Shotgun Wedding

So here's the next chappie. I tried a little code stuff in and effort to do italics. I don't really know how to do it, so hopefully it works. If it doesn't the text between is Sakura's journal. If you know an easy way to do italics, let me know please. Anyway, only one more chapter after this and it'll be up in a few minutes. I finished the story, except I may continue it with a Naruto/Hinata fic, so watch for that. I need to finish Duty too. :) Okay now read and enjoy. :)

Chapter 9

Tsunade looked down at the journal on her desk and then back up at Gemna. “Why are you brining this to me?” she asked with a frown. “I normally collect this from her when she returns.”

Gemna shrugged. “That’s what she gave me. Maybe it’s all she had?” he suggested. “She said it was sealed too and that you were the only one who could open it without it exploding.”

“Good to know,” Tsunade murmured, still frowning slightly. At least this way she’d be able to see what was happening up to a few days ago. She’d just have to grill Sakura on the remaining weeks later. “Very well. Go get some rest and I’ll call for your team once I wade through this.”

“Yes ma’am,” he said bowing and hurrying out.

She flicked her hands through a complex set of seals and then touched the book, sighing softly as the paper sealing it came loose and fluttered gently to her desk. Tsunade half regretted teaching the younger woman the dangerous trick, but knew, in this case, the information might be that important. “Let’s see what you’ve been up to Sakura,” she murmured flicking to the first page.

“We’ve been traveling for four days now and Kakshi said we’re nearly at the town where we’ll be living for the next few weeks. We hope to make contact quickly but we don’t really know what the situation is there.

I have been trying to grow accustomed to sleeping near Kakashi and acting like his wife…but I’m not used to this. It’s frustrating at time because he’s thirteen years older and has much more experience than I do with this kind of thing. I wish I’d dated a bit at least. I’m regretting never taking the sexual education classes now too. I know that they’d only give me theoretic information…not practical…but still at least I’d understand how to act…how to pretend. It doesn’t help that Sasuke and Naruto glare at Kakashi for most of the day either….”

Tsunade chewed on her lip and flipped the page. Sakura may not have been the best choice to pretend to be a wife, but she knew Kakashi’s team was one of her best…at least when it came to being outcasts and leaving the village.

“We’re in the village now. It’s a cute place. The population is much smaller than Konoha’s. There are a few stands, a medic and mid-wife, an inn and a bar. It looks like only a few of the residents live in town, and the rest live on farms around the area. Maybe we can look for work and information with the farmers. They may know more about the compound than we do.

Kakashi and I are trying to become accustomed to our new life together here. It’s difficult. Since we are supposed to be newly weds, people expect certain things of us…expect certain sounds to come from our room. I didn’t mention it earlier, because it was just a prank, but Sasuke and Naruto left…erotic toys…three of them in my room the night before the mission. I haven’t ever owned any, but I knew what they were since I know people with them.”

Tsunade’s eye twitched in irritation. She was going to have to have a chat with two young men when she saw them next.

“Well I thought I’d just look at them and the bottles that had come with. Who knows when you might need to know about that kind of thing? At least that’s what I told myself. I was sitting on the floor of our room at the inn, sorting through it all, when Kakashi caught me. I was totally humiliated, but he was so sweet and calm about it. Sometimes, after being around Naruto for a few weeks, I forget how mature and sweet Kakashi really is. I get used to Naruto’s spastic nature and forget it isn’t the norm with all men.

He patiently explained each bottle to me and then the toys. That was when things got a bit confusing. I mean Kakashi is a good looking man and all…at least I’m sure he is under all the fabric, but I’ve only just recently started looking at him as a man…a real man. He has always been my sensei or former sensei, not a potential lover. One of the toys happens to vibrate and when I asked what it was used for…stupid I know…he ran it over me…DOWN THERE. I was surprised…but at the same time I wanted him to do it again….”

Tsunade felt her cheeks redden a bit and flipped the page, starting to see what Gemna had been talking about. Already Sakura had lost focus. She half wished Kakashi had kept a journal for her too so she could judge his mental state at the time.

“We’ve moved to a little house in the country…well I have at least. Kakashi rented it just yesterday, but then Zuiken, one of the compound’s leaders came to us. Naruto and Sasuke left this morning with Kakashi. I was informed that my skills were of no use to the leaders of the compound. Bastards. While the boys are there, completing the mission I will train and work with a nice vegetables dealer in the village. It’s all I can do until the mission is complete or this Zuiken changes his mind.

Moving out here was hard for me. Kakashi decided it was best after everything that happened between us. I hate to write about this, since it is very personal, but I know there is a reason why I keep this journal. I just ask that this doesn’t go beyond you Hokage. One day, while Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke were out finding a job, I read Kakashi’s book. He always has one with him and I’ve always been curious about what was in them. I didn’t realize they were quite so graphic…or that they had pictures. Jiraiya is a dirty old man!”

“No arguments there,” Tsunade murmured, smiling slightly.

“I read the whole book though and afterwards I felt…restless. Even that night, when I tried to sleep I felt too warm and uncomfortable. Kakashi offered to help me relax. This is where things spun a bit out of control. You will be upset with us Hokage and I expect to get a VERY long lecture when we return, but I know I need to be honest. He used his sharingan to relax me and then he touched me, with his hand. I don’t know why…but a few minutes later…he decided to use one of the toys. It felt nice, different, and for a weak moment and considered asking him if we could have sex…for real, instead of using the toy. I didn’t ask and we went to sleep.

Rumors started to float around that we weren’t married…or at least Kakashi wasn’t fulfilling his duties as a husband. We weren’t making enough noise at night, according to town gossip. Don’t these people have anything else to do beside listen at my bedroom door at night? It’s just weird! Kakashi suggested a solution, though he regrets it now. He used his sharingan again, but didn’t touch me this time. He did things in my head with his mouth. I’d rather not say, as I’m sure you understand my meaning. Needless to say, after that and the events of the previous night, people stopped spreading rumors that the marriage was fake…and Kakashi immediately started looking for this cottage….”

Tsunade flipped the page and sighed. It was blatantly clear that Sakura was in love with her former teacher or falling quickly. What wasn’t clear was whether or not Kakashi returned the feelings for her. She knew Kakashi was rather reserved and didn’t date much, so she didn’t think he’d be the type to use and then discard his former student. From his panicked reaction, she’d almost guess he rented the cottage in an effort to separate himself from Sakura and temptation.

“I saw Gemna again today. He came to collect information and leave a gift for me from Tsunade. I guessing this means you know now Tsunade. I apologize sincerely. As far as I know Kakashi hasn’t found anything, so I told Gemna that and he left.

Kakashi showed up a few minutes later and caught me drinking the contraceptive potion. At first he was so angry. He thought I’d been taking performance enhancers so I could get that stupid training bell from him. When he found out what it was he got all flustered. I’ve never seen Kakashi truly flustered like that. It was kind of flattering actually. I ended up making a comment that if I didn’t need it then, I could always use it when I got home. After the things he’s done to me, how could I not be curious about what can happen with a man? He flipped out. It was the strangest thing. He demanded that no other man touch me! He refused to do it, yet no one else could? It didn’t make sense for him to be so jealous, so I got mad and we ended up fight for a while over it…physically, not verbally. He can be a jerk too sometimes, I guess.

After a while my anger burned off a bit and I started to realize that he was actually getting a kick out of our fight. God, you know you’re in love with a ninja when fighting turns him on!”

Tsunade laughed a little at the huffy tone of the young woman’s writing. Ah, to be that young and innocent again. Sakura was barely scratching the surface of what it was like to be in love or with a man at this point.

“Since he still had the stupid bell…which I’d been trying to get for a month, I decided to try diverting his attention with my body, since he seemed to be looking anyway. It didn’t work, of course. I need to remember that Kakashi may be a healthy adult man, but he’s not stupid. He saw right through the plan and teased me about it. So apparent getting the bell from him has to involve more than speed, intelligence and moves. What else is left? Dumb luck?

I did something else today…I hope he won’t avoid me now because of it. He said he wouldn’t…but I can’t claim to understand men yet, even after growing up with three volatile men like my boys. They’re so confusing no matter how much they protest the label. Anyway, we ended up wrestling around and I ended up ‘on top’. I guilted him into letting me touch him, since he’d touched me before, but hadn’t let me reciprocate. He didn’t seem happy with the idea, but complied. I hope Gemna was long gone at that point…because I eventually ended up taking Kakashi into my mouth…and well… I don’t want an audience for THAT.

Tsunade cleared her throat and turned the page again, her cheeks rosy. Sakura had guts, she had to admit it, both to do what she’d done and then admit it to her Hokage. Tsunade vaguely realized she wouldn’t have minded if Sakura had lied a bit.

“It has been over a week since the ‘incident’ in the clearing. Kakashi was very sweet when he came to find me today. He didn’t bring up what had happened between us, but he didn’t avoid the fact that things have definitely changed between us. He openly admitted he wished the marriage was a real one.

Shojiro, Zuiken’s older brother has allowed Kakashi to bring me to the compound to be with him. Shojiro is a very bad man. Zuiken was kind of slimy and arrogant, but blatantly so. You don’t have any illusions when it comes to dealing with him. But Shojiro…he’s nice. He’s painfully friendly and helpful, but underneath, savagely ruthless. I can see it in his eyes. I won’t hide that I hate him…except for when I’m around him of course. We’ve decided that I should play into the stereotype he believes in. I am shy, sweet and obedient whenever I see him. I hate it. I’ve been the sweet damsel in distress for so long I could vomit every time I have to fake it. I don’t want to be the woman that cries for help every time a man gets too close to me. I don’t know if I can do that any more. I’ve learned too much from Tsunade…grown too strong, to be that…weak.”

Tsunade turned the page, smirking and shaking her head. Sakura had followed behind Sasuke and Naruto for years, straining to be like them, but always falling short. Yet Tsunade had seen that the pink haired kunoichi had real potential talent. She’d taken the girl in and trained her for a few years.

Sakura had blossomed rapidly under Tsunade’s guidance, becoming a formidable kunoichi and medic-nin. She still wasn’t quite at the level of any of her three teammates when it came to outright hand-to-hand combat, but she excelled far beyond them in other areas. In the right situation she could beat any of her teammates easily. Genjutsu was definitely her strength, aside from her medic skills. She half hoped the young woman would put those arrogant brothers in their place.

Something happened last night…I’m not sure if it’s good or bad. Tsunade is definitely going to be upset with us. I don’t know what this will mean for our return home….

Tsunade frowned and skimmed down the page, her frown deepening as she read. She reached for a thick tome on her desk and flipped it open to marriage laws. She muttered to herself out loud, “If a marriage remains unconsummated it may be annulled, by the Hokage, within six months of the original certificate authorization, impotency being the likely grounds for the annulment. Should the marriage be consummated within that same time period it is binding and may only be dissolved through divorce, upon the discretion of the Hokage.” She leaned back in her chair and then sat up abruptly to re-read the journal. “Damn it,” she murmured. “I hope it was worth it, because you’re stuck with him now girlie.”

She flipped ahead in the journal, stopping when the writing became rushed and messy. Sakura had clearly written it in a rush and Tsunade could instantly see why. In the next dozen pages or so she outlined Shojiro’s general plan for taking over a sizable chunk of Cloud Country and pieces of surrounding territories. She pulled out several pieces of paper and, with a sigh of resignation, and began to draft letters to six village leaders, warning them of the possible attack.

Once she was finished she pulled a cord to summon Shizune. “Yes Tsunade?” Shizune asked hurrying in a few minutes later.

“Shizune,” she murmured, looking out the window. “I want you to send orders to Shikamaru to get in here immediately. I need his planning skills. Send orders to ANBU headquarters as well to prepare about a dozen women. I will also need to speak to several of the people Naruto’s age, you know the ones I mean.”

“The rookie nine?” Shizune asked, eyes wide at all the information.

“Yes, though I think that might be an insult ten years later,” she mused. “Gai’s team too. I have several letters that need to get out to villages in Cloud Country and a few outlying villages. I think that all of them can be relied upon to get them out safely.”

“Tsunade,” Shizune murmured hesitantly. “Is something bad happening?”

“Perhaps,” Tsunade replied.

“Why so many people?” Shizune asked softly.

Tsunade smiled over her shoulder. “It’s time to make Kakashi and his new wife come back home. Their desertion won’t be tolerated another moment.”

Shizune smiled and nodded, hurrying back out to find all of the people Tsunade would need to speak with to get the new mission rolling.

***

Sakura rolled onto her back, frowning softly and opening her eyes. It was far too dark to be morning yet. Why in the hell was she awake at such an ungodly hour? Her senses were buzzing, like something was about to happen and she didn’t have a clue as to what it was. She sat up, pushing her hair back.

“You’re awake too?” Kakashi murmured, sitting up next to her.

“Yeah. I feel like I’m supposed to be doing something right now,” she murmured, sleep still thick in her voice. “It feels like something is coming…you know?”

“Maybe I should go get Naruto and Sasuke up,” he said throwing the covers off and swinging his legs to the floor.

She smiled at the lovely site of his bare rear in the dim light. The man had a beautiful ass; that was for damn sure. “You going like that?” He grinned over his shoulder and tugged his pants up. She watched him dress quickly and waved as he started to leave.

He paused at the door, hand on the knob. “Pack our belongings…just in case,” he murmured before slipping out into the inky darkness of the hallway.

Her eyes widened and she scrambled out of bed. The feeling of something to come…could it be Konoha ninja? Was this the end finally? She flipped on their light and closed the bedroom door. Was she finally going home; back to her friends and family; back to her life? She tugged her pack out from under the bed and then Kakashi’s, tossing them both on the covers.

Kakashi…where would he fit into her life? When she thought of going back to just being his former student and comrade, her throat tightened. She knew that it couldn’t happen that way. She couldn’t live without him in her life…he was her new life. They’d make it work, somehow.

***

Tsunade looked up at the tall gate of the compound, a smirk floating across her beautiful face. Was this it? The big threatening compound? She’d tear it down with her bare hands it that’s what it took to show this Shojiro and Zuiken that they weren’t all that mighty. Behind her were ten ANBU and high ranking Jounin. She doubted they’d need more than that, even with Kakashi training the men here.

“Is everybody ready?” she murmured to the group. They murmured their affirmative reply and Tsunade cracked her knuckles. “Then let’s get through this gate and show these bastards just how scary a woman can be.”

Ten soft, feminine chuckles filled the air as Tsunade stepped forward and took a deep breath. She swung her fist at the thick wooden gate and watched in satisfaction as it trembled and then burst inward. “Kakashi!” she yelled, her voice carrying through the still night air. “Kakashi, get your ass out here immediately!” The small squad walked through the rubble of the gate and into the main yard of the compound, waiting for Kakashi to come out.

Kakashi appeared in the training yard moments later with Naruto and Sasuke in tow, as well as most of the startled, sleepy mercenaries. “Hokage?” he murmured, sounding a bit surprised for once. “What are you doing here ma’am?”

“I’m tired of waiting for you to come home,” she said crossing her arms and raking her gaze over the sea of startled men. “I came to drag your sorry ass home so we can sort out this mess,” she growled. “Where is Sakura?”

“In her room,” Shojiro said, walking out into the dark training yard. “I’m afraid she can’t come greet you at the moment Hokage,” he murmured. “Perhaps I could be of service instead?”

Kakashi stiffened at the man’s words and started for the main building, only to be stopped by Shojiro’s upraised hand and stern voice. “Don’t, or I will give the signal for her throat to be cut.”

***
Sakura threw on her clothing and sandals and then started shoving clothes into the packs, not bothering to short them by owner. She had heard the explosion and Tsunade’s voice. They wouldn’t likely have much time for escape now. The compound could be tumbled into chaos in a matter of minutes. She reached for the bedside drawer and yanked it open, dumping her toys in her pack and dropping the drawer.

“Interesting nights I see,” Zuiken purred from the door.

She spun and blushed. “That’s really none of your business,” she spat.

“Perhaps not,” he said with a shrug. He lifted his hand and dragged a wicked looking sword along the wall, gouging a deep rut into the plaster. “But this compound is. I will protect it. If the loud woman out there does one thing to endanger what we have here, I will kill you.”

“I’d like to see you try,” she murmured, her voice deadly and low.

His handsome face contorted in fury and he growled, “Bitch!”

“Yeah I get that a lot,” she murmured pulling out a kunai from her leg holster.

He shouted and lunged at her, swing his sword around with startling skill. She arched back, feeling the blade hiss past her neck with barely any clearance to spare. She would have to end this quickly or risk getting seriously injured.

As he turned to make another pass at her, she firmed her grip on the kunai and lunged at him, sinking the kunai into his belly. Screaming in pain, he dropped the wicked sword and grabbed for her neck. Ignoring his grasping hands, she twisted the blade cruelly and yanked upward, inwardly wincing as hot blood gushed out over her hands and soaked her tunic. His hands spasmed around her neck, and his legs buckled under him.

“But you’re just a woman,” he groaned, falling to his side. His face was pale and stunned, as if he just realized he was really dying. “I can’t be killed by a woman,” he gurgled out. She ignored his ranting and hurried for the packs. After wiping her bloodied hands on the bedspread she closed both packs up. Tossing hers over her shoulder and clutching Kakashi’s to her chest she made her way past Zuiken. He was crying softly into the wooden floor, waiting for his life to bleed out, waiting to die shamefully at the hand of a woman.

She pushed down the nausea and guilt she felt every time she had to kill someone and hurried down the hall. She could hear Shojiro yelling at the intruders in the yard. “Don’t, or I will give the signal for her throat to be cut,” she heard him say.

“Who’s going to do the cutting?” she ask in a soft voice from behind him.

He spun and looked at her, startled to see the beautiful woman. Even in the darkness it was easy to see the dark bloodstains on her skin and clothing. It didn’t take a genius to recognize that she’d just killed his brother. “You stupid bitch!” he snarled, lunging for her.

“Can’t men think of better insults?” she murmured, tensing for the attack. Sakura heard the soft whistle of a kunai and watched him jerk and fall flat on his face, her own set in a dispassionate expression. A kunai was buried deep in his back and Kakashi was slowly rising from his throwing stance twenty feet away. Shojiro clawed at the dirt of the yard for a few sickening seconds and then sighed and went still.

The yard was silent as the mercenaries took in what had just happened. Their meal ticket was dead and they suddenly realized they were all back where they started. Finally one spoke up. “Now what are we supposed to do? This was our home…our job! You’ve taken it all away from us!” Several others began to mutter and grumble the same things.

Sakura looked at the group nervously. They needed to defuse the situation quickly or there’d be real bloodshed. She hadn’t failed to notice that nearly a dozen Konoha kunoichi were scattered around the yard, crouched and ready. The mercenaries wouldn’t stand a chance against the elite females all around them. She couldn’t help but think of a few of the friends she’d made amongst the men. “Wait!” she cried, hurry towards them and shoving Kakashi’s pack into his arms. “We’ll help you!”

Tsunade’s eyebrows rose. “We will?” she muttered.

Sakura ignored the remark and turned to the blond woman. “Hokage, there are many farmers in the area that need workers. Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke found some.” The two young men nodded in agreement while Kakashi just watched her with interest. “Maybe we could split them up into smaller groups and send them to farmers. The farmers could use more laborers and the men have good fighting skills that they learned from Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke, so they could protect the farms from bandits too. There are probably twenty or more farms in the area, so surely we can find work for them, if they are willing to put in the leg work.”

Tsunade smiled at the young woman. “That’s very diplomatic of you Sakura.” The men had quieted down and listened with interest, so perhaps it would work. “Very well,” she said with a shrug. She turned to the placated men and looked them over. “You all look fairly healthy and fit, so I don’t see why this wouldn’t work out for you. For those that are willing to give it a try, join those lovely ladies over there and they’ll divide you up and help you prepare for the trip,” she said pointing to the masked women and Jounin behind her. “Those that don’t want to try it, you’re free to go where you like. I just don’t want to see you causing any trouble.”

“What about us Granny Tsunade?” Naruto asked after a few minutes.

“You four are coming home with me,” she said firmly. “I think three months away from home is more than enough. You are all missed by your friends.” None of them had any family really left, so at least they hadn’t had to suffer the loss of their sons and daughter. She flicked her eyes over Sakura. “Go get cleaned up and then we’ll head out to the camp to get a little rest,” she murmured.

Sakura nodded and walked slowly towards the showers. So this really was the end. What would happen with her marriage? Would it really be over? As hot water streamed over her body and rinsed away Zuiken’s blood, a few tears joined the pink swirl down the drain.

***