Still Worth Fighting For(Someday)

Of Homes and Bonds

Chapter Fifty-Five:

The next few days passed in a blur for Izami. Kakashi and her seemed to talk more, but Izami mostly stuck close to Noriko and Tachi. Kurenai and her spoke a few times, but all too soon it was time for Kakashi and Kurenai to return to Kohona. Izami saw them off, Tachi, Noriko, and Hikaru on either side of her. Izami stood at the gates, watching until Kakashi and Kurenai had disappeared. Her hands at her chest, she felt a sudden weight drop in her chest. It hadn't even been an hour since they left, and Izami already felt herself missing them. The four of them had been walking through the Sato compound for a good hour, mostly silent, and then Tachi decided to break the silence.

"Well! I say it's time for some luch! Who's with me?!" Tachi patted Izami's back slightly. Izami glanced at him, laughing, and then nodded. Tachi then looked over at Hikaru." Hey, Hikaru, bro, think we can head over to Arashi-san, and Akira-san's house? They always have to best food." Hikaru sighed, and then nodded.

"I supposed that means you want to bring that woman along too?" Tachi glared at his brother for a moment. Noriko simply looked away. Izami touched her shoulder gently, though she was secretly happy that she wasn't on the receiving end of Hikaru's callous remarks.

"That woman has a name, and it's Noriko. Noriko-chan is going to be-"

"Don't have a tantrum. I was only joking."

"Yeah. Sure you were. And I'm a snowman. A magical talking snowman." Tachi whispered under his breath, causing both Izami and Noriko to giggle. Hikaru looked back at them with an eyebrow raised.

"Something funny?" Hikaru's tone was serious, but also had a tone of amusement. His head was cocked slightly towards them with an eyebrow cocked, a small hint of a smile on his face.

"N-no. Not really." Izami answered, holding back her laughs.

"Hmm.." Hikaru looked forward again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Izami had never felt more sick in her life. Even with morning sickness that still plagued her, she still never felt sicker. Izami tried to calm her raging nerves by telling herself it was just family. Though she barely had any memories of her aunt and uncle. Noriko smiled softly at Izami to encourage her, but Izami couldn't look anywhere, but her feet as they walked towards Arashi and Akira's home.

"Oh, Hikaru-sama, Tachi-kun! It's so nice to see my sister-in-law's boys together again!" Izami glanced up at the curly haired, blonde woman with light grey eyes. The woman was wearing a yellow and orange dress. Her face was slightly oval-shaped with a willow's peak that gave her face a slight heart-shape to it. Her skin was a pale color.

"We were just dropping by for a visit. Uncle Arashi is around isn't he?" Hikaru said in a more relaxed tone than Izami had ever heard from him before.

"Well, sure!" Akira's eyes looked over at Izami and Noriko, her smile tightening in displeasure. Izami tried not to let the look bother her, even though it did very much. Tachi looked over at his sister, and girlfriend, and then back at Akira with a grin.

"You remember my sister, Izami, right?"

"Of course. How could I? And the young woman beside her?" Izami tried to ignore the judging tone her aunt used. Izami's body was tense.

"My girl, Noriko." Akira relaxed, if only slightly, and nodded.

"Well, it is a bit nippy out. Come inside." With that said, all five entered the house.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Man, I hope she comes back soon, y'know." Naruto muttered in annoyance as he sat in the local burger joint with Sakura. Sasuke was up at the counter ordering their food." Sasuke-kun's been more moody than usual." Sakura rolled her eyes, looking over at the ordering station with a bit of a sad look. Sakura then looked back at Naruto with a shrug, the sadness gone from her eyes.