Fanning the Flames

A/N I need to apologize for the slowness of updates of late. I'm afraid blizzards, illness, and the drudgery of editing my next book have thrown me a bit behind schedule. I should have fewer balls in the air very soon and hopefully the pace will pick back up. Thanks for sticking with me!!


Chapter Thirty-Three

Jiraiya dragged himself out of bed and trailed behind his lover and the agitated interrogator. As little as he liked the idea, the thought of leaving Itachi alone to cope with Ibiki just didn't sit well with the sannin. “What did the brat do?” he ventured once they reached the guest quarters.

“He threw me out,” Ibiki hissed. “Happy old man?”

“No, not at all. I think it's high time the brat and I had a little chat,” the Toad Sage declared. “He's the most manipulative person I've ever met. I can't believe you're letting him jerk your chain like this.”

“Did you two fight?” the Otokage asked as he carefully felt the interrogator's bleeding hand.

“I punched a wall,” the scarred man gritted out. “I would never hit 'kashi . . . especially when he's pregnant. But he threw me out, just because I was worried about his traveling. His mood swings are killing me. I just hope he's calmed down enough to at least talk by the time I finish with Kisame.”

“Knowing senpai he's halfway to Konoha by now,” Itachi remarked mildly. “Jiraiya, why don't you go check on your nephew. No fighting. Then come back and fill us in. I'll wait here with Ibiki for Kisame to show up.”

“The brat will be fine,” the sannin declared. “I don't want you confronting Kisame.”

“I've been dealing with him for years,” the Uchiha declared with an injured sniff. “Go do as I ask please. The sooner you go, the sooner you'll get back.”

“I don't want him leaving without me,” the interrogator insisted. “Stall him until I get back.”

“Anything else you'd like?” Jiraiya asked snarkily. “A pint of blood perhaps?”

“Just go,” the Uchiha insisted. “You can tell me all about how put upon you are later.”

*^*^*

“Hatake-san, I really think we should wait until your husband returns.” Asuma paced restlessly as he argued with the agitated copy-nin. “I don't want the responsibility if you become ill.”

“Fine, then I'll go on my own,” a shockingly pale Kakashi retorted. “Like it or not, I'm leaving as soon as I'm packed. Whoever wants to accompany me had best get ready.”

Kurenai tried to subtly signal her husband to back off. One look at the silver-haired nin's red-rimmed eyes and wooden expression and she knew arguing would only increase his resistance to whatever was proposed. “It's alright 'shi-kun. Asuma will go get the twins while I help you finish up.”

She slipped outside after him and hurriedly whispered, “Go let Gaara and Raidou know what's happening. Make sure you get a litter and some bearers, Kakashi can't walk all the way and neither can the twins.”

“Anything else dear?” the bearded nin asked mildly, having decided that arguing with either the copy-nin or his wife was a pointless exercise in frustration.

“Hurry,” she hissed before turning back into the room and shutting the door.

“I'm not changing my mind Kurenai,” the copy-nin declared upon her return. “There's no point plotting with Asuma about it.”

“No plotting 'shi-kun. It would be stupid to try and trick you,” the kunoichi answered honestly. “I did tell 'suma to get a litter, if you try and walk the whole way you'll lose the baby for sure.”

“I'm a jounin, not a little girl,” Kakashi pointed out crossly. “I've walked further with near-fatal injuries. You're coddling me again.”

“No, I'm coddling your baby,” she retorted angrily. “Get this through your thick head Hatake, it isn't about you. Shinobi die all the time. Babies deserve the chance to at least be born first.”

“I'm sorry Kurenai,” the jounin whispered. “It's been a long day.”

“What did you two fight about anyway?” she asked. “Maybe I can help.”

“He's trying to control me,” the copy-nin explained. “Ever since Zetsu told me . . . it doesn't matter why. I just can't trust that he's telling me the truth.”

“Hatake Kakashi, that is the single most ridiculous thing you've ever said to me,” the kunoichi hissed. “Ibiki worships the ground you walk on, he wouldn't lie to you.”

“Maybe not at first,” the jounin demurred. “Now he has me where he wants me. I'm vulnerable and can't protect myself. This would be the perfect time to seek revenge. Besides, you seem to be forgetting it may not be his child.”

“I'm not forgetting anything. You, however, seem a bit confused. In the first place Ibiki has no reason to want to get revenge on you. He loves you 'shi-kun. Beyond that, he's made it very clear that any child of yours he considers to be his . . . no matter how you come by them. You really need to relax and stop tormenting yourself. Once you're in your own house . . .”

“I'm not going home.” Kakashi interrupted her lecture to announce. “I'm going to stay with Genma and Iruka until the baby's born.”

“You can't be serious,” Kurenai insisted with a frown. “You'll break Ibiki's heart.”

“Maybe then he'll understand how I feel,” the copy-nin murmured. “In any event, he's no longer my concern. But since you think it's such a bad idea I guess I'll just move back into the bachelor quarters.”

“Looking like that?” The kunoichi bit her cheek to keep from laughing as she pointed to the noticeable swelll of the jounin's abdomen. “I don't think children are allowed. You'll have to come up with another plan.”

“Fine, I know the perfect place,” Kakashi growled. “It's secluded, tranquil and, best of all, none of you will be bothered by my issues.”

“You can't go off and hide 'shi-kun. You'll need help when the baby comes. Unless you were planning to take Fujiko-san with you, that is.”

“Of course not,” the copy-nin said crossly. “I'll be perfectly fine by myself. I'll come to town for my regular checkups, but I won't hang around to be the object of amusement for everyone.”

“That is unacceptable. Too many things can go wrong and you wouldn't be able to get to help if you were all alone,” Kurenai said with a snort. “Come stay with us. The twins would love having you around You could still go to the bookstore and anything else you felt like doing, and I wouldn't be worrying myself sick.”

“It's only going to make everything even more difficult if this gets out,” the copy-nin insisted sadly. “I really need some time on my own. What if I promise to come back a month before the baby's due. The ninken will be there if I need help. If I don't get some time to think I'm going to lose it totally.”

“All set?” Asuma asked as he poked his head through the door. “The guards and bearers are downstairs waiting and the kids are getting fussy.”

“All set,” Kakashi replied woodenly. “I'll be downstairs waiting.”

“Maybe we should just wait for Ibiki,” Asuma suggested as soon as the silver-haired man left the room. “I don't like this.”

“He's going 'suma, with or without us,” Kurenai insisted. “Do you want to tell everyone we let him go by himself?”

The bearded jounin lit another cigarette as he pondered his wife's words. After a long moment he shook his head dispairingly. “I just hope it doesn't come back to haunt us. Let's get going if we're doing this.”

*^*^*

“We have a serious problem Ru,” Genma declared. “No matter how many copies of that damn DVD I confiscte they're back on the shelf the next day. Obviously there's a stockpile somewhere I'm overlooking.”

“I just got a call from Asuma. Kakashi's on his way back to Konoha. We can't let him find out about them, especially as that's the reason he's leaving Suna.” The Rokudaime paced his office anxiously. “We need a worthy diversion, and a plan for putting a stop to the discs for good.”

“What did Ibiki have to say about it?” the senbon sucker asked.

“Apparently he and Kakashi had a fight. They aren't speaking at the moment,” Iruka fretted. “He needs support right now. What kind of idiot upsets his pregnant husband to the point he leaves?”

“Once Ibiki gets back we'll put our heads together and get him out of the doghouse,” Genma stated confidently. “First things first though, I'd better make sure no one decided to be 'helpful' and leave a DVD at their house.”

“You'd better check the bookstore too,” the Hokage urged. “The good news is they're travelling overland with Hatake in a litter. We have at least a day before they arrive.”

“Seeing as I've been hunting the damn things down for a week that doesn't seem like much time.” The senbon sucker fiddled with his trademark needle as he tried, and failed, to come up with a plan. “Does he know about them?”

“Not the ones here,” Iruka assured him. “The ones in Suna are the reason he's headed home.”

“I'd better get going then. I've got a lot to do and not much time to do it in,” Genma grumbled. He kissed his husband passionately, making sure to get in a good grope while he was at it.

“Stop that,” the former teacher grumbled. “Find the discs, then you'll get your reward.”

“Suddenly I'm inspired,” the honey-haired man exclaimed with a broad grin. “Better get ready, I'll be back before you know it.”