenting. "It was called CPR Kakashi...not a kiss."

Sai tipped his head to one side. "Iruka-sensei, may I ask a question?"

The Academy Teacher turned to face the young man – his face schooled in the look of the Sensei once more. "Of course you can, Sai."

"How do you perform CPR?"

Kakashi had to resist the urge to chuckle while Iruka slipped into his teacher-mode. "Well Sai, you tip the patient's head back and press your mouth over their mouth and breathe into their lungs."

Sai nodded. "That's what I thought." Then he turned toward Kakashi. "So how was the kiss?"

Somehow, Kakashi managed to respond with a straight face. "Not bad – until he bit me."

"WHAT!?!" That was all the warning he and Sai had before the contents of half the basket of food sailed across the room at them.

After the impromptu food fight, the group settled into a comfortable silence – Naruto picking what ramen he could off his clothes and grousing about a waste of perfectly good noodles. Eventually the group left – but not before Sai placed a small frame on the stand next to Kakashi's bed. Once they'd gone, Kakashi turned his attention to the gift and picked it up.

The framed drawing showed himself standing behind Naruto, Sai and Sakura. All of them had smiles on their faces – even Sai. The drawing was flawless – and in neat lettering across the bottom of the page it proudly declared... 'TEAM KAKASHI – REUNITED.' Kakashi took a slow, deep breath and gently set the picture back on the side table. He leaned back on his pillows and smiled up at the white ceiling. It was good to be home.

A/N – Here we are at the end of another tale. Thank you to all who have traveled this Long Road with me – and a special thanks to those of you who have been kind enough to share your thoughts and comments with me through reviews and P-Ms. As always – your feedback seems to fuel my muse and helps me to know what parts stick out to you – the readers.

Without you – the stories would likely never have seen the light of day...so thank you once again for sharing my obsession.

Until the next tale...yours truly -

'Krazed