Matchmaker, Matchmaker

Chapter Two

Hatake Katsumi was bone tired. She shuffled into the house, letting the door bang shut behind her. “Ruka I’m home.” she called before heading into the lounge and slumping onto the sofa.

“Sumi-chan, how are you feeling?” the teacher said sympathetically as he brought her a cup of tea, settling it carefully on the table next to her hand.

“Like a beached whale, my back hurts, my feet hurt . . . assuming I still have feet, that is, I haven’t seen them in weeks.” she groaned.

Iruka teasingly bent to study her legs before lifting his head with a smile to declare “Yup, two feet.” Monstrously swollen feet, his mind added, Tsunade needs to check her over. “When’s your next check-up angel?”

“Tomorrow morning.” she replied with a sigh, “Every other day now.”

“It won’t be much longer.”, the teacher said compassionately. “Why don’t you go soak in the tub for awhile.”

“No baths.” Katsumi grumbled as she yanked the tie out of her hair, rumpling the silver strands until they stood out in a tousled cloud around her face. “Why am I a shinobi again?” she muttered angrily as she waddled into the bathroom for a shower.

Clean, dry, and wrapped in a soft yukata Katsumi looked at the world with a kinder eye. “I’m sorry little one.” she murmured as she rubbed the swollen mound of her belly, “I wish I could have spared you this life.” She stretched luxuriously on the large bed. Her condition had forced a rearrangement in the household, she had moved into her parents old room, turning the room on the other side of the shared bath into a nursery. Gai and Iruka had shifted into Katsumi’s old room, which had a private bath. Really it makes the most sense, she decided, it’s just hard to think of this as my room.

She settled back on the bed, shutting her eyes and tracing comforting circles on her abdomen as she murmured to the baby inside her. Wish you were here Chichi, she thought, you’d be so proud to have a grandchild on the way. I was thinking of naming him after you if it’s a boy . . . Hatake Ibiki, has a nice ring, doesn’t it.

A chill ran up her spine and she snapped to alert, eyes popping open at the familiar displacement of air signaling a teleportation jutsu.

Katsumi turned towards the sound and froze, gaze riveted by an over-bright pair of mismatched eyes. “Otousan . . . is it really you?” she gasped.

“It’s really him ‘sumi.” a familiar voice rumbled from her other side.

“Chichi, I’ve missed you so much.” the girl exclaimed as she threw herself into the scarred man’s arms, snuggling against his chest.

“I’m so sorry angel,” Ibiki said sadly, “I tried so hard to come home to you . . . and now I’ve been gone so long, you’re grown and married already.”

“Not exactly.” she muttered.

“How old are you Katsumi?”, the copy-nin asked.

“I’m thirteen.” she admitted sheepishly, “I made jounin four years ago . . . not that I can take any missions now.”

“Did you want this ‘sumi?” Kakashi continued in a steely tone.

“Well . . . they didn’t exactly ask my permission,” she finally admitted, unable to conceal anything from her parents’ sharp eyes, “the council was afraid of losing the bloodline so they had me impregnated at my last physical. I was really angry at first, but once the baby was growing inside me I couldn’t imagine not having it.”

“You don’t need to worry sweetheart,” Kakashi crooned as he gathered the girl into his arms and gently stroked her hair off her face, “I know just what to do.”

“You do?” Ibiki asked warily, “It doesn’t involve killing anyone, does it?”

“Would it matter?” Kakashi replied wryly, continuing to pet Katsumi absently as she snuggled against him.

“Of course it would matter. Who do you think will suffer the repercussions?” the interrogator retorted angrily.

“There won’t be any repercussions.” the copy-nin said calmly, “I’m not stupid enough to risk the life of my daughter and grandchild. I wish I’d known ‘sumi-chan,” he continued hoarsely, “I’d have come to visit you sooner . . . Ibiki just told me, I never expected, I mean . . . I never thought to look, I was afraid to see ‘biki moving on without me.” he finished mournfully, “I missed all your growing up, I’m so, so sorry sweetheart.”

“That’s all right Otousan,” she responded with a broad smile, “I’m just glad you’re here now.”

“Are you here by yourself ‘sumi?” Ibiki cut in worriedly, “You shouldn’t be alone in your condition.”

“No Chichi, it’s alright.” the girl replied hurriedly, “Ruka and Gai moved in here after you died. Gai took a job at the academy so Ruka and I wouldn’t worry anymore.”

“Those poor kids.” the copy-nin groaned, shaking his head at the thought of a whole class of mini-Gai’s running around in spandex and leg warmers, each with identical bushy eyebrows.

“You wouldn’t recognize Gai, ‘kashi.” Ibiki broke in with a chuckle, “Once Iruka got his hands on him the spandex disappeared, his hair got styled and the eyebrows shrunk three sizes.”

“I’m not surprised . . . he was always good at keeping people in line.” Kakashi remarked absently as he remembered a fiery Iruka terrorizing the jounin in the mission room. “Enough about Gai . . . what do you need us to do for you sweetheart?”

“Stay with me?” she whispered sadly, “I miss you both so much.”

“We’ll stay for as long as we can ‘sumi, I promise.” the copy-nin replied sadly, “We can’t stay indefinitely though . . . that much I know.” He glanced around the room, finally scooping his daughter into his arms and settling on the bed, motioning for Ibiki to join them. Once they were all comfortably arranged he wrapped a strong arm around both his precious people and shut his eyes, imprinting the moment in his mind so he could examine it over and over.

Eventually though he conceded to the reality of the situation, opening his eyes with a sigh and fixing his hawk-bright gaze on his daughter. “Sumi-chan . . . what do you want to happen now?” he asked quietly.

“I just want to raise my baby in peace.” she finally replied after a long pause, “I love being a jounin and going on missions, but I don’t want my baby to grow up without me the way I had to grow up without you. I’d love to be a jounin sensei . . . but Tsunade says I’m too young for the genin to respect me.”

“Tsunade has her own agenda where the Hatakes are concerned.” Kakashi said coldly, “She will be convinced to think otherwise. Jounin sensei it is . . . I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can sweetheart.” he continued in a much softer tone as he bent to press a lingering kiss to his daughter’s brow. “Keep an eye on her ‘biki, I’m going to go visit the hag.”

Kakashi slowly faded from sight, reappearing in the middle of Tsunade’s office, causing her to shriek in fright, clutching her chest as she shrank back in her seat. “Hatake-san?” she tentatively began, “What . . .”

The Hokage got no further in her questioning, however, before a venomous voice whispered in her ear. “I’m here because of what you’re doing to my daughter, Tsunade.” the copy-nin hissed. The sannin turned her head toward the sound, falling back from his glare to cower behind her desk.

“Katsumi has been put in a horrible position for any woman . . . much less a thirteen year old girl.” Kakashi growled, “She wishes to retire from active duty to become a jounin sensei, and you’re going to make sure it happens or so help me I’ll drag you straight to hell with my own hands right now.”

“It’s not up to me . . .” she began before being harshly cut off by a strong fist slamming down on her desk hard enough to send cracks scurrying across its surface.

“This is not open for negotiation. You will give Katsumi a position as a jounin sensei . . . let her raise her child in peace. You and the council have used my clan for your own purposes for too long.” Kakashi settled himself comfortably on the corner of the large desk before continuing. “In order to guarantee your cooperation I have a little jutsu I’ve been saving.” He flashed through a rapid series of hand signs before touching a finger to Tsunade’s forehead right between her eyes.

“What did you do to me.” she squawked angrily.

“Just a reminder.” the copy-nin replied airily, “Do as I ask and nothing will change. Break our agreement and you’ll find your chakra slowly leaching away . . . it wouldn’t take long before you wouldn’t even have enough left to maintain your appearance, much less function as Hokage.”

“I never agreed . . .” the Godaime sputtered.

“Yes,” Kakashi hissed, “you did. I hope I don’t have to come see you again Tsunade, you’d regret it.” With that he slowly faded from sight, leaving a trembling Hokage slumped over her desk.

When the copy-nin reappeared he was surprised to find the bedroom empty. “Sumi, ‘biki, where are you?” he called, but the house was empty and silent. “What have I done?” Kakashi muttered as he sank to the ground and wondered what had happened to his precious ones.