✔️Heal My Heart {Kakashi Hatake}

93 | chasing him

I came to curled up on a mattress with a thick quilt wrapped tightly around me. There was a hot water bottle tucked in the sheets against my stomach, though much of the warmth it may have once had was now gone.

A wailing struck up from the corner of the room, and I glanced over to see a baby in a cot. Damaru. I was at Teren's?

I stood up, letting the bottle and blanket fall to the floor. Damaru was kicking, his face red as he cried. I picked him up and carefully bounced him in my arms.

"Shh, little one, it's okay," I whispered reassuringly. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"Miyoshi?"

I glanced back. Standing in the door frame in a nightdress was Kanari, outlined by the light coming from the corridor behind her. She looked worn out.

"I'm so glad you're awake, I was starting to get worried." Kanari came into the room and took Damaru from me.

"How did I end up in here?" I asked.

Kanari sat down in an armchair next to the crib and started to breastfeed Damaru. "Teren found you passed out near the village gate. There didn't seem to be anything wrong, so he just brought you back here until you woke up. That was yesterday evening, though. It's about half six now."

"This isn't good." I drummed my fingers on the window sill, glancing out at the village. It was all quiet.

"What isn't good?" Kanari asked.

"I think Kakashi may be in trouble. We had an argument yesterday as he was leaving for a mission. It's a death trap, I wanted to go with him as support but he refused. He was talking like he didn't expect to come home alive." The drumming picked up.

"Oh." Kanari paused. "That's really not good. What are you going to do?"

I pushed open the window and crouched on the ledge. "I'm going to see the Hokage. Tell Teren I'm probably going to need him."

"You can't just jump out of a window!" Kanari protested.

"Hey, I'm a trained ninja. This is nothing." I grinned and, just because she was so shocked, turned around and purposefully fell backwards from the window. I flipped myself over just before I hit the ground and managed to land on my feet. After that, I took off running, heading straight to the Hokage tower.

I got there faster than I usually would have, owing to the fact that much of the village was still asleep and the streets were empty enough for me to run at full sprint. I didn't even stop at the tower, but channeled chakra to my feet and ran vertically up it and in through the window.

The Third was sat behind his desk, but swivelled around when I arrived in the window.

"Miyoshi? Shouldn't you be with Kakashi?"

"I think he's in trouble and we need to go after him," I said in one breath.

"What do you mean?" The Hokage frowned.

"I went to see Kakashi off yesterday, and we kind of had an argument where he said a bunch of stuff and I said a bunch of stuff, but he was talking like he didn't expect to come home alive and it was really scary. He left me behind and went alone anyway."

Maybe it was the sincere pleading in my eyes or the near-panic in my tone, but the Third nodded gravely.

"I shall summon a team immediately. Do you have an idea who you'd like to accompany you?"

I was glad he'd already accepted that I would lead. "Yes, actually. I want Teren Mishiko, Might Guy, Yūgao Uzuki, Tenzō and... no, just those guys." I was about to add someone else, but changed my mind.

"Not Itachi Uchiha?"

Of course he knew who I was going to say. "Well, I'm sure he's quite busy at the moment, as a captain and all..."

"To the contrary." The Hokage beamed. "He doesn't have a mission at the moment, and is free for call at any time. If I assign him and those you named under your command, I'm sure you could find Kakashi in no time."

I didn't have it in me to argue. Kakashi could be in trouble alone, and I couldn't let my personal feelings get in the way. As much as I wanted to avoid Itachi, he could be crucial.

"Yes sir." I bowed my head.

He made me wait in his office for the others to come, though he'd sent the summons with high importance, so they had to come as soon as was humanly possible. I mentally apologised to Teren; he might be kept away from home for a while.

The ANBU portion of the team, Yugao, Tenzō and Itachi, arrived first. They were all fully suited up in ANBU uniform and ready to leave at a moment's notice, I was sure. I wondered if it would be a good idea to get my own ANBU uniform, but just as the thought crossed my mind, Guy and Teren arrived together.

"Hey, Kanari said something about Kakashi, is everything okay?" Teren asked.

"Not exactly." I turned back to the window. It took a moment to realise I was still drumming my fingers.

The Hokage cleared his throat. "I have summoned you here as a backup and rescue squad for Kakashi. It seems that he has gone on an extremely difficult assassination alone, and may not return alive. Naturally, concerns have been raised, and you have all been selected to be part of the team to track Kakashi down.

"I should also add that, should you find Kakashi and he is safe, your orders are to remain hidden from him until a need for intervention arises. He cannot know of your presence until he requires your help. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the team echoed. Itachi's gaze drifted toward me, but I looked away before our eyes could meet. I had to concentrate on finding Kakashi.

"Alright, I'm in charge, so you guys'll follow me," I said, forcing myself to enter shinobi mindset, and leave the worried girlfriend mindset behind. "Teren and Yugao, you'll be going in front together and use your sensory skills to try and track him down. I'll go next, then I want Guy, Tenzō, and Itachi, you'll take the back. Got it? Move out!"